The Conewago Valley school district discussed adding personnel and continued a longstanding debate on the elementary school renovations project budget during meetings on Feb. 2. The board held three back-to-back meetings: a personnel discussion as part of the broader conversation surrounding the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget, a regular public study session, and a closed executive session to discuss personnel topics. Business manager Scott Fraser presented the proposed personnel budget and increased staffing plan, with the suggested personnel budget estimated at a total of $62,325,977.79. If realized, it would be an increase of $3,595,638.45 over the 2025-26 budget. Fraser said at present, the district employs 498 people to fill 624 positions as some individuals hold multiple positions. Most of the budget – 84% – is used for instructional roles, while the rest goes towards employing administrators, security, maintenance personnel and other staff. Fraser said Conewago Valley spends about 57% of its personnel budget on wages and 43% on benefits, which is in line with other Pennsylvania districts. It is different than the national average of 61.5% on salaries and 38.5% on benefits due to Pennsylvania districts paying into the Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS), according to Fraser. Medical expenses and PSERS contributions make up the bulk of the benefit expenses. Fraser said the administration recommends hiring 22 new positions, including 12 teachers and aides who will help with autistic support classrooms. Additionally, the administration recommends hiring a director of innovation, an administrative maintenance lead, a college career coordinator, two school counselors, two math intervention aides, a Spanish teacher for New Oxford Middle School, a school security officer for Conewago Township Elementary School, and a maintenance employee. Fraser said the new hires’ portion of the $3.6 million increase to the personnel budget may not be as high as budgeted. He created the budget using a “worst case scenario” where each individual came in at the top of the pay scale for their position and took advantage of family benefits, which are pricier for the district than single-person benefits. Setting the budget at its highest possible point allows for more flexibility when planning. “This just sets up the district to know there will be no further expense beyond that,” Fraser said. “It is likely and highly probable that we will not hire people at the top of the scale who need family coverage.” Superintendent Sharon Perry said some of the suggested positions are the district playing catch-up to both its needs and reaching similar staffing in comparable districts. One example Perry used was the requested director of innovation, who would work with the director of technology but in different areas. The director of innovation would help with rosters and access for students and teachers using educational apps and programs, as well as many other tasks. “Just for clarification, this is a very common position in school districts of similar size,” Perry said. “So we are behind in that sense that these positions exist in much smaller school districts, that the amount of software and education that happens through these educational apps has dramatically increased that need. It’s one of those positions that we’ve been putting off because we had the priority of getting more teachers into the classrooms and also to have the support services.” Perry also addressed the two requested maintenance positions. Currently, the maintenance department already has open positions, but Perry said district administration feels another maintenance hire is needed on top of adding an administrative maintenance lead. The lead would help keep on top of maintenance contracts and other tasks. Currently, maintenance staff often ends up working on evenings and weekends due to being understaffed, according to Perry. Perry also advocated for adding a Spanish teacher to the middle school, which will reduce classroom sizes and introduce basic Spanish words, Spanish culture and more to students at a younger age. “Our goal with the Spanish is, we have upwards of 20% of our student population who are Spanish speaking, and from an industry perspective, we’re receiving a lot of feedback that Spanish exposure, cultural understanding, (and) conversational Spanish is really critically important for the workforce in our footprint,” Perry said. Perry said adding Spanish to the middle school level has been a common request from various areas of the community. She said the vocabulary support of understanding root words would also benefit students. The board debated the need and financial capacity for adding a middle school Spanish instructor, but no consensus was reached. During the time for public comment, two individuals criticized the board for the New Oxford Elementary School renovations project, citing their belief in a lack of need as well as budget concerns. One speaker said the budgeted cost for furniture is too high. Perry clarified that the furniture fund is 50% of industry standard and will likely come in even lower. The board debated whether it should reduce or remove the furniture fund, though board president Jeffrey Kindschuh said adjusting it would likely mean delaying the project and holding another Act 34 hearing. Kindschuh also asked what the furniture budget would be changed to and how that figure would be determined, though no suggestions were made apart from removing it and determining need later. The second public speaker said he feels the district is overspending on additional space beyond what it needs, voicing distrust in future student enrollment projections. Perry said that while future enrollment is a factor, an increased amount of special education students who require new spaces is another. Perry also said the age of the buildings was the main reason the board began the projects. The district is in the process of renovating and expanding Conewago Township Elementary School as well as NOE. “Both of these projects are very, very tight projects,” Perry said. “They are not exorbitant. They’re not the Taj Mahal.” The board agreed to have additional discussion about the NOE furniture budgeting during its regular board meeting next week. Upcoming meetings The board will hold a regular public meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9 in the district board room. An Act 34 hearing for New Oxford Elementary School is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 in the NOE cafeteria. The board will hold a finance and budget meeting from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17 in the district board room. The athletic subcommittee will meet from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19. It was initially postponed due to the recent winter storm.

Upper Adams School District received an unusually high increase in grant funds from the state, which officials say will help the district support important needs. Typically, Upper Adams receives about $263,000 from the state Ready to Learn Grant, according to Assistant Superintendent Joseph Albin. Historically, Upper Adams used this funding to offset kindergarten salaries and benefits to reduce class size. Last year’s grant came in at about $800,000, Albin said. This year’s equates to more than $1.95 million. “This is actually a great thing,” Albin told the school board at Tuesday’s curriculum and extra-curricular committee meeting. Upper Adams administrators are recommending the board spread this money across several areas of need. The funds must be used for the 2025-2026 school year. “This is $2 million of expenses that we would already have to pay” by drawing on funds elsewhere in the budget, Albin said, if not for the grant. Of that nearly $2 million in grant funding, Albin proposed the district put about $794,300 toward academic license renewals that are coming due. About $616,500 is proposed to go toward an expected increase in tuition payments to charter and cyber charter schools. Public schools are required by law to pay this tuition. At Upper Adams, kindergarten class size reduction would remain a priority, with about $263,700 of grant funds proposed to support staff salaries and benefits. Nearly $36,000 is proposed to expand the IXL academic software program to kindergarten through second grade. Albin said students in third through eighth grade currently use the software to assist with remediation and enrichment in several subjects. The remaining grant money is proposed to be distributed as follows: * $218,000 for a shop dust collector * About $17,100 for the Biglerville Elementary Summer Program * $7,000 for curriculum supplies * $3,500 for professional development in artificial intelligence * $3,500 for professional development in risk assessment Albin said the administration considered many factors when deciding how to best recommend using the grant funds. “We really looked ahead, looked at what expenses were coming up,” he said. “We looked at district needs, we looked at professional development, we looked at supplies.” Board to consider budget requests At a future voting meeting, the school board will also consider priorities for next year’s budget. Director of Business Operations Shelley Hobbs presented funding requests totaling $71,500 gross, or $61,500 net. Requests include a $9,000 large format printer for the high school. Hobbs said such a printer would allow students to work with equipment like what is used in professional fields such as graphic design, marketing, engineering, architecture and media production. The high school would also like a yearly $1,500 choreographer stipend to support the spring musical. In terms of technology, an estimated $20,000 is requested to renew the district’s firewall/software. Hobbs said the district would be reimbursed about 50% of the cost. In addition, another $6,000 is requested for annual email phishing training. To prepare for two staff retirements, Hobbs proposed spending $25,000 to hire an individual part-time to overlap in employment and train with the outgoing staff before their Dec. 31 retirements. Board member Matthew Lustig asked if the district typically hires staff to overlap in the case of retirements. Hobbs said the two outgoing staff work in “key” cabinet positions in human resources and payroll. They have more than 20 years of experience in these roles and “hold a lot of institutional knowledge,” Hobbs said. Canner Foundation seeks support The Canner Foundation, a newly minted 501(c)(3) nonprofit formerly known as the Canner Funds, asked the board for $10,000 annually for the next three years to support a part-time executive director. Tom Wilson, a former school board member and president of the Canner Foundation, said such support is critical to the nonprofit’s future success. Through community donations, the Canner Foundation has funded field trips, classroom enhancements, the fifth-grade environmental camp, artists in residence, student transportation, and more. Wilson said the Canner Foundation receives more requests than it can currently support. For the 2025-2026 school year, Wilson said they received 38 classroom grant applications totaling more than $35,000. They fully funded 21 and partially funded eight. The Foundation’s board is made up of dedicated volunteers with limited time, according to Wilson. He believes hiring a part-time executive director could solve the issue of time. “This person would dedicate the necessary time to improve and advance Canner Foundation’s efforts to support the teachers and students here in the district. This person would broaden our donor base beyond just the annual greetings free. This person would work closely with the development officer,” Wilson said. The Canner Foundation is prepared to put $2,000 of its own money toward an annual salary and plans to seek grants to augment that figure. The district’s contribution of $10,000 for three years would “prime the pump,” Wilson said. “If we can get this thing started, with your help, we'll find the resources to keep it going in the future,” he said. The school board is next scheduled to meet Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.

by Jonathan Shorman, Pennsylvania Capital-Star President Donald Trump’s calls this week to “nationalize” elections capped a year of efforts by his administration to exercise authority over state-run elections. The demands now have some state and local election officials fearing — and preparing for — a tumultuous year ahead. “I don’t think we can put anything past this administration,” Oregon Democratic Secretary of State Tobias Read told Stateline in an interview. “I think they’re increasingly desperate, increasingly scared about what’s going to happen when they are held accountable by American voters. So we have to be prepared for everything.” Ever since Trump signed an executive order last March that attempted to impose a requirement that voters prove their citizenship in federal elections, the federal government has engaged in a wide-ranging effort to influence how elections are run. Under the U.S. Constitution, that responsibility belongs to the states. Then came Trump’s remarks on a podcast Monday that Republicans should nationalize elections and take over voting in at least 15 places, though he didn’t specify where. In the Oval Office the next day, the president reaffirmed his view that states are “agents” of the federal government in elections. “I don’t know why the federal government doesn’t do them anyway,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday, despite the Constitution’s clear delegation of that job to states. Across the country, election officials are watching recent developments and, in some instances, grappling with how the Trump administration’s moves could affect their preparations for November’s midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. Local election officials say they are considering how they would respond to the presence of federal law enforcement near polling places and what steps they need to take to ensure voting proceeds smoothly. Several Democratic election officials, and some Republicans, have spoken out. Placing voting under control of the federal government would represent a fundamental violation of the Constitution, they note. The U.S. Constitution authorizes states to set the time, place, and manner of elections for Congress, but also allows Congress to change those regulations. The elections themselves are run by the states. The taking of democracy does not occur in one fell swoop; it is chipped away piece-by-piece until there is nothing left. – U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter, in a recent decision “Oh, hell no,” Maine Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said in a video statement posted to social media about federalizing elections. Bellows, who is running for governor, said she would mail the White House a pocket Constitution, “because it seems they’ve lost their copy.” The U.S. Department of Justice already has sued 24 states and the District of Columbia to obtain unredacted voter rolls that include sensitive personal information that it says is needed to search for noncitizen voters. The Department of Homeland Security wants states to run their voter rolls through a powerful citizenship verification tool. Those opposed to the demand say sharing the data risks the privacy of millions of voters. Many fear the administration could use the information to disqualify eligible voters, challenge the legitimacy of a victory in a closely contested midterm election, or use the information to target political enemies. In recent weeks, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi linked the presence of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in part to Minnesota’s refusal to turn over its voter rolls. And the FBI seized ballots from an elections warehouse in Fulton County, Georgia — a state that was a central focus of Trump’s push to overturn his 2020 election loss. “I think it does affect our planning as far as, what if there is some sort of federal law enforcement presence on Election Day or before or after? So that definitely factors into our planning,” said Scott McDonell, the Democratic clerk in Dane County, Wisconsin, which includes Madison. Ingham County, Michigan, Clerk Barb Byrum, a Democrat running for secretary of state, said she and other election administrators conduct tabletop exercises and keep emergency plans for numerous scenarios. Those used to focus on floods, power outages and cyberattacks. “Now, unfortunately, it’s turning into the president of the United States meddling in elections,” Byrum said. “We will be prepared. Voters will hopefully not see anything different at their polling locations. … But we need to be diligent.” Pamela Smith, president and CEO of the election security nonprofit Verified Voting, said election officials and their lawyers need to study up on laws and regulations, including chain-of-custody requirements for ballots. David Becker, director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research, which operates the Election Official Legal Defense Network, said more than 10,000 lawyers have been recruited who are ready to provide pro bono legal assistance or advice to election officials. Trump doubles down on calling for the feds to take over state elections https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/02/03/repub/trump-doubles-down-on-calling-for-the-feds-to-take-over-state-elections/embed/#?secret=o33vTa3kCr#?secret=neVazDJrUc When Stateline asked Read whether he anticipates Oregon facing federal pressure over its voter rolls, the secretary of state said he was set to meet this week with county clerks in the Portland metro area “to talk about that very question.” Read’s office later confirmed the meeting took place. Oregon’s largest city, Portland, has been a focus of the Trump administration. Last year, Trump deployed federalized Oregon National Guard members to the city after protests outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. And federal agents last month shot two people in a hospital parking lot. Portland is a self-described sanctuary city that does not aid the federal government in immigration enforcement. The concern in Oregon comes after Bondi on Jan. 24 sent a letter to Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz after federal agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in separate shootings in Minneapolis that were captured on video. Bondi’s letter outlined three “common sense solutions” that would help end the “chaos” in Minnesota, she wrote. One of those solutions called for the state to provide the Justice Department with its full, unredacted voter rolls. Minnesota Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon has called Bondi’s letter an “outrageous attempt to coerce Minnesota” into handing over the data. Simon hasn’t provided the voter list, but White House border czar Tom Homan is pulling 700 immigration agents from Minnesota amid outrage over their presence. Roughly 2,300 agents will remain in the state. In North Carolina, Durham County Director of Elections Derek Bowens called Trump’s rhetoric and recent federal actions concerning. Bowens, a nonpartisan official appointed by the Durham County Board of Elections, said that as long as the rule of law persists, a “constitutional guard” will protect election administration. Still, Bowens, who oversees elections in a largely Democratic area in a presidential swing state, said he and other local officials are preparing to prevent potential “intrusion” into the process. “I’m not at liberty to divulge what that would be in terms of security protocols, but that’s definitely in the forefront of our minds,” Bowens said in an interview, adding that he would be working with local emergency services officials “to make sure we’re positioned to ensure everyone that is eligible has unfettered access to the ballot box.” Trump appears to be crossing a line from urging Congress to set additional election requirements into wanting the federal government’s hands on states’ election administration infrastructure, said Barry Burden, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the director of the Elections Research Center at the university. “That would be brand new,” Burden said. After Trump called for nationalizing elections during Monday’s appearance on the podcast of Dan Bongino, a right-wing media personality who was previously a top FBI official, the White House said Tuesday that the president had been referring to legislation in Congress that would require individuals to show proof of citizenship to register to vote. The bill has passed the House but is stalled in the Senate. But Trump late Tuesday doubled down on his original comments during an unrelated bill-signing ceremony in the Oval Office. He suggested the federal government should take a role in vote counting. “The federal government should get involved,” Trump said. “These are agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over.” Even before Trump’s nationalization comments, Democratic state chief election officials and some Republicans had refused to turn over copies of voter rolls containing driver’s license numbers, date of birth and full or partial Social Security numbers after the Justice Department began demanding the data last spring. Federal judges in California and Oregon have ruled that those states don’t have to provide the data; numerous other lawsuits against other states are ongoing. Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Trump-supporting Republican who campaigned for office on calls to hand-count ballots, told a Missouri House committee on Tuesday that he wouldn’t provide the state’s full voter list without a court order. He said his office had only shared a public version of the voter rolls; Missouri hasn’t been sued by the Justice Department. The Trump administration has previously confirmed it is sharing records with Homeland Security, which operates an online program that it uses to verify citizenship. The Justice Department has also offered some states a confidential agreement to search their voter lists. “Clean voter rolls and basic election safeguards are requisites for free, fair, and transparent elections,” Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon wrote in a statement to Stateline. “The DOJ Civil Rights Division has a statutory mandate to enforce our federal voting rights laws, and ensuring the voting public’s confidence in the integrity of our elections is a top priority of this administration.” But U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter, a Clinton appointee, wrote in a Jan. 15 decision that the voter roll demands risk a chilling effect on Americans who may opt not to register to vote over concerns about how their information could be used. He dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking California’s voter rolls. “The taking of democracy does not occur in one fell swoop; it is chipped away piece by piece until there is nothing left. The case before the Court is one of these cuts that imperils all Americans,” Carter wrote in a 33-page decision. Amid Trump’s call for nationalizing elections, some Republican election officials have broken with the president even as they have avoided criticizing him directly. State control has long been a central tenet of conservatism, though Trump has challenged elements of Republican orthodoxy over the past decade. Hoskins, the Missouri secretary of state, told state lawmakers on Tuesday, “I personally don’t believe we should nationalize elections.” Georgia Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in a news release on Monday, urged lawmakers to focus on strengthening state administration of elections. He said that was better than “moving to federalize a core function of state government.” Raffensperger, who is running for governor this year, was famously targeted by Trump following the 2020 election to overturn his loss in Georgia. In a phone call, Trump told Raffensperger he wanted to “find 11,780 votes” — the size of his loss in the state. Raffensperger refused to aid Trump. Five years later, Raffensperger now faces pressure from Georgia state lawmakers to provide the state’s unredacted voter list to the Justice Department. The Georgia Senate on Monday passed a resolution calling on the secretary of state to fully comply with the department’s request. Georgia Republican state Sen. Randy Robertson, the resolution’s lead sponsor, said during a state Senate committee hearing last month that federal law supersedes limits on data sharing in Georgia law. He didn’t respond to an interview request. In a statement to Stateline, Raffensperger said that state law is “very clear” that officials aren’t allowed to turn over the information. “I will always follow the law and the Constitution,” Raffensperger wrote. The Georgia Senate vote came less than a week after the FBI searched the Fulton County elections warehouse and seized ballots. Fulton County, which includes much of the Atlanta metro area, was where Trump was indicted on charges of conspiracy and racketeering related to his efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election. The case was dismissed last year. The Justice Department didn’t answer a question from Stateline about whether it plans to seek search warrants for other election offices. On Wednesday, Fulton County filed a motion in federal court demanding the return of the seized ballots and other materials, Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chair Robb Pitts, a Democrat, said at a news conference. The motion also asks for the unsealing of the affidavit used by the FBI to support its search warrant application. “We will fight using all resources against those who seek to take over our elections,” Pitts said. “Our Constitution itself is at stake in this fight.” Stateline reporter Jonathan Shorman can be reached at jshorman@stateline.org. This story was originally produced by Stateline, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network that includes Pennsylvania Capital-Star, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501 (c) (3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) is pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of the Appalachian Trail Community Conservation Collaborative (ATCCC) , a new initiative designed to elevate local leadership, strengthen community-driven conservation, and support vibrant economies throughout the Appalachian Trail Landscape in Pennsylvania. Following a competitive application process, seven community teams have been selected to participate in the inaugural ATCCC: Duncannon, Port Clinton, Shippensburg, Boiling Springs & South Middleton Township, Gettysburg & Adams County, Stroud Township, and Berks & Schuylkill Counties. As the first major milestone of the Collaborative, the ATC will host two Community Conservation Impact & Innovation Workshops later this month, bringing together the cohort of community teams, partners, and regional supporters to co-create solutions at the intersection of conservation, economic vitality, and sense of place. The first will be held in Reading, February 17-18, and the second will be held in Boiling Springs, February 19-20. “The Appalachian Trail has always been sustained by strong communities,” said Katie Allen, director of Landscape Conservation, Appalachian Trail Conservancy. “The A.T. Community Conservation Collaborative is about investing in those local leaders—listening to their ideas, supporting their priorities, and working together to ensure conservation strengthens both landscapes and livelihoods.” The Appalachian Trail Community Conservation Collaborative builds on more than a century of trusted partnerships stewarding the Appalachian Trail. Drawing inspiration from programs such as the A.T. Community™ Program and the South Mountain Partnership , the ATCCC centers local voices and supports community-led projects that protect natural resources, enhance outdoor recreation economies, and sustain the character and identity of communities across the Appalachian Trail landscape. “What makes this Collaborative different is that it starts with communities defining success for themselves,” said Katie Hess, director of Pennsylvania Landscape Conservation. “Our role is to help connect ideas to resources, partners, and pathways that turn vision into action.” To bring the Collaborative’s vision into action, the ATC will host two 1.5-day, hands-on Impact & Innovation Workshops. While each workshop will follow the same format and goals, different community teams will convene at each location. Through interactive sessions focused on scenario planning, funding pathways, and conservation strategies, participants will exchange ideas, build relationships, and develop practical project concepts rooted in local needs and opportunities. Community leaders see the Collaborative as an opportunity to align conservation goals with local priorities and long-term resilience. “I'm really excited for this. I think this is super important for the future of our community,” said Joshua Mitchell, director of the Shippensburg Community Parks and Recreation Authority and community lead for the Shippensburg Area team. “We need support to move us forward, so this means a lot to me personally.” Workshop #1: February 17–18, 2026 Reading, PA Community teams attending: * Berks & Schuylkill County Land and Water Collaborative * Borough of Port Clinton * Stroud Township Workshop #2: February 19–20, 2026 Boiling Springs, PA Community teams attending: * Boiling Springs / South Middleton Township * Duncannon Appalachian Trail Community * Town of Gettysburg & Adams County * Shippensburg Area The February workshops mark the beginning of a longer-term collaborative effort. Following the workshop, each community will receive targeted technical assistance to advance its action plan for the conservation projects developed by each community team. The ATC will continue convening partners and communities toward a future Vision to Action Summit in the fall, designed to accelerate implementation and investment. Founded in 1925, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy works passionately to manage and protect the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. As the only non-profit devoted exclusively to the entirety of the Trail and its landscape, we endeavor to keep its vast natural and scenic beauty healthy, resilient, and connected, so that everyone can experience its transformative power for generations to come. Together with our supporters, partners, and thousands of volunteers, we keep the Trail alive. Contact: Katie Allen, Director of Landscape Conservation, kallen@appalachiantrail.org

This story was originally reported by Mariel Padilla of The 19th. Meet Mariel and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy. Your trusted source for contextualizing the news. Sign up for our daily newsletter. Shortly after she graduated from Princeton University, Mikayla Blaska was selected by a unit commander to attend Ranger School, one of the toughest training courses in the Army. For two months, she endured sleep deprivation, extreme calorie restriction and high-intensity patrolling while carrying over 100 pounds in both mountainous and swamp terrains. As she led an exercise in her final phase of the course, Blaska noticed a man on her team was refusing to listen to her directives. When she confronted him, he responded that he could not respect a woman. He saw her only as a sexual object, he said.  “I think that might be the worst thing that was said to me through the course of my career,” Blaska said. “And this is somebody who I’m sharing a foxhole with, someone I’m sleeping next to at night.”  Blaska, now 28, knew she shouldn’t angrily tell him off. So she pointed to why his lack of respect would hurt the other men they were with.  “I told him that I respected his honesty and that whether he liked it or not, I was going to be there with him,” Blaska said. “And at the end of the day, if he wants to screw me over, that’s fine, but it was about our other team members. I think that argument persuaded him to finally start listening.” By the end of the 61-day training course, he admitted he was impressed that she could carry so much “as a woman” and even ranked her the top performer of their team.  The requirements for both Blaska and the man to graduate were exactly the same. He failed. She didn't. Blaska never saw him again. Mikayla Blaska during Ranger School, one of the Army’s most demanding training programs. She was the 56th woman to complete the course. (Mikayla Blaska) Recently, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called for a six-month review of women in combat, according to a memo that Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel Anthony Tata wrote in December 2025 — first reported by NPR in January. The goal is to assess the “operational effectiveness of ground combat units 10 years after the Department lifted all remaining restrictions on women serving in combat roles.”  Defense Department press secretary Kingsley Wilson responded to requests for more information by saying the ultimate goal is to “ensure the United States maintains the most lethal military.” “Our standards for combat arms positions will be elite, uniform and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman. Under Secretary Hegseth, the Department of War will not compromise standards to satisfy quotas or an ideological agenda — this is common sense,” Wilson said in a statement. Quotas and different standards are already illegal, and past reviews have actually shown benefits to women being fully integrated into combat roles. But Hegseth continues to imply that the military has valued inclusion over efficacy — even though the requirements for women and men in combat roles are identical.  Hegseth, a former Fox News host who served in the Army National Guard, has made disparaging comments about women. In a podcast interview in 2024, he said, “I’m straight up just saying we shouldn’t have women in combat roles.” In his book, “The War on Warriors,” he argued that women have made the military less effective, less lethal and “fighting more complicated.” And in August 2025, Hegseth reposted a video of an evangelical Christian pastor questioning women’s right to vote. Women currently make up more than 21 percent of the active-duty force and have held combat roles in the military for decades, though it’s been a gradual progression. The last roles were finally opened to women in 2015 after Congress repealed the combat exclusion policy two years prior. In the last decade, more than 5,000 women have served in combat arms, and 174 women have earned Ranger tabs alongside almost 15,000 men with the same standards.  According to an assessment from the Women in the Service Coalition, Army data showed that brigade combat teams with women performed at the same level of training proficiencies as teams without women. In fact, crime trends were higher in teams without women. And several studies have shown that men who serve alongside women are more likely to support a fully gender-integrated military.   Kris Fuhr, the author of the assessment and the first woman to command a ground-based intelligence company in Europe, said the Pentagon’s review is yet another “search for a problem that does not exist.”  “They’re doing this now because it is no secret that Secretary Hegseth has a strong desire to marginalize women in the military,” said Fuhr, who worked for two years at the United States Army Forces Command as an expert on gender integration. “He carries his religious views into his professional duties, and his religious views are that women do not lead and men do not submit to women.” Hegseth served as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard, but did not complete Ranger School, Airborne School or Air Assault School.  The 19th spoke to four women Army veterans who completed at least one of those elite trainings and were commissioned in an era when qualified women soldiers could serve in any capacity. They talked about their experiences on the front line and their thoughts on the future of the military’s effectiveness under Hegseth’s leadership.  --- Mikayla Blaska, 28 Graduated from Airborne School and was the 56th woman to complete Ranger School Mikayla Blaska participates in a Ranger School training exercise alongside other soldiers. The standards for graduating were identical for everyone in her class. (Mikayla Blaska) In September 2021, Blaska was deployed to Syria, the only woman in infantry there at the time. As an officer, she led 43 soldiers — all men — and  partner force service members, a linguist and a few other personnel. Over the next nine months, Blaska said she led her platoon on over 120 combat patrols with zero casualties.  “People think of combat deployments as something from World War I or World War II, which can absolutely still happen and we definitely need to be prepared for that, but the majority of what I was doing in Syria was a lot of key leader engagements and intelligence collection,” Blaska said.  In fact, Blaska said her being a woman helped the mission. Because of cultural differences, many Syrian women and important community figures would not speak to men and felt more comfortable speaking to her. Blaska said she is not opposed to assessing and reassessing military standards. She agrees that the U.S. military should strive to be the best, most prepared and most qualified in the world. But,  Blaska said, any legitimate review should include age, time in service, education levels, upbringings and life experiences — in addition to gender.  “I hope we don’t reverse and start going backwards,” Blaska said. “This is the kind of thing that can be incredibly detrimental to the culture within the military, and it’s not grounded in any sort of factual basis. It’s clearly stemming from some sort of emotional bias against women.” --- Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs, 29 Graduated from Airborne School  Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs (left) with fellow soldiers during military training. She graduated from Airborne School and was among the first women to serve in combat roles after the ban was lifted in 2015. (Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs) When 29-year-old veteran Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs heard the Pentagon was going to review the effectiveness of the military with women in combat roles, she initially felt “sorrow and fear” for her friends who are still active-duty and serving in these roles. Then, she felt anger but not surprise — she knew that Hegseth had criticized women’s participation in the military.  “We’ve done the studies, and we have the data,” said Dempsey Beggs, who is currently running for Congress as a Democrat in Virginia’s 1st District. “He could take that time, energy, money, effort and actually make the lives of service members better, but he’s choosing to go down a witch hunt because women have done what he can’t.”  Dempsey Beggs completed Airborne School and was one of the first 50 women to serve in combat roles after Congress lifted the ban in 2015 — and the first from Kentucky. She was an acting company commander at Fort Benning in Georgia during the COVID-19 pandemic. She and her husband, also a company commander at the time, had two daughters.  One morning, Dempsey Beggs had to leave at 4 a.m. to lead a training event.  Her husband was supposed to watch their 6-month-old but unexpectedly had to take an injured service member out of state at 3:30 a.m. Dempsey Beggs — who was pregnant with her second daughter — strapped her baby on her chest and put her rucksack on her back and hiked five miles.   “I just kept doing my job,” Dempsey Beggs said.  She sees the review as designed to push active-duty women to leave the armed forces and not try for combat roles.  “These combat roles already have physical fitness standards that are gender neutral,” Dempsey Beggs said. “Women and men fail them. No one is arguing that every single woman should be able to fill these roles, just like we never want every single man to be able to fill these roles. Everyone who is qualified and who is willing to serve is who we want in these roles.”  --- Hailey Gibbons, 34 Graduated from Airborne School, Air Assault School and was the 102nd woman to complete Ranger School Hailey Gibbons graduated from West Point and was the 102nd woman to complete Ranger School before serving in the 75th Ranger Regiment. (Hailey Gibbons) Hailey Gibbons is disappointed in Hegseth’s leadership priorities. The 34-year-old graduated from West Point, Ranger School, Airborne School and Air Assault School before serving as a logistics officer for 10 years and becoming the seventh woman to ever serve in the 75th Ranger Regiment, one of the most elite Army infantry regiments. Though she didn’t technically serve in a combat role, Gibbons met the same standards as a combat soldier. “This is just blatant sexism,” Gibbons said of the Pentagon’s review. “It’s pretty upsetting that people in leadership positions are adjusting everything they’re doing just to help the sexist agenda of people in certain positions. Women have shown that they’re effective leaders in the military and in combat situations.” Gibbons said throughout her training, she never faced discouragement from peers or leadership because of her gender.  “No one ever said that I couldn’t be able to do it because I had proven that I was physically fit and technically capable enough to be successful at each stage,” Gibbons said. “All of those opinions come from people who inherently hate women or haven’t really served alongside women, who haven’t been in Tier 1 units, who haven’t deployed — because everyone that I served with didn’t hold those opinions.”  Gibbons said she was the 102nd woman to ever graduate from Ranger School, and the only time her gender came up as an issue was when she needed to go to a separate location to shower. For every mission and task, she said she was held to the same standards as the men.  Gibbons doesn’t think women will be dissuaded from serving by Hegseth’s efforts — but she does worry about the effect on culture.  “Repeating the lie that women can’t meet standards creates an environment that could lead to a toxic team environment, which is really disappointing because leaders have worked so hard to make women feel welcome,” Gibbons said.  --- Sara Febbo, 30 Graduated from Airborne School and was the 65th woman to complete Ranger School Sara Febbo stands at Ranger School after completing the course. She was the 65th woman to earn a Ranger tab. (Sara Febbo) Sara Febbo grew up the daughter of a commissioned military attorney, and her childhood included a stint at an Army base in Vicenza, Italy. Fourteen years later, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant and sent back to Vicenza as the first woman to serve as a medical service officer in the unit. She was a platoon leader in charge of 50 combat medics and medic specialists.  Febbo, now 30, said she wasn’t technically in a combat role but her job responsibilities included being attached to infantry units, Airborne Rangers and Special Forces. She was required to do all the same training and reach all the same standards.  “The standard was there and the leaders were holding you to that standard because they couldn’t afford not to,” Febbo said. “There’s too many things on the line. Mission comes first, and you could be a liability. But that definitely was not the case for me, nor for any of the other women that I know that served in those units.”  As she continued to meet and exceed the standards, Febbo said her superiors took notice. One reached out and said he wanted to bring her to the 75th Ranger Regiment and asked if she could meet the standards — which are even tougher than those of Ranger School. The mandatory intensive eight-week selection process included doing 41 push-ups in two minutes, holding a plank for two minutes and 35 seconds, running five miles in 40 minutes and doing six pull-ups.  “I could barely do one pull-up, but this boss believed in me,” said Febbo, who is 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighed around 120 pounds at the time. “I started training with my peers. I set my mind to it, and to make a long story short, I eventually physically met the standards.” Febbo passed the selection process in October 2020 and became the second woman ever to be directly within an infantry battalion in the 75th Ranger Regiment.  Four months later, she went to Ranger School and earned her Ranger tab. “It’s crazy to me that we’re even having this conversation,” Febbo said. “By the time I went through Ranger School, I was the 65th woman to graduate. It wasn’t a new concept having women in Ranger School, but I absolutely commend the women that went first because they had a very tough road trying to prove their worth over and over again.” 

A long-standing mystery connected to a Bible ransacked from the Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary during the last days of the1863 battle has finally been solved. According to museum Director of Education and Interpretation Codie Eash, his investigation traced the identity of a Confederate soldier whose handwritten inscription puzzled historians for nearly a century. The story begins in the chaotic days after the Battle of Gettysburg. Samuel Simon Schmucker, President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary and a prominent abolitionist, fled town as Confederate forces approached. When he returned after the fighting, his home and library had been ransacked. Books, pamphlets, and papers were strewn across the yard; at least one appeared to have been partially burned. Among the damaged belongings was Schmucker’s personal Bible. At some point during or after the occupation of Seminary Ridge, a Confederate soldier retrieved the Bible from the debris and placed it back on a bookcase. Inside the front cover, he left a handwritten note signed “J.G. Bearden.” The soldier wrote, in imperfect grammar: “This is the Holy Bible I pick up out of the [yard] and has placed on the case.” Beneath that, Schmucker later added his own pencil comment: that the note was “written by an illiterate but I trust pious Rebel during the sacking of my home and library during the great Battle of Gettysburg.” For decades, the identity of “J.G. Bearden” remained an unresolved question in Gettysburg lore. “For a very long time, going back to at least 1926, people tried to figure out who J.G. Bearden was,” Eash said in a recent interview at the museum. “Even with modern tools like Fold3, the National Park Service’s Soldiers and Sailors Database, and Ancestry.com, we just couldn’t come up with anybody by that identity.” The began to break a little more than a year ago, Eash said, while museum staff were researching newly loaned artifacts at the Seminary’s Wentz Library across the street from the museum. “We came up with some other pamphlets that were also written in by Confederate soldiers,” Eash said. “While I was transcribing these … I realized that most of them, if they were dated at all, were dated July 4.” That observation led him to examine Confederate regimental rosters present in Gettysburg on July 4, 1863, particularly those of Georgia Brig. Gen. George Doles. In the 44th Georgia Infantry’s register, he found Judson G. Bearden, whose signature on an 1898 Georgia pension record later proved to be “basically a perfect match” with the handwriting in Schmucker’s Bible. “The final Bearden realization came just a couple months ago in December 2025," said Eash. "We were finally, after all that time, able to solve the problem." He added that while much about Bearden’s life remains unclear, records indicate he was born around 1829, enlisted in March 1862, was wounded at least once, later captured and paroled, and likely lived into the early 1910s. The discovery has also opened the door to solving a second mystery: Identifying another Confederate soldier who signed himself “Surgeon, CSA” on one of the pamphlets recovered from Schmucker’s library. “I don’t have a definitive answer yet, but I think I’m about 80 percent of the way there,” Eash said, suggesting the writer may have been Dr. Abner McGarity, a Georgia physician attached to the same regiment. “I need to do a little more work comparing handwriting.” Beyond the detective work, the interview highlighted a busy season ahead for the Seminary Ridge Museum & Education Center. Staff are preparing for their annual Winter Symposium at the end of February, co-sponsoring a Daniel Alexander Payne event with the Seminary next week, and hosting a series of winter “happy hours” on Zoom. Planning is also underway with the National Park Service for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. “We have lots of irons in the fire,” Eash said, adding that the 250th will likely bring national attention and more visitors to Gettysburg. The museum recently rotated its gallery exhibits, sending about 40 artifacts back into storage and bringing in roughly 100 new loaned items, including the pamphlets that helped crack the Bearden case. “We knew of the Bible for years,” Eash said. “But for these smaller pamphlets it might have been the first time in a hundred years anyone had opened them.”

After falling on a basket with 1.5 seconds left in Baltimore in early January, Gettysburg exacted revenge on Johns Hopkins and got the series split on the season with its own game-winner with 1.8 seconds left for a 61-59 victory. Gettysburg High School grad Josh Herr capped his career-high 14-point night with the game-winning basket for the Bullets – rattling home a corner 3-pointer. Ray Zamloot added 14 points and four rebounds of his own for his 10th straight double-digit scoring game. Local product Josh Herr hit the game-winner for Gettysburg College on Wednesday night. Wyatt Eglington Manner hit a jumper in the lane just 29 seconds into the game for a 2-0 lead, but a Malachi Briscoe 3-pointer and Caleb Gillus pull-up gave the hosts a 5-2 lead with 17:05 showing. After Tanti Felli cut the deficit to one, Herr drilled a triple to start a 7-0 burst to open up a 12-4 lead with 13:36 on the clock. Charlie Jackson cut the margin to 12-9 with a trey, but the Bullets scored the next seven for their first double-digit lead with 7:52 remaining. Johns Hopkins got back as close to four en route to a 26-21 deficit at the break. The Blue Jays netted the first seven points of the second half to take a 28-26 lead with 17:16 showing. The teams traded baskets until a Reece Craft layup with just shy of three minutes later sparked a 7-0 stretch in just 1:40 to reassert a five-point lead. A Craft layup and two Herr free throws extended the advantage to 47-39 with 8:05 to play. Baskets from three different Johns Hopkins players on three consecutive possessions capped an 11-2 burst that put the visitors back in front 50-49 with 4:39 on the clock. A  Zamloot triple on the next Gettysburg possession made it a 52-50 lead, and the teams went back and forth until the end. Zamloot pulled up in the lane and hit a floater with 41.6 seconds left for a 58-57 edge. Felti responded at the other, getting to the rim and laying one home with 29.7 seconds to put the Blue Jays back in front by one. Inbounding in the frontcourt with 24.4 seconds on the clock, the Bullets wound the clock down, and Gillus kicked to Herr in the right corner, and the sophomore rattled home the triple for a two-point lead with 1.8 seconds showing, and the defense held for the two-point victory. Caleb Gillus chipped in 13 points and four assists for Gettysburg, including hitting all six free-throw attempts. Tanti Felli led the Blue Jays with 20 points and five rebounds. With an Ursinus victory over Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg finds itself alone in first place in the conference standings with five games to play. Gettysburg returns to action at home against Muhlenberg on Saturday. Game time is 3 p.m. The story first appeared on the Gettysburg College website.

High School Sports Boys Basketball February 3 Bermudian Springs 59 Fairfield 56 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Bermudian 24 6 16 13 59 Fairfield 9 12 19 16 56 Bermudian jumped out to a big lead, then held off Fairfield for the win. Lane Hubbard led the Eagles with 20 points, followed by Jadon Ayers with 16. Fairfield's Gabe Williams led all scorers with 24 points and Aiden Cromer added 14 for the Knights. Boys Basketball February 4 Delone 66 Hanover 37 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Delone 13 26 18 9 66 Hanover 6 12 6 13 37 Delone stayed perfect on the season, rolling over Hanover behind Luke Rebert's 22 points and 19 from Liam O'Brien. Boys Wrestling February 3 Connellsville 34 Gettysburg 33 Gettysburg battled back with several key victories but ultimately fell short in a tough loss to Connellsville in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA team championships Tuesday night in Gettysburg. The Warriors were unable to overcome an early 21-0 deficit, as Connellsville opened the match with four straight wins. Gettysburg got on the board at 133 when Will Yordy earned a decision over Landon Lynn. The Warriors then gained momentum at 139 as Isaiah Jackson picked up a win by fall against Daniel Smith to close the gap. Connellsville answered with a major decision from Kai Vielma over Myles Grossman at 145 and then back-to-back technical falls from Luke Lilley and Jake Lilley to stretch the lead to 34-9. Reed Grossman delivered a win by fall over Karson Snyder at 172, and the Warriors took advantage of forfeits at 189, 215, and 285 to bring the final margin to a single point. Girls Basketball February 4 Biglerville 54 Halifax 50 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Biglerville 18 6 13 17 54 Halifax 12 10 16 12 50 In a thriller at Halifax, the Canners pulled out the win. Jocelyn Miller had a huge game for Biglerville, leading all scorers with 28 points. Evangeline Hollabaugh added 13. Lauren Sharbaugh topped Halifax with 16. Girls Basketball February 4 Delone 68 Hanover 19 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Delone 31 10 21 6 68 Hanover 2 7 8 2 19 It was over early in McSherrystown on Wednesday, as Delone put up 31 first-quarter points and romped over Hanover. The Squirettes were led by Reece Meckley's 26 points. Amelia Joyce added 15. Girls Wrestling February 4 Gettysburg 54 Cedar Crest 18 Gettysburg’s girls rolled to a convincing victory over Cedar Crest in the opening round of the District 3 girls’ team tournament. The Warriors got things started at 100 with Samantha Campbell earning a decision over Serenity Rivera. At 112, Taylor Keckler continued the momentum with a win by fall over Molly Garrett, and at 118, Denise Ponce followed with another pin against Lia Demmy. The Warriors kept stacking points at 130 with Ella Nevada pinning Aliyanna Beenick, and at 136, Myah Coleman added another fall over Vanessa Yiengst to extend the lead. At 148, Bell Garrett contributed with a win by decision over Aaliyah Gill. Gettysburg also benefited from forfeits later in the match and closed out the night at 235 as Ava Christianson secured a fall over Sophia Ventura.

Pennsylvania faith leaders gathered last week at the State Capitol in Harrisburg to publicly launch With One Voice, a new interfaith coalition of more than 100 clergy, congregations and lay leaders, united by a shared moral call to end gun violence and save lives. Clergy representing multiple faith traditions came together for a prayer vigil, followed by a press conference urging lawmakers to take immediate action on proven gun violence prevention policies. You can see a full list of coalition signers here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pVEzDkCehvz5ILcTw1A_HTfPzxo2Bgh4/view?usp=sharing United by love of the Commonwealth, bonded by faith, and committed to creating safe communities in which our congregants can grow and live without fear, With One Voice sets out to advocate for ample funding for Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs in the PA Budget; Universal Background Checks; Extreme Risk Protection Orders (a red flag law), Secure Firearm Storage, Banning Ghost Guns and Machine Gun Conversion Devices and other laws shown to reduce gun deaths. Rev. Martha Harris, the convenor of With One Voice, kicked off the event by describing the urgency of the moment, and the unique perspective of faith leaders. “As faith leaders, we deal with life and death issues all the time, from birth to burial, and from baptism to last rites,” she said. “As clergy, priests, pastors, rabbis, deacons, we know that we need to preserve precious life in any way we can, which includes taking action with our legislature, to make our communities safer with proven, effective policies and practices.” Bishop Audrey Scanlan of the Episcopal Diocese of the Susquehanna put the issue in a national context. “Our country cries out for leadership right now, and here in our corner of America, we leaders of faith are working for safety and peace,” she began. She specifically called for more than $100 million for community violence intervention programs in the upcoming Pennsylvania budget, acknowledging that it’s a proven strategy for saving lives. Of the coalition’s future work, she quoted St. Augustine, “Pray like it’s up to God, and work like it’s all up to us.” Rabbi Eric Mollo of Main Line Reform Temple shared that “Scripture teaches that leaders are obligated to take whatever steps necessary to ensure that the people in their charge are safe. And when they become endangered, they are to take steps to mitigate that danger. In Deuteronomy, we are commanded to build guardrails on our roofs, not after someone has fallen, but before someone falls because preventing harm is our sacred responsibility. Leaders are supposed to anticipate danger and act before tragedy strikes. Guardrails only work if we keep building them. Gun violence in Pennsylvania takes hundreds of lives each year, not only through mass shootings, but through daily acts of violence and suicides. Many of these deaths happen during moments of crisis, domestic disputes, mental health emergencies, and situations where time, distance, and intervention could have saved a life.” Speaking on behalf of Bishop Hector Burgos-Nunez, Rev. Dr. Gary Weaver of the United Methodist Church shared his wishes for the interfaith work ahead. “We are grateful to stand with our interfaith partners and community advocates,” he said. “Lives are sacred, communities deserve safety, and the moral and spiritual cost of inaction are simply too high.” Rabbi Ariana Capptauber, Beth El Temple, Harrisburg, called on scripture to describe the unfathomable impact of every life lost to gun violence. “Our ancient rabbis said that, ‘the first human was created alone to teach you that with regard to anyone who destroys one soul, or kills one person, it is as if he destroyed an entire world. Conversely, anyone who saves one life, it is as if he saved an entire world.’” Speaking of her previous work at a community violence intervention program, she continued, “I met some of these young people. I saw them graduate high school, go on to college, get jobs, become parents. I saw the worlds that they all became, all because they were given a chance.” Continuing on the theme of action, Sister Donna Breslin of the Blessed Sacrament shared that many sisters have found themselves in the midst of gun violence in their various ministries across the United States. “We do believe that there is an answer, and it is right here in the capitol in Harrisburg, in this building. You have heard many speakers who spoke to the sacredness of life. It is our duty to bring the message to legislators tirelessly, every day, every week, every month. Our faith calls us to be men and women of action, on behalf of life.” The group was also joined by Omar Muse, the Director of the Community Crisis Intervention Program at Eddie’s House, a community and violence intervention organization in Philadelphia. Eddie’s House and the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral have partnered on gun violence prevention programs in their community. To that, Omar said “We have to keep fighting the fight. Keep trying, keep fighting, and keep praying.” “As faith leaders, we often feel powerless when violence occurs in our communities. Thoughts and prayers are not enough to address the epidemic of gun violence,” said Rev. Martha Harris, Rector of Saint Paul and Saint Luke Episcopal Churches in Lancaster County and Convenor of With One Voice. “With One Voice exists because silence is no longer an option. Our faith compels us to protect our communities, and that means calling on our elected leaders to act now.”

The Martha Graham Dance Company swept “the grandest small-town theater in America” with wonder and warmth on Feb. 3rd at the fourth and final performance of the Majestic Theater’s Centennial season.  Billed as a dual centennial event, the performance marked a unique moment in the town’s history as the most celebrated dance company in the world commemorated 100 years of performing Martha Graham’s “contract and release” dance technique in concert with the Majestic’s centennial. Before the stage lights rose, Executive Director Brett W. Messenger presented a brief overview of the theater’s history and artistic legacy. He announced the return of Tony-award winning John Rubenstein — who portrayed Dwight Eisenhower in “Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground” in October — to narrate a Graham masterpiece and perform “Simple Song” for the first time in 50 years (and only in Gettysburg).  Dedicating the performance to recently deceased Karl Held (1962-2025), Messenger said the impresario was excited about the evening’s program the last time they spoke shortly before Held passed. A Gettysburg native, Held was a beloved personal friend to many as well as a Broadway producer who was instrumental in the Majestic Theater’s renovation 20 years ago.  Gettysburg Mayor Chad-Alan Carr said he met Held on his first visit to Gettysburg in 2007 to perform at the Governor’s Awards for the Arts (which Held produced). Held consequently produced the weeklong Gettysburg Festival, which convinced Carr that Gettysburg was “a thriving, arts-supportive community” and inspired him to create the Gettysburg Community Theatre here.  “The stars aligned,” Carr said. “I am so grateful to have met Karl who introduced me to many patrons, donors, colleagues, and friends in this wonderful community I now call home.”  As Mayor, Carr presented a lovely tribute officially proclaiming Feb. 3-7 “Gettysburg College’s Majestic Theater and Karl Held Week.”   And Martha Graham Dance Company’s Artistic Director Janet Eilber spoke to Graham’s legacy. The dance concert began as beautifully costumed dancers performed Graham’s iconic “Appalachian Spring” (1942) — narrated by Rubenstein and performed by Laurel Dalley Smith (the Bride); Ethan Palma (the Husbandman); Antonio Leone (The Preacher); and Meagan King, Devin Loh, Marzia Memoli and Amanda Moreira (the followers). Aron Copland won a Pulitzer Prize for the score. From their first moment creating magic under the lights, the dancers evoked a full spectrum of the emotions that their founder focused on expressing through grounded movement. “Lamentation” (1930) performed solo and mostly seated by Xin Ying was breathtaking in its personification of raw grief. A new work choreographed by Jamar Roberts (who describes it as “equal parts protest and lament”), “We The People” — performed by Ane Arrieta, Zachary Jeppsen-Toy, Meagan King, Lloyd Knight, Antonio Leone, Marzia Memoli, Amanda Moreira, Ethan Palma, Jai Perez, Anne Souder, and Leslie Andrea Williams — exemplified physical strength and determination. “Immediate Tragedy” (1937) with Graham’s choreography reimagined by Janet Eilber and performed solo by Anne Souder, expressed great resilience and determination in response to the rise of fascism in Europe. Hope Boykin choreographed “En Mass” (2025), a piece started by Martha Graham and Leonard Bernstein that was left unfinished and then commissioned for the dance company’s centennial season. With additional music by Christopher Rountree, it united the company’s past, present and future.  Ane Arietta, Zachary Jeppsen-Toy, Meagan King, Lloyd Knight, Jai Perez, Anne Souder and Xi Ying performed “En Mass” accompanied by members of the College’s Sunderman Conservatory of Music led by the College’s Director of Orchestral Activities, Dr. César Leal. Young students from the Edge Dance Complex in Adams County — choreographed by instructor Dawn Glass — held their own performing the reimagined Gettysburg Address portion of “American Document.” The aesthetics of the costumes, the sheer physical strength of the dancers and the beauty of their choreographed movements created a relevant and unforgettable moment in time. In the aftermath of the performance, Messenger said a group of about 30 of Held’s friends gathered as planned out in front of the theater to honor the impresario who Carr described as “visionary, advisor, and friend to me and many others.” Another friend spoke briefly and the marquee dimmed.    And when the dimming ended, the group broke into applause for Karl E. Held. If his ghost was present to accept the honor, perhaps Held was joined by the ghosts of Henry M. Scharf (who conceived the largest vaudeville and silent movie theater in Southern Pennsylvania 100 years ago), by Ike and Mamie Eisenhower (who frequented the Majestic Theater in the 1950s), by Martha Graham (who revolutionized modern dance) and by award-winning composers Aron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. The Feb. 3 evening was made possible, in part, by the J. William Warehime Fund of the Majestic Theater Centennial Endowment, a special gift from the J. William Warehime Foundation, and the Lydia Ziegler Clare Fund. Photo courtesy of the Majestic Theater

By FreePress.net Pennsylvania’s House Committee on Communications & Technology today passed two important journalism and civic-information bills (HB 2047 and HB 2048) designed to support independent public-interest news that meets the most pressing information needs of communities across the Commonwealth. The legislative package, which Pennsylvania State Rep. Chris Rabb introduced and 12 state representatives co-sponsored, lays out two distinct approaches. HB 2047 would establish a state-backed fellowship program to place early- and mid-career journalists in community newsrooms across Pennsylvania. HB 2048 would create a Pennsylvania Civic Information Consortium to invest in local reporting projects that expand coverage of municipal government, schools, public safety, environmental health and other core issues that directly affect Pennsylvanians’ daily lives. “This is a critical time to support independent public-interest journalism. Taken together, these bills treat local news and civic information as the public goods that they are,” said Mike Rispoli, the senior director of Free Press Action’s journalism and civic information program. “They prioritize transparency, independence and the information needs of Pennsylvania residents; they direct resources to where they can do the most good; and they lay the groundwork for longer-term, sustainable solutions. Other states have shown that the kind of complementary approach these bills take is an effective way to support journalism jobs and strengthen the broader local-news landscape.” “At a time of great turmoil for local journalism in Southwestern Pennsylvania, these bills will help provide stability to the more than 50 newsrooms that continue to produce critical news and information for this region,” said Jennie Liska, co-executive director of revenue and operations at Pittsburgh’s Public Source. “Local journalism is strongest when it reflects the full diversity of the communities it serves,” said Martin Alfaro, the president of the Philadelphia chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. “These bills create opportunities for smaller and ethnic media outlets to build capacity, mentor new journalists and expand culturally competent coverage. For NAHJ Philadelphia, this support helps ensure that Latino and multilingual communities are not left out of the civic conversation. Investing in local news is ultimately an investment in representation and access.” “We’re thrilled to see the House Communications & Technology Committee pass these two bills, both of which offer critical support for local news and building civic infrastructure in Pennsylvania,” said Chris Krewson, the executive director of LION Publishers. “Too many Pennsylvanians lack access to quality local journalism as outlets across the state continue to close their doors and lay off staff. Investing in local news — especially independent media — will ensure these businesses can be more sustainable, that power is held accountable and that the public is more informed.” “The passage of these bills is not only a victory for Pennsylvania journalists, but sends a courageous message to the rest of America that our Commonwealth is substantially invested in our local free press,” said Ernest Owens, the president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. “This is what equity in free-press policy should look like — increasing opportunities for underrepresented local journalists and developing innovative pipelines for the future.” “Democracy cannot function without a free press and an informed electorate. This legislation is an important step toward reinvesting in the local public-interest journalism that is vital to our civic life,” said Philip Hensley-Robin, Common Cause Pennsylvania’s executive director. “Every community needs and deserves quality reporting that informs voters and holds the powerful accountable. But because of the ongoing crisis in journalism, that is increasingly no longer the case in communities across Pennsylvania. These bills present proven models to start to address that crisis. We applaud the committee for advancing this important legislation and call on the General Assembly to pass these bills without delay.” “Strong local news ecosystems are essential to a healthy democracy because they help ensure transparency, accountability, and informed participation in communities,” said Deb Landau, director of policy and advocacy for the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania. “Supporting local journalism and civic engagement ensures that communities have the trusted and independent information they need to participate meaningfully in civic life. We applaud this effort to protect local news and expand opportunities for people to participate in shaping their future.” “When Pennsylvanians have access to civic information and news that reflects their local community, the places they live and work become stronger. The advancement of these bills will provide local news outlets across the state with critical resources to cover the issues and topics that matter to their community. This is an investment that is ultimately in service of the public interest and strong cities, counties and communities,” said Karen Rundlet, CEO and executive director of the Institute for Nonprofit News. Background Free Press Action spearheaded the legislative and organizing campaign that led to the creation of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium, which HB 2048 is modeled after. Since 2021, NJCIC has distributed more than $12 million to local newsrooms and organizations across the state. Free Press Action collaborated with local allies to create and implement the California Local News Fellowship program at UC Berkeley. Serving as inspiration for HB 2047, the California Local News Fellowship program supports 75 fellows across the state annually, with a focus on communities with the greatest need of quality, trusted local news.

by Sherrie DeMartino Each year, the American Library Association (ALA) recognizes the top books, digital media, video, and audiobooks for children and young adults. Among these awards are the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards. This year, the awards were given out on Monday, January 26th, in Chicago. The John Newbery Medal is given to an author for the most outstanding contribution to American literature for children. This year, the medal was given to Renée Watson, an author from Oregon, for her book titled “All the Blues in the Sky”.  Ms. Watson had previously won a Coretta Scott King Award and a Newbery Honor for her young adult novel, “Piecing Me Together,” and her books are inspired by her experiences growing up as a Black girl in the Pacific Northwest. Another award that you may recognize is the Randolph Caldecott Medal, which is awarded to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.  This year’s Medal went to Cátia Chien for her illustrations in the book titled “Fireworks” by Matthew Burgess.  Ms. Chien is from Sao Paulo, Brazil and has previously won gold medals from the Society of Illustrators in both New York and Los Angeles. The Michael L. Printz Award is given for excellence in literature that is written for young adults.  The award this year was given to Cynthia Leitich Smith for editing the book titled “Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories.”  Ms. Smith is a citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation, and she writes fiction for children and teens centered on the lives of modern-day Native Americans. The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given to both an African American author and an illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults.  This year’s author winner is Jewell Parker Rhodes for her book titled “Will’s Race for Home”. Through her novels, she strives to inspire social justice, equity, and environmental stewardship. The illustrator that won the Coretta Scott King Award is R. Gregory Christie for his beautiful artwork in the book titled “The Library in the Woods.” Besides illustrating over 60 books for children, Mr. Christie has designed a Kwanzaa Stamp for the United States Postal Service, designed a poster for the New Orleans Jazz Festival, and had art featured on New York City’s subway cars for a year. The Adams County Library System will soon own copies of all of these books, so stop by your local branch or visit our website at www.adamslibrary.org to place them on hold. The Carroll Valley Library is a branch of the Adams County Library System, located at 5685 Fairfield Road.  Our phone number is 717-642-6009.  Our newly updated hours of operation are:  Monday and Thursday 2:00 pm – 7:30 pm; Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; and Friday and Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.  Hope to see you soon! Sherrie DeMartino is Branch Manager at the Carroll Valley Library

Annie Selak, Georgetown University The first publicly recognized Black priest in the United States, Augustus Tolton, may not be a household name. Yet I believe his story – from being born enslaved to becoming a college valedictorian – deserves to be a staple of Black History Month. “Good Father Gus” is now a candidate for sainthood. My forthcoming book, “The Wounded Church,” examines ways that the Catholic Church has excluded people during different chapters of its history, from women to African American people. One chapter of history that many Americans may not know about was how the U.S. church barred Black men from becoming priests – a chapter that ended with Tolton’s ordination in the late 19th century. Slavery to seminary Tolton was born on April 1, 1854, in Missouri, where he and his family were enslaved. He was baptized as a Catholic as an infant. He escaped slavery in 1863 with his mother and siblings, eventually settling together in Quincy, Illinois. Life in Quincy was far from a dream come true. He attempted to attend an integrated public school and a Catholic parish school, but was bullied and faced discrimination, causing him to leave. Tolton worked at a tobacco factory – the first of several manual jobs he held as a young man, while also establishing a Sunday school for Black Catholics. Eventually, he encountered the Rev. Peter McGirr, an Irish immigrant priest who allowed the boy to attend St. Peter’s, a local parish school for white Catholics, when the tobacco factory where Tolton was employed was closed in the winter. McGirr’s decision was controversial, but Tolton pushed on and excelled. He began private tutoring by priests at Saint Francis Solanus College, now Quincy University. In 1880, he graduated as the valedictorian. Augustus Tolton became the first Black man to be ordained as a Catholic priest in the U.S. Quincy University via Wikimedia Commons By then, it was clear that Tolton was extraordinary – even when working at a soda bottling plant, for example, he had learned German, Latin and Greek. He wanted to become a priest, yet was rejected by U.S. seminaries. The Vatican allowed Black men to be ordained, but church hierarchy in the U.S. would not admit Black men to seminaries. Their exclusion was driven by white priests “internally beholden to the racist doctrines of the day,” as Nate Tinner-Williams, co-founder and editor of the Black Catholic Messenger, wrote in a 2021 article. Tolton applied to the Mill Hill Missionaries in London, a group that was devoted to serving Black Catholics, and was rejected by them as well. At the time, the only Black men who were Catholic priests in the U.S. were biracial Americans who passed as white and did not openly identify themselves as Black. The most famous of these was Patrick Healy, who served as president of Georgetown University from 1873-82. Healy and his brothers were ordained in Europe. With no route to ordination in his home country, Tolton traveled to Rome to complete his seminary education. He was ordained on Easter Saturday in 1886 and celebrated his first Mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica. He planned on going somewhere in Africa as a missionary, but was instead sent to the United States. As Tolton later recalled, “It was said that I would be the only priest of my race in America and would not likely succeed.” ‘Good Father Gus’ After ordination, Tolton returned to his home country and celebrated Masses in New York and New Jersey before settling in in his hometown of Quincy. The Masses were like a triumphant return for Tolton: filled to capacity, and drawing in people from surrounding areas to celebrate the country’s first Mass presided over by a Black priest. “Good Father Gus” was popular, and known for being a “fluent and graceful talker” with “a singing voice of exceptional sweetness.” Yet his ministry encountered backlash – though not from parishioners. He encountered jealousy from other ministers. Tolton told James Gibbons, archbishop of Baltimore, that Black Protestant ministers were nervous that their members would leave and become Catholic. White Catholic priests “rejoiced at my arrival,” Tolton wrote, but “now they wish I were away because too many white people come down to my church from other parishes.” An image of Augustus Tolton in William Simmons and Henry McNeal Turner’s 1887 book ‘Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising.’ New York Public Library via Wikimedia Commons Tolton’s most influential chapter began when he moved to Chicago in 1889. He was sent as a “missionary” to the Black community in Chicago, with the hope of establishing a Black Catholic church. He served the parish of St. Monica’s, described at the time as “probably the only Catholic church in the West that has been built by colored members of that faith for their own use.” This success took a toll. Tolton had periods of sickness and took a temporary leave of absence from St. Monica’s in 1895. It is unclear whether he suffered from mental illness or physical illness. During a heat wave, he collapsed on the street. He died the next day, on July 8, 1897, at age 43. Road to sainthood Tolton’s legacy continues beyond his life and early death. As the first Black priest in the U.S., “whom all knew and recognized as Black,” according to Cyprian Davis, a Black Catholic monk and historian of the church, Tolton opened the doors to other Black men being ordained. Augustus Tolton’s headstone in St. Peter’s Cemetery of Quincy, Ill. Ched/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Ten years after Tolton applied to join the Mill Hill Missionaries, the order accepted a Black man for seminary and priesthood: Charles Randolph Uncles. John Henry Dorsey received the Holy Orders in 1902, becoming the second Black man ordained in the U.S. and the country’s fifth Black priest. “Good Father Gus” is now on the path toward sainthood. In 2019, Pope Francis advanced Tolton’s cause for sainthood, making his name officially “The Venerable Father Augustus Tolton.” The next steps, beatification and canonization, require evidence of miracles, which the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Vatican are evaluating. Today, some schools and programs carry Tolton’s name, introducing him to a new generation. But while church law and practice no longer prohibit the ordination of Black men to the priesthood, full equity in church ministry remains elusive. Black women were long excluded from joining religious orders, and they started their own congregations in the mid-19th century. A Black man did not become a U.S. cardinal until 2020, when Wilton Gregory was named cardinal of Washington, D.C. During Black History Month, I believe Tolton’s life and legacy offer a vital example of how one man overcame obstacles to pursue priesthood, encountering success and loneliness along the way. Annie Selak, Director, Women's Center, Georgetown University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Plans for a significant expansion of the Adams County Technical Institute (ACTI) took center stage at January's FASD board meeting, as ACTI Director Shawn Eckenrode outlined growing demand for career and technical education, projected costs for a new facility, and the challenges of finding an appropriate site. Eckenrode told board members that ACTI is turning away roughly 25 percent of applicants each year — about 50 students annually — because the school lacks sufficient space and programs. Currently, ACTI can accept about 150 new students per year from across Adams County, but receives about 200 applications. “We felt like there were some folks that weren’t getting enough information and didn’t really understand where we were,” Eckenrode said, explaining that ACTI leadership has been holding presentations and attending individual school board meetings to provide updates. A recently completed feasibility study recommended adding seven new programs and constructing a new 142,000-square-foot facility. The estimated price tag ranges from $56 million to $63 million, not including land. Eckenrode said that amount likely exceeds what participating districts can afford, prompting discussions about a smaller or phased project supplemented by grants and private donations. District leaders have indicated they could collectively support between $35 million and $55 million. “We know that we really can’t go build that big of a school right off the bat,” Eckenrode said. “But we know about how much we think we can afford as a group.” If ACTI expands to 13 or 14 programs, Eckenrode said the school could double its capacity to about 600 students. For Fairfield specifically, that could increase the district’s seat allocation from roughly 24 students to about 56. Board members questioned how that increase might affect elective offerings at Fairfield High School. Eckenrode acknowledged there would likely be some impact but said the district could work through scheduling challenges. The search for a building site has been underway for nearly two years. Eckenrode said ACTI has evaluated about a dozen potential properties but has encountered obstacles related to wetlands, utilities, and traffic access. He expressed hope that a suitable site could be identified by summer or early fall. Once land is secured, Eckenrode estimated construction would take about three years from start to finish. Local workforce needs have added urgency to the project. Eckenrode cited conversations with area employers struggling to find skilled workers, including a motorcycle dealer who must recruit technicians from Maryland and a plumbing and HVAC contractor who warned that the average plumber in Adams County is nearing retirement age. “Adams County is not training any plumbers,” Eckenrode relayed from business leaders. “If your hot water heater explodes, it might be weeks before someone can get to your house.” Board members also asked whether local businesses might contribute financially to an expansion. Eckenrode said formal fundraising discussions have not yet begun but noted that several companies already donate equipment to ACTI programs. In addition to expanding high school programs, Eckenrode said ACTI is exploring the possibility of offering adult education courses — a common practice at career and technical schools across Pennsylvania — as a potential revenue source. Despite the significant costs and logistical hurdles, board members signaled strong interest in continuing the planning process, noting that districts have already begun setting aside funds in anticipation of an eventual project.

Hint: it won’t be the A plus plus he gives himself. A January 2026 AP poll shows only 37 percent of Americans approve of President Trump’s handling of the economy, down from 40 percent earlier in 2025. And a recent CNN poll shows 55 percent believe his policies have worsened economic conditions. So unsurprisingly, economic

For more than a century, from 1640 to 1763, England was consumed with Civil War, dynastic turbulence, and superpower land wars in Europe. During this time, England’s new American colonies enjoyed substantial autonomy. In 1763, at the end of what we call the French and Indian War, England found itself in possession of its own worldwide empire. But it also needed to administer, pacify, and protect these new colonies. Plus, there was the debt from the war that won the empire. Parliament reasoned, “These colonists benefit from the war; they shouldn’t object to paying a small tax to help.” This was a BIG mistake, leading in less than 20 years to Britain’s loss of its North American colonies. The resistance to British rule began with the 1765 adoption of the Stamp Act, which required a special stamp on legal documents, newspapers, playing cards, pamphlets, etc. The tax was intended to pay for British troops stationed in America, but the colonists were conditioned to believe that taxes could only be levied by colonial assemblies. The famed expression, “No taxation without representation,” came from this crisis. Local political leader Samuel Adams organized the “Loyal Nine,” a group of socially conservative merchants threatened by the Stamp Act, which in turn created the Sons of Liberty. Most dramatically, the Stamp Act led to the Stamp Act Riots, the earliest mass violent protests, aimed at tax collectors and colonial officials. The resistance movement in Boston represented the uneasy partnership between two groups. First were the merchants and aristocrats and professionals like John Adams, John Hancock, and others pursuing resistance partly out of belief in rights, partly out of commercial interest. The other group was “The waterfront mobs,” a combination of employed/unemployed seamen, escaped slaves and indentured servants, rope workers, small shopkeepers, and the masses typically found at a seaport. The mobs were organized in caucuses (social/political groups) by Samuel Adams and others. The upper classes counted on the mobs to do their dirty work; mobs often pressed leaders to more vigorous action. Typically, upper classes attempted to smooth over riots after they happened. The Quartering Act, adopted on May 15, 1765, allowed British troops to demand housing. This meant not just a bed at no cost, but also cooking and laundry service as well as a spy in the house. It was so despised that 26 years later, the Founders listed it third in the Bill of Rights. The following year, the Repeal Act repealed the Stamp Act, while the Declaratory Acts asserted, in effect, “But don’t think you got away with anything; we can tax anything we want, whenever…” One of the last steps toward outright rebellion happened in 1773, when Parliament repealed all taxes except one tiny one on tea, obviously thinking, “maybe they’ll be grateful and be willing to pay just that one.” This was a huge miscalculation; rage spread throughout the colonies. Many colonies destroyed tea, but none with Boston’s panache; men dressed as Indians and paraded openly through town to the wharf, forced their way onto the ships, and tossed the tea into the harbor. Parliament retaliated with harsh legislation, closing the Port of Boston, and sent more troops. The confrontation continued to build with the assembly of the First Continental Congress, which met at Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia, September 5 to October 26, 1774. Representatives from 12 colonies attended, the first time many Colonial leaders met and a chance for politicians from Virginia and Pennsylvania to take the measure of their counterparts from Massachusetts and New York. The Congress adopted resolutions asserting colonial rights, demanding an end to repressive laws such as those closing the Port of Boston, canceling Massachusetts charter, and curtailing town meetings. The resistance had spread beyond New England and the stage was set for outright rebellion.

High School Sports Boys Basketball February 2 Delone 79 Camp Hill 36 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Delone 22 23 21 13 79 Camp-Hill 11 9 12 4 36 The Squires rolled on, moving to 20-0, cruising past overmatched Camp Hill on Monday. Liam O'Brien and Luke Rebert paced the scoring for Delone with 28 and 18 points, respectively. Girls Basketball February 2 Gettysburg 37 Hanover 34 TEAM 1 2 3 4 5 Total Gettysburg 9 8 4 9 9 37 Hanover 4 11 5 10 4 34 The Warriors and Hawks battled from start, with Gettysburg pulling out the win in overtime on Monday. Bailey Irvin led the winning effort with 16 points, and Emerson Seidel added 10. Trystan Shaeffer led Hanover with 10 points. Girls Basketball February 2 Littlestown 52 Biglerville 37 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Littlestown 20 4 14 14 52 Biglerville 8 12 7 10 37 Littlestown came out with a strong second effort to power past the Canners, after Biglerville had stormed back from a double-digit early deficit. Littlestown's Autumn Moran led all scorers with 23 points. Joceyln Miller's 17 paced Biglerville.

The birds are screeching and flapping around the bird feeders this morning.  It’s been cold enough that little has melted, so our landscape still looks like a Christmas card, and it must be hard for them to find food. It is truly beautiful, and when my daughter took me to the dentist, I just gazed out of the car window at the rows of fruit trees marching up the hillsides, stark and dark without their leaves outlined against the pristine snow at their feet.  I’d do well to stop and drink in the beauty of my surroundings more often.  God has gifted us with an amazing planet, and it saddens me that we are not more attentive to its beauty and needs. With the cold weather, we seniors tend to stay inside where it is nice and warm, but a call from a friend reminded me that in spite of the cold, it is important to keep tabs on our family and friends, especially those who tend to be housebound.  Friendships and caring family relationships don’t just happen. They require effort, deliberation, thought, acceptance, and more than an infrequent “I’m sorry.” This morning I took time to read several devotionals in my copy of One Day at a Time in Alanon.    One reading had to do with courtesy.   The writer noted that there is a vast difference between politeness and courtesy.  We can be polite even when we are angry, but courtesy comes from the heart.  Courtesy is the warm expression of concern for the well-being of the other, even if that other is a stranger.   I essentially live alone these days.  A granddaughter’s stuff lives in my spare bedroom, but she comes and goes. She is young, and her life is full. Times such as the past snow, my daughter comes to stay with me, but I have adapted to being alone since my spouse died almost four years ago.  I have learned to like being alone,  so being around people for any length of time is becoming a challenge.  Thus, the reading on courtesy was a good reminder to me.  Being courteous, I am reminded, is about affirming the other, accepting them for who they are, not who I may want them to be, and going beyond politeness by actually paying attention to them rather than just saying “Hmm” at times. The devotional closes with these words:  “I will take every opportunity to be courteous to those nearest me, as well as those outside my orbit.  The warmth and kindness of courtesy will take the sting out of resentments and give dignity and importance to the members of my household, making them feel secure and loved.  Courtesy makes a less troublesome game of life. Misunderstandings melt away. It gets rid of avoidable obstructions.”

Gettysburg Borough Council heard pointed opposition Tuesday night to a proposal to expand the Seminary Ridge Historic District, with Adams County Library leaders, preservationists, and residents warning that the move could stifle development, and particularly plans for a new Gettysburg Public Library. The comments came after the Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) in December unanimously recommended creating a new Seminary Ridge Historic District along Route 116 and West Confederate Avenue. Miranda Wisor, executive director of the Adams County Library System, told council that some community members believe the proposal is aimed at limiting the library’s future. “This is a move to control the library's future development plans on the south side of the seminary campus,” she said. Wisor emphasized that significant historic resources in the area are already protected through the Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation Foundation and National Park Service viewshed rules, as well as existing HARB oversight. “I urge the council to deny the proposed expansion, and to maintain the existing historic district boundaries,” she said. Judy Morley, president of the Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation Foundation and a scholar of preservation policy, said protecting history must be balanced with community needs. Morley said Seminary Ridge already has multiple layers of protection and that expanding the district would “tip the balance… to one that is overly bureaucratically weighted toward preservation.” Other speakers also tied the historic district proposal directly to the fate of the planned library. “New restrictions are likely to negatively impact the construction of the new Gettysburg Public Library,” said Gettysburg resident Janelle Wertzberger. Longtime borough resident and library board member Don Marritz was more blunt, saying that “If the historic district were expanded as proposed, it would prevent the construction of a new library.” Teresa Smallwood, Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs at United Lutheran Seminary, said she supports the library project. “There is no more preserved institution than what lies on Seminary Ridge,” Smallwood said, adding that young people connected to the seminary would benefit greatly from a new library. Rob Williams, Seminary Ridge Museum Outreach Director and a library trustee, said the Adams County Historical Society has determined that the proposed library site is not historically significant. “There is no reason for the Historical Society to believe that that library should not be built there,” Williams said, noting that the project enjoys the society’s support. HARB Chair Brandon Stone told council that the board’s December vote to recommend a new historic district was unanimous. He said the proposal follows the same logic used when council expanded historic protections in 1999 to safeguard Gettysburg’s gateways. “The Seminary Ridge represents the last remaining unprotected entry of that kind,” Stone said. He emphasized that the recommendation was informational and that “no action is required” at this time. Council said any decision is likely far off as it takes a fuller look at its existing ordinances.

The Gettysburg Borough Council on Monday night unanimously approved a resolution supporting a $1.2 million competitive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application for the Adams County Children’s Advocacy Center ACCAC) “Brighter Tomorrow Center” renovation project at 224 Baltimore Street. ACCAC is a child-focused, community-based program that brings together representatives from many different disciplines—law enforcement, child protection, mental health, medical and victim advocacy—working together to help children and families heal from the trauma of abuse. The action followed a brief public hearing in which advocates said the center has outgrown its current home at 450 West Middle Street. Harlan Lawson, an Adams County economic development specialist and Senior Project Manager at GMS Funding Solutions assisting the project, told council that Gettysburg’s prior use of its FY 2025 entitlement funds made the competitive application possible. He explained that roughly 12% of Pennsylvania’s annual CDBG allocation is reserved for a discretionary, competitive program, which Act 179 entitlement boroughs like Gettysburg may pursue if at least 75% of their most recent allocation has been committed. Lawson said the CAC’s current facility is constrained by “layout and security,” while the Baltimore Street site would allow for expanded space for child abuse investigations, forensic interviews, medical exams, and mental health services. He noted that the project qualifies under CDBG rules because abused children are considered a presumed benefit population. Since its last presentation, the CAC has secured a $500,000 Local Share Account grant and received “very encouraging feedback” from DCED Deputy Secretary Rick Valello during a January site visit. During public comment, former ACCAC board member Irene Powell said the move is long overdue. “The Children’s Advocacy Center has long outgrown the capacity of their current location on Middle Street,” she said, adding that the historic Baltimore Street property would be preserved and remain engaged with the downtown community. Board Vice President Cindy Small said the existing facility allows the center to serve only “one child at a time in the old, overstuffed house,” while the new space would support ongoing care for children and families, including teen support groups that participants have asked to extend. ACCAC Executive Director Elida Murray said the center received 538 referrals in 2025 and directly served 244 children and their families. She noted that 24% of those served came from Gettysburg Area School District addresses. “If you approve this resolution, it’s not just a today decision, but a forever decision for kids in Adams County,” she told council. In the business meeting that followed, borough officials said the resolution does not commit additional local funds, but serves as “seed money” that unlocks other funding streams. Council then adopted Resolution No. 0122626 authorizing submission of the CDBG-C application.

This story was originally reported by Amanda Becker of The 19th. Meet Amanda and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy. Church-supervised hubs to house and care for children separated from their parents. Phone chains to activate citizen networks if federal immigration agents are spotted in the community. Volunteers to deliver food to hungry neighbors from their own cars instead of food pantry trucks. Training on what to do if agents breach one of the churches planning to provide sanctuary to immigrant families.  These are just some of the preparations that residents of Springfield, Ohio, have made in recent days as the country barrels toward the end of an immigration program that has allowed some 330,000 Haitians to legally live and work in the United States because of the rampant violence and political volatility in Haiti. Though conditions there have not improved — and perhaps only worsened — Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, ends for Haitians on February 3. There are as many as 15,000 immigrants in the Springfield area, many of them Haitian, and the city of about 60,000 is ramping up efforts to try to protect their community from the type of chaotic, violent assault by federal immigration agents that claimed two lives in Minneapolis in recent weeks.  “The fear is turned up as high as it can go in the community,” said Marjory Wentworth, a poet and member of the faith-based coalition G92, which formed last year to support Springfield’s Haitian community. Top of mind for the largely faith-based constellation of groups and coalitions are thousands of Haitian and Haitian-American children in Springfield who are in danger of being separated from their parents if ICE begins either targeted or large-scale enforcement actions. The Catholic charity St. Vincent de Paul has spent the past eight months urging the Haitian parents who come into their community center to get U.S. passports for their American-born children in case they need to self-deport to Haiti or a third country. There have also been efforts to get kinship care and guardianship arrangements in place in the event of worst-case family separation scenarios.  Many Haitians in Springfield are still praying for a last-minute reprieve from the courts. There are two cases before federal judges that challenge the Trump administration’s decision to end TPS for Haitians given the conditions in their home country — one is expected to rule before the TPS end date. But the Springfield network that has supported Haitians there is moving forward with preparations for what more than one referred to as a potential “siege” by ICE, since the administration might appeal the ruling — or ignore it altogether.  “It has felt for a long time like we're facing a train coming down the tracks toward us,” said Pastor Carl Ruby, whose congregation has been vocal in their support for Haitians. Late last week, word came from the office of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine that it was time to “activate the churches,” as one leader of a faith-based organization put it — in other words, to prepare to provide emergency care and short-term housing to children separated from their parents. Amy Willmann at the Nehemiah Foundation, a local group named for a biblical figure said to have restored Jerusalem, was tapped as the point person. She said their network has 28 churches and 114 volunteers who have already completed background checks. These volunteers will staff “hubs” where children can go if they arrive home from school to an empty house or are taken in by child services once a parent is picked up by ICE. DeWine, a term-limited Republican in his final year in office, has pledged additional support from the state.  Willmann said a top priority is getting the word out to Haitian parents that these volunteers are not looking to adopt their children, they simply want to make sure they are safe during a potentially volatile situation.  “We want you to know they have a safe place to be until they’re reunified with you. We know that some of [the parents] will self deport and take their children with them, some of them will take their children with them into detention. But we also know that some are already choosing to leave their children here because they don't want to take them to a detention center or to Haiti,” Willmann said.  On Saturday, G92 held a rapid-response training that drew nearly 200 to a local church. Though it was initially designed to be the final in a series, there were so many new faces that organizers decided to make it more of an all-hands-on-deck overview. As G92 member and social worker Jill Potter-Bonsell put it: “The demographic of these people is changing, more and more everyday people that wouldn’t normally be involved in this type of stuff are concerned and feel morally obligated to do something.”  Participants learned about their First Amendment rights and about the newly elevated risk of exercising them. They acted out potential scenarios community members may encounter as they face Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents on their streets — and in their churches. On President Donald Trump’s first day back in office, his administration ended a policy that protected churches, schools and hospitals from immigration enforcement. As actors playing ICE agents busted through the church sanctuary door, some participants took out their cell phones to start recording. A woman in a wheelchair did circles in the aisle to complicate the agents’ path. More than a few dropped to their knees and began to pray.  “Most of it took place in our sanctuary — no pun intended,” said Ruby, whose church hosted the training. “We tried to distill everything that we’ve learned over the last year into one training session that was very specifically focused on what could happen in Springfield in the next couple of weeks.” Hanging over the training was the recent death of Renee Nicole Good at the hands of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis — organizers emphasized personal safety considerations and their commitment to nonviolent resistance, grounded in their belief that “as Christians, we are called to push back against injustice,” Ruby said. Halfway through, Ruby got word that federal immigration agents had shot Alex Pretti and announced it to the group. As participants prepared to break for the day, they got the news that the 37-year-old ICU nurse had died. “It was very sobering, because when I watched what happened with Renee Good, I realized this could happen to some of the people who we’ve trained, because we’ve trained people to videotape what they're seeing, and they could be doing the very same things and be shot and killed by ICE,” Ruby said.  Many Springfield residents preparing for the end of TPS and what could follow said it is giving them flashbacks to 2024, when lies about Haitians on social media were amplified by Trump and Vice President JD Vance, and when white nationalist groups descended on their city. Misinformation “spread like wildfire” then, said Jen Casto, a G92 member and community activist. In recent days, she has heard that ICE enforcement would begin on January 28, then that it will begin on February 3 and last 30 days; she has heard that 1,500 federal agents are being deployed to the city, then that they have a high-priority list of 300 people first in line for deportation. Really, no one knows what to expect, so they’re trying to prepare for everything, Casto said. “It takes me back to that, in a way, but at a different level,” Casto said of today versus what her community confronted in 2024. “But now, I don't think we're so much worried about hate groups coming here like we had in the past … I think a lot of what the feeling is right now is a fear that ICE or other federal entities are going to come in here and just destroy our community.”

High School Sports Boys Basketball January 30 Bermudian Springs 47 Hanover 35 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Bermudian 11 14 8 14 47 Hanover 7 9 6 13 35 Jadon Ayers and Luke Hubbard combined for 35 Bermudian points in leading the Eagles past the Hawks. Ayers paced all scorers with 19. Boys Basketball January 30 Delone 86 Fairfield 45 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Delone 34 29 8 15 86 Fairfield 13 16 13 3 45 Delone continued its stellar season, rolling over Fairfield beyond 27 points from Luke Rebert and 16 from Liam O'Brien. In all, the Squires got points from 10 players. Aiden Cromer had a strong game for Fairfield with 17. Boys Basketball January 30 York Suburban 57 New Oxford 38 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total York-Suburban 13 19 7 18 57 New-Oxford 16 3 8 11 38 A big second quarter was the key for Suburban in its win at home over the Colonials Friday night. Brody Holmes scored 20 points for New Oxford to lead all scorers. Boys Basketball January 31 West York 63 New Oxford 51 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total West-York 16 16 17 14 63 New-Oxford 11 10 20 10 51 New Oxford found the going tough at West York on Saturday, trailing throughout. Brody Holmes led the Colonials with 22 points, and Brayden Billman added 14. Boys Wrestling January 31 Gettysburg 37 Wilson West Lawn 33 Gettysburg completed its run to the District 3 AAA team championship with the victory, piling up bonus points throughout the lineup. Jayden Black, at 114, got the Warriors on the scoreboard with a decision at 114. At 133, Will Yordy added a win by fall, and the bonus kept coming at 139 as Isaiah Jackson delivered yet another pin, further widening the gap on the running scoreboard. Gettysburg’s middle weights continued to apply pressure, with Reid Grossman earning a fall at 160. Gettysburg also capitalized on technical falls to stack points. Miles Grossman produced a dominant technical fall at 145, before Blake Haines followed suit at 152 with another tech fall, putting Gettysburg ahead to stay. Caden Shearer delivered another fall at 189. The Warriors will now move on to the PiAA State Team Championships. Girls Basketball January 30 Delone 61 Fairfield 14 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Delone 19 20 16 6 61 Fairfield 4 2 2 6 14 The Squirettes, led by Reece Meckley's 22 points, romped over Fairfield on Friday. Girls Basketball January 30 Greencastle 38 Gettysburg 22 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Greencastle 7 6 11 14 38 Gettysburg 10 6 4 2 22 After a tight first half, Greencastle overcame a deficit by shutting down the Warriors defensively and finding its scoring touch, as well. Alaina Keller led Gettysburg with 10 points. Girls Basketball January 30 York Catholic 69 Biglerville 32 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total York-Catholic 22 26 12 9 69 Biglerville 15 16 7 4 32 Bethany Lawlor scored 22 points, Jaydyn Brown added 18, and York Catholic stormed past Biglerville on Friday. For the Canners, Evangeline Hollabaugh had 10 points, Jocelyn and Jaedyn Miller had 8 and 7, respectively.

Jordan Miller, Arizona State University The U.S. departure from the World Health Organization became official in late January 2026, according to the Trump administration – a year after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on inauguration day of his second term, declaring that he was doing so. He first stated his intention to do so during his first term in 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. severing its ties with the WHO will cause ripple effects that linger for years to come, with widespread implications for public health. The Conversation asked Jordan Miller, a public health professor at Arizona State University, to explain what the U.S. departure means in the short and long term. Why is the US leaving the WHO? The Trump administration says it’s unfair that the U.S. contributes more than other nations and cites this as the main reason for leaving. The White House’s official announcement gives the example of China, which, despite having a population three times the size of the U.S., contributes 90% less than the U.S. does to the WHO. The Trump administration has also claimed that the WHO’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was botched and that it lacked accountability and transparency. The WHO has pushed back on these claims, defending its pandemic response, which recommended masking and physical distancing. The U.S. does provide a disproportionate amount of funding to the WHO. In 2023, for example, U.S. contributions almost tripled that of the European Commission’s and were roughly 50% more than the second highest donor, Germany. But health experts point out that preventing and responding quickly to public health challenges is far less expensive than dealing with those problems once they’ve taken root and spread. However, the withdrawal process is complicated, despite the U.S. assertion that it is final. Most countries do not have the ability to withdraw, as that is the way the original agreement to join the WHO was designed. But the U.S. inserted a clause into its agreement with the WHO when it agreed to join, stipulating that the U.S. would have the ability to withdraw, as long as it provided a one-year notice and paid all remaining dues. Though the U.S. gave its notice when Trump took office a year ago, it still owes the WHO about US$260 million in fees for 2024-25. There are complicated questions of international law that remain. https://www.youtube.com/embed/uacD-03S28E?wmode=transparent&start=0 The U.S. has been a dominant force in the WHO, and its absence will have direct and lasting impacts on health systems in the U.S. and other countries. What does US withdrawal from the WHO mean in the short term? In short, the U.S. withdrawal weakens public health abroad and at home. The WHO’s priorities include stopping the spread of infectious diseases, stemming antimicrobial resistance, mitigating natural disasters, providing medication and health services to those who need it, and even preventing chronic diseases. So public health challenges, such as infectious diseases, have to be approached at scale because experience shows that coordination across borders is important for success. The U.S. has been the largest single funder of the WHO, with contributions in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually over the past decade, so its withdrawal will have immediate operational impacts, limiting the WHO’s ability to continue established programs. As a result of losing such a significant share of its funding, the WHO announced in a recent memo to staff that it plans to cut roughly 2,300 jobs – a quarter of its workforce – by summer 2026. It also plans to downsize 10 of its divisions to four. In addition to a long history of funding, U.S. experts have worked closely with the WHO to address public health challenges. Successes stemming from this partnership include effectively responding to several Ebola outbreaks, addressing mpox around the world and the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda and Ethiopia. Both the Marburg and Ebola viruses have a 50% fatality rate, on average, so containing these diseases before they reached pandemic-level spread was critically important. The Infectious Diseases Society of America issued a statement in January 2026 describing the move as “a shortsighted and misguided abandonment of our global health commitments,” noting that “global cooperation and communication are critical to keep our own citizens protected because germs do not respect borders.” The US has been instrumental in the response to major Ebola outbreaks through its involvement with the WHO. Shown here, Ebola-infected liver cells. Callista Images/Connect Images via Getty Images What are the longer-term impacts of US withdrawal? By withdrawing from the WHO, the U.S. will no longer participate in the organization’s Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System, which has been in operation since 1952. This will seriously compromise the U.S.’s ability to plan and manufacture vaccines to match the predicted flu strains for each coming year. Annual flu vaccines for the U.S. and globally are developed a year in advance using data that is collected around the world and then analyzed by an international team of experts to predict which strains are likely to be most widespread in the next year. The WHO convenes expert panels twice per year and then makes recommendations on which flu strains to include in each year’s vaccine manufacturing formulation. While manufacturers will likely still be able to obtain information regarding the WHO’s conclusions, the U.S. will not contribute data in the same way, and American experts will no longer have a role in the process of data analysis. This could lead to problematic differences between WHO recommendations and those coming from U.S. authorities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year in the U.S. millions of people get the flu, hundreds of thousands of Americans are hospitalized and tens of thousands die as a result of influenza. Diminishing the country’s ability to prepare in advance through flu shots will likely mean more hospitalizations and more deaths as a result of the flu. This is just one example of many of how the U.S.’s departure will affect the country’s readiness to respond to disease threats. Additionally, the reputational damage done by the U.S. departure cannot be overstated. The U.S. has developed its position as an international leader in public health over many decades as the largest developer and implementer of global health programs. I believe surrendering this position will diminish the United States’ ability to influence public health strategies internationally, and that is important because global health affects health in the U.S. It will also make it harder to shape a multinational response in the event of another public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health and policy experts predict that China will use this opportunity to strengthen its position and its global influence, stepping into the power vacuum the U.S. creates by withdrawing. China has pledged an additional US$500 million in support of the WHO over the next five years. As a member of the WHO, the United States has had ready access to a vast amount of data collected by the WHO and its members. While most data the WHO obtains is ultimately made available to the public, member nations have greater access to detailed information about collection methods and gain access sooner, as new threats are emerging. Delays in access to data could hamstring the country’s ability to respond in the event of the next infectious disease outbreak. Could the US return under a new president? In short, yes. The WHO has clearly signaled its desire to continue to engage with the U.S., saying it “regrets the U.S. decision to withdraw” and hopes the U.S. will reconsider its decision to leave. In the meantime, individual states have the opportunity to participate. In late January, California announced it will join the WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network, which is open to a broader array of participants than just WHO member nations. California was also a founding member of the West Coast Health Alliance, which now includes 14 U.S. states that have agreed to work together to address public health challenges. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has also launched an initiative designed to improve public health infrastructure and build trust. He enlisted national public health leaders for this effort, including former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leaders Susan Monarez and Deb Houry, as well as Katelyn Jetelina, who became well known as Your Local Epidemiologist during the COVID-19 pandemic. I think we will continue to see innovative efforts like these emerging, as political and public health leaders work to fill the vacuum being created by the Trump administration’s disinvestment in public health. Jordan Miller, Teaching Professor of Public Health, Arizona State University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

High School Sports Boys Basketball January 30 Bermudian Springs 47 Hanover 35 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Bermudian 11 14 8 14 47 Hanover 7 9 6 13 35 Jadon Ayers and Luke Hubbard combined for 35 Bermudian points in leading the Eagles past the Hawks. Ayers paced all scorers with 19. Boys Basketball January 30 Delone 86 Fairfield 45 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Delone 34 29 8 15 86 Fairfield 13 16 13 3 45 Delone continued its stellar season, rolling over Fairfield beyond 27 points from Luke Rebert and 16 from Liam O'Brien. In all, the Squires got points from 10 players. Aiden Cromer had a strong game for Fairfield with 17. Boys Basketball January 30 York Suburban 57 New Oxford 38 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total York-Suburban 13 19 7 18 57 New-Oxford 16 3 8 11 38 A big second quarter was the key for Suburban in its win at home over the Colonials Friday night. Brody Holmes scored 20 points for New Oxford to lead all scorers. Girls Basketball January 30 Delone 61 Fairfield 14 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Delone 19 20 16 6 61 Fairfield 4 2 2 6 14 The Squirettes, led by Reece Meckley's 22 points, romped over Fairfield on Friday. Girls Basketball January 30 Greencastle 38 Gettysburg 22 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Greencastle 7 6 11 14 38 Gettysburg 10 6 4 2 22 After a tight first half, Greencastle overcame a deficit by shutting down the Warriors defensively and finding its scoring touch, as well. Alaina Keller led Gettysburg with 10 points. Girls Basketball January 30 York Catholic 69 Biglerville 32 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total York-Catholic 22 26 12 9 69 Biglerville 15 16 7 4 32 Bethany Lawlor scored 22 points, Jaydyn Brown added 18, and York Catholic stormed past Biglerville on Friday. For the Canners, Evangeline Hollabaugh had 10 points, Jocelyn and Jaedyn Miller had 8 and 7, respectively.

High School Sports Boys Basketball January 30 Bermudian Springs 47 Hanover 35 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Bermudian 11 14 8 14 47 Hanover 7 9 6 13 35 Jadon Ayers and Luke Hubbard combined for 35 Bermudian points in leading the Eagles past the Hawks. Ayers paced all scorers with 19. Boys Basketball January 30 Delone 86 Fairfield 45 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Delone 34 29 8 15 86 Fairfield 13 16 13 3 45 Delone continued its stellar season, rolling over Fairfield beyond 27 points from Luke Rebert and 16 from Liam O'Brien. In all, the Squires got points from 10 players. Aiden Cromer had a strong game for Fairfield with 17. Boys Basketball January 30 York Suburban 57 New Oxford 38 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total York-Suburban 13 19 7 18 57 New-Oxford 16 3 8 11 38 A big second quarter was the key for Suburban in its win at home over the Colonials Friday night. Brody Holmes scored 20 points for New Oxford to lead all scorers. Girls Basketball January 30 Delone 61 Fairfield 14 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Delone 19 20 16 6 61 Fairfield 4 2 2 6 14 The Squirettes, led by Reece Meckley's 22 points, romped over Fairfield on Friday. Girls Basketball January 30 Greencastle 38 Gettysburg 22 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total Greencastle 7 6 11 14 38 Gettysburg 10 6 4 2 22 After a tight first half, Greencastle overcame a deficit by shutting down the Warriors defensively and finding its scoring touch, as well. Alaina Keller led Gettysburg with 10 points. Girls Basketball January 30 York Catholic 69 Biglerville 32 TEAM 1 2 3 4 Total York-Catholic 22 26 12 9 69 Biglerville 15 16 7 4 32 Bethany Lawlor scored 22 points, Jaydyn Brown added 18, and York Catholic stormed past Biglerville on Friday. For the Canners, Evangeline Hollabaugh had 10 points, Jocelyn and Jaedyn Miller had 8 and 7, respectively.