Sentinel File Photo by MATT BOLICH
Cabinetworks Group’s Thompsontown location permanently closed its doors in December.
While the debate rages on about who actually said, “nothing is certain, except death and taxes,” the reality stands true.
Especially in Juniata County. As costs have increased everywhere, so have they at the county government and school district levels in Juniata County.
As a result, residents saw the Juniata County School District Board of Directors approve its $46.8 million budget for the 2024-25 school year that called for a 6.6 percent real estate tax increase in June.
In December, Juniata County government officials adopted a final budget for 2025, which included a 5-mill increase for real estate taxes in 2025.
So, whether it was Benjamin Franklin or Mark Twain who said it, tax increases in Juniata County ranked as The Sentinel’s top news story in 2024.
Photo courtesy of MIFFLIN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Mifflin County High School Marching Band, shown here competing at the Tournament of Bands Atlantic Coast Championships in Hershey, certainly earned plenty of accolades this past season.
The school budget passed 6-1, with director Ray Page voting against it. Directors Helen Casner and Troy Woodward were also absent from the meeting.
The current 72.897 mills for property owners increased to 77.7082 mills, along with a $5 per capita tax, residence tax of $5, a $10 flat rate occupation tax, a 1 percent real estate transfer tax, a 0.5 percent earned income tax and a 5 percent amusement tax. Taxes were effective July 1, 2024.
Directors and school administrators discussed the budget before taking a vote. Administrators stated the district can’t maintain the status quo from the 2023-24 school year without an increase — as well as removing four teaching positions which went unfilled for the current school year.
Directors also discussed the effect of charter schools on the district. Documentation provided to the directors at a February meeting stated the district paid $3.25 million to charter schools in 2021-22. The same document indicated that Pennsylvania taxpayers spent more than $2.8 billion in tuition payments to charter schools across the state during the 2021-22 school year.
With county government, the Juniata County Commissioners adopted a final budget for 2025 during a board meeting in December. They also adopted a resolution which requested permission from the court to raise the millage limit levied on real estate, which was also approved.
Photo courtesy of KEVIN KODISH
The sun set on Mitchell Field in Lewistown one final time after the 2024 high school football season ended.
The $33.6 million budget includes $5.9 million going toward general government, $5.4 million going toward public safety, $4.7 million going toward health and welfare, and $2.2 million going toward miscellaneous.
The budget will also include $258,000 toward road projects, $319,321 toward culture and recreation, $111,350 toward conservation and development, and $ 322,290 toward debt services.
The real estate tax rate for county purposes will be fixed at 30 mills on each dollar of assessed valuation, or the sum of $3 on each $100 of assessed valuation of property subject to taxation by the county. The board also levied a per capita tax on all persons subject to taxation for county purposes at a rate of $5, to be deposited in the general fund.
According to county government officials, this was the fourth increase to real estate millage since 2006.
Other top stories making headlines in 2024 included.
Photo courtesy of KAUFFMAN FAMILY
The late Theil and Andrea Kauffman owned the Friendship Bookstore in Reedsville.
2. Making memories at Mitchell Field
Over the last 90 years, Mitchell Field in Lewistown has played host to a variety of football clashes — games that decided league titles, district playoff matchups and Old Iron Kettle rivalry games. Band competitions, track meets and celebratory community events have also played a prominent role in the facility’s history.
The first high school football game played at the Lewistown Athletic Field — later named Mitchell Field prior to the 1949 season — was contested on Sept. 21, 1934.
The last came on Oct. 28, 2024, as Mifflin County pulled out a dramatic 21-18 victory over Red Land in the stadium’s swansong.
“It was a historic night at Mitchell Field that captured the essence of our Mifflin County community,” Mifflin County High School Athletic Director Tish Maclay said. “So many community members shared memories and outstanding performances from our band, cheerleaders and football players as they were cheered on by our student sections.
Photo courtesy of MIFFLIN COUNTY LIBRARY
Mifflin County Library Executive Director Susan Miriello helps by moving some shelves during the renovation.
“It was a beautiful night to say farewell to Mitchell Field,” Maclay added. “We are thankful for the memories and are excited as we look into the future.”
There were certainly plenty of special moments for those in the large crowd who turned out to give the venerable stadium a proper sendoff. Coaches and athletes from the past were part of the festivities all night long — from the coin toss to the final walk. The ceremonial coin toss featured anyone who had ever coached at Mitchell Field.
After the final horn sounded, players, cheerleaders, students, alumni, fans, family and friends all took the field for one final walk as each decade strode from one end zone to the other.
As they made their way, a medley of music blared through the Mitchell Field speakers. Mifflin County seniors — football players, cheerleaders, band members and students — took the final walk. Appropriately, country singer Trace Adkins’ “You’re Gonna Miss This” played.
It was a special night for Mifflin County regardless if you were a Lewistown Panther, Rothrock Eagle, Penn Highlands Cougar, Chief Logan Mingo, Kish Indian, Indian Valley Warrior or Mifflin County Husky.
It will be replaced by the $18.5 million Husky Multi-Sports Facilities Project, which will feature Kish Bank Field at Donald M. Chapman III Stadium, which will become the new home for Mifflin County football in 2025.
3. Mifflin County Library closed for renovation
In need of updates and modernization, the Mifflin County Library is undergoing a $1.5 million renovation project that will make it a more valuable resource for the community.
“A good portion of the library will be renovated,” said Susan Miriello, executive director of the Mifflin County Library in Lewistown.
“This main library building on Wayne Street was built in 1974-75,” she added. “So, the building is 50 years old. The end result is that we will continue to have exemplary library service in the county for the next 50 years.”
Phase one of the renovation project, which carries a price tag of $1.5 million, started on Feb. 25. Miriello explained a new entrance will be constructed for the children’s library on the lower level, directly by the elevator, as well as a new office for the children’s librarian.
The work was funded through a Keystone Grant through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, which enables agencies to update older library buildings.
An expected reopening of the library was rescheduled from Thanksgiving to February 2025.
4. Businesses in Juniata Valley shutter their doors
The Juniata Valley experienced its share of business closures this past year. In December, discount retailer Big Lots announced that its Burnham store in the Mifflin County Commons would be closing very soon. But there were also others.
Cabinetworks Group’s Thompsontown location permanently closed its doors in December, following an extensive layoff in early August.
Cabinetworks Group builds cabinets for the multi-family housing sector. In recent years, the multi-family housing sector has faced challenges due to market conditions; these challenges include year-over-year declines in housing starts, which is expected to continue.
At the beginning of August, Cabinetworks Group confirmed plans to lay off nearly 20 percent of its workforce in Thompsontown due to sustained market conditions, according to Karen Brawn, director of marketing at Cabinetworks Group.
The company remained optimistic about the future of its facility in Mount Union.
At the conclusion of the Christmas season, Rodgers Jewelry shuttered its doors after serving the people of Mifflin County for 72 years. Rodgers Jewelry store had been a small “mom and pop shop” in Lewistown since it was founded by Tony and Wilda Servinsky in 1952.
The Friendship Bookstore certainly had a busy year as it relocated from the Mifflin County Commons to Reedsville, closed after the sudden death of its beloved owner Theil Kauffman and reopened under new ownership in mid-December. Close friend Kevin Zook created the Theil and Andrea Kauffman Memorial Bible Fund to continue their mission of placing Bibles in the hands of community members.
5. Marching Huskies crowned again
It was a trying year for the Mifflin County High School Marching Band. The Marching Huskies experienced the typical turnover that most performance groups and athletic teams go through from one year to the next.
Band members were also shuffled between different practice locations due to the ongoing construction for the new Husky Multi-Purpose Facilities Project.
However, it seems like the more things change, the more they stay the same — at least for the Marching Huskies.
Mifflin County traveled to Hersheypark Stadium in November and came home with its third Tournament of Bands (TOB) Atlantic Coast Championship title.
The band scored 90.70 in TOB’s Group 4-Open Class and also won the specialty awards for best music, visual, drum line and color guard. Along the way the Huskies captured championships at every level, including regional and state titles.
Also making headlines
Other important and inspiring news stories making headlines in 2024 included:
Yorks’ mission reaches magical 100,000 mark
It wasn’t like watching the ball drop in New York’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve, but the countdown has definitely been on for Abby Yorks for some time.
For the past 15 years, the Mifflintown native has been collecting footwear for Soles4Souls, or S4S, a non-profit organization based in Nashville, Tenn., which donates them to the needy.
After being on the cusp of reaching the 100,000 mark for pairs of shoes, a pair of blue and white sneakers pushed the mission to the six-figure milestone on Sept. 28.
Yorks posted a photo of herself with the 100,000th pair of donated shoes on social media. Now that that goal has been reached, Yorks is moving on to the next one — 250,000 shoes.
SteelWorx Pump Track opens in Burnham
Carli Russler and Shannon McGonigle were admittedly on the fence when it came to the new SteelWorx Pump Track ever becoming a reality. That proverbial fence has become a reality.
Nearly 11 months after announcing plans to build a bike track at the former Jamboree grounds in Burnham, the two women crossed the finish line in November when the new track opened.
The cost of the project was $60,000, funded through donations and fundraisers. They also founded the Every Kid Rides Project non-profit organization, whose goal is to get bicycles to any needy kid in the community.
The efforts of the organization made for a lot of happy homes as brand-new bicycles were delivered just in time for the holiday season.
Biggest Goose Day celebration ever
Honk! Honk! Happy Goose Day! Well, the annual Goose Day holiday is held in the Juniata Valley every year. This year’s event proved bigger and better than ever.
Goose Day — which has become more like a three-day weekend — is always a good excuse for a drone light show that illuminates the skies over downtown Lewistown. If biking is more your style, there’s the Goose Day Gravel Ride.
Get your wings flapping by checking out the Juniata Valley YMCA, 105 First Ave., Burnham for various fun-filled activities or take your mark for the 46th Annual Goose Day 5K.
Or if you want something a little more sedentary, either the Rubber Duck Race or Jack’s Mountain Hawk Watch might be more appealing.
Even the Miller Cinemas got into the act, showing — yes, you’re correct if you guessed — the animated film, “Duck, Duck Goose.” Whatever you end up doing, don’t forget to feast on some tasty goose — for guaranteed good luck.