Pennsylvania

Enjoy an adventure in Central Pennsylvania: Columbia & Montour Counties

Published

1 year ago

July 1, 2023

Press Room

Nestled in the heart of Central Pennsylvania,

Columbia & Montour Counties

are a short half-day journey from a majority of East Coast cities, and just
two and a half hours northwest of Philadelphia. The area is first and
foremost renowned for its rural beauty and outstanding adventure
opportunities, though the quaint countryside also offers up a treasure trove
of local history and culture.

Enjoy the Great Outdoors

The local landscape is comprised of idyllic river valleys, rolling hills and
green farmlands, as well as charming riverside communities, forests, parks,
and state gamelands. The area boasts beautiful rails-to-trails for walking
and biking as well as high-caliber races for the more competitive runners or
bikers. In Montour County, the J. Manley Robbins Rail Trail is America’s
oldest-known rails to trails system.

Instagram User @benny.elliott/Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau

Ricketts Glen State Park Falls Trail

One must-see outdoor attraction is Ricketts Glen State Park, located in the
northeast corner of Columbia County and
extending into nearby Luzerne and Sullivan Counties. In the park, hikers can
enjoy a vast network of trails that take them past more than 20 stunning
waterfalls. There is also a beach, lake, campground, kayak rentals, and much
more.

The Montour Preserve is also an outdoor enthusiast’s dream with a 165-acre
lake perfect for fishing and boating, a bird sanctuary, maple sugaring in
the early spring, and plenty of great hiking trails. For history buffs and
archaeology lovers, a one-acre exposed Mahantango shale pit at the Preserve
is open to the public for finders-keepers fossil hunting from dawn until
dusk. For those looking for an aquatic adventure, the Susquehanna River is
the longest and oldest river on the East Coast, and weaves directly through
the area. The slow-moving Susquehanna is the perfect spot for a leisurely
summer kayak, canoe, or tubing excursion. If fishing is on the mind, Fishing
Creek is one of the best trout streams in the state.

Attractions for Everyone

Nostalgia is heavy in the air at Knoebels Amusement Resort, where the
old-fashioned rides and secluded woodland setting evokes sweet memories of
childhood. Knoebels has no entrance fee and offers free parking. The park
has been named the “Favorite Traditional Amusement Park” in the country and
the “Best Park for Families” by the National Amusement Park Historical
Association (NAPHA). The park also boasts the number one wooden roller
coaster in the world — the “Phoenix” — as awarded by Amusement Today in
their annual Golden Ticket Awards. Roller coaster enthusiasts visit from all
over the country to enjoy Knoebels’ iconic wooden coasters, as well as the
park’s newer thrill rides like “The Impulse” or “Flying Turns” – the world’s
only wooden bobsled coaster.

Knoebels Amusement Resort/Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau

Phoenix Coaster at Knoebels

Columbia & Montour counties are
also home to 25 covered bridges, which is third most in the nation.
Picturesque and historic, these “kissing bridges” recall a time when life
was simpler and closer to the land. On a yearly basis, visitors from all
over the world come to admire the antique craftsmanship of the bridges and
relax in the quiet countryside. Symbols of small-town America, these covered
bridges coax travelers off the beaten path to explore little streams and
forgotten dirt roads.

For those looking for more time to rest and renew, the counties offer plenty of lodging accommodations that are sure to make you want to stay an extra
day (or two!). There are over a dozen bed & breakfast options as well as
a number of hotels, motels, vacation rentals, and campgrounds. After a tasty
home-cooked breakfast, visitors can set out for a day of downtown shopping
or antiquing. Alternatively, an early stop at a local farmer’s market could
lead to a day spent enjoying local flavors at any of the area’s wineries or
craft breweries. The ever-popular River Rat Brew Trail is Central
Pennsylvania’s premier craft beer trail and encompasses fifteen enterprising
breweries with countless specialty drafts.

Mark Koskulitz/Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau
Jud Christian Covered Bridge
Advertisement

Culture & Events

From earliest blossoms of spring to the last leaves of autumn,

the counties have no shortage of fairs, festivals, carnivals, and
parades. During April and May, many towns play host to weekend street fairs with
local artisans, performers and authentic cultural foods. July brings cowboys
and cowgirls to the Benton Rodeo and blues-lovers find their way to the
Briggs Farm Blues Festival.

However, the two largest events in the counties occur in September and
October. The Bloomsburg Fair is held for an entire week at the end of
September. It is the largest agricultural fair in the state and features
nationally known entertainment, agricultural exhibits, horse racing, games,
rides, and an incredible food selection. Held just a week later at the same
fairgrounds complex, the annual Covered Bridge and Arts Festival features
more than 350 crafters and food vendors. The festival is perfect for getting
a jump start on holiday shopping, as all of the items sold are handmade. The
counties are also a prime destination for fall foliage lovers, with peak
season often happening in mid-late October. Local corn mazes, seasonal
foods, pumpkin patches, and train rides all add additional reasons why

a trip to the Central PA countryside

in the fall makes for an unforgettable family getaway!

To request a free Travel Guide and to get more information, visit:

itourcolumbiamontour.com. You may also contact the Visitors Bureau by calling 1-800-847-4810.

Source link

Click to comment

Pennsylvania

3 Winning Lottery Tickets Sold In Philadelphia Recently

Published

5 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

3 Winning Lottery Tickets Sold In Philadelphia Recently

PHILADELPHIA — Three Pennsylvania Lottery tickets sold in Philadelphia recently have been named winners in separate contests, according to officials.

In the Saturday drawing for the Treasure Hunt game, five tickets won.

One of the tickets that matched all five numbers drawn, 2-6-10-25-26, was sold at 7-Eleven, 3301 Tyson Ave. in Philadelphia. The other was sold at Omgn Inc., 2100 East Allegheny Ave., also in Philadelphia.

Those ticket and three others split the jackpot prize of $139,917.50 to win $27,983.50.

The other winning tickets were sold in Bucks, Butler, and Lebanon counties.

More than 45,800 other Treasure Hunt tickets won prizes in the drawing. Players should check every ticket, every time.

Additionally, a West Philadelphia Wawa sold a winning lottery ticket.

Lottery officials Monday announced the winning Raffle ticket numbers drawn for the third, four $50,000 prizes in the 4s Galore Drawings as part of the New Year’s Millionaire Raffle.

The Wawa at 3744 Spruce St. sold a ticket between Dec. 3 and Dec. 16 that was selected in the drawing.

Other winning tickets were sold in Cumberland, Bradford, and Westmoreland counties.

The Raffle features four bonus drawings held every other week, each awarding four $50,000 prizes, leading up to the Millionaire Raffle drawing on Jan. 4, 2025.

To learn if your ticket won a $50,000 4s Galore Drawings prize, scan it using the ticket checker on the PA Lottery Official App or at a lottery retailer.

Source link

Pennsylvania

HS FOOTBALL: LFC and WVC players selected as finalists for Pennsylvania Player of Year Award; Call receives invites to showcase games

Published

13 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

HS FOOTBALL: LFC and WVC players selected as finalists for Pennsylvania Player of Year Award; Call receives invites to showcase games

Several athletes from the Lackawanna Football Conference and District 2 are among the 55 finalists for the Pennsylvania Player of the Year award selected by the Maxwell Football Club.

Abington Heights wide receiver Shawn Theodore, Honesdale running back Mason Avery, Riverside tight end Richie Kostoff, Scranton Prep quarterback Louis Paris and Wyoming Area running back Lidge Kellum were listed among the 55 players who are Mini Max Award winners according to a release Monday night by the Maxwell Football account on X.

The Mini Max Awards are a prestigious honor for high school football players across the Tri-State Region that includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. This year is the first year District 2 players were included among the nominees.

Awards are presented at the annual Mini Max Dinner in Philadelphia on Feb. 2 at the Drexelbrook Convention Center in Drexel Hill. The award recognizes outstanding athletic achievement and sportsmanship in high school football.

In addition to the Mini Max Awards, the Maxwell Football Club also chooses the Player of the Year for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The event culminates with the Jim Henry Award, which goes to one of the three State Players of the Year.

Call receives invites

Valley View freshman lineman Brody Call received invites to three postseason games.

Call, a 6-0, 230-pound standout for the Cougars, is invited to the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 26-29, the All-American Bowl on Jan. 17-20 in Miami, Florida, and the Polynesian Bowl Combine and Showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 21-22.

Call started every game for the Cougars and helped lead the team to the District 2 Class 4A championship and an 11-2 record.

Cesare ceremony

The 33rd Fiore Cesare Award and Scholarship ceremony is Friday at 2 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel in Scranton.

Mid Valley running back and defensive back Jakob Lesher, Delaware Valley quarterback and punter Logan Olsommer, Scranton Prep quarterback Louis Paris, Riverside quarterback Chase Taddonio and Western Wayne running back and defensive back Josh Vinton are the five finalists named by the Roy Davis Scranton Chapter of PIAA Football Officials.

Source link

Pennsylvania

Ticket sold in Pennsylvania worth $1M as Mega Millions swells to $1.15B for post-Christmas draw

Published

1 day ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Ticket sold in Pennsylvania worth M as Mega Millions swells to .15B for post-Christmas draw

Billionaire dreams continue through Christmas after no ticket purchased in the $1 billion Christmas Eve 2024 Mega Millions draw hit the jackpot.

The jackpot rolled again — this time to $1.15 billion — after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024.

Léelo en español aquí.

Don’t throw away your tickets just yet as one sold in Pennsylvania is worth $1 million, according to Mega Millions.

What were the winning Mega Millions numbers drawn on Christmas Eve?

The Mega Millions draw for Dec. 24, 2024, went like this: The white balls drawn were 11, 14, 38, 45 and 46, plus the gold Mega Ball 3.

Ticket sold in Pennsylvania strikes $1 million prize

In total, fours tickets sold matched all five white balls, but missed the gold Mega Ball, the lottery said. Those tickets sold in California, Missouri, Wyoming and Pennsylvania are worth $1 million a piece.

NBC10 has reached out to Pennsylvania Lottery to find out where the Keystone State winner was sold. However, the state lottery offices are closed for Christmas, so the winning store won’t be revealed until Thursday at the earliest, a spokesperson said.

Nearly 4.3 million tickets sold around the country in Tuesday’s draw matched at least the gold Mega Ball and are worth $2 or more.

Once again, the winning numbers in the Dec. 24, 2024, draw were 11, 14, 38, 45 and 46, with a Mega Ball of 3.

If you or someone you know has a gambling addiction, please call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 to speak to a counselor. Help is also available via an online peer support forum at www.gamtalk.org, and additional resources can be found at NCPG website.

When is the next Mega Millions draw?

Get out $2, jump into office pools and gift tickets to family as the next Mega Millions draw on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, is worth at least $1.15 billion for the annuity and $516.1 million lump sum cash value, Mega Millions said.

That massive jackpot is the fifth largest in the game’s history, Mega Millions said.

“We know that many people will likely receive tickets to Friday’s drawing as holiday gifts, and what a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15 billion jackpot,” Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, said in a Christmas news release. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holidays – whether Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or any other way people choose to celebrate the season – than by helping fulfill the dreams that come with a prize like this and prizes that will be won at all levels of the game.”