Missing the Covered Bridge Festival? Shop the Vendors Online!

by Nancy Bishop

Were you looking forward to attending this year’s Covered Bridge Festival in October at Knoebels Amusement Resort? If you were disappointed to learn the Festival is another of COVID-19’s victims because you wanted to shop at the hundreds of craft and food vendors, then you’re in luck. You can shop them online!

– CHECK OUT THE FULL VENDOR LIST HERE –

Bottle Refab’s Rolling Rock Glassware

My neighbors and I always enjoyed going to the Festival. It was a chance to find the perfect Christmas present for some of the hard-to-please people on our shopping lists. This year I particularly wanted to search out Wicked Buy from McClure, PA, which also goes by the name Bottle Refab.

Suzanne Hoke and her husband create handcrafted glassware — glasses, vases, candles and lighting —  from recycled bottles. They ”upcycle” empty beer, wine, liquor and soda bottles and cans, re-purposing them as quality, practical items. The Yuengling Lager glass bottle made into a candle seems like a perfect stocking stuffer for my oldest son who’s a big Yuengling fan or maybe he’d like the Rolling Rock glasses.  So many choices!

You can shop all their products on their website or email them at sales@wickedbuy.com.

But maybe you’re more likely to shop the food booths at the Festival. One of my favorites is Country Pride Foods by A&J LLC of Orangeville, PA.

They have 13 flavors of smoked cheese and a variety of smoked meats. My favorite is the Smokey Horseradish cheese. Yum! Try melting it on a burger.

Country Pride Food Cheeses and Meats

Or try the salsa from Aunt Jan’s Salsa. Jan Dubbs Harris of Millville, PA, is the “Aunt Jan” of Aunt Jan’s Salsa. She started her business 10 years ago when her youngest child headed to college. You can get salsas ranging from fruity to very hot. The list includes:

Mild
Strawberry – This sweet salsa satisfies the need for sweet in a healthy way.
Blackberry – A mildly sweet salsa for the tame pallet.  (Try the hot if you want adventure.)
Black Bean – This mild salsa is chock-full of southern style with black beans and corn.
Green – Classic taste of tomatillos sets this salsa apart from the rest.

Medium 
Peach – The taste of fresh ripe peaches with the zesty taste of salsa.
Tropical Peach (peach/mango)  – Add a taste of the tropics and visit the islands with every bite!
Pineapple – A trip to Mexico and Hawaii without leaving home.
Apple – Traditional salsa with a twist – if you enjoy fresh crisp apples, you’ll love this salsa.

Hot
Tequila (Low Heat) – A touch of tequila brings out the real Tex/Mex flavor.
Garlic (Medium Heat) – You can see the garlic.
3 Pepper Caribbean (Heat) – Smoke flavored salsa with Diablo, Tabasco and Jalapeno peppers to give it a real kick!
Habanero (Extra Heat) – Extra, extra hot without sacrificing the taste!

If you love popcorn, visit Incredible Popcorn from Bloomsburg, PA. It comes in a wide variety of flavors. Some of the more unusual include Philly Cheesesteak, John the Greek Gyro, Loaded Baked Potato, Soft Pretzel, Cheddar Ale and Apple Pie. Or, if you’re in Bloomsburg, visit the shop at 1009 Old Berwick Rd. Besides the popcorn, they have ice cream there. As an avowed ice-cream-aholic, I’ve mixed caramel corn with vanilla ice cream at home. Wonder if they’ve thought of that?

If you’re looking for a handcrafted, personalized gift for someone special, how about a custom-embroidered one? H&P Embroidery of Benton, co-owned by sisters Cindy Hittle and Tina Posey, can help you. They offer custom embroidery from stitching a baby’s name on a blanket to doing hundreds of items for a company. And they can transform any image into an embroidery pattern to be stitched. They also offer screen printing. Take that favorite picture of your family and print it on a t-shirt.

Jewelry more your taste? Jule’s Artwear from Williamsport, PA has some beautiful pieces that I would love to get as a gift! All of Jule’s jewelry is handcrafted and includes sterling silver, fine silver, 14kt gold-filled and copper pieces. She uses a variety of techniques such as fusing, soldering and cold connections in her designs. She even makes her own polymer clay beads.

Some of the jewelry from Jule’s Artwear.

For wood crafts, furniture and jewelry, try Dill’s WoodCraft of Hummelstown.

It’s a difficult time for all of the Festival vendors, many of whom rely on business done at fairs and festivals that have now been cancelled. Please consider supporting them. The Covered Bridge & Arts Festival, organized by the Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau and hosted by Knoebels Amusement Resort each year, will plan to return on October 7 – 10, 2021.

Take it To-Go – Summertime is Picnic Time!

by Nancy Bishop

It’s summertime. Time to grab a picnic and head to the outdoors! The days are sunny and hot. Take the family and get out of the house.

But what if you don’t want to go to the fuss and work of putting a picnic meal together, making it something the whole family will like and then packing it all up? Instead, try ordering each person’s choice from one of the area restaurants and take it to a nearby picnic spot. You’ll be helping an area business out during the pandemic and you’ll be having a special time outside in the fresh air building memories.

As I write this, it’s National Ice Cream Day (celebrated the 3rd Sunday in July). And what better way to start off this picnic adventure than at Melonie’s Kold Kup on Route 487 between Benton and Bloomsburg? You’ll find something for everyone on the menu from burgers to wraps to sandwiches to full dinner meals like spaghetti and meatballs or grilled lemon haddock or fried chicken. And don’t forget the ice cream. My favorite is the peanut butter sundae – lots of creamy peanut butter sauce over one of the best vanilla soft-serve ice creams I’ve had, topped with crushed peanuts and whipped cream. Yum.

You’ll have plenty of options to choose from at Melonie’s Kold Kup to craft your picnic lunch to go.

Grab your takeout order and head a mile or so up the road to the Twin Covered Bridges (East Paden and West Paden Bridges). The bridges, which are closed to vehicle traffic, cross Fishing Creek in a beautiful wooded area and there are picnic tables set up on the bridges. It’s quiet and peaceful sitting there listening to the music of the creek rushing under the bridges. (Not to mention there’s a roof over your head to protect you from hot sun or a sudden shower ruining your picnic.)

The Stillwater Covered Bridge

As a big fan of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS, of course I had to visit nearby Stillwater while I was at the Twin Covered Bridges. Stillwater, PA – which is the fictional birthplace of Gibbs on the show – also has its own covered bridge.

In the mood for Mexican food? Then order your takeout picnic from Playa Cancun just off Route 487 on Central Road in Bloomsburg. I especially like the Arroz con Pollo (chicken in a cheesy sauce served with rice and beans), but I also really like the shrimp fajitas, so I’m always torn between the two. Get your takeout order and then head north on Route 487 to the Lightstreet Park where you’ll find a nice shady park with a couple of pavilions and a kid’s playground. Or continue up Route 487 to Columbia County Conservation District’s Kocher Park. Located on Fishing Creek, it has a pavilion, hiking trails and access for fishing, swimming and kayaking.

Want to have your picnic at one of those parks, but perhaps you’d like other food options? Try Turkey Hill Brewing Company, also located on Central Road. Great burgers and a variety of weekly specials, including a Wednesday night seafood night.

Even if it’s just at your local park, getting some fresh air is important. Pavilions at Lightstreet Park.

Lightstreet Hotel on Main Street in Lightstreet, just off Route 487 also offers takeout options. How about a Smoked Kentucky Bourbon BBQ Brisket Wrap? Or a Lobster Crawl Flatbread with chunks of lobster and bacon in an alfredo sauce as well as many other burger, sandwich and entrée options.

But maybe you’d like to explore places in Montour County closer to Danville. One of my favorites is Cherokee Taproom on Route 54 just south of Danville. On a recent visit I had Chicken Piccata, which was so good. Nice lemony sauce that went perfectly not only with the chicken but with the asparagus and rice that rounded out the meal. It was a Saturday night, which is Cherokee’s wood-fired pizza night, and my dining companion chose one of the night’s special pizzas, the Hot Honey Pepperoni. It must have been very good because there wasn’t anything left, and I didn’t even get a taste. Although he settled on the pizza, he also loves Cherokee’s Cuban sandwich, which he had on a previous visit. The Pulled Pork Nachos caught his eye as well. It’s a huge pile of house-made pulled pork, refried black beans, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream and jalapenos served over totrilla chips.

Try the mouthwatering pizza at Cherokee Tap Room.

Take your food a few miles down the road to Danville and have your picnic at Riverfront Park. Located on the shore of Susquehanna River at the base of the Mill Street (Route 54) bridge, it’s a pretty spot with a picnic table and views of the river.

Danville’s Riverfront Park has a beautiful fountain, landscaping, and view of the river. From Longbow Media on YouTube.

Or try the takeout from one of the many nearby downtown Danville restaurants like Old Forge Brewing Company — great wings, fish tacos, even a duck burger featuring grilled duck and wild boar bacon. Another great place would be BJ’s M Street Tavern & Oyster Bar. As the name suggests, they have oysters as well as many other choices from burgers and sandwiches to pasta and steaks.

C’mon, what are you waiting for – go picnic! 

Update on Danville Heritage Fireworks

Information from the Danville Business Alliance

UPDATE REGARDING FIREWORKS IN DANVILLE/RIVERSIDE:

There WILL be fireworks this year in Danville on Saturday, July 18, 2020 beginning at approximately 9:15 PM as part of the Danville Heritage Festival & Celebrate Danville weekend. Fireworks will be set off behind the English Garden in Riverside and will be visible over the river.

Fireworks in Riverside over Shade Mountain Winery Outlet.

This year’s firework display is made possible by the following generous sponsors:
Geisinger
Whitenight’s Fireworks LLC & Farm Market
Meadows At Maria Joseph Manor
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 40
Danville American Legion Post 40
VFW Post 298

Also, a big thank you to Borough of Riverside, Danville Police Department, and Southside Fire Company for helping to safely bring the community this year’s fireworks display.

If you would like to make a donation toward the fireworks, please mail your donation to:
Danville Business Alliance
620 Mill Street
Danville, PA 17821
Please be sure to note that your donation is for fireworks.

*Masks and social distancing are highly recommended to remain in accordance with statewide regulations.*

Van Wagner: In Love With Pennsylvania

by Nancy Bishop

It’s hard to think about history in this area without having the name Van Wagner come to mind. His bio is a simple one: Van Wagner. Born in Pennsylvania. Lives in Pennsylvania. Makes music. Mined coal. Logged trees. Teaches kids.

In his music and his writing, Van gives voice to the history and beauty of the region. He tells the legends of the coal region, the beauty of the trees and the waters and the hills that make up the area, the resiliency of the people that call this place home, and so much more.

An environmental science teacher at the high school level, Van continues as an educator outside the classroom with his music and programs on Pennsylvania history. He received an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2018 from the Pennsylvania Heritage Songwriting Contest and his music has been featured on the History Channel, WVIA and Country Music Television (CMT).

Van’s 2019 album – “Shortleaf Pine”

But back to that music. As I write this, his 2019 album “Shortleaf Pine” is playing in the background. I particularly found myself drawn to the line “This land is in our veins” from the song by the same name. In my mid-20s when I moved here from New England where I was born and raised, I felt very drawn to the place – like it was “in my veins.” Years later, when my brother researched our father’s family history, I learned that my great-great grandfather had been brought over from Ireland to work as an explosives’ expert in the coal mines owned by the Hazard family. He brought his five adult sons with him. My great-grandfather then moved to New England to work at a powder mill also owned by the Hazards in the town where I grew up. So I guess a love for this area indeed is in my veins!

In addition to being a teacher, musician and writer, Van has worked as a logger in Idaho and a coal miner, so he knows from first-hand experience what he is writing about. And his writing is prolific. He has written hundreds of songs and dozens of historical essays. In his essay “My time at R&R Coal,” Van talks about several near-misses he had in the mine, but concludes by saying “If it were not such a risk to me and my family, I would be very happy living the life of a Pennsylvania coal miner.”

Van’s songs also come out of his experiences. Remember the flood in 2011 that inundated this area? Van does. Here’s how he remembers it in his song “Four Days of Rain” written Sept. 8, 2011:

Verse 1:
All my life I’ve heard stories of ‘72
Hurricane Agnes brought the river up to 32 feet.
I thought that record would stand for all my life.
But the river may hit 32 later tonight.

Chorus:
The river looks angry after 4 days of rain
She’s gonna remind us who’s in charge again.

Verse 2:
We got word this morning to go sandbag in town.
So we headed over Bald Top road the only road around.
Had to bag a wall from Mahoning Creek.
By noon a foreman said we built 6 feet.

Verse 3:
People come together in a flood from all walks of life
I saw a banker on my left and county inmates on my right.
If the levee holds then most of town will stay dry.
But they don’t have a levee across the river in Riverside.   

Verse 4:
No one talks about it though it’s on all our minds.
The worst will be the clean up next week sometime.
Eventually the mud will dry and town will start anew.
It will just be a legend like the flood of ‘72

And in his song “Welcome Home” from the album “North of 80,” Van paid tribute to the soldiers who served in Vietnam, writing:

A young GI stands in a valley of green. 
He’s just out of high school, with an M-16,
in a country he’d never heard of until a year before. 
Half way around the world in the Viet Nam War.
He lights another Lucky Strike, now a pack or 2 a day.
It’s the only thing he’s found that keeps his head straight.
Each cigarette he burns marks a man who’s gone down.
He’s feelin’ bout as empty as the shells on the ground.
Well, ain’t it time we tell him he ain’t alone?
Welcome home, GI, welcome home.

Unfortunately, now that you’ve learned more about Van Wagner and would love to see him perform, you’re going to have to wait, thanks to COVID-19. As Van told me, “I have no concerts in 2020. I had dozens, but they all cancelled. Instead I am focusing on writing and recording. Some of my newest material is different than anything I’ve ever created so I’m having fun.”

But be sure to check out his website or follow him on Facebook to learn what he has planned. Van’s 26th album, “You Can’t Force a Mule”, is out now and available on his website. And be sure to check back here on the Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau’s website from time to time because Van is going to be doing some things for the CMVB in the future.

Van’s newest album, out now.

Liquor History – Made in Benton

By Nancy Bishop

Remember the ‘70s song “American Pie” by Don McLean? Then, if you’re like me, the lyrics “Drove my Chevy to the Levee…And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye…” are probably still playing in your head.

But did you know that Benton can claim a piece of history with its own rye?

Although it largely disappeared in the Northeast after Prohibition, rye whiskey was historically the prevalent whiskey in the northeastern states, especially in Pennsylvania and Maryland. And back in the mid-1800s, “Hunter John” McHenry began distilling his rye whiskey in Benton.

So just what is rye whiskey? As a long-time dedicated single malt Scotch drinker, I needed to find out. Turns out rye whiskey is, by law, made from a mash of at least 51 percent rye – the same grain that the rye bread on your Rueben sandwich is made from. The other ingredients in the mash are usually corn and malted barley.

Why rye grain? Lovers of rye believe it gives a spicy or fruity flavor to the whiskey while bourbon, which is distilled from at least 51 percent corn, tends to be noticeably sweeter more full-bodied. Also by law, rye whiskey must be distilled to no more than 160 proof and must be aged in new charred oak barrels.

McHenry knew a thing or two about making rye whiskey and soon his rye was legendary throughout the area, known for its age, purity and strength. His son, Rohr, joined him in the business and by the beginning of the 20th century, McHenry Whiskey™ was a well-known brand.

When his father died, Rohr took over the “Still House,” as the McHenry homestead was known, building it into a serious commercial operation renamed the Rohr McHenry Distilling Company. The whiskey he produced became known locally as “Old Rohr.” The distillery produced 100 gallons a day and was a major employer in Benton and Columbia County.

Rohr’s son John Geiser McHenry, born in 1868 and known as “John G.”, was the next to take over the distillery. He coined the slogan “Born 1812” to commemorate the date the distillery was founded. Business boomed under John G.’s care. Local farms that supplied the rye also prospered. The company advertised that: “This whiskey is the product of selected Rye and Malt pure mountain spring water and scientific distilling with years of perfect aging in charred barrels in heated warehouses and coming direct from us it brings to you the finest & purest Whiskey made, and costs you no more than the other brands”.

John G. also established a peach orchard containing 30,000 peach trees on what he named “Pioneer Farms” with the intent of adding peach brandy to the McHenry production line. Peach trees take up to 15 years to reaching maturity, so the operation was part of the long-term vision for the business. The orchard and other farm crops, including rye, and a vineyard was cared for by Prof. M. E. Chubbuck from State College with the help of 40 or so employees. The farm also included a building for large-scale production of poultry.

But in March 1911, a devastating fire destroyed the 10-story bond house with its 17,000 barrels of maturing whiskey. Only one barrel could be saved. Although much of the rest of the distillery made it through and production later resumed, losing so much product dealt an insurmountable financial blow. By the end of 1912, the company was forced into receivership and, on the night of the foreclosure, John G. died He was 46.

The remaining distillery buildings were preserved as a museum. More bad luck ensued when a fire in the boiler house in 1962 destroyed it and nearly all the Rohr McHenry artifacts inside.

Fast forward to 2012 when it was announced that the Rohr McHenry Distillery would be reborn with the goal of again brewing the iconic whiskey. Hmmm… and when that happens, I may have to pour at least one glass of it instead of my beloved Scotch!

You can visit the McHenry Distillery’s Facebook page to keep apprised of any distillery progress or updates.

Photos via: facebook.com/mchenrywhiskey

History Can Help Pass Stay Home Time

by Nancy Bishop

Stuck at home and looking for things to do? How about a virtual look at some of the interesting historical places in Columbia and Montour counties?

One of the interesting places I found is the old Danville Railroad Station. Now home to the Buckley’s Carpet & Linoleum at 502 Railroad Street and Walnut Street, the station began life down in Philadelphia as the Belmont Branch Station. Built to carry visitors to the country’s 1876 Centennial celebration on the Reading line, the station was close to the Centennial grounds, now Fairmount Park.

No longer needed for the Centennial, in June 1881 the OK was given to take the station apart and move it to Danville to be rebuilt as the Reading Railroad Station, serving the Danville, Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre Railroad, also called the D.H. & W.B. Railroad. That railroad, completed in 1870, linked Sunbury to Danville. It covered about 54 miles, including about 43 miles of line from Sunbury to Tomhicken and another 10 miles or so of branch lines.

Construction of the D.H.& W.B. railroad began in late 1867 or early 1868. An anthracite-burning locomotive was built for the railroad in 1870. Then, in 1872, the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad started to operate the Danville, Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre tracks. But hard times apparently ensued, and in 1878, the railroad was sold under foreclosure and the name changed to the Sunbury, Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre Railroad.

Built to help get the area’s coal from the mines to the market, the railroad also transported furniture and other supplies along with passenger cars filled with worshipers to the Mountain Grove Campground. Located in Black Creek Township, Luzerne County, the Methodist campground was active from 1872 to 1901. But that’s a history lesson for another day!

So what happened to the railroad station? Enter Don & Ruby Buckley!

Don & Ruby Buckley & Their Tie-In to the Station

In 1972, the Buckley’s were looking to consolidate their flooring businesses to one location and they acquired the station.

Montour County is now “yellow,” in the COVID-19 stay-at-home order. When it gets to “green,” head to downtown Danville and check out the old station!

A View from the Trenches

By Eric Cipcic, CRNA, PHRN, MSN
From the Bloomsburg Municipal Airport April Newsletter

Newsletter coordinated by BJ Teichman, Airport Coordinator & Dave Ruckle, Pilot
Emails: airportcoordinator@bloomsburgpa.org; ruckleds@yahoo.com
“Dave and I have always encouraged pilots to participate in the N13 newsletter. In the spirit of that we share the article below submitted by Eric Cipcic.

Eric Cipcic, CRNA

Greetings fellow pilots and aviation enthusiasts! Well, here we are going into mid-April and now is the time that I really start to get antsy to do some serious flying; The weather is gorgeous, Sun n Fun is here, Oshkosh is around the corner, and there’s lots of pancake breakfasts & fly ins rip-roaring and ready to go. But whoaaaa!! Hold the phone. This spring a pandemic has pulled the reins back on all adventures big & small, affecting nearly every single thing we do. Yet, in these unprecedented, tumultuous times, we are coming together as communities; we are sacrificing in ways that we never imagined would happen in our time; we are proving that we are stronger collectively and will fight as such to persevere through this dark period. To each of you I say “thank you.”

But with so much going on, I can’t help to daydream a little. Think back to that windy, somewhat gusty day, when the sun was beaming and you decided to go over to Selinsgrove to practice some crosswind landings. As you plotted your way over to the neighborhood 4700’ strip, the usual planning, pilotage, and persistence took hold: today is gonna be great because it’s going to be a challenge! The CTAF is quiet and the pattern is clear (probably because no one wants to fly in this windy crap) and you enter downwind for 35, turning base, and then final, ultimately crabbing or weathervaning your way to the threshold. As you glide through your ground effect and gently grease the upwind tire onto the runway, followed by the other tire, and finally let the nose tire rest down upon the runway, you feel a tidal wave of emotion cascade over you. THAT WAS GREAT!! And a big ‘ole smile ensues. Now let me ask you a question: Did that just happen by chance or accident? No! It happened because you were prepared. It happened because you were trained, you were vigilant, and you were prepared. I am an advanced practice, critical care, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist) for UPMC Susquehanna in Williamsport. I write to you in a time when we have all been inundated with news and pictures of the horrific images encompassing New York and surrounding areas that depict unimaginable conditions, shortages, fatigue, and death. I wanted to convey a brief message to you and describe what’s going on within the critical care units in the hospitals among our local communities. This is a view from the trenches where many of us are spending 12–16 hours a day, and although we are not living in other regions where infection rates and death tolls continue to rise, we are not immune to SARS-CoV-2 (the new coronavirus causing Covid-19). Here’s the truth: We are prepared….both as hospitals and healthcare providers, and most importantly, as a community.

Is Covid-19 coronavirus here? Yes, you bet it is. It is an infectious disease caused by a new virus that spreads primarily through an infected person who breathes, coughs, or sneezes on someone else; it can also spread by contact (touching) a contaminated surface. I have intubated patients in our ICU and have performed invasive procedures on infected patients, such as arterial catheters (a-lines). We wear full PPE equipment to protect ourselves and maintain strict isolation protocols.

Under black light, you can see what a cough and sneeze can splatter on a face shield.

Fortunately, the medical community has borrowed its best tricks from us in aviation! Before I enter a negative pressure isolation room, there are a host of people akin to dispatchers, co-pilots, and ATC to guide everyone collectively through this critical procedure of intubating the patient. There is two-way comm between the isolation room and the outside command area. But of utmost importance, there is a detailed 40 point checklist that is systematically followed, read-back by a charge nurse next to you, and no one moves on to the next step until CRM (crew resource management) is met, and everyone agrees and repeats aloud the confirmation of the task. Makes you proud to be a pilot. The isolation is taken very seriously, as you can imagine. You enter the room in a 2 by 2 fashion, always having a buddy to watch your back (and you watch theirs). Even within the room, there are contaminated, and partially contaminated sections, clearly marked and taped off on the floor. All the while you have an immediate support group just outside the glass doors to assist you, in case of an emergency, or if you just need further supplies. It is a grueling choreography and somewhat surreal in nature. You’ve seen the images in the news and can imagine the complexity not to contaminate yourself, your colleague, the ICU, and ultimately take coronavirus home and infect your family and the community. What you don’t hear about is how incredibly HOT all of those layers of gowns, and gloves, and shields, and booties get to be. There is limited access in & out of an isolation room, and you could be stuck sweating in there for a couple hours. Remember to pee first before putting your PPE gear on, and take just a little sip of water!

My hospital has been ready for a storm for quite a long while, and I know that other major facilities in the region are as well. We all talk with each other, communicate, and help each other out in this time of need. We have daily briefings so that everyone is up to speed and on point. We have floors that are locked up, sterile, stocked, and ready to accommodate an overwhelming influx of sick patients. “So why isn’t Covid-19 widespread in my community…I’m not sick and I feel fine?” Because you are doing exactly what needs to be done, admirably and with flying colors! As a community, we are staying home, we are social distancing, we are wiping everything down and cleaning surfaces that could (and are) contaminated….and we are washing our hands, washing our hands, and washing our hands until it feels like the skin is gonna peel off! Right?! Trust me…follow me around a 16-hour shift in critical care and you wouldn’t believe that you could scrub yourself so much in one day.

A randomized study in Italy last week (one of the hardest hit regions on the planet) took 60 asymptomatic people, who stated they hadn’t been sick, and tested them for coronavirus: 40 of the people tested positive, and were essentially infecting the population without knowing it. On behalf of all the healthcare workers in your community, we thank you for your continued vigilance and now more than ever, we must continue these simple, life-saving efforts. You are prepared. Finally, just a few notes about your healthcare providers: your doctors, nurses, techs, and everyone that cares for you. We’re scared. Yep…there it is. Cat’s outta the bag. We won’t show you; we will never lead on that we are, but there’s not a moment that goes by when we don’t want to see another person suffering, or another patient of ours die.

An isolation room ready to be used.

We are terrified that we will bring this home to our babies, our spouses, our family, and our friends. Combine that with mental, emotional, and physical work exhaustion and one would wonder why we don’t crumble. Yet the answer is simple: we love what we do. We thrive to help others at the expense of our own well being. There is nothing more gratifying than compassion and caring for someone in need, and nothing more beautiful than to hear a patient say, “thank you so much…without you I don’t know what I would have done!” And yet, somehow, the most uncomfortable feeling is to be called a hero. Although I say with the utmost gratitude, thank you, it simply doesn’t feel right to have that label for doing something that you absolutely love. You are the reason that we’ll walk thru hell and back, and keep coming back for more. I walked into work the other day and neighborhood kids had drawn pictures on every sidewalk near the employee entrance, thanking us, and reminding us to be strong, because we need you, you are our heroes…..I was so taken back by this simple gesture; my heart rang out with joy, and the tears I was trying to hold back would make one think I had just gotten pepper-sprayed!

So again, I want to thank you for your efforts, your kind words, and your love in keeping us going. You are keeping us safe, so that we can keep you safe.

So, as I finish off another fruitful 16-hour shift and take my tired bones home, I think I’m gonna bring the flaps up….push the throttle forward….ease back on the yolk….and come around for one more of those beautiful crosswind landings! This one will be full stop. Please stay safe, be healthy, and I look forward to seeing you in the skies again very soon.

Best regards, Eric

Itching to Get Outside? Go Fishing!

by Nancy Bishop
Header photo courtesy of @imasharm

Been wishing that you could at least get out and go fishing instead of being cooped up in the house? Your wish has been granted. Effective at 8 AM on April 7, 2020, Pennsylvania opened the trout season statewide.

PC: @wooly_bugged on Fishing Creek

And one of the best trout fishing streams in the state runs right through this area. Fishing Creek has many public and private fishing areas along its banks. One of my favorites is along Camp Lavigne Road off Route 487 north of Benton. Even if the fish aren’t biting, it’s a very quiet, scenic spot to get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors. You can relax and listen to the sound of bird calls and the rushing water of the stream. In the clear water, you might see the golden flash of a palomino trout.

Nearly 30 miles long, Fishing Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River that starts in Sugarloaf Township and ends near Bloomsburg where it joins the river. It’s been stocked with trout by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in several places. But this year the stocking locations and schedule have not been made public to prevent groups of people from gathering in a particular location.

Be aware, too, that you must follow the social-distancing guidelines. This includes fishing close to home to limit travel, covering your face with a mask or other cloth covering and keeping a distance of at least six feet from other people. Don’t share fishing gear and only fish with family members who live in your house. If you see another angler in an area where you had intended to fish, find another spot. Also, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently, and do not touch your face.

Cast a few lines at Lake Chillisquaque at the Montour Preserve – just be sure to practice social distancing!

Remember, too, that if you’re fishing in a state or local park, the restrooms may be closed.

The Fish and Boat Commission also is reminding everyone that you need a license to fish and a trout/salmon permit, and that other regulations including size and number of fish you can take still apply. Licenses can be purchased online.

Just as there will be no “opening day” for trout season this year, a Mentored Youth Trout Day will not take place. The PFBC will honor all Voluntary Youth Fishing Licenses purchased in 2020 for all mentored youth fishing opportunities during the 2021 season.

PC: Jamie B.

Looking for locations to fish in Montour County? Mahoning Creek, Roaring Creek, Mauses Creek, and Lake Chillisquaque at the Montour Preserve all offer good fishing.

If you prefer a lake to a creek, Briar Creek Lake and Lake Took-A-While, both in Columbia County near Berwick, are other good places to fish.

And, if you’d like to get out fishing, but need gear, check out Five Mountain Outfitters on Route 11 in Shickshinny. They’re open and will have bait as well as fishing gear.

For regular updates about fishing conditions in the area and to see what’s biting on the Susquehanna, be sure to check out our resident Fishyaker expert, John “Toast” Oast. John fishes regularly from a kayak and usually shares daily videos on his YouTube channel about area conditions.

Learn the Facts About our Area!

1. Bloomsburg became Pennsylvania’s first, and only, incorporated town in 1870.

FACT – Bloomsburg was incorporated in 1870 as a “town.” It’s the only municipality in Pennsylvania to have that designation. There are six types of local governments listed in the Pennsylvania Constitution: county, township, borough, town, city, and school district, and it just so happens that Bloomsburg was incorporated as the first and only “town” in the state.

Christopher Sholes

2. The inventor of the typewriter and the QWERTY keyboard was born in Mooresburg in 1819.

FACT – Christopher Sholes was born in Mooresburg, Montour County on February 14th, 1819. He later completed an apprenticeship in the nearby town of Danville at a local print shop. When he was 18, he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He became a newspaper publisher and politician. In addition to serving in the Wisconisn state senate for a number of years, he is also credited with inventing the typewriter and the QWERTY keyboard.

3. A Washingtonville resident invented one of the earliest versions of the paper clip as well as the folding cardboard box and the hook and eye.

FACT – Frank Emerson DeLong, born in 1865, was the son of Daniel and Jane DeLong, who built and operated the Danville Foundry. In his lifetime, he patented over 75 inventions, including the folding cardboard box, an electronic stenograph machine, the DeLong bobby pin, and an early version of the paper clip, among many other things. However, his signature invention was the hook and eye. Hearing his niece’s constant complaints that her coats and dresses came open because their fasteners were not secure, DeLong developed the strong “third-wire” hook and eye for ladies’ wear. On May 21, 1927, DeLong was one of thousands who greeted Charles Lindbergh in Paris following his first trans-Atlantic flight in the “Spirit of St. Louis.” Frank later attended a charity event in the city, where he ended up purchasing Lindbergh’s autographed and inscribed flight helmet from the trans-Atlantic journey. DeLong brought the helmet back to his home in Washingtonville, where it is still occasionally on display for the public in the Jane E. DeLong Memorial Hall.

A lifetime bachelor, DeLong was a philanthropist, real estate operator, wildlife preservationist and clubman. He died in February, 1939 in Palm Beach, Florida.

4. Whistling in the street is against the law in Danville.

FACT – Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing in the public streets of Danville, particularly between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., so as to annoy and disturb the quiet comfort or repose of persons in any office, dwelling, hotel or other type of residence, or of any persons in the vicinity is technically PROHIBITED according to an antiquated town law. Fun fact – riding a bicycle on Mill Street is also prohibited!

5. The bankruptcy of an African ostrich farm in Espy made national news in 1915.

FACT – Let’s be honest – the fact that there was once an African ostrich farm in the area to begin with is quite a fact in and of itself; however, the bankruptcy of the African Ostrich Farm and Feather Company in Espy was quite a saga. It was even featured in an article in the Los Angeles Herald in 1915. The African Ostrich Farm and Feather Company was actually the first ostrich farm in the northern hemisphere. We won’t fault you if you thought this was the false fact!

6. Berwick became the number one producer of tanks in the nation during World War II, and also was the largest manufacturer of train and subway cars on the East Coast.

FACT – Berwick was perhaps best known in the early 1900s for the production of steel railroad cars at the American Car & Foundry Company. For a number of years, it was the largest manufacturer of train and subway cars in the eastern United States. In 1904, the plant produced the world’s first all-steel passenger car for the New York City subway. During World War II, the company made more than 15,000 tanks. Recently, Berwick’s Stuart Tank Committee was able to bring back an authentic Berwick-built tank as a memorial. Named “Stuie”, the tank is a memorial to those who produced the tanks.

The historic American Car & Foundry Company in Berwick
The very first tank manufactured at the ACF in Berwick.

7. Montour County was named for Madame Montour, who was an interpreter at treaty conferences with Native Americans in the 1700s.

FACT – Madame Montour, also known as Isabelle Couc, was born in 1667 in Trois Rivieres in Canada. Her father, Pierre Couc was French and her mother was an Algonquian Indian. Before she arrived in present day Montoursville (also named for her), she traveled from her home in Canada to places such as Detroit, Michigan; Albany, New York; and Philadelphia. She and her brother, Louis Montour, were on a trip leading a group from Detroit to Albany when Louis was murdered. She led the rest of the trip. In honor of her brother’s death, she took his last name as her own.

Madame Montour was one of the few Shamokin females to be deemed influential and significant.  A creative and independent woman, she spoke English, German, Algonquin, Iroquois, and French; however, because she was illiterate in all of these languages she was forced to sign all public documents with an “X”.  Many Pennsylvanians believed that her parents were French, that her father was a governor of Canada, and that she had been captured and raised by the Indians.  Though this does not seem to be true, Madame Montour played into this myth, allowing it to circulate and become popular.  Her eccentric character and her services as an interpreter mark her as unique among most females of her day. Learn more and also be sure to check out a 2017 Williamsport Sun Gazette article written about her.

8. Danville was named for General Daniel Montgomery, who opened the first store in the community and later served in Congress.

FACT – Daniel Montgomery Jr. was the third son of William Montgomery, and was 15 when his father settled his lands called “Montgomery’s Landing” and later Danville, named after Daniel. Under the guidance and assistance of his father, he opened the first store in Danville. Soon he was the trusted merchant and factor of a wide circle of patrons. This first store building was where General William Montgomery House now stands. On Nov. 27, 1791, Daniel Montgomery married Christiana Strawbridge. The next year he laid out the town of Danville — the part east of Mill street. The new town received its baptismal name from the abbreviation of his Christian name, through the partiality of his customers. From this time until his death he was the most prominent man in this part of the State. Elected to the Legislature in 1802, he at once took his father’s place as a trusted leader in the public enterprises and politics of his district. By leading men throughout the State he was recognized as a man of great influence in wisely shaping public affairs. 

9. In late September 1923, street lights were lit for the first time in Bloomsburg.

FACT – W. R. Rhoads, manager of the Pennsylvania Power & Light Co., and Willie Law, president of the Bloomsburg Rotary Club, flipped the switch turning on the new electric streetlights on Bloomsburg’s main street on a Saturday night in the last week of September 1923. **Information from page 152 “PP&L, 75 Years of Powering the Future” copyright 1995, Library of Congress Card 95-67810.

10. Centralia, famous for its still-burning underground mine fire, is in Columbia County. Its founder, Alexander Rea, was murdered by the Molly Maguires in 1868.

FACT – Although best known for the long-burning Centralia mine fire (which is still burning and is likely to continue to do so for several hundred years), during the 1860s, the town was home to members of the Molly Maguires, a secret society that originated in Ireland and made its way to American coal mines along with Irish immigrants. In America, Irish Catholics were routinely met with discrimination based on both their religion and heritage and often encountered help wanted signs with disclaimers that read, “Irish need not apply.” Accepting the most physically demanding and dangerous mining jobs, the men and their families were forced to live in overcrowded, company-owned housing, buy goods from company-owned shops and visit company-owned doctors. In many cases, workers wound up owing their employers at the end of each month. The Molly Maguires operated in the shadows as an opposition to corporate oppression to the Irish mining population in the central part of Pennsylvania.

The Molly Maguires were indeed implicated in the murder of Centralia’s founder, Alexander Rea. Rea was traveling from his home in Centralia to Mount Carmel when a group of men stopped his buggy. Thinking he was carrying the company payroll, they planned to steal the money. Disgruntled that Rea was not in possession of the payroll, they decided to kill him so he could not later identify them in the attempted robbery. Ten years later, three of the Molly Maguires were convicted of the murder of Rea and become the only convicted criminals in Columbia County to ever be executed. On March 21, 1878, the three were hanged from a gallows in the jail yard located at the southwest corner of Center and First Streets in downtown Bloomsburg. The hangings made national news, including a piece in the New York Times.

The Molly Maguires (From ohrbachlibrary.files.wordpress.com)
Ludwig Eyer’s grave in Bloomsburg.

11. Ludwig Eyer, who founded Bloomsburg in 1802, attended George Washington’s presidential inauguration ceremony 13 years earlier in New York City.

FICTION – April Fool’s!!!! Ludwig Eyer did found Bloomsburg in 1802, but there’s no evidence to support that he attended the first presidential inauguration ceremony in the history of our country. Thousands came out to witness Washington’s inauguration parade from Mount Vernon to New York City, the current capital of America in 1789, but it’s not likely that Eyer was among them.

12. Thomas Edison once paid a surprise visit to Danville.

FACT – Thomas Edison and his son once visited Danville as part of a trip they were taking to Sunbury. The two stayed overnight at the Montour House, which was located across the street from the Montour County Courthouse. They also saw a movie at one of the local theaters. Thomas Edison had ties to Sunbury, and Danville was a logical stop prior to his final destination on that particular trip. Edison first came to Sunbury in 1882 to build the first three-wire central station incandescent electric lighting plant in the world, which was located at the corner of North Fourth and Vine streets.  Learn more about Edison’s connection to Sunbury

As a fun fact, Danville once also played host to another famous guest, P.T. Barnum of Barnum & Bailey circus fame.

13. Jethro Gibbs on TV’s NCIS show is from Stillwater in Columbia County, one of the twenty smallest towns in the entire state.

FACT – NCIS character Leroy Jethro Gibbs has a special place in his heart for his father, Jackson Gibbs. The elder Gibbs raised young Jethro in Stillwater, Pennsylvania. Gibbs is a fictional character of the long-running and popular CBS TV series NCIS, portrayed by Mark Harmon. He is a former U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper turned special agent who commands a team for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs from CBS’s NCIS is written as being from the village of Stillwater in Columbia County.

14. In the right spot, your car will appear to roll backwards by itself up a hill in Numidia.

FACT (well maybe) – In Numidia, you can drive your car backwards up Gravity Hill. Placing your car in neutral on the right spot gives the illusion that your car is rolling uphill on its own.

15. The Beach Haven area of Berwick had a speedway racetrack in the 1970s.

FACT – Beach Haven Speedway, built by George Perluke, opened around 1976. It was a half-mile track with a lake in the middle on Confers Lane, Berwick. Perluke ran small block modified races and paid $400 to the winner of each race. Second place received no winnings. Legend has it that the last race was won by a man named Ed Spencer and when Perluke said he didn’t have money to pay him, Spencer threatened to burn the speedway down. Needless to say, Spencer got paid, but that was the last race at the speedway as Perluke wasn’t making the money he needed to keep it open.

Beach Haven Speedway in the 1970’s (photo by Rick Huff).
Beach Haven Speedway is now just a grassy oval.

16. The Susquehanna River is the longest river on the east coast. It is also widely considered to be one of the five oldest rivers in the world.

FACT – At 444 miles from Cooperstown, NY to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, the Susquehanna River is the longest river on the East Coast. This doesn’t include the West Branch of the Susquehanna, which is 228 miles long. View the Susquehanna River Basin and learn more about the river right here.

The Susquehanna River Basin.

Are You An April Fool?

by Nancy Bishop

Although no one seems to really know how April Fools’ Day got started, some historians believe it’s been around since the 1500s when France moved New Year’s Day from April 1 to Jan. 1 when the Gregorian calendar was adopted. People who didn’t remember the change and celebrated on April 1 were called April fools and others played tricks on them.

Stuck in my house right now under the stay-at-home order, I’ve been spending way too much time online or watching TV. But the good news is I’ve learned a few interesting things about our area with my extra free time. Check them out below and see how good you are at distinguishing the true odd facts about Columbia and Montour counties from the single false one that’s been mixed in!

The other thing I’ve been doing while at home is eating way too much — apparently as have many other folks. I saw a great post on Facebook that compared the “Freshman 15” (pounds) that college students used to complain about gaining their first year away from home to the “Covid 19 (pounds)”. Helps to keep a sense of humor!

Don’t forget that many area restaurants are staying open for takeout, curbside pickup or home delivery. If you’ve got a favorite or you’d like to try someplace new, now’s the time. Please continue supporting local businesses during this difficult time. If you need some ideas of places that are still serving, you can find them on this Area Business Updates Page.

16 Weird, Wacky & Interesting Facts About Our Area

HINT: In the spirit of April Fool’s Day, one of these is NOT true. If you know which one it is, then you’re not an April Fool!

1. Bloomsburg became Pennsylvania’s first, and only, incorporated town in 1870.

2. The inventor of the typewriter and the QWERTY keyboard was born in Mooresburg in 1819.

3. A Washingtonville resident invented one of the earliest versions of the paper clip as well as the folding cardboard box and the hook and eye.

4. Whistling in the street is against the law in Danville.

5. The bankruptcy of an African ostrich farm in Espy made national news in 1915.

6. Berwick became the number one producer of tanks in the nation during World War II, and also was the largest manufacturer of train and subway cars on the East Coast.

7. Montour County was named for Madame Montour, who was an interpreter at treaty conferences with Native Americans in the 1700s.

8. Danville was named for General Daniel Montgomery, who opened the first store in the community and later served in Congress.

9. In late September 1923, street lights were lit for the first time in Bloomsburg.

10. Centralia, famous for its still-burning underground mine fire, is in Columbia County. Its founder, Alexander Rea, was murdered by the Molly Maguires in 1868.

11. Ludwig Eyer, who founded Bloomsburg in 1802, attended George Washington’s presidential inauguration ceremony 13 years earlier in New York City.

12. Thomas Edison once paid a surprise visit to Danville.

13. Jethro Gibbs on TV’s NCIS show is from Stillwater in Columbia County, one of the twenty smallest towns in the entire state.

14. In the right spot, your car will appear to roll backwards by itself up a hill in Numidia.

15. The Beach Haven area of Berwick had a speedway racetrack in the 1970s.

16. The Susquehanna River is the longest river on the east coast. It is also widely considered to be one of the five oldest rivers in the world.

SPOILER ALERT – Want to learn which “fact” is false? Curious to learn more details about some of the strange but true facts? Here are the details!