Hits and Misses
HIT: As Christmas trees go, so goes the country. Well, kinda. The live Christmas tree industry is on somewhat of an economic rebound after the wholesale prices for the festival holiday decoration had stagnated for most of this century. The uptick in prices is being attributed to many reasons, including the catastrophic Great Recession that shocked the markets and likely led to fewer trees being planted in 2008. It takes about 10 years for an evergreen to mature into a fully functioning Christmas tree, so there now appears to be a supply shortage a decade later. Just like the national economy, the Christmas tree industry ebbs and flows with the markets. But it might be a good sign if tree prices are rising after years of stagnation.
MISS: It’s the time of year when Pennsylvanians have to keep an eye out for deer when they drive, and the insurer State Farm has offered some good news and bad news when it comes to deer-vehicle collisions. First, on a national scale, they have decreased slightly over the last year. However, they have gone up just a bit in Pennsylvania. And we are one of the leaders in deer-vehicle collisions in the country, with 10 percent of all the United States’ deer collisions with vehicles happening in the United States. There is one thing drivers can do to reduce their risk: slow down. Bill Williams, an officer of the Northeast Region of the Game Commission, told The Daily Item in Sunbury, “The main thing always is if an area is clearly marked deer crossing, you need to be cognizant of that. The faster you’re going, the more damage you’re going to do to your car.”
HIT: It’s a positive sign to us that the environmental group American Rivers is taking the first step toward demolition of the problematic low-head dam on Ten Mile Creek in Marianna. American Rivers is seeking approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection to “poke a hole” in the deteriorating dam to remove pressure on the breastwork. Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy, director of river restoration at the charitable organization’s Pittsburgh office, said high water flows in the area of the dam were believed to have contributed to a landslide that closed a road in Marianna in September, and the group’s plan to breach the dam would lower the level of the reservoir at Marianna. Ultimately, the group intends to remove the dam entirely, a project we wholeheartedly support.
MISS: Being No. 1 isn’t always a good thing. We learned this week that our local state police troop led the state in alcohol-related crashes and four different enforcement categories during the Thanksgiving travel period. In fact, Troop B, which covers Washington, Greene and Fayette counties as well as portions of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, led all troops with DUI arrests, seatbelt citations and criminal arrests. We’re not sure the reason, but it is our hope that it has more to do with police efforts than having a greater number of motoring scofflaws on our local highways.