Tag: French Creek Freddie

French Creek Freddie Given Federal Reprieve, Will Forecast Friday

A one-day clearance from federal officials will allow French Creek Freddie to make his shadow-based prediction Friday, Feb. 2.

Note: This is a developing story and may be updated.

A one-day clearance from federal officials will allow French Creek Freddie to make his shadow-based prediction Friday, Feb. 2.

Initial reports Wednesday stated that the West Virginia State Wildlife Center would be closed Friday due to issues with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s annual relicensing procedure.

However, on Thursday morning Sen. Joe Manchin sent out a press release stating U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack assured him “that French Creek Freddie will have the opportunity to look for his shadow tomorrow morning.”

The press release went on to say work continues to fully reopen the wildlife center.

Shortly after, Gov. Jim Justice also sent out a press release with details about Friday’s ceremony.

According to the release, the celebration is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, February 2, at 10:00 a.m., when French Creek Freddie will emerge to reveal whether an early spring is on the way or if winter will continue for another six weeks. Members of the public are invited to attend at 9:50 a.m. for the opening ceremony. 

The event will also be live-streamed on Justice’s YouTube page.

USDA Temporarily Closes State Wildlife Center, No French Creek Freddie This Year

With Groundhog Day on Friday, Feb. 2, fans of animal meteorology were dealt a blow Wednesday. 

With Groundhog Day on Friday, Feb. 2, fans of animal meteorology were dealt a blow Wednesday. 

Punxsutawney Phil may be the most popular weather-predicting groundhog, but French Creek Freddie is the local favorite. However, fans will not have a chance to watch the four-legged forecaster this year as the West Virginia State Wildlife Center where Freddie lives is closed indefinitely and the Groundhog Day Ceremony is canceled.

During his regular briefing Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice explained that the closure was related to an issue with a fence.

“Our state Wildlife Center in French Creek is temporarily closed due to an abrupt decision by the USDA to no longer recognize an indefinite variance, on a secondary committed containment fence that was issued 24 years ago,” he said.

In a press release after the briefing, Justice clarified that the abrupt decision was part of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s annual relicensing procedure. As the relicensing process and inspection are pending approval, the Wildlife Center is unable to exhibit animals and will be closed to the public until a new license is secured.

Justice says this, along with a challenge by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the state’s trout stocking program are “a move by folks that are trying to punish states.”

“I’m calling on President Biden to stop this all-out war on West Virginia by his federal agencies,” Justice said in his press release. “It’s so blatantly targeted at our state and our people because we happen to disagree on political issues. It’s just plain wrong.” 

According to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Freddie’s weather-predicting career got its start in 1978, when former West Virginia State Wildlife Center Superintendent Bill Vanscoy responded to a reporter on Groundhog Day if there was a groundhog on site and if it had seen its shadow. Freddie can be viewed year-round once the facility re-opens.

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