DON'T HOLD BACK!

   WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

                DON'T HOLD BACk!

   Well September has arrived and, with it,

"International Enthusiam Week!" You are

encouraged to throw yourself into something

full force this week. Perhaps a hobby, your

work, or some sport. Pick something you  

 really enjoy. That will make it easier. I

can't tell you a lot about this 7 day campaign.

We don't know how it got started or who it

was that came up with the whole idea. Maybe

they weren't really too enthusiatic about it.

Thar said, this is the week, so really get into

something and don't hold back! Hope it works

out for you and that all your NEWS is good!  

SCHOOL DAYS-OLD SCHOOL!

    TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

   SCHOOL DAYS-OLD SCHOOL!

     While checking Facebook on Monday

I noticed photo after photo ok kids starting

back to school. I am from the "old school!"

My school always started back to class after

Labor Day. And that was logical! Many people

plan full week vacations around the Labor Day

holiday. And many of their destinations are

places like amusement parks that depend, to a great

deal. of young people for their work force. Young

people also make up a good deal of their customer

base. Seems to me the trend away from a post

Labor Day start was at least partially based on

the fact that so many schools, at least those in our

northeast region, faced an unknown number of

days they'd have to close because of snow storms.

But now that we know learning on line has become

routine for many. many students, perhaps the on

line system could be a back up to be used to deal

with "Snow Days " That way the folks who want

to take full advantage of the Labor Day week could

 do so either as workers por guests. I very much doubt

these "early starts" are making a great deal of

difference on our quality of education. Just my

thoughts on the matter. Hope you're well and that

all your NEWS is good!  

BOOTH'S DUSTY HANKEY!

    MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021

     BOOTH'S DUSTY HANKEY!

    Hubery Cecill Booth was a British

engineer who was a great designer as

well. He designed Ferris wheels, 

suspension bridges. factories, and

even engine parst for warships!

But the design that made him famous

was born from seeing an American

machine that blew dust off of furniture

amd office chairs. Booth wondered if

the process could be reversed. To tes

the idea he placed his handkerchief

over a dusty chair, then put his mouth

on it and inhaled. When he turned the

hankey over he saw all the dust it held.

Booth tried in on a machine and got the

same results. So, he patened the first

powered vacume cleaner. A concept 

that sucked! But, in his case, that's

exactly what he wanted! Hope you're

well and tht all your NEWS is good!  

TOGETHER AGAIN!

  SUNDAY, AUGUST 29, 2021

       TOGETHER AGAIN!

    World War I couldn't do it. World

War II couldn't do it. But last year,

for the first time since 1912 the annual

Singley family reunion had to be

cancelled because of the Covid pandemic.

So, yesterday, people who trace their family

roots to the Singley family met, once again,

at a small church outside of the villiage of

Zion Grove, Pennsylvania the adjourned

for a feast and fellowship at the family

farm just a few miles away. The sky was

cloudy but the mood was sunny as cousins.

in some cases very distant cousins, gathered

to exchange family stories and history and

remember those who brought us there when

we were just kids. I'll be posting an album

from the cookout and party on my Facebook

page to give those interested more of a "feel"

for the day's events. I'm hoping this reunion

will continue long after I'm gone and that

future members of the Singley clan will

remember just how deep and long a family's

roots can be. I hope your family has it's own

annual reunion and, if not, consider getting

one together. You won't regret it! Hope you're

successful and that all your NEWS is good! 

GOOD FOR WHAT ALES YOU?

   SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2021

  GOOD FOR WHAT ALES YOU?

   Throughout the years pharmacists

have been coming up with concoctions

to help us deal with what ales us. But

sometimes their products don't really

seem like medicine! Such was the case

in 1837 when two pharmacists, John Lea

and William Perrins came up with a mixture

that was too harsh to ingest. They stored it

in a basement but discovered the taste

had changed after the liquid fermented!

And on this day in 1837 they marketed their

new product... Worcestershire Sauce!

 In was on this day in 1893 that pharmacist

Caleb Bradham came up with a medicine to

aid digestion. He called it "Brad's drink."

The name was eventually changed though

and you know it now as Pepsi Cola! Ah the

wonderful world of pharmaceuticals! Hope

you're taking all your medicians, that you're

well, and that all your NEWS is good! 

THE BIG BANG!

    FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

            THE BIG BANG!

    Mother Nature can be powerful.

We got a small taste of that power a

couple days ago with heavy rains and

a strong wind that caused flash flooding

ans well of some power outages. But if

you want to know just how powerful she

can be you've got to look back a few years

to this very date in 1883 the largest

explosiong ever heard on this planet took

place west of Java in Indonesia with the 

peak eruption of the volcano on the island

of Krakatoa! The blast was heard 3,000

miles away! It sent rock and ash 50 miles

into the sky and created a tidal wave 120

feet high. To give you an even better idea,

the blast was 13,000 times stronger than

the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima!

It claimed between 36 and 40 thousand

lives! And, again, it happened on this date

in 1883. Never fool with Mother Nature!

She has more power than most of us could

ever imagine! Hope you're well and that all

your NEWS is good! 

REMEMBERING JOSH COWEN

   WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

    REMEMBERING JOSH COWEN

   When it comes to remembering inventors

who had an impack on our lives most folks

tend to think about Edison or Alexander Grahm

Bell. So the name Joshua Cowen may not ring a

bell with you. Let me shed some light on the

subject. Joshua came up with the idea for a

light that illuminated the turntable on record

players. It eventually became what we now

call the Flashlight! Joshua's creativity began

when he was only 7-years-old! He came up

with a tiny electric motor that could be

attached to toys. Still don't remember him?

Maybe his middle name might give you a

clue to his success story. It was Lionel!

That should put you on the right track!   

Hope you're well and that all your NEWS

is good!  

NEVER AGAIN?

    TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

              NEVER AGAIN?

    We sometimes sooth our wounds from

a bad day by assuring ourselves "That

can't happen again." But don't be too sure!

I mention that fact because this is "Vesuvius

Day!" It was August 24th of 79AD that Mount

Vesuvius erupted destroying three Romas

cities including Pompeii. An estimated 3,336

people were killed! But in 1631 it happened

all over again. And that time some 3500 people

died. More than the better during the earlier

and, perhaps, better know eruption! In fact the

volcano has erupted time and time again over

the years with the last "major incident" happening

on 1944. So, how does one observe "Vesuvios

Day?" Well, I suppose, any way you want. Just

don't "blow your top!" Hope you're well and

that all yours NEWS is good!

CHARGE!

   MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

                 CHARGE!

   Chances are you don't know a heck 

of a lot about the various bural calls

used by the military. But it's a pretty

good bet you'd recogniza the Cavalry

Charge. They still play it at baseball games

in the hope of rallying the home team.

And you may remember it from the movies

when General Custer made his famous, though

ill fated. charge at the Little Bighorn! I bring

it up because it was on August 23rd, 1944 that

the last major cavalry charge took place! It was

is Russia and it involved an Italian cavalry unit

which charged Russial artillery! But get this....

the cavalry won the day! When the battle ended

the Italians had lost 32 men and 100 horses. But

the Russians had 150 men killed, 300 wounded.

and 600 captured! You'd think we'd still be using

the charge and not just at basemall games! Just

though you'd like to know! Hope you're well and

that all your NEWS is good! 

SAINT & THE SERPENT!

 

   SUNDAY, AUGUST 22ND., 2021
      THE SAINT& THE SERPENT!

     There didn't seem to be too much
special about this date until I did some
research and learned that one of the
longest living legends started on
August 22nd in the year 565!
       That's when Saint Columba, the man
credited with bringing Christianity to
Scotland., claimed to see a monster on
Loch Ness!
        I was in Scotland in 2014 and had
the opportunity of cruising on Loch
Ness. Everybody was hoping to catch
a glimpse of "Nessie." But even with
bottom searching sonar all we saw was
the beautiful lake and the surrounding
mountains.
         I took a few photos but haven't
really looked at them all. I'll post a couple
for you.
         Don't believe everything  you hear
but, on the other hand, don't blink! You
might miss something!!!
          Hope yoiu're well and that all
your NEWS is good.

THE SENIOR CLASS!

   SATURDAY, AAUGUST 21, 2021

          THE SENIOR CLASS!

  It's August 21st everybody and this is

"Senior Citizens Day!" When I was growing

up I considered anyone older was a senior

citizen. My parents. Certainly my grand mother.

But that designation has changed a lot over the

years. At one time retirement age qualified one

as a senior. That age used to be 65. But now you

can reture at 62. That's the age one has to be to

buy a Senior Pass to our national parks. But

AARP , which has been representing senior's

interests for years, welcomes members once

they hit 50! I finally realized and admitted

I was a senior during a snow storm a few years

back. It was very bad and people were being'asked

to call their senior neighbors to make sure they were

all right. I picked up my cell phone and called

my home phone. And, yes, I was OK! Hope

you're well, whatever your age, and that all

your NEWS is good.

NOW HEAR THIS!

 

 GRIDAY, AUGUST 20TH., 2021
            NOW HEAR THIS!    !

     For me it's a walk down Memory
Lane. August 20th is National Radio Day.
     The bulk of my 60 years in the
media have been in television. But
I got my start in radio. And I've got
a lot of memories from those "radio
daze."
      I learned a lot from the years I
spent as a DJ. How to Ad Lib for
instance! You had to think and
act fast when things didn't go just
right.
      I remember reading a list of
Basketball scores. Suddenly, in
the middle of the list, I hit this one
.
( School name)  36
Pennsylvania School for the Dead, 20.
     What the wire service writer meant,
of course, was Pennsylvania School
for The Deaf.
      With my microphone still turned
on I said...."Gee, I'm surprised they
scored at all."
       Local radio was generally a lot
of fun back then. If you were
innovative you could do some neat
things. One day, at WBRX in Berwick,
I was working the control board when
a parade started coming down Main
Street. I grabbed an extra long
microphone cord, walked to a hallway
window, and did a "play by play" on
the line of march.
     Local radio was very local! I still
remember WAZL in Hazleton still
doing the Mine Working Schedules
for area coal mines and breakers when
I was getting started in 1959.
     We carried the New York Yankees
when I worked at WTHT (also in
Hazleton). When Yankee announcer
Mel Allan paused for stations on the
network to identify themselves, I'd
say "Thank you Mel" as though we
knew each other before giving our
call letters.
     Problem was, we were a "Daytime
Station" and had to go off the air at
dusk. But, sometimes, the ballgames
weren't over at dusk!  I'd have to
turn off the transmitter and run out
of the place as soon as possible to
avoid having to answer the telephone!
       I broadcast from a closet at
WNAK the day President Kennedy
was shot. That's where we kept our
Associated Press Teletype and it was
the fastest way for me to air the
latest developments.
       Our shining hour came just
before and in the weeks after the
1972 flood in Wyoming Valley when
a dozen area radio stations joined
forces to provide information on
the emergency. One headline read
"Radio Was The Hero Of The Hour!"
        So here's a tip of the hat to the
folks on and behind the microphones
then, and now, as we observe
National Radio Day!
        Hope the School for the Dead
is still playing strong...and that all
your NEWS is good!

         (WBRX Berwick 1965)

    

FOUL BALL!!

   THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2021

               FOUL BALL!!!

    For those who don't know, Christy

Mathewson was one of the greatest

baseball pitchers of all time. He's on

the list of the top ten major league pitchers

and was one of the original 5 players

inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

For us, he was also a "local boy,' born in

Factoryville where he is honored with a

festival every year. He was known as

"Bix Six" and "The Christian Gentelman."

Seems ironic then that, on this very day in

1917 he, then managing the Cincinati Reds,

and legendary New York Giants Manager

John McGraw, got themselves arrested!

They had planned a special baseball game

for August 19th to benefit soldiers about

to ship overseas in Worle War I. They

even arranged to have a band play for

the soldiers before the game. Problem

was, August 19th was a Sunday and New

York's "Blue Laws" were still in effect!

So McGraw and our "Christian Gentelman"

were arrested for staging a baseball game

on the Sabbath! They both went to court

and could have faced heavty fines were in

not for an understanding judge who

dismissed the charges....setting in place

a police that allowed baseball to be played

on Sundays! Not an umpire,,,but a great

call! Hope you're we;; and that all your NEWS

is good! 

THE 1ST HOME SHOPPING NETWORK!

    WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2021

THE 1ST HOME SHOPPING NETWORK!

   This is a very bog day in the history of

advertising! It was on this day in 1872 that

the A M Ward Company published the very

first mail order catalog! That allowed people

to shop at home! Of course catalogs became

very [popular over the years, especially the

Sears Catalog which was about the biggest.

It not only offered merchandise but doubled

its popularity in the days before indoor

plumbing became standard! Catalogs are a

little harder to find these days although a number

of companies, like Avon, still make them available

to customers. Many catalogs are offered on line

now but I kind of like having a printed one in

which I can circle an item I really like then let

it somewhere my wife is bound to see it! Hope

you're still checking the catalogs, that you are

well and that all yourb NEWS is good! 

GENTELMEN, START YOUR ENGINES!

         TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2021

GENTELMEN, START YOUR ENGINES!

   I saw a story on television the other night

about self driving tractor trailer trucks! They've

been experimenting with self driving cars for

several years now. Personally I prefer to do my

own driving. But it's so amazing how far car

technology has come over the years! You

probably have a car with key-less entry. 

Certainly power steering and power breaks.

Maybe even a back up camera and GPS unit.

You probably even have a device that shows

you the temperature! I mention all this because

one of the greatest inventions in automobile

technology was patented on this very day in

1891. It was the electric starter! Prior to its

invention you literally had to turn a crank to

start your car motor. These days you can do that

from your porch with a remote control car

starter. I like that kind of technology. But I

still want to press that button all by myself!

Hope you're still driving yourself and that

all your NEWS is good! 

UPS AND DOWNS!

    MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2021

          UPS AND DOWNS!

    This is a day that shoudl be filled

with ups and downs! It's "National

Roller Coaster Day!" The first roller

coaster was patened on this day in 

1898 by Edwin Prescott. Of course,

as we've discussed here before. the

roller coaster was actually fashioned

after the gravity railroad, a system that

allowed coal loaded railroad cars to

literally roll to their destination without

the need for a powered engine. And the

gravity railroad was started in the area

we now call Jim Thorpe. So the roller

coaster was "born" in Pennsylvania!

I am a coaster watcher rather than rider

but, for those of you who enjoy those

dips and turns, this is the perfect day

to go for a ride! Hope you do and that

all your NEWS is good!

 

RELAX!

  SUNDAY, AUGUST 15, 2021

                 RELAX!

   August 15th is one of those unusual

"holidays" I like to tell you about. It's

"National Relaxation Day!" It's a day

when you're encouraged to take it easy

and do as little as possible. I've been

rehearsing for this day for many years.

After all, real relaxation takes practice.

This day, by the way, was created in 1985

by a 9-year-old Michigan boy, Sean Muller!

I never met him, but I like that kid! Hope

you're relaxating and that all your NEWS

is good! 

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY!

   SATURDAY, AUGUST 14TH., 2021
         RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY!

     By now I suspect a lot of people
are thinking about that verse little
kids can be heard to sing when showers
come along. My grandson does a pretty
good rendition.
      It's been around for a very long
time! But it's also changed a bit over
the years.
      Similar versions can be traced back
to ancient Greece. The first English version
goes back to the 17th century when a guy
named James Howell wrote "Raine, raine,
goe to Spain, faire weather come againe."
         As a kid I sometimes enjoyed a
rainy day. I'd play on our small back
porch where toys that used to belong to
my older brother were packed away
waiting to be rediscovered by the likes
of me.
        On days like that our L-shaped front
porch, covered by the floor of the porch
above, became a refuge from the rain
drops as my friends and I used it as a
fortress for our games of cops and
robbers or Cowboys and Indians.
         My wife tells me when the
rains came to her backyard, without
lighting that is, she and her brothers
and sisters would often dawn their
bathing suits and use their wet grass
as a water park, sliding across the
grass!

         These days it's rare to find

playing outside, even in the sunshine!

         The recent storms around our

area have been generally too strong
to allow outdoor play so kids take them
games inside and repeat the age old
chant, "Rain, rain, go away."
          Hope it works soon, and that
all your NEWS is good!
 

 

   FRIDAY, AUGUST 13TH., 2021
         A DAY TO BE WEARY?     

    It is Friday the 13th. For some, a day to
be weary.
    t's amazing how superstitions impact
our lives. Even though we don't always
realize it.
    For instance, try and fine the 13th
floor or a room numbered 13 any place
in New York City. Or most any other
big city as well! They are few are far
between.
     I never had any special fear of the
number 13. In fact I often welcomed
it when visiting my local bakery.(Do
they still do that?)
     But for whatever reasons a lot of
people are superstitious.
      This is a day to confront those
unnecessary worries!
       So go ahead, walk under a ladder
or let that black cat walk right in front
of you!
        Have no fear! I don't (knock on
wood!)
        Hope your lucky lottery number
comes up and that all your NEWS
is good!

     

      THURSDAY, AUGUST 12TH

THE MUSIC GOES ROUND & ROUND!

    While most people are listening to their
favorite songs on IPods or Smart phones
these days there was a time when the music
really did go round and round.
    Today is "Vinyl Record Day." It was
created by the Vinyl Record Day Company,
a non-profit organization dedicated to
preserving vinyl music, its culture, art, and
sound.
     Back in my Disk Jockey days virtually
all the music you heard coming through
your radio came from records, vinyl disks,
played on record players, turntables, in our
radio studios.
     Even then music was changing. Records
that spun at 33 and a third rpm were being
displaced by the 45's which most rock
artists used to promote their hits.
    I still have a small collection of the old
record albums as well as 45's, including
some Disk Jockey copies!
    It's kind of surprising they survived
after being played over and over back in
the day, Not to mention our system of
"slip cueing" the records. We'd start
playing the record off the air until we
heard the first notes in our headsets. Then
we'd physically stop the record, pull it
back half a turn (while the turntable
continued to turn) then go on the air,
and let go of the record so the song would
start exactly when we wanted it to!
     A lot of people listened in those
days. I got an idea just how many one
day when I blocked the door to the
control room at WBRX in Berwick and
played "Summertime Blues" about 35
times before the Chief Engineer
managed to break in and take my copies
away!
     Vinyl Record Day brings back some
great memories for me! My fun days in
radio before I switched over to the news
beat! Music was better than murders!
     I'm told, by those who should know,
that vinyl is making a comeback!
     I hope that's true and that all your
News is good!

A CALL FOR HELP!

   WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2021

              A CALL FOR HELP!

    A bit more history trivia today my

friends/ Sometimes history can prove to

be very strange! And sometimes some

history hereos get lost in time. Such is

the case with Theodore (Ted) Haubner.

He was a radio operator aroard the S.S.

Arapahoe which was sailing from New

York to Charleston, SC, when its

propelley shaft broke. That left the ship

adrift in the so-called 'Graveyard of the

Atlantic" off the outer banks of NC! The

150 passengers on board were in very real

danger, And it was on this very date in 1910

that Haubner became the first person at sea

to send the distress signal SOS! A sister ship,

the S.S. Iroquois, heard the call, responded,

and was able to tow the Arapahoe to safety.

Ironically, after the vessel was repaired a

few months later it was sailing for New York

when it was the Iroquois that ran into serious

trouble with a broken rudder near the same

area off NC! It also sent out an SOS whuch was

immediately received by Ted Haubner on the

Arapahoe! He thus became the first sailor to

both send and receive an SOS Distress call.

The Titanic's use of SOS came two years

later! Hope you're not in distress and that

all your NEWS is good!

LAB WORK!

   

,WEDNESDAY,AUGUST 10, 2022

               LAB WORK!

    Working in a laboratory hour after

hour and day after day can certainly

give one a headach. But that's what

German Chemist Felix Hoffman did.

He took on a challenging project as

he tried to find ways to synthesizer

acetylsalicylic acid. He finally

succeeded on this day in 1897!

Eventually he set up a company to

market his new chemical miracle

after it was patented/ The company

was Bayer! His product, of course,

was asprin! Hope you don't need

one and that all your NEWS is good!

TRY AGAIN!

   MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2021

              TRY AGAIN!

   Remember that old saying..."If at

first you don't succeed, try, try agian?"

Well we're lucky so many people subscribed

to that policy! On this very date in 1829 the

very first steam locomotive, the Stourbridge

Lion began operating in the United States.

It was built in England and sent to Honesdale

Pennsylvania to haul coal from the mines. The

engine worked just fine. But it was too heavy for

the rails and was quickly disassembled and ended

up in a museum. The idea was good though and

lighter engines took over the work. On August

9th of 1803 a Pennsylvania gentelman, Robert

Fulton, generally regarded as the commercial 

inventor of steam powered river boats, launched

his first vessel in the Seine river in France. It

sank!!!! Fortunately Robert kept trying and

eventually succeeded very well. A good lesson

for all! Hope you're well and that all your NEWS

is good! (Class dismissed.)

 

FILL HER UP!!

    SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 2021

            FILL HER UP!

   A lot of you "younger people" get

a chuckle when you hear us "older

folks" talk about the "good old days."

But I can assure you some things were

better back then. An example came to

my mind the other day when I stopped

at a Convenience store to gas up my

car.I decided to clean the windshield

but foud there was no squeegee in the

nearby container. I found one at another

nearby gas pump. But there was no water

in the one. Now let me take you back to

the 50's and 60's when we bought our

gas at a "Service Station!" An attendant

would come to your car, fill you gas tank,

ask if you wanted your oil checked, and

would clean your windshield! He'd give you

a receipt for your purchase if you wanted

one. The gas pumps themselves are

capable of printing a receipt these days.

But more often than not they don't and 

you're forced to get out of your car and

go into the store (where, of course,

they're hoping you'll see something that

attracts your attention and buy it!) And

another thing, the price of a gallon of

gas today would likely have filled my

tank in "the good old days." I rest my

case. Hope you're well and that all

your NEWS is good!

WHAT GOES AROUND.....

      SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2021

       WHAT GOES AROUND...

     We were thinking about going for a

drive the other day when our recently

graduated grandson Ryan stopped by.

As usual he took on the task, under very

sunny skies, of cutting our grass. We thought

it only right to invite him on our ride. Ay first

he said no, not wanting to take us away from

the Miata on a fine top down day. But as much

as we love driving somewhere in the sports

car we'd far rather spend time with any of our

grandkids. Ryan finaly said yes. But he insisted

on driving us! He recently got the truck of his

dreams and loves driving it anywhere at the

drop of a hat. It's ironic. For so many years

we've driven our kids and then grandkids

to all kinds of events and adventures. Now

here we were being the ones driven! I was impressed.

But not wanting to miss a great opportunity I

waited for just a few miles then shouted out

"Are we there yet?!" It had to be done! It

should be done to all the kids! It's my turn

now! Hope you're well and that all your

NEWS is good!

 

FAME?

  FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2021

             FAME?

    Some people seek fame. And

some people become famous, but

for all the wrong reasons! His friends

called him "Philadelphia Billy." And

Billy was born in Philadelphia. But

later in life he moved to Buffalo, New

York where he became a vegtable peddler.

Billy was all too famous for his drinking,

both in Philly and Buffalo, and he got himself

into many drunken brawls. It was after a

night of drinking that he returned home and 

got into an argument with Tilly, his common

law wife. Billy accused her of stealing from

him and of planning to run off with another

man. He killed her with an ax! And on this

very date in 1890 "Philadelphia Billy",

William Kemmler, gained fame by being

the first person executed in the Electric

chair! I just thought you ought to know.

Hope all your NEWS is good!

"HIDDEN HISTORY!"

   THURSDAY, AUGUST 5,2021

        "HIDDEN HISTORY!"

    It's amazing how many people pass

by monuments or historical places or

artifacts without even giving them a

thought. We tend to take them for

granted. So much history goes unnoticed.

There is one historiucal artifact that some

folks still stop for. If you'd like to see

it you'll have to go to Cleveland Ohio.

It's at the intersection of East 105th Street

and Euclid Avenue. It  's the first electric

traffic signal! It was installed on this date

in 1914! If you happen to go there stop

and see it....especially if it's red! Hope you're

well and that all your NEWS is good!

ROAD TRIP!

   WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4,2021

                 ROAD TRIP!

   My wife and I love to jump in the 

car, especially the Miata with the top down

on a nice day, and set out with no particular

plan in mind to see what there is to see. On

Tuesday that drive ended up in the Sunbury

area where we re-discovered Shikellamy

State Park. The park is literally set up on

land flanked by both the north and west

branch of the Susquehanna river. Some time

back somebody got the idea to build an 

inflatable dam in the river. When it's inflated,

as it is each summer. a hugh body of water

dubbed "Lake Agusta" is created on the river

making it an ideal place for boating and

fishing. The park itself oferes picnic and

playgrounds and boat rentals are available

for those who are interested. It's a reminder

that you don't have to travel all that far to

find recreational treasures. There are

probably some very close to where you live!

All you've got to do is look for the, then

go and use them! A road trip!!! Hope you 

do and that all your NEWS is good! 

SETTING SAIL!

  TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2021

           SETTING SAIL!

  We;ve all heard the verse. "In 1492

Columbus sailed the ocean blue." Well,

as it happens, that voyage began on this

date, August 3rd of 1492! Columbus

had a fleet of three ships. The Nina, the

Pinta, and the Santa Maria. The Santa

Maria was his flag ship. But you may not

know that on Christmas day that same year

the Santa Maria ran aground and sank in

the waters just off what we now know as

Hati. The crew was put ashore to establish

a coloney there. But Chris saided back to

Europe to begin plans for his next voyage.

As far as I've been able to determine the

rumor that there was a 4th ship that sailed off

the end of the earth is untrue. Hope you're

up on your history and that all your NEWS

is good!

SAVE AND SHARE!

  MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 2021

       SAVE AND SHARE!

    Before we get into this new month

I wanted to make sure you were aware

August is Crayon Collection Month!

It's sponsored by an organization that

encourages you to save your old crayons

to donate them so they can be shared where

they're needed. The Head Start Program is

one of the places your old crayons could

end up. We have a small collection at our

house. Some from an old Crayola box and

a few from area restaurants. But our youngest

grandson turns 6 today so we'll probably still

get some good use out of our collection.

Maybe even today since August 2 nd is

Coloring Book Day!!! Hope you're staying

within the lines and that all your NEWS is

good!