Major traffic alert!! For Jefferson County Brookville area. At approximately 2:00 p.m. today on New Year’s Eve Interstate 80 will be closed between the Brookville and Hazen exits BOTH EAST AND WEST BOUND for emergency replacement of high-tension electric lines. Crews will be diverting traffic through Brookville.
This is anticipated to last around 2 hours according to Penelec. If you can avoid travel, in this area, during this time you would be better off. If you are traveling through or around Brookville during the hours of 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. today please be patient with any traffic control points you encounter. Thank you all and have a very safe and happy New Year!
Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/28/2023 to XTO ENERGY INC in Chapman Township, Clinton county. 78a85(a)5 – CASING AND CEMENTING – CEMENT STANDARDS – The operator failed to prevent gas flow in the annulus. In areas of known shallow gas producing zones, gas block additives and low fluid loss slurries shall be used.
On December 30 at 4:20 pm Lewis Run, and Bradford Fire Depts. were dispatched for a commercial fire alarm at the Allegany-Bradford Corporation at 1525 South Avenue.
Thank you for allowing me to speak at the board meeting, Dec. 18th. Unfortunately, due to becoming very emotional when I spoke, I did not voice all my questions and concerns.
I would implore you, as board members who represent the entire community, to do some research and ask questions before voting for a 12-million-dollar project. As evidenced by the community’s concerns, this is not a decision to be made lightly and with only two months’ notice over the holiday season. I believe this timeline was intentional to avoid too many questions and to ensure a hasty decision. Who wants to spend the holiday season researching a solar panel project? That is why I’m asking you to delay voting on this proposal until further research is completed.
I would like to voice some of my questions and concerns:
1) Are you aware of the lawsuit that Tremco and their parent company, RPM International Inc., were forced to pay $60.9 million dollars to resolve allegations that Tremco filed false claims in connection with two multiple award contracts? Now, they have suddenly reduced their bid for our roof projects by $200,000? Does this sound like a company with whom we want to do business?
2) The roof and solar panels have a 30-year warranty (which has been questioned) and the PPA has a 29 year term. What happens when the 30 years are up? We start over again at square one? What happens if the solar panels don’t produce as effectively years from now and we are still beholden to the PPA payments?
3) Have you studied the Letter of Intent? Particularly, the Contract Price Exclusions section?
How about the Maintenance of Premises section? Will trees in the park or cemetery shade any of the solar panels to be installed at the outfield of the baseball field? If so, will they need to be cut down? It looks like the area at the outfield of the baseball field is in shade. I noticed when I drove by that the snow hadn’t melted on a warm day.
These are just two concerns I have found in a brief perusal of this document. How many other concerns will be found in the actual contract?
4) Are there health implications with having solar panels approximately 50 yards from a playground, school, and daycare center? Has anyone looked into this independently, not just accepting the word of the salesman? As I mentioned when I spoke, I have a granddaughter with sensory issues. She loves to play on that playground, and she attends the YMCA daycare. She will also attend the elementary school. How will a constant noise, even at a level of 50 decibels, affect her with her sensory issues? How will it affect children without sensory issues?
5) What happens if school enrollment continues to drop and the school closes or merges with another school district? We are liable for this project for 30 years.
6) What happens if BAI Group or any of the other companies involved go bankrupt? We are left with hundreds of solar panels to dispose of when they are no longer useful. Solar panels are considered an environmental hazard, and it is very expensive to dispose of them.
7) What happens if a solar panel is damaged and leaks into the ground? This is an environmental hazard. Who is responsible for the clean up?
8) Did we learn nothing from the Texas ice storm about how unreliable green energy really is?
9) Has anyone checked with the YMCA regarding having solar panels in such close proximity to the daycare?
10) Do solar panels cause fires when the grass is very dry and the temperatures are high?
Our community has a wealth of knowledgeable individuals whom I’m sure would be willing and able to provide input into ways to make the necessary repairs and upgrades without spending $12,000,000.00. We heard from a couple of them at the meetings. There is a very good adage that you should live within your means. Our community cannot afford a project of this magnitude. I sincerely hope that you will find answers to all of these questions before voting to approve this project.
I am often perplexed by the choices of others and their subsequent consequences and wonder if they will ever learn. Perhaps it is because I am older and wiser, but I don’t remember making some of those foolish choices that I see people making today.
Are times that different? Or is there something in the water?
With the influence of the Internet and social networks, we all have access into the lives of others like we have never had before. Yet it doesn’t appear that we have really improved on our social connections but rather we have drawn further apart. Someone once said that we don’t have the friendships that we once had, but rather we have acquaintances. We don’t stop in homes to visit; we stop by their Facebook page to drop off a note. Rather than being focused on others, we have become focused only upon ourselves and what we want or what makes us happy. Is this perhaps the reason for the poor choices that we see people making today? Is it that we have lost the idea of community and even though we say that we belong to various Internet communities, are we really connected at all? Church used to be a place where people lived in community but that has even changed today. Gathering people together more than an hour or two a week is next to impossible. We’re all too involved in other things.
When it comes to the idea of healing choices, we are thinking of those choices that bring healing rather than destruction. We all need to learn that our choices are not made in a vacuum. In other words, our choices have a ripple affect to all of those around us. The choices we make have impact upon the lives of others. When we make our choices with the realization that we have responsibility to others, our choices will take into consideration those same people. In part, we all need to learn that we need each other and that I can bring healing to my family and friends by the choices that I make when I consider them in my choices. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when he said that we needed to love our neighbors as ourselves. Think about it.
10:00 A.M.- 12:00 P.M. –First Day Hike– Start the New Year on the right foot with an easy 2.5-mile guided hike on level trails. Learn the importance of conifer trees to wildlife as we scout for tracks and traces of the animals that live in the park. Hike will be held rain or shine. A limited number of snowshoes available if needed. Dress for the weather and bring water. Good for all ages. Well-behaved dogs on short leashes are welcome.
9:00 A.M.-9:45 A.M –Coffee with the Birds– Enjoy a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa, INDOORS, as we participate in a Project Feeder Watch bird count and learn to identify the birds visiting the feeders just outside the classroom window.
Stop by anytime. Repeat visitors are welcome.
No pre-registration needed.
Meets at: Wildlife Center Classroom
Saturday, January 13th, 2024
10:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M-Cross-Country Skiing for Beginners– Join a park educator, for a fun lesson on the popular sport of cross-country skiing. All equipment, including skis, poles, and boots (adult sizes) will be provided. (Limited number. Please state boot size when registering.) Program will begin indoors with an introduction to cross country skiing equipment and styles, followed by a guided practice instruction on level ground, then a short excursion on the trail.
Program is free, but pre-registration is required by Thursday, 1/11.
When registering, please state BOOT SIZE (men’s) for each participant in comment section (or let us know that you are bringing your own equipment).
SMETHPORT, Pa. – Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit IX (IU9) has chosen Northern Pennsylvania Regional College as the two-year educational provider for the Paraprofessionals Pathway Program. This program will begin in January at the beginning of the Spring 2024 term. This program is designed to assist current paraprofessionals in the IU9 service area with earning valuable special education preparedness and eventually a special education bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution.
IU9 partnered with NPRC as their community college partner because NPRC’s delivery model is flexible and accessible to students across the 10-county service area. Seneca Highlands IU9 includes 14 school districts in Cameron, Elk, McKean, and Potter counties. NPRC’s learning model can cater to students from across this region in different classrooms; making it possible for students from various communities to attend class at a location close to them.
Due to the fact that the secretary has covid the door at the township building will be locked and all communication will have to be done by telephone, mail or email. Also it would be appreciated if the public did not come to the reorganizational meeting for your own safety. Thank you.
The Organization Meeting of the Board of Legislators will be held on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. for the purpose of selecting a Chairman of the Board and such other officers as may be needed, and for the conduct of any business which may properly come before any regular meeting of said Board. The meeting will be livestreamed at:
The United Way Student Ambassadors at Bradford Area High School are proud to announce the success of their recent Penny Wars fundraiser, which raised an impressive $500 to contribute to the United Way’s Annual Campaign. The initiative aimed not only to raise a sense of community and philanthropy within the school but also to support the broader mission of the United Way in the local region.
Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/22/2023 to EQT ARO LLC in Cascade Township, Lycoming county. 78a56(a) – TEMPORARY STORAGE – Operator failed to contain regulated substances and wastes used at or generated at a well site in a tank, series of tanks or other storage structures approved by the Department.
The Commissioners of Potter County will be accepting applications for a full-time Secretary/Clerk II in the Sheriff’s Department. Job descriptions/applications can be obtained from Potter County CareerLink and/or on the Potter County Sheriff’s web page: Potter County Pennsylvania …Sheriff (pottercountypa.net). Completed resumes and applications can be emailed to Danielle Gietler at dgietler@pottercountypa.net. Applications will be accepted until 4:00 p.m., Friday, December 29, 2023.
Position Opening
Potter County Treasurer Department
Part Time On-Call Secretary Clerk
The Commissioners of Potter County will be accepting applications for a part-time on-call Secretary/Clerk in the Treasurer Office. Job descriptions/applications can be obtained from Potter County CareerLink and/or on the Potter County Treasurer web page: Potter County Pennsylvania …Treasurer’s Office (pottercountypa.net). Completed resumes and applications can be emailed to Danielle Gietler at dgietler@pottercountypa.net Applications will be accepted until 4:00 p.m., December 29, 2023.
Position Opening
Potter County Public Defender Office
Full Time Administrative Assistant
The Potter County Public Defender will be accepting applications for a full-time Administrative Assistant in the Public Defender’s Office. Job descriptions/applications can be obtained from Potter County CareerLink and/or on the Potter County Public Defender’s web page: Potter County Pennsylvania …Public Defender’s Office (pottercountypa.net). Completed resumes and applications can be emailed to Danielle Gietler at dgietler@pottercountypa.net. Applications will be accepted until 4:00 p.m., December 29, 2023.
Position Opening
Potter County Public Defender’s Office
Full Time Secretary Clerk
The Commissioners of Potter County will be accepting applications for a full-time Secretary/Clerk in the Public Defender’s Office. Job descriptions/applications can be obtained from Potter County CareerLink and/or on the Potter County Public Defender’s Office web page: https://pottercountypa.net . Completed resumes and applications can be emailed to Danielle Gietler at dgietler@pottercountypa.net . Applications will be accepted until 4:00 p.m., December 29, 2023.
The Roulette Township Supervisors will be holding a special meeting
on December 28, 2023, at 4:30 p.m., concerning the passing of the
2024 budget. The Roulette Township Supervisors would like to
announce that they will be holding their annual organizational meeting
on January 2, 2024 at 4:30 p.m.
The regular meeting for January will
be announced after the supervisors have designated at day and time.
It will be held at the township office, at 80 Railroad Ave., Roulette PA.
This building is handicap accessible.
The Roulette Township Auditors will be hold their organizational meeting on January 3, 2024, at 6 p.m., at the Roulette Township office, at 80 Railroad Ave., Roulette, PA 16746
At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, Trudi Dibble of Middlebury Township is presenting a free Golden Afternoons program on tai chi in the lobby at the Deane Center for the Performing Arts at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro.
This free one-hour program is open to anyone 55 years of age or older. Light refreshments will be provided free.
“The style of tai chi that I teach is Sun style (pronounced “soon”). It employs gentle, curving motions and incorporates focused breathing and concentration, using both the left and right brain. Students get a better sense of their body and gain flexibility, strength, and balance, as well as an overall sense of relaxation,” said Dibble.