Gov. Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll and Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn this week unveiled the final sign needed to complete Pennsylvania’s 920-mile section of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail, marking the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, and honoring the lives lost and heroes who responded that day.

Shapiro first joined in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville to commemorate the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, who were killed when the flight was hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001.

Flight 93 was the only one of the four hijacked planes that did not reach its intended target after passengers and crew members fought back against the hijackers.

Following the ceremony, Flight 93 family members invited the governor and other participants to gather at the boulder marking the site where the plane went down.

After walking to the boulder, Shapiro joined family members of the passengers and crew of Flight 93, the 9/11 National Memorial Trail Alliance and community members near the intersection of Buckstown Road and Skyline Drive, the entrance to the Flight 93 National Memorial to unveil the final sign, completing the 9/11 National Memorial Trail in Pennsylvania.

The 1,500-mile 9/11 National Memorial Trail connects the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville.

The trail passes through Pennsylvania communities and landscapes, creating a living memorial where people can walk, bike, hike, reflect and remember the lives lost and heroes who responded on Sept. 11, 2001. Pennsylvania has the most mileage along the trail of any state.

“Twenty-five years ago, our nation was forever changed, and Pennsylvania carries a special responsibility to remember the lives lost and honor the heroes who responded that day — especially here in Shanksville, where the passengers and crew of Flight 93 showed extraordinary courage and helped save countless lives,” Shapiro said. “Today, we’re unveiling the final sign to complete Pennsylvania’s portion of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail, creating a lasting way for people to walk, bike, and reflect on the history we must never forget.

“As we mark 25 years since Sept. 11, let us never forget those who died that day — and may their memories forever be a blessing.”

Over the past year, more than 2,200 signs have been installed on state and local roads across Pennsylvania, marking the trail and helping visitors navigate its route. The signage initiative includes approximately 1,000 signs along state roads and 1,200 along local roads.

“PennDOT was proud to help complete this statewide signage effort ahead of this solemn milestone,” Carroll said. “The stories of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 — and everyone our nation lost 25 years ago — are woven into our communities and our nation. These signs will serve as lasting reminders of their lives, their courage, and the importance of remembering.”

PennDOT coordinated with the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance to review and approve appropriate bike routes on state roads across Pennsylvania. PennDOT also supported the Alliance in developing the trail’s route signs, which feature the 9/11 National Memorial Trail logo, a bicycle symbol, and “9-11 NMT.”

DCNR has contributed more than $1 million in grants through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) to complete and improve sections of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail in Pennsylvania.

“Trails connect communities, landscapes, memorials, and historic places — and the 9/11 National Memorial Trail does all of that while giving Pennsylvanians a meaningful place to remember and reflect,” Dunn said.

PGC to host driving tours of state game lands this fall

The Pennsylvania Game Commission will again be hosting several wildlife habitat driving tours on state game lands for the public to enjoy from the comfort of their own vehicles this fall.

“These driving tours provide an overview of what’s available on our state game lands, while showcasing how the agency’s habitat work benefits various species of wildlife,” said Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith.

All tours are free of charge, will be held rain or shine, and are only open to vehicles licensed for travel on public roads.

The 2026 Game Commission’s driving tours includes:

Sept. 26: State Game Lands 57, in Luzerne and Wyoming counties, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Game Commission personnel will be on hand to explain points of interest, including wildlife habitat-improvement projects.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles with high clearance are required for this 30-mile, self-guided driving tour and it will take about three hours to complete. The tour will pass habitat-improvement projects completed by the State Game Lands 57 wildlife habitat crew with help from the National Wild Turkey Federation, and Ducks Unlimited.

Chesapeake Bay underwater grass increases 7% in 2025, nearing 2030 milestone

In 2025, there was an estimated 89,385 acres of underwater grasses across the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, marking a 7% increase from 2024.

This growth places the Bay’s underwater grass abundance just 615 acres shy of a 2030 interim milestone of 90,000 acres, and represents 45% of the ultimate, long-term goal of 196,600 acres set in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

The Chesapeake Bay’s underwater grass—also known as Submerged Aquatic Vegetation, or SAV — is monitored each year by William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) across four distinct salinity zones. In 2025, SAV expanded significantly in the high and moderate salinity-zones, with record abundance in the high salinity zone. However, the survey also showed modest decreases in low-salinity and tidal fresh zones.

When VIMS began monitoring SAV in 1984, the Bay was estimated to contain only 38,958 acres of underwater grass. Since then, estimated totals have ranged from that historic low to a high of 108,078 acres in 2018, maintaining a long-term average of 70,978 acres.

The 2025 total of 89,385 acres is well above this long-term average and marks the sixth-highest acreage recorded in the survey’s history.

BACK WOODS BASS RESULTS

Week of Aug. 16

Bob Strunk reports results from the Back Woods Bass Harveys Lake Wednesday Night Lunker Tournament, the Back Woods Bass Harveys Lake Friday Night Tournament and the Monday Night River Tournament.

Monday Night

River Tournament

1st Place: Ryan Borton/Jake Seymour/Jared Adamski 5.19 lbs

2nd Place: Rj Kresge/Jonathan Wychock 4.50 lbs

3rd Place: John Centak/Ron Dopko 4.10 lbs

4th Place: Brad Glazenski 4.05 lbs

5th Place: Jerry & Jerry Vitale 3.83 lbs

6th Place: Bob & Cindy 3.50 lbs

Wednesday Night

Harveys Lake Lunker Tournament

1st Place: Dave Brill 3.97 lbs

2nd Place: Kenny Kosloski 3.87 lbs

3rd Place: George Hogan 3.81 lbs

4th Place: Jake Seymour 3.54 lbs

5th Plce: Jarrett Wolfe 3.05 lbs

6th Place: Kevin Seymour 3.04 lbs

7th Place: Joe McGraw Jr. 2.98 lbs

8th Place: Joe Simko 2.91 lbs

9th Place: Joe Kosloski 2.86 lbs

10th Place: Joe McGraw Sr. 2.79 lbs

Friday Night

Harveys Lake Tournament

1st Place: Kevin & Jake Seymour 14.50 lbs

2nd Place: Johnny Niezgoda 14.27 lbs

3rd Place: Dave Brill/Chris Kalna 12.08 lbs

4th Place: Kenny Kosloski/Ron Dopko 12.04 lbs

5th Place: Matt Fredmonski/Mark Maros 12.00 lbs

6th Place: Al Arnot/Jeff Siegfried 10.27 lbs

Also won Lunker Award 4.21 lbs

7th Place: Pete Sulla 9.34 lbs

8th Place: Chuck Peterman/Duke 9.27 lbs

9th Place: Eric Jarnot/Ron Burd 9.17 lbs

10th Place: Jordon Goss/Danny Harrison 9 lbs

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