Exhausted Volunteer Firefighters Go Home/DCNR Continues Firefight

Many exhausted volunteer firefighters  have left the mountain around midnight after fighting one of the largest forest fires of the season for nearly 7 hours on the steep mountain terrain of the Driftwood/Sinnemahoning area. 

Fire crews from DCNR remain to keep the fire in check as the winds have died down and weather forecasts are calling for slightly better conditions on Thursday.


The 5:02 pm alarm brought volunteer firefighters from Sinnemahoning and Emporium as the fast moving fire was driven up the mountainside by a swift westerly wind. Those departments were joined by Renovo, and Austin firefighters and many departments were activated for standby assignments.


A DCNR air water tanker was brought in to attack the fire.  


Route 120 remains closed to all but emergency traffic at the midnight hour according to an information officer at the Pennsylvania State Police in Emporium.


Special forest fire crews were brought in from out of the area to assist. One firefighter who was on scene, sent a comment that this was one of the biggest fires he has experienced in the many years he has been a firefighter, and that crews will probably be on the scene of this fire for quite some time.


http://solomonswords.blogspot.com/2012/04/exhausted-volunteer-firefighters-go.html

CC Canoe Race / LOCATION CHANGE

  Attention  all paddlers, spectators, friends, and family.  I am sorry to say we will NOT be running this year's classic on the Driftwood branch.  The water level is extremely low, and there is no rain in the forecast.  

    I am very thankful we have an alternate venue:  The George B. Stevenson Dam in the Sinnemahoning State Park.  The staff of the park are tremendous supporters of the event and are welcoming us with open arms.  My plan is to set up a challenging course around the perimeter of the lake, taking advantage of coves, inlets and islands. There will be buoy turns, some shallow water (nothing you will hit your boat on), deep water, and current.  I hope that you will all understand the situation and come and join us.

    We will still hold registration, breakfast, and sign-ins at the Emporium Country Club 'till approximately 10:30 - 10:45 and then pack up and move to the boat launch area of the Sinnemahoning State Park.  You do not need to come to the Country Club early;  you will be able to sign in, register and pick up your race packet, number, etc., at the park boat launch area prior to the start of the event.  

    There will be information people posted at last year's start line, last year's finish line in Driftwood, intersections, etc.--basically all roads leading into the area to try to let everyone know where to go.

    I am encouraged that we will be able to offer a different location.  The Sinnemahoning State Park offers beautiful scenery and a brand new Wilds center which just opened this year.  The Wilds Center is only 11-12 miles away from last year's finish area of the river event location (Driftwood).

    The 1,910-acre Sinnemahoning State Park is in Cameron and Potter counties, eight miles north on PA 872 from its junction with PA 120 in Sinnemahoning, or 35 miles south from the junction of PA 872 with US 6 in Coudersport.  Some online mapping sites can find the park by using Lushbaugh, Pa.

 

Sinnemahoning State Park

4843 Park Road
Austin, PA 16720
814-647-8401
Manager: Lisa Bainey
E-mail: sinnemahoningsp@pa.gov

 

    The course will be highly spectator freindly.  You will be able to follow the paddlers nearly from one end of the lake to the other.  We will also be running the youth event as soon as the main event concludes!

     We will have on site EMS personnel, safety boats, parking volunteers, and the SVFD Ladies Auxiliary Food Hut.  I hope that everyone will join us for an interesting and fun day on the water!  Bring a bicycle and/or lawn chair and watch all the exciting action, as we will have sorta the Nascar edition of the 2012 Canoe and Kayak Classic. 

    If anyone has any questions at all, please call or email.  This will be all new to me, as well as to most of you.  As always, we will try our best to provide a safe and fun quality experience for everyone to enjoy!

RANDY BAILEY 

JO BAGUBAS COMPETE AT STATES

Two Cameron County JO Bagubas competed in the Pennsylvania JO State Wrestling Championships this weekend in Hershey for the state title.  Brandon Saline competed in the 13 and 14 year old bracket  at 107# which was one of the most competitive brackets.  The veteran States competitor, wrestled well in all of his matches and ended his JO career with another trip to States!  Brandon's family, friends and Baguba fans are proud of him and look forward to watching his continued success at the Varsity level.

Nicholas Crisp wrestled in the 8 & Under bracket at the 80# weight class.  He enjoyed every second of his first State wrestling experience and rode the wave to a very respectable 5th place finish!

Special thanks go out Coach Pat Garrigan who is retiring after 10 years as the Head Coach for the JO Bagubas and to Randy Frey who is retiring from the Baguba club with over 20+ years in various capacities, most recently as the club President.  Both men plan to spend more time actually getting to watch their own boys wrestle!

Fire At Cameron County Playground Was Arson

Prospect Park Playground Fire Was Set
Trooper David A. Surra, a Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal and Emporium Fire Chiefs investigated a fire that damaged the interior of the recreation building located at Prospect Park playground along Arch Drive in Shippen Township, Cameron County on Friday at 6:55 pm.

It was found that the fire was intentionally set by unknown person(s) igniting combustible materials inside a cabinet within the structure. The fire was extinguished by members of the Emporium Fire Department, containing the damage from combustion to the area of origin. The remainder of the interior of the structure sustained heat and smoke damage.

There were no injuries reported.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PSP Emporium at 814-486-3321 or PSP Coioudersport (Fire Marshal) at 814-274-8690.

Child Pornography in Cameron County

On March 19th at 11 am Trooper John Whitcomb was dispatched to multiple locations throughout Cameron County, Pa. State police are investigating an incident involving a known juvenile female who was transmitting obscene photographs of herself via a cellular telephone to several known individuals. The investigation is still in effect. Charges pertaining to transmitting child pornography will be filed against the known juvenile pending further investigation. Anyone who has information pertaining to this incident is asked to please contact Trooper John Whitcomb at (814)-486-3321.

Rep. Causer Questions DEP Secretary About Lack of Uniformity in Enforcement of Regulations

Rep. Causer Asks About ATV Trails at DCNR Budget Hearing