Keystone State News Connection

Conservation Groups Work to Recruit New Hunters

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Conservation groups say encouraging more people to go hunting and fishing is vital to keeping conservation efforts alive.

Until recently, the number of people who hunt or fish has fallen, both in Pennsylvania and nationwide. And yet, most state wildlife management is funded by hunting and fishing licenses and taxes on firearms and ammunition.

In the Keystone State, those fees make up more than half of the state Game Commission‘s revenue. But Samantha Pedder, director of operations for the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports, noted participation in hunting has been declining since the 1980s.

“The lower the number of people participating, the lower funds derived to fund conservation,” said Pedder. “So, the loss of a hunter on the landscape is detrimental to conservation in Pennsylvania.”

Pedder has been working with Artemis, a project of the National Wildlife Federation, to help raise the number of women who hunt and fish.

People who fish and hunt also provide vital observations about wildlife habitat. Aaron Kindle, director of sporting advocacy at NWF, pointed out that many return to the same spot, year after year, getting an inside view of what’s happening in the landscape.

“Hunters and anglers see the effects of management on the ground,” said Kindle. “And they also see the effects of changing climate and changing landscapes, maybe more acutely than anyone.”

He said he’s encouraging Congress to increase federal funding for conservation efforts by passing bills like the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.

Pedder said in Pennsylvania, the Game Commission has taken steps to reverse the decline in these sports with what they call “R3 activities” – to recruit, retain and reactivate hunters.

“The agency, and partners like National Wildlife Federation and the Artemis program,” said Pedder, “have done a lot to try to revisit how hunting occurs in the state, to keep people active and give them more time to be outdoors.”

Efforts in Pennsylvania include relaxing the state ban on Sunday hunting, and holding mentored outings for young people and women who are first-time hunters.

The Christmas Season always brings back many fond memories for everyone, and if you are lucky enough to be from Beaver County, those memories are twice as good!  That’s because many local residents of various orthodox faiths celebrate Christmas according to the Julian Calendar, which marks the holiday on January seventh.  So, traditional Christmas would occur on December twenty fifth, and then, just when things were settling down after new year’s festivities, another celebration, a “second Christmas” if you will, was right on the doorstep.   In this edition of Beaver County Memories,  we will take a look at the sights, sounds and traditions of “January in Aliquippa”, which was always a hub of activity around Orthodox Christmas celebrations. Beaver County Memories is presented by St. Barnabas.

St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox church continues to be a thriving place of worship and is a prominent landmark along Main and Irwin streets in Aliquippa.  The building was and is more than just a beautiful church  and a fine place to worship, it was the epicenter of national identity, culture and tradition for a large contingent of town residents of Serbian descent.  Orthodox Christmas Celebrations in Aliquippa revolved around the church, it’s congregation and the entire Aliquippa community.  The fact is, Orthodox Christmas church services that began at midnight on January sixth were broadcast live on WBVP back in the day.  The radio broadcasts of  “Serbian Christmas” from inside the ornate sanctuary of St. Elijah Church were so popular that sponsorship opportunities were typically reserved every year by neighboring C & L Supermarket. Setting up the radio transmission for the annual late night special involved a little problem solving on the part of the radio station technical staff.  The process usually meant running a cable through a back window in the Nave of the church and out to a transmitter in the station van parked in the street.  But on the inside, it required a little help from church clergy to rout the wiring from the window to the pulpit. That’s because according to Eastern Orthodiox tradition, only the Parish Priest was allowed to enter the area around and behind the altar.  So, for at least once a year, anyway back when, some  radio station staffers had a little “divine”  guidance, and even assistance in performing their duties. 

Beaver County Radio news correspondent and St. Elijah church member, Sandy Giordano, offered that Orthodox Christmas celebrations in Aliquippa commenced on the day beforehand with men of St. Elijah church marching to the church cemetery on Brodhead Road and cutting down an Oak Tree. The tree would be brought back to the church in a procession accompanied by Christmas music where it would be set on fire and burned throughout the evening and following Christmas Day. This is what has become known as the burning of the Yule Log,  In many Christian faiths, burning of the Yule Log is a symbolic representation of the fire that was created to help warm the newborn  baby Jesus in the manger, and therefore is a visual reminder of the arrival of joy, and the central focus point of the Christmas season. It was also the responsibility of the St. Elijah men to tend to the Yule log and keep it burning throughout the timeframe.

Other preparations for Orthodox Christmas in Aliquippa included fasting prior to the big midnight service.  It would seem this practice may have had a double benefit.  Certainly, it helped church members focus attention on solemn, serious activities and prepare their hearts and minds for worship, but it no doubt also helped amplify the celebrations that would immediately follow the gathering when merriment was allowed to begin in homes.  It was not uncommon for a Serbian Orthodox household  to roast a pig on spit for the occasion.  The fact is, much like young Amish boys learned from their dads how to become great carpenters, many Serbian lads similarly received an in depth education year after year on the fine art of preparing and then roasting a whole pig in the backyard. Even today, it’s not uncommon to discover that catering and on site food preparations companies that offer pig roasts are operated by folks of Serbian heritage.

And you thought January in Aliquippa meant football playoffs.  Well, now you know the other reason everybody gets so excited in the city at that time of year! As always, Beaver County Memories is presented by St. Barnabas and can be heard every day on Beaver County Radio and the online streaming outlets.  Archived transcripts of this and previous archived segments of the Beaver County Memories series can be found at beaver county radio dot com.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.) Residents of Aliquippa will not be  faced with a tax increase in Aliquippa in 2021!!  The $6,350,779.00 budget  represents  86 mills of tax on land, and tax on buildings remains at 16.25 mills. Council approved the spending plan at Wednesday  night’s  meeting via ZOOM.

2nd COVID-19 vaccine gets public review ahead of US decision
By MATTHEW PERRONE and LAURAN NEERGAARD Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A second COVID-19 vaccine is moving closer to joining the U.S. fight against the pandemic. A panel of independent experts is meeting Thursday to discuss the vaccine made by Moderna. The panel’s review for the Food and Drug Administration is the next-to-last step before the agency decides whether the shots can be used on an emergency basis. The FDA staff issued a positive review earlier in the week, confirming the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. If the panel gives a thumbs-up, the FDA is expected to give the green light within hours or days. A Pfizer vaccine got the go-ahead last week.

LAMB BILL TO HELP MEDAL OF HONOR SPOUSES AND FAMILIES HEADED TO PRESIDENT’S DESK

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate amendment to the bipartisan Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (H.R. 7105) to increase access to health care and services for women veterans, provide for training opportunities for unemployed veterans, provide assistance for homeless veterans and increase oversight and accountability within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  The final legislation includes the Veterans Valuing our Widows and Widowers (VOW) Act (H.R.1826), introduced by Representatives Conor Lamb (PA-17) and Brian Mast (FL-18), which would ensure that the widows and widowers of Medal of Honor recipients receive the same support that was given to the veteran.

“Spouses and families sacrifice so much in support of our men and women in uniform,” said Lamb.  “We owe the families of our Medal of Honor recipients the financial security their spouse has earned.  I look forward to the President signing this commonsense, bipartisan bill into law.”

Currently, veterans who receive the Medal of Honor are entitled to an additional monthly pension.  However, when the recipient passes away the pension stops.  The VOW Act would ensure the surviving spouses of the Medal of Honor recipients continue receiving the pension that their spouse was awarded, even if the Medal of Honor is awarded posthumously.  The Medal of Honor represents the highest recognition for valor in combat that a member of the Armed Forces can earn.  It is awarded very rarely and only to those whose service and sacrifice far exceed the call of duty.

H.R. 7105 passed the U.S. Senate with unanimous consent last week and now goes to the President for his signature.  Click here to learn more about the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.) Aliquippa City Council  met via ZOOM last night and accepted Councilman  Matt Mottes resignation effective January 1, 2021 Mottes  served 3 years  on council, and asked   to  be reappointed to the water authority board when his term expires.’.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Beaver County DA  David J. Lozier said a search warrant was executed   at 611 14th Street in Beaver Falls early Thursday morning. The resident, who is a transplant from Chicago ,was suspected of selling heroin and fentanyl. The suspect had a history of violent crimes.  District Attorney Lozier reported that all police and civilians are safe.

Stay tuned to Beaver County Radio as this story continues to develop

(Photo of Seventh Ave. in Beaver Falls during yesterday’s snow)

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT has lifted the speed limit restrictions that were in place on several roadways in the region.

Due to the winter storm impacting the region, speed limits were reduced yesterday to 45 mph on all interstates and several other routes in the region. All speeds are restored to their usual posted limits.

PennDOT is continuing to treat roadways in the area and will continue until roads are clear.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

For more winter driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit www.PennDOT.gov.

Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAPittsburgh

PennDOT Warns Motorists to be Alert for Blowing or Drifting Snow

Pittsburgh, PA – With wintry winds and snow in the forecast this afternoon, PennDOT is reminding motorists in southwestern Pennsylvania to slow down, pay attention and use caution on area roadways, especially during snow squalls that may occur.

Motorists always should be alert for sudden squalls which can strike with little or no warning and quickly cause roads to become snow covered. Heavy squalls also can cause whiteout conditions, virtually eliminating a driver’s visibility.

If motorists do encounter snow squalls while traveling, PennDOT offers this advice:

• Slow down gradually and drive at a speed that suits conditions.
• Turn on your headlights.
• Stay in your lane and increase your following distance.
• Stay alert, keep looking as far ahead as possible and be patient.
• Do not drive distracted; your full attention is required.
• Use your defroster and wipers.
• Keep windows and mirrors free of snow and ice.
• During whiteouts, come to a complete stop only when you can safely pull off the roadway.
• Do not stop in the flow of traffic since this could cause a chain-reaction collision.
• Do not pass a vehicle moving slowly or speed up to get away from a vehicle that is following too closely.
• Always buckle up and never drive impaired.

Motorists are reminded that roadways will not be free of snow while precipitation is falling. With freezing temperatures, roads that look wet may actually be icy, and extra caution is needed when approaching bridges and highway ramps where ice can form without warning.

The department also asks motorists to allow plenty of space when driving near plow trucks. Also, for their own safety and the safety of plow operators, motorists should never attempt to pass a truck while it is plowing or spreading winter materials.

While PennDOT recommends not traveling during winter storms, motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

PennDOT reminds motorists to pack an emergency kit for their vehicles. A basic kit should include non-perishable food, water, blanket, small shovel and warm clothes. When preparing an emergency kit, motorists should take into account special needs of passengers such as baby food, pet supplies or medications and pack accordingly.

PennDOT also reminds citizens that downloadable materials, including home and car emergency kit checklists and emergency plan templates, are available at www.Ready.PA.gov or by downloading the free ReadyPA app for Apple or Android devices. Citizens can also find information about getting involved in local emergency response efforts and other volunteer opportunities through the ReadyPA website.

For more winter driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit www.PennDOT.gov/winter.

Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAPittsburgh.

PennDOT’s media center offers resources for organizations, community groups, or others who share safety information with their stakeholders. Social-media-sized graphics highlighting winter safety can be found online at www.PennDOT.gov in the “Media Center” under the “About Us” footer.