August 2024

Rescues For Westfield and Harrison Twp. are ongoing many counties and boats are there or on the way to assist with the rescue efforts

The Susquehannock State Forest office will be closing Rock Run Road near Lyman Run State Park effective immediate. Susquehannock State Forest office will be closing Sunken Branch Road effective immediately.

Helicopters are being dispatched to 126 Woodlawn Dr. to assist trapped rescue workers and civilians

Boats Are Coming From Multiple Counties To Assist with Evacuations And Rescues. Helicopters have been dispatched to assist with rescues

​Montoursville, PA – Motorists in north central Pennsylvania are advised the following roads in the area (listed by county) are closed or have a lane restriction due to flooding, downed trees or utilities. Updates will be sent periodically.

Lycoming

HEADLINE: Flash Flood Warning issued August 9 at 9:29AM EDT until August 9 at 3:30PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

DESCRIPTION: FFWBGM

The National Weather Service in Binghamton has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for…
Western Chemung County in central New York…
Western Schuyler County in central New York…
Steuben County in central New York…
Yates County in central New York…

On August 9, A water rescue at Rt. 49 and Austinburg Rd. for a vehicle floating with patients trapped inside

HEADLINE: Flood Warning issued August 9 at 8:42AM EDT until August 9 at 2:45PM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY

DESCRIPTION: * WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE…A portion of western New York, including the following
county, Allegany.

* WHEN…Until 245 PM EDT Friday.

* IMPACTS…Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying
and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– At 841 AM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges
indicated heavy rain. Flooding is ongoing or expected to
begin shortly in the warned area. Between 0.75 and 1.5 inches
of rain have fallen.
– Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in
the warned area.
– Some locations that will experience flooding include…
Wellsville, Alfred, Belfast, Cuba, Houghton, Whitesville,
Caneadea, Friendship, Scio, Bolivar, Andover, Belmont,
Angelica, Alma, Canaseraga, Almond, Richburg, West Almond,
Birdsall and Knight Creek.
– http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

INSTRUCTIONS: Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Flooding is occurring or is imminent. It is important to know where
you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks which can become
killers in heavy rains. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or
creeks.

Issued By: NWS Buffalo NY

Williamsport, Pa., August 9, 2024 – State Rep. Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming and Union Counties) presented a citation to Susquehanna Regional EMS (SREMS), UPMC in North Central Pa.’s prehospital team, in recognition of the agency’s EMS Agency of the Year award received earlier this year from the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council (PEHSC).

The National Weather Service in State College has extended the

* Flash Flood Warning for…
Potter County in north central Pennsylvania…
Western Tioga County in north central Pennsylvania…

* Until 300 PM EDT.

* At 1220 PM EDT, emergency management reported ongoing water
rescues in Westfield. Between 3 and 4 inches of rain have fallen.
Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the
warned area. Flash flooding is already occurring.

This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for Westfield. This is a
PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!

HAZARD…Life threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain producing
flash flooding.

SOURCE…Emergency management reported.

IMPACT…This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK
HIGHER GROUND NOW! Life threatening flash flooding of
low water crossings, small creeks and streams, urban
areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that a section of Route 4013 in Potter County is closed due to flooding brought on by heavy rains. As of 11:30 AM on Friday the road is closed between the intersection of Route 6 in Coudersport and the intersection of Route 49 in Allegany Township.  This closure is expected to last at least until 4:00 PM Friday dependent upon the amount of continued rainfall.

On August 9, at 12:05 pm Boats are being called for to rescue people trapped in their homes near Rt.449 And Brooklyn Rd.

On August 9, at 11:56 pm Harrison Valley Fire was dispatched to try and see if people are still in a vehicle that is being swept down the river

Montoursville, PA – Motorists in north central Pennsylvania are advised the following roads in the area (listed by county) are closed or have a lane restriction due to flooding, downed trees or utilities. Updates will be sent periodically.

​Montoursville, PA – Due to the severity of the storm, PennDOT is temporarily reducing the speed limit on Interstate 80.

PennDOT is urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel but those who must head out will see speeds reduced to 55 mph on the following highways:

• Interstate 80 between mile marker 210 (Route 15 Exit) in Union County and mile marker 97 (Route 219 / Dubois/Brockway Exit) in Clearfield County.

On roadways with speed restrictions, commercial vehicles not affected by restrictions on these or other roadways must move to the right lane.

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by Committee Chair Jennifer RickettsSwales.

Roll Call: Jennifer Ricketts-Swales, Janice L. Burdick, Gretchen Hanchett, Steven A. Havey, W. Brooke Harris, (Absent: John D. Ricci, Debra A. Root, James M. Rumfelt) Other Attendees: G. Barnes, T. Boyde, A. Carrow, R. Christman, K. Demick, D. Fanton, K. Francisco, D. Healy, K. Hooker, A. Joyce-Phelps, J. Kelley, C. Knapp, T. Linn, B. Riehle, P. Stockin

Approval of Minutes:
The Personnel Committee meeting minutes of July 3, 2024, were approved on a motion by Legislator Havey, seconded by Legislator Hanchett, and carried.

On August 8, Knoxville Fire depts was dispatched to assist in an evacuation on Wagner Way

On August 8, at 11:25 emergency responders were dispatched to Rt. 49 near Empson Rd. for a vehicle in the river pinned against trees with a person entrapped

OLEAN, N.Y., August 7 – Twenty five recent Portville Central School graduates received awards from the Portville College Scholarship Fund, managed by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation.

The Portville College Scholarship Fund supports annual scholarship awards for graduating Portville students who volunteer at the school store or annual Portville College Scholarship phonathon fundraiser.

Awards from this fund totaled $9,650 this year.

The following students received awards this year:

More opportunity in more places, that’s what awaits hunters this fall across much of Pennsylvania, thanks to additional state game lands enrolled in the Deer Management Assistance Program.

DMAP, as the program is commonly called, works like this: hunters can get permits that allow them to harvest antlerless deer – one per tag – on the specific property or area for which it was issued.

The program has been around for years and has proven popular with both hunters and landowners – public and private – looking to achieve specific property and wildlife management goals. Last year was the first where DMAP was offered on state game lands, though. There were 22 enrolled.

Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) updated drivers on a project to improve approximately five miles of Route 522 in Lewistown Borough and Derry and Decatur townships in Mifflin County. This work will address drainage deficiencies throughout this corridor and improve the ride quality of the road surface and multiple structures within the project limits.

There is no work scheduled on Monday, August 12. Starting Tuesday, August 13, flaggers in the roadway will also enforce single-lane closures while the contractor continues roadway widening at the following locations:

​Montoursville, PA – Motorists traveling to the greater Williamsport area next week should expect congestion on local roadways, especially Interstate 180 eastbound and westbound, Route 220 northbound, and Route 15 northbound and southbound in Lycoming County, due to the Little League World Series.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) advises motorists to be prepared for an increase of traffic over the next two weeks and should plan for traffic delays, particularly in the South Williamsport and Williamsport areas.

Motorists should be prepared for changing traffic patterns, slow-moving or stopped vehicles, and especially be on the alert for pedestrians crossing streets and highways.

40 Years of Research, Education, and Application

Kane, Pa. – The October 10, 2024 Roach-Bauer Forestry Forum is pleased to announce that Dr. Todd Ristau, Researcher in Silviculture, will be the keynote speaker.  Todd works for the US Forest Service at the Northern Research Station’s Forestry Sciences Lab in Irvine, PA.  Todd has worked at the Forestry Sciences Lab since 1991 when he was hired as a Technician, worked as an Ecologist, then in 2001 became a Research Ecologist and currently serves as the SILVAH Team Leader and Director’s Representative.

Dr. Ristau said, “We will be looking back at the role that the Forestry Sciences Laboratory has played in sustainable forestry practices and promoting partnerships on the Allegheny Plateau and beyond by looking at some of the important publications and products produced by the lab over the years.  I am pleased to have been asked to share this history at the October Roach-Bauer Forestry Forum and look forward to it!”

Flash Flood Warning for…
Potter County in north central Pennsylvania…
Western Tioga County in north central Pennsylvania…

* Until 100 PM EDT.

* At 1058 AM EDT, trained weather spotters reported heavy rain and
flooding across the warned area. Between 3 and 4 inches of rain
have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1.5 inches are
possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected
to begin shortly.

HAZARD…Flash flooding caused by heavy rain.

SOURCE…Trained spotters reported.

IMPACT…Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include…
Wellsboro, Wharton, Coudersport, Elkland, Roulette, Galeton,
Westfield, Genesee, Gaines, Lyman Run State Park, Denton Hill
State Park, Cherry Springs State Park, Ole Bull State Park,
Harrison Valley, Cross Fork, Leonard Harrison State Park, Keating
Summit, Keeneyville, Knoxville and Ulysses.

Flood Warning
National Weather Service State College PA
954 AM EDT Fri Aug 9 2024
…FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON…

* WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE…A portion of central Pennsylvania, including the following
counties, Cameron, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Lycoming, McKean,
Potter and Tioga.

* WHEN…Until 100 PM EDT.

* IMPACTS…Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying
and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– At 953 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain continuing.
Flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the
warned area. Between 1 and 3 inches of rain have fallen.
– Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in
the warned area.
– Some locations that will experience flooding include…
Wellsboro, Cameron, Wharton, Coudersport, Port Allegany,
Emporium, Elkland, Roulette, Galeton, Shinglehouse,
Westfield, Genesee, Betula, Gaines, Force, Benezette, Cherry
Springs State Park, Denton Hill State Park, Lyman Run State
Park and Cross Fork.
– http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

Well That Didn’t Go So Well

By

Pastor B.J. Knefley

I have a dog and like many, she sleeps in a kennel at night. Normally she’s not in a hurry to go out in the morning. Often, she will sit with me in my chair as I drink my first cup of coffee. This morning was different. Instead of stretching and laying down in front of the bathroom door she bolted for the back door. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as quick as her nature call and she was unable to wait for me to get to the back door. You can probably imagine what I found when I got to the door. Yeah, not one of the things I look forward to first thing in the morning or any time for that matter. Normally she doesn’t have accidents in the house and if she needs to go out, she’ll alert me, and I’ll crawl out of bed to get her out before the accident happens. I think we all know the feeling of when you’ve really got to go–it’s a mad dash to the bathroom.

For Mollie, that’s her name by the way, the problem isn’t what she ate or that she’s sick, it’s stress. I’ve learned that storms, particularly thunder and lightning stress her out. She shakes and tries to hide when they’re around. Sometimes I must almost pick her up and put her in the chair next to me to calm her down and she’s a solid 55-pound dog. I will also wrap her in a blanket to help calm her down. It’s not unusual for her to start shaking well before I’m aware that there’s a storm coming. I’ve tried other types of wraps to help her during these times with limited success. Loud noises like gunfire, firecrackers or thunderstorms are the worst. The 4^th of July is difficult for her and me.

Stress for you or an animal is real. Recognizing stress isn’t always easy. Our response to stress will show up in many different forms and sometimes we’ll start responding to stress that we sense is coming even if we can’t see or identify it. It will affect our stomach, digestion, wellbeing and sense of peace and security. It is not unusual for a person to be totally unaware of its presence until they are in a downward spiral. Mollie finds her safe place in a blanket next to me. Where do you find your safe place? Think about it.