30th Whitewater Rendezvous Runs More Water

For ten years Steve Podratsky has been fighting to install a valve in the Quemahoning Reservoir that would allow more than 3,000 gallons of water to flow into the Stonycreek River every second. On Friday Podratsky will get to see that valve ceremoniously turned for the first time.

The event will mark the beginning of the 30th annual Benscreek Canoe Club Whitewater Rendezvous. The Rendezvous runs Friday the 13th through Sunday the 15th. Most of the activities center around Greenhouse Park in Johnston but with 700 to 800 kayakers and rafters expected to be in town for the event, it will spill over into other creeks and rivers. “We have quite an established whitewater watershed in our area with anywhere from 6 to 10 streams that run from class III to class V,” said Podratsky who is the president of the Benscreek Canoe Club.

Rivers in the area are running high following the wet spring and Podratsky believes that will make for a great run on the Stonycreek. The main race event runs Friday from Carpenter’s Park to Greenhouse Park.

This year the valve will only be opened to allow 350 cubic feet of water per second to pass under the dam and into the river. When the valve, which was installed over the winter, is fully operational it will be capable of releasing 500 cu ft /sec. The old valve topped out at 150 cu ft /sec. The valve replacement project came with a $1.5 million price tag. The goal is to allow water releases every other weekend throughout the spring and fall.

More than half of the kayakers that turnout for the event are from out of town said Podratsky and the region’s whitewater opportunities are growing in fame. “Paint Creek is class V, that stream actually drops 200 feet in elevation in two miles so it has 10 to 12 cascading waterfalls on it that a lot of whitewater kayakers find very attractive and we have Shade Creek too that runs about 14 miles of continues white water,” said Podratsky. Those runs have been getting write-ups in several publications and websites.

Saturday will feature a whitewater rodeo in the recently improved section of Stonycreek in Greenhouse Park. “We have between 30 and 40 semi-professional, intermediate and amateur kayakers,” said Podratsky, “They have 90 seconds to do as many tricks and flips and twists and turns as they can.” The runs will be scored and winners will take home prizes.

Schedules and maps can be found at the Benscreek Canoe Club web page.

Tax Revenues Jump In Somerset County

Somerset County pulled in more than 96 thousand dollars in hotel taxes in February...the largest amount since the levy was enacted in 2002.
40% of the revenues go toward a program that awards grants to for-profit and nonprofit tourism-related businesses and organizations such as B & B's, resorts, and historical societies.
Somerset County Commissioner Jim Marker says 30% is dedicated to the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau which works on "attracting additional people to our area" which means more hotel taxes. The remaining 30% of the revenues goes to the county to be spent on tourism projects such as maintaining the bike trail on the Great Allegheny Passage.

Marker says the February increase in taxes is due mostly to a good skiing month at the resorts and more hotel stays as a result of the Marcellus Shale drilling. The commissioner says Somerset County is becoming more of a year round destination not just for skiing season because of visitors coming to see the Flight 93 Memorial and the Quecreek Mining Rescue site. He expects the hotel taxes to dip for a couple of months and then pick up again in June.

Flight 93 Families Seek Funding

Family members of those who died on United Airlines Flight 93 when it crashed into an abandon strip mine in Somerset County September 11th 2001 are seeking more federal money for a 9/11 memorial crash site. Family members will go before Congress today to ask members to approve the $3.7 million for the memorial requested by President Barack Obama in his new budget.

The memorial's first phase, including a wall with the names of the 40 passengers and crew, is set to open on the 10th anniversary of the attacks of September 11th. The price tag for the memorial is expected to come in at $60 million. Congress has already provided $10 million, Pennsylvania is giving $18.5 million and about $20 million has been raised privately.

Work on the sight has already begun.

16th Annual Fire & Ice Set to Launch

At least 44 ice sculptures will adorn the streets of downtown Somerset by Sunday afternoon as part of the annual Fire & Ice Festival. Somerset Inc. Executive Director Stephanie Williams says all of the carvings will be within a two-block radius of the “diamond”, which is the intersection of Center Ave and Main St. Several of the sculptures have already been carved and will be put in place Friday morning; the rest will be carved on the spot. “People will see the carvers from Mastro [Gourmet Quality Ice] around but I can’t give them an exact time, it just happens when it happens,” says Williams. She says they used to set times for the carvings but “weather or something always got in the way.”

Along with the ice sculptures the festival includes a fireworks display Friday night, wood carving demonstrations and displays throughout the weekend, kids and teen events, and a photo contest. Williams says the contest is broken into several categories, “ranging from the spirit of Fire & Ice, to people, to animals, and scenery, so it’s a wide variety and believe me the photos are spectacular.” The more than 60 submissions will be on display at the festival head quarters at 113 Main St. A full schedule can be found on the Somerset Inc. website.

All of the outdoor events are free but $6.00 buttons must be purchased for most indoor events. Williams says the best plan is to bundle up and plan to walk around. She says cloudy and 32 degrees is the best conditions for the festival. That is when the ice does not melt and the people do not freeze, says Williams.

Borough Considers Selling Water for Fracking

A Somerset County municipality is considering selling water in bulk to a Marcellus Shale natural gas driller for use in hydraulic fracturing.

Somerset Borough Council has resolved to negotiate the sale of up to 100,000 gallons of water each day to Berkey Excavating, Inc. for an indefinite time period.

Borough Manager Ben Vinzani, Jr. says the two parties haven’t set a price yet, but all the revenue would go to Somerset’s water fund, which pays for municipal water services. Vinzani says the drilling company would actually pay more for water in bulk than regular customers because of costs associated with monitoring hydrants.

Vinzani says Berkey may have come to Somerset because they have wells nearby, but there are no Marcellus Shale gas wells in the borough itself.

The Borough Manager says Council “is aware” of the environmental controversy surrounding hydraulic fracturing, and won’t do anything to inflame that debate.

If the deal is approved, Vinzani says the Borough’s daily water usage could jump from 1.6 million to 1.7 million gallons per day.

Rockwood Amtrak Stop for Bicyclists

Somerset County is conducting a $60,000 feasibility study to determine whether or not an Amtrak station should be placed on the Great Allegheny Passage.
The station would be placed in Rockwood, an area in Somerset County. The Rockwood trail is part of the 150-mile passage, which runs from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C.
Somerset Commissioner Jim Marker says Amtrak requested that this study be done to find out if a Rockwood station would be possible in terms of funding and benefits. “We’re looking for answers regarding what type of platform will you need, what are the dimensions of that?” He says once these questions are answered, an estimate for how much the project will cost can be determined.
He says The Somerset “Rails to Trails” Association donated $5,000 and the Community Foundation of the Alleghenies gave $20,000 towards the cost of the feasibility study. Marker says he and the commissioners applied for a grant from the Department of Transportation to cover the remaining $40,000, which is to be issued in September.
Marker says this will give bicyclists the ability to take the train to a starting point and ride their bike to a destination, or vice versa. He says this would also benefit people who would just like to come in or go out of the Somerset area. “We’re looking for ways to enable bicyclists as well as any citizens to travel about.”
Marker says the train would be available for Capitol Limited riders from Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. It would accommodate bike riders to and from trails as well as take people to venues such as Seven Springs and Hidden Valley resorts.
Marker says this would be the first of its kind in this area. He says it’s been done in places like California and Europe, and has been successful.
He says as of now the only next step is to review the data from the study.

DCNR Grant to Beautify Connellsville Park

The Youghiogheny River Park in Connellsville will get a facelift, as part of a broader attempt to beautify communities in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands region.

The state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will give the City of Connellsville $204,000 for park improvements. Those include a new playground, a building addition, and green spaces. The trailhead at the park will also get new signage, lighting, and landscaping.

DCNR spokeswoman Christine Novak says one of the most important aims of the grant is to connect the Youghiogheny River Park to its namesake. She says they'll achieve that by installing boulders to stabilize the riverbank.

Novak says there are economic benefits, as well.

"It'll make Connellsville a significant midpoint for trail users along the Great Allegheny Passage between Washington and Pittsburgh," says Novak.

The grant is from the Keystone Fund, a DCNR account funded by a portion of the state's realty transfer tax.

FAA Reviewing Somerset Wind Turbine Project

The FAA is reviewing whether some of the Gamesa Energy wind turbines proposed in Somerset County present a potential hazard to aviation.

FAA spokesperson Laura Brown says there’s been no determination as yet that the turbines would be a hazard. Tall structures—buildings, wind turbines or communication towers—often trigger a review, which is likely to take several months because of the increasing number of proposed projects.

The review will look at two potential hazards: actual physical obstruction or possible interference with radar and navigation systems.

Brown says the FAA is open to discussions with developers about how to avoid aviation hazards, such as lowering the height or moving the structure.

Environmental concerns about the project include possible adverse effects on wildlife and the watershed.

Veterans to be Honored in Somerset County

Memorial Day in Somerset County will be celebrated at the County Courthouse at 9:30 a.m., in the annual ceremony sponsored by the Somerset Memorial Day Committee. Former Commander Charles H. Prince of the Pennsylvania Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars will speak. Prince is a U.S. Navy veteran who served on the USS Missouri during World War II. In addition to the speaker, wreaths will be laid at the county’s war monuments and a 21-gun salute will sound. The yearly Memorial Day Parade will follow the ceremony; Somerset County Comprehensive Plan Coordinator Kerri Burtner says the procession’s Honor Guard is special this year. “We’ve been able to find local soldiers who have recently returned from Afghanistan or Iraq who will be carrying the flags and the rifles through the town for the parade, and we’re real pleased with that,” says Burtner. The parade will proceed for about 6 blocks west along Main Street in Somerset.

Somerset County Chamber of Commerce Shares Information on Marcellus Shale

Somerset County's Chamber of Commerce has scheduled an informational luncheon with speakers from industry and government for Tuesday, April 14th about the potential economic and environmental impacts of Marcellus Shale drilling for natural gas.

Chamber Executive Director Ron Aldom says drilling in the Barnett Shale in Texas, which is only one-fifth the size of the Marcellus Shale, had quite an economic impact. He expects regions above the Marcellus Shale to see economic activity and high-paying jobs for up to three decades.

He believes strong state environmental regulations will protect Somerset County’s significant agriculture and outdoor recreation interests, which have successfully coexisted for years with manufacturing, coal mining, and wind energy.

The luncheon sold out quickly—there is a waiting list.

Local Creek In Danger

Laurel Hill Creek in Somerset County has been rated No. 7 in America's Most Endangered Rivers this year by conservation group American Rivers It made the list because of the amount of water that is being withdrawn from local businesses, particularly two ski resorts and a water bottling company. It is designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as a "high quality cold water fishery." However, Youghiogheny Riverkeeper Krissy Kasserman says last summer the flow was low enough to endanger many fish that inhabit the water; there wasn't enough room for them to live or reproduce. As of now, the DEP has nominated Laurel Hill Creek as a "critical water planning area." Kasserman says the designation would give the creek the careful regulation it needs.

Refunds for Bad Gift Certificates

A national gift certificate company filed for chapter seven bankruptcy last week and that has some Chambers of Commerce feeling the ripple effects.
Dayton-based CertifiChecks had operated gift certificate programs for hundreds of chambers of commerce.
Somerset Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ron Aldom says the gift certificates were part of a very successful buy local and spend local program. He says there were $22,000 in gift certificates purchased last year, and there is no way to tell how much of the money was spent. Now that CertifiChecks is no longer doing business, remaining certificates are not redeemable. However, Aldom says there is an obligation to residents and business owners to refund the locally bought certificates. It was a difficult decision to make, but he says he would not want to leave anyone "high and dry".

Aldom says to bring the certificates to the Somerset Chamber of Commerce, located at 601 North Center Ave. in Somerset, in order to receive a refund. The chamber will be offering paybacks through the end of the month. With the program being so successful, he says there are intentions to reinstate it with another company.

Somerset County Prison Board Deals with Overcrowding

The Somerset County Jail is running into a problem: it has too many inmates. The prison, which has sufficient space for male inmates, is running out of room for females. The jail has only 12 beds for women prisoners and when all are filled, the guards must resort to keeping some women in a holding cell. When the male population exceeds a prison capacity, men can be sent to other state prisons, but since only two state prisons house females, they must be sent to another county prison. The jail then incurs the cost of transporting the female inmates to another county and a nominal fee by the recipient jail. Somerset County Prison Board President Judge John Cascio says contrary to some reports, the Board is not considering paroling inmates as a viable solution to overcrowding. Instead, the the board will discuss alternative solutions at a meeting on Thursday.

Ralphton Desires Connection to Quemahoning Pipeline

Somerset County officials are working with U.S. legislators to secure funding to build infrastructure which will essentially connect Ralphton with the Quemahoning pipeline, a 22-mile pipeline that supplies water to municipalities from just north of Jennerstown to Somerset. County spokeswoman Kerri Burtner says the funding will be used to connect Ralphton with the Municipal Water Authority of the Township of Jenner which is in turn connected to the pipeline. Ralphton residents currently rely on wells for their water which can pose a problem in times of drought or in the event of a fire. Currently, there is no contractual agreement between the Municipal Water Authority of the Township of Jenner and Ralphton but Burtner says one is in the works. Plans for the infrastructure are already completed. The county will know if money for the project is secured with the passing of the 2009 federal budget.

Flight 93 Families Upset by Continuing Controversy

Flight 93 families who are working on a memorial say they want to move beyond a controversy over its design. Tom Burnett, the father of one man who died on Flight 93, says the memorial includes an Islamic symbol: a red crescent. Renderings show red maple trees partly outlining a bowl-shaped piece of land at the crash site. The design has since been modified; rather than a "crescent of embrace," it's now called a "circle of embrace." But most Flight 93 family members who participated in the design competition say the criticisms from Burnett are baseless. They say they've consulted religious and design experts who have supported their decision to move ahead with the memorial as planned.

The Flight 93 Memorial Task Force is closing today on close to 1000 acres of land for the project. That's about 75% of the land needed for the memorial.

Tomorrow, the task force will hold a joint meeting with a federal advisory commission. There, they'll provide an update on fundraising for the memorial.