What Was Making Herald Headlines 2023?

AUGUST

Local golfer Nick Baum of Roaring Spring won the College Prep series at the end of July. Baum tied for first-place with a 74 score.

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Williamsburg celebrated 125 years of graduating classes with an event that included more than 200 alumni. The planning committee planned and executed this event in two months.

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The 2023-24 school year started and the Herald heard from two local superintendents on the focus of the year: students.

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Freedom Township employee Doug Grace retired after 23 years of service to the township. He was honored with a dinner at Marzoni’s Restaurant.

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Burket Falls DB Jemma- Red, a junior 3-year-old Red and White bred, owned and shown by Grace Burket of East Freedom, was named senior supreme champion at the 2023 Morrisons Cove Dairy Show.

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Two Cove cousins — Samantha Snowberger and April Wilson — started cleaning headstones of family members and local veterans.

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Southern Cove Volunteer Fire Company celebrated 75 years of service to the community with an ox roast, Fire Queen Contest, a cruise-in and a parade.

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Northern Bedford’s Panther Marching Band received new uniforms after months of planning.

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Byron Smail published his book titled “The Iron Furnaces of the Cove!” Smail presented on his research and the book throughout Blair County in the fall.

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SEPTEMBER

Northern Bedford kicked off its PRIDE (positive, respectful, involved, dependable, excellent) program. This student-led program was created to boost student morale, encourage positive behaviors and reduce discipline referrals.

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Two Cove teams — Northern Bedford and Claysburg-Kimmel — went head to head on the football field, with the Panthers coming out on top at 34-0.

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Kathy Mellott’s column “This and That” focused on the Cove during the Civil War over many months. Multiple readers contacted the Herald to express how much they enjoyed this series.

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The discovery of PFAS in municipal water supplies may have been cause for concern elsewhere, but Martinsburg water remained safe.

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“The Ford,” a 1928 tri-motor passenger plane, came to the Altoona/Blair County Airport, where attendees had the option to “experience the Golden Age of Aviation” by taking a ride.

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Did someone spot a change in byline? It wasn’t officially announced in the Herald until November, but Editor Anna Baughman tied the knot with her now-husband Michael Miller.

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Martinsburg Mennonite Church made blankets, bags and quilts for the Mennonite Central Committee.

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Throughout the year, John Nicodemus of Martinsburg brought poems written by his wife, Frances Pauline Nicodemus, when she was in good health. Francis sadly passed away. The Herald was grateful for her poetry and her husband’s visits.

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OCTOBER

The Herald traveled all over! Two Traveling Herald photos were shared in one week: one from North Carolina and one from Alaska.

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Julia Ritchey and Brooklyn Coppersmith earned the District 6AA Doubles Champions title.

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The Oct. 12 edition was one of multiple editions that did not include an obituary page in 2023. There were a few weeks in the year where no obits were sent in.

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There was a huge fire at Bobcat in Martinsburg. At least six fire departments came to assist with the fully engulfed building and it took nearly four hours to contain.

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Ellen Stuckey won Cove’s Got Talent with a piano solo. This was held during Party in the Park, an event held to raise money for Cove Cause for Cancer.

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Claysburg Library raised almost $15,500 at its fundraising dinner event.

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Blair County Chamber of Commerce’s Down on the Farm event focused on horticulture this year at Piney Creek Green House. These events are held to shed light on the agriculture industry.

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NOVEMBER

Dan Hoover of Roaring Spring Blank Book and Spring Cove Container received the Blair County Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award for Business Excellence.

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Martinsburg Mayor Richard Brantner Sr. visited Central High School to present on the John F. Kennedy assassination approaching the 60th anniversary.

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Martinsburg Borough hired Amy Hockenberry as a full-time clerk in the borough office.

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Stacy Hoover of the Blair County Chamber of Commerce was posthumously awarded the 2023 ACE Award for her devotion to showcasing the agriculture industry in the county.

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Too many to count! Numerous Cove teams showed up in district championships, including Central Girls Soccer, Cross Country, Football, Tennis, Golf and Northern Bedford Football.

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Williamsburg Public Library installed a charger for electric cars.

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Four new members were elected onto Spring Cove School District’s board. They are Gretchen Stern-Bettwy, Andrea Moses, Misti Fisher and Kevin Smith.

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Tom Reese offered some musings on what Martinsburg was like in the 1950s. His family moved here in August of 1950.

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In one week’s Herald, Martinsburg Food Pantry reported that its shelves were bare. Weeks later, the mayor thanked the community for its overwhelming response of donations.

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The beloved Over Christmas Tree had its first official lighting ceremony.

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Deb and Jeff Mellott and Beverly Ritchey made Christmas wreaths and swags and donated proceeds to the Southern Cove EMS.

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Eight-year-old Sarah Barley came to the Herald office to learn about newspaper production. Barley wanted to start her own neighborhood paper.

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DECEMBER

Nason Auxiliary held a live Nativity with members of the Cove Community Choir joining to sing carols.

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Residents between Claysburg and East Freedom expressed concern over the Jugtown Bridge’s possible closing. A cul-de-sac would replace the bridge.

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The Herald welcomed two new workers to its office: Alisa Lecomte and Cati Keith.

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Women’s Health Services of Roaring Spring opened to offer gynecological services to the area after Nason’s department closed.

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Williamsburg Borough council member Don Zimmerman did not seek reelection in the last election. Zimmerman said goodbye to the board after 22 years of service.

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Samantha Snowberger coordinated a Wreaths Across America ceremony at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

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The Herald was flooded with submissions for its Christmas edition. Fifty drawings were sent in from local students.

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Broadband plans were presented to Williamsburg residents with hopes that Service and lack of broadband will be improved.

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