The Sentinel
PROGRESS JUNIATA COUNTY
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WHAT’S INSIDE? ¯ IHOP opens new location near Mifflintown, Page 2 ¯ Shade Mountain Granite builds new warehouse, showroom, Page 3 ¯ PennDOT provides progress update on several bridge projects throughout county, Page 6
The Sentinel
D2—Lewistown, PA
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021
PROGRESS —JUNIATA COUNTY
Restaurant chain IHOP opens near Mifflintown Eatery takes over former JP Pancake House By BRADLEY KREITZER Sentinel reporter bkreitzer@lewistownsentinel.com
MIFFLINTOWN — A long-established restaurant chain, best known for its pancakes, has a new home in the Juniata River Valley. IHOP (which stands for International House of Pancakes) opened its doors at the Onvo Travel Plaza in Mifflintown in September. Scranton-based franchisee Onvo purchased the building at 33 Stop Plaza, which included a gas station, convenience store and restaurant. Onvo made improvements to the gas station and convenience store portion of the building before moving on to the IHOP restaurant. Onvo began remodeling the former JP Pancake House Restaurant in early 2021 with the goal to have the new IHOP open by autumn. Included in the renovations were all new kitchen equipment and appliances. The equipment removed from the former restaurant was donated to various churches and non-profits in the Mifflintown area. Over the summer months the restaurant hired more than 50 employees to fill server, host and kitchen staff positions. Once the building renovation was complete and the staff had been trained, IHOP officially opened for business on Sept. 21.
Sentinel photo by BRADLEY KREITZER
Restaurant chain IHOP has opened a new location in the former JP Pancake House Restaurant along state Route 35 near Mifflintown. The restaurant is open seven days per week.
The restaurant is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner with takeout and online ordering available. IHOP offers a full menu which includes buttermilk pancakes and crepes. Breakfast items include Belgian waffles, french toast, omelettes and eggs prepared as requested by the customer. A variety of sides are also available, which include bacon, sausage, hash browns, crispy breakfast potatoes and fresh fruit. The IHOP restaurant chain was founded in
1958 and as of 2015, has more than 1,650 restaurants in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Bahrain, Canada, the United Arab Emerites, Guatemala, Kuwait, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, The Philippines and the U.S. Virgin Islands. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by Glendale, California-based International House of Pancakes, LLC and its affiliates. International House of Pancakes, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dine Brands Global.
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Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021
The Sentinel
Lewistown, PA—D3
PROGRESS —JUNIATA COUNTY
Shade Mountain Granite expands its showroom Business aims to give customers local option By SARAH HURLBURT
Sentinel correspondent McALISTERVILLE — In an effort to create a better shopping experience and showcase all that Shade Mountain Granite has to offer in one place, the company is in the process of building a new showroom and warehouse facility near their current showroom location along state Route 35 near McAlisterville. The new building is located across the road from Bread of Life restaurant behind the Dollar General building at 30601 Rt. 35 N. McAlisterville. In 1995 Aaron Petersheim started a cabinet shop that he owned and operated for six years, at which time he moved to a location near McAlisterville and started a new business manufacturing solid surface countertops. In 2005 as the business was expanding Petersheim moved his manufacturing facility to a larger location in McAlisterville. Four years later he began introducing granite and Shade Mountain Granite opened a showroom along state Route 35 in McAlisterville where customers could come to explore the types of granite offerings they could choose from. In 2013 the fabrication shop was expanded as the business continued to grow and a few years after that an open building was built near the fabrication shop for the storage of granite and quartz remnants and as a place customers could See Granite / Page 5
Sentinel photos by SARAH HURLBURT
ABOVE: The new facility nearing completion near McAlisterville will serve as warehouse and showroom for Shade Mountain Granite. BELOW: Slabs of stone are being installed.
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The Sentinel
D4—Lewistown, PA
PROGRESS —JUNIATA COUNTY
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021
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2 municipal authorities make progress on THANK YOU FOR VOTING US water system projects #1 FOR TREES & SHRUBS By BROOKE CROUSE Sentinel reporter bcrouse@lewistownsentinel.com
MIFFLINTOWN — Mifflintown Municipal Authority and McAlisterville Area Joint Authority make steady progress toward two separate 2021 water projects funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement program. The Mifflintown Municipal Authority water main replacement project previously received $111,000 from CDBG funds for the first phase of the project.
According to Mike Robinson, the manager of the Mifflintown Municipal Authority, the authority aims to replace an aged portion of the water main on Mifflin hill in Mifflin. Robinson said Juniata County commissioners approved this project and the project will go to bid on funding; the bid goes into effect in late spring of 2022. Robinson added that he appreciates the county commissioners and SEDA-Council of Governments regarding their part in this project. The second project, McAlisterville Area Joint
Authority’s plan for construction of a storage tank and work on the No. 4 well previously received $84,743 from CDBG for the next phase of their water system work. Cory Fronk, the McAlisterville Area Joint Authority manager, said there will be no immediate progress on the project. Fronk said the authority must meet with the Department of Environmental Protection to discuss the potential site for the project before beginning any work. More information will be available when the projects are finalized.
Mifflintown farmer rethinks sustainability for family farm By SARAH HURLBURT Sentinel correspondent MIFFLINTOWN — During a college biology class Brett Reinford was motivated by a professor that was challenging the students to think and live more sustainably. He began to have inspiration about how his family farm could implement more sustainable practices into their processes. He researched ideas and came across the anaerobic digester technology. According to the epa.gov website “Anaerobic digesters are built systems (lagoons or tanks) where anaerobic digestion takes place. Anaerobic digesters manage organic wastes, produce gas and digested materials, minimize odors, reduce pathogens, and reduce solid wastes. Anaerobic digesters are also called “anaerobic digestion systems“, “biodigesters” or simply “digesters.” Reinford Farms, located in Mifflintown, began its journey when Steve and Gina Reinford started with 57 cows in 1991. The farm has grown into a family operation. The Reinfords and their sons, Brett, Chad and Drew along with a team of employees manage around 1,400 acres of crop farming and an 800-cow dairy operation. As any dairy farmer knows it comes with great challenges and is a difficult operation to maintain in to-
day’s agricultural industry. Brett said, “The volatility of the diary and crop prices and then considering the unpredictability of weather means for a lot of uncertainty.” The family has used various forms of risk management and diversification over the years to keep the farm sustainable financially. He added, “We try to think opportunistically when we diversify. We look at what the farm is doing and look for commonalities in other business before we diversify into something non-farm related.” After sharing the idea of bringing the digester technology to the farm with his father they decided it was something they wanted to try and proceeded with getting everything into place. The Reinfords began using the digester on their farm in 2008. The digester technology offers a way for dairy farms with 350 cows or more to generate renewable electricity and limit odors. Brett shared, “Since we installed our first digester, we have recycled over 90,000 tons of food waste. Seventy percent of what goes into our digester is dairy cow manure from our farm. The remaining 30% of volume is food waste. The food waste we receive is usually from food manufacturers and distribution centers all over Pennsylvania.” The Reinfords also have a de-packaging machine that
separates the packaging, which is also sent for recycling, from the organic food waste material. The digester recycles the food waste and captures the methane it produces to generate electricity. The digester on the Reinford farm produces about 500 KWh. They net meter the power which means they sell it back to the grid and buy back what they need. The farm generates enough power for about 400 to 500 houses. “Generally, when digesters are installed on farms, they produce more power than the farm needs. Brett said, “The bigger the farm the more power that can be produced. More and more farms are installing these digesters, in the United States there are close to 300 digesters in operation.” Brett added, “We wouldn’t have imagined a dozen years ago we would be doing something like this. The one thing about waste is there is always going to be more. It is a recession proof business, and it is a critical component to our farm’s bottom line.” One individual may not be able to make a difference in protecting our environment. However, when each individual realizes they are part of a larger connected whole and all of humanity begins working together, just as it collectively caused damage to the planet, it can begin to heal and protect it. Like the Reinfords we can all find a way to help.
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Agency expands into Juniata County McALISTERVILLE — Almond Tree Senior Solutions LLC has opened an office in Juniata County. The office is located at 30968 Route 35 Nort, next to Jennifer Smith Beauty Salon and Frymoyer Storage. Almond Tree Senior Solutions is a home care agency serving the elderly in Snyder, Union, Northumberland and Juniata counties. With hopes of serving more folks in Juniata and Mifflin counties, company owner Wendy Cecco expanded services to serve those in this area who need care at home, allowing them to stay in their home instead of being placed in a nursing facility. Almond Tree Senior Solutions is a home care agency, providing in home non-medical care to the elderly, providing services from a few hours a week to 24-hour care. Kristen Norton, director of home care, says that the level of service provided
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The Sentinel
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021
Lewistown, PA—D5
PROGRESS —JUNIATA COUNTY
Granite
Continued from Page 3
go to shop for those smaller pieces. “The place out along (state Route) 35 has very limited space inside to showcase granite and materials so this is a facility to show granite, quartz, sinks and faucets,” Petersheim said. “Everything that goes with a countertop replacement. That is the idea of the new building. “While stone is a good product and some of it weathers fairly well outdoors, weather does not do it any favors. In a year or two it’s not as nice as it was. Quartz especially needs to be protected from UV rays, so, ideally, they need to be at the very least under a roof but even better in a building. The new facility will allow us to store all the slabs inside and keep them nice and also make a nicer experience. When you are choosing your materials you don’t have to be out in the weather.” One goal is to give shoppers in the area a local option, rather than forcing them to travel to far-away cities. “In a lot of areas there are granite warehouses like the bigger cities where people can go to pick their granite slabs, but around here there really is not any,” Petersheim said. “You have to go to Baltimore or Philadelphia which would be the closest. That is part of the reason we are building the new facility, so the selection can be local.”= The new facility may also offer some new job openings. “From 10 years ago we have been adding the average of two jobs a year and this building will require several extra workers,” Petersheim said. Petersheim hopes to have an open house in January and looks forward to sharing all his company has to offer.
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Sentinel photos by SARAH HURLBURT
TOP: The warehouse at Shade Mountain Granite in McAlisterville has heavy equipment in place to move the giant slabs of stone. BOTTOM: The building will provide space for the company to showcase its items indoors, which will lead to higher quality product and a better shopping experience for customers.
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The Sentinel
D6—Lewistown, PA
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021
PROGRESS —JUNIATA COUNTY
PennDOT prepares for upcoming bridge projects Permanent repairs planned for covered span By ERIN THOMPSON Education/religion editor ethompson@ lewistownsentinel.com
ORIENTAL — More permanent repairs for the historical North Oriental Covered bridge are expected to begin early next year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The project is expected to bid a contract in March 2022 that will return the bridge to its original appearance. The historic bridge — which spans Mahantango Creek on state Route 2023 (Turkey Valley Road) at the Juniata/Snyder county line was closed in mid-May due to damage from a truck crash. The 65-foot bridge saw rehabilitation work in 1988 and carries an average of more than 800 vehicles per day. Upon completion of temporary repairs (timber cord member replacement in the roof structure), the bridge was reopened in late June. According to a news release from PennDOT, the SEDA-Council of Government started work on three bridge preservation projects in Juniata County early this year with a budget of $1.8 million. Bridges include: ¯The state Route 3017 bridge on Academia Road in Beale Township. This 23-foot bridge spans a tributary of Tuscarora Creek. It was built in 1920 and carries an average of 302 vehicles each day; ¯Located on state Route 75, three miles southwest of Spruce Hill in Spruce Hill Township, the 20foot bridge spans a tributary of Tuscarora Creek. It was built in 1920 and carries an average of 2,317 vehicles each day; ¯Located on Smokey Hollow Road, state Route 3018, near East Waterford in Tuscarora Township, the 105-foot bridge spans Tuscarora Creek. It was built in 1940 and carries about 143 vehicles each day. Upcoming roadway projects in Juniata County include: ¯ Bridge improvements over the tributary of the Juniata River in Mifflin Borough, along state Route 333. According to PennDOT, the $500,000 project is scheduled to bid in mid-October, with work in 2022; ¯ Bridge replacement over Tuscarora Creek in Lack Township — state Route 3023 — is scheduled to bid in late October and cost an estimated $2.4 million;
Sentinel file photo
ABOVE: A vehicle prepares to cross the Oriental Covered Bridge on the Juniata/ Snyder county line. Submitted photo
LEFT: This new guide rail and box culvert bridge have recently been installed along Academia Road in Beale Township. The bridge spans a tributary of Tuscarora Creek.
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The Sentinel
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021
Lewistown, PA—D7
PROGRESS —JUNIATA COUNTY
Bridges
Continued from Page 6
¯ Bridge replacement over Norfolk Southern Railroad in Walker Township is scheduled to bid in May 2022. The project will require railroad coordination due to restrictions. Port Royal Borough is also involved in coordinating work and community needs. The project is expected to cost $3.9 million. PennDOT is also working on a $5 million highway restoration project in Fermanagh Township along state Route 35 from Stop 35 to the area of Sheetz at Mifflintown. The project is scheduled to bid in January 2023. A $5.4 million bridge preservation project at six locations in Fermanagh and Walker Township is also scheduled to bid in late April 2023. Submitted photos
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The Sentinel
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021
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