Breaking News

Local Columns

A secret rapture or the second coming of Christ?

Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Matthew 24:40 This week, we want to look at Matthew 24:36-44, for our consideration of the Pre-Tribulation rapture. This is a belief that is held by Dispensationalists. The word ‘rapture’ in our modern day refers to a ‘snatching away,’ to be taken quickly and quietly. Luke 17:34 says, “Two men will be in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.” This verse in Luke certainly seems to be consistent with Matthew 24:36-44. Are these two passages referring to a secret rapture, or are they ...

Juniata County Dairy Promotion pointers

Hi, I am Julianna, a Juniata County Dairy Miss. I hope everyone had a nice and relaxing Christmas season. As we move into the new year, we need to remember to get our three servings of dairy every day. Did you know Jan. 11 was National Milk Day? This observes the first time milk was delivered ...

The new year brings resolution wreckage

Every January, the world turns into a self-improvement convention. Gyms overflow, kale gets a sales boost, and middle-aged men start wearing compression shirts they have no business wearing. It’s the season when everyone swears to become a better person. By Jan. 5, most of them are back to being themselves again, and usually relieved about it. The trouble with New Year’s resolutions is that they require follow-through, and follow-through is the thing we least enjoy doing. We’re a nation that wants six-pack abs but not six a.m. alarms. We want enlightenment, but only if it comes ...

Ice safety is about more than thickness

Cold weather is here, and with it, the first ice of the season. I have already had anglers asking if the ice on a particular lake is thick enough to venture onto. While it will not be long before your favorite lake has ice that looks thick enough to support ice fishing, that is only one part of the puzzle. When it comes to ice fishing, there is one consideration more important than bait, lure, rod/reel or even whether you should wear your lucky hat. Successful ice fishing comes down to one thing: having safe ice. After all, what good is a full creel if it is lying next to you at the ...

A holiday tree with a sports twist

At my house in Belleville, the Christmas tree is themed from top to bottom. It should come as no surprise that the theme is sports. I came up with the idea in my 30s — a Christmas tree dedicated to my five favorite teams. My mother, who lived to be 100 and died in 2021, didn’t think it was a very good idea. “It’s not very Christmassy,” she told me. Over time, she came around. In fact, she bought me an ornament almost every year after that. My five favorite teams are the San Francisco Giants (baseball), San Francisco 49ers (football), Utah Jazz (basketball), UCLA ...

Two towns offered magical Christmas adventures

This past weekend, I experienced one of the most magical Christmas adventures of my life, an adventure through two of the most Christmas-themed towns in Pennsylvania, and perhaps even the country. Our first stop was a town that proudly calls itself “the town that saved Christmas,” and after learning its story, I wholeheartedly agree. That town is Wellsboro. Before World War II, most Christmas ornaments came from Germany. When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, a British blockade halted imports, cutting off an estimated 250 million ornaments needed to decorate American homes and ...