Dress rehearsal: MLB holds first COVID-era exhibitions
NEW YORK (AP) — Didi Gregorius watched over the top of his face mask as his drive off Washington ace Max Scherzer sailed into empty…
July 2020
No county jobs lost in reorganizations
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Venango County commissioners clarified Friday that no jobs were lost when the county reorganized multiple departments, leading to the elimination…
Organizers cancel Taste of Franklin
From staff reports Taste of Franklin organizers announced Friday the event has been canceled this year due to coronavirus concerns. Jessica Carroll, administrator of the…
Restaurants to fight back; sports teams want fans in stands
HARRISBURG (AP) — As Pennsylvania approached 100,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Friday, restaurant and bar owners say they will fight back against Gov….
Musgrove in, Polanco and Kela likely out for Pirates
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joe Musgrove is ready for opening day. Gregory Polanco and Keone Kela are decidedly not. Pittsburgh Pirates first-year manager Derek Shelton announced…
Queen makes Capt. Tom a knight at 100, no kneeling required
LONDON (AP) — In the end, Sir Tom didn’t need to rise. On a day infused with emotion, Queen Elizabeth II tapped the blade of…
Recent Deaths 7/18/20
Darlene Reidy Wiltanger, 77, died July 5, 2020. Marian June Ames died July 16, 2020. David Davis, 71, of Shippenville, formerly of Rimersburg, died July…
Pet of the Day 7/17/20
Gemma is a friendly little dog with a tail that always makes her look happy. She loved her grooming time this week and is always…
Easy Strawberry Shortcake
(Family Features) Enjoy your summer with fresh fruit like strawberries in this Easy Strawberry Shortcake recipe. Find more dessert recipes at Culinary.net. Easy Strawberry Shortcake…
OC police officer hurt in Route 8 crash
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer An Oil City police officer was injured and a city police cruiser totaled in a crash Wednesday morning involving the…
Festival fishing derby will have some new rules
From staff reports There will be some new rules and a slightly different look to the Oil City Izaak Walton League’s Oil Heritage Festival children’s…
Russia is hacking virus vaccine trials, US, UK, Canada say
WASHINGTON (AP) — Western governments on Thursday accused hackers believed to be part of Russian intelligence of trying to steal valuable private information about a…
As MLB 60-game season draws near, careful optimism prevails
The Associated Press With the start of Major League Baseball’s shortened season a week away, games in empty stadiums and strange extra-inning rules are on…
Diversity of LGBTQ characters in film declines, study finds
NEW YORK (AP) — Last year saw record representation of LGBTQ characters in the 118 films released by major studios, according to a new study…
Recent Deaths 7/17/20
Gerald R. “Jerry” Coull, 66, of Strattanville, died July 16, 2020. Mildred M. Dollhopf, 103, of Zelienople, died July 15, 2020. Helen Honorachia Jez Gibbons,…
Pet of the Day 7/16/20
Molly is a sweet senior girl in need of a loving home for the rest of her days with her sister Maggie. She is happy…
Yogurt Parfait
(Family Features) During a period when many families are spending more time at home than normal, eating healthier is likely a popular goal. One of…
Cornplanter Assault
Man accused of assaulting officers waives hearing
From staff reports A Franklin man facing charges for assaulting three police officers at an apartment in Franklin waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday in Venango…
Resurfacing project to start on Sunville Road
From staff reports A resurfacing project on nine miles of Sunville Road in Oakland, Plum and Jackson townships is scheduled to start next week. The…
Wolf imposes restrictions on bars, restaurants, gatherings
HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania is imposing broad new statewide restrictions on bars and restaurants and larger indoor gatherings, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday, citing an…
NASCAR hosts largest sporting event crowd since pandemic
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Clint Bowyer hopped off his pit stand at Bristol Motor Speedway to learn he’d won the fan vote to advance into…
Review: ‘Fatal Attraction’ in 2020 is called ‘Fatal Affair’
The Associated Press If you’re of a certain age, much of the new Netflix thriller “Fatal Affair” will be very familiar. That’s because it’s really…
Recent Deaths 7/16/20
Linda Susan Layton, of Gahanna, Ohio, formerly of Oil City, died July 14, 2020. For complete obituaries, pick up a copy of The Derrick…
Pet of the Day 7/15/20
Hey there, friend! Or at least I hope we can be friends. I’m a spunky girl with a lot of love to give. I love…
Garlic Shrimp with Jasmine Rice
(Family Features) Cooking with your kids is a fun way to bond while teaching basic culinary skills. It provides practical lessons like counting ingredients and…
Great Ways to Take the Fun to the Backyard
(StatePoint) If you’ve been spending a lot of time indoors lately, you may be ready to get outside for some fresh air. Here’s how to…
Cranberry board cancels Morrison Park event
From staff reports The Cranberry Township park board has voted to cancel a concert and car show that had been scheduled Aug. 8 at Morrison…
OC girls plan lemonade fundraiser
Four young girls from Oil City have put their hearts and hands together to operate a lemonade stand during a block yard sale in their…
First COVID-19 vaccine tested in US poised for final testing
The Associated Press The first COVID-19 vaccine tested in the U.S. revved up people’s immune systems just the way scientists had hoped, researchers reported Tuesday…
Reset button: Pirates enter 2020 with new leadership, energy
PITTSBURGH (AP) — New Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton have used a lot of words to describe the situation they…
Review: Handsome, broken Aussies connect in ‘Dirt Music’
The Associated Press Everyone is sad in the Australian indie “ Dirt Music,” a sprawling story about a small fishing town, an affair and the dark…
Recent Deaths 7/15/20
Nancy Ann Pelz Arnold, 87, of Pleasantville, died July 13, 2020. Linda Ruth Campbell, 71, of Shippenville, died July 14, 2020. Charlene A. Eiler, 62,…
Pulled Pork Sliders with Tangy Red Slaw
(Family Features) Comforting family meals are a tradition in many homes with time spent around the table sharing stories and laughs while enjoying great food….
Pet of the Day 7/14/20
Twix is a handsome cat but is just learning to accept people. He is looking for a patient and knowledgeable home that will either allow…
ATV crash
House backs James’ bill to aid remediation of toxic waste areas
From staff reports The state House unanimously approved legislation drafted by Rep. Lee James that would add a member of the coal refuse energy and…
Cranberry Food Pantry opens doors
From staff reports The Cranberry Food Pantry opened its doors, with cleaning and social distancing measures in place, on Monday to allow people to come…
Hospitals not challenged, amid rising cases, official says
HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania’s hospital system is not challenged at the moment by a recent rise in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases, and the…
Pucks and masks prevalent as 24 NHL teams open training camp
The Associated Press St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington is so accustomed to wearing a mask, he didn’t mind doing so for the past four…
Sheriff: ‘Glee’ star Naya Rivera saved son before drowning
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Glee” star Naya Rivera ’s 4-year-old son told investigators that his mother, whose body was found in a Southern California lake…
Recent Deaths 7/14/20
Craig M. Hughes, 64, of Polk, died July 11, 2020. Phyllis Caroline Johnson, 82, of Rimersburg, died July 13, 2020. For complete obituaries, pick…
Pet of the Day 7/13/20
Miss Kitty is gentle but very timid. She is one of our roamers and has a history of being bullied by the other cats, which…
Strawberry Spritzer
(Family Features) When it’s summertime, many people crave something cold and fruity. Simply combine frozen strawberries with frozen pink lemonade concentrate to create a cool…
Legislation Introduced to Preserve 48-Hour Claims Review
Reps. Colin Allred (D-TX) and Jim Hagedorn (R-MN) introduced VFW-supported H.R.7443, the Veterans Claims Transparency Act. This important legislation would reinstate VA’s former policy of…
Venango, Clarion report additional cases over weekend
From staff reports The State Department of Health over the weekend announced three new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Venango County and two additional cases…
Ready or not: Election costs soar in prep for virus voting
WASHINGTON (AP) — The demand for mail-in ballots is surging. Election workers need training. And polling booths might have to be outfitted with protective shields…
Washington NFL team dropping ‘Redskins’ name after 87 years
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington NFL franchise announced Monday that it will drop the “Redskins” name and Indian head logo immediately, bowing to decades of…
Kelly Preston, actor and wife of John Travolta, dies at 57
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kelly Preston, who played dramatic and comic foil to actors ranging from Tom Cruise in “Jerry Maguire” to Arnold Schwarzenegger in…
Recent Deaths 7/13/20
James A. Pearson, 77, of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, died July 9, 2020. Loreno “Larry” Pierucci, 90, of Sligo, died July 12, 2020. Betty J….