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The champion turkey hunter

In 1824, a man by the name of John Jackson Gantz was born in Ferguson Valley. No one imagined that he would one day grow up to be the infamous “Daniel Boone of Mifflin County.” He also earned the title of “The Champion Turkey Hunter of the Alleghenies.” Knowing well his descendant, great-great-great grandson, Peter Ort of Lewistown, I am not surprised that this man was a colorful character in our Juniata River Valley history When John was 37 years old, the Civil War broke out and he decided to volunteer to serve in the Union Army. He walked 61 miles to Harrisburg only to be ...

The hanging of Frank Lee

With Halloween quickly approaching our thoughts turn to all things grim and spooky. There is a story in Mifflin County’s past that certainly conjures up such dark thoughts. It was once described as a homicide horror! It is the sad tale of the only person ever executed in Mifflin County. The story begins in 1908. It was a fall day, not that different from this very day, when two business partners who owned and operated a horse-and-cart hauling business, one being George Porter and the other Frank Lee, got into a heated argument over money. The disagreement soon escalated to the point ...

The truth about fake news

Flu season is upon us. Have you inoculated yourself against fake news? No, that’s not a misprint. Just as most of us regularly get a flu shot to help protect ourselves from the influenza virus, we can also take steps to prevent being fooled by “stories” that push misinformation — not by getting a shot, but by having what I call a healthy news diet. People who regularly read good journalism are simply less gullible when it comes to fake news. And there’s no better time to think about our news diets than this week, which is national Media Literacy Week. The fact that you’re ...

The best things in life

I recently spent a week with my family enjoying the beach one last time for the season, taking advantage of the mild fall temperatures. The group included three of my four adult children (one son stayed behind with his newborn son), their spouses, and their six children, all 5 years old and under. The best way to describe it would be controlled chaos. The journey to Rehoboth began with me in the back seat sandwiched between two car seats containing a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old. The highlight of traveling this way was the opportunity to watch episodes of Dinosaur Train and Dora ...

This local business needs you

Editor’s note: This column was written for National Newspaper Week, which ends today. I was on the radio recently, rapping with friend Keith Hodkinson as he graciously invited me to his Fostoria studio to be part of his afternoon show. Between classic rock hits and discussion about some of our favorite artists, we dug deep about news and its place in our society now and into the future. It was a variation of a conversation I have often — people are genuinely fascinated with our industry and also have a working knowledge that things are tougher in the news biz than they once ...

Trust in your local newspaper

A new statewide survey reveals strong support for public notices, Right-to-Know expansion as America marks National Newspaper Week. Local newspapers are at the heart of communities across the commonwealth. Why? They are trusted sources for news Pennsylvanians cannot get anywhere else. It really is that simple. Long established on Main Streets in the boroughs, townships, counties and cities they serve, local newspapers report on tax hikes and business closings, new restaurants and farmland conservation, high school sports and fall apple festivals. They announce graduations, ...