EDITOR’S DESK

Communicating kindness

Craig Harting

Later this month, cooperative communicators in Pennsylvania will gather for our spring meeting to catch up on industry issues and share updates. These are the folks who put together your Penn Lines magazine every month, and you couldn’t have a more dedicated group of communication professionals. We’ll be missing one person at this meeting — someone whose kindness and cooperative spirit made us all better.

This will be our first gathering since the passing of Craig Harting, one of our longtime cooperative leaders and a great supporter of cooperative communicators. Harting was the recently retired CEO of Sullivan County Rural Electric Cooperative, where he worked for more than three decades.

Harting passed away late last year following an illness at 66. Before his death, Harting received the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association’s (PREA) 2023 “Miracle Mile” Eminent Service Award, the association’s highest honor.

For years, Harting served as chairman of the PREA Awards Committee. One of his favorite duties was recognizing the work of cooperative communicators. Without fail, he would be part of the annual awards program that highlights the work that goes into producing Penn Lines. Over the years, his thoughtful leadership and support of cooperative communications helped improve the magazine — a magazine he loved contributing to with his columns for his local electric cooperative.

Australian musician and writer Nick Cave says that loss is a shared condition of our humanity, but kindness is the force that draws us together.

Harting’s untimely passing hit our cooperative family hard. His loss left many remembering his kindness. Imbued with a true cooperative spirit, he was a mentor to many, always providing encouragement and support to others.

As cooperative communicators meet this month, we’ll be sure to remember a friend who brought people together through the kindness he communicated. Rest in peace, Craig.

PETER A. FITZGERALD
EDITOR

IN THE DARK

State parks anticipating crowds for April's solar eclipse

Four state parks in Pennsylvania will be in the 115-milewide “totality zone” for the April 8 solar eclipse. That means the moon will block the sun for about 4 minutes during the mid-afternoon eclipse in those areas, which include Presque Isle, Erie Bluffs, and Pymatuning state parks in Crawford County, and Maurice K. Goddard State Park in Mercer County.

Other areas in Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Warren counties will also be in the totality zone, while much of the remainder of Pennsylvania will be in an area of partial eclipse.

The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is recommending the following for those who plan to visit:

Expect crowds at the four parks, which will close if they reach capacity.
Make reservations now for overnight accommodations. Available spots are filling up.
Plan to arrive early and stay late because of the expected congestion.
Have a second viewing location in mind in case your chosen park reaches capacity and needs to close.
Park only in the designated areas.
Keep in mind many parks and forests have little to no cellphone reception, and service in other areas may not work properly during the eclipse.
Bring appropriate gear, including solar-safe glasses, and remember: Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the eclipse.

For more information about the April eclipse, visit dcnr.pa.gov.

APRIL ECLIPSE: When the solar eclipse occurs April 8, parts of Pennsylvania, including Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Warren counties, will be in the 115-milewide “totality zone.” The eclipse is expected to last about four minutes.

WAY TO GO, WARREN!

Warren County home to Pa.'s Trail of the Year

The Trails at Jakes Rocks in Warren County have been named Pennsylvania’s 2024 Trail of the Year, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) says. The 35-mile natural surface trail system is in the Allegheny National Forest.

A recent economic impact analysis found the trail system draws more than 25,000 users annually and generates an estimated $9 million in annual tourism spending. The trails are used primarily for mountain biking, but other types of recreation, such as hiking, trail running and cross-country skiing, are also permitted.

“We at DCNR are hopeful that this honor helps connect even more people to the recreation opportunities around the trails in Warren County and in the Allegheny National Forest,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said when making the announcement.

Located in northwestern Pennsylvania, Warren County is served by Warren Electric Cooperative and Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative.

BEAR OR BIGFOOT

Study: What are people really seeing in the woods?

A study, published Jan. 13 in the Journal of Zoology, has found that “Bigfoot” sightings in the United States and Canada often correlate with the size of the local black bear population.

Results show that for every 5,000 black bears, there’s an average of one Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, sighting. And if bear numbers go up, so do the number of Bigfoot sightings. The study also notes, however, that some states without a known population of black bears still have reports of Bigfoot sightings.

Bigfoot — a large, hairy mythical creature described as walking on two legs and often living in forested areas — has many traits in common with black bears, which can range from golden brown to reddish brown to black. Bears stand on their two hind legs and also frequent wooded areas.

Researchers looked at bear populations, reports of Bigfoot sightings, human populations and forested areas to determine the correlation.

TIMELINES

Pennsylvania is renowned for its forests and its longstanding lumbering traditions, which Penn Lines celebrated a decade ago. In fact, many rural electric cooperative members have made their living off the land — and forests — from operating sawmills and making furniture to creating decorative carvings with chainsaws.

March 2014 cover