9 2022
community
AUGUST
p o t t e r m c k e a n
county
Austin • Coudersport • Crosby • Eldred • Gifford • Kane • Lewis Run • Mt. Jewett • Otto Eldred • Port Allegany Ridgway • Roulette • Smethport • Turtlepoint
Photo by Rob Hinkal Photography The ANF nearly closed the Twin Lakes Rec. Area in Wilcox. That is until Laura Funaki stepped up and saved it. Pictured from left are Teressa Walker, Laurie Storrar, Laura Funaki, Louise Avery, Laura Lynch, Paul Prencipe (members of the Friends of Twin Lakes board).
Wilcox woman who saved Twin Lakes from closure receives PA Wilds award
KANE — The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc. (PA Wilds Center) would like to congratulate the recipients of the 2022 Champions of the PA Wilds Awards. The winners were honored at the 2022 PA Wilds Dinner & Awards, which was held July 28, 2022, at Bald Birds Brewing in Jersey Shore, Lycoming County. The Champion of the Pennsylvania Wilds Awards celebrate individuals, groups, organizations, communities and businesses that in the last year have made significant contributions to help grow and sustainably develop the outdoor recreation economy and nature tourism
in the Pennsylvania Wilds in a way that creates jobs, diversifies local economies, inspires stewardship and improves quality of life. There are nine award categories open for public nominations each year. The region’s county governments, visitor bureaus and many local organizations participate in the effort, along with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Department of C o m m u n i t y and Economic Development. Laura Funaki, president of the Friends of Twin Lakes board in Wilcox (Elk County), received the 2022 PA Wilds
Champion Award for Great Places. Due to capacity and budget restraints, the Allegheny National Forest was originally going to close Twin Lakes Recreation Area. Friends of Twin Lakes saved the area and is now bringing in guests every weekend during camping and travel season. The award was presented by Nathan Reigner, PhD, DCNR’s Director of Outdoor Recreation. “The 2022 Champions are a slate of outstanding community members and organizations that make an enormous contribution to the vitality of our region. We are so proud to be able to honor these deserving individuals and organizations for their efforts at the
first PA Wilds Dinner & Awards banquet to take place in nearly three years,” said Beth Pellegrino, PA Wilds Center Board Member and Outreach Committee chair. Also receiving awards this year include the following; Dan McGinley, AJ Dereume and Jory Serrian from the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club received the 2022 PA Wilds Champion Award for Event of the Year. Carol Ann Simon Cillo, a fine artist serving Lock Haven (Clinton County) who works primarily with ceramics and acrylics, received the 2022 PA Wilds Champion Award for Artisan of the Year. Ron and Teresa
Kodish, organizers of the Smoked Country Jam Bluegrass Festival in Cross Fork (Clinton County), received the 2022 PA Wilds Champion Award for Best Brand Ambassador. Andrea Skirpan and Brian Bonner, co-owners of Belle Mercantile in Bellefonte (Centre County), received the 2022 PA Wilds Champion Award for Business of the Year. Dale Luthringer, an Environmental Education Specialist for Cook Forest State Park, received the 2022 PA Wilds Champion Award for Conservation Stewardship. Lu Ann Potter, one of the founders of Project Coffee House in Clinton County and now Project Nature
C.A.M.P. in Lycoming County, accepts the 2022 PA Wilds Champion Award for Inspiring Youth. Glenn Vernon and Claudia Albertin, architects who collaborated on The Gamble Mill in Bellefonte (Centre County), accept the 2022 PA Wilds Champion Award for Great Design. Katie de Silva, vice chair of the PA Wilds Planning Team and planner for Clinton County, received the 2022 PA Wilds Champion Award for Member of the Year. Meredith Hill, who has been involved with the Pennsylvania Wilds since its inception roughly 20 years ago, was chosen as the recipient of the 2022 PA Wilds Champion Award for Outstanding Leader.
Pa. aims to fight robocalls by joining McKean County Conservation task force that would sue scammers District holds electronics collection
Tired of annoying robocalls? Pennsylvania is joining a new task force that aims to help reduce the number that you receive. State attorney general Josh Shapiro announced earlier today that Pennsylvania has joined an AntiRobocall Litigation Task Force. The task force, made up of 50 attorneys general, aims to investigate and take legal action against telecommunications companies responsible for bringing a majority of foreign robocalls into the United States. “Robocall scammers are relentless,” Shapiro
said in a press release. “The best way for us to fight back against them is by working together to track their behavior across the country. I’m dedicated to doing all that I can do to ensure these calls stop plaguing Pennsylvanians.” According to the press release, the task force has issued civil investigative demands to 20 gateway providers and other entities that are allegedly responsible for a majority of foreign robocall traffic. These providers, the group argues, are not taking sufficient action to stop these kinds of calls and in some
cases appear to be intentionally ignoring them in return for steady revenue. Over 33 million scam robocalls are made to Americans every day, according to the National Consumer Law Center and Electronic Privacy Information Center. These calls include people pretending to be Social Security Administrators, A m a z o n representatives and more. It’s estimated that $29.8 billion dollars was stolen via scam calls in 2021. To help protect yourself from robocall scammers: • Be wary of callers
who specifically ask you to pay by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. • Watch out for prerecorded calls from imposters posing as government agencies. • If you suspect fraudulent activity, immediately hang-up and do not provide any personal information. • You can report any and all suspicious robocalls to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection by visiting OAG’s website, emailing scams@ attorneygeneral.gov, or calling 800-441-2555.
LEWIS RUN — The McKean County Conservation District hosted an electronic and household hazardous waste collection on July 28 at the Bradford Airport. In response, there were 250 vehicles at the event with over 30,000 lbs. of electronics and 8,000 lbs. of household hazardous waste collected. The Conservation District worked with Noble Environmental, an industry leading environmental services company headquartered in Pittsburgh. The collection was set up as a drive-thru electronic and household
hazardous waste event. Originally scheduled from 3 to 7 p.m., due to the overwhelming response, the timeframe was extended from 2 to 7 p.m., with each time slot triple booked. This was done to help as many McKean County residents properly dispose of their electronics and household hazardous waste. “A special thank you to the Bradford Regional Airport for allowing us to use their facility for the event,” expressed a representative of the McKean County Conservation District. “Look for more recycling events in 2023.”