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Outdoors

Take in the beauty of national parks

Metro A day spent in the great outdoors can expose people to unparalleled beauty and offer the ability to view wildlife not readily encountered elsewhere. The United States has dozens of federally recognized national parks, as well as many other historic sites, scenic trails, national seashores, and national recreation areas. Unique geological features, diverse ecosystems, amazing natural beauty, and refuges for wild animals are located across the United States. Yellowstone National Park was the first national park. A bill designated it as such as when signed into law in 1872 by ...

Research ties body odor to attracting mosquitoes

NEW YORK (AP) — A new study finds that some people really are “mosquito magnets” and it probably has to do with the way they smell. The researchers found that people who are most attractive to mosquitoes produce a lot of certain chemicals on their skin that are tied to smell. And bad news for mosquito magnets: The bloodsuckers stay loyal to their favorites over time. “If you have high levels of this stuff on your skin, you’re going to be the one at the picnic getting all the bites,” said study author Leslie Vosshall, a neurobiologist at Rockefeller University in New ...

3 fun, effective outdoor exercises for seniors

Metro Seniors can benefit from the great outdoors as much as anyone. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which strengthens bones. That’s especially beneficial for seniors, as the National Council on Aging notes that bone density often decreases after age 50, which can increase the risk of fractures. That’s especially so in women over the age of 50, as a 2021 report from Amgen, Inc., indicated women can lose up to 20 percent of their bone density within five to seven years of menopause. With so much to gain from spending time outside, seniors can consider these three outdoor ...

Outdoors Calendar

Atkinson Mills Sportsmen’s Club • Meetings — held on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The club is located at 55 Sportsmen Club Lane, McVeytown; email atkinsonmillssportsmensclub@gmail.com; online at http://atkinsonmills-sportsmensclub.weebly.com. Blue Rock Sportsman Club • Club meetings — 2 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month on the gun range, and at 7 p.m. January and February in the barn. To east end Blue Rock: From Milroy, follow signs to Reeds Gap State Park. Free camping available and kitchen is open during all events except trap shoots. Decatur ...

New state record flathead catfish recorded

​HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has certified a new state record flathead catfish. On the morning of May 14, angler Michael Wherley, 46, of Fayetteville, Franklin County was fishing from a 16-foot bass boat on the Susquehanna River section known as Lake Aldred, near Conestoga, Lancaster County. Wherley baited a live rainbow trout onto a large circle hook, weighted with a 1.5-ounce sinker, and cast his heavy-duty surf rod lined with 25-pound monofilament fishing line into an approximately 50-foot-deep channel. At around 10 a.m., Wherley, who was ...

Game Commission simplifies sale of antlerless deer licenses

HARRISBURG — A new state law, Act 148 of 2022, allows the Pennsylvania Game Commission to modernize and simplify how antlerless deer licenses are sold. The new antlerless license purchasing process allows hunters to purchase 2023-24 antlerless licenses online at HuntFishPA, or at any in-store hunting license issuing agent. New Antlerless Deer License changes announced at the Game Commission’s Board of Commissioners meeting, held April 14-15. Please ensure your contact information is correct in your online profile, at HuntFishPA. The agency will be mailing all hunting license ...