Groundhog Day 2017

Pub Crawl Is A Groundhog Days First

... has tossed around the idea of a pub crawl for years, and informally, some locals have taken part in their own version of a crawl the week of Groundhog Days. This year the committee approached bar and restaurant staff, who jumped on the idea. Pam Moorhouse has served on the Groundhog Days Committee for 20 years. Moorhouse, who works at Woodstock Public Library as a circulation manager, attended a breakfast in 1995 with three co-workers from the library, and they all decided to join the committee. Currently, she serves as the co-chair along with Craig Krandel. “Our big mission is to get people to Woodstock and support our local retailers. Even though it’s Groundhog Day, we are always looking to change it up every year,” said Moorhouse. There are 10 participating establishments: Corner Pub & Grille, 135 Washington St.; Benton Street Tap, 219 N. Benton St.; Main Street Pour House, 214 Main St.; Liquid Blues, 126 N. Benton St.; The Cabin, 223 N. Benton St.; BBQ King Smokehouse, 125 E. Calhoun St.; Ortmann’s Red Iron Tavern, 101 E. Church St.; D. C. ...

Accuracy Rate Of Staten Island Chuck's Predictions

... Island Zoo on an early Tuesday morning in hopes of an early spring. Fortunately, Chuck delivered. The little guy searched and searched for his shadow but to no avail, signaling the start of an early spring. This was Chuck's second year in his new Plexiglass enclosure. 2015: On a cold, wet February day Chuck called for another early spring, as he failed to find his shadow, in his newly minted Plexiglass case. Mayor de Blasio stood a safe distance from the groundhog, reading the prediction from a scroll, after the previous year's fiasco. 2014: It was a Groundhog Day full of drama in 2014 when de Blasio said, "Chuck and my predecessor didn't always get along but I'm hoping we can start a new day," and then proceeded to  drop the poor animal.  However, it turns out that the groundhog he dropped was Charlotte, Chuck's mate, who had been swapped out before the ceremony. Unfortunately, Charlotte died seven days later , of what the Staten Island Zoo referred to as "unknown natural causes". ...

How To Get To Gobbler's Knob, What Not To Bring And More

... to bring and more. It's almost Groundhog Day. That means we are packing way too many snacks, instant coffee and extra phone batteries to make the trek to Punxsutawney. We'll be tweeting, snapping and posting stories about the festivities beginning Wednesday afternoon. If you're also heading to town for the  131 st Groundhog Day celebration , there are a few things you should know. Hotels are full.  It's too late to book a room in Punxsutawney - those get taken long in advance - but there are still rooms available in nearby Du Bois and Indiana. You can also bring a sleeping bag and pillow to crash in the Punxsutawney Community Center, 220 N. Jefferson St. The floors are open from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis for $8 a person. Groundhog Day. You can't park at Gobbler's Knob. A limited number of handicapped parking spaces are available but must be approved in advance. Otherwise, there is no public parking at Gobbler's Knob. If the weather is nice in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 2, you can consider walking the 1.5-mile uphill ...

3 Diseases You Can Get From Groundhogs

... as woodchucks , carry ticks that can transmit this disease to humans. It’s rare — according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , there have been only 60 cases in the United States in the last decade — but can cause “fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, and memory loss,” as well as neurological problems in the long-term. “There is no specific treatment, but people with severe POW virus illnesses often need to be hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids, or medications to reduce swelling in the brain.” The disease is related to West Nile virus. I'm not going to live by their rules anymore. Groundhog Day. How much wood can a woodchuck chuck? Not a lot, but it can chuck rabies your way. The Humane Society notes  that the groundhogs “may be aggressive when this disease has taken its final hold on them” so you should get tested for rabies if one attacks you. The Mayo Clinic describes  rabies symptoms as including a fever, headache, nausea, anxiety and confusion, trouble swallowing, hyperactivity, salivation, fear of water, ...

All You Need To Know About Punxsutawney Phil

... Phil isn't your average groundhog. Phil weighs 20 pounds and is 22 inches long, while most groundhogs are about 15 pounds and 20 inches long. In addition, most groundhogs live about seven years. The Groundhog Club members give Phil a "magical punch" every summer to prolong his life by seven more years. They say there has only been one Phil since Punxsutawney began celebrating the holiday 131 years ago. That magical elixir, however, doesn't appear to work on humans. "We've tried, it just makes them fat and bald,"  co-handler Ron Ploucha told Penn Live.  "If you saw some of our Inner Circle members you can tell the ones that tried.". What it's like to handle Punxsutawney Phil (it's a dangerous Groundhog Day task!). He bites. The groundhog's handlers wear chainmail gloves to protect themselves from Phil's large teeth when they anticipate he might put up a fight. What does Phil do in between Groundhog Days. He lives with his wife, Phyllis, in a ...

Essex Ed Is Ready For Groundhog Day 2017 And The Super Bowl

... LIVINGSTON, NJ - Zack Zaccone delivered 20 points and seven rebounds to lead Verona to a 73-58 boys basketball victory over Livingston on the road on Tuesday night. The Hillbillies took control early, dominating the first half and outscoring the Lancers 33-12.  Livingston came out strong in the second half, but could not overcome Verona in the end. Travis Jocelyn collected 17 points. By TAPINTO VERONA/CEDAR GROVE. February 1, 2017. CEDAR GROVE, NJ - Cedar Grove lost its last two games at home, falling to Bergen Tech 43-34 on Monday and Christ the King 57-35 on Tuesday. Chris Wynne delivered 13 points and eight rebounds for the Panthers against Bergen Tech.  Cedar Grove fought hard in the first half and entered the second half down by a basket.  Bergen Tech came out strong in the second half, outscore the. By DANIELLE SANTOLA. February 1, 2017. WEST ORANGE, NJ — Despite the police and sheriff departments declaring the building clear and allowing re-entry, the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Metro West in West Orange was one of at least 17 JCCs nationwide to receive bomb threats on Tuesday, according to the ...

The Full Schedule Of Events In Punxsutawney

... tent, 300 E. Mahoning St. 6 p.m.: Groundhog Banquet. Cost: $30 in advance. No door tickets. Punxsutawney High School, 500 N. Findley St. 6 p.m.: Night at the Bennis and Lattimer houses. Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society, 400 W. Mahoning St. 9:30 p.m.-midnight: Dueling pianos all-request show. Cost: $5. The Burrow, 108 N. Findley St. 10 p.m.-6 a.m.: Crash pad (bring your own sleeping bag and pillow). Cost: $8. Punxsutawney Community Center, 220 N. Jefferson St. 11:45 p.m.: Shadow Summit countdown to the start of Groundhog Day. Weather Discovery Center, 201 N. Findley St. Thursday, Feb. 2. 3-8 a.m.: Punxsutawney Phil's 131 st Groundhog Day prognostication, stage performances and fireworks. Take the bus for $5 from Barclay Square, Punxsutawney Plaza or the Wal-Mart. Gobbler's Knob. 6:30 a.m. until gone: Pancake and sausage breakfast. Cost: $5 adults, $3 children 4-11 and free for ...

When Is Groundhog Day 2017? History, How To Celebrate, Where To Watch

... N. Y. - People around the United States celebrate Groundhog Day on Feb. 2, and eagerly wait to know if the small furry animal predicts an early spring or another six weeks of cold winter weather. If the groundhog comes out of his burrow at sunrise and sees his shadow, winter will be around for a little while longer. However, if the groundhog doesn't see his shadow, spring weather is on its way. The Groundhog Day tradition can be traced to Candlemas, an early Christian holiday where candles were blessed and distributed. Those who celebrated Candlemas decided that clear skies on the holiday meant a longer winter. The Germans eventually began to believe that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, a hedgehog would cast a shadow - predicting six more weeks of harsh winter weather. And it was the Germans who brought this belief to the United States. When German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania, they found a large number of groundhogs. And they tasked the groundhog, which resembles the European hedgehog, with the job of predicting the weather. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was founded in Punxsutawney, Pa., in 1887 by a group of groundhog hunters. The editor of ...

What’s The Real Story Behind Groundhog Day

... or hedgehogs from underground burrows. An image of St. Brigid in stained glass in an Irish church. What about Candelmas? Candelmas is certainly easier to pronounce and spell than Imbolc, but that’s not why they changed the name of the holiday. When Christianity swept Europe, February 2 nd became known as Candelmas, a festival of light. In some sects of Christianity, this day came to honor the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of Jesus. Also, Christians remember the presentation of Jesus Christ in the temple. 40 days after the birth of a Jewish boy, it was Hebrew tradition to take a boy infant to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to God by his thankful parents. Regardless, Candelmas continued the pagan tradition of celebrating the lengthening days in the northern hemisphere. Why Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania? Fast-forward thousands of years to emigrants arriving ...

Groundhog Day Roots Astronomy Holiday Spiritual Meaning

... up for spring yet. They were actually spending the day observing Candlemas , which celebrates the day that the baby Jesus was presented to God. This is not the only holiday that shares February 2 with Groundhog Day — people have been celebrating this time of year for centuries, even millennia. Groundhog Day is simply the latest occasion. According to Earth Sky , Groundhog day occurs on a "cross-quarter day," or a day that falls exactly between a solstice and an equinox. There are four cross-quarter days in the year, plus the four "quarter" days (the spring equinox, summer solstice, fall equinox, and winter solstice). Throughout history, cross-quarter days have been celebrated as signs of the changing seasons. For example, the Pagan holiday Imbolc dates back to Celtic customs, falls on the same cross-quarter day as Groundhog Day, and celebrates the arrival of spring. Cross-quarter days are viewed as reminders to embrace inevitable change and to prepare for the rest of the year. Using a groundhog to predict the seasons isn't all that random, either. As those Candlemas-celebrating Pennsylvanians knew, these ...

Rodent Refuses Role. Museum Cancels Groundhog Day

... being an official metropolitan groundhog turns out to be a pretty sweet deal. All that’s required is a single appearance on the second morning of February where one prognosticates the remaining length of winter by waddling from the den and casting one’s eyes about. Interpreting your meaning is left to others, and you get the afternoon off. Queen Charlotte, our local prognosticator of climate, says forget it. On Wednesday her keepers – rather like the sheepish mother of a runaway bride – announced that, ahem, her majesty would be skipping the annual fest, instead graciously tweeting her views on winter’s endurance from the privacy of her chambers at Discovery Place Nature. How a stubborn, wee rodent can cow a bunch of museum experts is not a mystery, nor a pleasant tale. Last year, Queen Charlotte proved to be a royal pain at the regal gathering. As the media gawked and leaders tapped their feet nervously, the Queen declined to emerge from her cage. “She wouldn’t come out at all,” Kaitlin Rogers, who handles public relations for Discovery Place, says in the tone of a person with a secret sorrow. “For whatever reason, Groundhog Day is the greatest media event ...