Photo of the Day

This little fellow was determined to croak all night, letting us know just whose pond he was in

Man accused of stabbing in Emporium has charges bound to court

EMPORIUM — The man accused of stabbing an Emporium man outside a bar last month saw his charges bound to court.Charges against Miguel A. Rivera will be best weighed by a jury, ruled Magisterial District Judge Alvin Brown during a preliminary hearing on Thursday.
The 42-year-old man faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment....MORE from Bradford Era

Public Warned Not to Eat Fish from Pymatuning Reservoir in Crawford County

Officials Investigate Cause of Large Fish Kill
HARRISBURG, Pa., May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Environmental Protection and the Fish and Boat Commission have issued a "Do Not Eat" consumption advisory for all species of fish taken from the Pymatuning Reservoir in Crawford County while officials investigate the cause of a large fish kill that has occurred over the past two weeks.
The advisory was issued after approximately 2,500 dead fish were found in various locations in the reservoir beginning on Saturday, May 15.
Water samples have been collected and are being tested at the DEP laboratory in Harrisburg. Fish samples are being tested by the Fish and Boat Commission and at Cornell University. The Ohio Department of Parks is assisting in the investigation.
The Do Not Eat consumption advisory will remain in place until investigators can determine that there is not a danger to public health and safety.
Media contacts:
Tom Rathbun, DEP; 717-787-1323
Eric Levis, Fish & Boat; 717-705-7806
Holli Senior, Dept. of Health; 717-787-1783
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Local Resident to share legendary story

As spring rolls into summer, many people start to consider how they can shed some pounds to attain their “beach body”. There is one local man who has been shedding more than a few pounds for years.
In the past 7 years, Bradford’s Justin Willoughby has lost 570 lbs. At age sixteen, Justin weighed a remarkable 800 lbs. Now, at 23, he’s weighing in around 230 lbs.
This Saturday night, Justin will be sharing his weight-loss story during a live-taping session at 8:00 PM at Open Arms Community Church. Justin will share two versions of his story- one suited for a school audience and one geared towards a church setting. The messages will be recorded and become part of a press kit, to help Justin book speaking engagements across the U.S., which is part of his dream.
“I would really like to go around inspiring and challenging people to overcome their issues, especially in the area of weight loss,” Willoughby says, “And becoming healthy overall.”
Justin has spoken throughout the region in Bradford, Olean, Salamanca, Wellsville, Houghton, Dubois and Brookville.
“I haven’t yet had the opportunity to speak at many sites nationally,” Justin comments. “But I’d love to inspire more people in different states and even different countries.”
Josh Hatcher, who has aided Justin with his website, as well as other video and media resources seconds the reasoning behind the event. "Justin has been working so hard to develop his speaking talents, and he's already spoken at quite a few events across the region. What we really want to do is help him break in to the national arena, so that he can inspire more people, and achieve his dream of making this a full time career."
"With an article due to come out in Guideposts Magazine this summer, it sets Justin up for a lot of exposure. We're hoping this could set him up to get in churches, schools, and other speaking venues across the country, so that he can do what he's always wanted to do-- inspire people to get healthy, and to reach for their dreams."
As far as Saturday’s taping, Justin says that the audience “can expect to hear my story, to hear where I've been and how I was able to overcome it. They can expect to be challenged and inspired, share my life with me for an evening and have the opportunity to hear what I'm going to do next.”
There is no charge for the event on Saturday. Anyone interested in more information can contact Josh Hatcher, Larry Petry, or Justin Willoughby. There is also a Facebook event page, “Justin Willoughby- Live Taping”.

Monster pension deficit

There's one very scary giant lurking out there and one of these days it's going to get us.
If that sounds like the stuff of a child's nightmare, that's no accident.
The giant pension shortfall that's about to hit throughout Pennsylvania will in many ways be worse than even the most frightening monster.
And if the specter of this monster is scary, we really got a shiver up our spine recently when we revisited the prescient comments of a former Hanover lawmaker in an Evening Sun editorial from 2001.
Steven Nickol, Hanover's state representative at the time, laid out a frightening scenario - frightening and accurate. He spoke to us just after legislators voted themselves a 50-percent increase in their pensions, a measure that also gave teachers a 25-percent hike in pensions.
Nickol, who was generally known to be one of the state House's experts on pension funding, had voted against the measure and literally pleaded with his colleagues to do the same. The pension increase was sold as including no additional cost to taxpayers - but that was guaranteed for only 10 years.
Nickol warned of the "11th-year surprise," and indeed that 11th year is shaping up to be a monster. Small wonder since the entire scheme counted on the pension fund earning an average of 8.5 percent each of those first 10 years, starting in 2001.
But then, the economy tanked.....READ MORE

Gas drillers are way ahead of protections Ron Bartizek Business LOCAL

Gas drillers are way ahead of protections Ron Bartizek Business LOCAL
Sunday May 16, 2010 01:00 AM
Ron Bartizek rbartizek@timesleader.com
Not since the days of King Coal has the economic health of Northeastern Pennsylvania – and perhaps the entire state – been so tied to one industry as it soon will be to natural gas drilling. Billions already have been spent in just the few years since new approaches made extracting gas from the Marcellus Shale formation deep underground a profitable endeavor, even at relatively low prices.
......
On the losing side, wildlife, forests and neighbors to storage and transportation facilities are clearly in the line of fire. Less obvious are people who own property above a horizontal well but don’t know it, thus missing the chance to grab their share of the royalties.
The biggest potential loser is all of us, if state and local governments don’t take strong measures to protect our land and water supplies. That will take money — big money — that can come only from a properly directed severance tax on production. The industry cries loudly that a tax will discourage development, but those are crocodile tears. They pay for the privilege of extracting natural resources in every other important energy state, and they ought to be required to do so here..MORE

Rohrer: Illegal Aliens A Problem For Pa.

By JIM PANYARD, Pennsylvania Independent
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Republican gubernatorial candidate Sam Rohrer said yesterday he “completely supports” the controversial new Arizona law aimed at stemming the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States.“People have to realize we do have a problem with illegal aliens in Pennsylvania,” the nine term state representative from Berks County told a radio audience while on “RJ in the Morning” on WHP-580.Mr. Rohrer said he would support an effort to rid the state of illegal aliens, who are costing taxpayers hundreds of millions per year, with a “denial of social services to those who are not residents of Pennsylvania.”.............MORE

Photo of the Day

Little League is in full swing. Trae Smith (K of C) slides under Nate Sestina (Moose) for a close call at the plate

Unemployment in the Big Woods

Welcome to Cameron County
Unless you’re from the area, you’ve probably never heard of Cameron County. Many people who live in Cameron County also feel forgotten, mostly by Harrisburg. This isn’t too surprising, considering that it is the second most rural county in the state, with a population of around 5,300 people. Almost half of the county’s residents live in the county seat,, Emporium.
Cameron County is in north central PA, in the heart of what’s called the Pennsylvania Wilds—massive state forest lands. According to the local Chamber of Commerce, 97% of the land in the county is covered in forest.

READ MORE FROM PA FROM BELOW

Companies seek eminent domain status to lay gas pipelines

By David Falchek
When Laurie and Brian Kaszuba of Dickson City received a $16,000 offer from a pipeline company to run a natural gas pipeline through their Great Bend property, they didn't see it as a windfall.
Having a natural gas line three feet below the surface with a right-of-way on the surface, would have made it more difficult to build their retirement home or subdivide the land. So they turned it down.
If pipeline companies eyeing the Marcellus Shale region have their way, property owners won't likely have that option.
Laser Marcellus Gathering LLC, of Houston, has applied to the Public Utility Commission to be declared a utility in Pennsylvania, a designation that would give the company the power to condemn any property it needs and to use eminent domain to obtain easements for pipelines.
.................MORE

2010 Prom

Congratulations to Brady Belkowski and Trevor Clark, Queen and King of the 2010 CCHS Prom!

The theme this year was "Who are You?". Carrie Burgett and the prom committee did a fantastic job at decorating and holding a wonderful event.

Jim Cramer’s CEO Interview Video: National Fuel Gas Co.

PA Wilds report outlines accomplishments

Friday, April 30, 2010BRADFORD - On Thursday, more than 100 elected officials and other leaders from across the Pennsylvania Wilds gathered at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford to explore the economic impact of the Pennsylvania Wilds initiative, and also to honor some of the region's most dedicated and productive community activists.The primary focus was on "Making an Impact," a new report that the Pennsylvania Wilds Planning Team released at the luncheon and made available to the public at www.pawildsresources.org. The Making an Impact report includes findings from two major studies that measure the jobs, tourism dollars and other benefits that the Pennsylvania Wilds has generated to date. It also highlights the major investments that have been made in the area as part of the Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative."This is a very important document for the Pennsylvania Wilds and this region," said Pennsylvania Wilds Community Outreach Specialist Sam MacDonald. "It is incredibly difficult to measure something like ‘economic impact' across a region as large and diverse as the PA Wilds. Our communities, businesses and state parks are not like theme parks; there is not a turnstile counting people as they walk through the door....MORE