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The Valley, July 2018
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Editor’s Corner Wayne Stottlar What a whirlwind this month chuckle, Lynn’s mom is the type has been! It seems looking back that would have been planning that we somehow crammed two and fretting over every detail, so months worth of work and stress for her sake, our decision saved in a single month. her a lot of extra planning. We had Last month I mentioned that also decided that we wanted to get Lynn and I were hoping to sneak married on the beach at our propaway for a week up to NH to erty in North Haverhill NH, so an recharge our batteries. Well, we internet search for nearby wedmanaged to figure out a way to do just that, but being us, we also decided three days before we left that we were going to take care of some unfinished business for us, and get married while we were up in our happy place. This apparently came as a shock to some folks, including Lynn’s mom as it sunk in that it was RIGHT NOW. “In four days you mean?” I had to A lucky guy and his new bride.
ding officiants led us to a wonderful lady who lived just 30 minutes from our land and who was free on June 18th to perform the service. It was so nice talking to her on the phone that we were able to get everything hashed out in about 20 minutes. No waiting period in NH, so we planned to get our marriage license Monday morning at the local town hall and be married at 4:30 that afternoon. Lynn had taken off work the day before we were to leave anyway (takes her slightly more than 5 minutes to pack, still haven’t figured that one out), so we went out Friday the day before we left to purchase rings. Huge thank you to Dave Wilson and Bob at 4-Star Jewelers; your kindness will be with me always. Our trip up was beautiful and beings we were getting married at our land, we booked a motel right up the road, something we don’t normally do since we have very kind friends who we normally stay with. Their home, however, is 1 1/2 hours from our land, so we decided to stay up there for the first three days. The whole week looked fantastic weather wise, with bright sunshine, low humidity, low 70s during the day and high 40s at night.
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Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar Graphic Artist/ Co-Publisher Lynn Persing The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099 (717) 363-1550 E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com ©The Valley. All Rights Reserved.
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The Valley, July 2018
Hobbies “What is a hobby anyway? Where is the line of demarcation between hobbies and ordinary normal pursuits? I have been unable to answer this question to my own satisfaction. At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant. Certainly many of our most satisfying avocations today consist of making something by hand, which machines can usually make more quickly and cheaply, and sometimes better. Nevertheless, I must in fairness admit that in a different age, the mere fashioning of a machine might have been an excellent hobby... Today the invention of a new machine, however noteworthy to industry, would, as a hobby, be trite stuff. Perhaps we have here the real inwardness of our own question: A hobby is a defiance of the contemporary. It is an assertion of those permanent values which the momentary eddies of social evolution have contravened or overlooked. If this is true, then we may also say that every hobbyist is inherently a radical, and that his tribe is inherently a minority.” -Aldo Leopold (A Sand County Almanac And Sketches Here and There) “A defiance of the contemporary.” I had thought, for quite some time, that it was just happenstance that the people I was most interested in conversing with, associating with, and befriending, were by-and-large, all hobbyists of some fashion and in some regard. But, perhaps its not at all by chance. Writers, wood-workers, gardeners, photographers, restorationists, collectors, knitters, welders, jewelers, painters, costumers, tinker-ers, ect, etc. I’d be hard-pressed to name a single friend or even an esteemed acquaintance who couldn’t check off one or more of the above. It’s no coincidence that those who are passionate about seemingly “little things” are also quite vocal and demonstrative towards the “big things.” Modern social structures carry little influence and the lack
of enthused engagement in their niche market is noted and subsequently discarded in importance. I’m certain it has been asked of every person who falls under any of those aforementioned categories (or anything similar in nature); Why? Why don’t you just buy a coffee table?, it would be cheaper and take away none of your valuable time.” The person asking and the person building have a fundamentally different interpretation of “value.” The craftsman values tradition, nuance, originality, solitude, and skill. To him, to trade time for any of those qualities he places on a pedestal, is nothing. Not to mention time spent doing what you love and enjoy is never a waste. Better to “waste” nine man-hours in the workshop than two in IKEA. For the people who ask such questions, no explanation will suffice, and for the people who get it, none is needed. “Permanent Values.” The modern world has become a place inundated with disposable luxuries. We throw out people and possessions as soon as the next new model comes across our line of sight and our wallets can accommodate. Its become cheaper and easier to get a new one, why bother fixing it? How many repair shops are in your downtown? How many people who have celebrated 50th anniversaries do you know? How many old friends do you keep in contact with? (and no, Facebook friends don’t count). When the elderly pass and their estates go up on the auction block, how many kids and grandkids are carefully going through their belongings, keeping their photos, yearbooks, letters, postcards, etc? How many people would take embroidery or a wood sculpture over cash from a grandparent? An heirloom over an inheritance? How many kids are taking advice and listening to stories on the follies of youth? The fibers in the threads of our human connections are being thinned and thinned. Without the continuation of values we are threadbare. It’s not about
the “things,” it’s never about the societal pressures, and the detethings, but rather the who and riorating value of the hand-hewed what they represent. It’s about in a single-use world, to restrain, who made it and who loved it. It’s mold, or dim the light in their about taking an abstract idea and weird little worlds of wonder. turning it into a concrete object. Someone who sees magic where It’s about personalizing over others see only the mundane. generalizing. It’s about breathing Someone who creates something life back into the things formerly where there was nothing. Somedamned to the discard pile. one who sees things not as they ~Thomas Paine “ ...inherently a radical, are, but for what they could be. and that his tribe is inherently a Those are my people. a minority.” Hobbyists are acutely aware that they are an island unto , inc. themselves. They exude YOur mEtal rOOfiNg & explosive sidiNg suPPlY cENtEr passion over things that the general population Roll Forming Metal Roofing would find to & siding in smooth & textured be “useless, inefficient, snap-loc standing seam in smooth laborious, or & textured irrelevant.” A person stOcKiNg: who cannot contain their trims & accessories enthusiasm over a new Soffit that matches thread color all colors & cut to size combination or a new lumber way to lift a wood grain sliding door accessories is someone who has been Windows • Doors brilliantly 31 iNdustrial rOad insulation effective in not allowing modernism, m-f 6 a.m. tO 4:30 P.m. collectivism,
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The Valley, July 2018
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keep bacteria at bay. 4. Stimulates Sexual Desires: It’s an aphrodisiac, boosts libido, and stimulates sexual desire. Need I say more?
Clary Sage
I’ve surpassed the half century mark and with it comes lots of changes. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about. Men, I’m sure many of you have been battered by these changes too (it’s best to find a hobby and steer clear!) Several weeks ago, I started researching ways to regulate the ups and downs of the hormonal roller coaster. I shouldn’t have waited so long to make a purchase. What I found was Clary Sage essential oil, which I picked up at a Health Food store in NH while on vacation last week. I’m diffusing it now as I type this and it’s wonderful! What are the benefits of Clary Sage? They are vast and exciting, at least I think so. Read on... Clary Sage, believed to be a native of Europe, has been used medicinally throughout history
and is best known for its vision benefits. It’s known to brighten the eyes, improve vision, and protect from vision loss due to aging. But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There are many more health benefits that aren’t as widely known. 1. Fights Depression and Relieves Anxiety: It can boost self-esteem, confidence, hope, and mental strength—all things I so desperately need help with. 2. Reduces Convulsions and Relieves Spasms: Epilepsy, headaches, sedative for tense nerves, muscle cramps, etc. 3. Prevents Bacterial and Other Infections: It kills bacteria and fungi and curbs the growth of bacterial infections. Studies show it’s particularly suited to bacterial infections of the colon, intestines, urinary tract and excretory system. It’s also effective in inhibiting bacteria entering the body from water or food. Wounds will not become septic and tetanus germs will not take root if treated with Clary Sage. It can be used after surgery on wounds to
5. Rich in Antioxidants: You know about those right? Clary Sage is an astringent and therefore is strengthens gums, tightens and tones skin and hair follicles, prevents hair loss; making you look and feel younger. Who doesn’t need that?! 6. Skin Care: The linalyl acetate present in Clary Sage reduces inflammation and heals skin rashes. It also balances and regulates the production of the natural oils in your skin (sebum), thereby benefitting those with both oily and dry skin. 7. Reduces Flatulence: It inhibits the formation of gas and eliminates gas QUICK! I need to figure out if it is safe for dogs.... Elwood (my weimaraner) is so gassy! 7. Regulates Menstruation: Help for those who have painful or irregular menstruation. Cures dizziness and irritability during your menses (oh boy, what a lifesaver!) and helps with cramps and bloating. If your symptoms aren’t too major, try it first! 8: Lowers Blood Pressure: It relaxes veins and arteries and allows for increased circulation and lower risk of stroke, heart attack, etc. 9. Acts as a Nervine and Lowers Inflammation: As said before, it’s good for your nerves, calms you down, may help you
sleep, and could help with vertigo and anxiety. It can also help to alleviate back and joint pain. 10. Reduces Stomach Disorders and Promotes Digestion: Clary Sage regulates the secretion of digestive juices and helps stimulate the absorption of nutrients, digestion of food, and regulates bowel movements. 11. Eliminates Bad Odor: Diluted, it can be used as a natural deodorant—ditch the chemicals found in synthetic dcodorants! 12. Improves
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Uterus Health: It helps to maintain good health of the uterus and balances hormones like estrogen, thereby helping to lower the chances of uterine and ovarian cancer. 13. Battling Addiction: With its ability to promote a positive, upbeat approach to life, it can help
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The Valley, July 2018
Hats On For Easter Island Statues by A’ndrea Elyse Messer
Story courtesy Penn State Public information. How do you put a 13-ton hat on a giant statue? That’s what a team of researchers is trying to figure out with their study of Easter Island statues and the red hats that sit atop some of them. “Lots of people have come up with ideas, but we are the first to come up with an idea that uses archaeological evidence,” said Sean W. Hixon, graduate student in anthropology, Penn State. Rapa Nui —Easter Island, Chile — sits in the Southern Pacific Ocean more than 2,000 miles from Chile in South America. The island is about 15 miles long and
7.6 miles wide at its widest with an area of about 63 square miles. According to the researchers, the island was first inhabited in the 13th century by Polynesian travelers. The statues, carved from volcanic tuff, came from one quarry on the island, while the hats, made of red scoria, came from a different quarry 7.5 miles away on the other side of the island. Previous research by Carl P. Lipo, professor of anthropology, Binghamton University, and Terry Hunt, professor of anthropology and dean of the Honors College, University of Arizona, determined that the statues, which can be up to 33 feet tall and weigh 81 tons,
Restored statue platform with standing moai on the south coast of Rapa Nui. Note that one of the moai is adorned with a red scoria pukao. Image: Sean Hixon / Penn State
were moved into place along wellprepared roads using a walking/ rocking motion, similar to the way a refrigerator is moved. “The statues were moved in a fashion using simple physicsbased processes in a way that was elegant and remarkably effective,” said Lipo. Not all statues made it to their final locations, and the fallen and/or broken ones showed that, to move them, the statues were carved so they leaned forward and were later leveled off for final placement. The hats, with diameters up to 6.5 feet and weighing 13 tons, might have been rolled across the island, but once they arrived at their intended statues, they still needed to be lifted onto the statues’ heads. The islanders probably carved the hats cylindrically and rolled them to the statues before further carving the hats to attain the final shapes, which vary from cylindrical to conical and which usually have a smaller cylindrical projection on the top. Chips of red scoria are found in the platform of some of the statue hat combinations. “We were interested in figuring out the method of hat transport and placement of the hats that best agrees with the archaeological record,” said Hixon. The researchers took multiple photographs of many Rapa Nui hats to see what attributes of the hats were the same throughout. Using photogrammetry and 3-D imaging, they created images of the hats with all their details. “We assumed they were all transported
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and placed in the same way,” said Hixon. “So we looked for features that were the same on all the hats and all the statues.” The only features they found the same were indentations at the bases of the hats, and these indentations fit the tops of the statues’ heads. If the hats had been slid in place on top of the statues, then the soft stone ridges on the margin of the indentations would have been destroyed. So the islanders must have used some other method. Previous researchers “Tongariki Closeup” Red scoria pukao resuggested that the statues stored atop a moai located on the south coast of Rapa Nui. and the hats were united Image: Sean Hixon / Penn State before they were lifted in place, but the remnants of Continued on page 18 broken or abandoned statues, and
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My Percyving Eye by Percy R. Wilson, Jr. Evangelist, The Church of Christ at Milroy
Christian Duty To Government Romans chapter 13 has recently been quoted in the news, and as our nation’s Independence Day is brought to our minds, it seems a good time to examine the Christian’s responsibility to government. God has ordained civil authorities. Paul reminded the Romans of this fact: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” (Romans 13:1, NKJV) Since the civil authorities that exist are appointed by God, citizens, and especially Christians, are to submit to them. The inspired writer continues, “Therefore whoever resists
the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs,
fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” (Romans 13:2–7, NKJV) Resisting civil authority is resisting God. We are to honor our governing officials and we are to pay taxes to our government. However, our honoring government is in accordance with God’s laws, and not man’s laws. What is one to do when a law of man’s government causes him to violate a law of God? At that time God’s laws must be followed and not the laws of government. An example of this principle is found in Acts chapters 3-5. The apostles Peter and John heal a lame man and are imprisoned by the Sanhedrin Council. After they make their defense before the Council, they are warned by the Council.
About Faith
by Rev. Robert Zorn, Visitation Minister, Lewistown Presbyterian Church The Preacher and the Bearies Blackberries are ripening in abundance out here in Treaster Valley. The brambles seem to have a way of growing along the fence rows and fields that are not used for any agricultural purposes at the moment. I have descended from a large family of berry pickers. I can remember early morning excursions from which we came home with twenty gallons or more of berries. We were grateful for this free bounty because our family numbered nine members. The canned berries were most welcome during the winter. Now we preserve them in our freezer and enjoy them just as much as then. As enjoyable as
this pastime is, even today, I have to admit that I approach the task with a bit of “baggage.” In addition to the thorns and scratches which they inflict upon us, there are a multitude of insects of many varieties which sting and bite. Then there are the fearful memories of my childhood of all the things that could happen to kids picking berries. I remember one year when Daddy determined that the very aggressive blackberry briars were encroaching on too much of our lower pasture field, thus denying our cows of grazing space. So he proceeded to mow down about a half of an acre of the brambles.
Therefore we had to go and ask our bachelor neighbor, Joe, if we could pick berries in his pasture. He said that would be fine, but warned us to be on the lookout for the terrible hoop snakes. Neighbor Joe said that hoop snakes would take their tail in their mouth and roll right over their victims. In fact he told us that he himself was picking berries in that field when a dreaded “hooper” came rolling out of the bushes and rolled all the way down the hill and across the river on the ice. It finally dawned upon us that he was spoofing us when we realized that we were at least three miles from the nearest river. But back to Treaster Valley. I recently ventured forth with bucket in hand. I found a lot of
“So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 4:18, NKJV) Peter and John are not intimidated by the Council, and they are not going to follow their instructions. Note their answer! “But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”(Acts 4:19–20, NKJV) Jesus told them to preach the gospel to all the world, (Mark 16:15), and the government said do not preach in the name of Jesus. The apostles obeyed God and not man! Later all of the apostles are arrested and brought before the Counsel. “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” (Acts 5:27–28, NKJV) The apostles had a response to this charge, “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We
ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29, NKJV) Their short and direct answer is, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” And that is the way it is. If government passes laws that interfere with our duty to God, we must, as Christians obey God and not man. Government only has its authority because God has granted it to be so. Nations will rise and fall. The message of the book of Daniel is that God rules in the kingdoms of men. Government officials who mistreat their subjects will be judged by God. I am not advocating a revolution, nor am I promoting a public disturbance. I am stating what the bible writes about the role of government and Christians responsibilities. The general rule is to submit to governing authorities. The exception to the rule is when civil authorities pass laws that impede our ability to worship and serve God acceptably, we must obey God rather than men!
berries, but soon discovered that the largest, sweetest berries were to be found deeper into the woods. So that is where I went. I soon began to notice, however, that I was not the first to find these berries. There was a well traveled path among the vines; and moreover, there appeared to be tufts of black hair on the tree snags and branches. It did not take me long to realize that my predecessor in the patch must have been a bear. Suddenly, the thought of a blackberry pie did not seem quite so appealing. Not one to be easily discouraged, I continued to pick berries, but out near the open road where the bears seldom venture in daylight. Often in life we are
prevented from having valuable experiences and fruitful living by painful memories from the past or unwarranted fears for the future. We are not asked to be foolhardy or careless. We need only to be confident of God’s providence and care. “Blessed is the one who endures trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12
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Percy R. Wilson, Jr. Evangelist, Kish Valley church of Christ preacherpercy@comcast.net 717-667-7346 My Percyving Eye a
Robert L. Zorn Minister of Visitation a
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The Valley, July 2018
Dave Wilson
Coins, Precious Metal and a Little of this and That
What if...
Since the end of World WarII, the US “Dollar” has been the strongest currency on the planet. When gold backing was removed from the dollar in 1971, we made arrangements with Saudi Arabia that we would protect their royal families, in exchange for their accepting only dollars in payment for their oil. This made nearly every nation on earth want to accumulate US dollars so they could purchase oil whenever they wanted. Today, the political climate has changed, and countries are quickly veering away from the dollar, as they can buy oil using many other forms of payment, and the US is basically powerless to stop the transition. What if we lost the ability to print all the dollars we wanted, and have them accepted by just about everyone, for payment of goods and services. That is exactly what is happening right now, and US officials are frantic. Over 20 years ago, the Government stopped its quarterly reporting of the amount of actual money that was in existence. They gave some lame reason for stopping this practice, but the long and short of it is that they did stop. How many dozens of trillions of dollars have been created (from thin air, as they say) in the past 20 years? Nobody knows for sure, but pretty much everyone
knows that the number is huge. What if we knew exactly how many dollars were presently in existence? Most experts suggest that such information would immediately crash our economy and the value of dollars (worldwide) would become insignificant. What if this information got out, and no countries would ship us any goods or services if all we had to pay with was valueless fiat paper money? Pretty simple, we would import almost nothing. Since we now manufacture very little in this country, store shelves would be empty, and many items we now take for granted would skyrocket in price. Good luck finding shoes that are made in America. For that matter, just think what we would not have, if China stopped sending us the tens tens of billions of dollars worth of just about everything, every single month. At that point, I hope you will have already sold all your Wal*Mart stock. It is very difficult to make a profit when you have nothing to sell. There is an excellent reason why the very rich have nearly doubled their “Land” holdings in the past eight years. It is for that same reason that the wealthy, and every major country and Central Bank on the planet have been amassing huge amounts of gold, silver and tangible (easily liquidated) collectibles for the past
five plus years. They absolutely know where all this is headed, and they are making preparations to weather the very nasty storm that is quickly approaching our shores. A crashing “dollar” will cause interest rates to blast sky-high, and inflation will quickly consume the value of all “paper” assets that traditional investors have saved for their retirements. What if all of your “paper” savings became almost valueless in a short period of time. The rush to Gold, Silver and other tangible (real) items of value would be on. It would be over, however, in the blink of an eye, as holders of
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A rich booming economy just a few short years ago, economic collapse is real in Venezuela, people are starving and store shelves are empty. Those with means, ie. tangible assets, Gold and Silver will still be able to trade for what little is available.
real assets will be hard-pressed to volunteer any of their holdings in exchange for paper currency that is crashing in value. What if this is not simply a self-serving article, promoting the
goals of the author, but is a 100%, totally accurate, assessment of today’s economically dangerous environment? a
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quite a bit of freedom and thoroughly enjoyed their time at PorcFest.
The family-friendly Porcupine Freedom Festival, held annually at Roger’s Campground in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire, is featured on the Free State Project’s website, discussed on various social media platforms, and seen in the 101 Reasons: Liberty Lives in New Hampshire film. This month, my family had the opportunity to enjoy our first PorcFest, and what a truly unique and amazing experience it was! Our First PorcFest My husband and I first became aware of PorcFest before we came out to visit New Hampshire in the fall of 2015. After making the move, we anticipated the
event and bought earlybird tickets as soon as they were available. We heard stories recounted among those who had frequented PorcFest, and our excitement grew. The closer PorcFest got, the more of our friends within the Freecoast community bought their tickets as well. Before we knew it, the day to venture up to Lancaster, NH was upon us. We loaded up our car and headed out on the 2 ½ hour drive up through the scenic White Mountains. We were unsure of exactly what to expect from our first PorcFest as a family. Having kids ages 7, 5, and 3 gears our entertainment towards a familyfriendly experience. I had been assured that kids were granted
Kids and Teens at PorcFest The independence that the kids at PorcFest experience is incredible. Kids venture from their campsites to the playground to friends’ campsites, and they all seem to grav- The kids won’t be bored at PorcFest, there is something going on for all ages throughout the event. itate around with walkie talkies attached get a chance to be together at PorcuPint Central, the venue for to their hips. I overheard one PorcFest. Watching these special kids activities. We did not stay 10-year-old on his walkie checkfriendships grow has been a disonsite at the campground, so my ing in, “Hey, I’m leaving the tinctive joy experienced by many kids did not have a home base. playground to head back to Free State families. They are a little young to roam on There is also a venue for the campsite and make myself their own, so we watched from the kids who have outgrown the lunch.” It is a safe and wonderthe picnic tables at the playground fully unique environment for kids playground. “Teen Central” is a while they ran back and forth tent on the main field with inflatto experience freedom and form from there to PorcuPint Central. able furniture set up, a place just new friendships. Parents told me I loved watching the older that some of the kids make friends kids walk around on their own from different regions and only
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The Valley, July 2018 Experiencing PorcFest from page 8 for teens to hang out in the shade away from younger kids, and, of course, away from parents. Every time I walked by, it was populated by a group of teens talking and laughing, no doubt enjoying their annual visit with PorcFest friends. I even discovered that the teen venue and all of their activities are coordinated by a teen, a 17-year-
thing for everyone in your family. Between the vendors in Agora Valley, the activities in PorcuPint Central and Teen Central, and the captivating presentations given by leaders in the libertarian community, PorcFest will delight your entire family and have you asking yourself, “Why haven’t I made the move to New Hampshire?”
to find events that cater so well to us – and to our kids. We miss a lot of live events because we cannot find a sitter or we don’t want be away from our kids for days at a time. This is why PorcFest is so special. Knowing that our kids are able to be in a safe area where we can keep in constant contact allows us as parents to thoroughly enjoy the event as well. The PorcFest website updates frequently leading up to the event
Kids are usually smiling or sleeping at PorcFest, a true family friendly event.
Eric July speaking from the PorcFest stage
old homeschooler who is well on his way to becoming a leader in the liberty community! Plenty for Parents As parents, it can be difficult
with a schedule of speakers and panels. My husband really enjoyed the presentation from Eric July, co-founder of Being Libertarian and the front man for the
band BackWordz, who performed on Saturday night. Eric shared his journey to libertarianism and what it means for him to grow the liberty movement. I was fortunate enough to present with a panel of recent movers to New Hampshire as we shared our experiences with potential Free Staters. It was great getting to brag about the wonderful community that we have here. One of the best parts of PorcFest is just walking around the campground. Agora Valley is where vendors set up shop to sell food and unique liberty-themed merchandise. Being new to crypto, I enjoyed walking around and discussing currencies with vendors and even getting to make my first purchase using Dash, the main sponsor this year. Feeling Welcome Whether you are new to the Free State community or have already made friends here, PorcFest
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Molly moved to the Seacoast region of New Hampshire in November 2017 as a participant of the Free State Project. She spends her time attending liberty outreach events and assisting organization efforts for the annual Freecoast Festival. In Free State Family, Molly and her family of five take on a new adventure each month, giving us a glimpse of life in New Hampshire. a
is a wonderful social experience. Walking from one event to another, you are constantly among friends. And if you’re new to the community, the experience is just as welcoming. Once people find out it is your first PorcFest, they make a point to make you feel welcome and invite you to campfires or events where you can meet people and learn more about the FSP. The talks and panels held at PorcFest change every year, but they always center around liberty n all aspects of life. When you come to PorcFest, there will be some- The bonfire is a great time for the whole family
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Essential Oil Irritation or Allergy Is there a difference and what to do
Do you have an irritation to a particular essential oil? OR are you allergic? Is there a difference? How do you know which is which? Actually, few people have an adverse reaction to essential oils. However, some do and in most cases their experience is both unpleasant and unavoidable. Skin reactions are the most common type of adverse reaction to essential oils. The first thing we need to understand is some ground rules of skin absorbency.
Skin Absorbency: This is a topic I have researched pretty extensively and one thing I know is that there are a lot of different variables that can affect this. ~ When essential oils are applied to the skin, most of the amount applied stays in the upper layers of the skin (the epidermis) or evaporates. ~ Only up to 10% of essential oil constituent gets absorbed into the bloodstream. ~ This is why topical application is best for treating issues on the skin level. ~ Three ways for topical use: cosmetics (to
beautify), skin healing (wounds and disease), and to address pain (muscle and nerve). ~ Essential oils are NOT absorbed via sweat glands - they are not water soluble, and the sweat glands are designed to get liquids out of the body, not the other way round! ~ The skin’s barrier function is its ability to keep unwanted substances from being absorbed into the body, and if it is not functioning optimally, this increases risk ~ Various factors can potentially affect barrier function such as
stress, dry weather, and the skin’s microbiome. ~ Detergents (eg. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) are a huge no-no for barrier function health! They strip the skin of its natural oils, leaving the barrier dry, exposed and susceptible to irritation. They also have an alkalizing effect on the skin, throwing off pH balance and disrupting the skin’s natural processes. YES, we preach this all
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the time at Shade Mountain! ~ The transdermal absorption of essential oil constituents happens more readily in people with disturbed skin “barrier function.” Some of these constituents may be potential irritants or allergens! Read on… Few people have adverse reactions to an essential oil. But for those who do, these reactions normally start to manifest within 5 to 10 minutes after application whether it is an allergic reaction or just an irritation. Symptoms for both include some or all of the following: Redness, itching, burning, and/or pain. Here are some ways to tell which reaction you may be having:
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The Valley, July 2018
R. O. F. F.
Rescue Our Furry Friends by Patricia Lawson
Well, who do we have here? Why it’s Maggie!
The news bulletin for this month is a reminder of the ROFF Annual Rabies Clinic. It’s on Saturday, July 14th at City Hook & Ladder #14, 317 Valley Street in Lewistown. The time is 10am-12pm. Remember Pop? He’s still waiting for his “fur”ever home, so let’s take another look at this chap.
Nature’s Remedy Essential Oils from page 10
Irritation:
a. Only lasts hours b. Only occurs where oil was applied c. Preventable with higher dilution with a carrier oil d. Does not involve immune system I found it interesting that the two most common causes of irritation are: 1: Using undiluted or insufficiently diluted essential oils on the skin. 2: Adding undiluted or poorly diluted essential oils to a bath.
Allergy:
“Hello everyone, I’m Maggie a 2-year old girl and I’m ready to be a part of your home. ROFF has taken care of all my shots plus I’m spayed and litter trained. So, all you need to do is get some food and a litter box and we’re good to go! Oh, and don’t forget those little things called treats! Just as a heads up, I’m not like most cats who prefer to be alone, I love attention. The humans do say that I’m super sweet and affectionate, but you better see for yourself. I’m in the Cattery in Reedsville so I’ll see you there!”
“Well I’m called Pop since I’m
a bit older (8-9 years old), but I have the spunk of a youngster. I’m a Jack Russel Terrier (Parson) mix and I love to go for walks and as you can see, I also love to cuddle. I’m cratetrained, house trained, neutered and have all my vaccines, so I’m ready to be the new addition to your family. Just a side note, I’m not really fond of cats, but I warm up quickly to humans. Please come on out to visit me soon!”
If you are interested in adopting “Maggie or “Pop” please fill out our on-line application via our website of www.roffrescue.com or call 1-877-933-ROFF (7633). We understand that not everyone can adopt a pet, but would you please consider making a donation to ROFF? Checks may be made out to ROFF and mailed to: ROFF, 133 North Walnut Street, Burnham, PA 17009. Thank you so much. Until they all have homes… www.roffrescue.com; rescueourfurryfriends@yahoo.com a
a. Can last days or weeks b. May spread to other areas, not just the site of application c. May recur even with higher dilution with a carrier oil d. Does involve immune system It’s interesting that there is often a correlation between people with seasonal allergies and those prone to skin allergies to essential oils. The reason for this link may be genetic, and/or may be due to immune-reacting cells migrating from one part of the body to another. Skin Sensitization What is “sensitization”? The word “sensitization” is often misunderstood. It’s sometimes used as if it was a distinct category of adverse reaction – it isn’t – and it’s sometimes used as a synonym for an allergic skin reaction. This second use of the word does make sense, but really “sensitization” describes the priming of the immune system that subsequently leads to an allergic reaction. So… it’s part of the process. It occurs after using an undiluted oil, usually for multiple times. An allergic reaction often will not happen the first time an essential oil is used. In a few cases, sudden and widespread allergic reactions develop following a long period of very intensive use of essential oils. This can be simply described as the body saying enough is enough. How long will the allergy last? The acute phase of an allergic reaction usually
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lasts for several hours, and then the skin calms down. In a minority of cases, the reaction persists for weeks, and the use of steroids may be helpful. Did you know that there are some factors which make you more likely to have an allergic reaction to essential oils? Yep! Here are a few: 1. If an essential oil is more concentrated, the more likely it will cause an allergic reaction: so.... always dilute your oils! I feel like I preach this all the time. 2. Women are more likely to have a negative reaction than men. Probably hormonal (I feel we women use this all the time...yep, probably my hormones!) I guess there is no changing this; you are who you are, male or female! 3. Frequency (how often an oil is applied per day) and duration (the number of days, weeks, months it is applied) are also factors, basically increasing risk. 4. People who have, or who have had, atopic dermatitis are at greater risk. 5. Age: Seniors are more at risk. 6. This is interesting; there is often a correlation between people with seasonal allergies and those prone to skin allergies to essential oils 7. Those under psychological stress (stress causes a lot of nasties) 8. Previous reaction to any fragrance. So, Can I Minimize the Risk of Having an Irritation or Allergic Reaction? YES! • Follow guidelines for maximum topical use levels (Ask the aromatherapist when you buy your oil. Some oils can be irritants and have a different maximum % use than others) • Be aware of the risk factors for the substance applied. (Some essential oils tend to cause reactions more than others. Is it diluted correctly? Is the oil oxidized? How often are you using?) • Be aware of the risk factors for you personally. (Massage
therapists, nurses and hairdressers are at greater risk probably because they are handling product frequently. Are you pregnant? Do you take seizures? Are you elderly?) • DO NOT apply undiluted essential oils. Period. • Be careful applying product to any diseased or compromised skin. (wounds, eczema, rash) • All in all: know how to safely use your oils! If you are unsure: ask an aromatherapist. So: I am having a bad reaction: what should I do? 1. First wash area with mild soap. 2. The most generally useful non-pharmaceutical way to soothe inflamed skin is with a preparation of oats/oatmeal. To make this take 1/3 - 1 cup rolled or pulverized oats. Put in a thin sock. Soak a minute or two in warm water. Massage the oats so they ‘ooze.’ Apply to affected area and let sit for 10 - 15 minutes. 3. Do not apply more essential oil. (Some think if they apply a soothing oil that this will help) 4. Expose the skin to the air (but not to direct sunlight) to encourage evaporation of remaining essential oil 5. Apply an unscented carrier oil (coconut, sunflower, safflower, olive, etc) One last thing: If your skin becomes inflamed after applying an essential oil, could this be a sign that you are detoxing? NO!, it never is a sign that you are detoxing! I have recently read a couple great studies on this and may be a future topic for an article! Thank you for reading. Thank you for your support. Please come visit us on Jack’s Creek Road in Lewistown, or now at The Barn in Lemont (next door to Happy Valley Brewery). We love visitors at Shade Mountain and we LOVE to chat, so if you have questions: bring them in! If you are interested in learning more about natural skin care or essential oils, we teach classes and do make and takes! Join us on Facebook to view our schedule and sign up, or give us a call at 717248-8847. ~Tamela a
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You can quit. We can help. Trust the caring and supportive quit smoking team at the American Lung Association. Hundreds of thousands have become tobacco free through our Freedom From Smoking® program, which allows you to create your own custom quit smoking plan. Healthy Communities Partnership works with supportive programs in Mifflin and Juniata counties to provide you with support on your quit journey. Whether you want to quit or cut back, or are just curious about what it may take, there are options available that will help you reach your goal. Freedom From Smoking® Group Clinic: Through eight sessions, quit under the guid-
ance of an expert facilitator Freedom From Smoking® SelfHelp Manual: Work through your quit, on your own, at your own pace. 1-800-QUIT-Now provides free phone counseling for those who are not able to make a group program. Learn more about options
available to you by calling Healthy Communities Partnership at 717-264-1470; The JC Blair Memorial Hospital at (814) 6438149 or the MJ-PATCH program at 866-377-1234. We are here for you, give us a call and learn what it takes to start your journey. Programs are offered without a cost to those who wish to join a clinic and smokeless tobacco users are welcome. Lean on our network of other quitters and certified tobacco cessation experts that understand what it feels like to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is possible with the right help. Call us anytime at 1-800-LUNGUSA or visit Lung.org/ffs to see which Freedom From Smoking program will work best for you. a
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The Valley, July 2018
Around Town With Carole
by Carole Lokan Moore
Ticks, Fleas and Lice Animals and people are similar in most ways but when it comes to bugs we vary greatly. A spider walking across a log is nifty to watch, but not particularly welcome in the house. Our “dislike” of creepy crawlers must be left from ancient times when we lived with the animals in the woods forests and fields accepting most of their habits that would enhance the lives of humans. My tent mate in Girl Scouts, Bobby, never had a like for anything “creeping,” but during the night when she awoke in our two man Baker tent, she was appauled at the audacity of a “Daddy Long Legs.” Her flash light on to maneuver out of the tent for the “privy,” the light passed across my sleeping face... mouth wide open...in deep slumber. She held her breath in start as she watched the long legged creature crawl across my left cheek into my mouth across my tongue and out the other side.... then she screamed. Her hesitancy to scream was in fear I would eat the bug, which we didn’t know if it was “poison” or not. I thanked her for her patience and we both headed for the bathroom in the dark of night. But how many of these bugs do we live with on a daily basis and don’t even realize. The farmers in the cold northern countries actually brought the farm animals into the house over the winter. The warmth of a few large beasts in the first floor of the abode would indeed warm, to a certain extent, the living quarters above in the simple straw or wooden home. Of course, that was necessary without heat—every “degree” was worth the effort of having cows underfoot. The smell of the beasts feces, urine and wild aromas were ignored for the sake of being warm. Lice, fleas, ticks and other vermin came into the house with the cloven hooves. Not only would the beasts bring in the bugs, the old adage “don’t let the bed bugs bite” was a reality not just a adage for many. The dried straw which was brought from the fields, critters and all, was first used to line the floor and soften the wooden
boards, but was later stuffed into gigantic pillow cases and stitched shut used as mattress filler. Fine when it was harvested at the end of the season, the first few months being quite comfortable, but as the season wound on, the egg casings in the hay/straw hatched. The warmth of the human body laying soundly on the pillow expedited the hatching and soon creepy crawlers were with you under the blanket. Of course they didn’t have washing machines and dryers back then so one or two days of the winter when the sun was shinning and the rain and snow had stopped, it was not uncommon to take the “mattress” out of the house and beat or brush off the unwanted visitors. Every body likes a nice warm home for the winter and insects are no different than humans in that respect. When the summer finally came, the old mattress was discarded and sleeping “under the stars” might very well have been more pleasant than in the “orodous” interior of the small unventilated abode. With the fall harvest, another mattress was made and the cycle continued. Since bathing for some cultures was considered the cause of “disease,” many waited till the water in the lake river spring warmed up before taking off their “Long johns” and washing their bodies. Hands face and neck were washed daily in a basin at the house, but emersing the entire body before tubs were invented was truly a summertime event. So you can see how and why the pesty, itchy little lice, fleas, and ticks would survive. Disease many times followed the poor sanitation of the period, but let’s move forward to today and visit this issue. Spring in New Jersey 2017 and the year was very wet. There were times when the earth was so soggy with moisture that the mud sucked off my boot literally. Dusting my goats is necessary because they live with poultry and lice seek out a warm body.... anybody’s body. People are disappointed to learn that all animals have bugs. Be it the big blown
up “tick” who sucks the blood of your dog or cat, or the hard to find little white worms we call lice. A regular “application” of “agriculture dust specifically for animals can be purchased at your local feed and grain store. Mine comes from Agway and one bag will suffice to give my critters a “Puff” of “dust” across their back a couple times per year. Breaking the cycle of these hard to see villians is pretty easy. But with the wet spring and plenty of moisture, the “harvest” of new life is increased to a point where the flea season has been extended way into the fall and even a hearty frost some times leaves our house dogs and cats with the burden of providing nutrition all winter long for the “beasties” who creep upon their skin. The quarterly flea shampoo bath is good for house dogs, but a farm dog is just not happy unless he has gone down on one shoulder to rub in the soft sand of the earth thusly collecting more “fleas.” My spring started out with an itchy dog and the battle began, and before long the living room where the dog loved to lay by the fireplace, was infested. His scratching had driven the fleas off his body and into the cracks in the hard wood floor and inside the follicles of the carpets. We bought the “flea bombs,” but after the fourth succession of cans we had gone over the $100 cost and were indeed avoiding the living room. We changed the dogs bedding weekly, gave him a flea shampoo bath, but still it was not safe for humans to enter the room or their light colored pan legs would be ditted with fleas looking for a meal. The flea collar that the directions say to “stretch” to “activate was on, the drops on the shoulders had been “dripped,” and the house was being vacuumed heartily to reduce the egg deposits (dont’
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forget to empty the bag or they hatch and you spread them again), but to no avail. Figuring the $12 fleat collar might not be enough, I purchased the $80 flea collar, which comes in a nifty round metal tin. The can is cute, but the flea collar still had no effect on the creepy crawlers. A visit to the local vet and a new product called diatomic earth was used to dust the dog, the carpets, hard wood floors, etc. These microscopic shells have hard sharp sides and as the flea walks across the shells the fleas body is sliced opened and they die. Who would have thought a prehistoric ocean shell of tiny size would have broken the curse, but it did. Sprinkled on the dog it was harmless—no chemicals at all. Sprinkled on the floor and brushed into all the floor cracks and rug fibers, it literally disappeared. The powder of DE, used basically for swimming pools as a filtration system, turned around the infestation. Unfortunately winter was at hand now and the dog was having “reactions” to flea bites. His itching and licking continued thru the fall and winter and by Christmas we had a “sticky” naked dog that didn’t look anything like a Labrador retriever. At his old age, I
was told by the vet, he was having a typical response to the flea bites that had triggered an itching that could not be quenched. More baths in oatmeal, lavender etc. to sooth the thick, old skin had no effect. The licking continued. Every piece of skin he could reach from his tongue to his paws, belly, and underside were wet and sticky with slobber at all times. Finally I thought about my own itching scalp and what do I use?????? I found the dandruff shampoo for humans wit the anti-itch medication and bingo the itching stopped. The licking ceased. The sticky slobber that was on everything he touched dried up. By May, we had a little, curly French poodle—not a new dog—just looked like one with the baby hair growing in places that had not seen “hair” for nearly a year. I could pet him again because he had some fuz. As not to perpetuate another “season from hell” the dogs life is changing. He will no longer be given free range to sleep on his cushion in the back laundry room (kitchen door shut) with the back door propped open for his easy coming and going. Most times
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Granville and the “mysterious” French letter. The Pennsylvania Gazette The Burning of Fort Granville reported the destruction of Fort & The Mysterious French Granville in its August 19, 1756 Letter edition. The paper distilled the essence of several letters it received This defensive fortification, plus the eyewitness account from built in 1755 along the Juniata an escaped soldier, taken prisoner River just southwest of what when the fort surrendered. The would become Lewistown, was Gazette noted that on July 30, a the scene of a bitter struggle dursmall force remained in the fort ing the French and Indian War. while Granville’s commander, The fort was named by PennCapt. Ward and a larger group, sylvania’s Provincial Governor had gone to guard harvesters. Robert Morris to honor John “...under the command of Carteret, Earl of Granville. It was Lieutenant Armstrong...the fort garrisoned by Provincial troops was attacked by about 100 French to protect the settlers of what was and Indians...the next morning the then Cumberland County, until enemy...crept within 30 or 40 feet its fall in late July, 1756. Little of the Fort... they carried a quanwas found amid the fort’s ruins in tity of pine knots and other comearly August of that year, except bustible matter, which they threw against the fort...to which they set fire... and a hole was made, through which the lieutenant and a soldier were shot and three wounded...” “... Fort Granville Historical Marker along old US 22, located the enemy in front of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation called upon Building at 1200 W. 4th Street, Lewistown. Dedicated in 1947 the besieged by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. to surrender and told a letter written in French, which them that they should have quarwas taken to the governmental ter if they surrendered...one John authorities of the colony. PennsylTurner immediately opened the gates...” Those within were taken vania historian William A. Hunter prisoner, including 22 soldiers, 3 described the letter in 1960 as “a women and a number of chilpuzzle in that day and a mystery dren. The Gazette, further noted in ours.” This war was a clash of emthat “they set off after setting up pires, brought to the Juniata ValFrench colours near the fort on ley 260+ years ago, that historians which they left a shot pouch with argue eventually brought about a written paper in it.” the American Revolution itself. The fort was later burned. How did Fort Granville come Only ashes and what became to be built and then burned so known as the Mysterious French soon after its construction? What Letter, remained. The smolderis known about the “mysterious” ing debris that was Fort Granville French letter? And where was the sent local settlers fleeing for the fort located? Taken from the arsecurity of Carlisle and points chives and research library of the east. Pennsylvania’s Colonial Mifflin County Historical Society, government was shocked by the here is a brief account of Fort attack. In the Autumn of 1755, the “...the enemy called upon the besieged to surrender…”
frontier held thousands of settlers, but after Fort Granville’s fall in 1756, scarcely one hundred remained. Pennsylvania’s Colonial Governor Robert Hunter Morris delivered a message in August 1756 to the Assembly saying, “The people to the west of the Susquehanna, distressed by the frequent incursions of the enemy...are moving to the interior parts of the Province and I am fearful that the whole country will be evacuated...” A group of petitioners wrote in late August 1756: It is therefore greatly to be doubted that (without a further protection) the inhabitants of this county will shortly endeavor to save themselves and their effects by flight... After the fort’s destruction, little remained. Col. John Armstrong, writing to Governor Morris on what Captains Ward and Armstrong discovered upon returning to the scene, reported: ...they found parts of eight of the enemy burnt in two different places, the joints of them being scarcely separated, and parts of their shirts found, through which were bullet holes... Burned, they believed, after the prisoners were marched out of sight, preventing any eyewitnesses of French causalities after the fight. Nothing of military value or otherwise remained when the ruins were inspected. All, that is, except for the French letter. This curious document roused interest, and was sent by courier through the chain of command, all the way to the Governor and his council. Correspondence traced its journey, as noted in the Pennsylvania Colonial Archives. From Lt. Hoops to his superior, Capt. Hance Hamilton, “I have sent express to you with the French letter...” From Hamilton to Lt. Col. Armstrong, “I have last night received a letter by express from my Lieutenant, which I have enclosed with the original of the French letter, left at Fort Granville.” Was it a warning from the French? Would it change the course of the conflict started, no less, then by a young George Washington in 1754? HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The destruction of Fort Granville in 1756 was a frontier
incident in a global war. The struggle pitted the major powers of the age, eventually embroiling much of Europe, all the way to the Far East. Control of vast stretches of territory in North America were also in the balance. The French held the St. Lawrence, Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys, while the British held the Atlantic Coast. British settlers greatly outnumbered the French, who were mostly traders, not intent on settlement or encroaching upon traditional American Indian territory. To offset this numerical British advantage, the French enlisted various Indian groups to their side, thus giving the war its name. Known as the Seven Years War in Europe, the French and Indian War would be a vicious, bloody, hard fought conflict, marked by brutal atrocities perpetrated by both sides. The period would see, for example, Colonial Pennsylvania offering bounties for Indian scalps, with a sliding scale for men, women and children. It was an era of attack and reprisal, romanticized in James Fennamore Cooper’s Last of the Mohicans, a classic tale of the French and Indian War. The British - French conflict started in 1754 over the control of territory and lasted until the Treaty of Paris in early 1763. In North America, France relinquished Canada and all her lands east of the Mississippi River. The bill for safeguarding and expanding her American colonies was considerable. Building forts, amassing troops and material cost Britain vast sums. The taxes levied to pay for the war would antagonize the same colonials who once cheered the Red Coats sent to defend them. Another war, the American Revolution, would eventually result in Britain losing her American colonies, except Canada, and see the rise of an unparalleled world rival. The French and Indian War opened the door for the independence of the American colonies. FRENCH & INDIAN WAR STARTS IN PENNSYLVANIA Over two years before Fort Granville fell, in wilderness claimed by both France and Britain, young George Washington and 150 Virginians headed for Fort Duquesne at the forks of the Ohio River, where Pittsburgh stands today, to expel the French from the area. At the same time, the French sent a small force led by Jumonville (Joseph) Coulon de Villiers to warn the British away from the same territory. Along the way, Washington
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surprised the Jumonville party, killing and capturing all but one. The French at Fort Duquesne got word of the clash and dubbed Jumonville’s death an “assassination.” The opening volley of the French and Indian War was fired at what today is Jumonville Glen, near US Rt 40, in western Pennsylvania’s Fayette County. Washington moved south to Great Meadows and erected Fort Necessity. Surrounded by the pursuing French and their Indian allies, Washington eventually surrendered. In 1755, after Fort Necessity’s fall, General Edward Braddock led a large British force to drive the French from Fort Duquesne, but was routed southeast of their destination by a combined French and Indian force. After this debacle, the frontier erupted in turmoil, as emboldened invading war parties came ever eastward. Yet, the events at Fort Granville were arguably a direct result of Washington’s action at Jumonville Glen. The French officer at the gates of Mifflin County’s frontier fort, demanding its surrender that summer in 1756, was Capt. Francois Coulon de Villiers, Jumonville’s brother. FRONTIER PROTECTION Writing in his landmark book, Forts on the Pennsylvania Frontier, William A. Hunter considered that with a Quaker dominated Assembly, “Pennsylvania had in fact no military tradition and no machinery of defense.” The area was totally unprotected. The Pennsylvania Assembly eventually moved, approving money to fund the distribution of arms and ammunition to three counties: Lancaster, York and Cumberland. Mifflin County was then part of Cumberland. In addition, a string of defensive forts was planned, including Fort Pomfret Castle (near Richfield), Fort Granville (Lewistown), Fort Shirley (Shirleysburg), Fort Lyttleton (Fort Littleton). In a letter signed by Benjamin Franklin and others, a description of the forts to be built stated, “... each one of them fifty feet square, with a block house on two of the corners and a barracks within, capable of lodging fifty men.” Governor Morris had written a letter to General Braddock stating, “Enclosed I send a plan of the fort...which I shall make by setting logs of about ten foot long in the ground, so as to enclose the store houses. I think to place two swivel guns in two opposite Bas-
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The Valley, July 2018
Freedom This month as we celebrate our freedom as a nation we can take this as an opportunity to honor the men and women in the United States armed forces every chance we get. Not only should we make sure they have every-
How wonderful would it be if we lived in a world where armed forces were not necessary, where freedom was attained peacefully. Unfortunately, we can only imagine that world and based on history and what we see coming in the future, that’s not going to happen and we will continue to fight for freedom. We will continue to sacrifice to defend it and maintain it. So, help us God to be able to do that. May God bless every single member of our incredible United States military! Freedom is something we all seek, independence is something we all want. The thirteen colonies
thing they need, we should thank them, any time we see someone in uniform standing next to us in line say thank you, buy their coffee, or dinner. We should never ever forget the price at which freedom must be bought.
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claimed their independence from England on July 4, 1776 and so began the story of a free nation. A place where anyone from anywhere could come and live in freedom. This country has become a place where people are free to be who they are, love who they want, worship the way they want, invent new things, ideas and build empires of business. We live in an amazing place. Not only are we free, but we have such a range of natural beauty in this country that we could spend our whole lives just traveling and exploring it. Never could we see enough of those spacious
skies above the fruited plains, or purple mountain majesties, never will we stop being awed at the sight of the wind dancing across amber waves of grain and never will we stop being breathless at the sights and sounds of the shining seas. As we celebrate our country’s day of independence, take a moment to be truly thankful to God, our soldiers and leaders, and of course our founding fathers. We are blessed. Get out there and see some fireworks, cook some hot dogs and hug your loved ones. May God continue to bless America! a
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Story courtesy of Penn State Public Information. Study represents largest effort to date to identify novel pathogens in global bee populations An international team of researchers has discovered evidence of 27 previously unknown viruses in bees. The finding could help scientists design strategies to prevent the spread of viral pathogens among these important pollinators. “Populations of bees around the world are declining, and viruses are known to contribute to these declines,” said David Galbraith, research scientist at Bristol Myers Squibb and a recent Penn State graduate. “Despite the importance of bees as pollinators of flowering plants in agricultural and natural landscapes and the importance of viruses to bee health, our understanding of bee viruses is surprisingly limited.”
never-seen-before viruses belonging to at least six new families in a single experiment. The results appear in the June 11, 2018, issue of Scientific Reports. “Typically, researchers would have to develop labor-intensive molecular assays to test for the presence of specific viruses,” said Zachary Fuller, postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University and a recent Penn State graduate. “With our method, they can sequence all the viruses present in a sample without having any prior knowledge about what might be there.” Fuller noted that because the cost of high-throughput sequencing continues to decrease, the team’s approach provides an inexpensive and efficient technique for other researchers to identify additional unknown viruses in bee populations around the world. “Although our study nearly doubles the number of described bee-associated viruses, there are undoubtedly many more viruses
The scientists developed a novel high-throughput sequencing technique that efficiently detected in bees both previously identified and 27 never-seen-before viruses belonging to at least six new families in a single experiment. Image: Jeff Kerby / National Geographic
To investigate viruses in bees, the team collected samples of DNA and RNA, which is responsible for the synthesis of proteins, from 12 bee species in nine countries across the world. Next, they developed a novel high-throughput sequencing technique that efficiently detected both previously identified and 27
yet to be uncovered, both in wellstudied regions and in understudied countries,” he said. Among the new viruses the team identified was one that is similar to a virus that infects plants. “It is possible that bees may acquire viruses from plants, and could then spread these viruses
ing the new viruses, the team also found that some of the viruses exist in multiple bee species — such as in honey bees and in bumble bees — suggesting that these viruses may freely circulate within different bee populations. “This finding highlights the importance of monitoring bee populations brought into the United States due to the potential for these species to transmit viruses to local pollinator populations,” said Galbraith. “We have identified several novel viruses that can now be used in screening processes
“Our protocol has provided a foundation for future studies to continue to identify novel pathogens that infect global bee populations using an inexpensive method for the detection of novel viruses,” he said. The National Geographic Society and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service supported this research. Other authors on the paper include David Galbraith, Allyson Ray, Maryann Frazier, J. Francisco Iturralde Martinez, Harland Patch, Cristina Rosa, Joyce Sakamoto, Scott Stanley, Anthony Vaudo, and Christina Grozinger, Penn State; Zachary Fuller, Columbia University; Axel Brockmann, National Centre for Biological Sciences, India; Mary Gikungu, National Museums of Kenya; Karen Kapheim, Utah State University and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama; Jeffrey Populations of bees around the world are declining, and viruses are known to contribute to these Kerby, Dartdeclines. Image: Jeff Kerby / National Geographic mouth College; Sarah Kocher, to other plants, posing a risk to to monitor bee health across the Princeton University; Oleksiy Loagricultural crops,” said Christina world.” syev, National University of Life Grozinger, distinguished profes According to Galbraith, the and Environmental Sciences of sor of entomology and director of study represents the largest effort Ukraine; and Elliud Muli, Internathe Center for Pollinator Research to identify novel pathogens in tional Center of Insect Physiology at Penn State. “We need to do global bee samples and greatly and Ecology, Kenya. a more experiments to see if the expands our understanding of the viruses are actively infecting the diversity of viruses found in bee bees — because the viruses could communities around the world. be on the pollen they eat, but not directly infecting the bees — and then determine if they are having negative effects on the bees and crops. Some viruses may not cause symptoms or only cause symptoms if the bees are stressed in other ways.” To investigate viruses in bees, the team collected samples of DNA and RNA (single-stranded DNA) from 12 Beyond bee species in nine countries across the world. identify- Image: Jeff Kerby / National Geographic
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The Valley, July 2018
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Promoting healthy summer sleep routines for your family Story Courtesy Penn State Public Information
difficulty paying attention. “Children can get shorttempered as the day goes on,” she said. “Instead of looking like they need a nap, it can look a lot like
The lazy days of summer can be peaceful and relaxing, but they also can wreak havoc on your body’s internal clock. Longer days, evening outdoors activities and a lack of school the next morning can throw even the most conscientious family’s sleep schedules out of whack. Dr. Cheryl Tierney, chief of behavior and developmental pediatrics at Penn State Children’s Hospital, said it’s unrealistic to expect children and parents to keep the same rigid Image: Getty Images/djokovicdjordje school year schedule during the summer months. attention-deficit/hyperactivity dis But that doesn’t mean sumorder in some younger children.” mer should turn into a sleep in Tierney said that behavior free-for-all that ends with a rough lessens with a good night’s sleep. crash back to reality come Labor “You are more attentive, clear Day. headed and better able to con “It’s about having a balance,” solidate your learning when you she said. “Compromise is reasonare rested,” she explained. “Your able.” memory also improves with sleep. Younger children often wake You can process information and up at the same time every day, make decisions more efficiently.” whether they have to go to school She recommends younger or not. When they are going to children keep closer to their bed later, it means they simply regular sleep schedule — going get less sleep. That can produce to bed no more than an hour past the same types of problems adults their normal time. Depending on have when they skimp on shuttheir biology and natural circadian eye — irritability, headaches and rhythms, older middle schoolers
Hats On For Easter Island Statues from page 5
“The best explanation for the transport of the pukao (hats) other evidence for walking the from the quarry is by rolling the statues, indicates this was not the raw material to the location of the approach used and that the hats moai (statues),” said Lipo. “Once were most likely raised to the top at the moai, the pukao were rolled of standing statues. up large ramps to the top of a Many of the hats left around standing statue using a parbuckthe island are much larger than ling technique.” those placed on statues. Parbuckling is a simple and efficient technique for rolling objects and is often used to right ships that have capsized. The center of a long rope is fixed to the top of a ramp Location of red scoria pukao quarry at Puna Pau (green and the two square) and moai quarry at Rano Raraku (black square). trailing ends Green circles mark locations of pukao. are wrapped Image: Lipo / Hunt / Hixon / et al. around the cyl-
through high school children can push that a bit. However, older children should not stay up more than two hours past their regular bedtime. “Otherwise, it can creep later and later until they are staying up all night and sleeping the day away,” Tierney said. A compromise might be for them to get out of bed at 9 a.m. if they typically get up at 6 a.m. for school but would prefer to stay in bed until noon. Another option is to stick to a regular schedule during the week and be more relaxed on weekends. Children older than 5 or 6 should avoid afternoon napping because it can make it more difficult for them to fall asleep at night. Children who get physical activity during the day and avoid the use of electronic devices in the evening may find it easier to go to sleep at a more reasonable hour. Not eating a large meal before bed and keeping the bedroom cool and dark also can promote good sleep habits during the summer months. Tierney recommends parents gradually push children closer to their school-year bedtimes beginning two weeks before the start of school: “That will make the transition easier,” she said. a
inder to be moved. The rope ends are then brought to the top where workers pull on the ropes to move the cylinder up the ramp. Besides reducing the force needed to move the hats, this arrangement also makes it easier to stabilize the hat on the trip up because the hat typically will not roll back down the slope. The researchers report in the current issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science, that 15 or fewer workers could move the largest preform hats up the ramps. Once the hat was at the top of the ramp, it could not simply be pushed into place because of the ridges on the margin of the hat base indentation. Rather, the researchers believe that the hats were tipped up onto the statues. First the hat would be modified to its final form, some
including a second, smaller cylindrical piece on top. The hats could be rotated 90 degrees and then levered up with small wooden levers to sit on the Authors Carl Lipo (left) and Terry Hunt (right) examining a statue tops, pukao at a statue platform on the south coast of Rapa Nui. or the ramp Image: Sean Hixon / Penn State could be slightly to the side, so that rotation modeling with artifact analysis and models drawn from physics to in the small space at the top of the arrive at the best answer.” ramp would be unnecessary. Then Also working on this project the hat would simply be levered were Ben McMorran, associate and pivoted on edge and into professor of physics, University of place. Oregon, and Terry L. Hunt, dean, The ramps were then disasHonors College, University of sembled and became the wings Arizona. of the platform surrounding the The National Science Founstatues. dation supported this work, which “This is the first time anyone was conducted with CONAF, the has systematically explored the Consejo de Monumentos, Ofevidence for how the giant hats fice of the Provincial Governor were placed on the top of the of Easter Island and Consejo de heads of the massive statues of Ancianos, Chile. a Easter Island,” said Lipo. “Our work combines cutting-edge 3-D
Editor’s Corner from page 2
Perfect weather except for one small window of thunderstorms— you guessed it, Monday afternoon. Weather often changes and since we were outside, we were hoping for just that. Monday morning we woke to clear blue skies and bright sunshine, ha!, the weatherman was wrong! The ladies at the town clerks office in Haverhill, NH were awesome, happy smiling ladies who obviously love their jobs. We left there and then had lunch and waited for the appointed time. At about 3:30, the skies started to darken and just before 4:00 a tornado blew through the area. Flags along the facade of our motel were ripped from the building and the pool actually had white caps on it! Trees started snapping and we were both in disbelief that our plans were being ruined. To make matters worse, we couldn’t communicate with our officiant as the area we were in had no cell service, and we hadn’t spoken to her since the Thursday before we left, I guess just assuming everything would go off without problem. Even though it was still pouringm we could think of nothing else to do but drive to the beach and look for someplace covered to do the service.
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On our way there we encountered several obstacles in the manner of downed trees. Fearing we wouldn’t make it on time, we then thought, what about the officiant? Was she stuck somewhere between here and there? Locals in pickup trucks were out in force with their chainsaws, clearing the roads—no one asks them—that is just the way people are there. We pulled into the beach right at 4:30, and not a soul there as it was still raining, although the wind had diminished to almost nothing. Trying to decide what to do next we thought maybe we should just wait. Ten minutes later our officiant and her husband pulled up to the beach, and guess what? It stopped raining and the skies started to brighten. We were able to get our ceremony in and a few pictures taken and do some paperwork. Once we were back in the vehicle, it started raining again. Someone was looking over us for sure. Back to the Town Hall with the officiant and 20 minutes later we walked out with our completed and filed certificate. We had a nice dinner afterwards with my son and his girlfriend and the next day we drove to Chateau Rowan for our brief honeymoon where we did tourist day trips the rest of the week. The weather? 72 daytime highs, 48 for nighttime lows, no humidity—paradise! a
The Valley, July 2018
Joanne Wills-Kline “Contentment Quest”
Lend a Helping Hand I was astounded by the number of people who reached out on our behalf during my brain surgery and recovery. My husband and I were humbled and blessed by the prayers, food, gas cards, well wishes, being present and overall assistance we received from people. This showering of love helped keep us afloat on many levels. You could say that the seas got very rough, but the showering of love kept our boat upright and moving forward through the waves. The whole experience has changed my life. It has brought a new level of awareness to helping my brother so to speak. I have learned that once a crisis is over, it isn’t really over. Our help kept coming long after I was home from rehab. We would wake to find dry goods and paper products on our doorstep anonymously. God bless the kind soul! Oddly enough, the items were often exactly what we needed.
Ticks, Fleas and Lice from page 13 he loves to lay in the sand (sand fleas) under the bush in the shade of summer, but not this year. Neither is he going to be bounding out in the yard, and rolling his shoulders to the ground like a snow plow, as he enjoys the summer weather. For this season, and probably many to come, he will become an “indoor dog.” One season of fleas, is enough in any person’s life, his bathroom trips to the outdoor will be limited. He will not sit happily in the sun and roll in the sandy earth. He will not be an outside dog. He will indeed be in the nice cool air-conditioned house, on a fresh pillow monthly, to enjoy the views of this new emerging season, thru the glass window. Let’s hope he appreciates the scenario of efforts provided by someone who loves him desperately, even when he looks like a dandy French poodle.
People would often say “Oh, it isn’t much… but, I brought you a casserole.” It meant the world to us! Others would say “I’ve been praying for you.” Or “You’re on our prayer chain at church.” We were, and continue to be, so very thankful for the prayers. Prayer is so very powerful! The recovery period can often be long after the return from rehab or the hospital stay. A health crisis can turn a person’s world upside down – emotionally, physically, spiritually, and financially. In the past, I thought once a person’s crisis was over, it WAS really over. I have new thoughts about that. In my experience, the fallout of the crisis remained long after my return home. I now realize that it’s never too late to assist those who have suffered a crisis. Whether it’s a medical condition, death of a loved one, or any tragedy, the fallout may continue for a long time. I have learned that it is never too late to lend
Clary Sage from page 4
those with addiction feel more positive about the future. If you want to know about the ways to use this oil, other than by diffusing it in the air, I encourage
a helping hand. Pray, create a casserole, chauffeur to an appointment, bring paper goods, or just hold space for them. Do what you can with what you have. I bet that it will be appreciated more than words can say. People have continued to bestow kindness, prayers, and help in many forms, to us months after I have returned home. And, often it was the prayers and generosity of others that kept us going. Now that I have been awakened to how beneficial helping long after can be, I will always help when and where I can. I challenge you to help where you can, and however you can. Lending a hand comes in many forms. I challenge you to stay attentive to those in need – both short and long term. Prayers and time spent with an individual cost zero dollars – but the positive impact of power is inconceivable. I leave you with a favorite quote of mine from Louisa Mae Alcott, which sums up my recent experience and post surgical journey. “I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.” a you to contact an aromatherapist at Shade Mountain Naturals. Information from: https://www. organicfacts.net/health-benefits/ essential-oils/health-benefits-ofclary-sage-essential-oil.html. a
Carole Lokan Moore.. (as always) a
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missioners’ apparent discriminatory statements voiced against Mr. Phillips. This Court never asserted that Mr. Phillips was justified in his refusal based upon his right to religious freedom. It is not clear that this is an overall victory for private business owners or Christians to publicly maintain their convictions.
The Supreme Court and Baking Cakes The supreme Court of the United States rendered its opinion on a highly anticipated case regarding the right of a baker to refuse to design and create a wedding cake for a gay marriage ceremony based upon his religious convictions. However, for the SCOTUS, this appears not to be a case of religious freedom, but one of unjust government discrimination. The History Jack Phillips, a practicing Christian, often refused to design and create baked goods based upon his religious beliefs. His store was closed on Sundays and other Christian holidays, he refused to create or design desserts for Halloween, and he refused to make desserts that contained alcohol. Mr. Phillips did not refuse to serve the same-sex couple who later filed a complaint. He only refused to design and create a cake for their wedding. He remarked that he would be happy to design and create cookies, birthday cakes, shower cakes, or brownies, just not a wedding cake due to religious objections. The same-sex couple filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and the commission, after several hearings, decided that Mr. Phillips violated Colorado’s public accommodation laws by refusing to create and design this wedding cake for the same-sex couple. The Colorado commission did not accept Mr. Phillip’s defense of religious conviction. Members of the commission, on record and as justification for their decision, mocked Mr. Phillip’s beliefs and compared his religious convictions to slavery and to the Holocaust. The Supreme Court found in favor of Mr. Phillips in a 7-2 opinion, based particularly on the statements of the Colorado commissioners. There are some very significant points that must be made to clarify this carefully written opinion. Because of the great
public anticipation over this case, there will be a tendency to make more of what was said than was actually said and mischaracterize the magnitude of this decision.
es of individuals, in acquiring whatever products and services they choose on the same terms and conditions as are offered to other members of the public.” Mr. Phillips made multiple statements asserting his refusal to make the cake was based upon religious conviction. However, it seems the Court only references these objections for the purpose of condemning the Colorado com-
Not a Matter of Freedom of Religion The court did not render its opinion on the basis of religious freedom. They did not declare that private business owners are free to discriminate based upon religious beliefs. As a matter of fact, they said the opposite. “It is HealthSouth Nittany Valley the general Rehabilitation Hospital offers rule that a special program specifically [religious designed to benefit patients and philoliving with Parkinson’s disease. sophical] The program, Parkinson Wellness objecRecovery, is available at our tions do outpatient clinic located at not allow HealthSouth Nittany Valley. business owners and Parkinson Wellness Recovery involves other acphysical and occupational therapy based tors in the upon research that has proven exercise economy is a form of medicine. Incorporating and in sociexercise for brain change and principles ety to deny of neuroplasticity, the program addresses protected multiple symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. persons Parkinson Wellness Recovery is most equal beneficial in the early stages of the disease, access but the program incorporates personalized to goods goals to work for all levels of fitness and and public disease severity. services under a Call 814 359-5630 to Learn More neutral and About Parkinson Wellness Recovery. generally applicable public accommodations law.” “Colorado law can protect gay persons, just as it The Joint Commission Disease-Specific Care Certification in Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Heart Failure, Parkinson’s can protect Disease Rehabilitation and Stroke Rehabilitation other class-
Clergy Cannot be Compelled The court took time to clarify that it should be “assumed” that “when it comes to weddings”, “a member of the clergy who objects to gay marriage on moral and religious grounds could not be compelled to perform that ceremony without denial of his or her right to the free exercise of religion.” It seems interesting that the Court feels that it should be obvious and therefore not questioned that a professional clergy maintains full right to expression of their freedom of religionm but a baker does not. It would seem that the court sees the possession and expression of fundamental
rights like freedom of religion as inherent in a profession rather inherent to all persons. It’s Not Freedom of Religion, It’s Freedom from Discrimination This Court did not declare that Mr. Phillips’ personal religious objections justified his refusal to bake this cake. Instead they took a safer and more politically correct approach by finding that the Colorado commissioners’ statements applied the Colorado public accommodation law in a
Continued on page 24
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The Valley, July 2018
Modern Energy and Alternative Heating with Curt Bierly Temperature and Humidity And Your Comfort
Lots of rain this year. I don’t believe I’ve had a piece of brown grass in my yard all summer. On top of that we’ve had quite a few days when the outdoor temperature has been well into the 80s. Let’s just say it’s been a hot and humid summer so far. Maintaining a correct level of temperature and humidity in your home or business is essential to providing you with a “comfortable space.” In addition, one needs to maintain a proper indoor Temperature and Relative Humidity (TRH) level so as to reduce the effects of unwanted conditions associated with poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). What is a comfortable TRH level in the summer and why is
proper humidity control essential? A summer indoor air temperature of 75ºF is recommended and keeping in mind that 0% is no moisture in the air and 100% is lots of moisture in the air, people tend to feel most comfortable in the area of 45% to 50% relative humidity. At the same indoor air temperature, too much humidity reduces comfort and at very high humidity levels, can cause an increase in biological pollutants, like mold, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and dust mites that can trigger respiratory health ailments. So how do I know what the TRH level is in my home or business? I found a good digital temperature/humidity gauge at
Lowes made by Acurite (see picture). It was less then $10.00 (9 volt battery not included) and also shows the range of each which is updated periodically. I tested these by setting up six in a row and found them to read within a degree of each other, so I deem them to be quite accurate for a gage in that price range. If you have an Air Conditioning (AC) System in your home, it will provide some dehumidification as it cools; in fact, most of the newer Central AC Systems have humidistats built into the wall thermostat and will work to maintain the humidity level you specify. That said, you need to keep in mind that AC Systems are designed to hold a set temperature and will not necessarily hold a set humidity. A good example of this is your, basement which is usually cool with a high level of humidity. The basement is already cool, so an AC system can’t help. You will need a dehumidifier. It’s job is to hold the humidity you specify. Mold can easily grow in a high humidity basement so the use of a dehumidifier is essential. If you dehumidify your basement it will help reduce the humidity in your house. You can choose a central or room dehumidifier with included humidistat. Both are readily
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For less than $10.00 you can get a better handle on your humidity concerns for keeping a comfortable home.
available with a room humidifier being the most popular primarily due to cost and minor installation required. Most all use the same electrical/mechanical principle and are relatively economical to operate. Very little maintenance is required. Be sure to size the unit to the square footage of the area you want to dehumidify. Standard units remove moisture from an area efficiently when that area is at a temperature of 65ºF degrees or higher. If the area you want to dehumidify is colder then 65ºF, a low temperature unit should be considered. Temperature and humidity
control is an essential part of good indoor air 1uality. If you don’t currently have it in your home or business, consider including humidity control in your budget for 2017/2018. Curt Bierly is president of the bierly group incorporated of which Stanley C. Bierly is a division. He is chair of the Penn College HVAC Advisory Board. You can contact him at his business in Millheim (814-349-3000, cbierly@bierlygroup.com). a
The Valley, July 2018
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Summer Reading by Kelly Rodenbaugh
Summer is here, which means relaxing at the pool, family vacations, and visits to the library for the summer reading program! You may wonder why the library offers the summer reading program. During the summer many children, especially struggling readers, slip out of practice of what they have learned during the school year. Did you know that by reading just six books throughout the summer may keep a struggling reader from regressing? The library is here to encourage children, and adults, to read throughout the summer. We want you to read! Six books, sixty books or even more, just read! Here are a few tips to improve your child’s reading during the summer: - Read something every day: Encourage your child to take advantage of every opportunity to read. In the morning, read the newspaper, even if it is just the comics. During the day, read a magazine or even the television guide. In the evening, end the day by having your child read to you from the book he/she is currently reading. - Keep reading aloud: Reading aloud benefits children as well as teens, especially those who struggle. One benefit is that adults can read books a child cannot, therefore building listening comprehension skills. Reading out loud will also increase the child’s knowledge and expand experience with text, so that he/
she will do better when reading on their own. - Model fluent reading: When reading to your child read naturally, with the right emotion or tone to match the words you are reading. Audiobooks are a wonderful source to model fluency and if you have the book your child can listen and read along with the story! - Try graphic novels: Graphic novels are a good choice for struggling or reluctant readers. They have less text than traditional books which makes them less overwhelming. Graphic novels are easy and fun to read, but have age-appropriate content. These books can make reading feel relevant and achievable. The library’s summer reading program is in full swing. I hope that everyone has their reading logs by now, but if you do not, please stop in the library and pick yours up today. Reading logs are available for all ages, from birth through adult. Logs are available at both the Lewistown and Belleville library. Children and teens can get their reading logs in the Children’s Room and adults can pick up their logs at the circulation desk. Kelly Rodenbaugh is the Youth Services Manager at the Mifflin County Library. She is currently reading “Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen” by Serena Valentino. a
on shore to help pull the tires and The Juniata River is a beautithey ended up rescheduling three ful waterway going through the trash up to waiting dumpsters and times because of that (third time whole length of Mifflin County. to load the tires to a tractor trailer is the charm apparently). They Lots of people use it for their from Mahangtango Enterprises. were finally able to hold theirs, recreation swimming, boating, We’ll also need boats in the water but, unfortunately, Mifflin County to bring the trash and tires in and kayaking, and fishing, but what could not. people to count tires and record lies under the waters and on the Huntingdon County is hosting the amount of trash. Gloves, bags, shorelines are tires and trash that a cleanup on Sunday August 26th. drinks, t-shirts and lunch will be can be dangerous, especially if They plan to clean the section of provided. there is metal with sharp edges. river from Mt. Union (using their Our volunteers want to make it a As in the past, the cleanup new launch) to the Shawmut Acbetter place. We would like people will be done as long as the cess (PA FBC access ramp). to sign up ahead of time so we weather is good and water levels have an idea of how many people are low that day. Our volunteers’ Pam Sechrist will be there, so we can plan the safety is first and foremost in any Affiliate Coordinator amount of lunch we will need to cleanup. If we have to change it PACleanWays of Mifflin County/ order and how many gloves and to another week, it will be the first KPB a cleanup supplies we will need. weekend that the water levWe ask that you wear old clothes els are low enough. We will and sneakers because you will meet at the MCIDC plaza get wet and probably muddy. To at 7:45am to fill out waiver sign up, contact Pam Sechrist at forms that morning. pammiff@verizon.net or call 717 Kristie Smith, Coordi899-6701 or 717-348-3534. You nator of Perry County, plans can find out where to meet for any to hold their cleanup on Satof the counties by going online to urday August 25th (fingers www.keeppabeautiful.org crossed if the water isn’t too Mifflin County PACleanWays high or muddy). Last year is planning this year’s river cleanup on Saturday August 4th. We are looking for anyone that kayaks or boats on the river to help us out that day and for weeks ahead of that to help pull trash and tires out of the river and take them to a staging area near the MCIDC plaza to be pulled out and properly disposed of. We will be working from 8am to 12pm that • Reliable Propane & Heating Oil Delivery day to pull up and • Budget Payment Plan load all the trash and Call today tires. We need help to learn about ou • 24/7 Emergency Service
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24 The Supreme Court & Baking Cakes from page 20 discriminating and biased manner. The Court says “the baker, in his capacity as the owner of a business serving the public, might have his right to the free exercise of religion limited by generally applicable laws.” (Page 3) However, the government cannot use Mr. Phillips’ religious beliefs as the basis for the application of their laws. Justice Kennedy points out that when commissioners on the Colorado board made statements describing Mr. Phillips’ faith as “one of the most despicable pieces of rhetoric that people can use,” and equating his refusal to design and create a wedding cake for a same-sex marriage to the acts of slavery and the holocaust they began down the path of discriminating against him. In addition to these condemning statements, the Colorado commission had, at the same time, determined that three other bakers could refuse to bake cakes critical of gay marriage, contrary to their secular convictions, making clear their bias and discriminatory application of this otherwise “neutral” law. The majority opinion determined that it was this discriminatory act by the Colorado commission that required the court to overturn this case. Again,
for the majority opinion, this appears not to be a case of religious freedom of expression, but one of unjust government discrimination. Not Legal Yet The Court, almost in passing, also mentioned that Mr. Phillips’ may have been justified in his refusal to design and create this wedding cake, because Colorado had not legalized gay marriage yet. His refusal, at that time, was not only in compliance with State law, but also a refusal to participate in an illegal activity. Perhaps Kennedy added this point of fact as a way of publicly saying to business owners in States who have legalized gay marriage, you have no argument to withhold your services if State law compels service. What About Freedom of Speech? There is one aspect of personal rights the majority opinion mentions, but strangely never fleshes out; the matter of freedom of speech. The majority court introduces the question; Is the government’s law forcing Mr. Phillips to design and create a cake contrary to his personal message, a violation of freedom of speech? But then, in what seems to be a lapse of concentration, the majority opinion never answers
this question definitively. It isn’t until we get to Justice Thomas’ concurrence that we find a truly worthy discussion of this important element. Thomas’ opinion on the matter of freedom of speech is so thorough and so supported by precedent it makes one wonder why the majority court refused to give this topic its due consideration. Justice Thomas points out that it is well within the history of the Supreme Court to support the expression of offensive beliefs in the name of freedom of speech. After all, he reminds us, if the burning of a flag or a 25 foot cross (Virginia v. Black), or designing and creating “a film featuring Klan members brandishing weapons and threatening to ‘Bury the n******,’ (Brandenburg v. Ohio) are all protected speech, then surely designing and creating a cake ought to fit these categories as well. By the terms laid out by Justice Thomas, this case should have absolutely been decided in favor of Mr. Phillips on the merits of freedom of
speech. Why the majority court would introduce this element, and then not complete its thought on the matter is puzzling. Why the majority court would choose a single justification for their opinion when they could have had two compelling arguments is equally puzzling. The Dissent One final matter worth discussing is the dissent written by Justice Ginsburg, joined by Justice Sotomayor. Not surprisingly, Ginsburg feels that this case should have been decided in favor of the same-sex couple. However, her argument against the majority opinion is so weak it makes clear her bias. She does not address the fact that gay marriage was illegal at the time Mr. Phillips refused to design and create the cake. She does not even broach the freedom
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of speech aspect. Instead she asserts that the biased statements of a few commissioners against Mr. Phillips, during a government hearing in judgment of Mr. Phillips, do not rise to the level of “hostility” toward Mr. Phillips and therefore cannot be the justification for overturning this case. Apparently, Ginsburg believes in a lower standard of discrimination for government than private citizens by claiming that these clear and impermissible words of hostility placed on the record by members of the commission and used as justification for their decision were not an exercise of content discrimination, yet the baker refusing to make a wedding cake for a gay marriage, that was currently against the law, and violated his religious beliefs was discrimination. a
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The Valley, July 2018
Home at the Grange by Patricia L. Bird
Grange Park Has Lots Of New Facilities When thinking about what to write about, I realized that every Granger is extremely busy this month. In Centre County members have been participating in fundraisers to help build up their finances. Also, many are working on projects like the Progress Grange Children’s fair to be held in July, community picnics and getting ready to go to upcoming events like the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair and the Pennsylvania State Grange Family Festival, which is held on the grounds of the Pomona Grange Park. As I just said, the grounds where the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair is held are actually owned by the Centre County Pomona Grange. Through the wonderful effort of the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair Committee, they maintain and rent the grounds out for almost nine months of the year. Have you been to a horse show at the grounds? With almost all new buildings and show rings, the equine facility at the Grange Park is one to none and by far the best on the east coast. There are new barns, a covered staging area and covered arena. It is usually booked every weekend from the end of March to the beginning of November. Come visit a horse show, you won’t be disappointed. Do you love to tailgate before and after Penn State Football games? Well, a different alternative is parking at the Grange Park and using a shuttle to the game. Rates are great and many more fans are doing so. It can be lots of fun and a safe place to party. Need a location for a good old-fashioned family reunion or even a wedding/reception? The former Triangle building has now been climatized, modernized and refinished and is available for rental. Having just been to an event being held there, I can testify that it is beautiful and would be a very easy place to find and use. Other events that are held there were the Relay for Life, which was held last weekend and the Remmington Ride Weekend which is coming up. Also, local
groups like the Covalts’ hold
concerts there every summer.
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You might also find different events like a pig sale, dairy show and sale, tractor and truck pulls and many more events throughout the season. So if you are looking for a great place to rent for a special event, come and try the facilities at the Grange Park. You can contact Darlene Confer in the Administration Building on the fairgrounds at 814-364-9674. The address is 169 Homan Lane (GPS – 149 Homan Lane), Centre Hall,
PA 16823. All events are also listed on the Grange Fair website at www.grangefair.net. Hope to see you at the “Park” sometime. a
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Big News! On June 25th, the Commonwealth Court ruled in favor of The People once again! Erik Arneson, Executive Director of the Office of Open Records, had this to say about the decision regarding 1186 C.D. 2017 (via Twitter): “I think it’s a significant decision and one worth reading by anyone interested in Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law. I’d like to draw particular attention to two parts of the decision. On pages 6-7, the Court discusses the affidavit in which the Township asserts that release of the video footage would be a safety and security risk. ‘[The] affidavit offers conclusory statements that both public safety and building security will be jeopardized. Without explaining details, the affidavit provides no more than speculation. This does not suffice.’ Also on page 7, the Court discusses the Township’s contention that how the records (video) will be used is pertinent to the case: ‘The Township complains that Requester publishes public re-
cords on the internet. This is not a valid reason to deny the request.’ So, two important takeaways for agencies responding to #RTKL requests. (1) If you deny access and are appealed, provide *detailed* affidavits to the OOR. (2) The intended use of the records is irrelevant under the RTKL. Finally, one important takeaway for requesters: You’re welcome to have an attorney, but you don’t need one to file an appeal with the OOR (it’s free). In this case, the requester had no attorney, but won access from the OOR and from Commonwealth Court.” Here is the backstory for new readers: In late 2016, I caught two of the Gregg Township Supervisors having a secret, locked-door meeting in the office. They were making decisions about deleting audio recordings of public meetings (against their own retention policy), among other things. Why were they doing this, you ask? There was a previous Rightto-Know Request for the audio recording of the October 2016 meeting where the same two
Supervisors increased township property taxes by 40%, without any warning or public input. The township deleted that recording after it was requested. When I heard their discussion through the wall, I knew I had to act quickly to try to preserve the video footage of the Supervisors entering and exiting this meeting. I knocked on the locked door and submitted a Rightto-Know Request on the spot. How much money will the Gregg Township Supervisors spend to hide their activiThe township denied my ties from us? In this 2016 footage, two Supervisors are removing a sign warning request for the footage, citing residents of a 40% tax increase. safety concerns and other isfrom us (The People). The current clique will never cut sues. The truth is, they just don’t I have another request pendspending or freeze wages to pay want people to see the video. I ing for video footage of campaign for what we actually need (like had previously obtained video signs being run over on four emergency services and roads). In of the very same Supervisors occasions in front of the townfact, the Secretary (best known for ripping down a sign about the tax ship building. They have denied getting caught running her busiincrease. On another occasion, the access to this footage before. The ness while at work) has already Roadmaster ripped down a sign township government has recently received two significant wage on camera. One of the Supervisors been very concerned about other increases this year. admitted in a public meeting that incidents of vandalism on the The June Board of Supervihe took down the sign at the Post property, but they seem to take an sors meeting was uncharacteristiOffice as well. The township did opposite attitude regarding this cally non-dramatic. The township not want people to know about the vandalism. Why? Hmm… published their video recording of tax increase, and the shenanigans Gregg Township has already the meeting online. Will they have surrounding it. This is how the blown their budget for solici“technical difficulties” the next Hanky Panky Report was born. tor fees this year. Don’t worry, time they reveal their shady selves For the last year and a half, they are still spending plenty of in a public meeting? We shall the township has spent tax-funded money on recreation projects. see. The petition to live stream resources to fight the disclosure When it comes time to pass the meetings remains active on Gregg of this video and other records. 2019 budget, they will just raise Township Unofficial (www.gregIn plain speak, they are using our taxes again. This has already been gtownshipunofficial.org). a money (taken by force) to legally discussed at public meetings. defend hiding what they are doing
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The Valley, July 2018
Mail Pouch Books by Carleen B. Grossman SALT TO THE SEA By Ruta Sepetys Copyright 2016 391 pages I enjoy historical fiction that introduces me to something I didn’t know. For example, the Wilhelm Gustloff was originally a ship built as a luxury cruise liner for the Nazis. Her purpose was to provide recreational and cultural activities for Germans including concerts, cruises, and other holiday trips, and to serve as a public relations tool to present “a more acceptable” image of the Third Reich. The ship was requisitioned in 1939 and served as a hospital ship until 1940 when re-assigned as a floating barracks for naval personnel. In 1945, it was put into service to transport evacuees
“Incredibles 2” Although Pixar has never made anything I’d call a “bad” movie, they’ve had mixed results with their sequels. The second and third “Toy Story” movies are just as beloved as the original, and “Finding Dory” is the highestgrossing animated film of all time. But “Monsters University” was an addendum that seemingly nobody wanted, and the two “Cars” sequels are considered the black
from the military and civilian refugees, The Wilhelm Gustloff had the capacity for carrying 1,463 people, but in 1945 it carried 10,573 sailors, soldiers and predominately women and children refugees; fleeing the Russian Army. The ship was struck by three missiles from a Russian submarine and went down in 50 minutes, with only 12 lifeboats on board—in the Baltic Sea during the month of January. Over 9,000 people died in this one ship catastrophe. Yet, we rarely hear about this shipwreck that was so much larger than the Titanic. It was intriguing to read this novel and the author certainly did in-depth research prior to writing this book/novel. Each short chapter in the book is told by one of the four
sheep of the studio. Still, fans were clamoring for a follow-up to “The Incredibles”, the 2004 familyof-superheroes adventure that opened the door to a world that clearly needed more exploring. It’s been a 14-year wait, but yes, this is every bit the sequel that fans have been craving. We join the Parr family right where we left them – ready to do battle with The Underminer (Pixar fave John Ratzenberger). Some heroic hijinks and damage to the city’s infrastructure later, and the Parrs are in trouble again for unauthorized crime-fighting. Things look dire for the family, but salvation comes in the form of a pair of tycoon siblings (Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener) who want to bankroll a public comeback for Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), his wife Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), and family friend Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson). The catch is that they
mysterious note.
main characters. The main characters fit together like a jigsaw puzzle --- the author ends each chapter on a
him after the war. She gives birth to a baby daughter. • Alfred---an eager, delusional young German apprentice sailor who adheres to Hitler’s propaganda. His thought processes and secrets are revealed via letters he mentally composes to a Jewish girl back in his hometown!
fragility of the human condition while still encouraging compassion, bravery, and love of fellow humankind. The author writes in her Author’s Note, “History divided us, but through reading we can be united in story, study and remembrance. Books join us together as a global reading community, but more importantly, a global human community striving to learn from the past.” On May 25th, 2017 Universal Pictures reported it is developing SALT TO THE SEA into a movie. a
The four main characters are: • Joanna--- a 20-year old woman fleeing her native country, Lithuania, who repatriated to Nazi Germany in 1941 to escape capture from the Soviet Russian forces. She has medical training and practices nursing, although not yet certified with papers. • Florian--- a young Prussian art restoration apprentice carrying a valuable amber swan that he stole from the Amber Room, after discovering that his supervisor is controlling him. • Emilia---a 15-year old Polish girl who was raped by Russian soldiers. She is under an illusion that a boy who was a friend of her family was the source of her pregnancy. She plans on finding
You will get to know these characters and each one’s secret. And, you will feel a part of their lives as the story speeds along. There are also 2 maps of the area and a bibliography for the research done and a list of the interviews that the author did with eyewitnesses. You will experience the anxiety and the terror of the refugees as they stream towards the harbor and towards a ship that will most definitely not be able to carry all of them to safety. Will they be denied passage, cursed to wait for the advancing 2017 Author won a Carnegie Medal for her troops or a different fate? book “Salt To The Sea.” The story reveals the
want to bring back the supers one at a time, starting with Elastigirl, which means Mr. Incredible will have to be benched for the time being. The deal is too good to pass up, so Mr. Incredible reluctantly agrees to stay home and watch the kids while Elastigirl does the hero- no, heroine work. Watching over three children turns out to be a more daunting task than Mr. Incredible anticipated. Teenage daughter Violet (Sarah Vowell) is distraught over a crush who knows her secret identity (the situation is rectified, but the correction makes things worse on the social front). Oldest son Dash (Huck Milner) needs help with his homework, but it’s 60’s-style New Math that even his father can’t understand. And baby Jack-Jack is just starting to learn he has a plethora of superpowers, including invisibility, laser-eyes, and self-multiplication. The situation with Jack-Jack is too much for even Mr. Incredible to handle, so he “allows” costume designer Edna Mode (Brad Bird, the director of the film) to watch the baby for a bit and help him channel his powers. Elastigirl, for her part, tangles with a hypnotizing villain called The Screenslaver and meets some fellow underground supers,
my favorite of which is Voyd (Sophia Bush), who can create wormholes out of thin air. The superhero stuff is mostly just fine, save for a few outstanding sequences like a motorcycle chase, hand-to-hand combat with strobe lighting, and especially baby Jack-Jack tussling with a masked adversary. But otherwise even the magic of Pixar can’t make up for the fact that we’ve been seeing a lot of superheroes lately, and their action-filled set pieces - monumental though they are – are beginning to become commonplace. Also, the identity of the villain is supposed to be a secret, but I found it way too easy to figure out. I guessed correctly based character descriptions that were released a few months ago. The strengths of “Incredibles 2” lie not with its action (though don’t get me wrong, impressive action is there if you want it), but with its family dynamic. Nelson and Hunter deserve Oscar nominations for the life and chemistry they give to their characters. I swear I heard applause after a scene of them simply having a conversation. A family dinner over Chinese takeout is equally laudable, with the kids holding their own in a debate over the
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ethics of illegally using their superpowers to do good. Again, the film isn’t lacking for excitement or visual gags, but some of its best moments are some of its simplest. “Incredibles 2” is everything you want from a Pixar movie – smart, funny, adorable, inspiring, painstakingly animated with excellent results, and best of all, heartfelt. Grade: A “Incredibles 2” is rated PG for action sequences and brief mild language. Its running time is 118 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@ nyu.edu. a
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Life in the East End by Rebecca Harrop all of them, but we should have Crops are really jumping in lots. I have one row we didn’t the East End. Despite some challenges getting seeds in the ground get planted yet that I am saving to and getting hay dry, it is shaping get some carrots in. Mom wants up to be a good year. Our corn, to can a bunch this year and more soybeans and oats are all lovred beets. She ran out of canned ing the hot rainy weather. After pickled beets this year. She bought having some dry years, no one some but dad wasn’t impressed wants to complain about all the with those, so we will be canning rain we’ve been having. My dad pickled beets later this fall. loves to hear rain on the roof of a I have my dahlias and calla building, especially a tin roof. It lilies planted and they are really is a comforting, soothing sound. growing fast. The calla lilies are Just enjoy it, like my nieces. Like blooming already this year. I’m most kids, they love to run and glad because I have been planting play in the rain and get soaking wet. Of course they can’t resist the mud. There are usually two big mud puddles behind where my dad parks his truck and they keep asking my mom if they can play in the mud puddles. We have a kiddie pool for them, but they want to play in both. You have to watch them because they will run in the puddle then jump in the pool to wash off the mud and then go do it again. Pretty soon the pool looks like a mud puddle too. Our garden is doing well also, although we have an ongoing battle with the weeds. Even though we got a late start, the veggies are really growing. There are little tomatoes on the tomato vines already. The Calla Lillies showing what is to come! squash vines are looking good. No sign of the fly that was them for about four years now bothering the onions last year and this is the first year they have yet. We have our fingers crossed bloomed. I was about to give we won’t see them either. Mom up on them. I am declaring war planted a lot of peppers this year, on a family of rabbits who have not sure what she wants to do with been nibbling on my dahlias and
calla lilies, though. It was ok when they were just getting the cabbage and broccoli, but am not happy they are now after my flowers. I may be having rabbit stew if they don’t stay away from the garden. The planters we plant for the fair are really getting nice too. Mom got some Caladiums to try in three of them this year to see how they do. It’s funny, one pot came up and it really looks nice. One of the other ones starting coming up about two weeks ago and the last one just started poking through the soil the last Friday in June. They are very pretty at least, so I’m sure the planters will be nice for fair. I hope you are all looking at your flowers and vegetable gardens for what you can enter at the Mifflin County Youth Fair and Open Show in August. The Open Show offers everyone the opportunity to enter their home made crafts, home canned or baked items. If you like to do woodworking, you can enter those also. We encourage our farmers to enter your hay and grains, or antique tractors. Honey, wool, eggs, and evergreens also can be entered. If you want more information about the opportunities to enter items and the premiums we offer, you can pick up a Fairbook at the Extension Office in Lewistown or download the Open Show information on our Facebook page. You may also email the Open Show at openshowmifflinco@gmail. com and we will email you a copy. That’s all for this month!
An Udder Day An Udder Dollar by Gabrielle Swavely Hello readers! It’s July which means vacations and hot weather. To me hot weather means sweet treats to cool down with. Luckily July is National Ice Cream month and I plan on celebrating everyday! While ice cream should be enjoyed in moderation, there are still some health benefits. One serving of ice cream contains protein, potassium, phosphorus and calcium. These nutrients are all essential to growing strong bones, repairing tissue, and could even lower your blood pressure.
There’s nothing like enjoying one of your three daily servings of ice cream while reaping the benefits too. The average American consumes 48 pints of ice cream per year with vanilla being our number one choice. It takes three gallons of milk to make one gallon of ice cream and at that rate, a cow produces enough milk in one day to make two gallons of ice cream. So, my challenge for you all is to raise your spoons and celebrate National Ice Cream month with me! a
Repair Your Home through Rural Development’s 504 Loan Program Homeowners in rural areas who need repairs to their homes but can’t afford regular loans may be eligible for participation in USDA Rural Development’s Single Family Housing Repair Loans Program. Single Family Housing Repair Loans, also known as the Section 504 Home Repair Program, aims to provide loans for very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize their homes. A 504 loan can reach a maximum of $20,000 at a fixed interest rate of 1%. In order to qualify for a 504 loan, an applicant must be the homeowner and occupy the house, be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere, have a family income below 50% of the area’s
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median income, and live in an eligible area. To check if your home is in an eligible area, please visit thttps://www.rd.usda.gov/ programs-services/single-familyhousing-repair-loans-grants. The income limits for Pennsylvania can be found there also, and please feel free to call the 504 Housing Line at (724) 261-3903, extension 3887, with all questions regarding property eligibility and income limits. Applications for this program are taken year-round. For more information on the 504 Home Repair Program call our 504 Housing Line at 717-237- 2186. For more information on the other programs Rural Development has to offer in Pennsylvania visit http://www.rd.usda.gov/pa. a
The Valley, July 2018
The Truth Has No Agenda
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The Valley, July 2018
30 Our Yesteryears from page 14 tions, which will be sufficient to guard against any attack of small arms.” Contemporary sketches or drawings of forts of the period exist today. Whether or not its construction followed this design, Fort Granville was formally manned March 28, 1756. The location appearantly had water problems. An illuminating and concisely written essay, Geologic Considerations Relevant to Fort Granville, by Professor Roger J. Cuffey of the Department of Geosciences, Penn State University was presented at the Geological Society of America’s Joint Annual Meeting, April, 2002. The monograph discussed some of the problems the fort builders faced. Prof. Cuffey observed, “Water could be supplied from either the river or an on-site small spring (which, like most in the region, was seasonal and thus was dry when needed in the siege in mid1756)...” The water problem was certainly a consideration, but the selected placement of the fort has been the object of speculation over the years. Prof. Cuffey noted from a geological point of view, “The site, on a wide valley floor between high ridges, takes advantage of a topographic constriction narrowing the valley (enhancing visibility of forces moving past), a location mid-way between two water gaps (a principal overland route through the mountain ridges) and situation on the bank of a major river (ready access back to settled areas to the southeast). The valley was heavily forested (providing logs for construction), with alluvial soils or soft shale bedrock (hence stockade post-holes easily dug).” “In summary, some of the characteristics of the Fort Granville site had positive military value, but about as many, in actual practice, turned out to be negative instead,” Prof. Cuffey concluded. The spring and early summer of 1756 saw raids into the area. On July 22, a force challenged Capt. Ward to come out and fight. Considering the state of his supplies, he decided to stay behind the fort’s protective walls. Raiding parties ranged over the area. Some settlers were murdered and families taken captive. Then a lull in the attacks occurred, giving Ward the confidence to split his command. He took the majority of the troops to guard harvesters. The remaining 24 soldiers, plus settlers at the fort, were
under Lt. Edward Armstrong.
to Dr. Bell.
SIEGE OF FORT GRANVILLE The Pennsylvania Gazette reported that Fort Granville was undermanned when the siege began and it was assumed the enemy put this advantage to good use. Capt. Coulon de Villiers, his French regulars and a force of Delawares under their leader, Captain Jacobs, may not have known Granville’s garrison was depleted at all. The Mifflin County Historical Society’s 1956 booklet, From These Ashes There Shall Rise... Fort Granville - 1756, a bicentennial publication commemorating the fort, states: “Contrary to earlier assumptions, de Villiers did not know that Capt. Ward had left with many from the garrison. Rather, the Frenchman had intended to attack Fort Shirley, but his Delaware guide for some reason brought him to Fort Granville...” Dr. Raymond M. Bell, in an April 6, 1939 Sentinel column titled “Sesqui Echoes” explained: “In June, 1756, he (Coulon de Villiers) set out to attack Fort Cumberland (Md.) but sickness forced him to return to Fort Duquesne. On July 13, 1756, he set out again planning to go to Fort Shirley via Kittanning. He had 32 Indians (Loups-Delawares, Chouannons-Owls and Illinois) when he left Kittanning on July 17. On July 30 at noon, he found himself before Fort Granville. His guide probably made the wrong turn at Mount Union,” according
ILL SUPPLIED GARRISON Pennsylvania’s Commissary General, Elisha Saltar, is quoted in the Pennsylvania Archives as being very concerned about the viability of Fort Granville. He wrote, “I am very sencilbe (sic) a great part of the soldiers have left their posts and come to the Inhabitants... (Fort Granville) is so badly stored with ammunition, not having three rounds per man...” In the spring of 1756, efforts to supply Fort Granville were hampered by high water. In a letter to Governor R. H. Morris, Capt. James Burd wrote, “I intend to have marched this morning for Fort Granville, but the creeks are so high the carriers can’t attempt to get their horses and loads over, but hopes to be able to go tomorrow morning...I am informed that they are entirely out of all manner of provisions... which is a bad situation, as the enemy are constantly visiting them...” Pennsylvania Archives quotes a letter from Fort Augusta dated August 14, 1756 from Col. Clapham to Governor Morris, in which he wrote... “...this loss (of Fort Granville) was occasioned by want of ammunition, having received a letter two or three days ago from Col. John Armstrong, that they had in that fort only one pound of powder and fourteen pounds of lead...” One or two swivel guns were probably part of the armament at Fort Granville, but with the supply of powder so low their effective use would be questionable. Interestingly, local tradition told of the fort’s “brass cannon” being buried in the woods by the enemy after the surrender. No relics of the battle or siege has ever been found in later years. Fort Granville fell much as the Pennsylvania Gazette reported it on August 19, 1756.
A bicentennial pageant titled From These Ashes There Shall Rise…was presented in 1956 to commemorate the destruction of Fort Granville and chronicle the early American Indian inhabitants and their encounters with the first settlers. Hundreds joined to become cast members, sing in the chorus, build sets, make costumes and give technical assistance. Elizabeth Steele, Lewistown High School English teacher, was the pageant author and director. – Courtesy Mifflin County Historical Society
FRENCH LETTER REVEALED The letter made its way to the colonial authorities. William A. Hunter in Forts described the letter as “a puzzle in that day, a mystery in ours.” Hunter noted that an attempt at translation was made by Joseph Shippen, as recorded in his journal under August 18, now part of the Shippen Family Papers. The French letter was archived for almost ninety years when it was made available to historian I. Daniel Rupp. He made a literal transcript from the original in December, 1844.
The copied text appears in Rupp’s 1847 History and Topography of Northumberland, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre, Union, Columbia, Juniata and Clinton Counties. Rupp characterized it as a “mere fragment of a letter, incoherent - has many omissions, which are not easily supplied, without knowing particular circumstances under which it was written.” Several transcripts in French appear in Rupp’s history, pointing to the difficult nature of reading the original handwriting. Rupp printed a somewhat disjointed English translation. To compound the mystery, since Rupp’s 1844 encounter with the document, the original French letter vanished. Hunter observed, “The ‘French Letter,’ which has since disappeared, was copied by I. D. Rupp...and has the best description of it in his History...” In 1955, almost two hundred years after the letter was found amid the ruins of Fort Granville, and one hundred years since Rupp last saw it, Dr. Raymond M. Bell revisited the mystery. Bell acknowledged the disappearance of the original, but asked a fellow faculty member and language expert, Dr. A. Richard Oliver of Washington and Jefferson College, to analyze Rupp’s French copy. Bell noted that the person who must have copied the letter for Rupp, evidently did not know French, due to inconsistent errors in the text. After careful study, Dr. Oliver concluded that the letter had no military value and shows simply the presence of French officers among the attackers. The letter was written by a servant-girl who was attempting to escape the amorous pursuits of her master and who wrote this final letter to explain her reason for leaving. Here is Dr. Oliver’s translation of the mysterious French letter: ...because I never looked at you with an affectionate heart; and you never hope for any indulgence on my part after the annoyance you have caused me. So look elsewhere than to me. Do not be a fool any longer over an inconstant who thinks only of his (or her) pleasure. Believe me, search for your fortune elsewhere; as for me I think only that. There is nothing which can change my feelings. Good-bye. It is not late. I am leaving tomorrow. You have always said to me, “It is not convenient for you to stay here.” That did not suit you. The more you take measures to change me, the more rude I should be. Do not think that I serve you in order that you would
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think badly of me. For if you do not wish to be bound, go away from me, for I shall not know how to resist. Your Servant Josephine Clere The letter appears to be a simple declaration: “This romantic affair has ended.” How or why the French letter came to be among the burned fragments at Fort Granville remains a mystery to this day. William Hunter suggests two possibilities: the letter was accidentally left behind by the French lover or it was intentionally placed there, perhaps as a practical joke, by French soldiers. Two other explanations are suggested by Dennis P. McIlnay in his book, Juniata, River of Sorrows. McIlnay notes that the letter may have been left by a French soldier as a sort of memorial, when his companion was killed during the fight or committed suicide over his spurned love. Or perhaps Coulon de Villiers, French commander of the attacking force at Fort Granville, may have ordered the letter posted as an admonition or warning to the British that “their” affair in Pennsylvania was over, that, plus avenging the death of Coulon de Villiers’ brother in 1754, killed by British forces under a young George Washington, the act that started the war in the first place. Perhaps the Provincial government missed a subtle French gesture, or soldiers left the letter as a joke. The truth will likely remain unknown. One fact remains: a simple letter written by a French servant girl, found at a battle site and its treatment after the fort’s fall, points to the magnitude of the event. Under other circumstances, this humble artifact might have gone unnoticed. Instead, the “mysterious” French letter of Fort Granville is part of our local history and the French and Indian War. NEXT MONTH: Where was Fort Granville Located? This relic from the French & Indian War remains elusive, as the profile of the land has drastically changed over the last 260+ years. With research in 1915-16 and more during the 1940s, a picture of its location has emerged, as did a model of the fort itself created by high school students in 1940 that remains on display today. In August, The Location of Fort Granville & The Fort Granville Model. HISTORY IS OUR STORY PASS IT ON! a
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The Valley, July 2018 Lyme Disease Prevention and Relief at Simply Health from front page nologies. Our True Wave Full Spectrum heating system provides all wavelengths 100% of the time to optimize your sauna session. Near Infrared is the shortest wavelength, and will be absorbed just below the surface of the skin creating a sweat that promotes healing and revitalization. Mid infrared is a longer wavelength that can penetrate deeper into the body’s soft tissue increasing circulation, releasing oxygen to reach injured areas. Far infrared is the longest wavelength which penetrates the fat cells causing vasodilation, where the fat cells vibrate to expel toxins, resulting in the greatest levels of detoxification and stimulate your metabolism to aid in weight-loss. Our Infrared Sauna also features Chromotherapy, color light therapy, which is the science of using wavelengths of color light to affect your body and mind for improved health and happiness. Our Infrared Sauna includes Medical Grade Chromotherapy lighting with 96 LED Lights with an array of 12 colors - red, strong green, strong blue, orange, green, blue, strong yellow, strong indigo, strong pink, yellow, indigo and violet. Color Light Therapy has been reported to reduce swelling,
relieve pain, decrease inflammation, accelerate open wound healing and greatly reduce overall recovery after medical/surgical procedures. Patients have demonstrated increased range of motion, decreased muscle tension and spasm, and improved circulation. Rejuvenating LED light therapy can be used for pain management such as joint and back pain, sore or torn muscles, sprains, arthritis, post-surgical scars, burns, wounds and more. When used with infrared technology, light therapy (phototherapy) is one of the most effective and noninvasive ways to repair the body. Light therapy is also used to relieve Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD effects individuals when the lack of sunlight results in seasonal depression. Phototherapy helps with SAD by resetting the internal biological clock (Circadian rhythms), helping individuals sleep better and regulate their mood. Even companies, such as GE and Philips, have created phototherapeutic products to improve and regulate mood. The combination of a Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna and Chromotherapy is a powerful duo! The combination of the two helps to boost the immune system, provide stress relief, assist with weight loss and increase metabolism, improve the appearance of cellulite, provide muscle pain
relief (and stiffness), as well as improve cardiovascular conditioning and skin! Lyme disease can cause a wide range of symptoms including sore muscles and joints, dizziness, headaches, muscle weakness and even depression. In many cases, traditional treatment using antibiotics are not entirely effective. As a result, many Lyme disease patients seek relief through alternative treatments like an infrared sauna. The warmth of an infrared sauna has a soothing effect on joint and muscle pain so infrared sauna treatments can provide an effective compliment to traditional Lyme disease treatment. The deep penetrating heat of an infrared sauna also makes the body a far less desirable host for the bacteria and it dies off as the body temperature rises. Lyme also creates a build-up of toxins in the body. Although skin detoxification is beneficial for just about anyone, there are several reasons why it is help-
Our new state of the art Full Spectrum Infrared sauna can accommodate two people for the same $30 price. So bring a friend and split the cost!
The Truth Has No Agenda
ful for those dealing with Lyme Disease. As we have seen, the bacteria present in the bodies of those with Lyme Disease creates an accumulation of a greater quantity of toxins. Sweating can help eliminate these toxins. Those suffering with Lyme Disease have over worked liver and kidneys due to the stress incurred by the inflammation and toxic burden created by a chronic infection. Because the liver and kidneys are the primary detoxification organs of the body, detoxification is often stagnated. Detoxifying through the skin (via sweat) lifts the burden from the liver and kidneys because it completely bypasses them. Sweat production allows toxins circulating in the blood to be excreted directly through the skin. The vast surface area of the skin allows for efficient detoxification without placing a burden on other detoxification organs. One of our monthly spa packages for the month of July allows
you to experience two sessions in the sauna as well as a months use of the whole body vibration therapy (vibration therapy can be used daily) for $49. A single session of the sauna for 30 minutes is $30.00. This one-time use may be shared by two people and cost shared as well. For those trying to reverse or manage severe immune challenges, we suggest our month package that includes 12 sessions for only $149. More information on this is available on our website at Simplyhealth-calm.com. Please don’t hesitate to call us for more information or to schedule an appointment at 814-954-7731. Stop by for a tour anytime. If you are in town for a visit (or if you have out of town guests), be sure and take a rest in one of our Himalayan Salt room—really helps with our local pollen and allergies, and and of course it lessens inflammation! Enjoy this beautiful summer and we hope to see you soon! Stay well! a
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The Valley, July 2018
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