Author: Robb Helfrick

WAYNESBORO – After opening his art gallery last May, Seth Holmes has settled into his new creative space. With a bright yellow door that welcomes art-loving patrons, his gallery on the Square is an enticing new art destination in an already charming downtown shopping district. After entering that sun-colored portal, the gallery’s interior is lit by a large north-facing window. That exposure offers even natural lighting that showcases Holmes’s collection of artwork, which is sometimes whimsical, but with other newer pieces possessing an impressionistic flair. A separate room off the main entry is painted a rich green hue and offers…

During World War II’s catastrophic era, a story of unlikely cooperation and enduring friendship between once-enemy combatants developed in Franklin County. When a group of Italian POWs arrived at Letterkenny Army Depot in 1944, these soldiers agreed to help the Americans and their allies defeat Nazi Germany. Their story is featured in a new documentary, which celebrated its world premiere on Friday, Sept. 6, in Chambersburg. The film, “Fedelta. Soldier. Prisoner.” was screened at the Capitol Theatre to a near-capacity crowd. Creator Stephen Mancini thanked the assembled audience as he introduced his documentary. His enthusiasm and pride for the completed…

By 1974, stories about Gettysburg’s epic battle had been shared and published for 111 years. With a gigantic collective history volume already in place, it seemed unlikely anything profound about that event could be added. In fact, authors wrote more books about the Civil War than all other American history subjects combined. However, a novel by author Michael Shaara, released in 1974, altered that perception. His work, titled “The Killer Angels,” is a masterpiece told by a born storyteller. Beyond its powerful prose and historical insight, this book also inspired a legacy of other notable artistic projects from talented people…

Each Major League Baseball season, glory is chased during a grueling 162-game schedule, stretching from the cool afternoons of spring until chill evenings in autumn. When October arrives the elite teams, fielding the toughest players, compete to win championships. When those storied seasons add up to generations of baseball, only a few players achieve the status of a hero. One reward is an invitation to Cooperstown and enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This is the story of one of those players, born in Franklin County on Christmas day, 1927. He worked his way to baseball’s pinnacle, not with…

An area encompassing 1.9 million acres, including a portion of Franklin County, is now included in a new designation called the Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has announced. This unique conservation program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies and coordinated through state and local partnerships. The Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape will impact local private landowners and the military base also located within the KRSL, and details will soon unfold as this extensive program takes shape. The Sentinel Landscape program was launched in 2013. This national program’s designated areas are described by…

After more than 100 years in flight, the aviation industry still inspires amazement, thanks to constant advancements in technology, combined with the grit and courage of those who fly. The thrill of seeing a plane zoom overhead is a typical earthbound sight. But this ground-to-air perspective doesn’t always provide the proper “wow” factor. Sometimes, it’s equally exciting to see these flying marvels sit momentarily still and enjoy their forms up close. To see their rows of rivets, or to trace the shiny metal of a perfectly curved wing, is a timeless pleasure. To inspect the fine woodgrain of an ancient…

WAYNESBORO — Artist Jim Reeser has painted and sketched for nearly 30 years. His dedication to charitable causes and fascination for America’s past have recently benefited two local organizations — the Waynesboro VFW and Monterey Pass Battlefield Museum. Reeser turned new discoveries into original artwork. One piece was already presented to the historic Monterey Pass site, and the other inspired work will be donated to the VFW this week in Waynesboro. Jim Reeser grew up in Hershey, and worked for more than 40 years in retail management. Painting was a hobby, acquired to improve his personal life, but he ultimately…

When precipitous clouds hover over the nearby Appalachians, they release replenishing rainfall onto a diverse and dynamic ecosystem. Spring water also bubbles upward from beneath this forested landscape, and together these converging liquid resources create a watershed of wonder. Featuring contemporary names like Rattlesnake Run, Bailey Spring, Swift Run and the renowned Antietam Creek, these waters tumbling from the mountains have nourished the Cumberland Valley for eons. In addition to feeding native flora and fauna, this water supply also serves as a lifeblood for human communities downstream. One of those towns is Waynesboro. In a process requiring persistence and ingenuity…

SMITHSBURG, Md. — The public can learn more about permaculture, a form of regenerative agriculture that homeowners and businesses can use to help restore and heal broken ecosystems, at a Tuesday lecture at the Smithsburg Library. Speaking will be Melissa Irwin, a landscape designer and permaculture consultant, who will speak from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Her talk is titled “Intro to Permaculture” and is free to the public. Irwin is the owner of Mid-Atlantic Permaculture, and she is a landscape designer. Her firm provides consultations, design and installations for people who desire productive gardens that fit their lifestyle. Irwin hopes…

When I was a youngster, on most weekends after church our family visited my maternal grandfather, Bob. At the time, he was in his 70s and his health was in decline. But his spirits were typically upbeat, especially when his rambunctious grandkids, clothed in Sunday best, jumped into his bed. Each week at Grandad’s house, I would sidle up to him and say, “Tell me about the good ol’ days.” He would smile and entertain us with his tales. Born in 1900, Bob witnessed many historic events during his 20th-century life. The automobile became a growing trend, chugging along Waynesboro’s…