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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 ...

Juniata County Dairy Promotion thanks area farmers

Christmas. A season of hot cocoa, presents under the tree and delicious food at the dinner table with friends and family. My name is Kera Bentz. I am the dairy princess on the Juniata Dairy Promotional Court. Christmas is my favorite time of the year. With all the pretty lights, delicious ...

Local resources offer support as families face rising hardships

With its many cultures, languages and traditions, the United States has long been considered a melting pot. As the holiday season approaches, perhaps it can be compared to a pot roast: each recipe has its own flavors, textures and ingredients, just as each community has its own ideals and beliefs. Still, most would agree that a few key ingredients — tolerance, acceptance and compassion — are essential. What is no secret, however, is how dramatically the economy has shifted since the pandemic. Many have watched friends, neighbors and strangers face one hardship after another. As ...

‘Tis the season to read some more books

Season’s “Readings” everyone. My wish for everybody is a holiday filled with books. If you are looking for a small way to help the Mifflin County Library this holiday season, there are three ways to do that. The first way to help MCL is to get a library card. You may not think that having a library card is a big deal, but it is. A library card opens a world of books to you, and sometimes right at your fingertips. With your library card, you can check out and take home any book in our collection. Along with that, your library card opens all of the books that we have in our ...

Friends of the Library bag book sale dates set

The next Friends of the Library bag book sale is coming up. On Thursday, Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., you can fill a bag for $7 (bags provided at the door). Choose from books for all ages, DVDs, music CDs, magazines and puzzles. Gift baskets are also available for sale, sold separately. Only cash or check is accepted. The Friends have their book sale dates for the upcoming year. Mark your calendars. • Monday, March 23, 9 a.m. to noon (Friends members only) • Tuesday, March 24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Wednesday, March 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Thursday, March 26, 9 a.m. to 7 ...