Visitors spend record-breaking $2.1 billion in PA Wilds in 2024

Every county in region sees growth in visitor spending, taxes collected from tourism categories

Visitors spent a record-breaking $2.1 billion while visiting Pennsylvania Wilds in 2024, while the total economic impact of the visitor economy hit $3.29 billion for the region, according to the recently released Tourism Economics report.

The travel sector is an important piece of Pennsylvania’s economy. Each year, Tourism Economics releases a report in conjunction with the PA Department of Community and Economic Development to highlight key economic data for the Commonwealth and its eleven official Tourism Regions. According to the most recent report, 201.6 million visitors generated $83.9 billion in total economic impact in Pennsylvania in 2024.

We’d love to share some of your photos this Thanksgiving and Christmas season on our Blog.

Do you have a picture you’d like to share, maybe your home’s outdoor decorations or last year’s Thanksgiving dinner table? If so please send your photos (JPEG files preferred) to us through our email address. You’ll find our address on the left sidebar. We can’t wait to see your festive photos and share some community cheer!

Please note: By submitting a photo, you grant Solomon’s Words for the Wise permission to publish it on our website or social media. Submission does not guarantee publication, and no compensation will be provided.

Montoursville, PA – Motorists are advised that a flood damage repair project will begin tomorrow on Route 220 in Davidson Township, Sullivan County.

Between Friday, November 7, 2025 and mid-December 2025, the contractor, Mitchell Knorr Contracting, Inc., will begin repair work between Fairman Road (Route 3003) and approximately a half mile south of Gavitt Road (T-320). Work includes removing trees, clearing debris, and repairing rock line ditches throughout the project area. Additional work includes replacing damaged pipes on Main Street (Route 2002) in Sonestown. Motorists can expect single lane conditions with flagging during daylight hours where work is being performed.

BRADFORD, PA / OLEAN, NY – Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and Olean General Hospital (OGH), Kaleida Health facilities, are proud to announce the winners of the 2025 November Star Awards. This month’s BRMC and OGH recipients were Danielle Wilcox and Alyssa Richardson, RN, respectively.

Danielle Wilcox, a patient service representative in the Bradford primary care office, joined BRMC in 2024 and was recognized as the November Star Award recipient.

Media are invited to join leadership from UPMC Cole as they share wins, provide a recap of 2024, offer updates, and discuss UPMC Cole’s plans for 2025. 

Tentative Agenda: 

• Call to Order/Welcome: Patrick Larsen, vice chair 
• Invocation: Joyce Wilson, lead chaplain, UPMC in North Central Pa. 
• Introduction of Board Nominees: Patrick Larsen, vice chair
  • Board Nominees (3 Year Term):
    • Netra Baker 
    • Michele Jack 
    • Erin Taylor 
  • Officer Nominees: 

• Patrick Larsen – chair (2 Year Term) 
• Matthew Splain – vice chair 
• Joshua Costa – treasurer 
• Dr. Mary Ann Rigas – Secretary (2 Year Term) 
• Community Connection: Kari Kurtz, director, Community Relations, UPMC in North Central Pa. 
• EMS Highlights: Tony Bixby, director, Prehospital Services, UPMC in North Central Pa., and chief, Susquehanna Regional EMS 
• President’s Update: Ron Reynolds, president, UPMC Cole and UPMC Wellsboro 
• Adjournment: Patrick Larsen, vice chair 

When: Tuesday, Nov. 11, 4 to 5 p.m. 

Where: Microsoft Teams 

Media can attend by calling 412-447-5295 and using this phone conference ID: 908 949 691#, or by using this link for Microsoft Teams. For more information, contact Tyler Wagner at wagnert4@upmc.edu. 

This year’s fall musical, No Strings Attached, is a modern retelling of the classic fairytale, Pinocchio. The story begins with Carl, who runs away from home and joins a traveling circus. Their puppeteer tells Carl the story of Pinocchio, and for the rest of the performance, we get to see the story as Carl imagines it.

Performances will be Friday, November 14 at 7:00pm, and Saturday, November 15 at 2:00pm. Admission is $7 adults and $5 students.

Lewis Township, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), along with local officials and industry partners celebrated the reopening of the Route 14 replacement bridge over Trout Run in Lewis Township, Lycoming County

In August 2024, the bridge that carried Route 14 over Trout Run was destroyed by flash flooding during Hurricane Debby. Less than a month later, a temporary roadway connecting Route 14 with Lycoming Creek Road was designed, constructed, and opened to traffic. By April, construction on the permanent bridge was underway. The bridge was open to traffic on October 28, 2025: just over a year after the flooding.

The Office for the Aging is looking for volunteers to help people with their tax returns. This is a great opportunity if you are looking for a way to help others in your community. You do not need prior experience, but if you like working with numbers, are comfortable using computers, have experience in filing your own tax returns, like working as a team, and have some free time during the months of January, February, March, and April, this may be a chance to use your skills and make a difference. You will receive free tax law training to help prepare basic tax forms. The training is in Belmont on January 12, 14, 16, 20, 21 & 23, 2026. Tax preparation is in Belmont starting in February through April 15 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program (TCE) offers free income tax assistance for low to moderate income Allegany County residents age 55 and over. Volunteer Tax Counselors are trained and certified to help with their federal and state tax returns. The Office for the Aging partners with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide the TCE program.

If you are interested in joining the team of TCE volunteers, or if you would like more
information, please call the Office for the Aging 585-268-9390 or toll-free 1-866-268-9390 and
ask for Karen.

Truck Rollover Warning System Project at the Route 15/I-180/Route 220 Interchange, Lycoming County

Montoursville, PA – Motorists are advised that work will continue next week on the installation of a Truck Rollover Warning at the Route 15 / Interstate 180 / Route 220 interchange in the City of Williamsport, Lycoming County.

BRADFORD, Pa. — The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will present a student production of “The Cherry Orchard” by Anton Chekhov AT 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13-15 and 2 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Studio Theater at Blaisdell Hall.

“Chekhov was a country doctor before he was a playwright,” said Dr. Kevin Ewert, professor of theater.  “Somehow, in 1904, he diagnosed an acute human condition that we might now call the ‘hot mess.’

The Port Allegany Moose Lodge #460 will hold the 2nd Annual Sportsman Raffle on Saturday, November 15th at the lodge located on Pearl Street.  Doors will open at 11 a.m. Tickets are one for $20 or three for $50.  The event will offer one dinner per ticket (beverages included), side raffles, floor raffles, and there will be seventeen raffles for prizes, including cash, a crossbow package, guns, and more. 

Guns have been purchased at Keystone Ammo & Arms in Roulette. Guns must be picked up in 20 days, or they will become property of the Moose.  You need not be present to win.  Tickets can be purchased at the lodge, and there will be tickets available at the door. Pictured are Patrick Warnick and Bruce Bosworth, organizers of the event.  

A PA-MEDI Counselor for Medicare Annual Open Enrollment will be

At the Coudersport Public Library on Wednesday, November 12th
from 10:00am to 6:30pm
PA-MEDI Counselors are also available at Potter County Human
Services at 62 North Street in Roulette on the following days:
November 10 th , 13 th , 17 th , 20 th , 25 th and December 1 st , 2 nd and 4 th .
Hours are from 9:00am to 3:00pm for appointments excluding the
lunch hour.
Anyone wanting assistance with their Medicare changes for 2026 will
need to call for an appointment at 814-544-7315 or 800-800-2560,
choose Option 3 and ask for a PA-MEDI Counselor. Please bring your
insurance cards and a detailed list of your medications. If you feel you
qualify for PACE, Extra Help or Medicare Savings Program, please
also bring your income and asset information.