March 31, 2011, the birthday of Dottie Ann Pollock, Heather Simpson and Chase Emerson Stewart. Chase Emerson, two years old today, could use a prayer from you. He is gearing up for another surgery at Shriner's Hospital, Philadelphia, sometime before the end of June. Doctors will remove the bulky fixator from his right leg, which is healing nicely, and either replace it with a cast or a more streamlined fixator that only goes down the front of his leg--depending on how much bone his body has knitted by surgery. He is doing great and has started taking some steps on his own this month. Snow is possible today and through the first two days of April. No fooling!
Friday morning they are heading out early for 20 miles of slab, 76 miles of rolling fast graded dirt road with exposed granite boulders and pine forest, 63 miles of rolling fast graded dirt road turning into variable two track with whoops, rocks, and loamy banked turns, then 66 miles of slab, sandy wash, huge whoops, fast graded dirt road, dry lake bed and rocks. They will find a spot along the road to get some breakfast. A chase truck will head west and south through Ensenada. The bikes will turn south in la Rumerosa to ride through the national forest, and Laguna Hanson. They will head to Highway 3 and meet up with the chase truck about ten miles east of Ojos Negros where they will fuel, listen to some music, and refill camel baks. Bikes will head into the pine forest and head east on fast flowing granite roads, and smaller two tracks to the "goat trail," and eventually down into Valley De Trinidad. Here they will meet up with chase again, fuel, refill camel baks and have lunch.
They will then head south on dirt. This is the last time they will see chase until they hit San Felipe where they will fuel and take water. From the highway they will head south and then east on a combination of fast graded road, dry lake bed, and sandy whooped out trail and on into San Felipe. By the time they get to the Cortez hotel in San Felipe they should be beat and if they ride well still light out. It will be time for a beer, dinner and a good sleep.
On Saturday, they will have breakfast in San Felipe, then ride north more or less following the highway, and then west back to where they last saw chase on Friday. The day should bring 50 miles of rocks, whoops, huge whoops, sandy wash and graded road, 41 miles of rocky two track, graded road and just a bit of slab. From there they will head up through the canyon, until they meet chase, fuel all bikes and take water. From there, they will ride to Mike's Sky Ranch where they will stop for lunch, then head out “the back way” on rocky two track almost all the way to Meling. They will have dinner and a beer at Meling.
Sunday, they will have breakfast at Meling, and 80 miles of winding slab with incredible views, and knee-dragging turns, single track with ocean views, coastal two track, and flowing graded-dirt roads, and a bit of beach riding. They will be in sight of the Pacific Ocean almost the whole day. They will stop for fuel in Camalu and an early lunch at the Pirate bar. After lunch, the rest of the day will be on flowing two track and dirt roads heading up the Pacific coast to Erindira where they will stop for fuel from the chase truck and dinner and an overnight stay at Coyote Cal’s.
Following Monday's breakfast at Coyote Cal’s, they will be off for 71 miles of graded rocky dirt road with oncoming traffic, slab, rolling two track with rocky sections, and massive rain ruts. Once at Santo Tomas, they will top off fuel, and head north 63 miles on fast graded dirt road through high desert and pine forest to Urupan, then head East to Tres Hermanos and then north to Ojos Negros. They will gas up in Ojos, and find a taco stand open for lunch. From Ojos, it is a fast-flowing dirt road all the way back up to Rancho Ojai where they will load up and head home.
Sound like a piece of cake? Well, each rider will need to carry at least 100 oz. of water that can be easily accessed. Back-pack hydration works best. Headlights are essential. Full gear is required--helmet, boots, goggles, chest protector, gloves, knee/shin guards. A flashlight is essential if they get stuck in the desert after dark with a mechanical problem in the rain. They will carry a full set of tools, a radio, some food, first-aid kit, rain jacket, spare set of riding gloves, spare tubes, a headlamp, a stiff comb for removing Cholla, passport and some cash. No riding will be done after having a beer, I'm promised.
You can follow David's progress by Spot and GPS and on the Benton News Facebook page. I will breathe a lot easier when this ride is over. Darn, I wish I were a lot younger so I could have gone along...
--Frank Carleton Nelson
In his later years, the white haired Man of God wore a black tie and suit when he climbed behind the pulpit. His face would turn pink with the flow of adrenalin, his eyes tilted to peer through the bifocals in his large glasses at the written material he had collected on the podium. He didn't sing with the congregation, but stared intently at the material on his podium as a student might cram for an examination. His gaze led observers to think that his eyesight was not as good as it once was. He began reading slowly, thought about some sentences and then reread them as if either the words needed additional emphasis or he hadn't been able to accurately read them the first time..
When the actual sermon began, he planted his hands firmly on the pulpit for balance and reassurance and lifted his head toward the congregation. He delivered his Sunday messages clearly and without reference to a single note. Never smiling, his voice was filled with authority and knowledge. He spoke to his congregation much like an attentive grandfather might speak to an appreciative grandson. His eyesight might be failing him, but his memory and delivery were not.
Tuesday, March 29, and Wednesday, March 30, 2011. Sarah Hayes has a birthday on March 29 and Esther Derrick Heckman has one on the 30th. Lavenia Campbell's 96th birthday is April 4. If anyone would like to send a card that the family could read to her, the address is 346 St. Gabriel Road, Benton, PA 17814. Many snowbirds in Florida are busy packing their bags to head north. Chilly today, cold tonight, possibility of snow tomorrow. Is this spring or what?
Three families living southeast of Towanda have filed lawsuits with requests for arbitration against Chesapeake Energy according to a Morning Times article. The families are forced to get their drinking water hauled to their homes and must vent methane gas into the atmosphere so that it doesn't build up and explode their wells. Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection ran tests which confirmed the water was contaminated with methane. After further testing, DEP traced the methane to “gas drilling activity.” Chesapeake has provided a filtration system for each house. Pre-drill water testing was not done for the residences located approximately 4,000 feet from the drill site. Chesapeake maintains that they tested all known water sources within 2,500 feet of the drilling locations. The Commonwealth recommends that water sources within 1,000 feet be tested.
March 28, 2011, the birthday of Michael S. Milnarik, Lee Kocher, Chris Becker, Thomas Jones, Mary Ann Bankes, Peggy Follmer and and the wedding anniversary of Richard and Sandy Lehet. It was 32 years ago--March 28, 1979--when a combination of mechanical failure and human error led to a partial meltdown at the nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island. Nobel Peace Prize holder President Obama is going to explain America’s involvement in a war in Libya tonight at 7:30. There was a temperature difference yesterday at 4 PM between Port Saint Lucie and Benton of 50°. Temperatures will remain cold through Tuesday when rain is possible.
Mahlon L. Fritz, Sr. (March 24, 1934-March 25, 2011), Bottom Road, Orangeville, died Friday at the Select Specialty Hospital at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville. He was 77. Mahlon was born on Market Street in Benton. He was a son of Clyde L. and Annabelle V. (Bachman) Fritz. He was a 1952 graduate of Benton High School, a 1961 graduate of Bloomsburg State College where he earned a B.A. in Education, followed by an M.A. in Business Education and Accounting in 1968. Following high school, Mahlon entered the U.S. Navy with Blair Whitenight, his best friend. He served during the Korean War from 1952 to 1956. He remained as an active reservist until 1960.
Brian Victor DuMond (September 3, 1946-March 25, 2011), the sculpturer responsible for the stainless-steel statues of the boy and girl adjacent to the Kozy Korner restaurant, died unexpectedly at his Stillwater home Friday. He was 64. Brian was born in Croswell, Michigan. He was a son of Bonnie Jean (Woodruff) DuMond, Unadilla, New York, and the late Brian Victor DuMond, Sr. He was a graduate of Unatego High School, Unadilla, NY. He then furthered his education at Delhi Community College, Delhi, NY; Southeastern Bible College, Birmingham, AL; Washington Bible College, Washington, D.C.; Kings College, Wilkes-Barre; and was currently taking classes at Bloomsburg University.
Saturday and Sunday, March 26 & 27, 2011. Don't count on a warm-up of the weather before Tuesday, but don't throw away your snuggies even then.
March 25, 2011, the birthday of Tiffany McHenry Deitrick, her 40th, in Pine Grove Mills. Others celebrating birthdays include Sandra Kelsey Hess, Jeff Wolford, Ken Forbes and Nancy Ribble. It is the wedding anniversary of Terry and Terri Adams. Expect our cold weather to remain through Monday.
The article about Bob Vincent, originally included at this location, has been moved to the FEATURES section. You can find the article by going here.
We'll turn our attention for a moment to another Vincent. This past weekend Lee and Carolyn Remley attended the Eagle Court of Honor for their grandson Jacob A. Vincent, son of Chris and Amy Vincent, Odenton, Maryland. In addition to receiving his Eagle Badge, Jacob was awarded his first Bronze Eagle Palm. To help celebrate Jacob’s accomplishment, the ceremony was also attended by Paul and Kerry Vincent, Stillwater and Jeffrey Remley and Cindy Williams, Benton.
State police in the Commonwealth removed from service 131 trucks (of 731 commercial trucks inspected) hauling waste water from Marcellus shale drilling sites during a two-day crackdown last week. Fourteen drivers were taken out of service, 421 traffic citations were issued and 824 warnings were issued. Faulty brakes were a common problem.How 'bout them Phillies! Forbes Magazine says the team is now worth $609 million, the sixth most valuable team in baseball. You can determine the estimate worth of all the major league teams by going here.There is a good deal at Stoney Acres Nursery, route 487. You can get a free Cooke Tavern Soup from them when you spend $50 at the nursery through the end of March.
March 24, 2011, the birthday of Drew Bower, Mike Newhart, Shirley Laubach Kitchen and Bob Lewis. It is the wedding anniversary of Richard and Tracy Fritz, Mary and John Hopkins and Bob Sagar and Tanya Boston-Sagar. The local area is still feeling the effects of the 6.5" inches of snow that fell Tuesday night, following by rain Wednesday and overnight Wednesday by thunderstoms, rain, sleet and snow. It was a "sloppy mess," according to Carolyn Remley. The forecast is simply colder, cold and coldest through Saturday. Is this really March?
• the annual Vacation Bible School will be June 27-July 1 at the Benton United Methodist Church from 8:45 AM until noon. All area children up to and including 6th grade are invited.
March 23, 2011, the birthday of Rachel Kaminski and her mother-in-law, Dorothy Kaminski. It is also the birthday of Kim Huntington, Peg Krum, Jackie Pettigrew, Rachel Fincham, Alice Strauch and Bob Campbell. Happy anniversary to Alice and Gary Strauch. On this day in 1867, Christopher Latham Sholes, Mooresburg, Montour County, 32 miles from Back Home in Benton, PA, introduced the typewriter and opened many avenues for women to enter the workplace. Snow is probable for today, with cold weather settling in through the weekend.
The Museum/Library Committee of The Center will present a talk tonight at 7 by Colonel Eileen Chapman, U.S. Marine Corp (Retired), who will tell stories about her 30-year career as the first woman JAG Officer to serve in the United States Marines. She served from 1966-1996 at a time when women were seldom seen in any profession, yet alone the legal profession and the Marine Corps. She was the first female lawyer in the Marine Corps.
Mozilla has released Firefox 4, the newest version of the popular, free and open-source web browser. The new Firefox has a streamlined user interface, fun new features, a boost in speed and support for modern Web technologies. Download Firefox 4 from www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/ .
The Guv wants higher-education funding for 18 colleges and universities cut in half as part of a plan to balance the budget without raising taxes. The schools that would be impacted have/will say the proposed cuts would lead to tuition hikes, scaled-back courses and other changes. Do you know what tuition costs at colleges and universities in the United States? If not, head here , enter the name of the university and the state in which it is located.
Penn State University President, Graham Spanier, whose total compensation last year was $642,760, issued a warning that the proposed cuts would make the university face the realities that we ordinary citizens face in our lives when we have to cut back, use available time and money more efficiently and make do with less. Perhaps a pay freeze would be in order. Certainly many in the Commonwealth who don't have a job and have bleak prospects for getting a job would be happy to have their pay frozen at a high level.
The article about Bob Vincent, originally included at this location, has been moved to the FEATURES section. You can find the article by going here.
March 21 & 22, 2011. Be careful driving in the snow this morning.
In the eyes of those of us accustomed to the scenic beauty of the Pennsylvania hills, a trip to a national park is somewhat confusing at first. When a tree falls in a national park, it remains where it fell--unless it falls across the road. The tree undisturbed will decay and become forest mold and become the nourishment for future generations.
Chuck will present approximately 200 slides of several of our most famous parks. Most of the photos were taken during the three-month tour Kay and Chuck took last summer when they traveled more than 16,000 miles through 3 Canadian Provinces and 19 states. Chuck and Kay took photos of scenery and many of North American mammals, including wolves, black bears, grizzlies, moose and deer.
The program is free and open to the public. Buckwheat cakes will be coming off the grill by 8 AM and the program will begin about 9 AM.
Saturday and Sunday, March 19 & 20, 2010.
March 19, the 78th day of the year, and the birthday of Carol Fritz Hiscox, Betty Lewis, Dan Stoneham and Linda Bronson. Cindy Denninger is half a century old today. The beautiful full moon tonight--the closest and biggest full moon in our sky since March 1993--will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than your average full moon. The March full moon was once known by Indians as the "full worm moon," named perhaps for the earthworms that begin to appear this time of the year as the ground warms and the robins show up. Another name for the full moon was the "Sap Moon," so named for the maple sap now flowing. We'll be back to cooler temperatures and down to the low 20s tonight. There is a chicken and biscuit dinner from 4 to 7 PM at the Raven Creek Community Hall and the Boy Scouts are serving spaghetti and meatballs at the Methodist Church from 4 to 7 PM.
March 20, the birthday of Eddie Davis, Bob Wenner, Edith Sterrett,Taylor Kogut and Eric Ackerman. Can you feel Spring right around the corner? It arrives at 7:21 tonight. The Jerseytown Bluegrass Jam is at the Jerseytown Community Center. Doors open at 10, stage starts at noon. Lenten Services are at the Benton United Methodist Church. The speaker will be provided by Christ the King Church with music by St. Gabriel's church.
Brother Dayne and his new bride Ruth owned a farm just "below the rocks" south of the Benton Borough line. The house and the barn were on the east side of route 487 and the pastures were on the west side of route 487. The only way to get cows across the road was to walk the cows West in the morning after milking and East in the late afternoon after milking. Traffic came to a complete stop while Bossie and her buddies would get to the middle of the two-lane road, toss their heads back and forth as defiantly as they could, and then deposit a trail marker in the vicinity of the center line. Herding cows in bare feet was a challenge!
Just after milking in the morning and just before suppertime, the cows would make their pilgrimage across the road to or from the "bottom," about half a mile from the barn, where shade and water was abundant. My job was to wave a white cloth from the edge of the road while yelling at the top of my voice, "Com, boss." Slowly the Golden Guernseys meandered across the well-worn paths in the field and made their way through the "gap" in the fence, across the railroad tracks, up the bank, across the road, and into the barnyard. It frequently meant that we would have short conversations with "regulars" on the road, and occasionally we had abbreviated conversations with tourists who were just genuinely insulted that they had to wait for a 900-pound animal to cross. Cars didn't seem to have the right-of-way, but the railroad did, and we always hurried in case the train rumbled up the tracks.
There was one close call. In the 1940s, Muretta Hess, who "clerked" at the Pennington Store on Main Street, was driving south in her 1925 Chevrolet Roadster. The car had two-wheel brakes and the brakes were applied by pulling on a lever. Muretta was always a concern. Although she didn't drive fast, she didn't stop fast, either! One afternoon, she rounded the bend and saw the slowly moving cows crossing the road. We could tell she was trying to stop as she slowly slowed from 25 miles an hour to 20 miles an hour and to 15 and so forth. The car finally stopped rolling when it came to rest against a confused Guernsey. No damage was done and we listened as she told us that she needed to have her brakes tended to, then she slowly drove down the highway toward her brother Roy's farm. Later, we heard that Muretta rolled the car over later that day when she tried turning into Roy's driveway--her brakes completely gone.
Herding animals is a way of life in some parts of the country. In the 1860s, for example, flocks of up to 500 turkeys would be herded along the South Platte to the boom town of Denver. First would come six horses, then the wagon loaded with corn, then two boys who walked the 600 miles or so yelling all the while at the temperamental birds. The turkeys lived mostly on grasshoppers with side helpings of corn during their trip to market where only pork, beans and coffee were otherwise available. A thousand drumsticks for Denver was a mightily appetizing thought and the birds fetched $5 each. One flock on their way from Vermont to Boston chose to sleep on a schoolhouse roof one night and caved it in.
There is a story about herding turkeys and ducks at the same time. It happened when a herder of ducks challenged the herder of turnkeys to a 60-mile race from Denver, Arkansas, to a poultry market in Springfield, MO. Turkeys can outrun a pony for short distances, while ducks slowly waddle. It was a "tortoise vs. the hare" kind of race. The turkeys were way out in front, but as soon as darkness settled in they took to the trees. The ducks continued to waddle all night and arrived in Springfield before the turkey herder could get his birds out of the trees the next morning.
Jim Babb told us once about herding cattle from Lopez in Sullivan County to Benton via the then-abandoned Susquehanna & Tioga Turnpike. We suspect that once the cattle got used to the road and got a little leg weary, it wasn't a bad job. The animals stopped wherever they found water and during the rainy season progress was not as rapid as during the dry season. The cows liked to graze at noontime and insisted on calling it quits before the sun went down. Come to think of it, in my advancing age I am getting a lot like those cows.
March 17 & 18, 2011, two days with temperatures at 60° or higher.
Today is the day fer the wearin' o' the green.
Today is the day when the little people are seen.
Today is St. Patrick's Day, so if ye'r Irish me lad,
Join the celebratin' fer the grandest time ta' be had.
Ya' put yer hand up in the air, the other hand on your hip.
Ya' tap yer toe, ya' tap yer heel, ya' bounce yer knee a wee bit.
Ya' prance 'n dance around the room, n' circle one two three.
The saints be praised, I must admit, ya' all look Irish ta' me.
R. Bruce Ricketts (1839-1918) once owned more than 65,000 acres in Luzerne, Sullivan and Wyoming counties. His summer home was at Lake Ganoga. State Game Lands No. 57 and 13, adjacent to the park, were once held by Ricketts. The 13,050-acre park was approved by former Pennsylvania Gov. Arthur James of Plymouth in 1941. The centerpiece of the park is its numerous waterfalls, which provide the name Ricketts Glen to the park. In 1969, the waterfalls trail was named by the National Park Service as a National Natural Landmark.
Marcia Lynne (Becker) Worley (August 10, 1961-March 14, 2011), a housewife who dearly loved her husband, her music, her pets and her reading, died Monday at her home in Dover, Pennsylvania. She was 49. She was born in Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, a daughter of Marcia K. (Kline) Becker and the late Thomas Edward Becker, who died November 6, 1994. She was a 1979 graduate of Trinity High School. Marcia attended Lewisberry United Methodist Church.
Marcia was the wife of Roger J. Worley, Jr. The couple wed on June 26, 1995. Along with her husband, Marcia is survived by two stepsons, Adam R. Worley and Mitchell W. Worley, both of Mechanicsburg; three brothers, Thomas E. Becker (Jacqueline), Mechanicsburg, Stephen M. Becker (Cynthia), Camp Hill and Brian D. Becker (Lydia), Camp Hill; a sister, Colleen S. Clark, Marysville, WA; a step-father, David R. Kline, Benton, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Florence Kocher, and her grandfather, Carl Kocher, Benton.
Tuesday & Wednesday, March 15-16, 2011. Joyce Keller was treated at the Bloomsburg Hospital Emergency Room and released Sunday following a fall on Third Street. Joyce has a black eye which is swollen shut. She also has a bad cut on the side of her hand and sister Carolyn says she "looks like she was in a prize fight!" Hobe Whitenight returned from Bloomsburg Hospital following a bout of pneumonia to nurse his ailing wife get over her cold. Expect some rain before the day is over.
Gene Crossley, writing from Crystal Beach, Florida, recalls that in 1960 he and his brother Alan traveled downtown to Webb's City to buy real silver dollars for 79 cents each. The next week at Webb's City, "you could buy a dollar and a half's worth of groceries for a silver dollar!" Webb once sold 2,000 $1 bills for 95 cents each. He sold 2,500 more the next day for 89 cents. On the third day, customers could sell their dollars back to Webb for $1.35, but serial numbers had to match the dollar bills that Webb had sold the previous two days. Few collected, since most had spent their money the day before.
Ruth Kline--or "Babe" as I always called her--along with her sister Audrey and her husband Earl Crossley (brother of Ethel Kelsey) took me to Webb's City and from that visit I have my first recollection of the store, specifically the talking mermaids. I had never seen a mermaid in Fishing Creek, and they were of great interest to me. Audrey slipped a note describing me to the lady at the beginning of the line. When I was able to get close to the mermaid by sticking my head through a round hole in the wall, a female voice said in about the sexiest voice I had ever heard, "Hello, David, I hear you are from Benton." Holy, smoley! She not only was beautiful, she talked and she knew me. I thought that I had died and gone to heaven--or at least I was in a poor man's country club!
March 14, 2011, the birthday of Bree Lillian Hess, Frank Holdren and Robert Rabb, II. The drill rig for the Martin site is on location. The rig assembly began Sunday night. Congratulations to state wrestling champion Coltin Fought--a title he earned at the 130-pound level in Saturday's PIAA Class AA championships in Hershey. Keep Hobe Whitenight, a pneumonia patient in Bloomsburg Hospital, Joyce Keller, a fall victom with head injuries, and the family of Marcia Worley, who passed away this morning, in your prayers. Marcia is the daughter of Kay Kline.
Google has integrated its click-to-call technology with Gmail. If someone sends an email with a phone number to your Gmail account, simply have Google’s voice and video plug-in installed, plus a microphone/telephone attachment to transmit your voice, and you can call that number free. The phone number will appear as a hyperlink. Just click the number, and Gmail’s dialpad will pop up, with the number you’re trying to call. Try it. Send an email to yourself on your gmail account with a phone number in the body of the email that you want to call. When the email arrives, double click the hyperlink with the phone number. If you don't have the plug-in installed, Google will ask permission to download and install it. It is all free, including unlimited phone calls.
To those days of my childhood
June Marie (Dearmitt) Grassmyer (June 21, 1927-March 11, 2011), Bloomsburg, died Friday at the Bloomsburg Hospital. She had lived in Altoona prior to moving to Bloomsburg. She was 83. She was born in Juniata, Blair County. She was a daughter of James Dearmitt and Helen (Lee) Dearmitt O'Leary.
March 12 & 13, 2011. Video of the Feola's Friday Night Jam at The Center is available for viewing by Facebook members here, courtesy of Dean Marshall.
and forgetting who you were calling until they answer.
It is always interesting to see the results of what the census produced for the Commonwealth. The Census Bureau released data on population counts by race, Hispanic origin, voting age and housing unit data from the 2010 Census. The population of Pennsylvania increased about 3.4% to about 12,702,329, making the state sixth in population in the U.S. The U.S. population is 308 million. California is the largest state, with a population of 37.2 million. Pittsburgh's population decreased by about 8.9%, while Philadelphia grew in size. The Latino and Hispanic population increased 82.6% from the last Census, but is only 5.7% of the population. The official 2010 Census will be used to redraw federal, state and local legislative districts under Public Law 94-171 which will result in the Commonwealth losing one seat in the US House of Representatives, from 19 to 18. Sullivan, Northumberland, Lycoming and Bradford Counties lost population, although most of the counties losing population were in the western part of the state. In the state, 15.4% are at least 65 year of age or older. For more on how the Commonwealth made out in the Census, go here.
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Martin Site, near St. Gabriels Church on Route 487 |
Bear Well, on Route 118 |
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| Although it is not easy to see in these pictures, there is a difference in the drilling philosophies of the two drilling companies. A protective mat has been placed on the ground at the one site, but not at the other. | ||
March 11, 2011,the birthday of Jerry Newhart, Allison Roberts, Mary Ruth Daniels, Linda Sharek, Judy Search, Linda Long, John McMichael, Anita DeWald Morgan, Andrew Vincent. It is the anniversary of the opening of the Old Filling Station. There is a bluegrass jam session tonight from 6:30 to 9 PM at The Center. Whether you want to join in and play or just listen, come and enjoy. Sally Brewington is finally home for good following four surgeries and lots of therapy. Lee and Carolyn Remley received 1.85" of rain Thursday (as of 9 PM). At press time, the area braced for flooding as heavy rains continued. As rains end this morning, no additional rain is expected through the weekend. Any pictures of flooding emailed to me will be published.
March 10, 2011, the birthday of Pam Hartman, Lisa English, Cathy Everett, Pam Barrett and David DePoe. Rain, rain, rain. Please keep Mahlon Fritz in your prayers. He had surgery for a perforated bowel and has sepsis that has placed him in the ICU for the last nine days. Doctors are having a hard time controlling the infection and his existing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Mahlon is in critical condition.
The Hall of Fame inductees of the Benton Area Schools will be honored at the alumni banquet Saturday, May 28. Two graduates will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. You'll learn more about these two men before the induction ceremony, but here is a short introduction:
• Dayne A. Hartman, a 1946 graduate of Benton High School and a 1950 graduate of Bloomsburg State Teacher's College. Dayne served more than 35 years in the Benton Area School District as a teacher, assistant administrator and in various sports capacities including athletic director. He started the driver education program for the school. He became the director of transportation, the truancy officer and after his retirement he drove a school bus for the school district. He was a member of the Benton borough council for 12 years, coached Little League baseball and was a life member of the Boy Scouts. Dayne died April 5, 2005.
• Fred C. Long, a 1940 graduate of Benton High School. He served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserves for 30 years, retiring in 1971 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During World War II, he served in the European Theatre of Operations and participated in campaigns at Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe. He was wounded in action and received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and numerous other medals, badges and Presidential citations. He served with the 3rd Armored Division, First U.S. Army, as a Recon Company Commander and battalion-staff officer. He was a Cub, Boy and Explorer Scout leader of Town Hill Troop 17. He was a life member of Fort Ricketts Post 8317, VFW, Benton, where he held various offices, including commander. He was the Voice of Democracy contest organizer, a hunter-safety instructor and the recipient of the Veterans Day award for Northwest Schools in 2000 and in Benton in the year 2005. Fred died September 22, 2010.
Mark your calendars to attend the Alumni Banquet May 28 when these two fine men are honored.
A land boom took place in the 1920s in the Everglades when thousands of acres of "farmland" were peddled in the Midwest by hucksters with "a gift of gab," as Father used to say. A federal grand jury sifted it all out. One Iowa purchaser swore "I have bought land by the acre, I have bought land by the foot; but, by God, I have never bought land by the gallon." Read more about Everglades land sales here.
March 9, 2011, the birthday of Ryan Brewington. Please keep Marcia Worley in your prayers. Skies today will begin to look like an approaching storm and by Wednesday it will arrive in the form of rain, some heavy, accompanied by warmer temperatures. Showers could linger through Friday with the sun returning on Saturday. A drill rig has now arrived on the Bear site on Route 118.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission estimates that 316,240 deer were killed in the state’s 2010-11 seasons, up from 308,920 the previous year. Hunters took 122,930 antlered deer in the 2010-11 seasons, up 13% from the previous year.
When we get together tomorrow, we'll tell you about who will be inducted into the Benton Area Schools Hall of Fame. And we'll take a ride into a part of Florida I betcha you have never really seen, once a favorite place to buy Florida land by the gallon.
Beatrice Udora (Dresher) McMichael (April 27, 1920-March 7, 2011), Stillwater, died Monday at the Orangeville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center where she resided for several years. She was 90.
March 7, the 66th day of 2011, the birthday of Richard Fritz and Robyn Bierbach. Spring begins in less than two weeks. After the rain, the freezing rain and the snow that fell Sunday, you might not be interested in floating down a river, but in case you are, click here. A mile from the borough, two inches of rain fell during the day, then sleet, temperatures dropped 20° in a few hours, then the snow and blowing arrived, accumulating 6 to 9 inches. Flooding waters closed Nordmont Road between Sonestown and Nordmont. Expect highs in the 40s through Thursday.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011, the birthday of Mark McGarigle.
1. As you plan your summer garden, do you remember, recall, or recollect last year's flowers?
2. Does a seed packet hold or contain seeds?
3. If your spade can finally penetrate the earth, can you surmise or infer that spring has arrived?
4. Is new growth every year a mystery or a puzzle to humans?
--Answers at the end of this email.
(1) We can "remember" last season rather easily. To "recall" something suggests an effort, and to "recollect" implies even more effort to bring back what is lost.
(2) A seed packet "holds" seeds, but both "hold" and "contain" imply the presence of a substance within something. "Hold" suggests a permanent keeping function. Think of the slight difference between a can that "contains" a quart and one that "holds" a quart.
(3) You can "infer," which implies arriving at a conclusion by reasoning based on evidence. If the evidence is slight and suggests the influence of imagination or suspicion, then you'd "surmise." Loose earth is hard evidence of a change of season.
(4) The phenomenon of new life every spring is a "mystery" to humans, meaning that it cannot be fully understood by reason. A "puzzle" applies to an enigma or problem that challenges ingenuity for its solution.
(5) They have "borders" that mark its boundary line, similar to a magazine cover that has a colorful border. A flower garden may have a ground cover that acts as a border to separate garden and lawn. An "edge" is the terminal line made by two converging surfaces, as you'd have on the edge of a table.
The funeral service will begin at noon Wednesday, March 9, with visitation preceding, at the First English Baptist Church, 700 Millville Rd., Bloomsburg. Burial with military honors will be held at the Stillwater Cemetery. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the First English Baptist Church, Bloomsburg. The McMichael Funeral Home is assisting with the service arrangements.
Saturday and Sunday, March 5 & 6, 2011. It will be mild with rain through Sunday.
--Kathleen Arcuri
For those who have never tried dandelions, here is a recipe for the dressing to go over the greens:
You will need 1 tablespoon flour, sour cream or buttermilk (optional), a cup of water, two hard-cooked eggs, 1 tablespoon sugar, greens and salt. Place dandelions or endive in tepid water and soak for 15 minutes after cleaning. Cover with damp cloth and keep in refrigerator for an hour or more. Cut up a few strips of bacon into a pan and fry. Add ham, if you wish. Use part of the drippings to make a pan gravy with the flour. When brown, stir in the water and let it boil before adding the sugar, salt and vinegar to taste. Sour cream or buttermik may be added. Fold in the hard-cooked eggs. Stir constantly until thick. Cook 5 minutes. Add the greens just before serving and immediately serve once dressing is added. This dressing is good with dandelions, lettuce, endive and other greens.
March 4, 2011, the birthday of Calvin Peterman, Lisa Baker, Calvin Peterman, Karin Russel Martin, Robbie Robbins and Shane Miller.
but what it says nowadays makes less sense?
Didja ever notice how concerns about inflation become self-fulfilling? When we conclude that prices will rise, we tend to buy more goods for the short term, increasing demand and triggering higher prices. A little of that accounts for the current gas-price situation.
March 3, 2011, the birthday of Herr Klink, Brady Jones and John Lewis. Expect milder weather Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Fishing Creek Players will present the play “The Curious Savage” at The Center April 1, 2 and 3. The high-school stage is not available during that period, so the show will go on at The Center.
The setup will begin on March 26 at The Center and the cast and crew need lots of help--trucks to bring scenery and supplies and to pick up and return lights, people to carry it in, painters (base coat with a roller, finish coat also with a roller, plus detail work like woodwork, etc.), light focus, laying and taping cables, and building platforms to augment seating risers. For performances, they need ushers, ticket takers and people to help actors with some rapid costume changes.
If you can spare even an hour during that time, please contact M.R. Daniels at 925-2080 and let her know where you can fit in!
The crew is looking for a 1950 style telephone (wall or table model), a dart board, any 50's clothing you might have tucked away somewhere--and a huge audience!
An AARP Driver Safety Program four-hour refresher course will be presented at Christ the King Catholic Church sponsored by the Benton Women’s Club on April 13 from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Please call Barbara King at 925-6242 for information and reservations.
The Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at the alumni banquet Saturday, May 28, 2011.
After her sister passed away from cancer, Kylie Kuhns, an eighth-grade student at Mifflinburg, was inspired to help children and their families battling with the disease. She started Kelsey’s Dream Foundation that donates Chemo Ducks to children’s hospitals across the country. Kylie has been featured on the Rachael Ray show and is participating in the Kindness Challenge as one of five contestants. The winner will be featured in USA Today. She got a chemo duck (which is a stuffed animal duck that doctors can use to explain how chemo treatments work) for every child with cancer on the east coast. She is now starting to go west. Please click on the link and on the left you can click on the kindness challenge icon to vote. She has raised more than $20,000; she doesn’t need the money, she needs the votes. Visit USAToday to learn more.
The Snowball Dance at the Benton Area Schools will be Friday, March 4, from 7 to 10 PM. Crowning of the King and Queen will be at 9 o’clock.
Tickets are on sale for the Benton Area Schools musical “Little Shop of Horrors” for Friday evening, March 18, at 7, Saturday, March 19, at 7 and Sunday, March 20, at 2. All tickets are reserved seating. Admission is $10 for preferred seating (The first several rows in the front) $8 for adults and $4 for students for all other seats. Tickets are available from 8:30-3:00 Monday-Friday at the high school office or by calling the school at 925-2651. Tickets will also be available at the door the day of the performance.
The Benton Area School District is seeking persons interested in becoming an appointed School Board member for Fishing Creek Township/Stillwater Borough. Any person who has been a district resident for at least one year and is a qualified elector may indicate his or her interest by submitting a letter of interest to Kathleen DeYong, School Board Secretary at the District Administration Building, 600 Green Acres Drive, Benton, PA 17814 on or before March 16, 2011. Persons desiring any further information regarding the vacancy may contact Kathleen DeYong, Board Secretary, at the District Administration office, 925-5561, extension 1003.
Our musical interlude for today comes from a four-year old boy playing the drums. When he is nearly at the end of the song, he spots his parents in the audience and breaks out into a huge and priceless smile. Watch by going here. And we include a special “behind-the-scenes” look at the Space Transportation System and the recent launch of the space shuttle. I vividly remember the day prior to a launch when I was with a group taken to the top of the Vehicle Assembly Building nearly 525 feet in the air (shown in the video) and walked across an open-mesh floor at the top of the building. A walk not for the faint of heart!
Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced a completely new iPad 2 yesterday with the 3G version available on Verizon and AT&T from day one. Launch day is March 11 in the US. Highlights include:
• 33% thinner than the first iPad, 8.8mm thick, down from 13.4 mm.
• Comes in both black and white.
• Dual-core processor — that’s twice as fast as the first.
• Graphics are nine times faster.
• Both front and rear-facing cameras.
• Six different versions: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB that come with and without 3G support.
• Same battery life as the original iPad.
• HDMI compatible
Williams Production Appalachia is very close-mouthed about the results from the drilling of the vertical test well on the Martin property adjacent to the historic Saint Gabriels church on Route 487 North of the borough. On the Monday morning in mid-September 2010 when the drillers entered the Marcellus, there was a lot of optimism from everyone at the site. Drilling reached the Marcellus shale level at about the 5,790 foot level.
At the point where the Marcellus was penetrated, work paused and core samples were extracted. Site Manager Tommy Bell said in his thick Mississippi accent, "We'll circulate up a sample." The vertical drilling rig, Pinpoint Rig 17, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as the diesel engines slowed after entering the organic shale, but after a pause of a couple of hours the drilling continued.
The Martin Well near St. Gabriels Church was drilled as a "test well," vertically drilled only. The well was not fracked. A vertical well drilled in the Marcellus Shale Zone is estimated to cost in excess of $800,00. Had the well been drilled originally as a horizontal well the cost could have been in the range of 3-5 million dollars--although actual figures may never be known by the public.
The vertical drilling at the Martin Site under the direction of Tommy Bell was well-managed and professional. Observed levels of prevention, preparedness and contingency planning were excellent. People living downstream of the Martin site hope that the drilling of the horizontal well will go as smoothly when the drilling rigs return to Sugarloaf Township this month. Williams Production Appalachia has the necessary permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection to dig its horizontal portion of the well.
The pro-drilling forces and the anti-drilling forces were both holding their breath about the future of the well because the Martin well is only about five miles from the Buda well in Fairmount township that was recently abandoned by Encana Oil & Gas USA. Citrus Energy Corporation had planned to drill the Martin well, but sold its approximately 10,000 acres of leases in Columbia and Luzerne counties to Williams in April 2010.
Exco now owns some of Chief Oil & Gas' assets in Lycoming and Sullivan counties and 3,300 acres of leases in Columbia County. Chief planned to drill the “Bear” well site on the Niedzwicki property on Route 118 in Sugarloaf Township. The Bear well site has been permitted to Chief by DEP since Sept 22, 2010 (permit number 037-20005, identified as Niedzwiecki Unit IH OG well). Pad preparation was stopped around Christmas 2010 because Chief did not have local permits. Exco had not applied for necessary local permits to drill as of the last Columbia County Planning Commission meeting. The next planning commission meeting will be on the third Tuesday of March at 6:30 PM.
March 2, 2011 , the birthday of Steve Zeveney and former Congressman Chris Carney.
Legislation sponsored by Rep. Karen Boback (R-Columbia/Luzerne/Wyoming) would make the practice of “spoofing” illegal. Spoofing is the practice of altering caller identification information displayed on caller ID on a telephone call. The tactic is a form of identity theft and is used to deceive the recipient of the call into believing the phone conversation is coming from a legitimate business. House Bill 529 would ban spoofing by defining the offense as a misdemeanor, which could carry a fine of up to $2,500 and up to one year in prison for a first offense. House Bill 529 received unanimous support in the House Judiciary Committee and will now go before the full House for consideration. To view a short video about Rep. Boback’s spoofing proposal, visit RepBoback.com .
The German Heritage Society of the Susquehanna Valley will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, March 3, at 7 PM at the Degenstein Library, Sunbury. Members and guests will hear a presentation by Michael "Tibbs" McWilliams, Sr. covering the topic of the Pennsylvania Canals. In the character of ‘Captain Mick’, Mr. McWilliams will relate the history and interesting stories of the canal days in the Susquehanna Valley. Mr. McWilliams, who has been sharing this presentation since 1990, is a former co-chair of Northumberland History Days, 2006 Pineknotter of the Year, and a 28 year member of the Northumberland Kiwanis. Contact GHSSV President Jeff Sheaffer at 374-7730 for more information.
Monday's Diane Rehm Show on NPR featured a discussion with a diverse panel of experts on the risks and rewards of drilling for natural gas. The panelists included:
John Quigley - former secretary Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Ian Urbina - reporter, NY Times
Tony Ingraffea - Dwight C. Baum Professor of Engineering, Weiss Presidential Teaching Fellow, Cornell University
Kathryn Klaber - president, Marcellus Shale Coalition
Amy Mall - policy analyst, Natural Resources Defense Council
John Hanger - former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
You can listen to this podcast at http://thedianerehmshow.org/audio-player?nid=13809
Fred Mahlon Harvey sent an email to tell about his days of delivering the "Grit" and the "Times-Leader." He started his delivery route with the philosophy that "since you are a 'good neighbor' and one known to be “trustworthy,” I wil l let you get a couple of weeks worth before collecting." Fred had to pay for papers weekly and hoped that the customers paid on time and in full. One family stuck him for more than $5 for the Grit--and that hurt! It took a lot of 4 cents to make up that much money! The customer never did pay Fred although he kept promising to do so. It was one of the ones that he dropped off weekly at the Harveyville Store and they would then pick up the paper when they were at the store. They lived a few miles away and it would have been a real effort to make the ride for the one delivery. He learned a hard lesson at the age of 16 that all people cannot be trusted--and that it can be costly. It cost Fred nearly a month's commission to make up the loss.
Fred remembers that nearly all paid him on time and only a few had to be carried--but not for long. Fred had a handful who even gave him a small tip. "It really felt nice to get the little bit of extra money and recognition," Fred remembers. "I felt that I had done something good to deserve it." Fred made sure all papers were securely delivered and never lost or damaged. It was part of learning to do a job well.
Fred rode a heavy English bike, a 1950s Monarch, over the Luzerne County hills on his route. He bought the bike from a boy in Benton who "graduated and I got it in about 1958 or so." [Fred thinks it was Jared Ketner] It was an expensive model with dual spring shocks, lights and horn--truly high quality engineering. "But, man, was it heavy. No speeds except the one. And up hills with papers in the racks as well as my carrier bag made it a real test of will at times. I wish I still had it--bet it would be worth a lot to the American Pickers. I put it out in the yard a few years ago and let it go for free--a real regret now!"
In June of '61, Fred got his driver's license and his father let him drive the '40 Special DeLuxe Chevy--the same one that Fred owns to this day--to deliver papers. In early 1962, Fred bought a BSA Bantam motorcycle for delivering papers and for fun. The motorcycle was a vintage burgundy color with custom saddle bags, special chrome treatments, etc.
Joshua Allen Martz (October 24, 1984-February 28, 2011), 313 Sunset Drive, Selinsgrove, formerly of the Benton area, died Monday at the Sunbury Community Hospital. He was 26. Joshua was born in Danville. He was a son of Jeffrey A. and Kristin L. Martz, Benton, and Crystal Evans, Bloomsburg. Joshua was a 2006 graduate of Millville High School. He was employed at Suncom Industries, Selinsgrove.
March 1, 2011. It is St. David's Day, commemorating the patron saint of Wales who was born in the sixth century at Henfynw, Cardigan. True and loyal Welshmen wear yellow on St David's Day and eat leeks and faggots (Traditional Welsh Liver Cakes or Croquets) . We associate the leek with St. David, which is said to have protected him in combat and was worn by his countrymen to distinguish them from their Saxon enemies during battle. In honor of the dude by the name of David, plant some leek or onions as soon as the ground can be worked. The events of note on this day in history are found here.
Please keep Dale Franklin in your prayers. Dale is in Geisinger Medical Center in critical condition. Prayers are desperately needed. Dale is married to Esther McMichael, the sister of Wayne McMichael and the uncle of Bruce McMichael. Dale is the brother of Paul Franklin.
Didja breathe a sigh of relief when the national unemployment increased by two and a half men? And didja know that Charlie Sheen's body will no longer be donated to a medical facility when he dies? The current thinking is that it should go to a mental institution for evaluation.
Didja ever wonder why it is so darn difficult to learn the truth about natural-gas drilling? We read the stuff put out by the pro-drilling groups and we read the stuff put out by the anti-drilling groups. Using the same set of basic data, the two sides end up 180° out of phase with each other. Compare this article with what you have been hearing.
Seven members of the class of 1957 of Benton Area Schools met in Port Saint Lucie, Florida, to celebrate old times and plan for new adventures. The group was together (in varying stages) from Wednesday of last week through Monday of this week. Much of the time was taken up with the domino game "Chicken Foot." There were lots of stories told and an inordinate amount of food consumed. A free-standing swing was set up by the male members of the class, but the swing was pointed toward the house three feet away. When Kay saw that her view would be of the side of the house and that the swing had been installed with the look angle 180° out of phase, she soon told her male classmates "in no uncertain terms," as Father used to say, to get the problem solved.
A reader was impressed by the actions of President Obama in attempting to cut $100 million from the $3.5 trillion federal budget and has decided to do the same with his personal budget. After careful calculation, he concluded that he spent about $2,000 a month on groceries, household expenses, medicine and utilities, but now with budget chopping in full swing, he has gone through his expenses and cut back. He is cutting at the same ratio; i.e., 1/35,000 of his total budget. After doing the math, instead of spending $2,000 a month, he will cut that amount by six cents. He plans to "get by" spending $1,999.94 a month. If the government decides to cut further, he will amend his budget accordingly.
The next membership meeting of the Fishing Creek Watershed Association will be March 14 at 7 PM in the large conference room at Columbia County Conservation District. The speaker will be
Columbia County Master Gardener Mary Jo Gibson. She will be speaking on “Gardening for Pollinators with Native Plants.” She will discuss the importance of pollinators and native plants highlighting how you can help the watershed with a pollinator garden.
A program on "Testing the Waters" with Brian Oram from Wilkes University will discuss water-quality issues of our region March 17 at 6 PM at 702 Sawmill Road, Bloomsburg.
The Columbia County Conservation District native-plant sale is underway. Go to www.columbiaccd.org to get an order form and plant descriptions .
Didja know that you can become Facebook friends with the Columbia County Conservation District to receive updates about upcoming conservation events?
An interesting commentary on ownership of land in Sullivan County adjacent to natural-gas pipelines and drilling sites was published Monday in the Patriot News. Read the article here.
One of the pleasures of growing up in a previous generation was to have the very occasional meal that didn't involve meat and potatoes. A favorite was tender and sweet fried clams from a HoJo--short for Howard Johnsons--the restaurant with the orange roof and golden arches. HoJo's seemed to specialize, if my failing memory is correct, in macaroni and cheese, saltwater taffy, baked beans, turkey dinners with mashed potatoes, chicken pies, clam chowder, toastees and 28 flavors of ice cream.
I remember a long trip from Benton to Mount Morris, New York, years ago when brother Dayne said that he needed a break from driving and wanted to stop at Howard Johnson's for lunch. His youthful daughter Susan was unfamiliar with the orange-roofed restaurant and asked, " Is he a friend of yours, Daddy?"
The closest HoJo restaurant to Benton was in Danville, and the restaurants appeared at one time all along the Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey turnpikes. A popular HoJo was on "the bypass" in Camp Hill in front of the former E.J. Korvette store.
Howard Johnson borrowed $2,000 in 1925 to buy a small corner drugstore in Wollaston, Massachusetts. The store sold candy, newspapers and patent medicine but the real interest of customers was at the old marble soda fountain. Howard created a sensation using his mother's recipe for ice cream with natural ingredients and a heavy hit of butterfat content. He soon opened a beachfront ice-cream stand, and sold $60,000 worth of ice cream cones, a nickel a cone, the first summer.
By 1928 he was selling $240,000 worth of ice cream cones and he kept adding flavors until he reached 28 varieties. He added more beachfront stands and sold lots of hot dogs clipped at both ends, notched lengthwise, cooked in creamery butter and inserted in a lightly toasted, buttered fresh roll.
In the middle of the Depression, 17 Howard Johnson's restaurants opened. One restaurant owner invested $10,000 as one-third the cost, the remainder to be financed over three years. The owner hoped he would gross $60,000 a year, but he actually grossed $200,000 during the first twelve months. The bright orange roof and the Simple Simon and the Pie Man road signs appeared on 107 Howard Johnson restaurants by 1939. The restaurant became the "Host of the Highway." By 1954 there were 400 Howard Johnson restaurants in 32 states. The Howard Johnson Co. went public in 1961 with 88 franchised Howard Johnson's Motor Lodges and 605 restaurants. Ahead, however, lay obstacles in the road, known as the energy crisis and the Big Mac.
Howard Johnson's became yesterday's news. Holiday Inn®, Ramada Inn® and Marriott® hotels and McDonalds and Burger Kings and--well you get the picture. The Howard Johnson chain suddenly didn't look so modern any more. Imperial Group PLC of Great Britain bought the chain in September 1979, and started selling off many of the pieces of the pie.
