Around The County

From staff reports St. Patrick Church in Franklin will begin its regular weekend Masses at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday….

From staff reports Community Blood Bank will hold an emergency blood drive from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the former Verizon store in the…

Franklin Library patron Andrea Reed (left) picks up her pre-ordered selections Tuesday from Debra Houser, a library staff member, as part of the library’s new…

From staff reports The state Department of Agriculture has received approval to continue operating the Disaster Household Distribution program, through The Emergency Food Assistance Program,…

From staff reports The two public parks in Cranberry Township will open for the season Monday. Township supervisors agreed at a meeting Thursday to open…

From staff reports The Small Business Jump Start program held spring graduation for its Franklin group on May 21. SBJS participants learned about business goals…

Oil City residents Jeannine Guth (left), a Marine Corps veteran, and Mary Kay Johnson, an Army veteran, are packing up boxes of personal hygiene and…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Venango County’s three public libraries are working out the details this week to prepare for a limited opening to…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Cranberry School Board gave its unanimous approval Monday to a tentative 2020-21 budget that doesn’t include a property tax…

From staff reports Child Development Centers announced it will reopen care to children under 12 months of age on June 1. The age group had…

From staff reports A total of 217 Venango County veterans have died since Memorial Day 2019, according to Fred R. Weaver, director of the county’s…

From staff reports Kaylee Knapp, the Venango County Dairy Maid, has partnered with the United Way of Venango County to bring three dairy product giveaways…

From staff reports The Venango Museum of Art, Science and Industry will conduct tours of the Sibley mansion in June. The tours of the former…

From staff reports The Oil Region Alliance is looking into the possibility of an ATV/OHV trail. According to an ORA news release, the first step…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer A sheriff’s sale of the Days Inn hotel in Oil City set for Wednesday has been postponed until next…

From staff reports The state Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) on Sunday announced the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program to provide an additional…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer What had appeared to be a rather straightforward directive by Gov. Tom Wolf to allow some non-essential northwestern Pennsylvania…

From staff reports The Pennsylvania Game Commission is offering the following advice for people who may encounter young wildlife while they’re enjoying the great outdoors:…

From staff reports Franklin High School has postponed its graduation ceremony from June 7 to Thursday, June 18. The FHS Class of 2020 will be…

From staff reports Roadwork will begin next week on Siverly Avenue and Oak Grove Street in Oil City. Milling and paving work will be done,…

Today a woman was spotted at UPMC Northwest surrounded by signs outside of the Cancer Center. She said her friend has metastatic breast cancer for…

From staff reports Venango County Suicide Task Force will hold its annual “Shine a Light on Suicide” 5K walk/run on Saturday, June 20. The event…

From staff reports Oil City will hold its annual e-waste recycling collection from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the city garage on Regan…

From staff reports Public Masses remain suspended in the Erie Catholic Diocese, but adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and confessions are available at several times…

From staff reports Oil City resident Carolyn Terrill said she, like most mothers across the country, was feeling down at the prospect of celebrating Mother’s…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Oil City officials are keeping a close eye on revenues in light of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the…

From staff reports As all 13 counties in the Erie Catholic Diocese have moved into the state’s yellow phase for reopening, Bishop Lawrence T. Persico…

From staff reports State Sen. Scott Hutchinson, (R-21) of Oil City, is one of four state senators who offered strong support for a lawsuit by…

The Venango Training and Development Center received a delivery of donated bagels, donuts, pastries, muffins and jellies April 30 from Mays Insurance and Farmer’s Daughters…

By SARAH TITLEY Staff writer Sugarcreek Borough Council welcomed a familiar face back into the fold Wednesday with the appointment of former council president Bogan…

From staff reports The Pennsylvania Game Commission will reopen its Northwest Region office in Franklin on Friday. The commission will also reopen shooting ranges on…

From staff reports Child Development Centers has begun the process of reopening its Department of Human Services-licensed centers in Venango and Crawford counties. After careful…

From staff reports A vehicle parade celebrating the 50-year wedding anniversary of Franklin residents James and Susan Ring drove through the streets of Franklin Saturday…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Financial donations to help purchase food pantry items have picked up at the Community Services of Venango County agency…

By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer A motorcade of honking cars and cheering riders snaked past Rick Cook’s house on Oil City’s Englewood Avenue on…

From staff reports All lanes of Route 8 southbound are expected to be closed from the intersection of Route 8 and the Polk Cutoff Road…

From staff reports The annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers, which was scheduled for Saturday, has been…

From staff reports The Franklin Fine Arts Council is accepting audition packets for its annual Taste of Talent competition. While the council isn’t sure yet…

By SARAH TITLEY Staff writer Franklin School Board members approved a number of financial matters during their virtual meeting Monday. In preparation for discussions on…

From staff reports The state Department of Environmental Protection began its 2020 black fly suppression program last week. The program involves aerial and backpack spraying…

By SARAH TITLEY Staff writer As informal parades become more and more part of daily life under social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders, one local…

From staff reports Cranberry School Board will hold its regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. Monday via a virtual platform. The meeting will be conducted…

From staff reports What is called the 2-1-1 service was launched by the United Way of Venango County in May 2017. It is available 24/7…

From staff reports The Cranberry Food Pantry will have a food distribution from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday at the former Cranberry High School. People…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer An Oil City School District principal will be retiring at the end of the school year. School board members on…

From staff reports The Northwest Hospital Foundation has taken to social media to promote a prayer chain for patients at UPMC Northwest hospital. The Foundation…

By DILLON PROVENZA Staff writer The Titusville-based Oil Creek Family Campground has some new owners. Penny and David Turner, who have operated the campgrounds for…

By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Cranberry High School students are inviting the community to join them this week as they celebrate a virtual school spirit…

By DILLON PROVENZA Staff writer Socializing at long term care homes when safety is a concern because of cornoavirus can be a challenge, but local…

From staff reports Several students from the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville were recognized during the 26th annual Student Life Awards ceremony Wednesday, which was…