by

Pastor B.J. Knefley

Have you ever missed the point? I know I have. Sometimes, it’s easy to overlook the point when we don’t have our eyes and ears open. A friend of mine shared a situation they recently experienced where another person missed the point in something they were trying to convey. How does that happen? It occurs when we become fixated on one thing and overlook everything else.

Several years ago, I went to pick up my four-year-old granddaughter for the day. When I arrived at her house, her mother, my daughter, said she wasn’t going. Not only was she not going, but she was also grounded in her room. It seems she had cut the screen out of her window with a knife. I went into her bedroom to talk to her and see if I could somehow redeem the situation. On the dresser, I saw pieces of the screen cut into one-inch squares. As I talked to my granddaughter, I asked what she was making. Through her sobs, she said, “I was making firewood.” I quickly realized my daughter missed the point.

Pennsylvania College of Technology archers take to the biggest stage this coming week in the USA Archery Collegiate Target Nationals, and for the second year in a row, the women’s softball team is headed to the NCAA Division III Regionals.

Archers will compete Thursday through Sunday at the Hope Sports Complex in Lansing, Michigan, and the softball team awaits the outcome of Monday’s 11 a.m. selection show on the ncaa.com website when the 64-team field, regional sites and first-round opponents in the double elimination tournaments on Thursday through Saturday will be announced.

Bradford, PA – On Wednesday, representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 2, the Highway Safety Network (HSN) and Bradford City Police will hold a press conference on pedestrian and crosswalk safety.

Fresh & Ready Foods is voluntarily recalling some ready-to-eat sandwiches and snack items sold in Arizona, California, Nevada and Washington. This voluntary recall is being initiated due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. 

Richard E. Whitesell, 82, of Wellsville, NY, died Sunday, May 11, 2025, at the home of his son. He was born September 24, 1942, in Whitesville, he was the son of the late Irving E. and Thelma Edith (Latten) Whitesell. On March 30, 1990, in Stannards, he married Shirley A. Nye, nee O’Brien, who predeceased him on December 11, 2021. 

Dick attended Andover High School. He was employed by various companies and organizations, including Walter Babbit, Rochester Button Company, Shorts, and was the caretaker of Woodlawn Cemetery for many years. Dick enjoyed pulling ponies and later farming with his son, Rick, and two great grandsons, Ricky and Charles.

Edward Charles Lynch, 81, passed away peacefully on Good Friday, April 18th, 2025, in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was born in St. Marys, PA on November 15, 1943, son of the late Joseph W. Lynch, Sr. and Angela M. (Dieteman) Lynch. Ed graduated from ECCHS in 1961 and from St. Francis College in 1965. He attended Mortuary School and was employed by the Joseph W. Lynch Funeral Home in St. Marys PA for a number of years before entering the real estate business. He then moved to Lake Havasu City, AZ, where he worked as a salesman, NEMT driver, and worked for a short time for the Havasu Herald newspaper. He was an avid hunter in his early years and enjoyed the Toastmasters Club.

He will be fondly remembered by his friends at Our Lady of the Lake, the local McDonald’s breakfast club, and other local shops in Havasu City where they regularly hung out solving all the world’s problems!

New Grains Gluten Free Bakery is recalling a variety of products, including breads, bagels, cookies, and croutons, because they may contain undeclared eggs, soy, and milk. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to eggs, soy, or milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products.

A new charitable fund has been established at the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation to support and sustain the vibrant, community-driven beautification efforts that have transformed the City of Olean over the past decade.

The Beautiful Olean Fund, created by members of the Oelan Beautification Committee and initially funded by SolEpoxy, will provide ongoing support for the maintenance and enhancement of public gardens and streetscape features throughout the city. The Olean Beautification Committee will serve as the fund advisors and may recommend grants that help maintain and improve the gardens and green spaces that now define much of Olean’s downtown corridor.

Olean’s revitalizations began in earnest in October 2013 with the acceptance of a $6.5 million Federal TIGER grant, followed by an $865,000 New York State Grant for Green Initiatives. These investments funded the transformative North Union Streetscape Project, also known as Walkable Olean, completed in 2016. The project introduced 59 gardens, a planted median, three roundabouts and two islands – effectively reshaping the city’s downtown walkability and aesthetics.

As Correctional Officers’ Week concludes, we would like to recognize the work of our law enforcement partners in Corrections. Law enforcement members include police, probation and parole, and corrections. 

These professionals handle different stages of the criminal justice system – investigation and arrest; incarceration; and supervision. Many area residents are in Corrections, employed by the McKean County Jail, FCI-McKean, Potter County Jail, Warren County Jail, and SCI Forest State Penitentiary.