Pennsylvania Mixed Bag: Early Bird Sports Expo Jan. 23-26 – Outdoor News
Bloomsburg, Pa. — The Early Bird Sports Expo will be held Jan. 23-26 at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds. More than 100 exhibits will be spread out across three buildings, all indoors.
Parking at the fairgrounds is free. Admission is $7 for those 13 and over; no charge for children 12 and under. Senior citizens and military admission is $5 on Friday.
Show hours are 3-8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
ANF Life Estates Decommissioning Project
Bradford, Pa. — The U.S. Forest Service is preparing to decommission structures at three vacated life estates on the Bradford Ranger District of Allegheny National Forest.
These leases include the Hall estate in Hickory Township of Forest County, the McLaughlin estate in Sheffield Township of Warren County, and the Jerko cabin in Mead Township of Warren County. The Hall Barn Wildlife Viewing Area, located along U.S. Route 62, is not included in the proposed activities.
Removal of these deteriorating structures will provide for a safer and more scenic experience visiting the Allegheny National Forest, the Forest Service said. Proposed improvements include regrading the land, dispersal of native seeds and installation of bat boxes.
MORE COVERAGE FROM PENNSYLVANIA OUTDOOR NEWS:
Thirty predator hunts scheduled in Pennsylvania this winter
200 dead snow geese signals return of avian influenza in Pennsylvania
Ice was nice in parts of Pennsylvania… at least for a few days
State Awards Grants to Restore Old Mines
Harrisburg — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has awarded $19,640,380 for the environmental restoration of eight abandoned mine lands projects as part of the Abandoned Mine Lands and Acid Mine Drainage Grant Program.
Pennsylvania has the largest inventory of abandoned coal mines in the nation, with a roughly $5 billion need for reclamation and stream restoration. To date, Pennsylvania has rehabilitated more than 151,000 acres of the roughly 288,000 acres of abandoned coal mines across the commonwealth, and with this federal funding, will be able to continue this vital work that protects the health and safety of our communities.
The funding, awarded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, has invested more than $700 million into reclaiming Pennsylvania’s abandoned mine lands since 2022.
Pet Dogs Can Spread Salmonella
State College, Pa. — Antibiotic-resistant Salmonella is a serious public health concern that has increased in recent years as the bacteria have developed ways to survive drugs. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people can get Salmonella from eating contaminated food products or from infected people or animals – typically via unintentional contact with feces via touching hands or stroking a pet.
However, a team of Penn State researchers have found that household dogs are an overlooked transmission point for zoonotic pathogens such as nontyphoidal Salmonella, which can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, with some infections potentially having life-threatening complications.
The findings were made available online ahead of the next print edition of the journal Zoonoses and Public Health. Given the proximity of dogs to humans and the use of critically important antibiotics in companion animal medicine, the researchers reported, household dogs represent a risk for the spread of antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella.
Comments on Twin Lakes Area Project
Marienville, Pa. — The U.S. Forest Service is accepting public comments on a proposal to improve facilities and enhance the visitor experience at Twin Lakes Recreation Area in the Marienville District of Allegheny National Forest.
The Forest Service, along with the Friends of Twin Lakes ANF, plan to make improvements to the water and wastewater systems, and construct and replace two fishing piers at the Twin Lakes Recreation Area.
More information is available at the project website, https://bit.ly/40aBS36, where comments can be submitted by clicking on “Comment/Object on project,” located under the “Get Connected” sidebar. Or comment by mail sent to Daniele Gualtieri, District Ranger, 131 Smokey Lane, Marienville, PA 16239.
Maryland Hunters Harvest 30,833 Deer
Annapolis, Md. — Maryland hunters reported harvesting 30,833 deer during the two-week firearms season Nov. 30-Dec. 14, 2024. The firearms season harvest was almost 9% higher than last year’s official count of 28,312 deer.
Hunters reported taking 11,709 antlered deer during the two-week season, a 2.7% decrease compared to last year’s official total of 12,028. The antlerless harvest increased 17% from 16,284 last year to 19,124 this year. Sika deer represented 540 of the total antlered harvest and 566 of the total antlerless harvest. The Sika deer harvest was up 1.4% overall.
Federal Farm Bill Extended Through 2025
Washington, D.C. — Following congressional failure to approve a new farm bill last year, the House and Senate have punted the 2018 version into the future, with the latest continuing resolution extending the 2018 legislation through 2025.
In years past, the farm bill had bipartisan support. It combines resources for such programs as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program with updates to farm supports, including commodity price guarantees and crop insurance.
Many elements of the next farm bill remain in limbo, but its passage this past Congress and next year mostly hinges on the future of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Source: https://www.outdoornews.com/2025/01/10/pennsylvania-mixed-bag-early-bird-sports-expo-jan-23-26/
