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people or landscapes. “This is such a farming community. It seemed wrong to not add the agriculture category,” said Chotty Sprenkle, contest coordinator.

The other categories are Wildlife - plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, invertebrates and fungi (no domestic animals); Landscapes - sites, scenery and historic buildings; and Trailcam - photographs captured on remote cameras.

Sprenkle hopes that adding Agriculture will be a better fit for some photos. “One (photo last year) that came in was (a person) picking tomatoes off the vine. It was absolutely beautiful and depicted what the watershed is all about,” she said. “We put it in Landscapes, which didn’t seem right. (The new category) will be a better fit for a lot of entries.”

Other changes this year are that photographers will be asked to submit hard copies for judging, rather than emailing photos, which was done during the pandemic, and that photos can measure 8.5 by 11 inches or larger. “People who entered said that when we had the 8 by 10 rule, it would cut off their photographs. You want the full image; you don’t want to have to crop it,” said Sprenkle.

All photographs must be taken within the Octoraro Watershed, which includes Cecil County, Md., as well as the following townships in Pennsylvania: Eden, Bart, Sadsbury (in both Lancaster and Chester counties), Colerain, West Sadsbury, Highland, West Fallowfield, Upper Oxford, Lower Oxford, East Nottingham, Little Britain, Fulton, East Drumore and West Nottingham.

Entries will be judged in three age categories: Adult, age 18 and above; Youth, ages 13 to 17; and Youth 2, age 12 and under. Monetary prizes and ribbons will be awarded to first-, secondand third-place winners in all categories. There will also be a Best of Show winner and a People’s Choice award.

Entries will be accepted at the OWA office, located inside the West Fallowfield Township Building, 3095 Limestone Road, Suite 7, Cochranville, on Monday and Tuesday, March 13 and 14, between 6 and 8 p.m. Those who are unable to drop off their entries on those dates may contact Sprenkle to make alternate arrangements.

This year, the photographs will be judged by a professional photographer. All entries will be displayed, and the winners will be rec-

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ognized at the OWA annual membership meeting on Thursday, March 23, at Britain Hill Venue & Vineyard, 790 Little Britain Road North, Quarryville. “After that, the photos will be displayed at the Atglen, Oxford and Quarryville libraries thorough spring and summer,” Sprenkle noted.

For more information, call Sprenkle at 610-5932808, text 484-888-5416 or email rcsprenkle@aol.com

All photos must be received by Tuesday, March 14.

PennDOT urges motorists to avoid travel, if possible, when snowy and icy conditions arise. If travel is necessary, motorists should use caution, reduce speeds, and be aware of changing weather conditions.

To help make decisions regarding winter travel, motorists are encouraged to “Know Before You Go” by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com.

511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. Users can also see the status of plow trucks and travel alerts along a specific route using the “Check My Route” tool.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts.

Drivers should prepare or restock their emergency kits with items such as nonperishable food, water, first aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, a cellphone charger, and a small snow shovel. Motorists should tailor their kits to any specific needs that they or their families have, such as baby supplies, extra medication, and pet supplies.

When winter weather occurs, drivers should be extra cautious around operating snow removal equipment. When encountering a plow truck, drivers should stay at least six car lengths behind an operating plow truck and remember that the main plow is wider than the truck. Drivers should be alert since plow trucks generally travel much more slowly than other traffic. When a plow truck is traveling toward a vehicle, the driver should move as far away from the center of the road as is safely possible and remember that snow can obscure the actual snow plow width.

Additionally, drivers should never try to pass or get between several trucks plowing side by side in a plow train. The weight of the snow thrown from the plow can quickly cause smaller vehicles to lose control, creating a hazard for nearby vehicles. Drivers should never travel next to a plow truck since there are blind spots where the operator cannot see, and they can occasionally be moved sideways when hitting drifts or heavy snowpack.

Also, drivers should keep their lights on to help the operator see their vehicle better. Drivers should also remember that under Pennsylvania state law, vehicle lights must be on every time a vehicle’s wipers are on due to inclement weather.

Motorists are reminded that the law requires drivers to remove accumulated ice or snow from their vehicle, including the hood, trunk, and roof, within 24 hours after the storm has ended. This applies to all vehicles, including commercial vehicles. Drivers in violation of the law are subject to a fine of $50. Additionally, motorists can be cited up to $1,500 if snow or ice is dislodged and strikes another vehicle or pedestrian causing death or serious injury.

For more information on safe winter travel, an emergency kit checklist, and information on PennDOT’s winter operations, including a video, visit www.penndot.gov/ winter. Additional winter driving and other highway safety information is available at www.penndot.gov/safety.

Pennsylvania has a network of shared-ride service providers dedicated to keeping older adults mobile, safe, and engaged in their community. This transportation program allows citizens age 65 and up to ride for free on a local, fixed-route service whenever local public transportation is operating.

Additionally, working with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and transit agencies, PennDOT recently developed an online tool called Find My Ride, which allows older drivers to access free ride services online. Find My Ride is designed to allow transit agencies to process applications more efficiently, so users can access benefits more quickly. Find My Ride is available at www.find myride.penndot.pa.gov.

While every person ages differently, aging typically brings certain - sometimes subtle - physical, visual, and cognitive changes that could impair a person’s ability to drive safely. Older drivers and their families should work together to identify potential issues that may affect driving, outline courses of action to assist the older driver, and plan for when it is time to hang up the keys.

Signs that can indicate it may be time to limit or stop driving altogether include feeling uncomfortable, fear- ful, or nervous when driving; unexplained dents or scrapes on the car or on fences, mailboxes, or garage doors; frequently getting lost and frequent “close calls” such as almost crashing; slower response times, particularly to unexpected situations; difficulty paying attention to signs or staying in one’s lane of traffic; and trouble judging gaps at intersections or highway entrance and exit ramps.

Older drivers and their loved ones are encouraged to review PennDOT’s Seniors Driving Safely publication series, which can be downloaded for free at www.penndot.pa.gov under Travel in PA by selecting Safety and then Traffic Safety & Driver Topics. These publications are intended to help older drivers assess their abilities and to offer guidance on next steps if a driver’s medical condition is reported to PennDOT. The series also includes a publication designed to guide family and friends of older drivers in conversations about deciding to stop driving, as well as information for health care providers on PennDOT’s medical reporting program. Several safe-driving habits, which should be routine at any age, may be especially fee to participate and are asked to buy their own uniforms. “Club dues help pay for field use; equipment, including bats, balls and bases; and insurance,” noted Stratton.

Home matches are played at East Goshen Park, 1661 Paoli Pike, West Chester. Games are played on an open expanse of grass in the park. Canvas bags or sacks filled with rubber chips are used for bases.

For the upcoming season, the group will also play games in other states, including Cornish, Maine. Practices will begin in March, and the opening game will be held on Saturday, April 1, in Bethlehem.

Stratton said that playersincluding himself - have enjoyed being part of the team for the past 10 years.

“We love it so much; we can’t get away from it,” he said. For more information, including the complete schedule of games, visit www.brandywinebbc.org or www.facebook.com/Brandy wineBBC. Prospective players may send a message to the team on Facebook or email brandywinebbc@gmail.com.

Sportsmen’s Banquet To Feature Deer Hunter

The Ephrata Area Churches will hold their annual sportsmen’s banquet on Friday, March 10, at Yoder’s Restaurant, 14 Tower Road, New Holland. Attendees may browse various displays when the doors open at 5 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6:15 p.m. Door prizes will be awarded.

The speaker will be Christian Berg, editor of Petersen’s

Bowhunting Magazine and cohost of The Bowhunting Podcast. In his presentation, “Hunting Smart for Whitetail Success,” Berg will offer insights on what it takes to get within shooting distance of wary, old whitetails. He will share the keys to consistent success and how to avoid costly mistakes.

Whitetail hunter Berg has hunted across North America, amassing a trophy collection that includes seven bucks over 150 inches and two over 180 inches. Berg began his hunting career in the Keystone State and currently resides in Schuylkill County with his wife, two sons and Labrador retriever.

To purchase tickets, search for “Sportsman Banquet” on www.eventbrite.com. For more details, call 717738-0963.

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