West Branch Life Magazine Fall 2022

PUBLISHER

Bob Rolley

brolley@sungazette com brolley@lockhaven com

EDITOR

Lorena Beniquez lbeniquez@sungazette com

CONTRIBUTORS

Bethany Barrett, Lorena Beniquez, Shri ley Boatman, Len Mahonski, Krissi Miller, Joseph W. Smith III, Linda Stager, David Whitman, Christina Williams

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Lorena Beniquez

Mark Nance

Linda Stager

DESIGN EDITOR

Timothy R Wertz Jr

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Chuck Smith

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGERS

John Leeser

jleeser@sungazette com Jordan McCloskey jmccloskey@lockhaven com

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Anthony Segraves asegraves@sungazette com

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E MAIL

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West Branch Life is published quarterly or more at 252 W Fourth St , Williamsport, Pa , 17701. Letters and editorial contributions may be emailed to westbranchlife@sungazette.com or mailed to West Branch Life, 252 W Fourth St , Williamsport, Pa., 17701.

West Branch Life is not responsible for un solicited submissions. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without written permission by publisher is prohibited

Copyright 2022 by Odgen Newspapers All rights reserved Advertising rates and specifi cations are available by contacting jleeser@sungazette com

West Branch Life was founded in 2013, a publication of the Williamsport Sun Gazette and The (Lock Haven) Express community newspapers and web sites at www sungazette com and www lockhaven com

By DAVID WHITMAN

By KRISSI MILLER

Are you having fun?

on’t you just want to have fun in life?

When you can and as often as you can?

Like love, fun makes most things alright in this crazy world

Whether it is making thousands of people start their day laughing with on air antics, goofy characters and great comedy, cooking delicious food and serving others a unique ex perience, or playing music to soothe the mo ment, fun is a spice of life

Enjoyment frees your soul from the stress of the day.

with his zany morning show featuring some of the most colorful and whacky characters ever.

Also gracing our pages are John and Andrea Roskowski, co owners of the new John Ryan Brewery in Old City Williamsport, who strive to make people happy with their culinary tal ents and hospitality

And as WBL writer Len Mahonski says in his piece in this edition on musician and pro fessor, Tim Breon, our region is home to many people who add to the culture and enjoyment of our West Branch Life

Bob Rolley

brolley@sungazette.com brolley@lockhaven.com

Take KISS FM DJ Gary Chrisman for exam ple Featured on our cover and inside, Gary has charged the radio airwaves with laughter for decades.

His story his career as penned by WBL writer David Whitman is one of greeting many of us on the ride to work or wherever

How cool that Dave Miller of Wellsboro started myhikes.org to allow people to share their experiences walking and hiking amid the stunning landscapes of our region and world

Thanks to writer photographer Linda Stager for that story inside, too.

Oh, and look for our “Autumnal Fests” and “Dockside” event calendars inside this Fall 2022 edition of West Branch Life as they list a bounty of upcoming FUN events to enjoy!

Take a moment, too, to look at the faces of all of the people on our pages

Smiling

Laughter IS the best medicine.

And we all need more of it

Experience should tell us what makes us happy … and what does not.

Life is just too short, folks.

Laughter boosts the air we breathe, stimulates our heart, lungs and mus cles, and relieves our response to stress.

So why can’t more people find joy?

I read one explanation that “most people aren’t responsible enough to fully enjoy life.”

Think about that … it’s true.

And here’s another quote I read: “The goal of life is not to relax on the beach, sipping mojitos all day. The pur pose is to find something you love that adds value to the world ”

Right on!

Isn't it a beautiful day?

meet our contributors

Bethany Barrett has been a writer and photographer for The Williamsport Sun Gazette since last June She enjoys being with family and friends, spending time in nature, writ ing, photography and art bbarrett@sungazette com

Shirley Boatman is a retired high school English teacher from Sullivan County. When her four children were in elementary school, she penned a weekly newspaper column, Say Kay, about their an tics and her husband’s. Now, Boatman is a happy grandmother of five, plus part of The Second Mon day Workshop Group for poetry She may be reached at sbboatman@comcast net

Len Mahonski is a former Key stone Press Award winner and lifestyle, rrts and entertainment re porter for the Williamsport Sun Gazette As a single father, his writings often draw inspiration by calling the reader’s attention to the extraordinary people in our commu nity, who make a positive impact and real difference in the lives of others.

Krissi Miller is a native of the West Branch Valley Graduated from Bishop Neumann High School, Krissi obtained a bachelor degree in educa tion from Lock Haven and did masters work through Marywood University She taught and administrated in area schools for three decades Now retired, Miller's favorite place to be is atop her horse on a PA forest trail Horses have always been a passion of hers. She is the author of "Return to Dignity, An An thology of Horse Rescue Stories".

Joseph W. Smith III is a writer, teacher and speaker in Central PA. His latest book is The Best Movies You Never Saw: 300 Under the Radar Films That Were Overlooked, Unjustly Trashed or Just Plain Terrific." He may be reached at robbwhitefan@gmail.com.

Linda Stager, of Wellsboro, is an award winning outdoor writer and photog rapher Her stories and photos are often showcased in a variety of publications, in cluding the Williamsport Sun Gazette She is also the author of the “Pine Creek Rail Trail Guidebook,” a 206 page guide to the 62 mile highly acclaimed rail trail that runs from Wellsboro to Jersey Shore You can learn more about her at www lindastager com and can reach her at lstager021@gmail.com.

David Whitman has over three decades of freelance entertain ment writing experience in Philadel phia, Houston and Austin as well as locally for the Sun Gazette and the Williamsport Guardian dwhitman0906@gmail com

Christina Williams is an ad vocate and co author of “#SheWins 2: Stories and Photographs of Women who Survived Domestic Abuse ” She has a Facebook page called Damsels N Distress geared at helping those who have survived abuse. She is also a community writer for The Express and you can reach her at cwilliams@lockhaven com

Autumnal Adventures

By LORENA BENIQUEZ West Branch Life

You may have noticed that WBL has spawned two new niche magazines which are housed under the West Branch Life Signature Editions. It became apparent to the magazine team that we needed more pages to capture life around us and that is how RIDE and HUNT came to be RIDE magazine focuses on wheel culture from motorcycles, to atvs and much more As for HUNT, many assume that it expressly means to cover only hunting However, it is much broader than that. It can be the hunt for the perfect trail to hike, the ideal stream to fish or whatever outdoor adventure awaits.

The reaction to the online and print mag azines has been overwhelmingly positive Thank you dear readers and advertisers for your support. Both magazines are ramping up for second issues next year

As for WBL, we have a fall issue packed with destinations, activities and a general

celebration of what our little neck of the woods has to offer during autumn. For in stance, equine culture has surrounded us since the days we took up farming and lum bering. Writer Krissi Miller penned the equine culture article, as only she could do. As the author of “Return to Dignity: An An thology of Horse Rescue Stories,” she knows why our love of horses has created a tight knit community locally

Then there is the unstoppable Gary Chrisman The DJ is celebrating 35 years with KISS FM and Writer David Whitman attended the soiree to mark that milestone In addition, Whitman did a deep dive into how Chriman’s success led him back home, after early success in Miami. During our cover photo shoot, the DJ’s spirit was light and funny making for an effortless session

Since our region has one of the most stunning fall landscapes in the United States, there are plenty of adventures that await us this season Perhaps you can take in one of the festivals listed in “The Five,” or embark on the Pine Creek Pinnacles Chal lenge that will take you through woods

blazing with the season’s colors However you choose to celebrate fall, we hope WBL will serve as a guide to your autumnal ad venture.

Lorena Beniquez lbeniquez@sungazette.com

the five

Autumnal Fests

By LORENA BENIQUEZ West Branch Life

Awww fall! We see you with your pretty leaves, chill temps and festivals galore celebrating everything from harvests to chainsaws (we’ll explain later). It wasn’t easy narrowing down our picks down to five, since our region abounds with fests this time of year. We love that each fest’s theme reflects who we are and how we live. Welcome to autumnal awesomeness!

1. Balloonfest and Air Show & So Much More

September 10 11, Lycoming County Fairgrounds, Hughesville

For 16 years, Balloonfest has been painting the sky with colorful hot air balloons. In addition to riding and viewing the balloons, this action packed festival has BMX perform ances, air shows, ATV drag races, helicopter rides, a heavy equipment rodeo, magicians and live music. Sorry, no drones permitted. bal loonfestairshow.com

2. Apple Butter Festival

October 8 - 9, Waterville Held at the Waterville Fire Company October 8 - 9 in Waterville, the Apple Butter Festival celebrates this preserve, which is essentially concentrated apple sauce but has a longer shelf life. There are demonstra tions of apple butter being batch made along with

live music and over 30 vendors. facebook.com/watervillefestivals

3. LyCOMING OUTDay

October 8, Lycoming County Fairgrounds, Hughesville

This inaugural fest celebrates LGBT pride in the area with music, food and local businesses that support the LGBT community. Jasmine Kennedie, an alum from RuPaul’s Drag Race and drag performer, will play hostess to additional performers (one is seasonally named Ariana Autumn). www.williamsportlgbt.com

4. PA State Flaming Foliage Festival

October 14 - 16, Renovo

Queens, follies and foliage are just the beginning of what you’ll find at this festival. Started in 1949, one of the crowning jewels of the fest is the anointing of a new Fall Foliage Queen. In addition, there are arts, crafts, food, a parade and tal ent show (a.k.a follies). All of this takes place with the bursting colors of the Endless Mountains as a backdrop. pastateflamingfoliagefestival.org

5. Hooskow Chainsaw Carving Festival

October 27 30, Clinton County Fairgrounds, Mill Hall

This fest draws 60 chainsaw carvers from the United States and Canada to celebrate the art combin

ing deadly machinery and sculpture. A statuesque Sasquatch will be carved and finished masterpieces will be auctioned off. To top off the event, there will be camping, arts and crafts vendors, music and food. Bonus kids get in free. hooskow.com

PHOTOS PROVIDED

At left, Balloonfest and Airshow & So Much More comes to Hughesville in September. Above, The Hooskow Chainsaw Carving Festival in October showcases the best of the countryʼs wood carvers in Mill Hall.

pleasure

Beach

Still Making Waves in the Art World

By LORENA BENIQUEZ West Branch Life

R

on Beach’s acrylic paint ings of wildlife and land scapes have captured art collector’s attention for decades now. As Beach stands in his Montoursville studio, he is talking about one of his favorite paintings Titled “My Pheasant Hunter,” an English setter named Duke stands proudly in a sun drenched field hold ing a pheasant in his mouth The mas tery of technique displayed in the fur and light is captivating It truly looks as if this dog is standing right in front of you “I’m a realist I try to make it as real as I can get it,” says Beach. And that is why he has gained such a following

Many art lovers were introduced to Beach’s work at festivals in our area and throughout upstate New York. “I did quite well I was doing 16 17 festivals a year,” says the artist, who has cut back on the festival circuit since it took him away from his family so much but he hasn’t quit fests all together Beach’s next showing will be October 14 16 at the Flaming Foliage Fes tival in Renovo While there, he will ex hibit and sell canvases and prints of the subjects he is best known for Pennsylva

nia’s flora and fauna His pieces have ti tles such as “Susquehanna Summer,” “Loyalsock Autumn” and “Country Clas sics.”

Beach’s love of nature started as a young boy when he wandered the woods “nature snooping,” as he calls it While he painted a bit in high school, it wasn’t until 1984 that the self taught artist began his art journey in earnest. After Beach’s then fiancee, now wife (Sandra Beach), gifted him acrylic paints and brushes, the bud ding artist blossomed “Like anything you do, the more you do it, the better you get,”

he says

Early on, Beach was drawn to the work of Robert Bateman, a well known wildlife artist from Canada. “His [work’s] com position and at mosphere drew me in. He was a big influence on me,” says Beach, who later met the artist and considers him a mentor

The fact that Beach is a conser vationist may have more than a little influ ence on the subject matter he paints As a former Deputy Game Protector with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Beach once took on the task of collecting hair from Allegheny rabbits for a study “I paint what I like,” he says happily

“My art may never be in a museum but they are in homes and offices,” says the artist who has a quiet confidence about his work with no trace of boastfulness when he says, “I’m probably doing the best work that I ever did ”

ronbeachart.com

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life Above, Ron Beach works on one of his pieces in his home studio. Below, the artist painted “My Pheasant Hunter,” which is one of many works depicting the flora and fauna of our area.

Play On Breon

By LEN MAHONSKI West Branch Life

which toured major cities throughout the eastern United States.

A

mongst our beautiful scenery, rivers and streams also lies moun tain sized talent and ex traordinary people, who add to the culture and enjoyment of life within the West Branch Valley. Rich in musical talent and the creative arts, one such shining star is local musician and professor Tim Breon.

Breon has been playing guitar since he was 8-years-old and was fortunate enough to have musically gifted people around him at a very young age. “My passion for music is directly connected and stems from my mother’s side of the family,” Breon says. “Several members paved the way and went on to achieve success on a professional level.”

Breon’s particular interest and love for the guitar began when he picked up an old and dusty six-string left by the wayside, in a corner of his childhood home. “It wasn’t an easy instrument to learn to play,” he says. “But, I was hooked, kept with it, didn’t quit and it paid off.”

Although, as a product of the Williamsport Area School District, Breon admits he didn’t start to get serious about music until he was in high school. “I had great teachers who really cared. That had a huge impact and made a difference,” says Breon.

It was during those early years, the aspiring musician went on to play with the state orchestra and at tended The Governor’s School for the Arts.

During his 20’s, Breon was a member of the homegrown and very popular David Rose Band,

In time, his love and commitment to music, along with his never give up mindset, landed Breon on stage with iconic per formers, such as Clay Aiken, Olivia Newton John and Davy Jones, of the Monkees.

Breon says one of his biggest achievements and proudest moments was playing for Jones, during the filming of the TV Land documentary “Horsin Around,” which to this day is still viewable on YouTube.

But, this local rock and roller wants everyone to know he doesn’t need to be on stage with someone who is famous to have a good time. Breon’s fondest memories are the ones in which he is simply playing out with friends, looking into the crowd, seeing smiling faces and knowing people are lost in the music. “Those are the moments I truly enjoy,” he says.

The local guitarist performs with many other musicians throughout the area and most notably, enjoys playing with Dave Brumbaugh, of the Uptown Music Collective, whom he once studied under. “He’s a great teacher. I learned a lot,” says Breon.

If he isn’t on stage entertaining a crowd, Breon spends much of his time passing his musical knowledge on to our area youth. As a professor at Lycoming College for more than two decades, Breon teaches a two semester electronic music lab course, in which students learn the world in which music and technol

ogy merge.

Noting the days of reel to reel music is a thing of the past, Breon asserts much of today’s music is done by streaming online. Through out the course, students have the op portunity to learn mic setups, mixing, recording, streaming, and editing in real time as their own compositions come to life.

“The students interacting and working side by side with one another, fosters an environment in which they are able to create music together,” he said.

The biggest thrill Breon gets from teaching is learning. He says, “It’s a give and take relationship. I get to pass along my wisdom, but also receive valuable input from the younger generations of up and coming musicians.”

reads

Baseball and Dad

By JOSEPH W. SMITH III West Branch Life

Some years ago, my baseball loving father took a break from his job calling plays for the Niagara Falls minor league team and drove down to watch a Loyalsock High School match with me When I arrived to meet him for the game, I found Dad not on a bleacher but in the tiny press box With no introduction to the coaches or players, this total stranger had volunteered to man the PA for that afternoon’s bout He was sitting at the mic, waiting for the opposi tion’s lineup so he could work on pronun ciation

The late Doug Smith, who covered sports in various venues for nearly seven decades, passed away in 2017. Just this spring, I compiled a collection of his best journalistic writings from a wide range of Western New York newspapers. And so, in the midst of this year’s MLB playoffs and in honor of “The Best of Doug Smith” (Amazon, 2022), Good Reads reprints a 2011 baseball column from that volume, one that recommends his favorite baseball books

“TICKET FOR A SEAMSTITCH,”

Mark Harris (1957)

The game goes on with characters carried over from Harris’ wonderful “Bang the Drum Slowly.” A starry eyed fan crosses the country to see her hero pitch, winning the hearts of his teammates and Har ris’ readers Short and sweet, “Bang” is even better, but this list avoids the many baseball books that have already been made into movies.

“THE UNIVERSAL BASEBALL ASSN., J. HENRY WAUGH, PROP.,”

Robert Coover (1968)

In pre rotisserie days, a numbers fanatic invents a league of his own, then becomes its prisoner. It is frightening but funny, espe cially when a rare visiting team hurls freshly eaten pizza all over his precious spreadsheets

“CASTRO’S CURVEBALL,”

Tim Wendel (1999)

The author speculates on what might have happened had the Cuban dictator had just a little more bite on his “Number 2 ” (Edi tor’s note: Wendel’s exciting sequel, “Escape from Castro’s Cuba,” was published earlier this year.)

“IF I NEVER GET BACK,”

Darryl Brock (2002)

A despondent contemporary sportswriter falls drunk on a Cleve land railroad platform and wakes up traveling eastward with the 1876 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first professional team Ironic and historically accurate, it runs off the rails in the late innings

“LUCKIEST MAN,”

Jonathan Eig (2005)

Intensely sympathetic biography of “Iron Horse” Lou Gehrig,

felled by disease at age 37 Eig notes how sportswrit ers of his time criticized Gehrig for loafing One de nounced Gehrig’s disease as a fraud, airily predicting Gehrig would outlive them all. If only.

“THE OLD BALLGAME,”

Frank Deford (2006)

The rest of the title “How John McGraw and Christy Matthewson Invented Modern Baseball” says it all about how these two widely contrasting figures shaped each other and the game

“A GAME OF INCHES,”

Peter Morris (2006)

Today, we sometimes take for granted the extraordinary research that goes into innovations For example, did you know that at one time, any substitutions were forbidden? Except for failing to trace the history of the infield fly rule, “Inches” goes the extra mile

“THE 33 YEAR OLD ROOKIE,”

Chris Coste (2008)

Universally dissed as a big league prospect, Coste describes his persistent climb to the majors

“THE GIRL WHO THREW BUTTERFLIES,” Mick Cochrane (2009)

This is a gently uplifting tale of a middle school girl whose late father once taught her how to pitch a knuckleball Its flight makes a perfect metaphor for life’s ups and downs When she and the bully at shortstop compare the smell of their gloves, it’s a short story all in itself

“AS THEY SEE ’EM”,

Bruce Weber (2009)

The life and times of umpires, told by a reporter who walked among them and made their calls, with an interior quiz for good measure (your reviewer got a C plus) Much is made of major league baseball’s low regard for the arbiters who hold its integrity in their hands.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Writer Joseph W. Smith III with his father Doug Smith enjoying what they both love - baseball.

By BETHANY BARRETT West Branch Life

s we take in fall’s blazing leaves, it should serve as a reminder that it’s time to check our trees’ health WBL turned to the experts at Dincher & Dincher to understand why this season is crucial to trees.

For generations, Dincher & Dincher Tree Surgeons, Inc. have been leading the way in local expert tree care The com pany was founded in 1950 by two broth ers, Bernard J Dincher and Thomas M Dincher. Then the founder’s two oldest sons, Bernie and Tom, took on the busi ness in the mid seventies, expanding it into a full service tree company

The family of Certified Arborists cur rently work with various levels of tree care including tree removal, tree pruning, tree stump removal, landscape maintenance, tree planting, roadside maintenance and

more.

Dincher & Dincher has six Certified Ar borists on staff five Certified and one Board Certified “I’m a Board Certified Master Arborist and my three kids and my wife And we have another Certified Ar borist on staff. For the board certification, there are probably worldwide only about 1500. For certified arborists, there's proba bly 40 or 50,000,” Bernie says

According to the professionals, fall is an excellent time for tree planting and other kinds of tree care “Wait until fall, because the tree is dormant and the roots keep growing So there's no water stress as much on that plant It really helps to make a better root system We do a lot of fall planting,” says Bernie

New trees in particular need a plentiful amount of water in order to grow. “If you have newly planted trees, say less than three to four years in the ground, keep them watered, right up until the ground freezes” Bernie explains, “Because it's

very critical to keep those roots growing.”

One of the most common failures of tree planting is tree death due to lack of water “Typically, drought stress trees get opened up to a lot of boring insects and a lot of other problems People don't realize that they have to water [enough] to try to imitate one inch of rain a week That's kind of the magic number,” says Bernie, who adds that whenever the surrounding area gets at least an inch of rain a week, trees don’t need to be watered “If we get into dry periods, you want to try to at least make an attempt to water that tree two or three times a week So, thoroughly soaked and not just hit it with a hose I mean, soak it for a good 15 20 minutes,” he fur ther explains

Although tree pruning can be done year round, the dormant season is an ideal time of year to do it “It's nice to do it in a dormant season, because you can see the structure of the tree and help im prove that structure with pruning,” says Bernie “So, that's a good time We like to prune in the fall.”

Pruning benefits the tree’s health and can also be done as a safety precaution. “If you have certain branches that are hazardous, you can have them removed or shortened up or cabled Dead wood is always a good thing to get out of a tree for safety as well as tree health,” says Bernie. “You can also prune to help re duce storm damage and other issues like that. Basically, you can prune out dis eases if you have a certain tree that has a disease. On certain branches, they can be taken off ”

PHOTO

meet up

Best Selling Author Elin Hilderbrand Coming to Library Gala

By JOSEPH W SMITH III West Branch Life

“Like most readers, I have always valued and treasured libraries. My mother was a reading specialist She had the summers off, and she would take us weekly to the library to check out a stack of books,” says Elin Hilderbrand, a New York Times best selling author.

That plus encour agement from a second grade teacher helped propel Hilderbrand into a career the New York Post calls “queen regent of the easy breezy sum mer read.”

So, it’s fitting that Hilderbrand serves as featured speaker for the James V Brown Library’s Author Gala this year at the Community Arts Center (CAC) on October 13

Hilderbrand will give a talk, in addition to having an exclusive meet and greet in the CAC’s Capitol Lounge and a book signing afterward For those unable to at tend, the ticketed event will also be live streamed for a modest fee.

Hilderbrand is the author of such sunny and absorbing novels as “The Beach Club” (her debut) and “Summer of ’69” (her first to bow at No. 1 on the New York Times Bestseller list) The novelist is also a proud mother of three, a dedicated Peloton rider, a seven year breast cancer survivor and host of the Instagram show “Cringe Cooking,” named by her son and specially designed for busy single moms

The author’s visit to Lycoming County is likewise apt because her grandfather, Clarence Huling, was born and raised in Williamsport, though he soon moved to Collegeville, Pennsylvania, where Hilder brand grew up As the author told WBL in a recent interview, “We visited Williamsport several times when I was

Currents

growing up to see rela ves and check out the ittle League [Mu eum].”

She holds writing egrees from Johns Hopkins and Iowa, but the novelist credits an early teacher who gave her the “Top Au hor” award at the end of a school year “At that moment, I recognized myself as a writer,” she says.

Now in a position of similar influence, Hilderbrand has this advice for aspiring authors “The best way to become a better writer is to read,” she explains. “The other ad vice, which is advice I was given, is to go out and live in the world You can’t be a writer without some life experience And then, when you are ready to put pen to paper, it becomes all about discipline and persistence ”

Hilderbrand notes how different the pub lishing industry is now since her first novel was published more than 20 years ago. “Social media has completely changed the publishing and book marketing landscape,” says the author “Back in 2000 when I started publish ing, the only way you could market yourself was through your pub lisher You hoped for reviews, you prayed nightly to be an Oprah pick Now there are so many ways to spotlight your work online.”

The writer plans to pen two more books and then, with 30 titles on her shelf, retire from what she calls her “day

job” in 2024. “One Nantucket based novel every summer I want to retire be fore I start to repeat myself or the quality of my novels drops. I do look forward to having more time to amplify the work of other novelists, especially women,” says Elinbrand

Meanwhile, she notes that even though cell phones have cut back on reading, “I have noticed the huge influ ence of Bookstagram on Gen Z readers and audiobooks are on the rise People are earning about books on their phones and they’re listening o books on their phones I’m ptimistic about the future of he book. I can’t tell what eople are doing in their omes, but I can see that peo le on the beach are all read g.”

This year, they’ll likely be reading her latest,“Hotel Nan tucket,” released June 14 Or maybe they’ll be planning a meet and greet with their favorite beach read writer

Take A Hike

By LINDA STAGER West Branch Life

Hikers who enjoy the Pine Creek Gorge have a new challenge to tackle Seventy eight miles of hiking, 20 pin nacles and 23,000 feet of elevation gain await those who sign up for the Pine Creek Pinnacles (PCP20) challenge PCP20 is the brainchild of Dave Miller, owner of myhikes org and a Wellsboro na tive. Miller explains, “I always liked scour ing maps to find remote places that looked interesting that people didn’t really go to. I’d plan one or two backpacking trips a year with my friends. On one of those trips, as we were coming down Mount Greylock in

western Massachusetts, I was thinking, ‘It’d be cool, if we just had our own website where we could upload photos and we could save parking coordinates so we could get back to these trails in the future.”

That was the genesis of My Hikes, LLC, which grew from a little website, where friends shared trip reports to the extensive business it now is

When the pandemic arrived in 2020, people discovered and rediscovered out door recreation, Miller’s website became a hot resource Traffic on the website ex ploded in numbers and Miller started enjoy ing success with the website that merged his computer science degree with his hiking hobby

In an evolution of his webpage, Miller

created the PCP20 as a way of encouraging folks to explore the public lands in the Pine Creek Gorge. For Miller, it’s about testing physical skills, while enjoying nature’s beauty. The challenge is free, self paced, and without expectation it will be com pleted quickly To date, some participants have traveled 11 of the 20 hikes in the chal lenge Some hikes are easy, while others are brutal, to say the least

Miller recalls one of his more memorable hikes on 4 3 mile long Half Dome Moun tain in Lycoming County, which in Miller’s estimation rivals some trails on Mount Washington: “The trail starts south of Slate Run, Pennsylvania by going through a mountain hollow It passes through an open forest floor past large pine trees. It’s a scenic hike as you are going along Pine Creek but then it starts to become really steep and the trail becomes really skinny and runs along a ledge. Soon, you are hiking up the moun tain on your hands [and knees] It’s ex tremely steep. It’s treacherous. It’s not easy. The state has plenty of mountains, but I’ve never seen anything like that before,” says the hiker

As Miller stresses, some of the hikes in the challenge, like Half Dome, are more suited to the experienced hiker. “I expect folks will find things that are interesting, and enjoy it, but don’t get hurt.”

myhikes.org or pinecreekpinnacles.org

PHOTO PROVIDED

Dave Miller hiking the Gulfside Trail on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.

Williamsport Bicycle Recycle on a roll

Promoting Community Bike Access and Safety

By SHIRLEY BOATMAN West Branch Life

Step into the Williamsport Bi cycle Recycle shop at the Pa jama Factory on Park Street and enter a bustling, buzzing world of volunteer bicycle experts and customers engaged in various stages of repair and conversation. Bikes of all sizes, colors and styles are positioned up right, flat on the floor or upside down, ac cording to which part of the bike is being fixed And it’s hands on for both customer and volunteer As their website states, “You don’t drop a bike off for us to fix ” Cus tomers pay a small fee and volunteers work with them to repair their bikes, teaching them the skills needed to do it themselves. The shop provides the needed tools and re cycled parts

The idea of Bicycle Recycle was con ceived by Dave and Louisa Stone during a 15 mile group ride in 2008 with the YMCA “Many participants asked us about getting a cheaper bike to get back into cycling, and we knew no places within fifty miles of Williamsport providing such services,” says Louisa. The Stones began researching the idea, visiting many existing facilities in Philadelphia, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Cleve land, Portland, Oregon, and Tucson, Ari zona They soon opened a small center at

Williamsport’s YMCA. Then in 2013, they moved to the Pajama Factory in Williamsport and became part of the non profit Factory Works

Along with the Stones, the non profit shop operates totally with volunteers “We would not be successful without them [vol unteers],” Louisa says. “That applies to all our volunteers over the years.” The six cur rent volunteers include: Mike Otto, chief mechanic who teaches customers to fix their bikes; Deb Decker, who does sales and re pairs while helping new riders; Abbey Davids and Rob Ray, who came to the shop to learn to fix their bikes and now keep the shop in order; Steve Young, who is hands on with difficult repairs and builds bikes, and Tegan Hartman, who manages the website and social media.

Bicycle Recycle is a community minded bike shop Dave explains, “We accept bike donations from the community, refurbish them, and then sell them at reasonable prices ”

The Stones see their role as promoting the value of community cooperation “We are constantly surprised by the variety of people who come through our doors. Some need a bike to get around and stay active in our community Some are cleaning out their garage and find a good bike that they would like to find a home for Many need a simple repair but do not have the knowledge or

tools to do it by themselves We are contin uing to evolve as we work with new peo ple,” adds Louisa

Available at the shop are adult, young adult and kids’ bikes. The selection includes refurbished mountain bikes, road bikes, city bikes, BMX bikes and cruisers The full in ventory can be seen on their website On their facebook page, Bicycle Safety Classes are listed, along with other activities

Among community programs, WILLIAMSPORT BICYCLE has assisted Penn College for certification as a bike friendly campus, sponsored a Bike Rodeo for Boy Scouts and is working with Girl Scouts on merit badges In addition, they’ve donated bikes to Stevens Primary School and YMCA, and Dave started the Williamsport Bike Committee

Bicycle Recycle has advocated for a Complete Streets ordinance and in county planning for bike paths and is constantly working for bike advocacy to make city streets safer and more accessible. Louisa says, “We’re working toward making Williamsport a more bicycle friendly city by getting bicycle safe streets included in city and county plans for development ”

williamsportbicyclerecycle.org

PHOTO PROVIDED

A typical day at Williamsport Bicycle Recycle has cyclists and volunteers working together to fix bicycles

scenes of the season . . .

Golfers enjoy a warm fall afternoon at the Eagles Mere Country Club last fall.

MARK NANCE/West Branch Life

Maples adorned in full fall colors at the north access of Rose Valley Lake last fall.

MARK NANCE/West Branch Life

Making Waves >>>>> Chrisman

By DAVID WHITMAN West Branch Life

G

enerations have awak ened to Gary Chrisman’s distinctive baritone The legendary DJ still has the imp like spirit of that 19 year old who debuted on WWPA nearly half a century ago Our Susquehanna Valley has seen lots of ch ch ch changes but Chrisman has been as constant as the North star.

That star shined brightly at Jersey Shore’s Bald Birds Brewing Co. dur ing KISS FM’s 35th birthday soiree this summer.

Five hundred guests celebrated the accomplishments and continu ing longevity of two regional institu tions: KISS FM and Chrisman.

It had all the hallmarks of a Chris man and KISS event. There was live music, giveaways and Chrisman buzzing around the packed house, still the friendly face of a radio sta tion he helped put on the map

Before opening the mic as a DJ, the Williamsport native (Chrisman was part of the final graduating class of the old high school on Third Street) hauled furniture for Williamsport Moving Co

While there, he was inspired to develop his most long standing radio character: Howard Smith.

“Howard was the warehouse foreman and a great guy, funny too. He was in his 60s Meanwhile we’re all 18 and our girlfriends would come down at lunch Oh man, some of the stuff that he said. What a char acter I started doing Howard for the guys in the warehouse. That’s where he debuted,” says Chrisman

Deciding there was more to life than moving pianos and davenports, Chrisman headed south after high school graduation and landed at the University of Miami as a mass commu nications major He started radio in 1972 and called games for Miami baseball in 1973 Hurricane football followed that fall

His partner in crime was future ESPN broadcasting legend Roy Fire stone The duo also did a popular morning show at the University of Miami, which is where Chrisman de

veloped both his style and some char acters still part of his morning show to this day

When Chrisman returned home dur ing Christmas break of his sophomore year, he received two job offers: One from WMPT (Top 40) and WWPA (easy listening) for work in the summer of 1973

“MPT was the kids’ station but I went with the one my parents listened

to I made a good move there because it gave me the chance to do sports, news and middays on air,” Chrisman recalls.

After graduating from college, Chrisman returned home for what he thought was a quick visit, but fate changed that. That fall, WWPA owner Woody Ott passed away and his son, Bill Ott, took over. One of the first things he did was offer Chrisman mid

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life

Prior pages, Gary Chrisman with the legendary Frankie Valli (photo provided) Above, Chrisman in his KISS-FM studio where he entertains listeners.

Chrisman

Making Waves

days full time.

“I was doing Miami baseball and foot ball, but unlike most of the kids at Miami, I wasn’t rich I didn’t even have my own car. I was college loaned out so I thought, ‘What the hell I’ll take the gig Save up for a car. Stick around for six months Enjoy some home cooking ’ And well, here we are 50 years later,” laughs Chrisman

Soon, WWPA (now called the Twin W) and Chrisman found success

“I’m doing a morning show during midday It made no sense but it worked I’m doing all these characters and goofy stuff while Ken Sawyer is the straight laced guy in the morning We had a lot of talent come through there like Vince Sweeney, future WBRE weatherman, Ken of course, and Scott Masteller, future head honcho at ESPN radio,” says Chris man proudly. “Next thing you know, in a blink of an eye, 10 years go by and I’m here doing things including the TV’s (PM Magazine) from 1984 till it was canceled in 1987. We did really well at the Twin for a bunch of years at the time AM radio could still win in Williamsport,” says Chrisman

By the mid 80s, Chrisman saw the writing on the wall

“We’re not going to compete with the FMs around here at that stage and I think for our boss at the time he needed to make that move earlier than he did By then, I was going to go somewhere else because that little station was going to hit the wall unfortunately,” says Chris man

In April of 1987, Chrisman got some guys together to form a group to buy an available radio station They even talked to a financial guy prior to this but were way, way too late, according to Chris man.

“I was at a crossroads because things were not going to go the way they should have gone at the Twin W,” he says. A short time later he got a call while on air It was Tom Benson, pro gram director of KISS FM, the same sta tion Chrisman’s group tried buying

“So I came here. We have a huge 53,000 watt signal So we started having some success pretty, pretty, fast (and) started doing really well And we had a lot of fun stuff, you know, and became a big player in the market,” he remembers

PHOTO PROVIDED

Chrisman is pictured above with one of the attendees at his and KISS FMʼs an niversary party this past summer that attracted 500 people.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Chrisman and Gail Bair, his former morning co host, in a promotional photo. Below, Vince Sweeney, best known for his work as WBRETVʼs revered weatherman, working with Chrisman prior to leaving for television.

Making

Also in 1987, the D J wanted to do more sports and had already done some TV with the local cable station So he pursued the cable company to televise high school football games

He went to Joe Lecce, the head guy at the cable company

“He was interested but kind of put it in my lap saying, ‘Now you pay us. You’ve got to get the sponsors,’ and here I was figuring I was going to be working for the cable company! I had recently come here to KISS and now I was diving into this,” Chrisman recounts

This was also the week of a big Williamsport vs Berwick football game The next thing you know, Cable Sports Productions is on the air

“I made up the name, go to the bank, open an account My KISS boss, Al Dane, supports me here. He said, ‘Hey, my morning guys are doing high school foot ball, basketball and TV. That's not bad for us That's good for us ’ So he became one of my first sponsors,” says Chrisman.

He would go on to do those games for 34 years with Babe Mayer.

In addition to over six decades in radio, Chrisman has called Little League World Series games since 1974 with his good friend Sawyer, Tom O’Malley and Scott Lowrey

“It’s a lot and a lot of fun doing the Lit tle League World Series,” says Chrisman

In addition, he took the morning show live for 10 years with co hosts KC (Kathy Collins) and later Gail Bair, with a host of characters in tow. That included a yearly live morning show at the Community Arts Center (one featured a still talked about spoof of OJ Simpson’s police pursuit complete with a helicopter and slow chase of the infamous white bronco down the beltway).

Over the years, Chrisman created a character driven morning show. When lis tening, you might hear Rod The Boy, Larry at the Plant, or a host of other char acters phoning in

“Well you know, I take pride in com ing in prepared and not coming in and winging it. And I always want to be bet ter I've never taken that for granted Ah, hell I’ve been doing this forever. I mean, I still want to improve and be better And I wouldn't feel good about myself if I just, you know, phoned it in,” says Chrisman

And how much longer does Chrisman think he’ll continue? He says, “I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon ”

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Chrisman was the master of ceremonies at his and KISS FMʼs 35th anniver sary party held at Bald Birds Brewing Company in Jersey Shore.

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life Preceeding page, the horses of Wanderbrook Stables in Muncy take in a late summer day. This page, Lexie Hammond of Loyalsock Township is beaming as she takes her first horseback ride ever on Phoenix at Harmony Hill in Linden.

By KRISSI MILLER West Branch Life

Did you know that Pennsylva nia ranks eighth in the na tion for horse population? The revenue from the horse industry contributes a whopping $5 6 billion to the state’s economy every year It supports thousands of jobs in cluding veterinarians, farriers, feed mills, tack stores, horse trainers, riding instructors, boarding facilities, rescue organizations and therapeutic riding stables. Traveling through the region, it's hard to go very far without coming across horses loafing in a paddock or grazing in a field

Harmony Hill, a prominent feature along Highway 220 in Linden offers passersby the bucolic scene of horses grazing in green paddocks Once a boarding and training facility, now it is

primarily the home of co owner Gail Patton’s (along with co owner Jim Keefer) personal pets Patton believes, "Every horse should own a human " Though she rarely rides, Patton's life with horses proves riding is not the only relationship to be had with a horse. She is an avid fan of horse rac ing, particularly after falling in love with Joya, a mare who loved to race. Retired now, Joya's racing legacy lives on in her son, Declaration Time. Patton owns a 10% interest in Declaration, and believes this is an affordable op tion for racing enthusiasts

For those that do ride, there are a variety of riding disciplines to choose from including trail riding, hunter jumper, western pleasure, obstacle trail, team penning, calf roping, dres sage, horse show competitions, en durance, and driving.

Making

Several decades ago, a group of horse lovers had a dream for this di verse horse community That dream eventually became The Williamsport Riding Club (WRC) Located in Loyal sock Township, the WRC hosts count less equestrian events, not the least of which is the 4 H regional and district shows that lead young riders to state level competitions.

There is so much good to be found in horse human relationships. Many parents believe beginning early offers advantages to youngsters. "Just being up and outside away from media and electronics is great for the kids," de clares riding instructor Megan Swarthout.

Boarding barn manager and trainer at Tabula Rasa (Clean Slate) Equestrian Center in Jersey Shore, Swarthout has a full schedule of young equestrian

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life

Despite a dry summer, horses at Wanderbrook Stables in Muncy enjoy green pastures with a view to a Christmas tree farm.

students. When she talks about her love of kids and horses, it is evident she enjoys her job immensely "Improvement of equine welfare and giving others the opportunity to experience the joy of horses is my ultimate goal," declares Swarthout "Many of these kids have limited to no experience. So, getting to give them a solid start means a lot ”

The only thing Swarthout doesn't like about her job is not having enough hours in a day to do all the things she wants to do with her students. People like Swarthout are an essential as pect of horse culture because they preserve it for the next gener ation.

Idamay Hornberger is another horse professional Her back ground includes dressage, western cow horse, eventing, side saddle, hunter jumper, pleasure driving, mounted shooting, horse training, beginner instruction and advanced skill training. When it comes to horse training, she believes, "The horse is more receptive to anything done in a natural setting, and this transfers more easily to a performance " A newcomer to the area, Hornberger chose to move here because of the "something for everyone" quality of horse culture "Having a local horse showing facility for clients is such a good thing for trainers," she says

For many area horse people, owning, caring for, and/or riding their horses is a commitment to lifetime learning Eileen and Joe Stroup, owners of Wanderbrook Stables in Muncy, strongly sup port this life long learning theme Wanderbrook enriches the ex periences of riders by sponsoring horsemanship and riding clinics, bringing in high level horse professionals to teach work shops and clinics The Stroup’s say, “There’s always something new to learn about horses.”

equine <<<<<

Making Waves

One of the most romanticized riding activi ties, trail riding, makes use of the miles and miles of gorgeous riding trails in our hills and valleys Saddling up and riding through deli cate blooms of mountain laurel in early sum mer or the brightly colored leaves of fall is a divine pleasure for both rider and horse But it takes a lot of courage to produce a competent trail horse Once outside of the paddock or arena fences, anything goes Really Anything A trail horse operates completely beyond the safety and predictability of life inside the fence

Our area is home to a lot of horse people who have lent a hand to rescue mistreated equines Eli was one of them Eli was adopted from Appalachian Horse Help and Rescue (AHHR) by local Police Officer Doc Miller, who trained Eli to become a police horse for the Williamsport Bureau of Police Mounted Unit. Doc and PO Eli performed mounted po lice duties in streets and parks for five years

After that, Doc repurposed Eli for trail riding and passed the reins to friend Susan Miller A good trail horse works to become one with the forest, and Eli has done just that Susan and he now enjoy leisurely rides in area forests. She believes rescue horses have much to offer, but their people need to have patience. She says, "Remember they have a past that they may need some TLC to overcome. They need some one who is able to be in control of the tough situations."

Last, but by no means least, horse clubs exist in the area for horse enthusiasts to share their love of horses with others of like minds One of the most vital and influential kinds of horse clubs is the 4 H program It has nurtured the well spring of horse love in many a young heart for decades In fact, large numbers of "older" horse people have fond memories of their 4 H days. Education, respect, responsibil ity, teamwork, and setting and achieving goals have been and still are hallmarks of 4 H.

Online clubs are a new twist in today's horse culture. Many area horse people belong to online clubs that offer support, encourage ment, advice, and challenges to inspire and motivate positive interactions in the horse com munity.

Bottom of opposite page, trail riding is one beloved equine activity, especially during autumn.

Above, Harmony Hillʼs tack room also serves as a feeding spot for barn cats.

The horse is something infinitely old, yet ever new. Something transient and fleeting, yet solid as rock A very old saying says, "The winds of heaven blow through my horse's ears ” That is Magic That is Horse No wonder the Susquehanna Valley’s horse culture has been alive and well for so long It is the em bodiment of dreams that really do come true.

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life

Top of opposite page, Phoenix at Harmony Hill stands regally after racing around the paddock.

KRISSI MILLER/West Branch Life

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life

Dockside

snapshots from your West Branch Life

Send us your photos

West Branch Life is inviting photo submissions from your events.

These may be submitted via e mail to westbranchlife@sungazette.com.

Remember to include information for a caption that includes identities of the people in your photos, as well as a bit about the event and what is going on.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

The Williamsport Crosscutters recently donated nearly $4,800 to Alyʼs Monkey Movement, raised by auctioning off specially designed jerseys, which were worn by members of the team and coaches at a July game Alyʼs Monkey Movement is a charity program that provides toy stuffed monkeys to children near and far who are going through difficulties in life Posing with the check are, from left, Crosscutters mascot Boomer; Gabe Sinicropi, Cut ters vice president of marketing; Aly Creasy and her mom, Kristy Creasy, of Alyʼs Monkey Movement; and Doug Estes, Cutters vice president and general manager

Many volunteers make the Clinton County Fair a success each year, including those who work security and the front gate crew. They include volunteers from the Clinton County Fire Police, Goodwill Hose and Dunnstown fire companies, who are on site 24/7 for nine days, under the direction of the fair board.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CLINTON COUNTY FAIR

PHOTO PROVIDED Danica Kelly, a member of the Central Mountain High Schoolʼs clay target team, is razor focused during a trapshoot.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CLINTON COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU

At the Clinton County Fair, Pedal Power Tractor Pull winners in the sixyear-old age group receive their trophies from reigning Clinton County Fair Queen Bryley Miller.

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life Artist Joanne Landis at her show in August at Lycoming Arts Gallery in Williamsport. She spoke about her approach to art with members of Lycoming Arts and the Victorian Christmas Committee 2022.

PHOTO PROVIDED

A group of 16 Scouts and adult volunteers from Saint Ann Troop 38 recently rafted down the Lehigh River Scouts combined a weekend camp out with a chance to raft during a Lehigh River Dam Release Weekend.

Dog lover Alice Fessler, age 11, daughter of Valerie Fessler and Curt Fessler, reads to Lucy Stetts, an 8year old Goldendoo dle. The James V. Brown Library has teamed up with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs for a Pawsitive Reading Experience

Children practice their skills by reading to the therapy dogs. This event is held at the library on the fourth Wednesday of every month from 4 to 5 p.m.

snapshots from your West Branch Life

PHOTO PROVIDED

Fourteen year old Laura Ransom got to meet her favorite player Jeff McNeil just before the Mets beat the Braves on Citi Field in New York. Ransomʼs first two trips to see the Mets were delayed due to her neck surgery but the third attempt proved to be a trip of a lifetime. Laura is pictured with McNeil in the clubhouse.

Veteran Bruce Heatley, of Wellsboro, was awarded a Quilt of Valor in recognition of his service in the U.S. Army from 1989 to 2016. His quilt was pieced by Patti Deitrich, quilted by Debi Giordano and awarded by Jim and Bonnie Fiedler, members of the Columbia County Quilts of Valor.

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bayada.com

PHOTO PROVIDED

PHOTO PROVIDED

With fall in Pennsylvania, the mi gration from home to cabin be gins For the 24 members of the Wallis Run Rod and Gun Club, each return to the lodge for hunting season is a time to reconnect, laugh and, of course, hunt

“This cabin represents brotherhood and we love doing traditional drives with our members and friends,” says Anthony Segraves, a lodge member who has been going to the cabin since he was 10 years old with his uncle, Bernie Hor ton

Located in Trout Run, the over 3,000 square foot lodge is nestled near the Tiadaghton State Forest along Wallis Run.

Built in 1989, the rustic lodge has the quintes sential elements of a hunter’s cabin, plus much more There is a stone fireplace in the living room, wood paneling, bedrooms with bunk beds, and trophies lining the walls, one of them an al bino deer captured sometime in the 1960s.

There is also original art throughout

The open concept kitchen has a six burner stove and sizable island able to handle prep for a big group of hungry hunters. Nearby in the sun room, there is a commercial refrigerator under neath shelves holding empty bottles of the lodge’s signature drink, Jack Quinn’s Ginger Brandy

In the lodge’s lower level, the bar area is warmed by a wood burning stove, rumored to have been forged from a discarded piece of the Alaskan pipeline This is where many lodge mem bers have returned for decades from the hunt to banter about hikes, game and life in general

While a good amount of time is spent indoors, it is in the outdoors where members spend the majority of their time

“We hunt everything including deer, bear, turkey and birds, where we bring dogs in and one member hunts snakes,” says Segraves.

The property holds a large deck, trap shooting, a pond and a 200 yard shooting range. There are food plots with clover, buckwheat and alfalfa in the spring, while turnip and radishes are grown in the fall Over Wallis Run is the sole bridge to the property, which has been rebuilt three times be cause of high water Nearby the bridge, a gazebo is perched over the flowing water offering a place to relax or snack

Each year the Wallis Run Rod and Gun Club shares their lodge with the community for an an nual squirrel hunt to benefits PA Wounded War riors This year the group raised $6,000 when over 100 squirrel hunters took part.

For lodge members, sharing their bounty with the community is just one more way to enjoy their love of the land

fabulous spaces

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life

The Wallis Run Rod and Gun Club in Trout Run has all the ammenities for cabin life including a trap shooting range, plenty of outdoor grills and lots of space.

spaces

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life

Above, taxidermied mounts adorn the stone fireplace in the cabin. Left, bedrooms are stocked with bunk beds and at right, the lower level bar area has room for socializing and playing darts.

and

By BETHANY SEE West Branch Life

New to Williamsport’s Old City is John Ryan Brew ery, a brewery and restaurant that brings big city life vibes with a European touch to area dining With a menu changing seasonally, dishes include tilefish, steak, pasta, ramen, stir fry and tekka don, all made in house

“Our philosophy is from the great American chef Thomas Keller, who said, ‘When you acknowledge, as you must, that there is no such thing as perfect food, only the idea of it, then the real purpose of striving toward perfection becomes clear: To make people happy That is what cooking is all about’,” says John Roskowski, co owner of the brewery with his wife, Andrea.

One item always on the menu are bao buns This classic is normally filled with tender pork belly, but John Ryan Brewery takes a less traditional approach to the light, fluffy and satisfy ingly chewy, steamed dumpling.

Currently, it is a take on fish and chips, with crispy breaded cod, malt vinegar aioli, house pickle and micro fries. John ex plains the micro fries, “It’s a house made snack similar to potato sticks we ate as kids.”

The bao buns are so popular they are ordered by almost every table. Andrea and John’s travels have had a major influence on the menu Because of the couple’s time in Europe and Japan, the menus and beers have a heavy international influence.

“The focus of the beers is less trendy American brewery and more traditional styles,” John explains. The brewery occupies a

eats and drinks

Scallops

Ingredients

LORENA BENIQUEZ/West Branch Life

On page 44, John and Andrea Roskwoski, husband and wife owners of John Ryan Bewery in Williamsport, prepare for a night of dishing up cuisine. Above left, the once deplapidated mansion in Williamsport was re habbed inside and out. Above, the roomy outdoor patio offers diners an al fresco option.

Right, the bar area at the restau rant /brewery.

152 year old mansion built by a forgotten entrepreneur, John R. T. Ryan.

Once a medical office and apartments, it took the Roskowskis and their part ners, Yvonne and Matt DiRocco, five years to transform it into a brewery, dining room, bar, patio and tavern in the lower level Ryan built the French Second Em pire home next door to his wife's family, the Tinsmans. That is where he and his fa ther in law, and business partner, operated their lumber ventures in the office between the two properties, now the brewery.

Despite the challenge of opening the brewery restaurant, the Roskowskis had years of restaurant experience to insure their new business’ success. When the couple lived in Charleston, S C , Andrea was a pastry chef, while John worked at a variety of restaurants, ranging from pizza to fine dining. When the DiRoccos pur chased the building in 2015, the Roskowskis were excited to return home to be closer to family and start a new culinary adventure.

John says, “As time goes on, we want to continuously deliver the best that we can and become a household name in Williamsport and the surrounding areas.”

2 large sea scallops (preferably dry-packed), side muscle removed (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shelled fresh peas (from about

1 1/2 pounds pods) or frozen peas

3 ounces bacon (about 3 slices), cut crosswise into 1/3 inch strips

1 medium shallot, cut crosswise into thin rings

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon (or more) olive oil

3 tablespoons mint leaves, coarsely chopped, divided

Directions

Place scallops on a paper towel lined plate and pat very dry with additional paper towels Season both sides with salt and pepper

For fresh peas, bring 1 cup water to a boil, covered, in a small pot Add peas and 1/2 tsp salt Cook until peas are bright green and tender, about 1 2 minutes for fresh. Drain peas through a strainer set over a bowl Meanwhile, add bacon to a large skillet and heat over medium-high Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until fat starts to render, about 3 minutes Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned and bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes more Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon and shallot to a small bowl Add cooked or frozen peas to bacon mixture.

Heat skillet with reserved fat over high until just barely smoking Working in batches and adding more oil if necessary, sear scallops until a golden brown crust has formed and scallop releases from skillet, about 3 minutes per side Top pea and bacon mixture with scallops then garnish with mint

event calendar

You know that friend who always says, “There’s nothing to do around here.” We submit the following calendar of frivolity and fun to shut that friend down. Please do confirm each event’s hours and dates before attending, since the past two years has taught us anything can change at any time. Enjoy summer!

September

September 8 10

St. Boniface Carnival Williamsport

September 9, 12:00 p m

Millbrook Playhouseʼs 2nd Annual Golf Tournament

Clinton County Country Club Mill Hall

September 9, 7 p.m.

Clinton County Motor Speedway Mill Hall

September 10 11

Balloonfest, Air Show and So Much More Montoursville

September 11, 2 p.m.

911 Memorial Ride Clinton Township

October

October 1

Jersey Shore Town Meeting Annual Pumpkin Roll Jersey Shore

October 1 29

Spook Haven Haunted House Mill Hall

October 1 30

Corn Maze at Pine Creek Seed Farm Jersey Shore

October 1, 11 a m 4:30 p m

Susquehanna Valley Shutterbugs Show Thomas T Taber Museum Williamsport

October 1, 7:30 p.m.

Masters of Illusion Community Arts Center Williamsport

October 6 8

Mansfield University Homecoming

September 15 17

Antes Fort Historical Days Antes Fort Village Park Antes Fort

September 15 18

Lock Haven University Homecoming Lock Haven

September 17, 6 9 p.m. Quizzo

Thomas T. Taber Museum Williamsport

September 17

Car Shows in Muncy Muncy

September 17, 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Farm-City Festival

Clinton County Fairgrounds, Mill Hall

September 30 - October 2

Lycoming College Homecoming Williamsport

September 30 - October 2 Bucknell University Homecoming Lewisburg

Mansfield

October 7 9

Berwick Riverfest 2022 Test Track Park Berwick

October 7 November 5

Invitational Art is the Home Exhibit The Station Gallery Lock Haven

October 8 9

Fall Festival and Lumberjack competition Sullivan County Fairground Forksville

October 8 9 Apple Butter Festival Waterville

October 9, 12:00 p.m. Annual Fall Festival Little Pine State Park Waterville

October 15, 2:00 p m

Annual Mummersʼ Parade South Williamsport

October 20 - 22 & 27 - 29, varied times Lock Haven Haunted Tours 2022 Ross Library Lock Haven

October 14 23, 2 4 p m

The Great American Trailer Park Musical Millbrook Playhouse Mill Hall

October 21 23

Pennsylvania College of Technology Homecoming Williamsport

October 27 30

HoosKow Chainsaw Carving Festival Clinton County Fairgrounds, Mill Hall

October 28, 7:30

Whose Live Anyway Community Arts Center, Williamsport

Shawn Grenninger Photography