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January 31, 2012 Dear Friend, In an effort to keep you informed about state and local issues, I have developed this e-newsletter which I will be sending out to residents of the 23rd District. I think it is a fast, convenient and affordable way to get news out to area residents. I hope you find this e-newsletter useful and informative - and if you know of someone else who would like to receive it, please feel free to forward this email. I invite you to visit my website www.senatorgeneyaw.com for more information about your state government. If you do not wish to receive these e-newsletters, please click the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of the page. If you would like to contact my office, please go to my web page and click on the "contact me button". Please do not "reply" directly to this e-mail. PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW The 96th Pennsylvania Farm Show was one of the largest indoor agricultural exhibits in the country. This year, Pennsylvania hosted over 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibits. On January 13th, I was fortunate to spend the day and be a participant in the Celebrity Milking Contest. While visiting the exhibits, I had an opportunity to talk with Amy Scorsone and Jenny Zimmerman of Shade Mountain Wineries; Betsy Huber with the PA Grange; Jessica Long, Pennsylvania's Honey Bee Queen; Casey Hall, a Bradford County native, who serves as Pennsylvania's FFA President; George Greig, the Secretary of Agriculture; Taylor Doebler, Owner of T.A. Seeds, LLC; and a representative from LeRaysville Cheese in LeRaysville, PA. After having lunch with members of PennAg Industries, I toured "Today's Agriculture". This full-size barn exhibit showed the collaboration between the various agricultural groups in their production of our food supply. In the next few weeks, I invite you to go to my website, click on A Conversation with Gene Yaw on the left side, and view my journey through this year's Farm Show. CONGRATULATIONS TO DAKOTA JONES
I am pleased to announce that Dakota Jones of Friendsville, Susquehanna County, was awarded a 2012 Farm Show Scholarship during the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. Dakota, 20, is the son of Daniel and Abby Jones. He is a sophomore at Syracuse University majoring in biomedical engineering with future plans of becoming a medical doctor. He is an active Susquehanna County 4-H member, and has served in leadership positions, completed projects in many areas, and earned awards for his swine, showmanship and fitting. Dakota has exhibited market swine at the Farm Show for three years, in addition to helping young exhibitors learn the ropes of the show. While at Syracuse University, Dakota has earned a spot on the Dean's List, is a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society, serves as an Academic Workshop facilitator and is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. This year, Dakota will be studying abroad at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. LISTENING SESSION IN SULLIVAN COUNTY FOCUSES ON STREAM CLEANING
On January 19th, I participated in a listening session with The Center for Rural Pennsylvania on 'Stream Cleaning' at the Sullivan County Conservation District and Agriculture Center in Dushore. The purpose was to hear first-hand about the local impacts our region sustained following Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee and identify local solutions to dealing with cleaning our stream channels. My office has received many phone calls, emails and written correspondence from impacted residents and local officials urging immediate action on this very issue, which no doubt includes reducing the overly burdensome state regulations and permitting requirements. One thing was made very clear during the session - the state needs to use 'common sense' approaches to dealing with stream cleanup efforts, and one basic plan needs to be implemented and followed. There were hearings held on stream cleaning several years ago and the conclusion was to let Mother Nature take her course. We now have hundreds of millions of dollars in damages because those in control believed aquatic life was more important than human life or property. As a result of this listening session, we will begin using those 'common sense' approaches, and my office will be working directly with Secretary Michael Krancer of DEP, as well as other state and local agencies, to address the current regulatory and permitting process. In addition, we will be working directly with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and its membership to tackle this issue head on. For a complete list of testifiers, testimony and video from the listening session, you can visit my website at www.senatorgeneyaw.com. No doubt, more information will follow on this important topic. FRUSTRATION OVER CLOSING OF LOCAL AVIATION UNIT On November 8, 2011, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) publicly announced the closing of the Aviation Patrol Unit (APU) in Lycoming County, which housed a helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft. Over the years, the Aviation Section of the PSP provided aerial support to all federal, state and local law enforcement agencies within the Commonwealth, as well as assisting in other non-emergency situations. The Lycoming County APU served 12 counties in central Pennsylvania, covering about 7,600 square miles with a population of almost 500,000 residents. The decision to close was made without prior notice or consultation with any local law enforcement, the district attorneys, local elected officials or emergency responders. On December 16, 2011, I, along with Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati, whose Senatorial District is also served by the APU, sent a joint letter to Governor Corbett asking him to reconsider this closing. To date, we have not received a written response to our inquiries. The APU has been located at the Williamsport Regional Airport for 40 years. The counties served are some of the most rural in the state, namely Tioga, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Potter, Cameron, and Clinton, as well as Centre, Northumberland, Union, Snyder and Montour. I want to thank local law enforcement groups and first responders for their support on this issue and I urge citizens to contact the Governor's Office with their concerns. PA TAX BOOKLETS AVAILABLE IN DISTRICT OFFICES Last year, the state Department of Revenue closed its office located in Williamsport. Although the Sunbury office has been handling the work previously served at the Williamsport location, many constituents have contacted my offices for assistance with revenue issues. For your convenience, please be aware the Pennsylvania Tax Booklets are now available in both of my district offices. PA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF FARMLAND PRESERVATION Agriculture has a long, important history in the Keystone State, especially in the 23rd Senatorial District. That is why the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture created the Bureau of Farmland Preservation which purchases easements on prime farmland, preserving that acreage for generations to come. The first easement was purchased in December 1989. Now, more than 4,100 farms have been approved for easement purchases totaling more than 450,000 acres and that number continues to grow. It is already leading the nation in the number and acreage involved in the farmland preservation program. This valuable program helps keep threatened farming land from being developed while still allowing the farmer to operate. The program was updated recently to allow additional development of mineral rights beyond just coal. Each county has its own Farmland Preservation Board. If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to call or you can go directly to the informational website. If you would like to get in touch with the Bureau of Farmland Preservation directly, their contact information is as follows: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Farmland
Preservation MERGING OF LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE The Wysox Community Chamber of Commerce, which dates back to the 1800s, recently joined forces with the Central Bradford County Chamber of Commerce, which was founded in 1924 as the Towanda Chamber of Commerce. Officials from both chambers of commerce felt that with all the activity within the Marcellus Shale, one centralized chamber of commerce would best serve the businesses on both sides of the Susquehanna River. The consolidation brings the membership of the Central Bradford County Chamber of Commerce to approximately 200 members. The Central Bradford County Chamber of Commerce is currently located in the PACareerLink building at 218 Main St. in Towanda, on the first floor of the building. However, the CBCCC has the opportunity to have their own office and will be moving into a new space at One Washington Street, Towanda by March 31st. The Central Bradford County Chamber of Commerce will serve Towanda, Wysox, and the surrounding areas. I encourage my constituents and new residents moving into the area to utilize this service by contacting the CBCCC at 570-268-2732 or stopping by the office. Residents and businesses can also be kept up-to-date on all the Chamber offers by visiting the website at http://cbradchamber.org. GROUND BREAKING AT THE ENDLESS MOUNTAINS HEALTH SYSTEM Last month, I provided readers with an update on the status of the construction of a new hospital in Susquehanna County. This month, I am pleased to provide you with another update of the project. On January 20th, after many years of planning, hospital officials and board members of the Endless Mountain Health System (EMHS) were joined by local elected officials and many county residents to break ground for the new hospital in Bridgewater Township. The first phase consists of a three-story replacement Critical Access Hospital (CAH). The facility will offer 25 inpatient beds and provide all the services EMHS currently offers with expanded emergency, imaging, and outpatient surgery services. Phase I of the new facility will be 76,000 square feet. EMHS serves the residents of Susquehanna County and also Bradford, Wyoming, and Southern Broome County, NY. The system currently employs 185 employees with an annual payroll of $5.3 million and anticipates an additional 25 employees within the first 18 months of operation at the new facility which is expected to open in the summer of 2013. "STICKY" CALENDARS AVAILABLE In light of the new year, I would like to encourage all of my constituents to visit the Towanda or Williamsport district offices to pick up a mini calendar for 2012. Every year, I purchase these convenient calendars and offer them not only at both district offices but also county fairs and other events I attend throughout the district. From the feedback I have received in past years, people enjoy using them at their desk at work, in their vehicle or on their refrigerator at home. Only a limited amount of calendars are available, so make sure to stop by soon or call the Williamsport office and my staff will mail a few of them to you. LEGISLATIVE OUTREACHES SCHEDULED The following times and locations have been arranged for our February outreaches: Union County – On February 8th from 11 a.m. to noon, Curtis Fay will be at the Union County Government Center in Lewisburg. Susquehanna County – On February 10th from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Arnie Kriner will be at the Hallstead-Great Bend Library on Franklin Street. Later in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Arnie will be at the Courthouse Annex on Public Avenue. At these outreaches, my staff will be available to respond to any questions you may have concerning state government. If these times and locations are not convenient for you, feel free to call my toll-free number at 1-800-443-5772.
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