MONEYSAVER SMETHPORT, EAST SMETHPORT, CROSBY, GIFFORD, CYCLONE, HAZEL HURST, MT. JEWETT, PORT A, ELDRED, TURTLEPOINT
OCTOBER 06, 2020
CAR. TR. MKTG MAIL US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 244 BRADFORD, PA Occupant Rural-Star Route P.O. Box Holder
NEWS
Kinzua Bridge State Park: A top fall McKean County foliage spot in Pennsylvania placed under drought warning this past week By MARCUS SCHNECK
The Patriot-News
HARRISBURG — After a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection moved McKean County to drought warning this past week. There were three counties on drought warning: McKean, Potter and Clinton. There are now 29 counties on drought watch: Cameron, Elk, Armstrong, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Cumberland, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Warren, and Wyoming. Residents on drought warning are asked to reduce their individual water use 10-15 percent, based on a statewide average of 62 gallons per person per day. This means a reduction of six to nine gallons a day. Residents on drought watch are asked to reduce their individual water use 5-10 percent, or a reduction of three to six gallons of water per day. “It’s going to take a lot of precipitation to get us out of these deficits over time. We are asking residents in these counties to use water wisely and follow simple water conservation tips to ease the demand for water,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. DEP is notifying all water suppliers in these counties of the need to monitor their supplies and be prepared by updating their drought contingency plans as necessary. Varying localized conditions may lead water suppliers or municipalities to ask residents for more stringent conservation actions by residents. Eighteen water suppliers in these counties have begun asking or requiring residents to reduce their water use. There are many ways to reduce water use around the house and yard, including: • Run water only when necessary. Don’t let the faucet run while brushing your teeth or shaving. Shorten the time you let the water run to warm up before showering. Use a bucket to catch the water and reuse it to water your
plants. • Run the dishwasher and washing machine only with full loads. • When watering your garden, be efficient and effective: Water in the evening or morning, and direct the water to the ground at the base of the plant, so you don’t waste water through evaporation. • Water your lawn only if necessary. Apply no more than 1 inch of water per week (use an empty can to determine how long it takes to water 1 inch). Avoid watering on windy and hot days. This pattern will encourage healthier, deeper grass roots. Over-watering is wasteful, encourages fungal growth and disease, and results in shallow, compacted root systems that are more susceptible to drought. • Re-use old water from bird baths, vases, or pet bowls to water plants. • When mowing your lawn, set the blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil, improving moisture retention. It also grows thicker and develops a deeper root system, so it can better survive drought. • Check for household leaks. For example, a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water daily. • Sweep your sidewalk, deck, or driveway, rather than hosing it off. • Replace older appliances with highefficiency, front-loading models that use about 30 percent less water and 40-50 percent less energy. • Install low-flow plumbing fixtures and aerators on faucets. DEP makes drought watch, warning, or emergency declaration recommendations based on four numeric indicators. The agency gets stream flow and groundwater level data from a statewide network of gauges maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey. In addition, DEP monitors precipitation and soil moisture. DEP also factors in information it receives from public water suppliers. There are normal ranges for all four indicators, and DEP makes its drought status recommendations after assessing the departures from these normal ranges for all indicators for periods of 3-12 months.
MOUNT JEWETT (TNS) — In a fall that seems in a hurry to get here, the leaves were changing fast this past week across Pennsylvania’s northern tier. That put Kinzua Bridge State Park at Mount Jewett in McKean County squarely in the crosshairs for the PatriotNews’ first “Today’s Top Fall Foliage Spot in Pennsylvania” of 2020. Facebook reports were showing the autumnal colors right on the edge of full blast at the 339acre park, which features the reinvented Kinzua Viaduct. Here’s the description of the amazing attraction that arose from the destruction of part of the viaduct by a tornado provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. ”Construction of the iron viaduct began during 1881, starting with the placement of the stone piers. When completed during 1882, the Kinzua Bridge Viaduct was the highest railroad viaduct in the world. It was constructed as an alternative to laying an additional eight miles of track over rough terrain along the line leading to McKean County’s coal, timber and oil lands. ”Built of iron, the original viaduct was approximately 301 feet high, 2,053 feet long, and weighed 3,105,000 pounds. The towers were a patented design called Phoenix Columns. The columns were lighter in weight and had greater strength than cast iron columns of similar shape and size. ”By 1900, it became necessary to rebuild the entire structure with steel to accommodate heavier trains. Later that
Via Kinzua Bridge State Park Facebook page Fall color at Kinzua Bridge State Park this past week.
year, about 100 to 150 men, working 10-hour shifts, completed the job in 105 days. The new steel viaduct had the same measurements, but now weighed 6,706,000 pounds. “Freight traffic discontinued during 1959,” and in 1963 “Governor William Scranton signed a law that created Kinzua Bridge State Park. The park officially opened (in) 1970. Kinzua Viaduct received national recognition when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks during 1977. “Beginning (in) 1987, excursion trains traveled from Marienville, through the Allegheny National Forest, and stopping on Kinzua Viaduct before returning to their point of origin.” In 2002, DCNR engineers decided the structure needed a full-scale inspection. Excursion trains were barred from the bridge. And, during the
inspection engineers found sections of steel were rusted through. In August, the bridge was closed to all traffic, including pedestrians. ”Engineers determined high winds could create lateral pressure on the bridge, causing it to shift the center of gravity, thus increasing the weight on one side. Such an event could send the whole bridge crashing to the bottom of the Kinzua Creek Valley. ”Beginning in February 2003, W. M. Brode Company, a national leader in railroad bridge construction and repair, began working to restore Kinzua Viaduct. ”On Monday, July 21, 2003, at approximately 3:15 p.m., an F1 tornado (wind speed 73 – 112 mph) struck the side of Kinzua Viaduct. Eleven towers from the center of the bridge were torn from their concrete bases and thrown to the valley floor. ”Today, park visitors can once again walk a portion of the Kinzua
Bridge. Built on six restored, original towers, a pedestrian walkway (skywalk) leads to a 225foot high observation deck that gives a towering view of the Kinzua Creek Valley. ”A partial glass floor in the deck reveals a breathtaking glimpse into the steel structure of the bridge. The 11 twisted and scattered bridge towers blown over by the tornado remain at the bottom of the valley for visitors to view from the deck railings. Several benches line the paved walkway to the skywalk. “A grand opening was held on September 15, 2011.” If you’re looking to go leaf-peeping this fall, you can find places to stay in Pennsylvania on VRBO. The park is open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset. Day use areas close at dusk. Picnicking and hiking trails are available. The Kinzua Bridge Scenic Byway is a designated shared-use hiking and biking corridor.
McKean County shoe drive accepting donations Clutter, it happens to all of us. For those looking to reduce some of their clutter this fall season, the McKean County SPCA will be holding a shoe drive to benefit both the animal shelter and underprivileged communities. From now until Nov. 25th, the shelter will be collecting new and gently used shoes. For every pound of shoes they collect, Funds2Orgs will make a direct monetary donation to the McKean County SPCA. Lyndsey Niegowski, assistant cat supervisor, explained that shoes in See SHOE on page 2...
Provided Photo