Free Republic

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro hit back at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on Friday, after the activist group sent a letter to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club promising to send them a vegan "weather reveal cake" if they agreed to stop pulling Punxsutawney Phil out of his burrow for his Feb. 2 prognostication. "Come and take it," Shapiro tweeted in response to a New York Post story on PETA's demand. Manuel Bonder, a spokesman for Shapiro, told Fox News Digital the governor stands by his comments and said he will again make the trip to Gobbler's Knob in...

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is calling to ax a beloved American tradition – and to replace it with what it calls a "delicious" vegan substitution. The animal rights nonprofit organization is seeking to replace the Groundhog Day tradition with a vegan "weather reveal" cake. PETA announced the proposal in a news release on Jan. 20. "PETA will deliver a delicious ‘Weather Reveal’ vegan cake each Groundhog Day in perpetuity if [the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club] agrees to let Punxsutawney Phil and his family retire to a reputable sanctuary, a move that will earn the outfit kudos from...

A week from the election, we have bipartisan consensus on two points regarding Pennsylvania. The first is that the presidential contest is way too close to call. The second is that only one contender has coattails. Both candidates for Senate—Republican challenger Dave McCormick and Democratic incumbent Bob Casey—agree on who that is: Donald Trump. That Mr. McCormick would hitch his wagon to Mr. Trump is no surprise. But Mr. Casey is also wrapping his arms around the former president as a means of boosting his credibility. He’s doing this even as Kamala Harris is denouncing Mr. Trump as a “fascist”...

The world’s most famous groundhog is now a proud father. Punxsutawney Phil and his mate, Phyllis, have started a family by giving birth to two baby groundhogs, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. They say the babies are currently with mom and dad at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library and can be seen at times through the viewing window. Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring this year at Gobbler’s Knob.

A Kentucky groundhog died on Groundhog Day — just days after predicting an early spring. Major, a nearly 10-year-old rodent meteorologist living at the Second Chances Wildlife Center, peacefully succumbed overnight to heart issues brought on by his age, the center’s staff said. “He was full of amazing energy up until the end. He will forever be in our hearts. It’s a sad day for us at the Center, especially for those who have been with us his whole life,” the refuge announced on Facebook. “We know you are sad too. Hugs to all of our friends. Know that he...

JACKSON, Ga. - Beauregard "Beau" Lee, Georgia's famous groundhog, has made his weather forecast. Beau emerged from his home in Jackson on Groundhog Day and did not see his shadow. That means Georgia could be in for an early spring.

Groundhog Day, 2-2-22. Also known as day 702 to flatten the curve.Happy birthday Punxsutawney. 702 and still going strong! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicts 6 more weeks of winter. But then, you knew he would. We’re in this for the long haul.Unless, that is, the long-haulers - i.e. #MapleLeafRevolution - inspire their brethren to the south to mount an even larger convoy and declaration of freedom from the autocratic policies that our betters have deemed “useful and necessary.” In a sane time, in a sane world – neither of which we’ve seen for years – this Johns Hopkins...

PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA—Another celebrity has come out publicly against the dangers of rampant misinformation. The famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil has refused to emerge from his hole to determine the remaining length of winter until Joe Rogan is canceled. “I’ve wanted to do something about Mr. Rogan’s dangerous peddling of misinformation for some time now, but couldn't think of a good way to do it,” said the esteemed rodent while munching a stalk of celery. “Then I heard about some amateur singers named Ned Young and Joni Munchwell making waves and wondered what would happen if an actual celebrity like myself were...

GEORGIA — Georgia's own groundhog Gen. Beauregard Lee made his prediction Tuesday morning that the state will see an early spring. A Twitter account dedicated to the rodent said on Monday that Lee will not be hosting his annual celebration on Tuesday, instead electing for a private event. Lee lives in Jackson, Georgia, at Dauset Trails. His social media handler was quick to tweet out his decision early Tuesday: an early spring.

"You’ll want to burrow away after hearing this. Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter on Tuesday during the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in Pennsylvania." "The yearly ritual, which dates back to 1887, was held virtually this year amid the coronavirus pandemic. In place of the usual crowd at Gobbler’s Knob park in Jefferson County, Phil was surrounded by cutouts of fans who had hoped to be there in person."

We've seen so many great videos over the past month or so, but we dare say... this may be the best. You remember New York's famous "Pizza Rat"? Well, move over... it's time to meet the "Pizza Groundhog!" He's just munching away completely unfazed by Action News in Philadelphia viewer Kristin Chalela Bagnell or her two dogs. Kristin captured the little, or not so little guy, outside her home in Philadelphia's Brewerytown section. Kristin tells our sister station Action News the groundhog sat there for more than an hour, just casually munching away on that piece of pizza with no...

Meet Pizza Rat’s way cuter cousin. An adorable buck-toothed groundhog was captured on camera casually munching on a slice while peeking into a Philadelphia woman’s home through a sliding glass door. The ravenous rodent is shown chomping on the stolen snack next to a backyard barbecue as he gazes into Kristin Chalela Bagnell’s house in footage she posted on Facebook. “It’s not just the people that like Philly pizza,” Bagnell quipped in the caption of the video.

Call them whistlepigs, woodchucks or whatnot, these eastern burrowers can provide good hunting – and meatier meals than rabbits, squirrels. The groundhog is the most underrated small game animal in the country. We call them whistlepigs in northern Georgia, a reference to their calls and their food value. Groundhogs are good eating and there is a lot more meat on them than on squirrels and rabbits. Some folks boil an older one until tender and then put it in the oven. I simply cover it with barbecue sauce and put them in the oven. Whatever way you prepare them, they...

He promised spring was right around the corner, but it appears that Punxsutawney Phil has lied. On Feb. 2, Phil announced to the awaiting crowd that there was going to be an early spring. It was one of a handful of times the weather prognosticating rodent didn’t see his shadow and the first since 2016. But the cheers of a soon-to-be spring have transitioned to the sounds of teeth chattering and shovels picking up snow. The Delaware County sheriff in Indiana says Phil is a wanted groundhog for crimes and acts against nature, WTHR reported.

Phil does a shade poorer when you check his performance against actual weather outcomes since 1969, when the accuracy of weather records is less in question, said Tim Roche, a meteorologist at Weather Underground. From 1969 on, Phil's overall accuracy rate drops to about 36 percent...

Punxsutawney Phil may be calling for an early spring, but Georgia's own groundhog had a difference of opinion Saturday morning. General Beauregard Lee saw his shadow as he emerged from his home at the Dauset Trails Nature Center, signaling that Georgia should be prepared for six more weeks of winter

A police officer was seen shooting a groundhog in the middle of Liberty Road in Carroll County, upsetting some onlookers. A video posted by one woman shows the officer killing the groundhog after it charges at him. "This just happened. And I’m soooo distraught," wrote Justyna Olkowska on Facebook. She said she was disturbed to see "Sykesville police shooting [groundhogs] in [the] head in broad daylight." "Like I cannot believe I just witnessed this. If you’re not an animal lover, you won’t understand my pain," she wrote. "I may be wrong and he might have been doing his job but...