The Mountain View Elementary Theater Group is proud to present “The Case of the Missing School”. This story follows three siblings as they work with their Fairy Godmother to help save the school.  Watch out for the Evil One!  You never know where she might be lurking!

Pictured (L-R) are: front row - Alyson Federici, Jonathon Symuleski, Alex Karp, Jacob Robinson, Amber George, Wesley Anderson, Michaela Hammond, Haley Fioredds, Hannah Bills, Morgan Biniewicz ; back row - Lilly Harvey, Kat Long Casey Congdon, Greg Barlow, Bobby Pissott, Megan Zipprich, Delaney Hollenbeck, Travis Bridgeman, Emma Master, Ava Presley, Rebecca Plomchok, Masie LeMaster, Emma Frisbie, Keila Zick, Andre’ Wiggins. Absent from the Photo were  Andrew McHenry, Jessie Noldy, Kevin Noldy, Ethan Rodriguez, Nick Schmidt, Noah Urda.

Show dates and time are Friday, April 22nd and Saturday, April 23rd at 7pm in the Mountain View High School Auditorium. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.

George Nichols (President of the Northeast Pennsylvania Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS)) working with Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) Land Manager Phil Kasper organized a working field day on State Game Lands (SGL) 219 in Bradford County, Pa. This hidden gem of a SGL is located just west of Little Meadows, Pa., in the northeast corner of Bradford County along the NY/PA State line. The Ruffed Grouse Society, spearheaded the Saturday, April 2, 2016 field day that saw 7 volunteers from the RGS, the Wilson F. Moore Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Susquehanna Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association work on SGL 219 creating improved early successional habitat.

Pictured (L-R) are: Phil Kasper (Land Manager Supervisor PGC), George Nichols (President of NEPA Ruffed Grouse Society), Mike Koneski (President of the Susquehanna Branch of QDMA, member RGS), Jack Sorber (President of the Wilson F. Moore chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, member QDMA) Tom Kelleher (NWTF), Ryan Rush (RGS), Dave Seger (Board of Director member RGS), taking the photo Bob Wagner (QDMA, NWTF).

The group worked under the guidance and alongside of PGC Land Manager Phil Kasper for 3+ hours cutting down 15’ to 50' tall aspen trees in a 2 acre area. This forestry work, cutting aspen, is called a regeneration cut. The cutting of the mature aspen trees while they are dormant stimulates the roots to send up numerous new aspen sprouts (regeneration). These new tree stems provide food and cover, down on the forest floor where it will be better suited to support wildlife such as grouse, woodcock, rabbits, deer, songbirds and more. The cut trees also provide shelter during the next 4 to 5 years for the wildlife and also for numerous other tree seeds such as cherry, apple and oak to sprout and be protected from over browsing by deer. The group was also tasked with cutting down invasive plants such as multi-flora rose and bush honeysuckle that they encountered.

PGC Land Manager Kasper stated, "The group cut a lot of aspen trees in a 2 acre area in a short amount of time. Anytime the PGC can get conservation groups to organize volunteers help to create wildlife habitat, it is a good thing. When volunteers work in specific spots it gives the PGC 2 man Food and Cover Corps opportunities to work in other critical habitat areas."  Work at the field day ended when high winds created unsafe working conditions shortly before 1pm.

Pictured (L-R) are: Lori Hubal- District Eight Director, Kathy Grausgruber, Linda Bedford- Njd Bpw President.

On February 25, 2016 , Heart Health Month, Kathy Grausgruber Of Kathy G Fit, Personal Training, Group Fitness and Wellness Coach, spoke to the NJD BPW on fitness for health. Her presentation included members participating in some exercises done at home.

March 12th and 26th were big days for the Jackson Pin Thimblers branch of 4-H.  The 12th brought a promotion of 4-H awareness in the form of a window display done at Barnes-Kasson County Hospital. Club members were given fish to design, while officers and leaders were given penguins. 4 clovers were also given out to 4 club members to be designed for the display. They were based around the 4 major points of the club pledge - head, heart, hands, and health. These window displays are done every March. Instead of having a meeting on the 26th, there was an open house at the Columbia Hose Company in New Milford. A select few club members participated in a community project by face painting. Brooke Marvin, a member of 4-H and the Susquehanna County Alternate Dairy Princess, served ice cream alongside Alivia Hughes, the Susquehanna County Dairy Ambassador.

If you are looking for ways to better your community and have fun doing it, we are always open to new members.

The Susquehanna County Forest Land Owners Association (SCFLOA) held their 2016 Spring Woods Walk on March 26, at the property of Bill Bayne, Jr. in Liberty Twp. Private Consulting Forester Bob Hobbes stated, “This property has a remarkable diversity as a forest in the northern hardwood area with a variety of trees that is not often seen in Susquehanna County. The diversity is good with natural regeneration occurring. Spruce, Fir and Pines, planted in the 1960’s are putting out seed in such a force that there are many seedlings on the forest floor.”

SCFLOA Vice President Dustin Walker welcomed the 50+ people attending the Woods Walk.

The group enjoyed walking though the timbered section (Photo Courtesy of Steve Kass)

Bill Bayne, now 70 years old, spent a few minutes reflecting on his 57+ years on this property, planting many acres of evergreens – red pine, scotch pine and norway spruce, his woodland management efforts that included cutting and sawing timber to build two houses, a large equipment shed and several outbuildings, his land management work on building and maintaining logging roads, cutting grass on the many acres of evergreens on this property in addition to holding down full time jobs and spending some time in the United States Air Force.

Guest speaker Ryan Brown, PA Bureau of Forestry Service Forester, updated the group on tree pests – emerald ash borer, wooly adelgid and more. He provided an informative talk with visual aids identifying various pests.

The next speakers were the Pipitones, Joe and his father, Joe, owners of Top Notch Property Services, New Milford. They talked about and demonstrated the way to protect ash trees from the Emerald Ash Borer via a chemical injection method.

Three of the youngest Woods Walkers (front to back) were: Colt Wagner, June Cordner, Eva Cordner. Photo Courtesy of US (USDA NRCS)

Information displays by the Pa. Bureau of Forestry, US Dept. Of Agriculture NRCS and SCFLOA provided a lot of handouts about forestry.

The group spent two hours walking and talking their way through the 200 acre property. Bill Bayne told the group, whose ages ranged from 4 years old to 70+, about the old stagecoach road, the hidden farming valley where an old barn and house foundation could still be seen, his lone remaining American chestnut tree and answered many questions about the logging operation and why he did this cut. Professional logger Dave Sienko and Private Forester Bob Hobbes told us how many loads of logs (18) were hauled out of the site, the building of a section of “corduroy road” (tree branches and small trees are laid across the wet area of the logging road to help create a stable surface) and what management objectives were achieved with this operation. Private Forester Dick Schwab and retired DCNR Service Forester Jim Kessler asked and answered many questions on forestry, the price of logs, forestry management and more. A good time was had sharing stories, memories and fellowship. Yes both the 4 year old (my grandson Colt) and the 70 year old (Bill Bayne) walked the whole tour!

On March 31, 2016 NJD BPW held their monthly meeting. The speaker for the night was Jim Kessler, a Master Gardener with the Penn State Co-operative Extension.

<photo not available>

Pictured (L-R) are: Collen Wilkes meeting Chair, Jim Kessler, Master Gardener, Linda Bedford NJDWBPW President, Lori Hubal District Eight Director.

Jim showed a power point presentation that highlighted what a master gardener is. He also told us about how he became interested in being a master gardener and how you can become one.

The Susquehanna County Commissioners have authorized the creation of Susquehanna County Veterans Identification Cards to be issued to our County Veterans.  These picture identification cards can be obtained at the Susquehanna County Courthouse in Montrose. To obtain a card, Veterans need to produce a copy of their Certification of Military Discharge (Form DD214) to the Susquehanna County Office of the Register and Recorders where it will be recorded, and the identification card then issued.  There is no cost to the Veteran for the card and the cards can be used to confirm their Veteran status, and to obtain discounts offered by various businesses in the area.

In conjunction with the issuance of these new Veteran Identification Cards, we are asking the area businesses that are currently supporting our Veterans with discount offers, and those that would like to join in offering discounts to our Veterans contact the Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs Office at (570) 278-5955. The Veterans Affairs Office will be compiling a list of the businesses that support our Veterans and will make this list available to our Veterans. Businesses that wish to join the program will be provided with a window decal that acknowledges their generous participation in this worthy endeavor.  This is a great way to thank our Veterans for their service to our country while simultaneously encouraging individuals to support and shop at local businesses within our community.

The Susquehanna County Commissioners are pleased to be able to offer this service to our Veterans and want to thank them for their service to our country.   Anyone with questions concerning the identification cards, or how their business may join this program, is encouraged to contact the Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs Office at (570) 278-5955.