lewistown (Huntingdon, Mifflin: crimes, mobile home, school)

[warriorjp2006]

i live in huntingdon population of 7000 and i would not advise you to move to lewistown not alot of jobs economy is struggling lots of drugs, std's my sources are i have friends working in hospitial there and the things they tell me look some where else? u would be happier and safer althoughviolent crime isnt that bad. good luck

[Richard163]

Originally Posted by warriorjp2006

i live in huntingdon population of 7000 and i would not advise you to move to lewistown not alot of jobs economy is struggling lots of drugs, std's my sources are i have friends working in hospitial there and the things they tell me look some where else? u would be happier and safer althoughviolent crime isnt that bad. good luck

I grew up and graduated from high school in Huntingdon. My mom was a nurse and have heard many disconcerting stories from that Huntingdon hospital too. In other words, having an inside for information from any community hospital can lead to a bias. Are you aware that Lewistown hospital encompasses a very large pull area which includes Juniata County and that a new factory is opening in early 2008 and to hire 800 in the first 2 years with a total 1000 jobs within 6 years. As for jobs, check out PA stats and see that Mifflin county has 14700 (2006 data) people employed in the county as opposed to Huntingdon county's 9500 (2006 data). Lewistown has moved from Hometown status to an Elm Street Community as is now set to receive millions in revitalization funding through the state. If you have not driven downtown Lewistown lately you should take the drive or better yet park and walk and see the change for the good that is happening. Unfortunately for Huntingdon it's downtown is still in decline with not much on the horizon to indicate any turnaround.

p.s. I read your other posts and noticed that you appear to be leaving PA. Good Luck!!

[fromPA]

I wonder how the drug problem is going in Lewistown these days? I grew up in Juniata County, and in fact still live here, but my brother lived with my father in Lewistown in the late 90s. It seemed like so many kid had drug problems, and not just dabbling in them but really hardcore stuff like herion. There was even an MSNBC report on Lewistown's connection to the herion problem in Lancaster and Philly.

I'd love to be enlightened about Lewistown so if it's on the mend that would be great to hear! Housing prices still seem to be really low, so I wonder how much of a hit a person would take when/if it came time to sell.

Juniata County has its problems, too, so don't get me wrong there. I find the general lack of social education here disconcerting, and that's a big reason why we homeschool some of our children. I wish parents would teach their kids more empathy, and understand that teaching their boys to be gentle isn't going to turn them into homosexuals. Bullying seems to be quite accepted as a normal childhood phase in schools here, and I also wish the schools were a little more progressive with their lunch menus. Almost everything is from a can or fried, and they rarely have anything to drink besides milk (water would be nice!).

I wonder if there is anywhere to live that is accepting of "eccentric" people who don't necessarily enjoy sports or racing, but that is also rural with lots of farmland, wildlife and natural beauty? It seems like most people around here have no problem shopping at Walmart every Friday night and supporting a massive retail company that is slowly sucking the life out of small towns all across America. And people look at you like you have two heads if you show up at a gathering with organic snacks and decline the food coloring-laden treats they have available for the kids.

Okay, so that's my little diatribe for the day.

[Richard163]

Originally Posted by fromPA

I wonder how the drug problem is going in Lewistown these days? I grew up in Juniata County, and in fact still live here, but my brother lived with my father in Lewistown in the late 90s. It seemed like so many kid had drug problems, and not just dabbling in them but really hardcore stuff like herion. There was even an MSNBC report on Lewistown's connection to the herion problem in Lancaster and Philly.

I'd love to be enlightened about Lewistown so if it's on the mend that would be great to hear! Housing prices still seem to be really low, so I wonder how much of a hit a person would take when/if it came time to sell.

Juniata County has its problems, too, so don't get me wrong there. I find the general lack of social education here disconcerting, and that's a big reason why we homeschool some of our children. I wish parents would teach their kids more empathy, and understand that teaching their boys to be gentle isn't going to turn them into homosexuals. Bullying seems to be quite accepted as a normal childhood phase in schools here, and I also wish the schools were a little more progressive with their lunch menus. Almost everything is from a can or fried, and they rarely have anything to drink besides milk (water would be nice!).

I wonder if there is anywhere to live that is accepting of "eccentric" people who don't necessarily enjoy sports or racing, but that is also rural with lots of farmland, wildlife and natural beauty? It seems like most people around here have no problem shopping at Walmart every Friday night and supporting a massive retail company that is slowly sucking the life out of small towns all across America. And people look at you like you have two heads if you show up at a gathering with organic snacks and decline the food coloring-laden treats they have available for the kids.

Okay, so that's my little diatribe for the day.

I cannot answer the drug issue, my take is that it is everywhere and it is only whether you wish to try and find it. I have been hearing more and more about drug problems in the Bellwood to Tyrone area. As for housing, prices in small town urban settings have steadily declined everywhere including Greater Lewistown as people continue to build in the outskirts on their cul-de-sacs. Check out the price of houses in Reedsville, incredible to say the least. Juniata County really has no urban center like Lewistown, but I am sure that if you were to price a house say in downtown Mifflintown it would be cheaper than a similar house on a cul-de-sac just outside of town. I actually live in a country setting only minutes from town so I am sort of guilty of this trend too. But hopefully the Elm Street program will continue the downtown Lewistown come back and in the process raise the value of all the properties in and around town. Having a beautiful downtown bustling with people and business in itself makes the riff-raff move elswhere. Okay, so that's my little anti-diatribe for the day.

[Christian2003]

Originally Posted by fromPA

I wonder how the drug problem is going in Lewistown these days? I grew up in Juniata County, and in fact still live here

The fact that you are wondering and don't know,( seeing you live in the area) should speak for itself. The problem is being addressed and quite effectively!

[Sumsky15]

I live in the McClure area and am looking for a house to rent with 3 or 4 bedrooms in the Burnham, Yeagertown, Highland Park or Decatur Twp area. I am not having much luck with rentals in that area. I check the Sentinel everyday, but so far nothing. Anyone have any other suggestions??!!!

[phyll]

Thank you for all your posts, but we have done a complete turn around and have moved to Tennesee,I am sure I will not regret this move ...Thank you ....phyllis

[3fingersalute]

Originally Posted by Richard163

Why, would you say that?

Because I live in Lewistown and I would not recommend anybody move there family into this area. There are very few jobs, the economy is crap, the police force is a joke (at best) and the drug problem is out of control.

Sorry to sound harsh, but that's the facts.

[3fingersalute]

Originally Posted by fromPA

I wonder how the drug problem is going in Lewistown these days?

Its still out of control, although its shifted from heroin a bit to pills. Heroin is getting harder to find, so now they're taking Oxycontin, Methadone, Vicodin, etc. in its place. Crack is also a big seller in this area.

[3fingersalute]

Originally Posted by Christian2003

The fact that you are wondering and don't know,( seeing you live in the area) should speak for itself. The problem is being addressed and quite effectively!

Wrong.

Fact is, the drug problem is just as bad if not worse than it was in the previous years. The only difference is, you don't hear about it anymore. The police, the DA and the "Drug Task Force" quit talking about it publicly because it draws attention to their failure in combating this problem.

If you don't believe me, find an EMT or a Lewistown Hospital ER Nurse and ask them how many overdoses they see on average per week. You'll be shocked, that I can assure you.