By Paul Jones Sports Coordinator In past Fourth Grade Environmental Days, one would be able to find high school and elementary school students working together at a Felton area farm, learning about the world around them. One group would be sitting in an area learning about reptiles, while another group would be staring at a teacher in wonderment as she presents some amazing creature. This year, the event, put on by senior high students with the help of teachers, was held inside due to weather. But in no way did that get in the way of the students who were determined to educate our much smaller friends.
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By Sarah Harrington Staff Writer Imagine you’re sitting all alone outside on a cloudy day by a body of water. It’s quiet and almost chilly. Suddenly there’s a tug on your line. You’re fighting to pull in fifteen-inch trout. You’ve caught it! What a good start to the day. “Being local to the Susquehanna River, fishing is a pretty popular sport,” sophomore Michael Ondek said. “Cloudy, damp mornings are the best, fish don’t like it when it’s too bright out, or the vibrations from the rain. Plus, you don’t cast a shadow and there’s no glare on the water, “ sophomore Samantha Moser states. A big question for all fishers is keeping the fish or letting it go. “I fish for sport only, so I let what I catch go,” sophomore Joshua Ziolkowski says. But Ondek and Moser disagree. “We eat what we catch as long as it’s the right size. Pennsylvania fish and game commission has decided that a minimum of seven inches is the right size." “While out fishing you should be comfortable! Be prepared to get muddy.” Ziolkowski exclaims. There isn’t as such thing as “best bait.” The bait completely depends on the person, but more importantly what kind of fish are getting caught. “You can’t go wrong with worms, “ Ondek says. “Almost any fish will go for the worm.” “I’ve always used beetles, they move around more and draw more attention,” Moser claims. However, the amount of bait needed depends on how much fish a person intends of catching. When choosing a spot its always good to consider different variables. Fishing in areas that are too crowded doesn’t necessarily mean that there are a lot of fish. In fact, having so many people around can scare the fish away. In York County alone, there are 22 registered fishing locations. “Find a good spot and stay to yourself,” Ziolkowski says. Fishing season started in the end of March and ends in February. The state re-stocks the different locations weekly. In order to obtain a fishing license you must be 16 years of age. A license that lasts all year long costs $22.70, according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission. Someone who isn’t 16 years old can still go fishing as long as they’re with an adult who has a valid fishing license. Fishing is used for food or for sport. Whichever is preferred, it is key to remember to obey the fishing laws that are in place for the safety of you, the fishermen. By Ashley Zagorski
Staff Writer A day specified to celebrate the environment. April 22 has been coined as “Earth Day” since 1970. Promoting the ideas of ecology, respecting earth and showing concern over pollution of the soil, air and water, Earth Day is now commemorated through outdoor performances, exhibits, street fairs, and tv programs based solely on environmental issues. To junior Chance Wonder, Earth Day is a way to, “Contribute to a healthy earth so our future generations will have a clean and healthy place to live.” Starting in elementary school, students learn to appreciate nature and learn ways to protect our environment. Between ‘earthly’ quizzes and planting trees, children are educated about our “Mother Earth” and how to care for it. Senior Kenzie Schmitt says, “Earth day means a lot to me because it's all we have to nourish us, cultivate us, & sustain us. Without earth we wouldn't survive.” To keep the earth safe, many acts and laws have been put into place including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. These and many more help to sustain a clean, healthy environment. “It's super important that we take time all year to take care of our Earth. Earth Day is a great way to spread the message to people that we all need to reduce the damage we've been causing our planet for so long because we only have one” sophomore Kelsey Horn says about the importance of Earth Day. Many things make an impact on the destruction of the earth. A big factor is the littering we as humans do everyday and the landfills being filled by our garbage daily. Fostering the idea of saving the earth is the ideology of Earth Day. Plant a tree, pick up the garbage on the side of the road; stand outside and breathe in the air that we are given everyday and remember there is only one earth, and it’s our job as its inhabitants to keep it clean and to protect it. Claire Krackow Staff Writer Aloha! The Island of Maui, Hawaii is the most beautiful place in the world. My family and I rode on a plane for 13 hours and arrived in Maui, Hawaii on May first. Although it was extremely long, it was definitely worth the flight. In my opinion Maui, Hawaii is the nicest island of Hawaii. Palm trees take up every corner on the streets of Hawaii and Hibiscus flowers, the most beautiful flowers in the world are found in Hawaii are constantly blooming. Kuku flowers, pink cottage roses, and the most famous, Hawaiian flower which you will find in colors varying from orange, purple, pink and yellow. Not only is the island a beautiful, the people make it so much more beautiful. Everywhere you would walk, there would be people with smiles on their faces, waving or just saying hello. Not only that, but the employees were especially friendly. They always make the tourists feel welcome and made sure that they were having a great time. The sun is always shining in Hawaii and they haven’t gotten rain in 7 months, I guess that explains why the people are so friendly. In Hawaii, there is something called getting “leid.” Getting “Leid” means that when you’re walking around in Hawaii, the Hawaiians put a fresh lei around your neck. There is a unique history to leis in Hawaii and the myth is that those beautiful flowers bring everybody automatically to a great mood. The volcanoes, mountains, flowers, and the beautiful fresh, clear water can ensure you a great trip to Hawaii, I know I had the time of my life! By Seth Crider Staff Writer A remarkable trend of indifference and habitual destruction is leaking into the minds, and drinking water, of a select group of Pennsylvania landowners who are susceptible to the promises of industry. Hydraulic Fracturing is a method of harvesting, or increasing the production of natural gas in well systems by opening small fissures with a cocktail of chemicals, water, and sand. The hope is that the sand left behind will act as a proppant to the existing cracks and effectively leave behind increased gas flow from within these separations. Pennsylvania is the unfortunate bearer of a specific type of natural rock perfect for the development of Hydrofracking. Marcellus Shale, as it is named, forms a ribbon that cuts through most of northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as western sections, and accounts for 64 percent of the state. The business of fracking accounts for a 30 billion dollar industry, according to pacwest, and is growing at a continual steadfast rate. Communities contained within the area have experienced small economic “booms” that are perfect for transforming any small community into industrial centers with enormous amounts of unskilled labor jobs. According to the Institute of Public Policy and Economic Development of Wilkes University, and their study for Socio-economics in Marcellus Shale Communities 41 percent of people reported improvement in the availability of jobs, as well as a 56.4 percent individual belief that extraction should be encouraged to decrease reliance on imports. The details of the study correspond with universal concerns about the reality of United States domestic troubles and economic instability. A predictable and ingrained pattern of primarily rural communities accepting the arrival of new business with little acumen and apprehension fits with the perception that patriotism means international independence and industrial focus on native soil, and justifiably so. However the cost of local economic security may jeopardize the health of Pennsylvania habitat, including those citizens that accompany it. Fracking is developing into an environmental parasite that may slowly, but surely, mature into a unique deadly mix of toxicity and political agenda. Flow water, or well runoff consisting of the aftermath chemicals used to break the shale, has been found in local ponds and lakes around gas wells where companies have struggled to regulate efficient methods in dispensing of the waste. Not to mention a litany of occurrences in which the gas, and in some cases the runoff, have penetrated water tables used by families on well water. Studies conducted by the Duke University and California State Polytechnic University at Panoma have shown “evidence of methane contamination of shallow drinking water systems in at least 3 areas of the region and suggest important environmental risks accompanying shale gas exploration worldwide.” Some cases have been so severe that families within these regions have been able to light their faucet water on fire. According to NPR’s Christopher Joyce, a study in 2008 concluded that with the introduction of “5000 new wells into Pennsylvania over 700 violations of state law related to water have occurred, with fines amounting to about 1.5 million dollars.” It is an unfortunate reality that -- even with all the evidence supporting a halt to drilling -- major progressive consideration about the adverse side effects of Fracking has ceased. Chris Tucker, a spokesman for gas industry trade group Energy in Depth says, “What's controversial is attempting to argue that these migrations occur as a result of industry activities, and on a time scale that actually matters to humanity.” The argument and final solution may boil down to what we deem as more important communally: public health or local economics? BREAKDOWN:
Getting Worse Vs. Getting Better 47% natural environment 4% 40% drinking water 3% 30% roads and streets 10% 27% overall cost of living 5% 60.3 % believe negative aspects can be prevented *The leftover percentages were neutral or unsure *Wilkes University Marcellus Shale Study |
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