Around The County

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer The Transit Art Gallery and gift shop on Oil City’s North Side is ramping it up for the holidays….

From staff reports The Oil City Ministerium is conducting a clothing drive to assist the Salvation Army. Congregations within the ministerium are asked to contribute…

From staff reports The City of Franklin street department will pick up leaves with its vacuum machines next week in the following areas: Monday –…

From staff reports All in-person services and gatherings have been suspended in Episcopal churches within the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York. The…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Just as 33-year-old Scott Kennedy was getting his new business up and running in Oil City, the COVID-19 pandemic…

By SARAH TITLEY Staff writer There will be no rate increase for Franklin water and sewer customers in 2021. Franklin General Authority members unanimously approved…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer As the Assumption BVM Church building in Oil City was reduced to a heap of bricks and boards Monday, several…

By SARAH TITLEY Staff writer Thirteen bicyclists made their way through the foggy streets of Oil City on Saturday to kick off the first ever…

From staff reports Franklin Franklin city workers will pick up leaves next week in the following areas: Monday – Gurney Road side of Franklin Heights…

A longtime Oil City restaurant and tavern, operated by the third generation of the founders and nestled into a small neighborhood on the North Side,…

From staff reports The first year of the $32.6 million project to repair and reconstruct nearly 10 miles of Route 8 from Georgetown Road in…

Demolition began Tuesday on the landmark Assumption BVM Church building on Oil City’s North Side. BKI, the company hired to tear down the building, was…

From staff reports Venango County will sponsor a collection for both household hazardous waste and electronics from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov….

From staff reports The start of the annual Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) application process has begun. The program, which provides home heating bills…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer The Cranberry Area School District is facing a potential budget crunch despite being only a few months into the…

From staff reports Franklin Leaf pickups will continue next week in Franklin, starting Monday. Here is the schedule, which could change due to weather. Monday:…

From staff reports The major service project of the Winnifred Tonkin Guild is drawing to a close in Venango County, and members are asking for…

From staff reports The tri-county area’s unemployment rate continues to fall, with both Venango and Clarion counties showing seasonally adjusted rates for September below the…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer The Oil City School Board on Monday evening heard from Amy Highfield, assistant principal at Hasson Heights Elementary School, about…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Keen interest in the Nov. 3 presidential election has pumped up the number of registered voters across the nation,…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Venango County, Cranberry Township and Sugarcreek Borough are in the process of submitting applications for 2020 Community Development Block Grant…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Efforts to expand internet access from rural locations within Cranberry Township continue to be thwarted. Bob Betzold of Hill…

From staff reports Three local Boy Scouts earned their Eagle Scout award from Troop 111 in Seneca. A ceremony was held recently at Fertigs Community…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer The Venango County Regional Planning Commission gave conditional approval Tuesday for a new Dollar General store on Route 157 in…

From staff reports Pennsylvania CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) has planned a virtual town hall event titled “CASA Across the Commonwealth,” to be held at…

From staff reports A public workshop regarding the strategic plan update for the Oil Region National Heritage Area will be held from 9 a.m. to…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Venango County commissioners were told Tuesday that the county is moving toward making it possible for people to text 911…

From staff reports Pipeline Alley in Oil City will be the location for the second annual Halloween show featuring seven bands from the region. The…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Venango County commissioners are continuing to get CARES money out to local small businesses. A total of 267 local businesses…

From staff reports The Venango County Association for the Blind is planning some virtual events today to mark the annual observance of White Cane Day….

From staff reports The state Department of Health on Tuesday announced Venango County reported four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and Clarion County reported one…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Venango County commissioners say they are making progress in bringing broadband access to underserved areas in Venango County. The commissioners…

From staff reports It was a special day at the Venango Regional Airport on Saturday when World War II veteran Lyle Langdon visited a few…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Things will appear different during this year’s Community Services of Venango County’s Friends for Food distribution, which provides traditional Thanksgiving…

From staff reports Franklin city workers will start to pick up biodegradable leaf bags on Monday. Residents may put their filled leaf bags along their…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer The Oil City School Board, during a special meeting on Wednesday evening, approved a revised school schedule for Oct. 21…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer At a special meeting on Wednesday evening, the Oil City School Board approved changes to the sports spectator guidelines to…

From staff reports The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will hold a public information meeting about its plans to extend the bike trail…

From staff reports The Oil City Main Street Program and ARTS Oil City will celebrate the third annual O.C.toberFest in downtown Oil City on Friday….

From staff reports The Salvation Army is taking applications for its Project Bundle Up and Christmas assistance programs. Project Bundle Up provides new winter outerwear…

From staff reports Sixteen dogs arrived safe and sound Saturday at the Venango County Humane Society after an hours-long trip from rural Tennessee. They will…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Venango County has used a local company – PMP Printing in Franklin – to print the ballots that will be…

From staff reports Two local men were among 29 employees with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation who were honored for their outstanding performance with the…

From staff reports When dialing the telephone number for your neighbor, you’ll need to get in the habit of adding the area code, starting Saturday….

From staff reports A bald Eagle nicknamed “Promise” was released Tuesday after recovering from lead poisoning through treatment at Tamarack Wildlife Center. The bird, approximately…

By DILLON PROVENZA Staff writer Valley Grove School Board members voted unanimously Monday to allow spectators at home sporting events. Superintendent Kevin Briggs said student…

Oil City VFW members Adam Cunningham and Latisha Stephens play a round of cornhole during the post’s 100th anniversary celebration Saturday evening. The milestone was…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer The Transit Art Gallery and Gift Shop in downtown Oil City is celebrating the onset of the autumn season…

From staff reports The Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry and Tourism has received a grant worth almost $230,000 from the state Department of Conservation…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer The Oil City Veterans of Foreign Wars post is marking its 100th anniversary this year, and a special celebration is…