The Mysterious 1887 Sleigh Ride Murder Trial of Mifflin County

April 28, 2025

It was a dark a stormy night when it all began. Well, it might not have been, but it certainly turned dark that winter day in 1886! I hesitated to write about this chapter of our local history fearing it would be too dark, but now you have been warned that it is so, and if you choose to read on, that is on you. As you picture a Victorian winter scene with a horse drawn sleigh skimming across the new fallen snow, I’ll bet you are not imagining ominous music playing in the background triggering that sinking feeling that something terrible is about to happen. But that is exactly what did transpire on that fateful winter’s night. A middle-aged gentleman named John Akely was working at Logan Iron Works in Burnham, which is now Standard Steel.  He had deserted his wife and five children in Philadelphia, leaving them to fend for themselves, and moved into a boarding house near the Steel Mill.  His job was a grueling and dangerous one, which included long hours of back-breaking labor. On that momentous night, he decided to visit a local tavern and blow off some steam.  There he met Della Corbett, Jennie Quay, and Ellie Kountzman.  Witnesses described their behavior with John as “quite scandalous” so you can let your imagination roam on that one.  It is said that the visibly intoxicated group left the tavern and boarded a sleigh to have themselves a little joy ride.  They were seen by onlookers traveling through Yeagertown heading towards Reedsville. Learn More

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

January 24, 2025

If your heart doesn’t ache for those suffering in Southern California right now, I fear you have no heart at all. Once again, after reading the insensitive comments from social media trolls about this natural disaster, I feel compelled to speak up. I’ve seen remarks ranging from, “They’re just wealthy celebrities who will rebuild bigger mansions,” to, “This is God’s judgment on that sinful state.” To this, I say: let the one who is without sin cast the first stone. This is not the time for judgment. It is a time for solidarity, compassion, and understanding. Having the means to rebuild does not lessen the pain of losing cherished personal belongings, some of which can never be replaced. Many of these same celebrities are donating tens of thousands of dollars to help others who have suffered devastating losses. Learn More

Embracing the Leap: A New Year's Adventure Awaits

January 24, 2025

Here we are again, standing on the cusp of another year, ready to take the plunge into the unknown. Will it be a terrifying, uncontrolled free-fall or a leisurely, floating descent? That remains to be seen. Even though we don’t possess a magical crystal ball to reveal the future, would you really want one? Isn’t it the unpredictability that makes life an adventure—a journey into the unknown? That’s not to say we shouldn’t plan or work to avoid harm and pitfalls. But isn’t there something exhilarating about that feeling of excitement and freedom right as we leap into a new year? Perhaps this is due in part to the fact that we are given a fresh start, a new beginning with endless possibilities. Our failures fading into the rearview. I can’t help but picture myself as a preteen, standing on the high dive at Kish Park back in the early 1970s, peering down at the water below. I was terrified-it was a long way down. Why had I agreed to this? The logical answer was peer pressure since all my friends were jumping, and thus I was determined to jump, too. My inner dialogue assured me I could conquer my fear and emerge from this death-defying leap unscathed. Learn More