Today, the Shapiro Administration announced a new selection of military-themed license plates are available. Recently passed legislation allows the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to offer Pennsylvanians six new license plates honoring military veterans.

“These plates are yet another opportunity to show our appreciation for the sacrifices of our military members and their families,” said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kara Templeton. “As always, we are proud to recognize our military community and their accomplishments.”

Three of the new plates recognize service members who received medals or honors for individual achievements or deployments. The plates are the standard license plate colors of white, blue, and gold and bear a graphic of the medal awarded. For a fee of $26, the plates are available for use on passenger cars or trucks with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds.

These plates include:

WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
332 AM EST Wed Dec 4 2024


Chautauqua-Cattaraugus-
Including the cities of Jamestown and Olean
332 AM EST Wed Dec 4 2024

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 AM
EST SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Heavy lake effect snow expected. Total snow accumulations
  10 to 20 inches in the most persistent lake snows. Winds gusting
  as high as 50 mph will produce considerable blowing and drifting
  snow.

* WHERE...Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties. The greatest
  accumulations will be across the Chautauqua Ridge.

* WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 4 AM EST Saturday.

* IMPACTS...Travel will be very difficult. Areas of blowing snow
  will significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions
  will impact the morning and evening commutes on Thursday. Gusty
  winds will down tree branches and cause isolated power outages.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Heavy snow will fall in relatively narrow bands. If traveling, be
prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibilities.

Submit snow reports through our website or social media.

During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from bands of locally
heavy snow with greatly reduced visibilities to dry conditions just
a few miles away. Be prepared for rapid changes in weather,
visibility, and road conditions.

Next public meeting of the Potter County Jail Board, scheduled for Friday, Dec. 6, at the F.W. Gunzburger County Office Building, has been postponed due to the lack of a quorum.

Those with questions or comments about the jail are reminded that they can submit them to the board through email sent to pcjailboard@pottercountypa.net.

Jail Board members are Commissioner Paul Heimel (chair), Sheriff Kevin Siska (vice chair), Commissioner Nancy Grupp (secretary), Judge Stephen Minor, District Attorney Andy Watson, and Commissioner Robert Rossman. Chief Commissioners Clerk Jessica Giebel serves as administrator.

From the US Attorney’s Office,

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Daniel S. Ackerman, 58, and Ana L. Maldonado-Delgado, 31, both of Cuba, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with manufacture and possession with intent to distribute 100 or more marijuana plants, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the Cuba Police Department became aware of an operation cultivating marijuana for large scale distribution and launched an investigation. On October 10, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ackerman and Maldonado-Delgado’s Farnsworth Road residence. During the search, it was apparent that marijuana was being grown on a large scale, processed, and packaged. Investigators seized 475 growing marijuana plants, 124 dried marijuana plants, a large quantity of processed marijuana, 10 glass jars containing liquid concentrated cannabis, a 9mm pistol, suspected psilocybin mushrooms, two cell phones and drug paraphernalia.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Cuba Police Department, under the direction of Chief Dustin Burch, the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Scott Cicirello, the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The Christmas Committee sponsored by the Port Allegany Women’s Club will hold the second annual Small Town Christmas Saturday, December 7 on the Town Square from 3 – 7 p.m.  There will be food, vendors, free crafts for the kids, horse rides, alpacas, hayrides, a gingerbread house contest and pictures with Santa.  The PAHS Chamber singers will be performing at 3:15 p.m.  The ATV Parade will begin at 6 p.m.  

All ages are welcome for the Gingerbread House contest.  Bring a decorated gingerbread house to the square between 12:30 – 2 p.m.  Voting will be done by community members and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will receive cash prizes.   

The SXS/ATV parade will line up at 5:30 in the PAHS parking lot.  Decorate your SXS/ATV, dress in Christmas clothing and join the parade.  The route will be Arnold Avenue to Pearl Street, Pearl Street to Mill Street  and Mill Street to the Alliance Church parking lot.  Contact Tracy Stone at 814-558-6403 to enter.  Must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to drive in the parade.  

BRADFORD, Pa. — When Mary Ann Lambertsen endowed a scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in memory of her parents in 2012, she never imagined it would grow as much as it has.

After her first gift of $100,000 to set up the Anna and Art Turnquist Mount Jewett Scholarship fund, she kept contributing and enjoyed meeting each year with her scholarship students – either in person or via teleconference. This spring, her fund reached $1 million and has helped 197 students from Mount Jewett and Kane.

Lambertsen, a former Fisher-Price executive, said she didn’t set out to reach $1 million in her fund. “Over the years it added up to that, and I’m delighted because it means more opportunity for students.”

Earlier this fall, Lambertsen, who has moved from the area, was able to visit campus in person and meet some of the 25current students receiving help from a Turnquist scholarship.

“They were very polite and very thankful for the scholarship, so that pleases me,” she said. Lambertsen always has something in common with her scholarship recipients since she grew up in Mount Jewett, 25 miles south of Bradford, and graduated from Kane High School in 1957.

Blue Ridge Beef Issues Voluntary Recall Blue Ridge Beef Puppy Mix Due to Salmonella Contamination

STATESVILLE, NC – December 2, 2024 – Blue Ridge Beef is recalling 9,60lb of their 2 lb log Puppy Mix Lot #08/06/N25 & 08/16/N25 UPC 854298001696 due to a contamination of Salmonella. (Lot numbers are stamped in the clips on the end of the chubs/bags)

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

COUDERSPORT, Pa. – The Ella Reagle Staff Assistant Award was established in honor of Ella Reagle, who served the College of Agricultural Sciences and Extension for thirty years. This award, endowed by the family of Ella Reagle, honors an outstanding staff assistant who demonstrates the dedication and hard work that was characteristic of Ella.

Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences Dean, Troy Ott, announced last month that Sheila Gabreski, Penn State Extension Office Manager in Potter County, has received the 2024 Ella Reagle Staff Assistant Award.

Sheila Gabreski has served the local community with Penn State Extension for 14 years. Most notably, farmers, gardeners, 4-H members, and others who reach out to this office recall Sheila’s warm personality and helpful nature. In 2023 alone, she helped serve 649 walk-in customers, one of the most frequented offices in the state. Behind the scenes, she supports programs throughout the community by providing educators across the state access to our facilities, community contacts, marketing of programs, approval of contracts, and local management of funds and grants. She has personally assisted groups like the North Central Beekeepers Association, Potter County Community Garden, and the Penn State Master Gardener Program. 

Outside the office, Sheila volunteers as a 4-H leader, keeps a beautiful home garden, and lives with her family here in Coudersport on their small farm.

Congratulations, Sheila, on this great honor.

Cattaraugus County Sheriff: Travel Advisory CANCELED. The lake effect snow warning continues through 7PM tonight, and a winter weather advisory in place from Wednesday evening through late Thursday night. For additional weather info visit weather.gov/buf As of 12/3/24 at 11:30AM.

Prospective pesticide applicators can gain a foundation of knowledge about safe and proper handling and use of pesticides by attending the “Private Pesticide Applicator Short Course,” a Penn State Extension workshop aimed at those who would like to become certified private pesticide applicators. Private applicators include those who intend to purchase and apply restricted-use pesticides to the property they or their employer own or rent to produce an agricultural commodity, including nurseries and greenhouses.

This event, portions of which may be livestreamed, is designed to help participants prepare for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s private pesticide applicator certification exam. Instructors will review and highlight key material in the Pesticide Core and Supplemental Manual. Small group activities and breaks will take place between chapters.

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Dec. 11 and from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Dec. 12 at the Penn State Extension’s Potter County office, 216 Gunzburger Building, 1 N. Main St., Coudersport. Participants can register for the workshop through Dec. 9 for a $40 fee. More information is available on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/private-pesticide-applicator-short-course-workshop .

Organizers point out that the registration fee does not include study materials. All participants are responsible for obtaining their own private pesticide applicator core certification examination training materials for the class. Instructors recommend ordering training packets in advance on the Penn State Extension website or by calling the Penn State Publications Distribution Center toll-free at 877-345-0691.

Smethport Area School District will be operating under a 2 hour delay today.

Travel Advisory 12/3/2024 6:10am

Travel Advisory

Travel Advisory – Cattaraugs County

Cattaraugus County Sheriff: 12/3/24 @ 6 AM: TRAVEL ADVISORY for Southern Cattaraugus County until further notice. Heavy lake-effect snow is making travel difficult with slippery roads and poor visibility especially along Interstate-86 in Western Cattaraugus County.

Motorists are asked to avoid unnecessary travel in these areas until further notice.

Due to the weather, the Oswayo Valley Memorial Library will be closed on Tuesday, December 3rd. Any activities scheduled today are canceled.