BigT

#1 Sandy Township Platt Road Wastewater Collection and Conveyance Project.  
#2 Funded by loans plus grants
$278,435  funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission will combine with state and local money to extend public sewer access to 4 new businesses and 93 households in Sandy Township.
HUD announces $875,000 Loan Guarantee for Pennsylvania Wastewater Collection and Conveyance Project
Dec. 22, 2022 • Original Press Release  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced a $875,00 loan guarantee to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the Sandy Township Platt Road Wastewater Collection and Conveyance Project. The loan guarantee, offered through the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program (Section 108), will be used to finance the extension of sanitary sewer lines to a 400-acre site that is proposed for new development in the Corbet Industrial Park. Though two businesses already operate in the park, they currently rely on temporary sewage disposal facilities, which are not sustainable and could deter or limit the growth of business. This project will benefit people with low- and moderate-incomes (LMI) by creating job opportunities. The loan requires that at least 51 percent of the full-time equivalent jobs are held by or made available to people with low and moderate incomes.
 
 
 

I for one hope that this event doesn’t move or leave DuBois. The loss of the business could be the end of a few local establishments.
 

I absolutely love to read well written obituaries about people who have lived good productive lives in our area.  It makes you feel like there was another friend in the area that you just didn't get a chance to meet, and makes you wonder how many more there could be waiting to be found!

Consolidation should be halted , until the votes for it are counted again , and the PA commission for small towns steps in to evaluate this whole matter. Slow is the only way to proceed , to ensure the consolidation is best ( not just votes counted ) for all that will be affected.....after having twice been voted on to get a passage. It sounded fishy the way signatures ( 700 ) were gotten to get a re vote if I`m correct about the #. SLOW IT DOWN.
 
I have since , became neither for or against the consol. until all the cards are turned face up.

Now that's the DuBois and Sandy way!  Let's see if we can screw the other over!  Why work to actually improve the area when you can aim to seek vengance.
Seriously, though, the influx of 'outsiders', migration of DuBoisians into Sandy, and the relatively few of the younger generation who desire to stay in the area, realize for the area to thrive the need is to cooperate.  
Fortunately, the old fossils who prefer the 'old ways' of division, resentment, and adverserial actions are being 'replaced'.

And now with the arrest of Herm and possibly more accomplices, Sandy Twp is now in the catbird chair of control of the Consolidation.  Lets see how  some of their characters  act. Will they follow through?  Or will they exercise their control of what they really wanted? This is a major blow to not only Dubois but to the area as a whole. Whether we like it or not. 

One Thing, Jesus Christ.
Stations of the Cross Series, Station #5, Wednesday, March 15th by Fr. Ben Daghir & Luke Daghir
Editor's Note: Fr. Ben Daghir and Luke Daghir will have 14 articles based upon the stations of the cross. The 14th article will conclude on Easter Sunday.  
Article:
The 5th Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross.
We don’t know much about Simon of Cyrene. He exits the Gospel narrative as quickly as he enters it. Yet, there is something about Simon of Cyrene which has engaged the imagination of Christians since the early Church.
The encounter between Simon of Cyrene and Jesus is captured in two Gospel accounts (Mark 15:21 and Luke 23:26). 
We read in the Gospel of Mark, “And they [the Roman soldiers] compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country…to carry his cross” (Mk 15:21).
Pope John Paul II on Good Friday at the Roman Colosseum in 2003 reflected on this encounter between Jesus and Simon of Cyrene. The Holy Father posed these questions: “How long did Simon of Cyrene continue to resent being forced into this?” “How long did Simon of Cyrene continue to walk beside this condemned man?” 
The Holy Father’s questions challenge us to place ourselves in the footsteps of Simon of Cyrene.  We don’t know what Simon of Cyrene was feeling or thinking. We don’t know how his life might have been changed. We don’t know if there was an exchange of words between Jesus and Simon of Cyrene. 
We do know that Simon of Cyrene carries Jesus’s cross. We also know that the Gospel of Mark is all about discipleship and the distinctive mark of a disciple is one who “denies himself, takes up his cross, and follows me” (Mark 8:34). The narrative of Mark’s Gospel tells us that the Apostles have fled from the cross. The night before Simon of Cyrene carried Jesus’s cross, the Apostles were with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas then betrays Jesus as he arrives with a crowd carrying swords and clubs (Mark 14:43). Then, we read one of the saddest lines in Scripture…the Apostles deserted Jesus and fled (Mark 14:50). 
As Simon of Cyrene, a mere passer-by, is carrying Christ’s cross, the Apostles are nowhere to be found. The Gospel of Mark challenges us with this thought, “Shouldn’t the Apostles be carrying their cross alongside Jesus?” 
The second verse in which we read about Simon of Cyrene is found in the Gospel of Luke, “And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus” (Lk 23:26). 
The Gospel of Luke mentions an interesting detail: Simon of Cyrene carried the cross behind Jesus. What was Simon of Cyrene looking at while he carried Jesus’s cross? Was he looking at the ground in disgust and annoyance? Was he looking at the Roman soldiers in hatred and fear? 
Was he looking at the crowd in humiliation and embarrassment? Was he looking at Jesus Christ in front of him? Did he follow the bloody footsteps marked by Christ in front of him? Did he know that those footsteps lead to eternal life? 
Can we find ourselves in the position of Simon of Cyrene? 
“We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you; because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”
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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie. He is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in Saint Marys, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He considers writing one of his favorite hobbies.

I heard the cameras are supposed to help traffic flow when 80 is shut down and that traffic causes grid lock.

I heard the cameras are supposed to help traffic flow when 80 is shut down and that traffic causes grid lock.

DuBois City I T director Matt Johnson  recently scouted out future camera  locations with the Sandy Township police department. 

Should have put his health first after the stroke. 

Wonder if any of his supporters may be suffering from the same? We really need some soul searching and to get this country back on track. We are slowly destroying our selves from within!

John Fetterman checked into the hospital the 2nd time to receive treatment for severe depression.
That and a host of other ailments, too.

One Thing, Jesus Christ.
Fr. Ben Daghir Will Post Weekly Articles HERE!
SPECIAL EDITION ARTICLE #6 - February 17th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir
Editor’s Note: Last year, Fr. Ben Daghir had the opportunity to play in a basketball tournament in his final year of seminary. The tournament was played in Columbus, Ohio at the Pontifical College Josephinum Seminary in February 2022. This article is a reflection of that seminary basketball tournament.  >> SEE 4 PHOTOS ATTACHED
Article: 
I never expected to get dunked on in a seminary basketball tournament, but it happened. 
My friends and I were an athletic group of guys from St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. We enjoyed playing sports, exercising, etc. throughout the year. We were quite excited to hear that there would be a chance to play in a seminary basketball tournament in Columbus, Ohio in the month of February. Our seminary had never played in the tournament before. 
It gave us something to look forward to as a group, especially in the wintery month of February. And, keep in mind, we had been through some tough seminary stretches as a result of Covid-19. The pandemic had really made opportunities for “fun” quite difficult. For example, many of us loved going on a mission trip to San Lucas, Guatemala each winter. We would visit the site of Blessed Stanley Rother, an American priest and martyr. We would also serve the people in the villages of Guatemala. Many of us enjoyed a soccer tournament with other seminarians on the east coast. Many of us also played pickup basketball at Loyola University’s athletic complex. Covid-19 ripped these types of opportunities right out from under our feet. 
As a result, we were due for something different, unique, and fun. Our seminary rector understood this and supported our trip to the basketball tournament in February of 2022. Even better, we missed Friday classes due to a 7-hour ride from Baltimore to Columbus, Ohio. 
The night before we left for Columbus, we watched the movie Hoosiers, ate pizza and wings, and kicked back with a beer. It is extremely important for priests to be the type of person who can sit back, relax, and talk about anything. It’s these types of moments in seminary which are crucial for the formation of a sound human being. St. John Paul II, in his document on priestly formation entitled Pastores Dabo Vobis, emphasized that a priest’s personality should be molded in such a way “that it becomes a bridge and not an obstacle for others in their meeting with Jesus Christ” (Pastores Dabo Vobis, 43). 
There were eight seminaries represented in this basketball tournament. Seminarians came from Texas, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Latrobe, Maryland, Columbus, and a few other places that currently escape my mind. It was very fun and motivating to meet seminarians from across the country. While other teams were playing on the court, we would talk with other seminarians about life, sports, school, our dioceses, our families, and even our vocation stories. We also prayed together, participated in Mass together, and ate meals with one another. 
Clearly, God is calling young men to be priests. It’s too easy to look out at our backyard, whether it be the Diocese of Erie or any diocese for that matter, and lose hope concerning priestly vocations. Quite the contrary, God is calling young men. He has not stopped calling. This tournament reminded me of this fact in a powerful way. 
There were respectful, confident, talented, and athletic young men from across the country at this tournament. Many of these basketball players were athletes in high school while others were talented in academics or had roles in their high school musicals. Several of these seminarians had played college sports before entering the seminary. Others entered the military or the workforce before playing defense for a seminary in a basketball tournament. 
Our starting five on our St. Mary’s Seminary & University team were a unique crew. One was a talented surfer, lacrosse player, and salesman out of Annapolis. Another had been a computer engineer and an excellent post-player out of Syracuse. The third was an athletic, tech-savvy, and musically gifted DJ out of State College. And, the final two (my twin brother and I) had been teachers in Northern Pennsylvania representing the Diocese of Erie.
Again, God calls young men from a variety of backgrounds, gifts, and talents. It’s that simple and beautiful. 
Take a look at the pictures from this basketball tournament. I encourage you not to primarily see basketball players but rather men discerning the call to be priests. In fact, if you happen to be a young man - could you see yourself out there enjoying the opportunity?
I know that I did. God is good, that’s for sure. 
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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie. He is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in Saint Marys, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He considers writing one of his favorite hobbies.

One Thing, Jesus Christ.
Fr. Ben Daghir Will Post Weekly Articles HERE!
SPECIAL EDITION ARTICLE #5 - February 16th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir
Editor's Note: This article is a summary of a homily that Fr. Ben Daghir preached to the DuBois Central Catholic School System. The words were shared during Catholic Schools Week on February 1, 2023. The homily focuses on the powerful influence of witnesses, also called role models.
Article:
Blessings to all of you during this Catholic Schools Week. A Catholic education seeks to transform us through a variety of ways: the disciplines that we study, through prayer and sacraments, through sports teams and musicals, through community and service. 
The most profound way that a Catholic education forms a person is through witnesses, through people who live out the Gospel. It’s quite profound to see Christ in the life of another person. It’s personal, powerful, and authentic. Each and every one of us looks up to a person in this school. We all have a role model here at DuBois Central Catholic.
This is a person that we admire. We have deep respect for the manner in which this person lives. This person could be a teacher, principal, coach, maintenance worker, nurse, cafeteria worker, a parent, even a classmate. 
I want you to take a moment and identify who that person is that you deeply respect. Who is your role model here at DuBois Central Catholic?
What is it about this person that intrigues you? Does your role model have a gift of motivating you and challenging you at the right moment? Has this person sacrificed for you? Is this person remarkably professional, charitable, and kind?
One of my many role models while in high school was my English teacher. I had the same English teacher all four years of high school. She opened my mind to the world of literature: Shakespeare, Hemingway, Homer, Cicero, Dante, and others. She was incredibly patient and positive toward my classmates and me. She taught me how to read and write at a more advanced level. In fact, I owe a tremendous amount to her because a love of reading and writing changes a person’s life. 
I greatly admired an English teacher while in high school, but what about you? Who do you look up to at DuBois Central Catholic?
A Catholic education seeks to form us from a variety of angles. The most effective and profound way is through witnesses, role models. I highly encourage you to say “thank you” to this person. I know this simple act can be challenging but it’s genuine and humble. Of course, this act of gratitude is all part of a Catholic education which seeks to form us into another Christ. 
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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie. He is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in Saint Marys, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He considers writing one of his favorite hobbies.

One Thing, Jesus Christ.
Fr. Ben Daghir Will Post Weekly Articles HERE Every Monday!
Article 7 - Second Series - January 30th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir
Article:

I graduated from Elk County Catholic High School in 2011. Eleven years later, I was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood for the Diocese of Erie by Bishop Lawrence T. Persico on May 27, 2022. I have often asked myself, “Why am I on this path as opposed to another?” With that question in mind, I will now share part of my vocation story.

I do not have a Saint Paul type of story in which my whole world was instantly turned upside down and my worldview was radically changed. Instead, my vocation story is much more even keel and is filled with thousands of moments which gently directed me to the priesthood.

It took me a while to notice the trajectory of my life, but once I did - I never looked back. 

I grew up playing sports, hunting, fishing, and doing various other activities. I dated in high school and, as a result, had my eyes set on being a husband and a father as I walked out of Elk County Catholic High School and dreamed of the future. I then went to college and found myself interested in academics (such as the field of education, philosophy, theology, languages, and various other disciplines). Most importantly, I found myself talking with Christ in a very honest, real, and personal way. Sometimes, I thought about sainthood, especially the virtues of the saints. 

I also found myself incredibly happy as a single man which somewhat startled me once I realized the obvious. 

There is a spiritual principle that is worth sharing at this moment: the obvious is always most important. Most people, when discerning their respective vocations (or considering a serious life decision) look for the complex and even mysterious while trying to connect the dots that are not always visible. Instead, we should always state the obvious even if it startles us. 

Here was the obvious for me toward the end of my four years at Saint Vincent College: I was happy being a single man, I fell in love with the core disciplines which one finds in seminary, nothing interested me more than the field of education, I knew that I loved people, and I found myself actually thinking about the priesthood. I also was intellectually introduced to Pope St. John Paul II who helped to form my worldview. Again, these were “obvious things” that I had to recognize and accept. 

My whole life was pointing toward the priesthood which became even more obvious once I entered the seminary. I was able to reflect back and see the gentle and consistent call to be a priest throughout various aspects of my life: family, friendships, hobbies, experiences, passions, failures, setbacks, fears, academics, interests, goals, and much more. 

Of course, the journey has not been perfect. 

I am a sinner. My worldview needs to constantly be improved and renewed with the Gospel. I have often missed the obvious and even ignored it in my life (sin always seeks to have us confuse, ignore, and avoid the obvious). Also, the priesthood, although widely accepted in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, is not as enthusiastically received within other circles. As a result, there were several moments while on the journey to the priesthood in which I had to step back and pray, “God, please help me to come to know the Cross and to accept it.” 

I am also well aware of the mass exodus of individuals leaving the Catholic Church in our Pennsylvania region. While many people are walking away from the Church, I find myself walking into it as a priest. It occurred to me several years ago that I was heading in a direction that was (and still is) against the cultural grain. In many ways, my priesthood is oriented toward the obvious within our part of the world - people are leaving the Church and something must be done about it. 

The most important thing is that we need to connect with people in a profound, compelling, and authentic manner. I couldn’t think of a more challenging and obvious mission for our time. 

Again, the obvious is always the most important. 

Fr. Ben Daghir
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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie. He is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in Saint Marys, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He considers writing one of his favorite hobbies.

 

SPECIAL EDITION ARTICLE #4 - February 10th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir

Editor's Note: This is a homily from Fr. Ben Daghir when he was a student studying for the priesthood at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He was a deacon when he delivered this message on the Feast of St. Scholastica, February 10, 2022.
Article:
Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Scholastica. She was a virgin, celibate, and chaste spouse of Christ. 

The contemporary culture laughs at virginity, celibacy, and chastity - it mocks these virtues, and simply sees them as a weakness. 

God, on the other hand, calls many people to remain virgins for the sake of the Kingdom. Virginity, celibacy, and chastity are grounded not in the culture, but rather in Christ. 

There’s something particularly life-giving and powerful about virginal love. It participates in God’s love for humanity and Christ’s love for the Church. 

While preparing for this Memorial, of the Virgin St. Scholastica, I was reminded of one of the most influential books that I have read while in seminary. The book is written by Cardinal Cantalamessa and is entitled “Virginity.”

Cantalamessa discusses how God created the universe - ex nihilo, out of nothing. Therefore, only one party is involved in the creation of the universe. In fact, all the wild diversity of creation that we see from the stars to vast seas to plants, animals, and humans - all of this comes from God’s virginal love. Although the culture may laugh at virginity, the whole universe exists because of it. Virginal love is life-giving. 

We also see the outpouring of life through the perpetual virginity of the Virgin Mary. Mary gave birth to “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible.” Again, virginal love is life-giving.

Shifting from Creation and the Incarnation, we can turn our gaze to Christ on the Cross who wears the crown of Virginity. There we see the Virgin, the celibate, the chaste man - there we see our vocation, there we see happiness, and there we see life in its fullness.  

So, how do we respond to our contemporary culture that mocks virginity, celibacy and chastity?

G.K. Chesterton once stated, “Each generation is converted by the saint who contradicts the culture the most.” 

The Virgin contradicts the culture to the extreme. Likewise, the celibate radically contradicts the culture. Quite similarly, the chaste person contradicts the culture in a beautiful way. 

May the Virgin St. Scholastica intercede for us that we become evangelists in the most convincing manner…by our witness. 

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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie. He is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in Saint Marys, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He considers writing one of his favorite hobbies.



 

You know that or we wouldn't be here!  We'd be collecting welfare like so many others.  Hubby spent 27 years in the military, he and I always worked, sometimes he had up to 4 jobs at one time, we've both retired and are still working.  We probably will till we can't anymore because we love paying our bills and having something in savings to pay for car and house repairs, and being able to sleep at night.   No more emergencies, scraping for money because we WORK and SAVE.
I garden, freeze, dry and can food, and help other who need food.  We are able to give some money to others and the church, finally!  To think we would waste it would mean that we didn't learn our lessons during the early years of our lives.   Smarter, not just older!

I don't want to get involved in the pettiness of discussing if biden is competent or not, but to me, it is entirely plausible that our military preferred not to shoot it down, so as to gain time to assess the balloon's intelligence gathering methods.
Please note, I am not a biden fan or apologist.

One Thing, Jesus Christ
Fr. Ben Daghir Will Post Weekly Articles HERE Every Monday!
Article 4 - Second Series - January 9th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir
Editor’s Note:
Fr. Ben Daghir wrote this article in a newspaper a few days after his 30th birthday last September. You will notice the name “Luke Daghir” in the article and that is because Fr. Ben Daghir is an identical twin. Luke is currently studying to be a Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of Erie.
Article:
Luke Daghir and I turned 30 years old in late September. Unlike recent years, this upcoming birthday of “30 years” has caused me to step back and reflect.

As a result, I have come to realize just how much this past decade unfolded in such a way that I had not anticipated (even if others had seen the priesthood in me long before I could). When I was nineteen years old, I thought that the Lord had allowed me to see the trajectory of my life with the clarity of broad daylight. I remember thinking after high school, “I’m going to get married in a few years, be a dad, have a house in Elk County, be a teacher and a coach, hunt and kayak, etc. This is definitely my life, I know it.” Little did I know that the Lord wanted to hand me lanterns instead of the broad daylight to guide me one step at a time.
Pope Francis has often referred to God’s guidance as more like a lantern than the sun. The pope teaches that God often gives us just enough light to see the next step as opposed to seeing the entire road ahead of us. Of course, we want to see the entire journey and it’s frustrating when we don’t have all the facts detailing every turn in the adventure. Pope Francis explains that this is for a simple reason: if we were to see the entire road ahead, we would shrink back in fear, worry, and disbelief. God knows this and, therefore, often hands us a lantern for each step of the journey.
Interestingly, when we are given just enough light for the next step, we often put one foot in front of the other with anticipation and curiosity. Pope Francis also adds that a lantern can do one thing in particular that the sun cannot. Unlike the sun, a lantern can enter into the darkest corners of the world (crevasses, ravines, and caves) which are never touched by sunlight. God, of course, knows this and often directs our paths to reach others in the midst of darkness, to overcome fears, and to grow in faith.
I remember one lantern that I received: I was in the Saint Vincent College library until close but didn't realize it. I had been reading for hours but had never looked at the clock. Even better, I wasn’t reading for an assignment. I was lost in a book written by Pope John Paul II. I found his voice to be more interesting, more engaging than anyone I had heard before.
Shortly thereafter, I remember another lantern: I had been student teaching at a juvenile delinquent facility in Latrobe, PA for my education certification. The assignment was challenging and life-changing. The amount of brokenness and confusion in many of those students was like a magnet - it began to pull out something that I didn’t know was within me. I would often spend an hour at night in the Saint Vincent College Chapel reflecting on the school day or envisioning the following day’s lessons. Sometimes, I would brainstorm a homily but I quickly set down that lantern. It was always too bright and I wasn’t ready for what path it could lead me.
I remember yet another lantern which seemed to shine more brightly than broad daylight. In fact, it startled me. The reason for this, at least I think, was because of how obvious it had been. Sometimes we see more clearly with a lantern than we do in the broad daylight. I was twenty-two years old at the time, just a few days away from graduation, extremely happy and at ease as a single man. I had not met the love of my life at college even though I had envisioned at nineteen years old that it would happen before college graduation. I asked myself, “Well, why am I happy and at peace despite this dream not becoming a reality?” On one of the last nights of my college career, I walked into the student chapel and asked the master teacher, “Lord, would I actually be happy as a Catholic priest?” I entered seminary a year later at the age of twenty-three.
As I had mentioned, my twenties were not quite how I had envisioned and dreamed them to be. Instead of brainstorming a creative time and place to propose to the love of my life, I had my head down in seminary libraries studying Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, and others. Instead of living in Elk County, I was living in Erie, Omaha, Guatemala, Baltimore, DuBois and a few other places. Instead of seeing Mr. Daghir on a classroom door, I currently see Fr. Daghir on five parishes’ bulletins. Instead of encouraging and forgiving a child of my own, I now encourage and forgive parishioners in the confessional. Instead of coaching a little league team and giving a speech in the dugout, I now spiritually coach from the pulpit. These are just a few examples of how life has unfolded in ways I didn’t expect.
If the Lord would have shown the entire decade to me when I was nineteen, I would have stepped back in fear, worry, and disbelief (consider the Grand Jury Report and Covid-19 for starters). Instead, the Lord handed me a lantern to guide me one step at a time. My anticipation, excitement, and curiosity only grew with each lantern, each step in this adventure. 
In the Gospel of John we read, “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” We can sometimes be tempted into thinking that a little light is not enough, but this is false. At twenty years old, I asked for the broad daylight to see everything mapped out in front of me. Now, my thirty year old self is asking for much less: just a lantern for now, just a little light. Life is much more exciting, adventurous, and open to possibilities with a lantern in one’s hand. We can enter deeper into the darkness, reach people in difficult circumstances, and grow in the great virtue of faith.
What lantern is God handing you? Are you open to the adventure - even if you can only see the next step?
 
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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie. He is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in Saint Marys, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He considers writing one of his favorite hobbies.

Now I'm hungry for a hamburger! Great memories! 

Now I'm hungry for a hamburger! Great memories! 

I Yam What I Yam! ☞Today in Texas History -- On today’s date 94 years ago, Thursday, January 17, 1929, the popular spinach-eating, Native-Texan comic-strip character known as Popeye the Sailor Man first appeared in print in the “Victoria Advocate” newspaper of the city of Victoria in Victoria County, Texas. ☞The Popeye comic strip, originally known as “Thimble Theatre,” was created by noted American cartoonist Elzie Crisler Segar (1894-1938), who called the “Victoria Advocate” Popeye’s “home town.” In gratitude he contributed a special cartoon for the Advocate’s historic 1934 anniversary issue. Speaking to the newspaper’s editor through Popeye, Segar wrote, “Please assept me hearties bes’ wishes an’ felitcitations on account of yer paper's 88th Anniversity... Victoria is me ol’ home town on account of tha’s where I got born’d at.”      

It definitely is time for a relevant 3rd party. I would change my affiliation in a heartbeat.

It definitely is time for a relevant 3rd party. I would change my affiliation in a heartbeat.