On July 28 at 11:58 pm. Austin and Coudersport Fire Depts. were dispatched to 121 Thorn St. in Austin for a residential structure fire. Flames are showing and all occupants are believed to be evacuated. This has been upgraded to a second alarm fire. Port Allegany & Emporium have been requested for a full response.
St. Marys to stand by at Emporium. Roulette to stand by at Coudersport. Smethport to stand by at Port Allegany.
12:58 AM–Fire is under control. Heavy overhaul anticipated.
Mountain Laurel Recovery Center is expanding and searching for qualified and caring staff to Improve The Lives We Touch! We are hosting on-site interviews during the week of August 7-11th between the hours of 10am & 2pm. Interested candidates may arrive in-person on the designated days listed to interview with our respective hiring managers. While not necessary, we encourage applicants to apply ahead of time.
The Endless Mountain Music Festival continues with EMMF Orchestra concerts Friday July 28 at Mansfield featuring Peggy Dettwiler and this Saturday July 29 at Corning with Stephen Gunzenhauser conducting and a free outdoor concert with the brass quintet at Cherry Springs State Park this Sunday July 30.
At 7 p.m. this Saturday, July 29, the EMMF Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Gunzenhauser, will perform “Classic Gems,” including Piazzolia’s “Tangazo,” Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7” at 7 p.m. at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, N.Y. BOGO (buy one, get one free) tickets will be available at the door on July 29 for that night’s concert.
Coming up at Hills Creek State Park at 111 Spillway Road, Wellsboro, PA 16901-9676 are free in-person programs this Saturday, July 29. The park is seven miles northeast of Wellsboro in Charleston Township via Charleston Street and Hills Creek Lake Road.
Register Now for Critter Call
Preregistration is required for Critter Call, a nighttime program being held this Saturday, July 29 from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It offers participants a chance to see nocturnal wildlife in a unique way. The number that can participate is limited to 12, including adults and children ages 10 and up. To register, call 570-724-4246 or stop in at the park office. After a brief orientation, the group will travel to spots in and around the park to “call in” a gray fox using night lights and an electronic game call. Other species that may be encountered will be deer, raccoons, owls, and coyotes. Critter Call involves discreetly hiking into the woods and calling from several locations. Participants should be prepared to drive short distances, wear scent-free, dark colored clothing and remain quiet, both coming and going. No flashlights are allowed. This program is not suitable for young children or those who have difficulty walking at night in a woodland setting.
For more information, call the Hills Creek State Park office at 570-724-4246 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Free, in-person programs are being held this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 28, 29 and 30 at Cherry Springs State Park at 4639 Cherry Springs Road, Coudersport, Pa. 16915. The park is 12 miles from Route 6 in Galeton via West Branch Road and 15 miles from Coudersport via Route 44.
Star gazing programs are in the Night Sky Public Viewing Area. Park in the gravel lot and follow the walkway next to the restrooms to the seating area.
Check the Clear Sky Chart or Astrospheric for 48-hour forecasts of cloud cover and viewing conditions.
Registration is encouraged but not required for free in-person programs. The public may choose to register because those who do will receive an email if a program is cancelled or modified due to weather, etc.
Maribelle M. Dunn, 90, of Coudersport, PA passed away on July 28, 2023, at Sweden Valley Manor, Coudersport.
She was born on September 14, 1932, in Farmers Valley, the daughter of the late John and Neva (Kemp) Tanner. Maribelle married Gary E. Dunn on May 1, 1951, and they celebrated 56 years of marriage, until his passing on May 20, 2007.
Theodore Louis SEELEY, III, 48, of Wellsville, NY, formerly of Belmont, peacefully ended his long battle on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 in his home, going into the arms of Jesus surrounded by his family.
Born December 31, 1974, in Cuba, he was the son of Theodore Louis Jr. and Roberta Donovan Seeley. On April 16, 2022, in Almond, he married the former Amber Slocum, who survives.
Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced the completion of a bridge replacement project on Route 1011 (Hickox/Ulysses Road) in Bingham Township, Potter County, today and that it has lifted the detour that’s been in place since mid-April.
Replacing the bridge, which spans the Genesee River near the village of Ulysses, improved its overall condition rating from “poor” to “good.”
Overall work on the project included removing the existing bridge, building its replacement, approach paving, drainage improvements, guide rail upgrades, pavement marking, and miscellaneous construction.
Nestlerode Contracting Company, Inc. of Lock Haven was the contractor on this $1 million project. PennDOT anticipated reopening the bridge in early September, but work progress allowed it to reopen the structure significantly ahead of schedule.
This structure is 45 feet long and, on average, carries more than 600 vehicles daily.
Deborah Janz, 68, of E. Main St. in Mt Jewett, PA passed away Tuesday (July 25) at her residence. Born Dec. 31, 1954 in St. Louis, MO, she is the daughter of the late David and Mary Louise (English) Kamer.
Debbie was a self-proclaimed hippie with a strong spiritual side who loved spending time in the outdoors and tending to her garden. An avid reader and creative writer, she enjoyed volunteering at the library and her time with the book club. She fell in love with her new community, forging friendships that brought her great happiness. For everyone who knew her, Debbie had the biggest heart and was full of love.
Richard D. Silsby of 8849 Deer Creek Road, Portville, NY passed away on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at the Olean General Hospital.
Richard was born on July 23, 1975, in Olean and was the son of David A. and Alice M. Blauvelt Silsby.
Richard was a 1995 graduate of Olean High School. He then began working at Reiss Game Farm, where he worked for the past 25 years. Richard enjoyed spending time with his son and camping.
WESTFIELD, Pa (WENY) — WENY News is continuing to follow the report of a missing elderly woman from Tioga County, Pennsylvania, who went missing on July 20th. Over 50 community volunteers gathered at the Westfield Municipal Building on Thursday morning to begin their search for 84-year-old Phyllis Potter.
People started looking for Potter just after 8:30 a.m.; the search spanned out into nearby towns surrounding Westfield. A family member said Potter was last seen leaving Missy’s Market on July 20th, sometime between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
An online effort on Facebook to find her has been growing, and on Thursday, people came together to search throughout the area, hoping to find any clues as to where Potter went.
“We’re going to keep searching every day until she’s found,” said Mariah Barker, a volunteer.
Barker was one of many volunteers who helped look for Potter. Barker said she met the woman a few times previously, and works with her daughter-in-law. She said she wanted to help the family the best she could. Read more….
The first meeting of the EMS Task Force convened last night in Smethport with more than two dozen people coming together to discuss how to strengthen the EMS system and ensure we can continue providing these vital life-saving services in our communities.
A main focus of conversation was the need to get local officials more involved in financially supporting emergency medical services. Municipalities are required by law to ensure their communities have fire and EMS coverage but not all provide adequate funding. The group agreed it’s vital to educate not only local officials but also taxpayers about the urgency of providing that financial support.
There was additional discussion about the possibility of creating municipal authorities, which involve multiple local government entities, to fund and provide emergency services. This is already being done in Altoona and being pursued in other areas, including Lancaster County and Forest County. The concept can be modified to meet the needs of specific areas.
We also talked about how to make the EMS profession more appealing to not only recruit young people but keep them. Pay, benefits, tax credits and assistance with higher education costs were among the ideas.
I greatly appreciate everyone who took the time to participate in the meeting and look forward to ongoing discussions and ideas to meet the many challenges we face.
Hearing Set to Discuss Rural Hospital, Health Care Sustainability
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania is hosting a public hearing on the sustainability of rural hospitals and rural health care on Thursday, Aug. 3, from 9-11:30 a.m. at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
The hearing will feature statewide health organization representatives, hospital and health center executives, and public health experts, including Richard Esch, president, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, and Dr. Jill Owens, president, Upper Allegheny Health System. For a full list of testifiers, click here.
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania is a bipartisan, bicameral legislative agency that serves as a resource for rural policy within the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Bradford Senior Citizens Expo Aug. 4
Please join us on Friday, Aug. 4, for the Bradford Senior Citizens Expo!
Open to senior citizens and their family members and caregivers, the event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Sports and Fitness Gymnasium, Campus Drive, Bradford.
The event is free to attend, and lunch will be provided. State, county and local exhibitors will be on hand to distribute information and answer questions about a variety of issues. Health screenings will also be offered, and door prize drawings will be held at 12:30 p.m.
If you can’t make it this time, mark your calendar for additional expos scheduled later this year. We’ll be at the Kane Community Center on Friday, Sept. 8, and the Roulette Fire Hall on Friday, Oct. 13. Both events run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information about the senior expos, contact the Bradford office at 814-362-4400. Information is also available at RepCauser.com or on Facebook at Facebook.com/RepCauser.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the expo, our offices in Bradford and Kane will be closed all day on Friday, Aug. 4. The office in Coudersport will remain open and may be reached by calling 814-274-9769.
Come See Us at the Potter County Fair!
The Potter County Fair starts this weekend, and once again, my office will have a table set up offering a variety of brochures and booklets about state programs and services, as well as state maps. The table will be staffed in the evenings from Monday, July 31, through Friday, Aug. 4. Please stop by!! More information about the fair schedule is available here.
National Night Out
This Tuesday, Aug. 1, is National Night Out, a day set aside to promote police-community partnerships and engage all of us in the effort to support the health and safety of our friends and neighbors.
Millions of people across the country will take part in National Night Out events, including block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and more.
Bradford will host its annual event on Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. along Chambers Street downtown. Law enforcement personnel from all over McKean County will be present, so this is an excellent opportunity to meet your local officers and learn about their dedication to your safety. The event also features live music, food vendors, games and more!
Blood Drive Monday in Bradford
Due to low blood supply in the region, Community Blood Bank is hosting a blood drive on Monday, July 31, from noon to 5 p.m. at St. Bernard Church, 95 E. Corydon St., Bradford.
All blood types are needed; however, blood bank officials say there has been a near constant critical need for type O. People with O negative blood are considered “universal donors” because their blood can be used in transfusions of any type. O positive is also in demand because it is the most common blood type.
Call 814-456-4206 to schedule an appointment to donate. Appointments are encouraged to reduce wait time but are not required. Walk-ins are always welcomed.
North Central to Highlight Funding Opportunities for Local Government, Nonprofit Organizations
Northcentral Regional Planning and Development Commission is hosting a series of “Funding Focus Hours” to highlight grant funding opportunities for municipalities and nonprofit organizations. To avoid wait times, schedule an appointment by contacting Elise Grovanz at egrovanz@ncentral.com or 814-773-3162, ext. 3016.
Veterans Services Available
Area veterans are invited to contact my office to schedule appointments to talk with a representative from the American Legion to ensure they are getting the services and support they need.
Due to changes initiated by the American Legion, appointments in the Bradford and Kane offices will be conducted virtually via a tablet.
Appointments are required for meetings with the Legion representative, whether they are in person, by phone or by tablet. The schedule is as follows: • Coudersport office: Thursday, Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Coudersport office is located at 107 S. Main St. Please call 814-274-9769 to schedule an appointment. • Bradford office: Wednesday, Aug. 9, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Bradford office is located at 78 Main St., first floor. Please call 814-362-4400 to schedule an appointment. • Kane office: Wednesday, Aug. 30, from 9 a.m. to noon. The Kane office is located at 54 Fraley St., Suite 2. Please call 814-837-0880 to schedule an appointment.
Assistance is available with issues such as compensation, education, pension, health care and death benefits. Veterans need not be a member of the American Legion to participate.
Record Return of Unclaimed Property in 2022-23 – Could You Be Next?
More than $273 million in unclaimed property was returned to taxpayers in the 2022-23 fiscal year, the highest return ever.
However, more than $4.5 billion remains, so if you haven’t checked for your name on Treasury’s Unclaimed Property database, click here now. Remember, if you find property that is yours, you do not need to pay anyone to claim it. You may go directly through the Office of the Treasury or contact my office for assistance.
One in 10 Pennsylvanians is owed unclaimed property, and the average claim is worth about $1,600. Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks and more. Property is always available for the rightful owner to claim. Tangible property – often the contents of forgotten safe deposit boxes – may be auctioned after three years, but proceeds remain available to claim in perpetuity.
Military decorations and memorabilia – often turned over to Treasury from abandoned or forgotten safe deposit boxes – are never auctioned and remain in the vault for safekeeping until a veteran or their family is found.
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More than $273 million in unclaimed property was returned to taxpayers in the 2022-23 fiscal year, the highest return ever.
