Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The state game commission is looking for help in collecting information about bats. Commission biologists say the monitoring is especially important because of mortality rates in bat populations in the eastern United States being caused by white-nose syndrome. Wildlife biologist Nate Zalik says people can help them more fully gauge the impact of white-nose syndrome by hosting a bat count this summer. He says it would be a good project for scout groups, 4-H clubs and local environmental organizations, as well as individual homeowners. “We are especially urging people who have previously conducted a bat count for the Game Commission to participate again this year. Sites monitored for many years are valuable in assessing bat population trends. However, we also are interested in receiving reports from new surveyors and sites, as identifying the location and size of colonies of WNS survivors is important," Zalik said. “The little brown bat and the big brown bat are the two species ...

Someone stole money and damaged a vending machine maintained by the McKean County 4H program. Police say sometime between 4:30 Friday afternoon and noon on Monday someone did more than $300 worth of damage to the machine at the Penn State Cooperative Extension Office in Smethport, and stole about $70 in change. The machine is owned by Pepsi in St. Marys. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

One hundred years ago in 1912, the first 4-H clubs were started in Pennsylvania. It only took a few years for Penn State Extension, the parent organization of the state 4-H program, to reach McKean County. 4-H is the only non-formal youth organization based at land grant universities and often the first experience many young people have with higher education. 4-H helps young people develop knowledge and skills to become capable, caring and contributing citizens through a wide variety of hands-on learning projects such as gardening, sewing, pet care, rocketry, robotics, insects, careers, wildlife, livestock, horses, dairy, cooking, GIS, babysitting and more. Membership in 4-H is open to all youth, ages 5 to 19, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or marital/parental status, and relies on parent and adult volunteer participation to help youth reach their potential. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportu...

East Resources has signed an agreement with Penn State's Cooperative Extension Service to create a new 4-H endowment fund for Tioga County. East created the endowment with an initial principal investment of $50,000. The fund will be used to supplement financial support for the Tioga County 4-H program and may include education awards for 4-H members. "East Resources has a major stake in Tioga County's future through its oil and gas interests, and our contribution to this endowment reflects East's commitment to help sustain that future," says Bob Long, the company's executive vice president. "Tioga County's young men and women are the key to the long-term health of our communities, and we appreciate the significant role that the county 4-H program play in helping them grown into productive, self-directed citizens." Dennis Calvin, interim director of Penn State Cooperative Extension, says the endowment will help assure that generations of youth hav...