Gov. Tom Corbett creates his first Governor's Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation

Gov. Tom Corbett creates his first Governor's Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation- Ron Andrews appointed

Gov. Tom Corbett has issued an executive order creating his first Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation, which his office described as needed “to help ensure the concerns of hunters, anglers and others are heard at the highest levels of state government.”
The statement announcing the council, which will include several Central Pennsylvania residents, quoted Corbett as saying, “Pennsylvania’s rich outdoor heritage, including activities such as hunting, fishing, trapping, birding, wildlife viewing, boating and hiking, are enjoyed by more than 5.9 million Pennsylvania residents and visitors each year.
“These outdoor recreational activities annually generate more than $5.4 billion for Pennsylvania’s economy, which makes this council’s input very critical.”
Corbett’s council will consolidate a few councils that were separate under previous governors since Gov. Tom Ridge first created sportsmen’s councils, notably collapsing the youth council into four positions on the new council.
Appointed to the council are Ron Andrews, Emporium, Cameron County; Rodney S. Ansell, Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County; C. Thomas Baldrige, North Huntingdon, Westmoreland County; Thomas Boop, Sunbury, Northumberland County; Dale C. Butler, Noxen, Wyoming County; James A. Chapman, Warren, Warren County; Clair Clemens, Hatfield, Montgomery County; Christopher M. Czop, Collegeville, Montgomery County; Patrick Domico, Curwensville, Clearfield County.
Kory R. Enck, Elizabethtown, Lancaster County; Michael R. Foust, Johnstown, Cambria County; Dennis R. Fredericks, Amity, Washington County; Greg Grabowicz, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County; Jeffrey Haste, Harrisburg, Dauphin County; Maria D. Heil, New Freedom, York County; John Hohenwarter, Elizabethtown, Lancaster County; Mary Hosmer, Ridgway, Elk County.
Michael J. Martz, Dalmatia, Northumberland County; Freddie L. McKnight, Shirleysburg, Huntingdon County; Robert McRae, West Chester, Chester County; Richard Mislitsky, Mt. Holly Springs, Cumberland County (chairman); Janet D. Nyce, Green Lane, Montgomery County; Vern Ross, Camp Hill, Cumberland County; Randy Santucci, McKees Rocks, Allegheny County.
Bruce R. Snyder, Bellefonte, Centre County; Kim Stolfer, McDonald, Allegheny County; Harold L. Stoneberger, Lewisberry, York County; Brett Unruh, Coventryville, Chester County; Daniel Wilkinson, Gettysburg, Adams County; David Youells, Perkasie, Bucks County.
The four youth members are Mitchell A. Good, Hershey, Dauphin County; Cody Lambert, West Brownsville, Washington County; Jeff Mogavero, Havertown, Delaware County; and Thomas J. Nelson, Enola, Cumberland County.
Corbett’s office pointed out that the council does not include any elected statewide officials, legislators or employees of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Fish and Boat Commission or the Game Commission.
It does, however, include some former agency employees, as well as a former game commissioner.
Members will serve one-year terms and will not be compensated for their participation.
They are charged to:
- Review and make written recommendations to the governor regarding any issue appropriate for governmental action that might affect the recreational use and conservation of the state’s wildlife and other natural resources.
- Review and make written recommendations regarding policies adopted or regulations issued by the Fish and Boat Commission, the Game Commission, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or the Department of Environmental Protection, that might affect the recreational uses of the state’s natural resources.
- Review and make written recommendations regarding pending legislation and proposed regulations impacting natural resources.
Corbett also appointed Justin N. Leventry, of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, as his liaison to the council. Leventry is a legislative specialist with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
LINK

David Lyon receives CLASS AWARD

STAY CLASSY
Thirty NCAA baseball student-athletes who excel both on and off the field were selected as candidates Thursday (Feb. 23) for the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. Among the elite? Kent State senior co-captain and catcher David Lyon (Emporium, Pa.).

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition. The complete list of candidates follows this release.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, Division I head coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.

Lyon put together a career season last year, posting a career-best .315 batting average, .384 on base percentage and .538 slugging percentage with a career-high 75 hits, 36 runs, seven triples (most on the team, second in the MAC; tied with Matt Rundels, 1991 for most in a single season in school history), nine home runs, 27 walks, 53 RBIs and 128 total bases (third on the team, fourth in the MAC). He also led Kent State with 404 putouts, the eighth most in a single season in school history. He earned 2011 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Mideast Region Second Team and Second Team All-MAC honors for his efforts. He earned All-NCAA Championship Austin Regional honors after he produced perhaps the most memorable hit in Kent State history to help down then-No. 5 Texas, 7-5, on its home field as the Golden Flashes earned their first regional final berth since 2001. Trailing 2-1 with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, Lyon sent a 1-2 pitch sailing over the left field wall and into the Kent State bullpen to give the Golden Flashes a 5-2 lead with his second career grand slam. Lyon was named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team under Stricklin, who served as an assistant coach for the squad and helped the USA win three of five games against Japan.

Lyon collected four hits in last weekend's action -- including the 15th round tripper of his career with a leadoff homer to open the sixth inning to help push the Flashes to an 11-3 win Saturday over host Winthrop.

Check out Lyon's Lowe's Senior CLASS profile here.

http://www.kentstatesports.com/sports/bsb/2011-12/releases/201202230okmr7

Parade of Stars

The 2012 Parade of Stars was a great show! If you didn't get to see it, I posted photos at http://camconative.zenfolio.com/paradeofstars

Elk sightings

Several bull elk are becoming regulars at Sinnemahoning State Park. Took the wife for a drive through the other day and saw lots of wildlife and got a great tour of the new Visitor Center.

Emporium Man Killed In Crash On Rt. 46 Sunday

An Emporium man was killed just before noon on Sunday when his 4 wheel drive pickup truck went off Route 46 and rolled over in Shippen Township, Cameron County.Donald J. Selb, 65, of 2340 Route 46, Emporium, PA, was pronounced dead at the scene of the one vehicle crash by Cameron County Coroner Theodore L. Walters.Tfc. David A. Burd, in a news release, said the crash occurred 8/10 of a mile north of Rich Valley Road. Selb's 1996 red Dodge Dakota 4x4 pickup truck was traveling north on Rt. 46 at the time of the crash.The vehicle drifted from the roadway while negotiating a right curve in the roadway. It left the travel portion along the western edge of the roadway and struck the embankment with the left front of the vehicle.The pickup ascended the embankment with the left side tires and continued to travel in a northerly direction until it rolled over onto the passenger side of the vehicle where it made contact with the road surface, where it rotated in a counter-clockwise motion and came to final rest on the passenger side of the vehicle, facing in a north westerly direction.Selb was not wearing a seat belt.The vehicle sustained disabling damage and was towed from the scene by Ramsey's Garage of Emporium, PA.Trooper Burd was assisted at the scene by Emporium Fire Dept., Emporium Ambulance, Coroner Walters, Shippen Township EMA Co-ordinator Craig W. Hudson, and troopers Tfc. Douglas Homan and Cpl. Bret Martz.The investigation is continuing.

North central Pa. Moose lodge closes due to $63,000 in thefts; former official awaiting trial

EMPORIUM, Pa. — A north central Pennsylvania Moose lodge has closed apparently because it could not recover from losing $63,000 allegedly stolen by its former administrator.
Charges were filed in September against that man, 43-year-old James Geelen, of Emporium, whose attorney didn't immediately return a call from The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Police Chief John Lovett tells the Bradford Era the club was "financially strained, and the embezzlement probably had a lot to do with it."
Emporium police announced the charges only Monday, however, even though Geelen waived his right to a preliminary hearing last month and is awaiting trial on 39 counts including theft, receiving stolen property and forgery.
Emporium Mayor Bruno Carnovale says Moose Lodge No. 368 closed over the weekend. Police Chief John Lovett tells the Bradford Era the club was "financially strained, and the embezzlement probably had a lot to do with it."
Emporium is about 120 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, in Cameron County.

George B. Stevenson Dam. Photo courtesy of Mark and Judy Walters
Lawmakers Announce Funding forGeorge B. Stevenson Dam RehabHARRISBURG – The Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) today approved an $18 million grant to fund rehabilitation of the George B. Stevenson Dam at Sinnemahoning State Park in Cameron County, announced Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Brockway) and Reps. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) and Matt Gabler (R-DuBois).“This is an important investment in protecting the health and safety of people living along, or downstream from, the dam on First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek,” Causer said.“I commend the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for being proactive in identifying the potential for failure of this dam and acting to correct it,” Scarnati added. “Clearly, once this project is completed, it will meet the needs of area citizens and businesses, as it is vital in terms of not only public safety, but also economic development.”The grant money will be used to construct a grout curtain and cutoff wall along the upstream toe of the embankment to eliminate or greatly reduce the amount of seepage through the rock foundation of the dam. Prior engineering studies have shown the potential for embankment material to wash away, threatening a failure of the dam that could impact towns and communities up to 140 miles downstream.“While the investment in this project is significant, it is far more cost effective to prevent a flood than to recover from the damage it could cause families, business and communities,” Gabler said.Funds for the dam project come from H20 PA Flood Control Program revenue bonds authorized by Act 63 of 2008. Debt service on the bonds is paid from a portion of slots revenue that is deposited in the Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund.Sinnemahoning State Park located at the George B. Stevenson Dam was recognized in 2010 as a gold medal park. Click HERE to see that story.