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Game Commission Night: All About Elk Set for
March 17
Join us for a fun and informative evening on Tuesday, March 17, at the Peppers Auction Barn in Canton, from 6-8 p.m. You will hear all about Elk from our Pennsylvania Game Commission officials.
Register at repowlett.com to reserve your seat or call the Wellsboro office at 570-724-1390 or the Troy office at 570-297-3045.
This event typically fills up fast, so be sure to reserve your seat sooner rather than later.
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A Dairy Farmer’s Walk in Faith
I recently had the opportunity to sit down and visit Henry and Dottie Abma of Troy. Henry just celebrated his 90th birthday, and I was able to present him with a citation from the House of Representatives. It was a pleasure getting to know him better. He is quite the storyteller, and he shared how he began farming here in Bradford County. Not many people would be brave enough to move their family, purchase a dairy farm and begin milking cows for the first time at the age of 45. Everything was new – buying and milking cows, purchasing equipment and planting crops. With the help of neighbors, family, and friends, Henry was determined to figure it out.
I was fascinated to hear the story of how Providence Acres came to be. It is truly a testament to God’s provisions and how He led Henry and Dottie to the farm they have today, continuing to guide them every step of the way. Henry shares in his memoir that they were so “green” yet determined to succeed. He believed God had given them the opportunity to dairy farm, and they weren’t going to blow it.
Throughout it all, Henry continually thanks God for His faithfulness and guidance over the years. I have enjoyed reading his memoir, which reflects on a lifetime of faith, family and farming. Henry writes that he had no idea what God had planned for them, but they learned to trust Him completely. Dairy farming is very hard work, but through faith they persevered through difficult times and came out stronger. Through it all, Henry and Dottie give all glory to God.
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Creativity and Collaboration on Display at the Keystone Competitions
Students in grades five through eight from Wellsboro and Northern Tioga school districts participated in the Keystone Competition at BLast IU17. This one-day event focuses on collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving, giving students the opportunity to work together in a hands-on, team-based environment.
The challenge, which remained a mystery until it was revealed during a statewide virtual announcement that morning, required students to think critically and creatively as they worked throughout the day to design prototyped solutions.
Opportunities like the Keystone Competition help prepare our students for future successes by encouraging teamwork, innovation and perseverance. Our students did a great job!
Rock L. Butler Middle School seventh and eighth grade students won first place, which earned them a spot in the STEM Design Competition in April at Lycoming College.
Pictured in the front row, from left to right: Isabella DiAmbrosio (eighth grade), Brynn Largey (sixth grade), Ryleigh Sporer (eighth grade) and Owen Campbell (sixth grade). In the back row, from left to right: Hanna Smith (eighth grade), Isabella Barrido-Hoover (sixth grade), Jackson Largey (eighth grade), Madelyn DeLong (sixth grade), and teacher Jennifer Sporer.[PH1.1][TP1.2]
The fifth and sixth grade boys from R.B. Walter Elementary School won a Special Award for their ingenuity as “Computer Science Creators.”
Pictured from left to right: Jacob Bomba, Connor Butterfield, Deb Johnson and Caleb Wales.
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Need Tax Help?
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, provided by the United Way of Bradford County, is now accepting appointments for the upcoming tax season. The service is being offered at multiple locations across the county, including at my office in Troy.
The VITA program provides free tax help to individuals and families with a household income of $72,000 or less, veterans, people with disabilities, individuals over the age of 50, Native Americans or individuals who speak limited English. Please note that you only need to meet one of the requirements to qualify.
Appointments are required and may be made by calling 1-866-839-0442 or clicking here.
My office at 121 Canton St. in Troy will be offering assistance on Wednesdays through April 1.
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Helping to Address PA’s Declining Workforce
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is now accepting Grow PA Grant Program applications for the 2026-27 school year. Established by Act 89 of 2024, Grow PA is designed to address Pennsylvania’s declining workforce and the need to fill certain in-demand occupations.
The maximum award is $5,000 for qualified students and may be received for a maximum of four years. Here’s a link to more information including an application.
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House Archives Internship Opportunity
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives Internship Program is currently accepting applications for the summer 2026 semester.
The 13-week internship is based at the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Interns work with archivists and learn several facets of the job, including processing paper collections, crafting exhibits for display in the Capitol Complex, conducting research for inquiries and more. Interns gain a better understanding of the PA House of Representatives and its members through opportunities such as meet-and-greets with various public officials and staff, as well as tours of some of the Commonwealth’s historic public spaces.
At the time of the internship, students must be attending a college or university in Pennsylvania OR be a resident of Pennsylvania; be a second-semester junior, senior or graduate student; and have a GPA of at least 3.0.
For more information or to fill out the application, click here. Applications are due by Sunday, March 1.
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PGC Seeks Help for Winter Turkey Survey
The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is asking for the public’s help finding turkey flocks to trap for ongoing projects. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to report the location of any turkey flocks they see across the state. Information is being collected online here through March 15.
Among other things, visitors to that webpage are asked to provide the date of the sighting, the location and the type of land (public, private or unknown) where birds are seen.
Trapping turkeys during winter is part of the commission's ongoing population monitoring, and it provides information for large-scale turkey studies.
Read more here.
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PennDOT Hosts Highway Safety Survey
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is seeking input from Pennsylvanians on traffic safety and driving behaviors through an online survey open now through Feb. 28 at www.pa.gov/dotsafety.
The voluntary survey covers several topics, including seat belt use, impaired driving, speeding and distracted driving, as well as bicycle, pedestrian and motorcycle safety. It takes approximately five minutes to complete.
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