Slow Down for School Buses
Students are returning to class, and that means we will be seeing school buses back on our roads. Motorists, parents and children are encouraged to watch the video above to refresh their memories about how to share the road safely.
Pennsylvania law requires motorists to stop at least 10 feet away from school buses when their red lights are flashing and their stop arm is activated. This applies to motorists when they are behind or traveling alongside a school bus, as well as when meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus has stopped.
Vehicles should remain stopped until the red lights have stopped flashing and the stop arm is withdrawn. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.
If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.
Penalties for failure to obey school bus safety laws can result in a $250 fine, five points on a driving record and a 60-day license suspension. Violators will also be assessed a $35 surcharge to be deposited into the School Bus Safety Grant Program Account. State law also permits school entities to install and operate a side stop signal arm enforcement system. These civil violations include a $300 fine but would not assess points or impact insurance ratings.
Parents are reminded to ensure their children are at the bus stop early to avoid rushing. Students should stay where the bus driver can see them while boarding or exiting the bus.
Prevention and Control of Mosquitoes
Stormwater in Hamilton Township, Franklin County, discharges to portions of Rocky Spring Branch, Back Creek and Conococheague Creek, all of which are tributary to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. This watershed has been identified as impaired by siltation and nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen).
The PA Department of Environmental Protection has required many municipalities across the state to reduce siltation and nutrients by a minimum of 10%. Each year a report is submitted to DEP showing what Hamilton Township did to reduce and/or eliminate sediment and pollution.
MS4 INSPECTION REPORT MARCH 12, 2026
MS4 – WHAT’S THAT AND WHAT’S IT GOT TO DO WITH ME?
MS4 is the abbreviation for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems. This is a term for the retention basins, ditches, roadside inlets and underground pipes that carry stormwater through properties and under roads and discharge it, without treatment, into local streams and rivers. It is not connected to the sanitary sewer system which drains waste water from inside a home to a sewage treatment facility or a private septic system.
While there are large projects that Hamilton Township can undertake to help in reaching this goal, there are many simple things that home owners can do too.
Keep following our articles in this section to learn how you can do your part in improving the storm water in Hamilton Township, Franklin County.
Rain Garden Plants: Sweetbay Magnolia
An informative guide to sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), detailing its unique characteristics, site preferences, and value to wildlife.
Jodi Sulpizio
Natural Resources Educator
This is a slender, deciduous to evergreen multi-stemmed shrub or tree. It will grow more tree-like in the southern part of its range. Bark is smooth and pale gray. The simple, elliptical-shaped leaves are dark green above and silver below. Leaves are 2 to 6 inches long and 1 to 2.5 inches wide. Large fragrant, creamy white flowers open in the morning and close at night. Flowers measure 2 to 3 inches in diameter and have 9 to 12 petals. After flowering, showy, cone-like fruits develop that contain bright red seeds. It prefers moist, rich, organic soils but tolerates wet, boggy soils and heavy clay soils. It is intolerant of drought conditions. May need some winter protection.
- Height:Â 10 to 30 ft.
- Bloom color:Â White
- Bloom time:Â May-June
- Hardiness zone:Â 5 to 9
- Salt tolerance:Â Moderately tolerant of salt spray. Intolerant of soil salt.
Site Conditions
Hydrologic zones:Â Wet/moist
Sun:Â Sun/partial shade
Soil:Â Moist, rich, organic, acidic
Hamilton Township, Franklin County, PA 