November 30, 2009. It is the 92nd birthday of Edward Schmidt, and the birthdays of Phyllis Young Harrison. Happy anniversary to Marv and Marilyn Seward.
The 50th wedding anniversary of Robert and Gloria Miller, Orangeville, was Saturday and we neglected to acknowledge it. We apologize for the omission. Although we forgot it, other friends in the area did not! A surprise celebration was held from 2 to 4 PM Saturday in the Orangeville United Methodist Church.
A reader suggested that it would be almost impossible to lose money by investing in gold. Recently escalating gold prices actually had little to do with inflation protection. The increasing demand for gold is coming from China, India, and Russia as those countries (and others to a lesser degree) distance themselves from the U.S. dollar. Hold onto your hat when gold does what oil did last year after hitting $147.27 a barrel. The gold price could tank before you could scratch your head and figure what is happening. Sure, gold will stabilize again.
Many of us take aspirin to prevent heart problems or a stroke, but didja know that taking ibuprofen (Advil) at the same time could stop the aspirin from working? The Food and Drug Administration recommends waiting at least 30 minutes after taking aspirin before taking ibuprofen. Keep this in mind if you're taking ibuprofen regularly to treat a condition such as arthritis. The FDA advice on the subject is here.Just where is this sad-shape economy I keep hearing about? Reports are that people are buying flat-screen television, cameras, netbooks with keys designed for fingers smaller than my pinkie, lip gloss, iPhones, and the 4 oz. AV310 Widescreen wearable display that changes your small video screen into a 16:9 widescreen home theater with a virtual 52-inch display.
Kelly Yost is one happy fellow today after hearing the song that Danny Stoneham wrote to honor Kelly. Danny has a new CD coming out and if the CD is as good as the one song I have heard, Danny will have a winner on his hands. Details on distribution when available.
Valerie Marie Wojton passed away at home with her family at 7 Saturday evening. A celebration of her life is being planned and information will be provided later. The Wojton family thanks all the readers of the Benton News for prayers and support. The family feels it has been "truly blessed by our community."
David Guy Bogert (July 22, 1931-November 29, 2009), 275-A Stony Brook Road, Orangeville, died Sunday in the emergency room of the Bloomsburg Hospital. He was 78. He was born on in New Columbus. He was a son of Harry E. and Hulda E. (Chapin) Bogert. Guy was a 1948 graduate of Benton High School. He lived in Orange Township since 1971 and previously lived in Lightstreet. He was employed by Penn-Dot for 29 years and was a construction inspector when he retired. Guy was a member of the Lightstreet United Methodist Church for more than 45 years and served as Sunday School Superintendent for more than 20 years. He was a ballplayer in his younger days, pitching for the Bendertown and Orangeville teams in the Tri County League.
Guy and his wife, the former Judith L. Parks, celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on July 10, 2009. Also surviving are a daughter, Cynthia Miller (Paul), Bloomsburg; four sons: Robin D. Bogert (Dian), Bloomsburg; Terry L. Bogert (Lora), Orangeville; Allen K. Bogert, Drums; Donald G. Bogert (Tenette), Orangeville. There are 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. There are eight siblings: Erma Harris, Dallas; Ernest H. Bogert (Edna), Media; Stanley M. Bogart (Blanche), Orangeville; Florence Burgess, Benton; Ruth Johnson (Kenneth), Newark, DE; Donald E. Bogert (Mary Ellen), Warners, NY; Elsie Mack (William), West Chester; and Rebecca Wolfe (Edward), Newark, DE. He was preceded in death by two infant great-grandchildren and a brother Leland E. Bogert, who died on Nov. 26, 1971. Funeral services will be held at 11 AM Wednesday in the Dean W. Kriner Funeral Home, Benton. Interment will be in the Benton cemetery. Friends may call on Tuesday from 6-8 PM.
November 29, 2009. It is the birthday of Robert Edward Kline.
The Commonwealth will lose twenty unsafe dams this year, which places Pennsylvania in first place in the nation for river restoration. The group American Rivers reports that more than 150 dams have been eliminated from the commonwealth's creeks and rivers during the last decade, resulting, looking at it in the perspective of American Rivers, "in improved safety, water quality and migratory fish habitat." An example can be seen at www.americanrivers.org/newsroom/blog/dam-removal-featured-on-nbc-11-09.html . Dismantling dams on certain streams, so their party line goes, can save money by "improving safety, eliminating future maintenance costs and improving the riparian environment."
Included in the list of Pennsylvania dams that have been or will be removed this year are the Boydstown Dam, Collapsible Butler Dam and Harmony Junction Dam, all on Connoquenessing Creek, Butler County; the Howell Dam, on a tributary to Little Sewickley Creek in Westmoreland County; the Service Water Dam on Mahoning Creek, Armstrong County; and the Barr Slope Reservoir Dam, on a tributary to Dixon Run in Indiana County. In Boydstown, a concrete and earthen dam 28 feet tall and 330 feet long was built in 1896 for water-supply purposes. It was removed for economic and safety reasons.
Removal of the dam at Harmony Junction on that same creek resulted in "decreased flooding and helped restore 15 miles of creek for increased access and recreation."
American Rivers, a national river conservation organization, working in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the state Department of Environmental Protection, has pushed for the removal of "unneeded and deteriorating dams for more than a decade." The organization also works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on stream barrier-removal projects that help migrating fish populations.
Learn more about the National Dam Inspection Act, Public Law 92-367, 92nd congress, H.R. 1595, August 8, 1972, by going to http://npdp.stanford.edu/ndia.html .Be there no mistaking it! The group has not got their mitts on the Benton dam!Quickies...
• Want a "hot toy" for the gifted in your family? You might consider the latest geek's toy, a Rubik's Cube with 12 sides and 12 colors. This latest geek toy is called "12 Sided IQ Pentagon." This pricey gizmo sells for $59.99 and is being snapped up by those who want a complex IQ challenge game and want some creative thinking. Get it at www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/games/c98c/ .
• Consumers Reports noted this week that over the holiday season shoppers will spend over a "billion dollars on extended warranties for laptops, flat-screen TVs, other electronics and appliances." Consumers Reports further reported that "almost all of it will be money down the drain.” Extended warranties are "notoriously bad deals" for consumers because repairs are often covered by the standard manufacturer warranty. Its research also found that products rarely break within the extended-warranty window, typically within two or three years after the purchase is made.
• Tickets for The Taming of the Brew go on sale February 3, 2010, at 5 PM exclusively at www.bte.org. This happens just in time for Valentine's Day! The Taming of the Brew is a festival of good beer and food to benefit BTE and takes place April 10, 2010, from 7 to 11 PM at the Caldwell Consistory, Bloomsburg. Tickets are $60 each and there is a limit of four per customer.• For the readers who saw the Thanksgiving column in the Benton News about a unique use of popcorn in baking the Thanksgiving turkey, you may get a kick out of this. Laura Christian wrote a note to Roy Davis, the guest columnist, talking about turkeys in general. Roy immediately responded to Laura saying that he had not changed his "stance on the whole turkey question--even if they would come up to you and take food from your pocket." Roy wished "them no ill, but neither do I seek out their company in the wild--or at the dinner table!"
Roy lives in a small town, and told Laura about the time that his dad attended a "banquet they had in the Oddfellows Hall in the upstairs rooms over the Gleaner Store on Main Street." They really wanted to "put on the dog," so they had a full formal table set out with linen and silver. "They hired a skilled waiter of the African persuasion, and he was dressed formally in a dinner jacket."
The guests gathered, "the Master of Ceremonies made a little welcome speech, and then called for the main course. Through the swinging kitchen door came the waiter, carrying a huge platter on which rested the steaming bird (about all he could carry). As he entered the room, his toe caught in the edge of the rose-flowered rug, and he went headlong, turkey skittering across the room, platter in pieces, etc."
The Master of Ceremonies rose to the occasion. He said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, you have just witnessed the fall of Turkey, the breaking up of China and the humiliation of Africa!"
The mists of time have shrouded the rest of the evening in obscurity! But Marion, Roy's wife, said, "I'll bet they washed that bird off with a teakettle of hot water and served it again!"
November 28, 2009. It is the birthday of Kathy Barber Heaps and the 50th wedding anniversary of Robert and Gloria Miller, Orangeville. The movie The Trouble with Cali began filming in and around Scranton three years ago today. A "trailer" for the movie is available , but the movie remains listed as "in production." A release date has not been announced.
Quickies...
•Didja ever think that we should not be too upset that a debt-laden Dubai state corporation--the people who bring ski slopes to the middle of the desert--are running into problems repaying their debt?
• The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended Black Friday with a 154-point decline and ended a three-week winning streak. But isn't that what we knew would happen with stocks up 67% from their lows and junk bonds up 52% this year while default rates hit new high levels? Crude oil ended Friday at $76.05. Prices for sugar, cotton, wheat, platinum, silver, copper, aluminum and lead continue to climb. But haven't we gone though asset speculation recently? Didn't we learn our lesson? Isn't this what we really expected?• Yodeling is a peculiar manner of singing by using the falsetto voice in harmonic progressions, with sudden and unexpected changes in pitch to notes of the chest register and the head register resulting in a a high-low-high-low sound. It was popular with Swiss mountaineers until singers with a twang discovered that cattle were amused by it. One of my favorite yodelers is Thelma Steinruck, 91, Mill Street. Another is an eleven-year old girl.• Country Fresh Market, "Your local market for everything fresh," will have easy holiday recipes to sample in each department of the store on December 5.The turkey leftovers have been put away, the Black Friday sales are over, somehow Christmas is only a month away. It is time to turn our attention to the holiday which begins Monday morning about the time sunlight breaks through the trees. It's time for the trip to the hunting cabin, a ritual in our part of the Commonwealth, but a concept of short-term communal living not universally understood. The concept of trekking off to hunt with a bunch of men comes from the days when eating venison was necessary to get through the winter and was accomplished from cabins of early settlers that were chinked with stones and mud mortar, wooden pegs used as hangers, floor of earth, rough-stone fireplace functionally adorned with irons, spits, pots and pans. A rough-hewn table served as a place to eat. Benches were used in place of chairs. Cabin walls were decorated with past trophies. Sleeping took place over the main living area or off to one side. The early hunting cabins were often family endeavors and a son-in-law counted on being invited to join the hunt from the cabin.
Hunting is important to wildlife management as a population-control tool and as a source of funding for the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
The number of hunters in the various states is in decline, although the number of bears harvested in the Commonwealth is up this year over last year and I would suspect that the same will apply for deer. Typically, new hunters are strongly influenced by older family members who hunt.
Hunting areas that once were rural have become filled with houses. Some hunting clubs in the state are suddenly overrun by huge trucks as drilling for natural gas begins. The desire of hunters to seek the privacy of a hunting cabin is important, whether the stay is for the day, overnight, for a week or in a few cases for the complete span of hunting season. During the hunting period, the manhood of the hunter comes into play as whiskers emerge and larger quantities of beer are consumed than usual and card-playing involving money takes place. The hunting cabin is the place city dwellers dream of and boys hope to enjoy when they are old enough to run away from home.
Picture the scene in a typical hunting cabin following the evening meal as men lounge in front of a fireplace. One of the older, more experienced hunters begins the storytelling by unrolling a yarn about the "ten-point" seen by the "big rock, next to the tree." The hunter tells anyone within sound of his voice how he stepped on a fallen branch and scared the buck away--his excuse for not getting to fire a shot. Younger kids, perhaps on their first hunt, sit in awe at the stories and learn truths like "one shot, one deer; two shots, one deer, three shots, no deer." When the experienced hunters are alone, kids often shyly approach the older hunter and ask questions. "Why shouldn't I shoot a white deer?" "How can I get up high so deer won't see me?"
The older hunters tell the kids that they should hunt deer on the slopes in the evening, but hunt deer in the valley in the morning. "The smell goes up," they tell the attentive younger hunters, in a fashion somewhat akin to Buddha addressing the faithful. One tells of rubbing antlers together to attract deer and another says to watch for rubbings and scrapes on trees. A deer that turns its tail up so that the white underside shows is signaling trouble, and the entire herd runs for safety. The stories are starting to roll now as the whole room waits their turn so they can tell their favorite hunting story.
The awe-stricken kids learn that when stalking deer the wind must be blowing from the deer toward you, that waiting downwind by a water hole is a way of finding deer, that "buck fever" is missing the first shot in deer season or not being able to pull the trigger when a deer is in the gunsights. They learn that extra-heavy fur on an animal means a cold winter and that in a storm a wild animal normally heads into the wind and that hunting is better in moist weather.
Rainbow in morning, hunters take warning;
Rainbow at night, hunters delights;
Rainbow to windward, foul fall the days;
Rainbow to leeward, damp runs away.
"When the wind is to the west, hunting is best," Father always said. He also claimed that "the more miserable the weather, the better the hunting." The truisms continue: "The sound of a gun doesn't scare the animal, but the movement of the shooter does." One hunter ties a string to the end of the gun barrel to see which way the wind is blowing. Old hunters often kissed the bullet before loading the gun for good luck. "Lead a moving target with your rifle," a grizzly old hunter tells his grandson. "If you look the deer in the eyes, the target will stand still and you'll get a better shot," one fellow instructs his son, who actually wouldn't think of looking at anything but the buck if he is fortunate enough to even find one.
Instructions to the first-time hunter continue. The deer will probably be hiding where the going gets the roughest--swamps, for example. The best time to hunt is at sunrise or sunset because that is when deer feed. Hunters can find their way by looking at the moss on a tree which is always on the north side. Walk with the sun to your back so the sun will be in the critter's eyes, not in the eyes of the hunter. There is always a deer over the next knoll; keep walking even though your legs beg you to return to the cabin. Always gut the game as soon as you shoot it. The wide-eyed boy frets about being told he has to gut the deer he shoots, and isn't interested in the advice to soak wild game in milk to take away strong taste or to soak wild game in salt water and cook with an apple and an onion.
It is finally time to get off to bed amid the army of men snoring, belching from overeating and making multiple trips to the bathroom. Like the vision of sugar plums dancing in their heads, the eager hunters await the time before dawn when they will be summoned from their beds to down some ham and eggs, load themselves with pounds of clothes and head into the woods to participate in their first hunting expedition. This is the dream of many young men as we approach the opening day at the hunting cabin where No one thinks of the internet, homework or instructions from mother. Thoughts are only on having a safe and productive hunt.
Good luck to all the young hunters on the upcoming rainy Monday. Remember that the advice that you think will work won't, where the deer are expected to be will be wrong and when you think you have deer figured out, they will do something different.
We'll check in from time to time, but don't count on receiving the Benton News every day for the next couple of weeks.
November 27, 2009. It is the birthday of Hope Miller and of Millie Watts, Millville, and Robert Hartman, Rochester, New York. It is the 51st wedding anniversary of Max and Loraine Hartman, residents of North Carolina. On this day in 1966, the Washington Redskins defeated the New York Giants 72-41. This year we hope to get 72 points for the season.
The annual Santa parade is at 10:30 this morning in Bloomsburg. This year’s theme is "Christmas, a Time for Giving." From 10 AM - 5 PM, today, Saturday and Sunday, Eagles Mere will welcome families with family-oriented events called "Home for the Holidays." There will be a Friday "Turkey Trot" walk around the lake today for families and pets (prizes for costumes); Saturday, horse-drawn carriage rides downtown and an art fair at the Eagles Mere Inn, a variety of foods available, baked goods, special gift sales and a free gift wrap service for those buying gifts from participating merchants. It takes place at the Eagles Mere Historic Village, Route 42, Eagles Mere.For those staying home from the "Black Friday" sales, you might consider turning up the volume and listening to Norma's aria from NormaCasta as performed by Maria Callis. You can simply head here. The music won't please everyone, but--hey--what does?"Merry Christmas George Bailey" begins today and runs through December 27 at BTE. It's a "Wonderful Life" in the studios of WBTE, and the theatre group is thrilled to bring back the original version of this beloved film classic performed in the style of a 1940s radio show, complete with singing commercials, sound effects and audience participation. Visit www.bte.org for show times or call 800 282-0283.
"Treefest" opens today and runs through the 29th, Friday evening from 5 to 9, Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from noon until 5. Hundreds of trees decorated by local organizations make a magical Christmas scene. Trees donated to families in need. It is hosted by Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble at Caldwell Consistory, Market Street, Bloomsburg.
Many in the area are preparing in one way or another to go hunting Monday. The local school closes for the event. Hunting cabins fill to the brim with food, liquid refreshment--and with men who haven't walked half a mile a day for the last year, but now plan to spend all day in the cold of North Mountain. All available sleeping quarters are filled. Rifles are being sighted in. For those heading into Sullivan County in the area around Jamison City, take the time to read the oral history of Jamison City, "A Conversation with Jim Downs," which can be found at www.thedigitalfolklife.org/jimdowns.htm .
Want a break from the hustle and bustle that has come to define the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas? If so, come to a Relaxation Yoga class, conducted by Ginny Mazzei, at The Center on Monday, December 7, from 6 to 7 PM. The class will focus on gentle stretching, easy breathing, and deep relaxation—all perfect techniques to restore energy for the holidays. Class participants can sign up at The Center. A donation to secure your place will go to the “Save the Benton Dam” fund. For further information please call 925-0163.
The Center is having a soup sale--ham and bean, turkey noodle, and vegetable. The price is $4.50 a quart in microwavable-freezer safe containers. The Center is starting a raffle for a 20-lb Christmas turkey at $1 a ticket or 6 for $5. The drawing will be held December 21. All can be purchased at The Center. The good stuff isn't over yet! Christmas-cookie trays--a mixture of homemade cookies, fudge, and chocolates-- will also be available to purchase at The Center. The pick-up date is December 21. The price is $15. Call 925-0163 for more information and to order.
This Thanksgiving was better than some past Thanksgivings for many. At Thanksgiving 2008, the Dow was about 8,500 with another 2,000 points to drop. The financial system was in crisis and it was anyone's guess if the economy could pull out of its death spiral. During the Thanksgiving weekend of 2006, the dollar collapsed on the day before the holiday, fell further in global holiday trading and then collapsed again on the Friday after the holiday. That event also marked a new stage in a far longer term dollar bear market. Let's hope that today--Black Friday--will not be a repeat as the U.S. dollar sinks against the Japanese yen, the Singapore dollar, the Korean won, the Indian rupee and virtually every minor and major currency on Earth. It is at the $1.50 level against the euro, at parity with the Swiss franc and heading for the same with the Canadian dollar. Gold, on the other hand, closed Wednesday at $1,192 per ounce for the first time in history.
Barbara J. Young (September 7, 1955-November 25, 2009), 683 Austin Trail, Benton, died Wednesday at the Buckhorn home of her daughter, Joy. She was seriously ill since March. Barbara was 54. Barbara was born in Bucks County. She was a daughter of William and Mildred (Gregory) Ellis. She lived at her present address for three years and lived for twenty years on Third Street, Benton. Barbara was employed as a guard at the Pennsylvania Women's Prison in Muncy for seven years prior to becoming disabled and retiring in 1997. Surviving are a daughter, Joy O. Kurtz (Brian), Buckhorn; a son, Jessie L. Brown, Millville; three grandchildren: Logan Kurtz, Leland Kurtz and Haley Brown; a sister, Linda Johnson, Rochester, NY; and a brother, Walter Ellis. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Ivy Violet Young, on June 24, 2003. Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 2 PM with visitation preceding in the Dean W. Kriner Funeral Home, Benton. Interment will be in New Rosemont Cemetery, Espy.
November 26, 2009. It is Thanksgiving. It is the birthday of Brandon Hartman and of Robert Goulet, Rich Little and Tina Turner. The chance of snow showers Friday seems to have gone away. The Run for the Diamonds, www.runfordiamonds.com, heads out from Berwick at 10:30 AM on a nine-mile course. Diamonds go to the first seven male and female finishers. Alone this year? The Methodist Church has a free meal. Details are at the upcoming events section of the Benton News.
Quickies...• Thinking of the upcoming deer season? Head to www.snotr.com/video/2772 if you think that you would like the idea of deer for breakfast. If you want to practice your shooting skills for buck season, head to www.versuscountrybagamonsterbuck.com/ .• Congratulations to the Bloomsburg Hospital on receiving its three-year terms of accreditation in mammography, OB/GYN, general and vascular ultrasound services, and breast ultrasound and ultrasound guided biopsy from The American College of Radiology.• Two days of bear hunting have produced a preliminary harvest of 2,709 bears, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The top bear-harvest county in the state after the second day of season was Clinton with 219 (91 in 2008), followed by Lycoming, 201 (195). County harvests by region for the first two days include Sullivan, 37; Bradford, 36; Luzerne, 31; Columbia, 13. Hunters with an unfilled bear license may participate in extended bear seasons that run concurrent with all or portions of the first week of the firearms deer season.
• On December 11 and 12 at 7 PM is the annual outdoor performance featuring cast and crew from the Christ United Methodist Church, Village of Central, and the North Mountain area at the North Mountain Fire Co carnival grounds. Some seating is provided, but we suggest you bring your lawn chairs. Dress warmly. The program lasts about one hour. Cookies and hot chocolate are provided after the performance. A love offering is accepted at the refreshment stand.It is Thanksgiving and we are all thankful to be here. Roy M. Davis, an occasional visitor to Jamison City, graciously shared his Thanksgiving column with the readers of the Benton News. Roy calls his article, Thankful to Be Here!
"Just recently we were talking about Thanksgiving. I said to my Chief Accountant, “How long has it been since you cooked a turkey?” The reason I was asking.....I had just read a new humorous recipe for preparing the traditional bird. It said when you mix the stuffing; put a generous handful of popcorn in with it. Then place the bird in the oven, rear end pointing out into the kitchen. When the popcorn blasts out of the bird’s rear end and the oven door blows open, it should be done.
"Well, her answer to my question surprised me. That girl, with whom I have spent many years said, “I have never cooked a turkey in my life. I’ve bought a lot of them......but I never cooked one!” And as I cast my mind back over the years, I could not remember a turkey slowly browning in her oven, ever. Lots of other things: roasts, chicken, meat loaf, etc, but nary a turkey.
"And then she carefully explained to me that every time that holiday rolled around, we would be invited to a family dinner with her folks, or mine. Then when our kids were grown and out on their own, one of them always wanted to have the dinner at their house. So, what’s to complain? And I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I have never really liked turkeys! There, I’ve said it.
"You know, they are really not pretty birds. Have you ever examined one closely? Probably not, because in addition to not being handsome, they can be mean. They are territorial, and if one ever confronts you in the wild, and he puffs himself up......you’d better depart for more friendly climes!
"Daughter Becky and Jim-in-law live sort of on the edge of a wooded glade. And the area abounds with wild game. They have even heard in the wilderness a cry of what sounded like a big cat. But don’t tell the DNR, because panthers wouldn’t dare be in this area. Just ask them.
"Their back basement looks right out on that wooded glen; and one time when we visited, they were preparing to put in a new window at the back. What happened was a big old turkey came strolling along, inspecting his domain, and he walked up to that window..... Horrors! There was another turkey staring at him from the glass.
"This would never do! He strutted back and forth in front of that big bird in the mirror-like window. The fowl therein did the same. Then, in irritation he puffed up, inflated his big fan and got a mean look in his eye. The bird in the window did the same. On his territory! The very nerve! So he attacked.
"In the house they heard the crash of glass breaking........down to the basement, and there the outside layer of one of the insulated windows lay in shards on the ground......rapidly departing in the distance was the turkey, now beating a strategic retreat. He had shown that interloper what was what. And in his little pea brain, he must have experienced a huge satisfaction.....even though his beak would be sore for days!
"We have marvelous memories of holiday dinners at Marion’s folks’ house, and at my parents’ house back in the day. Those memories are laced with the sweet pain of nostalgia. You know what I mean. We have, since then, enjoyed many a holiday feast where our children have homesteaded with their families. And they have their own family traditions. So we are pleased to celebrate with them. And that means our oven is turkeyless. No complaints here!
"My Chief Accountant has also established some traditions of our own. For instance, when Son Rob’s birthday rolls around, we entertain everyone with a boiled dinner. This includes ham, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and all the trimmings. My parents started it, and because Rob was born on his Grandpa Kling’s birthday Marion wanted to celebrate those two with all the family present. And, I know, somewhere Grandpa Kling is smiling!
"When we have our family Christmas, my Chief Accountant always puts on a spaghetti dinner for everyone. And her recipe for that dish makes me salivate like Pavlov’s dogs just to think about it. Every year that’s what the family wants. So she makes gallons of the stuff. And, no, there isn’t any trace of Old Napoli in her ancestry .....although at times she has been taken for Italian.
"The most I can say about her German-French heritage is that it is overshadowed by her Astrological sign. You see, my accountant is a Gemini (born under the sign of The Twins). I have sometimes told people that she is two different people, and when we go to bed at night, I never know which Twin I’m going to get!
"So there is the story on our turkeyless oven. And I wouldn’t dream of complaining. Besides, have you ever looked closely at a turkey? Once a year at one of our daughter’s homes, when that day rolls around the first settlers celebrated with local Native Americans, we have a huge, golden brown bird come to the table. All the trimmings, and we eat like there’s no tomorrow. I love it.
"But I’m not going to mention the later turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, etc, made from left overs. I just quietly make myself a peanut-butter sandwich and remember from year to year how good that turkey tasted....and the stuffing.....and mashed potatoes......and cranberries. And I try not to think of how that huge bird must have looked....insufferably conceited as he spread his fan. Someday I’ll catch one and tell him the story of Col. Sanders and what he does to chickens. That’ll fix his tail feathers!
--Roy M. Davis writes a column in the Tri-City Record, Watervliet, MI, called the "Paw Paw River Journal."Vivian T. Beishline, a former home-economics teacher in the Benton schools and resident of Stillwater, died Tuesday, November 17, 2009, in Hudson, Florida. Her husband, Frank G. Beishline, died November 17, 1975. She was 95. Vivian was born in McKeesport, attended schools in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was a graduate of the Benton schools. She received a BS in home economics from Mansfield Teachers College in 1935. She was a member of the faculty of Benton High School, served as a 4-H leader and taught Sunday school as a member of Stillwater Christian Church. She later taught home economics in the Berwick schools. She was a resident of Stillwater for most of her adult life. Survivors include her son, Frank E. Beishline (Sandra), three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, all of Stillwater; and her sister, Bess T. Colley, Benton. She also leaves a daughter, Fran Cassano, and family in Hudson, Florida. Private memorial services will be held at a later date.
November 25, 2009, the 329th day of the year with 36 days remaining until the end of the year. How is your Christmas shopping coming? On this date in 1945, most U.S. wartime rationing of foods ended, including meat and butter. In 1963, President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed November 25 a day of national mourning following the assassination of President Kennedy. The rest of the week will feature fog, showers, rain and snow. Be warned as you begin your Thanksgiving vacation.
J. Donald Kile (Aug. 12, 1922-Nov. 24, 2009) Berwick, passed away Tuesday at Balanced Care, Bloomsburg. He was 87. Don was born in Berwick and was a graduate of Berwick High School. He was a son of Arthur C. and Anna M. (McAllister) Kile. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II aboard the battleship USS Indiana in the Pacific Theater of operations. Among other medals, he received the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with five battle stars. After his military service, he was in the furniture business until he became active in real estate as a licensed real estate broker and appraiser operating as J.D. Kile and Co., Berwick, from 1960 until his retirement in 1984. He developed the Walnut Glen Farm, Martzville Road, Berwick, and Lake Pine Crest, Huntington Mills. J.D.'s public career included service to the Berwick Chamber of Commerce, Berwick National Bank Board of Directors, the Luzerne County Mounted Search and Rescue Team in 1981, and various Masonic organizations.
He was preceded in death by his wife, the former Lorraine E. Wark, and brothers, Reynold and Benson Kile. Surviving are his sons, Barry J. Kile (Bonnie), Bloomsburg; and Ron C. Kile, Berwick; grandchildren: Shawna Longo; Brianne Kile; Jared and Jesse Welsh; four great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Nov. 28, at noon, with visitation preceding, from the James L. Hinckley Jr. Funeral Home, 1024 Market St., Berwick. Interment will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, Walnut Street, Berwick, with full military honors.
The passing of J.D. is noted with deepest regret. J.D. was a former "traveling buddy" of mine. He and I traveled in our motor homes from Canada to Florida.
The Benton Farmers' Market is holding a holiday open house on Saturday, Dec. 5.
An article in the November 21 edition of the Houston Chronicle suggests that natural gas prices could remain low during the next few years as new coal-fired electricity plants open, reducing the overall amount of the fuel needed in the U.S. for power generation. The article said that following the completion of the new plants, natural-gas demand could rise sharply as older coal-fired plants are retired and changes in government policies could give a greater preference for cleaner energy sources.
The article quoted sources that suggested that prices could spike in the 2013-2014 timeframe, then later fall back. Natural gas production has rolled back in line with the recession this year, resulting in a decline in the number of natural gas drilling rigs in the U.S. by more than 50% from August 2008. Several oil and gas producers have reduced capital spending plans next year based on their view of the economic recovery.
Natural gas closed at $4.486 Tuesday, while benchmark crude was at $76.46 a barrel.
James Audubon (1785-1851), a prominent wildlife artist, looked on the subject of deer hunting in a different light than a hunter would view the subject. In 1838 he wrote about "destroying deer" as "successfully practiced in the United States."
Audubon described the three methods of hunting deer practiced at that time. He called the first "still hunting." The second he called "firelight hunting" and the third was "driving."
Before you read further, consider for a moment what the average hunter wears today when he sets out to hunt a deer. Start with the fluorescent orange color of a minimum of 250 square inches on head, chest and back combined, visible 360°. Now listen to Audubon's description of a hunter in 1838.
Audubon wrote, "His dress consists of a leather-hunting shirt and a pair of trousers of the same material. His feet are well-moccasined; he wears a belt round his waist; his heavy rifle is resting on his brawny shoulder; on one side hangs his ball-pouch, surmounted by the horn of ancient buffalo once the terror of the herd, but now containing a pound of the best gunpowder; his butcher knife is scabbarded in the same strap, and behind is a tomahawk, the handle of which has been thrust through his girdle.
"He walks with so rapid a step that probably few man could follow him, unless for a short distance, in their anxiety to witness his ruthless deeds. He stops, looks at the flint of his gun, its priming, and the leather cover of the lock, then glances his eye towards the sky to judge the course most likely to lead him to the game."
We don't wish to take too much away from our neighbors in Luzerne County--after all their politicians do that for them--but it is interesting to read about hunting in that county from the weekly "North American" newspaper of October 12, 1839.
Luzerne had a population of 40,000 in 1839, according to the newspaper, but still had "plenty of deer on the hills." The article indicated that "in May, the lads go into the woods, find their path-ways, and in a wet, fitting spot make holes in the earth 12 or 15 inches deep with a sharp stake; these they fill with salt, thus forming artificial salt licks. As the weather becomes warm, the deer gather around the place, paw the ground, eagerly seeking for the salt, especially just in the dusk of evening." Talk about baiting deer!
"The hunter lies in ambush--crack goes the trusty rifle, and the prize is his own. Sometimes in dark nights, the hunter sits on a platform built in the boughs of neighboring trees, with a pine torch ready to light. When the deer comes to the lick, fire is put to the torch; as the blaze breaks forth, he gazes a moment, with a pine torch ready to light; his bright eyes present a mark; the woods echo the sharp report, and the game falls."
According to the report, the area around Harvey's Lake provided a different kind of hunting pleasure. "The deer, by instinct, when hard pressed by dogs, seek deep water for safety. The dogs pursue the deer, which run often in a circle, until wearied, and then lay their course for the lake. Hark! Near and more near is heard the baying of the deep-mouthed hounds--to your stations, man the boats! See the noble buck, how he bounds through the open fields, scarcely touching the earth which he seems to spurn--his antlers laid close to his back--his white tail waving as if in defiance! Poor fated thing, what is nature's swiftness or instinct against the skill of reason! Behold, the dogs are close after him! The rifles speak quick and sharp."
Pennsylvania Game Commission officials announced a preliminary 2009 harvest of 1,897 black bears in 50 counties on the first day of the three-day statewide bear season. The 2009 first-day preliminary harvest compares with 1,725 in 2008; 1,005 in 2007; 1,461 in 2006; 2,026 in 2005; 1,573 in 2004; 1,454 in 2003; 1,348 in 2002; 1,812 in 2001; and 1,691 in 2000. The top 10 bears processed at check stations on Monday all had estimated live weights that exceeded 550 pounds. The largest bear was a male from Carbon County that weighed in at an actual live weight of 654 pounds. The top bear harvest county in the state after the first day of season was Lycoming with 153 (135 in 2008), followed by Clinton, 152 (55); Tioga, 142 (124); Cameron, 115 (26); and Potter, with 95 (152).
County harvests by region for the opening day, followed by the opening day 2008 preliminary harvest in parentheses, are Sullivan, 30 (56); Bradford, 27 (33); Luzerne, 23 (30); Wyoming, 12 (18); Columbia, 11 (6); and Northumberland, 2 (1).
Bear hunting ends today. Monday begins the Pennsylvania holiday known as buck season. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Our best to each of you on this wonderful, family holiday.
November 24, 2009. It is the birthday of Paxton DePoe, Luke Becker and Agnes Hess. Bill and Janet Beishline and Ron and Alice Strauch celebrate their wedding anniversaries.
After the Protestant Reformation--the break from Roman Catholicism that resulted in the creation of the Church of England--religious reforms continued. Some felt that the Anglican Church was a mirror image of the thinking of the Vatican, and they called for its purification. These "Puritans" ranged in zeal in their thinking, but for most strict fundamentalism was the only way. They longed for the simplicity of biblical days. Dissent was risky business, and soon they had to hide or get out of the country. They found religious tolerance with the Dutch, but following pressure exerted on its Dutch ally by England, they set their sights on the New World where they planned to start a community of their own.The Pilgrims' arrived in our country a thousand miles and 128 years after Columbus. Giovanni da Verrazzano sailed and explored the Eastern seaboard almost a full century before the Pilgrims of the Plymouth colony. Portuguese pilots brought Spanish ships along both coasts of the continent in the sixteenth century as far north as Maine and Oregon. Spanish conquistadors completed a expedition of the continent's interior in 1542, climbing the Appalachians, floating the Mississippi, standing in awe at the top of the Grand Canyon and venturing inland as far as Kansas. The Spanish put down roots as they explored; their influence is found from the Rio Grande to the Atlantic. After founding St. Augustine, the Spanish gave thanks and dined on bean soup with Timucua Indians--fifty-six years before the Pilgrim Thanksgiving at Plymouth.
By the time the first English settled, Europeans had reached half of the forty-eight states that today make up the continental United States.
Plymouth was not the first English colony in New England. Fort St. George, Popham, Maine, gets that honor. The fort was named for the patron saint of England. In 1602, a band of English built a fort on the island of Cuttyhunk. They came, not for religious freedom, but to get rich from digging sassafras, a commodity prized in Europe as a cure for the clap. So the Pilgrims were not the first to settle Massachusetts.
Samoset, the first Indian the Pilgrims met at Plymouth, walked into their village clad only in a belt and greeted the settlers in English. The first thing he asked for was beer. Read more about Samoset here.
For more reading on the subject of Pilgrims and Thanksgiving, turn to A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz, Henry Holt, Copyright 2008 by Tony Horwitz.Thanksgiving has always been a favorite American holiday, a time for good food and good company, an event which rededicates spirit. And it is fun. The fourth Thursday of November is a time to share a banquet and give thanks for our many bounties.
What I kept, I lost.
What I spent, I had.
What I gave, I have.
Persian ProverbGeorge Turner, Tunkhannock, a licensed professional geologist with more than 20 years of experience working with groundwater and soil contamination in Pennsylvania and surrounding states, provided the following article. The article has been edited for brevity.
"The blast that blew apart a homeowner’s well pit on property located near a drilling site operated by Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation in Dimock, Pennsylvania (Susquehanna County) is said to have been caused by methane-gas contamination in the family’s well water.
"As a licensed professional geologist with more than twenty years of experience in groundwater work and environmental cleanups, I started doing well testing for people who live near proposed gas wells here in the Endless Mountains shortly after problems from contaminated ground water first started surfacing.
"The majority of the ground water that we have in this area is exceptionally good drinking water that is free of contamination. It is our most precious and underappreciated resource.
"The Dimock residents filing the lawsuit may not have had adequate testing of their water after the blast to determine either the number, or the type of chemicals in their water. Methane may be the most noticeable contaminant as evidenced by the explosion, but in this type of contamination, it probably is not the only one, or the most dangerous one.
"Traces of methane in drinking water are common, but the huge amount that is bubbling out of it now, is not. Full analysis of the water for all of the chemicals used in drilling and fracking the wells, and for any contaminants brought up from the Marcellus Formation, should be done periodically by an independent agency. The drilling companies should be required to pay for the testing. The idea that they don’t have to disclose what they pump into the ground is unbelievable.
"After learning about the problems in Dimock, and doing a great deal of research on the various chemicals commonly used in fracking, I started doing well testing for people who live near proposed gas wells.
"Landowners need to know that DEP only requires the gas companies to do water tests on water wells that are within 1,000 feet of the drilling site. Considering the fact that gas wells today can be drilled horizontally up to at least a mile in all directions from the well site, the DEP 1,000 foot requirement is not enough. I suspect that the 1,000 foot limit on the testing of nearby wells was enacted before horizontal drilling became commonplace.
"It’s finally time that the drilling companies are being held responsible for all of the damages they have caused by Marcellus Shale drilling. At Dimock, Cabot initially maintained that the company was not responsible for the water contamination, simply because no one could prove that the contamination was not there before the gas wells were drilled.
"People have no idea what they are up against. Protect yourself beforehand. By sampling your water now, what you are doing now is laying the groundwork for a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the oil companies for contaminating your groundwater. If your water turns up contaminated after a gas well is drilled, and you don’t have indisputable proof that it was not contaminated before the drilling, you’re out of luck.
"To stand up in court, the sampling must be done by a professional with the proper geological and groundwater-contamination knowledge, who has no interest, either financial or otherwise, in the property. The samples need to be placed in special laboratory cleaned containers, and immediately placed on ice and kept there during transportation to the labs. Chain-of-custody forms must be maintained for all of the samples. They show that neither the landowner, nor anyone else, had access to them. These are legal documents that show who took the samples, and who had access to them from the time they were taken, to the time they were delivered to the lab. The credibility of the test requires that the samples must be kept under lock and key. Analysis must be done by labs certified by both the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
"If the drilling companies are put on notice that they will pay dearly for any mistakes that they make, then they will be more careful not to make them. I am not personally opposed to gas drilling, but I feel that the oil and gas companies need to be held accountable. Water is our number one natural resource, a precious commodity that no one can live without. Poisoning people’s drinking water is not something to be tolerated."
--George E Turner, Tunkhannock. Mr. Turner may be contacted at 570 836-1055Quickies...
• How big is a drill site? "Anadarko Petroleum Corp. carved out four acres of red oak and maple forest, leveling a well pad about the size of three football fields to erect a 200-foot-tall drilling rig. The directional rigs are essentially mobile industrial operations: Each requires 80 trucks to transport, and it takes about a month to bore into the shale about 8,000 feet below."
--Philadelphia Inquirer• The Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society will be closed November 26, 27, and 28 and the week between Christmas and New Years--December 24 to January 4 inclusive. The Society's quarterly newsletter will be mailed December 3 as well as the dues-renewal reminder. A membership in the Society would make a wonderful Christmas present. Log on www.colcohist-gensoc.org/ and see what the Society has to offer, then sign up and become a member. The book, Images of America, Early Columbia County , is on sale at the Brass Pelican, Hess’s Market and at the Tree Fest. This book would also make a great Christmas present.
• The eleventh annual O.A.T.S. bluegrass festival takes place July 1-4, 2010. Here are some of the groups who will play: the Gibson Brothers (Saturday), the Steep Canyon Rangers (Friday), the Bluegrass Brothers (Saturday), the Hillbilly Gypsies (Thursday and Friday), Stained Grass Window (Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday), Some Assembly Required (Friday), Hilltown (Sunday) and Louie Setzer and the Appalachian Mountain Boys.
• The area is out of its dry spell and has moved into a period where showers and rain are the order of the day. Showers are possible Wednesday and Thursday, with a probability of rain Friday and Saturday as colder weather finally arrives. Snow is a possibility for Friday.
November 23, 2009. It is the 63rd wedding anniversary of Bob and Kathryn Maynes, celebrated on Bob's 88th birthday. Bruce Jankowski turns 55. On this date in 1945, most U.S. wartime rationing of foods ended, including meat and butter.
Eric Fricke will provide a Christmas organ concert on Saturday evening, December 12, at the Benton Christian Church, Church Street, at 7 and Sunday, December 20, at the Covenant Central Presbyterian Church, Fourth and Campbell Streets, Williamsport. Eric is a student of Cameron Carpenter (the first Grammy-nominated organist and Julliard graduate), and a piano student of Miles Fusco, both of New York city. A former student of Lew Williams of Organ Stop Pizza and Dr. Craig Westendorf, along with several other music teachers in Arizona. Eric has studied music for eleven years. He has been a finalist for the International Young Theatre Organist Competitions in 2007 and 2008, as well as performing for various theater-organ clubs throughout the country. Eric currently plays organ at the Benton Christian Church. He frequently travels to other churches and events to perform throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.Quickies...• Look for a more proactive role by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission at Marcellus shale gas-drilling sites. The agency will begin monitoring wells that are close to waterways and wetlands.
• Head here for an overview of the way Chesapeake Energy provides an introduction to natural gas exploration and production.• Bruce Gilbert, Springfield, Virginia, recently asked me about the crime rate in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. I didn't have the answer and didn't know where to find it. I eventually uncovered www.neighborhoodscout.com/ , which provides listings of the most dangerous cities in the United States, plus the safest, the best and the worse public schools, the highest appreciating cities, school rankings, crime rates and more. The site includes three Pennsylvania cities in its top 20 list where people can retire for less than $150,000. The cities were judged based on crime, peacefulness, scenery, housing options and diversity of age groups--all for $150,000 or less. Corpus Christi, Texas, was ranked number one. Wilkes-Barre was ranked number four, Grove City came in eighth. At twelfth, was Leetsdale, PA.
Bear hunting, which begins today, isn't on my agenda anymore, but I remember my first bear hunt and the colorful characters who made it fun. We didn't get any bear--but we didn't much care. We got together, the old and experienced, and the young and inexperienced. The anticipation of the hunt was more exciting than the actual hunt."Butch" was a crotetchy old fellow who spent half of each hunt with his jackknife cleaning out his corncob pipe. He was the story-teller, and his stories lasted as long as the bowl of pipe tobacco. When he took a break to ream out his bowl, someone else had a chance to make a few comments before Butch could catch his breath and begin again. He didn't hear very well, so he talked whenever he felt like it, even if a spirited conversation on another subject was going on. He loved to use the term "make no mistake." He told us how there were bear everywhere when he was young, "make no mistake."Butch often talked about the "old fogies" who once hunted bears with muzzleloaders. We all knew Butch was old, but we also suspected he didn't actually know what happened "back then." He continued telling about the bullet pouch and the powder horn and the wadding and the ramrod and the cap. He told how the hunters thought that tremendous progress had been made when the flint was discarded and the percussion cap was invented. He made sure that we knew that hunting was hard work "back then."Butch liked to load us "young squirts" up with the things we would need for the hunt the next morning. He would ask hypothetical questions about finding a bear and what if one shot didn't kill the bear. There was always a part of the story that dealt with this issue and how the bear would attempt to get away and how we were to track it. And for a clincher, to make sure the younger hunters were really paying attention, he suggested, "make no mistake," that a wounded bear might turn on us. Father had warned me that I most likely wouldn't see a bear, so I wasn't worried.But old Butch had us with his story telling. We had taken him "with a grain of salt" up to this time, but now we really paid attention. He began talking about improvements in hunting and the equipment used for hunting. He talked about guns which could "shoot faster than bruin can wink." He talked about the only bear most of us had actually seen, a bear in captivity at Ivy's fruit stand at the intersection of Route 11 and Route 42 near Rupert--a domistic critter with the name "Judy" who loved to drink soft drinks right from the bottle.By the time the excitement of the hunt for the next day had reached its peak, Butch would bring us boys down by telling about the Blackfoot Indians who had such little regard for the black bear that the tribe never bothered to give the animal a name. The black bear was considered too cowardly. The word in the tribe's language for what we know as bears applied only to the grizzly bear.Butch told stories about hunting bear in the South with fox hounds and (I think he said) Irish terriers. He started boosting our regard for the bear when he told us that some cold-nosed dogs won't run a bear trail, and many turn back when they actually get close to a bear. The "strike dog" would actually not be afraid of a bear. This dog was highly regarded in the inventory of possessions of Southern plantation owners. We would remain in rapt attention as Butch told how he had heard about dogs getting close enough to a bear to nip, but had enough sense to jump out of reach of the bear. The anxious moment for the dog owners came when the animal was shot and all the dogs jumped on the bear. It was at that time when dogs were often killed.I have spend time in the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina and can tell you that bear hunting in Pennsylvania is a lot easier than it is there--dogs or no dogs--make no mistake.
November 22, 2009. It is the birthday of Kelly Yost, Clair Harvey and Sharon Remphrey. It is the wedding anniversary of Barry and Sylvia Harrison. On this date in 1963, President John F. Kennedy was fatally shot in Dallas, Texas.
As you brew your coffee this morning for a sit-down with the Benton News, you may not have Eggo waffles in your freezer. Kellogg's closed their Atlanta plant, the second such closure in recent days due to operational issues. There is now a shortage of the breakfast favorite. The Kellogg Company hopes to "regain full distribution of Eggo products by the middle of 2010." Instead of an Eggo breakfast, consider heading to the fire hall for buckwheat cakes and sausage. Serving runs until 1 PM.Quickies...
• There are some interesting pictures of Air Force planes at Edwards AFB during a recent open house. If you are a fan of airplanes, head here., then scroll down.
• A home near Route 118 in Sugarloaf Township was broken into sometime Wednesday afternoon and items were stolen. State police were notified and a report taken. The entire area suddenly needs to be vigilant until the person responsible for the sudden rash of break-ins can be apprehended.
• The guitar music keeps on coming. Mike Bath likes The Billy Walton Band, which you can see by going here. My all-time favorites are the Kruger Brothers, a group I first met at the MerleFest. Take a listen to music as I like it played by double clicking here.
• Don’t forget the artist reception this afternoon from 2-4 PM at the Center for Russ Castrogiovanni whose art has been displayed in the library at The Center. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 925-0163.Quote of the Day:Those are back-assward ways of trying to fix the economy.
--Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor, criticizing President Obama's economic policies in an interview with ABC News' Barbara WaltersRobert Parks sent a list of why he owed his mother. They include her teaching him...• To appreciate a job well done; i.e., "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."• Religion; i.e., "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
• Logic; i.e, "Because I said so, that's why" and the classic, "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."
• Foresight; i.e., "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
• Irony; i.e., "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."
• Stamina; i.e., "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."
• Anticipation; i.e., "Just wait until we get home."
• Receiving; i.e., "You are going to get it when you get home!"
• Humor; i.e., "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
• Roots; i.e., "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
We are entering the period of November we call "Thanksgiving." The first use in English of "thanksgiving" as a single word was in a 1539 translation of the Bible. The translated Bible read, "for all the creatures of God are good and nothing to be refused, yf it be receaved with thankesgevynge."We'll talk more about Thanksgiving later in the week, but today is the day when hunters get ready to hunt the black bear. The season opens Monday and runs from November 23-25. Every year since 2000, more than 100,000 hunters have headed afield in pursuit of bears, with harvests exceeding 3,000 bears most years. The heaviest bears taken in Pennsylvania typically come from the Northeast. The largest bear taken last year was an (estimated live weight) 716-pound male from Tobyhanna Township. Twelve bears were taken in 2008 that weighed 600 pounds or more. Since 1992, six bears with an estimated live weight of 800 pounds or more have been taken in Pennsylvania.The hunter who tramps the Pennsylvania woods looking for turkey, small game or white-tail deer and comes on a black bear will suddenly find his heart beating faster than it ever has before. The view of the critter will likely be short. The brute, with all his strength and formidable teeth and claws, is no fighter, and prefers running to fighting on almost all occasions.The black bear is a strange animal--a combination of the characteristics of the human, the cat, the pig, the raccoon, the squirrel and a couple of other animals. He naturally walks on all-fours, but is comfortable walking upright like a man. He is laughable when he rests on his haunches and brings one of his fat forepaws around to scratch his ribs. He can display almost human intelligence in the way he skirts humans and danger.A cat doesn't seem to be as fast as a bear with strokes of its forepaw and I suspect that a bear can climb a tree as quickly as a desperate cat. The bear has its paws armed with claws which would be the envy of a tiger or lion.The bear somewhat approximates the appearance of a pig. The head with its round skull, sharp snout, short pointed ears and bright, beady eyes is like that of a hog. The bear is happy with the same diet as that of a pig. The bear roots through the leaves for nuts, and loves to head to orchards to gather apples which have fallen on the ground. If none are on the ground, the bear simply shakes the tree until the ground is covered with what he wants to eat. Like the raccoon, the bear is an excellent fisherman.By now, the bear has experienced the cold of the Pennsylvania fall and probably has selected a snug home for the winter. It might be a hollow log which was the home of a family of coons, but the bear will send them on their way. He may find a blowdown covered with limbs and leaves so that he would be impervious to snow and rain. He will simply crawl underneath and burrow down until he can be comfortable. A cave works for him to get a good winter sleep. The rolls of fat he has accumulated over the summer will keep him until spring.The bear actually doesn't seek shelter for his winter sleep until the ground begins to freeze, often about the last of November. Bear are often seen during deer season and later.A bear is often thin and weak when he wakes in the spring. Both his vitality and his fat are nearly gone. A bear at this time of the year is an ugly customer, willing to fight on short provocation.The she bear usually has her babies in January, two or three at a birth--and sometimes as many as five. The cubs are soon running and scuffling with each other. They have the ability to climb a tree on orders from Mamma in order to get out of harm's way.Old-timers have told me that the favorite food of a bear are vegetables, nuts, berries and roots--but that would depend on where the bear spends its time. Ants and grubs are also favorites. To get these insects, the bear pulls rotten stumps apart. Father once told me that he either heard or remembers a black bear laying beside a rotten stump where there were insects running. The lazy bear simply poked its nose into the rotten wood and allowed the insects to run over the snout. It simply licked them off with its long tongue. When pickings got too slow, it simply destroyed the stump and scooped up the remaining insects.A "bear tree" doesn't make out well, once it is marked. When a bear finds a tree it likes, rubbing begins. When another bear comes along, it does likewise--perhaps out of jealousy. The second bear tends to reach up higher and scratch the tree deeper than the first bear. It isn't long until the tree is a complete wreck.Good luck to all hunters as they head for their hunting cabins this afternoon. If you shoot a 600-pound bear, please don't call me to ask for help in dragging it home.
November 21, 2009. It is the wedding anniversary of Gerry & Jerry Newhart and Terry and Terri O'Connell.
Dottie Rabb tripped Thursday night at her home on Mendenhall Lane. She knocked over a large lamp and landed in a half-sitting position on a heavy tarp covering summer porch furniture. Her right hand hit a piece of furniture so hard that it broke the bone between her little finger and her wrist bone. It was splinted in the Geisinger emergency fast-track section Friday afternoon. She will have a cast put on it by an orthopedist next week. Dottie does not expect that the cast will affect her card playing.
Apparently Rudy Giuliani will run for the U.S. Senate next year to fill the last two years of former Senator Hillary Clinton's term. Rudy would challenge Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand who was appointed to the seat.
The Benton Lions club sold chicken dinners Thursday night, 545 of them to be exact, 145 more than they did last year. Proceeds go to the 'Save the Benton Dam" fund. This is another example of the worthwhile events the Lions take the time to accomplish.A newby to the world of playing guitar asked if I would feature some music by guitar. Certainly! How about this or this?Winter-like weather should be arriving soon and with it hunting season. Take a look at a video for the lament of one hunter (who did not take his shot).When I originally posted the question, "could someone please explain to me how it is that the Constitution can be so effective with only 16 pages, while the Senate health-care bill is 2,074 pages and more than 400,000 words," Dan McGarigle, El Segundo, immediately replied as follows:
The Constitution was written by about 100 men who were...
1. believers in God
2. mostly self-educated
3. could think for themselves and for their fellow men
4. cognizant of 1,700 + years of history, and trusting, and dreaming for, their fellow man.
The Health Care Bill has been written by about 700 men who...
1. will assign the subject of God to a yet unknown committee in the next session
2. are mostly college educated
3. mainly think for their "real" constituents, the hospitals and the drug companies, and themselves
4. think history is a 20th century concept, and don't trust anyone, least of all their constituents.
November 20, 2009. It is the wedding anniversary of Earl and Joann Heimbach and Wayne and Mary Baker. The mention of Wayne and Mary's anniversary is of special interest to me, since I was at least partially responsible for them meeting during the days when Wayne and I both worked at the former Middletown Air Material Area. I spent an enjoyable evening with them Wednesday in their delightful home in Winter Park, Florida.
Temperatures should be in the low to mid-50s through Monday. It almost makes me think it isn't November. Thanksgiving should bring weather more suitable for hunting.Approximately 26 people gathered in the library/museum of the Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center to hear a presentation and demonstration of the ancient art of wheat-weaving. Pamela Castellani, Sweet Valley, has studied the history and symbolism of this art, finding that it has been practiced almost everywhere around the globe where humans harvested grain, celebrating the bounty of the year and hoping for a full life in the following year. She displayed designs in wheat which have won prizes in several venues including Best of Show at the Bloomsburg Fair. But she really caught her audience's attention when she unwrapped stalks of damp wheat and quickly braided, knotted, and twisted it into complex shapes before their eyes.
This presentation was one of a series on arts, history, local lore and other topics to be held each month on Thursdays.
Quickies...
• For the fellows who like big trucks, how 'bout the ones here and here. Yes, you're right! The trucks are delivered one at a time.• Some citizens of Jonestown are "up to their ears" with items taken from their houses and cars. Monday, a Jonestown-area woman discovered that her purse was missing from the family car which was parked in their garage. She realized the purse was taken from the car and she reported it to the state police. Other houses have been broken into. If you have any information on this, please contact the state police.
• A Thunderbird Farm blue pyro milk bottle is being offered on eBay for $449.99. I remember helping brother Dayne and Charles Smith sweep the contents of the back end of a pick-up truck filled with these bottles over the bank at the former "dump." If we only knew then what we know now...
The many calls and comments concerning the "winding down" of the daily publication of the Benton News are appreciated. My travel during the past week has kept me from responding to each and every one of you and has made the daily editions rather uninteresting.
Future editions will be distributed as my available time permits.
November 19, 2009. It is the birthday of John McHenry Unbewust; many readers know him as "Mack." Expect some rain later today, but temperatures will remain above freezing through Sunday. Oh, yes, by the way, the temperature hit 86° Wednesday in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.
Julia Ward Howe wrote The Battle Hymn of the Republic on this day in 1861. The poem was later set to Glory Hallelujah. Two years later on this day--November 19, 1863--President Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg address as concluding remarks in front of about 15,000 people to headlining minister, former Congressman, Gov. of Mass., Ambassador to England, President of Harvard and Secretary of State Dr. Edward Everett's two-hour speech. The speech was brief--just 272 words, two-thirds of them of only one syllable, in ten mostly short and direct sentences. It was over two minutes later. While Everett would probably have said "a great conflagration consumed the edifice," Lincoln might have said that a house had burned. The speech become one of the most important speeches in American history, but not everyone read the speech the same. Contrast the actual text of the speech with what was published in the Centralia, Illinois, Sentinel of November 26, 1863...
"Ninety years ago our fathers formed a Government consecrated to freedom, and dedicated to the principle that all men are created equal. and [sic] that we are engaged in a war testing the question whether any nation so formed can long endure. and come to dedicate a portion of a great battle-field of that war to those who had died that the nation might live. He could not dedicate, consecrate or hallow that ground, for it was consecrated above our power to add or detract. The world would not long remember what was said there, but it could never forget what was done there, and it was rather for it to be dedicated on that spot to the work they had so nobly carried forward that they might not have died in vain, and that Government for and of the people, based upon the freedom of man may not perish from off the face of the earth."
The new Benton Area school-board members are Stephen Tyree for Region III --Fishing Creek Township/Stillwater Borough, and Brandon Hartman for Region I--Benton Borough/Jackson Township. Stephen replaces Ramona Heaps who completed the term for Lanny Conner who resigned earlier. Brandon replaces Phil Edson.Lance Wolfe was elected to complete the term of Ramona Heaps ( she moved from Benton Township/Sugarloaf Township into Fishing Creek Township)
Kelly Gavin was re-elected for Region I--Benton Borough/Jackson Township.
Bruce Hess was re-elected for Region II--Benton Township/Sugarloaf Township.
Congratulations to all these fine people who do their best to provide quality education to the upper Fishingcreek valley.
Didja know that "VIN number" is like saying Vehicle Identification Number number or that a machine is an Automated Teller Machine machine where one inserts a PIN number or a Personal Identification Number number. Richard Sutliff provided some of his favorites, taken mostly from "A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day."
Some of the redundancies we often hear include, "Where is Leonardo da Vinci from?" We forget that "da Vinci" literally means 'from Vinci'. Directions to the hospital ACC Clinic means to the Ambulatory Care Clinic Clinic. The instructions to "Please RSVP" should be thought through before using. Ala Moana Blvd in Honolulu uses the Hawaiian ALA for street, so it becomes Moana Street Blvd. El Camino Road" would be "the the road road" and La Rue Road when translated from French to English would be the Road Road. Sahara means desert in Arabic so Sahara Desert is Desert Desert and in Japan Mount Fujiyama means Mount Fuji Mount. Arizona has a state park at Picacho Peak or Peak Peak. The baseball team The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are The The Angels Angels of Anaheim. Our own Schuylkill River is the Hidden River River. South of Albany is the Black Schwarzenkilll Creek, meaning the Black Black Creek Creek. Eating a beef sandwich with au jus sauce translates as being "with with juice sauce." Pollo Kentucky Chicken in South America is Chicken Kentucky Chicken. The La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe is The The Hotel Hotel. Perhaps the current issue of the New Yorker Magazine is the new New Yorker. A "HIV virus" is a Human Immunodeficiency Virus Virus.
Didja hear about the man who tried to be a chef figuring that it would add a little spice to his life-- but he just didn't have the thyme?
Albatross is a golfing term used commonly in the United Kingdom, which means the score of 3-under par on any one hole. In this country, it is usually called a Double Eagle, the rarest feat in golf, even more so than a hole-in-one because you must have two perfect shots instead of one. Unless of course if you score a hole-in-one on a par 4 hole. This is indeed a rare shot, and most commonly occurs on par-fives with a strong drive and a holed approach shot. The most famous double eagle was made by Gene Sarazen in 1935, "the shot heard 'round the world." Odds of making a double eagle are something like a million to one.
November 18, 2009. Happy first anniversary to Mattress and Muffin Inn, 240 Main Street. It was on this day in 1883 when the United States adopted standard time and divided the country into four time zones.
.Quote of the Day:
"I cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food."
--W. C. FieldsI love the attitude toward food in Florida. If you eat out, Florida is for you. Take Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar, as an example. If you buy a $100 gift certificate, you get $120 worth of food. If you eat between 2 and 4 in the afternoon, you can take 40% off your check. And if you get a food card from the chain, every time you buy a hundred dollars of food they give you a credit of $10 toward your next meal. And did we mention the two for twenty meals including one appetizer? These incentives are not necessarily available in other states.
Didja know that Florida had 58,284 fewer residents in April 2009 than it did in April 2008? Salaries are often low for those who are employed, unemployment is high, the cost of living continues to rise, and home-mortgage foreclosures are out in front of the rest of the nation. There is no rhyme nor reason to the way taxes are levied. You may pay $4,000 a year for taxes, while your neighbor who lives in the state as a full-time resident pays $1,000. Insurance rates are high for those who live within five miles of the ocean and for those who own houses not of CBS construction (I don't know what "CBS" means, but I suspect it has something to do with concrete blocks). Insurance is expensive for structures without a hip roof. Florida has its share of highways and schools loaded to the gills, crime rates on the high side and periodic shortages of drinkable water. There are thousands of homes and condos that are empty--unfinished, unsold or foreclosed.
But there are those who seek a certain quality of life and head south to Florida beginning about this time of the year. AirTrans helps by flying people from Harrisburg Airport to Orlando for $64 (or more) each way. As the economy improves--whenever that happens--droves of Americans will likely head to the Sunshine State if for no other reason than the wonderful weather this time of the year--highs in the low 80s and lows in the high 60s. Clouds? Rarely. Delightful? You betcha...
November 17, 2009. It is the birthday of Julie Bardo and Cindy Becker. Bill and Loretta Hiscox celebrate 20 years of married life today.
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Bill and Loretta enjoyed their wedding-celebraton meal at TooJays in Stewart, Florida. Bill's sandwich is shown at the left. |
| Bill has a look of satisfaction on his face. We know it has something to do with twenty years with Loretta. |  |
The students, parents and community members of the Benton Area School District can enjoy a modern facility placed on land adjacent to the boys and girls soccer fields. The Benton Tiger Athletic Association, a group of volunteers comprised of parents and staff of the Benton school community, donated $10,000 toward its construction. The district also received hands-on training from the Red Rock Job Corps Center students from the plumbing- and construction-trades program. There were two volunteer evenings held attended by staff, students and community members. Other donors that provided materials to the project included Design Homes, Central Builders Supply Company and Larry’s Lumber. The Benton Tiger Athletic Association held a fundraiser called “Buy A Block” that also raised approximately $1,960 for the project.
The Benton Tiger Athletic Association received a $20,000 grant from the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation’s Berwick Health and Wellness Fund that served as a catalyst for the project.
Quickies...• Give blood at the high school today from 2 to 7 PM when the Red Cross bloodmobile visits.
Quote of the Day:
"God watches over the ocean."
--Loretta Hiscox, in response to a question about maintenance of a swimming pool.James David Lamoreaux (Dec. 7, 1950-Nov. 13, 2009) passed away at his home on Winding Road, Orangeville, Friday. He was 58. He was born in Newark, NJ. He was the son of the Russell and Esther Decker Lamoreaux. He served in the U.S. military in the Vietnam War. He was employed as a machinist for Okonite Cable in New Jersey. Surviving are sons Michael Lamoreaux ( Karen), Hatboro; Chris Lamoreaux Lawton, PA; and sisters Verna Mae Young, Oxford, NC; Frances Payne, Concord, Mass., and brothers: Jonathan, Edison, NJ, and Russell, Carlisle, MA.. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, November 17, at noon at the Clarke Piatt Funeral Home, Inc., 6 Sunset Lake Road, Hunlock Creek. Interment will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Lake Township, Hunlock Creek. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10 a.m. to the time of service.
November 16, 2009. It is the birthday of Mikelanne McHenry Welliver, David McHenry and it is June Phillips' 80th birthday. June and her husband, Gene, are former residents of Benton currently residing in Orangeville. Their son, Carl, 60, lives in Harrisburg and graduated from Benton High School.
Georgia (Sweet) Bashline fell in the Hughesville library Sunday and broke her arm. Dr. Wilson Ferguson is the speaker this morning at the North Mountain Historical Society meeting at the Brass Pelican Restaurant. The breakfast is served at 8 AM and the speaker begins at 9 AM. The meeting is free and open to the public. The weather forecast through Thursday will be characterized by sunny weather. Last year at this time, we had a high of 46°,Quickies...
Didja ever consider that Florida looks much like a pointed paw? The profile of the state is as familiar as the map of the United States itself. Florida remains the most familiar appendage of our country, thrusting south farther than any other part of the mainland. Between the aquamarine waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the deep-blue water of the north flowing Gulf Stream, the shaped land points toward Cuba and the Caribbean. It points toward and touches within one degree of the tropics.This edition of the Benton News comes from the Port Saint Lucie area of Florida where elevation of the land ranges from sea level to a maximum of 30'. Why Port Saint Lucie? Well, there are a couple of reasons.As I proceed into my "declining" years I dislike cold weather more and more. Florida's warmest temperatures range from Sarasota on the Gulf of Mexico southward to Naples and the ten thousand islands, around the Keys, then northerly again close along the Atlantic coast to approximately Vero Beach, slightly north of Port Saint Lucie. This area, thanks to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and balmy trade winds, has a climate close to that of Cuba, Haiti and Puerto Rico.The Sunday weather in the Port Saint Lucie, Florida, area was ideal. The high was about 82° with a low of about 69°. I haven't seen a cloud since I arrived here.The second reason I am in the Port Saint Lucie area is the economy of the area.Several readers asked about foreclosures in the Port Saint Lucie area--locally called "Treasure Coast" along with Matin and Indian River Counties. Here are some representative prices...• The property at 553 SW Lakehurst Drive sold February 4, 2006, for $257,200. It resold at foreclosure on September 25, 2009, for $94,500.• The property at 1657 SW Gemini Lane sold February 22, 2006, for $262,000. It resold at foreclosure on September 30, 2009, for $81,500.• The condominium at 181 SW Palm Drive, number 205, sold February 4, 2006, for $200,000. It resold at foreclosure on September 25, 2009, for $41,500.• The property at 773 SE Carnival Avenue sold September 26, 2005, for $253,900. It resold at foreclosure on September 30, 2009, for $63,000.For additional information on property sales in Saint Lucie County, head to www.paslc.org/ . Search public records of Saint Lucie County by going to http://publicrecords.onlinesearches.com/FL_St.Lucie.htm . As in all instances of real estate sales, www.zillow.com/ is of great help in determining prices.Foreclosure activity dropped significantly during October on the Treasure Coast, according to Florida's Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches publication, TCPalm. Saint Lucie County was number 1 in Florida counties in foreclosures in September, but the rate fell 36.2% in October. Saint Lucie County is now third behind Lee and Orange counties. Nevada remains ahead of California and Florida in foreclosure rates. A total of 51,911 housing units in Florida, or one in every 168, received a foreclosure filing in October. It was the first year-over-year decrease in overall Florida foreclosure activity since July 2006.Two metro areas in Florida were among the 10 highest rates in the nation: Cape Coral-Fort Myers at No. 5 (one in 92) and Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 9 (one in 117).
With the 36.2% decrease from September to October, St. Lucie County’s rate fell from one in 69 to one in 108. Indian River County’s rate in September was one in 223; Martin County’s rate was one in 251.
A total of 1,859 Treasure Coast properties received a foreclosure filing in October.
November 15, 2009. It is the 55th wedding anniversary of Ken and Dorothy Wilson, two people long associated with the art scene in Columbia County.
This abbreviated edition of the Benton News comes to you from Palm City, Florida, which is on the southern edge of Port St. Lucie. The reason I am here is Port Saint Lucie, but that is a story for another day. Many readers will remember when the area was nothing but uninhabited land on the south side of White City. That was true until a company known as General Development Corporation scooped up 40,000 acres of land and began building. Port St. Lucie became a city on April 27, 1961. Today, the city has more than 76 square miles of land.Early in the 1990s, Core Communities (CC) acquired and began planning what became St. Lucie West. In 2006, CC began the development west of Interstate 95 known as "Tradition." This community ranks on many lists of the hundred best communities in the United States. When the housing market went bust in 2007, unemployment skyrocketed and an estimated 11,000 homes went into foreclosure. Employment is today returning to the city.Here in south Florida, it is surprising to see that CompUSA is alive and well in the Tampa area and that Circuit City is back with on-line sales. Circuit City has not opened any retail stores at this point. The unknown company that is bringing back both of the stores is known as Systemax. Both companies coming back to life will offer additional competition in the electronic retail market.
A customer of the Brass Pelican restaurant asked the congenial manager of the establishment where he could buy a copy of the "Ghost Towns of North Mountain" by F. Charles Petrillo. Monica Diltz sent Lew Hopfer to me. I don't know who has one of the books for sale. The book tells of "early logging and ice-harvesting industries in the Endless Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania and the remarkable men who once presided over an empire in the woods." The book is no longer available from the publisher or the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society. You can read the entire book here. Do any readers have a copy they wish to sell?
November 14, 2009. The balance on the "Save the Benton Dam" account Friday afternoon was $34,683.25. The emergency repairs should be completed within the month now that requirements of state and federal agencies are complete. Additional sealing of cracks in the dam and insertion of rip-rap will take place when water is low--probably in the summer of 2010. Are you hungry? Have an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 7 to 11 this morning at Sylvania Lodge hall, Reyburn. This afternoon, come to the fire hall in Benton for a roast-beef dinner from 4 to 7. They have takeouts too!
Quickies...
• One of the original school houses in Columbia County is in bad repair. Foundation stones are falling out of the Hess School, a one-room school on Fritz Hill on the old Japteth Hess farm. The school is just past the Ol' Country Barn on Comstock Road. June Hartzell can't help with the project from her wheelchair, but wishes that some organization would step in to preserve our history. If you want to see what can be done with an old school, take a look at the former one-room school beside the Stillwater covered bridge. Owners Bob and Sandra Kelsey deserve lots of credit! The Hess School should be considered or similar treatment.• Why is it that we get more of what we don't want or need than we deserve? A 175-acre liquefied natural gas--LNG is cooled to 260° below zero--terminal on the Delaware River is proposed by Hess LNG and Poten & Partners. The port would envision one ship a week the size of three football fields in the summer and two in the winter from a variety of places, including Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Super-cooled natural gas shrinks to 1/600th of its original volume, allowing significant quantities to be pumped into tankers. When the gas reaches its destination, it is reheated and shipped through pipelines to users. The massive tankers prompt thinking of a terror attack. The LNG would increase the nation's dependence on foreign sources of natural gas when this country is flush with it.
• We love to "give China the devil," as Father used to say. We do it when we shop Wal-Mart, when we buy a house on the outside chance that some of their drywall is concealed behind the paint, when we shop for fish and other food in the supermarket and over a casual cup of coffee with a friend. Here is another reason to wrinkle your nose. Chinese pandas, which Americans often call "Giant Pandas," are native to Sichuan, Shaanxi, and the Gansu provinces. China has 239 Giant Pandas in captivity and another 27 living outside the country, according to Wikipedia. Foreign zoos, including San Diego, Atlanta, Memphis, the National Zoo and Chapultepec in Mexico City, can only lease them for a period of ten years for a reported $2 million per annum. Cubs born during the rental have the nationality of their mother and are immediately subject to the same contract terms.• U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, chairman of a House Financial Services subcommittee, has Wall Street and some bankers in a tizzy. According to an article in Politico.com, he wants the federal government to break up large financial institutions--healthy or otherwise--if they get so big their demise could threaten the nation's financial system.
• The Benton airport had an unusual visitor Wednesday. A home-built acrobatic Acroduster Two, owned by Biper Marketing Co., Berwick, and piloted by Rick Farwell, owner of Triple F Spraying Service, paid a visit.
• Contrary to what we told you yesterday, Fred Maslack isn't currently a Vermont State Representative. The story in the Friday the 13th edition about a $500 gun fine, which cited the United Kingdom's Telegraph.co.uk as the source, is either a hoax or it is outdated. Thanks to reader Jill Polek for setting us straight. We apologize for the misinformation.
I recently listened to a conversation which centered not on what needed to be discussed but how busy the two men were. As I recall, the conversation went something like this...
"Sorry I haven't called, but I have been soooooo busy."
"Oh, I wouldn't have had time to talk anyway. It's been hectic."
"Anyway, I couldn't have called. Haven't been this busy in years."
"Even if you had called, I am up to my earlobes in work."
"How could I? I haven't had time to breath."
"Not as frantic as I have been!"
"You're joking! I have been completely snowed under."
"I was going mad."
"It's been crazy."
"This is the first chance I've had to relax."
"Same here. It's no good working too hard."
"There is no point running yourself into the ground."
"We only have one life, you know."
"Too much work makes Jack a dull boy."
"How 'bout another cup of coffee?"Term of the Day:
"What the dickens?"
An unharsh reference to the devil."I want to write a poem that will set the world aflameAnd place before posterity a long-remembered nameThat will knock the socks off Shakespeare, Milton, Byron, Burns and Poe,Or the fellow who wrote about the man who stood behind the hoe,I've got the rhyme and rhythm, and the matter seems all right,But when it comes to a subject: What the dickens shall I write?"It has always been easy for me to bring you the daily Benton News. I simply write about what is of interest to me. Not everyone agrees with my choice of subjects. One female reader told me that there is too much history in its editions, and she essentially said that "she learns nothing from history except that she learns nothing from history."I think of the difficulties that Abraham Lincoln had with some of his generals. When McClellan's waiting campaign got on the President's nerves, he is reported to have written the General saying, "My dear McClellan: If you do not want to use the Army, I should like to borrow it for a while."Over the years, I have borrowed your time by giving you some of the things that are of interest to me. But all things must come to an end. I lack the time to respond to many emails that come my way, even though the majority are enormously interesting. I catch "the Dickens" when I don't mention a community event. The same happens when I report an event in a neutral fashion. Someone to the right of Attila the Hun snarls at me, while someone from the ultraleft thinks that I am picking on them. None of that bothers me. Other things are worrisome.I no longer feel that I am physically able to provide a daily edition worthy of your time. Beginning with this edition, the News from Back Home in Benton, PA, will reduce its scope and limit its coverage. By the beginning of the new year, the daily edition should be reduced to an occasional story or two when the mood hits me. Hopefully, someone will step up and take over, but so far that effort has been unsuccessful.It seems that everything from "a" clear down to "lizard"From tropic heat and desert dry to Manitoba blizzardLove and war--philosophy--all freaks of human nature--And all the subjects catalogued in English nomenclature--Have been written in better style that I could hope to do it.So in advance of making a huge mistake, I'll retire before I rue it.
Friday, the 13th day of the month has arrived again--the third time this year. Checking records, we find that nothing serious happened on the two previous occurrences of the superstitious day. So why do we think that Friday, the 13th, is unlucky? Remember back to high school when we learned that two negatives make a positive? Following this logic, the thirteenth is an unlucky day of the month and Friday is the unlucky day of the week. The combination of the two should make for good luck--just as either alone stands for bad luck. Try not to see a black cat or a dire calamity will come to you. Better get out the old four-leaf clover or the lucky horse shoe to keep away all bad omens. Don't be "skeered" of what is going to happen to you today. And don't be "skeered" of the rain you'll see through Saturday morning. It is June and Gene Phillips' 61st wedding anniversary.
The thirteenth day of a month will always fall on a Friday if the month begins with a Sunday--which happened earlier this year in February and March and again this month in November. You won't see three Friday the 13ths again until the year 2015.It is the birthday of Rev. James Kremer, Collin Weaver, Betty Zane Unbewust, Dick Karschner, Nancy Myers, Lucie Hartzell, Donald Ribble and Maria O'Brien. These fine people share their birthdays with Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote the novel Treasure Island in a single month in 1883. The wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on this date in 1982.Quickies...• If you want to speed down the road at 60 miles an hour while "texting," get it out of your system. The House Transportation Committee sent to the House floor earlier this week a bill which would ban texting by all drivers. Doing so in the Commonwealth would be a primary offense; that is, police would be able to stop and cite a driver for that offense alone. This will be different from the Commonwealth's seat-belt law which treats violations as secondary offenses. In those cases, a driver could be cited only if also stopped for a primary offense such as speeding or reckless driving. The House bill also bans all cell phone use by drivers younger than 18.
• Benton moves closer to realistic cell-phone communications with the announcement of two new towers planned on Route 118, one near Stevens Hill and Comstock Roads, and one near Route 118 and Route 239. The tower near the Country-View Restaurant will be completed. A tower will be constructed off Johns Road, Benton Township. The towers are envisioned to permit virtually uninterrupted cell-phone communication from Benton to Dallas.
• Site preparation for two of the three natural gas wells in the area certainly takes a lot of stone. We expect the third site will take just as much stone base.
• Vermont’s State Rep Fred Maslack is proposing a $500 fine to households that do not possess a gun, reports the United Kingdom's Telgraph.co.uk. As I read it, Maslack's interpretation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Vermont's Constitution would require registering "non-gun-owners" and require them to pay a $500 fee to the state. Thus Vermont would become the first state to require a permit for the luxury of going about unarmed and assess a fee of $500 for the privilege of not owning a gun. The state representative apparently reads the "militia" phrase of the Second Amendment as not only affirming the right of the individual citizen to bear arms, but as a clear mandate to do so. He believes that universal gun ownership was advocated by the Framers of the Constitution. Vermont's constitution states that "the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the State."The Center will present a talk by Pam Castellani on wheat weaving on Thursday evening, November 19, at 7. If you don't know much about wheat weaving, we should tell you that it is ingrained (no pun intended) in the life of Pam Castellani as chocolate is in Hershey or snow is in Colorado. Wheat weaving is an ancient, beautiful, and meaningful art. Wheat weaving is just what it sounds like. No loom is used. The wheat is simply soaked stalks of grain woven by nimble fingers. What most wheat weavers do is handpick stalks of wheat by cutting as close to the ground as possible. Then a couple hundred bunches of a couple hundred stalks each are hung upside down.
Before the weaving begins, the wheat is soaked for about half an hour, then wrapped in a towel to make it pliable. The weaving then begins using several stalks at the same time, winding them into various patterns which create a three-dimensional design when completed. The artist can create anything in this manner and is limited by his or her own creativity.Many wheat weavers make Christmas ornaments, straw candy canes, spirals, bells with ribbons, starbursts with candles, treetop angels and wreaths. The designs that remain today were born out of human needs to celebrate life by creating harvest symbols. Fireplace brooms are popular, inspired by the Old English harvesting tradition of making a wreath with the last grains of the harvest. The project was woven into a crown and given to the prettiest eligible maiden in the village at the annual wheat-harvest festival.The lecture will be held in The Center’s library. Pam Castellani, a native of Kingston, has been a straw-craft artist for more than ten years. Her traditional and contemporary designs have won several awards and have been featured on Channel 16’s "Home and Backyard" program. For further information, call The Center at 925-0163.
William A. (Bill) Harrington, Oro Valley, Arizona, died of a heart attack September 29, 2009. He was the son of Alfred and Mildred (Hess) Harrington, Benton. He was 80. Bill grew up in Harrington Hollow (north of Benton) where he and his brother, John, assisted their father in the operation of the former Harrington's Foundry. They were the fourth generation to work at the foundry serving the community from 1863 to 1958. Bill graduated from Benton High School in 1947, then continued his education at Wilkes-Barre Business College. In his 20s, Bill began working with the Boy Scouts at Camp Lavigne and stayed actively involved with scouting throughout his life. He worked for the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C. He later joined the U.S. Army to serve during the Korean War. After the war, Bill returned to Benton, where he worked for Fischback and Moore Electrical Contractor at Benton Air Force Station. He worked for the company for many years, in Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Mildred Harrington; brother, Dr. John H. Harrington; and son, Kevin Harrington. He is survived by his wife, Joanne; daughter, Debbi Maloid; grandchildren: McKenna and Dalton Harrington of Tucson; sister, Beth Anne Savage and husband, Richard, Berwick; several nieces and nephews including Meg Dyer, Mary Jo Skjoldal and Heidi Savage of the local area. A memorial service was held at Vista de la Montana UMC in Tucson. Burial will be local at a later date.
November 12, 2009. It is the birthday of Kevin Schlichter and Dr. Andrew Pollock. It is the anniversary of the opening of the Brass Pelican restaurant. Tonight at 7 is the first sing-a-long at The Center. We hope that you attend. Music will be provided by Diane Laubach and Jim Ferrel on piano. They have picked out some old favorites for you to sing and they have a few surprises. The world premier of the "Benton High School Boogie" will be played at the performance. Requests will be taken at the end of the program and there will be time to visit with your friends. Refreshments will be served.
The family of Carol Hess Follmer thank "all of the wonderful people" who attended Carol's memorial service or sent expressions of their sympathy. Carol and Calvin's daughter, Ruth Puckette-Krause, wrote that the "outpouring of support from all of those who knew and remembered mom was humbling and a source of great comfort."Upcoming...
• The cider Bob Wenner made when he had his press in Bendertown was always excellent. The recipe passed to Bill and Barb at Smokey Hollow Farms where homemade beef stick and jerky was also sold in a relaxed country setting. Today that same fine cider is available at the Benton Farmers Market at the borough line.
• Google plans to provide free Wi-Fi in 47 airports as a "holiday gift" through January 15, 2010. An estimated 100 million people will pass through the participating airports between now and January 15.
• The Susquehanna River Basin Commission has proposed a network of solar-powered water-quality monitoring stations in areas where natural-gas drilling in Marcellus shale is taking place.
• Didja notice the Benton fire truck speeding toward Stillwater yesterday to aid with a crash victim? If so, you may have noticed that the driver's head was cocked to one side. You were looking at Dave Albertson, the diligent driver of the vehicle. Dave was getting his hair cut at Ed Cole's barber shop when the alarm went off. Ed had only completed cutting one side of the hair on Dave's head. Dave jumped from his seat and headed out of the shop. His head cocked from the uneven-weight distribution from longer hair on one side and shorter hair on the other side. Later in the day, Dave returned to the barber shop. Ed greeted Dave with a "back for another hair cut?" Dave succeeded in getting his second haircut of the day free.
• Police in Benton last week issued what several believe was the first traffic violation of its kind in memory. The perpetrator parked with 18" of his vehicle forward of a recently painted yellow line adjacent to the Kozy Korner restaurant. Despite admitting that he parked where he should not have, he decided to ask borough council for leniency. No luck. Contributions are slowly coming in to help the scofflaw; so far, $.06 has been raised to help pay the $10 ticket. We notice that cars are often parked in the yellow zone at the post office--usually for short periods of time. We suggest that alternative, legal parking be pursued.
Congratulations to the Benton boys soccer team who made it to state playoffs for the third time in four years. Saturday Benton will play District 1 champion Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, Lansdale, at 1 PM in Brodheadsville at the Pleasant Valley School. From Benton, it is an 83 mile trip via I-80 and Route 115. The school is located prior to the intersection of Route 209 and Route 115. Turn right off Route 115 on Switzgable Drive as you enter Brodheadsville.Do you remember what you were doing in 1972? Well, if you were in the Benton area you might have...
...bought your gas at the American Station, at the corner of Main and Market. Clair Lewis was the proprietor. Or you might have gone north of town to Ed's Esso Service. Or you might have bought your gas at one of the other five gas stations in town....spent your Sunday afternoons at Peacock Corners Game farm, north of Lightstreet. They had peacocks, bear, elk, deer, longhorn cattle, pheasants, buffalo, wild pigs, llamas and some "everyday" varieties of common-farm animals. You might have stopped for some of Ed and Dick's Old Fashion Maid Ice Cream on the Lightstreet-Orangeville highway....made your Lincoln Homes house built by Kenneth R. Kelsey, Stillwater, more beautiful by buying your peat moss from near Bendertown, which at one time was a thriving shopping center for local farmers. Or you might have stopped at the "lookout" on route 239 to "take a look" at Benton and up the valley to the Red Rock area. On the way home, you might have picked up some hardware and lumber from the Little Lumber Co., Colley Street....taken a leisurely ride through Broadway, named for the original "broad" road built by early Irish settlers with names like Crockett, Irwin and Holmes. The area was once known as Irish Lane....occasionally gone to Church in Cambra in the beautiful Christian Church with its stained-glass window above the pulpit and its antique organ. After church, a visit to the old Cambra Store Company was in order. Often, a trip on to Fairmont Springs would take place, the home many years before of Shaddrock Lacock and his foundry. Pioneers came from great distances to get one of his plows and the town grew up around the foundry and an old tavern and hotel, an overnight stop on the Tioga Turnpike....gone to Berwick over the Jonestown Mountain. The town on the western side of the "mountain" was Jonestown, which came into existence when people decided to settle around a toll house on the Berwick-Tioga turnpike. An inn was built and a large dam constructed to furnish power for a grist mill. A "lookout" and picnic spot on the side of Jonestown Mountain was popular. The old covered bridge in Jonestown had recently been torn down....known someone who attended the New Columbus Male and Female Academy, established in pioneer days of Huntington Township. The town had been established by John Koons of the paper-making family and a financier of the early turnpikes from Hughesville to Nanticoke and from Berwick to Tioga, New York....simply stayed in Benton to watch a Tri-County baseball game at the Benton's Community Park with its double-decker bandstand, children's play area, horseshoe-pitching pits, quoit pits, trout fishing, swimming and picnic facilities and hard-surfaced tennis courts and—oh, yes—a wonderful baseball diamond and grandstand.Pictures from the Veterans Day program at the Benton Area Schools Wednesday are available for viewing here thanks to Bob Maynes. For those who want additional information about the veteran in Pennsylvania, purchase "World War II Reflections: An Oral History of Pennsylvania's Veterans." About two dozen veterans from Pennsylvania are featured in the new book.
Harold B. Houseweart (December 18, 1936-November 9, 2009), died at his home on Jamison City Road Monday. He was 72. He was born in Benton. Harold was a son of Pauline Harriet (Comstock) Houseweart, Stillwater, and the late Harold W. Houseweart, who died December 22, 2004. He was a graduate of Benton High School, Class of 1954. He had been employed in the parts department by Sears Roebuck and Company in Broomall before moving to Jamison City. He had also worked for Donnelly after returning to the area. Harold was a member of Knapp Lodge, No. 462, F. & A. M., of Berwick.
Surviving, in addition to his mother, are his daughters Tina Marie Houseweart, Perkiomenville, PA, and Natasha Marie Chester (Dennis), Juneau, Alaska. There are four grandchildren: Aksel Nyborg, Tyler Houseweart, Jenny Chester and Kellen Chester. Also surviving are two brothers and a sister: William A. Houseweart (Joan), Del Ray Beach, Florida; Eugene D. Houseweart (Diane), Lester, PA and Sharon I. Graff (Wayne), Swarthmore, PA. In addition to his father, he was also preceded in death by his wife, Agnes Marie (Ropel) Houseweart, who died in August 1995 and by a brother, Richard Houseweart, who died in September 1945.
Funeral services will be held Friday morning at 11 with visitation preceding at the McMichael Funeral Home. Masonic services will be conducted Friday at 10. Burial will be in the Raven Creek cemetery. For online condolences or to sign the register book, go to www.mcmichaelfuneralhome.com .
November 11, 2009. It is the day we pay tribute to the dedicated service and sacrifice of the men and women who in defense of our freedom have bravely worn the uniform of the United States. It is the day we once knew as "Armistice Day" or "Remembrance Day" to commemorate the signing of the agreement that ended World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. The day was changed to Veterans Day in 1954. At that time, it became a day to honor all the men and women who have served in the armed forces of the United States. Don't bother heading to the bank or the post office today. It is a good day to listen to the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
Quickies...• Please keep Richard Lehet in your prayers today as he faces surgery at Geisinger Hospital.
• It is the eleventh anniversary of Starla Grassley operating the Kozy Korner Restaurant. If you don't know about the Kozy Korner, head here.• Benton boys soccer beat Biglerville at Hersheypark arena Tuesday night by the score of 2-1.• Please attend the monthly Crime Watch meetings in order to help with this important cause. On November 23, the group will hold its yearly nomination of officers. Your input and suggestions would be most welcome. Perhaps you would be willing to be nominated for a position. Elections will take place December 28. Both meetings will be at 7 PM at the Benton United Methodist Church, Main Street. The organization has done some wonderful things for the community and it would be great if we kept going forward.• Expect mostly sunny weather through Thursday and cloudy weather through Saturday.Harold B. Houseweart, 72, Jamison City Road, Benton, was found dead at his home on Monday, November 9, 2009. Arrangements will be announced by the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc., Benton.
Many residents of both Texas and the upper Fishingcreek valley are scratching their heads over the disclosure that air quality has become an issue in gas drilling in the Barnett Shale of Texas. Benzene, a cancer-causing toxin, has been detected in the air. Continued exposure to high levels of benzene can result in leukemia. What comes from the ground is the subject of today's Benton News."You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result."
--Mahatma GandhiDrinking water in the local area has always been a matter of pride. The source of water for the borough of Benton is an artesian-like well adjacent to West Creek. Artesian wells derive their name from the province of Artoris, France. It isn't easy to explain an artesian well, so I'll take the easy way out and direct you here.In Sullivan County, west of Lopez, in the "Icebox of Pennsylvania, is a cold spring running water out of the ground. Residents of the area claim that excellent water comes from the pipe in the ground and runs into an old bathtub. Connie Hatch notes that "On a hot summer day, your hands will turn blue--the water is so cold." Connie has often stopped and refilled her glass or bottle. An artesian well near Mountain Springs lake in Sullivan County is a favorite stopping place to see the phenomena of water shooting out of the ground.Water from deep within the earth has long been a source of nourishment. During periods of heavy rains, drinking water derived from sources close to the surface of the earth have become contaminated, resulting in digging to find artesian wells. In Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, for example, the Shenandoah Water Company found water in 1909 at the rate of 86,400 gallons daily at the depth of 600 feet. The company immediately decided to dig two more wells. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that "Water company officials are jubilant and are now confident of overcoming the annual drought which causes great distress to the residents of this city by stopping collieries and other industries."The supply of drinking water for a community must be of high quality. Philadelphia in 1889, with all its other improvements and conveniences, lacked the highly essential feature of a good water supply. The Philadelphia Inquirer examined the "condition of the stream from which the city derives its water" and concluded that it was in a "filthy state and unfit for drinking. A mere cursory glance at the Schuylkill revealed its contaminated condition." The paper suggested that city water should come from artesian wells, noting that "the entire city of Paris is supplied by two such wells."While water was often the goal of early drilling, water was not always the result. In West Burlington, New Jersey the Devlin Company's iron plant drilled for water in 1904 to a depth of 260 feet where a substance of the "consistency of white paint was found."Water doesn't just come pouring out of the ground during the fracking process. It can also happen in nature. An artesian well in Edgeley, South Dakota, made national recognition in 1894. An eight-inch pipe 1300 feet deep produced surprising results. The object of drilling the pipe was water. When water was finally reached, "it poured out of the opening at the surface of the earth in a great volume and with tremendous force. With the water came quantities of sand, gold quartz, lignite, coal and other minerals." The area around the well flooded, but that didn't daunt the spirits of the unsuspecting residents looking for "treasurers issuing from the interior of the earth." At midnight, residents realized that "gas of a fine quality was also rushing out of the hole" when a torch ignited. It was difficult to extinguish the flame. The next day, the townspeople connected a pipe to bring the gas under control.The citizens were thrilled to sort through the accumulated water to find chunks of quartz containing deposits of free gold. Signs spouted up stating "go West, young man, and dig an artesian well." To this day, it is not known what all came out of the bowels of the earth from that artesian well. We suspect, however, that it was not as bad as the methane that came out of faucets in Dimock, Pennsylvania, as a result of Cabot's faulty well casings.In 1886, a four-inch artesian well in Benton county, Iowa, burst at 180 feet when a volume of water was forced into the air to the distance of several hundred feet. The geyser was called "Belle Plaine" or simply "Jumbo." Read more by going to The Artesian Well at Belle Plaine, Iowa by T. C. Chamberlin. The water gradually increased in size and volume until a stream of water reported to be sixteen inches in diameter was formed with upward force of the stream equal to the power of dynamite. The huge volume of water shooting into the air formed enough water to flow at an estimated twelve miles an hour carrying everything before it.To stem the water, residents attempted to "insert sixteen-inch boiler iron tubes into the well," but this approach was blown into the air. Fifteen car loads of stone were then emptied into the well, but they were blown out too. Bags of sand suffered the same fate. This Jumbo artesian well struck August 26, 1886, and flowed nearly 1,000 gallons per second at its peak at a constant temperature of 56°. Historically, it has been used to heat and cool area residents.Let's be sure that when wells get fracked in our area next year, drinking water and ground water remains the quality it is today.
November 10, 2009. With the problems with the laptop, the birthday of Ken Lewis III, Benton, was overlooked in the Monday edition. We apologize for the omission. It is the birthday of Frank E. Beishline. It is the wedding anniversary of Allison and Michael Hack. Originally organized as naval infantry in 1775 and known as the Continental Marines, the U.S. Marines Corps celebrates its 234th birthday today. Semper Fi
Benton Boys soccer meets Biglerville tonight at Hersheypark Stadium at 5:30 PM. Biglerville is 3-1, 18-5-0, and recently beat Camp Hill. Benton is 4-2, 18-4-0.The sound of an alarm going off Sunday evening at the Countryside Market on Route 487 North of Benton prompted some calls to check on what was taking place. Little did anyone realize that a rear door had been broken into and burglars were busy cutting television wires and cash-register wires and removing safes. The person or persons responsible for the burglary knew what they were doing. The market was closed for the early part of Monday as state police investigated.Buy an entree and get one free at Charlie Brown's Restaurant at the Buckhorn Plaza, 181 Columbia Mall Drive, Bloomsburg on Veterans Day. This special is for veterans and active-duty military. Call 389-7880 for more information or head here.
Matt Rabb recently went hunting in Idaho and many readers followed his trail from a link on the Benton News. Matt's family, friends and especially his 3-year-old daughter enjoyed finding out where "Daddy" was each day. To his surprise, the batteries never needed replacing in his tracking device and it worked about as good as expected given the rugged valleys. The Spot device was new to Matt and offered a quiet comfort to being alone in the wilderness.
Matt's hunt was not successful and he did not bag a bull elk as he had hoped to do. He did see five different bulls, all of which "were not worthy of an eight-mile hike." He heard wolves one evening. He ran into plenty of grouse that really scared him as he snaked his way along mountain slopes. He learned for his next trip that chipmunks will chew through anything to eat your trail mix. Matt put together a picture album of 50 or so photos that you'll enjoy viewing. You can find the album here.
Many of us look forward to the upcoming Benton boys basketball season--their 51st--which begins December 11. The team will have an influx of ninth graders. The strength of the team will come from upperclassmen Eric Correll and Mike Diltz, now busily playing soccer. Chemistry teacher Matt Aten with help from Jeremy Hess will provide the coaching leadership to the team.
Let's take the time to look back at the late 1950s. Benton High had well established winning traditions in baseball, soccer and wrestling. With no gymnasium, the wrestling team practiced in the school basement and performed their matches on the auditorium stage. Basketball was just a dream until the gymnasium opened in 1958.
Let's give a huge amount of credit to those first- and second-year players, all of whom had not been on an indoor basketball court until a few weeks before the first varsity game. Those players included Dave Dinsmore, Ed Baker, Gard Poward, Harold Ackerman, Lloyd Shaw, Jay and Bill Cippola, Gene Hill, Arden Sitler, Martin Swank, Eddie Roth, Ted Steinruck, Ken Musselman, Bob Sands, Frank Mika and Buck DeWitt. Practice sessions were intense and directed by head coach Jim Stiner and assistant coach Hubie Kline. Harry Ackerman remembers that "in the class younger than mine, Dan Klementik, Jim Dildine, and a few scouts from Bendertown played."
The first two seasons were winless--although some games were slightly competitive, particularly if the opposition had no tall players. Dave Dinsmore was the tallest player on the Benton team at 6 foot 1 inch. Dave played center. Harold Ackerman said he played four seasons and only won one game. It is no wonder why Harold went on to get his PhD and left basketball for the jocks!
One game with rival Millville was unusually exciting, highlighted by their rugged center taking an accidental elbow in the face flinging his large glasses bouncing and sliding across the floor.
Ed Baker had never played basketball, let alone playing on an indoor court. Ed remembers that the team was "very clumsy, lot of fouls, doing stuff that more experienced teams would not do." Ed recalled that their strategy was "kind of a roughhouse, learn how to dribble the ball and run simple plays, then have the defense pound over the opponents."
In the fall/winter of 58-59, Ben Pollock organized a winter-basketball tournament in which the Benton boys were badly outdone by the team from Mildred. A kid named "Ottaviani on their team came down and showed us what basketball courts were made for." Harold Ackerman says he'll "never forget his moves." Harry has long since put the final score of the game out of his mind--although he suspects it was probably 98-7. You can guess that Benton did not win their own tournament.
The game support was great from both students and area residents. The Argus reported game results most favorable. The players appreciated having such a nice new gymnasium, especially when visiting some schools where their facility was merely two classrooms with the partition removed. Longer shots easily hit the ceiling. At a small school near Forksville, fans sat "on the sideline." Unfortunately, Benton visited there for an exhibition game during hunting season. Highly inebriated, highly partisan hunters sat on the sidelines trying to trip any Benton player that strayed too close to the line. A Rock Glen fan did trip Harold Ackerman during one game.
As we enjoy the team's upcoming season, let's remember some of the initial efforts more than 50 years ago.
--Thanks to the memories of Dave Dinsmore, assisted in the memory department by Harold Ackerman and Ed Baker, for the details of this story.
November 9, 2009. It is the birthday of Christopher Kelsey, Ginny Mazzei and Budd Fritz. This is Budd's 87th birthday. He is one of the best storytellers I have ever heard. I suspect his ability to tell an interesting story began in 1943 when he was stationed with the Navy at Sampson, NY. Budd tells his stories about ordinary people. During muzzleloader hunting at Painter Den in 2007, eleven hunters fired off thirteen shots on one drive. When the smoke cleared and the hunters could see again, Budd cupped his hand to his forehead to see how many deer had been killed. When he finished his survey, he remarked, "if those deer had been Indians, we would all be dead now."
The telling of a good story is an art unknown to most people. The Indian started the telling of stories about legends of nature--the hills, the valleys, the waterfalls, the creatures of the woods. The white man retold and recast the legends and invented a few of his own. Embellished is a word that comes to mind. Legends grew up Back Home in Benton, PA, too. When we were growing up, we always heard that Harvey's Lake was "bottomless." We heard that copper, natural gas and uranium resided in the ground below us. We listened as a kid to stories O.B. Savage told and believed they were true, and the same for ones told by Jim Dildine and Jim Babb. Later we listened to stores told by Budd Fritz and forgot his message but got caught up in the way that he told the story.We heard about the days of the poorhouse and later the county home. We heard terms like feather dusters, sticky flypaper, foot scrapers by the farmer's front and back doors, stick candy and during the holidays "hard candy." There was Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, jardinières, corsets, flagpole sitters and "dance 'till you drop" contests, pigtails, black patent-leather shoes and shoes with copper toes and shoes known as "penny loafers." There were roll-top desks, hand-cranked telephones, kitchen ranges that burned wood, the Bloomsburg and Sullivan chugging up the tracks with boys placing pennies on the tracks in front of the engine, little red schoolhouses, the cuspidor at the Exchange Hotel, mustache cups, organ grinders, traveling knife sharpeners, the Pied Piper Inn, kerosene lamps and carbide lights and milk cans.
All this talk about things past make me remember when I bought a telephone for my parents as a present. They had never been connected with a phone in the house before.
"Never needed it," Father tersely said.
Soon after it was connected, I answered the phone one day and the person at the other end of the line said "Whosiz?"
"With whom did you wish to speak," I replied, using the best English Mary Hartman had taught me.
After a long pause, the voice on the other end of the phone said, as nearly as I can remember after all these years, "I ken tell ye right now by the way yer a-talkin' it's not who I's a-wanting'!"
I once pitched something between a hissy fit and a conniption fit when I was unable to define to the satisfaction of someone who was lost just where "yonder" was. I came up with the general direction, but not the specific route. Things went down hill from there when I attempted to specify how long "directly" was, as in "if you come directly from the clump of trees toward town" and so I changed my approach to something different, and that didn't work either. I told the driver that where he wanted to be was "just down the road" and threw in the term "by and by." Now at this point things really went downhill. We finally got off the subject of directions, this lost driver and I, and discovered that we were related by marriage and that opened up another complete line of discussion about what took him to the South in the first place and how much I liked grits and how much he liked buckwheat cakes.
We both smiled when one of us told about the father-son advice dispensed many years ago in an exchange of letters. The son was getting his steam up over a local girl and wrote to his father saying that he planned to take the girl out for the evening to see a movie. On the way home he planned to buy her an ice-cream soda. The son wondered if it would be OK to give her a kiss when they parted for the evening. The father wrote back, saying, "No, George. You've done quite enough for her."
It was on this day in 2005 when Jeanette Hartman made a $500 donation earmarked for the skateboard park. That got the wheels turning, so to speak. Today the community has an excellent skate park, thanks to Jeanette and others who helped with contributions or flexed their muscles to create what is at The Center. Hats off to all these fine people. It makes me wonder, though, with all the half-pipe capability at The Center, why so many kids were rollerblading on Route 487 north of the Borough Sunday afternoon.The Huntington Mills United Sportsmen eighth annual coyote hunt will take place January 15, 2010. The weigh-in station is located at the clubhouse of the club at the corner of Waterton Road and Cann Road, Huntington Mills. Hunting may start Friday, January 15 at 6 AM.
Dates and times for weigh-in are Friday, January 15, from 6 PM to 9 PM; Saturday, January 16, from 3 PM to 9 PM; and Sunday, January 17, from 9 AM to 1 PM. The application fee is $25. Get your copy by mail from United Sportsmen Camp 271, PO Box 85, Huntington Mills, PA 18622. You can call 570 256-3933 or 683-5472. On Sunday, January 17, a breakfast buffet will be served from 9 AM to 1 PM.Quote of the Day:
"Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities."
--Frank Lloyd WrightMy three-year-old laptop gave up the ghost and suddenly I am without a traveling companion. This situation will impact a trip I have planned for this weekend and could mean that the Benton News will be silent for a few days. More immediately, the lack of a laptop could affect the sing-a-long which takes place Thursday night at The Center. The laptop was planned to be used to assist in tossing the words and music on the screen. We may have to resort to killing some trees and making "hard copies" so that you can read the words and the music. In any event, the show will go on. Plan to come out and have some good old fashioned fun. You'll get to hear the world premier of the Benton High School Boogie!
November 8, 2009. It is the birthday of school-board member Bob Ridall and Raven Creek member and organizer Joe Feola. On this day in 1769, two separate tracts of five hundred and thirty acres each of "Penn Manor Lands" were surveyed in what is now generally known as Benton. The tracts were named for London's Putney Common, a large, wild-green area close to Putney and Barnes in south-west London, an area often used for organized sports activities and for walks in the wild yet close to the city, an area known for its rare wildlife, bird life and plant life. The second warrantee of the local Penn Manor Lands was Francis Hopkinson, father of 12, a District Judge of the United States for the State of Pennsylvania, a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1776 where he signed the Declaration of Independence. He died in 1791.
The warrants for the upper Fishing Creek land were issued eighty-nine years after Penn received what is now Pennsylvania on March 6, 1770. The warrants were for land on Fishing Creek, "eight or ten miles above the end of Fishing creek mountain," or about two miles north of the town of Benton.The weather for today and Monday will be great. Get out and have a hoot!
The US House of Representatives passed the more than 2,000 page healthcare-reform bill, called the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," late Saturday night. The vote followed the inclusion of the so-called "Stupak Amendment," which prohibited taxpayer money from being used for abortions. The cost of the bill is unknown. Nancy Pelosi's calculations were that the plan would "add not one dime to the deficit," a stance echoed by the White House. The conservative analysis puts the additional strain on the deficit as around $239 billion from 2010-2019 and leaves an estimated 17 million Americans uninsured. The legislation would require most Americans to carry insurance. It would provide federal subsidies to those who otherwise could not afford it. Large companies would have to offer coverage to their employees. Both consumers and companies would be slapped with penalties if they defied the government's mandates. The bill got votes from 219 Democrats and one first-term Republican from New Orleans. Opposed were 176 Republicans and 39 Democrats. The 220-215 vote cleared the way for the Senate to begin a long-delayed debate on the issue that seems to overshadow everything else in Congress.
The subject for today is Forks. For those who don't know, the cluster of houses along Fishing Creek about six miles south of Benton and four miles north of Orangeville, is a village in the south-central part of Fishing Creek Township at the confluence of streams known as Huntington and Fishing Creek. Bernard Ammerman was the first settler we could find, dating to about 1820. The post office opened thirty-five years later. "Confluence" was a tough name for a town, so "Forks" was chosen when the post office relocated from neighboring Pealertown. Ammerman was the first post master. The post office didn't last long at Forks, and reverted back to Pealertown in 1861, but bounced back to Forks in 1871. The USPS discontinued the post office at both sites in 1904.Emma Harrison Burrus wrote about Forks in her 104-page 1979 book, The Life and Times of a Country Merchant, published by Precision Printers, Millville. The book is out of print, but available for reference at the Orangeville Library and the Columbia County Historical Society. Mrs. Burrus tells how her father, Rush Harrison, and his brother operated a store adjacent to the Forks railroad station. Forks became a stopping point on the Bloomsburg and Sullivan railroad line in August 1887. The first chapter of the book is devoted to the railroad that made a stop at Forks. She devotes a chapter, The Gathering Place, to the memories of kicking back in front of the old wood stove in the center of the store and the telling of tall tales and intriguing stories.In one passage of the book, a clerk in the store outsmarted a female customer who brought in butter for credit against her purchases. The alert clerk commented on how good it looked and said he would take some home for himself. He immediately cut the butter in half, revealing that the inside of the butter was simply lard. The "good church member" sulked out of the store. She had been beat at her own game.A second source of information about Forks is the twelve-page monthly Forks Bulletin which Rush Harrison began publishing in January 1911. The only copy found was the November 15, 1911, edition which is on file in the Columbia County Historical Society. Rush Harrison was a primary advertiser in the Bulletin, often simply advertising with the notation: " Harrison, Forks, PA." Many products sold are today mostly unfamiliar to readers. An example is Dr. Shoop's Restorative, a patent medicine sold as a "cure" for shingles, rickets, the "grippe, the vapors, neuritis, and neuralgia." The medicine claimed to cure "bloating, billiousness, bad breath and complexion.""Harrison, Forks, PA" sold more than patent medicine. Mr. Harrison sold smokeless powder and steel-lined shells, powder and shot. For those who were ill, Harrison sold "sick, death and accident" insurance for the Columbia Beneficial Association. The Harrison store was the place to buy oranges, bananas, grapes, celery, cranberries, sweet potatoes and fresh oysters--plus much more. If you needed to firm something up, the Harrison store sold Universal Portland Cement Company products. Sweaters for the ladies or aviation caps for the men were available. Or oyster shells and grit, flour, corn meal and feed? Harrisons, of course! Or maybe Dr. Shoop's Health Coffee Imitation, with "not a grain of real coffee in it." (Ingredients on the can say it was made with "pure toasted grains, with malts, nuts, etc.") And there was none of this "20 or 30 minute tedious boiling" nonsense. It could be "made in a minute," if one believed the advertising.
Forks had business support from others besides "Harrison, Forks, PA." John Smith, a "practical blacksmith" came from Orangeville with the logo on his wagon that "a horse on the ground is worth ten in the ground." John was known for turning an ordinary plug into a "ring-point calked horse." For the summer, it was time to shoe the horses with "Mud Calk Never Slips." For the winter, it was the "Never Slip Ice Calks." Horseshoeing was a big business at the time and the village was double-covered in this capacity. H. S. Wilson, operating out of Fishingcreek, (the name of the post office in what is today Jonestown) repaired wagons and did "general blacksmithing." Mifflinburg buggies and platform spring wagons ("Merit is the foundation of their fame") were some of the "high-grade hand-made vehicles" later sold Neil S. Harrison.
Forks is the location of the Twin Bridges (East Paden and West Paden), built over Huntington Creek east of Forks, off route 1020, east of Pennsylvania Route 487. The Twin Bridges were constructed in 1884 by W. C. Pennington for $720 and are named after John Paden, who operated a sawmill in the area. Twin Bridges County Park was created in 1963 when a new road bypassed the structures.The Forks Covered Bridge was known as PA/38-19-56 or as Forks Bridge (County #130). It was a single span Burr Truss 107' long (some sources claim it was 104'11" long) on a 15'3" roadway located on Winding Road (SR1020 - LR19068) until replaced by the existing bridge in July 1955 when the covered bridge was demolished.The Orangeville Telephone Company, organized in the Forks railroad station, spread over the surrounding hills, connecting with the Bell Telephone Exchange in Bloomsburg and the North Central Company in Benton. McClellan Megargel, great grandfather of Gloria Megargel Miller, Orangeville, handled the switchboard duties from his home in Orangeville, along with his wife and daughter. At its best, the phone company had about 250 subscribers. Andrew J. Sordoni eventually acquired the company October 3, 1951, for $4,000. The company eventually became part of the Commonwealth Telephone System, Dallas.
The remaining business in Forks was the Forks Hotel, operated in 1911 by William Derr. It was "the place to get chicken, turkey, or a roast dinner of any kind." The hotel was open in 1911 year around (it later closed in the winter) with "good accommodations." Pictures of the hotel from 1911 are not clear enough for reproduction in the Benton News, but the hotel appears to have looked almost identical to the way it now looks. The large wooden building stands beside Route 487, but is no longer used as a hotel or dance hall. It served as a dance hall in the 1920s and loggers were boarded there at night. The property is currently for sale.
Forks was a "stopping place" on the mail route between Bloomsburg, Forks, Runyon (now Asbury) and Cambra. Another Forks stopping place was Idlers Camp, so named according to the grandson of the original owner, because Sheriff Dent and others from the Columbia County Courthouse spent a lot of their idle time there. The thought was that since "they didn't have a real job" that would be a perfect name for the place.
William D. Creasy, generally known as W.D. Creasy or as "Squire Creasy," was a justice of the peace in Forks and lived on the farm of his father, John P. Creasy, a soldier during the Civil War. He lived in the first farm below the old Forks Hotel. The grove was situated where Fishingcreek angles east and meets Knob Mountain. Older readers will remember that it was east of where Carl Fleckenstein lived. To access Idler's Grove, it was necessary to turn behind the Twin Bridges and continue on that road as far south as the road went. There was a great deal of lawn around the grove and was an ideal location to hold a picnic. The ACF in the early 1940s held their company picnics there. Those who attended the picnics from Berwick would ride the train to Bloomsburg, then rode the Bloomsburg & Sullivan Railroad to Forks.
During a severe flood in March, 1941, the high, swirling waters moved the supporting stone pillars and the building at Idler's Grove collapsed. The family tore the building down. Today, the area is grown up during the warm months with an invasive weed known as Japanese Knot Weed. The foundation and part of a huge outdoor fireplace remain.
Michael "Sparky" Rudick passed away November 5, 2009, at the Geisinger Medical Center after a courageous fight with lung cancer. He was the son of John and Frances Rudick, Larksville. He lived a major portion of his life in Trucksville where he worked for Linear. He was an electrician. He lived and worked in Toms River, New Jersey, for Smithkline Beecham Drug Company. Most recently he retired back to Huntington Mills. He was involved with the Back Mt. Little League for many years. He was both a coach and an umpire. He loved the game and the kids and could still talk about certain games as if they were yesterday. He would have enjoyed seeing the Phillies play this past week. He was also very proud of being a veteran and a board member at the Shickshinny American Legion Post. In his healthier days, he was an avid fisherman, hunter and bowler. He loved to do kareoke and anything to do with country music. He graduated valedictorian of his Larksville Class of 1950.
He was preceded in death by his brother John of Trenton, NJ. He is survived by six children, Maria Sutton (Ron), Dallas; Linda Fritzges (Don), Trucksville; Michael (Ruthanne), Swoyersville; Donald (Robin), Denver, Colorado, William (Theresa), Quarryville; and Patricia Smith (Andy), York. He is also survived by brothers Thomas Rudick, Horsham, and Joseph Rudick, Kingston. He has 13 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
While undergoing treatments he had many blood transfusions. In memorial to him, the family asks that you donate at the next Red Cross Blood drive near you.
November 7, 2009. It is the birthday of Jane Turner Fritz, Richard Bardo, Lorena Bennett and Peggy Laubach, one of the few Laubachs still living in Laubach, Pennsylvania. Billy Graham was born on this day in 1918, Al Hirt in 1922, Dame Joan Sutherland in 1926. William Appleman, a farmer in Benton Township, was one of many citizens seized by soldiers on the morning of August 31, 1864, because of his opposition to the federal draft. Appleman died on this day in 1883 when he was 73. On this day in 1874, the Raven Creek Church building was dedicated
It was a year ago when Columbia County announced that they would consolidate their operations by buying the First Columbia Bank building in Bloomsburg adjacent to the court house for $825,000 along with the parking lot for $100,000. The Commissioners announced that they would leave most county activities in the downtown location while the county office building along Sawmill Road in Scott Township will become home to mostly state- and federally-funded services. A year later, the former First Columbia building houses offices that are organized much like tellers in a bank. The inside is open, spacious and uncluttered. Find an excuse to go into the building and meander around. You'll be quite happy with the result.Back in the late 1990s, gold was about $300 an ounce and oil was about $15 a barrel. An ounce of gold would buy 20 barrels of oil. When oil spiked to $147 a barrel in July 2008 and gold was approximately $900 an ounce, one ounce of gold bought six barrels of oil.Now that gold is $1,097 an ounce and oil is $77.43 a barrel, an ounce of gold buys about 13.5 barrels of oil--not much more than when oil was "cheap" in the 1990s.
As currencies depreciate against gold, then the cost of oil priced in those currencies rises even as it remains constant when priced in gold.
The Buffalo Valley Rail Trail, which will extend from Mifflinburg to Lewisburg, will be a recreational boon to the region. It will afford residents and visitors a place to walk, jog and bike ride that is both scenic and safe. To help fund the rail trail, Susquehanna Life magazine will donate, from now until the end of the year, $5 from each new subscription to the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail, which is currently in the midst of a capital campaign. The goal is to raise $500,000 from local sources over the next three years. Call 800 232-1670 or visit http://susquehannalife.com/ .
Didja ever wonder why if natural gas is so expensive to produce, so hard to get to and a diminishing commodity, why it is trading so inexpensively?
November 6, 2009. It is the birthday of Charles Hartzell. Last night was chilly. Tonight will be cold!
On this day in 1860, Abraham Lincoln, 51, defeated three other candidates for the United States presidency. He failed to win a majority of the popular vote, but carried 18 states with 180 of the total 301 electoral votes.
Didja hear the old story about the man who had what he called a "religious horse?" He explained to a potential buyer of the critter that it was necessary to say "Amen" to make the horse stop. He would say "Praise the Lord" to make the horse go. The excited buyer jumped on and said "Praise the Lord" and the horse started trotting. He said it again and the horse began galloping. Just ahead was a cliff. The rider yelled "Whoa! Stop!," but the horse kept on running. "Amen!" suddenly came to mind, and the horse stopped inches from the edge of the cliff. The buyer took off his hat, wiped the sweat off his brow, and said, "Praise the Lord!"Congratulations to the L.R. Appleman Elementary School and the Benton Middle-High School in the Benton Area School District for receiving the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Keystone Achievement Award in recognition of the school’s "outstanding academic performance." The Keystone Achievement award is for the school’s performance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, the standardized test given annually to students in grades 3-8 and 11. This is the school’s fifth Keystone Achievement Award.Quickies...
• Kids over the age of four are invited to come to The Center Friday, November 20, from 7 PM to 11 PM for Kids’ Night Out. The evening gives kids a night of fun and play, so Mom and Dad can enjoy an evening out or a quiet evening at home. The staff and volunteers of The Center will offer themed games, movies, snacks and supervision for children. Reservations are required and must be made one week prior to the activity by calling 925-0163. Cost is $10 for members, and $15 for non-members.
• We are recycling some music today. Sheila Brandon wrote that "you haven't heard "Amazing Grace" until you hear Aaron Neville sing his "absolutely beautiful version" which you can find here.• Benton Boys Soccer suffered a defeat 4-0 at the hands of East Juniata at Millville last night. The local soccer crew otherwise had a great season.
• Krysten Ritter was offered the lead in a film for Red Hour Productions. The movie is a romantic comedy entitled Vamps, written and directed by Amy Heckerling. Krysten explained that "Amy Heckerling is the director of Clueless (among others) which I used to race home from school to watch on repeat." Krysten received the offer during her first day of shoot of Gravity ( her new series for STARZ in which she is the lead). "You can imagine that was a good day," she explained. She continued, "I'm beyond thrilled to get to work with Amy and Red hour (Tropic Thunder, Dodgeball, Zoolander)--and the script is a total blast." The movie will be a tale of two young female vampires living the good life in modern-day New York. When love enters the picture, each has to make a choice that will jeopardize their immortality. The movie will make the first feature starring role for Krysten, who is well known for her role in "Confessions Of A Shopaholic." Krysten closed with a resounding "whooo hoooo!" Her parting comment was "hope all is well and wonderful!"
• There will be a Veterans Day program Wednesday morning, November 11, at the Benton elementary school's gym at 10. The public is welcome to attend. Veterans and one guest are invited for lunch immediately following the program. Call the school TODAY at the latest (925-6971) for lunch reservations.
• The proposed merger of pretzel-maker Snyder's of Hanover with potato chip maker Utz is off because of the time and money required to meet government nitpicks imposed by the Federal Trade Commission. The UTZ factory tour in Hanover is excellent, by the way.The American Petroleum Institute has a video that explains the horizontal drilling and hydraulic-fracturing processes. It explains the drilling, fracturing, equipment, materials and environmental concerns. This should be required viewing for everyone with any interest in Marcellus shale drilling.
Carol Mae Follmer (August 1, 1939-November 4, 2009), 36 Meadow Avenue, Tamaqua, PA 18252 died Wednesday, in Hometown, Pennsylvania. She was 70. Carol was the daughter of Lewis and Ruth (nee Smith) Hess. She was born in Bristol, PA, and attended Benton Area Schools when she lived in Stillwater. Prior to retirement, she was a supervisor for Ruth Manufacturing in Nesquehoning, PA.
She was the wife of Calvin Lowe Follmer, also a former Benton resident. Carol is survived by Calvin; sons, Richard L. Follmer (Lori) Burlington, NJ, and Randall W. Follmer (Susan), Tamaqua; daughter, Ruth Puckette-Krause (Robert C.), Owl Creek, Tamaqua; grandchildren, Richard Follmer, Jr. (Heather), Donald F. Follmer, Matthew F. Follmer, Stephanie Pastewait (William), Robert S. Krause (Cassandra), and Ryan Puckette; great grandchildren, Stacia Pastewait and Cameron Krause; brother, Lewis (Larry) L. Hess (Sandra), Wernersville, PA. A memorial service will be held at noon, Saturday, November 7, at Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church, 223 East Broad Street, Tamaqua. The family has requested in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to St. Lukes Hospice, c/o Administration Office, 1510 Valley Center Parkway - Suite 200, Bethlehem, PA 18017. A guestbook can be signed here.
November 5, 2009. On this date in 1872, suffragist and activist Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) was fined $100 for attempting to vote in a presidential election. She was a teacher and became active in temperance, but was not allowed to speak at temperance rallies because she was a woman. She joined the women's rights movement in 1852 and dedicated her life to woman suffrage. She lobbied for the abolition of slavery, women's rights to their own property and earnings and women's labor organizations.
Prayers...Keep Laurie Cole, Derrs, in your prayers. She was hit by a car near Geisinger Hospital and is a patient in the special-care unit of the Danville hospital suffering from whiplash and other injuries relating to her neck. Laurie is the daughter of Bob and Betty Lewis. Terry Yurko needs your prayers for her baby born with special needs.Quickies...
• The New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 Wednesday to capture their 27th World Series title.
• The increasing natural-gas activity in the upper Fishingcreek valley will generate little in the way of new tax revenues to our local jurisdictions. The Commonwealth's natural gas is not subject to local taxation. Contrast this approach to Texas where natural gas is subject to local-property taxes as it is taken from the ground. In Texas, school districts and county and municipal governments receive higher local tax revenues because of the extraction of the natural gas. Here in the Commonwealth, neither lease or royalty income is subject to local-income taxes. Natural gas will not currently significantly increase the local-tax base or local-tax revenues.• An interesting study, known as the Perry Group Analysis of the economic impact of gas exploration on the Fort Worth area, shows that 89% of the income derived from drilling natural gas goes to the gas and pipeline industries while leasing and royalty income accounts for 11%. The local groups that made out the best were in retail sales with eating and drinking establishments coming in next. So the question comes down to whether gas drilling will leave the upper Fishingcreek valley with a lasting benefit or will be much like the logging and coal industries of a bygone era which left the region with a net loss.
• Music for today, Amazing Grace, is provided by the Four Tenors. Hear it by going here.
• Preschoolers will gather this morning at 10 in the library at The Center on Community Drive for the start of "story time," following by a coloring session. An adult must accompany the child. Register by calling 925-0163.• As a sign of the times, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times and selected other news outlets will forego the use of the Associated Press next week to see if the newspaper can live without it. Sports statistics and related stories will continue to be used.• The U.S. Senate Wednesday voted 98 to 0 to extend and expand the first-time homebuyer-tax credit. The measure went to the House of Representatives for approval Thursday, where it was also approved. The $8,000 tax break for first-time buyers would continue until April 30, with a 60-day cushion beyond the end of April to complete the closing. The change is that the measure removes the first-time-only stipulation so that existing homeowners who have lived in their current residence for at least five years can relocate to a new primary residence and get an incentive amount of $6,500. There are stipulations. The income limits for both first-time buyers and existing homeowners would be $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for couples. The new home must be priced under $800,000. Homeowners will have to repay the credit if the property is sold or if the property is no longer used as the primary residence within three years.
Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) William Williams was the featured speaker Wednesday evening at The Center. WCO Williams is a Land Management Group Supervisor.
WCO Bill Williams fields a question from Rod Pennington The subject of his talk was black bear, Ursus americanus, and the biology and behavior of the animal. He covered nuisance bears, bear hunting and investigations of bear. The presentation was via a 20-minute video which WCO Williams narrated, followed by a question and answer period.
In north America there are three species of bear: polar, grizzly or brown bear and black bear. The only species of bear we have in Pennsylvania is the black bear, the smallest of the three species. The black bear can be in excess of 700 pounds but is less aggressive than the other two species. The Pennsylvania black bear chooses to run and climb trees compared with aggressive behavior of the other species. The estimated population of black bear in the state is 15,000. Of that population, about 2 to 3% of Pennsylvania bear are cinnamon-colored black bear. Each year the bear harvest is about 3,000. WCO Williams felt that was an appropriate number to keep population levels about as they are now. The rule seems to be "How many bear can people tolerate?"
The cycle of the bear is interesting. In the spring when they come out of their deep sleep, the bear are ravenous and look for anything they can find to eat. After the first thaw, our local woods offers little to eat. One of the delicacies of spring foods for bear is skunk cabbage, and as the arrival of spring grows closer, the bear begins looking for various things--such as bird eggs--to eat. They overturn large rocks looking for grubs. Their diet changes throughout the year and as summer approaches berries become a major-food source. Bear are fond of black sunflower seeds which are rich in energy. A bear doesn't know it is robbing from a birdfeeder. It thinks you are feeding it. Primarily vegetarian, a bear will eat meat on occasions.
Bears mate once every two years. During the second year, the cubs follow the sow until late June. Gary Alt was the Bear Biologist for many years in the 1970s and 1980s. Gary demonstrated on the video how a bear can get into a den hole something like 30" across and showed a bear going through a very small chain-link fence.
WCO Williams talked about the Game Commission capturing bear through the use of a culvert trap, a large piece of culvert pipe on a trailer that hooks up to a truck for transport. Bears do not like to step on wobbly surfaces so the trailer is reinforced by 2 by 4s to keep the trap stable. The culvert-pipe trap has one sliding door and a solid end. Bait is put in a basket to attract bear. The bear's natural tendency is to grab the food they are stealing and pull it into the woods. Marshmallows and donuts are good bait. It is difficult to trap a bear the second time after it is trapped. Bears can find their way back to the area where they were trapped, but most do not. Snares are sometimes used to capture a bear in order to apply ear tags, take blood tests, pull a tooth, weigh the animal and measure the chest circumference. The Game Commission applies two ear tags to captured bear, one in each ear, with a five-digit number unique to that bear. There is also a lip tattoo applied. A pre-molar tooth is pulled, then the tooth is cut and sliced and the growth rings are counted in order to determine the age of the bear.
As summer turns to fall, the food source of the bear changes. In Sullivan county, there are many cherry trees and it is common to find bear droppings loaded with cherry seeds as the bear makes an effort to gain as much weight as possible before the advent of winter. Sooner or later they get to the point where they expend more energy looking for food than they are taking in.
Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Nature tells the bear to shut down and go into a deep sleep, which some call "hibernation." Their pulse rates and temperature drop. Male bear will look for blow downs and mounds of brush and will often den up for winter in that environment. Females, especially ones that are pregnant, are more likely to hunt for a rock den.
Few bear reuse the same den site year after year. Bear cubs are born between January 1 and January 30 protected from the elements and snug inside a warm den. The weight of the cub is about 12 to 14 ounces at birth, about the size of a can of soda. They are blind for several weeks and are unable to hear. The cubs seem to have a heat-seeking sensor and head for the warmest part of the mother's body--the six nipples which are close together when the bear is sleeping. Bear milk is about 33% butterfat, compared to the 1% variety we drink at home. The females are in a stupor but not "completely out of it" over the winter, and lose about 30% of their body fat by spring. Cubs spend a few months to gain weight inside the den and then are capable of climbing trees. Momma gets the cubs up a tree as soon as they emerge from the den, and then will tell them to come down.
WCO Williams noted that the sense of smell of a bear is remarkable. They use their sense of smell to interpret the world. Bear sniff for the marking of other bears. Both male and females will mark their territory by urinating and rubbing against things, sometimes marking the sides of cabins as bear have done over the years with the cabin at Painter Den.
Occasionally, bad traits of a mother bear are passed on to the cubs, thereby compounding problems. Their vision is said not to be good. They are primarily nocturnal. WCO Williams pointed out that when the bear's head goes down and the ears fold back the bear is telling you that you are "too close, go elsewhere, I am not happy with you there." A bear can run 35 to 40 miles per hour, even faster than a race horse.
Didja know that last year’s black bear harvest was the second highest on record? Or that Pennsylvania is one of the top states for bear hunters? Pennsylvania’s primary bear season is three days, statewide, just prior to Thanksgiving, November 23-25. There also is a two-day archery bear season, November 18 and 19, in selected Wildlife Management Units. Concurrent with the first week of the firearms deer season, there is an extended season that is open Nov. 30-Dec. 5, in portions of other WMUs.
November 4, 2009. It is the birthday of Robert Antanitis, Nathan Eifert, Jeannette Hartman, Casey Hartman and Carley Jane Kocher. We hope to see you at the buckwheat cake supper at the Benton Christian Church this afternoon and at the discussion of bears at The Center at 7 PM.
Abraham Lincoln married Mary Ann Todd (1818-1882) on this day in 1842 in Springfield, Illinois. Her wedding ring was engraved with the words "Love is Eternal." Mary spoke French fluently and as a young 5'2" woman, Mary was popular and as hard to catch as a waiter's eye. She dated both Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. During the 11 years following the marriage the couple had 4 sons, but one died in 1850, another in 1861 and a third a few years after Lincoln's assassination. The surviving son, Robert Todd (1843-1926), later served as Secretary of War under Presidents Garfield and Arthur. Mary was the First Lady of the United States when her husband served as the sixteenth President, from 1861 until 1865.
Abraham met Mary in 1839, when she was 20, became engaged a year later and they arranged to marry. When Abraham turned restless as a windshield wiper and became enamored with Matilda Edwards, his friends took him away to Kentucky for a couple of years. Lincoln began thinking with his upper brain two years later and resumed seeing Mary. In the meantime, she wrote some newspaper articles attacking a Democratic politician by the name of James Shields, who believed that Lincoln had authored the articles. He challenged Lincoln to a duel, which was accepted. The weapons would be “Cavalry Broadswords of the largest size.” Finally, Shields thought it over and backed down. The two remained friends and political allies for the rest of their careers following this incident. Shields become a brigadier general of the Union army, nominated by Lincoln.
We have another dreaded pop quiz today. The questions are from a test in use by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Answers are at the end.
1. How many stars are there on our flag?
2. What color are the stars on our flag?
3. What do the stars on the flag mean?
4. How many stripes are there on the flag?
5. What color are the stripes?
6. What do the stripes on the flag mean?
7. Who elects the president of the United States?
8. How many changes or amendments are there to the Constitution?
9. How many senators are there in Congress?
10. Name the 13 original states?
11. Which countries were our allies during World War II?
12. What is the 49th state added to our Union?
13. How many full terms can a president serve?
14. According to the Constitution, a person must meet certain requirements in order to be eligible to become president. Name one.
15. Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?
16. What special group advises the president?
17. Name one right guaranteed by the First amendment.
18. How many times may a senator be re-elected?
19. How many times may a congressman be re-elected?Yesterday was Chooseday across the nation. Here are some local results, noting that write-in ballots were not always correctly cast. It will be up to the "powers that be in the Court House" to decide which votes will count...
• Benton Township. Nine voters went straight Democrat, while 25 went straight Republican. Joan Orie Melvin received 132 votes to Democrat Jack Panella, who received 98 votes. In the race for Jury Commissioner, Kristen Gensel received 91 votes, while Republican Richard Ward, Jr. picked up 135 votes. In voting for school board (vote for one), Bruce Hess received 214 votes, Lance Wolfe got 200 votes. Woody Ertwine got 171 votes for township supervisor running for a four-year term. Terri Adams, the incumbent who serves as township secretary and treasurer, got 113 votes to Republican Joseph Casserella's 127 votes. Kathy Gordon, for tax collector received 226 votes. Judge of Elections, Yvonne Lukashewski got 184 votes. All results are unofficial.
• Benton Borough. For Justice of the Supreme Court, Joan Orie Melvin received 57 votes to Democrat Jack Panella, who received 52 votes. For Sheriff, Timothy Chamberlain received 105 votes. For Jury Commissioner, Democrat Kristen Gensel received 49 while Ward received 57. School district (vote for two) Brandon Hartman received 94 votes, Kelly O'Brien Gavin received 79 votes. Incumbent Benton Mayor, Janet A. Swan, received 89 votes. For Benton Borough Council, Huber Kline and Diane Laubach received a significant number of write-in votes, but because of the variety of ways of spelling names, I could not determine the exact count. Jan Jankowsi was on the ballot and was elected. Carolyn Remley received 112 votes for tax collector. All results are unofficial.
"A fool and his money are soon elected."
--Will Rogers, born on this day in 1879.Quickies...
• Pennsylvania's three-day black bear season opens November 23.. Until 1880, there were fifty different standard times in use in the United States, though nobody had ever heard of daylight saving time.
• A video that isn't for everyone shows the actual birth of an elephant--which is accomplished standing up. Go here.
• CNN predicted that Republican Bob McDonnell, 55, will win the race for governor in Virginia, the first Republican to win the state's highest office in 12 years. At press time, Tuesday night, with 44% of the precincts reporting, Republican Chris Christie led Democrat Jon Corzine in the New Jersey governor's race.
• Benton boys soccer heads to the state tournament following last night's victory over Lewisburg. Both teams went scoreless into the second overtime. The game was settled by penalty kicks, which Benton won 4-3. It would appear that the final score was 1-0. Congratulations Benton boys soccer! Southern Columbia lost and will not be going to the states this year.
Answers to pop quiz...
1. 50.
2. White.
3. One for each state in the Union.
4. 13.
5. Red and white.
6. They represent the 13 original states.
7. The Electoral College.
8. 27.
9. 100.
10. Conn., NH, NY, NJ, MA, PA, Del., VA, NC, SC, GA, RI and MD.
11. Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, China, France.
12. Alaska.
13. Two.
14. Must be a natural-born U.S. citizen; must be at least 35 years old by the time he/she will serve; must have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.
15. Thomas Jefferson.
16. The Cabinet
17. Freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly, and requesting changes in the government.
18. There is no limit.
19. There is no limit.
November 3, 2009. It is the birthday of Doug Pennington and Dan McHenry and the 58th wedding anniversary of Whittier and Joyce Letteer, Stillwater. Don't forget to vote; polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM. Expect below freezing nighttime temperatures through Friday night.
We have to tell an election story on election day. We suspect by the end of the story you'll decide that the people you are voting for this year are really special people. The story involves the United States presidential election of 1872 when incumbent President Ulysses S. Grant, leader of the Radical Republicans, was easily elected to a second term in office even though half his party deserted him after charging him with corruption and ineptitude. The Republican Party's liberal side in those days was led by Horace Greeley. This group called themselves simply "Liberal Republicans." Greeley was endorsed by his own party, Democrats, a couple lesser parties and about half of the winner’s party. So far, this doesn't sound like a whacky story, but listen up!Greeley was declared insane two weeks after the election and a week later he was dead. One candidate for President was thrown in jail before the election. He was charged with mailing lewd and obscene material. He was kept in jail until three days after the election. The candidate went to jail after supporting someone who wasn't registered to vote (she was--gasp--a woman). Her name was Victoria Woodhull and the obscene literature was merely a note of congratulations.
The jailed candidate was George Francis Train, a self-made millionaire, who was likely the real-life inspiration for Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days." (Train did it twice--once he did it in 68 days.) Train helped form the Union Pacific Railroad during the civil war. He ran for President as an independent in 1872. He campaigned for the temperance movement, but was jailed just when he should have been campaigning the hardest. Train wanted to be "the dictator of the United States." He charged admission to attend his campaign rallies and brought in more than two million people. He actually made a profit and was one of the few candidates for president to make money without book sales. He refused to shake hands with others, perhaps anticipating H1N1 flu, but instead shook hands with himself. He ended the final days of his life refusing to talk with adults, but didn't extend the same courtesy to children and animals. The presidential candidate was arrested and threatened with being sent to an insane asylum.Wednesday will be a busy day. The Benton Christian Church, across from the post office, is having one of their famous all-you-can-eat buckwheat cake and sausage suppers in the church basement from 4:30 to 7 PM. This is always one of the most eagerly awaited church suppers to come along. We suggest that you have the buckwheat cakes and sausage at the Benton Christian Church, then head down Community Drive to listen to William Williams of the Pennsylvania Game Commission speak at 7 PM as a “kick-off” for a series of upcoming speaker programs to be presented at The Center. Bill Williams is Land Management Officer for the Pennsylvania State Game Commission in Sullivan County. He is an excellent speaker and an authority on bears. Refreshments will be served.
Quickies...
• A preschool story time will begin Thursday morning, November 5, at 10 in the library/museum of The Center. Registration is required and an adult must accompany children. The half-hour program will be followed by a coloring project. All children of the area are invited to attend. A voluntary $1 donation to help with supplies would be appreciated but is not necessary. If you can help, or know of anyone who is willing to help call Gerri Dunn at 925-2232.
• The Barnett Shale is a geological formation in Texas which underlies approximately 5,000 square miles. Drilling in this shale began around 2002. Today there are nearly 12,000 wells. In recent weeks, air quality has become an issue. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has come up with the results of a study yielding surprising results. Benzene, a cancer-causing toxin, was in the air. Continued exposure to high levels of benzene can result in leukemia. The problem is serious enough to hand the results to the Environmental Protection Agency for resolution.
• There is now a web site devoted to those who love wrestling at Benton High School. The site is www.bentontigerswrestling.com . The webmeister wants to get information on career records/statistics to update the history section of the web site. If you know anyone with that information, please log on the web site and share that information.
• The Antanitis Family sends out a big "heartfelt THANK YOU to the wonderful people in our community and surrounding area. The final 2009 Farmers’ Market took place Saturday. The local community showed a lot of support for our local vendors and farmers. Freshly pressed Antanitis Family Cider will continue to be sold from the barn every Saturday from 9 to 1 and from containers in the driveway across from the barn every day. The community support was wonderful. The market will be back next year working with Forks Farm Market to support local farmers and supply the community with the best fresh produce and baked goods around.• Chase Utley hit two "over the fence" in Philadelphia's 8-6 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the World Series, extending the Phillies' season for at least two more days.
• Bert Hayman knows something about getting burned. She and her husband lost everything in 1981 and the community helped them back on their feet. Now it is their turn to help. The recent fire on West Main Street, Bloomsburg, took all the possessions of more than 20 people. In conjunction with the Town Hill church, Bert is collecting "everyday kitchen items, small pieces of furniture and other good quality items which can be used to rebuilt lives." The items can be dropped off at Haymart Furniture, Center Street, Wednesday to Saturday 11 to 6 for collection and distribution to the affected residents of Bloomsburg. Call 441-9652 if you have questions.
Stoney Acres Nursery, 4378 Red Rock Road, has a fall floral special available during the month of November. It is a fall centerpiece with candle for $13.99. It started, I suppose, with a ham sandwich, which eventually had a slice or two of onion added. It was Mother's idea, adopted by Father, shunned by brother Dayne, loved by me. When it gets to be about 11 PM, it is time for an onion sandwich. The late Bob Baker and I always made onion sandwiches for hunters at Painter Den before they went to bed. Bob liked to add Limburger cheese to his sandwiches; I preferred sharp cheese.
I found an article in a Dallas, Texas, newspaper from 1908 which told of an "American screen beauty" and the secrets of her good looks. This blonde beauty said that "on awakening in the morning," she "jumps out of bed, does a few handsprings or some other physical exercise." She then "works hard for about half an hour with dumb bells or Indian clubs or chest weights and then eat onions." She claimed that she ate onions three times a day, and that she never needed a doctor. "They are the best cure for illness and the best recipe for beauty that anyone can give," she said.
Eat onions in May,
No doctor you'll pay.This is an old adage, but a good one. This vegetable of odor is certain to "tone the system, sweeten the stomach and is said to purify the blood."
Eating onions was not just a dish for the people north of the Mason/Dixon line. The December 8, 1911, edition of the Savannah Tribune mentioned that "a sufferer from insomnia states that she was cured of sleeplessness by the simplest means, that of eating a raw onion sandwich just before going to bed.
Chef James Beard loved to make a sandwich which he called "a captivating bit of whimsy made with thin rounds of white bread stuffed with thin onion slices, the sides smeared with mayonnaise and rolled in finely chopped parsley."
A Pottstown resident in 1908 tried making an onion sandwich out of hyacinth bulbs which his wife had purchased for thirty-five cents each. A Pottstown merchant came home tired and hungry. Instead of getting onions with which to make the sandwich, he got hold of the hyacinth bulbs, He devoured them without discovering his mistake and even slept well on them. The discovery was finally made when the wife reported the loss of the bulbs.
Janet Rice, New Freeport, Pennsylvania, a Benton News reader and niece of Ora Karns, remembers an "old German nun" who made Janet eat onion sandwiches when she was a student nurse and had bronchitis, coughing like a fiend. "They tasted terrible," Janet remembers, "but I did get much better quickly." Janet sent along an article about the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919 when 50 to 100 million people died worldwide. A doctor visited farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died.
One farmer was very healthy. The wife explained that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home. The doctor examined one of the onions under a microscope. The doctor found flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria keeping the family healthy. There are other similar stories. If the H1Ni virus hits your house, get some onions and place them around your home. Try it and see what happens. What have you to lose? Well, says the Wall Street Journal, there is only one cure for flu. Read their take on the subject here.
November 2, 2009. It is a full moon tonight. It was in 1947 on this day when Howard Hughes flew the Spruce Goose on its only flight. The government contracted with Hughes Aircraft Company to build a behemoth long-distance plane that could take off and land on water. Designed to hold 750 fully equipped troops or two Sherman-class tanks, the wingspan was longer than a football field and it was powered by eight huge engines and propellers. Hughes could find little metal to build such a plane and the war ended before the H-4 was completed in 1946. Congress, with no tolerance for waste or incompetence outside its own halls, ordered Howard Hughes to prove that the plane could fly. With Hughes at the controls, the craft took off and reached an altitude of 70 feet traveling about a mile before landing. Learn more by going here.
Yesterday was a fluke! Nice days happen so seldom in November. The month of November ranks twelfth of all the months in my opinion. Almost no one admits a liking for November. No matter how nice November attempts to be, there is a chilly darkness about it. November takes the gold and scarlet and rich browns we love and turns them into shades of gray. And heaven help you if you get November annoyed; you'll end up with a month you'll never forget. November can go to from blustering to roaring and raging in moments. The month can show winter's worst.October has its good points: brown and red and gold make October colorful. December is often crisp and white and brings us to winter. November just sorts of wobbles in--not able to make up its mind about fall-like or winter-like weather. No one expects fine days in November and when they come, people stop and talk about them. November is the month of fallen leaves. Sure we raked leaves in October, but now we have our neighbor's leaves--just when we thought that we could place our rakes in winter storage.The play Life in a Jar is about a woman named Irena Sendler, a member of the polish resistance during WWII in Poland. She helped save over 2,500 babies from the Warsaw ghettos before the Nazi army took their parents to concentration camps. This amazing women convinced mothers to give up their children, then smuggled the children out of the ghetto to safety and protected their identity. Irena was eventually captured by the Nazis, nearly executed--but never revealed the identities of a single child she saved.
The play is put on by students from a high school in the Midwest. Years ago, when the kids from this school first learned about Irena Sendler, they studied her and created a small play from what they learned. Over the years the program has grown, and the students have continued to learn more, and even travelled to Poland to meet Irena and show her their play.
The students' plane tickets to Bloomsburg are being funded by a woman in Bloomsburg who heard of these kids, saw the play and wanted people in our area to learn about Irena and see what these kids are doing. It has taken several years to orchestrate all the details and funding to get these kids to come to Bloomsburg. The play is free, but an offering will be taken at each performance to help the aging population of Polish rescuers.
The play can be seen three different times. The first is on Friday, November 6, at 7 PM at the Bloomsburg High School. The second is Saturday. November 7, at 1 PM at Trinity United Methodist Church, Danville. The third and final time is Saturday, November 7, at 7 PM at Wesley United Methodist Church, Bloomsburg.
Quickies...• The Benton boys' soccer team won 2-1 in overtime in the District 4 Class AA quarterfinals against Troy Saturday.
• Didja know that the last two National League teams without a home run during the World Series were the Cincinnati Reds in the 1939 World Series (swept by the New York Yankees) and the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series (also swept by the New York Yankees)?
• The German Heritage Society of the Susquehanna Valley invites all members and friends to attend the presentation of "Germany Twenty Years after the Wall" by Professor Dan Purdy, Penn State University. The GHSSV has been invited to attend this presentation which will be held on Wednesday, November 4, at 7 PM in Room 102 of Bogar Hall at Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove. This special event will take the place of the GHSSV November monthly meeting, and will occur on Wednesday, instead of the usual Thursday meeting date.Quote of the Day:
"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.
--Alexis de TocquevilleTuesday is the general election, which usually makes for a light election and a light turnout. More people head to Central to eat the election-day luncheon than vote! Every question on the ballot is important and every question you don't answer could come back to haunt you in the future. The election Tuesday is about local issues involving the school district, the township or the borough.Take the time to praise candidates who compromise their busy lives to run for public office by choosing to serve their community. As always, both sides will spin the truth about candidates to the point where a well-informed decision is difficult. As usual, the candidates for many of the major offices come from either the Pittsburgh or Philadelphia areas and most of the information about the candidates is spun by their opponents. We recommend that you determine if the candidate has been an involved, conscientious and thoughtful elected official. Does the candidate stay abreast of issues, do their homework, treat residents with respect at public or private forums, and vote on the basis of the greater good, not narrow or special interests? These offices are generally voluntary, despite some minor compensation in some cases. It takes a lot out of an individual's life to devote the time necessary to be an informed, effective-elected representative.If the candidate has done a worthwhile job, give consideration to returning them for another term. If the incumbent has outlived his usefulness and you feel he or she does not have the community good at heart, you know what to do. But bear in mind that the challenger must be clearly superior by credentials, relevant experience, grasp of the situation and commitment to vote correctly. Make sure that you know who the candidates are. Know if they are running on an "agenda" and what outside influences will shape the way they will vote on issues.
The use of drugs in Benton borough has reached alarming proportions. For more years than we can count, a few rental properties drag down the worth of the communities. We have trailer courts that are eye sores and require more police assistance than the rest of the borough combined. Little is done to come up with effective ordinances in this regard. Ask the candidates what their positions are on these major issues. Is it going to be status quo or will they work to correct the situation. Are code violators going to be cited? Is the buildup of silt in the creek north of the Benton dam going to get attention in the coming year? What about taxes? What about revenue from natural gas? What will be the approach of the school board to consolidation proposed by the Guv?
Study the issues and the candidates for Tuesday's election with an open mind. Don't listen to anyone but the candidate or all you'll get are views of special interests. After you are well informed, get out and vote.
We'll close for today with this gem, just as true today as when published on November 2, 1914. It read...
"You bet your life we'll all be glad,
We'll feel we're right in clover
When the cruel war and election
Will both by gosh be over."
November 1, 2009. It is the birthday of Gloria Milnarik and Ethel Kelsey. Ken and Ethel Kelsey celebrate their wedding anniversary.
It was 65 years ago this morning, the opening day of small-game season, when Ken Kelsey and his father headed to the fields around Derrs to go hunting. It was the birthday of Ethel Crossley, who became Ethel Kelsey later that evening when the two married on the first day of November 1944. Ken was stationed in California, ready to go to the South Pacific. He got a 15-day furlough, but didn't have the money to buy a ticket to come to Pennsylvania, so Ken hitchhiked home and back--five days each way, home for five days. Ken added, "It doesn't take long to get married. Ethel had the license and everything. We were all set." Ken went on to serve in the Army during World War II in the European and South Pacific campaigns.Ken is the son of William and Irma Kelsey and Ethel the daughter of Jesse and Esther Crossley. Both Ken and Ethel had a busy career. Ethel was "taking care of children," and, as Ken said, "doing a good job, too!" The couple had eight children, six of whom survive. They have "16 or 17" grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Ken, 86, says, "for our age, we're not doing bad."
Actually, Ken's sight has failed, but he has found a way of reading and looking at pictures of his grandchildren.
He has a machine that magnifies so he can look at pictures and read. Ethel doesn't divulge her age, but Ken said "she was twenty when we got married and we have been married 65 years." He added, "if you went to Benton schools, you can figure that one out."
After the war, Ken had an apprenticeship with Carey's Lumber in Benton and two years later became a contractor and woodworker. He built their home in Maple Grove in 1950. Ken went on to construct Lincoln Homes, Poloron Homes and many "stick-built" homes. He ended his career by installing hundreds of replacement windows. He built or remodeled the original fire hall in Benton, the cabin at Painter Den, Benton Christian Church and the Nordmont Christian Camp. The couple remain very involved in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).Residents of the upper Fishingcreek valley wish Ken and Ethel the best on this special 65th wedding anniversary and birthday celebration.
In game 3 of the World Series, the Yankees rallied to an 8-5 win Saturday night in front of a damp but boisterous 46,061 at Citizens Bank Park. The Benton boys' soccer team won 2-1 in overtime in the District 4 Class AA quarterfinals against Troy Saturday.
Today's Benton News is about love and marriage and for good measure we'll throw in some words about food for thanksgiving. We're going to go back more years than any of us can comprehend--long before the Tower of Babel was thought of or before Columbia County was a figment of anyone's imagination or before people knew to do foolish and wicked things. We start with a gentleman called Adam who fell head over heels over a woman by the name of Eve. His attention to her was accepted and reciprocated. She became convinced that he was the only man whom she could ever love if what John Milton wrote was true when he wrote about losing Paradise: "Confirmed then I resolve, Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe: So dear I love him, that with him all deaths I could endure, without him live no life."
What happened next was the equivalent of the lady declaring that henceforth she would pay her own board. The union was consummated without benefit of official clergymen. The ceremony took place in a simple and unostentatious manner in the beautiful garden of Eden. Probably the groom took his lady's hand, unadorned by gold rings, planted a kiss on her wrist and said something romantic like "This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh."
There were no cards, no wedding presents, just the simply uniting of the first couple. The wedding would have been hard to write about. There was no father-in-law holding a Mossberg 12 gauge, no mother-in-law getting tears all over her Quinceanera dress, no unmarried aunt slobbering in the third row about how she never found a man. No one from the paper was there to write up the details for readers to ponder over their Cheerios and coffee the next morning. There was no account of what was done or worn at the wedding, there was no obtrusive display and extravagance for the occasion. What the groom wore was plain and simple. No tux for Adam, not even a clean shave or a Dial deodorant soap bath. The bride was the model of simplicity in her absence of extravagant adornments--nothing borrowed, nothing blue.The happy couple immediately settled down to the joys of married life in the Garden of Eden and we presume lived a plain and unassuming life. They were not burdened with car payments or car, had no mortgage payments, didn't own a Giant bonus card and would not have understood the concept of a super market. Their contentment came from simple pleasures derived from their circumstances and surroundings.Adam was a good husband. He worked from home and spend his evenings at home. He never was called out for a business appointment, never belonged to a private club, never had a strong drink, a chew of tobacco or a cigarette. He spent his time with his wife. He never had a Tylenol PM at night because of worry over what the stock market would do next or whether the stimulus package was worth risking the national debt. He went to bed with the arrival of darkness and rose with the first light of morning.Eve, if Milton is to be believed, was a beautiful woman: "grace was in all her steps, heaven in the eye, and in every gesture dignity and life." She wasn't one to overdress and to her there was "no place like home." She never saw a movie or listened to an opera, but instead spent her time in the open air listening to the songbirds of nature and watching the assortment of animals in the garden. Scriptures tell us that Adam had names for the animals.She spent no money on shopping and didn't have the benefit of attending a sale at Macy's or eating a McDonald's quarter pounder with cheese. She didn't send Adam out to pick up Thai food on Monday nights after she spend the day washing and it is doubtful if she made Adam's life miserable by having him help with the house cleaning. There wasn't much to gossip about and scandals hadn't been invented. She couldn't sit by the television and watch every time a new revelation was made about Anna Nicole Smith. It wasn't a big deal that she didn't have anything to wear. Adam loved her devotedly, according to Mr. Milton, and we have no doubt that he knew about such things.We regret to mention that misfortune eventually did come to the family. Eve and some fruit--apples, as I recall--became involved, and Adam was part of it, too. Their property, including their homestead, passed out of their possession and they were forced to find a residence elsewhere. In the intervening years, we learn little about the couple, expect to find that Adam shied away from trans fat and paid attention to his diet. He lived to the age of 930. The genealogical records of Eve are harder to trace and there is some dispute as to whether she predeceased or survived Adam.The first Sunday of each month Kathy Arcuri provides a column. Today's version is entitled "Thanksgiving: A Celebration of Real Food."Sometime last century, we evolved from home-cooked meals using basic ingredients to manufactured chemistry experiments served up in a tin or box or plastic bag. This Thanksgiving, let’s return to our roots, and celebrate “real” food.
Recently, numerous authors, notably Barbara Kingsolver and Michael Pollan, have examined the origins and nature of the food we eat. What they discovered was a labyrinth of distribution networks, often over thousands of miles, and a Pandora’s Box of ingredients, including unpronounceable chemical additives. Yet health experts tell us fresh (and ideally locally-grown) food is best for flavor and nutrition, with simple preparations trumping elaborate concoctions of industrially-processed foods.
Just such “real” food was served in 1621, at the harvest celebration shared by the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians. The historical record suggests a menu of venison and wild fowl; probably seafood, corn and pumpkin; and possibly chestnuts and acorns. Potatoes were scarce; milk and eggs were nonexistent; and no marshmallow-sweetened yams or Stove Top Stuffing graced their harvest table.
Now fast forward to 2005. Author Barbara Kingsolver and her family decided to eat for a year on (mostly) locally-grown food. So what was on the menu for their Thanksgiving feast? Roast turkey was the centerpiece--stuffed with home-baked bread flavored with broth, onions, garlic, celery, chestnuts, sage, and thyme. Roasted sweet potatoes, braised winter squash, sautéed green beans with chestnuts, corn pudding, and mashed potatoes accompanied the main course. For dessert, a Queensland blue pumpkin morphed into pumpkin pie. Only cranberries traveled far to the family’s Thanksgiving table.
So why do the Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving feast and the Kingsolvers’ holiday meal qualify as “real” food? According to author Michael Pollan, “real” food is simply prepared, with only a few ingredients, all recognizable (and pronounceable). The Pilgrims had this criterion covered due to limited resources. The most complex dish at the Kingsolver table was most likely the stuffing.
Pollan also notes that the best predictor of a healthy diet is home cooking, certainly a feature of the Pilgrim feast. The Kingsolver family too prepared their meal at home on their Kentucky farm, enjoying the shared experience.
Finally, Pollan concludes that “real” food for most twenty-first century Americans should be primarily plant-based. The early colonists and Native Americans did not honor this rule because their very arduous lives required more protein and animal fats. Modern Thanksgiving meals, like the Kingsolvers’, usually feature lots of vegetable dishes to accompany the turkey. In fact Pollan believes that a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is a great example of “real” food (especially if the turkey is pasture-raised), while a McDonald’s combo meal is probably not.
So as we gather together for this favorite of American holidays, let us give thanks for simple unadulterated food. In the words of Barbara Kingsolver: “Here is a day off work just to praise Creation: the turkey, the squash, and the corn, these things that ate and drank sunshine, grass, mud, and rain, and then in the shortening days laid down their lives for our welfare.”
Happy Thanksgiving!
--Kathleen Arcuri
