NEWS

Henry A. “Butch” Fallenstein 

Butch Fallenstein, born August 16, 1951 and a lifelong resident of Port Allegany, came to the end of this life’s journey on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at UPMC Hamot in Erie, PA.

In his younger years, Butch was known and respected for his athletic talents. He played basketball, football, baseball and softball. In 1968, he was part of Coach Robert Christensen’s undefeated Gator football team and in 1969, he was awarded Co-Athlete of the Year which he shared with his lifelong friend, Mike Herger. 

After high school, he was selected to try out for the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played softball locally for The Ideal and The Green Turtle. He joined the Masons in 1976 and his 50th year of membership occurred in June. Around 1980, he started working as a janitor & maintenance worker in the Port Allegany School District, where he served until 2011 when he retired. Butch also coached football, specifically the junior high kids. He was loved and respected for his unique approach and was the first coach to start a female quarterback on the team. His players also fondly remember an offensive play he developed called the “Butchie Special.”

In 1976 and 1979 respectively, his children Sara and Jeff were born. Butch devoted his entire life to his children, becoming a single dad in 1989. He gave his kids a beautiful and wonderful life filled with outdoor excursions like gardening, swimming, hunting, fishing, sledding and ATV riding on the family’s farm. During his children’s teenage years, the Fallenstein farm became a gathering place for friends, and Butch was always admired for his candid wit and unfiltered life advice.

Whatever someone needed in Port Allegany over the years, they could be helped by Butch. He was known for driving his Kubota from Grimes District into town to help friends with digging or debris removal jobs. Butch preferred payment in the form of a cold Miller Lite or another favor to be returned later. After retirement, he most enjoyed Saturday morning coffee with Ron, Tony and Mr. Babcock at The Diner. When his children visited, they were invited to “the table,” and always came away learning new stories. His simple, humble life was something of which he was uncharacteristically proud. 

Butch was predeceased by his parents, Henry F. & Norma E. Fallenstein, and lost his beloved son, Jeff to suicide in 2020. 

Left to cherish his memory and celebrate his life are his sister, Sylvia Cole, his daughter, Sara Lynn and her husband, Chris McGonnell, along with several nieces and nephews, Doni (Mark) Ernst, Melissa (Lyman) Wu, Joshua Ernst, Christine (Christian) Smith, Cole, Kinleigh and Callan Smith, Mike (Becky) Cole and Seanna (Katie) Cole. 

A Masonic funeral will be held at Hartle-Tarbox Funeral Home, 105 N Main St. Port Allegany at 11am followed by a luncheon at the Moose at 1pm on Saturday, November 21, 2026. Memorials may be made to the Port Allegany High School Sports Boosters, the S.W. Smith Library or an organization meaningful to the donor. 

The family would also like to encourage everyone who loved Butch or was impacted by his quiet generosity to plant a tree. Correspondences can be sent to Sara & Chris at 29 Rockne Road, Buffalo NY 14223. 

Online condolences may be made at www.hartle-tarboxfuneralhomes.com

Arrangements are under the direction of the Hartle-Tarbox Funeral Homes, Inc., Port Allegany.

Winifred M. DURPHY, 93, of Eldred, PA, died Sunday, October 25, 2026 in Sena Kean Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Smethport.  

Arrangements will be announced by Olney-Foust Funeral Homes & Crematory, Switzer Chapel, 77 Willow Street, Port Allegany, PA.  

Online condolences may be expressed at www.olneyfoust.com.

Robert (Bob) B. Bradt, 79, of Eldred, passed away Saturday (October 24, 2026) at Olean General Hospital, Olean, NY.

He was born January 11, 1947 in Olean, NY, the son of Robert G. and Joanne (Bell) Bradt. On October 17, 1970, in Eldred, PA, he married Mary E. Danvir, who survives.

Bob was a graduate of Otto-Eldred High School Class of 1964 and served his country in the U.S. Army during Vietnam War, from 1966 to 1968.

He worked at Dresser-Rand of Olean, NY, for over 40 years before retiring.

He was a member of the Eldred American Legion Post #887 where he served as Commander for several years, VFW Post #2092 of Eldred, and the Eldred Township Volunteer Fire Department.  He was also a baseball coach for many years when his son was young.  Memorial Day was very important to Bob. Each year he helped place American flags on the graves of local military men and women, marched in the local parades, and enjoyed spending the rest of the holiday with family and friends.

In addition to his wife, Mary, he is survived by:

One daughter: Stacy L. (Tim) Connor of Bassett, VA

One son: Brian R. Bradt of Eldred, PA

Four grandchildren: Dylan Bradt, Kelsey Connor, Kera Hendershot, and Kaden Connor

Two great grandchildren: Ryan and Maddox Hendershot

Three brothers: Gary (Lynn) Bell of Bothell, WA, Donald Bradt of Sacramento, CA, and Ted (Linda) Bradt of Moncks Corner, SC

And several nieces and nephews

In addition to his parents, Bob was preceded in death by a sister, Jacqueline A. Rees, and his brother-in-law, William D. Rees.

Per Bob’s request, there will be no visitation. A graveside military service will be conducted by the Eldred, Smethport/Crosby and Port Allegany Honor Guard on Tuesday, October 27 at 2PM in Lamphier Cemetery on Main St., Eldred. Beth Goldsmith will be providing Amazing Grace on bagpipes. Following service, a celebration of life gathering and meal will be held at the Eldred American Legion.Memorials, if desired, may be made to Eldred American Legion Post #887 or the VFW Post #2092 of Eldred. Online condolences may be made at www.hartle-tarboxfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Hartle-Tarbox Funeral Homes, Inc., Smethport.

Coudersport, Pa., Oct. 23, 2026 – UPMC Cole and Sweden Valley Manor are teaming up to offer a larger Halloween celebration for children and families across the community on Thursday, Oct. 29, 5 to 7 p.m.

The evening will begin at UPMC Cole, where classic nursery rhymes will be brought to life through creatively decorated stations, costumes, treats, and activities. Through support from the Cole Foundation, each child who attends will also receive a nursery rhyme book to take home while supplies last.

After completing the Halloween Path at UPMC Cole, families are invited to continue the celebration at Sweden Valley Manor with additional trick-or-treating and Halloween festivities. Admission is free and open to the community. Families are encouraged to wear costumes and bring treat bags.

Families can purchase food during the event from Darby’s Barbeque, which will be on-site at UPMC Cole, and Driveway Diner, which will serve guests from 4 to 7 p.m.

Imperio Distribution LLC, an Elgin, Ill. establishment, is recalling approximately 946 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) beef jerky products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection and misbranded because of the unauthorized use of a USDA mark of inspection.

EMPORIUM, PA — Ditch the boring desk lunch and secure your sandwich today! The Barbara Moscato Brown Memorial Library is bringing back a local favorite with its 2026 Beef on Weck Fundraiser—but you must act fast.

All sales are strictly pre-order only, and the absolute deadline to order is Friday, October 30, 2026. Because no walk-up tickets will be sold on the day of the event, hungry supporters need to lock in their lunch right now by using one of several easy options:

• Call the library today at 814-486-8011
• Scan the QR code on the library’s flyers
• Complete the form on the Library Website at https://barbaramoscatobrownlibrary.org/contests-fundraisers/

Mark your calendars for the tastiest Friday of the season. Once your order is secured, your meal will be ready for pickup on Friday, November 13, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the library.

For just an $8 donation, hunger heroes get a mouthwatering sandwich loaded with juicy roast beef piled high on a scrumptious, savory kummelweck roll, complete with horseradish, mustard, and a crunchy bag of chips. The best part? 100% of the proceeds go directly toward fueling the library’s awesome community programming.

This delicious event wouldn’t be possible without a massive shoutout to Emporium Food Mart for stepping up to help supply the fundraiser and support local literacy.

Plans for Hybrid In-Person and Virtual Meeting

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026

HARRISBURG – A total of 168 disciplinary actions, including 66 education requirements and $151,550 in administrative penalties, have been taken against 96 underground facility owners, excavators and project owners in the latest enforcement actions by the Damage Prevention Committee (DPC). These actions were taken during the DPC’s October meeting.

The next meeting of the DPC is Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 9 a.m. Members of the public, the media and others are invited to join the meeting virtually by clicking on this Microsoft Teams event link or by calling into the telephone conference by dialing 267-332-8737, and then entering phone conference ID 814 361 845# to listen to the meeting. The meeting agenda will be made available here.

About the DPC

The DPC is a peer-based group of 13 representatives, nominated by their industry or affiliated organizations and appointed by the Public Utility Commission. Creation of the committee was authorized by Pennsylvania’s Underground Utility Line Protection Law – also known as the “One Call Law.” The focus of the DPC is to reduce the number of “hits” on underground lines and utilitie…

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 IT’S AN ESTATE REAL ESTATE AUCTION: SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING HOME IN GOOD CONDITION, 2 BEDROOMS, MASTER AND A SMALLER BEDROOM. HAS A 38′ x 36 ‘ GARAGE WITH CEMENT FLOOR AND ELECTRICITY. THE HOME HAS A BATH AND A HALF AND 6 ADDITIONAL ROOMS, WALK-IN ATTIC, PAVED  DRIVEWAY. NO BASEMENT 

THE PROPERTY WILL SELL AT AUCTION AT 12 O’ CLOCK NOON. IT WILL BE AN ABSOLUTE AUCTION AFTER $50,000. 

PHOTOS ARE ON AUCTIONZIP.COM  ID #11878

CONTACT INFORMATION : M&W AUCTION CO. BILL MORGART 814-274-7479 OR 254-709-1686

M & W Auction Co. AY002114

Lenka Ohler: The Pennsylvania Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the country. The annual event brings together aspiring agriculturalists, including students who are working toward a degree in agriculture. As part of the Commodity and Community Partnership program, I serve as a mentor to Lenka Ohler, a member of the 2026-2027 Pennsylvania Farm Show Junior Committee. This year, Lenka has served as an ambassador for the Farm Show and assisted with youth outreach across the Commonwealth. It was a pleasure to recently host Lenka in Clearfield to discuss her interests in agriculture and my role as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. She is a great representative for the Pennsylvania Farm Show, and I look forward to continuing to work with her as she pursues a career in the ag industry.

Jeff Tech: The Jefferson County-DuBois Area Vocational Technical School (Jeff Tech) is a comprehensive career and technical high school and adult education institution dedicated to providing students with the experiences, credentials, and training required to succeed in high-demand careers upon graduation. Jeff Tech launched its Farm to Refrigerator Training Program earlier this month, demonstrating its commitment to strengthening high-demand industries and the workforce. I proudly secured $1.1 million in federal funding for this new program, which is a solution to the current shortage of meat processing professionals and provides students with hands-on experiences and a strong foundation in the science of meat-cutting. As the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, I am pleased to see the advancements Jeff Tech is making to ensure Pennsylvania producers have access to dependable meat processors. These students will support our supply chains, strengthen our country’s agriculture industry, and become leaders in the workforce. I look forward to seeing the impact of this program on the region.

Duplicate, Deceased Obamacare Enrollees: This year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) identified 189,000 people who had subsidized Obamacare coverage through the Federal Marketplace and either had duplicate Medicare, Medicaid, or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage or were deceased. In 2025, the Trump Administration ended duplicate Obamacare subsidies for approximately 551,000 enrollees already receiving coverage under Medicaid. Putting an end to fraud has the potential to save $1.5 billion over the next year. Hardworking Americans should never foot the bill for wasted taxpayer money.

Careers in Energy Week: This week, I introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing Careers in Energy Week, an opportunity to celebrate the millions of Americans who work hard to deliver safe and reliable energy in the United States. Careers in Energy Week highlights the highly skilled workforce that keeps our nation’s homes, businesses, and other industries powered. This resolution raises awareness of the sector’s workforce needs and the growing career opportunities available to Americans. The U.S. is a leader in global energy production, and I thank our dedicated workforce for their commitment to powering our communities.

SWEDESBORO, N.J. (October 21, 2026) – Wedgewood Pharmacy LLC (“Wedgewood”) is recalling certain compounded veterinary medications within expiry at the provider/customer level due to inconsistencies in the reliability of certain analytical testing data generated by their laboratory, potentially resulting in subpotent and/or superpotent products. The affected products were shipped between February 18, 2026 and October 6, 2026 to veterinary practices, pharmacies, and other customers nationwide in the U.S. The issue was discovered through Wedgewood’s own quality processes. A complete list of affected products (including powders, pastes, oral suspensions, injectables, ophthalmic ointments and solutions, ear solutions and suspensions, topical sprays, and gels), lot numbers, and expiration dates are available at www.wedgewood.com/recall-lookup/. The products involved are intended for companion, equine, exotic, zoo, wildlife, and aquatic animals. They are not intended for use in food-producing animals.

Hazard Statement: The health risks involved with low potency can include ineffective treatment and the health risks involved with high potency can include toxicity or overdose. To date, Wedgewood has received 98 complaints, of which 7 are serious. Customers should contact their veterinarians if they have medical concerns.

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Coudersport, Pa., Oct. 23, 2026 – UPMC Cole and Sweden Valley Manor are teaming up to offer a larger Halloween celebration for children and families across the community on Thursday, Oct. 29, 5 to 7 p.m.

The evening will begin at UPMC Cole, where classic nursery rhymes will be brought to life through creatively decorated stations, costumes, treats, and activities. Through support from the Cole Foundation, each child who attends will also receive a nursery rhyme book to take home while supplies last.

After completing the Halloween Path at UPMC Cole, families are invited to continue the celebration at Sweden Valley Manor with additional trick-or-treating and Halloween festivities. Admission is free and open to the community. Families are encouraged to wear costumes and bring treat bags.

Families can purchase food during the event from Darby’s Barbeque, which will be on-site at UPMC Cole, and Driveway Diner, which will serve guests from 4 to 7 p.m.

District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that a Bradford man who was arrested during a raid at a residence on Belleview Avenue by the McKean County Drug Task Force in January has pled guilty to his crimes.

Raymond KELLEY pled guilty before a judge during a plea hearing at the McKean County Courthouse on October 15^th.  KELLEY was the third defendant arrested during the raid at that residence to plead guilty. KELLEY pled guilty to Delivery of a Controlled Substance/Possession with Intent to Deliver (Felony) (drug deliveries on December 30^th and January 20^th and one additional possession with intent to deliver cocaine on January 20^th ) and one count Conspiracy Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Felony). McKean County Drug Task Force Detective Seth Shephard was the investigating officer.  Sentencing was scheduled for November.

At the time of the raid, District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer highlighted the importance of community tips to the Detectives with the McKean County Drug Task Force.  She said: “Drug tips by citizens and business owners often are the catalyst for a drug investigation that leads to an arrest and, with it, the removal of a suspected trafficker from the community. Tips that have led to arrests and, ultimately, conviction have been received by the County Detective Bureau at the District Attorney’s Office from citizens across the county from Kane to Bradford.

If you suspect illegal drug activity, please call Chief County Detective Ryan Yingling at the District Attorney’s Office at (814) 887-3312 or leave a tip at McKeanDA.org.

District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that a Port Allegany man who previously pled guilty to selling methamphetamine has been sentenced to state prison. Mackenzie GREEN was sentenced during a hearing on October 16^th. GREEN was sentenced to state prison for at least 8 months to no more than 24 months. He  was ordered to pay lab fees, restitution to the McKean County Drug Task Force, and other terms. McKean County Drug Task Force Detective  Kolin Strawcutter was the investigator on the case. If you suspect illegal drug activity, please report it to Chief County Detective Ryan Yingling at the District Attorney’s Office at (814)887-3312 or leave a tip at McKeanDA.org

Audit examines management & operations and identifies 20 recommendations for improvements

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has released the results of a detailed Management and Operations Audit of UGI Utilities Inc. (UGI) which includes 20 recommendations for improving operations.

The review examined key functional areas at UGI, which provides electric service to about 63,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in portions of Luzerne and Wyoming counties, and natural gas distribution service to approximately 706,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in 46 counties across Pennsylvania.

The Commission voted 5-0 at today’s PUC public meeting to release the Audit Report, along with the Implementation Plan that was submitted by UGI to address recommendations in the report.

As a follow-up to the Audit Report released today, the PUC directed UGI to submit implementation progress reports annually for three years.  The PUC will also conduct a Management Efficiency Investigation to examine the Company’s implementation efforts related to the more significant recommendations included in the audit report.

Audit Report Recommendations…

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Enhances customer assistance and service options, approves a one-time bill credit to low-income customers, and begins an energy-efficiency pilot

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved substantially smaller than requested rate changes by National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation (National Fuel), which provides natural gas distribution services to more than 213,000 customers in parts of 14 counties in northwest Pennsylvania.

By a 4-1 vote, the Commission modified the recommended decision of PUC Administrative Law Judge Katrina L. Dunderdale, resulting in National Fuel’s initial rate request being reduced by nearly one half.  The Commission also approved a one-time bill credit to low-income customers, authorized a new Energy Efficiency pilot, and directed several enhancements to strengthen National Fuel’s customer assistance programs (CAPs) and consumer outreach efforts.

National Fuel last filed for an increase in natural gas distribution rates in October of 2022.

Revenues and Rates

The Commission approved an adjustment of approximately $10.448 million (3.94%) in National Fuel’s total annual operating revenues – approximately 47% less than the co…

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(Washington, D.C., October 22, 2026) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development today announced the expansion of the Delegated Authority Lender Interactive Test Environment (LITE) Pilot Program for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program. USDA Rural Development selected six additional lenders to participate in the pilot program: Bangor Savings Bank; Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation; New American Funding, LLC; PennyMac Loan Services, LLC; Pulte Mortgage; and Union Home Mortgage Corporation. These lenders will begin participating in the pilot program on December 1, 2026.

(MCKEAN COUNTY, Pennsylvania: October 22, 2026): District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that a Bradford man has been convicted by a jury after a trial held at the McKean County Courthouse on October 19^th. 

Michael SCHOONOVER was charged by Captain Raymond Douglass of the City of Bradford Police after Captain Douglass and other officers were dispatched to a Lincoln Avenue residence in April for a report of a man threatening two females.  SCHOONOVER fled the scene prior to police arrival but was located by police a short distance from the scene. 

SCHOONOVER was charged with 2 counts of Terroristic Threats, Resisting Arrest, and Possession of Small Amount of Marijuana. The jury found him guilty of all counts.  Following the jury’s verdict, the Judge found SCHOONOVER guilty of three additional summary violations involving disorderly conduct and harassment.

Assistant District Attorney Gregory Henry prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth. Captain Raymond Douglas was the lead investigator. Sentencing has been scheduled for December 3^rd. 

Created Oct 22, 2026 @ 3:35 PM