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157 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed Sunday in Luzerne County; 7 more deaths

Pope sets date to honor 'forgotten' grandparents and elders

WILKES-BARRE &mdash; Well folks, it&rsquo;s here &mdash; again.
				Groundhog Day is Tuesday, and the world waits with anticipation of whether or not a rodent will see its shadow.
				Yes, Punxsutawney Phil will again be given center stage to somehow tell us that there will or will not be six more weeks of winter.
				And if the real-life weather prognosticators were correct, if you look out your window today, you might see that winter is very much here and will be for some time.
				Did you know that Punxsutawney Phil has been doing this groundhog and pony show for 135 years and the furry guy has compiled a less-than-impressive 39 percent accuracy rate for predicting the weather.
				You&rsquo;d have a better chance of being correct if you flipped a coin.
				Spoiler Alert &mdash; Phil&rsquo;s handlers, the Inner Circle, on Gobbler&rsquo;s Knob actually decide in advance whether Phil will see his shadow during his appearance before the cameras.
				But one year into the coronavirus pandemic, do we really give a hoot whether we will have six more weeks of winter? Can&rsquo;t we find some animal or human to predict that there will be just six more weeks of the pandemic? Or six days? Hours? Minutes?
				Now that would be a welcome prognostication.
				But for those of you hell-bent on watching Punxsutawney Phil&rsquo;s prognostication, it will be presented and celebrated virtually this year. The Pennsylvania Tourism Office&rsquo;s Holi-stay PA is sharing several options for viewers to participate in this iconic Pennsylvania tradition.
				Each year since 1886, thousands have traveled to Gobbler&rsquo;s Knob in Punxsutawney to witness this one-of-kind spectacle. With the help of the tuxedo-clad members of the mysterious Inner Circle, Phil shares his prediction with the world. If he sees his shadow, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of winter and returns to his hole, and if not, he predicts that spring is just around the corner.
				Holi-stay PA urges everyone to stay home and stay safe this Groundhog Day without forfeiting the excitement surrounding this 135-year event.
				Carrie Lepore, Department of Community and Economic Development Deputy Secretary of Marketing, Tourism & Film, said, &ldquo;Whether you&rsquo;re hoping for six more weeks of winter fun or an early spring, we could all use some extra happiness this year.&rdquo;
				For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all agency news on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
				Anyway, it does appear that those Inner Circle members have come up with quite a promotion here. They&rsquo;ve managed to make believers of us. We actually get upset if Phil sees his shadow, as we are delighted when they tell us he didn&rsquo;t see it and spring is on its way.
				How much reliance do we actually place on Phil&rsquo;s annual prognostication? Do we believe it for a minute? Or do we just enjoy the comedy of it all &mdash; a bunch of guys standing on a hill wearing top hats, one holding a rodent (who might bite him) and then the pronouncement that Phil did or didn&rsquo;t see his shadow.
				Sounds like a great excuse to take the day off, fill a flask and watch the drama unfold on Gobbler&rsquo;s Knob.
				Where and when did someone decide a groundhog is the perfect animal to be a weatherman?
				I&rsquo;ll take six more weeks of winter if this pandemic will just end.

Beyond the Byline: If Punxsutawney Phil could only predict the end of the pandemic