Backer elected Franklin School Board president
By STACEY GROSS Contributing writer Sabrina Backer was unanimously elected president of the Franklin School Board at the panel’s reorganization meeting Wednesday night. Backer was…
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Rent, utilities funding available to Venango Co. residents
From staff reports Venango County has funding available to help county residents catch up on past due balances for rent, mortgage, and private utilities. The…
Pathways receives statewide residential program award
By LAURA O’NEIL Staff writer Pathways Adolescent Center of Oil City was chosen out of more than 100 facilities statewide to receive the Residential Program…
Oil City native recalls broadcasting career in new book
By RANDY BARTLEY Staff writer A former Oil City resident who now lives in Brookville has published a book that asks the simple question, “Was…
US jobless claims hit 52-year low after seasonal adjustments
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits plummeted last week to the lowest level in more than half a century, another…
Preliminary injunction sought in Polk, White Haven case
By STACEY GROSS Staff writer The lawsuit in the state centers case against defendants Gov. Tom Wolf and the state Department of Human Services continues…
Cranberry to receive $500,000 for school access project
From staff reports Cranberry Area School District will receive $500,000 in funding from the Multimodal Transportation Fund Program. The money will be used to improve…
2 accused of stealing $20,000 from woman in fraud scheme
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Two people are facing theft charges for allegedly deceiving a Rockland woman into sending them about $20,000. Franklin state police…
OC man accused of stealing $15,725 from Country Fair store
From staff reports An Oil City man is facing charges that accuse him of stealing more than $15,700 in cash and goods from his employer…
Artists excited about relocation here from Florida
By LAURA O’NEIL Staff writer Oil City is welcoming two new artists to the city’s art scene. Rafi Perez and Klee Angelie made the move…
Man charged for threatening mother, making explosive devices
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer A Kennerdell man has been charged with threatening his mother and making two homemade explosive devices. Franklin state police said…
United Way will offer walk-in vaccine clinics
From staff reports The United Way of Venango County will hold two walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinics next week. The first will be held from 9…
Cochranton woman charged with homicide in adoptive son’s death
From staff reports A Cochranton woman has been charged with homicide in connection with the death of her adoptive son. Mary Eileen Diehl, 62, was…
OC woman charged in theft case involving auto
From staff reports An Oil City woman is facing a theft charge for agreeing to take a Franklin man’s vehicle to an automotive shop, missing…
New train mural on track for completion
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer A new train mural is coming to Oil City. Since Thursday, the familiar mural “I See a Train a Comin’”…
Doctor: Misinformation adds to vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women
By STACEY GROSS Staff writer The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says nationally about one-third of pregnant women have been vaccinated. That number regionally,…
Family looking for help after fire destroys Cooperstown home
By DILLON PROVENZA Staff writer A family of five was displaced after their Cooperstown home was destroyed in a fire early Sunday morning. Josh and…
Bears on the move, cause 2 crashes in county
By STACEY GROSS Staff writer Franklin state police investigated two crashes Sunday that involved bears on highways, and experts say this is the time of…
Cooperstown home catches on fire
By STACEY GROSS Staff writer A fire at a Cooperstown home elicited a large response but was quickly controlled Monday afternoon. The call came in…
Oil City to tear down 6 condemned structures
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Oil City Council members approved the demolition of six dilapidated, condemned structures that are owned by the city during their…
Allegheny National Forest plans prescribed fires
From staff reports The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, announced plans to conduct fall-prescribed fires on Allegheny National Forest in Forest and Elk counties,…
Franklin woman waives hearing in endangerment case
From staff reports A Franklin woman accused of being under the influence of drugs as she walked around outside in cold weather with a young…
2 accused of stealing dirt bike, trading it for motorcycle
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Two men from Saegertown are facing charges for stealing a dirt bike in Crawford County and trading it for a…
Reno woman facing endangerment charge
From staff reports A Reno woman is facing a child endangerment charge in connection with an incident this month in which the woman is accused…
Man charged with homicide in Crawford County death
From staff reports A Saegertown man was charged with homicide Monday in connection with the discovery of a woman’s body last month in Crawford County….
Stoneboro man faces charges in break-in
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer A Stoneboro man faces charges after being accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, breaking into a woman’s house…
On driver safety, Halloween should not be scary
By LAURA O’NEIL Staff writer Halloween is about a week away, and decorations are filling yards and trick-or-treaters are choosing costumes with care. As preparations…
Route 8 reconstruction enters final phase
From staff reports The two-year, $32.6 million project to repair and reconstruct nearly 10 miles of Route 8 from Georgetown Road (Route 3004) in Irwin…
Oil City woman accused of child endangerment
From staff reports An Oil City woman is facing child endangerment charges after her daughter was found unresponsive due to diabetic issues. On Sept. 2,…
Franklin School District addresses virus-era problems
By DILLON PROVENZA Staff writer Franklin School Board members on Monday night were updated with potential problems in the COVID-19 era of shortages. Superintendent Mark…
Oil City man, Franklin woman accused of forgery
From staff reports An Oil City man and Franklin woman face forgery and theft charges after being accused of using counterfeit $100 bills at two…
Karma concerts resume next month as more Lyric work eyed
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer The Karma Concert Series in Oil City will return next month for its fourth season after a year’s hiatus due…
Police working on leads in Spanky’s robbery
By STACEY GROSS Staff writer Franklin state police said Friday they were continuing to search for the man who robbed the Spanky’s Tobacco World store…
Man accused of setting fire near woman’s home
From staff reports An Oil City man is facing charges for setting fire to a bush beside a woman’s home in Sugarcreek Borough, endangering her…
2 charged in case involving drugs, hindering police
From staff reports An Oil City man and a Pleasantville woman who tried to conceal the man from police are facing charges. A criminal complaint…
OC debate: What to do on East End
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Oil City officials are contemplating whether to redevelop or rehabilitate the blighted East End of Oil City. The subject was…
Sugarcreek budget doesn’t call for tax hike
By STACEY GROSS Staff writer Sugarcreek Borough administrator Joseph Sporer told council members Wednesday that a budget has been crafted without a tax increase for…
Franklin woman charged for setting fire to home
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer A Franklin woman is facing arson charges in connection with a fire in May in Frenchcreek Township. Franklin state police…
Erie coroner’s office seeks info on deceased Franklin man
From staff reports The Erie County coroner’s office is asking for help in finding someone who can claim the remains of a Franklin man who…
Police: Head-on crash between SUV, pickup kills 3
CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS (AP) — A head-on crash in northwestern Pennsylvania over the weekend claimed the lives of three people, police said. State police in Crawford…
Wanted: School bus drivers
By STACEY GROSS Staff writer The owners of three local bus companies say it’s getting much harder to find people to drive their buses. “It’s…
Route 8 opened temporarily due to Applefest traffic
From staff reports All lanes of Route 8 between Barkeyville and Franklin are temporarily reopened to traffic. PennDOT has opened the roadway to allow for…
Franklin man facing child porn charges
From staff reports A Franklin man is facing child pornography charges. Franklin state police said in a criminal complaint that during April and June, Marcus…
Franklin School Board handles several routine matters
By DILLON PROVENZA Staff writer Franklin School Board members handled some routine business at their meeting this week. The panel voted unanimously to pay $3,340,868.33…
Cranberry board reviews food shortages, cyber school costs
By LAURA O’NEIL Staff writer Cranberry School Board members reviewed food shortages and cyber education costs at the panel’s meeting Monday. Kim Daugherty, the district’s…
OC school meeting canceled as attendees refuse to wear masks
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Oil City School Board members did not conduct any business at their meeting Monday due to the presence of two…
OC gets grant for park work, including replacing bandshell
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Oil City Council members learned Thursday the city has received a grant for improvements at Justus Park, including the replacement…
Woman facing many charges after 18-mile chase
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer A Franklin woman is facing charges that accuse her of fleeing from police in a vehicle while she was high…
Cooperstown man accused of several sex assaults on girl
From staff reports A Cooperstown man is facing numerous charges for engaging in a sexual relationship with a girl who was under 16. Franklin state…
Friends for Food campaign starting; will be drive-in again
By STACEY GROSS Staff writer The 31st annual Friends for Food campaign is getting started, and this year will look much the same as last…