FATAL FARM ACCIDENTS IN NEW YORK: ESTIMATES OF THEIR COSTS

A telephone survey of all of the surviving families of people killed in farm accidents in New York between 1985 and 1987 (52 of 87 families interviewed, 60% response rate) found the average total annual present value of expected income foregone because of fatal farm accidents in New York is over $8.6 million (in 1987 dollars). Less than five years after the accidents, 67% of the families who operated the farms where the accidents occurred no longer operate them and 44% no longer live on the farms.Labor and Human Capital,

THE IMPACT OF AN AGING RURAL POPULATION ON LOCAL TAX STRUCTURES

The growing American retired population increasingly is viewed for its economic development potential. The relationship between the elderly and local taxes may have a critical effect on this potential, however. This paper examines the local tax implications of an increasing elderly population in communities prohibiting tax referenda. In such communities, citizens have no direct role in tax decisions. The elderly's attitudes towards different local taxes are examined using telephone survey data, before using aggregate data to investigate the relationship between the elderly and the specific taxes used in communities. The results suggest that a high proportion of elderly do not affect the mix of local taxes, but that an increasing proportion does have an influence.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

The Future of Agriculture in Our Community: A Pilot Program to Increase Community Dialogue About Agricultural Sustainability

The Future of Agriculture in Our Community is a program developed to allow Pennsylvania communities to assess and address the needs of local agriculture. This article describes the program in detail and provides results from an evaluation conducted of the pilot program. Findings (n=55) suggest that the program was received very well among participants and seemed to increase community organization skills, knowledge of local agriculture, interest in agriculture and in community life, and intentions to participate in future volunteer efforts. Based on these results, recommendations are offered for those interested in pursuing similar programs

Information Technology Use by Local Governments in the Northeast: Assessment and Needs

How local governments are using information technology is important to understand if extension teaching on local government and economic development issues is to be effective. This study uses results from surveys of local officials in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to examine the potential for delivering extension programs to local officials through information technology. The responses suggest that local officials predominantly prefer face-to-face training, but many are willing to try distance education. In addition, even though many governments are using the Internet, there still are significant numbers who do not yet have access to these technologies

The Impact of Marcellus Shale Development on Hotel Revenues in Pennsylvania

New technologies have allowed for new drilling in oil and gas deposits throughout the world. In the Northeast United States, the Marcellus Shale formation has been one of the most active regions for new wells. This new drilling activity has created a visible economic impact to communities in and around the drilling sites. The increase in hotel activity metrics such as occupancy percentage and average daily rate has been noted but there has been no research that determines the total revenue impact of the drilling activity. This research does not attempt to factor in the social and environmental costs that have been discussed with the new drilling activities. This research studied the total revenue impact of the Marcellus Shale regions in the state of Pennsylvania. The state of Pennsylvania was chosen for this study as the state maintains detailed records on well development by county, while other states do not provide such data. Based on determinations made by a leading Marcellus Outreach Center, five distinct drilling “regions” were identified. Smith Travel Research provided hotel performance data. The performance indicators (demand, average daily rate, total revenue) of the hotels in the five drilling regions were tracked against the U.S. hotel industry performance indicators for comparable time periods. It was determined that approximately $685 million of hotel revenue has been generated by Marcellus Shale drilling activities. The incremental revenue was generated by both demand and average daily rate increases. This is a significant economic benefit to the drilling regions with increased tax collections for the taxing agencies and consumer spending by those visiting the region for drilling related activity. Approximately 65 new hotels were added in the drilling regions beyond what could have been expected with no drilling based on U.S. hotel industry supply trends. These new hotels are, almost exclusively, select-service, branded hotels. The average room size was 82 rooms, with an average employee count of 25 employees, the drilling has accounted for approximately 1,600 new hotel jobs plus whatever new jobs were added based on the increased occupancy levels of existing hotels. The cautionary note in the findings is that the 2012 data suggests that the demand may be stabilizing or decreasing. Demand in 2012 was flat at 0.0 but occupancy was down by 4.1% due to the increased supply. While the regions are still experiencing increased hotel revenues compared to a “non-Marcellus” scenario, the increase in hotel supply is making for a more challenging competitive environment for individual hotels. The finding suggest that new hotel development should begin early in a drilling environment and that hotels should have a long-term viability strategy as the long-term demand may stabilize or decrease. Sixty-two of the 65 new hotels are branded, 60 of those are select- service. Existing older and non-branded hotels will face a tougher operating environment and should have an exit strategy. Of the 14 hotels that closed in the drilling regions between 2006- 2012, 9 were independents and the average age of all 14 hotels was over 38 years old

Hotels and Oil/Gas Development Booms, Busts, and the Future of Hotels in Oil/Gas Development Areas

The development of new production methodologies for oil and gas wells has revolutionized energy production in the United States, shifting the country from a net importer to a net exporter of oil and natural gas (United States Energy Information Administration, 2015). The combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has allowed development of previously known but inaccessible energy reserves, spurring intensive energy development in varied locations across the country. With this new development has come a rapid expansion in housing needs for workers. Historically, developments such as this are prone to boom/bust cycles. This paper studies the effect of the housing needs in various drilling locations through a study of hotel performance over a 12-year period. This study finds that drilling activity has significantly increased hotel revenues in the drilling areas, but because of falling prices and oversupply, individual hotels are struggling to maintain break-even occupancies. Based on forecasts for oil and gas prices, with additional new supply, this bust cycle will continue through 2018

The National Extension Oil and Gas Initiative

The national Extension oil and gas initiative centers on a network of Extension educators working on or interested in oil and gas development, a communications strategy that allows network members to exchange Extension information, a comprehensive inventory of Extension activities and resources, and national meetings at which network members can identify and share resources and optimal ways to engage constituents. Our work suggests that the need for relevant training and programming will continue as Extension faculty anticipate increased community demands surrounding oil and gas development. The network is open to all Extension faculty interested in the topic of oil and gas programming in communities

Elastic Resistance Effectiveness on Increasing Strength of Shoulders and Hips

Elastic resistance is a common training method used to gain strength. Currently, progression with elastic resistance is based on the perceived exertion of the exercise or completion of targeted repetitions; exact resistance is typically unknown. This study\u27s objective is to determine if knowledge of load during elastic resistance exercise will increase strength gains during exercises. Participants were randomized into two strength training groups, elastic resistance only and elastic resistance using a load cell (LC) that displays force during exercise. The LC group used a Smart Handle (Patterson Medical Supply, Chicago, IL) to complete all exercises. Each participant completed the same exercises three times weekly for 8 weeks. The LC group was provided with a set load for exercises whereas the elastic resistance only group was not. Participant\u27s strength was tested at baseline and program completion, measuring isometric strength for shoulder abduction (SAb), shoulder external rotation (SER), hip abduction (HAb), and hip extension (HEx). Independent t-tests were used to compare the normalized torques between groups. No significant differences were found between groups. Shoulder strength gains did not differ between groups (SAb p\u3e0.05; SER p\u3e0.05). Hip strength gains did not differ between groups (HAb p\u3e0.05; HEx p\u3e0.05). Both groups increased strength due to individual supervision, constantly evaluating degree of difficulty associated with exercise and providing feedback while using elastic resistance. Using a LC is as effective as supervised training and could provide value in a clinic setting when patients are working unsupervised

Residents\u27 Perceptions of Community and Environmental Impacts From Development of Natural Gas in the Marcellus Shale: A Comparison of Pennsylvania and New York Cases

Communities experiencing rapid growth due to energy development (‘boomtowns’) have reported positive and negative impacts on community and individual well-being. The perceptions of impacts vary according to stage of energy development as well as experience with extractive industries. Development of the Marcellus Shale provides an opportunity to examine these impacts over time and across geographic and historical contexts. This paper describes case study research in Pennsylvania and New York to document preliminary impacts of development occurring there. Cases vary by level of development and previous extractive history. The study finds that, in areas with low population density, higher levels of development lead to a broader awareness of natural gas impacts, both positive and negative. Participants draw from the regional history of extraction to express environmental concern despite direct, local experience. Our findings suggest the need to track these perceptions during development, and as individuals and communities react and adapt to the impacts