By: TODD RUTH Review Sports Editor truth.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

The Joe Paterno statue, located outside Gate F at Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, has become a national shrine.

In wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal which led to the ousting of the legendary coach back in November, fans flocked to the monument in a show of support for Paterno, who spent six decades at the university.

Now, days after Paterno succumbed to lung cancer at the age of 85, the statue has become more than that. Hundreds, if not thousands, have flocked to the front gates of Beaver Stadium to pay their respects, leaving flowers, candles and football memorabilia by the seven-foot likeness of Paterno to mourn his passing.

To look into the eyes of local sculptors Yesid Gomez and Wilfred Buitrago, of course there is sadness in regards to the above scene, but also a great amount of pride. That’s because 11 years ago, they, along with Reading area artist Angelo DiMaria, were the ones to sculpt the statue.

The entire project, from start to finish, was done right here in Ephrata at their then-studio on Pointview Ave.

No kidding.

Photo by Stan Hall
Warwick players (left to right) Chris Weiser (3), Jonathan Wenger (7), Jordan Smith (2), Asher Klahold, Shawn Mearig, Armin Efendic and Ryan Bertrando mob teammate Jordan Loose (center) after his kick went off a Hempfield player for the only goal of the game last Saturday.Photo by Stan Hall
Warwick players (left to right) Chris Weiser (3), Jonathan Wenger (7), Jordan Smith (2), Asher Klahold, Shawn Mearig, Armin Efendic and Ryan Bertrando mob teammate Jordan Loose (center) after his kick went off a Hempfield player for the only goal of the game last Saturday.

Nearly 25 percent of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) employees in Akron will be jobless due to agency restructuring.

As previously published in the Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era, Rob Byler, executive director of the global peace, relief and service agency, announced the changes Friday in a letter to MCC alumni as well as in an article appearing in an online edition of "The Mennonite" magazine.

The executive director of MCC Binational, Arli Klassen, is one of those whose job will be eliminated. MCC Binational, which oversees the functions of MCC U.S. and its sister organization, MCC Canada, will be dissolved as of March 31. Klassen will continue to serve as a transition adviser for the next six to nine months, after which she and her husband will return to Ontario, from where she originates.

Josephine R. "Jo" Boyer, 85, of Ephrata, passed away Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 at Ephrata Community Hospital after a brief illness.

Her husband, the late Jonathan H. Boyer, passed away in 1974. Born in Voganville, Jo was the daughter of the late John D. and Ruth (McGallgher) Baringer.

She worked as a food service manager at the former Foodergong and American Legion in Ephrata.

She was an avid card player and bird watcher and loved dining out.

Jo was a past president of the Ephrata VFW Post 3376 Ladies Auxiliary.

She is survived by a daughter: Joni L. Rusnak, of Columbia, S.C.; three sons: Lynne D. Boyer, husband of Joyce A. Boyer, of Ephrata; Brian J. Boyer, of Akron; and Bruce E. Boyer, of Ephrata; and five grandchildren.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by brothers: Clyde Baringer, Ralph Baringer and Harvey Baringer Jr.

Funeral services will be held at Paul L. Gravenor Home For Funerals, 100 W. Main St., Ephrata, on Jan. 30 at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Stevin Hoffman officiating. Place of interment will be Lincoln Cemetery, Lincoln-Ephrata.

To offer condolences, visit gravenorhomeforfunerals.com. More BOYER, page A17

This Saturday, Jan. 28, celebrity groundhog Cocalico Cal will for the 10th year forecast the weather for the remainder of the winter.

Other imitators will no doubt follow his lead on Feb. 2 because Cal has never been wrong. Of concern to many is the Mayan Indian calendar prediction of the end of the world this year. Cal has stated that the end will not occur until September, after the Ephrata Fair. He has also informed "The Ephrata Review" that there will be a solar eclipse at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday morning. None of the big-name TV weathercasters are even aware of this.

No one ever knows how Cal will arrive on Groundhog Day. A boat, limousine, police cruiser, ambulance, and even a horse and buggy were used in previous years. Last year he bragged about his RV, which turned out to be a truck filled with dirt, with his burrow in the dirt.

This year, for the first time, there will be a VIP seating area in the park for all who have VIP passes, and, another first, guest artist Michael Bubble will sing in Pennsylvania Dutch. Three new "babies" for the groundhog lodge will be dunked into the Cocalico Creek after the prognostication. Cal says that everyone is invited to attend. He will not try to sell anyone lottery tickets.

From late morning Tuesday through mid-afternoon, the movement and activity of emergency vehicles around the downtown area hinted at the significance of the services about to unfold.

Ephrata’s Arthur T. "Art" Mellinger, 96, who dedicated more than two-thirds of life to volunteer service in the Pioneer Fire Company, died Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 at Ephrata Manor.

Tuesday, a very special "fireman’s funeral" was planned here, with firetrucks and emergency vehicles surrounding the Trinity Lutheran Church prior to the service, which then led a mass procession to the burial at Memory Gardens north of town. Two firemen on board the Pioneer truck saluted his casket throughout the ride, which included a trip past the South State Street station where fireman were also lined up saluting the former chief. A special touch also was hearing the town siren wailing one last time for Mellinger, around the time the processional began.

By: GARY P. KLINGER Review Correspondent klingerglobal@gmail.com, Staff Writer

Proposed changes which would have decreased the number of class periods per day at the Ephrata High School have been tabled by the school’s administration.

That was the news shared as roughly 50 parents and students were on hand for Monday night’s voting session of the Ephrata Area School Board as discussion loomed regarding a proposed change. The meeting, which was held in the cafeteria at the Fulton Elementary School was a continuation of a discussion first started two weeks ago at the board’s working session.

At issues was a proposal which could have taken effect as early as the upcoming 2012-2013 school year. The new schedule would reduce the number of class periods each day from seven to six, thus increasing the size of each of the remaining periods.

What had concerned parents of especially the music students is the fact that the change might require music instructional classes such as band, orchestra and choir to be moved to the end of the day during the ACT period after the sixth period of the day.

EPHRATA SPORTS