Stevenson hosting senior expo Friday at GCC

GROVE CITY — More than 50 vendors and exhibitors are expected at the Ninth Annual Senior Expo hosted by Rep. Dick Stevenson, Grove City, R-8th District.

The expo is set for 9 a.m. to noon Friday at Grove City College.

Exhibitors will discuss health care, prescriptions, long-term care, safe driving, Meals on Wheels and post-retirement living. Veterans Affairs will give free flu shots to veterans. Veterans and spouses who have not received VA services in the past will need to take discharge for verification. Veterans’ spouses may receive the flu vaccine at a nominal fee from the Visiting Nurses Association. The free expo, which will be held at the college’s intramural room, is open to seniors age 55 and older and their families. Refreshments and door prizes will be offered.

For more information, contact Stevenson’s district offices at 724-458-4911 or 724-284-1431.

WYSU fund drive prizes include trip to Ireland

YOUNGSTOWN -- Listener-supported WYSU, Youngstown State University’s public radio service, is holding its special 40th anniversary fall fund drive through Friday. The drive goal is $106,000.

Everyone who pledges support to WYSU through the end of the drive will be entered into a drawing to win a pair of tickets for an 11-day “Enchanting Ireland” excursion. The station will also be offering daily prize packages, a new member prize basket, and a Pennsylvania member prize package. All of the prize packages include a new HD Radio.

Thanks to a grant from The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, every pledge of support made to WYSU this fall will result in Second Harvest Food Bank distributing $30 worth of food to hungry local families.

Contributions to the station’s fall fund drive can be made by phone at 330-941-1481, or through a secure online server at www.wysu.org

Planetarium presents Hubble Vision II

NEW WILMINGTON — “Hubble Vision II” will be presented in the coming weeks in the Westminster College Planetarium, Room 116 of the Hoyt Science Resources Center.

Dr. Thomas Oberst, Westminster assistant professor of physics and director of the planetarium, will host shows at 7 p.m. Oct. 29, Nov. 5, 11, 12, 14, 18, and 19. An additional 5 p.m. viewing is set for Nov. 14.

In this multimedia production, major themes in current astronomy and cosmology are presented: views of the planets, a peek into star birth nurseries, visions of star death in its many forms, explorations of star clusters and galaxies and views of the universe when the earliest galaxies were first coming into being.

Rooftop stargazing will follow the 7 p.m. shows, weather permitting. The program is free and open to the public. However, reservations are necessary due to limited seating. New this year is an online reservation form: www.westminster.edu/acad/phys/dept/planetarium.cfm. Reservations can also be made by contacting Westminster’s Physics Department at 724-946-7200 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays or by e-mail: pitmanmp@westminster.edu.

For a creepy Halloween, check out spiders

SANDY LAKE – Are spiders a mean trick played on humans or a lovely treat for our eyes?

McKeever Environmental Learning Center, near Sandy Lake, is offering a Halloween opportunity to meet these creepy crawlies up close. The free program from 2 to 3 p.m. Oct. 31 will examine many of the common myths about spiders. Live examples will be provided for closer observation.

Go leaf-peeping Saturday at Moraine

BUTLER COUNTY – Join the Moraine State Park naturalist at 1 p.m. Saturday for a guided autumn colors hike in Slippery Rock Gorge. Meet at the courtyard of the historic gristmill for an exploration of how the natural world prepares for winter. Come prepared to hike up the North Country Trail to Alpha Pass Falls, then down through the boulders to the mill, about 2 miles. Parking is available at Kildoo Picnic Area, then take the stairs down to the old mill.

Get batty at Jennings this Halloween season

SLIPPERY ROCK – Perhaps no other animal represents the spirit of Halloween as well as the bat. Unfortunately, it’s not helped this mammal’s reputation. Truth is, bats are rarely present at Halloween. Most have migrated or they are hibernating. Learn to distinguish bat fact from fiction and the benefits this valuable insectivore provides during Night Flight, a program from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at Jennings Environmental Learning Center, near Slippery Rock.

Tips about how to exclude bats from your home while still providing roosting opportunities will be shared. Following an indoor introduction to bats, venture into the forest at night to gain a new appreciation for how Earth’s only flying mammal makes its living in the dark.