Now the preferred form of exercise for Instagram influencers and Real Housewives, some people may not even realize that yoga has an origin story that reaches back at least 5,000 years. While today yoga is often associated with physical fitness and flexibility, it was first established as a s…

When COVID-19, a respiratory virus that spreads from person to person, shut down the country in March of this year, many in our area – both in the medical field and service industries – braced for impact. Keeping the community safe while basic services remained open was a balance to be struc…

Coming to Johnstown on July 26, 1927, the New York Yankees were flying high. They had a record at this point in the season of 67-26-1 and had won their previous two games against the Chicago White Sox. The legendary Murderer’s Row, the hard-hitting starting Yankee’s line-up that included Bab…

The story of Alexander Stevens and Megan Shaffer and what happened on Jan. 3 and 4, 2017, at High Rock in Savage River State Forest in Grantsville, Maryland, is as mysterious as it is sad.

When Jeffrey Papcun and his wife, Joni, started biking 12 years ago with their infant daughter, Josie, they never imagined it would one day be the family sport it has become. Now a family of four, their youngest daughter, Jaelyn, joins in on the fun.

Before she moved to Johnstown last year, Lael Haselrig was stepping up to stages and open-mic venues to join in slam poetry sessions, an intense, in-the-moment iteration of her passion: writing poetry.

Mother’s Day was a joyous holiday for women who have been blessed with one or more children. But for women who have experienced pregnancy loss (miscarriage and/or stillbirth), as well as women who have undergone or are currently undergoing fertility treatments, last month's holiday can usher…

Christian Gorscak of Jeannette, Westmoreland County, was recently named Most Valuable Player and Forward of the Year by North American Hockey League. The 19-year-old member of the Johnstown Tomahawks from 2017 to 2020 has committed to Niagara University in New York where he will major in ele…

Judith Crookston of Johnstown has gained quite a reputation as a pet photographer. In fact, her photos have won national contests and have been displayed at several area art shows.

The author, in her introduction to Southwestern Pennsylvania's Coal Region, says: “This book shares the importance of the region and the uniqueness of the area across several counties in southwestern Pennsylvania through pictures. Images of sites when the industries dominated the region are …

I don’t know about you, but lately I've had a lot of time to watch movies. Unfortunately, the movies I’ve been meaning to watch include a lot of moody, grim films about the darkness of the human condition – and I just don’t feel like watching those right now.

Museums carry on, check out what they have to offer online.

hunnycomb is spreading jazzy-pop nectar in the region.

Penn State University master gardener Sue Konvolinka on the easiest vegetables to grow in a home garden.

The coronavirus pandemic has many of us wishing we had home-grown vegetables at our fingertips. Or, if not fresh, frozen or preserved veggies would be most welcome.   

In Time: The Killing of Polly Paul is a fascinating tale filled with names you will recognize from the New Germany/Summerhill/Wilmore region.

Philip Faranda, owner and operator of Faranda's Farm in Hollsopple, has been growing garlic for over a decade. Every year, he hosts a garlic festival at the farm. “Everyone has a stinking good time,” he says.

JSO is now hosting a series of playlists as a way to continue to connect with the audience and to provide a measure of comfort during these difficult days.

In case you still have more free time than usual, here's two recommendations to stay in and watch together this month.

Johnstown Magazine is devoting this page to you – our deserving high school seniors. This gallery is made up of photos submitted by you and your families. We hope these photos remind us all of our most important asset – our amazing, talented and beautiful young people.

Last month, while discussing ideas for Dueling Spoons, Caroline and I decided we both have recipe boxes full of recipes we have never made. Wouldn’t it be fun to pick a random number and make that recipe in the box? We decided on 30 and counted back until we came to our 30th recipe.

As the sun shines overhead and flowers bloom underfoot, it’s refreshing to see so many people out and about in Johnstown, enjoying spring’s warm temperatures.

Is there anything better than live music?

Matthew R. Sroka was born and raised in Johnstown and is a 2002 graduate of Westmont Hilltop High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology from St. Vincent College then went on to Temple University where he earned his D.M.D. He is a member of the American Dental Association as well a…

I tried explaining to my mother why I am fascinated with the movie musical Cats, based on the Broadway musical of the same name.

You need not go far in any direction from Johnstown to find a first-class museum. From the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville to the Lincoln Highway Experience halfway between Latrobe and Ligonier to the Johnstown Flood Museum, these museums offer educational experiences that are unmatched.

Think painting ceramics is something only old people enjoy? Think again.

Tony Piskurich, a lifelong resident of Johnstown, didn't have many tangible ways to remember his parents – George and Olga Piskurich. The couple died in the early morning hours of July 20, 1977, when Laurel Run Dam collapsed, nearly destroying the Tannerville section of the city. All that re…

Johnstown Magazine will highlight high school seniors in our May edition.

There may be no better location for an oldies concert than Cochran Auditorium in Greater Johnstown High School.

Jeremy Shearer is co-owner with his wife, Jennifer, of Press Bistro in downtown Johnstown where they are “trying to develop a great restaurant and community scene for downtown Johnstown.”

“Homeschooling gives us time to discuss a lot of important things – life issues, character issues,” Michelle says. “Things just come up in conversation that we just kind of go with it. It really does give you a lot of quality time with your children to be able to discuss important things in life.”

A new exhibit by Zone Patcher gives a different perspective to the people behind the art.

Pat Pecora took over the fledgling wrestling team at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 1976, a few months after earning his degree at West Liberty College. 
The veteran coach never left the program he has molded into a perennial top contender in the NCAA's Division II.

Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center (PPAC) opened in 1991 on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Up until that time, the school did not have a performance hall.

For the September 2018 issue of Johnstown Magazine, I reviewed Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, a documentary about the life and influence of Fred Rogers. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is another Mr. Rogers movie, this time a major studio release starring Tom Hanks as the man himself.

Vince Lovenduski of Upper Yoder Township was a popular figure at Starbucks in Richland Towship. As manager for 10 years, he knew most of his regular customers by name and most knew him as well.

Jill Gontkovic fondly recalls singing karaoke with her sister, Leah Freidhoff, in their parents’ basement. The scene is an easy one to picture: two teenagers holding microphones, giggling a little as lines of lyrics slide up and onto their television screen.

While it may seem that the only games people play these days are electronic ones, millions of adults, kids and families alike play games of all sorts – unplugged. According to the website Ranker, an online voting community that ranks everything from movies to sports, the best board game of a…

The Johnstown region is quickly becoming known for its amazing outdoor amenities and the many festivals and events taking place in and around the city. While most opportunities take place during the summer months, plenty of activities await the adventurous during the winter months as well.

Vote for the Best Of Johnstown! You know what makes this city such a great place to live, so go ahead and vote! Last day to vote is April 17. Results appear in the June 2020 Johnstown Magazine.

With the theme of Heart & Soul, organizers of this year’s Cambria Somerset Heart Ball hope to raise $100,000 for the American Heart Association.

These days, weddings are not always held in the family church and receptions in the local firehall.

Author Mindy Gulden Crawford says there are nearly 3,500 properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania. She chooses to highlight her favorites in Historic Pennsylvania A Tour of the State’s Top 100 National Landmarks, a 174-page paperback printed…

On a recent afternoon inside his office, Michael Bodolosky sits at his desk in the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center on the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown campus. He tells the story of a man who made it a point to request Glenn Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade” every time he attended a J…