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News You Can Use February 9, 2007 Peregrine Falcon Educator's Workshop Teachers, non-formal educators, homeschoolers, youth group organizers, and scout leaders are invited to attend "WILD in the City", a free, Peregrine Falcon Educator's Workshop set for Thursday, April 5, 2007. Participants in the 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. workshop in the auditorium of the Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg will explore the successes of peregrine falcon reintroduction in PA, examine falcon specifics and endangered species concepts, and observe falcons in Harrisburg. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has enlisted peregrine falcon experts from the PA Game Commission (PGC), ZOOAMERICA and Project WILD among others. Participating teachers are eligible for 5.5 credit hours under Act 48. Interested parties are encouraged to register immediately. Due to space limitations, registration will be first come, first served. Register by phone at 717-772-1644 or email adevine@state.pa.us no later than March 28, 2007. PA's Peregrine Falcon Website is filled with stories, videos and facts about falcons PGC Wildlife Notes on the Peregrine Falcon. Early Spring Whitewater Release Whitewater enthusiasts, kayakers and canoeists will want to mark their calendars for Saturday and Sunday March 17 and 18, 2007 for the annual whitewater release from Lake Nockamixon into the Tohickon Creek in Bucks County. The early spring release from Lake Nockamixon will provide boating water at Ralph Stover State Park, near Pipersville, Bucks County from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Boaters are reminded this is technical whitewater with Class 3 and 4 rapids requiring certain boating skills. Contact: The PA Fish & Boat Commission webpage, "Boating Near You", is your link to PA water trails and lakes, county-specific and regional boating reports, access points, boat rentals and marinas. Link to boating courses and handbooks for a safe adventure on PA waterways. Here is more on whitewater boating in PA and PA Water Trails. Spring Bird Migrations Snow geese and tundra swans passing through Pennsylvania don't need to rely on Punxsutawney Phil for the spring forecast. The annual spring migration to their northern nesting grounds finds them relying on the length of daylight in a day, the availability of open water for resting, and snow-free fields for feeding. The PA Game Commission's (PGC) Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area on the Lebanon-Lancaster county line offers migrating flocks rolling hills, forested areas, croplands and wetland-dominated lowlands along the Atlantic Flyway. According to a Wildlife Conservation Education Specialist for the PGC, Middle Creek is one of the southernmost staging areas for snow geese. Spectators are invited to take to the driving routes and utilize roadside pull-offs, hiking trails and a visitor's center located two miles south of Kleinfeltersville, Lebanon County just off Hopeland Road, near the lake's western shore. Enjoy the Center Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday's from noon to 5 p.m. For lodging, food and other attractions in the area go to Visit PA and enter "Lebanon" for a list of nearly a hundred ideas to complete your trip. Can't visit in person, the PGC is tracking the comings and goings at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. The first full week of February 2007 finds the following at Middle Creek:
Link to the Waterfowl Migration webpage for updates. The PGC announces the return of the "Snow Geese – A Harbinger of Spring." Simplify Vehicle Purchasing Purchasing a vehicle may well be among your most costly transactions other than purchasing a house. Whether it is your first car or fifth car, you want to get the best deal for the vehicle that best suits your needs. When it is time to sift through the barrage of ads and car show spectacles, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (PA OAG) can simplify your search. "ASK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL: What do I need to know before purchasing a car?" breaks it down into 4 categories:
Consult the PA OAG to avoid deceptive practices. For problems or a dispute involving the advertisement or purchase of a vehicle, you can file a complaint with the OAG's Bureau of Consumer Protection at: or call the toll-free hotline at 1-800-441-2555. Access online or "print & mail" complaint forms and receive guidance in executing your complaint right down to helping you write a letter of complaint. Stay Out Stay Alive Abandoned mines and quarries have claimed the lives of 29 people in Pennsylvania since January 2000. The impact of the "Stay Out-Stay Alive" campaign is considered to have influenced a continual decline in abandoned mine and quarry-related deaths. Five fatalities in 2005 dropped to two in 2006 for the 19 PA counties in which abandoned mines and quarries present a safety hazard to hikers and curiosity-seekers. With the largest abandoned mine lands problem in the country, the PA Department of Environmental Protection points to more than 180,000 acres of unmarked shafts, unstable cliffs and waste piles, water-filled pits and abandoned equipment remaining from the days of a less regulated mining industry. Download and print the state's "Stay Out-Stay Alive" campaign brochure and poster, as well as No Trespassing signs to post at abandoned mines and quarries Here is link to a host of related resources. Black History Month Celebration The transition from slavery to freedom will be at the center of the 2007 African American History Month celebration hosted by the PA Departments of Health and Public Welfare and conducted in the State Museum auditorium in Harrisburg. The event set for Thursday, February 22, 2007 is free and open to the public. The keynote address will focus on the role of education and increased educational opportunities in helping African Americans make the transition from slavery to freedom. The event will shine light on Pennsylvania's rich cultural heritage rooted in countries around the world. Link to the PA Department of Health announcement. Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine The current edition of Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine chronicles the individuals and events in Susquehanna County's abolitionist history, where fugitive slaves were welcomed as early as the 1840s. The article explores the role of blacks, whites, local churches, government, political parties, organizations and military units in abolition. The quarterly publication, Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine, covers historical markers, archival documents, new publications, events, exhibitions and more than three centuries of the Keystone State's intriguing past. Join the Pennsylvania Heritage Society for as little as $25 to receive the popular award-winning magazine and the Society's newsletter featuring an easy-to-use calendar of events. Six membership levels offer benefits ranging from free, unlimited admission to 25 historic sites and museums to book, publication and gift shop discounts to events featuring popular historians, curators and authors, as well as in-depth tours and behind-the-scenes experiences at PA's historic sites and museums. Here is more on the PA Heritage Society.
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