Author: Staff Reports

WAYNESBORO – Area families are invited to join a walk along the story trail on Sunday, Oct. 13, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Pine Hill Recreation Area, hosted by Buttonwood Nature Center, home of The Institute. Children will join a guided walk and activities along the story trail as they read a story book, then make a special craft project to take home. Held over from last month, the book for October is “Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Shapes” by Felicia Sanzari Chernesky, with illustrations by Susan Swan. “This book celebrates the visual delights―not just…

The fall season in Greencastle brings an opportunity for residents and visitors to honor local veterans through the “Hometown Hero Banner” program. This initiative showcases banners featuring portraits of service personnel displayed prominently along various streets in the town, creating a tribute to those who have served in the military. Where to Find the Banners The Hometown Hero Banners can be found on several key streets throughout Greencastle, including: These banners not only beautify the town but also serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by local heroes. Interactive Experience For those interested in finding specific individuals honored by…

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Treasury Department has been able to return 732 military decorations to veterans and their families, and more unclaimed decorations are now available on MissingMoney.com, a national database where individuals can easily search for unclaimed property in almost every state. Commonwealth Treasurer Stacy Garrity said the department is working to return an additional 450 decorations which are currently in the state vault. Garrity noted MissingMoney.com is maintained by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. “Returning military decorations is a personal mission for me,” said Garrity, a 30-year veteran who retired as a colonel from the U.S.…

HAGERSTOWN, Md. – A public survey on the Hagerstown traffic safety action plan will be open for comment through Oct. 4 at https://live.metroquestsurvey.com/?u=sj2e2p#!/.   The survey is offered by the city of Hagerstown and the Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning Organization and Washington County government. The survey seeks public input on ranking the city’s top transportation safety priorities, identifying locations of traffic safety concerns and congestion areas, near misses, suggestions and improvement ideas. Questions and written comments should be directed to Matt Mullenax at 240-313-2081, [email protected] or mailed to the HEPMPO office at 33 W. Washington St., Suite 402, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Only written comments…

CHAMBERSBURG – The Chambersburg Memorial YMCA is set to host the highly anticipated 3rd Annual Rally in the Valley Pickleball Tournament on Oct. 4-5. This two-day event has become a staple in the local sports calendar, drawing pickleball players from across the region. Tournament Details The tournament will take place indoors at the Chambersburg Memorial YMCA, 570 E. McKinley St. The event kicks off on Friday evening with mixed doubles matches for both over and under 60 age categories. Saturday will feature women’s and men’s doubles competitions, also divided into 60+ and Under 60 categories. Schedule Breakdown: Registration and Fees…

CHAMBERSBURG – Franklin County Commissioners, in their third quarterly “on the road” meetings, will convene Oct. 16 at the Washington Township Municipal Office. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the township office at 11798 Buchanan Trail E, Waynesboro. Other off-site meetings were held in Antrim Township and Path Valley earlier this year. Commissioners’ public board meetings are normally held at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays at the Franklin County Administration Building in Chambersburg. Earlier this year, the commissioners announced plans to host an evening meeting on the third Wednesday of each month with one quarterly meeting to be held…

HARRISBURG – A comprehensive toolkit to help the next generation of Pennsylvanians learn how to discern fact from fiction online has been unveiled by the state Department of Education.   “Our children are being fed half-truths, prejudices, and propaganda every day on their phones and social media,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro. “I’ve heard from teachers across our Commonwealth about how kids find misinformation online and bring it into the classroom, where our educators are forced to confront it. “We need to address that – and the first step is giving teachers and parents more tools in their toolbox to help teach…

CHAMBERSBURG – Letterkenny Army Depot will host its inaugural Oktoberfest on Sept. 28 at the historic James Finley House, welcoming all members of the workforce, their families and the public. The festivities will kick off at 11 a.m. and continue until 8 p.m., promising a day filled with food, entertainment and community engagement. Event Highlights: Col. Donald Santillo, commander of Letterkenny Army Depot, invites the media and public to partake in this event. Oktoberfest aims not only to celebrate German culture but also to strengthen community ties by providing a platform for local businesses and organizations to showcase their offerings.

MIDDLETOWN – A recently announced agreement between Constellation EnergyCorp. and Microsoft Corp. could lead to resumed power generation from Three MileIsland’s Unit 1, which was taken offline in 2019 due to economic conditions.Unit 1 produced up to 837 megawatts of energy (enough to power 800,000 homes) atany given time when shuttered five years ago, according to a news release fromConstellation. Microsoft signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Constellation for all energyproduced on the island, starting as early as 2028 after restoration of the turbine,generator, main power transformer, and cooling and control systems, the release said.Neither side disclosed how much…

STATE LINE – A “visit” from renowned Civil War hero Gen. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain will be the topic of the Middleburg/Mason-Dixon Line Historical Society at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17. The public is invited to this unique historical presentation at the State Line Ruritan Building, off Route 11 at the State Line Community Park. The guest speaker for the evening will be Rev. Bob McFarlane, a retired minister from Chambersburg. McFarlane is known for his expertise as a local Civil War historian and his skill in first-person presentations. This one is entitled “A Visit from General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.”…