Pet of the Day 10/31/24
Meet Celestia! Celestia is a very friendly girl. She was used for breeding. She is not your basic black cat, Celestia has strips and spots…
October 2024
Karma Concerts Series set to return in Oil City
The “Billy’s Has Karma” concert series in Oil City will start its eighth season on Nov. 7, featuring weekly Thursday performances from 7 to 9…
Friends for Food surpasses $15,500
The Friends for Food campaign, a partnership between Community Services of Venango County and The Derrick/The News-Herald, has raised $15,557 to provide Thanksgiving meals to…
Pavilion project at Valley Grove Elementary School completed
Valley Grove Elementary School’s pavilion is set to be completed, with only table placements left, creating a new outdoor learning and community space funded by…
Brookville bridge project update
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) recently issued an update on the Interstate 80 North Fork Bridges Project near Brookville. PennDOT said in their release…
CATA to provide free rides to voting polls
Crawford Area Transportation Authority (CATA) will provide free transportation in Crawford and Venango counties on all Fixed Route buses on Election Day, Nov. 5. In…
Recent Deaths 10/31/24
William H. “Bill” Bayle, 91, of Franklin, formerly of Shippenville, passed away on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Audrey M. Knight, 90, of Ligonier, passed away…
Pet of the Day 10/30/24
Meet Damian! Damian came to PAWS when he and his brother, Shadow II were surrendered. He is a little hissy and shy until he gets…
Franklin, Rocky Grove students to present ‘Once Upon a Mattress’
Franklin and Rocky Grove high schools will present “Once Upon a Mattress” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Franklin Area High School…
Oil City structure fire
Smoke billows out of a hole in the roof of the building at 607 North Seneca Street, located on the outskirts of Oil City, Tuesday…
Franklin school district settles suit brought by former teacher
The Franklin Area School District agreed to a $175,000 settlement with former teacher Marcy Brown, ending her third lawsuit against the district. Brown, who previously…
Recent Deaths 10/30/24
Gladys E. Hites, 91, formerly of Rouseville, passed away Sunday, October 27, 2024. Brenda Sue Youkers, 66, of Oil City, passed away on Sunday night,…
Winter Gardening Activities for Children
Indoor gardening activities can help children learn basic plant science while having fun. When winter seems far from over and the days are still too…
Pet of the Day 10/29/24
Meet Bingo! Looking for a new fur baby to add to your family? Look no further than Bingo! This young female pup is full of…
Christ Episcopal pajama collection underway
Christ Episcopal Church in Oil City has launched its 13th annual program to provide warm pajamas and age-appropriate books to children in need. Led by…
State Treasury unclaimed property auction is this week
Pennsylvania’s Treasury Department is holding its largest unclaimed property auction from Wednesday to Friday, featuring jewelry, coins, currency, and collectibles. Managed by Pook & Pook…
Nifty at 90: Cooperstown woman enjoys many lifelong traditions
The article celebrates Maryetta Waldman Dutko, born in 1934, as she approaches her 90th birthday. Raised in Reading, PA, Maryetta was the oldest of four…
Franklin approves CDBG application; future dog park discussed
Franklin’s city council approved the 2024 Community Development Block Grant application, directing $209,805 to street improvements in low-income areas and $41,975 for blight clearance, expected…
Recent Deaths 10/29/24
Timothy J. Mong, 64, formerly of Venango County, passed away Wednesday, October 23, 2024. Joseph M. Neely, 34, of Titusville, passed away on Sunday, October…
Pet of the Day 10/28/24
Meet Tai! Tai needs a quiet home where she can learn that people are good and loving. Tai was used for breeding and spent the…
East Forest announces homecoming court
East Forest High School has announced its 2024 homecoming court, which includes (from left) Dominik Mendola, Aletta Summers, Jacob Healy, Peighton Trout, Shaye Campbell and…
Recent Deaths 10/28/24
David W. Fagan Jr., of Shippenville, formerly of Miola, passed away October 26, 2024. Chester Reck, 69, passed away October 26, 2024. Barbara Lee Adams,…
Pet of the Day 10/26/24
Meet DiCatprio! DiCatprio is a little bit shy, but is a lovely boy with his huge eyes and sweet personality. You can visit and adopt…
Powering Progress: Cleaner Energy Storage Solutions for a Greener Future
Last week, we heard from Caleb Dawson of Advanced Power & Energy on the cleaner, safer, and more reliable energy storage solution found in nickel-zinc…
Recent Deaths 10/26/24
Loren D. Bowser, 80, of Parker, passed away on Thursday, October 24, 2024. Theresa Marie (Micale) Ward, 65, of Utica, passed away on October 24,…
Pet of the Day 10/25/24
Meet Presley! Presley is a young male dog with a heartwarming history of being a rescue dog, and he is now looking for a loving…
Two Forest seniors win essay contest
Seniors Abby Worley, center, of West Forest High School, and Aletta Summers, right, of East Forest High School, were chosen as winners for their essays…
Rates set for 100 Seneca’s 5th floor at Economic Development Authority meeting
During their meeting earlier this week, the Venango County Economic Development Authority set rates for rent on the fifth floor of 100 Seneca. On Tuesday,…
Recent Deaths 10/25/24
Randy Henry, 72, of Clarion, passed away on Thursday, October 24, 2024. Timothy J. Mong, 64, of Rouseville, passed away Wednesday, October 23, 2024. …
Pet of the Day 10/24/24
Meet Leni! Leni is a 2-3 year old silver gray Bengal. He was used for breeding and when the owner died, he was given to…
Friends for Food passes $12,000 mark
The Friends for Food campaign has raised an additional $6,782, bringing the total to $12,357 for this year’s fundraising effort. A collaboration between Community Services…
Former local artist heads to Nashville for Josie Awards
Coston Cross, a former Rockland resident and local music scene favorite, is heading to Nashville for the 2024 Josie Music Awards, where he’s nominated in…
Program for rural-based creative entrepreneurs expands into Oil City
Bridgeway Capital, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit lender, is expanding its Alliance for Creative Rural Economies (ACRE) program to Oil City, offering support to creative entrepreneurs in…
PennDOT’s Operation Safe Stop hits the road
PennDOT’s Operation Safe Stop, now in its 28th year, aims to raise awareness about school bus safety and reduce bus-related traffic violations. Coinciding with National…
Franklin downtown Trick-or-Treat scheduled
Franklin’s annual downtown trick-or-treat will return to the 1200 block of Liberty Street from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The free event, sponsored by…
Pet of the Day 10/23/24
Meet Dolly Purrton Dolly was born in March of 2023 and is a lovely cat that recently came to PAWS from a colony, but was…
Franklin Light Up Night scheduled for Nov. 23
Franklin’s annual Light Up Night, kicking off the Christmas season, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 23. The festivities will include an Electric Lights Parade…
Titusville Area School District’s finances exceeded expectations, avoid projected $1M deficit
The Titusville Area School District exceeded revenue expectations by $1.2 million, while also coming in under budget by $63,000 for expenditures, resulting in a $63,165…
Recent deaths 10/23/24
Betty D. McCloskey, 89, of Brookville, passed away Monday, October 21, 2024. Erma “Jean” B. Stellman, 99, of cranberry, died Monday evening, October 21, 2024….
Evaluating the Garden
Winter is the perfect time to reflect on the successes and disappointments of last year’s garden. In the lull after the holidays, stop and…
Pennsylvania Poised to Become an Energy Leader Again – Part 2
Selina Pedi-Smith with Guest Writer: Colin Russ of RAD Solar Last week, we discussed Pennsylvania’s proud energy history and how renewables are offering new opportunities. Let’s…
Pet of the Day 10/22/24
Meet Copper! Copper is a fun-loving pup who loves to play and make new friends! He is always ready for a game of fetch or…
Franklin robotics team preparing for competition this weekend
The Franklin Area STEM (F.A.S.T.) Team is gearing up for the 2024 BEST Robotics competition at Grove City College, themed “Low G,” where robots must…
Recent Deaths 10/22/24
Donald E. Firster, 69, of Oil City, died Saturday, October 19, 2024. Deborah “Debbie” Sue Rowe, 62, of Columbia, MD, passed away October 18, 2024….
Pet of the Day 10/21/24
Meet Gray Goose! Gray is a 2-3 year old neutered male that was used for breeding. He is a calm, curious boy that wants love….
Kids may pick free costumes
Keystone SMILES and Hope 21 Boutique are hosting their first annual Halloween Boo-tique from 5:30 to 8 p.m. today at Hope 21 Boutique, 100 Central…
Pennsylvania Poised to Become an Energy Leader Again – Part 1
Selina Pedi-Smith with Guest Writer: Colin Russ of RAD Solar Despite some uncertain weather conditions, we had a great turnout at the Bright Futures Fall…
Recent Deaths 10/21/24
Larry E. Smith, 65, of Emlenton, passed away October 19, 2024. For complete obituaries, pick up a copy of The Derrick for this day…
Pet of the Day 10/19/24
Meet Dunlap! Dunlap is a gorgeous cat with striking green eyes and a gentle temperament. He gets along well with the other kitties and is…
New Cranberry business fills former post office lot
A new business called Shed Connection has set up shop in Cranberry Township at the site of the former Cranberry post office, which was demolished…