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Library closed for holiday
LEWISTOWN -- All branches of the Mifflin County Library will be closed Monday for the July 4 holiday. Normal operating hours will resume on Tuesday, July 5, from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.
For more information, please call the library at (717) 242-2391 or visit the website at www.mifflincountylibrary.org. Book drops are always open.
Food distribution set for July 16
MIFFLINTOWN -- The Juniata County Food Pantry will hold a distribution of food and other groceries for families who live at the eastern end of the county from 10 to 11 a.m. July 16 at Turkey Valley United Methodist Church, located on Route 235 between Maze and Seven Stars.
To be eligible for ANY Juniata County Food Pantry distribution, families must live in Juniata County and meet specific income guidelines. Families must contact the Food Pantry between July 1 and 10 if they wish to attend this distribution -- appointments are required.
For more information about eligibility, or to sign up for the Turkey Valley distribution, please contact the Juniata County Food Pantry at (717) 436-9718.
Additional rail option announced
HARRISBURG -- PennDOT and Norfolk Southern Corp. have reached an agreement to expand passenger rail access in western Pennsylvania.
Currently, the Pennsylvanian Amtrak service travels roundtrip between New York City and Pittsburgh via Harrisburg once daily. The train stops in Lewistown.
The agreement anticipates increasing those Pennsylvanian passenger services to twice a day. Eastbound service would depart Pittsburgh at 7 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and westbound service would depart Harrisburg at 9:41 a.m. and 4:40 p.m.
The future improvements and construction will stem from a previously released Norfolk Southern operational feasibility study and includes upgraded rail lines, passenger platforms, sidings, and necessary communications signals infrastructure.
PennDOT will redirect state Multimodal Transportation Fund dollars to fund the project.
The parties anticipate a final definitive agreement to be developed by the end of 2022. Construction can begin after the definitive agreement is executed, with the new service anticipated to start within three years of the definitive agreement's execution.
Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads -- the most of any state in the country -- and ranks fifth in total track mileage with more than 5,600 miles.