KEYSTONE CLIPS Trail board seeks new members

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is taking nominations for four new appointments and one vacant position on the Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Advisory Board, according to state Rep. Chris Sainato of New Castle, D-9th.
The board consists of members representing nine different types of recreational trail uses. The four new positions are for representatives of physically challenged, water trail, all-terrain vehicle and snowmobile users. The vacant position is for a bicycling representative.
The board's primary function is to advise DCNR on general trail use throughout Pennsylvania, including the use of federal trail funding. Nominations must be submitted by Friday. To obtain a nomination form or for more details, e-mail Scott Cope at sscope@state.pa.us or call (717) 772-3319.
Agriculture for youths
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the state's Agriculture and Rural Youth Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to fund projects that will increase young people's knowledge and awareness of agriculture and rural issues affecting Pennsylvania.
Groups that consist mainly of people 18 or younger organized within the commonwealth and that promote development in the areas of agriculture, rural community leadership, vocational training or peer fellowship are eligible to apply. Grants of up to $2,500 and matching grants up to $10,000 are available. The deadline to apply is Friday.
For help, contact G. Carl Muller at gmuller@state.pa.us or call (717) 783-9944.
On the surface
They asked his opinion, and he gave it. The Sharon City School Board was discussing the viability of having grass, mulch or concrete on the ground in a pupil drop-off area at the Sharon High-Middle School building last week and asked Ralph Trenga, district supervisor of buildings and grounds, what his opinion was. Knowing how difficult it can be to maintain an area of grass that pupils will cross, he told the board without hesitation that if it were up to him, "All of the grass around here would be concrete."
Wetter weather
August was much damper than normal in the Shenango Valley. The Shenango Valley Division of Consumers Pennsylvania Water Co. said the Valley got 7.29 inches of precipitation for the month, more than double the normal 3.37 inches for August. The Valley continues to be well ahead of precipitation for the year, getting 33.74 inches through the first eight months of 2002 as compared to the average of 26.24 inches for that period.
This year's wet weather follows a couple of years of below-average precipitation. For example, the Valley got a total of just 34.71 inches for all of 2001 compared to the annual average of 39.35 inches, the water company said.
XCONTRIBUTORS: Laure Cioffi of the New Castle Bureau and Harold Gwin of the Sharon Bureau.