Senator Tommy Tomlinson

Senator Tomlinson E-Newsletter

2010 PA Farm Show Arrives

Billed as the largest indoor agricultural event in the country, the 2010 Pennsylvania Farm Show (PDF) will kick off with a 2-hour "PA Preferred" Reception on Friday, January 8 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center on North Cameron Street in Harrisburg.

More than 400,000 people are expected to visit the 94th Farm Show from January 9-16. Visitors will have the chance to see nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits, and 270 commercial exhibitors. Exhibitors can hope to tap into more than $561,000 in prize money. Look for the best in youth livestock shows, cooking demonstrations, educational displays, celebrity contests, and much more. See "Just for Kids" activities at special learning stations.

Visitors will find the Farm Show Food Court located in the Expo Hall and Main Hall (PDF) of the Complex filled with everything from apple cider and beehive products to grilled portabella mushrooms and deep-fried mozzarella sticks to pork barbeque sandwiches and homemade vegetable soup.

Consult the daily schedule to ensure you don't miss your favorite events. If you are considering staying overnight in the Harrisburg area, consult the Farm Show website's Lodging, Restaurants, and Attractions page.

Understanding Electric Choice

Electric rate caps were lifted on January 1 in some areas of the Commonwealth and consumers are seeking a new understanding of how to control 2010 electric costs, according to the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA).

While officials predict an increase in costs, consumers can choose the company from which their electricity is generated or remain with the current provider. If you are from my Senatorial district your current provider is PECO. A Residential Consumer's Electric Shopping Guide is available to help you compare rates as you decide which company will generate your electricity.

Generation is the production of electricity. Transmission is the movement of that electricity from where it is produced to a local distribution system. Distribution is the delivery of purchased power to the consumer. Because the price cap on generation rates is set to expire, consumers are free to choose the company from which their electricity is generated (EGC) while continuing to receive one billing statement including costs for generation from one company and transmission and distribution from their current company (EDC).

OCA is offering answers to a number of frequently asked questions to assist consumers in making the most of their electric generation choice.

Vets Center to Offer Counseling

Bucks County is home to nearly 60,000 veterans and has the fourth largest number of veterans of any Pennsylvania county. A new center in Bucks County will offer counseling to veterans and their families killed in the line of duty.

The Bucks County Director of Veterans Affairs, Dan Fraley, and representatives from the Pennsylvania Veterans Administration recently announced the opening of a veteran's center in Bristol. The new center, which is one of only 11 in Pennsylvania, is expected to open in 60 days at the Canal's End office complex at 418 Mill Street.

The veteran’s center will be a place for counseling that will provide individual, group and family counseling for veterans who served in combat. The center will also provide bereavement counseling for families of any service member who has died on active duty, including non-combat related deaths.

Counselors also will be available to assist any service member who experienced sexual assault or sexual trauma while on duty, officials said.

Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Can you detect potential sources of carbon monoxide in your home? Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless deadly gas produced by incomplete combustion in fuel-burning devices. Carbon monoxide is capable of killing you before you are aware it is affecting you, according to the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OSFC).

An annual average of 480 deaths is attributed to unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

With the cold months leading in the number of unintentional CO deaths, it is important to identify potential sources. Fuel-fired (non-electric) appliances such as gas and oil furnaces, space heaters, clothes dryers, ranges, ovens, water heaters, charcoal grills, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves all produce CO. Exhaust fumes from generators, vehicles, lawn mowers, and snow blowers also contain high levels of CO. Absent proper venting, the presence of cracks in a furnace or blocked vents and chimneys can cause CO to build inside your home.

Protect your family with the installation of CO detector alarms on each floor of a residence, especially on each sleeping floor. Install additional detectors near but not within five feet of major fuel burning appliances. Understand the symptoms of CO poisoning and what to do if you suspect its presence.

Route 13 Traffic

Aqua Pennsylvania will close Bensalem Boulevard between Gibson Road and Route 13 in Bensalem Township, beginning January 4, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) recently announced. Bensalem Boulevard will be closed weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through April 30, 2010.

During construction, Bensalem Boulevard through traffic will be detoured over Gibson Road, Hulmeville Road and Route 132 (Street Road) and Route 13. Local access will be maintained up to the construction zone. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area.

PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major highways before heading out.

For more information, visit www.dot.state.pa.us/district6

Time to Apply for 2010 Dog Licenses

Dog owners are reminded the deadline for licensing "man's best friend" was January 1, according to the PA Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement. Complete the license application and return it to the office of your County Treasurer to obtain your dog's license tag.

All dogs three months or older must be licensed in accordance with state law. The $8 fee for an annual license is only $6 for a spayed or neutered dog while the $51 lifetime license fee is dropped to $31 for sterilized canines.

Licensing fees support the Bureau's mission of protecting the health, safety, and welfare of dogs. During 2009, more than 930,000 dogs sported licenses that frequently assist in returning a lost animal to its family.

Pa Game Commission Website Changes to Omit Certain Features

Changes are on the horizon for the PA Game Commission website, which may leave you unable to find certain features, according to the PGC.

The new website is intended to eventually encompass all Administration websites, popular information, such as the Hunter/Trapper Scrapbook, is on hold. The PGC's news release archives will also take a hit. Releases published prior to January 1, 2007 will be missing from the new website.

The PGC indicates the website will have a greater emphasis on wildlife management efforts and the agency's mission. Site users may direct questions and comments regarding the website transition or the inclusion of specific information to 717-787-4250 or pgccomments@state.pa.us.

PA Slides into Snowmobiling Season

Winter weather and cold temperatures are enticing the snowmobiling community to get out and enjoy Penn's Woods, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Visitors are permitted to run their snowmobiles on specified state forests and state parks after the last day of deer season in December to April 1, as long as there is enough snow cover. Most parks offer designated snowmobile trails for exploration. Others designate large, open spaces for snowmobiling. State parks also provide trailhead access to snowmobile trails on state forest land.

Find out where there is snow in state parks with our Winter Activities Report, updated twice a week from December until spring thaw.

Snowmobile riders in Pennsylvania's state forests and parks have access to 3,140 miles of marked joint-use state forest roads, closed roads, and trails in 18 of the state's 20 state forest districts, which include 243 trail miles and 93 road miles available in 34 state parks.

Take a few moments to review the PA Snowmobile and ATV Guide (PDF) to ensure compliance with PA laws regulating the operation, registration, titling, and insuring of snowmobiles and ATVs. Find related safety tips and training information. For additional details on registration, call toll-free 1-866-545-2476.

DCNR is providing condition updates on its toll-free, snowmobile hot line at 1-877-SNOMBLE (1-877-766-6253). DCNR also provides weather and condition reports online for state parks and forests.

New PA License Plates to Honor Military Service

Honorably discharged veterans of the United States Armed Forces have a new way to proudly display their service as PennDOT announced the availability of a new series of military license plates honoring veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

The new plates feature the standard Pennsylvania license plate colors of blue, white and yellow along with the applicable branch of service emblem or logo on the left side of the plate. Pennsylvania is printed at the top of the plate, with the name of the applicable branch of service at the bottom.

To obtain one of these plates, honorably discharged veterans must complete and mail Form MV-150, Application for U.S. Military Veteran Registration Plate, to PennDOT and include a certified copy of their DD-214, along with a $20 fee.

Form MV-150 is available on PennDOT's Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.state.pa.us, via the Military License Plates link under the Military Personnel/Veterans Information Center or can be picked up at any of Senator Tomlinson's district offices. Additional information and images of the new license plates are also available on this web page.

Senator Tomlinson's Children Expo

Residents of the 6th Senatorial District, please mark your calendars for the Senator's annual Children's Expo. The Expo will be held at Council Rock High School South in Holland, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, April 17th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.