Burdick Tax Associates In Coudersport Is Hiring


On January 1 at 4:04 pm Blossburg Fire and ambulance were dispatched to N. Williamson Rd. for a two vehicle crash with unknown injuries
December 2023 weather for Galeton may best be described as warm and wet. The early mornings were mostly in the mid 30’s with a few in the 20’s and low 40’s. With the nice rainfall for the month, Pine Creek looks very healthy. The water is mostly at near bank full levels and not muddy. It is ready for the cold winter months.
The average high temperature for the month is 41 degrees and the average low is 33 degrees. Last year we received 3.44″ of rain and melted snow. Last year the snowfall was 5.2″ This year we measured 4.31″ of rain and melted snow with a reading of 2.9″ of snow. We only had 1 day with 1″ of snow on the ground with 7 days with a trace of snow. We had 7 mornings with fog. The 10-year average for rain and melted snow is 3.64″
The total rainfall for 2023 is 36.68″ which is 5.61″ below normal and we received 20.4″ of snow which is 33.96″ below the average for the year.
I did not hear any mowers out in December however there were a few dandelions in my lawn and I let them grow. Many vehicles are driving around town with their snow blades at the ready.
Henry W. Lush National Weather Service Observer


There’s always room for a couple more Santa pictures. These two are from the SAL’s Breakfast with Santa held at the VMI (Veteran’s Memorial Inc.). The SAL will host an all-you-can-eat breakfast on the last Sunday of the month, January through April. The public is invited to attend.

The Confirmation Class at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Port Allegany were awarded personalized Bibles during the morning worship service on Christmas Eve.

Raylene M. Baker, 61, of Warren, PA formerly of Emporium, PA passed away at Warren General Hospital, Warren, PA on Saturday afternoon (December 30, 2023) following a lengthy illness. She was born October 22, 1962 in Coudersport, PA a daughter of the late Ray and Janet Howlett Goodwin. On August 11, 2001 in First Baptist Church, Emporium, PA she married the late Robert Baker.
Raylene graduated from Cameron County High School. She was a homemaker, Pittsburgh Steeler fan and a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She loved spending time with her granddaughter.

On January 1 at 2:52 am Port Allegany, Coudersport, and Roulette fire departments were dispatched to the Sheetz on Main St. for fire. Emporium Ladder 14 was also dispatched. Roulette and Coudersport have been recalled

On December 31 at 10:49 am Ridgway Fire Dept. was dispatched 101 North Mill Ave. for the smell of gas in the building
The Port Allegany Rotary sponsored Designer Purse Bingo was held recently at the VMI (Veterans Memorial, Inc.)



A light snowfall is expected this evening and tonight. Despite the
expected light accumulations and initially warm road temperatures,
the precipitation will likely lead to slick roads as temperatures
dip to freezing tonight.
Everyone planning to travel this evening
and post-midnight for New Year’s Eve festivities is urged to use
extra care. Remember that bridges usually freeze before roads on
the ground. Also, since the temperatures will be within a few
degrees of freezing, a road that looks just wet may be icy.

Pennsylvania College of Technology basketball teams went 1-2 in their games last week, with the women picking up their fourth win of the season. Both squads return to action on Tuesday with nonconference play before getting into the bulk of their United East Conference schedules starting on Saturday.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The Wildcats evened their lifetime series at 1-1 against Keystone College on Saturday with a 53-44 win to close out the 2023 portion of their slate. Rachel Teats, of Middleburg, led the offense with 17 points, while Mia Patterson, of Loyalsock Township, topped the team with 10 rebounds.
Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall record: 4-9
UE record: 1-1
Saturday, Dec. 30 — at Keystone College, W, 53-44
Tuesday, Jan. 2 — at Houghton University, 7 p.m. (Houghton leads 2-0)
Saturday, Jan. 6 — at St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), 3 p.m. (St. Mary’s leads 4-0)
Monday, Jan. 8 — at Wells College, 6 p.m. (Wells leads 7-5)
Wednesday, Jan. 10 — at Lancaster Bible College (UE), 7 p.m. (LBC leads 14-1)
MEN’S BASKETBALL

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!
A reminder to all of our customers. Starting this week, we will only be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday for our winter hours until March.



| PA Permit Violation Issued to XTO ENERGY INC in Chapman Township, Clinton County |
| 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. |
| Incident Date/Time: 2023-12-28 00:00:00 |
| Tags: PADEP, frack, violation, drilling |

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.
Jackie Taylor
Shinglehouse, PA
Healing Choices
by
Pastor B.J. Knefley
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.
Festival of Lights tree sponsors, if you would like your decorations, please have them removed from your tree by January 5.
Again, thank you all for your participation and we hope you have a great new year and you join us again for 2024 Festival of Lights.
Monday, January 1st, 2024
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.
No pre-registration required.
Meets at: 40 Maples Day Use Area
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).
Register at: https://events.dcnr.pa.gov/sinnemahoning_state_park
Meets at: The Wildlife Center
# # #
********************************************************************************************
If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a
Disability, please contact the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks at 888-
PA-PARKS (voice) 888-537-7294 (TTY) 717-558-2711 (local or international TTY) 800-654-5984 (AT&T Relay Service).
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.
A reminder to all of our customers. Starting this week, we will only be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday for our winter hours until March.


