Putting cows on the front page since 1885.

Articles from the February 29, 2024 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 36 of 36

  • Retiring Batzel was an 'NBC First' AD and Coach

    CATI KEITH, Staff Writer|Feb 29, 2024

    After 30 years, Jeff Batzel will be retiring as an athletic director at the end of 2024, with his time spent at Northern Bedford and Everett school districts. Batzel is an NBC alumnus, and a lifelong resident of the district residing in the Yellow Creek area. “My father was the first AD in the school’s history, and I am the third,” he said. Ryan Cherry will be taking over the position and will be the district’s fourth athletic director in 60 years. “That is pretty interesting and amazing w...

  • Why Do We Need a Leap Year?

    CATI KEITH, Staff Writer|Feb 29, 2024

    The creation of the calendar and why the leap year exists is a story of trial and error, according to James Lowe, board chairman of the Blair County Historical Society. From his research, he found that the first calendar year was created in 753 BC by Romulus with only 10 months and 304 days, plus an undefined winter period. This was eventually modified to include 12 months with a total 354 days with no fluctuating winter period. “Since the actual time for the Earth to orbit the Sun is 365.224 da...

  • Spring Cove SD Declines to Adjust Absentee Policy

    THOMAS SCHMITT, Correspondent|Feb 29, 2024

    Spring Cove School Board Board Member Misti Fisher spoke adamantly about changing the district’s absentee policy during the attendance policy discussion (Policy No. 204) while other boardmembers expressed opposition during the February regular Board of Directors meeting for the Spring Cove School District. Fisher said that in other nearby school districts, five days off with the flu would not even count as one day absent. She cited Northern Bedford’s attendance policy several times, saying other districts were not as strict as Spring Cove on...

  • Glen W. Myers

    Feb 29, 2024

    Glen W. Myers passed away and joined his new choir early on Feb. 18, 2024, perfectly timed for Sunday morning worship. He was born Nov. 25, 1935, in Bakers Summit, the son of the late Romaine Pressel Myers Markey and David Paul Myers, who died in 1943, and stepson of the late Joseph Markey. He is survived by his daughter Kathy S. Nave, husband Brad of Georgetown, Ind., son Steve Myers, wife Kathy of Annville, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his...

  • Miriam L. (Burket) Henry

    Feb 29, 2024

    Miriam L. (Burket) Henry, 99, of Martinsburg, formerly of Bedford, passed away Feb. 17, 2024, at the Village at Morrisons Cove. She was born April 25, 1924, in Jacks Corner, daughter of the late Earl S. and Kathryn (Creps) Burket. On July 31, 1948, at the Yellow Creek Church of the Brethren, she was united in marriage to Kenneth F. Henry; he preceded her in death April 27, 1995. She is survived by her grandchildren, Sonya Cuomo (husband, Shawn), Justin Henry, Jenessa Henry, and Jevin Henry;...

  • Brent Lane Kreider

    Feb 29, 2024

    Brent L. Kreider, 50, of rural Martinsburg, passed away unexpectedly, Monday morning, Feb. 26, 2024, following complications from a cerebral hemorrhage. He was born Dec. 5, 1973, in Roaring Spring, son of Randy L. Kreider (Brenda) of Martinsburg and Norma C. (Mickel) Kreider of Curryville. Brent was twice married, first to Amber D. Weyandt and then to Jessica R. Yingling. He is survived by his parents; two sons: Lane S. Kreider of Martinsburg and Chase L. Kreider of Roaring Spring; two...

  • Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Launches Campaign To Support Arts, Culture

    Feb 29, 2024

    The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art has announced the launch of its Annual Giving Campaign, aimed at fostering art education, preserving cultural heritage, and making art accessible to all members of the community. The Annual Giving Campaign represents a crucial initiative for SAMA as it seeks to expand its impact and reach within the local community and beyond. With the generous support of donors, the museum aims to enhance its educational programs, curate thought-provoking exhibitions, and host engaging events that celebrate the diversity...

  • Central Continues to Ramp Up Theater Productions

    ERIC SHIELDS, Columnist|Feb 29, 2024

    After a hiatus, Central High School is putting on a production of “Bye Bye Birdie,” a musical comedy set in the 1950s, according to show Director Rachel Wagner, who is also a first-grade teacher in the school district. Tickets can be purchased online at centralhigh.booktix.com or at the door. The play will be presented at Central High School Thursday. Feb. 29, through Saturday, March 2, in the high school auditorium at 7 p.m. Wagner said that the school chose the show because of the music and th...

  • FOMO or Fear of Missing Out

    Linda Williams|Feb 29, 2024

    One of God’s greatest blessings is our two great-granddaughters. Our only complaint is we don’t see them often enough. The oldest, Chloe, 8, is sweet, sociable, and has so much love and empathy. The three-year-old, Landyn, is strong-willed and misses nothing. Ask her where her neurons are, and she will quickly tell you “In my brain”. Her “neurons” are busy day and night. Her personality has led to what our grandson calls, FOMO, or “fear of missing out”. It is a term adapted by the internet and social media in 2004. Those who have FOMO might...

  • Books to Borrow Martinsburg Public Library Recommends

    Feb 29, 2024

    Most of us are familiar with the story of Willy Wonka, thanks to the 1964 book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and its multiple movie retellings. But what do we really know about Wonka himself? Yes, we know he is the world’s greatest chocolatier. But how did he get that way? In Wonka, inspired by the screenplay of the recent movie by the same name, we get a glimpse into the past. As a young boy, Willy and his mother lived on a small boat. For someone who always dreamed of m...

  • The Graying of the Workforce: Profile of Rural and Urban Older Workers

    The Center for Rural Pennsylvania|Feb 29, 2024

    One of the fastest-growing segments of Pennsylvania’s rural economy are workers 65 years old and older. To learn more about older rural workers, the Center for Rural Pennsylvania used employment and demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau and found that: • Rural workers under 65 years old and older have increased by 50 percent from 2012 to 2022. Among similarly aged urban workers, there was a 56 percent increase. • From 2012 to 2022, the number of rural workers under 65 years old decreased by 5 percent. Among urban workers under 65 years...

  • 125 Years Ago

    Feb 29, 2024

    Herald of March 2, 1899 William L. Wineland of Huston Township, a member of the Smithfield congregation of the German Baptist Church, hitched his team in his spring wagon and with his family drove to meeting, which had been in progress for more than a week. After services, Mr. Wineland drove but a short distance toward home when he discovered something wrong, and upon examination found that the left fore and right hind burrs had been removed from the spindles and thrown away. The act of vandalism was discovered in time to avert a serious...

  • 50 Years Ago

    Feb 29, 2024

    Herald of Feb. 28, 1974 Temperatures climbed to an unseasonably high 62 degrees on Feb. 22, bringing hopes of an early spring. That evening, however, the mercury fell almost 30 degrees, and winds whipped up to 60 mph and a dusting of snow fell. The Northern Bedford School District was presented with a plaque by the Pennsylvania Electric Co. for its efforts in conserving energy. From the start of the school year through January the district had cut its energy consumption by 12.8 percent. “The Resurrected Savior,” a 10-foot high wooden sta...

  • 100 Years Ago

    Feb 29, 2024

    Herald of Feb. 29, 1924 The farmer’s faithful friend, the horse, was called into service transporting coal from the Broadtop region to the Cove, following a 15-inch snow that paralyzed the area. School operations were silenced in New Enterprise and elsewhere horses were drafted to haul children to and from school. Impassable drifted roads delayed mail delivery for several days. The Sunday morning thermometer reading at Beavertown was 20 degrees below zero. Farmers in the Yellow Creek area were busy hauling ties and light poles, other logs a...

  • 25 Years Ago

    Feb 29, 2024

    Herald of March 4, 1999 John H. Bassler of Roaring Spring and 41 other World War II veterans received the French Medal of Jubilee of Liberty, commissioned by the Regional Council of Normandy, France, to pay tribute to the men and women who fought in Normandy to restore freedom. The veterans were honored in Pittsburgh by U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and the French government. Farmview Church of the Brethren, Williamsburg RR 2, celebrated its 125th anniversary with 16 couples renewing their marriage vows. Mrs. Jane Hoover, former Loysburg postmaster...

  • 75 Years Ago

    Feb 29, 2024

    Herald of March 3, 1949 A $29,129 contract to enlarge the community hall at Morrisons Cove Memorial Park was awarded to David F. Reighard of Martinsburg. The stage was to be enlarged, an additional dressing room, rest rooms, large skate and a restaurant near the skating rink were to be constructed in two additions. Work was to begin as soon as the weather permitted with completion planned by late summer. Plans were nearly completed by Blue Mountain Canneries to take over a large cannery at Grantsville, Md. to be operated by officials at the...

  • 10 Years Ago

    Feb 29, 2024

    Herald of Feb. 27, 2014 Ava Whisker, 7, of Everett filled bag with 1,000 pairs of shoes she collected for the charity Soles 4 Souls. Ava was a student at Northern Bedford Elementary School. An exciting weekend awaited Central High School swimmer Taylor Flaugh. She was a sophomore and among the best swimmers throughout the District 6, and she would compete in two events at the Class AA Swimming and Diving Championships Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28-March 1, at Penn State University. Despite the absence of boys’ and girls’ swimming at Central tha...

  • PGC Finances Astounding

    RICH TATE, Outdoor Sports Columnist|Feb 29, 2024

    I am not one of the great financial wizards of our time. However, I think I understand enough about finances to know that the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is sitting on a pile of money. For years, the commission lobbied the legislature to approve a license fee increase. However, that is something the commission did not need. The following comes from the February 2024 “Pennsylvania Game News.” License fees accounted for only 9 percent of the PGC’s income during the 2022-23 fiscal year. A whopping 73 percent was obtained through Natur...

  • Champions! Again!

    Feb 29, 2024

    The Williamsburg Junior High girls won the ICC Championship with a 58-35 win over Berlin. Bella Royer and Faith Detwiler were the high scorers with 19 each. B. Prosser was the high scorer for Berlin with 20 points. The JH girls have won the ICC championship game the last three years in a row. Their record this year was 22-1. Shown in the photo are (front row, from left): Manager Kaylee Prough, Manager Rylee Flaig, Bailey Fulton, Jordan Flaig, Ingrid Parks, Faith Detwiler and Manager Gracie...

  • Dragon Basketball Advances to Championship

    BRADY ALBRIGHT, Sports Correspondent|Feb 29, 2024

    The Central Scarlet Dragon Basketball team faced the Juniata Indians at home last week for the District Six 4A semi-finals. With their 67-43 victory, the Dragons will advance to the championship for the third year in a row. Against the Indians, the Dragons’ fast-paced offense coupled with their defensive pressure made for an excellent game. The Dragons led by seven after the first quarter, and after making a few more shots in the second, led at halftime with a 32-14 advantage. Despite the I...

  • Going Up

    Feb 29, 2024

    Central’s Robert Long-Yarrison drives the baseline and dishes off a pass against Juniata in a District 6 4A playoff game on Friday, Feb. 23, at Central High School....

  • Playing Defense

    Feb 29, 2024

    Williamsburg’s Ethan Reffner, left, defends against Blacklick Valley’s Eli Sheesley during Williamsburg’s District 6-1A playoff game Tuesday, Feb. 20....

  • Keeping it In-bounds

    Feb 29, 2024

    Williamsburg’s Rowan Gorsuch, left, dives to try to keep the ball inbounds during Williamsburg’s District 6-1A playoff game against Blacklick Valley Tuesday, Feb. 20. The Blue Pirates won, 55-46....

  • Going to the Basket

    Feb 29, 2024

    Williamsburg’s Levada Gorsuch (20) goes to the basket between Juniata Valley’s Anna Taylor, left, and Kassidy Watson Monday, Feb. 19, in a District 6 Round 1 playoff game at Williamsburg High School. The Blue Pirates beat the Hornets, 63-32....

  • Lady Dragons Fall in Season-Ender

    BRADY ALBRIGHT, Sports Correspondent|Feb 29, 2024

    The Lady Dragon Basketball team traveled to face the River Valley Lady Panthers in the District Six AAA playoff opener. Unfortunately, the Dragons were forced out of their rhythm and ended the match in a loss via a score of 58-29. As the Dragons prepared to give extra attention on defense to the Panthers star player, the other members of their opponents unexpectantly knocked down quite a few shots. This left the Dragons trailing 25-7 after the first quarter, and after making some adjustments to combat their opponents, the Dragons lost the...

  • A Martinsburg Boy's Memories and Stories from the 1950s

    Feb 29, 2024

    John Bush was raised in Martinsburg and graduated from Central High in 1961. He spent most of his adult life in the Pacific Northwest. He has many memories as a boy in the 1950s that give some insight to the people and culture of Martinsburg in the 1950s. John likes to tell stories and over the years he has repeated the stories of his youth many times. His belief is that those years in Martinsburg influenced him all of his life. Some of the stories are historical in nature, some are colorful,...

  • Homewood Announces New Director of Sales and Marketing

    Feb 29, 2024

    Homewood at Martinsburg has announced the appointment of Juls Bratton as its new director of sales and marketing. Homewood at Martinsburg provides retirement living for seniors in the region. With a focus on creating a supportive and engaging environment, Homewood offers a range of services including independent living, assisted living, rehabilitations, memory care, and skilled nursing care. Bratton has a background in sales and marketing, with a history in both sales and management roles. She h...

  • Cove Calendar

    Feb 29, 2024

    Thursday. Feb. 29, through Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. Central High School is putting on a production of “Bye Bye Birdie.” Tickets can be purchased online at centralhigh@booktix.com or at the door. Saturday, March 2, beginning at 4 p.m Williamsburg Farm Show, a Hawaiian luau. Farm Show building. $ Saturday, March 2 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Millie Baker Book Signing at Long’s Outpost. Saturday, March 2 5-7:30 p.m. Boy Scouts Troop 358 Spaghetti Dinner at Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Hall. $ Saturday, March 2 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Woodcock Valley Lions ste...

  • Into the Wilderness

    Linda Sollenberger|Feb 29, 2024

    Mark 1:9-15 My favorite gospel is Mark because Mark keeps things simple. With Mark, there are not a lot of adjectives and adverbs. He doesn’t add a lot of details. There is almost an urgency to his stories. For Mark, it is all about proclaiming the good news of Jesus, the Son of God. As Mark describes the baptism of Jesus in this scripture, we clearly hear the voice from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11). The Holy Spirit descends on Jesus, and all seems well as Jesus is launched into his minis...

  • Study: Faith-Based Organizations Help Rural Older Persons Make Social Connections

    Christopher Harris, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania|Feb 29, 2024

    A study titled “Social Determinants of Health in the Age of COVID: Effects of Social Isolation Among Adults 62+ in Rural Pennsylvania” analyzed the extent of social isolation among rural Pennsylvanians aged 62 or older. The study identified evidence-based programs and services that minimize social isolation, evaluated the determinants of social isolation among residents aged 62 or older, and evaluated the programs and services that currently exist in rural Pennsylvania to determine replicability throughout Pennsylvania and make policy rec...

  • Thought for the Week

    Feb 29, 2024

    I mentioned last time that Hezekiah led his people in celebration of The Passover even though it was a month late. What I did not say was he invited the people of Israel to join them in this worship experience at the Temple. The Temple was the assigned worship place for both nations of Israel and Judah. This was extremely generous on his part. Israel had frequently allied themselves with Judah’s enemies and even attacked Judah, killed and carried away captives themselves. He sent messengers w...

  • Kensinger To Serve Again On Williamsburg School Board

    NATALIE GORSUCH, Williamsburg Correspondent|Feb 29, 2024

    On an initial vote of 5-2-1, Patricia Kensinger was reappointed to the Williamsburg Community School Board on Feb. 21. Kensinger had previously served on the school board for 17 years before losing a re-election bid. Also competing for the open position were Billie Jo Greaser and WHS senior Jack Sheesley. Greaser said that she “cared about the children and families in the community,” during her interview with boardmembers. Senior Jack Sheesley impressed school board members. “Wow, just wow,” School Board Director Joseph Detwiler said followi...

  • Kensinger Ready to Carry Out District's Mission

    NATALIE GORSUCH, Williamsburg Correspondent|Feb 29, 2024

    Patricia Kensinger sat on the sidelines looking in during last Wednesday evening’s Williamsburg Community School Board meeting – with hopes of being reappointed to the Williamsburg School Board. Her hopes came true following the interview session. She was nominated and then voted in at the meeting, 5-2-1. “My goal has always been the mission statement of our district,” Kensinger said. The district’s mission statement is, “All students will be given the opportunity to succeed in a changing wo...

  • Farm Show Gearing Up for a Busy Spring

    NATALIE GORSUCH, Williamsburg Correspondent|Feb 29, 2024

    When Williamsburgers think of the Williamsburg Community Farm Show Board and the activities it presents, what likely comes to mind is the Farm Show in late August. But this slate of boardmembers want the Farm Show to stay relevant all year long and take a more active role in the community. Thus, the board would like an expanded list of events, especially events in the spring. Coming in early March, the Farm Show is offering many events to the community. Board Secretary Angie Walason said of the upcoming events, “We are excited as a board of w...

  • Breakfast with the Easter Bunny

    Feb 29, 2024

    Bright Beginnings Early Learning Center held its first annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Albright Church of the Brethren, Roaring Spring. Students from the center got a pancake-and-sausage breakfast while meeting the big hopper himself, the Easter Bunny. Instead of charging for the event, those in attendance were asked to bring in “Easter for Eli” donations. Shown here with the Easter Bunny are Addison Potter, daughter of Ray and Kennedie Potter; and her bes...

  • Public Notices

    Feb 29, 2024

    LAWN MOWING AND TRIMMING - REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The Spring Cove School District will receive Proposals for: LAWN MOWING AND TRIMMING. Proposals shall be received in the Business Office of the Spring Cove Administrative Building, 1100 E. Main Street, Roaring Spring, PA 16673 until 11:00 AM, March 5, 2024 and opened publicly at that time. Specifications may be secured at the above office, 814-224-3010 or lthompson@springcovesd.org SPRING COVE SCHOOL DISTRICT Steven D Foor Business Manager...