Today is Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day.  It was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11th, 1918.  In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11th was “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.'”  The new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.  In 1954, after World War II and the Korean War, Congress — at the urging of veterans service organizations — amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.  Today, we honor all who have served in the past, and all who continue to serve our great Nation in the present.

A Monday night fire claimed the life of a Newton Hamilton man.  The Mifflin County Coroner’s Office said 75-year-old Jesse Horn was pronounced dead after being discovered by fire fighters.  The fire on Poplar Road broke out just before 10:30 pm Monday.  An autopsy is scheduled for the victim.

The Juniata County School District says it has almost twenty staff members as well as over one hundred students in quarantine for COVID-19.  Positive student cases were detected at Juniata High School and Juniata Elementary School.  A staff member tested positive at East Juniata High School.  The school district will be fully-remote for all students Monday through Friday for the week of November 16th.

The Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus elected its legislative leaders for the upcoming Legislative Session yesterday. Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) will again serve as Speaker of the House.  Representative Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) was again chosen as Majority Leader.

A Pennsylvania Lottery Cash 5 Ticket worth $150,000 was sold in Mifflin County.  The ticket for the Monday, November 9th drawing was sold at Uni-Mart on West Freedom Avenue in Burnham.

The American Red Cross will conduct two blood drives today in Mifflin County.  The bloodmobile will be at Centre Union Church on Greenwood Avenue in Yeagertown from 12:30 pm to 6:00 pm.  The Red Cross will also be at the Reedsville Fire Company on Firehouse Boulevard from 1:30 pm to 7:00 pm.