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Kellie Goodman

Rene Portland raised bar for Penn State

Rene Portland was laid to rest on Monday. The former Penn State women’s basketball coach passed away July 22 after a three-year battle with cancer. She is survived by a large, loving family and a legion of Lady Lions who played for her. The basketball career of the Philadelphia-area native personified the evolution of the sport for women athletes, from her trailblazing playing days at Immaculata to building the Penn State program into a national power. The Mighty Macs won their first national title when Portland was a freshman in 1972 — the same year that Title IX opened the ...

Speed museum plans to hit high gear

Walking into Hoss’s Steak and Seahouse in Bedford gives you an instant glimpse at the history of auto racing in central Pennsylvania. Lining the walls of the lobby are black and white photographs snapped by John Pittman during the hay days of dirt track racing at the Bedford Speedway and beyond. It was in front of the largest of these images that the committee working toward the Museum of Speed made the announcement last week: they’ve selected the Blair County-based engineering firm Stiffler-McGraw to complete the project. The idea of building a museum at the Bedford ...

Observations about some celebrations

Some general observations and celebrations while wondering why summer seems to fly by after the fourth of July. Back-to-school items are already appearing on store shelves, while beach towels and barbecue items are moving to clearance aisles. Football will be here before you know it. n But first a very special summer celebration: Congratulations to Bedford’s Christa Mereen, who marked the Independence Day holiday in Seattle, Washington representing Team PA at the Special Olympics National Games. She made fireworks on the fourth, earning a bronze medal in the Women’s ...

Remembering the smile of Waltman

Tom Waltman made a memorable first impression with his huge smile; a smile that he shared generously; a smile that made you feel like you were instantly his friend. But there are few smiles in Everett or Bedford County this week among those who knew the vibrant coach and physical education teacher, who passed away unexpectedly last Friday at the age of 54. The news hit family, friends, students, coworkers and the community like a punch to the nose, disorienting and dizzying, trying to comprehend an unimaginable loss. Waltman spent more than a decade as head coach of the Everett ...

Making some summer sports observations

Some general summertime sports observations, while lamenting over how quickly the season seems to fly by after July 4. We think of the Independence Day holiday, and what comes to mind is the ultimate in Americana: baseball, hot dogs, apple pie … fireworks. Certainly, many baseball fans will visit a ballpark this week or tune into a game on TV or online; or enjoy youth all-star tournaments. n NASCAR heads back to Daytona for the holiday weekend, marking the second half of the season and the second race for Dale Earnhardt Jr. as part of the NBC broadcast team. Earnhardt received ...

Camp perfect for this summer

Summer is finally here, and for many young people that means going to camp. That four-letter word means different things to different people: sports camp, day camp, band camp, church camp, scout camp, hunting camp, or state park camp(site.) Whatever the type, these experiences should be memorable and can be transformational. Gone are the days when entire families pack up and head to the Catskills for the summer, as portrayed in the classic film, Dirty Dancing, featuring long afternoons of badminton and ballroom dance lessons. Young people today move at a pace faster than ...