Austin/St. Marys Residents Arrested For Arson Fire In Emporium

3 Arrested In Arson Fire At Playground 
A St. Marys man and two Austin residents have been arrested in connection with an arson fire that damaged the interior of the recreation building at the Prospect Park  playground along Arch Drive in Shippen Township, Cameron County on March 23, 2012.


After a joint investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Investigation Section at Emporium, and the PSP Fire Marshal Unit, the identity of the persons responsible for the crime have been identified. In a news release today, Criminal Investigator Trooper James P. Yoder, and PSP Fire Marshal Trooper David Surra have listed the accused persons who are believed to be responsible for this crime. Charged are:


Joshua Burger, 20, Parade Street, St. Marys, PA, was taken into custody on May 15, 2012 at a residence in Ridgway, PA. He's was arraigned  before District Judge Mark Jacob on charges of Arson(F1); Arson(F2); Burglary(F2); Arson(F3); Arson(F3); Criminal Mischief(F3); Criminal Mischief(F3), and Criminal Trespass(F3). Judge Jacob set bail at $50,000. straight. Burger was unable to post bail and was committed to the Potter County Jail.


Charles Goff, 19, RR 1, Austin, PA, was taken into custody at the Potter County Jail and arrested on May 9, 2012 and arraigned before District Judge Barry Brown on a charge of Criminal Trespass(F3). Judge Brown set bail at $10,000. unsecured. Charles Goff was recommitted to the POtter County Jail on unrelated charges filed by the Austin Police Department.


Erica Goff, 20, of RR 1, Austin, PA, was taken into custody and arrested on May 15, 2012 at an Emporium residence. She was arraigned on charges of Criminal Trespass(F3) before District Judge Mark Jacob. Judge Jacob set bail at $2,500. unsecured. Goff was released.


The arson incident that occurred on March 23, 2012 was intentionally set, igniting combustible materials inside a cabinet in the recreation building. The fire was quickly 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.

Local Gymnasts compete at NY States

Kamme Guisto and Cassie Frey traveled with the Bradford Flames Gymnastics team,to Brockport, NY, to compete in the New York YMCA Gymnastics State Championships.

Kamme competed at Level 5 and scored 8.50 0n vault (3rd Place), 7.90 on bars, 8.55 on beam (5th Place), 8.05 on floor routine and finished with a 33.00 overall score.

Cassie ,competing at Intermediate Prep-op level, scored 9.30 on vault earning a Champion medal, 8.10 on bars (4th Place), 8.30 on beam (4th Place), 8.65 on floor routine (4th Place) and finsished with a  34.35 overall score for a 4th Place finish.

Cassie will be competing for Pennsylvania Championships on May 6th at Quakertown, Pa.

John W. Valenti, 50, of Austin, PA

John W. Valenti, 50, of Austin, died Sunday (April 29, 2012) of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in Liberty Township, McKean County.

Born on July 23, 1961, in Coudersport, he was the son of the late Joseph B. and Alma H. Johnson Valenti. On May 12, 1984, at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Austin, he married Rhonda K. Ripple, who survives.

John was a 1979 graduate of Austin High School. He was a lifetime tool and die machinist, working for various companies, including Philips/ECG and GKN Sintered Metals, both in Emporium, and most recently with Morgan AM&T in Coudersport. He had also achieved his CDL license and worked with Werner Trucking.

He was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Austin and was a Third Degree Knight with Knights of Columbus Council #1355. He was also a member of the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #368 of Emporium, the Sons of the American Legion and the Southern Potter County Snowmobile Club.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Marcia T. Valenti of Austin and Karina H. (fiancé Kevin Chelton) Valenti of Erie; one sister, Vera E. Valenti of Austin; four brothers, James P. (Missy) Valenti, Joseph M. (Sue) Valenti, Jeffrey G. (Ali) Valenti and Jesse L. (Michelle) Valenti, all of Austin; one aunt, Marcia (Earl) Asperger of Emporium; and many nieces and nephews.

John was looking forward to his first grandchild, due in July.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Friends are invited to John's Life Celebration beginning with visitation at the Fickinger Funeral Home of Coudersport from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Augustine Catholic Church with the Rev. Joseph Dougherty, pastor, as celebrant. Burial will be in St. Augustine-St. Paul Cemetery in Costello.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Augustine Catholic Church, P.O. Box 271, Austin, PA 16720; or to a charity of the donor's choice .

To share fond memories of John, visit www.lifecelebration.com

Local Gymnasts compete at NY Championships

Kamme Guisto and Cassie Frey traveled with the Bradford Flames Gymnastics team,to Brockport, NY, to compete in the New York YMCA Gymnastics State Championships.

Kamme competed at Level 5 and scored 8.50 0n vault (3rd Place), 7.90 on bars, 8.55 on beam (5th Place), 8.05 on floor routine and finished with a 33.00 overall score.

Cassie ,competing at Intermediate Prep-op level, scored 9.30 on vault earning a Champion medal, 8.10 on bars (4th Place), 8.30 on beam (4th Place), 8.65 on floor routine (4th Place) and finsished with a  34.35 overall score for a 4th Place finish.

Cassie will be competing for Pennsylvania Championships on May 6th at Quakertown, Pa.

PUC Dismisses Planned Area Code Split

PUC Dismisses Planned Area Code Split
We got great news this week when the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) announced it had dismissed its plan to split the existing 814 area code region to address a projected shortage of phone numbers.

Responding to overwhelming objections from citizens and business owners, I brought the PUC to Bradford for a hearing last summer where the commission got an earful about the negative impact the change would have had on our region. I’m pleased the commission heard our concerns and dismissed its planned geographic split, which would have seen Cameron and most of Potter counties retaining the 814 area code and McKean County and points west receiving a new area code.

It has now been determined that 814 numbers aren’t expected to be exhausted until the second quarter of 2018, so there is no immediate need to develop an alternative to the split.

Guisto and Frey place at Gymnastics Championships

Cassie Frey (left) and Kamme Guisto placed at the Western Pa Gymnastics Championships on April 14. The event was hosted by the Brookville Revolution Gymnastic Team and featured over 200 gymnasts from western Pa.

Cassie took 2nd Place over all at IPO level with 8.40 on beam (4th), 8.60 on floor (2nd), 9.40 on vault (1st), 6.50 on bars (2nd) for a total of 33.25.

 Kamme also placed 2nd overall at Level 5 with 8.10 on beam, 8.15 on floor (4th), 8.60 on vault (1st), 8.40 on bars (2nd) and 33.25 overall.

 Cassie will be traveling to Rochester, NY on Saturday to compete in the New York Gymnastics Championships

Benezette Elk Camera Club

The Benezette Elk Camera Club met this weekend for the spring shoot out. A great bunch of friends, photographers, nature enthusiasts, and elk fanatics came for food, fun, and to enjoy the outdoors.Some came from as far away as Cleveland, and from all over Pa.