Youth Advisory Grant applications available

WAYNE COUNTY — This year, the Wayne County Community Foundation is awarding $6,000 in mini-grants for projects or programs that will benefit elementary and secondary age students in Wayne County schools and/or community groups.

The maximum available for a mini-grant is $1,000.

What can be funded? Proposals for special classroom projects planned by students, extracurricular activities such as student newspapers, special sports, arts-related projects, or other community-related projects all qualify. The grants are intended for youth groups, not individuals.

Applications are due October 29.

To apply, visit https://www.waynefoundation.org/grantmaking/youthgrantapplication.

Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-NY) speaks to students at Fallsburg High School.

Delgado at Fallsburg High School

FALLSBURG, NY — You want to learn about education, you go back to school, especially when it comes to the effects of the pandemic.

U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (D-NY) met with students, faculty and staff at Fallsburg High School recently, touring with Fallsburg Superintendent Dr. Ivan Katz, school principal Kyle Roddey and Emily Collura, student government president.

The congressman answered questions from junior and senior students.

“It was great to speak with Fallsburg high school students about my pathway to public service and work,” said Delgado.

He thanked Collura and Fallsburg staff for describing the impact COVID-19 had on the school. “As we recover from the pandemic and begin to rebuild, we must invest in education and set our students up for success.”

“The Fallsburg Central School District is always happy to invite our lawmakers to visit our schools to see how and what we are doing for our kids,” said Katz. “Visits like this are important so our leaders get first-hand knowledge about our school improvement efforts.”

Proposed DEC regulation would allow counties to opt out of holiday deer hunt

NEW YORK STATE — Turns out the holiday deer hunt, put in place earlier this year, interferes with snowmobiling.

The holiday hunt, which would take place between December 26 and January 1, was adopted by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for the state’s southern zone (which includes Sullivan County) to provide “hunters with new opportunities to venture afield when families and friends are gathered for the holidays and students are home on school break,” said Commissioner Basil Seggos. It was added on to the late bow and muzzleloader season.

A public comment period is open through November 14.

The new proposed regulation would address concerns that the hunt would interfere with snowmobilers. It was thought that some landowners might choose to prevent snowmobile access to trail networks that cross private land in late December, which would limit snowmobile access. ”Historically,” a DEC statement notes, “snow cover deep enough to support snowmobiling is present only occasionally, and in certain locations, in the southern zone during the holiday period.”

“Snowmobiling and small game hunting have safely coexisted for decades,” Seggos said, “and I encourage all interested stakeholders to share comments on the proposed regulation that would let counties ‘opt out’ of the holiday hunt before the deadline on November 14.”

Counties that wish to opt out must annually adopt a local law specifying exclusion from the Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 portion of the late bow and muzzleloader season.

Counties that do not wish to opt out do not have to do anything.

Details of the proposal are on the DEC’s website at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations.

Comments can be submitted by email to WildlifeRegs@dec.ny.gov  or in writing to Wildlife Regulations, NYSDEC Bureau of Wildlife, 625 Broadway, 5th Floor, Albany, NY 12233-4754.

Steaming history

WHITE MILLS, PA — The annual Thomas Kennedy Local History Festival was held at the Dorflinger Factory Museum, White Mills, on Saturday, September 25. Those that attended were treated to a presentation by Dr. S. Robert Powell, president of the Carbondale Area Historical Society, who spoke about the Pennsylvania Coal Company’s impact on the local economy during its time of operation, 1850 to 1885.

On display was the recently re-built Spencer Steam Tractor dating from 1889, restored by the “5 Star +1 Team.”  The tractor represents a project that was supported by the entire community during its three-year rebuilding process, and is “one that can now be proudly displayed as a true Wayne County gem,” according to a statement from the Wayne County Historical Society.

 

Pictured under a new net are Faith Phillips, left, Michelle Valinski, William Craven. Center: Alison Kandrovy, left, Kim Emmet and Lisa Glover. …

 

System of Care spruces up basketball courts and more

HONESDALE, PA — The Wayne County System of Care (SOC) fixed up the basketball court at the county’s Park Street Complex with the help of a grant from the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.

SOC Coordinator Dave Hartung said the group, which is focused on improving systems in Wayne County that work with children, painted the basketball courts and installed new nets. New signage and a bench and table are planned, and SOC intends to update the trash receptacles.

The work represents the first phase in a long-term project to renovate and increase the accessibility of the park for people of all ages and abilities. Eventually, Hartung said, SOC partners hope to install all-abilities playground equipment in the park, renovate the bocce court and are working on art for the pedestrian tunnel that leads to Park Street.

He said they have established a pass-through fund at the Wayne County Community Foundation to facilitate donations to the project and have applied for a grant through the foundation.

In the Wayne County System of Care, youth, family and system leaders “work together as equal and trusted partners to create sustainable change,” a statement said. Their work “empower[s] those involved in youth-serving systems to be responsible and accountable for positive outcomes.”

Their partners include Wayne County Human Services, United Wayne, Children and Youth Services, Community Vocational Services, the Stourbridge Project, Early Intervention and NAMI of Northeast PA.

For more information on SOC or the project, call Dave Hartung at 570/493-0915.