The First Newspapers of Punx’y A Rich History of Publications
On the cover: Spring in Bloom! ‘Punxsutawney Hometown’ magazine © Copyright 2009 — All Rights Reserved.
Schedule Your Advertising In Our May 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 . . . 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 Bill Anderson Justin Eger Graphic Artists Melissa Salsgiver 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
By S. thomas curry of Hometown magazine ack in the “old days,” it took a long time for the latest news to get to the good citizens of our developing towns and villages. In the mid-1800s, and before the “modern” developments of the industrial era at the end of the 19th century, people got their news from the mail delivered by stagecoach, by the postman on horseback, or from visitors to the town. When the news arrived it would be old news. Then when the telegraph came into the area there was “instant messaging” to get the latest news to a reading people. The earliest newspapers in any town were established by some industrious young men who wanted to compose the local news and report to anyone who would pay for it. The old newspaper publishers would take nearly anything — garden produce, wood, chickens, fruit, flour, etc. — in exchange for subscriptions, just to get by. Almost any emerging town that had a vision of a more cultured citizenry would have had its “first” newspaper that reflected the daily happenings and the spirit of the times. And later, there would be “exchanges” from the city newspapers that informed the reader about events beyond their existence in the countryside of rural counties. Not all the newspaper ventures from the past thrived and survived. A long list of the newspapers in the history of Punxsutawney, developing from a country village to a city of various ethnic backgrounds, levels of wealth and education, would indicate the struggle. The early newspapers of Punxsutawney, or any of its neighboring towns, would be considered local, and maybe individualistic, with their unique “intelligence” columns of news briefs. Remembering that those 19th century newspapers were printed on crude hand presses by “muscle power,” one letter at a time, one page at a time, a weekly edition was all that could be expected. The first newspaper published in Punxsutawney, as can be determined from references in the old newspapers of the Punxsutawney Plaindealer or the Punxsutawney News, was the Mahoning Reg-
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Not all the newspaper ventures from Punxsutawney’s past have thrived and survived. Several newspapers had existed for less than 2 years. (Newspaper exhibit located at museum in the Bennis House.)
ister, a weekly edition in the early 1840s. Any reference to the Register gave only an approximate date, nothing exact to a year. A Plaindealer news item in December of 1868 stated “Mr. T. H. Wilson, if we mistake not, was an apprentice, or in other words the ‘devil,’ in the Mahoning Register office, which paper was published in Punxsutawney about 20 years ago.” A story in the News of 1909 reported a visit to Punxsutawney in 1857 by a gent from Harrisburg. The old man reflected on his visit then into the Mahoning Valley where Punx’y had been settled. In his words, “...the first village of importance was Punxsutawney - a town of considerable size ... containing a dozen stores, four or five churches, three or four good hotels with numerous places of entertainment of lesser note ... Here lived and flourished some eighteen years ago, The Mahoning Register, edited and published, we believe, by Pierce & Wilson, and subsequently by Clark Wilson.” From that writing it was learned that the Register began publication with a view to promote a new county for the area with
Punxsutawney for its county seat. When the project to form a Mahoning County failed, the Mahoning Register folded. The next venture into establishing a newspaper in Punxsutawney was made by John A. Scott and W. S. Barr. The two young men had apprenticed at the Brookville Republican and came to town, printing their first issue of the Punxsutawney Plaindealer in July of 1868 as an “independent family journal.” Shortly after their paper was introduced, the young men were encouraged to continue on in their effort, if not also lectured, by a resident who wrote a letter to the editors that said in part: “(I) am highly gratified with its praiseworthy and honorable course. You have but to adhere to your policy ... to make your paper what it should be, a first-class family instructor. I look upon the editor of a public journal as occupying a high position in society; a position whence should emanate (sic) language as pure and chaste as the most distinguished doctors of Law and Divinity are expected to employ. Your observation doubtless has proven that the family - Continued on next page
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502 main St., Reynoldsville The earliest newspapers were printed on hand presses by ‘muscle power’ one letter at a time, one page at a time, and could be expected to be weekly editions.
First Newspapers continued from previous page newspaper helps to form the language, manners, etc. of society as well as to furnish information on the various topics of which it treats. Your position, gentlemen, is an honorable one, of which you may well be proud; one in which you may take a conspicuous part in guiding the destinies of this nation. You will share your part in moulding and fashioning the morals of the people, for whose appetites you cater and serve up in every issue of your paper.” The young men would travel in their horse and buggy to neighboring towns to gather subscriptions to support their effort, a weekly newspaper for $2 a year.
They had enough success to continue for a few years, but not everyone was ready to take time from their labors to gain wisdom and knowledge from the latest news to be offered. In a visit to the Ringgold area, they reported their experience with one call, “... we found a good degree of intelligence, and although one young man did offer a reason why he did not want the PLAINDEALER, that he had the Bible, storybooks, and songs that occupied his time and attention, he is to be regarded as an exception.” Scott & Barr would return to Brookville in March 1871 and turn the Plaindealer over to William P. Hastings as publisher and editor. Hastings was the son of the well-known and popular Civil War veteran in town, Captain John Hastings.
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First Newspapers continued from previous page Young Hastings was sixteen years of age when he began as editor, soon to be seventeen a few months later. The family
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4 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
A familiar spot today on West Mahoning Street was a busy site in the mid-18th century as the location of a print shop for the old Mahoning Argus newspaper (site of the white house top left), and the Globe Hotel, where is now P&N Coal Co. office. (Hometown photo by S. Thomas Curry)
lived on West Mahoning Street where T. M. Kurtz and Davis Goheen would build their “mansions” in 1904 (now where Dr. Michael Vancheri and Jesse DeChurch have their businesses today along Millionaires Row). In the summer of 1871, Hastings became associated with G. M. Keck and assured his readers that no change would be made in the paper and it would remain “neutral in politics.” In an effort to improve their little paper they published an appeal: “We are aware that the life of a paper is its local department, for there the people expect to find that which interests them
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subscribers complain because there is no local news in the paper. Who is to blame for this? There is only one way to remedy this. Whenever anything occurs, such as accidents, fires, parties, buildings erected, murders, or any such items of interest, let someone sit down and write a few lines for the PLAINDEALER. ... Without your assistance, reader, it is impossible for us to issue as interesting a paper as we would like to, or as you would like to read.” Hastings and Keck expanded their printing business on the corner of Mahoning Street and Findley Street. As a part of the - Continued on next page
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First Newspapers continued from previous page
community, they would open a news office and supply to residents a supply of major magazines found in the cities. On hand would be Harper’s Weekly, Harper’s Bazaar, Illustrated Sporting Times, Illustrated Police News, and Handbook of Croquet among many popular periodicals. Hastings would later sell his interests in the paper to Keck, who would join with John K. Coxson in a partnership. Coxson, who settled in Punxsutawney in 1850, was a man of many talents - artist, preacher, lawyer, poet, and distiller. He had written a number of articles about “the early days of Punxsutawney” for the Plaindealer for a couple of years. The two changed the name of the paper from Plaindealer to the Mahoning Argus. The Argus was published for a few years by Coxson until his death in 1879. The Mahoning Argus would provide a number of small hometown news bits that add knowledge to our understanding of the 1870s: “Young ladies who flirt with people they never saw before, shouldn’t be angry if they are talked about.” “It is said that next winter a long dress on the street will be a thing unknown.” “Mrs. Covert, our next door neighbor, will please accept our thanks for some choice grapes donated us. She knows what we printers like.” “R. C. Winslow’s new building is progressing finely.” [Note: This is a reference to Winslow’s brick mansion on Pine Street, now the residence of Tim and Laurie Spence.] “Mrs. Covert” was the wife of Isaac Covert who had operated the Globe Hotel, a Temperance Hotel, in a frame building nearby Coxson’s print shop (the hotel location on West Mahoning Street is now where the office of the P & N Coal Company is). The Argus was published from a building which stood on the site where Jesse and Sally Long had recently lived, east of where Shirley Sharp now resides in the former Dr. S. S. Hamilton house built in 1907. For a short time, the Mahoning Argus was the only newspaper published in Punxsutawney. Then, in 1873, Frank Smith came to Punxsutawney from Indiana, bought the Argus and changed the name to the Mahoning Valley Spirit. Six months later, Hastings and Keck (formerly of the Plaindealer) became the owners. After a touch-and-go existence
for three years, Hastings bought the interest of Keck and changed the name to the Punxsutawney Spirit. Since the start of the 1880s, the Punxsutawney Spirit, as a newspaper, has been a part of the life of generations of Punxsutawney area readers. A part of the town’s past with a long history, it continues to follow its mission as the spirit of Punxsutawney in the midst of changing news sources. To complete the history of newspapers it will be necessary to offer another article for the newspapers in Punxsutawney from the 1880s into the early 20th century, when there existed the Punxsutawney News, the Punxsutawney Tribune, the Punxsutawney Press, the Punxsutawney Picayune, and the Lindsey Press as weekly newspapers. •••
SS.c.d. kindergarten Registration april 27 Children who are five years of age by July 1, 2009 are eligible to register for kindergarten at SS. Cosmas and Damian Catholic School. The registration will be held Monday, April 27 in the kindergarten classroom at the school, but appointments must be made prior to registration day by calling 9384224. A parent and child must be present at registration. Financial aid is available for students attending SS.C.D. School. For applications or additional information, contact Principal Ann Smith at the above number.
HOMETOWN MAGAZINE'S SPRING GIVEAWAY WINNER Hometown Magazine congratulates the March winner of our Spring Giveaway Contest. Jeanne Zelenak of Punxsutawney was randomly selected from all readers who entered our contest. Jeanne will redeem her $25 gift certificate to Neko's Restaurant. Join the fun this month and enter to win as our Spring Giveaway Contest continues.
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Traveling to and Staying in Punxsutawney A History of the Early Hotels
By S. thomas curry of Hometown magazine he hotel business is always an early entry on the scene of a pioneering area because of the need to provide accommodations for the traveling public. Whether it is new settlers who need housing until they can establish a place of their own, workers for the mills and shops, or visitors who come to look the town over, a place to relax and have good meals is a necessity. Single men were usually the first to arrive into a new area. They often needed shelter and food. Workers who serviced the small settlements, as teamsters, with horse and wagon in the midst of many farms would haul goods, vegetables, grain, etc. to the little country stores and would need a spot to refresh. During the lumbering era, young men would ride their timber rafts on the creeks to city markets. Often they would make the return trip to their homes by foot. They needed a resting place along the way. Catering to the needs of many would be the first “hotels” that were mostly boarding houses. Outside the original eight squares of the established town of Punxsutawney, the plan of Rev. David Barclay was a hotel located in what is now the Elk Run section of the town. The hotel had a commanding view of the Mahoning Creek, then a commercial highway that men used to ride with their timber rafts on to Pittsburgh. It stood on the corner of what is Ridge Avenue and Elk Run Avenue, where the Sheetz station and store are located today. Built in the 1840s by Daniel Graffius, who had come to the area in 1818 with Rev. David Barclay and Dr. John Jenks, the business was operated by him for thirty years as a popular stop. It was called the old Graffius Hotel. When it was destroyed by fire in 1889, the land behind the hotel was later laid out in lots for sale in what became known as the Graffius addition to Punxsutawney. Another hotel of the 1840s was the Forest House, which was built on the heavily traveled road into Punxsutawney from Indiana. The particular spot was what is now the corner of West Union Street and South Gilpin Street, the area then considered beyond Punxsutawney with the western boundary of the town at Findley Street. For team-
T
In 1888 John. G. Bennis remodeled a former restaurant on East Mahoning Street and opened it in 1889 as the Central Hotel and Restaurant. It was located where there used to be the Punxsutawney Hardware and Punxsutawney National Bank. (Photo from print collection of the Punxsutawney Historical and Genealogical Society)
sters, with their heavily loaded wagons of goods, the Forest House was a popular stopping point at the end of their trip from Indiana, finally descending the steep, winding hill leading into town. Old Indiana Street, the old Indiana Hill where the Mahoning Valley Mill is located, was then known as Gaskill Hill. The Forest House was built by Ezra Root, a devout Methodist, and was originally run as a temperance house, alternative lodging where men could relax without an obligation to drink alcohol. When the building was purchased by Dr. John Gilpin of Kittanning (for whom Gilpin Street was named), it was changed into a “wet hotel” and a license was issued to sell liquor and ale – what a tired, thirsty teamster might have found refreshing at the end of a trip. In a previous writing (Hometown, May
2008) there was presented a history of the early hotels in Punxsutawney that were established in the early 19th century and faced the Town Square of that day, our popular Barclay Square today. Of the four corners of Mahoning Street intersected by Jefferson Street and Penn Street there were initially a log cabin “hotel” kept by Abram Weaver (1819), the Eagle Hotel (1824), the Mahoning House (Campbell House to local residents of 1832), and the Washington House (1845). Only one corner serves the public today with a hotel. That is the corner of South Jefferson Street on East Mahoning Street where is now located the Pantall Hotel, the corner where once existed the Campbell House, the Jennings House (1869) and the St. Elmo Hotel (early 1870s) before the Pantall was built in 1889.
The town inevitably developed beyond its first “business block” around the public park, where travelers by stagecoach, horse, horse and buggy, or by foot could stop with a choice of lodgings to enjoy the quiet secluded spot on a corner with the spacious land of the square before them. The arrival of the railroads in the early 1880s and the industrialization of the area brought changes, switching the location of the hotel business to new areas of town to accommodate the increased demand for rooms. Near the train depot of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway on North Findley Street was a logical place for hotels. As the town increased in population and businesses, the corridor from the railroad tracks to Mahoning Street became a metropolitan area of services and goods. Near the - Continued on next page
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Early Hotels continued from previous page
train depot, in the summer of 1885, Thomas E. Bennis purchased a former restaurant there, remodeled and repainted it to open up his own restaurant. After adding a second floor with a verandah in 1887, he began to advertise his place as the Bennis Hotel. His weekly newspaper advertisements would announce, “This hotel is new and well furnished throughout. Large and commodious and just a few steps from the Buffalo & Pittsburgh railroad station. Large sample room for commercial travelers, and bar stocked with choice brand of liquors.” The property also included a water tank, a stor-
structure.” T. E. Bennis would continue to purchase property on North Findley Street to add to his property wealth. In 1908, several old frame buildings on the street that were occupied by a fruit store and a shoe-shine parlor were removed to make room for a three-story brick building that would become the Gleckler Hotel. At the top on the north side of the building is a remnant of the past that occasionally some pedestrians will notice. Faintly, in paint, is the information about rooms at the Gleckler Hotel that had occupied the building before most of our memories. The name of T. E. Bennis is centered at the top of the building, located opposite the towering former Spirit Building. In late 1896, John G. Bennis would sell his
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The Bennis Hotel (left) began business in 1887 on North Findley Street near the B. R. P. Railway train station. The stone carriage step of the hotel (right) is displayed at the historical society’s Bennis House on West Mahoning Street. (Hometown photo by S. Thomas Curry)
age room, and a stable to the rear. For a number of years a brother of T. E. Bennis, John G. Bennis, had operated the European Restaurant near the public park, serving lunches and meals, with “oysters served in every style” (Spirit ad February 10, 1886). His restaurant there served also as an art gallery for local practicing artists. In April 1888, he would purchase the Evergreen Restaurant on Mahoning Street, make additions to the one-story framed building and rename it the Central Hotel and Restaurant. J. G. Bennis put a second story to the hotel in March 1889 that was announced as adding “...to the architectural beauty of that
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interests in the local buildings to his brother and move with his family to Osceola Mills, where he leased a hotel. In 1897, he joined a number of young men in the Klondike gold fields of Alaska, where he would establish a business. His Central Hotel in Punxsutawney was sold, remodeled and occupied by a hardware store and a green grocer, selling fruits, vegetables and candies. The Bennis Hotel on North Findley Street would be purchased by Tony Annarino in 1919 and would be operated as the Annarino Hotel until 1947. Annarino had operated a grocery store on North Findley Street,
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 7
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8 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
Early Hotels
The Bennis Hotel, later the Annarino Hotel, would become the Findley Hotel in 1947, a hotel and cocktail lounge that many readers will remember in town. The Findley was destroyed by fire in December 1971. The Bennis Building of 1908, which became the Gleckler Hotel in 1918, would become the Punxsutawney Hotel in the 1940s when it was purchased and remodeled by Pittsburgh men Jack Grossman and Richard Blatt. Residents more familiarly know it as “the Punxs’y Hotel” today. The Central Hotel of J. G. Bennis was located on East Mahoning Street in the area that many local residents will remember was where the Punxsutawney Hardware and Punxsutawney National Bank were in business. The property is now part of the McDonalds lot. With the town’s progress from village to
continued from previous page delivering his fruit and vegetables by wagon to area mining towns. His store and residence were destroyed by fire in 1903. That section of the street was rebuilt in 1904-05. The Annarino family lived from 19031919 across the railroad tracks on North Findley Street in a building opposite the old North Hotel, “on the road to the Fair grounds.” John K. North came to the Punxsutawney area with his family in 1852. At age 24, he was a miller in the Jenks Mill along Elk Run and by the 1870s he was operating a hotel in town. In 1882, he became owner of the St. James Hotel along West Mahoning Street, opposite what was then the old Methodist Church and is now the location of the Salvation Army building. The hotel was originally built by Isaac P. Covert as the Globe Hotel in the 1860s and was run By 1889, with Punxsutawney’s population at 2750, there were nine hotels to serve as another temper- the traveling public. The North House, built in 1888, was along the railroad tracks ance house. on North Findley Street. It was used as a storage building for the Lauderbach John K. North wholesale grocers until they built the four-story brick building there along Cherry built his North Street. House in early small city, there were recorded nine hotels 1888, along the B. R. & P railroad tracks by 1889, including the addition of the East and also near the train station. When Mr. End section. In 1893, thirteen hotels would North became ill in 1906 and retired, the be listed in a Punx’y business directory. house was sold to Lauderbach-Barber & After the incorporation of Clayville into Co., wholesale grocers in Punx’y. After rePunxsutawney in 1907, three additional homodeling, the building was used for storage tels would be counted. purposes until Lauderbach demolished it, Another article will complete the history and began construction of a four-story brick of the many hotels that provided lodging for building that is still in use today. The impeople coming to a changing town. mense structure fronts North Findley Street ••• and runs along Cherry Street.
Punx’y Concert Association Begins Membership Drive
T
he Punxsutawney Concert Association has begun its subscription campaign for the 2009-2010-concert season. The new concert season will offer subscription members the following program: • Tenor Daniel Rodriguez, known as “The Singing Policeman” since the September 11, 2001 American tragedy, will apDaniel Rodriguez pear in October to start the new concert series; • In early December classical Russian pianist Rudolf Budginas will present his energetic show “You, Me & the Piano.” • Scheduled in March of 2010 will be an ensemble of Contemporary Latin American musicians, named “Nube.” • The season will end in April 2010 with the group “Nearly Neil & the Solitary Band.” Their show is a tribute to the music of vocalist Neil Diamond, led by Bobby Bruce who Rudolph Budginas has won acclaim for his impersonation of Diamond. Two of the visiting performing groups, Rudolf Budginas and “Nube,” will provide a “bonus” to the local association with daytime outreach performances to young people in the local school district. The efforts of the Concert Association to bring a wide range of enriching music and stage experiences to community life for area residents has been a tradition in Punxsutawney since the late 1930s.
groups that will be diversified in style and appeal. Categories include Adult, Friend, Patron, Benefactor, Donor and Angel. An annual Adult Membership subscription received before June 1 will remain the same as last year, at $35, but will increase to $40 after that date.
With a greater emphasis to families and family groups, to help them afford and enjoy a concert experience in Punx’y, and to add more value to an Adult season Nearly Neil & The Solitary Band membership, the association offers for the new season form. For more information contact Bessie free admission for students when accompanied by an adult family member. An an- Depp, subscription chairperson, at 938nual subscription membership in Punx’y 5333. Subscription brochures/applications also entitles the ticket holder to concerts in are available at the concert campaign headDuBois, Clearfield, Lewistown, and quarters at the Pantall Hotel lobby desk, in Franklin and Oil City in Venango County downtown Punxsutawney. ••• where other musical and stage artists per-
Nube
“As a result of the support by subscribers of past years, the board of the Concert Association was excited to book four exceptional vocalists and instrumentalists for the 2009-2010 season. For many years our resources would guarantee three concerts per year. For the upcoming year, we are prepared to reward our faithful with an exciting fourth concert, “ announced Bessie Depp, Subscription Chairman for the Punxsutawney Concert Association. Membership support is available in various categories to underwrite the expenses for a season of talented individuals and
TO ASSURE SUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF SALE ITEMS, WE MUST RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT TO UNITS THE PURCHASE OF SALE ITEMS EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE NOTED. NONE SOLD TO DEALERS OR WHOLESALERS. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PICTORIAL OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. ARTWORK IS FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY. 4/26 PUNXY pg 1 K2 C2 M2 Y2
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 9
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 11
JCARC Run, Walk Event Sets Donation Record
T
he annual “Run or Walk for Someone Special” held on April 5 in Sykesville was the most successful event in the thirty-year history of the fundraiser. Even with a down economy, local citizens in Jefferson County, Dubois and surrounding areas showed that even in hard times, they have big hearts as they donated over $38,000. The event not only had the most money raised ever, but it had over 300 people of
all ages participating to make this annual event the best ever. All money raised will be used to support Camp Friendship, primarily to offer their summer camp programs that provide services for children and adults from Jefferson County and the DuBois area with disabilities. This years top group collectors were: Jefferson County ARC Adult Recreation and Socialization Program with $7,013; Punxsutawney Area School District (Mapleview
Elementary being the l e a d i n g school) with $6,682; Curves of Punx’y and E r i n C a m e r o n ’s Group Daycare both over $1500, and the Cuba Pat Mowrey and Pirate Parrot Family with over $800. The top individuals were Josh Golembiowski, Jennifer Roberts, Mike Tattersall, Linda Lyons, Ken Smith, Julie Hoover, Madysen Ewing, Maisie Eberhart, Howard Snyder, and Cole Witherite. •••
A Little Bit of Home
Pattie LeCompte (caregiver), Caroline Means and Dorothy Mohney (guests), and Connie Sunderland (owner).
A
getting ready for spring By debbie arrington Sacramento Bee pring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden is really hungry. Feed shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost. Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron. Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom. Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground. Get a flashlight and go snail and slug
S
Pastor Rick Butler visits with Caroline Means.
t some time in your life, you may have to search for a personal care home for yourself or your loved one.
Personal care homes are much needed and there is a growing demand for their services in our community and neighboring towns. We operate a 30-bed personal care home, Sunrose Manor, down the road in Cherry Tree. Connie has grown from caregiver to administrator and knows first hand what some homes lack because of a large volume of patients. Our residents at Sunderlands in Punxsutawney are treated as a guest, because our home provides 24-hour care for three who need minimal assistance. We provide a personal touch by being selective in making sure we can meet their individual needs. In addition, we offer affordable rates while ensuring excellent care. You are invited to stop in and visit and meet our guests. Should you have any questions, please call Connie, 618-5160.
Sunderland’s Ira and Connie wish to thank the community and the families for their support and entrusting us to care for them, and/or their loved ones.
Centrally located in Punxsutawney close to park and entities in town
12 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
Michele Whitesell, (caregiver) serves tea to Betty London (respite guest)
814-618-5160 (local call)
hunting. The little munchers come out in force about an hour after dark. Brown snails are capable of eating 30 to 40 times their body weight in a single night. Pick them off plants and destroy them. Dropping them in a jar of water with a little vinegar or salt will do the trick. You can also create barriers around their favorite entrees. Snails and slugs hate wood ashes, crushed oyster shells (available from feed stores), crushed eggshells, crushed rock, oak-leaf mulch, seaweed mulch, diatomaceous earth, sawdust, lime, short hair clippings, powdered ginger, bran and ammonium sulfate. For the best protection, make your barrier strip 3 inches wide. Powder barriers such as ash need to be replenished after a rain. Copper strips also make effective snail barriers, particularly around the trunks of citrus trees. In the home: Spring-cleaning time is here. Baking soda is a great, inexpensive, Earthfriendly cleaner. Besides helping baked goods rise, here are some of its other uses, courtesy of Arm & Hammer: -- Deodorize refrigerators, freezers, drains and garbage disposals. To deodor- Continued on page 22
was furnished by the itenerant (sic) Italians, who have been discoursing to the populace for sometime. These sons of sunny Italy never fail to start some portion of every community to do dancing, and Clayville people yielded at sight this time. (Punxsutawney Spirit) •••
year-round service (Editor’s Note: ‘From Our Past,’ researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.)
Darlene Stuchell
Rails to Trails Work Day The Mahoning Shadow clean up and work day is scheduled for Saturday, April 25. Volunteers to help with the workday are invited to meet in the Punx’y Area Community Center parking lot on 9 a.m. for work assignments.
TAX PRACTITIONER
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April 1, 1869 — THE FRESHET. During the latter part of last week our lumbermen were busily engaged in preparing and starting their lumber to market on the waters of the Mahoning. Almost one-half of the lumber in this region was ready for running, and the freshet continuing from Friday until the present writing (Wednesday), with fair prospects for more water, has made this a very busy place for the past few days. We learn that the prospects of our lumber merchants are good; that the price paid in market will be remunerative, and that dollars will not be like the Irishman’s potatoes - “few and far between” - after the return of our lumbermen. (Punxsutawney Plaindealer) April 19, 1905 — A number of persons in Punxsutawney, who are not as young as they used to be, are taking dancing lessons, and are most persistent and enthusiastic students. Dancing where it is not engaged in as a business, but only as a side issue to callings necessitating a sedentant (sic) life, is excellent recreation. It not only makes a man forget his troubles for the time being, while wrestling with his own feet and walking on other people’s corns, but it is better than podophyllin for the liver. (Punxsutawney Spirit) (Note: podophyllin was a bitter cleansing medicine made from the root of the May apple.) April 13, 1887 — Punxsutawney experienced her first visit from the Walston coke smoke last Monday. It hung around the town all day and evening and had a very disagreeable taste. (Valley News) April 20, 1892 — There is a settlement in this county that enjoys the ethereal name of Paradise. We learned the other day that the early settlers gave the place the name it bears on account of the great variety of wild flowers that grew in that locality. It is said that in the spring and summer the woods were gorgeous with variegated colors, and that even now, years after the hand of man had turned the forests into fields and the country cut up into farms, there is not other spot in Jefferson county where grow such a variety of beautiful wild flowers. (Punxsutawney News) April 28, 1897 — An enjoyable dance occurred in the municipal hall, at Clayville, on Monday night. About twenty couples participated. The music
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 13
Beginnings of the ‘Boom’
How Coal Fueled the Expansion of Punxsutawney By pRide for Hometown magazine oal shaped the social and economic development of Punxsutawney. From small diggings in the 1820s to the height of the boom in the decades between 1890 and 1910, to the closing of many of the mines between 1940 and 1950, coal was the dominant force shaping the community. Coal forced a real estate boom, as speculators purchased large tracts of unseated lands then found ways to purchase coal rights from landowners. It demanded transportation systems to export the coal. It forced a housing boom as towns were built on the hills, near where mines were opened and in existing towns where people came to start businesses supporting the increased population. It forced a rapid expansion of finance and commerce, and most of all, it created thousands of jobs. The boom began in the 1860s and lasted nearly 100 years. Coal was a latent resource that could have remained in the hills of rural Jefferson County for centuries. However, coal was needed to fuel the industrial revolution. Turning coal from “rocks” into power took visionaries who saw the potential, government that enabled development, capitalists who invested in building the necessary infrastructure, laborers who mined the coal, baked the coke and worked on the railroads, and astute businessmen created markets to profit from coal. W.J. McKnight, M.D., in his Pioneer Outline History of Northwestern Pennsylvania published in 1905 provides a chronology of the early use of coal in Jefferson County. According to McKnight, the first record of coal being used in Jefferson County was by blacksmiths. As early as 1825, John Fuller was using “stone coal” to work his forge near where Reynoldsville is now located. He would pick up coal in the creek and haul it back to his shop in a pung pulled by an ox and a cow. The first known coal miner in Jefferson County was Charles Anderson. He lived in Brookville and opened his mine about 1832, on what was then the Joseph Clement farm. He stripped the earth from a vein of stone coal which was about two feet thick and dug it “fine.” He transported it in a one-horse wagon and sold it in quantities of peck, halfbushel and bushel to households with grates in Brookville. He charged twelve and a half cents for a bushel and three cents for a peck. Around 1834 or 1835, Obed Morris and John Hutchinson opened a mine in Young Township. They sold coal to blacksmiths and a few households which had grates. Most of the early mines were worked primarily by families. In Winslow Township around 1849, Woodward and Thomas Reynolds opened a mine and sold coal in the Reynoldsville area. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was interested in developing the area’s natural resources and commissioned J. Peter Lesley to complete the First Geological Survey of the state. The survey was the first systematic study of the geological structures in the state and brought to the attention of the public the nature of the resources underlying Pennsylvania’s forests and farms. The results of the survey sparked interest in de-
C
Above is a section of Winslow Township from the 1866 Pomeroy Map which identifies coal veins and coal lands.
veloping these resources. Transportation was an essential component to the development of coal, just as it had been an essential requirement in the development of the lumbering industry. Where the lumbering industry used the existing waterways to transport lumber to market, coal would require transportation overland. Beginning in 1825, the Commonwealth developed a policy to improve communications in Pennsylvania. At that
bAiLeY’S GArAGe
time, the meaning of communications was transportation of mail and goods which were essential to economic development. With the invention of the steam engine, railroads were replacing horse-drawn stages and wagons as a means of transporting mail and goods. An 1857 map of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania found in the Library of Congress, created by D.C. Gillespie, a dealer in real estate at Brookville, shows plans for two
14 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
- Continued on page 16
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railroads which would cross the county: The Allegheny Valley Railroad and the Mahoning and Susquehanna Railroad. These railroads were strategically located to take advantage of the grade and to minimize the cost of construction. The first would enter the county on the east above Brockwayville and follow the valleys of the Little Toby, Sandy Lick and Redbank creeks to Clarion County. The second would enter the county
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 15
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Speed and Sport Cycle Center Rt. 436 • 430 S. Main St., Punx’y • 938-8780 or 938-6952 SALES • PARTS • SERVICE Cylinder Boring • PA State Inspection *$1000 Customer Cash offer good on select 2008 models between 3/27/09 and 6/26/09. **On approved Yamaha card purchases made between 2/1/09 and 6/26/09. Valid on any new Yamaha Motorcycle and ATV. 9.99% APR and $59 (purchase between $4,301 and $6,500), $69 ($6,501 and $7,700), $89 ($7,701 and $10,000) payment for 24 months. The minimum monthly payment may increase due to any debt cancellation or late payment fees. Paying only this amount will not pay off the purchase during this period. Thereafter, the regular Minimum Monthly Payment and Standard Rate APR of 12.99%, 16.99%, 18.99% or 22.99% apply. For Accounts not current, the promotion is cancelled and regular Minimum Monthly Payments and the Default Rate 28.99% APR apply. Minimum Finance Charge $1. Certain rules apply to the allocation of payments and Finance Charges on your promotional purchase if you make more than one purchase on your Yamaha Card. Call 1-888-3674310 or review your cardholder agreement for information. Professional riders with advanced skills on closed course. Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, gloves and boots. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. • ATVs with engine sizes of 90cc or greater are recommended for use only by riders age 16 years and older. Yamaha recommends that all ATV riders take an approved training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always avoid paved surfaces. Never ride on public roads. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing; never carry passengers; never engage in stunt riding; riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix; avoid excessive speed; and be particularly careful on difficult terrain. ©2009 Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. Cypress, CA 90630. yamaha-motor.com
16 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
A section of the 1878 Winslow Township Map from the Caldwell’s Atlas showing the speculation by mining companies.
Coal Expansion continued from page 14
on the east near where Falls Creek is located and follow the waters of Stump Creek and Mahoning Creek to Armstrong County. The goal was to have railroads provide access to the huge coal deposits in the area and to operate as cheaply as possible. In 1863, a company was organized in Jefferson County for the purpose of surveying the natural resources of iron ore, limestone, fire clay and coal. This company raised $3,000 of private money to underwrite the Jefferson County portion of a geological report, which would be used to attract investors to develop the resources. This geological survey of 1864 was of the Brockway, Reynoldsville and Punxsutawney regions and documented the coal resources in the area. The result of this survey can be seen on the Jefferson County map produced in 1866 by A. Pomeroy of Philadelphia, which shows coal banks and coal veins, with their depths noted. This map also shows a proposed railroad line of the Western Central Railroad through Jefferson
DEL
County. The competition within the county between the Redbank Valley and the Mahoning Valley for the location of the railroads was keen. The April 20th, 1868 issue of the Punxsutawney Plaindealer reported the following: “The Philadelphia Telegraph says ‘another important new enterprise in contemplation is the construction of a cheap freight railway, which, by crossing the Alleghany mountains at the lowest practicable grade, will, in combination with the Philadelphia and Erie railway, and the western portion of the Pennsylvania railway, transport bulky articles between the East and West at rates far lower than those attainable under the present railway system. Engineers are now at work making the necessary surveys, and the time cannot be far distant when this project will be crowned with success.’ We do not know what railway project the Telegraph refers to: but of one thing we are certain, that the best route by which the Allegheny mountains can be crossed at ‘the lowest practicable grade’ is the one passing through this place which has already been - Continued on page 18
• developers and producers of natural gas • developers of commercial and residential real estate for lease and purchase
d.E. LIMITEd FaMILY PaRTnERSHIP 1406 N. main St., punx’y
814-938-0800
re-eLeCt
Bernard P.
SnYder
The Chamber of Commerce reminds the public that Punxsutawney Area Gift Certificates are still redeemable at local merchants. Despite the recent declaration of bankruptcy by CertifiChecks, Inc. (the company that administered the program), gift certificates purchased through the Chamber in 2008 and 2009 are still valid and can be used at any of nearly 100 local merchants. The certificates must be redeemed before the end of February 2010. The Chamber board recently approved the development of a new gift certificate program, which the Chamber hopes to debut in early October of this year. If you have any questions about the certificates, please call 938-7700 x2. Upcoming events: n Legislative Lunch with Congressman Thompson - On Friday, May 8, the Chamber will host Congressman Glenn Thompson at a buffet luncheon at the Punxsutawney Country Club beginning at noon. The cost to attend is $15. Reservations are not necessary. Come meet and ask questions of our new congressman. The public is invited. n Spring Chamber Mixer - On Thursday, May 14, all Chamber members and businesses who are thinking of joining the Chamber are invited to a mixer being hosted by IUP-Punxsutawney on campus in the cafeteria of the student living center. The mixer will run from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be available and Dean Valarie Trimarchi will give an update on campus activities, the Fairman Centre, and plans for the future. Plan to attend! n Community Education Series - Mulberry Square is pleased to announce another informative session in our series. Ruth Sulkosky, RN, BSN, and Tom Mundorff, LPTA, from Indiana Regional Medical Center will be presenting on “Osteoarthritis and Joint Replacement" on Friday, May 1 at 10 a.m. at Mulberry Square, located at 411 1/2 West Mahoning Street, Punxsutawney. This presentation is open to the public and is free of charge. Refreshments will be provided. n A Day in May Spring Happening will be held Saturday, May 2 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in downtown Punxsutawney. Downtown merchants invite you to enjoy arts and entertainment on the sidewalks, with specials and more in stores. At 10:30 a.m.on South Findley Street, Van Dyke & Company dancers will perform a traditional rite of spring, the Maypole Dance. At 11 a.m., a swing dance lesson will be offered in the Van Dyke & Company studio, second floor, 101 E. Mahoning Street. Don't just sit and tap your toes at your next wedding or special occasion take this free lesson and get up and dance. From 10a.m. to 2 p.m. take in the Gypsy Jazz sound of Minor Swing Quartet, an
area band which lists as inspiration Django Reinhardt and the legendary Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Come downtown, enjoy the entertainment and see what your downtown merchants have to offer. Artists are invited to set up to demonstrate, show, and/or sell. If interested, please call Rebecca at 591-0327. n Multiphasic Blood Screening hosted annually by the Punxsutawney Rotary Club will be Saturday, April 25 and Saturday, May 2 from 6 - 10 a.m. each day. For more information and to register, visit www.punxsyrotary.com. You can also register by leaving a message at 814-9383477. n Punx’y Saddle Club Open Warm Up Show - Saturday, May 9 beginning at 10 a.m., rain or shine. Cost is $12 ride all day or $3 per class. Ribbons awarded to six places, but no payback. For more information on this show and others, visit www.punxysaddleclub.com. n Coppelia - Van Dyke and Company and The Mahoning Valley Ballet will present a full-length ballet in two acts on Friday, May 22, 2009 at the Punxsutawney High School. Tickets available at the door. For more information, contact Joan E. Van Dyke at 814-938-8517. n Inaugural Punx’y Phil Fighters 5K Run/1-Mile Walk - The Punx’y Phil Fighters is a nonprofit organization that was created in honor of Lexi Zanaglio. Lexi is a nine-year-old girl from Punx’y who has Type 1 diabetes. All proceeds from the event go to the American Diabetes Association. The event will be held on Saturday, May 30. Registration begins at 10 a.m., with the race to begin at 11 a.m. The event will take place on the Mahoning Shadow Trail behind Prushnok Drive. Please contact race director Kelly Ferrent at 814-938-0495 to pre-register. n 2009 Community Events Requested If your group or organization is planning an event for this year, please submit the information to www.punxsutawney.com/calendar for publication on the calendar of events. Not only does the calendar serve as a listing of what's going on in the community for visitors and residents alike, but it also serves as a planning tool. Groups can check it to see what's already scheduled before deciding on an event date. Information can be submitted to the calendar at any time. If you don't have internet access, the information can be dropped off at the Chamber office. Be sure to include a contact telephone number. For updates, check: www.punxsutawney.com/calendar. ••• We put your business in every home in the Punx’y area. Hometown magazine
Paid for by the Candidate.
COrOner of Jefferson County Re-Elect
Larry chenoga for Punxsutawney Borough council Paid for by the candidate.
RE-ELECT Susan L. Mitchell Punxsutawney Borough Tax Collector 8 years Proven Honest • Efficient Meticulous • Friendly Paid for by the candidate.
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 17
Views from the Past
The familiar look of the G. C. Murphy store (c. 1930s) was originally the Eberhart Department Store beginning in 1902. It nows bears a new look, a new purpose and a new name-The Fairman Centre. (Photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society.)
rUnnerS WAnTeD Cresson Area Heritage Days
Sunday May 17, 2009
October 3 & 4 2009
The illustrated history book by Bill Anderson, Hometown publisher and Groundhog Scribe available for $5.95 at:
Hometown Magazine Office
A Family Coal-Mine - A Pittsburgh Sketch. Originally published in a magazine, Every Saturday, March 11, 1871 issue, illustrates an era when coal was primarily mined by families for home use.
Coal Expansion continued from page 16
pronounced by eminent civil engineers to be the most practicable, easiest and cheapest route for a railroad from Pittsburgh to the East and aside from all these considerations it would be a paying road locally as it would pass through a section of the country which is rich in resources of the soil, the field and the forest.” In the same issue of the Plaindealer, in an article on an annual report prepared for the Winslow Colliery Company of Benezette Township, Elk County, an engineer named Mr. McMinn reports on the great coal fields that lie in the “Third Bituminous Basin” and gives “a full statement of mineral wealth that now slumbers in the hills of Jefferson
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Hometown Magazine P.O. Box 197, Punxsutawney, PA 15767 or look for it at local Businesses AVAIlABle AT: THe PAnTAll HOTel, PUnx’Y PHIl’S reSTAUrAnT PUnxSUTAWneY CHAMBer OF COMMerCe 18 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
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county and which will not be developed until we obtain some outlet by which they can be made available.” His report is on that portion of the coal field through which the proposed Winslow Colliery Road passes and he says, “If the three principal beds of above water level at Reynoldsville, and the three principal beds above water level at Punxsutawney, are described, there is very little to be said about the expansive lands of the interval, for the measures being almost horizontal along a line joining these two places, the beds which go in at Reynoldsville come out at Punxsutawney.” He also reported that an oil well at Punxsutawney showed the following strata: 120 feet, slate and sand rock then 4 feet of coal; at 181 feet there was an additional 2 feet of coal. “This coal is hard, lustrous and remarkably pure, yielding a large amount of pure gas, and leaving but little ashes… Every foot of coal spreading beneath a square mile contains about one million tons; hence the coal beds averaging six feet each, containing together about 30,000 tons of coal to the acre.” The competition for the railroad was intense because the return on investment would be huge and the wealth to be generated was beyond computation. Articles in the Punxsutawney Plaindealer record the intensity of the arguments as reflected in this May 6, 1869: “From all the information we can get it becomes patent to our minds that we have the shortest route by from eight to ten miles, and the lowest grade by some three to four feed; that our valley affords a firm footing, with all the conveniences necessary to build - Continued on page 20
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punxsutawney Hometown magazine p.o. Box 197, punxsutawney, pa 15767
Hours: Mon, Tues 6:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Wed, Thurs & Fri 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sat 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sun 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
ONLY ONE ENTRY PER ENVELOPE PLEASE. ONE WINNER CHOSEN AT RANDOM
All entries Contest rules: 1. No purchase necessary. Clip and complete coupon and mail to: must be Spring Giveaway, Punxsutawney Hometown magazine, P.O. Box 197, Punxsutawney, PA 15767. received 2. All entries must be received by Monday, May 4, 2009. by May 4, 3. One entry will be selected through a random drawing from all entries 2009 to be held in our Hometown office on Tuesday, May 5, 2009. 4. One of the sponsoring advertisers on this page must be listed on the coupon to be eligible for drawing. 5. By participating in the contest, all entries are subject to contest rules. 6. Winner will be announced in the May issue of Hometown magazine. 7. Enter as many times as you would like. If you do not want to cut your Hometown magazine, you may make a copy of the entry form. 8. Hometown employees and their families are not eligible for prizes.
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 19
Lukehart & Lundy
Coal Expansion continued from page 18
a road, as well as that it passes through a fertile portion of our county, and would attract the trade of all the northern counties. At Punxsutawney it would tap the great coal fields of Jefferson County, and in such a
Country Lighting • Candles Tart Warmers • Country Decor Celtic Jewelry • Celtic Supplies
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way that they could be worked to advantage, as the coal dips to the south, and in order to work them the draft must be made from the south. We have, within three miles of the town and two of the line where the road would go, two veins of coal in the same hill, each seven feet (and better coal Pennsylvania does not produce.) We have six veins within a quarter of a mile of seven feet of pure coal. As regards the iron ore, we have it in vast quantities and of superior quality. As to the great veins of Little Sandy, a road through our valley would touch that great bed. Then what is the object of the Pennsylvania Central or the Allegheny Valley Company leaving what they surely know is the better path, as it were, at least the route that has every advantage they wish to secure in building a road.” In 1874, the Bennett’s Branch Railroad
was opened to the coal fields at Reynoldsville and on through Brookville. This railroad was an extension of the Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley Railroad running from Driftwood to Red Bank through Jefferson County. Punxsutawney would not see their dream of a railroad realized until the 1880s. The next record of expansion in coal speculation is in Caldwell’s Illustrated Historical Combination Atlas of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, 1878, where the tracts of land owned by coal companies are recorded on the township maps. A second geological survey for Jefferson County was prepared by W.G. Platt and submitted to State Geologist Lesley. In the report, Platt stated that, “the years between 1870 and 1880 may be regarded as the beginning of the mining period.” The report provides a township-by-township record of the existing mines and the coal measures at that time. Subsequent articles on this topic will address the opening of the mines, the expanding population, the mechanization of the industry, and other topics. We welcome questions and comments from readers. (Editor’s Note: The resources mentioned in this article are available for further reading and viewing at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library and the Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society. This article has been prepared by PRIDE – Punxsutawney Revitalization: Investing, Developing, Enhancing. PRIDE is a nonprofit organization that brings together residents, business people, community leaders, and civic organizations to improve the business districts in Punxsutawney.) •••
Why Settle for only a couple
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 21
getting ready continued from page 12
ize, place an open box of baking soda in the fridge and/or freezer. Replace after three months, and use the used box to deodorize the drain and/or garbage disposal. Sprinkle the soda down the drain, then flush with hot water. -- Clean upholstery and carpet spills. To remove stains, make a paste out of baking soda and water (test on a hidden area first). To clean the carpet, sprinkle the soda over the rug, then vacuum. -- Polish silver flatware with a baking soda-water paste. Rinse with warm water. -- Clean your barbecue grill. Again, make a baking soda-water paste. Coat the grill. Leave for a few minutes to soften burned-on food, then remove. Rinse with warm water. -- Keep lawn furniture fresh and clean. Sprinkle with soda, then wipe with a damp cloth. Rinse clean. -- Give yourself an at-home pedicure to get your feet sandal-ready. Soak your feet in warm water with a few tablespoons of baking soda. -- Soothe irritation from insect bites. That baking soda-water paste comes in handy here, too. For more ideas and tips: www.armandhammer.com. (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.) •••
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Mother's Day tradition that can be most closely associated with the holiday many countries celebrate today is the British celebration of Mothering Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent, when it is believed apprentices were released for the weekend by their masters so they could visit family. History also suggests the celebration of Mother's Day in the United States is the work of Anna Jarvis, the daughter of a West Virginia Sunday School teacher of the same name who fought for better working conditions for women during the Civil War. Six years after the younger Jarvis first celebrated Mother's Day in Grafton, West Virginia, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother's Day in 1914. •••
22 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
53 taylor St. brookville
849-8395
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L et us help you create your perfect celebration. Call now to book your Wedding or Party for 2008!
windgate cay & dan enerSon, proprietors
Producers of award-winning, estate grown wines
Banquet Room • Private Parties Seminars • Weddings
We offer a new facility, great dining, and a professional staff committed to making your day a success.
Wine-of-the Month Tastings
814-938-8243
Now accepting applications for social and golf memberships
vinEyaRDS & WinERy
• 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)
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
ExCEptional RECEptionS Affordable Rates
tHE
Elks Lodge
No matter how big or small your wedding, we are the perfect place to host a beautiful reception for you and your guests. We have space for up to 300, who can dine, dance, and mingle. You have EVERY reason to call and book your wedding reception in our GRAND bALLROOm! 205 N. Findley
814-938-6620
Punxsutawney
To be a part of our
Hometown Bridal Pages Call 938-0312 or 938-9141 We reach every home in town & beyond!
Shick’s Cakes 858 Salem Road, Mayport, PA
Beautiful Cakes For all Occasions Cookies • Rolls Baked To Your Order
By Debbie Shick
365-5728
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 23
JeFFerSOn MAnOr HeAlTH CenTer
Specialty Care Unit
CLINICAL SPECIALTIES: • Cardiac/vascular recovery • Pulmonary management OTHER jEFFERSON • IV therapy and MANOR RELATED management SERVICES: • Surgical recovery • Alzheimer’s • Oncology care Specialty Unit • Orthopedic recovery • Hospice/Palliative Care • Stroke recovery • Short-term • Wound management Rehabilitative Care • Physical therapy • Diabetic/Wound • Speech therapy Management Care • Occupational therapy • Assisted Living • Medically complex care • Respite Care • Independent Living • Outpatient Therapy
Primary care takes too much time for too little money By lee Bowman for Hometown magazine hy is the doctor "out" for millions of Americans? Family doctors and experts say there are not enough primary care doctors for two main reasons: time and money. Despite widespread calls for each Ameri-
W
they were pursuing primary care, especially when they graduate with an average debt of $140,000. Physician dissatisfaction with primary care is high. The Physicians Foundation found that most family docs are unhappy with their long hours, high patient loads and relatively low pay. Few would recommend their field to new doctors, and only - Continued on next page
dr. nathan c.
Stebbins
full SerVice optical & complete line of contact lenS optionS
Comprehensive eye Care • Special needs patients
417 Rt. 28 North of Brookville • Exit 81, I-80 • 814-849-8026 Caring for you...today, tomorrow and always
aging serviCes, inC
1005 Oak street, P.O. box 519, indiana, Pa 15701 additiOnaL serviCes avaiLabLe sOCiaL Centers serving yOu • Adult Day Care • Apprise Benefits Counseling Chestnut Hills ..........(724) 459-5251 • Caregiver Support • Care Management Indiana Center ........(724) 465-2697 • Exercise & Health Promotions Mahoning Hills ........(724) 286-3099 • Home Delivered Meals • Ombudsman Saltsburg Center ....(724) 639-9055 • Telephone Reassurance • Protective Services Two Lick Center ......(724) 254-9820 • Senior Employment Program • Transportation LOOKING for a job? Are you 55 or older? OUR SENIOR EmpLOYmENT pROGRAm helps to bridge the gap between the older worker and employer. If you are at least 55 years of age and desire to work part or full time, or if you are an employer looking for a seasoned mature worker, call today and ask for our SENIOR EmpLOYmENT COORDINATOR. You’ll be glad you did!
Questions on any of these programs?
Call (724) 349-4500 or 1-800-442-8016
• ocular disease • emergencies • Home Visits
can to have a primary care doctor, neither government programs like Medicare and Medicaid nor private insurance generally pays doctors for quarterbacking patient care, or pay for visits addressing multiple medical issues. Family doctors, pediatricians and general practitioners end up being paid less, because the reimbursement system assumes what they do is less complex than specialists. With an aging population of patients, at least half with one or more chronic conditions and a growing list of recommended preventive care, good primary care takes a lot of time, both from the doctor and support staff. Yet primary care doctors often earn $150,000 or less a year, about half as much as specialists. Not surprisingly, only about 7 percent of medical students in a recent survey said
• we Specialize in diseases of the eye and pediatrics • ownership and entire Staff lives in punxsutawney • all of our Staff are required to maintain training as certified paraoptometrics
eye care physician & consultant to many local Skilled nursing facilities and elderly care Homes mon., tues., wed. & fri. 8 to 5; thur. 8 to noon wed. evening & Sat. by appt.
most insurances accepted
814-938-5920
Make a bigger splash this summer. Prepare for shorts and bathing suit weather NOW. We are the solution to the discomfort, swelling and embarrassing appearance of varicose veins that doesn’t involve painful vein stripping. varicose veins are not always a cosmetic issue. There is a solution that is covered by most medical insurance providers. the vNUS Closure® procedure is a clinically proven, minimally invasive, treatment for varicose veins and their underlying cause, venous reflux.
We Specialize in Vein Health!
Minimally invasive Office Procedures: vein closure • Spider vein injections • varicose vein removal Also: Surgical vein procedures
24 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
1265 Wayne Ave., Suite 106, Indiana • 724-349-6677 Yeshwant G. Phadke, M.D., F.A.C.S. Board Certified General Surgeon
S. findley St. punX’y
FREE VARICOSE SCREENING EVENT - PREMIER VEIN SOLUTIONS Thursday, April 30 1902 Bigler Avenue, Northern Cambria Register today by calling 724-349-6677 Brought to you by Yeshwant Phadke, M.D.
Primary care continued from previous page 40 percent would choose their career path again if they could do it over. "It's the tyranny of the 15-minute visit. You come into your practice in the morning and you see you have 12 to 15 15minute visits in the morning and another 12 to 15 15-minute visits in the afternoon, and you know you can't do it all in 15 minutes,'' said Dr. Thomas Bodenheimer, a primary care expert at the University of CaliforniaSan Francisco. The impacts are widespread: - Many busy offices are trying to keep up
Did You Know? According to the American Cancer Society, between 1997 and 2004, the percentage of adults who smoke decreased from 27.6% to 23.4% in men and from 22.1% to 18.5% in women. In the past two years these rates remained essentially unchanged at 23.9% in men and 18.0% in women in 2006. Currently, an estimated 80.1% of smokers smoke cigarettes daily. Regarding tobacco use among high school students, as of 2005 the highest percentage of smokers is found in South Dakota, and the lowest in Utah. •••
with patient demand by hiring physician assistants or nurse practitioners to handle appointments. - Some, frustrated by no-shows and unrealistic scheduling, have abandoned appointments entirely, just letting patients walk in first come, first served. - Family medicine is aging. A third of family physicians are 55 and older, and many are winding down their practices. - The Physicians Foundation survey found that 49 percent of primary care doctors said they expect to reduce the number of patients they see, or stop practicing entirely, within the next three years. - Family medicine is feminizing. The majority of new primary care doctors are women -- a third of the total and soon to be two thirds. Female doctors are more likely to seek limited work hours or part-time practices to accommodate their children. - Many younger doctors, male and female, reject a lifestyle that requires working 60 to 80 hours a week and being on-call. "There's a lot of demoralized people in the trenches, and a lot of young doctors are wondering if they want to go into primary care or stay in it,'' said Dr. Ted Epperly, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "A lot of them are choosing more lucrative, less demanding paths in and out of medicine." (E-mail Lee Bowman at bowmanl@shns.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com) •••
Serving the Community.
JEFFErSON CArDIOVASCuLAr INSTITuTE Samir Shah M.D. F.A.C.C. 93 Pickering St., Brookville, PA 15825
814-849-4076
pUNXSUTAWNEY mEDICAL ASSOCIATES Joseph J. Kernich, M.D. Jay E. Elder, M.D. Lisa Witherite-Rieg, D.O. Dawn Cekovsky, PA-C Evan Kennedy, PA-C
• ECP Therapy • Nuclear Stress Testing • Varicose Vein Laser • Cardiovascular Problems • Noninvasive In Office Procedures
Medical Arts Building, Punx’y
938-3310
residential Living
Village View...814-375-3941
Assisted Living
DuBois Village...814-375-5483
residential Living
DuBois Nursing Home...814-375-9100
www.duboisccci.com
CCRC Member
DCCCI subscribes to a nondiscrimination policy.
Look What's Cooking at Ridgeview Let us help you return to the "sweet" life!
(front row) Short-term rehabbers, Shirley Snyder and Elva Barrett (back) Candy Doughty, COTA/L; Nicole Cieslewicz, OTR/L
Providing comprehensive Physical, Occupational & Speech therapy services.
Ridgeview
ELDER CARE REHABILITATION CENTER A Guardian Facility “Experience The Difference That Is Ridgeview” Call Joan at 814-236-0600 30 4th Avenue, Curwensville, PA • www.ridgevieweldercare.com Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 25
local Motorcycle group at Dubois Mall Show May 3 By tracey young of Hometown magazine
T
he beautiful days and warm weather are upon us. It's that time of year when we're all itching to get outside and do fun things like gardening, playing ball, swimming, hiking, and motorcycling.
become part of the group. They believe in wearing helmets and NOT drinking alcohol when riding. The local chapter of GWRRA is also active in raising money for different organizations such as JCARC, Camp Friendship, Toys for Tots, local food pantries and others. GWRRA will teach motorcycle awareness to any organization or group interested in
• 24 gross HP, 3-cylinder liquid cooled diesel engine • Category 1, 3-point hitch w/positive position control • Shift-On-The-Go® range control • 540 rear/2100 mid independent PTO • Priced w/turf, industrial or bar tires
W.c. cRytzeR eQuipMent, inc. 2030 Shelly Dr. Indiana, PA 15701 (724) 463-1030
123 Crytzer Rd. Kittanning, PA 16201 (724) 543-2441
* See dealer for details.
Attachments sold separately
3-yeaR / 2000 HouR liMited poWeRtRain WaRRanty
Bob’s
Spring Gobbler Specials Don’t Forget to Sign Up For Bob’s Spring Gobbler Contest. Deadline April 24, 9:00 p.m. Any Junior Hunter participating in the early Junior Hunt must be registered by April 17th
535 Mossy oak or $ realtree camo Turkey Gun
now only
31999
#45215 & #45220 12 ga. 3 1/2” Chamber, 22” Barrel
TURkEy loADS AMMUnITIOn
Recently I met with some interesting people who belong to a local group in the Jefferson County Area. These people are motorcycle riders. They are known as the Gold Wing Road Riders Assocation (GWRRA), which is a non-profit organization. The group was founded in 1977 in the state of Arizona. They now have over 80,000 members in 50 states and 58 countries around the world. Pennsylvania has 24 chapters. The people I spoke with belong to the local Reynoldsville chapter, which was founded in 1986. The group has approximately 110 members from the areas of Reynoldsville, Punxsutawney, Dubois, New Bethlehem, Clarion, Leeper, Brookville and Mahaffey. These riders include a lot of men, women and business people from the area. They call themselves "Wings Of The Wilds", because they feel they are “one with the earth” when they ride. Their motto is "Friends for fun, safety, and knowledge." Any type of motorcyclist is welcome to
learning more about motorcyclists, which include such things as how to ride; what to do when you are a passenger on the bike; plus what motorists need to know about the motorcyclist. GWRRA holds a monthly gathering that is open to any motorcyclist interested in riding with the group. The group itself takes small rides such as taking a ride for a bite of ice cream, or a ten-day trip to somewhere for vacationing, and it's all in fun. The group meets at Plyler's Restaurant in Brookville at 6 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month. There will be a show at the DuBois Mall Sunday, May 3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in which GWRRA will hold a Bake Sale with all the proceeds going to JCARC. Those attending will be able to see motorcycles, pop-up campers, trailers, and sidecars. There will also be someone present from the group to answer any questions you may have. If you have any other questions about the group, you can contact Tom Conner of Punxsutawney, who is the chapter director, at 814-938-5958. • • •
WhItE’S
Affordable, Well-built modular & Sectional Homes
Variety Store
by Redman, Victorian & muncy
10 ga. 3 1/2” ....................$16.99 12 ga. 3 1/2” ....................$16.99 12 ga. 3” ..........................$13.99 12 ga. 2 3/4” ....................$11.99 Hours: Mon. 9-8; Fri. 9-9; Tues., Wed. Thurs. & Sat. 9-5; Closed Sun.
814-765-4652 or 800-838-2627 (BoBS) Downtown Clearfield, pA • www.bobsarmynavy.com
NEW FOR SPRING! • Hips Waders - Breathable, neoprene, Sizes for the Whole Family! • Wading Shoes • Full Line Carhartt dealer
(724) 465-8241 • Mon-Fri 9-7; Sat 9-2 1845 Philadelphia St., Indiana
26 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
• Mobile Homes • Sectional Homes • Modular Homes
STAKE HOmES and RV’s Old Rt. 119, Homer City
(724) 479-2939 in Business Since 1955 • indiana’s oldest Home & RV dealer!
bIG “the RUN CARpET Store For Your Floors” Looking for that hard to find wallpaper?
bIG RUN CARpET HAS IT...
Stop in and see all the different types and styles we have available.
You are sure SAvINgS to find something you like. Up TO 70% 202 Thompson St., Big Run Mon., Wed., Fri. 9-5 • Tues. & Thurs. 9-7 Sat. 9-1 • Evening by Appt. (814) 427-2041 •
Jake’s Tool & Equipment Rental Don’t buy it. Rent it.
Skid SteerS, ChipperS, rOtO tiLLerS, LOG SpLitterS, SCiSSOr LiFtS, jACkhAMMerS, brAke, nAiLerS, COMpACtOrS, rOCkhOund & MuCh MOre.
Bells Mills Gas showers you with Lots of Hot Water... Propane gives you up to three times as much hot water as an electric hot water heater of the same size. Switch to Bells Mills Gas today and save $$$$$. Call today and talk with Mark about our new customer specials at (814) 938-9170 or 1-800-513-9170.
greenhouse Now Open
“CAnDy” onion Plants, Seed Potatoes, onion Sets, Bedding and vegetable Plants, Hanging Baskets woodbark Mulch, Gravel, river rock, delivery Available Dealer-Core Bit, Diamond & Abrasive Blades 9 Miles North of Punx’y on Rt. 310
814-653-8791 or 814-553-2877
1230 Rt. 119 • Punxsutawney, PA 15767
‘It was like a misty cloud, boiling all the way. It looked about 100-feet high.’
The Big Run Tornado By Bill anderson of Hometown Magazine
I
t was a typical mid-summer day in Big Run. Residents were out during the warm afternoon tending to their lawns and gardens or visiting with neighbors. Later — on that Sunday, July 11, 1976, afternoon — a dark, heavy cloudbank appeared above the horizon and gradually stretched over the sky, giving indications of showers that would disrupt the pleasant activities. It soon became obvious that the approaching clouds were not an indication of any average thunderstorm and that something exceptional was about to burst upon the place. While no twister striking Big Run had ever been recorded, those outside witnessing the brewing storm soon realized a tornado was forthcoming. “It was a low whistling wind that came in from the hollow,” 84-year-old resident Albert Mitchell said of the storm at the time. “We were sitting on our front porch and we saw it coming. I told mom to get in the house. We just did in time.” The Mitchell house was located directly across from the Bowser Trailer Court. Bob Wingert, then Big Run Police Chief, also saw the storm approaching. “It was like a misty cloud boiling all the
way. It looked about 100-feet high before we went inside.” Wingert immediately took his family to the safety of his home’s cellar. First wind and rain, then a perfect tornado swept through Big Run, cutting a 100-foot swath. It seemed that the devastation it wrecked across the community was selective, picking its victims and crushing some objects while leaving others unscathed. Its path was marked by death and destruction. It knocked down and twisted off trees before it honed in on the Bowser Trailer Court, where it obliterated everything in its path. The twister destroyed four trailers in the court, including two that were occupied by residents that afternoon, blowing and scattering them along with other debris across a two-mile area. The strong winds lifted an occupant in one of the trailers and hurled her 100 feet across the road, into the lawn of a neighbor. She died from her injuries. Hailstones measuring two inches in diameter assailed the town. Fire companies from Big Run, Punx’y and Sykesville worked to clear the rubble caused by the storm. The tornado was — or was one of many — that hit throughout Jefferson County that afternoon. •••
Stop in or call for our lowest prices EVER!
best
100 East Main St., Big Run
814-427-2068 ©2008 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. Kawasaki ATVs with engines over 90cc are recommended for use only by persons 16 years of age or older. Kawasaki also recommends that all ATV riders take a training course. For more information, see your dealer, or call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. Warning: ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Never carry a passenger. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Never ride on public roads or pavement. Avoid excessive speeds and stunt driving. Be extra careful on difficult terrain.
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 27
Protect the ones you love.
Proud to Support Local Sports!
H&H
SUPPLY, INc.
EMERGENCY 911 Brookville
800-414-7222 Punxsutawney
814-938-4119
As a member of JCEMS you are provided with care from one of the most advanced emergency medical services in Jefferson County today.
CHECK US OUT:
STroehMann bakery outlet
route 36 Punxsutawney
814-938-9667 (office) 814-939-9415 (cell) lisamlondon@gmail.com
thrift Store
Great Buys! Super Values Every Day
938-4489
15 years experience in listing and selling residential and commercial properties,vacant land, and farms. Call me for your free market analysis!
Go teaMS! • Bread • Rolls • cakes • candy • chips • drink Mix • Much More
3 Plumbing 3 Heating 3 Electrical
LiSA LOndOn
howard hanna Allemang realty
S. Main St. Ext., Punx’y • 938-7430
Proud of our Punx’y Chucks!
Acme Machine & Welding Co.
46 Anchor Inn Rd., Punx’y • 938-6702
PAHS Spring Sports
Photos by lifetouch Photography
girls’ Track (front row, l. to r.) Hannah Smith, Kelsey Cost, Jade Dukes, Milea Schall, Shannon Byerly, Mesha Brink, Cassy Fugate; (second) Katie Lindgren, Sarah Fugate, Amanda Toven, Becky Mitchell, Alexis Bianco, Lydia Fuhs, Amber Fye; (third) Erin Butler, Timi Shiock, Stephanie Young, Nikita Martz, Danielle Knopick, Hannah Doster, Katelyn Biesinger, Tabitha Gummo; (fourth) Kali Bowers, Shannon Carpenter, Kirsten Dean, Erika Bizousky, Alissa Vite, Kayla Cameron, Dana McHenry, Heather Mack; (fifth) Keaton Mohney, Tawnie McMahan, Brittany Aaron, Brittany Baker, Lacey Williams, Amy Decker, Emily Graffius, Shayna Lyle; (sixth) Bethany Beatty, RaeAnne Barrent, Abigail Wright, Elizabeth White, Cenneca Dilts, Chloe Nelson, Jade Shirey, Heidi Rodgers; (back) Stephanie Wenner, Kaitlyn Nestel, Jacque Barnett, Kelsey Acre, Sara Brocious, Krista Enslen, Alicia Hoch, and Brinkley Gray.
Dr. Nathan C. Stebbins
Stockdale Mine Supply, inc. drilling equipment & accessories • Mining • oil Field Quarry • construction
(814) 938-8220 Proud supporter of Our local Athletes! 12655 Rt. 536 Frostburg, PA 28 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
Full Service Optical & Complete Line of Contact Lens Options
Expedite and Trailer Load Services from 1 lb. to 45,000 lb. Call us for a Rate
brian A. Smith - president 2311 Rt. 310, Reynoldsville
• Contact Specialist • Pediatrics • Diabetic Eye Care • Glaucoma • Infant Eye Care • Special Needs Patients • Ocular Disease • Emergencies • Home Visits
(814) 939-8999
Most Insurances Accepted: BC/BS, UPMC, Medicare/Medicaid, Gateway, Access, VSP, VBA, NVA
E-mail: brian@fastrakpa.com HAVE A FANTASTIC SEASON CHUCKS & LADY CHUCKS!
Open Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. THur., 8 a.m. - Noon Wed. Evenings & Sat. by. Appt.
Fax: (814) 939-8990 • Cell: (814) 591-5244
(814) 938-5920
Softball
Junior and Senior Members
(front row, l. to r.) Angela Burke, Angela Laska, Kelsey Cook; (second) Sara Ruehle, Sarah Depp, Ashlee Spack, Megan Kauffman; (back) Amber Lellock, Hailee Pifer, Allie Miller, and Morgan Dubensky.
Home of Ten Paninis
Caterina’s Dolce Cucina
• Delicious Soups • Spinach, House & Greek Salads • Specialty Cakes • Chocolates • Cheesecakes • Muffins
14 Flavors of Lattes & Cappucino Check out our Latte and Coffee Flavors of the Week Open Mon.-Fri. at 8 a.m.; Sat. 8:30 a.m. Open Friday Night til 7 p.m. 110 W. Mahoning St., Punx’y •
938-8781
Softball
Freshmen and Sophomore Members
Laska’s pizza $500 8 SLICE Pepperoni Pizza
+tax
Extra Toppings Available
GRoUnDHoG BREw Available in 6 Packs or by the Bottle!
open 7 days a Week at 11 a.m.
405 N. Main St., Punx’y
938-4647 Good Luck Lady Chucks!
(front row, l. to r.) Alex Magill, Allie Shields; (second) Katrina Anderson, Skylyn Kopas, Ashley Barenchik, Kaitlynn Cressley, Jenna Reitz; (third) Kristen Fedder, Randa Depp, Janie DeppHutchinson, Johnna Depp, Hannah Giavedoni; (back) Hannah Neal, Taylor Powell, Megan Muth, Tori Martin, Ashley Couser, and Shawnna Crago.
painful foot problemS? Accepting New Patients
call Dr. Bradley J. Magill 229 N. Main St., Punx’y
938-3345 Serving the Drilling industry Since 1965
(814) 938-2234
90 Beaver Dr., Building A Suite 105A, DuBois
(814) 372-2121
Proud of our Lady chucks!
Gas, water and blast hole drilling Supplies Good Luck Teams!
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 29
Varsity Baseball
Boys’ Track
(front row, l. to r.) Kyle Neal, Dom Bevak, Tyler Grayson; (second) Dylan Kachmar, Sean Smith, Dakota Bish, Braedon Pennington, Dylan Voris; (back) Jacob Stumpf, Joel Cressley, Tyler Wingard, Tommy Bush, and Dane Kopas.
Junior Varsity Baseball
(front row, l. to r.) Dane Baker, Devan Neal; (second) Richard Buffington, Zak Dickey, Taylor Neal, Brodi Lowmaster; (back) Spencer Levy, Tyler Skerkavich, Jordan Mesoraco, Luke Janocha, and Hayden Muth.
(front row, l. to r.) Nate Steffey, Dana Huber, Stephen Stumpf, Shane Johns, Derick Kelly, Kendall Neal, Jacob Fanus, Tom Wagner, Mike Rembowski, Mike Gigliotti, Zeke Irwin; (second) Brennan Niver, Joe Neal, Nate Fugate, Kyle Mohney, A.J. Meterko, Brenton Cunningham, Bill Burkett, Dom Gigliotti, Mike Williamson, Jacob Geist, Steve Omlor, Tyler Peace, Tyler Titus, Alex Fedigan, Sam Puleio; (third) Scott Wineberg, Chuck Ecelbarger, Glenn Perry, Kyle London, Nick Wehrle, Ben Blazavich, Eddie Tinker, Carl Langley, Austin Neigh, Spencer Fiumara, Brody Morgan, Dylan Blose, Laybn Hollis, K.J. Starr; (fourth) Steve Behm, Allan Mahan, Devin Dinger, Tyler Efrid, Charles Heberling, James Herberling, Tim Fusco, Aaron Douthit, Devan Perman, Logan Weaver, Easton Renwick, Adam Reynolds; (back) Bryan Vrobel, Cody Howard, Tyler Milliron, Tyler Presloid, Damain Barch, Matt Rowland, Michael Killian, Jake Godo, Jeffery Bosar, Sam Curtis, Jason Craft, Casey Lellock, Eric Chitester, Brock Morgan, and Seth Kinnan; (missing: Chase Tibbs, Jordan Dukes, Devan Luzell, and Jonathan Smeal)
On the job working for you. 30 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009
State Representative
Sam Smith HouSe republican leader 66tH diStrict paid for by citizens for Sam Smith
Now Serving McCafe
Mochas, lattes, Cappuccino, Premium Hot Chocolate & Iced Coffee, Mochas & lattes
S
Downtown Punxsutawney good luck Chucks!
Tennis
(front row, l. to r.) Nick Roberts, Tim Pearce, David Roberts, Eddie Serafin; (second) Chris Cielo, Brandon Bish, Adam Murdock, Stephen Miles; (third) Kyle Straub, Joe Long, Jesse Branken, Bryan Seitz; (back) Tyler Hetrick, Jacob Palaschak, Aaron Haag, Kevin Seitz, and Jordan Walker.
good luck Spring Sports Teams! Family Home Care Since 1970
Pisano’s Personal Care Home 24 Hour Care Licensed Under Labor & industry Rehabilitation Services Nurse on Staff 24 Hours a Day “Home Away From Home” 756 Stonetown rd. rossiter • 938-7407
Good Luck Chucks!
h t i m S I nC .
nG I l U A H
Heavy Hauling, Dismantling & Erecting Service
Richard C. Smith, President
Oliveburg, PA 15764
938-4703 • 938-7944
Explore the Health Benefits of golf
ome people bill golf as the "lazy man's sport." Absent of running, catching, or throwing as is par for the course with many other popular sports, it's easy to see why it would be perceived in that way. But playing a round of golf can actually be very good exercise. So if you need any other excuse to hit the links, going with the health benefits of golf is something that can't be refuted. One of the primary benefits of golf is the fact that if you forego the golf cart to travel from hole to hole, you're actually walking several miles around the course. Playing 18 holes of golf can involve traversing 3 to 5 miles. And as any avid golfer knows, most courses have a varied topography, meaning you could be climbing uphill and downhill, working several muscles in the process. Walking is a low-impact cardiovascular activity that gets the heart pumping. Many doctors advise walking over jogging because it isn't jarring on the knees and feet. Walking is often an important part of a workout routine and can promote weight loss and a healthier heart. For golfers who do not have a caddy, carrying a bag full of clubs adds some resistance while walking. Research has indicated that playing a round of golf has the same health benefits of a full 45-minute fitness class. It will burn fat and also improve your good cholesterol levels. Some estimates suggest that playing a round of golf and carrying your clubs can burn over 400 calories, while walking with a pull cart can burn over 300 calories. Swinging clubs and putting are also physical workouts. Repetition can help tone muscles in the arms, back and shoulders. It may also improve flexibility and range of motion. Golf also helps to strengthen hand-eye coordination and balance. It can be a great way for older players to remain spry and active in a low-impact way. Apart from the apparent physical benefits, playing golf also has some mental health benefits as well. Simply being outdoors on a beautiful day can boost a person's spirits. Provided you're not caught up with the competition aspect and gunning to win, golf can also be a relaxing endeavor that helps stress melt away. There's also the camaraderie of golf: spending time with friends and other players and engaging in conversation.
All Makes & Models of Small Engine Repair
Pickup and Delivery Service Available
(814) 952-0590
limited to the first 25 new members! under 30 yrs. old ..................$462 single man or woman ..........$861 family under 30 yrs. old .......$726 regular family ....................$1,458 out of area ............................$400
*first years dues 40% off, three year tiered membership
membership has never been more affordable for one of the finest private country clubs in our area.
call
punXsutaWney 938-9411 country club
today to join
White Oak Golf Course •9 Hole public course • clubhouse • Snacks & beverages • memberships • Gift certificates
open 7 days a week ★ 7 a.m. to dark
814-257-0113 rt. 839 - 5 miles north of rt. 85 - dayton
Visit Our Greenhouse Across the Road Pro Shop
814-583-7139 After Hours 814-771-6609
929 Kennis Rd. DuBois
kenterragolf.googlepages.com
Monday Special: 18 Holes with Cart $25 • 9 Holes $16 Twilight Special: after 4 p.m. $20 Mon.-Fri. Directions: Take Rt. 119 North towards Sykesville. Turn onto Sykesville-Troutville Rd. Go 1 mi. Veer left onto Kennis Rd. 1 Mi. to Kenterra
Golf club
Sales, Service, Parts and Repair 805 W. Mahoning St.
2009 pre-season golf membership special new members get 40% off*
Deertrak
Dave’s Golf Cart (Old West End Sunoco Station)
Golf has many benefits, and despite not being as high-energy as baseball or football, for example, it still remains a sport that can prove beneficial to your health. •••
Off Rt. 85 Little Rock Rd., Rural Valley
for more information call 724-783-2185 • A beautiful scenic golf course • Lots of wildlife • Clubhouse • Pro-Shop • Food & Beverages
• Tees for the beginners to the accomplished • Riding carts • Driving range • Putting green
Weekdays 18 Holes $25.00 includes Cart Friday night 2 People for $25.00 • 9 Holes after 3 p.m.
saturday Family Day after 3 p.m.
Children FREE Under 15 years • Adults $15 includes Cart
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009 – 31
Personal Consistent Friendly Knowledgeable
diane Technician
norma
What a Pharmacy sHOulD be!
elena Technician
Technician
"don't go without your medicine." we get a delivery every weekday from our distributor so we can order product in for the next business day.
nickolas a. kernich, pharmd Pharmacist
Full line of vitamins and minerals - "Talk with your pharmacist to pick the right supplements for you!"
peggy
Stella
Manager
Manager
diane
Mary ann
Associate
Associate
Prescriptions • OTCs • Gifts • FREE Delivery Full sized gift shop with free gift wrap or gift bags - including Yankee Candle, home decor, cards, event gifts (baby showers, church events, etc.), Webkinz, personalized Crocs.
Punxsy Hometown Pharmacy 203 N. Hampton Ave. •
938-9150 Fax 938-9151
FREE & Convenient Parking in the Groundhog Plaza
Hours: M-F 9-8, Sat 9-5, Closed Sunday 32 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2009