PA MUFON Newsletter

History

The PA MUFON Newsletter launched in January 2008 (Vol 1, No 1) under State Director John Ventre and State Section Director S. Witkowski, who handled the editorial work and wrote from butch221@dejazzd.com. The chapter had reorganised in 2007 with new leadership, new field investigators, approximately six investigators in training, and a freshly built website at www.pamufon.com. Pennsylvania ranked among the top eleven states for UFO reports, with 1,254 sightings logged in the NUFORC database from 1947 to 2007. In 2007 alone, 112 reports came from Pennsylvania skies, with 55 investigated by PA MUFON and 11 new cases in progress.

The newsletter ran monthly through at least November 2009. Each issue followed a consistent format: book of the month recommendation, website of the month, conference announcements, investigation updates, sighting report counts, and personnel news. The chapter struggled with Pennsylvania's geography: membership concentrated in the eastern (Philadelphia corridor) and western (Pittsburgh area) parts of the state, with few investigators in the central region. Discussion of establishing separate eastern and western section meetings reflected the logistical challenge of a state that spans 300 miles.

The chapter maintained its Presque Isle case as a third active cold-case file alongside Kecksburg and Carbondale. Sighting report volumes ran high throughout: 54 reports in September 2009 alone, 20 in October 2009. Ventre published a book ("12/21/2012: A Prophecy") and actively pursued media appearances and public lectures to educate Pennsylvanians on reporting protocols. The newsletter's tone throughout is operational: assignments, deadlines, case handoffs, reminders to investigators to communicate if they cannot complete assigned cases.