Archive - Jan 2011
January 30th
PUNXSUTAWNEY â
Punxsutawney Phil is known as a model of consistency, appearing each Feb. 2 at Gobblerâs Knob and emerging from his burrow.
So it may come as a surprise that there is no record from nine of his first 12 prognostications.
In fact, there is no record from 1886, when Groundhog Day was first recognized in Punxsutawney â it was then known as Weathers Wags.
Likewise, there is no record of Philâs prediction from 1899, the year the Groundhog Club was founded.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â As the year is advancing, so are the exhibits at the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center (PWDC).
Just in time for Groundhog Day, the PWDC is upgrading its already-popular Galileo Ultra Graphix Animator Plus, otherwise known as a green screen.
A green screen, including the essential equipment, allows people of all ages to stand in front of the green screen and perform a weather forecast, just like on TV.
January 28th
DUBOIS â The Punxsy boys' basketball team won its first District IX League game in 20 tries by defeating DuBois Friday night, 65-49.
The Chucks (6-9, 1-5) snapped a 19-game league losing streak with the victory. Punxsy's last league win came Feb. 7, 2009, when it beat Brookville, 54-44.
Not only was the win big in league terms, but it was the Chucks' largest win over the Beavers in DuBois in more than a decade.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â The 2010-2011 Punxsy girls' basketball team may lose more times than it wins this season, but the Lady Chucks never give up.
The Lady Chucks (4-11, 1-4 District IX League) trailed 32-16 early in the third quarter before a furious comeback led to 38-38 game.
DuBois (10-4, 3-2) made its free throws down the stretch, and Punxsy couldn't keep up during the Lady Beavers' 50-45 victory.
WASHINGTON â Talk about a summit in the making.
Friday, the White House announced that President Obama would be visiting âcentral Pennsylvaniaâ next week â specifically, Feb. 2 ... Groundhog Day.
Could it be that the President of the United States and Punxsutawney Phil are getting together for a meeting of the minds during Americaâs Second-Favorite Holiday?
What would they talk about? Health care? The economy? Using some of Punxsy Philâs life-extending elixir for that upcoming 2012 election?
Donât count on it.
GREEN BAY, Wis. â Current Green Bay Packers center Scott Wells wasnât sure what to think of Brookville when he was 10 years old. The adjustment to living the small-town lifestyle was a lot different from what he was accustomed to in his native Texas.
He loved the aggressive, physical nature of the football he played in Texas, but after he moved to Pennsylvania, he couldnât play his style of football anymore. No one in Brookville could, because there wasnât an opportunity to play tackle football at such a young age.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â Meet the Prutznal family of Punxsy: Parents Dan and Peggy, sons Shane and twins Landon and Luke, and the youngest, daughter Maggie.
Not a Steelers fan in the bunch.
But if you look closely in the familyâs basement, youâll find plenty of gold, but the color accompanying it is not black; itâs green.
Also in the basement, youâll likely find Dan âThe Packer Man,â working on some hand-crafted Packers swag and decorations in preparation for Green & Goldâs appearance in Super Bowl XLV against the Black & Gold, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Gerald E. Ferguson, 69, Big Run, died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011, at his home.
He was born Jan. 26, 1942, in Dansville, N.Y., a son of the late Esther (Musteri) Ferguson.
Mr. Ferguson was an auto mechanic and attended the Free Grace Church in Punxsutawney.
Surviving relatives include a son, Jason Ferguson of North Tonawanda, N.Y.; three daughters, Terri Sidwell and husband of Todd of Galton, Ohio, Gerri Ferguson of Punxsutawney and Loretta Cassett of Florida; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Margaret "Peg" Edretta Chamberlain Couser, 99, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011.
She was born Jan. 18, 1912, in Punxsutawney, and lived a long and wonderful life.
She was married to her husband of 60 years, Ralph C. Couser, who preceded her in death in 1995.
Mrs. Couser was involved in numerous charitable organizations and social clubs. She was the president of the Hospital Women's Auxiliary; chairperson of the Red Cross Auxiliary; a Red Cross nurse's aide; and a blood bank donor.
