Ferguson defeated all competitors in his high school section except for his final round when he faced a competitor he had always won against in the past. Unfortunately, Aiden was tired and lost his game to Preston Taylor, who finished as the state scholastic champion in the 7-12 section.

Ferguson finished fourth overall. The Bradford Club sent a total of eight participants from the Bradford Knight Owls Chess program to the 2025 Pennsylvania State Chess Championships. The event was held at the Red Lion Inn Harrisburg-Hershey at 4751 Lindle Road in Harrisburg, PA from Friday-Sunday, March 28-30, 2025. Last year, Bradford won by only ½ point; however, this year Bradford dominated from the very beginning.

More than 900 players participated in the combined State Chess Championships on Friday through Sunday.

The 2025 Championship was sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Chess Federation and organized by Tom Martinak. Coach Bob Ferguson said, “I’m very proud of all our students! They have worked hard.” The students’ next competition is at Friendship Central School on April 26.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced it will close Interstate 80 eastbound near exit 97/DuBois-Brockway in Clearfield County at 10:00 PM on Sunday, April 6, and reopen it on Monday, April 7 at 1:00 AM.

This portion of I-80 is within the limits of an ongoing Interstate preservation project between mile markers 97 and 120. PennDOT closed the right (travel) lane on March 28 and shifted traffic onto the left (passing) lane and shoulder. The increased traffic along the shoulder has caused settlement damage that PennDOT must repair to ensure public safety.

While the bridge is closed, PennDOT will direct traffic off the interstate at exit 97. Drivers will follow Route 219 southbound for approximately 250 feet before turning left onto a crossover lane to merge back onto I-80. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control at the ramp and the crossover lane.

Seneca Highlands CTC is proud to announce Brayden Cosper as the student of the week for the week of March 31, 2025.  Brayden, a senior from Smethport, is in the engineering technology program. He has consistently displayed leadership during his three years in the areas of safety, quality of work, and attendance. Having extensive CAD (computer aided drafting) experience, Brayden easily scored advanced on the practical portion of the NOCTI exam. He scored advanced on the written portion of the NOCTI as well. He is a member of the NTHS at Seneca Highlands. At Smethport, he is a member of the Trap team and NHS. Brayden plans to attend Penn College in the fall, majoring in Manufacturing Engineering.

April 5, 2pm–Birch Still Hike: From muscle rubs to soda, birch oil was vital to historic Potter County. Join volunteers from the PA Lumber Museum at Lyman Run State Park as they hike to the foundation of a birch still and learn about its history along the way. The hike will be about 0.75 miles off-trail, over muddy, slightly hilly ground. Please wear appropriate footwear. All ages welcome, meet at the Schott Pavilion in the Daggett Day Use Area at Lyman Run State Park. Questions? Call Susan at Lyman Run State Park at 814-435-5010 ext. 2 or email lymanrunsp@pa.gov

Throughout the month of April, Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and Olean General Hospital (OGH), Kaleida Health facilities, are offering a variety of classes and support groups designed to provide health education, encouragement and community connection.

Whether you are managing a health condition, navigating a loss or caring for a loved one, programs offer valuable guidance and are open to the public.

If you are scheduled for total joint replacement surgery, join our Total Joint Care Class. This class provides an overview of your procedure, the recovery process, and the rehabilitation you will need. It is led by an experienced member of our outpatient rehabilitation team. This month, the class will be held on Wednesday, April 16, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the OGH Education Center on the first floor. To register, please call (716) 375-7481.

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has launched a contest to name its costumed mascot, a 6-foot-plus plush black panther that usually appears Winnie-the-Pooh style (no bottoms).

The university is accepting nominations for names through May 4. A committee will select and announce six finalists on National Mascot Day, June 17. Then a public vote will decide the big cat’s cognomen, which will be announced as part of Alumni and Family Weekend festivities in September.

The contest came about after a mascot gathering for all five Pitt campuses in support of Pitt Day of Giving. Every other campus’s athletic ambassador had a name, except for Pitt-Bradford’s panther, which was just The Panther. That felt a bit like telling the vet your cat’s name is “Kitty.”

If you’ve got a name in mind, submit it at upb.pitt.edu/name-the-panther. While it’s never had a name, Pitt-Bradford’s mascot has always been a panther.

In an unprecedented show of unity and shared mission, two Bradford churches are swapping buildings this spring — not out of necessity, but out of calling.

Open Arms Community Church and First Baptist Church of Bradford will exchange church buildings in a move that both congregations believe is divinely inspired and strategically aligned with their respective visions for ministry. The change, first announced in May of 2024, becomes official on Palm Sunday, April 13, when both churches will hold their first services in their new locations.

Open Arms will begin worshiping at 71 Congress Street, the historic downtown church that has been home to First Baptist for generations. First Baptist will relocate to 1289 East Main Street, where Open Arms has held services since its early years of rapid growth.

“This isn’t just about buildings,” said Pastor Zoe Hatcher of Open Arms. “Being among the people in the downtown area of Bradford is the most exciting part of this move. We love our city and believe that God has a plan for it. As a ministry, we want to place ourselves in the middle of God’s will, which for us is to reach those to whom He has sent us.”

A senior at Port Allegany High School, Raelin Meacham, earned first chair 1^st Clarinet and highest clarinet score overall at the PMEA Region II Band Festival to win a spot in the PMEA All-State Concert Band.  Raelin will travel to the Kalahari Resort in Pocono Manor, PA April 9-12, 2025.  The ensemble will be under the direction of Jason Noble, conductor of the Columbia University Wind Ensemble.  A public concert will take place at the convention center on Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 PM.  Tickets can be purchased through pmea.org.  Raelin was also selected to attend the PMEA All-State Concert Band in 2024.  

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) reminds anglers that the statewide Opening Day of Trout Season is this Saturday, April 5!  Anglers may begin fishing at 8 a.m.

Throughout the 2025 season, the PFBC will stock approximately 3.2 million adult trout in 691 streams and 130 lakes open to public angling.  These figures, which are consistent with the number of trout stocked over the past decade, include approximately 2.4 million Rainbow Trout; 693,000 Brown Trout; and 125,000 Brook Trout.  As with past practice, the average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches in length with an average weight of .58 pounds.