National Fuel seeks $10 increase in bill for typical customer
From staff reports National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp. is requesting a rate increase of more than $10 in the monthly bill of a typical residential…
July 2021
Youth show brings Barrow to life
By DILLON PROVENZA Staff writer The Barrow-Civic Theatre’s youth theatre program presented “The Granny Awards” Thursday at the Barrow, and the production marked the first…
Biden sees shortages to stop climate-change fueled wildfires
The Associated Press President Joe Biden is sounding the alarm about the need for more resources to fight a series of wildfires in western states,…
Pirates’ Crowe, 2 relievers 1-hit Phillies, end 4-game skid
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Wil Crowe and two relief pitchers combined on a one-hitter, and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak with a 7-0…
Scarlett Johansson sues Disney over ‘Black Widow’ release
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Scarlett Johansson is suing the Walt Disney Co. over its streaming release of “Black Widow,” which she said breached her contract…
Recent Deaths 7/31/21
Charles R. “Bob” Fulmer, 91, of Franklin, died July 29, 2021. George Eric Keely, Jr., formerly of Oil City, died July 1, 2021. Vicki Lynn…
Pet of the Day 7/30/21
Po is a great dog that was brought to us because he wasn’t happy in a home with a young puppy. Po might be happy…
Albacore Bliss Bowl
(Family Features) After an extended period of social distancing, this year will be a time for reuniting with family and friends. Picnic get-togethers filled with…
AmeriCorps Team Appreciated in Foxburg
On Monday, July 19, residents of Foxburg and the surrounding area sat down with an enthusiastic Keystone SMILES AmeriCorps crew to share some delicious food…
11,000 data breaches over 15 years at core of UC fraud uptick
By STACEY GROSS Staff writer More than 11,000 data breaches, causing exposure of more than 1.6 billion personal records over a span of about 15…
Greenways Block Grant funding available
From staff reports Applications are being accepted for another round of the Northwest Commission’s Greenways Block Grant program’s funding for 2019-22. According to a commission…
Biden to allow eviction moratorium to expire Saturday
BOSTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Thursday it will allow a nationwide ban on evictions to expire Saturday, arguing that its hands are tied…
Transportation funding panel advancing a $15.6B package
HARRISBURG (AP) — A transportation funding commission set up by Gov. Tom Wolf to find ways to end Pennsylvania’s reliance on its gas tax will…
Piña hits 2 HRs, drives in 5 runs as Brewers sweep Pirates
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Manny Piña hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs as the Milwaukee Brewers routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-0 on…
Director James Gunn assembles his perfect ‘Suicide Squad’
The Associated Press Could a scoundrel DC Comics character like Peacemaker ever be on the same level as Superman? How about Polka-Dot Man? Or Ratcatcher?…
Recent Deaths 7/30/21
Paul G. Showers, Sr., 90, of Franklin, died July 28, 2021. Eugene “Gene” A. Wolski, 72, of Titusville, died July 27, 2021. For complete…
Pet of the Day 7/29/21
Tallulah is a sweetheart who has a little bit of a diva side to her. She is very friendly and loves attention, and she will…
Watermelon Oat Flour Waffles
(Family Features) Fresh fruit is a breakfast staple, and a nutritious option like watermelon is a sweet way to satisfy hunger (and thirst). As a refreshing…
Man accused of raping girl, 13, at camp during family reunion
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer An Ohio man has been charged with raping a 13-year-old girl at a camp in Victory Township on Sunday. Franklin…
State officials warn tick prevalence high, offer tips to avoid bites
From staff reports Officials in Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration say the prevalence of ticks in Pennsylvania is high right now, and they are pointing out…
Infrastructure deal: Senate suddenly acts to take up bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has voted to begin work on a nearly $1 trillion national infrastructure plan, acting with sudden speed after weeks of…
Houser, Cain, Urias lead Brewers to 7-3 win over Pirates
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Lorenzo Cain and Luis Urias hit two-run doubles, Adrian Houser pitched five scoreless innings and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates…
Review: In ‘The Green Knight,’ an enchanting Arthurian dream
The Associated Press Why, for starters, is the Green Knight green? It’s a question that’s long vexed scholars of the 14th century chivalric romance “Sir Gawain…
Recent Deaths 7/29/21
Cindy Sue Elliott, 63, of Venus, died July 26, 2021. Dorothy Enie Monica (Wiles) Hottel, 98, of Parker, died July 27, 2021. Mary Jane Rapp…
ZZ Top: Bearded bassist Dusty Hill dies in his sleep at 72
HOUSTON (AP) — ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill, one of the Texas blues trio’s bearded figures, died at his Houston home, the band announced Wednesday…
Pet of the Day 7/28/21
Jinx and Joker are the sweetest boys. Jinx is much more outgoing than his brother, but Joker is slowly coming around as he gets more…
Watermelon Donuts
(Family Features) Fresh fruit is a breakfast staple, and a nutritious option like watermelon is a sweet way to satisfy hunger (and thirst). As a refreshing…
Planting Pollinator-Friendly Gardens
One of the most important ways you can help pollinators is by provisioning your yard with plants that provide pollen and nectar. To attract butterflies,…
Venango, Forest jobless rates drop
From staff reports The tri-county area’s June seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, for the most part, was down from May, according to the state Department of…
Polk resident completes 104-mile mountain race
From staff reports Polk resident Tami Walbourn Sari completed the Tahoe Rim Trail Run, a 104-mile race in Nevada that spanned two days earlier this…
‘This is how I’m going to die’: Officers tell Jan. 6 stories
WASHINGTON (AP) — “This is how I’m going to die, defending this entrance,” Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell recalled thinking, testifying Tuesday at the emotional…
No mask mandate, but Pennsylvania urged to follow guidance
HARRISBURG (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday that he is not considering a statewide mask mandate as coronavirus cases surge in Pennsylvania and across…
Narvaez, Anderson lead Brewers to 9-0 rout of Pirates
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Omar Narvaez homered and had four RBIs, Brett Anderson pitched six strong innings and the Milwaukee Brewers scored eight runs in the…
Review: Blunt transcends overstuffed ‘Jungle Cruise’
The Associated Press Remember lighthearted throwback adventure movies? “The Mummy”? “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”? “Pirates of the Caribbean”? The first one, at least?…
Recent Deaths 7/28/21
Mary C. Slusser, 78, of Grove City, formerly of Lake Latonka and Oil City, died July 26th, 2021. Ruth Beichner, 71 of Lucama, N.C., died…
Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
(Family Features) As kids and parents return to busy schedules full of sports, homework, and weeknight activities, building a plan for nutritious and easy meals…
Pet of the Day 7/27/21
Chop says, “Look deeply into my eyes.” He knows that one look at those beautiful peepers will melt your heart, and you won’t be able…
Vaccine Confidence
The COVID-19 vaccine has become such a political and controversial lightning rod that many are reticent to write about it or express their opinion in…
Festival art show winners announced
From staff reports “Day Off” by D.P. Warner won the Best in Show award at this year’s Oil Heritage Festival Art Show. The People’s Choice…
Waste-electronics collection scheduled
From staff reports Venango County will sponsor a collection of household hazardous waste and electronics from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, at…
At first Jan. 6 hearing, police to detail violence, injuries
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are launching their investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection Tuesday with a focus on the law enforcement officers who were…
Smith-Schuster returns to Steelers seeking strong season
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took a voluntary pay cut during the offseason. Roethlisberger’s restructured deal helped the Steelers free up enough…
Reid Miller brings Jadin Bell’s story to the big screen
The Associated Press Actor Reid Miller was around 13 years old when he first heard about the death of Jadin Bell. The Oregon teenager who…
Recent Deaths 7/27/21
Bruce B. “Pops” “Hitch” Hitchcock Sr., 62, of Kennerdell, died July 23, 2021. Ricky Lee Cherry, 61, of Utica, died July 24, 2021. For…
Pet of the Day 7/26/21
Smokey Ben was brought to us because his owner was moving and couldn’t take him with her. It takes him some time to trust new…
Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
(Family Features) As kids and parents return to busy schedules full of sports, homework, and weeknight activities, building a plan for nutritious and easy meals…
Beware of VA Claim Sharks
Last week, Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jon Tester (D-MT) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-KS) sent a letter to VA Secretary McDonough highlighting…
Senators race to seal infrastructure deal as pressure mounts
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators are racing to seal a bipartisan infrastructure deal as soon as Monday, as pressure is mounting on all sides to show…
Fauci says US headed in ‘wrong direction’ on coronavirus
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The United States is in an “unnecessary predicament” of soaring COVID-19 cases fueled by unvaccinated Americans and the virulent delta variant,…
Wade homers twice, Giants bounce back to beat Pirates 6-1
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — LaMonte Wade Jr. homered twice and the San Francisco Giants avoided a three-game sweep, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 on Sunday….