Endeavor's Neat Numbers

75

About 75 BMX bicycle riders from a wide area will be competing at the Ridgway Skate Park today (Saturday) in the first formal competition in the area. Extreme sports are now big business and catching on fast.

One of the true believers, Zach Gerber, put together plans for today's event. There will be three skill levels.

Registration opens at noon and the competition will follow. Spectators are welcome. Proceeds from the competition will help buy helmets for park users who cannot afford them.

28

"Donor exhaustion" has become the concern of many non-profit organizations. According to Stacy Palmer, who publishes a trade publication for charities, donations to the American Red Cross, United Way, Salvation Army and the other top 10 traditional recipients have decreased by 28 percent since the period immediately following Hurricane Katrina.

"Americans are asking themselves how many times they can dig into their pockets," said Salvation Army Maj. George Hood. "Too often, it's the same people giving over and over, even though a much wider pool of people can certainly afford to give. They just won't."

Higher gasoline and home heating costs, as well as declining stock values, have also affected charitable giving, Palmer pointed out.

10

Johnsonburg Borough Council is considering a measure to impose weight limits on borough roads to prevent hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.

The borough solicitor, Liz Feronti, is investigating steps that must be taken to impose a 10-ton weight limit. Council members acknowledge the need for exceptions covering, for instance, delivery trucks.

They are concerned that proposed detouring of heavy trucks through the borough during work on the U.S. Rt. 219 Johnsonburg Bypass will damage borough roads.

47

Abortion will forever remain a volatile political and religious issue. Currently, 47 percent of women who have unintended pregnancies resort to abortion. More than half are in twenties, and about 15 percent are teenagers. Six of 10 occur among those with incomes below the poverty level.

10

Elk County Tool & Die on Graphite Road celebrated its 10th anniversary. The plant has grown to 20 full-time and five part-time employees. They provide tooling products to powder metal companies. Once an addition is complete, the company plans to add two or three more full-time positions.

15

The "World Wide Web?" Well, not really. About 15 percent of the world's population has access to the Internet. In the U.S., the figure is above 65 percent. In fact, U.S. residents age 15 or older make up 22 percent of the world's Internet users.

2

Two farmers markets are now open in Elk County. Every Thursday evening from 5:00 to 7:00, local growers sell their products at the Kersey Community Park. Each Saturday morning from 9:00 to 11:00, a farmers' market is held at the Depot Street parking lot in St. Marys.

Ray Gahr of Fox Township (885-8225) and Sam Caruso of St. Marys (834-4168) have more information. Among the available products are vegetables, homemade baked goods, jams, jellies, eggs, flowers and craft items. These markets will be held weekly until mid-October. its productrecycling program with summer collection drives. Consumers wishing to recycle their old Dell gear for free must go online, enter the product's serial code at Dell's website, pack the item, and then schedule a pickup time. The items will be reused or broken down into components.

2.5

Speaking of farmers' markets, Americans' appetite for organic food is growing fast. Organic products now account for 2.5 percent of the food market, expanding by about 15 percent annually in recent years. "Organic" means that the food is grown without bug killer, fertilizer, hormones, antibiotics or biotechnology.

The larger grocery chains - Wal-Mart, Kroger and others - are mindful of the trend and altering their product lines to meet the demand. U.S. producers haven't been able to keep up with the demand, so imports of organic foods have been booming. Some producers have tried to persuade the U. S. Agriculture Department dilute its standards so that they can qualify for the all-important "USDA Organic" green seal for certified products.

160,000

St. Marys City Council this week agreed to borrow $160,000 to pay for the city's new 100-foot aerial firetruck. The loan is being provided by the Pa. Emergency Management Agency, at an interest rate of two percent.

37

Just over 37 percent of Pennsylvania's bridges are substandard, meaning that they will require repairs or replacement in the near future to keep them safe. That sets up an interesting dynamic between those interests who are calling for major highway improvements and those who will be seeking funding to keep their bridges from collapsing.