NEWS

USDA Accepts Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Applications to Improve Access to Remote Education and Health Care in Rural Communities

(Washington, D.C., May 5, 2026) – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development invites grant applications to improve access to remote education and health care in rural communities.

USDA is making approximately $27 million in funding available under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program.

This program funds distance learning and telemedicine equipment, including audio and video equipment, to improve access to educational and health care opportunities in rural communities. These funds will help digitally connect people to education, training and healthcare resources that are otherwise unavailable or limited in remote parts of the country.

For example, DLT funding expands opportunities for:

• Students to participate in classes that may be in locations too far to access in person;
• Teachers to provide their expertise, trainings and educational services to students across the country; and
• Patients to seek specialized care and treatment from medical professionals without needing to leave their homes or

Eligible applicants include state and local governmental entities, federally recognized Tribes, nonprofits and for-profit businesses.

Applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov no later than June 30, 2026. Additional program information is available on the DLT Program website. Interested applicants are encourage to contact their Telecom Program General Field Representative (GFR) and may submit questions using the Contact Us Form.

Read the full Stakeholder Announcement here.

The Deane Center’s free Golden Afternoons program for men and women ages 65 and older will feature Ray Corse of Sullivan Township playing his accordion this coming Tuesday, May 12, at 1 p.m. in the lobby at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro. Corse has been playing the accordion and singing since he was five years old.

Free light refreshments will be provided.

Corse plays 1900 to 1970s music, including polkas, country, and rock n’ roll songs such as “The House of the Rising Sun,” “Proud Mary,” “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You,” “Tear In My Beer,” “Love Letters in the Sand,” “Crazy,” and “Grandma’s Feather Bed,” a tune released by John Denver in 1974. 

He will also perform some songs from the 1800s, like “When You and I Were Young Maggie.”

Corse also takes requests. “If I can whistle or hum a tune, I can usually play it. Everything I play is by ear,” he said.

Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP on the Deane Center’s website at deanecenter.com. For more information about Golden Afternoons, call the Deane Center at 570-724-6220.

On May 5th Jay Twp. Fire Department was dispatched to 1728 River Rd. for a fully involved vehicle fire with no entrapment

On May 5th Bradford City Fire and Ambulance were dispatched to Kennedy St. and Amm St. For a vehicle vs pedestrian accident with unknown injuries

On May 5th Tioga, Fire and Ambulance were dispatched to 55 N. Main St. For a iPhone reported accident with unknown vehicles unknown injuries

The Cameron County School District proudly recognizes Mrs. Julie Shaffer for her outstanding achievement as the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools (PARSS) Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Mrs. Julie Shaffer has been a teacher at Cameron County School District for the last 31 years. She spent 2 years in 3rd Grade before moving to 5th and 6th grade where she currently serves as the ELA teacher. On Thursday, April 30th, 2026 Mrs. Julie Shaffer was invited to attend the PARSS conference in State College, Pennsylvania to accept the distinguished award.

Selected from a competitive pool of 39 candidates across the state, Mrs. Shaffer’s recognition highlights her exceptional dedication to her students, her school community, and the field of education. Mrs. Shaffer creates a nurturing and engaging classroom environment where all students are encouraged to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Her commitment to meeting the diverse needs of her learners, along with her passion for fostering a love of learning, has made a lasting impact on countless students and families.

Colleagues recognize Mrs. Shaffer as a compassionate educator, innovative instructional leader, and tireless advocate for her students. She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure student success, both inside and outside of the classroom, and serves as a role model for fellow educators.

This prestigious honor not only reflects Mrs. Shaffer’s individual excellence, but also brings pride to the entire Cameron County School District and its commitment to high-quality education in rural communities.The district extends its heartfelt congratulations to Mrs. Shaffer on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for the positive difference she makes every day.

On May 5th Port Allegany Ambulance was dispatched to E. Maple St. for chest pains

Tionesta, Pa.:  A reminder from Garrett Baker, Upland Bird Hunt Chapter Habitat Coordinator, that we could use a few more volunteers for planting shrubs for wildlife on Saturday, May 9, at Tionesta Lake.  Volunteers should meet at 1:00 p.m. at Tionesta Lake, in Forest County, and the work should be completed by 4:00 p.m.

The meeting spot will be the parking lot of the Mt. Zion Lutheran Church at 2048 German Hill Road, Tionesta, 16353.  We will caravan to the parking site from the parking lot.  Park staff and RGS Volunteers will be available to answer any questions.

 You do not need to be member of the Ruffed Grouse Society to help – anybody interested in wildlife is welcome!

On May 5th Port Allegany Fire Department was dispatched to S. Elm St. for lines down across the roadway

May 8^th and 9^th

9am-5 pm

104 Oak Lane, Coudersport, PA

Large estate sale featuring many vintage items, large collections of crystal figurines, pigs, piggy banks, cast iron collectibles, depression and uranium glass, tools, motorcycle, vintage and other books, furniture, tiles of various sizes, baskets, vintage cabinets and furniture, vintage movie projector and electronics, Hershey items/memorabilia and vintage Hershey Letterpress printing blocks, postcards, power scooters and medical supplies, vintage toys, M&M memorabilia, Tiffany-style lamps and lights and much, much more. Everything must go.                   Cash only.

 We are not responsible for accidents, please WATCH YOUR STEP at sale.

Boulder, CO – May 2, 2026 – The a2 Milk Company (“a2MC”) has voluntarily recalled three specific batches of its imported a2 Platinum Premium USA label infant formula 0-12 months (“Product”) due to the presence of cereulide. The Product is sold only in the United States.

Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced by some strains of the bacterium Bacillus cereus. Illness occurs through the consumption of food contaminated with the toxin and preparing formula with hot water does not eliminate it.

Symptoms typically develop within 30 minutes to six hours of ingestion and most often involve gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting that typically self-resolve within 24 hours. Infants are at greater risk due to their developing immune systems and can experience complications such as dehydration which require medical care.

Product Information

The batch number and “Use By” (expiration) date are found on the bottom of each tin (refer to example below, together with image of product).

The Product was distributed nationally through a2MC’s website, Amazon and Meijer stores as part of Operation Fly Formula. Importation rights expired on December 31st, 2025, and the Product has been discontinued and removed from sale prior to the initiation of the recall. The total number of units in the three batches is 63,078 of which an estimated 16,428 units were sold to consumers.

Although no confirmed incidents of illness or harm have been reported, affected batches must not be used.

View Full Recall

” The League of Women Voters of Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties is hosting an evening with Marti Tillinger, presenting The Pollinators.  Join us to find out more about bee and butterfly gardens just in time for spring planting!

The event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 5:30 pm at Christ United Methodist Church, 633 Linwood Avenue, Olean.  Light refreshments will be served and all are welcome with no prior registration required. 

The League is part of the larger NYS and National organization, representing trusted leadership since 1919 in NYS. We are a community of people of all ages, ethnicities and political affiliations providing non partisan information to allow citizens to vote on a variety of issues in an educated manner. 

For more information, please visit cattaragusulwv@gmail.com  “

June 27, 2026 will be the last day that the Lions Club will be collecting recycling at the Coudersport Borough Maintenance Building.  If your club or organization is interested in taking over the recycling effort in Coudersport, please contact Matt Benson at (814) 331-1941.  

High school students from across McKean and Cameron County gathered on Thursday, April 30^th to test their environmental knowledge and skills at the annual McKean County Conservation District Envirothon, also known locally as the “Wild” Envirothon at the McKean County Fair Grounds in Smethport PA. Over 100 students participated in the event from both Cameron and McKean Counties. That group included students from Cameron County High School, Bradford Area High School, Kane Area High School, Otto-Eldred High School, Port Allegany High School, and Smethport Area High School. “It’s encouraging to see so many young people interested in conservation and natural resource management,” said McKean County Conservation District Manager, Sandy Thompson.

                BRADFORD, Pa. – As they walked across the stage at Commencement Sunday afternoon, many members of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Class of 2026 had already secured jobs or graduate school placements.

                The graduates hailed from 13 states and one U.S. territory. While some were headed directly into the workforce, others will pursue graduate degrees at schools that include the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State and Michigan State University.

                Marvellous Agbanusi, a biology major from Bradford, is one of two graduates headed to medical school. She will study at the American Canadian School of Medicine in Dominica, an island nation in the Caribbean. Cody Sturgeon, a biology major from Jackson Center, will attend medical school at Lake Erie College of Medicine in Erie.

Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced the following schedule of maintenance activities in Potter County the week of May 4. PennDOT performs year-round maintenance in its mission to provide a safe, efficient transportation system, and the scope of work in Potter County for the coming week is as follows:

Bridge Maintenance & Cleaning

• All state-owned along Route 49. Monday, May 4, through Friday, May 8. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours and may deploy a pilot vehicle. When encountering a pilot vehicle with a “Pilot Car Follow Me” sign mounted on the rear and a revolving yellow light, drivers must remain behind it until it has left the roadway. Do not pass.

Pennsylvania has some of the oldest bridges in the country, with an with an average age of more than 50 years. Preventive maintenance is vital in extending the life of the structures. As such, PennDOT maintenance crews perform some bridge deck patching and structural repairs.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing {PHWFF}, initiated and conducted by members of the Federation of Fly Fishers and Trout Unlimited, serves military personnel who have been wounded, injured, or disabled to aid their physical and emotional recovery by introducing or rebuilding the skills of fly fishing and fly tying and by using and enjoying these skills on fishing outings and as lifelong recreation.

While initially focusing on the military personnel in the Washington, DC area, the Project has expanded nationwide and is offering its services and program to active military personnel and veterans in the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals throughout the country.

The Project’s program provides basic fly fishing, fly casting and fly tying classes and clinics for the wounded and injured personnel ranging from beginners to those with prior fly fishing and tying experience who are adapting their skills to their new abilities. All activities, services and equipment are provided to the participants at no cost.

The God’s Country Chapter of Trout Unlimited will host its 17th nationally recognized Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing event, in cooperation with the Moore’s Run Fish and Game Preserve, Tuesday May 19 through Friday May 23. We are proud to dedicate our 2026 event to honor all “Bronze Star” Recipients. Our 12 disabled veteran guests all receive medical treatment and rehabilitaion at various PA Veteran Hospitals and sign up for our event through their respective PHWFF Programs. We are proud to enable them to enjoy the great trout flyfishing and an overall quality experience our chapter provides.”

We are working with the local American Legions and VFWs to invite all local veterans to participate in our disabled veteran guests’ 40 mile motorcycle escort/parade through Potter County. While our chapter has enough volunteer members to provide the instruction, equipment and guide services for our 12 disabled veteran guests, we are soliciting donations to offset the cost of food, lodging, fly tying tools and materials. A quote from a previous guest best explains what his visit meant:

“The trip was overwhelming!! I couldn’t believe all the people out there with signs and flags. It was really, really emotional, and they don’t know how much we appreciated that. When I returned from Vietnam 49 years ago, they didn’t do anything for us, not even in my hometown.”

Please join in the enthusiasm we feel and help provide a unique outdoor and healing experience for our wounded war veterans in the peaceful setting of God’s Country. If you consider this event worthy of your support, please forward your tax deductible contribution to the God’s Country Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Box 702, Coudersport, Pa. 16915. Thank you in advance for your consideration and continued support.

On Friday May 1st, The McKean County Conservation District recently hosted its annual Legislative Luncheon, bringing together local, state, and federal representatives with conservation partners, agricultural leaders, and community stakeholders to discuss key natural resource priorities and initiatives.

The luncheon provided an opportunity for open dialogue on conservation efforts across McKean County, including soil and water conservation programs, watershed protection, agricultural best management practices, and environmental education initiatives. The event briefly highlighted previous accomplishes but mostly focused on 2026 goals and projects bringing to light the need for a funding increase across the board for County Conservation Districts.

On May 4 Jay Twp. and Fox Twp. Fire Departments were dispatched for a brush fire cause by an electrical emergency at 1380 Gray Hill Rd.

BRADFORD, Pa. – Dr. Matt Kropf, associate professor of engineering technology at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, was honored during the University of Pittsburgh’s Sustainability Awards April 24 on the Pittsburgh campus.

Kropf, who is also the director of the ARG/Harry R. Halloran Jr. Energy Institute and chair of the Division of Physical and Computational Sciences, will be one of three faculty Regional Campus Awardees.

Kropf has been a member of the university-wide Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Sustainability since its beginning, contributing to the original 2018 Sustainability Plan. As chair of the Pitt-Bradford Sustainability Committee and director of the Energy Institute, he has worked to center student voices in the campus’s sustainability efforts, including its nearly complete Sustainability Plan.

These young men come together each year at the Potter County Anglers Club hatchery to clear the runs, making way for cleaning and preparing it for the next generation of fish.

What makes it even more special is that this tradition started when they were just young scouts, and they’ve continued it into adulthood.

As a mother, I can’t help but hope this tradition carries on for years to come, for these young men and for the future of this hatchery.

“Rachel Good, Author, (20+) Rachel Good | Facebook“