HERSHEY, Pa. – April showers might bring May flowers, but they also bring the arrival of troublesome plants such as poison ivy and poison oak that can cause mild to severe allergic reactions.

The signature leaves of three of the poison ivy plant carry an oil called urushiol that can be an irritant if touched, broken or burned. Poison ivy’s less-common cousin, poison oak, can be identified by leaves that look like hairy oak fronds.

While some people are not sensitive to the urushiol oil, others develop a red, itchy or painful rash, swelling or blisters where the irritant comes in contact with the skin.

The reaction doesn’t happen right away though. It typically takes at least 24 hours to develop, happening faster each time you are exposed.

Dr. Claire Hollins, a dermatologist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, said what many people don’t know is that poison ivy and poison oak can also become airborne and can be spread by burning piles of wood or brush that includes the leaves.

“Sometimes people wake up days later and their eyes are puffy and swelled up so much that they can’t see but they don’t know why,” she said.

Hollins has also heard of cases where people chop firewood in the summer and the urushiol oil from poison ivy on it is reactivated by burning that wood in the winter months.

Black dot dermatitis — a condition where black dots develop on parts of the skin sprinkled with the oil from the poison ivy plant — is less common, but usually comes from whacking weeds, brush or vines that include the plant.

Hollins said the best prevention is to avoid contact with poison ivy altogether by covering up and wearing long pants, socks, and gardening gloves.

She recommends that anyone who suspects they have come into contact with a poisonous plant wash their hands immediately with warm, soapy water and dry them on a disposable towel, rather than a cloth towel, to avoid spreading the harmful oils.

If irritation does develop, it can be treated with over-the-counter hydrocortisone ointments. More serious cases may require a course of oral prednisone and stronger topical steroids from a dermatologist or primary care provider.

Hollins said poison ivy is not typically passed from one person to another unless the oil is still present on clothing or skin. It is also not spread by scratching areas that itch, as the urushiol is not present in blister fluid.

Hollins said Hershey Medical Center’s Department of Dermatology is conducting research to look for a vaccine for poison ivy, and researchers are currently testing an urushiol patch to see how effective it is.

The Medical Minute is a weekly health news feature produced by Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Articles feature the expertise of faculty physicians and staff and are designed to offer timely, relevant health information of interest to a broad audience.

(Photo courtesy WedMD.com)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               http://www.explorejeffersonpa.com/the-medical-minute-easing-the-itch-of-poison-ivy-poison-oak/

BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – The Jefferson County History Center recently received the PA Museums prestigious S. K. Stevens award for the Scripture Rocks Heritage Park at the organization’s annual meeting and awards ceremony on April 16, in Bellefonte.

(Photo: Ken Burkett, JCHS Executive Director receiving the S. K Stevens award from Rusty Baker, PA Museums Director.)

This award is in honor of Sylvester K. Stevens (1904-1974) who was a noted Pennsylvania State Historian and, from 1956 to 1972, executive director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

PA Museums presents S. K. Stevens Awards to those projects that have won a national award from both the American Association of State and Local History and a PA Museums Special Achievement Award. In addition to the honor, the JCHS also received a $500.00 award.

Scripture Rocks Heritage Park serves to preserve the legacy of Douglas M. Stahlman, his dedicated rocks, and to make the history of the man’s legacy accessible to all who are interested in his story and in his impact on the Brookville area. Stahlman was an eccentric, reclusive preacher, and a self-proclaimed prophet who was born and raised in Jefferson County in the mid-nineteenth century and resided in Brookville from 1907 to 1915.

Central to Stahlman’s messianic project are the so-called “Scripture Rocks,” a collection of over 500 “dedicated” rocks – many of which are inscribed with Biblical verses and spiritual commentary – dispersed in various locations around the wooded hillsides surrounding Brookville in Jefferson County.

The park is located on Route 28, 1/8 mile south of I-80 Exit 81. It is a free public access site where visitors can explore approximately 1.5 miles of trails. The park contains 65 large sandstone boulders which were engraved by Douglas M. Stahlman between 1910 and 1913.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        http://www.explorejeffersonpa.com/scripture-rocks-heritage-park-wins-prestigious-pa-museums-award/

MEADVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – A short film focusing on the plight of several horses that were severely neglected in Clarion County will be airing this spring in Meadville, Crawford County.

The “Spotlight Rescue Series: The Hanging Barn” will appear during the Equus Film Festival’s Meadville Tour Stop on April 21-22.

“The Hanging Barn,” one of several films scheduled to air that weekend, is about 11 horses that were left in horrid conditions in a barn in Strattanville in 2016.

Six of the horses made it through the ordeal and are now healthy and happy; however, five of them had to be humanely euthanized.

For Bev Dee, of Bright Futures Farm in Cochranton, it began in May 2016 when she received a call from the Clarion County Sheriff’s office asking for assistance with rescuing 11 horses from the Strattanville, Clarion Township property.

The horses had been locked inside a dark barn and neglected for so long their hooves were over a foot long and curling like elves shoes, according to Dee.

“Five were so severely neglected that there was no hope of saving them,” stated Dee.

The horses lived in squalor for at least three years admitted their previous owner, a Corsica man.

Dee had hoped to save all 11 horses but quickly realized five of them were too long gone to be rescued.

Heather Reichel, owner of Reichel Films and Zeppelin Views, of Meadville, teamed up with Bright Futures Farm and JA Media Connections, of Camden, S.C., to create the documentary.

“Spotlight Rescue Series: The Hanging Barn” was shot by Reichel and won two Winnie awards at the December 2017 Equus Film Festival in New York City. The film is also available on DVD.

In addition, it is being produced as a feature-length film and will premiere in New York City in November 2018.

The EQUUS festival, founded in 2013 by Lisa Diersen, showcases films, documentaries, short films, music videos, commercials, art, and literature that feature horses.

“I’m really honored to be part of all of it,” Reichel said. “It was very hard to look at the photos of those horses and seeing what they had to endure, but the great thing is, for those six that survived, they have homes and are doing well.”

“We are really looking forward to the film festival coming to Meadville. What’s great is this gets the word out about what’s going on and will help Bright Futures’ mission.”

“This is the hardest part of what we do. Eleven horses lived in squalor for at least three years. We found poor quality hay just two feet out of reach of some of them. They had no water,” explained Dee.

“Today, they’ve all found homes, and they all look great now,” Dee said. “It took about one year for their feet and hooves to return to normal. Looking at them today, you would never know what they went through.”

In October 2016, Dee reported the six horses rescued were thriving due to a tremendous outpouring of support. The horses underwent multiple dental procedures and battled some serious ailments.

“Tanner, the one who looked the most defeated when we arrived, battled a severe case of ulcers for four months,” Dee said.

Tanner finally had his fourth – and last – gastroscopy by October 2017, according to Dee.

The Corsica man pleaded guilty to five summary counts of animal cruelty before District Judge Duane L. Quinn on May 16, 2016, and was ordered to pay a $50.00 fine for each of the five horses that were euthanized.

Tickets are available at the door or at EquusFilmFestival.net.

For more information on sponsorship, contact Reichel at hreichel@windstream.net or 814-282-2081.

For more information on the EQUUS Film Festival, go to EquusFilmFestival.net or Facebook.com/EQUUSMeadville/.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           SEE VIDEO ;   http://www.explorejeffersonpa.com/tale-of-two-survivors/

BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – Brookville Equipment Corporation is celebrating its 100th year in business this year.

(Photos courtesy Brookville Equipment Corporation)

Brookville Equipment Corporation serves rail, mining, and public transit industries with rail-mounted equipment.

The company began in 1918, when L.A. Leathers, a local Ford dealer, installed flanged rail wheels on a Model T. Later, the company developed into a custom manufacturer of gasoline and diesel-powered switching locomotives for mining, logging, and industrial applications.

Today, Brookville Equipment is a leading manufacturer of custom rail-mounted underground mining equipment, industrial and passenger locomotives, heritage streetcar vehicles for cities like New Orleans, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, and Liberty Streetcars, currently operating in Dallas and Detroit.

Over its 100-year history, Brookville Equipment has shipped more than 4,500 rail vehicles and exported to more than 80 countries and territories.

As part of Brookville Equipment’s centennial celebration, the company is currently seeking the community’s support in gathering historical data and artifacts, including photos and other relevant information, regarding its early history and products, which may be shared and used by the company in literature and other commemorative materials. Local community members in possession of photos or who have insights into the early years of the company may send the photos with supplemental information or any other historical data to Amanda Anger at info@brookvillecorp.com.

Photos and information can also be scanned in-person, on-site, and immediately returned at Brookville Equipment’s 175 Evans Street facility in Brookville, Pa. between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or mailed to: Brookville Equipment Corp., Attn: Amanda Anger, 175 Evans Street, Brookville, PA, 15825. Any photos that are sent via postal mail will be returned, provided a return address is included with the images. Scanned images, texts, and other works will become the property of Brookville Equipment.

If you have questions regarding your potential submittal, please call 814-849-2000 and ask to speak with Amanda Anger or Adam Mohney.                                                                                                                http://www.explorejeffersonpa.com/brookville-equipment-corporation-celebrates-100th-anniversary-seeking-historical-artifacts