The Gassy Field at Cherry Springs State Park Credit: Bill Rockwell I can’t remember when I first heard about Pennsylvania’s Dark Sky County, where star gazing is heralded as the best spot in the East to sky watch. Although I live far enough out in the country so that light pollution from the cities and neighboring towns doesn’t bother me much, the visual nocturnal spectacles, especially the annual meteor showers, are affected because there’s still enough ambient light to lessen the overall effect. For several years now, ever since I heard about the state’s Dark Sky Country, centered in sparsely populated Potter County (2025 estimate: 15,897), I’ve been meaning to make a visit. Even though the Perseids, one of the year’s best meteor showers, had passed their peak, I journeyed up to the county seat, Coudersport, the third week of August to take in the Dark Sky phenomenon. I’d been advised to dress warmly because the temperatures fall at night, bring a lawn chair (or...
OPENING NEXT WEEK! JOIN US FOR A POST MATINEE TALKBACK WITH YUSSEF EL GUINDI ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11TH! TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! REFUGEE RHAPSODY When Emily, a beautiful and fabulously wealthy young socialite, crosses paths with Sakinah and Fouad, the American-born children of Syrian and Lebanese refugees working at Goodwill, an unlikely friendship—or something more complicated—begins to take shape. But when jealousy, desire, and resentment explode into a shocking act of violence, the consequences ripple far beyond the crime itself. Sakinah becomes the center of a high-profile investigation, and Jenny, a pregnant mental health professional, is brought in to determine whether she is sane enough to stand trial. As Jenny digs deeper, she finds herself questioning not only Sakinah’s motives, but her own place in a society where race, money, and privilege can determine whose story gets heard. Meanwhile, Jenny’s ambitious husband is climbing the corporate ladder—only to discover that his...