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Another Great Year at Susquehanna Ag Day
For the 29th year, Susquehanna County Ag Day at Elk Lake School District brought together the area agriculture community to learn more about the latest in the industry. The March 2 event included 75-plus agriculture-related vendors, educational workshops, health organizations, lunch, pie baking contest, pie auction and delicious dairy products.
Part of the event is a meeting of the Susquehanna Farm Bureau, where we discussed many of the critical issues facing the ag community. Pictured with me are (back row) Joe Decker, Jim Barbour, Jim Garner from Susquehanna County Conservation District and Bradford County Commissioner Doug McLinko; (front row) Bill Baines, Rep. Tina Pickett, Susquehanna County Commissioner Betsy Arnold and Mark Madden from Penn State.
Sadly, Pennsylvania has the largest rate of Lyme disease in the country, and that’s why it is important to raise awareness about it and other tick-related diseases. Early detection is so key to treatment, and that’s why I joined Susquehanna County Commissioner Betsy Arnold and Rep. Tina Pickett at one of the exhibits at Susquehanna Ag Day.
The pie-baking contest is one of the featured events of Ag Day, with the judges having to make the hard decision for the best pie! Pictured with several 4-H members and me are judges Susquehanna County Commissioner Betsy Arnold, Glen Staebner, Rep. Tina Pickett, Jim Barbour of the Susquehanna Farm Bureau and Jim Garner of Susquehanna County Conservation District.
Education, Human Services Focus of Final Budget Hearings
Making sure every dollar of state tax money is used to its maximum benefit, the House Appropriations Committee wrapped up its three-week series of budget hearings Thursday, with two full days of questions about the education and human services aspects of the governor’s proposal and accountability measures.
Monday’s hearing featured both K-12 and higher education, with main topics addressing school safety, state financial investment and career-technical education. Special attention was placed on the long-term future of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and its increasing expenses, tuition rates and contract costs.
Citing the governor’s veto of the Human Services Code last year, both the committee and the administration focused much of their discussion about ways in which the Department of Human Services can be more innovative to better serve the neediest of citizens and reduce costs.
The Appropriations Committee will take the testimony gathered from these hearings into negotiations for the 2018-19 budget. All of the hearings are available here.
Impact of Post-Traumatic Stress on First Responders
The impact of traumatic experiences on first responders and a resulting increase in suicide was the subject of a meeting of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee this week.
A focus of the conversation was the stigma that prevents many from seeking or accepting help, especially from those without similar experiences, and the fear of sharing horrors that will only infect the other person without alleviating anything from the first person.
First responders are also concerned that trauma and stress on them could cause their employers to consider them incapable of doing their jobs, leaving them without access to insurance or workers compensation benefits, and unable to provide for their families.
A number of improvements are being considered, including a hotline staffed by police, firefighters, emergency service providers and their family members to give people the opportunity to talk anonymously with people who have experienced the same things.
Spring Ahead: Turn Clocks Ahead One Hour This Weekend
Daylight saving time will begin on Sunday, March 11, at 2 a.m., and residents are reminded to turn their clocks ahead one hour Saturday night.
This is also a good time to check and/or change batteries in both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. They should also be replaced every 10 years.
Daylight saving time will end on Nov. 4.
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