iradiophilly | News - Valley Forge Park Controlled Burn; Temple University Going Tobacco-Free; Kensington Safehouse Debate

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Valley Forge Park Controlled Burn; Temple University Going Tobacco-Free; Kensington Safehouse Debate

by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA
started: 04/02/19 7:21 pm | updated: 04/02/19 7:23 pm

National Park Service officials announced that beginning on Tuesday, April 2nd, they will be conducting a controlled burn at Valley Forge National Historical Park. The burns could take from two days to one week to complete. The burn will total 135 acres in two distinct meadows in the Grand Parade area near Route 23 (Valley Forge Road) and Gulph Road. The burns are being conducted to control non-native invasive species. You can actually go out and watch. "It's an opportunity to come out and see a pretty unique experience, especially in the eastern part of the country, to see a fire at a national park and understand why we do it," said Jonathan Parker of Valley Forge National Historical Park. For more information, maps, and more, Valley Forge Prescribed Burn.

The park service has designated several areas for public viewing: Varnum's Picnic Area and Artillery Park, Portions of Joseph Plumb Martin Trail (Field #1), Maurice Stephens House Parking Lot and Joseph Plumb Martin Trail Along PA Route 23 (Field #23).

These places are off limits: Von Steuben Statue and Maurice Stephen House Parking Areas, North Inner Line Drive, Grand Parade Trail from the North End of Baptist Trace to Maurice Stephens House, Baptist Trace Trail from Gulph Road to Route 23, "Underlook Trail" from Baptist Trace to the Grand Parade Trail, Chapel Parking Lot (NPS portion) and Chapel Trail

Our prescribed fire is underway in Field 1, about 95 more acres to go in this burn plot. pic.twitter.com/fgNujdJoNw
â€” Valley Forge NHP (@ValleyForgeNHP) April 2, 2019

Temple University plans to be tobacco-free at all US campuses starting in the Fall 2019. University President Richard Englert made the announcement in a letter on Tuesday, 4/2. He made the decision following recommendations from last year's Presidential Smokefree Campus Task Force report. "The task force was led by College of Public Health Dean Laura Siminoff and consisted of dedicated students, faculty and staff. After extensive data collection and review, the task force recommended Temple should join the growing number of universities that are committed to the creation of a healthier working, learning and living environment," Englert said. That new policy is still being created. It will address all forms of tobacco, not just combustible, including e-cigarettes and chewing. "The goal of the policy is to eliminate the use of all tobacco products in all indoor and outdoor spaces at each Temple campus in the United States. We plan to attack the issue on a number of fronts, including smoking cessation to help students, faculty and staff break their nicotine addiction," Englert said. They hope to have the policy created by July.

Smokefree Campus Task Force Report

Neighbors and leaders in Kensington gathered on Monday night, 4/1, for a community-led forum at the Bethel Temple Community Bible Church on the 200 block of East Allegheny Avenue. The heated debate was about a proposed safe injection site in the neighborhood. Safehouse, a nonprofit organization, wants to spend $2 million a year to operate a safe injection site and began negotiating a lease last month at a place on Hilton Street. Opponents of the operation believe it will just attract and prolong addicts' use. They also point out the location is near homes and schools. One resident proposed, "If it's a medical situation, why not do it in the hospital?" Supporters believe more lives can be saved from overdose. "People donâ€™t want it in Kensington," Roz Pichardo, a supporter, said, "but the fact of the matter is, the amount of heroin thatâ€™s here, where else are you going to have it?" Pichardo said. "You have a lot of things happening. A lot of syringes everywhere, but I think having a safe-injection site will eliminate a lot of that." Another neighbor said, "They're going to use anyway. My point of view is that they're going to use, and we have to meet folks, we have to meet human beings exactly where they are."

The next community meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 4th at 6:30 p.m. at Heitzman Rec Center at 3631 Amber Street.

Sports
Philadelphia Phillies' RF Bryce Harper returns to Washington, DC tonight to face his former team the Nationals for the first time as an opposing player. The reunion is coming early in the season as the Phillies are off to a hot start 3-0 behind a revamped lineup. Harper spent his first 7 years in baseball playing in Nationals Park where he was a 6-time All-Star, '12 Rookie of the Year, and '15 MVP. Nerves are still a little raw from the break-up since Harper signed with the division rival Phillies during free agency. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted an image of Harper depicted as famous traitor Benedict Arnold yesterday before deleting it (see photo below). Eight busloads carrying 500 Philadelphia fans and even more on their own are heading down I-95 to Washington for tonight's game. It is expected to be an exciting game. To Harper's credit, he paid his respects to the city that welcomed into the league at age 19 with a heart warming post on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

If you would have told me 5 years ago I would be walking into Nationals Park as an opposing player, I wouldâ€™ve told you that you were crazy. Five years later, Iâ€™m doing just that. I remember the first day I walked into Nats Park. My first base hit. My first home run. And, of course, my first standing ovation. Nationals fans delivered that first ovation. The things that I will miss most are the relationships I gained on a personal level with so many of the Nationals staff and workers around the ballpark. Every day I walked in, I got a smile or shared a laugh with you. I especially want to thank The Lerner Family and Mike Rizzo for the unwavering support they showed me during my tenure in DC. The city of DC was home. Filomenaâ€™s, The Silver Diner, The Italian store, and countless other places helped make it feel like home. You, Nationals fans, made me one of your own for the entire time I was a part of the Nationals organization. Iâ€™m so blessed to have been able to play for a fan base that cared so much about our team each and every night. You will always hold a special place in my heart no matter what. I look forward to continuing Harpers Heroes with LLS in the DMV as well as making sure the legacy fields bearing my name are the best youth fields in town! When I run on the field tonight I am sure to hear some boos, but I will always remember the cheers and the screams that are still with me right now, as I start my new chapter. So for that, DC, THANK YOU.

A post shared by Bryce Harper (@bryceharper3) on Apr 2, 2019 at 7:05am PDT