Pet of the Day 01/28/26
Meet Cheerio! Cheerio was born in August of 2025 and brought to the shelter in January. He is a sweet boy who is still a…
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Cranberry winter formal court
Venango tech center students do well at Skills USA event
Recent Deaths 01/28/26
Pet of the Day 01/27/26
PennWest Clarion ETS sponsors hands-on culinary experience
Franklin distributes food boxes
Clarion Troop 51 scouts finish second at local Klondike Derby
Oil City man accused of animal cruelty
Recent Deaths 01/27/26
Dennis “Scott” Horner, 69, of Rimersburg, passed away Sunday, January 25, 2026. Janet M. Stephens, 92, of Cranberry, passed away on Friday morning, January 23,…
Pet of the Day 01/26/26
Meet Aspen! Aspen has the softest fur you have ever felt, and she loves for you to pet her. This all white, beautiful girl was…
Recent Deaths 01/26/26
Pamela Sue Black, 74, of Sligo, passed away on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Penny Sue Sanner, 77, of Oil City, passed away on Saturday morning,…
Pet of the Day 01/24/26
Meet Wynona! Wynona was born in May of 2025. She is still pretty shy, but gets along well with other kitties. You can visit and…
Connected Along the Way
Last week, I wrote about connection. About choosing it deliberately, especially when the world feels loud and fractured. Which is all well and good in…
2 charged for trafficking cocaine in region
Two men, cousins Corey Scott of Monroe County and Arden Scott of New York, are facing felony charges for trafficking cocaine across Pennsylvania into Erie…
PennDOT bridge project includes 1 in Venango, 3 in Forest
PennDOT is inviting the public to review plans for its “Protect Bridges” project, which aims to repair and reinforce 28 bridges across northwest Pennsylvania to…
PennDOT seeking feedback on Petroleum Center Road bridge project
PennDOT is inviting the public to review and comment on proposed plans to restore the historic bridge carrying Petroleum Center Road over Oil Creek in…
Recent Deaths 01/24/26
Maxine E. Struchen, 76, of Titusville, passed away on January 21, 2026. Johnny Thomas Heeter, 96, of Knox, passed away on Thursday morning, January 22,…
Pet of the Day 01/23/26
Meet Shirley! Shirley is a young adult Boxer mix that came to Tri-County as a stray and sadly her family never came to claim her….
Recent Deaths 01/23/26
John Wesley Spangler, 72, formerly of Oil City, passed away Sunday, January 18, 2026. For complete obituaries, pick up a copy of The Derrick…
Pet of the Day 01/22/26
Meet Chloe! Chloe is a young girl that was surrendered because she liked to chew her toys. Such a sad reason to give up a…
Franklin Jr. High School Talent Show makes its return
After a seven-year hiatus since 2019, the Franklin Jr. High School Talent Show will return on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium….
VEX Robotics showcases inventiveness, resourcefulness
Twenty-one teams of student engineers tested their robots and problem-solving skills during last week’s VEX Robotics competition at Cranberry Area High School, where teams competed…
Recent Deaths 01/22/26
Mary Lou Gruphofer, 60, of Polk, passed away January 17, 2026. Kenneth L. “Ken” Lowrie Sr., 68, of Franklin, passed away on Tuesday, January 20,…
Pet of the Day 01/21/26
Meet Simba! Simba was born in 2020 and is such a sweet boy. He is very affectionate and wouldn’t be a good option for someone…
Cranberry woman accused of arson
A Cranberry Township woman is facing multiple charges after a home on Tippery Road burned down Saturday, with state police alleging the fire was intentionally…
Venango economic development approves rec center contracts, expands maker space plans
At its first meeting of 2026, the Venango County Economic Development Authority approved several contracts, including two tied to the proposed Venango Sports and Recreation…
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 take…
Recent Deaths 01/21/26
Brenda L. Kapp, 65, of Miola, passed away on Monday evening, January 19, 2026. “Butch” Blaine A. Henry Jr., 68, of Leeper, passed away on…
Pet of the Day 01/20/26
Meet Frankie! Frankie came to us after 6 years of being a friendly barn cat. She is a sweet and affectionate girl and will thrive…
Regional cold front is dangerous, meteorologists say
A cold front bringing snow squalls and dangerous wind chills has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a cold weather advisory for the Oil…
Recent Deaths 01/20/26
Karen Elizabeth May, 80, passed away on January 10, 2026. Carolyn (Kelly) Nielsen, 84, passed away on the morning of January 17, 2026. William A….
Resolution-Adjacent
Well, here we are – a whole week into a whole new year. This time of year always comes with a strange kind of energy,…
Pet of the Day 01/19/26
Meet Poptart! Poptart was surrendered to Precious Paws when her Mom and Dad got a divorce and moved into apartments. She was loved but neither…
Farm Show scholarship goes to Titusville resident
Titusville resident Mark Snyder, seen with state Sen. Scott Hutchinson, holds his Pennsylvania Farm Show scholarship. Snyder, a freshman at Penn State World Campus, is…
Vacant residence in Oil City catches fire
A vacant residence at 69 Grove Ave. that had been used by the Oil City Fire Department for training caught fire Saturday morning, prompting a…
Franklin man charged in child pornography case
A Franklin man, 66-year-old Larry Boocks II, has been charged with 50 felony counts of child sexual abuse material after investigators say two electronic devices…
Recent Deaths 01/19/26
Rose Marie Oertel Mong, 61, of Franklin, died on Sunday, January 11, 2026. Sarah W. Bills, 87, of Clarion, passed away Thursday, January 15, 2026….
Pet of the Day 01/17/26
Meet Mike Hannigan! Mike was born in January of 2025 and came to PAWS with eight other kitties after being found in a garage out…
Nifty at 90: Family matriarch enjoys games and family
Today’s Nifty at 90 feature highlights Franklin resident Anita Corbett, who is celebrating her 90th birthday on Sunday and remains active and full of life…
Judge Kirtland accepting letters of interest for Abramovic’s successor
Venango County President Judge Matthew Kirtland is accepting letters of interest from Venango County Democrats interested in filling the commissioner seat that will be vacated…
Recent Deaths 01/17/26
Michelle “Missie” Greenlee, 55, of Franklin, passed away the morning of Thursday, January 15, 2026. Stanley Joseph “Joe” Szympruch, 79, of Center Conway, NH, passed…
Pet of the Day 01/16/26
Meet Bear! Bear has had a difficult start to life. He is afraid of everything. He would do best in a home without small children…
Recent Deaths 01/16/26
Mary Lou Huff, 74, of Oil City, passed away on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Gerald L. “Jerry” Faller, 84, of Franklin, passed away on Tuesday,…
Pet of the Day 01/15/26
Meet Sandra Green! Sandra was born in 2020 and came to PAWS with kittens from various litters. Her babies are weaned, and she’s ready for…
Free smoke detectors available for Oil City residents
The Oil City Fire Department is offering free smoke detectors and installation to city residents on a first-come, first-served basis as part of its Free…
Oil City Council approves new lead truck, reviews paving costs
During its Monday meeting, Oil City Council addressed several routine matters alongside discussion of the recent river search, including approving the purchase of a $312,000…
Recent Deaths 01/15/26
Chase Jason Ruth, 18, of Emlenton, passed away Dora M. Nageli, 93, formerly of Oil City, passed away on December 29, 2025. Joyce M. Riddle,…
Pet of the Day 01/14/26
Meet Barrett! Meet Barrett, a loving and friendly boy who is sure to capture your heart! Barrett was brought to the rescue as a stray…
Keeping a Garden Journal
Keeping a garden journal can be a valuable tool to help both novice and experienced gardeners meet their goals. A garden journal provides a mechanism…