Progress 2023: Montoursville, Loyalsock, Golden Strip

to live’ in Montoursville, Loyalsock Township

By PAT CROSSLEY pcrossley@sungazette.com

The Borough of Montoursville was founded in 1768. It is named for Andrew Montour, a native American guide and interpreter and the son of Madame Montour.

It is bordered on the west by Loyalsock Township, a fierce rival in high school sports and on the east by Fairfield Township.

Small businesses line each side of Broad Street as the main thoroughfare moves through town past the Memorial Gardens near the high school, erected to honor the memory of the students and adults who lost their lives when Flight 800 crashed. It is a solemn testimony to the loss the community faced in 1996.

The population of Montoursville is around 4,700 people.

“There is no yearly count so it’s impossible to say one way or the other about annual changes but given that Montoursville is recognized as a great place to live and raise children, and there is little room for additional growth, it’s probably safe to say that it’s close to the same,” said Steve Bagwell, the borough’s mayor.

“Most houses listed for sale are not on the market long, Montoursville is a very desirable place to live,” he added.

The business community in Montoursville continues to grow. The last few years have seen businesses of all types that Bagwell said “provide a personal touch that Internet companies cannot compete with.”

“Montoursville is very proud of all the generous business owners in our community that help support all of our events and charities,” Bagwell said.

“It’s exciting to see full storefronts and meet the owners who care about the community,” he added.

Two projects in the borough have focused on Indian Park and the Konkle Library, both favorite activities of residents.

“We are excited to be entering the next Phase of our Indian Park Master Plan,” Bagwell said.

“This phase will bring improvements to the Indian Park Southern Playground, removing older playground equipment and constructing a new playground that is ADA compliant, including bike racks, benches and landscaping,” he explained.

In the last year Montoursville has seen the Konkle Library renovated.

It’s not a wonderful, open, and bright area. It’s going to be really exciting to see the new ideas for uses of that facility. The Memorial Gardens are also undergoing a renovation project.

“A special and important part of Montoursville, the Memorial Gardens, will also complete the most important parts of its renovation project soon,” Bagwell said.

There are no new major road projects, he noted.

Just across the bridge from Montoursville, is Loyalsock Township.

In the “The History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania,” John F. Meginness, editor, stated that Loyalsock Township was originally next to Muncy, the largest township in the county “but was gradually shorn of much of its territory to make room for other townships. Three-quarters of the township was taken for the location of what is now the City of Williamsport.”

The name Loyalsock is taken from the Native American word “Lawi-Saquick” which means middle creek.

Today, the population of the township is just under 12,000 and growing according to Bill Burdett, the township’s business manager.

“We’re just under 12,000 residents–I think 11,700. That seems to be growing according to our school district. They are doing expansions at both Schick Elementary and the high school-middle school. complex because the number of students is growing. So we expect we’ll probably be over 12,000 at the next census,” Burdett said.

With this growth comes the need for more housing.

As senior citizens in the township age, they are opting to move into smaller homes, townhouses and duplexes, which is opening up larger homes for younger families.

“They’re making available the larger three and four bedroom homes for new families, so that’s working out well.” he said.

“We do have some new construction, as far as homes, but right now there’s a shortage of available building lots for people to build new homes,” he stated.

“It’s a pretty vibrant real estate market right now in Loyalsock. When homes go up for sale they sell relatively quickly, which is good if you’re selling but it’s kind of tough for people that want to move to Loyalsock right now. We get calls pretty regularly. I want to build a house but I can’t find a lot. Can you help me? Or it’s just kind of sometimes hard to find a home but there are a couple potential new residential developments on the horizon,” Burdett said.

The township is approximately 21 square miles. Some people associate it with the prosperous East Third Street section known locally as “The Golden Strip” because of the amount of businesses located there.

But, according to Burdett, the township is much more than that small piece of real estate.

“A lot of people drive down Interstate 180, or they drive the Third Street corridor and they think that you know, the Third Street corridor and a residential area very near it is Loyalsock Township. But, Loyalsock extends to the north, several miles. So there still is a lot of woodland and farmland that is just open space–a lot of available land,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean it’s being developed. It’s just that people use it, people own it. So there are people maybe considering some type of development or they’re still working farms that people are farming,” he explained.

Although Loyalsock Township is so much more than it’s business section centered on East Third Street, this part of the township is one of the reasons the tax rate in the township is kept lower than some of the neighboring areas. It also is a drawing card for people who want to settle near restaurants, grocery stores and other amenities.

“You have shopping–numerous grocery stores. Lots of options for shopping. Lots of options for lunch, dinner, breakfast dining out. All close to home so you don’t have to travel too much. If you live here, we have a little bit of everything in our commercial area, which I think makes it nice to live here,” Burdett said.

And new businesses are still coming to the commercial section of the Township, either through new construction or rehabbing existing vacant store fronts.

“Planet Fitness will be moving into the old Kmart

building and I think that is being built right now. Of course they’re right next to the new hobby lobby, which just came in,” Burdett said.

The Mexican restaurant, Chipotle opened within the last year, adjacent to the Loyal Plaza and down the street the Texas Roadhouse. Traveling west toward the off-ramp for I-180, Popeyes’ Chicken, another chain restaurant, was added to the list of food establishments in the township. A local business, Don Waltman’s Market House Meats and Deli, opened on Northway Road.

“There are lots of options for shopping. Lots of options for lun, dinner, breakfast, dining out all close to home so you don’t have to travel much,” Burdett said.

“If you live here, we have a little bit of everything in our commercial area, which I think makes it nice to live here,” he added.

Loyalsock Township has about 67 miles of township streets. Over the past two years the gas and water companies have done a lot of improvements and extensions to their lines.

“They dug up a lot of our streets, so we’re going to be repaving all of that in the next two years. There’s going to be a big, big paving contract this year and next year,” Burdett said.

Overall, Burdett feels that the township is a “healthy and growing community.”

“The school district is growing. Our population is growing. We’re in very good financial condition. And you don’t see a lot of vacant buildings in our commercial district. Somebody moves out and in a relatively short amount of time somebody new moves in,’ he said.

“We’ve seen a lot of redevelopment of the Third Street corridor because it was pretty much 100% developed. It’s the same footprint so it’s just people going in and renovating buildings or tearing down and starting over yet, so that’s good growth,” he said. “We are in need of some residential building lots. Most of the developments that exist, are built out or they may have just a couple lots left,” he said.

Other amenities in the township include parks in various areas and a swimming pool that’s just been updated.

“We have a lot of park areas in different neighborhoods throughout the township. We’re currently building the Millers run Greenway Trail, which will connect the majority of our residential areas to the Susquehanna. River Trail. Phase one of that was by the high school and the Rec Center. Phase two which

will be built this summer, will be through the Faxon area. And we’re applying for funding for Phase Three which will get us across Third Street and connect that to the Susquehanna Bikeway,” he said.

“It will be a safe way for our residents to access that trail. Crossing Third Street is a real difficult thing to do for walkers. We’re trying to get a designated trail to make that a safe access,” he said.

Right now, Burdett said, someone might live only a half mile from the trail and yet they load their bike onto their car to drive to gain access.

“Better if you could just leave your house and have a safe route to get on the trail. So that’s what we’re working on,” he said.

ON THE COVER

WILDLIFE ‘N’ NATURE WILDLIFE ‘N’ NATURE RON BEACH STUDIO RON BEACH

STUDIO

1217 Cedar Street, Montoursville, PA 17754

Phone (570) 368-2921

www.ronbeachstudios.com

PHOTO PROVIDED

The newest addition, Woodlands Bank’s Loyalsock office was completed in the fall of 2021. Pictured is the main entrance to the office.

SUN-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

Businesses line Broad Street in Montoursville.

Bank grows from 10 employees to 100

Woodlands Bank is a community bank headquartered in Williamsport.

The idea of starting Woodlands Bank began when many existing banks in the area grew to a size where customer service no longer seemed important.

A group of entrepreneurs saw the need for change and took the opportunity to create a community bank where personalized service and customers’ needs would always be top priority.

Woodlands Bank opened their doors in October 1990 with a staff of 10. Since then, the bank has expanded to include eight locations throughout Lycoming and Clinton counties and a staff of over 100.

Woodlands Bank continues to find ways to better serve their customers and communities. They recently refreshed their brand with a modernized logo. The new look captures the essence of the Woodlands Bank brand people have come to know and is reminiscent of the rich lumber heritage of West Branch Susquehanna Valley.

The new logo also encompasses ideas of community, and support through the

intertwined shapes and bold detail.

Woodlands Bank offers many great products and services to fit their customers’ needs. In addition to their traditional consumer and commercial banking and trust services, Woodlands Bank offers digital services which include mobile banking, online banking and Zelle. They also offer online account opening, which allows members of the community to easily open a personal or savings account from the convenience of their home.

Woodlands Bank believes that their success is based on the success of their communities. Being a community bank, they take pride in helping their communities grow and flourish.

The Woodlands Bank customer-minded approach to banking allows them to help the members of their community reach their financial goals. Their customer relationships and community commitment is what makes them a trusted community bank.

Member FDIC & Equal Housing Lender

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Pictured are Woodlands Bank’s downtown office on West Fourth Street, top, and the entrance to the bank’s Trust and Asset Management Department.

Pudgie’s, 920 Plaza Drive, suite 1, Montoursville, sells pizza, hot wings and subs. The owners’ second location offers deals throughout the year.

According to the store’s website, Elery W. Nau is a one-stop-shop hardware store in Montoursville, offering a complete line of hardware, electrical, plumbing, and lawn and garden products.

Below, from left to right, Scott, Leanne and their daughter Ann Kaufman run Kaufman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 2102 Northway Road, Williamsport.

Kaufman helps grieving families with ‘compassion, dignity, respect’

Scott Kaufman, owner of Kaufman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, says the most rewarding part of his job is spending time with and meeting the needs of the families who have lost a loved one.

“I love what I do,” said Scott. That love of his career shines through as Scott guides families through the aspects of the funeral service, with “compassion, dignity and respect.”

Whether you desire a traditional burial, a memorial, cremation, viewing, or a monument, Kaufman Funeral Home will “reflect life while respecting your family traditions.”

Family traditions are something the Kaufmans are familiar with, as

the business is a family operation.

When Scott and wife Leanne purchased the business in 1996, daughters Sarah and Ann, then 6 and 4 years old, would pitch in.

“They had their little jobs, they would fluff the pillows, fill the candy dishes, check tissue boxes and make sure we were ready for the service,” Scott recalled fondly.

Today you can still find Ann at Kaufman’s, as she will be graduating with her mortuary degree soon and completing her internship alongside her father as a licensed funeral trainee.

Kaufman Funeral Home considers aftercare an important part of their services as well, and helps families navigate the new reality of

a world without their loved one.

“I send out four books on managing grief throughout the year, as well as a grief in the holidays booklet,” said Scott.

“We are family owned and operated and we cater to families,” said Leanne.

“I love what I do. I like getting up and going to work to serve families and our community. I truly feel like I have never worked a day in my life,” said Scott with a smile.

Kaufman Funeral Home & Cremation Services is conveniently located at 2102 Northway Road, Williamsport.

They can be contacted at 570323-1544 and found on the web at www.kaufmanfuneralhomes.com

THE MEADOWS

Tradition of excellence in personal care continues at The Meadows

By TIM MARTIN Admissions, Sales & Marketing Coordinator

Since 1940, The Park Home has been the trusted and respected name for Senior Living in the Williamsport area. Today, The Park Home is doing business as The Meadows, a licensed personal care community located in the picturesque countryside of Warrensville Road.

If you are seeking a personal care lifestyle for you or your loved one that offers the ideal combination of personalized service with compassionate care – all delivered in one comfortable, single story, secure community, with private one or two-room suites, The Meadows is an excellent choice. Our vibrant community is ideal for seniors who wish to be free from the responsibilities of caring for their own home or property yet may need

a little extra help with activities of daily living.

Our residents and their family members enjoy peace of mind knowing that The Meadows highly trained staff is available on a 24-hour basis.

Residents enjoy 3 home-cooked meals daily, weekly housekeeping services, a vibrant activity schedule, on-site beautician/barber services, and so much more! At The Meadows the health and well-being of our residents is always our top priority!

This is why we installed the AtmosAir system, which has been shown to be effective

in reducing 99.92% of Coronavirus within 30 minutes! The Meadows is the only personal care facility in the area with the AtmosAir system.

“We have also partnered with Functional Pathways to bring a new Health & Wellness Initiative to our residents.

Functional Pathways offers weekly fitness classes, individual fitness assessments, monthly health seminars and so much more at NO additional cost to our residents or their families! For more information on The Meadows or to schedule a tour, please call us at 570-433-4663.”

WORLD TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Above, The Meadows residents Anne and Frances visit Carpenter’s Pumpkin Farm during an outing earlier in the fall. Below, The Meadows residents and staff participate in the Loyalsock Christmas Parade.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Pictured are Julie McManus and Tara Smith, your local, trusted experts for vacation planning. World Travel at the Williamsport Regional Airport is celebrating 33 years of making dreams come true. Contact us for your summer family vacation, a European river cruise or tour, honeymoon, girls get away, relaxing all-inclusive or an adventure in Alaska or Hawaii. Make memories and live that adventure!

through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. In addition to the Montoursville location, which can be reached at 570-368-2404, Bi-Lo also has stores in Mill Hall and Montgomery.

My Party Store, 1231 Sheridan St., Loyalsock Township, offers U.S.-made products for a variety of parties, celebrations and festivities, including religious celebrations. The store’s hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It’s My Party Store also offers custom ordering options.

Solo travel tips: 7 recommendations for venturing out on your own

(Family Features) —

Whether you’re a lone wolf at heart or looking to broaden your sense of independence, traveling solo can be a richly empowering and satisfying experience.

Setting out on your own has many practical advantages. You’re not worrying about accommodating another’s schedule, interest or needs, and you’re free to decide what you want to do and when.

Solo travel also elicits some mental and emotional benefits, as you experience a unique sense of freedom, liberation and self-sufficiency.

If you’re considering a solo journey, consider these tips from the book “101+ Tips for Solo Women Travelers,” which is offered by Overseas Adventure Travel in free digital and print editions.

Make Sure Your Passport is UTD

Many countries now require your passport to be valid for six months after your return to the United States. If you don’t have a passport, or need to renew one, apply for one as soon as possible. Ideally you should have your application in six months before you depart.

Look for Trips with No Single Supplement

Often, quoted rates are “per person, based on double occupancy.” This is because travel hosts know they can make more from a couple traveling than an individual. You can avoid paying a single supplement premium by being willing to match with a roommate or traveling with a tour company or cruise line with free or low-cost single supplement fees.

Use the ATM

As an affordable and convenient way to get cash, you can avoid wasting time in line at a bank or currency exchange bureau by visiting an ATM. While you’ll likely incur a fee for using an ATM that’s not part of your bank, it is often less than the commission you’d pay at an exchange bureau. Plus, you can avoid additional fees by calculating how much you’ll need for the trip and making one withdrawal as opposed to multiple smaller withdrawals.

Download Entertainment Before You Leave

When traveling, Wi-Fi can be expensive, slow or just not available. Before you leave, download music, e-books, podcasts, favorite tv shows or movies to enjoy while you’re en route or during down time.

Join Group Tours

Once you reach your destination, you may enjoy joining small groups for excursions or to explore local cuisine. Or you can make your entire journey a group experience. A small group adventure with Overseas Adventure Travel has

2140 Warrensville Road Montoursville 570-433-3161 WWW.VALLEYVIEW.ORG

many benefits, and builtin dining companions is just one of them.

Take Precautions in Your Hotel Room

When you check in, ask the receptionist to write your room number down instead of announcing it so everyone can hear. Make sure your room’s locks work on both the door into the hallway and the balcony. Never let any repair person or staff member into your room without confirming with the front desk first. Bring a rubber doorstop, which makes a hotel room door nearly impossible to open. Finally, have an exit plan: Know where the nearest exit is located and the route from your room.

Make New Friends

For some, making friends seems to happen naturally while traveling alone by chatting with strangers at a neighboring restaurant table or striking up a conversation while waiting in line at a store. If those situations don’t occur naturally, there are useful apps that can connect you with local people as well as fellow travelers.

Find more tips to prepare for your journey at oattravel.com.

My situation all began with a stroke, then I was faced with a spinal fusion and eventually experienced another stroke. The therapy department at Valley View has helped me become stronger for my wife and walk longer distances to help with my independence. I think I began to feel stronger last week when it finally “clicked”, and I started doing more things on my own. They have a kitchen that is made to look like a little apartment, this helped me to see if I could be independent at home. At times therapy has been challenging to overcome. Sitting up and getting out of bed has been my biggest challenge and TODAY, I have overcome that challenge. My therapists have been with me every step of the way, they make me feel safe and secure.

I would recommend this facility to anyone who is recovering from a stroke or is struggling with walking. This is a good therapeutic program, designed for me by my therapists. It is not easier or harder than I expected. The nursing, activities, therapy staff are very kind. Each one, in their own way, has helped my recovery process. I thank each and every person who has helped me.

Dr. John Tartera

FAMILY FEATURES

Solo travel can be empowering and satisfying when done right.

Today in History: March 14, Eli Whitney patents cotton gin

Today is Tuesday, March 14, the 73rd day of 2023. There are 292 days left in the year.

Today’s highlight in history:

On March 14, 1794, Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin, an invention that revolutionized America’s cotton industry.

Also on this date:

In 1879, physicist Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany.

In 1939, the republic of Czechoslovakia was dissolved, opening the way for Nazi occupation of Czech areas and the separation of Slovakia.

In 1951, during the Korean War, United Nations forces recaptured Seoul.

In 1962, Democrat Edward M. Kennedy officially launched in Boston his successful candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat from Massachusetts once held by his brother, President John F. Kennedy. (Edward Kennedy served in the Senate for nearly 47 years.)

In 1964, a jury in Dallas found Jack Ruby guilty of murdering Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President John F. Kennedy, and sentenced him to death. (Both the conviction and death sentence were overturned, but Ruby died before he could be retried.)

In 1967, the body of President John F. Kennedy was moved from a temporary grave to a permanent memorial site at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

In 1980, a LOT Polish Airlines jet crashed while attempting to land in Warsaw, killing all 87 people aboard, including 22 members of a U.S. amateur boxing team.

In 1990, the Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies held a secret ballot that elected Mikhail S. Gorbachev to a new, powerful presidency.

In 1995, American astronaut Norman Thagard became the first American to enter space aboard a Russian rocket as he and two cosmonauts

blasted off aboard a Soyuz spacecraft, headed for the Mir space station.

In 2011, Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, Darlene Love, Dr. John and Leon Russell were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In 2015, Robert Durst, a wealthy eccentric linked to two killings and his wife’s disappearance, was arrested by the FBI in New Orleans on a murder warrant a day before HBO aired the final episode of a serial documentary about his life.

(Durst would be convicted in the shooting death of his friend, Susan Berman; he died in January 2022 while serving a life sentence in California.)

Ten years ago: During his first full day as pontiff, Pope Francis stopped by his Vatican hotel to pick up his luggage and pay the bill himself. Some 10,000 workers from across the European Union protested outside a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, demanding they end years of austerity and focus instead on curbing runaway unemployment with more spending. A nearly 19-hour standoff in Herkimer, New York, came to an end inside a cluttered, abandoned bar as police SWAT teams killed the suspect in four fatal shootings. The NHL’s realignment plan was approved by the league’s board of governors.

Five years ago: Tens of thousands of students across the country walked out of their classrooms to demand action on gun violence and school safety; the action came a month after the shooting that killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Stephen Hawking, the best-known theoretical physicist of his time, died at his home in Cambridge, England, at the age of 76; he had stunned doctors by living with the normally fatal illness ALS for more than 50 years. President Donald Trump chose Larry Kudlow, a longtime

fixture on the CNBC business news network, to be his top economic aide.

One year ago: Russia and Ukraine opened a new round of talks even as Moscow’s forces pounded away at Kyiv and other cities across the country in a punishing bombardment the Red Cross says has created “nothing short of a nightmare” for civilians.

Leon Scharzbaum, a survivor of the Nazis’ death camp at Auschwitz and a lifelong fighter for justice for the victims of the Holocaust, died at 101.

Country music legend Dolly Parton announced she was pulling out of the nominations for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, saying she hadn’t “earned that right.” (She would later reverse course and accept induction into the hall.)

Today’s Birthdays:

Former astronaut Frank Borman is 95. Actor Michael Caine is 90. Composer-conductor Quincy Jones is 90. Actor Raymond J. Barry is 84. Country singer Michael Martin Murphey is 78. Rock musician Walt Parazaider (payr-ahZAY’-dur) (formerly with Chicago) is 78.

Actor Steve Kanaly is 77. Comedian Billy Crystal is 75. Actor-writer-comedian-radio personality Rick Dees is 72. Country singer Jann Browne is 69. Actor Adrian Zmed is 69. Prince Albert II, the ruler of Monaco, is 65. Actor Laila Robins is 64. Actor Tamara Tunie (tuh-MAH’-ruh TOO’-nee) is 64. Producer-director-writer Kevin Williamson is 58. Actor Elise Neal is 57.

Actor Gary Anthony Williams is 57. Actor Megan Follows is 55. Rock musician Michael Bland is 54. Country singer Kristian Bush is 53. Actor Betsy Brandt is 50. Actor Grace Park is 49. Actor Daniel Gillies is 47. Actor Corey Stoll is 47. Actor Jake Fogelnest is 44. Actor Chris Klein is 44. Actor Ryan Cartwright (TV: “Kevin Can Wait”) is 42. Actor Kate

Maberly is 41. Singer-musician Taylor Hanson (Hanson) is 40. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, is 39. Actor Jamie Bell is 37. Rock musician Este Haim (HY’-uhm) (Haim) is 37. NBA star Stephen Curry is 35. Actor Ansel Elgort is 29.

Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles is 26. Actor James Freedson-Jackson (Film: “The Strange Ones”) is 21.

Hughesville man ‘in good hands’ with UPMC Muncy

Arthur Gladfelter is proud to call Hughesville and the Muncy region home.

Over the years, he developed many bonds in the community, professionally as a pastor and electrical engineer, and through his hobbies of running and building model airplanes and trains. And while Arthur says he may not be as active as he once was, he credits the care he has received locally at UPMC for helping him continue to enjoy life.

“I’ve always enjoyed being an active person,” said Arthur. “Whether it was through my work, volunteer service, or my hobbies, I enjoyed doing things, meeting people, and living life. I’ve faced some health issues over the years, and I’ve been lucky and blessed with extraordinary people to care for me. I’m grateful for the teams at UPMC, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”

In 2019, Arthur had a stroke. Following a month in the hospital, he

was released home and his care team recommended that he continue outpatient therapy.

Soon after, Arthur was seeing the rehabilitation team at UPMC Muncy.

“From day one, the team in Muncy was fantastic. They offer so many services, have some cool tools and techniques, and are right here in my community. They made me work, but it was enjoyable. I could tell they cared about me and wanted to see me heal and improve. Throughout it all, they

were right by my side, and it made all the difference,” said Arthur.

In the years that followed, Arthur would have other health concerns arise, and each time, he chose the team at UPMC Muncy to get him on the road to recovery.

“When I need care, I want to see someone who knows me. Over the years I’ve developed so many relationships with the staff at UPMC Muncy,” he said. “When I see their familiar faces, I know I’m in good hands.”

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Arthur Gladfelter, of Hughesville, engages in physical therapy with staff at UPMC Muncy.