November 2022

Outdoor recreation contributed $13.64 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy, accounting for 152,000 jobs, and 1.6 percent of the commonwealth’s Gross Domestic Product, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis statistics.

“This latest round of economic data proves again that the excellence of Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation is the product of our remarkable landscapes and strong partnerships,” Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation Nathan Reigner said.

“Outdoor recreation continues to be a thriving and significant industry within the commonwealth; and this data helps us better understand what we are doing well, while also providing guidance on where we can grow this industry.”

The $13.6 billion that outdoor recreation added to the commonwealth’s Gross Domestic Product is up 22 percent from 2020; and the increase of 2,000 full-time equivalent jobs is up 4 percent from 2020. Read more…

By: Rutul Dalal, M.D.
Infectious Disease, UPMC

‘Tis the season for holiday gatherings where we share food, time together, and germs. No matter where you are, keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself from germs that can make you sick. Regularly washing your hands or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t readily available helps keep you and those around you healthy.

The CDC recommends washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. That’s about as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. It’s important to use soap and water and consider your technique. Turn one palm upward under the nozzle of the soap bottle and pump out some soap with the other hand. Rub your palms all over, including the fingernails, and then rinse it under running water to wash off. When you’re done, dry your hands using a paper or cloth towel and you the towel to turn off the spigot. If you are using a paper towel, dispose of it.

Water and soap may not always be immediately accessible, and in these cases using an alcohol-band hand sanitizer is adequate. Ensure the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol. Squirt a dime to quarter-size amount in the palm of your hand and then rub all surfaces of your hands and fingers until dry.

When to Wash

You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before and after eating food
• Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• Before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the restroom
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage
• After touching objects or surfaces that may be frequently touched by other people, such as door handles, tables, gas pumps, shopping carts, or electronic cashier registers/screens

Explaining Germs to Kids

While you want your kids to be aware of hygiene and what causes illness in them, you should not instill fear in them about germs. The concept of germs is abstract for children, but important as teaching them about germs and explaining hygiene make it easy for you to keep them healthy. Kids often think that germs are bugs, insects, or something gross. Explain to them what they are and start with the basics and expand as they grow.

Start teaching proper hand hygiene at a young age when we’re teaching other hygiene behaviors (bathroom, kitchen/food preparation) to help connect the dots to the children that germs are everywhere, and we always need to be practicing proper hygiene. Young children learn by imitating the behaviors of adults in their lives. When you make handwashing part of your routine, you’re setting an example for your children to follow.

An important step of teaching about germs for kids that many parents miss: Having your child repeat back to you what you said, so that you know that they understand it. This step can help you clear up any misunderstandings before they take root. This will help you cater the discussion to what your child is not only retaining but also understanding.

Watch out for overkill. While it’s important to teach our kids about basic hygiene, some kids are prone to going overboard. In general, parents should have a relaxed, matter-of-fact attitude towards germs and cleanliness – while washing your hands after using the bathroom should be sacrosanct, keeping your hands completely clean at all times is not only unreasonable, it also may be unhealthy.

Rutul Dalal, M.D., is the medical director of UPMC Infectious Disease in North Central Pa. and sees patients at UPMC Williamsport, 700 High St., Williamsport.

McClellan has been located and is safe. Alert cancelled.

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Acting Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Yassmin Gramian, and State Police Commissioner Colonel Robert Evanchick today reminded drivers of the higher risk for deer-related crashes in the fall and that insurance companies cannot add a surcharge to auto insurance premiums for such crashes.

“Late fall and early winter is when drivers are most likely to have a deer-related crash, and dawn and dusk are peak times for deer activity,” said Humphreys. “Auto collisions involving deer or other wildlife are considered a not-at-fault accident under Pennsylvania law, meaning insurers cannot raise your premiums or add a surcharge to your premium following a deer-related crash, but this exclusion does not apply if your car does not come in contact with the animal. Any damage to your vehicle from a deer-related accident will fall under a policy’s comprehensive coverage.”

State Farm estimates there were over 1.9 million animal collision insurance claims in the U.S. between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.

Pennsylvanians, according to State Farm, have a 1-in-57 chance of being involved in an animal-related crash, the sixth highest in the nation. PennDOT reported more than 5,700 deer-related crashes in 2021, up from almost 5,600 in 2020. The 2021 crashes resulted in 1,255 injuries and 13 fatalities.

“Drivers can help reduce the possibility of a deer-related crash by slowing down and using caution, particularly in areas where deer crossing signs are posted,” said Gramian. “It’s also important to educate young or inexperienced drivers on increased deer movement. Most importantly, your best defense in a crash is your seat belt. Always buckle up, every trip, every time.”

Drivers should be aware of the following tips from the American Automobile Association (AAA) to help prevent a crash or to reduce the damage from a collision:

• Stay alert and pay attention to road signs while driving. Areas with high levels of deer activity will often have yellow, diamond-shaped signs with an image of a deer.
• Use high beams when there is no oncoming traffic. Generally, the light reflecting off their eyes will reveal their location and flicking your high beams will often cause the animal to scurry away.
• Deer rarely travel alone; if one is seen, there are likely more, so slow down and watch for other deer to appear.
• Swerving away from animals can confuse them so they don’t know which way to run and can also put your car in the path of oncoming vehicles, so resist the urge to swerve. Instead, stay in your lane with both hands firmly on the wheel.
• If the crash is imminent, drivers should remove their foot from the brake. During hard braking, the front end of a vehicle is pulled downward which can cause the animal to travel up over the hood toward the windshield. Letting off the brake can protect drivers from windshield strikes because the animal is more likely to be pushed to one side of the vehicle or over the top of the vehicle.
• Always wear a seat belt. The chances of being injured when hitting an animal are much higher if the driver is not wearing a seatbelt.

“First and foremost, slow down. When you travel at a high speed, you reduce the time you have to identify the situation and respond to avoid the animal on the roadway,” said Evanchick. “If you are one of the many drivers who hit a deer, don’t panic. Immediately pull over to a safe area and assess the situation. If there are any injuries, your vehicle needs to be towed, or the roadway is blocked; contact 911 immediately.”

In Pennsylvania, two types of crashes must be reported to police: crashes that result in a vehicle being damaged to the degree that it needs to be towed from a scene and collisions that result in injury or death. Minor collisions that do not result in injury may be reported to police, but it is not legally required.

Drivers involved in any crash with another vehicle are required to exchange license and insurance information with involved parties and render aid when necessary.

To report a dead deer for removal from state-maintained roads, call the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at 1-800-FIX-ROAD.

Consumers with questions about auto insurance may contact the Insurance Department Consumer Services Bureau by calling 1-877-881-6388 or at www.insurance.pa.gov.

For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit psp.pa.gov.

For information on deer-related crashes by county, click here.

BRADFORD, Pa. – Jack Rae of Bradford has been named director of facilities management at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, bringing with him more than 35 years’ experience with project management and engineering and in all aspects of building design, construction and maintenance.

He succeeds Rhett Kennedy, who took the job in 2020, but later resigned for health reasons. Rae, who began his position last week, will oversee facilities management and capital projects for the University of Pittsburgh’s Bradford and Titusville campuses.

Most recently, Rae has been serving as a senior project manager for Gannett Fleming Inc., an engineering company, since 1998. During his time there, in addition to serving as senior project manager, he was the engineer of record for his projects; was responsible for all aspects of projects, from planning through commissioning; and assisted clients with regulatory compliance, asset management, implementation of Geographic Information Systems-based maintenance management system, and GIS facility mapping.

Additionally, he collaborated with the Pitt-Bradford environmental science program to recruit students to plant four acres of reed bed rhizomes at the Bradford Sanitary Authority wastewater treatment plant in 2019.

Prior to joining Gannett Fleming, Rae worked as a project manager and engineer at other firms, including BCM Engineers Inc. of Pittsburgh and Bengston, Debell & Elkin Inc. of Fairfax, Va.

Rae, a Bradford native, is a licensed civil engineer in Pennsylvania. He has a Bachelor of Science in agricultural engineering from Penn State. 

Following Kennedy’s resignation, Wayne Spary has served as interim director since July 2021, overseeing, among other projects, the construction of the George B. Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building.