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Master Gardeners workshop, plant sale

LEWISTOWN — Master Gardeners of the Juniata Valley will host a spring gardening workshop on April 1 at the Mifflin County Penn State Extension office, 152 E. Market St., Suite 100, in Lewistown. The workshop is for both experienced and beginner gardeners that are at least 18 years of age. Presentations will be from 9 a.m. to noon. The Master Gardeners will share information about herbs and their many uses, including composting, deer resistant gardening and gardens to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. There will also be a table with free resources on the spotted lanternfly. Come for ...

5 common identity theft scams

Consumers can never let their guard down when it comes to identity theft. Personal information is much more accessible in an increasingly digital world. Consequently, instances of identity theft and consumer fraud continue to grow. • The Identity Theft Research Center (ITRC) reported a record number of data compromises in the United States in 2021, amounting to a 68 percent increase over 2020. • The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network received more than 5.7 million reports of fraud and identity theft in 2021. • In Canada, there are 12 victims of identity ...

DNA gives rare snapshot of family ties

NEW YORK (AP) — A new study suggests Neanderthals formed small, tightknit communities where females may have traveled to move in with their mates. The research used genetic sleuthing to offer a rare snapshot of Neanderthal family dynamics — including a father and his teenage daughter who lived together in Siberia more than 50,000 years ago. Researchers were able to pull DNA out of tiny bone fragments found in two Russian caves. In their study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, they used the genetic data to map out relationships between 13 different Neanderthals and get ...

Portuguese artist shows fight in creating big installations

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — As a former nightclub bouncer and black-belt karate instructor, Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos doesn’t shrink from the challenges thrown up by her latest lavish creation. The 51-year-old, renowned for her big, in-your-face installations, is now creating a ceramic wedding cake that’s 12 meters (40 feet) high and 15 meters (50 feet) wide for exhibition in England. “The Wedding Cake” is mostly made of Portugal’s famous ceramic tiles called “azulejos.” Vasconcelos is using them in pastel pink, green, blue and yellow in what is her most ...

Vacation home rental panel discussion upcoming

LEWISTOWN — The commercials make it seem so easy. List an extra bedroom, cabin or vacation home on a website and the money will just roll in. But does it? Is it really that easy? Penn State Extension and the Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau are hosting a panel discussion to talk about the pros and cons of owning and managing an online vacation rental property. Several property owners as well as attorney Donis Zagurskie, will be sharing their knowledge and experiences with this topic. The event is free and open to the public but registration is encouraged. Cabins, houses, and ...

Dr. Seuss’ ‘How the Grinch stole Christmas!’ gets a second sequel

BOSTON (AP) — Dr. Seuss fans might find their hearts growing three sizes this coming holiday season with the release of a sequel to the 1957 classic children’s book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” The new book picks up one year after the original, and like the first, teaches a valuable lesson about the true spirit of the holiday, Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Random House Children’s Books announced Thursday. The sequel entitled “How the Grinch Lost Christmas!” is not based on a newly discovered manuscript by Seuss — whose real name was Theodor Geisel — but was written ...