February 28, 2011, the birthday of Matt Rabb, Rick Posey, Christy Campbell Harrison, Evy Lysk, Gary Ritter, Harry Ackerman--and the Republican Party, formed on this day in 1854 when some opponents of slavery--Northern Democrats, Whigs, and the Free Soil Party--gathered in Ripon, Wisconsin. Six years later, the party won the presidency with Abraham Lincoln. Richard Strauch and Greg Sutliff have birthdays today or tomorrow. Both are leap-year babies. The temperature should be 80° this afternoon in Port St. Lucie, while Benton's high will be about 51°. Port Saint Lucie is not expected to have a cloud in the sky. Benton will get a substantial amount of rain.
Dave Bronson came home from the hospital Saturday afternoon. Dave and Linda would like to thank everyone for their prayers. As Linda said, "The good Lord sure has answered them..."
Ryan Robert McGarrigle was born Wednesday, February 23, to David and Marnie McGarrigle. Siblings are Dillon, Kelsey and Jodin. Sandra Kelsey is the grandmother; Robert Kelsey (deceased), the grandfather. Great grandparents are Ken and Ethel Kelsey and Hobe and Jessie Whitenight. The baby weighed 8 lbs 1 ounce and was 20 inches long. All are doing well.
Didja ever think it probably isn't the red meat that is bad for you?
It is the fuzzy green meat that is bad for you.
A few days ago, I outlined uses for cast-iron skillets, but it appears that I omitted one. Ruth Cavanaugh, a long-time reader of the Benton News from Staten Island remembers that her grandpa, Peter G Farver, found a use for his iron frying pan that I didn't think of. Emma (Schlauch/Stackhouse) and Peter Farver lived in Benton when they were first married. Peter worked as a carpenter in the foundry. Ruth refers to the local area as "up home."
A few years after they were married, Grandma Farver, a strong-willed woman, but short in stature--4 ft., 11 inches compared with Grandpa Farver's 6 ft. 2 inches--had a big fight. She threw her cast-iron frying pan at Grandpa. He ducked and it hit the fireplace. The pan cracked in half across the middle.
As Ruth tells the story, "Grandpa was preparing to go to work, and as he left he picked up the two pieces of the broken pan, and took it to work with him." At work, he made a mold in the sand of the frying pan, using the two halves. He then melted down the two broken pieces, and using the molten iron, poured it into the mold and made Grandma a new frying pan from the old one. The only difference from the old one to the new one was that the new one had a mark across the middle where the old one had cracked in half!
He brought it home to Emma, and she used it from then on. Emma left it to her youngest daughter, Irene, who was told the story of why the frying pan had the flaw across the middle. It cooked just fine, of course, and eventually that old scarred frying pan from the 1910s was handed down to Ruth, Irene's daughter. Ruth had the frying pan until 1956, but left it behind in the oven in her old apartment when she moved. She went back to her old apartment the next day and told the landlord that she had left the black cast-iron frying pan in the oven in the apartment. The landlord said that it wasn't there, and took Ruth up to see that the oven was empty. Ruth figured he had taken it home, but there was nothing that she could do about losing that 50-year-old frying pan, and she never forgot about it.
The recent stories about iron frying pans reminded Ruth of her frying pan she lost. Ruth lamented, "I still feel bad about it 54 years after losing it. Just imagine if I had been able to hand it down to my daughter. 'C'est la vie.'
Ruth's eyes snapped back to the present day. "I guess it would have been a better story if I still had it," she said. Heck, I liked the story the way that it was.
Didja ever think that Congressmen should wear uniforms
like NASCAR drivers
so we could identify their corporate sponsors?
Those of us who live downstream of the Martin well--South on Fishing Creek from St. Gabriels church--will have an anxious March. Well--yes--we know the economic boom natural gas brings to the local economy and we are happy for those who found employment in the booming natural-gas business and we do know that climate change will be slowed just a tad because natural gas burns a bit cleaner than either oil or coal and deep down we all know that we would love to get off the dependency we have on radical nations that are now doing fisticuffs and worrying the bejesus out of us. But nonetheless, we'll all breath a little easier when the horizontal drilling that begins in March on the local gas well and the fracking that follows are finished. After all, methane gas was found at the Martin site just a hundred feet beneath the ground level when the vertical well was put in place. We should not discount danger to our precious water of Fishing Creek until the high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing--fracking--with the environmental risks that accompany it is complete. We hope that everyone within a mile of the well has had their water tested before fracking begins, but we have no way to know if everyone did.
During the fracking process, the Martin well can produce over a million gallons of wastewater from the bowels of the earth which contain highly corrosive salts, carcinogens like benzene and radioactive elements like radium. Add carcinogenic materials from the chemicals used in the fracking process to that brine and a stew "unfit for man nor beast" results. And on a less serious note, we have to be watchful for the additional truck traffic that will soon begin as water arrives on site and brine is trucked out.
I look forward to talking with those who feel that nothing adverse will happen to the upper Fishing Creek valley when they come forward at the end of the fracking process and tell me "I told you so." Meanwhile, until April, I'll keep my fingers crossed
February 27, 2011, the birthday of Richard Jost, Lynne Watson and Ora Karns . Don't forget the Meet the Artist Reception today from 2 to 4 PM. Stop by The Center, see the exhibit and meet artist Genevieve Durang. Monday will be a test of endurance as heavy rains fall with temperatures in the low 50s. Please keep Don King and Rev. David Mansfield in your prayers.
Ora Karns deserves special mention today on her 98th birthday. Ora is spending today, like every day, at 211 East First Street in the Bloomsburg Health Care Center. Ora was born in 1913 at the family farm off Raven Creek Road, the twelfth child of William and Rhoda Conner Karns. When she was born, Atta, her older sister, carried her on a pillow because she was so small.
She met her future husband--a man known in the community as "Shorty" and whose real name was Carl E. Karns--on a blind date. They married on a trip to Philadelphia to visit Ora's sister, Belva. On the way to Philadelphia, they stopped in Allentown and got a marriage license. On their way home, they stopped in Allentown and got married. Because she was born a Karns and married a man with the same last name, she never had the problem of remembering her married name. After the couple married, they lived at Forks. They had no children. Many will remember Ora from her years working at the IGA Store owned by Horace Harrison on Main Street.
Shorty fell from the roof of Alvin Sutliff's barn, the building which today is the Benton Farmer's Market. His back was broken from the fall and he spent months in the hospital following the accident. Shorty never again walked without crutches or a cane. Shorty, as a result of his accident, was always hard for Ora to take care of but she never complained or felt sorry for herself and did a great job for him. He was unable to get around by himself for much of his life and spent a long time in a nursing home in his later years.
Ora has always had a fantastic memory and does to this date. Janet Rice remembers that Ora baked some wonderful cookies.
She and Shorty always had some type of craft on the go. Ora gathered jewelry from friends and relatives and while Ora was at work at Horace Harrison's store Shorty would remove backings from pins and earrings, clean them and then he and Ora made a beautiful jewelry tree.
They also caned and refinished chairs and Shorty made other wood items.
Ora taught children's class at Hamline United Methodist Church for many years and Shorty collected the money at all the Church's festival and penny suppers. Shorty also worked as a tax collector.
After Shorty died, Ora moved to Lightstreet and made many friends there on her long walks.
Ora's sight is poor now and she is currently suffering from a "cold," but she enjoys talking on the phone, so phone calls would mean a lot more to her than cards at this point. Her phone number is 570 387-0868 and early afternoon is the best time to call her. She may tell you that she is not having a birthday this year, that it has been canceled and that at her "age she can do that if she wants."
A story about Ora that you may never have heard took place in 1928 when Fishing Creek rushed from its banks and almost took a family of five to their graves. During the storm, Bruce Karns, the 19 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Will Karns, Stillwater, tried to open a water pipe that carried water to their home. The current was so swift that it swept him off his feet and he wedged under the pipe. His father tried to help, but was also swept off his feet by the high water. Bruce's sisters, Claris (the mother of Max Hartman) and Ora, went to the assistance of their brother and father, and likewise were carried down the stream. Claris caught hold of a barbed wire fence and saved herself from being swept further away, but tore her hand so badly that it required stitches to close it. Ora clung to a fence post. Mrs. Karns finally freed her husband, who managed to get their son's foot loose. For a time, only the heads of five family members were out of the water and they all had a narrow escape from drowning. They recalled later watching live pigs bobbing their way past them on Fishing Creek in the raging waters.
A program that you might want to consider adding to your desktop is found at www.soople.com, which takes many of the advances that Google came up with and puts them in one place. For example, you can search by one particular site or type of file (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and pdf) or an image search by size and type. You can search the latest news, look up definitions or use Google as a phone book. The calculator permits you to do very advanced calculations. Soople has a unit-converter for the conversion of all the common units/measures (meters<--->yards). Soople is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google.
There is a lot of interest in Google with Recipe View. Come up with snacks or entrees--do any search based on recipes. This site is worth a look for anyone who cooks or bakes. Learn more by going here.
Cris Conkey, Shaleshock Media, has an interesting video on Eagles Mere--its history, how the gas industry will impact this historic town., the toboggan slide. The video is titled "Getting it Right for Eagles Mere." Watch the video here.
Boy Scouts are serving spaghetti and meatballs March 19 at the Methodist Church on Main Street from 4 to 7 PM, including salad, bread, cake, coffee and ice tea. The spaghetti supper is $7 for adults, $4 for children 6 to 12 and under 6 are free. Take outs are available.
Friday, February 25, and Saturday, February 26, 2011. Dave Bronson is doing well following heart surgery. The rain falling this morning could be freezing rain in places. Be watchful...
My days of riding motorcycles are over and perhaps yours are too, but you might enjoy a ride through the streets of Moscow on a motorcycle. Go here.
Robert S. "Bob" Houseweart (February 13, 1924-February 23, 2011), a native of the Benton area and a resident of the Masonic Village, Elizabethtown, died Wednesday morning at the Masonic Village. He was 87. Bob was born in Benton Township. He was a son of Arthur S. and Lillian (Evans) Houseweart. He was a 1938 graduate of Benton High School and was a former member of the Raven Creek Presbyterian Church. He proudly served his country in the U. S. Army (Infantry) as a Staff Sergeant during the occupational forces after World War II. He was a member of Oriental Lodge, No. 460, F. & A. M., Orangeville, the Caldwell Consistory, Bloomsburg, and the Wysox Volunteer Fire Company.
Wednesday, February 23, and Thursday, February 24, 2011.
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Jim Wood, 51, is a registered Republican from Madison Township, but is cross-filing on both the Republican and Democratic tickets for the position now held by Ola Stackhouse of the Columbia County Magisterial District. |
Jim is currently circulating his petition for signatures. He attended the Millville schools and The Pennsylvania State University. He is Manager of Projects for general contractor G & M Crawford, Inc. and is a Registered Professional Land Surveyor. He is a single parent of daughter, Shannon, 17, and Richard, 15, both students at Millville High School. He is a 35-year member of the Millville Fire Company, and served as President, one of the Assistant Chiefs, Safety Officer and Ambulance Director. He has taught and helped teach EMT, first aid, CPR and firefighting classes. He has helped as a Boy Scout leader, planned and presented safety and educational programs in local schools, and participated in numerous plays with the Millville Players theater group to raise money for the town park and town pool. Jim coached AYSO soccer for several years and served as safety director for the local group as well as helping coach the elementary school basketball program. He is a past master of the Orangeville Oriental Masonic Lodge which annually holds a fun fair, flea market and craft fair to raise money for scholarships to graduating seniors of four schools in the county. For more information, go to www.votejameswood.com .
February 22, 2011, the birthday of Marlin Reichenbach, Shelly Eichenlaub Charles, Veronika Guinther, Bill Bennett, Clayton Ackerman and the Father of Our Country, George Washington. Overnight temperatures could drop to the zero mark tonight and what looms on the horizon about Friday isn’t pretty following the 8 to 10 inches that fell Sunday night. Don’t plan to pick dandelions quite yet! Continue to keep Dale Franklin, David Bronson and Pastor David Mansfield in your prayers.
The rumor isn’t true that grits are grown on bushes, then harvested by midgets who shake the plants to spread the grits on the ground. Grits are not made from ground-up bits of white corn. There is no truth to the rumor that in Southern Georgia, grits are mined. There is no truth that grits are a first cousin to Cream of Wheat, just as there is no truth that Cream of Wheat is made from Elmer's Glue and shredded Styrofoam and leave young mothers unable to have children.
Ratchet the heat back to a simmer and allow the grits to soak up all the water. When a pencil stuck into the grits stands alone, it is done. That's all there is to cooking grits. Make red-eye gravy by frying salt-cured country ham (Smithfield sells a good country ham for this purpose) in a cast-iron pot. Remove the ham when done. Add coffee to the gravy and simmer for a couple of minutes. Be prepared for salt-shock! After removing the grits from the stove, add red-eye gravy or butter. The butter will make the grits turn yellow. Hold a banana next to your grits and when the colors match you have your grits. Grits are eaten with a fork, never with a spoon, and always on a plate, never a bowl. It is important that people don’t think you are eating a bowl of Cream of Wheat.
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Evelyn (McGinn) Christilaw (May 10, 1933- February 21, 2011), died Monday at her Ridge Road home in Jonestown (rural Shickshinny). She had been in declining health for several years. She was 77. |
Evelyn was born in Nanticoke. She was a daughter of Edward and Josephine (Merck) McGinn. She was a 1950 graduate of Benton High School. During her working years, she had been involved in restaurant management. She and her late husband owned and operated the Sweet Valley Country Store in the 1970s. She retired in 1995.
February 21, 2011, the birthday of Caleb Jordon Wilkinson and Jeff Watts. The Washington Monument was dedicated on this date in 1885. It took 36 years to build—from 1848 to 1884. Last night’s snow will continue to early hours today. Please keep Dale Franklin, David Bronson and Pastor David Mansfield in your prayers.
The heat would push the mercury through the top of the thermometer, the work was never-ending and never easy, mosquitoes were everywhere, and the five hurricanes which hit during construction wiped out scores of workers. Flagler enticed workers with promises of comfortable housing, good food, a free rail ticket to Florida and steady pay. The reward was much less than the enticement.
--Thanks to Janet Whiston, Brooksville, Florida for her input to the Florida stories.
February 20, 2011, the birthday of Louraine Foote, Beth McMichael and Carl Stoltz, the "Father of Little League Baseball." The U.S. Post Office was created February 20, 1792, when President George Washington signed the Postal Service Act. Letters delivered within 30 miles of the sender cost six cents to mail; up to 150 miles cost 12½¢. No guarantees were made for letters over 150 miles.
Garbage Disposal / Recycling
The final link of the Florida East Coast Railway was completed in 1912 and Henry Flagler rode the first train into Key West aboard railcar #91 . Much of the overseas railroad in the Middle Keys was damaged or destroyed in the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 in which 400 people died and the area around Long Key was devastated. The Florida East Coast Railway was financially unable to rebuild the destroyed sections. The roadbed and remaining bridges were sold to the State of Florida, which built the Overseas Highway to Key West, using much of the remaining railway infrastructure.
Friday, February 18, 2011, the birthday of Kim Lamoreaux, Michael Beckley, Sherri Schaich, Ashley Sorber, Tina Crist, and the wedding anniversary of Walter and Betty (Sholley) Murphy. There is a full moon tonight. Don’t forget the roast-beef dinner pickup at the Benton Christian Church tonight between 4 and 6 PM.“Drumline” is the highlight tonight of the Live Celebrity Artist Series, Bloomsburg University. Enjoy today’s 63° temperatures.
February 17, 2011, the birthday of Crystal Stackhouse, Celisa Counterman, Maranda Laubach, Erin Elizabeth Mood and Pastor Howard Leh.
Didja ever notice that failure goes hand in hand with the person
whose wishbone is where his backbone should be?
The Benton Area School District is accepting applications for a Varsity Field Hockey Head Coach and a Varsity Field Hockey Assistant Coach. Send letter of interest to Joe Goode, Middle Senior High School Principal, 600 Green Acres Road, Benton, PA 17814. The school district is also seeking a day-to-day substitute Spanish teacher from April 11 to May 26, 2011. Send a letter of interest for this position, along with a Pennsylvania standard application, resume, transcripts, recommendations, copy of PA teaching certificate, Acts 34, 114 and 151 clearances to Mrs. Penny Lenig-Zerby, Superintendent, 600 Green Acres Road, Benton, PA 17814. Application deadline is March 3, 2011. EOE.
Benton Borough Council did not fill the vacant council seat at its Monday, January 3, 2011, meeting. Appointment of one of three interested people will be made at the March meeting. The Borough Council appointed Derl Remphrey as a member of the Zoning/Hearing Board for 2011. The highlights of the meeting are based on minutes recorded by Kay Yankovich, Borough Secretary…
• Wilson Lynn spoke about the property next to his house on Mill Street, saying that the property continues to require major clean-up.
• Kay Yankovich was named Borough Secretary at a salary of $35,500. Lachelle Fulmer was named as the part-time Borough Secretary at the rate of $13 per hour. Bryan Getz as appointed as the maintenance supervisor at the rate of $16 per hour. Part-time maintenance employees will be paid $13 an hour. Ron Roberts was appointed crossing guard at the rate of $24 per day. Police officers will be retained at the rate of $11.69 per hour, including Michael Kreischer, Gene Barrett, Harold Morris, Fred Westover, Chris Brock. Randy Karschner will be Chief of Police at the rate of $15.66 per hour.
• Playground equipment for the Benton Town Park has arrived and is being stored at the sewer plant and at the Iddings property. Grant funds in the amount of $990 have been received from the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation to purchase a new antenna which will be installed at the Benton Township Building, the backup Operations Center.
Didja ever realize that if you loosen your grip, you'll have more control?
Relationships need breathing room.
Kay and I recently had visitors who wanted a “Cuban” sandwich. The man and I had once gone to Tampa together and ate in a Cuban restaurant in Ybor City. He ordered a “Cuban” sandwich, loved it and wanted another. The “Cubano” is standard fare in our house and I soon made him a sandwich, carefully selecting the loaf of bread I used. You have to have real Cuban bread. Too many bakeries bring hot bread from their ovens and slam the bread into bags that say “French,” “Cuban” or “Italian.” If it is genuine Cuban bread, it is made of a certain kind of flour (which I don’t know the name of) and has a crusty strip running down its top side. The best bread, I think, is in the form of a bun, called a cocas, less than a foot long. Want to make one yourself? Go here and learn how.
There isn’t any doubt that the sandwich was not as good as the first one I bought here in South Florida. I vividly remember stopping at a bodega, got confused about the menu and simply ordered the sandwich others were ordering. The ham, I believe, was seasoned with garlic and some cloves and as the meat cooled it was sprinkled with a little brown sugar which soon became a glaze when the cook ran an ordinary iron over the sandwich. Along with un buchito (a little swallow) of coffee, it was a delightful lunch.
In all my mother’s children,
I loves myself the best,
And till I gets my stomach full,
God help the rest!
--Author unknown, even by his brothers and sisters
Sixty-six years ago Saturday, Joe Kratcoski, Mildred, landed in the first wave on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima. Joe turned 19 that February 19, 1945. There was no birthday cake for him that day as he participated in one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. As a result of his actions, Joe earned both a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for shrapnel wounds. Although wounded, he advanced under heavy fire, knocking out an enemy pillbox with rifle grenades.
A display of Joe’s medals and of others relating to that famous battle of World War II will be on display Saturday, February 19, from 10 AM to 5 PM at the Endless Mountains War Memorial Museum, Sonestown. Video clips and film history of the battle will also be shown on the big screen in the museum. Veterans who fought in the battle are encouraged to bring memorabilia for show and tell and share their stories.
A tribute will also commemorate the 65th anniversary of the battle, which began on Feb. 19, 1945. The invasion involved the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Corps Divisions as well as Navy and Seabee personnel. American forces had 5,372 casualties in the first 58 hours. The final toll was 4,300 killed in action and 15,308 wounded.
This is just one of many tributes to veterans held throughout the year at the museum. There is no admission fee but donations will be accepted. The address is 109 Main Street, Sonestown. Additional information is available at 482-2610. Take a short ride to Sonestown and join in tribute to all who gave some and to some who gave all for the freedom we enjoy today.
Neil E. Smith (January 11, 1972-February 14, 2011), Berwick and formerly of the Benton area, died Monday at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, following a lengthy illness. He was 39. Neil was born in Miami, Florida. He was a son of Lou J. Smith, Hunlock Creek, and Nancy C. (Malencore) Chappel, Berwick. Neil attended Benton Area High School and graduated from Columbia Montour Vocational Technical School in 1990. He later earned his L.P. N. degree from Luzerne County Community College and was employed by the Millville Health Care Center.
Surviving, in addition to his father and mother are his step mother, Margaret Krupinski, Hunlock Creek; his children Alisha, Maurice, Devon, Logan and Jackson Smith; his brothers and sisters, Suzanne Hess (Shane), Benton; Brett Smith (Victoria), Benton; Kristen Chappel, Orangeville; Megan, Samantha and Chenice Chappel, Berwick; his nieces and nephews: Eric, Brynn, and Sydney Hess and Addison Smith.
Funeral services will be held Friday morning at 11 at the McMichael Funeral Home. There will be a private burial in St. Gabriel's Cemetery, Sugarloaf Township. A viewing will be held Thursday evening from 6 to 8 at the funeral home.
February 15, the birthday of Laura (Sones) Kocher, Jacob Vincent, Marge Shoemaker and Barbara Henne. Joan and Keith Gilbert celebrate their wedding anniversary.
February 16, the birthday of Richard Jost, Mabel Lawson, Gianna Dressler, Nina Sweeney, Elaine Krewson Creveling, Rachel Strauser, Sheila Kay Albertson, and Lori Andrysick. This is the third anniversary of the passing of Elsie Parkhurst Buyers.
The Center needs auction items for the upcoming fund-raiser. Items can be accepted through March 25. What do you have that you could donate to help The Center?
Many readers will remember the coin-operated wooden phone booths that were around for about a hundred years. The idea came along when inventor William Gray realized that making a phone call from the outside of buildings without some protection from the weather was difficult. The idea spread to heavy-traffic areas in railroad stations, fancy hotels and banks. As the years rolled on, the wooden phone booth with carpet on the floor was replaced with booths made of reinforced steel or metal, and finally they just disappeared.
As life goes on, the standard desk phone in homes is disappearing. Sales of Smartphones reached record levels in 2010 according to International Data Corporation. More phone users are using VoIP services. Vendors worldwide shipped a total of 302.6 million Smartphones, an increase of 74.4% in 2009. The report also shows that during the fourth quarter of 2010, 100.9 million units were shipped, a jump of 87.2% compared with the last three months of 2009. Nokia and Microsoft have now teamed up to create a new mobile ecosystem presumably aimed at taking on Apple, Android, RIM and HP.
Smartphones have built-in address books, diaries, calculators and spreadsheets so the demise of the Rolodex and the calculator can’t be far behind. As people replace their aging computers, they discover that they do not need to buy any application programs. Everything one needs is available free or for a nominal charge by using “cloud” computing. And so we wonder what will be the next product which follows the iPad and the Smartphone.
The article, "Uranium on Fritz Hill," which originally appeared at this location has been consolidated into an article which now appears in the FEATURES section of the Benton News. The article can be found here.
February 14, 2011 , the birthday of Len Hayman, Laura Hess, Laura Hess and Noah Weaver and the wedding anniversary of David and Carolyn Diehl and Bill and Elaine Rogers. Christopher Latham Sholes (February 14, 1819-February 17, 1890) , a U.S. inventor who developed the typewriter, was born on this day near Mooresburg, Montour County, 32 miles from Back Home in Benton, PA. Today is Valentine's Day. Heavy winds will dominate the weather Monday. Tuesday will drop ten or so degrees to a high of 35°. Wednesday’s temperatures should start to rise and on Thursday expect temperatures above 50°. Benton Borough Council meets tonight.
Jeopardy is a popular program featuring unusual contestants with unusual abilities. Tonight will be no exception, as an IBM supercomputer sounding much like Hal from “2001: A Space Odyssey” and answering to the name Watson will be a contestant. Watson understands whole language and can draw on dispersed fields of knowledge. Watson is more than a computer. To arrive at a single, precise answer to a question it must seamlessly integrate data and analytics from several systems. Take a look to see how the machine mimics the complicated reasoning processes involved in playing Jeopardy!. Let's hope that the direction computers like Watson will take us in the future is the right direction!
Valentine’s Day in 1929 on the North stide of Chicago style had some excitement associated with it. Seven top guns, so to speak, in “Moran Enterprises” gathered in a non-descript garage in Chicago. A bunch of men dressed in the uniforms of the Chicago police appeared and told the men to stand against the wall and to raise their hands. The men were dressed in police clothing but were actually thugs from the gang of Al “Scarface” Capone. They began firing Thompson sub-machine guns at the backs of the men lined up against the wall, men who were actually members of the gang of bootlegger George “Bugs” Moran. From drive-up to drive-off the whole event took less than eight minutes—a real “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.” And where was Al Capone when all this took place? He was in Florida. It was February, you’ll remember. Capone was never arrested for this crime and the gunmen were never identified. Capone later got nailed for tax evasion, spent seven years in prison, retired in Florida and died from syphilis in 1947. Go here to see a clip of the movie.
Facebook’s new photo viewer is now available for all Facebook users, which means that you can see more photos faster without losing your place in Facebook. All Benton News Facebook users can access all photos posted by other Benton News Facebook users. Within the Facebook community, more than 100 million photos are uploaded per day to the social network.
If you have a need to convert video formats, including avi, wmv, mpg, mp4, mkv, to an MP3 audio file on your Windoze XP, Vista or OS 7 computer, you might consider the free Moo0 VoiceRecorder. It is a simple sound recorder which permits you to record your "Only Voice" / "Voice and PC Sound" / "Only PC Sound" with a single click. The program currently supports Wave and Mp3 encoding formats. This program can capture any sound on your PC, so you’ll be able to use it to record internet radio, streaming music, Skype and even some sounds from your video files. Read about the program here and download it here
Bluegrass at The Center is a popular event. Take a look at a video of a recent jam session. The video was provided by Dean Marshall.
Didja ever consider that both failure and success are hard to handle?
The article, "Uranium on Fritz Hill," which originally appeared at this location has been consolidated into an article which now appears in the FEATURES section of the Benton News. The article can be found here.
February 13, 2011, the birthday of Edna Bogart, Dorothy Coady and John McMichael. Expect cloudy and windy weather for the next two days, with temperatures of 40° or more during the daylight hours.
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Friday, February 11, and Saturday, February 12, 2011.Tonight will feel balmy after the low temperatures of last night. Watch for a warming trend through Sunday with a little snow Saturday morning. Flooding in much of the country is possible next week. Have you ordered flowers for your Valentine yet?
February 11, the birthday of Sally Fritz, Lisa Baker Curtain and Judy Search. It is the wedding anniversary of Jim and Gloria Kremer. Thomas Alva Edison, the man with 1,093 patents to his credit, was born on this date. "The Glass Menagerie" continues tonight with the Walnut Street Theatre Celebrity Artist Series, Bloomsburg University. There is a bluegrass-jam session at The Center tonight from 6:30 to 9. Whether you play or just want to listen--come on out! There will be a clothing give away today from 4 to 7 PM at the Benton United Methodist Church. It will also be possible to order your "Angel Food" at this time. There are many different boxes to choose from on the menu. Take advantage of this opportunity to lower your monthly food bill. Pick-up will be Saturday, February 19, from 7:30 to 9 AM.
February 12, the birthday of Kate Kocher, Leland Bogert and former U.S. Senator Arlen Specter. The wedding date of Jennifer and John Watson. Abraham Lincoln was born on this date 202 years ago.
A bill, H.B. 42, has passed the state House Health Committee to remove Pennsylvania from the individual mandate portion of the national health-care reform law. The bill would prohibit the government from enacting or adopting any law to penalize any individual, employer or health care provider for participating in a health-care system of their choosing. The bill "protects Pennsylvania citizens from potential federal penalties if they choose to ignore the individual mandate in the federal health-care law passed last year."
Baker Hughes Inc. claims that the 818 rigs drilling for oil in the U.S. is the highest since at least 1987, nearly double last year's count and about 10 times the number that were drilling for oil in the late 1990s. The activity is centered on unconventional reservoirs in tight shale-rock formations. Increased domestic oil production could help offset declining output in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. In the past two years, breakthroughs in drilling technology, combined with the resilience of high oil prices, have led companies like Chesapeake Energy Corp. and Petrohawk Energy Corp. to switch rigs formerly devoted to drilling for natural gas to emerging oilfields like the Eagle Ford shale formation in Texas and Mexico. Chesapeake has announced its plan to sell all of its Fayetteville Shale assets, as well as its equity investments in Frac Tech Holdings LLC and Chaparral Energy Inc. and that it plans to reduce its long-term debt through 2012. Chesapeake agreed last week to sell to Cnooc, China’s largest offshore oil and gas producer, a stake in its US shale oil and gas holdings for up to $1.3 billion. Chesapeake is trying to reduce long-term debt by 25% in 2011-2012.
The Beaver Balls Banquet, known in Sullivan County as the Wild Game Dinner at the Muncy Valley Fire Hall, has added antelope to the menu. This February 19 dinner helps support the Sullivan County Recreation Association. Along with Winterland Winery from Lopez doing taste testing, homemade desserts will be available at the end of the dinner. For those who do not eat game, salads will be served. This year's speaker will present a slide show and talk about timbering off Ricketts Glen State Park by helicopter. Call Sue Mullen at 928-9537 to reserve tickets or donate your wild game.
The 2011 Benton/Millville/Orangeville/Jerseytown United Methodist Cluster Ash Wednesday Service will be March 9 at 7 at the Mill-Green (former Millville) UMC. Pastor Calvin Miller will be preaching this year.
For those readers who have converted to Windows 7, there are not a lot of free email programs you can use. You can use Thunderbird, which you can download here.
There are continued examples of problems with Smartphones reported each day in the news media. We browse, shop and bank on our phones--which opens us up to compromise of account, financial and banking information. Didja know that some people even make calls on these phones? Evil doers might not catch you or me, but will nail many people with the promise of a free "app" that gives ringtones or music or wallpaper--especially for those who use the Android operating system. If you have a Smartphone, take the time to read the McAfee Threat Report .
Didja know that Jacksonville, Florida, was originally called "Cowford?"
It was named for a narrow spot on the St. Johns River where cattle could cross.
The St. Johns River is always a mystery to me. It flows north 310 miles through 13 counties from the Atlantic Ocean on the east, as far south as Indian River County, as far north as the Georgia-Florida border and to the western edges of Alachua County. During that long flow, the river drops only a total of 30 feet.
I have relaxed along with banks of the St. Johns River with Bob and Nina Baker shielding equal parts of coconut milk and crushed pineapple along with three ounces of light rum from the hot sun, sailed with Wayne and Mary Baker on its calm waters and sat by the hour along its shoreline at Jacksonville staring at nothing in particular. I have investigated the “dead rivers” that flow into the St. Johns and the eroded ground beside the river somehow thinking that tools or pottery from ancient tribal cultures would show up.
Our hills in the Commonwealth are full of streams where water flows until it can join with other drops of water to form small streams. The water flow keeps increasing in size until the streams become rivers that flow to the Chesapeake. But here in Florida, the St. Johns comes out of the rain-fed saw-grass marshes and trickles, slowly picking up momentum from more rainfall, springs and tributaries. The flow north results from a ridge only 27 feet high that runs north and south across the saw-grass prairie north of Okeechobee. The ridge is so subtle that you must consult a topographic map to even know it is there. The St. Johns River flows through the middle of lakes, as it does with Lakes Jesup and Beresford. Salt water leaches up through the aquifer, and becomes the breeding ground for the southern stingray. Other saltwater fish live in the river: Atlantic needlefish, pipefish and blue crabs. The river begins its flow in the subtropics and ends in the warm temperatures of the northern part of the state.
Didja know that Juan Ponce de Leon is credited with naming "La Florida,"
the "island" he spotted during Easter week,
the Feast of Flowers (Pasqua Florida)?
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February 10, 2011, the birthday of Cheryl Beishline-Pasukinis, Diana Lehr and Amanda Becker. We have two more nights of bitterly cold weather, and we hope it will be the last for the winter.
Kenneth W. Karns Sr. (December 17, 1955-February 5, 2011), passed away Saturday at his home in the Hudson Section of Plains Township. He was 55. Kenneth was born in Benton and was a graduate of Benton High School. He was a son of Stanley and Molly Karns. Kenneth was a U.S. Army veteran of Vietnam, serving as a sergeant with the Army Combat Engineers. He was a resident of Plains Township for the past 10 years and previously lived in Benton. Before his retirement seven years ago, he was employed by Allied Transportation Co., Newark, NJ.
Surviving are daughter Tammi McCormick, Dallas; sons, Kenneth and Arthur, both of Kingston, and Dustin, Sayerville, NJ; step-son, Kenneth Hayes, Sayerville; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; step-sisters, Alberta, Kingston, and Martha, Benton; step-brother, Michael, Benton; as well as nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 11 Wednesday from the Karl E. Blight Funeral Home, Kingston. Interment was in St. James Cemetery, Stillwater.
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Wednesday, February 9, the 40th day of 2011, with 39 days until the official start of Spring and only a few days until the official start of pothole season. It is the birthday of Kay Emily Kline, Scott Jones and Ashley Lamoreaux. If you thought that last night was cold, wait until tonight. And come to think about it, Thursday night will be even colder. A warm-up to near freezing comes Friday and Saturday.
There is trouble in River City! Midge and Ed Rendell have decided to split, according to emails from the formerly happy couple sent Monday and reported Tuesday by the Philadelphia Daily News.
“Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned,
Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.”
--William Congreve, The Mourning Bride, 1697, act III, scene 8
--Poetry (?) by Richard Rhoads, Arlington, VA
Following the lead of the Health Committee of the state House of Representatives, it appears likely that legislation will follow prohibiting Pennsylvanians who do not purchase health insurance from being penalized. The “individual mandate" requires everyone to purchase health insurance by 2014 or face a financial penalty. The Supreme Court will likely pass judgment on Obamacare this year, since three rulings by Federal courts resulted in three different decisions of the constitutionality of the issue. There are more problems for the health-care program following House Republican Leader Eric Cantor's prediction that the U.S. House of Representatives will vote to block funding for President Obama's healthcare overhaul when it takes up a budget plan next week.
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 9 would require "identification of lawful presence in the United States as a prerequisite to the receipt of public benefits." The Senate State Government Committee is considering legislation that would require a person to provide proof of citizenship to receive public benefits with a few specific exclusions which probably don't apply to any readers of the Benton News.
This will be the second time that Republicans control the state legislature and governor's mansion and will be able to draw the congressional district lines based on census data. In 2001, they tried to create a map on which they thought they could control as many as 13 or 14 of the state's 19 congressional districts, but by the time the election of 2008 rolled around, Republicans controlled only seven of the 19 districts. Republicans are back on top and hold 12 districts in the Keystone State. The Commonwealth will lose one district this year.
Genevieve E. (Dickson) Yacko (March 17, 1938-February 6, 2011), Spring Garden Avenue, Berwick, a former resident of Benton and Catawissa, died Sunday at the Geisinger Medical Center, Danville. She was 72. Genevieve was born in Tunkhannock. She was a daughter of Byron and Theta Meade Dickson, Park Street, Benton. She was a member of the 1956 graduating class of Benton High School. She was a former owner and manager of the Slabtown Market.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and by her husband, Joseph Yacko, on December 24, 2006; sister, Darlene Bartlebaugh, and great-grandson Jayden Karaffa. Survivors include daughters Louise Grove (Joseph) and Heather Yacko, both of Catawissa; two sons: Alan Sutton (Kathy) and Jeffrey Sutton (Bonnie), both of Catawissa; eight grandchildren: Tracy Bellum, Tanya Karaffa, Kayla Grove,Trichelle Grove, Nicole Cotterman, Malisa Sutton, Cameron Macklem and Seth Macklem; nine great-grandchildren; a sister: Carol Koss (Ron), Pittsburgh; and brothers Sterling Dickson (Claudia), Mississippi; and Donald Dickson (Kate), Dallas.
Friends will be received on Tuesday, February 8 from 6 to 8 PM from the Allen Funeral Home, 745 Market (at Eighth Street), Bloomsburg. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, February 9, at 10 AM from the Allen Funeral Home. Graveside services will be held in Elan Memorial Park, Lime Ridge.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Dialysis Foundation, 840 Hollins St., Baltimore, MD 21201, or Columbia Montour Aging Office, 702 Sawmill Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17815.
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Monday and Tuesday, January 7 & 8, 2011.
February 7, the birthday of Tammy Roach Prosey, Stacey Hess Geffken, former state Representative George Hasay and James Vance. Just when we don't expect snow, along comes a little of the white stuff today.
February 8, the birthday of Beverly Kingsbury and Flo Deeter.
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Jeremy R. Reese, Millville, second assistant chief of the Millville Community Fire Company is running for Magisterial District Judge for the Northern Columbia County District 26-3-01 currently held by Judge Ola Stackhouse. Jeremy works for Geisinger Health System as a Communication Technician for Life Flight and is employed part time for Greater Columbia Medical Transport in Bloomsburg as an EMT and a continuing education instructor. Stackhouse is retiring after 18 years. District judges may not serve past age 70. Stackhouse will be 70 in June. |
Snow cover since early January and frigid temperatures keep us huddled in front of warm fires, nourished by hearty soups and stews. But what’s a bird to do who has made the brave decision to stick around through glacial Northeast Pennsylvania winters? If we don’t offer an all-you-can-eat buffet of seeds and suet, berries in the frozen landscape become an important source of survival for our faithful feathered friends.Lists of berry plants suggest an abundance of options. However, as you may have noted, most of the tastier choices--like serviceberries, blueberries, partridgeberries, and teaberries--are long gone or buried under snow by early December. So as deepest winter unfolds, some of the more astringent fruits take center stage. And lucky for us that the birds leave these bitter morsels for desperate times, allowing us the pleasure of colorful accents in an otherwise bleak winter landscape.
This month, look for avian visitors at hawthorn, mountain ash, and barberry; members of the holly and viburnum families; and needled-evergreens like yew and juniper. Especially on relatively warm days when the berries have softened, or after they have fermented during freeze-thaw cycles, ravenous birds will flock to our backyards and wild patches looking for sustenance, offering us a front row seat at the banquet.
One of my favorite bird magnets in late winter is actually a pome-type fruit, not a berry at all. Miniature ruby-red jewels hang in garlands from my ‘Prairiefire’ crabapple tree, attracting starlings, juncos, blue jays, and cardinals to sample the decorative bounty. Developed at the University of Illinois in the 1980’s, this hybrid crabapple has been described as “an all-season extravaganza” because “every part of the tree is a feast for the eyes.”
Starting in May, pinkish-red buds burst into prolific magenta blooms. Next comes burgundy foliage maturing to dark green shade cover. In autumn, the leaves turn orange and then drop to reveal glossy red fruit that persist through winter until desperately hungry birds devour it. Still, the show continues, with dark red bark, polished like fine cherry wood, awaiting the revival of spring bloom.
Malus ‘Prairiefire’ grows well in zones four to nine, to a height of 15 to 20 feet, with a similar spread. It does best in full sun and well-drained loamy soil. Diseases which decimate many other varieties of crabapple seem not to be a problem. Best of all, our own Stoney Acres Nursery carries this adaptable species, just waiting to be planted in your bird-friendly landscape.
--Kathleen Arcuri.
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February 6, 2011, the birthday of Wendy Kriebel, Michael Lehet and Michael Hoydis, George Herman (Babe) Ruth; Ronald Wilson Reagan, our 40th U.S. President, one hundred years ago in 1911; Joan Lucille Olander, in 1931 (known professionally as Mamie Van Doren; television personality Tom Brokaw, in 1940; and attorney Aaron Burr, in 1756. Burr, our third U.S. Vice President killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel and was known as a traitor, although he was never convicted. Joseph Priestley, our Northumberland neighbor, died on this date in 1804.The monthly Fellowship Breakfast begins this morning at the Benton United Methodist Church at 8. How 'bout this! There won't be measurable snow through Wednesday, but you won't be able to sleep with the windows up quite yet.
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Friday and Saturday, February 4 & 5, 2011.
February 4, the birthday of Bill Fricke, Bonnie Bergeron and Miriam Keller Stauder and the seventh anniversary of the founding of the social netword Facebook. We have now passed the astronomical midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. The sun streaming through the living-room window gets warmer each day. Tonight won't be as cold as last night, but snow will begin falling late and by Saturday turn into a mix of snow, sleet and rain.
February 5, the birthday of Stephen Whitenight, Walker Rilk, Allison Cross and Dorothy Burlew.
--Compiled by Bryan Hart
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February 3, 2011, the birthday of Rayellen Kisbach Gilles, Amanda V. Hartman , Betty Rabb Helwig, Brian and Brad Albertson and Iris Wilkins, Orlando, Florida.
Found: A tri-color, Beagle, Walker, mix with long hair. The owner should describe the dog's color in order to get it back. Email bentonnews at gmail.com and I'll pass it along to the person who found the dog. Speaking of dogs...
Buster, our pet Bichon, is getting along in years. He is now 12 and facing life mostly from a prone position. He naps a lot, and when he isn't on the couch sleeping he is either asking to be taken for a walk or asking for food. Today he broke with his daily routine and asked that I share a Jimmy Stewart story about a dog named Beau. Go here and share a wonderful poem from Jimmy Stewart. If you never owned a dog you would miss if he were gone, don't bother watching this. You would simply not understand .
The Commonwealth could get a revenue boost if it joins a national compact of states in an effort to grab at least a portion of $700 million in annual uncollected sales tax revenues from online vendors. The House Appropriations Committee has been briefed about the multi-state compact.
A newspaper was announced to the world yesterday when Rupert Murdock brought out a daily available as a paid app, mostly to benefit advertisers, but also to line his pockets. The advertisements have great graphics. What else there is seems to be available for free from other sources. The Daily is the first digital news publication with original content for the iPad. The Daily is similar to News Corp.’s New York Post, its sports coverage much like USA Today with a leaning toward People Magazine.
Our musical selection for today comes from the one-man band known as the Ren and Stimpy One Man Band. It is hard to believe how many hours of mixing it took to make all the parts come together on this video. And it is hard to believe that one man played all the parts.
Christ United Methodist Church in Central is having a bake sale in the lobby of First Columbia Bank on Friday February 4, to raise money for Pastor Howard Leh to take to Haiti on March 1. All money raised will be used to buy supplies for the Haitian people. The bake sale will start when the bank opens at 8:30 and will run until everything is sold or the bank closes.
Have you heard the joke from the Middle East that goes like this: One of Hosni Mubarak's advisers gets his nerve up and asks, "Mr. President, maybe it's time to think about your farewell address to the Egyptian people." Mubarak looks at the adviser and asks, "Why? Where are they going? "
As Mother would say, we are in a "mell of a Hess." By "we," I mean "the world." Protests between pro- and anti-government demonstrators turned violent in Cairo yesterday. There were deaths and more than 800 people were injured in fights as the military stood by neutrally. The military appears to be moving in to protect lives this morning. Jordan's King Abdullah II dismissed his prime minister and his cabinet after widespread protests by crowds inspired by demonstrations in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere. Closer to home, the U.S. government owes nearly $187,000 for every family of four in the nation. These are the same Washington bureaucrats who will spend almost $1.5 trillion more than it brings in. The Federal government and state governments are forced to let go firefighters and police officers and teachers, take a second, more casual look at inmates they can't afford to house and feed and release them to the streets. Major cities in Pennsylvania--Harrisburg is one example--and other states are broke and many municipal bonds are in jeopardy. For a number of reasons, food prices are climbing out of sight. And don't forget oil. Crude oil at $100-per-barrel oil is predicted by many. Against this background, nearly everything that rises as the dollar falls continues to move higher. As someone once said to me, "Explain to me vunst."
Didja know that the Natural Organic Warehouse is a national distributor of natural and organic products and programs?
The article which appeared in this section on the Gravity Switchback Railroad in Mauch Chuck, has now now been moved to the FEATURES section.
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The winner of a bet was paid in full Tuesday as Ed Cole paid John Haines $50--a reward for John losing 68 pounds compared to Ed's loss of 25 pounds. Edward Cole, Jr. joined in the wager months after the two Silver Streakers. He lost 83 pounds to gain bragging rights. Edward now weighs ten pounds less than his father, eats more vegetables, plays more volleyball and will probably keep his weight off better. A new wager is now in effect involving percentage losses, the year 2012, starting weights and other complicating factors.
The article which appeared in this section on the Gravity Switchback Railroad in Mauch Chuck, has now now been moved to the FEATURES section.
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February 1, 2011, the birthday of Brooke Benjamin, Brooke Nickles, Sally Smith, Diana Westover and Clint Kline. Snow will continue this morning, turning to sleet later in the day and an icy mix by Wednesday morning. Expect temperatures to drop Thursday.
A fund raiser to benefit the Fuel Fund is planned for Benton Community Yard Sale Days, May 28, in the parking lot of the Benton Christian Church. Anyone with items they wish to donate can be brought to the Benton Christian Church on Saturday, May 21, Wednesday, May 25 and Friday, May 27 from 9 AM to 12 noon each of those days. Someone will be at the Church to direct where the items should go. The council will also have hot dogs and buns with ketchup and mustard; cold drinks and baked goods for sale that day.
--thanks to Peg Follmer for providing information on the Council of Churches
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The German Heritage Society of the Susquehanna Valley will hold its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, February 3, at 7 PM. at the Degenstein Library, Sunbury. Members and guests will hear a presentation by Society Treasurer Erika Hort recounting her childhood in Germany in the aftermath of World War II, emigrating to America with her family, and returning to Germany later in life to visit her childhood home. Members and guests are invited to join in this free program. Refreshments will be served. Contact GHSSV President Jeff Sheaffer at 374-7730 for more information.
