Williams Grove Speedway

Williams Grove Speedway opened its 70th season Friday with the rev of engines and lots of eager racing fans. “We’ve been coming since the 1960s,” said Ken Stine as he waited in line to purchase his ticket. “We come every week,” said Sam Stine. Lance DeWease is their favorite driver. The Newville brothers weren’t deterred by the 30-degree temperatures. It’s all about the racing experience. “The noise, the speed, the atmosphere,” Ken Stine said with a grin.

The Stines said the $13 general admission is a good deal. “For what you see here, I think it’s a good price,” Ken Stine said. “This is cheap entertainment for two or three hours,” Sam Stine said. Michael Walters and his 5-year-old son, Kasey, couldn’t wait for the race to begin. Kasey entered the track proudly wearing a red autographed racing ball cap and carrying red ear protection. “We love sprint car racing,” Walters said. The pair drove from Doylesburg for the race.

“He likes Stevie Smith,” Walters explained. “That’s the great thing about this track. You get to know the drivers and they talk to him. (Kasey) will always remember that.” The half-mile dirt track opened in 1939. Until sprint car racing began in 1967, stock car racing was the norm. Since then, national champions like Ted Horn, A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti have raced at “the Grove.”The speedway’s semi-banked clay oval surface is graded and watered before every race in a attempt to maintain a smooth and moist surface.

St. Joseph

St. Joseph, the husband of our Lady, foster-father of our Lord, guardian of the Holy Family, is honored liturgically on March 19 as patron of the universal Church. The memorial of St. Joseph the Worker is on May 1. This quiet, just, humble man, protector of families and patron of fathers, is also invoked for a happy death.

Most of our reliable information on St. Joseph is contained in the first two chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Here we discover that Joseph was of royal descent from David, that the family was from Bethlehem in Judea and that Joseph, who was a builder, had moved from Bethlehem to Nazareth in Galilee. What a strong man of faith Joseph was! How he must have suffered, not knowing the secret of Mary's incarnation. Of course, she could not tell him - he would not have understood.

Joseph was engaged to Mary and upon learning that she was pregnant; he had plans to divorce her. Described in Matthew as a righteous man, he intended to dismiss her quietly. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream to tell him, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (MT 1:20-21). "When Joseph woke from sleep he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him." (MT 1: 24).

Vanessa Redgrave

Vanessa Redgrave and Liam Neeson were photographed leaving Lennox Hill Hospital last night, just hours after it was announced that actress Natasha Richardson had died from injuries suffered in a skiing accident in Canada. Neeson, carrying a leather valise, gave a wave of acknowledgment to photographers as he was heading back to his Manhattan residence with his mother-in-law following the death of his wife on Wednesday evening.

Neeson, who rushed to his wife’s side on Monday, flew her back to New York City on Tuesday when it became obvious that she would not survive a catastrophic brain injury. Hospital officials removed the 45 year old actress from life support midafternoon on March 18, 2009, and she died surrounded by family.

Natasha Richardson is survived by husband Liam Neeson, sons Michael Neeson, 13, and Daniel Neeson, 12. She also leaves behind her mother Vanessa Redgrave, and a sister, actress Joely Richardson. She was preceded in death by her father, famed film producer Tony Richardson. Liam Neeson graciously waved to well-wishers as he went home Wednesday night, after the death of his wife Natasha Richardson.