January 2010 #112 by Punxsutawney Hometown Magazine

Groundhog Day Rejuvenation Recognizing the Importance of February 2nd in Punx’y pers acknowledged the existence of the Groundhog Day tradition from the area’s European ancestry. Then, there were no crowds, no celebration, no noise, and no official proclamation. That is, until the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was named to identify the first group of men who were boosting the annual prognostications of the Punxsutawney groundhog, “Bre’r Groundhog,” as it was called then before the name Punxsutawney Phil was attached decades later. That small group would picnic annually in the summer and feast on groundhogs. From the initial summer event in 1899 would begin the annual journey each February 2 to a place called the Weather Works on Canoe Ridge, a few miles outside Punxsutawney. Through telegraph and telephone, the groundhog’s forecast was announced to friends, to big city newspapers, and around the world, too. Over the following years, the Groundhog’s home would be called Groundhog Knob and then Gobbler’s

By S. Thomas Curry of Hometown magazine

he worldwide lore of Groundhog Day, as celebrated in Punxsutawney, can first be credited to the efforts of the editors and staff of the Punxsutawney Spirit, particularly after its change from a weekly paper to an evening daily edition in 1906. With additional credit to many Punx’y residents since then, the observance grew into a major event, and connected people of Punxsutawney to people around the world. Citizens of Punx’y today can appreciate how popular and special Groundhog Day has become as an American tradition. Thankfully, over the more than 100 years of “trekking to the Knob,” there have been many people who have worked to preserve and defend the tradition, Punxsutawney style. From the 1870s, older local newspa-

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Knob. The summer Groundhog Hunt and Feast became a widely publicized event that attracted prominent men from throughout the financial and cultural centers of eastern United States, with whom Punxsutawney men of area businesses and industries made deals. The late summer hunt became the most celebrated of the years’ feasts in the region. However, on a mostly cold, blustery, snowy day, the Groundhog Day tradition on February 2 did not get as much attention to gather attendance. Even so, the prognostication by the “Seer of Seers” was still reported in grand and glorious words in print media through the imagination of the newspaper’s editors. In 1939, with local promoters of Groundhog Day anticipating what they considered the 50th anniversary, it appeared that some of the older, original men of the Groundhog Club were growing weary of the annual cel-

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By the late 1930s, old-time members (and founders) of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club were looking ahead to a new generation to continue the promotion of Groundhog Day as celebrated in Punxsutawney. That trend was expressed in 1939 in a drawing by local artist Floyd Noerr.

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Groundhog Day Continued from previous page

help a worthy cause.” The cause was to benefit the Boy Scouts. That the legendary “shadow-casting” tradition was beginning to slip away among community members could also have been evident in the conflict about the prognostication from the local “Bre’r Groundhog” in 1939. While the daily Spirit had announced that the groundhog saw his shadow, forecasting six week of winter weather ahead, The Punxsutawney News, the weekly newspaper in town, had proclaimed across the top of its front page – “No Shadow - Early Spring.” The Spirit supported its headline by stating its “facts” were gathered with “four newspaper correspondents and six Weather Scouts” who braved the slush, ice and snow on the tricky trail to Gobbler’s Knob “to get the official low down.” The News

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ebration antics they had initiated and maintained since the beginning of the century. And there was increasing competition for national attention, too, from Lancaster County’s Quarryville Groundhog Club and its “impostor polecat.” For many local residents, it was becoming obvious that Punx’y, in order to maintain its reputation as “Groundhog Town,” had to plan more community activities in its promotion of Groundhog Day. More attention needed to be given to February 2 than there had always been for the Groundhog Hunt and Feast held on a warm, breezy day of late summer. The Spirit was urging various lodges, clubs, etc. in 1939 to avoid using February 2 as a meeting date, keeping it open for the one event that was held in town around Groundhog Day. That event was a musical comedy held in the auditorium of the new F. S. Jackson school building. The presentation of “Oh Doctor” was held for two evenings and was performed by nearly 90 young people. The newspaper suggested, “Here is a chance to celebrate Groundhog Day and

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On the cover: Groundhog Day 2010! Cover photo by Courtney Katherine Photography

Schedule Your Advertising In Our February Edition! We reach 100% of the local and area homes! - Concentrated Circulation 7,760+ copies of Punxsutawney Hometown magazine are direct-mailed to homes in Punxsutawney and surrounding towns and areas, giving our advertisers nearly 100% coverage . . . we deliver to every home! (As always — our circulation is verified — mailing and printing statements available.)

We are the only Punxsutawney-owned media! Punx’y Proud — Boosting our Hometown! Publishers William C. Anderson Mary L. Roberts Advertising Mary L. Roberts Tracey Young Contributing Writers S. Thomas Curry Marty Armstrong Bill Anderson Justin Eger Art Director Melissa Salsgiver Graphic Artists Carol Smouse Nicole McGee All material submitted becomes the property of Punxsutawney Hometown magazine.

How to Get In Contact With Us: Mary Roberts ................................(814) 938-0312 Bill Anderson ................................(814) 472-4110 Tracey Young ................................(814) 938-9084 Our Office......................................(814) 938-9141 Our Fax..........................................(814) 938-9507 Our email address: hometown@mail.com Our business mailing address: P.O. Box 197, Punxsutawney, PA 15767 With our office located in: Railroad Building, Suite 100 North Penn St., Punxsutawney, PA 15767 Yearly Subscriptions: $36 — First Class Mail

reporter wasn’t among them, it claimed. According to the Spirit, it was high treason for the News, with its reporter snug in bed that morning, to state that the Punxsutawney Groundhog did not see his shadow. Recognizing that the mention of “Punxsutawney” to strangers most always brought forth the remark: “Oh yes, that’s the groundhog town,” it didn’t take long for community leaders to realize that the quibbling among its powerful public voices had to stop. To protect the community’s fame it had to capitalize on what had been accomplished by the “pioneers” of Punxsutawney’s groundhog and weather tradition. For Groundhog Day in the pre-World War II year of 1940, the Chamber of Commerce became involved with the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. The goal was to make the world aware of two major events for the day, the annual trek in the morning to the Knob and a special recognition to the local groundhog and its forecast at a community dinner on the evening of February 2. With a maximum of 400 tickets prepared, the night at the Elks’ Club would include local entertainment, the crowning of a Groundhog Day queen, and invited speakers. A 10-piece orchestra would play during the dinnertime with dancing to follow and all of it for just one dollar. The original plan included an invitation to nationally known radio news broadcaster Lowell Thomas of the CBS radio network to be the major speaker. However, it was found that the popular radio celebrity had another booking for that date. As a compromise, Mr. Thomas agreed to refer to the Punxsutawney Groundhog and its forecast in his news broadcast from New York City that Groundhog Day evening. Also, Kate Smith, a well-known singer of the 1930s with a radio variety show, used her show on February 1 to promote Punxsutawney and its groundhog legend. The main speaker became ex-Mayor William McNair of Pittsburgh, who also could play the fiddle. Other entertainment included a skit and vocal selections by “little Betty Lou Scava.” The young lady today is Punxsutawney’s Betts Depp, who continues to entertain local residents. As a novelty, a high school quartet sang a col- Continued on page 18

Don’t put blind trust in your GPS system or you may get lost By Maria Sciullo Pittsburgh Post-Gazette aren" is lying to you. Perhaps lying is too strong a word; Karen just isn't taking the direct approach. Follow her advice, and where does it get you? Stuck on a dirt road in the middle of Nowhere, Ohio. Karen isn't real, of course; she's just a prerecorded voice on a Global Positioning System unit. But a surprising number of folks check their common sense at the car

“K

door when they turn on their units and drive away. "People have become over-reliant on the units and in some cases, misunderstand the rules of use," said psychologist Colin Ellard, author of the book, "YOU ARE HERE: Why We Can Find Our Way to the Moon But Get Lost in the Mall." Almost anyone who has used a GPS unit -- be it Garmin, Magellan, TomTom, portable or built into a car's dash -- has an "oops" story to tell. GPS can be a godsend on the family trip to Tampa, Fla., but from time to time also can provide inexplicably awful directions. "I don't think there is a big learning curve. It's more often a matter of people putting blind faith into a device without doing some very, very basic double-checking," said Tim Flight, founder of the GPSReview.net Web site, which rates units and provides consumer forums and trend news. "Even today when I put an address into a GPS and hit 'OK,' I still check the review function to say 'Yeah, this looks reasonable.' " Flight, who sold the site less than two years ago but is still its editor, operates out of Carrabassett Valley, Maine. "It's near nothing," said the man who appreciates accurate directions while driving a snowy, mountainous landscape. Events over the holidays would support his concern. In Oregon, there were at least three incidents of motorists stranded in the drifts, most notably that of Jeramie Griffin, his companion, Megan Garrison, and their toddler. The family, using a portable GPS

Griffin received as a Christmas present, tried a "shortcut" across the Cascade Range and got stuck on a snowy local road for 24 hours before being rescued. They carried no paper maps in the car, and

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By PRIDE for Hometown magazine hen mining operations opened in the Punxsutawney area, it also brought many dangerous occupations. The hazardous nature of the mine stems from the geology of coal, the technology available, the experience of the workforce and the effectiveness of communication among the workers. Coal, an organic rock, is different from other kinds of rock. It evolved from vegetation or organic carbon which was preserved from oxidation. Coal is located in strata, or veins, situated between layers of inert sedimentary material including limestone, shale and sandstone. These inert materials have sealed the seams of coal for centuries. These sedimentary materials relied on the underlying coal to provide their support. When the coal is removed the limestone, shale or sandstone must be supported. As a coal seam is opened and worked gases are released. Underground mines are very dangerous because these gases may cause suffocation, poisoning, or explosions. The following articles from the July 15, 1885 issue of the Punxsutawney Spirit give the result of not attending to the rock strata in the mine:

Miner Killed. An Italian, named Raphael Aiello, employed at the Walston Mines, was killed in mine No. 1 about half-past six o’clock this morning, by a fall of slate. His neck and back were both broken and his body was badly mangled. He had gone to work in the room, contrary to the orders of the superintendent. The pit boss had also notified him not to work any more until he had propped the roof, but the Italians are so avaricious that unless they are closely watched they do not take time to secure themselves against accidents of this kind. The deceased was about thirty three years of age and leaves a wife and children in Italy. His remains will be interred in Catholic cemetery at Clayville this evening.

Coroner’s Inquest. Squire Bell empanelled a jury this morning consisting of Thos. J. Cooper, John Cricks, Dr. D.G. Hubbard, Ward Graffius, Martin Williams and Levi McGregor, to ascertain the facts connected with the death of Raphael Aiello. After hearing the evidence of a number of witnesses they rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts stated elsewhere.

Walston Mine No. 1 was an example of the room and pillar method of mining. One or two miners would be assigned to a room where they would dig the coal. They would leave pillars and put in timber props to support the mine roof. If props were not readily available, the miner would have to wait until they were supplied. While the miner was waiting, he was not earning money. In Aiello’s case, it appears he had been told to wait for the props yet he continued to work the coal. He paid the ultimate price for his job. Falling rock was a major cause of death and injury. In this instance there was a name associated with the accident. In many news reports, of that day, the miner’s name was not given, as in this May 3, 1893 article from the Punxsutawney News: “A Polander working in the mines at Adrian was caught by a fall of rock on Friday last and the top of his head was crushed, killing him instantly.” This miner from Poland also paid the ultimate price for his job in the mines. The gases from coal seams in underground mines is known as “damp.” This term may come from a German word, dampf, which means steam or vapor. “Black damp” is a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogenin which can suffocate a miner. “After damp” is a mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. It forms after a mine explosion. “Fire damp” is mostly methane and is a flammable gas. “Stink damp” is mainly hydrogen sulfide and can be exploded. “White damp” is carbon monoxide mixed with air and is toxic, even at low con- Continued on next page

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centrations. Gas can cause explosions as in this article from the Punxsutawney News on September 27, 1893: “On Sunday night last, gas in mine No. 1, at Adrian exploded injuring six men, three of them Hungarians were seriously hurt. The explosion was the result, probably of carelessness, as miners are continually warned not to take lighted lamps into places where gas might be supposed to have accumulated. Had the explosion occurred on any other night than Sunday the result might have been worse as more men would have been at work.” Gas explosions at times resulted in fire. At Horatio on August 31, 1893, a tragic fire happened and it was reported in the Punxsutawney News on September 6, 1893: FIRE IN A CoAL MINE Berwind-White Slope No. 6 burned Three men lose their lives. One of the most shocking calamities that has occurred in this community was the burning of Slope No. 6, a mile and a half below this city, owned by the Berwind-White Coal Mining Co., in which three men, a father and two sons, lost their lives. The names of the dead are: Moses Hughes, aged about 45, and his two sons, Aaron, age 21, and John, Age 18. The fire was first discovered about 1

o’clock, Thursday morning, August 31st, by a young man named McGowan, who is a mule driver, and a trapper boy named James Mohney. These two gave the alarm. When the fire was discovered it had burned away some of the wood work in the mines and was about 300 feet from the mouth of the slope. About 25 men were working in the mines at the time and all made their escape except the three unfortunate men above named. The flames spread rapidly and the men were compelled to feel their way out through a dense smoke, and when the coal caught fire the smoke became denser and heavily charged with gas. A Newsman was told that a Mr. Davis was the last man to leave the mines and he called to Moses Hughes to hurry and make his escape. Hughes replied he would get his sons and come back but they never appeared and it was at once surmised that they had perished or had got lost in some of the “rooms.” When the alarm was sounded messengers were at once dispatched to Punxsutawney for Mine Superintendent Thos. J. Richards, and to Horatio for General Superintendent Thos. Fisher, who at once wired to Altoona and Tyrone for assistance and also sent to Punxsutawney for the fire hose. All three places responded promptly. The Neptune company of Altoona and the Citizens’ company of Tyrone, with two steamers arrived about two o’clock p.m. and immediately set to work to put the fire out and rescue the imprisoned men. The firemen went down the slope with hose - Continued on page 13

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My favorite part of being at Mulberry Square was the care I received . . . Raymond C. SouRwine, Creekside Compiled by Louisa Roberts of Hometown magazine

“I am from Creekside, but since I was younger, I have always done my doctoring in Punx’y. For years I had a heart rhythm that wasn’t normal and I planned on having heart surgery. When I went to the Dubois Heart Center for all of the tests, the doctors finally decided that because of my age and because my kidney function wasn’t 100 percent, they wouldn’t attempt the surgery. After being recommended to a doctor in Pittsburgh, I had my surgery at Presbyterian Hospital on November 20 and spent nine days at the hospital in recovery. After leaving the hospital, I was told to go somewhere to take it from there, and ended up in Punxsutawney at Mulberry Square for my cardiac rehabilitation. “In general, I had the choice of two homes to choose from and from what I knew before, I chose this home because I knew more about it and its reputation. Mulberry Square was also a good choice because both my cardiologist and neuro-physician are in Punxsutawney. I like the set-

ting of this home because it is close to the business section of Punxsutawney, yet not overcome by people and the businesses. It’s just a nice setting here. “The care at Mulberry Square is good. The nurses and caretakers are very polite, cheerful, and smiling. The personnel is honest and to the point. The eats are as good as I expected considering they gave me a diet I needed for my recovery. I n the gym here, the therapy and exercises went really well and helped me recover. The exercises didn’t go too far or make me overdo it. For my rehabilitation, they built up muscles in my body from my ankles to my head. The rehab worked particularly with my leg muscles. My favorite part of being at Mulberry Square was the care I received to recuperate from my heart operation. I would hate to say they changed my lifestyle, but the rebuilding that they are doing will definitely help with my life.” — Raymond C. Sourwine

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Early Newspapers in Punx’y: Part 2 By S. Thomas Curry of Hometown magazine

and owner continued the Spirit until 1885, when he moved to Harrisburg to establish the Daily Patriot there. Many of these early newspapers had a “touch and go” existence, in business for only a few years. It would be a struggle to maintain subscriptions and generate the revenue to survive. One of the earlier papers that didn’t survive was the Punx-

hen Punxsutawney was but a small village, the earliest newspapers were established by enterprising young men as weeklies. The new publishers wanted to report local news to anyone who would pay the price, or exchange an amount of goods for an annual subscription. News from neighboring towns and settlements was invited from “correspondents” in those places. In the April 2009 issue of Hometown magazine, it was reported that the “first” newspaper in Punxsutawney was the Mahoning Register, a weekly edition that started in the early 1840s. Following that paper, in 1868, was the first issue of the Punxsutawney Plaindealer, started by two young men who came to town from the Brookville Republican, where they were apprentices learning the trade. The Plaindealer, with its mission as an “independent family journal,” would soon become known as the Mahoning Argus under a new partnership. The Argus would add knowledge to our understanding of the 1870s, as it continued until 1887 with its reports of neighborhood doings and news bits of the small area towns. In 1873, a young man from Indiana came to town and began the Mahoning Valley Spirit. Within six months the paper had new owners, the young men who had previously Many of the early newspapers in Punxsutawney history had a operated the Plaindealer. After “touch and go” existence, surviving in business for only a few a risky and unsure three years, years. (Hometown file photos.) in 1876 W. P. Hastings bought sutawney Picayune, as reported by the the interest of his partner and changed the Spirit in 1887 when it editorialized, “it had name of the Mahoning Valley Spirit to the one subscriber, and as the publishers were Punxsutawney Spirit. The popular editor - Continued on page 10

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H. G. Miller founded the Punxsutawney News in 1885, originally naming it the Valley News. The weekly newspaper continued publication until the 1940s under direction of H. G. “Brud” Miller, Jr. After discontinuing the issue, Brud operated a small printing business from his West Mahoning Street building. (Hometown file photos.)

Early Newspapers Continued from page 8 men of limited resources, the paper barely had time to look about it and to die.” W. O. Smith, a young man from Reynoldsville, joined with his brother-inlaw, W. A. Fleming, to begin the Punxsutawney Tribune as a weekly in May 1884. In 1879, at the age of 20, Smith left Reynoldsville for Washington, D. C. for employment in the Government Printing Office. After six years, he recognized the bright economic prospects of Punx’y as a result of the opening of mines and the building of railroads, and returned to town to establish the Tribune. It existed for only 16 months, with Fleming selling his interests to Will H. Tyson of Big Run. In September 1885 Davis W. Goheen, of Trade City, purchased the Tribune and the weekly Spirit of that era, hiring W. O. Smith as editor to continue under the name the Punxsutawney Spirit. By the mid-1880s, Punx’y was prospering from new industries and new businesses in the expanding downtown. Punx’y’s population alone had grown from 550 in 1870 to nearly 3,000 by 1890. Clayville jumped from 190 people to 1,400 in the same time period. It was estimated then that 6,000 people lived in the area comprising the two boroughs and the mining towns of Walston, Adrian, and Horatio. In 1885, another weekly newspaper, the Valley News, joined the Spirit to chronicle the daily happenings of the emerging city. In June 1887, its name was changed to the

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Punxsutawney News. The Lindsey Press began in Clayville in 1894. The Press, though, originally began in Valier in 1893 as the Mahoning Valley Press by the father/son team of H. L. Work and H. W. Work. In short time, it was renamed the Valier Press. In the summer of 1894, the elder Work moved to Clayville and established the Lindsey Press, to be “neutral in politics, devoted to community in general and Lindsey in particular.” Clark Rodgers purchased the Lindsey Press in February 1899. With his son, Thomas, the newspaper was moved to Punx’y and the name changed to the Punxsutawney Republican. The Republican was in existence until 1915, when it went from sole ownership to a corporation with capital raised by the sale of shares. The stock company changed the name to the Punxsutawney Press, with W. W. Winslow as editor. With David McQuown as its owner in 1916, the newspaper discontinued operation in 1917. From the list of the newspapers that have been published within the limits of Punx’y over 170 years, only two might emerge from the memory of the oldest of residents, perhaps one for those born after the 1940s. The Punxsutawney News and the Punxsutawney Spirit were able to survive through the years. The Spirit, becoming a daily edition in September 1906, was the “fittest” of the two, continuing through the decades in a changing world of both declining population in western Pennsylvania and a new world of electronic news, including radio, television, computers, and - Continued on next page

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Early Newspapers Continued from previous page then cell phones. Horace G. Miller and a partner, Frank Tipton, established the Punxsutawney News as a “non-political” weekly newspaper in October 1885. Mr. Miller was named after the famous newspaperman and publisher Horace Greeley. A year later, J. L. Allison,

Included among them was one made in 1850. When it comes to “old-time” newspapers that have chronicled, reported and narrated a community’s history and life for Punx’y residents, it is the Punxsutawney Spirit that stands out. With its history beginning in 1873 as the Mahoning Valley Spirit, its name appropriately describes its role regarding the history of the town for many generations.

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The weekly Mahoning Valley Spirit began in 1873. Later, as the Punxsutawney Spirit, it became a daily in September 1906. In a building boom in the downtown in the early 1900s, Punxsutawney’s best economic years, the landmark Spirit Building (right) was completed in 1910. (Hometown file photo, left; architect’s drawing from 1909 booklet)

principal of the Punxsutawney school system, replaced Tipton. Allison continued with Miller until 1893. In partnership with Wade Miller, Peter Stockdale, and Adam Lowry over a short period of two years, H. G. Miller decided to go into sole ownership in 1895. Until 1899, the News was published from printing offices in the old framed John A. Weber Building at the corner of North Findley Street and Mahoning Street. Forced by Weber’s business expansion, Miller moved to a permanent location a few blocks west on the edge of Punx’y’s expanding business district. More familiarly associated with the News was the son of the elder Miller, Horace G. Miller, Jr. Older readers will remember him as “Brud” Miller. He published the weekly paper through the 1940s and continued on with job printing work from his shop at 232 West Mahoning Street, where today the office of Allemang’s Real Estate is located. When “Brud” Miller closed his doors of his weekly newspaper business, many of the old printing presses in use from the days of his father were sold to museums.

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When W. O. Smith came to town to publish the Punxsutawney Tribune in 1885, it was the beginning of one family’s service in journalism to Punxsutawney for nearly 100 years, from “W. O.” through his son Pierre L. Smith, and then the Carlton families. The Mahoning Valley Spirit published from rooms near where Mike Stello’s Law Office is located, but the printing of W. O. Smith’s Spirit in the late 1880s was on the second floor of a frame building where once were located McCrory’s 5 & 10 Store and, more recently, the Punxsutawney Christian School on West Mahoning Street. In 1899, the printing offices were moved to the ground floor of what is remembered by some as the Rosenthal store, and is now the Curves fitness room near the Pantall Hotel. In that building also, were written the imaginative announcements by Clymer Freas of the forecasts from Punxsutawney’s Bre’r Groundhog each February 2. It was there, too, that the first issue of the Spirit as a daily (September 17, 1906) was printed. In making the announcement of their ven-

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Jenks Hill School Fire By Bill Anderson of Hometown magazine s Mrs. George Gibson, a teacher at Jenks Hill Elementary, drove past the school in which she taught shortly after five o’clock on Thursday evening, January 15, 1948, she saw flames raging through the basement windows. Hoping to save the school from destruction, Mrs. Gibson ran to the closest home and alerted John Davis, a Punxsutawney High School student. John didn’t hesitate in trying to curtail the blaze. He grabbed a

fire extinguisher and entered the building. When he realized that his efforts would do little to stop the raging inferno, a call was made to report the fire and a general alarm was sounded. All three Punxsutawney fire companies — Central, Elk Run, and Lindsey — rushed to the scene, sending seven trucks. Upon their arrival, the firemen found flames sweeping through the 47-year-old school and blowing out the windows, but they worked valiantly to save what they could. - Continued on page 18

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Dangerous occupations Continued from page 7 but the fire was burning so fiercely and making such a heat that all effort at putting out the flames in that way had to be abandoned. In the meantime the company had put men to work in placing a temporary pump on the bank of the creek with the intention of flooding the mines. Hundreds of miners and many people from Punxsutawney and Clayville and surrounding community flocked to the scene of the disaster, and late into the next night smoke begrimed men labored to subdue the roaring furnace. All night Thursday and Friday morning the firemen from Altoona and Tyrone assisted by miners fought the raging fire with hose. They would gain headway, but when the coal would get cold it would crumble and fall down and there was great danger of there being a cave-in and thus imprison the men. They worked until the men gave the task up as hopeless. Every minute danger threatened them in front as well as in the rear and they came out. The mouths of the mines were then closed air tight and the work of flooding the mines began, as it was decided that was the only way in which to put the fire out. Later in the day, Friday, mine Inspector Thomas, from Houtzdale, arrived on the scene and he at once proceeded to knock down the barricade with remark that the mines must not be closed until every possible effort to find the lost miners had been made, and flooding the mines should be the last resort. Thomas immediately made some brave efforts to get through the mines, but several times he had to be pulled out with the rope around his body, which precaution he had taken before entering. Then two squads of men were formed for the purpose of making another desperate attempt to find the bodies of the three unfortunate men. The hose was carried into the mines and steady streams of water were kept playing on the burning coal which was burning just about as fiercely as it does in the coke ovens. Step by step the brave men fought their way working amid the scalding steam and black smoke and roasting heat. The water falling and swirling around their feet was boiling hot and it was as much as human flesh could stand to work in such a furnace but by degrees they got past the worst places and about ten o’clock Friday night they came to the blackened forms of the three miners. All three were lying face downward, and about 30 feet form where they had been working. They were so badly burned that the skin and flesh came off wherever touched. The bodies were conveyed to Crissman & Jenkins undertaking rooms and made ready for burial. The bodies presented a horrible sight and were evidence of the intensity of the heat in the mines. It is conjectured that they did not live long after the alarm was given them, as they must have been overcome with black damp shortly after leaving their work. The father and two sons were buried at Clayville in one grave on Saturday afternoon last. Mr. Hughes leaves a wife and five small children, her husband and two sons being the main support of the family. The Hughes family came from Wales. Once before, Mr. Hughes had been entombed for five days in some mines where he had previously worked. His oldest son, Aaron, worked in the mines at Horatio and the night in which he lost his life he had gone in No. 6 for the first time to help his father. It will probably never be known how the fire originated. There are several rumors afloat as to the probable cause, one being that it

was the work of an incendiary. It is too horrible to think that any human being should be such a base wretch as to set fire to the mines and imperil the lives of other men. Three members of the Hughes family paid the ultimate price for their jobs in the coal mines.

(Editor’s Note: The resources used in the preparation of this article are available the Punxsutawney Memorial Library and the Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society. Photographs are from the collection of Shirley J. Sharp. This article has been prepared by PRIDE. PRIDE is working to develop a Coal Memorial and Welcome Center for the Punxsutawney Area. Comments on this article may be directed to PRIDE, P.O. Box 298, Punxsutawney, PA 15767, or by calling 814-938-2493 and leaving a message.) •••

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gether until fluffy. Blend in molasses and egg yolk. Stir in flour mixture and mix well. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill one hour or longer. Roll out a small amount at a time on a sugarsprinkled board. Roll 1/8-inch thick. Cut out cookies with lightly-floured groundhog cookie cutter. Place cookies on greased baking sheet. Brush with slightly beaten egg. Decorate with currant eye, raisins, etc. Bake 8 to 10 min. in a preheated 350 degree oven. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Yield: Makes 12 to 15 large size groundhogs, or 3 to 4 dozen smaller ones.

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o, he’s not making a prediction yet; but anyone can be forgiven for thinking he might be commenting on the recent single digit temperatures at this time of year—who better qualified to do so than our resident weather prognosticator? This is, rather, a reference to the clever parlor game, “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,” where players challenge one another to connect this prolific and versatile actor to some other actor, any other actor, through their film performances in six steps or less. For example: Clark Gable 1. Gable starred with Vivien Leigh in “Gone With the Wind.” 2. Leigh was in “The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone” with Jill St. John. 3. St. John was in “The Player” with David Alan Grier. 4. David Alan Grier was in the “Woodsman” with Kevin Bacon. Gable has a Bacon Number of 4.

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Punx’y Groundhog Club Inner Circle (Alan Freed photo)

The whole premise is based on a decadesold theory exploring the interconnectedness of everyone on the planet, popularized by John Guare in his 1990 play and 1993 movie, both titled “Six Degrees of Separation.“ Will Smith starred in the movie. In 1994, Bacon commented that he had worked with just about everyone in the industry and, at about the same time, three Albright University students talked themselves onto the Jon Stewart show by calling Bacon the center of the entertainment universe. A quick check on the internet reveals that the steps linking Bacon to other actors average between two and three. So, surely we can find connections between any local person and Punx’y Phil through family, work, school or social relationships. We have to have some rules though. Just sharing a borough isn’t enough. Just going to school in Punxsutawney where Phil’s cousin, Chuck, is the mascot won’t do it. We need family ties, student, team or club memberships, class rosters, or work relationships. Let’s try connecting the dots beginning with Lynn Duncan, local crafter and historic reenactor. Lynn belongs to Punxsutawney Garden

Club, as does Jean Deeley. Jean is married to Bill Deeley, President of Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Phil’s booster club. This is too easy. note: if you can connect to the inner Circle, you’re in. their names are listed on their website www.groundhog.org. Let’s try another—Jackie Stahlman from Grange #2. Jackie operates Stahlman’s Country Store located on Route 536 next door to neighbor, Linda Shaffer. Linda works at the Chamber of Commerce, which shares office space with Phil’s Souvenir Shop, Phil’s primary marketing outlet. Another easy connection. note: if you can connect to the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce, you’re in. Check out the board and members on their website w w w. p u n x sutawney.com. What about Fr. Justin Pino, Parochial Vicar of SS.C.D.? Fr. Pino was a guest speaker at the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, home of the Groundhog Day History Museum Bre’r Groundhog (Groundhog Day History Museum (Phil’s attic, so cartoon courtesy of PAHGS) to speak). note: if you can connect to the Society, you’re there. Check our website www.punxsyhistory.org for information regarding trustees, officers and volunteers. Let’s try Jay Philliber, Punxsutawney Elks member. Jay’s grandmother is Betty Philliber, Woman of the Year for 2001, named at the Groundhog Banquet, Phil’s special annual wing ding. note: if you can connect to a man or woman of the year, you’re in. names of former honorees are listed on each year’s banquet program. the Chamber and the Punxsutawney historical Society both have lists, as well. Or an even younger person—someone at Punxsutawney Area High School who’s had Mr. Matthew Curry as a teacher. The student was in a class taught by Matthew Curry. Mr. Curry is married to Kathy Curry, photographer. Cathy works for Rite Aid, as does Jef Dinsmore. Jef’s mother is Roberta Dinsmore, former director of Punxsutawney Memorial Library which houses the Groundhog Zoo, Phil’s home. note: Connect to the Library and you are there. Check the library’s website, www.punxsyboro.com/library for information regarding board members. Nancy Hallman’s name comes to mind. (Ignore the Punxsutawney Garden Club path and the fact that Nancy was 2004 Woman of the Year. We’re trying to make a point here.) Nancy is married to John Hallman, former - Continued on next page

Six 5° of Phil

Continued from previous page Punxsutawney Mayor. John has been active with the Weather Discovery Center where Phil is a “technical” advisor. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. note: Visit the Center’s website, www.weatherdiscovery.org to learn more. All of these are too easy. We’ll try one more, Valarie Trimarchi, former Dean of Punxsutawney the Campus of IUP. IUP Punxs’y sponsored a Phantastic Phil—need I say more? note: the list of 33 and a map can be found on the Chamber’s website; by going around town you can see connections due to their locations or their sponsors. OK, so what have we proved here? Obviously, all those names we selected would lead to Phil. The groundhog is a big part of Punxsutawney life and we all cross paths with him, one way or another. Not everyone sees this as a good thing, thinking

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Punxsutawney surely has more to offer. It does, but the connections we have to Punx’y Phil are symbolic of the connections we all have with each other, and that is good news. We can look at and criticize the intensity with which we celebrate Groundhog Day and still enjoy the silliness that makes it so much fun. As for the game of connections, maybe it should be called the Five Degrees (or even Four Degrees) of Punx’y Phil – we Groundhog Day movie need the chalposter. Columbia pic- lenge. tures. Just for fun, let’s connect Kevin Bacon and Punx’y Phil. 1. Bacon was in “Wild Things” with Bill Murray. Bill Murray helped decorate the REACT tree in Barclay Square this year, and his mother is an officer in the Historical Society which houses—wait; we need the other Bill Murray, the actor. 2. Bill Murray costarred with Punxsy Phil in “Groundhog Day.” Bacon has a “Phil” number of 2. What’s yours? Marty Armstrong is President of Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc. •••

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16 – Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010

ow it can be told: About 20 staffers from the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute took part in a hush-hush search for Amelia Earhart's plane in the depths of the Pacific Ocean during spring 2009. Now it can be admitted: They didn't find the wreckage of the Lockheed Electra 10E aircraft that disappeared July 2, 1937, as Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan attempted an around-the-world flight. But now it can be said: Members of the expedition still deem it a success because of the scientific information compiled and discoveries made along the way, including a new species of deepwater fish and the mapping of about 2,500 nautical square miles of the ocean floor, much of it within the newly established Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior and often 20,000 feet deep. "Finding Amelia's plane was certainly not a sure thing," said Lee Frey, senior ocean engineer at the Harbor Branch division of Florida Atlantic University and project manager of the expedition, "so we built a good scientific plan to make sure the mission was successful. As a result, we did some very useful science in a very unexplored part of the world." What happened to Earhart is one of the great mysteries of modern history. Books have been written, countless theories postulated and numerous expeditions mounted, all trying to determine what happened after Earhart sent her last radio message to the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Itasca: "We must be on you but cannot see you; running out of gas." The recent search centered on Howland Island, a speck in the South Pacific that Earhart and Noonan were aiming for when they apparently ran out of fuel. To search the ocean depths, the team deployed two autonomous underwater vehicles (nicknamed Ginger and Maryann for two of the female castaways on "Gilligan's Island"). They carry two types of sonar and a camera to map the ocean floor by tracking back and forth over the bottom - called "mowing the lawn" -- along a programmed course. "The AUV technology was key," said Rick Rice, a spokesman for the Waitt In-

stitute. "It gave us the ability to cover a large space and get very detailed images of the ocean floor." Frey called the underwater mapping "probably the largest survey ever conducted at those depths, maybe at any depth. It's an enormous chunk of ocean to be surveyed." Data collected in the survey will be "a very significant contribution for the management plan of the new marine national monument, for Amelia Earhart researchers and for the ocean science community. ... At least it tells us where the plane isn't, and it tells us where a lot of interesting things are," according to the Waitt Institute. It has set up a Web site -- searchforamelia.org -- to make available the data collected during the expedition. But up until now, the expedition had been cloaked in secrecy. In a December 2008 interview with Treasure Coast Newspapers, Rissolo hinted that a then-upcoming project with the AUVs involved obtaining archaeological rather than environmental data. Asked about rumors that the mission was a search for Earhart's plane, he was emphatic the expedition was not "treasure hunting," an activity he called "anathema to the goals of our nonprofit organization." Frey said members of the expedition signed strict confidentiality agreements. "For this particular mission, it was important to keep quiet," Frey said. "For one thing, if we did come across Amelia, we wanted to make sure no salvager could go out there and dredge up the plane. There are a lot of folks waiting in the wings to jump in, a lot of other people searching, so the expedition had to be kept under control." "Needle in a haystack" doesn't begin to describe the difficulty in searching for Earhart's lost plane. The ocean at the search area was often 20,000 feet deep "with big, underwater mountain ranges," said Lee Frey, senior ocean engineer at Harbor Branch and project manager of the expedition. To get the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles to the bottom, researchers put weights on the AUVs and let them free-fall to the ocean floor rather than waste battery power. "Even with the weights, it took them a couple of hours to reach bottom," Frey said. •••

Taking baby steps toward saving money By Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore getbuttonedup.com

etting out of debt and saving money usually top the lists of New Year's resolutions. But most people (75 percent in a recent survey) abandon their goals within a few months -- and a third give up after only a

small actions each day, you can achieve your big goal. Then each day, as you write your to-do list, jot down what you have to do today to reach your daily goal. Here are a few more ways to take baby steps toward saving money or getting out of debt in the coming year. 1. Keep track of what you Spend -And Save. The experts are right: Tracking your daily spending is an important exercise in financial management. If you don't know

where it all goes, you won't know how to plug the holes. In addition to tracking what you spend, you should also track what you save. Create a space in your daily to-do notebook for adding up what you have saved at the end of each day. Then at the end of each week, add it up. Nothing motivates a person more than actually seeing progress. 2. take advantage of all that Free online advice. There are so many great tips for saving money that are already posted online. Every Monday morning, go online to find one specific strategy for saving money from an expert and add it to your todo list for the week. If you do one extra thing a week for 52 weeks, it will add up to quite a lot. 3. make a Change Jar. It's so simple. But if you save rather than spend the change that

135 e. Mahoning St. Punxsutawney, PA (800) 872-6825 (814) 938-6600 www.pantallhotel.com • sat., Jan. 30, 6 p.m., Groundhog Beer dinner, $40/person, includes concert to follow. tickets available in advance at Pantall. • sat., Jan. 30, 9 p.m., “Maddy Girl” and Bill deazy in Concert, $10 cover. • sun, Jan 31, 7 p.m., Groundhog Wine dinner, $40/person, tickets available in advance at Pantall. • Mon., Feb. 1, 8 p.m. - 2 a.m., Groundhog eve Bash, Amish rock and roll band “the Smicks.” Champagne, noisemakers and munchies.

- Continued on page 24

Proud to Support Phil and his Hometown of Punxsutawney! few weeks. This means that the majority of people who set out with good financial intentions are not going to end the year any richer than when they started it. However, you can beat those odds! Last week, we wrote about the importance of taking baby steps to reach your goals. This week, we want to share some specific baby steps that you can take to achieve your goal of reducing debt and/or saving money. Follow these strategies each day and you will end the year richer than you began it. Sarah on "giving yourself an emotional Carrot": Why do you really want to get out of debt or save more money this year? If you don't have an answer to that question, your resolution won't make it through the year. You need something to help you through those moments when you're really tempted to revert back to your old spending habits. Give yourself an emotional carrot. Take a few moments today to write down why you need to achieve this goal. Answer the question: "Why is this goal a MUST?" Once you're done, cut out those reasons and put them in the billfold section of your wallet, or if you're a heavy credit-card user, fold it up and put it next to your most-used credit card. That way, every time you open your wallet, you will be reminded of why you must be penny-wise this year. alicia on "the importance of Specificity": A goal without specificity is really just a wish. Transform your wish into something you can absolutely achieve by being specific. Start with the big picture. How much debt do you want to erase or how much money do you want to save this year? Once you have that big number, break it down into smaller monthly goals, and then weekly goals, and then daily goals. The last one may seem like an unnecessary step, but it is crucial because it shows you that by taking

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Early Newspapers Hometown Tales Continued from page 11

Continued from page 12

ture the owners claimed, “(We) realize what it means to print a daily newspaper in a town that has reached that unfortunate stage of growth where it is too big for a weekly...” With its investment in the progress of the town through an “evening Spirit”, “W. O.” proclaimed, “It is our purpose to print the best newspaper this community will afford. Special attention will be given to the local news of Punxsutawney and vicinity. The important general and national news by telegraph will be given.” Amidst the best years of Punxsutawney’s economic boom and “renaissance” of buildings downtown, in 1909 the Spirit broke ground for a new building on North Findley Street near a newly constructed Y. M. C. A. building. The original plans were for a three-story brick building to fit into the downtown, but the plans quickly changed and escalated. In March 1910, the publishing company began its move into a new 7-story building, a skyscraper in Punxsutawney’s architectural landscape. The “Spirit Building” served as a home for the newspaper for 85 years. When the aging structure could no longer meet the needs of the daily newspaper, then-publisher Bill Anderson (now co-publisher and co-owner of Punxsutawney Hometown magazine with Mary Roberts) began construction of a new plant in the summer of 1993. In January 1994, the Spirit moved into its new home at 510 Pine Street, where it is located today. •••

The 80 firemen had difficulty controlling the blaze, as they were hampered by inadequate water pressure. The volunteers utilized five hydrants and proceeded to douse the fire with 600,000 gallons of water from nine hoses. They battled the blaze for five hours, but the school was a goner. When they finally got the fire under control, the two-story brick school was rubble. The orange glow from the roaring fire could be seen from miles away and, as a result, Punx’y residents flooded the local switchboard operators with calls. Hundreds of curious onlookers, too, congregated across the street on the lawn of the Adrian Hospital. There they watched the fire’s progress and the work of the local firemen. During the height of the blaze, the roof of the school, as well as the two floors of classrooms, crashed into the basement, thereby eliminating any chance of finding the cause of the fire. The loss was estimated at $100,000. George P. Grube, treasurer of the Punxsutawney School Board, stated that insurance coverage on the building and its contents amounted to $35,000. The building was constructed in 1900 with two rooms. Another two rooms were added on the ground floor in 1902 and in 1907 the four second-floor rooms were built. The fire brought a temporary vacation to the school’s 250 students, who remained at home until the school board reassigned them to other elementary schools and readjusted the schedules in the following weeks. •••

Following punx’y phil to the Knob...

BIll roBerTs

Old- T im e Pho tos fr o m t he P un x’y His tor ic al S oc iet y C ollec tio n

Pot welding rails in the Onadago mine. (Photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society.)

ou are never too old to learn to play the bagpipes. Local people have shown interest in Celtic heritage playing the bagpipes. To meet the needs of the area, Teresa at Thistle and Pines has found an excellent bagpipe instructor. To play bagpipes, first you learn on what is known as a chanter. This reed instrument looks a lot like a long whistle. Chanters come in various sizes to meet the needs of any age group. Once the fingering and the music is learned, students then move on to the bagpipes. Reading music is not required. Tunes are taught by the instructor and students learn as they go. Thistle & Pine is the local business that hosts the Celtic Festival in the Fall. This year it is on Saturday, October 2nd. For more information, please contact Teresa 724-397-2442 or Terry at 724-4599664. • • •

Sleetmaster

Frank Roberts &

Groundhog Day

Fun in Playing the Bagpipes at Thistle & Pines

Sons, inc.

Continued from page 4 lection of songs popular on different Groundhog Days in the past, as far back as 1909. Recognized in attendance was Dave Hoover, the last surviving member of the original Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Peg Humm, a 17-year-old PHS senior, was introduced as Groundhog Day Queen, the first of many Groundhog Queens to follow. Appearing in many area newspapers and some New York papers was a photo of Miss Humm, wearing her bathing suit on snow-covered Gobbler’s Knob. In order to protect our local heritage from any impostors, the battle for national publicity began. A more proper ceremony for each February 2 was soon initiated to visit Gobbler’s Knob and pay homage to the forecast of the Punxsutawney groundhog. No other place would be permitted to capitalize on Punx’y’s thunder and steal the town’s claim as “Groundhog Town” or “Weather Capital of the World.” Another dinner in 1941 followed the success of that 1940 dinner. The community dinners became the annual Groundhog Day Banquets, continuously held on the evening of Groundhog Day for many years. Nearly 20 years ago, the banquet tradition was changed to the evening of February 1. •••

The illustrated history book by Bill Anderson, Hometown publisher and Groundhog Scribe available for $5.95 at:

Hometown Magazine Office B&P Railroad Building 938-0312 • 938-9141

BoB roBerTs His Protector

938-5000

18 – Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010

PHOTOS BY ALAN FREED

first edition almost sold out - get one of the last copies!

or Mail a Check or Money Order for $5.95 + $2.75 Shipping = $8.70 to:

Hometown Magazine P.O. Box 197 Punxsutawney, PA 15767

Also Available at:

The Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce The Pantall Hotel Punxsy Phil’s Restaurant Punxsy Hometown Pharmacy Fezell’s County Market

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(Editor’s Note: ‘From Our Past,’ researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.) January 6, 1897 — According to previous arrangements, the North Findley Street Cornet Band went up the hill towards Walston on the night of December 31 and escorted the glad New Year down into town as far as Weber’s corner. The old year was seen to pass out unattended about the same time and disappear in the great aurora of the Walston coke ovens. All those who saw the scene sighed and retired. (Punxsutawney Spirit) January 7, 1869 — VALUABLE PROPERTY FOR SALE - The Tavern Stand, situated in the pleasant village of Covode, occupied at present by Mr. James B. Miller, is offered for sale on reasonable terms. The house is large and convenient, having been erected for a public house. Good stabling attached. (Punxsutawney Plaindealer) January 12, 1898 — Mr. and Mrs. Adam Solt and Mr. and Mrs. George Hark-

less were arrested yesterday by Truant Officer C. E. Palmer for refusing to comply with the terms of the compulsory education law, which requires all children between the ages of eight and fourteen years to attend school. Officer Palmer says he was selected to enforce this law, and he intends to do so. (Punxsutawney Spirit) January 19, 1871 — The warm weather of last week caused the snow and ice to melt, filling the Mahoning creek bank full. The ice broke on Sunday about noon and formed a large gorge at the “cross-cut,” above Gillespie’s dam [West End Punxsutawney]. We noticed several rafts of timber in the gorge, which were carried away with the ice on Monday night. Quite a number of rafts were started from this place on Monday morning, but very few got out. (Punxsutawney Plaindealer) January 19, 1887 — A gang of men and boys are at work taking out Gillespie’s mill dam at Clayville. It is to be hoped that the absence of this dam from the Mahoning Creek will be the means of draining some of the loathsome swamps in and around our town. (Valley News) •••

Whether it’s the perfect Sunny Side Superwashable Up for your kitchen renovation or Flat Dreamland for the baby’s nursery • True flat finish you can count on Punxsy Paint and Glidden Paint. Our staff is devoted • Spatter free to helping you discover that perfect • Hides mior surface color from the Glidden Paint Color imperfections Center. Stop by and discover the helpful advice and the quality products and tools you need to make Color Latex Eggshell your project happen - just the way • Perfect for bedrooms, you envision it. dining and living rooms

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Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010 – 19

‘09-’10 Punxsutawney area high School Winter Sports Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Basketball

(front row, l. to r.) Ian Weaver, Brodi Lowmaster, Corban Cressley, Matt Lombardo, Jordan Mesoraco; (2nd row) Alex Fedigan, Kyle Neal, Daniel Triponey, Darren Pifer; (3rd row) Luke Janocha, Logan Weaver, Dane Kopas, Jesse Venturini, Doug Dale.

(front row, l. to r.) Hefel Wang, Lindsey Paulina, Jenna Reitz; (2nd row) Amber Fye, Parris Kernich, Helen Ghilain, Dana McHenry; (3rd row) Kate Nestel, Hannah Neal, Shawna Crago, Megan McCully, Justine Kaza.

(front row, l. to r.) Brodi Lowmaster, Corban Cressley, Derick Kelly, Caleb Fugate; (2nd row) Jordan Mesoraco, Alex Fedigan, Matt Lombardo, Isaac Fugate, Daniel Triponey; (3rd row) Darren Pifer, Jesse Venturini, Luke Janocha, Mike Rosenberger; (4th row) Ian Weaver, Ian Miller, Logan Weaver, Tim Pearce.

Junior Varsity Basketball

PAHS SPORtS PHOtOS BY LiFetOucH

9th Grade Basketball

this photo page sponsored by:

Good Luck Chucks & Lady Chucks! 20 – Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010

(front row, l. to r.) Taylor Phillips, Michael Pascuzzo, Trevor Peace; (2nd row) Caleb Dinger, Ty Zimmerman, Nick Venturini, Dylan Lettie; (3rd row) Hunter Tibbs, Devin Nicholson, Garrett Zimmerman, Jesse Reichard.

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(front row, l. to r.) Lauren Wolfe; Chelsea Engeholm; (2nd row) Ashley Bacha, Mary Sloniger, Julie Test, (3rd Row) Coach Todd Heigley, Sarah London, Ashley Walls, Kirstin Williams, Lauren Kachmar.

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AUTo • home • BUsiness • Life

Groundhog Day Greetings!

Compliments of

Dr. Harry E. KunsElman 473 Main St. Reynoldsville

653-2227

happy groundhog day!

Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy • Professional Nursing

Wrestling

(front row, l. to r.) Neko Cappella, Seth Spack, Devan Snyder, Caesar Maruca, Anthony Pascuzzo; (2nd row) Kody Young, Derek Kerr, Jordan Bullers, Nathan McGregor, Tyler Titus; (3rd row) Coach Jr Sutter, Matt Meko, Jimmy Shirley, Tige Woodson, Duell Thompson, Josh Neal, Carl Langley, Coach Eric Eddy.

814-849-8026 • 417 Rt. 28 North, Brookville www.jeffersonmanor.net

Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010 – 21

Celebrating Catholic Schools Week SMaS & o C S t Sain n SChooL daMia NUT ST.

february 1st-6th

ST 205 CHE , call rmation fo in e r For mo

4 938-422church.com

cd www.ss or visit

FeB. 1sT - open house, 8:30 –2:30 all visitors must sign in at the main office. FeB. 2ND - 8:30 –2:30 alumni are welcomed. call the school to rsVP by Jan. 29. 5:00 all alumni are welcome to join us in wienker hall for a social. rsVP to the school office by January 29.

How job stress affects home life By Siri Agrell Toronto Globe and Mail

scholastic Book Fair will be held all week loNg, Parents welcome from 1:30 until dismissal. FeB. 6Th - 6:30 pm annual auction in wienker hall. everyone is welcome. The theme is “luau In The winter.” Put on your shorts and flip flops and join us!

happy groundhog day!

Bill anderson groundhog Scribe, hometown magazine

irst you get the money, then you get the power, then you get the problems at home. Well-educated professionals, even those who have control over the hours they work, are likelier to say their jobs interfere with their personal lives. According to a new study, it's "the stress of higher status." "It's the 'Mad Men' idea," said study author Scott Schieman, a sociology professor at the University of Toronto, referring to the popular TV drama. "When you get more, are there consequences?" Using data from a survey of 1,800 American workers, Schieman found that almost half bring their work home and their relationships suffer because of it. He also discovered that those with college or postgraduate degrees are more likely to say work interferes with their personal lives. And those who succeed at work seem to have it worse. The study found that job authority, skill level, decision-making latitude and personal earnings also predicted trouble outside the office. "Most people would say that those should actually lower the risk for workfamily conflict, but we're finding the opposite," Schieman said. It's not just about putting in long hours. Professionals with the most control over their own schedule had the highest levels of stress. Howard Eisenberg, a Toronto-area psychologist who has counseled CEOs and company presidents, said people who excel at their jobs are often incapable of switching off their work mode. "To achieve that level in the hierarchy requires a lot of self-sacrifice," he said. "But once they're there, it's sometimes a psychological coping mechanism to keep that en-

gaged. Not because they have to prove anything, but because of their anxiety." BlackBerrys and other technology keep professionals constantly connected to the office, and Eisenberg said the resulting pressure can lead to anger, depression, or drug or alcohol dependence. It's usually a health scare that causes people to rethink their approach to work, he said. They may also do so because they made a mistake at work that illuminated their stress levels. "The warning sign can also be a spouse saying they've had it," Eisenberg said. Gerald Butts, the CEO of conservation group WWF Canada, remembers his son being born during a particularly busy time at his previous job, as right-hand man to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. Seeing little of him, his wife decided to take the baby to visit Butts's brother, a lung cancer specialist, and his wife. When she returned, having witnessed her brother-in-law's equally hectic schedule, she told her husband she had learned something valuable. "It's actually got nothing to do with your job," she told him. "You're all like this." (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.) •••

Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society GROUP & FAMILY TOURS WELCOME Genealogy, Children’s Workshops, Exhibits and Photography, Gift Shop

Sports Display at Bennis House Gallery Tours of objects of Costume at Lattimer House other times, contact or

938-2555 (general) 938-5536 (genealogy)

Bennis House - 401 W. Mahoning St. Lattimer House - 400 W. Mahoning St. Thur., Jan 28 • 10-4 Fri., Jan. 29 • 1-4 Sat., Jan. 30 & Sun., Jan. 31 • 10-5 Mon., Feb. 1 • 10-6 Tue., Feb. 2 • 8-2 PUNX’y ARTS ASSoCIATIoN ART SHoW SUNDAy THRU. TUES. AT THE MUSEUM

22 – Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010

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Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010 – 23

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Vintage items give homes more character By Kevin Kirkland Pittsburgh Post-Gazette eople who wander into Habitat for Humanity ReStores or other similar used-goods outlets are usually looking for used and surplus building materials. But then they get turned on by appliances ranging from almost-new to truly vintage, with price tags ranging from $135 to $375 for ovens from the 1930s to the 1990s.

Mike Gable, executive director of Construction Junction in Pittsburgh, said kitchen cabinets, bathtubs, sinks, doors and hardware are the staples of their business. But you never know what else will turn up. The nonprofit recently received six tractortrailer loads of new sheet goods from a cabinetmakers supply company. Eight-by4-foot pieces of red oak veneer plywood sell for $32 for 1-inch-thick sheets and $17 for 1/4-inch.

Thank you we thank all those who helped make Punx’y’s Official Groundhog day Guide best in town!

happy Groundhog day Hometown magazine 100% of the homes in Punxsutawney 938-0312 • hometown@mail.com

A P UBLic ATion of P Unx sUTAwne y h om e T own m Ag Az ine 24 – Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010

The warehouse sells doors for $20-$50, clawfoot tubs for $150-$200 and oak church pews cut into 4- or 5-foot sections for $125-$200. "They fly out of here," Gable said. Kitchen cabinets and appliances are big sellers at Habitat in Washington, Pa., said Sandi Kern, ReStore manager. Most cabinet sets run about $500 and individual cupboards around $40. However, volunteers are still talking about the 18-piece set of cherry cabinetry that went for $3,200, less than 10 percent of what it cost new. Ovens, many of which look like new on the inside, average about $135, and refrigerators range from $100 to $300. Lighting fixtures are popular, and most sell for between $1 and $90. At the high end is a new wrought-iron chandelier with three shades for $325. Kern, who first came into the century-old former hardware store as a customer, is impressed with the creativity people show with reused material. Next to boxes of surplus ceramic tile, she posted a photo of a mosaic floor a local woman created for her screen porch with tile shards. The store fits into Habitat's larger mission of building new houses by offering Habitat homeowners a lifetime discount on items and a chance to earn some of their "sweat equity" working in the store. One customer was delighted to discover that her purchase was helping to build a house for the woman ringing it up. Another home recipient picked out a jetted tub for her new house. (Kevin Kirkland can be reached at kkirkland@post-gazette.com) (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)

steps towards saving Continued from page 17 you get each time you pay cash on something, you'll have a nice little bucket of savings at the end of the year. Multiply that by all of the spenders in your household and you could have hundreds of dollars in coins come December. Go get an empty bell jar or tall Tupperware container, label it "CHANGE" and, at the end of every day, empty any loose change you have accumulated into the jar. (The writers are co-founders of Buttoned Up, a company dedicated to helping stressed women get organized. Send ideas and questions to yourlife(at)getbuttonedup.com. For more columns, go to scrippsnews.com.) Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com) •••

Community Happenings rom the Community Calendar at Punxsutawney.com, here are Punx’y events to look forward to. To schedule an event on the Community Calendar, visit www.punxsutawney.com/calendar to complete the submission form. n electricity Buying Pool Seminar The Chamber of Commerce will host another seminar on the Electricity Buying Pool that is forming now in advance of the rate caps coming off in 2011. It will be held on Tuesday, January 26 at 8 a.m. at the Pantall Hotel. Businesses in the Penelec service area should attend to learn how participation in the pool could save you money. Participants in the pool must be members of the Chamber. Call the Chamber office at 938-7700 x2. n groundhog day Celebration 2010 This year the fun begins on Saturday, January 30 and continues Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, February 2. Get out over the weekend to enjoy the many events happening in your community.

of the Pantall Hotel on Monday, February 1 beginning at 8 p.m. until ?? Featuring the Amish Rock and Roll Band, the Smick Brothers. Reservations can be made by calling the Pantall Hotel. n mayor’s drug task Force invites concerned area citizens to attend its monthly meetings, which are the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. The mission of the Drug Task Force is to abolish drugs in Punxsutawney. Be proactive! The meetings are held in council chambers at the Mahoning East Civic Complex. n SSCd annual auction, this year entitled “Luau in the Winter”, will be February 6 at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $12 each or 2 for $20. At the door tickets are $15. Hors d’oeuvres and legal beverages served. • • •

windgate

cAy & dAN ENERSON, proprietors

Banquet Room • Private Parties Seminars • Weddings Wine-of-the Month Tastings • Join us on the 3rd Weekend of every Month to sample our wine-of-the month at the Windgate salesroom. refreshments served noon to 5 p.m. • on Wine-of-the Month sundays, see how wine is made with an owner-led tour of the winery (1 & 3 p.m. on sundays only)

vineyards & Winery

Award Winning Wines:

Red Raspberry Shamokin Red Blueberry

Silver: Silver: Bronze:

INdIANA MAll Oakland Ave. Indiana

Open Mall HOurs

THE SHOp AT THE WINERy 1998 Hemlock Acres Rd., Smicksburg

Open Daily 12-5 • (814) 257-8797

pITTSBuRgH MIllS lOcATION Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills, 327 Pittsburgh Mills Circle, Tarentum

Open Mall HOurs • (724) 274-5901 814-257-8797 fax: 257-8616

e-mail: danielenerson@aol.com • www.windgatevineyards.com

Famed for playing insurance man Ned Ryerson in the movie Groundhog Day, Stephen Tobolowsky will speak at the annual Groundhog Day Banquet sponsored by the Inner Circle at 6:30 p.m. February 1, 2010. To reserve tickets, call the Chamber of Commerce at 814-938-7700. n groundhog day wine and Food tasting on Saturday, January 30 at 7 p.m. the Pantall Hotel. Food selections carefully paired with local wines. Menu by Executive Chef Tara Tyger. Reservations can be made by calling the Pantall Hotel. n groundhog day Beer and Food tasting at the Pantall Hotel on Sunday, January 31 beginning at 7 p.m. Featuring gourmet food and specialty beers paired for your tasting pleasure planned by Executive Chef Tara Tyger. Reservations can be by calling the Pantall Hotel. n groundhog eve Bash at the Rooftop

FULL-COLOR

Restaurant Placemats Your Business Ad Can Run On Our Full-Color Restaurant Placemats For As Low As $64.

Why Pay More? COMPARE!

Call Mary, Tracey or at 938-0312 or 938-9141 to Schedule Your Placemat Ad in Area Restaurants!

Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010 – 25

Shick’s Cakes 858 Salem Road, Mayport, PA

Six more hours of...SLeep or wake? Your answer is waiting!

Punxsutawney Sleep Center, LLC

Beautiful Cakes For All Occasions

www.PunxsySleepCenter.com

Cookies • Rolls

DuBois Location Now Open Beaver Grove 916 Beaver Dr.

Baked To Your Order

By Debbie Shick

365-5728

214 W Mahoning St. 1st Floor Front Punxsutawney, PA 15767 Phone 814.618.2064 Fax 888.789.1480

to our Punx’y & area businesses...

take the

HOMETOWN MAGAZINE Challenge! ‘When driving down the road...

COUNT THE NUMBER OF MAILBOXES.’

HOMETOWN MAGAZINE is delivered to all of them!

We deliver to every mailbox ... not just a small number of tubes. You can see the difference! every MailBox receives a copy of your ad in Hometown magazine... not just a tiny Fraction! put your business message in all the homes with us! Reach all of the Homes, not just a few!

HOMETOWN 100% of the homes MAGAZINE 938-0312 26 – Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010

GPS System Continued from page 5

their cell phones were out of signal range. GPS is a high-tech wonder, say experts, but the importance of backup directions is neck and neck with exercising common sense. "There is still a lot of misconception out there as to how GPS works and what it does do," Flight said. "A lot of people believe all of the data and maps and pictures are downloaded in real time, and as soon as a new road is created, it's automatically beamed down to their devices." GPS was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense. About 30 satellites -solar-powered, with backup batteries -were launched into orbit between 1978 and 1994. Not all operate at the same time, and the satellites must be replaced as they wear out. Using latitude, longitude and altitude as markers, signals are beamed to receiving stations on earth. Although consumer-grade GPS signals were available under the original design, they were scrambled and therefore only accurate to within 100 meters. "It got you in the ballpark, but not where you needed to be," said Flight, adding that today's consumer-grade signals are no longer scrambled and are "95 percent" accurate. But GPS is only as strong as the most reliable maps, and manufacturers say consumers should download the most recent versions at least every other year. Sometimes, when good GPS units give bad directions, people just don't want to believe that "Karen" -- or whatever name they've bestowed on their talking navigation systems -- is leading them astray. Wasting time while lost is one thing, being led into danger quite another. In West Yorkshire, Great Britain, Robert Jones refused to change course after his GPS instructed him to drive up a cliff-side path last year. Running into a fence stopped him from plunging 100 feet down the side, but he was convicted of "driving without due care and attention" and fined almost $3,200. Part of that went toward paying for the nine-hour operation to get his car removed from the cliff. "Part of it is because of that underlying weakness many of us have, where we are all too willing to surrender to this wonderful machine," said Ellard, who is a professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. He noted that it's fine to use GPS -backed by other sources of information -but it's also important to practice "being in the here and now." One of the concepts addressed in his book involves humans' loss of way-finding skills as they moved into cities. But even he has known the sting of GPS betrayal. Driving back to Ontario after visiting his brother in central Ohio, he and the family decided it might be fun to follow the programmed directions. It wasn't until some time later they realized it had been set to avoid toll roads, he said. "The only way to get to Canada doing that is to drive about an extra 400 miles. We realized we were being led to northern Michigan." (E-mail reporter Maria Sciullo at msciullo@post-gazette.com. (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.) •••

GReeNtRee LuMBeR Custom Homes & Cabins

203 N. Hampton Ave. - Groundhog Plaza

938-9150

M-F 9-8, Sat 9-5, Closed Sundays

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CALL US:

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Michael Horner, kim Horner Joe Presloid & Jennifer Moore (missing from photo) Local Registered Pharmacists

Open: Mon.- Fri 9 to 7 Sat. 9 to 2

◆

Indiana Street

www.dominos.com

See Insert In This Issue

For over a century we have provided solutions to individuals like you - one customer at a time.

Custom Lumber • Log Siding Post & Beam Structures Sheds & Pole Buildings Log Furniture Smicksburg

814-257-9878

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Hampton Ave. • 814.938.1101 Mahoning St. • 814.938.1125 stbank.com • Member FDIC

132 West Mahoning Street, Punxsutawney

PUnxsy AnimAL weLLness sPA

oPEN: Thur., Fri. 12-8 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sun. 12-5 p.m.

Burkett’s

Gipsy, PA • 814-845-7853

P.A.W.S.

Great Selection of Hunting Boots Rocky • Georgia • MUCK Boots • Danner • Wolverine

treat your family pet to a day at the spa. They’LL Love yoU for iT! PLUs our hands-on grooming can detect various problems.

242 norTh findLey sTreeT • PUnxsUTAwney GO SteeLeRS!!!

938-3974 or 1-866-884-7964

Hometown magazine’s ‘Super Bowl Football Contest’:

SuPeR BOWL

Name Address City & Zip Phone

xLiV NFc champion

Fezell’s

653-9633 Custom and Retail Meat Processing

coupon for Super Bowl Game of February 7th Step 1: Guess the Winning team:

vs.

Groundhog Plaza, Punx’y Football Tailgate Time... We Have IT all! wINgs • ParTY PlaTTers • PIzza • sNacks

3rd & Jackson St. Reynoldsville

Complete, Clip or Mail to: Super Bowl Football Contest Hometown magazine, P.o. Box 197, Punxsutawney, PA 15767

__ NFc champion

__ AFc champion

M&S Meats

Step 2: Guess the total Points that

AFc champion SuNDAY, FeB. 7

will be Scored in that Game: __________

Specializing in Beef, Pork & Homemade Bologna

Step 3: Should i win, i would like to redeem

Cheeses • Cold Cuts • Party Trays • Smokehouse Products

my merchandise to:

1 mi. N. of New Bethlehem on Rt. 28 1353 Brookville St., Fairmont City

(must be a participating advertiser on page 27)

Missy & Scott Shirey, Owners

Enter to Win a $25 Gift Certificate

100 W. Mahoning Street Downtown Punxsutawney LocaL & rEGionaL artists Recognized as a Pennsylvania wilds aRtisan tRail RetaileR

for the Closest Entry Entry Deadline is Friday 4 p.m., February 5

Table arT • Personal accessories • Home Décor jewelry • PrinTs • arT glass • PHoTograPHy scenTs • baby & ToDDler gifTs

In the event two or more contestants correctly pick the winning team and total number of points, one winner will be randomly selected and awarded the winning prize. In event two or more contestants tie for closest to the total score, one winner will be randomly selected to win the $25 certificate. There will be only one $25 winner for the contest.

Gift Certificates Available 814-938-1255 • www.fairlady.com hours: mon. - sat. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; sun. 1-5 p.m.

Nogacek's

Bark N' Boutique Jessica Nogacek, owner

January 28-30 Groundhog Weekend Craft Show February 2-6 The "New Year, New You" Show Friday 11-8pm Saturday 11-7

Super Center

Sponsored by KOOL 103.3 and 104.1 WPXZ-FM. Vendors and seminars related to making over your yard, house, vehicle and most importantly - Yourself.

21920 Rt. 119 Punxsutawney, PA

February 15-21 "Go in the Snow" Auto Show Having trouble geing around in the winter weather. Local dealers show some All wheel/ 4-wheel drive solutions.

(814) 938-3500

February 27 DRMC Day of Dance

Dubois, Pa duboismallpa.com DuBois Mall Gift Cards - Always Available!

(Graduate of the PA Academy of Pet Grooming)

FootBall Feast

Where all dog breeds get a fresh new look! 242 N. Findley St., Punx’y

814-952-3401

Bigfoor Pizza - 1 topping 10 Wing street Wings 2 liter

PUNXSY HOTEL A Punxsutawney landmark where old and new friends gather together.

Dubois Mall See us for Your Party Supplies

814-275-1801

Tue.-Wed. 12-5; Thur. 9-6; Fri. 9-9; Sat. 8-6; Sun. 12-6; Closed Mon.

____________________________________

We Deliver all Day

108 n. Findley street F punxsutawney

938-8182

1999

938-2400

walmart plaza rt. 119 n., punx’y

Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010 – 27

The best relationships fortify us to face the future, no matter what it may bring, and grow stronger season after season. For over a century we’ve provided solutions to individuals like you... one customer at a time.

232 Hampton Avenue • 814.938.1101 • 539 West Mahoning Street • 814.938.1125 • stbank.com • Member FDIC 28 – Punxsutawney Hometown – January 2010