Articles written by Karen Bassler
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My Summer Birdbath Adventure Begins with a Crash
I've always wanted a birdbath in my yard and I'm not sure why I never took the leap. But as of May 15, I am an official bird bath owner. Woo hoo! I want to be a responsible birdbath manager so I did...
Cove Sends 'Sailors Stuck at Sea' 22 Boxes of Donations
For the past two weeks, the Herald has been collecting items to be shipped to some of our U.S. sailors stuck at sea due to COVID-19 restrictions. Space for personal items is very limited so most...
New Food Pantry Opens at United Methodist Church in Roaring Spring
At the April 21 meeting of the Trinity United Methodist Church Ad Council, members decided to open a food pantry. A Facebook post and word of mouth was all it took to get the ball rolling. By Thursday, April 23, the shelving was up and stocked with...
Roaring Spring Food Pantry Re-opens
The Roaring Spring Food Pantry will re-open on May 7 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for current clients who were registered before the closing. According to Ron Glunt, food pantry organizer, a few volunteers stepped forward to help during the COVID-19...
Herald Collecting Items for Sailors Stuck at Sea
A post on a social media website caught my eye the other day. I had just hung up from speaking with Lisa Ebersole, administrative assistant at Trinity United Methodist Church in Roaring Spring, about... Full story
Herald Collecting Items for Sailors Stuck at Sea
Until Friday, May 8, the Herald will accept items dropped off at the Herald office, 113 N. Market St., Martinsburg, across from the Choice convenience store. The Herald is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Leave your items outside... Full story
Juvenile Male to Be Tried as Adult in Williamsburg Stabbing
A 15-year-old Williamsburg boy will be tried as an adult for his part in a stabbing incident. Unable to post the $500,000 bail, a 15-year-old Williamsburg boy is awaiting his preliminary hearing in the Blair County Prison. According to Pennsylvania...
Trinity United Methodist Church Opens RS Food Pantry
At the Tuesday evening meeting of the Trinity United Methodist Church, Roaring Spring, Ad Council members decided to open a food pantry. A Facebook post and word of mouth was all it took to get the ball rolling. By Thursday, the shelving was up and... Full story
Most Cove Food Pantries Adjust Rules to Stay Open
Martinsburg Food Pantry The Martinsburg Food Pantry is alive and doing well. According to Linda Smith, manager, the shelves at the food pantry are well stocked, thanks to sizable donations from the...
Martinsburg Food Pantry is 'Mission' for Founder Smith
Linda Smith, the manager of the Martinsburg Food Pantry, said she never thought retirement would look like this. Smith retired from the Spring Cove School District after 29 years of service. She...
Man Accused of Stealing from Through, Inc. Office
An Altoona man is awaiting a preliminary hearing for a third-degree felony charge of criminal trespass. According to police records, on March 10, Clinton Matthew Edwards, 35, Altoona, entered the Through, Inc. building at 2829 Everett Road, East...
Local Residents Pitch In By Making Masks
Nancy Hershberger of Breezewood, a member of the Log House Quilt Guild of Johnstown, learned through an email from another member of the guild, of a shortage of protective masks at a local healthcare...
Those who can sew can help make masks
Zimmerman’s Bernina Sewing, located at 208 Flitch Road, New Enterprise, with a phone number of (814) 766-9942, is giving out kits to anyone who would like to donate their time and sewing skills. The kit is the pattern and two yards of fabric ...
State Police Warn of Man Impersonating Trooper
Pennsylvania State Police, Bedford, is investigating reports of someone impersonating a police officer. According to police, at 10:30 p.m., April 1, a white male described as being between 30 and 40 years old, with a goatee, wearing a dark-blue...
Homewood M-burg Benefiting from Mask Donations
Homewood at Martinsburg is the recipient of some of the masks being made by area residents. The staff at Homewood is required to wear masks and because there are no active cases of COVID-19, these homemade masks fit the requirement. “These masks...
Sanitizing Surfaces Helps Control Virus Spread
Coronavirus is more deadly than the seasonal flu viruses, spreads more easily and is a totally new virus to humans. The average flu strain kills about 0.1 percent of those infected, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) deaths are closer to 2 percent.... Full story
Coronavirus Threatens Those Who Are Older, Obese, With Lung Conditions
According to the Pa. Dept. of Health, people aged 65 and older are more likely to have serious coronavirus illness. This may be caused by changing immune systems making it harder to fight off diseases and infection. Underlying health conditions also... Full story
RS Man Leads Police on Chase; Arrested for DUI and Disorderly Conduct
After being reported for driving his vehicle in reverse and attempting to elude police, a Roaring Spring man is facing two third-degree felony charges, a misdemeanor charge and several summary offense...
Parole Check Results in Felony Drug Charges
A Claysburg man is in Blair County Prison on alleged drug charges. According to Greenfield Township Police, at 10:12 a.m. on March 5, Greenfield Township Police were called for assistance by the Pennsylvania State Police at 150 Catherine Street,...
Roaring Spring Woman Charged with Endangering Child
A Roaring Spring woman is in jail following her arrest on two second-degree felony charges of endangering the welfare of children. Jamie Sprirdigliozzi, 43, of Roaring Spring, was arrested by Roaring...
PennDOT Ponders Major Realignment of RS Intersection
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) hosted an open house on Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Spring Cove Middle School to provide the public an opportunity to review and comment on a...
Police Say Queen Woman Threatened Family of Four Using Facebook Messenger
A Queen woman is facing several misdemeanor charges after an incident at the home of people who took her in. According to a criminal complaint, Greenfield Township Police responded to a 9-1-1 call on Thursday, Feb. 20, to a residence on Polecat...
Kimmel Township Man Arrested for Theft, Intimidation, Threats
Larry M. Claar, 40, of 298 Picnic Road, Kimmel Township, was arrested on Feb. 7, 2020, after Pennsylvania State Police, Bedford, responded to assist Children and Youth Services at his residence. According to PSP, at approximately 10:42 a.m., PSP was...
Council Approves, but Public Split on RS Brew Pub Project
While public opinion was divided, most of Roaring Spring Borough Council approved of a proposed brew pub project downtown. Council held a fact-finding public hearing on the brew pub project on Feb. 19...
What Happens When You Realize that Your Birthday is Not on the Calendar?
After only 11 birthdays, Tamela (Vaughn) Greeley has accomplished quite a bit. Tamela lives in New Enterprise near her mother, Arvilla Miller, and works for Appvion. She lives there with her husband and two children. Wait. What? Tamela will be 44...
Spring Cove Paraprofessional Resigns Following Arrest by PSP
A paraprofessional formerly employed by the Spring Cove School District and assigned to Central High School as an aide, is facing felony charges of institutional sexual assault. Casey Lee Naylor, 32, of North Woodbury Township, has resigned from her...
Roaring Spring Council Gives Conditional Approval to Downtown Brewpub
Roaring Spring Borough Countil took a step toward permitting a brewery and pub downtown during a hearing on Feb. 19. After a public hearing that lasted about two hours, Roaring Spring Borough Council members held a closed-door meeting to deliberate...
Altoona Fire Chief Addresses Risk of PTSD in Firefighting
A class on dealing with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder was hosted by the Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Company and led by Altoona Fire Department Chief Tim Hileman, Tuesday, Feb. 11. More...
RS Library Works to Meet the Community's Changing Needs
February is Love Your Library Month. Michele McIntyre, director of the Roaring Spring Community Library, spoke of all the different ways the library serves the local community. Children's programs,...
For the Love of Books
Like many libraries, the Martinsburg Community Library is blessed with volunteers. Margaret "Peggy" Steinfurth is one such volunteer. She attributes her love of books to her mother, Harriet Stapleton,...
Martinsburg Friends of the Library Prepare for Annual Book Sale
February is Love Your Library month and The Friends of the Library at Martinsburg Community Library is preparing for its semi-annual book sale. The book sale will be held at the Martinsburg Community...
All You Need is Love
“When it’s time for souls to meet, there’s nothing on earth that can prevent them from meeting …” - J. Lichauco Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. For some it is just another day. But for hopeless romantics (myself included) it’s a day...
Local Woman to Audition for 'The Voice'; Traveling to Baltimore, Md.
Alana Norris of Martinsburg will be auditioning for "The Voice," a singing competition television series broadcast on NBC, on Saturday, Feb. 15 in Baltimore, Md. The 18 year old and her mother,...
More Than $200,000 Awarded to Cove-Area Fire and EMS
State Rep. Jim Gregory (R-Blair) has announced that fire and ambulance companies in the 80th District will collectively receive more than $200,000 in grants through the Fire Company and Emergency Medical Service Grant Program. The grant funding can...
'The End of Our Farm as a Dairy Farm'
Heather Brumbaugh, a 13-year-old eighth-grade student at Spring Cove Middle School, was given an assignment in November of 2019. Mrs. Amanda Jones, the English and language arts teacher, gave the...
