May 2020
Two-part Venango fair in works
By SARAH TITLEY Staff writer The Venango County Fair will go on this August, but there will be some tweaks. Fair Board members voted this…
SpaceX’s astronaut-riding Dragon approaches space station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX’s astronaut-riding Dragon capsule approached the International Space Station on Sunday, just hours after a historic liftoff from Florida. NASA…
Fires set, stores damaged as peaceful protests turn violent
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Thousands of people gathered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh on Saturday to protest the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, but the peaceful…
Stenhouse heads to Bristol buoyed by good run at Charlotte
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. could not have had a bumpier return to racing after NASCAR’s 10-week shutdown. How bad was it? Stenhouse…
Titusville man accused of raping girl, 17
From staff reports A Titusville man is facing felony charges related to the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl in October. Franklin state police said…
Cranberry public parks will open Monday
From staff reports The two public parks in Cranberry Township will open for the season Monday. Township supervisors agreed at a meeting Thursday to open…
Protests over George Floyd death overwhelm authorities again
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Fires burned unchecked and thousands protesting the police killing of George Floyd ignored a curfew as unrest overwhelmed authorities for another night…
Governor to lift more pandemic restrictions in PA
HARRISBURG (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf will lift most of his pandemic restrictions in an additional 16 counties home to nearly 3 million people, including…
NCAA offers guidance for bringing athletes back to campus
The Associated Press The NCAA released a long and detailed plan Friday to help schools bring back athletes to campus during a pandemic. While schools…
‘Never Have I Ever’ brings rare voice, and a newcomer, to TV
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Mindy Kaling was growing up in the Boston area, few classmates looked like her, and her television choices ranged from…
Recent Deaths 5/30/20
Esther Louise Colwell Miller, 86, died May 28, 2020. Charles R. Thurau died May 28, 2020. For complete obituaries, pick up a copy of…
Pet of the Day 5/29/20
My name is Josie and I’m a sweet sweet girl who needs to be in a home without other dogs. Why you ask? I want…
Salmon and Grains Salad Bowl
(Family Features) The spring season brings to mind flowers blooming and plants springing back to life, making it the ideal time to enjoy fresh produce…
No one hurt in Old Route 8 crash
Nobody was injured in this one-vehicle crash Thursday in Victory Township. Venango County 911 said a tractor-trailer jackknifed and blocked both lanes of Old Route…
Small Business Jump Start group graduates
From staff reports The Small Business Jump Start program held spring graduation for its Franklin group on May 21. SBJS participants learned about business goals…
Minneapolis police station torched amid George Floyd protest
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Cheering protesters torched a Minneapolis police station that the department abandoned as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St. Paul…
Claims backlog persists; state park beaches to reopen
HARRISBURG (AP) — State officials said Thursday they’re making progress, but acknowledge more needs to be done to whittle down an unemployment compensation claims backlog…
New this week: Lady Gaga, ‘Space Force,’ Ghibli films on HBO
The Associated Press Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week….
Recent Deaths 5/29/20
Lindsay M. Bonnett, 39, of Portland, Oregon, formerly of Clarion, died May 23, 2020. Wayne Kugler, Jr., 73, of Lancaster, Ohio, died May 19, 2020….
Tropical Green Smoothie
(Family Features) Starting the morning on the right foot can help set a path toward a successful day, and for many, that strong start begins…
Pet of the Day 5/28/20
Smokey is ready to break free of this joint and make waves in your home. He came with a long list of instructions but, to…
Man held for court on burglary charges in OC incident
From staff reports A Franklin man was held for court Wednesday in Venango County Central Court for his role in a burglary and shooting incident…
Boxes packed for women in military
Oil City residents Jeannine Guth (left), a Marine Corps veteran, and Mary Kay Johnson, an Army veteran, are packing up boxes of personal hygiene and…
Fires, looting rock Minneapolis after man’s death; 1 dead
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Fires burned and looters struck Thursday after violent protests over the death of a black man in police custody rocked a Minneapolis…
Pro sports can resume in PA, without spectators
HARRISBURG (AP) — Professional sports can resume in Pennsylvania where the governor’s stay-at-home order to stem the spread of the coronavirus is no longer in…
Review: ‘High Note’ is easy listening for troubled times
The Associated Press There may have been a point — say, oh, a few months ago? — when we’d have demanded a lot more edge…
Recent Deaths 5/28/20
Virginia Kay Switzer, 73, of Knox, died May 27, 2020. For complete obituaries, pick up a copy of The Derrick for this day or…
Creamy Couscous with Broccoli, Tomatoes and Cheese
(Family Features) From cereal and milk to yogurt and fruit to broccoli and cheese, combining dairy with plant-based foods creates a superfood power couple that…
Pet of the Day 5/27/20
If you are looking for handsome than look no further! This is 2-year-old super-loving guy gives out lots of affection. He could be described as…
Police pursuit
Light discipline key to nighttime predator hunting
There’s an old riddle out there that says “the more there is of me the less you see. What am I?” The answer is darkness….
Franklin man facing charges for attacking boy
By SARAH TITLEY Staff writer A Franklin man is accused of striking a 17-year-old boy in the face Saturday at a residence on Pone Lane…
Libraries will have limited opening Monday
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Venango County’s three public libraries are working out the details this week to prepare for a limited opening to…
State preps short-term budget amid virus uncertainty
HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania state government began advancing a temporary, no-new-taxes budget plan Tuesday that maintains current spending levels while budget makers watch to see…
Fitzpatrick: Modified schedule could benefit Steelers
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Minkah Fitzpatrick is missing the somewhat leisurely pace of the NFL’s organized team activities, when free time in the evenings allows teammates…
JK Rowling publishes first chapters of new story online
LONDON (AP) — J.K. Rowling is publishing a new story called “The Ickabog,” which will be free to read online to help entertain children and…
Recent Deaths 5/27/20
Daniel R. Hanes, 71, of Titusville, died May 22, 2020. Clarence “Pete” Moorehead, 88, of Franklin, died May 24, 2020. Lois J. Shaffer, 84, of…
Open lewdness
Theft from motor vehicle
No Bake Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake
(Culinary.net) Add the rich flavor of caramel to your dessert table with a recipe like this No Bake Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake for a tempting, tasty…
Pet of the Day 5/26/20
I was saying to myself just this morning, “Huey,” I said, “Huey, you know what you need? You need a person all your own.” So…
VA Begins to Reopen Selected Medical Centers
Last week, VA reopened 20 medical centers as part of a three-phase timeline. The speed of the phases will depend upon the VA medical center’s…
OC Main Street ‘Heart’ effort promotes unity
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer It’s a simple slogan with a heartfelt message – Oil City’s Got Heart! That’s the theme of an Oil…
WHO warns that 1st wave of pandemic not over, dampens hopes
BANGKOK (AP) — As Brazil and India struggle with surging coronavirus cases, a top health expert is warning that the world is still in the…
Busch passes Cindric in OT to win Xfinity race at Charlotte
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch normally celebrates his victories by climbing on top of his race car and bowing to the crowd. But with…
Kirk 2.0: Capt. Pike of new ‘Star Trek’ a welcome new icon
The Associated Press In the beginning, in the “Star Trek” universe, there was only Captain Kirk. At least to the general public. When the Starship Enterprise…
Recent Deaths 5/26/20
Charles W. “Bill” Barrett, 84, of Franklin, died May 24, 2020. John L. Buck, 50, of Rouseville, died May 22, 2020. Kenneth W. Ferringer, Jr.,…
Drug possession
Tionesta man shot to death in Forest County
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer A Tionesta man was fatally shot late Thursday night in Marienville, and a Greensburg man has been charged with homicide….