This Independence Day, as thousands gather in downtown Williamsport, they will be greeted by a skyline dominated by an enormous American flag. The driving force behind the effort to display this symbol of our freedom during the annual July 4 festivities was the late Chuck Roan, who passed away this past February. “Semper Fidelis,” meaning
The valley echoed with explosions last night and spectacular and aerial bombs lighted the sky for all in the Greater Williamsport area to see. The occasion was the annual July 4th fireworks display for all to see co-sponsored by the Sun-Gazette Co. and the Grit Publishing Co. It is estimated that more than 60,000 people
This Friday, we will celebrate Independence Day. This is when families get together for picnics, watch fireworks in the evening, and generally enjoy a day off. It is a tradition that goes back a very, very long time, in fact, as long as our national independence itself. John Adams, our first Vice President of the
All things lavender will be celebrated and highlighted when the Pennsylvania Lavender Festival is held this weekend, June 28 and 29, at the Blue Sparrow Farm near Milton. According to festival organizers, the Pennsylvania Lavender Festival began in 2023 with just a few hundred plants. The number has now grown to more than 2,000 plants
Interest in knowing more about the paranormal and various ghostly happenings has grown markedly in recent years. Two local residents, Elaine Decker and Adam Wilson, have founded a local organization to explore this often fascinating area of inquiry, and they call their group “Ghost Quest.” In addition, the group has a YouTube channel called “Real
Both my wife Debbie and I had chaotic 70th birthday parties. Three years ago, I spent my birthday in Geisinger Hospital in Danville with a major heart issue, and last year, my wife’s birthday had an uninvited party wrecker. It was late June, and Debbie had designed a fantastic event we planned for our church
When the British monarchs, King George and Queen Elizabeth land today from their Canadian and American tour and open their bulging trunks their two young daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose will have some “Williamsport manufactured” goods with which to have a World’s Fair party their parents planned for them. Paper tablecloths, paper napkins, cups
The borough of South Williamsport has been blessed with fire protection through volunteer firefighters for almost 150 years. One local man celebrates that proud heritage through his own makeshift fire museum, located in the area of Lincoln Avenue and Matthews Boulevard near Second Avenue. It almost seems natural that Al Ginoble, the man who organized
Parade-loving East End residents are treated once a week to a show staged at the Penn Street Armory by the Howard W. Kahler Post 844 VFW drum and bugle corps. The 40-piece organization meets every Wednesday evening at the armory for drill practice. Before proceedings are long underway, a large crowd of youngsters and grown-ups
It is rare to see a Lycoming County Board of Commissioners Meeting that was as excited and joyous as the one on Thursday, June 5th. If a county government were a family, this meeting would be like opening the presents on Christmas Day. I knew something pretty big was about to happen when I watched
The explosion of a pocket of gas in Newton-McGraw Number One, an operation of the Williamsport Natural Gas Company, in Hebron Township, Potter County on Sunday night delayed the drilling for only one day. At a depth of 4,555, feet, the drill penetrated into a pocket of about three million cubic feet of gas which
There is something special about a parade. For almost two decades now, we have seen this in Williamsport with the Grand Slam Parade in August. That parade welcomes the 20 teams from around the world that will be playing each other in the Little League World Series. The popularity of the parade is evidenced by
