Here’s something to warm you up on a Feelgood Friday: Pennsylvania winters are getting shorter. That’s according to a new report from climate research organization Climate Central.

You’d be well within your rights to greet that news with skepticism, given the blizzards and icy conditions we’ve endured across the commonwealth since the beginning of the new year—not to mention the extended stretch of sub-freezing (sub-zero when you factor in wind chill) temperatures. But according to Climate Central’s analysis, winters are getting shorter in many locations across the country, not just Pennsylvania, due to climate change. 

Climate Central defined “winter” as a city’s coldest 90 days of the year in a row during the 1970-1997 period, then compared the frequency of those temperatures during the 1998-2025 period.

Compared to the 1970-1997 period, winters are now, on average, nine days shorter in 80% of the 245 US cities analyzed in the report.

So, believe it or not, Climate Central’s analysis found that winters in Erie are now 15 days shorter than they were during the 1970-1997 period, and 11 days shorter in Philadelphia. 

Tell that to the barge of snow at the end of my street that I predict will not be fully melted away until April.

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Tom Klep works as the building and grounds manager for Erie Insurance Arena, where one of his main duties this time of year is to operate the Zamboni. (USA Today via Reuters Connect)

If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to drive a Zamboni, the tractor-like vehicles that resurface ice rinks, today’s your lucky day.

We’ve got a profile on Tom Klep, the building and grounds manager for Erie Insurance Arena, where one of his main duties this time of year is to operate the Zamboni, prepping the ice surface for hockey games, and other events, like Disney on Ice.

Klep is certainly qualified to operate a Zamboni. He recently became a certified ice technician, one of about 12 in Pennsylvania. Attending the necessary classes over the last three years, he learned the intricacies of making ice, painting logos and lines, and how to maintain an ice rink. 

And, if you’re wondering, Klep has never taken his work vehicle out for a joy ride.

“Someone asked me if I had ever taken the Zamboni through the Tim Hortons drive-through during the offseason,” Klep said. “The only trip outside is when we take them across the street for maintenance.”

· Wayne County’s Waymart Borough is 175 years old in 2026, and plans to mark the historic anniversary by opening a 50-year-old time capsule—once they find where it was buried. Get the story here.

· In Franklin County, Waynesboro dentist Dr. Robert R. Zimmerman was recently honored for providing dental care to underserved populations both locally and internationally for nearly 50 years. Learn about Dr. Zimmerman’s efforts here. 

· While you can file your federal income tax returns for free, did you know that you can also file your Pennsylvania state income taxes for free as well? Get the details here.

Pim, 6, poses for a photo while in her Daisy Girl Scout vest. (USA Today via Reuters Connect)

A 6-year-old Girl Scout in Pittsburgh is absolutely crushing cookie sales this year and is well on her way to beating an all-time record.

Following a bout of social media virality, Pim, a Scout with Troop 71047 in Baldwin-Whitehall, has sold over 100,000 boxes of cookies and counting, and every sale inches her closer to breaking the record for most Girl Scout Cookies ever sold.

While Pim might be considered a cookie-selling sensation now, just a year ago, she was having trouble finding a Girl Scout troop to join. Pim, who her family describes as having disabilities, faced some resistance when she tried to join local troops near her, according to her father. 

For Pim, who first expressed a desire to join the Girl Scouts after seeing a group of girls selling cookies at age 3, it’s been quite a journey.

“Her skills are growing, and who she is as a person is growing, being comfortable being herself … we love her for who she is,” said her father, Luke Anorak-Neill. “And someday, when she’s going for her Bronze, Silver, Gold awards, she may be somebody who has way more skills than we ever thought she could be because of how we’re supporting her now, and that is incredible.”

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery with stories from USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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