(2/2102) Well, we are one month into the New Year and I haven’t broken any of my new year’s resolutions. Come to think of it, I forgot to make any. Based on some research, I discovered that the Greeks would hold the period from mid-January to mid-February as a time to celebrate the marriage of two gods, Zeus & Hera. Pagan festivals were held. Around 496 AD, Pope Gelasis put an end to these festivals by declaring February 14th to be a holiday to commemorate St. Valentine. Who was Valentine? Valentine was a priest who performed marriages even though the Emperor at the time felt that his soldiers should not be married so they would focus on fighting and not worrying about their love ones. Valentine was killed for not obeying the Emperor. Over time he was associated with the love of married couples. Hand-written expressions of affections were sent to love ones during this period of time, our first Valentine cards. Today, take a moment out of your busy day and think about those people who have come into your life and have left their footprints on your heart. Cherish these individuals that have affected you. On February 14th, you have the opportunity to express the gratefulness and affection to those individuals and/or your special person.

At the time of this writing, we have not seen snow this year. However, we know it is coming. Our Police Chief, Richard L. Hileman II, asks residents to help out with snow removal when it shows up. "Vehicles parked on or partially on the roadway slow snow removal and are dangerous to plow operators. Additionally, during a snow emergency, which includes most snow events, it is illegal to park on the road or in the right of way just off the road and can result in being ticketed and towed. Please do your part and keep our roads clear.

Winter can be hard on animals both domestic and wild. We want to help but we also have to be careful on how we provide that help. For example, should we feed the deer population during winter? According to Pennsylvania Game Commission, the answer is "No". It is believed that during winter, the deer move less and rest more as a way to conserve their energy and thereby safeguarding their fat reserves. Setting up a feeding area can lure deer away from their protected areas, using their fat reserves for little gain. If you have an animal friend such as a dog or cat, be sure to clean their legs, feet and stomachs after an ice and snow storm. Remember, the trails are treated with salt and chemicals. These items are ingested when the animals clean themselves. If you park your car outside, be sure to bang your car’s hood to frighten any animals away before you start your car. During cold weather, some animals (cats, squirrels, etc.) climb under the hood to spend time next to the warm engine. For more information, go to www.pgc.state.pa.us website.

The slowness of the economy has been hard on all of us. If you falling behind on your mortgage payments and need emergency mortgage assistance, you may want to check out the Pennsylvania Homeowners’ Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) at www.adamscha.org. Those who qualify for the program may be eligible for payment assistance for as long as 24 months. For those residents 60 or older who need assistance investigate the services provided by the Adams County Office for Aging, Inc. This non-profit agency provides such services as home health care, housekeeping, shopping assistance, transportation and home delivered meals. You can reach their office at (717) 334-9296. If you cannot afford medical insurance for your children and your income is between $41,300 and $44,700 then your children may be eligible for free medical coverage under the Pennsylvania’s Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP). To learn more about the program, call (888) 219-3878 or enter the following website address in your browser: http://chipcoverspakids5-px.rtrk.com/home/ . Depending on the your income and family size, you may qualify for a refund or reduction of your Pennsylvania income tax liability with the state’s Tax Forgiveness program. Retired persons and individuals that have a low income and did not have PA tax withheld may have their PA tax liabilities forgiven. For example, a family of four (couple with two dependent children) can earn up to $34,250 and quality for Tax Forgiveness. And a single-parent, two-child family with an income of up to $27,750 can also qualify for Tax Forgiveness. For more information, go to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue website www.revenue.state.pa.us and download a very informative brochure entitled "Tax Forgiveness for PA Income Tax."

Borough meetings to be held in February are: Planning Commission (Feb 6th), Council Borough (Feb 14th), and Parks/Recreation (Feb 22nd). The Borough Office will be closed Presidents’ Day (Feb 20th). Please reduce your speed and make sure you, your loved ones, your friends and neighbors remain safe in the Valley. If you have any questions call me at (301) 606-2021 or email at mayor@carrollvalley.org. Happy Valentine’s Day!