The Festival Office announced that due to severe damage to the metal building caused by heavy snows, the church-owned convention center at Mount Pocono, PA will definitely not serve as a feast site this year. Several other possible locations are already being considered. Squaw Valley also had to be cancelled as a site for the 1978 Festival of Tabernacles because of problems with negotiations between the Church and the U.S. Olympic Committee, which now uses the valley's Blyth Arena to train future Olympians.
Fresno, a central California city, will take the place of Squaw Valley. There is a good variety of restaurants and the housing is newer than at many of the other sites. Fresno will be one of the less-expensive sites for members. Highlighting Fresno are three national parks within easy driving distance (they include Sequoia National Park and Yosemite), several lakes and all kinds of water sports and outside activities. Topping all this is a usually fine climate. More details appear in this week's Worldwide News.