NEWS

BRADFORD, Pa. – The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, including Hanley Library and The Panther Shop, will be closed Dec. 21 through Jan. 1, 2025, for winter break.

                The Marilyn Horne Museum and Gift Shop in Marilyn Horne Hall on Veterans Square in downtown Bradford will be closed Dec. 20 through Jan. 1, 2025.

                The museum café will be closed Dec. 24 and 25 and Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, 2025. Regular café hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

                Pitt-Bradford offices will reopen Jan. 2, 2025, with the first day of the spring semester set for Jan. 8, 2025.

An update has been published to District 3 news on the PennDOT website. Please see below for details.

Bridge Restriction Announced on Three Springs Run Road in Morris Township, Tioga County

We have an exciting announcement!! We now have a mailbox for letters to Santa out front. We reached out to the Carpentry class at Bradford High and asked if they could make us a mailbox for the letters. Spencer and his students did an excellent job. Thank you for making this a reality.

The mailbox is outside and accessible at anytime. It is in front of one of our set of doors and covered from the weather. Stop anytime to drop off your letters: 62 Main Street.

More Pennsylvania retirees will soon qualify for a reduction in their vehicle registration fee under a new state law taking effect on Sunday, Dec. 15, said Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter).

Under Act 60 of 2024, the benefit now will be available to retired persons earning up to $29,906, an increase of more than $10,000 from the prior income eligibility limit. Those who qualify will pay an $11 processing fee to register their vehicle each year, rather than the standard $45 registration fee.

“As many retirees deal with rising costs on a fixed income, this program provides a bit of relief to those who need it,” Causer said. “I was pleased to support the law making this change and encourage retirees to take advantage of the benefit.”

To qualify, applicants must be retired and receiving Social Security or other pension payments. Please note, 100% of a veterans’ benefit payment or payment to the unmarried surviving spouse, upon the death of a veteran, should be excluded from the income calculation.

The applicant must be listed as an owner on the vehicle’s registration and only one vehicle per qualified applicant may be registered for the reduced fee. Qualifying vehicles must be a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 9,000 pounds.

For more information, including the application form, visit www.dmv.pa.gov and search “retired status vehicle registration.” Or contact Causer’s offices in Bradford (78 Main St., first floor, telephone 814-362-4400), Coudersport (279 Route 6 West, Office 2, telephone 814-274-9769) or Kane (54 N. Fraley St., Suite 2, telephone 814-837-0880).

All of November through the week before Christmas, the Potter County Farmers Market will move indoors to the Riley Gallery, next to the Crittenden, on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The next market will be this Saturday, December 14th. Here is a list of who plans to be there and what they plan on bringing to the Market: 

*  Beginning in January 2025 the Farmers Market will be the first Saturday of each month until May. The Saturday dates are January 4, February 1, March 1, and April 5.  May 2025 the market will again be on the square

*  Market times have been established after many trial times over the years.  If you are not able to visit us and would like something particular from one of the vendors, please contact them directly.  They are willing to try to accommodate your request.

 *  If you are interested in joining the market this year or have any questions please contact …. Netra Baker, 814-598-0649 netrabaker@hughes.net]

WOOLEYLOT FARMS will be at the market with French fingerlings potatoes, white potatoes, and garlic. Cash is preferred but checks are acceptable.

CARD CREEK BAKERY will be at the market with limited breads, baked goods, jams and jellies and fresh brown eggs. Requests are always helpful to me.

ME AND MY BOYS SOAP will be there on Saturday. We will have a selection of goat milk based products and several gift items. For more information contact us at meandmyboyssoap@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page.

MILL CREEK MARKET will be attending this week with oyster mushroom variety boxes, Lion’s Mane boxes, and microgreens. We have dried chaga as well as a variety of gifts for the fungi lover on your list! We accept cash and Venmo. To learn more about us visit: www.instagram.com/mill_creek_market  millcreekmarketpa.etsy.com Or contact us at: millcreekmarketpa@gmail.com

District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that the County Detective Bureau received credible information that leads us to believe that an extremely toxic – even more so than normal – shipment of fentanyl-laced drugs was brought into the Kane and bordering Elk County areas and could lead to overdose deaths.  Those addicted to drugs that are commonly laced with fentanyl are most at risk.   

Fentanyl is a common addition to heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and other drugs.  Substances like fentanyl are frequently added without the knowledge of the user.  The user has no way to know if a mixture contains fentanyl or how much fentanyl a mixture contains. 

The addition of fentanyl increases the chance of overdose. This is a health emergency.  To prevent overdose deaths, I am asking that anyone who thinks they could have this drug to contact the County Detectives at the District Attorney’s Office at (814) 887-3312 or call 911 and an officer will come retrieve the substance. During this emergency, you will NOT be charged with possession of a controlled substance if you voluntarily contact us to retrieve this.  Our goal is to get this drug off the streets to prevent overdose deaths.  

Get Your State and Federal Government Questions Answered on Thursday, Dec. 19

SMETHPORT – Sen. Cris Dush (R-25) and Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-15) are pleased to announce their upcoming Cameron County area satellite office hours for December 2024.

On Thursday, Dec. 19, team members from both offices will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cameron County Chamber of Commerce and Artisan Center, 24 W 4th St, Emporium, PA 15834.

Dush’s staff will be available to assist with any state government-related issues and available legislative services. These include helping Cameron County area residents deal with problems involving state laws, state government or state agencies; assisting residents with PennDOT paperwork, driver’s license and vehicle registration applications and renewals; handicap placards and dead tags (plates); information and applications for senior citizen benefit programs, including Property Tax/Rent Rebate and PACE/PACENET prescription drug programs; state tax forms; and many others.

Thompson’s staff will be available to meet with residents who need assistance from federal agencies, such as the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the IRS.

No appointments are necessary. For further information, Dush’s Smethport district office can be reached by calling (814)-734-2785.

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December 14, 12pm-3pm–Santa in the Shay: Santa will be in the cab of our Shay locomotive to listen to all your holiday requests. Take an instant pic with St. Nick and make a special ornament for your tree. Cookies and hot cocoa will be served in the museum program room.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is pleased to announce the Tioga County winner of the Paint the Plow safety outreach contest. 

Paint the Plow is a statewide outreach aimed at promoting winter driving safety and fostering appreciation for high school art programs and student creativity. The PennDOT District 3 program challenges youth to create an original rendering based on a provided theme that, if chosen as an area winner, will be painted on a PennDOT snowplow blade.

North-Penn Liberty High School won the Tioga County contest, which was determined by a panel of judges. The plow depicts two penguins as they slide on a slick road next to a slippery when wet traffic sign to convey this year’s theme “Use your reason when it’s freezin’.”

The painted plow will be on display year-round at PennDOT’s Tioga County Maintenance Office, located at 6 Berwart Street, Wellsboro, PA.

ATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service State College PA
542 AM EST Thu Dec 12 2024


Warren-McKean-Potter-Elk-Cameron-Northern Clinton-Clearfield-
Northern Centre-Southern Centre-Cambria-Blair-Huntingdon-Somerset-
Bedford-Tioga-Northern Lycoming-Sullivan-Southern Clinton-
Southern Lycoming-
Including the cities of Wellsboro, Emporium, Mansfield,
Huntingdon, Johnstown, Altoona, Bedford, Philipsburg, DuBois,
Bradford, Ridgway, Coudersport, Somerset, Trout Run, Clearfield,
Mount Union, Renovo, State College, Laporte, Warren, St. Marys,
Lock Haven, and Williamsport
542 AM EST Thu Dec 12 2024

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...West winds 15 to 25 mph with some gusts of 45 to 50 mph.

* WHERE...A portion of central Pennsylvania.

* WHEN...Until 3 PM EST this afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree
  limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high
profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.

Savana F. Oler (27), of 216 Willow St., Johnsonburg, passed away on December 10th, 2024. Born on September 23, 1997, in Owensboro, Kentucky, she was a daughter of the late Jack C. Oler, Jr. and Amy L. Elmquist Oler.  She moved to Johnsonburg during the first year of her life and would remain there until her death. She is an alumna of Johnsonburg Area High School, where she was a member of the Drama Club and Color Guard. After high school, she completed a four-year bachelor’s degree from Clarion University majoring in Criminal Justice. 

Elk County, PA-Levan Lezhava, Jessica Baird, Shawn Shaffer, Sophie Polaski, Steve Stoltz, Tiffany Nelson, and Keaton Morgan from Delaney Toyota have made a generous donation to the St. Marys Area United Way, significantly bolstering the organization’s 2024 fundraising efforts. The contribution was presented to Jim Ryan, United Way President, at a recent event.

Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 2 invites the public to vote on seven plows decorated by high school students in five counties as part of the annual Paint the Plow program. Paint the Plow is a statewide outreach aimed at promoting winter driving safety and fostering appreciation for high school art programs and student creativity.

On December 11, at 4:56 pm Hilltop Fire Dept. and Bradford City Ambulance were dispatched to Minard Run Rd. and Rt. 646 for a motor vehicle accident

SCAM ALERT

McKean County District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that her office received a report  of a scam targeting an elderly resident.  The County Detective Bureau of the District Attorney’s Office received a report from a woman who received a telephone call directing her to pay money to bail her son out of jail. 

A victim reported to our office that she received a phone call where the caller told her that her son was in an accident and he was being held pending the payment of bail.  The scammers then placed another person on the phone who pretended to be the victim’s son who sounded distressed.  The elderly woman was not able to determine at that time if the person she heard was her son or not.  The caller told the victim she needed to pay $15,000 to bail her son out, and, further, that she was to get the money from two separate banks.  It is believed this direction was to avoid the banks from becoming suspicious. 

The scammers instructed the victim to not attempt to contact any of her son’s immediate family.  Chief County Detective Ryan Yingling was able to confirm the victim’s son was not in danger and was not the person heard on the phone call.  He has been in contact with the FBI and other law enforcement. All residents should be aware of scams like this and report any such scams to the County Detectives at the District Attorney’s Office at (814) 887-3312 or McKeanDA.org.

James G. Fegan, 81, of Bradford, passed away Thursday, December 5, 2024, unexpectedly at his residence.

Born August 9, 1942, in Rochester, NY, he was the son of the late Harvey V and Bernice P. (Welch) Fegan.

Jim was a 1961 graduate of West High School.

On June 6, 1964, in St Augustine Church in Rochester NY he married the love of his life Patricia A Berry.  Pat preceded him in death on December 29, 2012.

Jim had been employed at Kodak Colorado Division as a Facilities Supervisor retiring in 1992.