Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
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Long before football fans became aware of chronic traumatic encephalopathy...oops!! I just broke a cardinal rule of writing - which is trying to grab the reader’s attention with a good opening line. So, if you’re still with me, I will start anew from scratch. Back In The Day Long before football fans became aware of concussions and other brain injuries common to many players, athletes were exposed to a number of medical issues that were handled much differently than today. There were no certified trainers in the fall of any of the years (1964 -...
"Native Nations" dispels misconceptions many non-Native American people have learned over the years, whether in school or while looking at museum displays. It is true that we have come a long way with updating curriculum to be more accurate and museum settings not including Indigenous peoples with the Neanderthal exhibits. Textbooks went from teaching about ruthless savages to more accurate depictions. Depending on a person's age and location, schooling and historical accounts may have differed...
With Christmas comes the difficult task of choosing an appropriate gift for our loved ones. Allow me to suggest to your readers that they buy a subscription to The Morrisons Cove Herald for their friends and family who now live away—for military, college, or work. The gift is under $50 and it is delivered 52 times during the year. A year’s subscription to a weekly newspaper from one’s home town is the PERFECT GIFT! C. Arnold McClure Shirleysburg, PA...
Author Deborah Willis begins her tales in the dark with “The Dark.” Best friends Andrea and Jess do everything together, including sharing a bunk and sneaking out every night at summer camp. They thought they were in love, but they also planned to meet boys to fall in love with that summer. When camp ended, they stayed friends and when summer camp began again, they made new best friends. Life went on. They got boyfriends; they grew up. Life is made of moments. Willis’ stories tend to focus on the moments. They are not all fairytales in the s...
In Eric Shield’s October 17th personality profile of Blair County native and Hollywood celebrity Hedda Hopper, he mentioned that she has a star on the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. In 2010 I was visiting relatives in LA and drove into downtown to see some of the tourist attractions. I found a rare parking space along the Walk of Fame boulevard. When I stepped over the curb and looked down I came face-to-face with Hedda’s star, which I proceeded to photograph. It can be seen in the photo section of my website www.jameswentz.com. James Wentz McL...
What would you do if your friend invited you out late at night? They are not acting like themselves and you don't know what to do next. Oh, and you haven't talked to them in years. Find out what Kira does in this situation in "Host." "Surf," finds friends caught up in fun and partying at a beach. They end up surfing after dark while drinking. That sounds like a mistake in itself, but after one friend finds a severed digit floating in the surf, things are about to get much more alarming. Darcy...
It's almost time for Halloween. That means most stores have their Christmas decorations out and ready! We're not sure if we should say "Trick-or-Treat" or "Scary Chr..." I mean "Merry Christmas." Most of us are used to tales of horror at Halloween. In many areas of the world, it is commonplace to celebrate with ghostly tales at Christmastime. Yuletide ghost stories were more common than one might think. In the Victorian era, it was quite common to share ghost stories with eggnog and sugar...
Setting The troll sightings took place along I 99 in Bedford County Pennsylvania in the summer of 1986. A rather portly troll approximately 33 years old and rumored to weigh over 175 lbs at the time was spotted (as expected) waiting patiently under a bridge that carried I 99 over state route 869 near the vicinity of the little hamlet known as St. Clairsville. In spite of the fact that this sighting took place along an interstate highway, very few people actually witnessed the super sprite sitting in the shade of the overpass on that hot and hum...
The Herald will accept Letters to the Editor regarding the Nov. 5 election until 12 p.m., Monday, Oct. 28, for the Oct. 31 edition. Candidates and candidate supporters can send typed letters to cati@mcheraldonline.com. Those interested are encouraged to use email to ensure the letters are received at the Herald by the deadline. Those with questions are encouraged to call the Herald or email Cati Keith at the address provided above. Note on Policy Regarding Letters to the Editor and Editorial Content: The Herald does not publish any opinions reg...
Bedford County, it is time to let our voices be heard. We are involved in the most consequential election of our lives. Our Constitutional Republic is at risk. Will we continue to live in freedom or will we turn to socialism? Will we depend on the government to solve our problems? Look at the floods in North Carolina and Georgia. The current establishment has not supported our tax paying citizens who are in desperate need but continue to support foreign entities. We can make a difference. Everyone has a sphere of influence whether it is your...
Members of the Blair County Public Accountability PAC oppose the re-election of Senator Bob Casey Jr. and the election of Vice-President Kamala Harris as President. We do not endorse candidates, but we do hold those in elected office to account. In their current terms of office, Vice-President Harris and Senator Casey have consistently acted against the foundational principles of America. On their watch, our border has been unsecured, our military compromised by woke policies and bad leadership, our civil rights trampled with both state and...
Three Brunstetter authors offer three new stories of love, hope, and faith in Amish Pennsylvania with “Wilma’s Wish,” “Martha’s Miracle,” and “Alma’s Acceptance.” Wilma Hostetler wants nothing more than to start a family with her beloved, Israel Zook. She looks to her friend Deanna for inspiration as her wedding date approaches. Deanna’s positivity throughout the many trials her life has handed her shines through as a beacon of hope to her dear friend. Wanda E. Brunstetter brings us “Wilma’s Wish,” a story about hope, love, and overcoming loss...
Many conservatives say they dislike Donald Trump’s behaviors and his admiration for authoritarians. Yet they plan to vote for him. He was elected president despite his charade as a successful businessman and empty promises. Were his achievements such a success that he deserves to be elected again? Trump disavows connections to Project 2025 but dozens of his administration officials were part of its drafting. His vice presidential pick endorses it. The U.S. Supreme Court has given Trump absolute power. If elected, Trump says, “You won’t have...
By Jennifer R. Hoffman Appalachia. What does one think of when they hear the term, Appalachia? For those who've read J.D. Vance's best-seller, the term "hillbilly" may come to mind. If you know a little about the region, coal-mining might be at the top of your Appalachian facts list. That's something you'd be getting right about Appalachia. Appalachia is a long, diagonal region that stretches across thirteen states from New York clear down to Alabama, spanning 206,000 square miles and...
On November 5, 2024, we have the privilege of voting for leaders in our nation. Are you registered to vote or are you among those who say, “I don’t vote?” Please don’t squander this right and responsibility you have as a citizen of the United States to vote for qualified candidates. You may think you are not voting, but in reality you are voting because you are allowing others who support abortion and gay marriage to have more influence. Since we are blessed to have a government of the people, by the people and for the people, we have the res...
We are 20-year residents of Martinsburg, having moved here from Houston, Texas to join our daughter’s family. From the beginning we were impressed with the well-maintained houses and buildings of Martinsburg, especially the old Methodist Episcopal Church at 202 Market Street built in the mid-1800s. Over the past two decades the abandoned church has been an antique store, a resale shop and recently the Restored Grounds Coffee shop. The coffee shop owner renovated the termite damage, plumbing and HVAC system. She recently closed the shop and h...
Father Caspian feels out of place wherever he is placed. He feels he is not your typical priest and he may be right. When we meet the somewhat less than zealous priest, Father Caspian has just been sent to run the Sister Mary Margaret Mission for Those Experiencing Homelessness. Father Caspian seems to be lacking in every way regarding initiative when it comes to the priesthood. Or life, for that matter. He just can't seem to get it right. He says the wrong thing, upsets the wrong people, none...
In junior high a teacher told us ---- repeatedly- --“If you don’t vote, don’t complain.” Every time we vote, we are expressing our opinion. Sometimes a candidate we prefer wins, sometimes not. Sometimes the person we preferred does something in office with which we don’t agree. It does happen. We might complain, but if you don’t vote, don’t complain! All this is possible only if you register to vote!! Are you registered? If you are a US citizen and you will be 18 on or before election day, you are eligible. Voting is our right but also our resp...
Why natives are important Native plants are plants that have evolved with other species that occur naturally in an environment. In North America, plants are typically considered native if they were established before European settlement. They provide food/nectar for insects, butterflies, birds, and other mammals, as well as being the base of the food chain. Ornamental plants (non-natives bought and planted to look good) don’t feed anything and serve no ecological purpose. They are a food desert for native species looking for a meal. Native p...
Art Barbara has to be one of the least cool guys in high school. He begins his story by telling us Art Barbara is not his name. He then takes us to the late 1980s, telling his tale from where he believes it all started. Where did it start, you may ask? According to Art Barbara, it's where everything changed, and not necessarily for the better, though it seemed like that at first. In Art's opinion he could not count all the ways he was uncool. He wore a bulky back-brace for his scoliosis, he was...
Most of us who were fortunate enough to have both parents present while growing up, probably remember Dad more so than Mom as the chief disciplinarian in the family. Not always so in the Potchak household – If Dad was working second or third shift, Mom was fully capable of handling the family and any mischief her boys may have encountered. And… As we grow older, there are countless times when we all have asked ourselves, “What was I thinking?” or “Why did I do that?” Such was the case again, here. Come to think of it, maybe I shouldn’t m...
Many of us pass recipes through generations with our own family cookbooks. Max Miller has taken recipes from ancient texts and passed them onto us all by modernizing them to fit today's world. The author takes us through not only the history of the recipes and flavors of the world, but his journey into baking as well. After a friend's illness led to an all-day baking show binge instead of vacation sight-seeing, he was hooked. Miller believes food has the power to bring humanity closer together....
One of the most inspiring things we have done this summer is take a course on the Constitution. It is being given through our church and is entitled Biblical Citizenship in Modern America. So, the first question you are going to ask is, “Isn’t there a separation of church and state? Doesn’t it say that in the Constitution?” The answer is “no” that phrase is nowhere in the Constitution. Next question: “How many times do the Annals of Congress record the phrase, separation of church and state during the debates drafting the First Amendment? Th...
Love. There is not much more powerful in this world than love. Feyi Adekola had a love once. It's been five years since the accident. When her husband was killed, a part of her died, too. She's finally learning to be whole again. Well, she's learning to live again, learning to feel human. She may never be whole; there will always be a gap where the loss of her husband cannot be filled. It will not heal any more than the scar on her hand will mend completely from the same accident that took away...
Perly Dunsmore is the best thing to happen to Harlowe's people and their farmhouses since indoor plumbing. Or is he? They've got police deputies now instead of just the one policeman. Of course one was fine for the town for years, but they've got to move with the times. Crime is getting out of hand these days, what with the strangling that happened in the last year. The town of Harlowe is growing and prospering since Perly's auctions have started. A few townspeople see the outsider as trouble....
“If you’re offered food, and you decide to accept it and take a bite, you’d better finish eating the entire offering.” Now, I’m not sure if that preceding line was a commandment in other homes, but it sure was in mine as I was growing up. My mom would add, “It’s rude to taste something that a woman bakes and then not finish eating it.” As I grew older, I deduced that my parents were not only concerned about hurting others’ feelings, but their thoughts on the consumption of food were also a result of them growing up during the Great Depression w...
Clair Matchett was ready for a vacation. She planned a trip with her husband and two other couples. Clair and her husband Noah had grown apart. She literally thought they hated each other. Emma and Aidan, the Matchett children, would stay with Clair’s sister Penny while they were gone. For some reason, Emma was particularly clingy today. Emma had a dream that a monster ate her parents which terrified her. Finally, they were on their way. They would pick up the others with their minivan. The other couples were Jack and his wife Michelle and Lind...
Starling House by Alix E Harrow, is a modern gothic fairy tale, complete with a heroine, a magic house and an evil villain. The heroine: Opal is a street smart twenty-something who has been taking care of her brother, Jasper, since their mother died. She works whatever jobs she can get to save money to get Jasper into a better school. She isn’t likable right away, but throughout the story you learn what melded her into the person she is and respect her tenacity and bravery. The house and caretaker: Arthur Starling is the reclusive caretaker o...
Every Sunday evening from early May through mid-October, cars full of “Barlick” groupies arrive at the Shawnee State Park Historic & Interpretive Center. The folks are there to learn from the lectures of Park Ranger Ron Barlick of Roaring Spring. Ron was a science teacher at Hollidaysburg when he joined Shawnee and has been presenting the programs to the public for many years. Programs begin at 7 but if you want a good seat, be there by 6:30. While it is mostly gray heads in the audience, there are some younger children with families. It is...
I view one of the needs for this newspaper is to write something of interest to the younger citizens of the Morrison Cove. To this end I decided that one thing of great interest to the younger readers may be a review of the rock group the Pines. Many Cove people have seen the Pines this summer. The group consists of three recent Central High School graduates and one member from Bellwood. They have a large number of dates or gigs that they have scheduled in the Cove and outside of it -a very heavy schedule I might add. First disclaimer: I am of...
Ashlyn Greer owns a rare book store called The An Unlikely Story. She receives boxes of books which she goes through and picks the best. She also rebinds and repairs older books. She has a special gift called Psychometry, the ability to discover things by touching inanimate objects. She feels the emotions of the owners of the books she touches. These are the echoes of books. Ashlyn received a box of books from a friend. As she picked up the last book in the box, she noticed that it had a title, Regretting Belle, and an inscription, “How, B...
I fully support Commissioner Laura Burke’s efforts to improve the Blair County Children and Youth Agency. Those folks provide necessary help to family and children in their time of need. Support Commissioner Burke’s efforts 100%. Jim Glunt Martinsburg...
Stafford Lee Penney was a successful criminal attorney. He was defending Daniel Caro in a murder case. Neither District Attorney Henry Gordon-James nor Stafford Lee had ever lost a case. Daniel Caro’s father, Hiram Caro owned a casino and was thought to be connected to the mafia. Joey Roman could frequently be seen with Hiram Caro as he was his bodyguard. The case involved the death of Aurora Gates, a person of color. It was a double murder case as Aurora was pregnant with Daniel Caro’s child. Daniel was a respected Ob-gyn in the com...
Herald of July 24, 2014 The Martinsburg Municipal Authority (MMA) closed out the project to replace and install water lines near Central High School. Two recent delays in Martinsburg’s $600,000 streetscape project have been “frustrating,” but will not delay the overall project, according to the borough manager. The Claysburg Education Foundation Organizing Committee has announced that the organization is now incorporated in the State of Pennsylvania and the application process for 501-C-3 tax exempt status has begun. The Blair County Dog Park...
Herald of July 29, 1999 The drought emergency Gov. Tom Ridge placed across much of the state July 20 remains in effect. Covering 55 of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania, including Blair and Bedford, the emergency imposes mandatory restrictions on water use. It will remain in effect until further notice. During the month of June state police in Bedford investigated 624 criminal incidents, made 103 criminal arrests and 10 arrests for drunken driving. Police also investigated 114 accidents, issued 279 traffic citations and 329 written warnings. The...
Herald of July 25, 1974 An intensive search is being continued in mountainous areas of Blair County for a private plane with pilot and one passenger missing since June 7. Gov. Milton J. Shapp will make a visit to Martinsburg next week during the annual Morrisons Cove Dairy Show. The governor will be here Friday to make the top award in the open Holstein show. Ten Altoona-bound passengers and the crew of an Allegheny Commuter aircraft escaped injury Tuesday when their plane was forced to make a belly-landing at Harrisburg because of a...
Herald of July 28, 1949 The wettest harvest season in at least 25 years, plus the overflow of terminal elevators along the east coast, struck Morrisons Cove farmers a staggering blow today. The large dairy opened by Oliver C. Ritchey Aug. 3, 1940, a short distance south west of Martinsburg, and which will observe its ninth anniversary next Wednesday, has grown to be one of the most prominent business establishments in the community. The Williamsburg, Roaring Spring and Bellwood-Antis High School Bands will present a combined band concert at...
Herald of July 25, 1924 California Day was to be observed at Snyder Memorial Park with Hon. J. Banks Kurtz speaking on “what California means to the nation.” A comic of 1924 entitled “untold wealth” depicted two women. The first said, “My hubby has untold wealth.” The second answered, “You mean wealth he doesn’t report on his income tax blank?” More than 125 tons of hay from the fields of Emory Huntsman made him champion hay grower in the Fredericksburg area. The financial statement of the Taylor Township School District reported $19,878...
Herald of July 28, 1899 A four year old Woodbury lad was instantly killed during a recent thunder-lightning storm. The small son of Daniel Stayer was assisting his father in putting some sheep in the stable. When the lightning hit the boy, his father was only a few feet away. During the same storm, Cyrus Over’s barn was struck and shattered considerably, but escaped being set afire. A Snyder township woman was bitten twice on the right hand by a copperhead snake while picking huckleberries near her home. She was rushed to a doctor where a...
I’ve never been that little kid who felt abandoned when he wandered a few steps away from his parents in a crowded department store, but I do have an inkling of how he may have felt. Let me explain.... The largest track meet of the year As the head track coach at Northern Bedford years ago, there were times when I had to get home early from a track meet. During those times, I would usually go home with my wife (who regularly attended most meets) and rely on my assistant coach, Harry Guyer, to supervise the kids on the bus during the trek h...
Eleven-year-old Adelaide Rose MacNeill’s life was turned upside down when her parents were suddenly killed in a storm between Prince Edward Island and the mainland. Her parents had taken a trip to the mainland to shop but the ferry ride home was swept away by the storm. She didn’t know who identified the bodies. All Adelaide found of her mother was a shoe. There were many funerals held the next week. Her half-brother, Lemuel, came for the funeral and to settle their parents’ estate. It was all a whirlwind for Adelaide to see her paren...
Reflections from the past bring a smile to the face! The last couple Morrison’s Cove Herald editions recalled some great memories and reflections that led me to write this brief “Letter to the Editor.” First, in the June 20th edition was the big caption of Central High School’s 2024 graduating class of 143. Wow! That is approximately 80 students less than when I graduated from Central in 1980 when 230 of us graduated. No doubt, the Cove is experiencing population decline like so many other rural areas in the country. Second, in the June 13th ed...
Herald of July 17, 2014 The Roaring Spring Municipal Authority is in the process of acquiring rights of way for its $3.5-million wastewater system improvement project. Experts, county commissioners and those who have gone through reassessment are urging agriculture landowners to pay careful attention to the process. They’re also suggesting that ag landowners consider entering the state’s Clean and Green program as Blair County goes about setting new values for all real estate. U.S. Congressman Bill Shuster (R-9th District) has announced sev...
Herald of July 22, 1999 In response to weeks and months of little or no rainfall in much of the state, Gov. Tom Ridge this week declared a drought emergency across much of the state, including Blair, Bedford and surrounding counties. Ridge characterized the current drought as the worst since 1964, and said it is threatening to deplete the state’s water supplies. A Martinsburg athlete recently competed as a member of the Team USA bowling squad at the Special Olympics World Games, held June 24 to July 5 at Raleigh, N.C. Shane Metzler, 24, son o...
Herald of July 18, 1974 It has been six months since the bank at Woodbury was robbed by a masked gunman. Hundreds of hours of investigation have failed to turn up a suspect in the case, according to police. The Saxton electric generation station, which first went into operation in 1923, will be closed on Dec. 1, 1974, according to a public announcement by a representative of the operating firm, the Pennsylvania Electric Co. Officials of the Roaring Spring of Appleton Papers Inc., expect the pulp mill area to be back in operation Friday. Two...
Herald of July 21, 1949 Repair expenditures on Blair County’s non-farm homes will total an estimated $5,243,000 during 1949 and will serve as an important factor in keeping both labor and business activity at high levels, according to a report just released by the Title Council of America. One of the outstanding features of the Altoona Centennial two-day Air Show to be held Saturday and Sunday, August 13 and August 14 at the Blair County Airport, Martinsburg, will be the presence of Air Force and Navy Fighting Planes. The Blue Mountain C...
Herald of July 18, 1924 By Aug. 1, new electric power lines were to have been installed in Roaring Spring, along with the construction of a 13,200 - volt line from the Claysburg substation via Ore Hill to Roaring Spring. This change brought the source of power to Roaring Spring from Saxton instead of from the power company in Williamsburg. Reduced rates were to go into effect at about the same time–9¢ per kilowatt hour for the first 30 hours and 5¢ per kilowatt hour for the excess with a minimum charge of $1 per month. While unloading hay and...
Herald of July 21, 1899 A large number of counterfeit half dollars were being circulated in Altoona. It was believed that they were being coined by a group of counterfeiters in or near the city. The coins were easily identified as they were defectively made. A Bellefonte farmer, John Evans, escaped serious injury or death when he was almost burned alive in a grain field. While driving a binder, to which three horses were attached, in a harvest field in Nippenose Valley, near the Oriole cave, the earth opened and the horses, driver and binder...
In 2024, each generation has its own name. I never heard about age group titles until the “Boomers”. They started in 1946 and continued until 1965, which means my children are Boomers. My age group is referred to as the Silent Generation. We are known for conforming to whatever the government put in place. We, and when I say “We” I mean the majority, did not believe in birth out of wedlock. Divorce was frowned upon. We had children younger than any other generation. On the whole, we did not go against the system or government. Notice I said, “D...
By Laura Burke Blair County Commissioner It is no secret that Blair County Children Youth and Families has struggled during the last several years. The Agency faces a complex situation that is affected by over-regulation, workforce shortages, high volume of referrals, not to mention low morale and burnout among staff. Recently the County entered into a Settlement Agreement with the Department of Human Services to restore its license while we continue to work to correct the problems that have developed over the last several years. One item of...
