Breaking News

Local Columns

A city without libraries; funding is key need

The Sept. 5, 2022, edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer detailed the state of the Philadelphia Library System. According to the article’s author Anna Orso, “with the city staring down a massive budget hole two years ago, it slashed the library’s funding and laid off more than 200 people. The director resigned amid a staff revolt and complaints of racial discrimination. People quit in droves and hiring was frozen. Skeleton crews reopened branches without enough help.” Today, the library system is still short several hundred library staff. Many of their library branches are only ...

The not-so-great historic train robbery in the Lewistown Narrows

On my daily visit to East End Coffee Shop in Lewistown this morning I was checking out the “Postcards from Home” art display located there until Sept. 14. One original painting, created by the incredible, local artist, Jennifer Hartzler, caught my attention. To someone not familiar with local history, it just appeared to depict a vintage Fisher Price wooden train set with the words “Dang It” spelled out in lettered wooden blocks across the top of the train. Outside of the train was an angry looking Fisher Price figure surrounded by pennies. But, to those who know the backstory, ...

Thoughts on merger

By the time you read this column, the big merger between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster publishing companies may be resolved. At this time, however, the U.S. Department of Justice is listening to arguments for and against the merger. In this case, the United States Justice Department needs to convince a federal judge to block a merger of two of the “Big Five” book publishers. It has argued the deal would lead to lower advances for some authors. Why would I feel the need to write about this? After all, businesses merge, change and grow all the time and this particular ...

12 (more) ways a Juniata County Library card saves

Last time, I gave you a list of 12 ways you can save money with a free Juniata County Library card. I had to cut that list short because I was going to run out of column space! Today, I give you the rest of the list: another 12 ways you can save money with a free Juniata County Library card: 1. Let us get you a book from another library: if we are unable to purchase a book for our collection, we can look to borrow it from another library. You can submit requests in person or on our website. 2. Borrow print and digital reference books: we still have reference books in print, but many ...

Think this is hot? Don’t sweat it

We have entered the dog days of summer. Those days when your makeup melts off before you even make it out of the bathroom. When you step outside and understand how it must feel to endure the purification process inside a traditional Mexican sweat lodge. How would I know that you may ask — because I indeed took part in an ancient Mayan ceremonial experience in a sweat lodge somewhere in the depths of the jungle in Cozumel. It all began when my all-inclusive resort package offered the option to experience a true Mayan religious ceremony. Wanting to immerse myself in the culture, ...

Old book unfinished, new one is better

I confess. I wasn’t able to finish Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I’m sure it’s a very good book and I hope that the author will appear on talk shows and that will motivate me to finish the novel. Here’s the deal: I give myself one week (seven days) to finish a book. So if I read 50 pages a day, that means the book is very good and I don’t want to put it down. Potentially, I can read a 350 page book in a week. Fifty pages a day was a struggle for me and then another book that I had on hold arrived. Isn’t that always the way? Every time I put ...