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APRIL 12, 2023
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A father-son Everglades adventure BY CATHY MOLITORIS
anheim resident Jesse Rothacker and his son, Kenny, 12, spent the second half of February taking a deep dive into South Florida’s wilderness, with a goal of finding and
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filming as many wild snakes as possible. Joined by Jesse’s friend Harvey Bird of New York City and Harvey’s son, Harvey Jr., 11, the Rothackers wanted to share their love of reptiles with the rest of the world. They recorded their adventures and then edited hundreds of
Kenny Rothacker (left) and Harvey Bird Jr. with an Eastern diamondback rattlesnake
hours of video into a 60-minute who caught those pythons.” The educational film now available on fathers and sons did find a lot of YouTube. “Father/Son Everglades other invasive species, including Adventure” provides an up-close locating North America’s largest look at snakes, with the goal of ful- snake, the Eastern diamondback filling the Rothackers’ mission of rattlesnake. They also got to “road cruise” a few venomous cottongiving reptiles a chance. Jesse, who operates the mouths, a term for finding nocturnonprofit Forgotten Friend Reptile nal snakes crossing the street after Sanctuary, said he took his first sunset. Kenny said the road cruising was adventure trip to Florida with his lifelong friend Harvey in 2010, his favorite part of the trip. “We before either of them had families. saw a lot of snakes, like corns, rats, kings, cottonmouths, “We always hoped to go back, but “Please remember, garters and more,” he stated. it’s hard to kayak we are trained The trip provided with crocodiles when you’re raising professionals with an opportunity for infants and tod- decades of experi- the fathers and sons dlers,” Jesse joked. ence, and make sure to make lasting memThirteen years later, you give wildlife ories as well. They with Harvey suggested plenty of space and kayaked the boys were final- respect when you crocodiles, walked alongside manatees ly old enough to join encounter them.” and tracked down their dads on their invasive chameleons. return trip. Jesse explained that the four “We also had a good time doing didn’t go into the trip with an normal stuff, like swimming in the hourlong video in mind. He’s done pool, going to the beach, going out similar trips that turned into short for ice cream, throwing baseball videos, he said, but when he and football at the park and going returned home from this adven- to the movies,” Kenny remarked. Jesse hopes families will watch ture, he knew he had plenty of the video together or teachers will entertaining footage. One of the goals of the trip was use it as a free resource. He noted to find a Burmese python, which that although viewers will see the didn’t happen for the adventurers, four adventurers having fun with but they still learned a lot about reptiles, people should use caution the invasive snake. “We spoke to around wildlife. He added, “Please several Burmese python hunters remember, we are trained profesdown there who had been finding sionals with decades of experience, them,” Jesse recalled. “The video and make sure you give wildlife features a 9-footer that our friend plenty of space and respect when found while we were there and you encounter them.” To watch the video, visit another 126.5-pounder that other researchers found while we were www.youtube.com/c/Forgotten there, and we interviewed the guys FriendReptileTV.
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Getting a hands-on introduction to construction BY CATHY MOLITORIS
For three days in March, more than 200 middle school students got a firsthand look at careers in the construction industry at ABC Keystone’s Construction Wars. The students had the opportunity for hands-on work with industry professionals in the carpentry, masonry, sheet metal fabrication, electrical, plumbing and HVAC trades. Represented schools in Lancaster and York counties included Garden Spot Middle School in Eastern Lancaster County School District; Gerald G. Huesken Middle School in Conestoga Valley School District; Manor Middle School in the Penn Manor School District; Warwick Middle School; Eastern York Middle School; Elizabethtown Area Middle School; Donegal Junior High School; The Janus School in Mount Joy; and La Academia Partnership Charter School. Construction Wars was held at ABC Keystone’s headquarters, 135 Shellyland Road, Manheim. “We offer this event to provide middle school students with exposure and awareness of our industry and hopefully spark their interest as they are making decisions moving into high school,” shared Stephanie R. Larkin, vice president of education, safety and workforce development for ABC Keystone. Larkin See Construction pg 6
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