OC Council approves demolition of several homes
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Property issues ranging from the demolition of several dilapidated houses to street paving and the acquisition of two city…
January 2021
UPMC Northwest hopes to soon have large-scale rollout
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer UPMC Northwest is continuing to vaccinate health care workers while eagerly awaiting a larger COVID-19 vaccine shipment to begin…
Federal conspiracy charges for 2 Proud Boys in Capitol riot
NEW YORK (AP) — Two men identified as members of the Proud Boys have been indicted on federal conspiracy and other charges in the Capitol…
Anglers wait for bay to freeze for ice-fishing season
ERIE (AP) — Erie’s ice-fishing seasons have become as unpredictable as its weather. The city’s location along the shores of Lake Erie on the northwestern…
Crosby scores in overtime, Penguins beat Rangers 5-4
NEW YORK (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored at 2:27 of overtime and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New York Rangers 5-4 on Saturday night to…
93 new virus cases reported in tri-county area
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Friday announced 93 new cases of COVID-19 were reported from the tri-county area. The state said…
Modified Franklin On Ice activities planned Feb. 6
From staff reports The Franklin Fine Arts Council will sponsor its annual Franklin On Ice on Saturday, Feb. 6. “This year’s event will be a…
Biden warns of growing cost of delay on economic aid plan
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is warning of a steep and growing “cost of inaction” on his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan as the…
GameStop soars again; Wall Street bends under the pressure
The Associated Press Another bout of selling gripped the U.S. stock market Friday, as anxiety mounts over whether the frenzy behind a swift, meteoric rise…
Wendy Williams subject of new biopic and documentary
NEW YORK (AP) — From breakups to pregnancies to lawsuits, Wendy Williams has made a career out of deep dives into celebrity gossip. It helped…
Recent Deaths 1/30/21
Austin J. Guth, Jr., 81, of Seneca, died Jan. 28, 2021. Harold E. Hartle, 84, of Franklin, died Jan. 28, 2021. Donald Leroy Schimp, of…
Pet of the Day 1/29/21
Diego is a nice young boy who was brought to us because someone in the owner’s family turned out to be allergic to dogs. He…
Cuban Shrimp and Rice Tacos
(Family Features) As families ponder Lenten recipes fit for the season with flavorful seafood as a filling protein, one important aspect to take into account…
‘There Are Going to be Challenges’
Like so many of us, Joseph Croskey’s journey has been a winding road, part strategy and intention and part luck and circumstance. Continual life redevelopment,…
Cranberry forced to use its own funds to raze home
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Cranberry Township supervisors voted Thursday to use township funds to demolish a house at the bottom of the Seneca…
Pitt-Titusville’s Broadhurst renovation to proceed
From staff reports The University of Pittsburgh at Titusville is moving forward with its plan to renovate the Broadhurst Science Center. “We are excited and…
Democrats to ‘act big’ on $1.9T aid; GOP wants plan split
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats in Congress and the White House have rejected a Republican pitch to split President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue plan…
Bergeron leads Bruins to 4-1 win over Penguins
BOSTON (AP) — Anders Bjork’s pass deflected off a defender’s rear end and Sean Kuraly’s leg to break a second-period tie and help the Boston…
Interest continues to grow in inaugural poet Amanda Gorman
NEW YORK (AP) — Within hours of Amanda Gorman’s reading of the inaugural poem last week, bookstores were hearing from their customers. “Hopefully this will…
Recent Deaths 1/29/21
Phillip Mario “The Dude” Abate, 46, died. Gale E. Flinspach, 86, of Seneca, died Jan. 26, 2021. Jeffrey C. Gracy, Sr., 64, of Franklin, died…
Pet of the Day 1/28/21
Vesuvio is a wonderful young dog. He came to us because he did not do well with another dog in the home. He has nice…
Red Velvet Heart Pancakes
(Culinary.net) Finding something unique and special to do on Valentine’s Day for your significant other can be a challenge. Every year, the day to celebrate…
Northwest Commission part of broadband expansion $600K grant
From staff reports Several counties in northwest Pennsylvania will see a coordinated effort to expand high-speed internet access thanks to a $600,000 Keystone Communities grant….
FHS goes virtual until end of week
From staff reports Franklin junior and senior high school students will return to 100% virtual learning through Friday after a cafeteria employee tested positive for…
State Senate OKs $912M pandemic recovery aid bill
HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania’s state Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation to distribute just over $900 million to aid schools and hospitality-related businesses hit hard…
Penguins GM Jim Rutherford, who oversaw Cup wins, resigns
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jim Rutherford arrived in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2014 tasked with jumpstarting a star-laden but stalled franchise to life. By the…
Sanders’ mittens, memes help raise $1.8M for charity
The Associated Press About those wooly mittens that U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders wore to the presidential inauguration, sparking endless quirky memes across social media? They’ve…
Pet of the Day 1/27/21
Frank is a nice young boy with so much potential! He loves to play and has done well with our staff and volunteers. Due to…
Lime-Ginger Shrimp Fried Rice
(Family Features) As families ponder Lenten recipes fit for the season with flavorful seafood as a filling protein, one important aspect to take into account…
OC man accused of fleeing from police
From staff reports An Oil City man is facing charges for fleeing from police in his vehicle. Oil City police said in a criminal complaint…
Venango Chamber’s ‘heroes’ project moving forward
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer A local organization’s novel way to call attention to everyday heroes is cranking up as area residents offer their…
Recent Deaths 1/27/21
Francis Baptist, 97, died Jan 25, 2021. Richard Lee Pfaff, 88, died Nov. 24, 2020. Todd E. Reese, 73, of Franklin, died Jan. 26, 2021….
US boosting vaccine deliveries amid complaints of shortages
The Associated Press Answering growing frustration over vaccine shortages, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. is ramping up deliveries to hard-pressed states over the…
Bruins beat Pens 3-2 on Smith OT goal with 11 seconds left
BOSTON (AP) — Craig Smith scored with 11 seconds left in overtime, and the Boston Bruins recovered after blowing a two-goal lead to beat the…
Review: Hunting ’90s killers again in ‘The Little Things’
The Associated Press Even before the pandemic, “The Little Things” would have been a throwback. Star-laden thrillers, with studio scale and high-priced craft, are one…
Pet of the Day 1/26/21
Colbert came to us from a good Samaritan in the community. We found out he had a broken pelvis. After six weeks of healing and…
Grilled Portobello Gyros with Yogurt Dill Sauce
(Family Features) If feeding your family wholesome meals is a daily goal, keep in mind you can serve up tasty foods that also feed your…
Man accused of having marijuana grow operation, explosives at home
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer An Oil City man is facing charges in connection with what police allege was a marijuana growing operation at his…
‘Morale up’ as Franklin back to full in-person learning
By A.J. TITLEY Staff writer Franklin School District Superintendent Mark Loucks told school board members Monday “morale is up” in the district. “The kids are…
US virus numbers drop, but race against new strains heats up
The Associated Press Coronavirus deaths and cases per day in the U.S. dropped markedly over the past couple of weeks but are still running at…
Steelers promote QB coach Canada to offensive coordinator
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t look very far to find a new offensive coordinator, promoting quarterbacks coach Matt Canada to the position on…
‘Soul,’ ‘Ma Rainey’s’ among AFI’s top 10 films of the year
The Associated Press The American Film Institute on Monday announced its top 10 films of the year, including Pixar’s jazz themed “Soul” and two of…
Recent Deaths 1/26/21
Scott E. Roddy, 64, of Oil City, died Jan. 23, 2021. Donald L. Clyde, 82, of Leeper, died Jan. 24, 2021. Sherry L. Boorech, 71,…
Pet of the Day 1/25/21
Ozzie was brought in as a stray so we don’t have a lot of information about him. He has been a very good boy for…
Baked Parmesan Chicken
(Family Features) As people have spent more time at home, many have rediscovered the simple joy of home-cooking and stumbled upon a secret weapon for…
VFW 2021 Priority Goals
This month marked the beginning of the 117th Congress. The 2021 VFW Priority Goals focus on budget; health care; disability assistance and memorial affairs; education,…
White House begins talks with lawmakers on COVID-19 relief
WASHINGTON (AP) — Top aides to President Joe Biden have begun talks with a group of moderate Senate Republicans and Democrats on a $1.9 trillion…
Guentzel’s 100th career goal lifts Penguins past Rangers 3-2
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jake Guentzel scored the 100th goal of his NHL career with less than two minutes remaining, rallying the Pittsburgh Penguins to a…
NBC to shut down NBC Sports Network at end of 2021
The Associated Press The NBC Sports Network, which is best known for its coverage of the NHL and English Premier League, will be going away…
Recent Deaths 1/25/21
Harlow L. Bower, 90, of Franklin, died Jan. 23, 2021. Mildred J. Swab, 94, formerly of Titusville and Pleasantville, died Jan. 22, 2021. Terry L….