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PENN STATE UNIVERSITY BHHIHi
W 209 PATTE LIBRARY
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V 01.44 No. 38
Gov. Ridge Declares Drought Emergency
Editor’s Note: Gov, Ridge
warns that if condition do not
improve, Pennsylvania may face
the worst drought on record in
state history. *
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
Gov. Tom Ridge this week
signed a proclamation declaring a
drought emergency in SS Pennsyl
vania counties and calling on
Pennsylvanians to conserve water
Berks County Little Dairy Miss Ashley Mohn with her Sattazahn cousins, Brett, 8;
Tyler, 6; and Jenna, 3; are the fourth generation to carry on the family’s farming legacy
in Womelsdorf. Read about the Sattazahn family on page 82, and about Ashley on
page 810. Photo by Lou Ann Good.
Slate FFA officers at the Hoss Fore FFA Golf Tournament. From left, Phillip Frank
ford, chaplain, Bermudian Springs FFA; Maria Trego, reporter, West Snyder FFA; Beth
Frey, eastern region vice president, Manor FFA; Larissa Baney, north central regional
vice president, Seiinsgrove FFA; Adam Longenecker, treasurer, Central Cove FFA;
Elio Chiarelli Jr., president, H.G. Parkinson FFA; Bart Gill, south central region vice
president, Newport FFA; Sarrah Biddle, secretary, Williamsburg FFA; Amy Sakers,
sentinel, Milton Hers hey FFA; and Bill Leib, state vice president, Cumberland Valley
FFA, Photo by Andy Andrews
Four Sections
as drought conditions statewide
continue to deteriorate.
Gov. Ridge said that, should
conditions not improve, this
drought has the potential to be
worse than the drought of 1964
the worst drought on record in
state history.
“Pennsylvania’s water supply is
at dangerously low levels,” said
Gov. Ridge, just before signing
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 24, 1999
the drought emergency declara
tion. “I urge all Pennsylvanians to
do their part to conserve water in
every way they can. Reduce the
amount of water you use both in
side and outside the home. If we
don’t act now to conserve our wa
ter, there won’t be any water left
to conserve. And we’ll face the
worst drought in our state’s his
tory. That’s why today I will de-
$31.00 Per Year
Clare a drought emergency in 55
Pennsylvania counties.”
Four counties Armstrong,
Butler, Clarion and Jefferson
remain in a drought warning.
Eight counties Crawford, Erie,
Elk, Forest, McKean, Mercer, Ve
nango and Warren are under a
drought watch. With Gov. Ridge’s
action today, the remaining 55
counties now are under a drought
emergency.
A drought watch, the first stage
of the three drought declarations,
calls for a voluntary 5 percent re
duction of non-essential watei
use. A drought warning, the sec
ond of the three-stage drought re
sponse, calls for a 10 percent
voluntary reduction in water con
sumption. A drought emergency,
Ninth Annual Farm-City
Day Attracts 2,200 People
CAROLYN N. MOYER
Tioga Co. Correspondent
LAWRENCEVILLE (Tioga
Co.) “Food is one of the greatest
bargains in the world,” proclaimed
master of ceremonies Jim Welch
as he launched the ninth annual
Tioga County Farm-City Day.
John and Sandy Ogden and fam
ily served as the hosts for the
event, agreeing to open their
200-acre farm to more than 2,200
visitors Saturday, July 10, in an
effort to educate the public about
the importance of farming.
“No farm-city day can exist
without the host family," con
tinued Welch as he told people that
family farms like this one are
going out of existence at an alarm-
Agri-Industry Out In Force
At Annual FFA Golf Event
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Fanning Staff
DENVER (Lancaster Co.)
Two hundred eighty-two golfers
braved high heat and humidity
Monday afternoon at two golf
courses to raise money for the
largest youth organization in the
world FFA.
Agri-industry representatives
from around the state turned out in
force not only to golf, but to bid on
a multitude of donated items at the
annual Hoss’s Fore FFA Golf
Tournament at Fox Chase and
Hawk Valley golf courses. AJbcnc
fit auction was conducted after the
tournament at Fox Chase.
About $13,000 was raised at the
auction, and overall about
$30,000, according to Kerry Hoff
man of the Pennsylvania FFA
Foundation, at the yearly event to
benefit state FFA.
Not for an instant did golfers let
the heat (as high as 100 degrees)
and humidity dkttyot rbem. -Some.
600 Per Copy
the third and most severe stage,
imposes mandatory restrictions on
water use. Gov. Ridge must de
clare a drought emergency.
Gov. Ridge cited the following
reasons behind the deteriorating
drought conditions statewide: lit
tle snow this winter; little rain this
-spring; and a dry, hot summer.
The results of these factors are: re
cord-low stream levels; very low
groundwater levels; and wells run
ning dry.
“The water levels we’re seeing
today in the middle of summer
—are on par with levels we would
see in September or October,”
Gov. Ridge said. "Groundwater
levels typically won’t begin to re
(Tum to Pog» A 34)
ing rate. “The younger generation
may not want to pursue this busi
ness with this kind of an income, or
they might not be able to afford it ”
Joining Welch in opening the
day's events was chairperson Bon
nie Kcil, who thanked the commit
tees and more than 100 volunteers
for making this day a success. She
especially thanked the volunteers
who came to the rescue at 6 a.m. to
re-erect tents that were felled by
strong winds the night before.
Government officials including
the Tioga County commissioners.
Rep. Matt Baker, Sen. Roger
Madigan, and Deputy Secretary of
Agriculture Russell Redding also
(Turn to Page A 35)
went to the links Monday morning.
When it was over, the top Fox
Chase team, with a score of 57,
was from Evergreen Farms Inc.,
Spruce Creek. The highest score
for the Hawk Valley team, a 59,
was recorded by Laret Sign Com
pany, Hollidaysburg.
The Evergreen Farms team.
Team 10A, was comprised of Abe
Harpstcr, Mike Czap, Robert
Bokunewicz, and Tom Buck. The
Hawk Valley team. Team 5, from
Laret Sign, included Jack Laret,
John Gentry, Ron Dandrea, and
Jim Parlier.
Placing second at Fox Chase
was Team 18, comprised of Leon
Fultz, Randy Herrold, Roger Bow
ersox, and Ken Swineford, with a
score of S 7 (losing the tic-breaker
to Evergreen). Placing third with a
score of 60 was John Coldiron,
Scott Gold, Steve Moran, and
Dave Huston.
.’•’AV ' 'A'