Excerpts and summaries of news stories from the former Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster New Era and Sunday News that focus on the events in the county’s past that are noteworthy, newsworthy or just strange.

25 years ago

“World renowned artist” is an impressive title, but “world renowned teddy bear artist” might be just as impressive – and much more unusual.

In 1998, Lititz native Lynn Schaffstall was named one of the top 10 teddy bear artists in the world by the Tateshina Teddy Bear Museum in Japan, and her handmade Wunderbar Collection bears were sold all over the world.

In November of that year, Schaffstall was returning home to Lititz for an appearance and signing at the Teddy Bear Emporium shop.

Schaffstall, born Lynn Reidenbaugh, was a member of the last graduating class of the former Lititz High School in 1956 and said she always considered Lititz “home.” Her house in Hellertown served as her base of teddy bear operations – a one-woman shop that turned out thousands of one-of-a-kind bears over the 14 years since she made her first teddy in 1984.

Schaffstall, a lifelong seamstress, said she made her first bear at the request of her son, who was in college at the time and wanted a unique bear to sit next to his girlfriend’s teddy bear.

In the headlines:

Starr says president broke laws

McDonald’s wins coffee suit

Grants eroding as college students’ costs rise

Check out the Nov. 19, 1998, Lancaster New Era here.

50 years ago

For the Fulton Opera House’s second Piano Festival, 24 piano students took the stage in November 1973 – and all performed at the same time.

Twelve pianos were arranged onstage, with students sitting two to a piano to perform works that focused on timing, coordination and playing as part of a larger group.

A total of 150 students performed, 24 at a time, and the festival was closed by a performance by 12 piano teachers playing Von Weber’s “Invitation to the Waltz.”

In the headlines:

Nixon cheered, jeered during Georgia visit

Senators say gas rationing essential

Greek riot results in martial law

Check out the Nov. 19, 1973, Intelligencer Journal here.

75 years ago

A gruesome and wide-ranging conspiracy to process and sell unauthorized meat products – for both pet and human consumption – was uncovered in November 1948, and a Lancaster County man was arrested in connection with the allegations.

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture officials said a lengthy investigation revealed a “dead animal meat racket” across several counties in southeastern Pennsylvania, including Lancaster County. Twenty-nine people were charged in connection with the operation – in addition to Lancaster County, the accused lived in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh and Montgomery counties and in Philadelphia.

Officials said the ring operated unauthorized slaughterhouses and rendering facilities where animals unapproved for consumption – mostly horses – were processed into ground meat products sold as dog food and hamburger patties.

They discovered more than 250 violations of food safety codes related to the operation, and believed that “the average family seeking bargain buys” in meats may well have consumed unauthorized products.

Among the most egregious of the violations were instances of horse meat being sold to small restaurants as hamburger patties, with advice to cooks that they should “add a little grease and you can’t tell the difference from beef.”

In the headlines:

Continental air defense set up

Britain asks UN to slash Israel’s area

Usable power from atom is a decade away

Check out the Nov. 19, 1948, Intelligencer Journal here.

100 years ago

Prohibition-era beer drinkers in Lancaster were disappointed in November 1923, as the former Sprecher’s Brewery had been seized by federal agents and shut down.

The brewery, which during Prohibition had been rebranded as the Superior Beverage Co., was allegedly still manufacturing “real” beer. Not only was the plant shut down, but three government agents camped out in the building, intending to stay there until the case could be brought up in federal court.

From the Intelligencer:

“Devotees of ‘real’ beer in Lancaster were in a quandary today as to where they might obtain their favorite beverage as it was reported that several retail establishments where ‘high-powered’ beer could be obtained recently by those ‘in the know’ were mournfully doling out the perfectly legal but highly unpopular ‘half-of-one,’ with few cash customers in sight.”

(Half-of-one here refers to so-called “near beer,” which was limited to an alcohol content of 0.5 percent.)

In the headlines:

Break between Britain and France balked

Food prices still soaring across U.S.

Check out the Nov. 19, 1923, Lancaster Intelligencer here.