Benton News Archives
for April, 2008

April 30, 2008. Happy anniversary today to Howard and Nancy Leh, Central.

Congratulations to the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society on receiving a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission for commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the New Deal in Columbia County. A Task Force is at work on a variety of projects which will culminate in the fall.

The editors of Watershed: The Journal of the Susquehanna is now accepting photography, fiction and nonfiction and personal for the second issue of the magazine planned for publication in January, 2009.

The journal seeks to promote environmental awareness of the Susquehanna watershed region, including parts of New York state, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Watershed promotes the region’s culture, history, literature, and art and seeks thought-provoking nonfiction on environmental issues, regional history, local culture, and top quality and inventive poetry and fiction. Quality black and white photography is welcome as well. Contributors need not reside in the Susquehanna region, but published work must be of the Susquehanna and its hills, valleys and people. For more info, contact Jerry Wemple, 389-4881, Jerry is the Editor, and is a member of the English Department of Bloomsburg University.

Didja ever think that some people are so far behind
that the future is gone before they get there?

Sherry A. (Robbins) Weaver, a member of the Benton High School Class of 1988, is attempting to organize a 20th class reunion. Class members should contact Sherry at weaverhome2003 AT yahoo.com. (Substitute "@" to send.)

Marcia Kay and I parked the motor home on a lovely lookout on top of the Blue Ridge Parkway Tuesday night and I quickly pecked out a few lines. We have no cell phone or internet, but our location reminds us of paradise. The forecast for Tuesday night is for the temperatures to drop below freezing and by morning we may change our minds about the "paradise" aspects of this place! The quietness here reminds me of an old ditty...

Don't be hurried,
Don't be worried.
If you do,
You'll soon be buried.

Camping here in the mountains reminds me of the old story about the mountain man who was sick and knew that his time had come and the end was near. He told his wife that he looked forward to going to heaven and being greeted by Saint Peter. Heaven's official greeter took the man around and everything seemed to be just like he imagined. Everything, that is, but one thing. Off to one side was a huddled bunch of people, shackled and chained, sobbing their hearts out. Saint Peter was forced to explain. It seems that all the people were from the Appalachian Mountains and had the chains and shackles been removed, everyone would have tried to go home. That story does seem to sum up the attitude of a true mountaineer.

Didja know that we are less convinced by what we hear
than by what we see?

It always chokes me up. I tend to view the situation from the standpoint of a "Yankee," but the Southern view of it is very interesting, too. When we are at the MerleFest we listen to lots of good music and talk music 24/7. When we get into the hills of North Carolina and talk with people with other interests the talk often turns to a discussion of the "War of Northern Aggression." And in that discussion, nothing is as sad as what happened in Pennsylvania on the first three days of July, 1863, in the crossroads community of Gettysburg.

Picture the situation and visualize it as if you were from the south. There were something like 70,000 rebel soldiers who turned up at Gettysburg partially because the rumor was that the community had a supply of shoes, which the rebels had only remnants of, and there they ran into something like 90,000 Union soldiers. The Southern folks who tell about this battle choke up a bit when they get to the part about the 32 North Carolina regiments who fought to support their cause. One Confederate soldier in every four who fell at Gettysburg was a North Carolinian.

Soldiers from North Carolina made up between 12,000 and 15,000 men of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. These troops had done well in May at Chancellorsville, Virginia, and by the end of June were trudging up what was known as the Shenandoah Valley turnpike into Pennsylvania. By the first of July, many of these troops were marching into Gettysburg via the Chambersburg Pike. Thinking back, since 11 roads converged in Gettysburg, it would have been hard to avoid running into some Union soldiers. The Confederate soldiers ran into an estimated into 2,700 Union soldiers and soon troops were streaming into the area from all directions.

On day one and day two at Gettysburg, the outnumbered but not outfought North Carolina infantry did well. Robert E. Lee probably felt that day three would bring victory. Instead, by mid-morning there were lines of dead--ones in blue uniforms and ones in gray uniforms--almost within reach of each other. Every officer and man of Company F, 26th North Carolina, was killed or wounded. North Carolina lost over 4,000 soldiers, more than a fourth of the Confederate loss. The battle of Gettysburg had been lost, but nobody had time to realize that the war was lost, too. The fighting continued and to this day almost any North Carolina native will assure you that their soldiers had been the bravest of the brave.

 

April 29, 2008. Happy birthday to Loreta Strauch Hiscox, Laurie Kline Lameroux and to Alan Hack, Stillwater, his 22nd.

The Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center will sponsor its first Children’s Health Fair on May 17 from 8 AM to noon at The Center. Admission is free. The Health Fair is designed to help children (and adults) learn more about their own health and the benefits and consequences of choices they make—with the goal of encouraging everyone to make positive changes in their health behavior. The Fair will have a wide range of health care educators to provide free health screenings, information, and follow-up resources.

Fire and public-safety officers will present topics on home safety, car seat/ATV safety, and fingerprinting; health educators will discuss cholesterol, diabetes issues, poison prevention, and tobacco dangers; others will provide blood pressure, height/weight, hearing, and speech screening; local preschools will engage in age-appropriate games with children. The Women’s Center will conduct presentations to build awareness on bullying and “stranger danger.” A variety of exhibitors will provide hands-on learning games to teach children about health issues; others will distribute informational material on healthy living, and identify resources that are available in our area. And Home Depot will have a children’s building station. Specific events for children will include storytelling, magic shows, face painting, and more. In addition, free T-shirts, helmets and gun locks will be distributed, while supplies last. If you have questions, please contact Rob Hutchison, 925-0163.

Quickies...
• The German Heritage Society of the Susquehanna Valley will hold its May monthly meeting Thursday evening, May 1, from 7 to 9. The GHSSV meeting will be held at the Degenstein Library, 40 South Fifth Street, Sunbury. The public is invited to join members and guests for a presentation entitled My German Ancestor by Paul Heimbach who portrays his ancestor who arrived from Germany in 1749. Wearing period clothing and presenting pictures of the conditions in which he traveled to America, Mr. Heimbach tells the story of his ancestors travels. For more information, please feel free to contact GHSSV President Jeff Sheaffer, 374-7730.

• Supermarket salad often includes fake crab meat, technically a "surimi-based crab analog." Surimi is a fish paste made by pressing and repeatedly washing deboned fish. The Surimi is in the form of sticks or shredded meat and comes from cheap cod, plus generous amounts of starch, salt, chemical seasonings, "essence of crab" (which we believe comes from boiling down crab shells), and polymerized phosphate. Knuff said?

• I never appreciated the words "Soooo cute" until I read a few emails from Krysten Ritter, who loves to use the term. "Cute," when I was growing up, referred to puppies and babies. Now a whole lot of things are "Soooo cute" and much of it shows up on a Watsontown web site owned by Anissa Mook. Those of us from Back Home in Benton, PA, fully recognize that the stuff she sells that makes you go gaga probably comes from estate sales and thrift stores and garage sales and is vintage 1950s to 1980s. Head over to www.femminastyle.com/ and look at the pieces that translate into modern fashion. And then be prepared to pick up some bargains when the Community Flea Market Days roll around on the 24th of May. There will be bargains from St. James Church to the entire Borough of Benton, including The Center. We suspect that if you don't pick up these diamonds in the rough, Anissa Mook probably will...

• Over the past few days, we have enjoyed seeing Al and Jean Lumpkin, Danville. R. B. Powell and Bridget Allen, Lewistown, have turned into a fine husband and wife singing and playing duo and have promised to come to The Center to give a concert in the near future. We enjoyed time in Advance, North Carolina, at the home of Beth and Pier Holcombe and at the home of John and Mary Ann Andrysick. We were especially happy to spend time at the home of bluegrass music in Wilkes County, the wonderful MerleFest. We still haven't found a wireless signal and still can't send email.

Right up-front you should understand that Southern girls flirt with both old men and young, eligible men--and whatever falls in between. They don't mean anything bad by it; it is just the way it is done. For the past five days, I have been busy analyzing the way the flirting takes place, Southern style, and this is the way that I see it... First, they always smile while maintaining their eye contact. It is the first rule to indicate that men can come to them and start a conversation without fear of being turned away. They never cross their arms--an indication that a person is unwanted. You have all seen old movies where the Southern dame flutters her eyelashes. Folks, I am here to tell you that still happens.

Southern women don't position themselves in the corner. They are the focal point of a room and the sounding box of a conversation. If they are playing a musical instrument in a bluegrass jam, for example, they are in the center of the circle with the men on the outside of the circle, a bit akin to musical chairs where the men have to scramble and the women can simply look demure. Southern women love to be good listeners and would never think of changing the conversation or injecting a piece of personal history or posing a delicate question or making an off-color remark. Discussions of sickness are not tolerated. They make sure that the opposite sex realize they will be hard to get.

A reader from the South wrote, "A Southern Lady/Girl will always say 'that's nice,' whenever she would rather made a rude comment. We're taught if you can't say something nice, then say 'that's nice'."

Peach is a color you'll see often on Southern women this spring. A dab of perfume is a must and all the better if it smells a bit like fruit. Men always head toward dessert.

If you should be so lucky in the coming days to see a lovely Southern damsel, take a quick look and pick out something that is special about them. Mention it to them. Flattery works wonders!

April 28, 2008. There is a gas-drilling meeting at 7 PM at the Benton Fire Hall. Bruce Anderson will give a presentation on the tour of the Kensinger well that the Benton News mentioned in its edition of April 7. Bruce will present the effects of a lease on Clean and Green, CREP and CRP for Columbia County landowners. Bruce remains committed to the group effort and says he "looks forward to more landowners joining our group." The group Bruce heads is an all-volunteer group so there are no fees involved.

We do receive email on our trip, but so far we have been completely unable to send email. Some have suggested the use of the (old) EPIX webmail account now administered by Frontier Communications. I frankly can't think of a system used for initiating email communication that is more obsolete and useless than that system. It simply does not work well or dependably for me.

We received several emails regarding the quality of food presented Sunday at the Village Sampler--all very positive.

Buz and Karen Boback spent a "glorious day in the wonderful town of Benton" on Sunday. They attended the Eagle Scout ceremony for Sean Christian and T.J. Schultz, shopped at Bakery Antiques, and went on to the Village Sampler at The Center. Karen "had the good fortune of bidding and winning a Bavarian figurine donated by the estate of Elsie Buyers." Rep. Boback told the Benton News that she is "honored to have this as a part of my collection."

Rep. Boback has said publicly that she sincerely grateful to both the Borough and the Township of Benton for her recent victory at the polls.

St. James U.C.C. on Zaner's Bridge Rd., Bendertown, will have a community yard sale on May 24 from 8 AM to 2 PM. Refreshments and homemade ice cream will be available. Tables are $10. Contact Anne at 864-3001 or Jean at 925-5486 to reserve.

Didja notice the article in the April 27 edition of The New York Times about Floyd S. Butterfield, 52, a man who makes his own ethanol? He won a California Department of Food and Agriculture contest in 1982 for best design of an (unprofitable) ethanol still. Along with a man by the name of Thomas J. Quinn, the two have now started the E-Fuel Corporation, a manufacturer of home-ethanol systems known as the E-Fuel 100 MicroFueler. It will be about as large as a stackable washer-dryer, sell for $9,995 and ship before year-end. The cost to consumers will be about half that when government incentives are applied.

Using sugar as its main fuel source, coupled with a time-release yeast, plus some expense for water and electricity, the company says it could cost as little as a dollar a gallon to make ethanol. Burning a gallon of ethanol made by his system will produce one-eighth the carbon of the same amount of gasoline.

It takes 10 to 14 pounds of sugar to make a gallon of ethanol. Mr. Quinn says that he can buy inedible sugar from Mexico for as little as 2.5 cents a pound. The United States did not make it easy--it is illegal in the United States to operate a car on 100% ethanol. You should hear a lot more about this topic in upcoming months.

I have told the story before about a Canadian who showed up at the MerleFest and asked a camper next to him, a man from South Carolina, for some pepper. "Black pepper, or white pepper?" asked the fiddler, more intent on his music than on helping a neighbor in distress. "Toilette pepper!" yelled the Canadian.

Sunday morning it was a thrill to attend something akin to church services with the Nashville Bluegrass Band and Arthel "Doc" Watson, 85. Doc Watson told the story about a young cousin of his who had "just started to do some preachin' and had just begun a little sermonette on a Saturday night at a prayer meeting." As Doc explained the situation, "It was back before there was electric lights in the church. And they had those little oil lamps hanging down by the pulpit and some moths got into the church and about a dozen buzzed around the lamp beside the pulpit." The minister was taking his text from the Old Testament and he began "And God said unto Moses--Yuck!" It turns out that "One of those little moths went down his throat." He stopped his sermon and then struggled to say "it took two glasses of water to drown that little rascal." The minister paused for a moment, then regained his composure and smiled at his congregation and told them in a reassuring voice, his last comment on the subject, "He was a stranger and I took him in."

April 27, 2008. Birthdays today include Bea McMichael (currently a resident of the Orangeville Nursing Home) and Charles Wodrig, both of Stillwater. Bill and Carla Lee celebrate their wedding anniversary.

April 27, 1822, was the birthday of Hiram Ulysses Grant, born in Point Pleasant, Ohio. He changed his name (to Ulysses Simpson Grant) while he was a student at West Point to avoid the initials HUG. He ended up being the commander of the Union Armies at the end of the Civil War in spite of some unusual habits. For example, he would never go back. If he went past where he was supposed to be he would continue until he could work his way around to where he had been, but he never retraced his steps. As a general, it meant he would never retreat. Those who supported the general said he was tough. Those in the North and the South who were horrified by his brutality called him the Butcher.

As a general, he sent thousands of men to their death, but he had a complete aversion to killing animals to the point that he would not eat fowl of any kind. Anything that walked on two legs was off limits to feed to the man. The sight of bloody meat at a table would send him from the table. Grant saw a mare being beaten once, and the general had the man doing the beating tied to a post for six hours.

Grant became the 18th president of the United States, but within ten years of leaving the White House he was completely broke. He came down with throat cancer and was forced to write his military memoirs, a wildly successful book, in order to survive financially.

Speaking of books, one of our favorite places to look for used, rare and out-of-print hardbacks is in Enola, at 167 Enola Road. Owner Michelle Haring does everything in her power to be a gracious host when you are shopping in her store, and the web page that she has crafted shows the same degree of loving care. If you need a book, try www.cupboardmaker.com.

Head Start Program...
• The Benton Head Start parent meeting will be at Creekside Restaurant May 12 at 9:30 AM. Parents who plan to attend should contact their child's teacher or Donna Dominy for reservations.
• The Columbia Sullivan Head Start Policy Council Executives will meet May 15 at 10:30 AM at the 5th Street Center. On May 20, all of the policy council will be meeting at the Millville United Methodist Church at 10:15 AM. All are welcome to attend. After the policy council meeting, the by-law committee will meet.
• Parent-training workshops will be held May 6 and 8. There are a very limited number of spots so reservations must be made ASAP if you plan to attend. The parent recognition dinner is May 22 at Portabella's Catering. There will not be babysitting so if you plan to attend, please seek out a babysitter.
• The annual Knoebel's day trip is planned for May 14. Transportation is limited. If you are transported it is for one adult and one head start child only! The group will arrive at Knoebel's at 10:15 and leave at 1:30. Bag lunches will be made available for students, parents and siblings. Head Start is a peanut-free zone. No peanut products are allowed. Each Head Start parent group did allow funds for each child to receive a trip shirt.
• At the last policy council, an animal and pet policy was voted in to effect. If you want to bring anything to any Head Start building that is furry, slimy or creepy or crawly please check the rules first. Upcoming conferences include the PA Head Start Association Conference in Grantville on May 1-2 and the Early Childhood Conference at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Bloomsburg on May 28.
• The Columbia Sullivan Head Start self assessment is in. It is about 20 pages long. If you would like to read it, email me and I'll send you the short version of it or see Donna Dominy for the long version.

Part of the fun of attending the 21st annual homecoming in memory of Eddy Merle Watson is running into nice people. One of the nicest is Bob Kogut, who handcrafts violins in North Carolina. Kogut Violins are known for having a sweet, rich voice, without harsh, strident overtones. Each violin is handmade and customized to a fiddler's preference. Each violin is unique and is given its own name when it is completed. Bob donated one of his violins to the MerleFest, along with bow and case. The price of this violin was $5,000.

If the name Kogut rings a bell, it is because his brother, John, lives just north of Distillery Hill Road, Benton. When I visited Bob at the MerleFest, he was surrounded by adoring fans and people asking if they could at least play a song on one of his violins. I couldn't even get close to Bob. The second time, it was quiet as all his customers were standing with their mouths slung open listening with rapt attention to a sweet young thing practically making the instrument smoke. Bob recognized me from previous visits. His quick message to be delivered Back Home to Benton, PA, for his brother was simply, "John, you might as well be yourself, because everybody else is already taken." And with that he, too, was taken as a new load of musical customers surrounded him. He yelled over his shoulder as I walked away, "I am going to try to get to Benton this summer."

For programs that you use frequently, searching through all the programs in your start menu is a long process. Try this. Click on "Start," then go to "All Programs" and find the program you want. Instead of clicking on the program to open it, right click on the program and from the list of options, click on "Pin to Start Menu" This will put your program on the left hand side right over the start button.

If you click on the windows key on your keyboard (the key with the Windows logo which is located between the "Ctrl" and "Alt" keys) it will bring up the start menu. Click the down arrow key on your keyboard to highlight the program you want to start. After your program is highlighted, press the enter key to open it. Use the right arrow to navigate to the items on the right side of the start menu (in XP). In Vista, you can get to the items on the right side of the menu by using the "Tab" key.

Didja know that the fork was actually invented in ancient China, but became obsolete in favor of chopsticks? Here are some other things that you might not realize about eating utensils used in the south. Southern women hold their silverware very gently, using their fingertips as a guide. They gently press the tip of their index finger over the top of the knife blade as a guide when cutting. Both the spoon and the fork are held horizontally by balancing them between the first knuckle of the middle finger and the tip of the index finger. The function of the thumb is to steady the handle. Once silverware is used, it must never again be allowed to touch the surface of the table. Coffee and tea are always served with a plate (or bowel) under the utensil, on which the utensil is always placed after it has been used. Silverware, called "flatware" here in the south, is always placed on the plate as a pause is taken between bites.

April 26, 2008. Today is the 21st wedding anniversary of Robert and Elizabeth Chamberlain, Benton Township.

Today the Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center and the Red Rock Job Corps Center hold a reception to display the art work of Red Rock alumni from 1-3 PM at The Center. Refreshments will also be provided. The exhibit continues through May. It is the weekend of the thirty-year anniversary of Bloomsburg’s Renaissance Jamboree rain or shine in downtown Bloomsburg. The F. L. Garrison Elementary School PTA Benefit Auction is today at 43 Vine Street Shickshinny. Doors open at 9 AM and the auction starts at 10. The Sweet Valley Fire Company has its beef dinner tonight from 4:30-6:30 PM. It is a landscaping work day at The Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center from 9 to noon. There is a Turkey Dinner, 3-7 PM, Shickshinny Fire Hall, West Union Street, takeouts 2-3 PM. The rummage sale is ongoing at Christ the King Church (in the rear of the building).

Sunday is the monthly Benton firemen's breakfast, starting at 7 AM. Buckwheat cakes and sausage? Certainly. You can take a Train Ride from Bloomsburg to Danville to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association; departures 1 and 3 PM; 784-2453 for reservations. Sunday is the fifth annual Village Sampler auction with food served from 4 PM until 5:45 PM. The auction begins promptly at 6 PM at the Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center, Community Drive, Benton. All proceeds will benefit your Community & Cultural Center. There will be music, and food and drinks (non-alcoholic, of course), and wonderful auction items. Tickets are available at The Center and at The Center's Thrift Shop on Mill Street. You can call 925-0163 for more information. Admittance, including the food, is only $10 for members and $12 for non-members. The complete auction list is shown at the top of this page by double-clicking the hyperlink.

The trip south into North Carolina was beautiful with the Judas trees, the pink and the more common white dogwood, the azaleas and the rolling countryside between Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Farmers were doing their spring plowing and the ground appeared much wetter than we had Back Home in Benton, PA. Spring was doing just what it does ever year, only better. It also appeared as though spring was doing exactly what newspapers claimed it would do, which just goes to show you that you can believe everything that you see in print--even though a lot of you doubted that after reading about what some of the local politicians have been promising up through and including last Tuesday. We didn't escape the political folks, though. North Carolina holds their primary next Tuesday and it is the same old malarkey here that it was in our home state.

As Marcia Kay and I drove south and we peered through our fly be-speckled windows, we saw about an equal number of woodchucks scurrying out of their holes in the ground as we saw people leaning against trees or shovels or cars as they blinked their eyes while staring into the bright April sun. Houses and farms that haven't seem much activity since cold weather set in last November have come alive and everyone in the house has now endless jobs to do outside the house. The streets and highways have become clogged with cars, even though here in North Carolina the cost per gallon for regular, unleaded gasoline went up $.16 (to $3.649 for regular, unleaded) the day we arrived--which also coincided with the arrival of 80,000--more or less--people for the MerleFest.

Spring was always a marvel on the farm. What were eggs at night were little chicks in the morning. Birds that weren't anywhere to be seen just weeks ago were suddenly flying fish worms to their nests. Horseradish popped from the ground just luring me to mix up a batch and ruin another food processor! The dandelions are just big enough to eat a good mess. For those who don't eat them, they are just big enough and starting to get yellow enough to be a nuisance. People are buying plants to set out for summer growth, knowing that we could still easily get another frost--and probably will.

Coming south, we notice that the crop the farmers were harvesting the most of was manure. Corn fields are covered with the stuff and I have noticed calluses on the hands of many of the farmers coming to hear the music of the hills here at MerleFest. Many of the men are "all lamed" up. I suspect these calluses come from endless shoveling of manure accumulated throughout the winter. I remember that brother Dayne's Golden Guernsey cows produced a mother lode of it.

Quickies...
• We recently included an article about drinking raw milk that has not been pasteurized. As a follow-up, consumers in Perry County who bought raw milk from a dairy farm in Blain, Pennsylvania, has been asked by Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff to discard it immediately due to the risk of Campylobacterosis contamination. Campylobacterosis symptoms include fever, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea or diarrhea.

• We probably will not be able to provide another Benton News before sometime Monday.

• I am not able to send email from my present location, since the Sprint system is the cell phone carrier in this area and I use Verizon. As a result one of the mailing lists for the Benton News which is sent by email will not be sent until Monday or later. All other mailing lists use a web-based mailing system and will be available.

It never hurts to know how to describe your family relationships. The following definitions should help.

Cousin (a.k.a "first cousin")
Your first cousins are the people in your family who have two of the same grandparents as you. In other words, they are the children of your aunts and uncles.

Second Cousin
Your second cousins are the people in your family who have the same great-grandparents as you, but not the same grandparents. This is sometimes said "cousin and a half." It isn't correct, but it is still used.

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Cousins
Your third cousins have the same great-great-grandparents, fourth cousins have the same great-great-great-grandparents, and so on.

Removed
When the word "removed" is used to describe a relationship, it indicates that the two people are from different generations. You and your first cousins are in the same generation (two generations younger than your grandparents), so the word "removed" is not used to describe your relationship.

The words "once removed" mean that there is a difference of one generation. For example, your mother's first cousin is your first cousin, once removed. This is because your mother's first cousin is one generation younger than your grandparents and you are two generations younger than your grandparents. This one-generation difference equals "once removed." Twice removed means that there is a two-generation difference. You are two generations younger than a first cousin of your grandmother, so you and your grandmother's first cousin are first cousins, twice removed.

April 25, 2008. Happy birthday today to Alan Lamoreaux and Nathan Schlichter and a happy wedding anniversary to Frank and Sylvia Vincent. Don’t forget the Rummage Sale at Christ the King Church Saturday starting about 9 AM. The church didn't get a big crowd Friday, so there is plenty to choose from Saturday. Plan to attend the auction and food tasting Sunday afternoon at the Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center. We have the complete listing of items to be auctioned, and will have them posted as soon as we can get a wireless signal.

Providing a Benton News through Monday will be virtually impossible. I am knee deep in bluegrass at the 21st annual MerleFest, the 11th consecutive visit by Kay and I to the Wilkesboro, North Carolina, festival. The stairs seem a lot steeper, the backpacks are heavier and all events are farther away than last year. And there is no cell phone or wireless connection.

One of the stories form MerleFest was told last year by way of David Powell, Bethesda, Maryland. Some readers may remember David from when he flew his airplane to the Benton Airport to attend the O.A.T.S. Festival a few years back, then slept overnight under the wing of the airplane. David brought his new girlfriend with him on that trip. When she fully grasped that their accommodations for the night would be outside on the grass of the airfield, she concluded that the grass would be greener elsewhere and David now flies alone.

David attended one of the harmonizing workshops on a stage at the MerleFest, one in which seven singers sang together in perfect pitch. After the thunderous sound of the applause subsided, a guy at stage right came to the microphone and announced to the audience that since the audience was attending a workshop the performers would take questions from the audience. Someone in the audience blurted out, "Yeah, what exactly is harmony? What is a chord?"

One of the seven singers volunteered to answer the question by saying something to the effect that harmony is where "you sing one note and then you sing another note that goes along really well with that note." The man who asked the question then inquired, "well, how do you know what note?"

From the stage came the reply that "well, there are two notes and they sound good together and sometimes there is a third note that sounds good together, too" and somebody else said "that's a chord" and somebody else asked "what makes a good chord?" The stage response was that "I was born in the Primitive Baptist Church, so I don't know a thing about chords." Each person on the stage admitted they didn't know anything about chords or harmony and over the next few minutes it became perfectly obvious to the entire audience that the singers didn't know a thing about music--but golly could they sing!

In fact, what the immensely talented singers had learned were shape notes, a system of music notations designed to make congregational singing easier. Shape notes in various forms have been used for several hundred years for singing sacred music in the Southern United States. Many feel that shape notes can be learned more quickly and easily if the music is printed in shapes that match up with the "solfege" syllables with which the notes of the musical scale are sung. Solfege is a technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a "solfege syllable" (or "sol-fa syllable"). The seven syllables normally used for this practice are: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So (or Sol), La, and Ti (or Si).

One of the stories out of the MerleFest came by way of by David Powell, Bethesda, Maryland. Some readers may remember David from when he flew his airplane to the Benton Airport to attend the O.A.T.S. Festival a few years back, then slept overnight under the wing of the airplane. David brought his new girlfriend with him on that trip. When she fully grasped that their accommodations for the night would be outside on the grass of the airfield, she concluded that the grass would be greener elsewhere and David now flies alone.

David attended one of the harmonizing workshops on a stage at the MerleFest, one in which seven singers sang together in perfect pitch. After the thunderous sound of the applause subsided, a guy at stage right came to the microphone and announced to the audience that since the audience was attending a workshop the performers would take questions from the audience. Someone in the audience blurted out, "Yeah, what exactly is harmony? What is a chord?"

One of the seven singers volunteered to answer the question by saying something to the effect that harmony is where "you sing one note and then you sing another note that goes along really well with that note." The man who asked the question then inquired, "well, how do you know what note?"

From the stage came the reply that "well, there are two notes and they sound good together and sometimes there is a third note that sounds good together, too" and somebody else said "that's a chord" and somebody else asked "what makes a good chord?" The stage response was that "I was born in the Primitive Baptist Church, so I don't know a thing about chords." Each person on the stage admitted they didn't know anything about chords or harmony and over the next few minutes it became perfectly obvious to the entire audience that the singers didn't know a thing about music--but golly could they sing!

In fact, what the immensely talented singers had learned were shape notes, a system of music notations designed to make congregational singing easier. Shape notes in various forms have been used for several hundred years for singing sacred music in the Southern United States. Many feel that shape notes can be learned more quickly and easily if the music is printed in shapes that match up with the "solfege" syllables with which the notes of the musical scale are sung. Solfege is a technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a "solfege syllable" (or "sol-fa syllable"). The seven syllables normally used for this practice are: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So (or Sol), La, and Ti (or Si).

I'm tard! (Tard is Southern for "pooped out, tired"), I can't get on the internet until just before dawn when few others are overloading the cell phone service. The Benton News will continue to be intermittent through Monday of next week.

 

April 24, 2008. Donald and Dottie Rabb celebrate their wedding anniversary today. David Laubach celebrates his birthday today. Our apologies to anyone whose birthday or anniversary was missed. The motor home parked for the night at a Wal-Mart in Lexington, VA, and the cell phone would not send or receive email, put up the web page as scheduled or let me access the data base of birthdays. That also accounts for why today's Benton News is sent late.

Quickies...
• Richard Sutliff points out that Tim Russert and Greta Van Susteren pronounce our state's name as Pen-suh-vain-yuh. These two may know a lot about Aruba and politics, but 'round here we call it "Pencil-vain-yuh."

• The Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center is seeking a part-time bookkeeper. The Center currently operates with a limited budget; therefore, the position will be on a volunteer basis. The successful candidate needs good ability with QuickBooks and must be able to devote between 5 and 8 hours per week to the job, performing general-bookkeeping duties. Interested candidates should contact Craig Merluzzi or leave a message at The Center, 925-0163. The deadline for response is Tuesday, May 6.

• Didja know that the illegal immigrant population of the United States is somewhere around 12,916,923? Or that world-wide so far this year more than 9,390,907,971 barrels of oil have been pumped, or that more than 11,159,356 cars were produced, or that more than 33,803,549 bicycles were turned out, or that more than 26,100,494 computers are new this year? Or that the world population is in excess of 6,667,792,529? If you would like to learn more, head here.

• More than a thousand landowners showed up at an informational meeting April 16 at Tunkhannock Area High School similar to the gas meetings held recently in Benton by the Penn State Cooperative Extension. Millions of dollars is pouring into Northeastern Pennsylvania, often going to landowners who have signed leases who could profit $20,000 to $40,000 an acre if the Marcellus proves to deliver as believed, even if only 10% of the gas is recoverable. Well drilling is underway in Susquehanna, Bradford, Tioga and Lycoming counties. Presenters at the meeting reemphasized that the state does not regulate natural-gas-drilling leases. Landowners must resort to arbitration, litigation or negotiation outside of the courtroom to address grievances.

• The Wyoming Valley Civil War Round Table will present Tom Mooney as its speaker on Thursday, May 8, at 7 PM on the lower level of the Daddow-Isaacs American Legion Post, Route 415, Dallas. Tom is the columnist of Out On A Limb for the Sunday Times Leader and also teaches genealogy classes at Boscov’s on "finding your roots." The program is open to the public. If you attend, you'll learn how to find out if any of your ancestors fought in the Civil War.

• The Benton Lions Club is 25 years old in November, 2008. The club started with 40 members. The current membership is 34 members, and five of those members are charter members: Donald King, William Hess, Richard Lehet, Danny Stoneham, and Gary Strauch. Dean Kelchner has been a member of the local Lions Club for the past 18 years and when we get together tomorrow you'll learn about a new, challenging role awaiting Dean.

Microsoft has joined companies such as Amazon.com and Google in providing a web-based software system that runs from a remote-data center. Microsoft's data storage and web software system is called Live Mesh and operates from what is called a "cloud-computing" environment. The term refers to moving software applications and services from PCs to centralized-data centers where they are made available via the internet. Companies are building computing centers that will effectively outsource data processing and make it a commodity that companies purchase just as you might order electricity.

Components of the new Live Mesh service includes a notification feature, a news feature and an information window displayed by the service, a file synchronization system that files on multiple computers and a free software service that will permit users to control computers and other devices over the internet. Five gigabytes of free data storage will be included.

April 23, 2008. Happy anniversary to Jack and Nancy Laurer. Birthdays on this date include poet and playwright William Shakespeare, 1564; 15th U.S. President James Buchanan, 1791; and Illinois politician Stephen Douglas, 1813.

Prayers are needed for...
• Carroll Fritz, Stillwater, a stroke victim currently in the Geisinger Hospital.

• June Bartholomew Hartzell, Comstock Road. June, who will be 82 on June 9, is a patient in the Geisinger Hospital. She suffered a stroke in the middle of March and that affected her left side. The doctors are working to fix many blockages she has so she doesn't have any more strokes. They also found an abodominal aortic aneurysm that is quite serious. Doctors have to fix a blockage in the carotid artery in her neck along with the other blockages before they can operate on the aneurysm.

There were 700,000 more votes cast Tuesday than ever before in a Pennsylvania state primary. Something like 2,276,000 people voted for Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama. Despite a 10-point victory over Sen. Obama, Sen. Clinton still trails in fundraising and in the overall popular vote. Her win gives her a net gain of somewhere between 10 to 15 delegates, meaning that Barack Obama will fall from a lead of 161 in elected delegates to about 145.

The third annual Community Awareness Day will be held May 22 from 10 AM to 4 PM with a rain date of May 23. Last year, over 800 participated including schools from all over the county. On behalf of the event, Ola Stackhouse, Magisterial District Judge, Millville, is accepting monetary donations, small prizes to hand out and any other contributions, including bottled water. If you have a suggestion for Community Awareness Day, please contact the office of the Hon. Ola Stackhouse at 458-5501.

The 103rd annual Benton Alumni Banquet takes place May 24 at 6 PM at the Benton Area Middle/High School. The class of 1983 will celebrate its 25th reunion. The 50th year class is the Class of 1958. Invitations have been mailed to all alumni. Any reader who is a graduate who did not receive an invitation can contact me and I'll make sure that you get all the details.

There is a tack sale coming up May 3 from 9 AM until 4 PM at the home of Julie and Jerry Beishline, 25 Bendertown Road, Stillwater. People with tack- and/or horse-related items are welcome to set up a table. Call Julie at 864-3253 to make the arrangements, especially for large items (carts, horse-drawn equipment, etc.) There will be a 10% commission on all sales.

Kathy Huggins, Cedar Creek Training Stables, Millville, a certified John Lyons trainer, will do round-pen training demonstrations at 11 AM and 2 PM. Kathy will also be available to discuss her apprenticeship classes and training options. Vendors include Heather Morgan, Timberline Saddles; Jan Robinson, silver and western jewelry, Pennsylvania Equine Council, and The Retired Equine Adoption Society of the Northeast (R.E.A.S.O.N). There will be refreshments and sale items available. All proceeds will benefit R.E.A.S.O.N. Horse Rescue.

The following is taken from the official minutes of the Benton Area School Board of Directors compiled by Kathleen DeYong, Board Secretary. School-board minutes will be a regular addition to the Benton News. They are not altered, except for brevity or clarity.

The monthly meeting of the Benton Area School Board was held on March 17 in the cafeteria of the middle/high school building. Directors present included Lanny Conner, Ramona Heaps, Rick Posey, Phillip Edson, Bruce Hess, Robert Ridall, Kelly Gavin, Geraldine Newhart and Dennis Threlkeld. Others present included Gary Powlus, Superintendent; Beverly Ribble, Business Manager; Joe Goode, Middle/HS Principal; Bill Pasukinis, Interim Elementary Principal.

President Edson called the work session to order at 6:40 PM. The work session ended at 7:55 PM. An executive session was held from 8:05 to 8:45 p.m. to discuss personnel issues concerning the elementary principal position, an expulsion hearing and negotiations. The regular meeting was called to order at 8:47 PM by President Edson and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Judi Lapinski gave a PowerPoint presentation about special education in the district. Bill Pasukinis gave a presentation on the proposed new elementary Science book series. The Treasurer's Report was approved, as was the payment of the list of bills.

Superintended Gary Powlus reported that the district received two grants from the Berwick Health and Wellness Foundation. The school district will apply for next year's Classrooms for the Future grant with the help of Joe Goode, Brady Hess and Jay McHenry. Mr. Powlus announced the inductees to the Hall of Fame for 2008: Jimmie Johnson (1949), Donald Paul Martini (1950), Sue Albertson Walker (1961), and honorary inductee Warren Ketner. Public meetings were held for the biomass project on March 19 and the variance hearing April 2.

High School principal Joe Goode reported that play tickets were on sale for the King and I. It was noted that the district has been left 9% of Melba Beck Hyde's estate to establish a scholarship for needy students. There are 18 students enrolled in the alternative school program. At the middle/high school, there are 65 in both grades 7 and 8. There are 51 enrolled in grade 9, 57 in grade 10, 69 in grade 11 and 53 in grade 12 for a total enrollment of 360. Forty-seven are enrolled in Vo-Tech.

The elementary principal's report noted that "Fun in the Sun" lunch had approximately 90 parents attend. Mike Stevens of Channel 16 visited and read to third-grade students. Mary Baker, storyteller and songwriter, gave an assembly for K - 6th students. Stacy Getz, the new "learning-support teacher," began working March 5. There are 52 enrolled in kindergarten, 56 in grade 1, 47 in grade 2, 54 in grade 3, 59 in grade 4, 66 in grade 5, 47 in grade 6. Total enrollment of the elementary school is 381.

The total enrollment of the school, not including Vo-Tech or Northwest students, is 748.

Additional reports were given by various committees. The 2008-09 Option 1 School Calendar was approved. Attorney Robert Bull, Jr. will be hired at $90 per hour to represent the District for the variance/permitting process of the Biomass Project. Stephanie Zenzel will act as mentor to Stacy Getz, at a pro-rated salary of $191.17. The Junior High Girls Soccer Coach salary was approved at $880. Megan Huntington will be the junior-high girls soccer coach. Karen Good was named as junior high field-hockey coach for the eighth year at a salary of $1,265 retroactive to March 11, 2008. Clearances are on file. Kim Antanitis was approved as a volunteer junior high girl's soccer coach pending receipt of clearances.

Erin Mills was named as a substitute in the elementary school for the 2007-08 school year, pending receipt of clearances. Joanne Donahue, a cafeteria worker, was approved for leave without pay until March 31, 2008.

Extra-curricular transportation figures of $2.10 per mile, $5.00 per hour for driver for Brewington Transportation and $2 per mile, $4.70 per hour for driver for Rhinard Transportation were approved. The 2007-08 extra-curricular transportation rate is $1.80 per mile, $4.70 per hour for driver.

Extra-curricular transpiration costs for Muhlenburg Christian Academy for Brewington Transportation will be $2.80 per mile. Mary Young extra-curricular transportation figures will be $2.01 per mile. The 2007-08 Muhlenburg transportation rate is $1.85.

Bid quotations for the 2008-09 school year for extra-curricular transportation from Glen Rhinard was approved at the rate of $2 per mile and $4.70 per hour for the driver. Muhlenburg transportation from Mary Young approved at the rate of $2.01 per mile.

Paul Shaffer Disposal Service will provide garbage disposal/recycling services for the 2008-09 school year in the amount of $1,195 per month. (Last year's cost was $715.00 per month). (Fought's Disposal Service, Inc. did not bid and Keystone Sanitation Service bid $1,864 per month.)

Lanny Conner asked the Board to consider giving teachers time to incorporate new material into the classroom, such as giving teachers ten hours of paid research time in the buildings after school hours or during the summer months. Gary Powlus said many schools have such a program. He will check into it further and report back to the board.

Meeting adjourned at 9:16 PM.

April 22, 2008. It is the birthday of Jeff Kelsey and Theresa Hilley and the wedding anniversary of Frank and Barbara Edson, Park Street, and David and Amy Rhinard, Orangeville. Every day weather-wise through Friday gets better and better.

On this date in...
. 1864, the U.S. Congress mandated that all coins minted as U.S. currency bear the inscription "In God We Trust." The action was taken by the Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase, who received many appeals during the Civil War urging that the United States recognize the Deity on United States coins.

. 1913, The Times of London advocated a change in the construction and maintenance of roads. The paper noted that a reasonable average width of a main road was 18 feet, but wheels of vehicles using the roads touched only about 6 inches of the surface. To save resurfacing expenses for the entire 18 foot width, the paper offered the solution that roads be laced with four plates (two in each direction) to take the wear from the wheels.

. 1970, future presidential candidate Henry Ross Perot, Dallas, reportedly lost $450 million in the stock market.

. 1985, researchers from Washington and Lee University concluded that Martha Washington was worth 29,650 pounds when she and George were married, about $5.9 million in today's dollars.

It is finally the day of the Pennsylvania primary. Polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM. Voters in line at the time of closing have the right to vote as long as they remain in line. Only people who are voting in an election district for the first time must show identification.

It has been years since Pennsylvania voters felt as though their vote made a real difference on primary day. Things will change today, at least for the Democrats, in the race between Barack Obama (leading in votes and delegates) and Hillary Clinton (winner of the bigger states). These two have been hammering the airwaves in our state for the past seven weeks. Normally, both parties have decided on who they'll have their love affair with long before state voters head for the primary--but then who said this was a normal year? The night before an election I usually dust off an old passage urging everyone to get out and exercise their Constitutional right to vote, but this year neither the Obama nor Clinton supporters need much encouragement in this highly charged race. Except for the voters who are completely turned off by enduring the long election process, turnout should be heavy.

I watched part of the debate the other night on ABC, and wondered why questions were not asked about what would happen when troops were pulled out of Iraq so that the country would not be taken over by evildoers. Both candidates advocate that Iraq should support itself. Because both candidates are opposed to domestic drilling, I wonder how ordinary Americans are going to cope with gas prices that seem to go up with each fill-up. I wondered what the candidates thought about NAFTA and whether they believed that it was a help to consumers by keeping prices low or whether they believed it drove jobs overseas leaving friends and neighbors without jobs. These, to me, were more important than questions asked of the candidates in the period of time I watched the debate; I pretty well know about Pennsylvanians being "bitter" about some things, about the perils of landing amid sniper fire in Bosnia, about a pastor who has a different (and several other words come to mind) way of preaching, that Sen. Clinton will never win a Pillsbury baking prize. I still am confused about ties to the Weather Underground, although the subject was well discussed.

These aren't the issues that Pennsylvanians should be using as a basis for their votes. In Benton Township and Benton Borough, voters get to choose between a Republican incumbent who spends time in her district and one who hasn't set foot in either the township or the borough, according to reports. Republicans get to choose their presidential candidates from John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul. The decision about the person to head our country is the most important decision you'll have to make today. Don't get caught up in the minutia and trivia. Make an informed decision, one based not on skin color or gender, but based on what you think the pure ability of the person is to navigate our country into calm waters and eventually lead us out of some of the entanglements we now face.

The outcome of the Pennsylvania primary should be the margin of Sen. Clinton's victory, if it goes the way the pollsters seem to judge it will. Attention can then turn to contests May 6 in Indiana and North Carolina. And maybe politicians will leave us alone for a couple of months...

Someone once wrote something to the effect that life is full of chance, but only wisdom notices it and only hard work reaps its harvest. "Luck comes to those who look after it," is a way that a Spanish proverb puts it. Napoleon thought of it in a different way, "Providence," he said, "fights on the side of the strongest battalions." Mother said it a third way, "God helps those who help themselves."

We constantly read views written to the contrary, but we live in a remarkable place in this world. History has been full of men graced with wisdom, ability and hard work, men like Lincoln who carried the political wisdom of his century squarely on his shoulders. But with his wisdom, he applied it with hard work, too. With wisdom and with labor coupled, opportunity and luck are the result! The poet Vergil wrote that "Labor conquers all things."

We believe that every person on this earth has something that he is destined to do, but the combination of wisdom and labor are necessary for its accomplishment. We see too many people sitting around waiting for their destiny to ride in on a white horse.

"Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait."
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Robert Kline, Mill Street, has almost lost his headache after five days of pain. Last Thursday, as Bob wrestled with a tubular, steel fence post pounder in his horse pasture, the "pounder" ricocheted off a "creek goony" and snapped back hitting him on the top of the head where his hair is the thinnest. Blood spurted in all directions. Bob made his way to Route 487 where a responsible driver pulled his car to a quick stop and called 9-1-1 and began trying to get the bleeding under control. The driver was J. Peter Winther, 65, who is taking the bench for Senior District Judge Donna Coombe. The Honorable Peter Winther did a very honorable deed when he stopped to render assistance to a bloodied man along the highway! The Benton Community Ambulance took Bob to the Bloomsburg Hospital Emergency Room where he was stitched, treated and released.

Didja ever notice that preachers don't talk in their sleep.
They talk in other people's sleep.

The unofficial and not-yet-complete auction list for the upcoming Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center charity event is now on the top panel of the Benton News.

The Benton Farmer's Market is a producer-only market located on the corner of route 487 and Green Acres Road on the north end of Benton Borough. The market is attempting to increase opportunities and profitability for local farmers, market gardeners and producers of farm products. It will provide fresh, local food to area residents and visitors and help educate about agriculture and locally produced food products. Finally, the market will help support family farms, preserve farmland and open space, increase commerce in the region; and increase interaction between farmers and non farmers.

The market days and hours of operation for the 2008 season are:
. Friday 12 PM to 6 PM
. Saturday 10 AM to 3 PM
. Every other weekend until November 1st. plus Labor Day weekend
. May 23 and 24, silent opening
. June 6 and 7, grand opening
. Aug. 29th and 30th Labor Day weekend

Farmers may sell only crops or other farm products that they grow and produce themselves unless exceptions are granted. Contact Deb or Bob Antanitis, 925-2690 for further information.

Pat Wary watched her beloved barn swallows and then wrote saying that the "swallows have returned, as they do every year. Just a couple of pairs return every year in the spring, yet more than 100 swallows were here at the end of the season last year, and the year before, and every year as long as I've been here. How do they decide between themselves who will return here, and who will go elsewhere? And where do the others go?"

Thomas J. Yeager (November 30, 1946 -April 20, 2008), Old Tioga Turnpike, Benton, died Sunday at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where he had been a patient since April 16. He was 61. Mr. Yeager was born in Aristes. He was a son of the late Earl and Mary Yeager. He was a graduate of Ashland High School. He then served in the U. S. Army as an Army Ranger, U. S. Special Forces, 82nd Airborne Division, and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. Mr. Yeager had been employed by PP&L at the Washingtonville and later at the Berwick plant. Following his retirement, he worked outages for various companies. Surviving are his son, Thomas E. Yeager (Patty), Fernley, Nevada; a daughter, Misty Haynes (Wes), Noxville, PA; two grandchildren; and a sister, Joan Roshoe, of Florida. He was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Yeager. Funeral services will be held Friday at 11 AM with viewing preceding at the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc. with full military honors accorded by a combined veterans group. Burial will be in Elan Memorial Park, Lime Ridge.
--Obituary courtesy of the McMichael Funeral Home. A complete obituary will be published in the Tuesday edition of the Press Enterprise.

 

Monday, April 21, 2008. Prayers are needed for Jimmie Laubach, 45, Moss Road, Benton, hospitalized with complications from low-sugar count.. Jim is married to Joey Sue Bronson Laubach, the oldest daughter of David and Linda Bronson. It is the wedding anniversary today of Phil and Laurie Edson. Didja know that a peculiarity of some dialects in Germany, as well as the Pennsylvania German vernacular, is the change of the initial "t" to "d," and the addition of the letter "t" to the suffix "er." Examples are the transition from Truckenmiller to Druckenmiller, Tiefenwifer to Diefenderfer, and Taubler to Deibler. The second example can be seen in the change of Boger to Bogert and Herber to Herbert. We mention this becauseKen Druckenmiller celebrates his birthday today.

Quickies...
. The Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center Thrift shop needs some manpower once a week to take items of clothing which have not sold in a reasonable period of time to the Stillwater Christian Church drop shed.

. The library of The Center needs a volunteer to restack the shelves when books are returned to the library. A volunteer is also needed to box priced books for the upcoming book sale. Your help would be appreciated today and Wednesday, April 23, from 10 AM.

. Katie Cross is a new and upcoming English horseback show rider in the community, riding for Hidden Hollow farms. Katie got two third-place ribbons, one fourth-place ribbon and a fifth-place ribbon at the Wild and Wooly Horse Show in Hughesville over the weekend. Katie is the daughter of Allison and Ken Cross and granddaughter of Harry and Nancy McClure. As always, Paula Hosking, is a great coach and role model.

. It is reassuring to have Matt Pollock back in the community following his fall. He is now living in Stillwater with his sister. He begins rehabilitation at Geisinger Hospital this morning.

. The Benton Fire Company will hold a flower and plant sale on May 8, 9, and 10 at the fire hall. Just in time for Mother's Day!

. The Chief of the Benton Volunteer Fire Company writes a short report after each fire and posts it to www.freewebs.com/bentonfirecompany. Readers can learn about recent fire calls, view pictures of recent fires, and find information about upcoming events at the department's website.

. My first retirement went like clockwork. My second retirement isn't following the plan I had for it.

Nestled in the narrow valley where Long Run and Elk Run converge, in the shadows of Huckleberry Mountain, along the gently flowing waters of the west branch of Fishing Creek, where the perennial herb known as ginseng once grew and the maple sugar flowed easily as spring arrived, is the tiny village of Elk Grove. There over the course of many years about a dozen families called this place home. An overnight stop on what was once the Nordmont Turnpike, and later a stopping place on both the road and the railroad to Emmons in its timbering years and later in its activity during the years of the CCC Camp, contains a potpourri of history which remains very much a part of those who have called this place home over the years. Like herbs and spices thrown in a jar together, when the jar is opened, stories and family lore come tumbling out, leaving pleasant thoughts to fill the air as when close friend talks with close friend. A product of that environment was honored Sunday afternoon.

Friends of Elizabeth "Libby" Perry Lewis gathered at granddaughter Anne Lewis' restaurant south of Danville in celebration of her upcoming 90th birthday May 13. Libby has long been known for the food she prepares and has two granddaughters who own restaurants--the Ric Mar outside of Northumberland owned by Anne Lewis and the Maple Leaf Inn, about two miles south of Monroeton on Route 220, owned by Joe and "Mert" (Mary Elizabeth) Lewis Keene. Many recipes used in these restaurants came from Libby or from the parents of Libby who once owned the Perry Hotel, Elk Grove.

		Libby worked at the Benton School cafeteria until her retirement as the cafeteria manager, and when summer arrived and school closed she headed to Camp Lavigne where she was head cook. Many will remember her from her many years cooking at the Heritage House.
Picture courtesy of Jerrod Cole

"Yep, it is Christmas time again at the Heritage House
and again I am the poet for sure I am a louse.
Just couldn't resist with devilish temptation
to let the world know all a juicy explanation.
Libby and Donnie are sharing the kitchen
Both are in good moods, they aren't even bitchin'."
--Heritage House Christmas, 1979, written by Nancy Myers

"Libby counted the orders and annoyed herself dizzy
Then burned the steaks and get in an awful tizzy."
Nancy Myers, 1978

Libby and her now-deceased husband, Harold A. Lewis, lived their entire married life at her present home beside Edson's bridge, near Mill Race Golf Course. Libby still lives in the same house. One of her favorite memories of her husband was a two-person piece of lawn furniture with wheelbarrow handles and two stone wheels built by Harold. To move it, one would simply pick up on the handles and roll it to another spot, and then it would be possible to again sit for a spell. When the bench wore out, Ed Campbell made another one out of cherry wood just like the original--although Libby remembers it took him 20 years to do it!

Libby and her eleven siblings (One died at about six months; six brothers [three living], four sisters [three living]) Elizabeth, Marguerite, Bill, Libby, Robert, Lola, Frances, Anthony, Jeanne, Donald, Ruth Glenora, Frank and Ben grew up in Elk Grove, a village that in her youth consisted of only a dozen houses. Anthony Perry, a man most knew as "Tone," and Roxanna Harvey Perry, were the parents. "Tone" farmed and he managed the Perry Hotel. His annual salary of $100 obviously was not enough to raise a family and for additional income he gathered, dried and sold ginseng that grew in the woods edging his property. The ginseng root was reputed to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, protect against stress, enhance strength and promote relaxation.

The living members of the Elk Grove Perry Family.
Libby is wearing the orange in the front row.
The picture is courtesy of Jerrod Cole, who has many more here.

The maple trees along the west branch of Fishing Creek also provided revenue. These trees were tapped and the sap collected and boiled down to yield maple syrup and maple sugar, which were then sold. The sugar camp was a vital part of the family's life. Libby told about her dad making maple syrup and on Sundays, as friends and family gathered at the family home, balls of hot maple syrup would be immersed in cold water to the joy of everyone. The hardening mass of maple syrup was called "belly wax" and has long been a favorite of the Perry children.

Anthony "Tone" Hector Perry, 43, died May 15, 1932, leaving his widow with eleven children--ranging in age from 21 to nine weeks. Finances required that the boys all be sent to the Milton Hershey School where they received their education. Roxanna Harvey Perry raised all the girls, working what seemed to the kids to be twenty-hour days, cooking, mending, whatever would bring in money to keep the family afloat. Let's put it another way: "Tone" left his wife with eleven living children, all of them at home at the time, with no Social Security, no mother's assistance, no form of welfare whatsoever, no electricity, no running water, totally dependent on what they could harvest from the garden and what the older kids could make and bring home to help support the family. Ben McHenry, for example, would take clothes to Mrs. Perry. The youngest brother was named for "Uncle Ben."

There were lots of wonderful stories told, stories like "Billy and the Outhouse." Bill was the oldest of the boys, about five years older than Libby. There was no indoor plumbing in their house in Elk Grove and like most of their neighbors they had an outhouse in the backyard about 40 feet from the house. As the story was told Sunday afternoon, Billy needed to use the outhouse, but was afraid to make the long walk alone and without a light. Somehow, he managed to talk Libby into going with him. Instead of going directly to the outhouse and back, they walked about 400 yards in the darkness of the night to what was then known as "the Sugar Camp" to get a torch so Billy could go to the outhouse.

Another story was told about Libby's sister, Jeannie Perry Walters, who in a trio of the three youngest girls in the family, attended a square dance at the old hotel owned by Joe Griffith in Elk Grove. Their mother went along to chaperone. One night a young man asked Jeannie to dance. She declined the invitation because she didn't know who he was. Her interest was at a high level, however, and she asked someone she knew who the man was in the blue shirt. He said, "you mean the one with two elbows?" Now her interest was really high. Jeannie, wide-eyed, asked, "You mean he has two elbows?" "Yes, you damn fool," the man replied, "all men have two elbows. The wind went out of Jeannie's sails and she didn't dance again all night.

Don't think of Libby as a "stay-at-home" type of person. She has traveled to Europe and Hawaii, and has taken several holiday cruises. The chances are that when she recovers from the surprise of the Sunday afternoon party she'll be ready to receive visitors. In fact, I heard her say to several people as she made her rounds, "Stop in."

Libby has a son, Robert E. Lewis, married to Betty Kline Lewis. Bob and Betty have five children, two sons, three daughters. Libby has five grandchildren, four great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild. Take the time to drop her a note for her May 13 birthday and wish her well. She is one great lady!

This isn't too far fetched! The price of regular, unleaded gasoline in Benton is currently $3.549 and $3.589. Two years ago, the local price was in the $2.849 and $2.909 range. Three years ago it was $2.079.

Taxes are the second largest contributor to the price paid at the pump; the price of crude is the largest. Didja know that federal and state excise taxes on fuel account for an average cost of about 62 cents per gallon? Want to know how much in taxes per gallon you pay for gasoline? Go here.

April 20, 2008. Happy birthday to the Midwest Bureau Chief of the Benton News, Richard Sutliff, who will mark his 73rd birthday today. He says "nothing special is planned. We'll hold off on that 'til the 75th." Richard "Tuckie" Lehet is 69 today. Chuck Musitano has a birthday today, as does John Kitchen and Fred Baker. There will be a full moon tonight. We should have daily high temperatures in the 60s through Wednesday of next week.

A music jam begins at 10 AM today at the Jerseytown Community Center featuring the Cloverleaf Cloggers and the Greenwood Valley Boys. For more information, call 925-5201.

Quickies...
. The CBS Early Show will broadcast from the Henry Student Center (HSC) at Wilkes University on Monday, April 21, at 7 AM to talk to students about the upcoming presidential primary. Harry Smith will host the program from the first floor of the HSC while conducting interviews with students.

. It was nice hearing from Frank Nagle, North Fort Myers, Florida. Frank's father, H. R. Nagle, owned the grocery store next to the bank in Shickshinny and that is where Frank was born. Today it is a parking lot for the bank. Frank's dad was born in Stillwater where his granddad and grandmother are buried in the cemetery.

. Didja know that PPL placed a nest box for peregrine falcons in the outer wall of the emissions monitoring station 470 feet above the ground encircling one of the Montour power plant's emission stacks in 1966? Over the next 10 years a peregrine falcon appeared infrequently near the Montour plant in December and January. In March 2007, workers at the Montour power plant spotted two peregrine falcons on a regular basis and soon they discovered that a female peregrine was sitting on two eggs!

. Pat Wary shared information with us that skunk cabbage is edible when picked very young. Learn more by heading here. We don't not believe Pat, but we aren't going to try any skunk cabbage, thank you!

The current membership of the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society is 607, according to Society President William Baillie, speaking at last night's annual meeting. Sixty-eight percent of those members live in Pennsylvania. All four corners of the United States are covered: Maine, Florida, California and Washington. Twenty-eight percent of the members are "life" members.

Mike Stevens took time off "the Pennsylvania Road" and Channel 16 last evening to speak to the Historical Society about what he called "road pieces." Bill Baillie introduced Mike saying that his programs are always interesting, often intriguing and often funny. The programs are always viewed from a very unusual perspective. Mike has traveled the Pennsylvania road for more than 25 years. He is a native of Luzerne County and somehow finds very interesting people to interview. Mike also hosts the Home and Backyard Show, which happened to be on Channel 16 at the same time Mike was speaking to the Historical Society.

Mike talked about the wonderful stories he has heard over the years. He said "It won't be long before that history will be gone for good," referring to the history of the common folks of the area who have a story to tell. "It is best to capture it when you can, and I try to do my little part in doing some stories of some historical background." He seemed to relish telling the stories of the people who had a good time talking with him in telling their stories about times gone by." Mike has certainly come a long way since he covered the "murder, mayhem and mishap" beat of Channel 16's news as a "hard-news reporter," the days when any story which took place in Luzerne County was his to cover. One of the highlights of the night was his legendary "chicken-flying story," but the attentive audience also enjoyed his tobacco-spitting story that came from the Pennsylvania Lumbermen's Museum. The audience also roared at his story of the solution to the gypsy-moth problem in the state of Pennsylvania, a story about the gypsy-moth killing machine.

As Mike recalled the story, the inventor hoped to eventually market the gypsy-moth killing machine and hoped that the interview would turn out to be sort of an infomercial for the machine to work out any "bugs" in the product. Mike described the prototype model of the gypsy-moth killing machine, which he called a "delightful piece." The interview began with the inventor starting out, "Now for $29.95, plus shipping, handling and state sales tax, the gypsy-moth killing machine is available to anyone. Now here it is right here before you, guaranteed not to chip, crack, squeak or peal during my lifetime. After that, I don't really care. And neither do my heirs. It is the kind of machine that everybody should have in their homes, and it is available for only $29.95, plus shipping, handling and state sale tax." Mike then went into an explanation of how "this whole thing worked." Mike described how it was necessary to "crank a big wheel which pushed an arm like so and then the piston went into the chamber of death." To make it work, someone would pick up a gypsy moth, "open a lid and drop the gypsy moth in," while "you would crank over here--and out would come one dead Gypsy moth." The carcass would then drop into a little box so "you didn't get your fingers dirty" and then "you were ready to go again." Mike Stevens was an interesting and entertaining speaker.

Monday morning, Bill Baillie, President of the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society will present an illustrated talk for the April meeting of the North Mountain Historical Society about William Montgomery: Revolutionary War hero and Central Pennsylvania pioneer. The History Buffs of the North Mountain Historical Society will meet on Monday, April 21, 2008, at the Brass Pelican Restaurant. The speech-making will begin about 9 AM. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Quote of the Day:
"Genius without education is like silver in the mine."
-- Benjamin Franklin, as quoted by Fred Mitchell

Edna (Cain) Knecht Laubach (July 16, 1924-April 18, 2008), Third Street, Benton, died Friday at Geisinger Medical Center. She had been in ill health for the past 6 months. She was 83. Edna was born in Berwick. She was a daughter of Walter and Loretta (Oplinger) Cain. She was a 1942 graduate of Berwick High School. She was once employed by the Berwick AC&F. After moving to Benton, she worked for the former Dockey Shirt Factory, Dol Ang Manufacturing and for Milco Industries. Surviving are her husband, Jack J. Laubach, whom she married on June 21, 1997; her children: Kay L. Knecht, Benton; Leslie H. "Mike" Knecht (Cheryl), Palmyra and Mary L. Brittain (Larry), Stillwater. Also surviving are eleven grandchildren; two step grandchildren; twenty great grandchildren; five step great grandchildren; four great great grandchildren; step sons John A. "Jackie" Laubach (Lori), Benton; David C. Laubach (Wendy), Benton; Randall H. "Randy" Laubach (Alayne), Stillwater; Danny C. Laubach (Tracy), Benton and 12 step grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Ray W. Knecht, on September 1, 1993; a son, Thomas Scott "Ogie" Knecht in 1975; three brothers: Edward Cain in 1928; William "Bill" Cain, Nescopeck, in 1965; Thomas Cain in 1987; nephews Merle Cain in 2002 and Hugh Cain in 1975; and nieces Linda Cain in 1955 and Janet Cain in 1949.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 11 AM at the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc. with burial in the Pine Grove Cemetery, Walnut Street, Berwick. A viewing will be held Tuesday from 6 to 8 PM at the funeral home. --Obituary courtesy of the McMichael Funeral Home. A complete obituary will be published in the Press Enterprise in its Sunday edition.   Edna (Cain) Knecht Laubach

 

April 19, 2008. Happy birthday to Jim Kelsey, Don Foote, and Debbie Ross. On this date in 2005, theologian Joseph Ratzinger, 78, a hard-line enforcer of Catholic Church doctrine for the last two decades, was chosen to succeed his friend and close ally Pope John Paul II. Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, the 265th leader of the world's largest Christian institution. In 1775 on this date, the first battle of the American Revolutionary War began. Hundreds of British troops marched into Lexington, MA, attempting to capture Patriot munitions. On Lexington Green, 77 minutemen faced 700 British troops. The captain of the minutemen, John Parker, gave the order, "Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon; but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here." The British fired from behind a wall, and it became "the shot heard round the world" in Ralph Waldo Emerson's poem, The Concord Hymn. On this date in 1951, General MacArthur delivered his "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away" speech to the U.S. Congress after President Truman relieved him of his duties.

It is another weekend of numerous activities in the upper Fishingcreek valley, including a parade at 10:30 from the fire house in honor of the members of the Benton Area Little League on their opening day of the season. Former President Bill Clinton will visit Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, at 9:45. The presidential visit will take place at Arnaud C. Marts Center. Admission is on a first-come first-serve basis. Clinton will be the second president to visit Wilkes in its 74-year history. The Fishing Creek Watershed Association will hold a work day at Kocher Park from 8 AM until noon. It is the day for the Sugarloaf Fish Supper, 3-7 PM. There is a ham dinner from 4 PM at the Fairmount Township Fire and Ambulance Company, 671 SR 118. The annual meeting of the Columbia County Historical Society is at 6 PM, at the Ridge Street United Methodist Church, Almedia. The dinner is sold out, but the public meeting at 7:45 will feature Mike Stevens of WNEP-TV. This portion is free and open to the public. During mall hours, Community Day will be celebrated at Columbia Mall, 225 Columbia Mall Boulevard, Bloomsburg. Local non-profit organizations provide information on their organizations.

From 1:30 PM-3 PM you can learn about raptors, presented by Eric and Kathy Uhler. The directors of the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center bring some of the hawks, eagles, owls and falcons to the Riverlands for a face-to-face meeting with visitors. PPL Susquehanna Riverlands, 634 Salem Blvd, Berwick. From 10 AM-11:15 AM, Mary Pat Appel will discuss "Raingardens - Protecting our Watershed" at the PPL Susquehanna Riverlands, 634 Salem Boulevard, Berwick. The Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center has a landscaping-work day under ideal working conditions today from 9 to 11. Various plants will be plunked into the ground and compost will be spread. Your help would be appreciated. There is round and square dancing at Jerseytown tonight.

For a complete listing of all upcoming events, please consult the side panel of this page.

WNEP-TV is searching for the 18 best golf holes in our area. Everyone in the upper Fishingcreek valley knows a great golf hole on a great golf course. Nominate your favorite golf hole and WNEP will feature the top 18 holes on camera with WNEP personalities.

Didja know that natural gas is used to generate about 20% of the nation's electricity and heat half its homes. It is used for cooking and for powering vehicles. The potential for benefiting from previously unreachable, unconventional gas fields in the Northeast will help increase natural gas reserves for our nation. The "unconventional" part of the drilling comes from the shale in which it is found, a consistency described as somewhat akin to a brick.

Here are some more of my pet peeves about pronunciation of words. Senators McCain, Clinton and Obama are the "candidates" for the office of the president of the United States. They are not the "cannidates" for that office. Pronounce the "th" in the word "clothes." Don't wear "close." The jewelry in your possession should be treated like a "jewel," and never pronounced "jewlery." The same applies to "jeweler."

You can be held "liable" if you are sued for "libel," but don't use these two words interchangeably. In this fast-paced world, we tend to slur words and often don't accent the vowels. We "plute" our streams of conversation by not correctly pronouncing the word "pollute" and we do the same with "plice" when we mean "police" and "spose" when we mean "suppose." A word I hate is "orientate" when the correct word is a simple "orient." Dale Ruckle wrote that "here is Texas, it is the "sireen" on the "amblance."

Some words just aren't rational; i.e., conversations about the "Klu Klux Klan" should really refer to the "Ku Klux Klan." I can't explain why, but if the organization isn't rational, why should its name be rational? We don't have the "prerogative" to use incorrect words like "perogative" or "vetern." We live west of a nuclear plant--not a " nucular" plant which is often heard as it is spelled. The "t" is silent and the word is pronounced as "ofen."

Words can get confusing when there are several legitimate prefixes. Take for example the use of the word "perscription," often used when the word "prescription" is intended. This mispronunciation recurs with the same people so often that some say it "reoccurs," a word not yet invented. This country has a long way (not "ways") to go to get all our pronunciation correct. Our many years of saying "worsh" instead of saying "wash," "realator" in lieu of "realtor," play an "alblum" instead of an "album," getting "ordinance" and "ordnance" ("I wish police would use ordnance to enforce that ordinance.") off the tongue correctly. How many readers have heard the use of the word "probably" bastardized into "probly?" When we don't pronounce words correctly we begin not to be able to spell the words correctly, either. The word "misspelling" is among the most commonly misspelled words while "pronunciation" is among the most commonly mispronounced words.

Because my best walk is now slightly worse than that of Peg Leg Pete and the pain in my knee has risen to the point where it is almost impossible to either sit or stand for any period of time, I hereby announce the second retirement of my life--well, OK, maybe a "partial" second retirement. I am going to take some time and listen to some first-class bluegrass music at the MerleFest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and I want to spend time in the mountains around Boone, North Carolina. I want to start camping with friends again. I'll keep in touch, but on a greatly reduced basis. Continue to send me events that are of importance to you and I'll publish them in the Upcoming Events section of the Benton News. I'll write a column of some length once in a while, but mostly things will be kept short. Two national publications have asked me to prepare articles of a longer length than I usually write, but I haven't the time to do it now. A number of people have promised to write guest columns. I would like to just sit back and play with the Foxfire extension "Stumble." Or have the time to turn on television to something other than Snedicker.

April 18, the 109th day of 2008 with 63 days remaining until the official start of summer. Happy birthday today to Devona Albertson, Denise Hack, William Thursby, Theresa Hartman (her 88th) and Ruth Kline. Keep Lawrence Shaw, Huntington Mills, a patient at Berwick Hospital, and Edna Laubach, Third Street, in your prayers. It was great having the Taste Crème by the Fishingcreek bridge open for business today, and it was a grand day to have it open. The Benton Volunteer Firemen encountered three brush fires Wednesday and one on Thursday. It is terribly dry at the moment. Please don't burn outside. And please keep your speed to a minimum on Community Drive during this dry weather. Be a good neighbor!

Four Penn State faculty experts are scheduled to appear tonight on the ABC television news program "20/20" in a topical show devoted to wild weather and weather myths. Sam Champion, weather anchor of ABC's "Good Morning America" and weather editor of ABC News, traveled to Penn State in late March to interview the faculty members. The program "20/20" airs on ABC Friday nights from 10 to 11 PM Eastern time. A banquet for the wrestlers of the Benton Area School System begins at 6 tonight at the high school. An all-you-can-eat chicken and biscuit dinner begins at 4 PM at the Benton VFW.

The Benton Lions' Club seem to be the workhorse of the community. Members of the club give scholarships to the local high school, help the needy, collect eye glasses, plus much more. Saturday they hold their "over 80" dinner. On April 27 they gather at the home of Gary Strauch, 996 Greencreek Road, and begin their "fun" walk at 1 PM. They invite the entire community for this. Call Harry at 864-2735 or Richard at 925-2801 for more information. On Friday, June 27, they'll have a four-man scramble at the Mill Race Golf Course. The shotgun begins at 1 PM, with registration and lunch at noon. There will be a buffet dinner following the golf and prizes will be awarded during dinner. The entry fee is $65 per person or $260 for a team. Dave Riley can provide more details at 925-2563. When you call, ask about membership in the Lions club.

Quote of the day:
"So?"
--Vice President Cheney on hearing of the public's discontent with the Iraq war.

Today we'll look at some common mispronunciations of words, brought on in part, we suppose, by the complexity of the English language and the interactions of the many languages that formed our original language; i.e., the French gave us "qu" (as in queen) which replaced the Old English "cw." Sh" (as in ship) and "sch" replaced "sc" (as in the Old English "scip"). Dutch typesetters didn't help much when they added the "gh" as in "ghost." Vowel pronunciation changed as words such as "loud" were no longer pronounced "lood." "Name" took the place of "nahm," "leaf" replaced "layf," and "mice" replaced a word sometimes still used--"mees."

Latin played a part, too. The Latin word "debitum" became "det," "dett," or "dette" in Middle English until someone added a "b" to the words and the word "debt" came along. "Populum" became "peple," which became "people." The letter "s" was added to "ile" and "iland" from the Latin "insula," making the word "island."

OK. Lets look at some common mispronunciations. The word "almost" is often pronounced "pretnear." The word "Antartic" needs to be tweaked so that the word includes an arc of ants--or an ant arc--so the letter "c" remains in the word. It isn't proper to use the word "idn't' by forgetting the "s" before the "n" as we sometimes hear in the word "bidness" and "wadn't." The word "seen" is used far too often when "saw" is correct. Starting a sentence "I seen" is absolutely never correct, but old habits are hard to break. The question is should the person constantly using "seen" be corrected? Judge for yourself. I once faced a similar dilemma when I saw a female friend walking a hall trailing thirty feet of toilet paper. Should I have said something to her or pretended I didn't see her.

As the warm, spring weather continues today, the hard-working people of the upper Fishingcreek valley will not "prespire," although they may "perspire." A similar word is "prostrate," when the word "prostate" is what was intended. A problem with the prostate (this gland does not contain the letter "r") could leave a man prostrate. There is no word "snuck" but it sneaks into many conversations. Cub reporter Buster gets excited every time he hears that a fellow dog has been "spade" and wants you to know that he is not fond of the word "spay," even though that is the correct word. If you get mad at someone, don't "lambast" them. Remember the rhyme when you "baste the lamb." "Bast" doesn't fit into this picture.

We'll continue tomorrow.

Cheryl E. (Yaple) LeValley (July 20, 1946-April 17, 2008) died Thursday at her New Columbus home on Old Tioga Turnpike. She had been in ill health since December. She was 61. She was born in Bloomsburg. Cheryl was a daughter of the late Francis and Doris (Botsford) Yaple. She was a 1964 graduate of Benton High School. She worked at The Bloomsburg Hospital for the past 28 years. She served as the Borough of New Columbus tax collector for 16 years. She was a member of the Town Hill United Methodist Church. Surviving are her husband, Marvin B. LeValley, with whom she would have celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary on July 9. Also surviving are her sons Mark A. LeValley (Melissa), Broadway; Michael C. LeValley (Mary), Stillwater; and Jon M. LeValley, Mocanaqua. Also surviving are her grandchildren Kyle, Aaron, Kendall, Rylee and Abigail LeValley and a sister, Jolene Quinn (David), Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Patricia Botsford Kocher. Funeral services will be held Tuesday morning at 11 at the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc. Burial will be in the New Columbus Cemetery. Viewing will be Monday from 2 to 4 PM and 6 to 8 PM at the McMichael Funeral Home.
--Obituary courtesy of the McMichael Funeral Home. The Friday Press Enterprise will publish a complete obituary.

April 17, 2008. It is the birthday today of Blanche Getz and the wedding anniversary of Charity and Ron Robbins. Benjamin Franklin died on this date in 1790. This remarkable man was a printer, publisher, author, inventor, scientist and diplomat. He invented a stove which is still manufactured. The lightning rod and bifocal eyeglasses originated with his ideas. He helped establish a fire company, a library, an insurance company, an academy, and a hospital. He is responsible for the quote "Genius without education is like silver in the mine." Also on this date, in 1961, about 1,500 CIA-trained Cuban exiles launched the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in a failed attempt to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro. In 1964, Ford Motor Co. unveiled its new "Mustang" model. Enjoy the next three days in the 70s.

Crude oil set records yesterday setting an intraday high of $115, while crude and gas inventories fell. Gold was up $16.40 for the day to $952. And the dollar? It hit a 40-year closing low.

The Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center and the Red Rock Job Corps Center are pleased to announce a reception to display the art work of Red Rock alumni on April 26 from 1-3 PM at The Center. At the reception, 3-D art work will be shown. Refreshments will also be provided. The exhibit opened at the Center on April 3 and its display will continue through May. Please come to show your support for the arts and for the talent of these young people.

Red Rock Job Corps is a residential, federally-funded, vocational-training program that engages in a transformation effort for "at-risk" youth. The student population is a "melting pot" of cultural diversity. The center offers training in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting, business technology, health occupations, landscaping and auto repair. It also assists with advanced training and sometimes places students in college programs, and has also placed several students into arts programs.

Art is an optional offering at the center with an art class offered three days per week during school hours. In the afternoons, evenings and weekends the art center is open for student access and one-on-one involvement with their instructor, Dan Curry. More information about Curry and the Red Rock arts program can be seen on his web site .

The Red Rock art students have been featured locally, regionally and internationally. Student visual arts samples were featured in The Russell Rotunda in the nation's capitol in 1997 when nominated for the National Medal of Arts. Later, students were featured in the United Nations buildings in New York and Durban, South Africa, during the World Conference against Racism in August/September of 2001. The Job Corps art students have been invited to exhibit at Clarion University, Eastern University, the offices of US Senator Robert Casey and former Senator Rick Santorum, the BEAL Art Gallery at City Hall in Williamsport, the EMCA Gallery, Tunkhannock, and numerous other galleries and coffeehouses in Pennsylvania and New York.

Didja hear that 14 people were affected by food poisoning in Sullivan County after eating skunk cabbage when somehow the skunk cabbage was mistaken for wild onions? Although not intending to minimize the seriousness of the situation, because two people had to be airlifted and all 14 ended up in the hospital, mistaking skunk cabbage for leeks is somewhat akin to mistaking thirst for hunger.

The following men served in World War I: Ray B. Rider, Larue Hess, Sonny Hess, Karl Hess, Frease Kile. Clarence VanSickle, Franklin Conner, E.J. McHenry, Myron Savage, and Harry Chapin. I would appreciate any leads to find living descendents of these men.

Do you have someone in your family who smokes? Are finances a little tight? A free calculator determines discretionary spending on long- and short-term cigarette purchases. This is the most advanced smoking calculator available and determines both past and future spending and considers increase in cigarette cost over time, inflation, and savings rate.

Didja know that there have been 160 accidents on Route 118 in Luzerne County from 2002 to 2006? Route 118 begins at Route 415 in Dallas and continues through Luzerne, Columbia and Lycoming counties to Hughesville. Additional manpower and traffic-enforcement equipment are planned for the route, and PennDOT plans to remove seven passing zones, install new reflective pavement markers and rumble strips, and cut away overgrown brush to improve visibility. You can also expect to see an increased police presence.

So you can appreciate the time and setting, the year 1890 was the year in the up-creek settlement when the post office name was changed to Jamison City. The Millville Firemen's Carnival told the marchers to proceed in their first firemen's parade July 4, 1890. The parade has been held every year since. Yosemite National Park was created this year. C. A. Edson and Sons opened a plumbing store on Main Street, Benton. The old red schoolhouse on Market Street, which graduated its first class in 1887, was discontinued in 1890 and later reorganized as a three-year course. W. S. Hamline was the minister of the United Methodist Church of Benton. A tornado devastated the property south of the borough owned by Hilbert Helme, now known as the O. B. Savage farm.

It is hard to find detailed news of the upper Fishingcreek valley as it existed in 1890, but one source is the Democratic Sentinel published every Friday in Bloomsburg by Chas. M. Vanderslice, Bloomsburg, by William Krickbaum, Catawissa and from the beginning of 1904 by John C. Ritter, Jr. Krickbaum was elected a member of the State Legislature in 1888 and 1890. Local news seemed to be concentrated on page three of the Democratic Sentinel. Theft of papers was apparently a problem, since most of the newspapers carried this warning: "Persons lifting and using the papers addressed to others, become subscribers and are liable for the price of the newspapers." The newspaper was published until 1912.

The paper was large in comparison with other newspapers. The Argus, for example, was 15 by 22 inches, while the Democratic Sentinel was a bulky 24 by 36 inches. The Democratic Sentinel had seven columns on each page, a circulation of 600 and was hand printed on an old Washington hand press. When Krickbaum took over the paper, he enlarged the newspaper to nine columns by making the pages 28 by 44 inches. Circulation increased to about 2,500. Krickbaum was also the editor and proprietor of The Bloomsburg Daily starting in February, 1892.

For grins and giggles, lets take a look at some of the articles in the Democratic Sentinel. We'll start in July, 1875...

. "Pennsylvania has about 250 Masonic lodges with a membership of 35,000 master masons."

. "There is much talk of the scarcity of trout in Fishing Creek, but somehow every fishing party brings back a goodly number of fish. Four gentlemen who were fishing less than two days returned with nearly if not quite five hundred trout. It seems as if that might be called tolerable good luck in a 'fished out' stream.'"

. The newspaper reported an unnamed "Western newspaper" had an article about grasshoppers that caught the editor's attention. He wrote, "when it came to describing a swarm of 'hoppers' nine hundred miles long, seventy-five miles wide and half a mile deep we gave up all efforts to grasp the story--or the swarm."

• The October 1, 1876, newspaper reported that the Columbia County Fair would be held in Bloomsburg October 13, 14 and 15. "The prospects for a grand exhibition are flattering. Excursion tickets will be issued on the different railroads boarding to this place."

• The state of the economy didn't go unnoticed. An article reported that "A dish-washing machine is the latest invention. They will continue to invent washers, wringers, ironers, sewers and one thing and another, till women will not be worth fifteen cents a dozen."

• Unique sentences often caught my attention: "The extreme height of misery is a small boy with a new pair of rubber boots and no mud or slush in reach." Another sentence read, "A young colored lawyer in Washington has been dismissed from the Baptist church for playing croquet." A reader commented on his biggest problem, and offered this solution: "The best method of getting rid of bedbugs is to set the bed on fire, and then shoot the bugs as they come out." "The gypsies have a saying to the effect that 'an ass that carries you is better than a horse that throws you off.'" We assume that the statement was calculated to inspire respect for the ass.

• The paper of October 6, 1876, fretted that "they are continuing to arrest Mollie Maguires in Schuylkill county."

• Agriculture took up a large portion of the newspaper. In 1876, a good year for potato producers, the paper reported that "Potatoes command $1 a bushel. Last season an excellent quality of the indispensable succulent sold at 25 cents a bushel." On July 20, 1877, the paper predicted that "potatoes will be only thirty cents a bushel next fall" and on August 31, 1877, the paper reported that "potatoes are selling as low as 30 cts. a bushel."

• The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad north from Bloomsburg up the Fishing Creek Valley was granted a charter December 21, 1883. The newspaper did not report much from Benton before that time. Occasional mention of folks from the upper Fishingcreek valley was made, as with S. T. Harvey, Benton, "is in the butchering business, with good encouragement." "John S. Kline, Esq., of Benton, came in on Saturday and subscribed. He's a gentleman and scholar, and a good judge of papers." "Brad E. Long, of Jackson, called at our office on Monday and subscribed. Mr. Long is putting his new home and farm in good condition. "James Dewitt of Stillwater says he has a black team he will sell cheap for cash."

• The language of the day was quaint. The paper talked about "Squire Hirleman" who at the time was "lumbering in Sullivan County," but who "looks in upon us once a week and remains at home over Sunday." The paper noted that Jacob Welliver considered "coming out for Congress--but there is one difficulty in that and that is he can't find out what Congressional district he belongs in, and what is still worse no one else hereabouts has been able to help him out of the trouble. He says he don't want to get elected in the wrong district for fear he will have to move away from us people as that won't do."

• The paper made some veiled threats to the Republicans when it said "Candidates have been plenty around here for the past weeks and it is safe to say that some of them will get there, while others will wish they had kept out of politics." We suspect the general idea is still true today.

• Sickness was a popular subject, including the note that "Mrs. Joseph Kleckner, of the Exchange Hotel, has been seriously ill for the past few weeks and at times her life was despaired of."

• There was usually mention of construction in the village. Here is an example: "The M.E. Church is about to undergo a thorough overhauling. The steeple will be moved from the front to the corner; twin windows put in, recarpeted, painted, and so on." Another account noted that "Wesley & Smith are about to grade a side tack from the main track of the B. & S. R. R. into their planing mill, which will add greatly to the convenience of their lumber shipping department.

• "All our hotels, stores and other business places are doing a fair business but are like a street car--have room for more."

 

April 16, 2008. Today is the birthday of Sam Dressler, Frank Robbins and His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. It is also the wedding anniversary of Randy and Denise Hack. Keep Nick Hile in your prayers today as he faces knee surgery.

Quickies...

. A number of happenings was added to the Upcoming Events page on the Benton News today. Generally speaking, upcoming events will no longer be listed on the main web site, except for Fridays when they will be summarized for the weekend. The list of events is available from the side panel and by creating a bookmark for bentonnews.net.hosting.domaindirect.com/events1.htm..

We have all seen the kids attempting to sell tickets by sitting at tables at D.R.'s QuickMart on the opening day of fishing season. They have sold at Riverside Market and at Kmart and in Berwick. They plan to take advantage of public gatherings to make more money. They are attempting to raise money for the skate park at the Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center. At the moment, there is only enough money to put down the 60 ft. by 50 ft concrete pad. Some of the money pledged for the skateboard park has not yet been paid by the people who made pledges. The kids are trying to sell tickets for the steer that Kay and Chuck Chapman donated in order to help raise money. Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5. The beef will be cut, wrapped and frozen. The drawing will take place on the last night of the Firemen's Carnival.

Lesley Stahl made a report on April 14 on the television program 60 Minutes about John Kanzius' apparent new cure for cancer. I only listened to every fourth word as I prepared something to eat, so I didn't have enough to write a report on what I consider an important issue. No matter. I would read about it the day after in the Monday newspapers. Wrong. Little or no mention.

Dan McGarigle, El Segundo, California, memorizes everything he hears, watched the program and refreshed my knowledge of the report. Read what Dan has to say about John Kanzius and see if you think that a potential cure for cancer is as important as reporting Democratic sweetheart Barack Obama's remarks about working-class voters disenfranchised with the state of economic affairs, or John McCain proposing to cut taxes even more, or whether history will show that Hillary's refusal to accept Obama as the Democratic nominee will go down in history as the reason that John McCain has a good chance of becoming the next president.

But I digress! John Kanzius has no medical background whatever. His background is as a retired Erie, Pennsylvania, radio and television executive living in Florida. John had cancer and has been through chemotherapy.

Knowing the power of radio waves to act on materials, he theorized that if he could attach nano-particles of a metal to enzymes that can enter only cancer cells he could insert the metal nano-particles into only the cancer cells, and then subject the tumor(s) to specific radio waves. The metal nano-particles in the cancer cells would be really heated up by the radio waves and would kill the cancer cells, but not any others. He tried his theory using gold nano-particles and it worked. Highly-regarded folks in medicine liked the idea and decided that human trials will start in 4-5 years. Research is underway at the University of Pittsburgh and at a private company. Cancer cells in rats and mice have been killed. Experts agree that it is the most exciting thing to happen in cancer research in 20 years. It can probably be applied to all kinds of cancer--liver, lung, brain, leukemia, bone, etc.

He wasn't done there, either. Using somewhat the same idea, he has come up with a way to burn salt water using his radio-frequency transmitter to force together the normally separated hydrogen and oxygen in the water.

Part II of the Fundamentals of Natural Gas Exploration and Leasing was presented Tuesday night by Penn State Extension. Speakers included Earle Robbins, PSU Extension, who spoke on the "what" and "where" of gas leasing in Pennsylvania. Brenda Miller of Range Resources RRC spoke on "what the energy companies want you to hear." Tom Murphy, a Penn State Extension Educator, gave a short course on natural-gas exploration. Ken Balliet, PSU Extension, was the last speaker and discussed the factors needed to "balance" when making a decision to sign. The meeting was then thrown open to a question and answer period. Much of what was discussed is available on the internet by going to www.naturalgaslease.pbwiki.com, including the different methods of factoring royalty payments on total revenue received by the landowners.

The complexity of decision making in the drilling of the Marcellus shale became evident during the meeting. The sheer size of the Marcellus shale fields in our local area--it is possible that the Marcellus could produce more than 50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas--would exceed the Barnett, Woodford, and Fayetteville shales in all of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Many of the biggest players in the industry are building sizable acreage positions in the region, including EOG Resources, Chesapeake Energy, XTO Energy, Cabot Oil & Gas, Anadarko Petroleum, and Range Resources. Range currently holds 1.1 million acres in lease, and so the importance of what Brenda Miller had to say was evident.

XTO Energy announced Tuesday that it will acquire 152,000 net acres of leasehold in the Appalachian basin from Linn Energy for $600 million. XTO leaped into the Marcellus in a big way, estimating the Marcellus that the company is acquiring contains between 2 trillion and 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas worth billions of dollars. Additionally, there is a pipeline collection and distribution system that XTO says is valued at $50 million.

It seems as though I got a lot of people thinking I had gone off the deep end with Tuesday's post, which talked about...

. The importance in 1843 of the village of Mifflinburg about five miles south of Berwick. Thomas Mifflin, one of the leaders of the American revolution, at one time president of the Continental Congress, and the first governor of the state of Pennsylvania, was the inspiration for the naming of the village which was originally known as Mifflinsburgh. At various times, the settlement was known as Mifflinsburgh and Mifflinburg. The name Mifflinville was finally chosen in order to ease the confusion with the Union County town of Mifflinburg.

. The spelling of "Chillisquake" creek. The creek on the border of Lycoming and Columbia counties which flows through the western part of Madison Township is possibly a corruption of a Shawnee Indian word "Chililisuagi." In 1843, "Chillisquake" was correctly spelled.

. "Williamsburg on Fishing Creek." Peter Seidle owned a mill known as Seidle's Mill and laid out a village where an old community known as Williamsburg was located. He thought that the name "Seidletown" had a nice ring to it and so the name changed. When General Matthew McDowell later became proprietor of the mill he got a post office for the area which took the name McDowell's Mill Post Office. That post office got swallowed up when the Rev. Marmaduke Pearce got permission to establish a post office at his mill which he named for the street where he lived in Baltimore, Maryland, as a child. The name of the street and the name of the town were the same, although spelled slightly different. The street name was Light Street. I betcha you now can guess the current name of the old settlement of Williamsburg.

The Benton Argus was published weekly from 1892 on, but copies prior to 1910 are considered very rare. The publisher retained copies from 1910 on and many of these copies have been copied to microfiche and are kept by the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society, Bloomsburg, and the Pennsylvania State Library, Harrisburg. I am not aware of any newspaper published in Columbia County prior to 1820. Based on the "Union List of Newspapers by Category," from 1820 on there were 16 newspapers published. Mergers and resultant newspapers are counted as a single newspaper. These Columbia County newspapers will be the subject of an upcoming article.

We will take the time today, however, to mention the Democratic Sentinel, founded in Bloomsburg in 1871 by Charles Vanderslice and run by him until 1885 when William Krickbaum bought the newspaper. An article written anonymously and published in 1890 gives an excellent insight into the makeup of Benton at that time. Space doesn't permit today to go into detail on the local events of 1890, but we'll devote tomorrow to the subject.

 

April 15, 2008. Happy birthday today to Jennifer Malhoyt, Ken Bond and Jeff Andrysick.

Quickies...
. Didja know that as "gas at the pump" prices hit an all-time record high, the number of new vehicles that are recommended to run on high test has risen from 166 in the 2002 model year to 282 this year, according to the folks at Kelley Blue Book as reported in USA TODAY.

. Tonight is Part II of Fundamentals of Natural Gas Exploration and Leasing at the Benton Area High School from 7 to 9:30 PM. This is part of a continuing series by Penn State Extension to educate landowners.

. Instructor Joanne Smith will continue her series of modified yoga classes at the Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center. This new eight-session class will begin today at 10 AM, and will meet every Tuesday and Thursday through May 8. The modified yoga program emphasizes movement, breathing, stretching, and guided relaxation in order to strengthen and tone the body. Modified yoga is ideal for senior citizens or those with health limitations. Participants should wear comfortable clothes. Cost is $24 per month for members of The Center and $32 per month for non-members. For additional information, call 925-1063.

. If you placed an order for Angel Food for April, distribution will be Saturday, April 19, at the Benton United Methodist Church from 8 to 10:30 AM. Orders will be taken Saturday, April 19, from 8 to 10:30 AM, Friday, May 2, from 5 to 7 PM, and Saturday, May 3, from 9 to 11:00 AM for the May distribution.

According to the PA Department of Health, cancer is the second leading cause if death in the United States. Even though cancer mortality rates have been declining throughout the country, the rates in our state remain consistently higher than the U.S. average.

Bloomsburg Hospital, in conjunction with Dr. Douglas Jones, now offers oncology services as well as many of the special ancillary services patients need. "As a community hospital we are responding to the healthcare needs of our community by making oncology services more accessible," says Regis Cabonor, President and CEO of Bloomsburg Hospital.

Through Dr. Douglas Jones, medical oncologist, patients can receive diagnostic and treatment services at Bloomsburg Hospital. Oncology services include bone and tissue biopsies, treatment planning, medication port placement and the administration of chemotherapy. Patients also benefit from the convenience of complimentary on-site services such as advanced imaging and laboratory services.

Dr. Jones completed his residency at Temple University in Philadelphia, and is Board certified in internal medicine, hematology, and oncology.

Dr. Jones' office is located on the first floor of the Medical Arts Building in the Internal Medicine suite at Bloomsburg Hospital. He also has an office at Susquehanna Valley Cancer Center, Selinsgrove. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 387-2424.

It was less than a week ago when I was told by a female reader that she "hated it" when I wrote about history on the Benton News. She only wanted to know what was happening in the area in today's world. And it was only a few days ago when I was told to "keep up the history stuff" since that particular reader said he never learned about local history in high school. Some tell me that there is too much about gas drilling, and others say they want more gas-drilling information. All of these people forget that I only write and publish on the Benton News what interests me. Today my interest is in what is old--very old.

Now bear with me, this won't be painful. We'll hit some highlights first. And I know, I know, some of this you have heard many times. For reference, I headed to Sherman Day's 1843 History of Pennsylvania. In that year, our state looked as it does here. (Double click on the map to magnify it) Columbia County had only been around since 1813, and although it was slightly enlarged in 1816 and 1818; it was, as Father would say, a "young pup" in the state. The population was mostly of German descent. Depending on the actual date selected, there were 23 townships, one borough and a number of small villages. There were two academies, one female seminary and 114 "common schools."

The important settlements in Columbia County in 1843 included Danville with its academy, Presbyterian, Episcopal and Methodist churches and a Baptist congregation which met Sundays in the courthouse. Danville was important for its iron and in 1843, the Montour Iron Works was "the most complete and extensive establishment of the kind in the U.S. and capable of making 10,000 tons of pig metal each year." In 1842-43, the availability of anthracite coal made the industry even more important. Limestone was nearby and boats on the Penn. Canal could nearly approach the front door of the iron works. The population was nearly 1,000.

Other settlements of importance included Catawissa, dating from 1787, with its Methodist church, German Reformed and Lutheran church and a Friends' Meeting House. Catawissa had a foundry, a paper-mill, and several tanneries in and near the village. Originally Quaker, the settlement of 700 or so had shifted until it was mostly German. Shad fishing was popular.

Bloomsburg had a population of about 600 and at the time was about "two miles back from the Susquehanna." A "furnace upon Fishing creek," along with other iron works, was having a hard time surviving. A cocoonery was in "active operation" in 1842--a building for silkworms as they fed and formed cocoons. (Didja know that the standard rule of thumb in 1840 was that a thousand worms in their first year took up a square foot of space, and by the time they were five years old they took up 18 square feet of space; that three thousand worms made a bushel of cocoons; and that a bushel of cocoons made a pound of raw silk, ready for market?) The town was attempting to get the county seat moved to Bloomsburg from Danville in 1843. The town had a German Reformed and a Lutheran church "in common" and there were Episcopal and Methodist churches. There was a German church on the hill and in its cemetery was a monument containing the following inscription:

"In memory of Ludwig Eyer, born Jan. 8, 1767, died Sept. 20, 1814, in the 48th year of his age. He left a widow, six sons, and four daughters to deplore his loss. He was proprietor of Bloomsburg, laid out in 1802..." In fact, Bloomsburg was for many years known as Eyersburg, a name that was pronounced "Oyersburg."

South of town on the McClure farm, on the Susquehanna, was a stockade fort that dated to 1781. Another fort was about three miles north of the mouth of Fishing Creek.

Major Moses Van Campen and his brother Jacobus were famous in the border wars of the Susquehanna. Moses Van Campen and his brother were both commonly called "Van Camp," rather than their full name of Van Campen. They were known as Moses Van Camp and "Cobus" Van Camp. When Moses Van Campen later moved for a time to Fishing Creek Township, a small settlement on the Zaners to New Columbus road in the northeastern part of Fishing Creek Township, the area where he lived became known as Van Camp. The Van Camp post office was established in October, 1857.

. Berwick was the last of the important settlements in Columbia County in 1843. It was 26 miles downstream from Wilkes-Barre, and part was in Luzerne County and part in Columbia County. It had a Methodist church, an academy, and an impressive bridge 1,260 feet long that cost $52,435 to build that spanned the Susquehanna to the village of Nescopeck. The bridge construction began in 1814 and completed in 1818. The North Branch canal paralleled the river. A turnpike terminated in Berwick which passed through Sullivan and Bradford Counties to Newtown (now Elmira), New York. The Nescopeck turnpike leading to Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe) also terminated in Berwick. The population was about 800.

Of lesser importance in 1843 were the villages of Mifflinburg about five miles south of Berwick. It had about 30 houses, and a Methodist and a Lutheran church. There was a mill and a tannery. The village of Washington had about 50 dwellings in the valley of the Chillisquake creek. Other villages of some size included Fruitstown, at the "head of the Chillisquake valley," Jerseytown, seven miles north of Danville, Williamsburg and Orangeville on Fishing Creek, and Whitehall, four miles northeast of Washington.

So where was Benton in all this? Well the township of Benton had its first settler when it was still part of Fishing Creek Township in 1791. Remember that Benton Township didn't become separated from Fishing Creek Township until 1850. What is now Benton Borough didn't get its first settler until 1833 and it didn't become a borough until 1894. But--hey--that is enough history for today. We'll talk more about the early days of what is now Benton when we get together over our morning coffee tomorrow.

April 13, 2008. Happy birthday today to Pat Truskoloski, Red Rock, and to Judith Scavone, of the First Columbia Bank, Benton. On this date in 1865, actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth and President Abraham Lincoln attended a performance at Ford's theater and in 1912, on the fifth night of its maiden voyage, the Titanic struck an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean. About 1,500 people lost their lives. Today's temperatures are not expected to quite reach 50° but don't despair because by Thursday temperatures should be above 70°.

In Politics...
. Andy Borowitz writes that after "Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton professed an abiding affection for guns and hunting," Vice President Dick Cheney said that a hunting contest between him and the New York senator was "the only way" to determine whether Sen. Clinton's tales of her gun prowess were for real. Former president Bill Clinton thought about the concept of Cheney and Hillary both in the woods with guns and concluded that he liked the sound of that. Later, Sen. Clinton backed off from her earlier claims of hunting experience, saying that she had "misspoke" about her hunting exploits as a child. "I fired a gun once, but I didn't like it, and I didn't recoil," she said.

. The Benton News isn't publicly picking sides in the race for the Republican nomination for state representative in the 117th Legislative District, but we have to note that incumbent Karen Boback of Harveys Lake has made several appearances during the campaign in both Benton Borough and Benton Township. We have yet to hear of challenger James May of Northmoreland Township making a local appearance. The winner on April 22 will face Democrat Russell Bigus in November.

The Annual Meeting of the Columbia County Historical Society at the Ridge Street United Methodist Church, Almedia, is sold out, but the public meeting at 7:45 will feature Mike Stevens of WNEP-TV. This portion is free and open to the public and seats are still available. For 25 years, Mike has traveled throughout Northeast and Central Pennsylvania to gather stories for On the Pennsylvania Road. Mike will talk about folks he has interviewed who whittle, whistle, fiddle, climb, and otherwise do out-of the-ordinary things that interest Mike's viewers.

Several recent articles in the Benton News are quoted on a web site called "Oil - Gas." There is a wealth of information on this web site about gas-drilling in our state. The site is run by Nancy Jansyzeski, the Nockamixon Township (Bucks County) supervisor chairperson. Take a look at www.nockamixon.us/Issues/gas/gasandoil.htm if gas drilling is a concern or an interest of yours.

The next AARP 55 Driver Safety Program sponsored by the Benton Women's Club takes place May 8 and 9 at Christ the King Catholic church and fifteen have signed up through yesterday. You can read all the details of the course on Upcoming Events on the side panel. The AARP is now running a special from May 1 to June 15, 2008, for those attending their driver-safety program. For those who are AARP members, each can bring one relative, friend or other to the course and the guest will get in free. You must bring your AARP card/number with you to take advantage of this special. That means a husband and wife could attend for $10 at the May 8 and 9 program.

Upcoming (Complete list on side panel)
• April 22, 2008. Election Day luncheon at the Benton United Methodist Church, Main Street, from 11 AM to 4 PM. The menu includes ham and bean soup, vegetable beef soup, chicken corn soup, ham barbeques, hamburger, barbeques, hot dogs, hot dogs with sauerkraut, him salad sandwiches, broccoli salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, cake, pie, iced tea and lemonade. Takeouts are available.

• May 10, 2008. Yard sale to support the Mexico/Haiti Missions Trip for the Stillwater Christian Church. Location: at the south end of the Benton Borough at the home of Robert and Margie Kline. No clothes will be sold.

• May 24, 2008. An indoor flea market Saturday during the Benton Community Yard Sale will be held at the Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center, 42 Community Drive, Benton. Doors will open at 8 AM and close at 3 PM. Call now to reserve your spot inside the 8,000 square foot gymnasium before all the sports are taken. Cost for the spot is $10. Bring your own tables or sell our of boxes or racks. Spots are approximately 12 x 12. You can start setting up your spot on Friday, May 23, between 8 PM and 10 PM or Saturday, from 6 to 8 AM. The side and back doors of the gym will be used to unload your sale items. Everything must be out of the gym by 4 PM Saturday to make way for another event. Remember that you won't have to worry about the weather. You can earn extra money. It is a one-stop shopping center for buyers.

From time to time we all get inundated with spam email. While there are both state and federal laws about "email "spoofing" and other forms of deceptive transmissions, it is very difficult to track down and prosecute the perpetrators. The culprit is probably taking your email address from a legitimate source such as an email sent by someone to everyone in their inbox, or from a web site or a forum or from just agreeing to be sent "special offers." Why would anyone ever say they would accept email from unknown people to advance unknown causes when the results are so well known?

Most of the spam you receive probably comes from an automated system that subscribed to some service you use, a service where you might have been promised a free download, or a chance to win a useless piece of something, or you were registering for something like a free storm-window estimate for your house.

A lot of people tell me they have new email addresses, which makes a huge amount of work for me in trying to keep email versions of the Benton News flowing where they should go. I recommend that you keep your old email address--the one that gets all the spam. A simple delete will get rid of all the spam you collect on the old email address. Then take out a new email address with gmail.com or yahoo.com or hotmail.com and only use it to give to your friends with whom you want to communicate. We can assure all email readers that we have better things to do with our life than compromise your email address. That will never be done.

The list of items donated for the upcoming Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center auction continues...

• Enameled Steel Patio Table and four chairs, Russ Seward
• Set of barbecue tools in case, Ron & Kathi Taylor
• Group Riding Lessons, Paula Hosking, Hidden Hollow Farms
• Red Oak Clothes Tree -- 5'8" tall, Lynn Watson
• Three-sword set with stand, Kathy Wells
• Anagama Pottery Vessel, Black Birch Anagama, Michael Morris
• Fenton Rose Basket, Sharon Birth
• Nine-patch Hourglass Quilt, hand quilted, 55" x 64," The Center's Quilting Class, Carolyn Watson, Instructor
• Four Penn State University tickets--Coastal Carolina (8/30/08), Ken and Katie Knorr
• Gent's Ring--Created ruby & diamonds, Kathi & Ron Taylor
• Cast glass, "Baby," Christina Bothwell

Christina (Bender) Bothwell >home.epix.net/~bothwell/vitae.pdf< and her husband, Robert Bender >home.epix.net/~rbender/framesets/personalset.html< are frequent users of the facilities at The Center. Christina loves subject matter that includes babies, animals and children.

Baby, by Christina Bothwell She crafted a piece especially for the auction, which she called Baby, a pink cast-glass baby. The market price for this casting is $750 and the bidding will begin at $100. Her web site is home.epix.net/~bothwell/home.html. Robert writes children's books and his web site is home.epix.net/~rbender/.   Christina just concluded a show at the Ohio Craft Museum from February 3 through March 30.

She has shown at the Louvre Des Antiquaires, Paris, and the Heller Gallery, New York, NY, and other fine galleries around the world. She is attracted to glass as a medium "because it can do everything that clay can, but in addition, it transmits light." She is interested in the juxtaposition of diverse elements and working with different mediums" which allows her "to explore the tension that exists with the materials as they interact." She uses babies, children and animals as subject matter as they "embody the essence of vulnerability that is the underlying theme" in her work. She explains that "I try to capture the qualities of the unseen in my work that express the sense of wonder I feel in my daily existence."

 

April 13, 2008. Happy birthday to Brian Stedman who shares the date with former president, Thomas Jefferson. Congratulations to Denise and Dan Preston, Lansdale, and their new son, Liem Robert Preston, who was born April 10, 2008. Denise is the daughter of the late Foster and Carmen Young, Benton. The Hoboken Sub Shop marks its 29th anniversary today. The Sub Shop opened on this date, a Friday the Thirteenth, in 1979, just in time for the onslaught of fishermen who descended on the town for the opening of fishing season. An article about the restaurant appears on the FEATURES section.

Speaking of fishermen, various hatcheries in the state have set out over three million rainbows, brown trout and brook trout. Fishermen we talked to on opening day were happy with the results, as were local restaurants. There was even a waiting line in the parking lot at D.R.'s Quick Mart for hot dogs. The number of fishermen at the Benton dam was down considerably over prior years, but elsewhere the streams were full.

Sports writer Tom Austin bid a nostalgic farewell to the Benton Sports Center and owner Jay Yorks in today's Press Enterprise, as the business prepares to close in advance of the upcoming auction of the contents May 3.

Correction: All email sent on behalf of the Benton News for Saturday and internet editions of the Benton News uploaded Friday night incorrectly gave the date for the History Buffs meeting as this Monday at the Brass Pelican. The correct date is Monday, April 21. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Today's pop quiz is on any subject in which you excel. Simply go here, pick your area of expertise and have at it!

From the "So Who Gives a Hoot" Department, comes this. Some words I hear every day are mispronounced. Here are some examples of the way I hear words and terms pronounced along with the correct way to pronounce them. "Could care less" should be "couldn't care less." If you "could care less" that means you do care some but if you "couldn't care less" that means you are already at the bottom of your caring pile. Some pronounce the word "expecially" when "especially" is correct. Good. You are starting to get the idea. Here are some more.

The term isn't pronounced "excetera," it is "et cetera" based on the Latin for "and" (et) "the rest" (cetera)--two words that should be written separately, etc., etc., etc., "regardless" (not "irregardless") of how you learned it. (You said "less," meaning "without," so it isn't necessary to repeat yourself with the "ir-"). Another (not "nother," as in "A whole nother" story) example comes to mind during tax time. The word "fedral" is always pronounced "federal." This time of the year we think of growing 'erbs, whatever they are. The correct usage is "herb." An initial "h" is always pronounced in all versions of English. "For all intensive purposes" gets used a lot when correctly it would be "For all intents and purposes," a term that is both mispronounced and misspelled.

It is fun to turn on an old western movie where from time to time we hear the charge of the "Calvary," which makes me think that Jesus will ride over the hillside on a paint, when the word "cavalry" is intended. "Supposedly" is correct, but we hear "supposably" frequently. "Mischievous" has its accent on the first syllable and is correct while "mis'chievous" is not. Remember to accent it as the word "mischief" is accented. Your lawyer will issue an "affidavit," but even if his name is David, it is never pronounced "affidavid"-- even if he has "Alzheimer's disease." The disease named for Dr. Alois Alzheimer is a very serious problem for older people and should not, in my humble opinion, be minimized by calling it "Old-timer's disease." One of Mother's favorite sayings was, "there but for the grace of God goes me."

It is never "expresso; it is always "espresso." Strange as it sounds, it isn't "persnickety," but correctly is "pernickety." I don't hear it much locally, but "fillum" sometimes is said for the word "film." One of my favorites is to hear someone talk about their "carpool tunnel syndrome" when they really mean "carpal tunnel syndrome. Card players sometimes talk about "card sharks" when they really mean to use the single word "cardsharp." These are the same people who add "mannaise" to their raw tomatoes, when they really mean to say "mayonnaise." To remember, think of the short form of the word, "mayo." And it isn't "chester drawers," although possibly Chester's drawers were meant. Correctly, it is "chest of drawers. A common mispronunciation is "long-lived." Think of it as not coming from "living longly, but rather as though you were having a long life" and then pronounce it that way when you talk about "short-lived" or "many-lived," or that your cat is "nine-lived." And now I "take for granted" that you are tired of all this (but don't take it for "granite") and so we'll come back to more words that are mispronounced in a future article. If you have some words or terms you would like to contribute, perhaps something you have heard "extemperroneously," email them to me.

Didja ever think how marvelous it is that thanks to the private ownership of land and what lies under the land that neither the government, politicians or extremist group can keep us from contributing our share to keeping our nation running. Twenty companies are expected to develop the Marcellus Shale while investing $700 million. Something like two-thirds will be spent in our state.

If you have an interest in any of the early settlers of the area, consider the McClure family. Think, for a second, of the turmoil when McClure arrived here in 1772 from the Lancaster area with his wife and children and settled on what he called McClure's Choice by authority of a patent obtained from the heirs of William Penn. If you track this ownership back even further to 1769, the tract was known as Beauchamp when it contained a little less than 300 acres. Col. James McClure died October 4, 1850, the youngest son of the original owner, the first white child born in this section of Pennsylvania.

About 1778, a lieutenant by the name of Van Campen (1757-1849) and a Captain by the name of Salmon were sent to "the mouth of Fishingcreek where they made their way upstream for the purpose of fortifying the area." The site they selected was on the farm of a Mr. Wheeler. He had a daughter who looked pretty darn good to the away-from-home soldiers and they vied for her hand in marriage. Rank has its privileges, and the Captain and Annie married. They had a son who became sheriff of Columbia County in 1834.

Moses van Campen found himself in trouble in 1778 when ten Indians killed and scalped his father and he was made to march up what was called Fishingcreek Path from the Susquehanna River through Benton and Sugarloaf Township to Long Pond (now Ganoga Lake) and on to what was called Tunkhannock Creek. Van Campen and two others escaped, stole a river raft and floated downstream in the night to the safety of the forts in the Bloomsburg and Sunbury area.

Van Campen returned to the McClure homestead in 1781 where Mrs. McClure and her daughter, Margaret, needed a stockade fort around her house. Van Campen turned his attention to Margaret and his building skills to construct the stockade. When you go to the fort today, you'll stand on the exact spot where Moses Van Campen once stood. But if you look closely at the old logs, you'll certainly notice the cuts of the axe and the absence of cuttings from a sawmill. The stones of the foundation don't show the marks of a mason chiseling on rock, but were laid up as they were carried from the bed of Fishingcreek. The fort was made by the sheer brute force of manual labor with only limited benefit of tools.

Major Moses Van Campen is a hero to many people, whether they are from Angelica, New York, where he lived in his later years, or those who know of his exploits in the local area. Van Campen was born in New Jersey in 1757, the son of a family originally from Holland who came to Pennsylvania, settling in Northampton County near the Delaware River. Moses found his way to Northumberland where he met James McClure who induced him to stay to help the settlers in their continuing battle with the Indians. Van Campen remained in the area of the Forks of the Susquehanna until the end of the Border Indian War.

About the end of the year in 1783, Moses Van Campen and Margaret McClure were married. Van Campen took over the family estate, later moved to Briarcreek, and still later, around 1796, moved to Allegany County in New York state where he became an Angelica township official and Allegheny, New York, office holder. Freeholder, highway commissioner, highway overseer justice of the peach, commissioner of excise, constable, assayer, election inspector--all of these terms applied to Van Campen in his New York state life. Angelica is located off Route 17/I-86, 85 miles south of Rochester and Buffalo, in the southern tier of New York State, just north of the Pennsylvania state line.

Margaret McClure Van Campen died in Dansville, New York, in March, 1845, and the aging retired Major, 92, died four years later.

The former McHenry House, Main Street, Benton Van Campen was so much loved in the local area that following a fire in which the Benton hotel known as the McHenry House burned to the ground, another hotel was built in the same spot within two years and that hotel was called the Hotel Moses Van Campen. Both hotels were in the present location of D.R.'s Quick Mart, owned by Dean and Beverly Ribble.

Geraldine Laubach remembers that her mother, Carrie Perry Yost, worked during her high-school years in the McHenry House. She would get off school at noon and run to the hotel in order to begin work before the noon Bloomsburg & Sullivan train arrived.

The McHenry House burned after it had been in operation for many years. Within hours it was completely gone, with only walls from adjacent stores still standing. In the fire, five firemen were trapped when the wall collapsed. The financial effect of the blaze was preliminarily estimated at $50,000 in 1931 dollars. Dayne Kline told me about standing on Burr Appleman's front porch as he watched the fire from across Main Street. Dayne, then 12, watched as a wall of the hotel collapsed on a group of firemen standing in the alley between Max Herr's store and the hotel. Max Herr's clothing store once occupied the building that burned a few years ago housing the Benton Flower Station. At the time of the fire, the owner of the hotel was a man by the name of Gibson who had bought the hotel building, a three-story frame building with 40 guest rooms, from John H. Knouse in 1928. Knouse held the mortgage at the time of the fire. John H. Knouse was father of Jacob Knouse, who later owned the Hotel Moses Van Campen.

During the spring of 1933, a hotel was erected on Main Street in Benton "for the convenience of the traveling public" who followed the "trace laid out by the first explorer" and was fittingly named after him. The hotel took the name, The Hotel Moses Van Campen.

The Berwick Enterprise in its edition of April 12, 1933, reviewed the newly opened hotel, saying "Fitted with every convenience for the Traveling Public, new to the last piece of furniture, and under the ownership and management of John H. Knouse, this hotel is prepared to entertain you royally whether on business or pleasure bent." The newspaper didn't stop there: "Benton's Hotel Moses Van Campen is one of the most finely appointed in this section of the state."

Many readers won't remember the hotel. It was a three-story frame-constructed building, painted white with an interior finish of natural-yellow pine. The size of the building was 42x100 and it stood three stories high. On the first floor was a large-dining room which could be closed in sections so that several groups could be accommodated at the same time with privacy for each group. The first floor had a large living room, a completely equipped kitchen and a coffee shop. In its original configuration, the hotel had 18 guest rooms on the second floor, four of which had "shower baths." Two other bathrooms had private baths. There was hot and cold water in each of the other rooms. The Enterprise noted that "all of the rooms are attractively and comfortably furnished." Each of the rooms had outside lighting and were on opposite sides of a long corridor which led through the center of the upper floors. On the third floor, there were an additional 18 rooms, but these rooms were not completed when the hotel originally opened.

The owner, John Knouse, had operated a hotel in Benton for many years and knew the business very well. His stated intent was to "make the hotel attractive for tourists and for summer boarders."

Benton had been without a hotel since the McHenry House burned, and the community eagerly looked forward to the grand opening of the hotel someone called "The Pride of Fishingcreek." A Sunday meal of chicken and waffles in the dining room was about the best eating one could find in the upper Fishingcreek valley.

There are many things I wish I could do today, but three of the biggest are that I would love to ride the Bloomsburg and Sullivan railroad to Bloomsburg, and I would love to have another meal in both the Pied Piper Inn and the Hotel Moses Van Campen. None of that will ever happen again, but we certainly can wish for it, can't we...

April 12, 2008. Happy birthday today to Susan Ridall and Deborah Hess. Enjoy today's 67° because it will be a few days until a day like that comes back.

There are a ton of things to do this weekend, including breakfast from 7-11 at Sylvania Lodge Hall, Reyburn, a Buckwheat Cakes & Sausage Supper beginning at 3 PM at St. James Church, Bendertown, and the Ham Supper, 4:30-7 PM, at the Town Hill UM Church--all good ways to get refreshed after volunteering some time to help landscape The Center which would be a nice thing if you would help from 9 until noon. There is Round and Square Dancing from 8-11 PM at Jerseytown Community Center. Stained Grass Window with David Hampton and special guest musicians show up at 6 PM at the Raven Creek Community Hall.

Bill Baillie will present an illustrated talk for the April 21 meeting of the North Mountain Historical Society about William Montgomery: Revolutionary War hero and Central Pennsylvania pioneer. Gen. Montgomery led a patriot militia regiment in early battles of the Revolution, then helped to forge a new American society in our region as President Judge, state senator, congressman, commissioner, surveyor, and founder of Danville. He developed 80,000 acres of prime Pennsylvania land, including many tracts in the watersheds of Little Fishing and Little Muncy Creeks. Bill Baillie is President of the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society and author most recently of The Whitmore Saga. The History Buffs of the North Mountain Historical Society will meet on Monday at the Brass Pelican Restaurant. Mr. Baillie will climb behind the lectern about 9 AM. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Don't forget to mark your calendar to attend the Village Sampler and Fun Auction on April 27 starting at 4 PM in the gymnasium of the Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center. There are some really valuable items. Some excellent items have come in with more on their way. We will publish the entire list in the Benton News and we'll start with limited items today, including...

. Three Private Riding Lessons, donated by Paula Hosking, Hidden Hollow Farms.
. Small Anagama Pottery Vessel, Black Birch Anagama, donated by Michael Morris
. Dental Hygiene and Cleaning, Cross Family Dentistry, $86 Value
. 42" Indian Doll, Kathy Wells
. Lined Longaberger Basket and Book, Sally Brewington
. Ice Blue Fenton Fairy Light, donated by Sharon Birth
. A 65" x 82" machine-stitched quilt, donated by Naomi Kinney & Community Club Homemakers
. A Brass Pelican Peanut Butter Pie, donated by Monica Diltz
. Emerald earrings, donated by M. Butche' Antiques & Estate Jewelry
. A Ten-Year Center Membership, donated by the Board of Directors of The Center

Don't miss the chance to bid on the first, the only, ten-year family membership in The Center. A family membership currently costs $399 annually, so the value of a ten-year family membership will be $3,990 at current rates. Of course, if you are single, the value is lower. Nevertheless, here is your chance to save some big money and have the satisfaction of knowing you and your family will not have to worry if the price goes up during the next ten years. A family is defined as parents and dependent children. Of course, two adults without children (yet) would also quality and all future children will qualify. The winning bidder will have until May 4, 2008, to pay the bill.

The participating food vendors include Balzano's, Benton Women's Club, Bissinger's Catering, Brennan's Big Chill, Central Park Hotel, Creekside Family Restaurant, Hoboken Sub Shop, Kristie's Kafe', Kozy Korner, The Old Filling Station Restaurant and The Old Filling Station Catering, Sakuntala, Strevigs' Catering/Strevigs Family Restaurant, and the Town Perk.

There are only 500 tickets that will be sold. Buy your tickets for this popular event in advance at The Center or at The Center's Thrift Store, or by calling 925-6972. Here is a sample of one of the many items that will be auctioned off. This one was donated by Lon Baker, who last lived in Benton 42 years ago. Lon's parents were Gerald and Nola Baker who moved to Benton from Talmar in 1949 and lived there the rest of their lives. Lon graduated from Benton High School in 1966 and went on to Penn State where he earned a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering.

Lon lives in a renovated farm house a few miles north of Midland, MI. He keeps a wood-turning studio there, a nice diversion from the almost forty years of studying and practicing Chemical Engineering and pursuing a hobby in furniture and cabinet making. Lon began to experiment with segmented-wood turning in 2004. The result has been a new focus for Lon and for others who find his bowls, vases and vessels so pleasing. This art form allows Lon to work with beautiful wood from around the world and satisfies his engineer's need to design and build objects by solving mathematical puzzles.

The combination of colors, patterns, shapes, and styles possible in segmented wood turning provides an unlimited opportunity to devise new and interesting pieces. This is one of three creations that Lon has graciously donated to the upcoming auction.

Florence Brady, the massage therapist who until a few years ago had a studio on Mill Street, has made arrangements with Dr. Dale Neiderhiser to use his office at 220 Main Street on Tuesdays starting Tuesday, May 6. Her hours are by appointment only from 9 AM to 8 PM. She can only do 30-minute massage treatments at this time. Her rates are $18 and a discount for seniors to $15. Appointments can be made by calling 356-2549. It will be nice seeing Florence Back Home in Benton, PA, and at the same time she is" looking forward to being back in Benton and seeing my old clients."

If you want to really find out what is going on in Iraq and if you don't trust the major news networks to provide all the news of the area, consider turning to www.defenselink.mil/.

When we get together Sunday morning over a cup of coffee, we'll tell you about the grand celebration in Benton when the Hotel Moses Van Campen opened in 1933.

 

April 11, 2008. Happy birthday to Bud Allegar, Taylor Remphrey, and Dorothy Kocher. Ron and Sheila Thompson celebrate their wedding anniversary today.

Quickies...
. According to Thursday's Patriot News, more than 30,000 patients who were hospitalized in Pennsylvania in 2006 contracted infections during their hospital stays, an increase of 60% over 2005 when hospitals reported more than 19,000 patient infections. The year 2006 was the first year in which the institutions were required to report to the state all types of infections acquired in hospitals.

. Most old-timers remember the one-shot Polaroid film format, you know the one where a stinky, square photo comes shooting out of the camera soon after you take a shot, then magically transforms itself from a milky, unreadable picture into an image that, if not touched by human hands, will last an eternity. Many years ago, groups of us would stand around after taking a picture and simply watch the transformation from what looked like the Milky Way into a lasting memento. Photos are still taken with a Polaroid when renewing driver's licenses. There are no negatives, no digital copies and no consistency in how the photos will turn out. The company will no longer produce instant film lines after the first of the year, and will shut plants in Mexico, Massachusetts and the Netherlands. About 450 workers will be laid off.

. Yellow brochures are beginning to appear at area restaurants proudly announcing that they will be participating in the fifth annual Village Sampler auction coming up April 27. This popular event will be structured much the same as in previous years, with food served from 4 PM until 5:45 PM. The auction begins promptly at 6 PM at the Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center, Community Drive, Benton. All proceeds will benefit your Community & Cultural Center. There will be music, and food and drinks (non-alcoholic, of course), and wonderful auction items. Tickets are available at The Center and at The Center's Thrift Shop on Mill Street. You can call 925-0163 for more information. Admittance, including the food, is only $10 for members and $12 for non-members.

. Nationally, it appears that demand for raw, unpasteurized milk is increasing because of concerns about the chemicals, hormones and drugs used in traditional dairy farming, and because of interest in organic and locally grown foods. The federal government and a majority of states prohibit sales of raw milk to the public, claiming it is responsible for hundreds of people sickened in the past decade with salmonella, E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes and other bacteria. Others claim raw milk provides relief for allergies, asthma, autism and digestive disorders. Those of us who grew up on a farm have had our share of raw milk and the most that is wrong with us is a thickening around the middle and a thinning at the top of our heads.

. While spring seems to be late in arriving this year, the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. peaked at the start of the city's scheduled cherry blossom festival. That is a rare coincidence.

. Join the Nature Conservancy and the Keystone Trails Association as they hike The Haystacks and Dutchman Falls in Sullivan County on Saturday, May 10, from 10 until 2. The Haystacks and Dutchman Falls Hike is three miles starting at the Mead Road parking lot near Laporte, hiking along the Loyalsock Trail and side trail to view the maze of weathered rock domes created as the waters from the Loyalsock Creek which eroded the softer sandstone leaving mounds of resistant rock. The hike continues on to Brook Kedron, which flows through a hand-cut and laid-stone double culvert under the railroad and flowing over bedrock in a series of long-slide falls. Space is limited. Please RSVP by May 2 to Molly Anderson, 717 232-6001, ext. 117.

There are always two sides to every issue. We get email from a lot of landowners, but we get comments from people opposed to drilling, too, essentially saying that landowners are placing the health and welfare of their neighbors and their families below making a few dollars. We heard several comments of this nature Thursday night at the high school. In the interests of fairness, here is an example of an email we received which is opposed to the concept of local gas drilling. The email came from an old friend, the Rev. Dr. Donna Laubach Moros, Retired Presbyterian Minister, residing in Merida, Venezuela, in the snow-capped Andes Mountains. Donna was confirmed in the Presbyterian Church, Benton. Donna writes,

"Dear friends in Benton. I write to imagine my grandfather's old farm at Benton RD2 as an oil farm. This seems to me against the very principles of land usage, and the use the creator meant for our resources given the fact of global warming, the increasingly depleted oil reserves of our world, and the rush for alternative fuels. We have about fifteen years left to burn fossil fuels, in case no one really knows this. I have seen wind power in Spain do an enormous job toward renewable energy. I would rather see the land from my grandfathers and my family homestead used for wind towers. I hope the companies will not drill in the Ricketts Glen park. I always went hiking there with my dad, Harold. May God help us all to talk and think about a theology of creation. Some new way of thinking has to help us all to stop our appetite for oil energy, and we must begin thinking about renewable energy ASAP.
.
"My children and grandchildren have reminded me that they will be in the next wars which will be over water. They have all been involved in issues of ecojustice, and worry about the world's resources. Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans and United Church of Christ folks all talk about the stewardship of the earth. I pray for us all in the midst of this time and place." Donna

Thursday night's workshop on Fundamentals of Natural Gas Exploration and Leasing featured speakers from the Department of Environmental Protection, the Cooperative Extension and from two attorneys. These people are knowledgeable about gas leases and gas-exploration activities in the area. Their web site on the subject of gas drilling can be found at http://naturalgaslease.pbwiki.com.

. Tioga County Extension Director Earle Robbins provided an "Introduction to Natural Gas Leasing and Exploration" in which he stressed that people need to understand what they are signing when they are approached by a leasing company. Agencies representing gas-drilling interests are literally going door-to-door to get landowners' gas and oil rights. Robbins talked about the consequences of signing away gas and oil rights, discussed the way leases are different and outlined how drilling companies have almost exclusive rights to put in roads, use waterways and cut trees. He made the point "Before you sign anything, understand everything." He covered the history of oil and gas drilling and utilization in this country starting in 1821 in Fredonia, New York, through discovery in Pennsylvania and the introduction of a practical application for the utilization of gas twenty years later. He discussed the Dominion Pipelines and the Millennium Pipelines. He talked about the Pennsylvania Game Commission leasing of public lands for gas drilling.

. Joe Umholtz, DEP Division Chief, Bureau of Oil and Gas Management, gave an overview entitled "DEP: A Regulatory Perspective for Gas Leasing." The subject was basically DEPs role in well drilling and how it impacts landowners. He went over the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Act and talked about the number of permits issued in the state in 2006 and 2007. He made the point that generally speaking the oil and gas lines in the state of Pennsylvania are the state borders. The environmental impacts of gas drilling, including effects on the water table, are important considerations. Landowners are advised to have their water tested before drilling occurs. Umholtz talked about the need for E&S (Erosion and Sediment) studies and made the point that the regional office of the Bureau of Oil and Gas Management will investigate all complaints regarding the degradation of any water supply relating to gas drilling. The number to call is 717 772-2199.

. Williamsport Attorney Lester Greevy of the law firm of Greevy & Associates and his associate, Dale A. Tice, a lawyer representing landowners in lease negotiations, discussed "Understanding and Negotiating a Gas Lease" based on their experiences with the legal issues of the business. Greevy pointed out that the lease offered to landowners is not the lease that the landowner must sign and it probably does not contain the terms and conditions most favorable to the landowner. In fact, it is best if the landowner does not take for granted that many of the conditions in the initially offered lease are in his favor. Terms that are silent in the lease could come back later to bite the landowner. The lease should cover all the terms of the lease and the royalty payments that will be made. The maximum number of wells drilled on the property should be stated. Environmental aspects of a lease include traffic, noise and 24-hour lighting at the drill site. There should be a firm understanding of the site-restoration requirements, all liability issues, abandonment terms and issues concerning pipelines that would be constructed on the property. The issue of the extension clause--what happens when the initial lease is over--needs to be replaced with a "right of first refusal" clause so the landowner can seek the best deal when the initial-lease period expires. The clause gives the landowner the opportunity to re-bid the lease arrangement in the competitive marketplace while giving the company the right to match any offer the landowner receives.

Some leases that are offered to the landowner include a clause giving the company rights to all minerals contained on the property. Greevy suggested negotiating an addendum giving the company rights only to the property's natural gas. Greevy recommended adding an arbitration clause to a lease so that disagreements that arise between the company and the landowner may be resolved out of court. Attorney Tice pointed out that in the state of Pennsylvania when a lease is signed and mailed it becomes a binding document; the normal elements of a binding, legally enforceable contract are not required. In other words, "consideration" is not an element of a binding legal gas-lease contract. The point was made several times that landowners have one chance to get it right. Landowners should not be pushed and signing the lease is not urgent.

. Jackie Root, a consultant for landowners, discussed "Understanding Gas Leases from a Landowner's Perspective." Jackie is striving to do the same thing in Columbia County that occurred in Wayne County where 781 willing property owners signed leases in the past 15 months according to a Wayne Independent article of April 10, 2008. Ms. Root gave her standard-lease talk which has been given at a number of local sites including Fairmount Springs, Unityville and Montoursville.

Part II of the series put on by Penn State Extension will take place next Tuesday night, April 15, at the Benton Middle/High School. That program will be somewhat different from what was first advertised. We'll provide the latest version of the program in a future article. During Part II, "Understand Gas Leases From an Industry Perspective" will be presented by Brenda Miller, Range Resources--Appalachia, Inc., and she will discuss what the energy companies want you to know. Ken Balliet, an extension agent from Snyder County, will review financial aspects of gas leases. The tax consequences of a gas lease should be considered. As much as 20 to 30% will go to income taxes. Estate planning, personal financial planning and basic steps to investing gas income need to be considered.

For folks interested in this subject north of our area, on Wednesday, April 16, Penn State Extension and the Wyoming County Conservation District will host a seminar on Fundamentals of Natural Gas Exploration & Leasing at Tunkhannock High School, Tunkhannock. An open house runs from 5 to 7 PM with the seminar from 7 to 9:30 PM. Representatives from ten gas-drilling companies will speak during this session.

 

April 10, 2008. Happy birthday to David DePoe and Bridget Andrezee.

The Benton Lions Club will hold its free "80 and Over Dinner" at the Waller Memorial Hall at noon on Saturday, April 19, for anyone who lives in the Benton School District. Reservations should be made not later than April 14. Call Vernon McDormand, 925-6066, Gary or Alice Strauch, 925-6610, or Allan Harvey, 925-5081, for reservations.

A dog was recently killed in Hughesville by a group of "strange dogs." A representative of the East Lycoming School District confirms that the SPCA "put down" the dogs Wednesday morning. School students who walk to and from East Lycoming schools must feel a lot safer this morning.

A well-researched article by Mitch Rupert about sophomore Benton wrestler Eric Hess appears in today's Press Enterprise.

Quote of the Day:
"True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be and will not be."
--Author unknown

 

April 20, 2008. Jerseytown Jam at the Jerseytown Community Center Sunday featuring the Cloverleaf Cloggers and the Greenwood Valley Boys. Doors open at 10 AM. "Good Pickin' - Good Jammin' - Good Eats." For information call 925-5201.

It is volatile out there! Crude oil prices touched an all-time record high Wednesday as the US Energy Information Administration reported that crude oil inventories fell by 3.2 million barrels in the week ended April 4. West Texas Intermediate crude for May delivery hit a record $112.21 per barrel, while May contracts for Brent crude added $2.54 to $108.88 per barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London. Interestingly, a nation hungry for fuel and energy sources turns to the local area for some relief in the area of gas.

Bruce Anderson, the Columbia County Coordinator for gas leasing, tells us that "We had a very good turn out (Tuesday night), with approximately 200 landowners either seeking more information or wanting to join our group." The next meeting of the group will take place--after the Penn State Extension meetings that we discuss in the following paragraph--on Monday, April 28, 2008, at 7 PM at the Benton Fire Hall. Bruce Anderson will give a presentation at that time on the tour of the Kensinger well that the Benton News mentioned in its edition of April 7. Bruce will present the effects of a lease on Clean and Green, CREP and CRP for Columbia County landowners. Bruce remains committed to the group effort and says he "looks forward to more landowners joining our group." The group Bruce heads is an all-volunteer group so there are no fees involved. He noted that "no one should be forced or scared into signing a lease. A lease should be reviewed by a lawyer before signing." The current lease rate is approximately $1,500 to $2000 per acre with a group, so beware if someone is offering much less.

The discussion tonight at the Benton Middle/High School will be on Marcellus shale, the "hot topic" of the area. There is a chance for prosperity for many cash-strapped landowners following the announcement late last year that Fort Worth based Range Resources successfully found gas in the western part of the Marcellus Shale. A combination of factors suddenly made the gas profitable and possible to remove from its long rest deep in the earth. With the general rebellion against the foreign dominance of oil and the high price of crude and natural gas, suddenly gas made sense locally to extract from the earth. The hope of a cash injection into the local area was a welcome relief to many.

Wells in the Marcellus shale were suddenly capable of producing four million cubic feet a day using an expensive process known as "horizontal drilling," where the drill hole extends vertically 7,000 or so feet, then branches to the horizontal. The driller then breaks up the shale and opens the way for large amounts of gas to be extracted.

As lease prices increased from a mere pittance an acre within the last year to (usually unsubstantiated) reports of leases in excess of $2,000 an acre, coupled with higher and higher royalties, landowners from the Catskills to West Virginia began jumping on the bandwagon. There are now about a dozen active wells in the Marcellus, but like most of the information on Marcellus, the information is difficult to verify.

Penn State Extension will present a program this evening on Fundamentals of Natural Gas Exploration and Leasing, with a second part coming up April 15. Bruce Anderson, Derrs, set up the meeting with the Columbia County Extension as a way of educating landowners. The first part will be tonight from 7 to 9:30 PM at the local high school on Park Street, Benton. For drivers unfamiliar with Benton, turn off Route 239/487 near the Uni-Mart on Park Street and drive to the Benton park. There is a $15 fee for both part I and for part II--$30 for the combination of both sessions. For both parts, register in advance at 784-6660, x18.

Tonight's program will consist of...

. "Introduction to Natural Gas Leasing and Exploration," a presentation on gas-leasing process by Earle Robbins, Tioga County Extension Director.

. Jackie Root, a consultant for landowners, will talk about "Understanding Gas Leases from a Landowner's Perspective."

. Thomas Murphy, a Penn State Extension Educator, will give a short course in natural gas exploration.

. Attorney Lester Greevy, Williamsport, will talk about "Understanding and Negotiating a Gas Lease."

Susan E. Westover (July 27, 1911-April 7, 2008), a native of Sugarloaf, died Monday at her home at 1601 Seidel Avenue, Lightstreet. She was 96. She was a daughter of the late Merrill and Laura (Hess) Fritz. She graduated from the former Fishingcreek Union High School, Bendertown. Her early life was spent in Fishingcreek Township. She was a resident of Lightstreet since 1940. She was the oldest member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Bloomsburg, and was a member of the Lutheran Church Women (LCW) at the church. She also taught Sunday School for 25 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean A. Westover, on August 30, 1993; and by two brothers: Melvin C. Fritz and James O. Fritz. Surviving are five children: Edna N. Kessler, Bloomsburg; Victor A. Westover (Louise), Lightstreet; Beverly A. Neufer (Richard E.), Sandra L. Thomas (Robert E.), David E. Westover (Sonja), all of Bloomsburg; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; a nephew and two nieces. Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 in St. Luke Lutheran Church, 9 St. Luke Way, Bloomsburg. Interment will be in the Highland Cemetery, Lightstreet. Friends may call on Thursday from 6-8 PM at the Dean W. Kriner, Inc., Funeral Home, 325 Market St., Bloomsburg, or at the church on Friday after 1 PM.
--Obituary courtesy of the Press Enterprise where a complete obituary can be found in its edition of April 9, 2008.

 

April 9, 2008. Happy birthday to Lou Kwasny, Central. On this date in 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. The Civil War was at its end. Grant had written to Lee saying that continuing to fight was hopeless. Lee responded, "Though not entirely of the opinion you express of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and therefore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer, on condition of its surrender." Read more of the resultant encounter between Grant and Lee and the end of the Civil War here .

Didja know (according to the Los Angeles Times) that there are 1,000 million-dollar properties currently for sale in Las Vegas? And didja know that 51% of all the unsold houses in Las Vegas are vacant? Speaking of statistics, the Buffalo News in its Tuesday edition reported that at least "18,450 children in Buffalo are growing up in low-income homes headed by women alone." Buffalo seems like the "fatherless" city.

The L.R. Appleman Elementary School has received a $30,000 grant to enhance its information-literacy program. The staff at the elementary school will be working closely with a liaison from Commonwealth Libraries. Equipment to be purchased with the grant will include twenty-five laptop computers, a color-laser printer, and a mobile cart. Teachers will attend training sessions to become proficient with the technology, as well as learn new ideas to integrate this technology into the classroom. Student learning will focus on the ability to locate, evaluate and effectively use needed information. Kelly Lutkiewicz, elementary librarian, will coordinate the grant.

Attention Non-Profit Organizations! Bloomsburg Area Community Foundation applications for the 2008 Grant Awards are now available. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 16, 2008. Applications can be obtained at the law offices of Hummel & Lewis, 3 East Fifth St., Bloomsburg, or by contacting Jill Creveling at 570 784-7666.

Street sweeping will begin in Benton Borough on Tuesday, April 15, and continue through Wednesday, April 16. Residents are reminded to move their vehicles from the street on these dates to allow the equipment operator to perform this work properly. It would be appreciated if citizens would sweep their sidewalks prior to the street-sweeping process.

Just when you thought that you had the latest technology, along comes something that blows it away. Readers are still confused about analog television and the impact to them on February 17, 2009, the last day for full-power television stations to broadcast in analog. After that date, full-power television stations will broadcast in digital only. There are a couple other things that boggle people's minds and we'll mention two of them. The first is the coming generation of internet, known at the moment as "the grid," developed by Cern. The second is what to look for in buying an HDTV television. Let's look at them one at a time. First the grid.

Grid technology should change computing and solve a huge data storage and analysis challenge and do it this year. A gizmo known as the "Large Hadron Collider," which happens to be the biggest scientific instrument in the world, gets turned on this year. What is its capacity, you ask? It will be about 10 Petabytes a year--which is more than 1000x the amount of information in book form printed every year around the world. That figure represents something like 1% of all information that humans produce on the planet each year. You will be able to download a feature film in seconds at speeds 10,000 times faster than a typical-broadband connection. That is the future and it will be introduced in 2008.

Rather than attempt to describe the grid, go here to learn what it is, how it works, who it will affect, what it is capable of, and its timetable to enter our lives.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you are considering buying a HDTV.

. Buy the right size. Measure where the television set will be placed. You'll get confused if you wander into Best Buy or Circuit City and try to figure out the correct size from one hanging on the wall.

. Buy the right type. High definition TVs come as LCD and plasma. An LCD TV uses technology like what is in the computer monitor you are looking at now. LCD television advantages include no burn-in susceptibility, cooler running, less screen glare, more functional at high altitudes, generally a longer display life, and it looks better in brightly lit rooms. Plasma televisions generally have better contrast ratio, better ability to render deep blacks, more color depth, better motion tracking (response time), and more availability in very large-screen sizes. A rule of thumb is to decide which is better for you by determining the size set you buy. For smaller sets, LCD is usually the way to go, and for larger sets, plasma would be the better choice.

* Supported Formats. HD video generally falls into two categories--720p and 1080p/1080i. If you ever intend to buy a Blu-Ray player/gaming console, 1080p is the way to go. Be aware that the way things get upgraded, HD broadcasts currently in 720p or 1080i could be obsolete in the future.

* Contrast Ratio. Quality does matter. Do what you want, but the Samsung or the Sony seem top notch and give very acceptable contrast ratios--the ratio of the brightest color to the darkest color that the set is capable of producing. The higher the contrast ratio, the richer the picture. Brights will look brighter, and the darks will look darker. Get the highest possible contrast ratio since you'll probably have the HDTV set for a minimum of ten years, possibly much longer.

Sources. HDTV on an analog cable signal will leave you very disappointed. HD programming from your local cable company or satellite provider via an HD set-top box is what you need in order to be satisfied. Dish Network locally does not currently carry the local television stations in high definition. Make sure you ask your cable or satellite provider what all is involved in switching to HDTV.

And now, as Paul Harvey likes to say, just when you think you understand technology, here is the "rest of the story." Sony has now come along with organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). You haven't heard of OLED you say? Cost is the problem--$2500 for a 11″ screen. Sony and Samsung have prototypes at 27″ and 31″ but there is no price data available on them and there is no schedule for their release. Consumer Reports says it has the blackest blacks and incredible clarity. You won't see this technology in the stores for awhile, but when it comes it will drive down the prices of the LCD and plasma sets. I can just hear the kids in school today telling their children twenty years from now about the old-style television sets that used LCD and plasma technology...

 

April 8, 2008. Happy birthday to Charlotte Sibly, John McHenry and Ken Dressler. Explorer Juan Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain in 1513 on this date. On this date in 1935, Congress approved the Works Progress Administration (WPA), President Franklin Roosevelt's national works program to relieve the economic hardship of the Great Depression. More than 8.5 million people worked on 1.4 million public projects before disbanding in 1943.

Quickies...

. For those wishing to send Matthew Pollock a get well card, address it to Matt at Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital Room 367-2, 1270 Belmont Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12308.

. A card shower on April 18 has been requested for Beth Mitcheltree, formerly of Stillwater, now living at White Cliff, 110 Fredonia Road, Greenville, PA 16125-7911, in honor of her 90th birthday. She and her former husband, Wallace Mitcheltree, a professor at Bloomsburg University, ran a dried-flower business in Stillwater for many years. She was an active member of the Benton Christain Church.

. The Benton Christian Church is looking for a church organist for the 10 AM service each Sunday.

. It is a sure sign of spring when activity begins to take place around the TasteeCreme at the bridge over Fishingcreek. There was lots of activity there yesterday.

• Mill Race has finally had the big thaw. The golf course has been open since March 25 and is now playable even with carts. It will be nice to see the old faces and some new faces for the upcoming season. Rates have stayed the same to help with all the other rising prices.

Upcoming...(See Upcoming Events on the side panel of the web site for the complete listing of what is taking place in our corner of the world)

. April 22, 2008. Election Day. It is also the day that the Central United Methodist will hold its soup, sandwich and bake sale.

• April 27, 2008. PBS will air a reality-TV documentary entitled CARRIER, filmed during the entire USS NIMITZ’s 2005 deployment. The program will air over five nights from Sunday, April 27, to Thursday, May 1, 2008, 9-11 PM ET. Ten hours of film will be aired, selected from almost 2,000 hours that were shot over the course of a six-month deployment. There is no narrator. The stories are told by the sailors themselves. The story is an unvarnished view from junior personnel about their hopes, aspirations and challenges of life in the Navy aboard the carrier.

. May 7, 2008. The Benton Council of Churches is sponsoring a hoagie sale on Wednesday. Contact Shirley Kitchen, Shirley Lockard or Carolyn Beach to place your order. Pick up your hoagies on May 7 at the Benton Christian church from 4:30 to 5:30 PM.

. May 18, 2008. A Gaither-style hymn sing will take place at the Benton Christian Church on Sunday evening at 7 PM. All are welcome.

. June 19-21, 2008. The Smoked Country Jam Bluegrass Festival, Loganton, PA. Featured performers include Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Buncombe Turnpike, The Stevens Family, Shannon Whitworth and the Hillbilly Gypsies.

. The Bloomsburg Fair will run from September 20 to 27, 2008.

Poem of the Day:
My biggest aversion to vices
Are the prices.

Virtually everyone who has ever worked for the federal government has heard of Boyers, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles northeast of Butler. But few know the facility by its given name, Iron Mountain. Records of all federal retirees are kept in the limestone mine at Boyers, as well as photographic collections of Bill Gates, records from the National Archives, the US Investigations Services, Smithsonian and others.

Some 1,700 people work at the facility each day. A constant temperature of 55° is maintained. It has its own fire company, generators, and humidification and refrigeration systems. There are air-filtration and water-purifications systems in the thousand-acre vault. The government doesn't do things in a small way! You probably would visualize it best if you saw it. So turn here and have a tour, including taking a look at the original photograph of Einstein sticking out his tongue and Marilyn Monroe having skirt trouble on a subway grate.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett, writing in www.attorneygeneral.gov/, urged consumers to take care in considering and reviewing offers to lease or purchase gas rights for property in our state. Along these lines, a Columbia County Gas and Oil Lease meeting will be held tonight from 7 to 10 at the Benton Fire Hall. The benefits of joining a landowner's group in order to receive higher prices for signing a gas-drilling lease will be discussed.

Landowners should review all of their options before signing any contract. Any property owner faced with an offer to purchase or lease the rights to their land should carefully review the proposal with a lawyer specializing in oil and gas law. Team with a group for answers to questions for lawyers. Remember there are no new questions and no new answers. Don't feel pressured into any quick decisions to sign a lease. The gas has been here for millions of years. It won't go away tomorrow and it shouldn't be worth less tomorrow. Bruce Anderson will present an overview on gas and oil leases for land owners who would like to be part of a group or for those looking for information. Bruce can be reached at 458-4337.

Remember that mineral leases and sales agreements are binding contracts. Understand all the terms, payments and conditions before you sign any documents. The sale or lease of mineral rights is recorded with the county office where the deed to the property is maintained. Your ability to borrow against, sell or develop your land could be affected by your decisions. The exploration and drilling for gas can involve large rigs and heavy equipment. Access roads may need to be installed, the drilling area will need to be closed off, and scores of contractors and subcontractors may be a constant addition to your property. Know who you are dealing with and don't assume anything. Get referrals, research the company, ask other property owners about their experiences and check for lawsuits or other problems. Check the "spud" listing in Monday's Benton News to check out drillers. Join a group.

The New York Times in its edition of April 8, 2008, in an article entitled There's Gas in Those Hills, gives a good overview of the drilling for natural gas. The article stems from Hughesville.

 

April 7, 2008. Happy birthday to George Welliver and Melody Bowles. The Columbia County Covered Bridges Association meets tonight at the Josiah Hess Covered Bridge. There will be a hot-dog cookout at 5 PM and the meeting will begin at 6. On this date in 1794, chemist Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) left England forever and headed for the United States, partly to avoid his fellow countrymen who were angry at his support of the French Revolution. He ended up being a Northumberland neighbor.

Do you like to attend fairs in Pennsylvania? You can get a list of all the 2008 fairs in the state by going here.

In 1910, a man by the name of J. C. Star, of Sugar Run, Sullivan County, sold the editor of the Dushore Gazette and Herald some potatoes. The editor got one bushel as a sample of his crop. The full bushel contained only 25 potatoes. The two largest potatoes weighed three pounds each.

Quickies...
. The Columbia County Traveling Library will be at the Benton Schools for a make-up day today from noon until 2:30.

. The Mill Street Thrift Store opens Mondays from 10 until 2 PM in addition to the regular hours.

. A reader is looking for a copy of Peter Tomasak's book The White Gold of Mountain Springs to purchase. Does anyone have a copy for sale?

Didja ever think that the jawbone of an ass was a killer in Samson's time and still is?

A very satisfied group of patrons left the auditorium of the Benton Middle/High School Sunday following the last performance Sunday of the production of The King and I. It just isn't possible to spread the praise to everyone who deserved it, but we will mention a few. Sean Christian played the part of the King of Siam with ease and confidence. Adrianna Stahl played the part of Anna Leonowens and Emily Young was splendid as Tuptim--and both of them are in 10th grade!. The nineteen children were like a single well-oiled machine. They played their parts exactly right. The musicians did great. Both the set design and the directing by M. R. Daniels were top drawer. The enormous-bronzed carving of Buddha shown twice in the play was so lifelike it almost resembled a real human being. If you want to review the plot of the store, go here.

Didja ever think that the cooing stops with the honeymoon,
but the billing goes on forever?

The word is an interesting one. I first heard a bunch of fellows talking about someone when I was just a kid, and they referred to this person as a "wildcat." A wildcat can mean other things, too.

The people who go around counting these things say there are twenty-six species of small wild cats belonging to the same group or genus as the domestic cat. Most of these are meat-eaters with long legs, short faces, and athletic bodies with sleek coats. They can retract their claws, smell a mouse at a great distance, and they all purr. Most prefer hunting by themselves and like to kill small critters in the dead of night. I tend to put "wildcat" in the same category as "cat a' mount," literally meaning "cat of the mountain," an undefined, unknown type of cat.

But more and more, "wildcat" is teamed with "well," meaning an exploratory well drilled in land not known or proven yet to be an oil field. A wildcat well was recently drilled between Lairdsville and Beaver Lake. Chief Oil & Gas, LLC, a Dallas-based oil and gas production company, struck gas about 7,000 down in Marcellus Shale where total natural gas reserves could be as high as 200 trillion cubic feet. Chief Oil & Gas, LLC, began drilling last year in the Marcellus and now holds a leasehold interest in the Appalachia Basin (PA, WV, MD) with more than 350,000 acres.

Companies drilling in the Marcellus bore vertically, horizontally or diagonally into the shale, then pump large amounts of water into the formation and pressurize it. The water pressure fractures the shale formation, releasing natural gas for the driller to extract. It is obvious from the success of this well that there is gas down there. The question is how successful will companies be in getting it out of the ground and to the markets.

Chief Oil & Gas began drilling four wells in Lycoming County last fall. The one that has been completed so far is a drilling known as the" Kensinger Well" on Dr. Poust Road, Penn Township. Tom Kensinger leased his 100 or so acres and the rights to the minerals. Kensinger will receive a percentage of the natural gas shipped from the well which is only about a quarter of a mile from the Dallas-based Williams pipeline, one of the nation's largest-volume system of interstate natural gas pipelines which spans the continental United States. If this first well is profitable, it could go a long ways into making the Pennsylvania gas industry into a multi-million dollar industry.

The Kensinger Well. The flames coming from the drilled well
can be seen in the center of the picture. This picture
and the following two are courtesy of Bruce Anderson.

The footprint of the drilling area around the Kensinger is not large.

The Kensinger well is still burning off moisture from the drilling. Watching the flames shoot into the sky is a popular activity during the night-time hours for local residents who like to drive as close as they can to the private land where the site is located. At the present time, Chief has no way of getting the gas away from the drilling site and the well is expected to continue burning for several more weeks.

The "spud" date (the date drilling began) for the Kensinger well was January 8, 2008. You can determine other spud dates for local drilling by going here.

Mineral discoveries in the local areas are nothing new. You've read about the copper craze in the Sugarloaf area here in the Benton News. In February, 1212, the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reported that gold was discovered in the Schrader valley section of Sullivan County. County residents seemed to sense that the gold would not lead anywhere, but when prospectors uncovered a "fine vein of virgin coal" near the Loyalsock Creek that was "twenty-eight inches and getting thicker as the vein went into the hillside," a Pittston-mining company known as O'Boyle and Foy moved in to begin mining.

O'Boyle & Foy began leasing coal rights and machinery to begin boring operations began arriving on the scene. The Times Leader "confidently believed that a vein of four or five feet in thickness" would be discovered. Lets hope that the gas drilling in the Marcellus is more profitable in the area than the coal mining was during its high point.

 

April 6, the 97th day of 2008, with 75 days until the official start of summer. David "Otto" Kurecian and Stephen Hess celebrate birthdays today. On this date in 1789, George Washington was elected the first president of the United States, the only president to be unanimously elected. George Washington received 69 votes. John Adams was elected Vice President with 34 votes.

Michael LeValley reminds you that today is field day at 1 PM for Benton Area Little League. Michael coaches T-Ball and notes that there is much to be done. The little league fields need the community's help. Please donate some of your Sunday afternoon to this worthwhile project.

It is easy to get burned up about the use of outdoor furnaces in the borough of Benton. Lock Haven has now banned outdoor furnaces and Muncy is considering the issue. Several outdoor furnaces are in the borough of Benton now, and more are being considered by homeowners. The furnaces that are properly maintained, have an adequate height for the chimney and are a distance from neighboring houses or businesses could possibly be made to be acceptable as neighbors. Others clearly are a nuisance. The health and welfare of Borough residents is an important consideration.

Who is at risk for diabetes? Learn about the risk factors, symptoms, and dangers of diabetes at the Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center, Benton, on Tuesday evening April 8, from 6 to 8. Certified diabetes educator, Karen Kepner, CRNP, will lead the discussion and answer questions. Free refreshments, door prizes and more will be provided. To register or for more information call The Center at 925-0163 or Action Health at 275-9150.

WVIA has a new, original program entitled New Deal Legacy: A Passage Through Pennsylvania's Valleys of the Susquehanna. The show was produced in conjunction with the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau, Clinton County Visitors Bureau, Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau, Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau, Lycoming County Visitors Bureau and Susquehanna Valley Visitors Bureau.

The Valleys of the Susquehanna begin in Bloomsburg, and include Danville, Northumberland, Selinsgrove, Mifflinburg, Lewisburg, Milton, Muncy, Williamsport, Renova and Bellefonte. Each community has its own interesting story to tell and the WVIA road-trip tells it! Part of the Bloomsburg story is told by George Turner. You can learn more by visiting www.pavalleys.com or watching it on WVIA on April 7 at 7 PM or April 12 at 10 PM. You'll learn about the Victorian homes of Lewisburg, the colonial influences of Mifflinburg and Muncy, the 19th century mansions of Williamsport's Millionaires Row and the limestone estates of Bellefonte. The story of the communities is told by local residents, historians and business owners. You'll learn about things to do and places to go.

If you would rather get up close and personal with history, head to the Muncy Historical Society at 2:30 PM, Sunday, April 13, for an overview of WPA projects in the Muncy Area. The program at the Muncy Historical Society will follow a brief business meeting. Bill Poulton will highlight local WPA projects, including the restoration efforts of 40 N. Main Street, construction of Muncy's new post office, and the Fort Brady/Indian village excavation work on North Market Street. Muncy Historical Society's meetings and events are open to the public. Museum tours begin at 1:30 on meeting days and light refreshments are served immediately following the program in the colonial kitchen. Learn more here or call 546-5917.

The state's one-day youth spring-gobbler season is April 19. The general spring-gobbler season is April 26 to May 26. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon.

The I-80 eastbound on-ramp from Route 11 and the Route 11 exit from the eastbound lanes of I-80 are closed during repairs to the bridge deck of the interstate. Until a date to be announced in July, I-80 eastbound will be a single lane between Route 11 and the Mifflinville interchanges. Expect delays and plan accordingly.

Natural-gas companies seem to be everywhere locally. Representatives of these companies have attempted to recruit local residents to sign up their friends and neighbors to gas leases or to sell their mineral rights to their land. The furor is over a mother lode of the 600-mile long and 54,000 square acres of Marcellus Shale, the largest gas reserve in the United States.

The rush to sign landowners became frantic when geoscience professors, Terry Engelder, Penn State University, and Gary Nash, State University of New York, Fredonia, estimated the Marcellus Shale reservoir could contain as much as 516 trillion cubic feet and could boost proven U.S. reserves by trillions of cubic feet. Horizontal drilling, needed to get to the gas reserves, costs three to four times the $1 million price for a vertical well. The selling of natural gas for more than $9 per thousand cubic feet helps make $4 million per drilled hole seem more reasonable.

Everyone is watching drillers and their progress very carefully. Here are three examples...

. Epsilon Energy Ltd. is working on a gas-drilling operation known as the "Highway 706 project." As part of that project, the Larue #1, a vertical exploratory gas well, yielded an average daily-test production rate of 467 Mcf of natural gas per day over a 72-hour-test period. Drilling is ongoing on the next well, the Larue #2, a horizontal-test well that will be drilled utilizing the same drilling pad as the Larue #1. Following the completion of drilling operations on the Larue #2, the corporation plans to spud one more additional horizontal well from this pad. Epsilon plans to drill as many as eight or more wells on its Highway 706 project over the next twelve months. The drilling rig, frac tanks, pipeline easements and pipeline capacity that are essential to complete and bring these wells on line are on site. Highway 706 is in the area of Fairdale, Lawton and Stevensville.

. Atlas Energy Resources LLC first drilled into the Marcellus in December, 2006, after they gained control of 100,000 acres in Westmoreland, Washington, Fayette and Greene counties. The company now says it has something like 224,000 acres under their control and have rights to about 485,000 acres. The company has drilled 27 wells on land they control.

. Rex Energy Corp., State College, controls 30,000 acres in Southwest and Central Pennsylvania, and have drilled two vertical wells in the Marcellus and expect to drill up to 20 more this year spending about $60 million. Because of the rapidly increasing cost of acquiring land and the ever-increasing cost of drilling, there is always the question of how long the boom will last and who will benefit from it. Some solid hits from wells will help formulate that decision.

. When we gather around the breakfast table Monday, we'll talk about the results of the wildcat well outside of Lairdsville and the oil strike in that location. This is the closest-producing well to Back Home in Benton, PA, and so we'll spend a little extra time on this well in tomorrow's edition.

But today we want you to know about three meetings coming up in Benton.

•In order to prepare you for the nuances of gas leasing, a Columbia County Gas and Oil Lease Meeting will be held Tuesday, April 8, from 7 to 10 PM at the Benton Fire Hall. There are several landowner groups in the area, and all are welcome to join one. The benefit of joining a group is that the individual land owner can usually receive higher prices for signing the lease and the amount of royalty is also higher. Other benefits of a group include information sharing, education and support. The most important part of a lease is in the additional provisions provided in addendums that modify the lease to the landowners benefit. A lease should be reviewed by a lawyer before signing. The lease is a legal document. Knowledge and education are the foundation for making the right decision for each individual landowner. Bruce Anderson will present an overview on gas and oil leases for land owners who would like to be part of a group or for those looking for information. This presentation was presented at the Fairmont Fire Hall several weeks ago. Bruce Anderson can be reached at 458-4337.

• As a way of furthering the education of landowners, Penn State Extension will present a program on "Fundamentals of Natural Gas Exploration and Leasing" in two parts. Bruce Anderson, Derrs, set up the meeting with the Columbia County Extension as a way of educating landowners. The first part will be April 10 from 7 to 9:30 PM. There is a $15 fee for both part I and for part II--$30 for the combination of both sessions. For both parts, register in advance at 784-6660, x18. Learn more about the subject by going here.

Part I of the program will consist of...

. "Introduction to Natural Gas Leasing and Exploration," a presentation on gas-leasing process by Earle Robbins, Tioga County Extension Director.

. Jackie Root, a consultant for landowners, will talk about "Understanding Gas Leases from a Landowner's Perspective."

. Thomas Murphy, a Penn State Extension Educator, will give a short course in natural gas exploration.

. Attorney Lester Greevy, Williamsport, will talk about "Understanding and Negotiating a Gas Lease."

• Part II of the program will be given April 15, 2008 at the Benton Area Middle/High School, from 7 to 9:30 PM. Part II of the program will consist of...

. "Marcellus Shale Development." Earle Robbins, Penn State University will talk about the "what" and "where" of gas leasing in Pennsylvania.

. "Understand Gas Leases From an Industry Perspective." Brenda Miller, Range Resources--Appalachia, Inc. What the energy companies want you to know.

. "DEP A Regulatory Perspective for Gas Leasing." Joe Umholtz, DEP Division Chief, Bureau of Oil and Gas Management. DEP's role in well drilling and how it impacts you.

. "Dollars and Sense: Should You Sign that Lease?" Ken Balliet, PSU Extension, CED, discusses the factors you need to balance when making a decision to sign.

. Question and Answers. The panel members and exhibitors will answer audience questions.

Edgar L. Green, Jr. (December 13, 1939-April 4, 2008), Benton, died Friday morning at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville. He was 68. Edgar was born in Harrisburg. He was a son of the late Edgar L. Green, Sr. and Corrine (Leeper) Green. Edgar was a truck driver and last worked for Metropolitan Trucking Company. Surviving are his children Richard Brittain (Ginger), Hummelstown; Melody Green, Baltimore; Darlene Green, Harrisburg; Kelly S. Hahn (Michael), Landisburg; and Scott L. Green (Donna), Harrisburg. Also surviving are seven grandchildren; three great grandsons, a sister, Jacqueline Yost (Ronald), Stillwater and by numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by brothers Robert and Gary Green. Funeral services with viewing preceding will be held Tuesday at 1 at the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc. Burial will be in the Benton Cemetery.
--Obituary courtesy of the McMichael Funeral Home. A complete obituary will be published in the Press Enterprise of April 6, 2008.

 

April 5, 2008. Today is the birthday of local firefighter, emergency medical technician, and Bloomsburg University student James Albertson, who turns 21 today. Penny and Randy Fritz celebrate their wedding anniversary today.

I loved riding on the back of the old steel-wheeled corn planter Father had. He passed it on to brother Dayne and he finally passed it on to the farm museum at the Bloomsburg Fair. The seat was iron, held up be a single iron rod, contoured to fit a broad-beamed person whose job it was to ride behind the tractor while corn popped out at set intervals to seed the earth. The seat did bounce. It was like riding a short, moving yo-yo, but still it was comfortable.

I remember what a relief it was after a day of riding that ever-moving seat to climb down and head for the dinner table where I could sit down without moving around. What a pleasure it was when I was promoted to riding a slightly more comfortable seat on a John Deere tractor. A lot of changes have taken place over the years in where our anatomical aches and pains occur. Now I am just happy if I can simply stand up after sitting too long. A lot of thought and research has gone into the tires, engine, and functionality of vehicles over the years, but I can't see that much has gone into the engineering of seats.

Designers might not have known what they were doing when they designed a seat with no place to shuffle feet, with hard seats, and a kidney-killer back rest. People who drive a desk all day seem to carry their own upholstery around with them, but generally farmers are a bit thin in the upholstery department.

Photoshop Express is a new, free application from Adobe. It doesn't replace Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Rather, it's a new member of the Photoshop family that's meant to make Adobe imaging technology immediately accessible to large numbers of people. In the imaging software business, there is no bigger company than Adobe, a massive and complicated product that scoops up a lot of space on your hard drive. The online version of Photoshop offers a lot of the same functionality that can be found in other online image editors, but it is far from the full version of Photoshop. You are also given 2GB of storage to store your photos. Try it out here.

 

It was the middle of the afternoon Friday when the man drove to the house and stuck the needle in my friend. My friend was always a dreamer and that made his social life difficult. When he was around others his own age, they would often wrestle him to the ground which would make it difficult for him to pretend that he was the big man who could do anything in life. His friends would get him on the ground and stand on his stomach like a lion over its kill. Someone about three months old was an ideal playmate for my friend, someone young enough to behave like a lion and yet able to keep a straight face when he roared around a chair as Leader once said, "like he was storming the wheat fields on the third day at Gettysburg."

My friend soon found out that neither he nor his friends would stay three months old. They soon passed into adolescence and then wanted to act like a dog. Their baby barks soon became the sounds of a terrifying, fierce animal. Soon my friend would be turned, as Leader said, something about tin cups and it would take hours before he would forget the incident and again began to swagger around like he owned the mountain. My friend had such a heart that he could fall to the ground a dozen times and yet soar above the clouds and look around again.

But the man with the needle today made my dear friend, Rocco, very quiet and after he left his parents carried my friend, a breed Leader called a "pug dog" to the backyard. I watched them dig a hole and put him into the ground. They stayed beside the spot where Rocco was placed for a very long time and I could tell they were very sad. When they finally returned to the house, we all sat in front of the television and watched a program about what Leader called puppy mills that someone by the name of Oprah Winfrey had on the picture box in the corner of the room.

Before the show started, everyone talked about the illness Rocco had, something about disc disease. They talked about his spinal column and his vertebrae and acting like shock absorbers and other things I didn't understand. Everyone did a lot of speculating whether Rocco was a "puppy mill" product, even though he came from a pet store for a very large amount of money, the same kind of store where I remember I was when Leader and Mother picked me up. I wonder if I was one of those puppy mill critters. Oprah later said that an estimated 99% of all puppies sold in a pet store are. I will run far away if I ever see the man with the needle come after me!

When Oprah began her show, I remember something about her from when I was in California with Leader and Mother. She lives in Montecito, just south of Santa Barbara, on 42 acres, where she can look at the ocean and the mountains.

She started her show by telling about her pet dog having problems, and maybe the man with the needle visited her dog, too, since she got tears in her eyes when she talked about her pet. She showed lots of pictures of her pet, but her pet was not allowed on the show. Leader says you can learn more about her program at www.oprah.com.

Oprah talked about Jillian Lange and the Lange Foundation, and said that she was so moved by them that she wrote a check for $10,000 to the foundation. She read a letter from Mrs. Lange to Oprah. I listened to every word. This is what the letter said to Oprah about a crowded south Los Angeles animal shelter:

"One of the dogs heard an officer say that someone from Lange Foundation was coming to choose a dog in your honor. I shared in the excitement, even though I knew that the dog chosen would not be me. I was old and I was blind. I had lived for many years in the yard of my owner's home. I was never lonely. I did have my own doghouse and that is where I spent most of my life especially when I could not longer see. When the foundation arrived, I tried to look my best because I knew it was my fifth day at the pound, my final day. The lady slowly walked up and down the aisles. I could sense that she was mad and I heard her say to the kennel man 'I wish that I could take all of them.' She passed by my crowded dog run for the third time and then she stopped and said 'I think I'll take that one.' And the kennel man came into the run and picked up the cute puppy that I always knew would be adopted by someone. 'No, not that one,' she said. 'I'll take the blind one.'
--A guest column written by our pet Bichon Frise, cub reporter Buster.

 

April 4, 2008. Larry Smith celebrates his birthday today. Larry has provided his friends with a smile all his life. It is now time to make Larry smile. When you see Larry again, tell him to have a good day. He needs one right now. Robert Hough, 71, Orangeville, a retired dairy farmer from the Cambra/New Columbus area, celebrates his birthday and Fawn (Hubler) Jolly and Guy Hubler celebrate their 42nd birthday today.

A horseshoe pitching league (handicapped format) is forming at the Northern Columbia Horseshoe Courts. The adult league begins in May. Call 925-5060 by April 30 to join. A youth league (12-17) begins in June. Call by May 31 to join.

CCCFNB and First Columbia Bank and Trust Co. customers are now able to use ATM machines from both banks without incurring a surcharge fee. This gives all CCFNB and FCBT customers the opportunity to use 18 ATM machines throughout Columbia, Luzerne and Northumberland Counties.

Didja know that nearly 160,000 people have newly registered to vote for the state's primary election on April 22? Someone once said, "Vote early--and often." You better not vote often in the primary, but voting early makes sense.

The next AARP 55 Driver Safety Program sponsored by the Benton Women’s Club is scheduled for Thursday, May 8, and Friday, May 9, 2008. The insurance cost of your automobile policy could go down if you qualify for and complete the course. The classes will be held at Christ the King Catholic church on Mendenhall Lane from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM on both days. The Benton Women’s Club will provide refreshments! Both husbands and wives must attend the course in order to obtain the certificate. The cost is $10 per person (checks should be made out to AARP). Both must bring their driver licenses and a pen or pencil and AARP membership number (if you have one). To register or for more information, please call Barbara King, 925-6242.

An interesting advertisement is playing in Pennsylvania--and apparently only in Pennsylvania--under the authorization of presidential candidate Barack Obama. The target is big oil, specifically Exxon, saying that if elected he'll insure a tax on “windfall profits” to pay for developing alternative sources of energy and energy assistance for low-income families. Exxon Mobil (XOM), incidentally, earned $40.6 billion last year and closed on the NYSE yesterday at $88.23. The oil and gas industry is currently taxed at a rate of 40.7%. Contrast that with your personal tax rate.

Drilling for gas locally and the high cost of oil and gasoline seems to be on everyone's mind. The world supply of oil came about during a couple periods of global warming about 90 and 150 million years ago. Oil was formed in the "Great Play of Life" during our geological past under known processes. Natural gas, for purposes of general discussion, came about the same way. The supply of gas and oil was depleted at a rapid rate during Act 1 of the "Great Play of Life" following the first Pennsylvania wells drilled in the mid 19th century. The use of the steam engine and later the use of coal went by-bye. The world is now in Act 2, natural depletion has taken over and the valuable commodity could be virtually depleted by the end of this century. A sobering thought!

Thought for the day:
Don't wait to read the handwriting on the wall until your back is up against it!

In response to a reader's question, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is required to respond to complaints of water contamination and water system incidents within ten days. The department enforces oil and gas laws, including well construction and waste management practices, but does not regulate lease agreements between owners and oil/gas producers. Issues involving leases should be handled in local courts.

For weeks I was fixated on the fact that Hillary Clinton would not have enough delegate strength by the time of the Democratic convention to be the candidate of her party. In my view, that has not changed, but what I overlooked was that Sen. Obama most probably will not have enough delegates either. With a resounding "duh!" I now realize that neither candidate has a snowball's chance of getting the needed 2025 delegates without the voting of the 795 superdelegates or unless there is a "do-over" in Florida or Michigan. True, Obama has a lead of something more than 120 delegates with his current 1,614 delegate count. Stay tuned! This is going to take a long time to resolve...

For the second time this winter the Benton Borough sign at the south end of the Borough had a close call. A Mill Street car ended up in a small stream shortly after entering the Borough early two mornings ago, at virtually the same spot where another accident took place this winter. Both vehicles narrowly missed the Borough sign.

 

April 3, 2008. It is the birthday of Jesse Fritz, Shane Hess, Jamie Westover, Helen Raski and Kim Fantanarosa. Charlotte (Hubler) Kingsbury is 40 today. Her twin brother and sister, Jeff and Jennifer Hubler, are 37. We'll also mention that tomorrow, April 4, Fawn (Hubler) Jolly and Guy Hubler will celebrate their 42nd birthday. In case you were not counting, that's three Hublers on the third and two on the fourth. The King and I at the Benton Area Schools begins Friday. Do you have your tickets?

Congratulations to Terry Adams, Secretary/Treasurer of Benton Township, who was appointed Tuesday night to complete the term of Bob Conner as a Township Supervisor.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports their latest census with Luzerne County's population at 312,265 and Sullivan County at 6,200. Bradford County had 61,471.

All events are now shown on the top panel and the side panel, plus elsewhere from the internet by going to www.bentonnews.net/events1.htm. Coming events will no longer be shown on the daily article listings.

"Your approval rating is lower than ours, and that means you're down low."
--Rep. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., addressing executives of Big Oil

Some promised dreams turned out to be little less than just the "promise" Tuesday and Wednesday as strangers to the area "worked" local-land owners to sign leases for gas drilling or sale of the land owner's mineral rights. The representatives of the gas companies cited national oil prices near $100 a barrel in the hopes that signatures would fly to the contract in the mad scramble for a piece of the latest gusher. Con artists could be too nice a term to apply to a few of the oil men combing the community for signatures on oil leases. According to the Financial Post of April 1, there were "260 open investigations into oil and gas scams across the country in early 2007." The demand for natural gas is bringing big drilling companies into our area of Pennsylvania, where technology makes gas in shale rock accessible.

Didja hear about the stingy farmer who yelled at his hired hand for carrying a lantern to go calling on his best girl? The farmer told the young man that when he was courtin' he didn't need to carry a lantern. "Yeah--and look what you got," the hired man retorted.

The subject first came up when a local woman proposed a "carry-all" bag to fit over the rear end of horses that have begun traveling the Borough streets since the Amish moved to the area. The bag-like apparatus would have a dual purpose. First, it would rid the streets of trail markers that the horses left and second it would allow the driver of the wagon to savor barnyard smells a little longer and Borough residents with tender noses could inhale deeper and smell the roses better without any of the objectionable odors of the barnyard.

My childhood days on a farm prepared me for the smells that some had difficult tolerating. True, I lived away from a farm for thirty-some years, but those smells associated with childhood aren't easily forgotten. Like a rural Rip van Winkle awake after a long sleep, the smells associated with my youth are special to me. Sure, there were changes when I came back--hand pumps were gone, tires didn't go flat just before a thunderstorm, there were more hard roads, not everything was ordered out of a mail-order catalog--but the smells thankfully hadn't changed.

Many of the smells I had forgotten, but they hadn't gone away. I could have been away a hundred years and the smells would still be the same: the leaves burning in the fall, the wood burning in the fireplace, the hay in the field and the hay-scented ferns in the woods, the new-born calves, the teaberry growing under the oak trees, the mint and the catnip growing along the lane that meandered to the creek. There was an occasional whiff of a dog climbing out of the creek or a dog who had just had a close encounter with a skunk. There was the earthy aroma of a man at the end of a long haying day, dog-tired, up since 4 AM, milking still ahead of him, bookwork to do before his evening bath when at long last he could climb into bed to rest up for the next day when he would repeat the process. Lilacs in the spring, pines on the hillside, hot oil from a combine on a scorching afternoon, silage, newly polished harness rubbed with neatsfoot oil, the horses, the pig pen, the cows, occasional fields of buckwheat and the morning ritual of buckwheat cakes and maple syrup.

The smell of breakfast on a farm didn't change much in the years that I have been around. I don't smell the apple wood in the kitchen stove now, but I'll never forget those chilly mornings when I went to the hand pump for water and watched my breath, the smoke curl from the chimney or the morning my tongue got stuck on the frozen hand pump. I always knew that breakfast was not far off and that when I reentered the house there would be sizzling bacon, Mother's double-strength Eight O' Clock coffee, and some homemade bread.

A lot has changed since I grew up on a farm. The biggest change, I fear, has come in me. Oh, certainly, I could get up and milk today. I still "get up with the cows." I couldn't do it every day, though, since about two days a week I have to be going somewhere in order to be happy. I never met a cow who liked being milked only a couple of days a week. Today I would never be able to help bring in 300 bales of hay, and I don't know enough to be of any value in butchering, and I am completely unclear about adding ammonium nitrate or urea and getting the soil pH to the place where yields are highest. If I ran a saw all day I wouldn't be able to get out of bed tomorrow morning. If I ran a grindstone to turn an axe, it would never make an even cut. I could never pitch a full load of hay over the beam and into a mow.

There is no perfume as rich the farmer knows, As that from which his barnyard blows. I care not what the chemists teach, What poets write or teachers preach In their volumes deep in lore profound Of just how a barnyard ought to smell.

With all the things that I couldn't do today, I certainly could and would return to the days on the farm in my youth and all the smells that went with it.

I can still remember the smell of a tar-paper roof steaming in the blazing sun, a ripe tomato on Mother's window ledge, furrows that were freshly turned, lumber that had just been cut, the saddle from our horse.

Lots of email appears in my in-basket from people who once lived Back Home in Benton, Pa, but now have moved to the city and probably won't move back to the hills of Pennsylvania until the day arrives when they retire. It seems that many still have their feet wet from the waters of Fishingcreek and don't really like what they have found in the city. There seems to be a general thread of something they all want but aren't finding. They all seem to have a little itch they can't seem to scratch. Many of those who write can't seem to figure out what it is that they miss. I suspect it is the smells.

 

April 2, 2008. Today is the birthday of Karen Musitano and Congressman Paul Kanjorski. Scott Thomas turns 57 and his mother-in-law Avis Young McHenry celebrates her 87th birthday.

Didja know that come 2012, stores can no longer sell the cheap but inefficient incandescent light bulbs that are fixtures in most homes?

It was in 1998 when two old friends jumped in a car and headed for the bright lights of Broadway and the Iridium Jazz Club to hear a man once known as Lester William Polfuss, now five-time Grammy Award winner Les Paul, strum his electric guitar. Bob Lewis and Richard Sutliff made the trip to the Iridum's W 63rd Street location across from Lincoln Center. Monday night Bob and his grandson Jerrod Cole and Jerrod's girlfriend drove to New York city stopping at the Iridum's new location at 151st and Broadway where Les Paul, now 93, appeared.

Les Paul, for those who don't recognize his name, was once known as "The Father Of The Electric Guitar" which he invented when people in the back of one of his performances could not hear his music. Les still brings his guitar to the 150-seat night club and is often joined there with the likes of Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Tony Bennett and George Benson. There is a Les Paul model of a guitar made for The Gibson Guitar Company. Les teamed with wife Mary Ford, who was often remembered for "How High The Moon." The couple had their own television show, The Les Paul and Mary Ford at Home Show from 1953 to 1960.

Les Paul plays every Monday night at Iridium at 8 and 10. Les often signs autographs and chats after the 10 PM set!

Didja realize how different the election process is today for the Democrats from the way it was four years ago when Sen. John Kerry pulled an upset in Iowa and the rest of the nation fell into lockstep behind his nomination? One or two states cast their vote and the nomination was all but over. Virtually everyone but the backers of Sen. Hillary Clinton, along with a few people whose last name is Clinton, have realized for weeks that she won't be the party nominee in the election four years later. Still, the "glad-handing" continues. Yesterday it was in Wilkes-Barre where both candidates made an appearance.

Bill and Mike Anderson stood on the steps of the Kozy Korner restaurant Tuesday struggling in the wind with two massive Ron Paul for President 2008 signs. When asked, the two enthusiastically supported the ten-term Republican Congressman from Texas, saying he "supports the Constitution." I patiently tried to explain that the Republicans had selected their candidate and the Democrats just hadn't officially decided, but they were undaunted. "We are doing it on principle," they explained.

The high gas-leasing prices have gotten to the state Government. The Guv will allow drilling in Pennsylvania's twenty state forests, ending a five-year moratorium. The state will auction the rights to drill on 75,000 acres of state forest land including the Marcellus Shale formation at 6,000 to 8,000 feet underground and the Trenton-Black River, which is more than 10,000 feet deep.

Being a fan of the "fewer the keystrokes the better," I am going to again attempt to keep upcoming events off the daily pages of the Benton News. Upcoming events will be listed on the side panel of the web version of the Benton News and at www.bentonnews.net/events1.htm. Please bookmark this page in order to track events of interest in the local area.

 

April 1, 2008. Happy birthday to Caleb and Joshua Fritz, and in Mount Morris, New York, to Dorothy Passamonte. Happy wedding anniversary to Phil and Jackie Malhoyt.

The Press Enterprise in Tuesday's edition summarized the "power is in a group" position that Jackie Root has been taking on gas leases by reporting on the Iola Monday night meeting on the subject which was attended by an estimated 100 people.

Bob Conner served as a Benton Township Supervisor for twelve years and three months until he resigned March 4 with a little more than a year to go to serve out his term of office. His resignation for health reasons within his family came as a shock to most. Tonight the two remaining supervisors meet at 7 at the Township Building to name a replacement to serve out Bob Conner's term. If a supervisor is not named at tonight's meeting, the naming of a supervisor will default to a "Vacancy Board," consisting of three electors of the township. The vacancy board could be convened to appoint a successor. If a supervisor is not named after the meeting of the vacancy board, the decision will go to a judge.

We want to tell you about the egg that was laid by a chicken which contained a second egg inside the first egg, and we said that to the best of the knowledge of the chicken's owner, it was the first (and, actually, the second) egg ever laid by this chicken. Offers are coming from everywhere to see this chicken and to buy it. The story will be our Poison d' Avril story that comes at the end of today's Benton News.

The Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center is looking forward to spring, as most of us are! There are four work days scheduled for Saturdays in April to work on landscaping--the 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th--from 9 to noon. There will be some grunt work, but you'll have the satisfaction of being part of something special. The landscaping is being done in memory of Elsie Buyers, as her memorial fund will help pay for mulch and plant materials. Those who bring a brown bag lunch can picnic together afterwards and enjoy the companionship of a shared labor of love. The beds in front of the building will be prepared for planting, then a low-grass/wildflower meadow will be established between the berm and the driveway. Benton Mayor Jan Swan has agreed to take charge of planting around the entrance sign. And a local gardening club, The Country Cultivators, are contributing their green thumbs to beautify the east side of the building. There are also ground covers to be planted on the north side of the building. Come to any or all work days with shovels and rakes and hoes--and make sure to bring along all those muscles you've been working on at the Center. If you can help, feel free to contact members of the landscaping committee Kathy Arcuri, Kay Chapman, and Katie Knorr--or better yet, just show up.

Bill Baillie will present an illustrated talk for the April meeting of the North Mountain Historical Society about William Montgomery: Revolutionary War hero and Central Pennsylvania pioneer. Gen. Montgomery led a patriot militia regiment in early battles of the Revolution, then helped to forge a new American society in our region as President Judge, state senator, congressman, commissioner, surveyor, and founder of Danville. He developed 80,000 acres of prime Pennsylvania land, including many tracts in the watersheds of Little Fishing and Little Muncy Creeks. Bill Baillie is President of the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society and author most recently of The Whitmore Saga. The History Buffs of the North Mountain Historical Society will meet on Monday, April 21, 2008, at the Brass Pelican Restaurant. Mr. Baillie will climb behind the podium about 9 AM. The presentation is free and open to the public.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission officials announced that hunters in the upcoming spring gobbler season will no longer be required to wear fluorescent orange. The upcoming 2008 spring gobbler season is set for April 26-May 26, as well as the youth spring gobbler day on April 19. In preparation for the youth spring gobbler day, there will be a turkey hunting clinic at the Stillwater Christian Church April 13. There will be a free lunch starting at 12:30 and the clinic starts at 1 PM. Kids can learn turkey calling from Grover Dressler, one of the best in the business. Chip Sorber, a professional hunting guide, will talk about turkey aging. Jim Hrinda will tell the kids how to make their own turkey call.

A cruel hoax is making its rounds, referring to a "local child" in the Geisinger Hospital, a "first grade student at Mayfield Elementary School" who has cancer. The email asks for prayers for the child, then gives a number of email address to add to the authenticity of the email. To see if the email was true, I contacted Geisinger Hospital for verification. The hospital responded saying, "Sorry to say, it is a hoax. Please delete and ask others to do the same."

Starting next week, the Mill Street Thrift Store opens Mondays from 10 until 2 PM in addition to the regular hours.

No one ever said that being a blacksmith was an easy job. Cleon Baker was kicked by horses so often that his knee was filled with arthritis and he walked for many of his later years with a limp. Cleon never had it as bad as Eli Rensel, a blacksmith from Elizabethtown, who, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer in its edition of March 14, 1921, was "kicked through the roof of his shop by a fractious horse he was shoeing." Eli returned to the job, subdued the animal, and completed his work, after which he collapsed. It was discovered that three of his ribs were fractured and a foot badly bruised.

The profession is as old as the hills. Here is an advertisement from Kline's Carlisle Weekly Gazette of December 2, 1808, exactly as written:

"John Johnston
Horse shoer and Farrier
Respectfully informs his friends and the Public in general that he carries on the above bufiness as ufual in the Borough of Carlifle--He will give generous wages to a good Journeyman Blackfmith--alfo, he will take an apprentice--a Boy of fourteen or fifteen years of age will be preferred.
Carlifle November, the 3d 1808.

In another Philadelphia Inquirer article, an experienced farrier wrote that the majority of horses he saw who were lame were "victims of the blacksmith, he does not know how to shoo them." He continued, "A horse can have corns the same as a man. If his shoes are put on so his foot will be perfectly level on the ground with no pinching, half the lameness horses suffer from will be obviated. Blacksmiths that slash and cut away at the hoof until it is tender as a sore spot, and then slap on a shoe can be assured that the horse will go lame."

Ruth Cavanaugh, Staten Island, New York, told us that her husband's grandfather, George Ruger, was the "last farrier" in Brooklyn when he retired in the 1940s. His farrier business on Wallabout Street, Brooklyn, closed after WWII and in his obituary in 1966 he was praised as the finest farrier in the city, who took care of the horses of the mounted police and the horses of the Prospect Park equestrians.

To continue reading about ferriers, pick up a copy of The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3), by Dr. Doug Butler and Jacob Butler. This book is perhaps the ultimate textbook of farrier science and craftsmanship. The book was published in 2004. An older but informative reference is the Elements of Farrier Science, by D. M. Canfield and distributed by Enderes Tool Co. Specific questions about the subject can be addressed here. An article entitled Today's Hoof Care for Icelandic Horses by Beverlty Saadeth and David Kline was published in the March, 2008, edition of Tolt News. If you want to talk with a farrier in person, you might try Greg VanHarn Farrier Services, Harveyville, 570 762-8542

Many lame horses can attribute their problems to other causes, but had a proper farrier attended them it might have saved a heap of trouble.

In France, All Fool's Day is called Poison d'Avril, meaning "fish of April," signifying that one is easily caught. Today is the first of April. The old practice of sending people upon Tom Fool's errands, however, has long ended. Few good practical jokes are accomplished these days.

We have heard stories about the one-legged man who walked with crutches across a telegraph wire across a river. One man received a box in the mail which was labeled as "pure Mocha." The pure Mocha proved to be mahogany sawdust, mixed with pulverized brick.

There was the story of the man who blew his brains out using only his trombone. A favorite was to send people to the pier in Philadelphia to meet the ship from Alexandria with its load of camels. The old brick in the hat trick on the sidewalks of New York was a favorite as school kids invariably kicked the hat and complained of a hurt toe for the rest of the day. Go slow on the candy that a friend asks you to try. Don't believe any stories about an egg in an egg, or money in a shoe which actually is tied to a string which is pulled when someone tries to pick up the shoe. After all, today is April Fool's Day!

The weekend antique show and appraisal at The Center was a huge success! There was a good crowd right from the opening, and many brought items to be appraised. The paid admission Saturday was 479 and on Sunday 308. Over 300 appraisals were made. There were many compliments on the quality of the food served. Venders seemed to be happy with their results, and there were positive comments about the orderliness, bright lighting and the music in the room. The music came from Lyle Turner who does piano restorations and played piano-player music. Attendees came from as far away as Scranton, thanks in part to promotions on local television and in newspapers. No rain and two sunny days also helped fill the show! Full results will not be available for a few days. Gladys Kile and Bob Parks, plus a host of other volunteers, deserve your thanks for a job well done in bringing this event to the upper Fishingcreek valley.