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It turns out, after closer inspection, that empty West Point time capsule had something in it after all.

No one saw them at first, but later, six old coins, dating from 1795 to 1828, and a commemorative medal from 1826, were found among the thick, caked silt at the bottom of the 1-foot, lead cube they had been inside for nearly 200 years.

U.S. Military Academy officials opened the box on Monday.

The new revelation, announced Wednesday, is a bit of redemption for Lt. Gen. Steve Gilland, the academy superintendent who had said the live-streamed reveal wasn’t just hype: something was inside the time capsule.

But it also adds a new twist to an unsolved mystery.

After sifting the dirt, West Point experts found an 1800 Liberty dollar, an 1828 50-cent piece, an 1818 quarter, an 1827 dime, a 1795 nickel, and a 1827 penny, and an Erie Canal commemorative medal. Some will wonder what is their significance, if any?

The new discovery adds a new puzzle to one that has military and civilian experts have been trying to solve for months: Why was the box placed in the base of the Thaddeus Kościuszko monument at West Point, one of America’s most important Revolutionary War fortifications?

Gen. George Washington selected Kościuszko, an engineer, to build up West Point’s defenses.

Academy officials concluded the lead box was a time capsule, tucked in the monument by cadets in 1828, just 26 years after the school’s founding. But that’s speculation, really. There don’t seem to be records to explain the box. It was found when they were renovating the monument.

But why put such small, seemingly mundane objects, in such a relatively big container?

Maybe there is no rational reason.

Perhaps the answer will come from a cadet’s future history paper.

Or perhaps it will be the basis of a new conspiracy theory or the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster.

Contact Frank Witsil: [email protected]. 

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One of the forerunners of America’s favorite pastime – and a former Binghamton resident – will soon be honored with a stop on the Downtown Binghamton Freedom Trail.

A memorial honoring Bud Fowler is set to be unveiled ahead of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies game Friday, Sept. 1, near the Mirabito Stadium box office.

Fowler was one of the first Black players to integrate professional baseball in the late 19th century, more than half a century before Jackie Robinson ever swung a bat. Robinson was born six years after Fowler’s death in 1913.

“We all know baseball is as American as apple pie,” said Anne Bailey, history professor at Binghamton University and director of the Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity. “We’d like civil rights to be as American as apple pie, too.”

“You can have a plaque – there’s nothing wrong with that – but sometimes it’s lost on the wall and people walk right past it,” she continued, highlighting the marker’s prominent location near the flagpole at the corner of Henry and Lewis streets.

Born John W. Jackson Jr. in 1858 in Fort Plain, Fowler was raised in Cooperstown. By his own estimation, he played for more than 60 teams across 22 states and Ontario throughout his two-decade career, much of which occurred before Black players were officially banned from the American, National and minor leagues in 1887.

That same year, Fowler was forced off the Binghamton Bingos, despite being credited as one of the preeminent pitchers and infielders of his era. He batted .350 in 34 games there.

“My skin is against me,” Fowler is quoted as having written in 1895. “The race prejudice is so strong that my Black skin barred me.”

Fowler had first integrated a pro team as a pitcher in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1878. He pitched, caught, played second base, managed and worked to establish Black teams and leagues over the next two decades. Fowler also played two stints with the Binghamton Crickets.

More:Binghamton Freedom Trail…

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Thirty-three players are candidates for Gannett’s Section 4 Fans’ Preseason Player of the Year for high school football.

Nominees were finalized by the sports staffs of the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, Elmira Star-Gazette and Corning Leader based in part on preview information provided by coaches in the publications’ coverage areas.

Voting will remain open through Sept. 6 and results will be announced afterward.

Let us know your preseason pick for Player of the Year.

More:Meet the 2022 Elmira-Corning Elite 24 Football Team

More:Meet the 2022 Greater Binghamton Elite 24 Football Team

2023 Preseason Fans’ Preseason Player of the Year

Caden Bellis, Tioga

Jake Benjamin, Waverly

Jack Bierman, Corning

Gabe Blenis, Norwich

Peyton Brzozowy, Johnson City

Tanner Burlingame, Maine-Endwell

Adam DeSantis, Maine-Endwell

Ousmane Duncanson, Tioga

James Freeman, Corning

Johnnie Garcia, Elmira

Ian Harder, Susquehanna Valley

Jack Hennessey, Maine-Endwell

Cooper Hughes, Union-Endicott

Tate MaCauley, Tioga

Drew Macumber, Tioga

Mason McCombs, Windsor

Liam Nealy, Vestal

Austyn Nyschot, Maine-Endwell

Walker Paske, Chenango Forks

Colby Phraner, Walton

Jay Pipher, Waverly

Kaiden Prado, Newark Valley

Valentino Rossi, Tioga

Holden Ryan, Norwich

Bradock Salisbury, Horseheads

Evan Sickler, Tioga

Finn Stark, Chenango Forks

Kashif Summers, Binghamton

Joey Tomasso, Waverly

Jake VanHouten, Waverly

Qymani Viera-Powell, Union-Endicott

Ryan Willett, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour

Amir Williams, Elmira

Follow Andrew Legare on Twitter: @SGAndrewLegare. You can also reach him at [email protected]. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today

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A new wave of vaccine suspicion has extended to our pets, a new study found.

Published Sunday in the journal Vaccine, the study surveyed 2,200 people on their opinions regarding routine vaccinations given to pet dogs, specifically rabies vaccines.

Of those polled, 37% believe canine vaccination is unsafe, 22% feel it’s ineffective and 30% find it unnecessary. Overall, a whopping 53% hold at least one of these beliefs.

The results surprised Matt and Gabriella Motta, the brother-sister duo who conducted the study alongside co-researcher Dominik Stecula.

“We were pretty surprised because we knew that this phenomenon would exist, anecdotally we had good reason to believe that it was, but we were pretty stunned,” Matt Motta, a political scientist and researcher at Boston University’s School of Public Health, told USA TODAY. “The sheer volume of people who hold these opinions was quite striking…that, to me, is pretty alarming.”

The study also found the persistence of long-disproven vaccine myths that usually apply to humans, with nearly 40% of respondents expressing concern that vaccines could cause their dogs to develop autism.

“I believe the COVID-19 vaccine has fundamentally changed the way that Americans view vaccination in general,” said Motta. “I think alarmingly that could be spilling over to shape how people feel about attitude toward vaccinating their pets and frankly, who knows what else? You know, it could go even further.”

Dangers of rabies:Rabid bats sparked a public health warning in Illinois: Why rabies is dangerous to humans, pets

A veterinarian’s perspective

Gabriella Motta, a board-certified veterinarian, said she believes the hesitancy comes not only from pet owners’ love for their dogs, but a lack of experience with the illnesses routine vaccines protect against.

“I think when owners are questioning the vaccine, they’re coming from a place where they truly care about their dogs and they don’t want their dogs to be a guinea pig or,…

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Can’t get enough of the everything bagel? Now, even Pringles is getting on board the everything bagel craze with a brand new flavor.

Kellogg Company, the parent company of Pringles, announced Monday that it will be introducing a limited-edition Pringles Everything Bagel flavor, available at select retailers nationwide beginning in late August.

According to a release, each bite of the chip will have an “authentic” everything bagel flavor, including toasted onion, garlic, sesame, poppy seeds and even cream cheese.

This is not the first time Pringles has experimented with unusual flavors: the brand has previously released Philly Cheesesteak and Enchilada Adobada-flavored chips.

“New Pringles Everything Bagel perfectly captures the nation’s favorite bagel flavor for a seamless snacking experience, no cream cheese schmear or deli trip necessary,” Mauricio Jenkins, the U.S. marketing lead for Pringles said in a release.

Does healthy fast food exist?Look out for this type of menu for the healthiest option.

More:Chick-fil-A debuting new Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich, Caramel Crumble milkshake

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Officials say the North Carolina home owned by Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley that exploded last week was caused by a natural gas leak.

The point of origin for the explosion, which killed his father Robert Farley and injured a second person, remains unknown, according to Iredell County Fire Services Director Kent Greene.

Further investigation into the explosion stopped due the instability of the remaining structure, Greene said. He added last week all that was left of the structure was a garage wall.

Further investigation will be conducted by Farley’s insurance provider.

Christian Rogers, Robert Farley’s friend who was also in the home at the time of the explosion, was injured and transported to a Charlotte hospital. Greene said the 25-year-old was released a day later.

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Though Greene said the origin of the leak remains a mystery, he said Aug. 22 due to the devastation, he believed the gas had been building and finally found an ignition source.

First responders arrived at the home in Mooresville, North Carolina, after a report of an explosion last Monday around midnight, officials said.

Greene said the 6,391-square-foot home is total loss.

Tennessee Titans support Caleb Farley

Following the explosion, Caleb Farley returned to his North Carolina home. Greene said he and his family were devastated.

The Titans community took to social media to support him.

“Just praying for Caleb,” Titans running back Derrick Henry said last week after hearing the news. “We were probably the last ones in the locker room last night just hanging around. We just found out the news. My prayers go out to him and his family.”

Farley, a native of Maiden, North Carolina, purchased the four-bedroom, four-bath home in 2022 for $2.05 million, according to property records.

“I think what’s important is we do everything we can to support Caleb and his family and do everything we can to be there for them,…

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“Ljungström: Proud past, bright future” reads a sign hanging in the company’s Wellsville manufacturing facility.

Ljungström, formerly known as Air Preheater, is living up to that motto as it charts a new course in renewable energy. Once a giant in the coal industry, the company has diversified its portfolio and has now won multiple contracts to manufacture components for offshore wind farms.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) visited the facility Wednesday to assess its progress after the company received a federal workforce training grant in 2021 to support its burgeoning operation.

Ljungström has already hired around 100 new employees since entering the offshore wind supply chain. The company plans to hire another 100 employees over the next seven months.

“In a county like Allegany, that’s a big deal. That’s a big, big deal,” said Schumer. “For the first time in a long time, the Southern Tier has the wind at its back in terms of good paying manufacturing jobs. It’s because of the investments we made that are boosting clean energy and infrastructure projects.”

The next wave of new hires will increase the Wellsville workforce to around 350, according to Matt Ferris, managing director of Ljungström’s Wellsville Division. That will more than double the company’s local footprint compared to just a few years ago; the employee count had dipped to around 150 before adding work in the wind industry.

“This company had a lot of foresight,” said Schumer. “They knew that (coal) was declining. So instead of just picking up and leaving or saying, ‘We’re going to reduce our business,’ they came up with a great plan. Now they are making components for our wind turbines, which is one of the most booming, future oriented industries in the whole United States.”

Ljungström’s success resurrects Main Street facility

The momentum at Ljungström comes as the company celebrated its 100th year in Wellsville earlier this summer. The hiring surge…

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When the Waffle House turns the lights off, it’s bad.

Just ahead of Hurricane Idalia slamming into Florida’s Big Bend Wednesday near Keaton Beach, five Waffle House restaurants were closed, Waffle House Vice President of Public Relations Njeri Boss told USA TODAY.

The popular 24/7 restaurant chain specializing in waffles and other breakfast food rarely closes it doors, often providing food and resources to first responders during natural disasters.

In addition to the five locations shuttered across the state, as of 10:30 a.m. local time, Boss said, one store had lost power due to the storm.

Which Waffle House locations closed down?

As a precaution, the business preemptively closed three store in Idalia’s path (Live Oak, Madison, Lake City), Boss said. All three locations are in mandatory evacuation zones.

The chain also shut down two stores in the St. Petersburg area due to “storm surge and flooding,” Boss said.

Boss did not identify the store that she said lost power Wednesday.

Florida power outage map:See where the power is out as Hurricane Idalia makes landfall

Sustained winds of 125 mph

Idalia made landfall Wednesday about 7:45 a.m. with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, the National Hurricane Center reported.

The historic high-end Category 3 hurricane drove a “catastrophic” storm surge and birthed flooding for hundreds of miles before powering into the southern Georgia border around 11 a.m. local time Wednesday.

Idalia is the eighth major hurricane to make landfall along the Gulf Coast since 2017.

‘Kind of used to it:’Not everyone chooses to flee possible monster Hurricane Idalia

‘The Waffle House Index’

The Waffle House Index is an informal way of measuring the severity of a hurricane.

For restaurant locations, it has three code tiers: green, yellow and red. Green means the store will operate fully, and yellow means the restaurants will be open but the menu or power is limited. Red means the store will be closed.

The index has been used to predict how severely…

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