Lebanon Daily News
U.S. and Iran trade infrastructure attacks
DUBAI – The United States struck bridges and an airport in Iran on July 17 and Tehran responded by hitting a power and desalination plant in Kuwait, as the warring foes risked further escalation by expanding their targets to include infrastructure. In...
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Social media shaping kids’ career dreams
A second grader in Norway drew a YouTube logo when my colleagues and I asked what they wanted to be when they grow up. When we asked why, the child explained that YouTubers are famous and make lots of money. When we asked second graders in Wisconsin...
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Kirk memorials fail to gain traction
It didn’t take long after Charlie Kirk’s assassination on a university campus in September to hear calls to erect memorials in his honor. Lawmakers, councilmembers, pastors and college leaders announced plans to rename highways, build statues and...
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Digital assistants gaining ground with major banks
NEW YORK – Major banks are ramping up how they incorporate digital assistants in their daily operations, determining how such agents interact with human colleagues and clients as they race to get ahead. Banks are competing in the adoption of agentic...
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SpaceX, AI wealth fuels demand for private jets
NEW YORK – Aviation lawyer Amanda Applegate skipped her annual vacation in June as a surge of wealth from AI startups and SpaceX sent a wave of tech investors shopping for private jets, burying her in paperwork for aircraft-purchase agreements. The...
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Heat
Most people know that heat waves can be dangerous. What they may not realize is that the heat indoors can be much worse than outdoors. When the power goes out and air conditioning stops, a house starts to function like a greenhouse. Heat enters...
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‘People are calling for help, not bullets’
LOUISVILLE – Rebecca Hall believes things could have turned out differently, with her daughter still alive. On two other occasions in recent years, she said, there had been 911 calls as her daughter Katelyn attempted suicide, once by swallowing pills,...
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Probe: Actions by Sudan force amount to genocide
GENEVA – Members of Sudan’s RSF carried out mass killings, abductions of women and girls, mass gang rapes and forced starvation in a city they besieged and captured last year, as part of an intentional policy amounting to genocide, a U.N. probe said...
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Thousands cheer as Big Boy steams into Lebanon
The world’s largest steam locomotive chugged into Lebanon’s 8th St. Station to the roar of crowds as part of a coastto-coast tour to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Thousands of people came out to witness the Big Boy No. 4014’s whistle stop...
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Program gives struggling artists $1,000 a month
Though artificial intelligence is making it easier than ever to produce images, music and text, the technology is also making it harder for the people who have traditionally produced this work to earn a living. A photographer who once was commissioned...
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‘Once in a lifetime event’
Around 7 p.m. July 4, Lancaster resident Virginia Johnson was crammed into the Brightbill Arena after volunteers alerted the public about an incoming thunderstorm. Despite the sounds of rain on the roof and the shutters shaking, Johnson could be seen...
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Safety issues beset Silicon Valley defense startup
Ayear ago, Ryan Tseng, the head of U.S. defense tech startup Shield AI, announced his company had turned a new page. h After a gory incident that partially severed a U.S. Navy official’s fingers during a test of its V-BAT drone, Shield AI had addressed...
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THE MEANING OF REVOLUTION
Like Americans today, the people living in the United States in 1826 were preparing to celebrate a milestone for their country. July Fourth of that year marked the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. As what was known as the “Jubilee”...
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SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY
The 56 steps, cut from pink granite, ascend to a neoclassical temple that seems plucked from ancient Greece and deposited on a Kentucky hilltop. One for each year of President Abraham Lincoln’s life. h If the first eight steps, rising amid the site’s...
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Muslims a part of America’s story
In the 1520s and 1530s, a man named Esteban de Dorantes, known as Estevanico, walked across the deserts of what is now Texas, New Mexico and Arizona – decades before the English founded Jamestown in 1607 and a full century before the Pilgrims reached...
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TIME CAPSULE
Sonia Martinez Urquizu was 13 when the bicentennial time capsule was buried in Coleman Memorial Park. Joining her mom and her younger brother, Urquizu said she remembers watching the organizers seal and bury the cylinder into the ground in the summer...
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Trump reports $1.4B in crypto venture income
President Donald Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income tied to his family’s cryptocurrency ventures in 2025, making digital assets the largest driver of his earnings, according to an annual financial disclosure released June 30. The 927-page...
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High court upholds birthright citizenship
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on June 30 rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to redefine who is an American, striking down the limits on birthright citizenship that were a centerpiece of his hard-line approach to immigration. The ruling landed...
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AI can lead to false arrests and wrongful convictions
In Baltimore County, Maryland, on Oct. 20, a 17-year-old student named Taki Allen was sitting outside his high school after football practice when an artificial intelligence-enhanced surveillance camera falsely identified the Doritos bag in his pocket...
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Measles vaccine push continues
State officials provided an update on the Department of Health’s response to rising measles cases in the LancasterLebanon region, and continued to urge residents to get vaccinated amid the increased outbreak. Since late April, the Lancaster and...
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Lebanon city officials prepare for Big Boy
Lebanon City organizations are making plans as high expectations are felt for the world’s largest steam locomotive’s whistle stop at the Lebanon 8th St. Station on July 7. h City officials are planning to host an event for The Big Boy No. 4014’s...
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Trump sees wins on immigration, guns
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump victories in two immigration cases June 25. In the divide between gun rights and gun violence, the justices struck down another state law, this one in Hawaii, aimed at curbing guns in public...
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‘NURTURE HOPE’
A teenager scrolls through their phone at the dinner table, barely looks up and answers questions with one-word replies. For many adults, that image has come to stand for a larger fear: that today’s young people are disconnected from others and may be...
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ISRAEL STANDS FIRM ON TROOPS IN LEBANON
TEL AVIV – Israel’s defense minister said on June 24 Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies skeptical about a proposed...
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Report: DHS plans to offload proposed ICE detention centers
Federal officials reportedly plan to offload warehouses, including those in Berks and Schuylkill counties, that were proposed as possible immigration detention centers. According to a report from the New York Times, U.S. Immigration and Customs...
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Ukrainian drone makers look to Asia
TOKYO – The CEO of U-Force, a Ukrainian producer of attack drones, flew to Tokyo in April with a pitch for Japanese officials and defense contractors: build thousands of our drones to defend yourself and allies. Days earlier, U.S. troops had used...
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Fire
More than five years later, the scars remain stark: blackened hillsides, closed trails and bare slopes where forests once stood. According to our recent research, which has not yet been peer reviewed, the fires caused significant and lasting declines...
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CLA announces business district revitalization
The Community of Lebanon Association announced the development of a multi-year strategic plan with government, businesses and community leaders to revitalize the city’s downtown business district. CLA members have engaged Derck & Edson, a planning and...
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LOWER CRIME RATES AT RISK
The United States is experiencing one of the steepest declines in violent crime in modern history, including a murder rate at its lowest point in more than a century. Homicides across 35 major American cities fell 21% in 2025, amounting to 922 fewer...
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3,000 roses bloom at Hershey Gardens during NATIONAL ROSE MONTH
The roses are in full bloom at Hershey Gardens with 3,000 plants and 115 colorful varieties for 2026. h On a recent late spring day with puffy clouds dancing across a blue sky, friends and families moved through the three-and-a-half acres of fragrant...
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3-alarm fire rages through buildings
Several residents were displaced after Lebanon County fire crews battled a three-alarm fire at the Downtown Lounge area on Tuesday, June 16, according to officials. Fire crews responded to the 700 block of Cumberland Street for a multidwelling fire....
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Study links iPhones, falling birth rates
The arrival of the iPhone nearly 20 years ago may have had a direct impact on declining birth rates, a new study argues. The working study, which was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research but has not undergone peer review, claims the...
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Health workers struggle to contain Ebola in camps
NIZI, Congo – After the Kpangba displacement camp became the first in this part of war-torn Congo to record deaths from Ebola two weeks ago, health workers rushed to trace those who had come into contact with the deceased to break chains of...
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Residents join demands for Andrew to resign
Palmyra School District residents join with school officials calling on Vice President Corey Andrew to resign, saying there is no positive way forward for the district while he remains on the school board. Residents spent almost two hours during the...
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Students honor America 250 with mural at Legion post
Palmyra fifth-grade students, with their art teachers, created a mural at the Quigley Baum American Legion Post 72 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation. More than 15 students were designing and painting an America 250themed mural at the...
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Study examines GLP-1 use during pregnancy
Use of GLP-1 drugs for diabetes or obesity early in the first trimester of pregnancy, before a woman realizes she is pregnant, is not a cause for alarm, a large new data analysis suggests. These medications, which include Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide,...
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National Guard hosts second public open house
The Pennsylvania National Guard and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs hosted an open house at Fort Indiantown Gap June 6, highlighting the military’s heritage during America’s 250th anniversary. This is the second time in almost two...
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West Cornwall crash involving cattle truck leaves one dead
A 91-year-old man died after his vehicle collided with a cattle truck in West Cornwall Township, according to the Cornwall Borough Police Department. At 1:42 p.m. June 4, police responded to a vehicle accident at the intersection of Maple Ave. and...
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Health experts worry about World Cup
With millions of soccer fans and tourists set to travel to 11 U.S. cities hosting the World Cup in the coming weeks, public health officials are wary of potential risks from infectious diseases, such as the Ebola outbreak racing through Central...
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Big water problems need big solutions
When a drought turns into an urban water crisis, a city’s first step is often to limit lawn watering and launch a campaign to encourage everyone to conserve. It might raise water-use rates or offer incentives for installing lowflow devices. h While...
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SCHOTT Pharma expands their South Lebanon plant
SCHOTT Pharma USA’s representatives joined with Gov. Josh Shapiro and government leaders on June 3 to celebrate an expansion and modernization of their South Lebanon Township facility. The facility, which began production in the South Lebanon location...
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AI
When the movie “Her” debuted in 2013, its plot felt like science fiction. The protagonist, Theodore, is a jaded man with no vigor for life. He comes alive after talking daily with his artificial intelligence chatbot, Samantha, with whom he eventually...
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‘There’s been a real kind of upswell’
Lebanon-area protesters joined a multi-county effort calling doubts on U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser’s representation to his constituency, while local residents continue calling for the congressman to hold an in-person, public town hall. ICE Out Upper Bern, a...
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‘I love these coaches’
While residents made another massive outpouring to defend two successful wrestling coaches, Palmyra Area School Board members did not take action to reinstate their contracts. Carrying signs that included “I stand with Coach Regets,” residents spent...
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Pope’s encyclical on AI wins praise
What are humans worth when the work and thoughts they produce threaten to be replicated by technological algorithms? And what is artificial intelligence worth if in the end it does not benefit humanity? With his first major document as head of the...
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Ads for GLP-1 drugs flooding the internet
If you watched the Super Bowl in 2026, you likely saw Serena Williams share her weight-loss journey on GLP-1 medications in a commercial. h Like millions of others around the country, if you’ve ever considered taking one of these drugs, you probably...
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Borough ordinance paves way for apartment project
Palmyra borough officials passed a new zoning ordinance during a May 26 meeting that allows a luxury apartment project that drew opposition from residents to move forward. Borough Council members unanimously approved Ordinance 841, which officials...
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Cannabis legalization spurs innovation
Innovation in health care saves lives. But not all health innovations have enough evidence to actually benefit patients. Barriers to innovation are often higher in illicit or restricted markets, including cannabis, stem cells and cryptocurrencies....
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Big Boy locomotive to make historic stop
The world’s largest steam locomotive will be making a stop at the Lebanon 8th St. Station as part of a coast-to-coast tour to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. h The Big Boy No. 4014 will be making a whistle stop at the Lebanon City station at 250...
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Event at Indiantown Gap Cemetery honors the fallen
Despite the threat of rain, visitors crowded into the Pennsylvania Veterans Memorial at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery Sunday afternoon with the cadences of the various armed services ringing through the structure. It is a sound that...
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THE LIMITS OF LOCKDOWNS
There have been 63 school shootings – meaning any time there is gunfire on a school campus – so far in 2026. h They happen so often that preparing for one has become normal. Students as young as 4 years old routinely practice for the possibility of a...
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ELCO Veterans Memorial honors fallen graduates
Students and staff of the Eastern Lebanon County School District joined with local officials on Thursday to dedicate a new memorial honoring alumni veterans. Located at the district’s high school, the ELCO Veterans Memorial honors the sacrifices of...
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AT&T endures after 150 years of change
You’d need a pretty good chart to keep track of AT&T’s breakups, reorganizations, acquisitions, subsidiaries, CEOs, strikes, settlements, patents, innovations ... the list goes on. The telecommunications company that traces its roots to Alexander...
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Family honors Marine lost for decades
He whips past the tall grass. h Heat is swelling around him, just like the pain in his leg. His glasses must have been lost. At some point, he watches himself stop and lie down. In the blurred greenery, he thinks about his family, how far away he is...
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Universities still hold Native remains, artifacts
Many universities and museums in the United States have long held Native American burial artifacts, other sacred objects and even human remains. Most of these collections were acquired in the late 19th and 20th centuries. They came from grave...
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MI synagogue says aid needed at religious sites
DETROIT – Officials at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, which was victimized by anti-Jewish violence two months ago, are calling for a $1 billion federal earmark to help keep places of worship safe in the wake of the deadly May 18 shooting...
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AI ventures into literature
At some point in the next several months, I am hoping to receive a modest check as a member of the class covered in the class-action settlement Bartz v. Anthropic. In 2025, the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, best known for creating the...
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Officials prep for election interference
Scott McDonell’s training slideshow for poll workers covers what to do in case of fire or flood. A few years ago, the clerk for Dane County – which is Wisconsin’s second most populous county added de-escalation training in case a voter became...
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RISING COSTS
Americans’ concerns about being able to afford electricity and home heating fuel have been elevated since the beginning of the Iran war. But recently released nationwide data shows that even before the war began, these concerns were widespread,...
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Board votes against renewal of two coaches’ contracts
Despite residents showing up in bulk to again defend two successful wrestling coaches, a majority of Palmyra Area School Board members voted not to renew their contracts for the 2026-27 school year. More than 35 residents, coaches, and team members...
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‘Thank God that he was there’
PAULS VALLEY, OK – Dollar store employee Melissa Melton sat in her car outside Pauls Valley High School, waiting to drop off her son and pick up her nephew, when she spotted the young man in the hoodie. He stood behind a tree close to the school. It...
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Century-long effort aims to keep nations White
Whiteness appears to be an official immigration credential in the eyes of the United States government. The Trump administration in late 2025 slashed the annual cap on refugee admissions to 7,500 for budget year 2026, down from the 125,000 cap set in...
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20 people become U.S. citizens at ceremony
Naman Patel has been living in Lebanon County as an immigrant since he was 3-years-old. The now 18-year-old University of Pittsburgh student originally said he started the process of becoming a citizen to formalize being part of the country that he...
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‘Think about their courage’
There have been more than 27,358 police officers killed in the line of duty in the United States since the first recorded police death in 1786, according to Lebanon City Police Chief Eric Sims. In Pennsylvania, the total number is 1,195 officers killed...
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STAYING PREPARED
On Saturday, May 9, Devon Doll was sitting in a Palmyra High School chemistry class room when he heard gunshots. “I didn’t see much, because the door was closed and there was something blocking the window, but from what we heard there was a few shots,...
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AI-integrated cameras raise alarms
For decades, cars dictated urban planning in the United States. h Few could have predicted that they would one day also double as nodes for surveillance. h In thousands of towns and cities across the United States, automatic license plate readers have...
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Freeze wipes out some crops in Lebanon County
A late freeze in April impacted farms across central Pennsylvania, including an orchard in Lebanon County. On Thursday, Honey Bear Orchards in North Annville Township announced that it would not be able to open for the 2026 season due to a mid-April...
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AMISH TO CEO
The pins in Lizzie Ens’ dress were placed thoughtfully and meticulously. Scorn and judgment could certainly come otherwise. Or worse. An eternity in hell awaited little girls who didn’t place their pins perfectly. h The pins must be perfect, and...
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Prayer event largely focused on one religion
WASHINGTON – A national prayer event meant to unite the country will largely reflect just one faith. President Donald Trump’s May 17 National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise, and Thanksgiving on the National Mall is designed to “gather a broad assembly of...
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Indiantown Gap Cemetery to host Echo Taps ceremony
Indiantown Gap National Cemetery will host its 20th annual Echo Taps Ceremony on May 16. The ceremony starts at 11 a.m. in front of the cemetery’s Administration Building with a traditional three-volley rifle salute by the Vet 21 Salute Honor Guard of...
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America250Pa needs volunteers for July 4
Lebanon America250Pa organizers are looking for volunteers for the upcoming July 4 festivities at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center celebrating the United States’ semiquincentennial anniversary. Organizers are working towards getting the word out about...
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Protesters rally against proposed data centers
Lebanon County residents rallied along Route 422 to voice opposition and share their concerns about a proposed $1.7 billion data center in South Annville Township. Motorists traveling down Route 422 Saturday, May 2, were greeted with signs of “Protect...
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Microplastics could be overestimated
It seems like every day a new study finds tiny plastic particles called microplastics where they should not be: in our bodies and our food, water and air. h Yet finding and identifying microplastics is extremely challenging, especially given their...
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Palmyra council gets leadership shake-up
Palmyra Borough Council got a leadership shake-up as a new member and new vice president were selected during the April 28 meeting. Council members unanimously voted for Karen Nye to fill a vacant position after former vice president Sheila Snyder...
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A store built on love and hope
Heart to Heart Thrift organizers celebrated the grand opening of their new Jonestown store April 27, which is dedicated to helping survivors and women battling breast cancer. Heart to Heart is a nonprofit organization that was created in February...
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U.S. highly unlikely to run out of oil
The pain at the pump is real for Americans, but the chances of the United States running out of gasoline are fairly low. Why? Because over the past 15 years, the nation has become more self-sufficient, relying less on imports for our crude oil – the...
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