Featured photograph of the day Part of Route 27 through Titusville will be closed today as crews take down the fire damaged building next to Missy's Arcade Restaurant. A Wargo Construction representative said the street may be closed part of Sunday as well depending on how much they are able to get done today.
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Oil City girls sell lemonade and baked good to support troops overseasWhen Sandra Bartlett's daughter Sammie said she wanted to do something to help others, the mother of the nine-year old beamed with pride. Having a lemonade stand during the planned family yard sale in Oil City seemed like the perfect way to facilitate her youngsters philanthropy. After several discussions and remembering her Papa Richard Palm had been a Navy Vet, and her friend's father was also in the military, Sammie decided she wanted to raise money to send packages to the troops. She enlisted the help of some friends and with her mom's assistance started to get the word out about the effort. On Thursday, despite the horrible forecast calling for possible tornadoes, Sammie and her friends Katie Luxbacher, Lilly and Corabel Shiley, and her little sister Suzie, peddled their fresh-squeezed lemonade and sweet treats. They raised more than $700 in donations that day. Friday they brought the total up over $1,500 and filled the yard with youthful energy and cartwheels in between customers. "We couldn't appreciate the community more," Sandra said in spite of being tired from all the lemon squeezing and baking in the hot weather. "I am so proud of these girls." Customer Susie Armstrong agrees. She thought a lemonade seemed like "the perfect thing to do on a hot day." She showed up a little after noon on Friday and told the girls she had been driving all over Oil City looking for the lemonade stand. She was determined to find it after reading about it in the paper. "I saw their picture in The News-Herald and thought, now that is a good cause," the Hendersonville resident said. She knew it was a 27-mile drive but wanted to meet the kids and thank them for what they were doing. "I'm proud of you girls," she said. "This was so unique that these young girls thought of this. It was well worth the trip." Sandra was amazed by Armstrong's long trip. She made sure to thank her again by yelling up the block as Armstrong was leaving. The girls will be at it again Saturday morning bright and early at 8 a.m. They will tend to the stand until 3 p.m. as the family yard sale continues in the back of the house.
The money raised will be put towards care packages for a military unit recently deployed to Kuwait. The group serendipitously learned of the unit when one of the kid's family went out to eat in Hermitage. Talking with their waitress, they learned her boyfriend had just been deployed to Kuwait. The coincidence of hearing this story at the same times the girls were planning their lemonade stand seemed to be a perfect sign, Sandra said. They are planning to reach out to local groups that routinely ship boxes to troops for details on what they should pack to be sure they fill them with the right items. But they will have a couple grand to put toward this effort thanks to the lemonade sales and the community response. Sandra said anyone who wants to come by Saturday can get some lemonade and entertainment from the girls. They will even gladly sign their autograph for those who ask. Sandra also said people who cannot visit the stand in person can send donations to the house - 309 Cowell Ave, Oil City Pa. 16301. UPDATE: They raised $2,043.73 in their three day effort. Sandra says she believes more is coming from other donations from people who couldn't make it. Featured photograph of the day Check back later tonight to see why these girls had reason to be happy with their little effort to support our troops. And you can help them even more tomorrow.
The rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Venango County and across the commonwealth led Governor Wolf to put further restrictions on gatherings and the Oil Heritage organizers decided it is in the best interest of the community to make further changes. In a press release issued on July 17, Venango Area Chamber of Commerce director Susan Williams said she is still dedicated to bringing the festival to the community, but many events will mostly be virtual events that will be live streamed. “We knew months ago this would be challenging, but it did not deter us from making every effort to plan for a successful event,” Williams said in the release. At the time the numbers were low and new cases were far and few between. “Unfortunately, things have changed and not for the better. We see numbers of COVID-19 cases rising, the restrictions on businesses increasing and the division of community in regard to compliance,” Williams adds. “We have concerns about contributing in any way towards spreading the virus and our ability to enforce compliance of masks and distancing. With the advice of the Chamber's Board of Directors and the strong support of our festival partners, we have decided to make additional modifications and cancellations,” she said. The concerts will be held inside in order to live stream them on the Oil Heritage Facebook page. The crowning of the Oil Heritage Festival Queen and front porch winner announcements will also be live streamed. The Fireworks are still on for 10 p.m. Saturday. The craft show scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Town Square Park is cancelled. The motorcycle/car show on Sunday is modified to a "Cruise-Through." Participants are invited to drive through the city and stop in front of the Venango Museum on Seneca Street for a photograph that will be posted on the Oil Heritage Facebook page and receive a t-shirt and dash plaque. Other events scheduled around the Oil Heritage official event are still being planned. The release said "All event organizers have been urged to carefully consider their event and ability to be compliant, and to enforce their protocol. The Chamber will assist them in announcing any modifications or cancellations if changes occur between now and their scheduled event." “We look forward to celebrating the Oil Heritage Festival every year--to promote our businesses, provide exposure to local entertainers and artists, and hold family friendly activities. All of those things will still happen next week,” Williams said. As details are confirmed, the Chamber will continue to update the schedule at www.oilheritagefestival.com and will post updates on the Oil Heritage Festival Facebook page. Modified Oil Heritage Festival moves forward with caution
Originally published 7-11-2020 Next year Oil City turns 150. Susan Williams wants the Oil Heritage Festival event to be as memorable for today's kids as the centennial events were for her 50 years ago. But the Venango Area Chamber director has this year's COVID-19 modified celebration to get through first. The uncertainty surrounding the pandemic's effects in Venango County has added an especially unique wrinkle to the planning process for the city's longest running communitywide event. Decisions had to be made about what could be held, and also what should be held. Williams wants people to have a good time, but admits that for the first time in the 16 years she and her staff have been planning the event, if attendance is low that would be OK. The virus and social distancing requirements from the state are making any event planner a little apprehensive. "My goal is not break attendance records this year, I want people to stay safe," Williams said. For safety reasons many of the events have been cancelled, but not all. Most of the indoor events were called off with only the art show moving forward this year. Outdoor activities that can accommodate social distancing will still be going on barring a state shutdown before next week. Williams said one regular performer said they are ready and will be there to play, but the parade and pool day as well as the many children's events had to be scrapped to comply with state regulations. The things that will be held will be modified. More hand washing stations and routine cleaning have been added to this year's preparations and maintenance schedules. Pre-packaged items will be offered at the ice cream social to cut down on the extra handling of food and aid in the social distancing as people can pick up the treats and go. Still on the bill is music. Lots of music beginning Wednesday on Town Square with the Porter Huber Quartet. Thursday a small contingent of Mostly Brass will perform before the crowning of the Oil Heritage Festival Queen followed by a performance by the Wyllis Street Band in the Central Plaza. Friday two bands will take to the half shell in Justus Park. The road bands High Above 80 and Route 8 will perform starting at 5 p.m. Saturday the long-time area standard Lawyers, Guns and Money will offer up some classic rock in Justus Park as a warm up to the fireworks. The festival ends Sunday with Seneca Street being closed down for the annual car and bike show. Planning continues as Williams and her team keep an eye on the COVID-19 situation in Pennsylvania. The schedule will be updated as needed on their website. "It may continue to change over the next couple of weeks," Williams said. The best way for the public to stay informed about all the festival's offerings is to visit the chamber's website, https://venangochamber.org/2020-oil-heritage-festival-schedule. As for next year Williams is hoping COVID-19 is a memory so the chamber can plan big and take aim at breaking attendance records. About Oil Heritage This will be the 42nd year of the festival. Through the event, the Venango Chamber of Commerce honors the rich and deep heritage of the oil boom that begin in the mid-1800s that eventually fueled the industrial revolution and modern transportation. "Our region is frequently referred to as “the valley that changed the world,” the chamber website boasts. The COVID-19 modified Red Eye Theatre Project moves into week three under its new "Pink Eye" monicker. According to production founder Nicholas Hess, in the first weeks they sold over 40 $15 tickets, including some to out-of-state viewers. The tickets allow access to all six of the original performances or weekly episodes. Hess is pleased with the response after only two shows, but hopes for more in the coming weeks.
The tickets sales are a fundraiser for the Barrow-Civic Theatre, which has been shut down since March. "We are just trying to make money to keep the theatre viable for future generations, that’s all, so every ticket sale helps in a huge way," he said. "It may only be $15 but to us that’s keeping the lights on." He says the Barrow's status as a non-profit means they aren't out to make a killing, but are focused on being a place where local people can perform and provide entertainment to the community. With the state occupancy limitations restricting what an indoor theater can accomplish, the virtual production is one of the few means of income for the Barrow at this time. Hess said he's concerned but is glad his production is helping with the bottom line. Learn more about the Red Eye Theater Project and see more pictures by visiting this story from a couple weeks ago at http://richardsayerphotojournalism.weebly.com/eight--322/covid-cant-stop-the-show-from-going-on This week's show, titled "Cape Cope," was written by Jonathan Bartram and features a superhero support group. Feature photograph of the day Last week a little guy much like this put me down for a day and made my arm hurt for several days later. Don't get me wrong, I like that these guys exist. I just wish they knew that about me and would understand they do not need to sting me to get e to leave their nest alone. Just fly around me and say, "dude, if you wouldn't mind putting that plant maybe a couple feet away we'll be glad to help pollinate it for you if you don't keep digging up our home." I promise I'll listen and we can help each other out.
I've been stung three times in my life that required a trip to the ER. Never life threatening I don't believe, though each time I think it was monitoring with heavy antihistamines that saved my life. This wasn't that bad thankfully, but Benadryl does knock me out and makes me very dazed and confused. (I know who would know the difference right?) But I really wish we had more pollinators and a strong eco-system so this planet thrives even after I go, hopefully not from one of these little fellas. Pipeline Alley garden, Oil City PA, 7-15-2020 Featured photograph of the day Sierra Shoup, 15, a student at Cochranton High School who loves art paints the Brian Sprague sculpture that was carved years ago on Route 322. Shoup said friends of the family hired her to spruce up the eagle in front of their property and give it some color.
What started as a simple idea to try to begin branding has sorta taken on a new life and is fueling me to try even harder than ever to make this happen. The support you are showing me is simply amazing. Thank you. Several people reached out to me asking how they can support me Eight & 322. I hadn't really looked for support since this was going to be a "fill the gap" and learning period for me while I waited to be called back to the paper. Since that's likely to be much further down the road than I hoped, maybe now is the time to make something more solid happen. My goal is a printed weekly product with local stories, local columnists and a strong regional event calendar. Yesterday I posted an opportunity to support this idea. The response has already been greater than I could have predicted. Thank you. The money raised through the sale will help fund the creation of a prototype weekly newspaper, hopefully before the fall. This prototype will be shown to potential advertisers so they can visual what I can do for them with this idea. I have a great deal to learn about the business end of this business, but I'm hoping a slow steady approach helps me navigate speed bumps smoothly. Thank you again for the overwhelming support you all have shown me by buying shirts, hoodies and mugs. I expected a couple folks, but I am stunned by the response and very, very appreciative. As my new motto states: I just want to keep telling stories! Forward! Below is the Eight & 322 support merch! It's a limit run and will be able to purchase through Jul 20. Thank you all again. Click on product to be directed to the order sites. The mug is a separate site. There are some color options as well.
Again, Thank you. Featured Photograph of the Day Looking for a ball game Monday I stumbled on some folks pitching in a horseshoe league. So, since I'm a lawn bowler and the two sports have very similar participation, I thought it would be fun to do a story this week. So that's what I'm going to do. One of my stories at the end of the week will feature this league and some memories of my own. I also wanted to ask if anyone wants to share stories of pitching shoes that I could include in my story ? I'd love to hear them. I have a couple of funny ones myself.
A few photos of the baseball action at Miller-Sibley tonight. To view more photos and in color too, click here https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p352134246
They can even be purchased from the website for keepsakes. When Jim Cole was a little boy he became fascinated by a box filled with a bunch of parts labeled bike. "They wanted like five or 10 bucks for it," Cole recalled of a trip with his dad to a yard sale when he was three or four years old. "They won't sell this, we'll come back and get it off the curb," he remembered his father said with confidence that the box would be thrown away when it didn't sell. Sure enough a few days later there it was on the sidewalk waiting for the trash man. At only about meter high, the young Cole, with the help of his dad, took that box of parts and he constructed his first bicycle. He said it was a complete bike that may have only needed a random bolt or two. Since then, it's what he does - he works on bikes. This early childhood memory may have been the precise moment that led to Cole and his partner Rachel Abbott to open 4 Season Cycle at 422 12th Street in Franklin this summer. Cole loves bikes. "What a great thing, a machine that carries you where you want to go," he said. Since he was a kid he has bartered fixing bikes for things he's needed. He later worked for an outfit selling and fixing bikes before setting up a shop in his home in Fairview, Erie County. Frequent riding trips on the Oil Region trails led to his interest in Franklin, which, to his surprise, didn't have a bike shop. "I'll tell you man, I've seen a need for years here," he said noting a lot of customers he's had over the years in Erie County came from Venango County. "It's a logical spot." So when opportunity presented itself he and Rachel took it and began planning to open the Franklin shop. "I want to help promote the area as a great place for riding," he said. It hasn't exactly gone smoothly. First, his dad had a bicycle accident and broke his neck. "I felt responsible," he said for turning his dad onto biking. "I almost didn't [start the business]. Do I want that kind of weight again?" Then the opening was delayed due to COVID-19. They hoped to be open already. June is a huge month for people looking for bikes or bike repair, Cole said. When the pandemic hit it really set everything back. Also a new floor had to be put into the building he was set rent. But they soldiered on through the obstacles. Cole took up temporary residence at the Franklin Area Chamber Commerce while he waited for his space to be ready. On Friday, they were starting to move merchandise into the 12th Street location. Cole knows the risks of biking but also knows the rewards. He said he has seen people's lives changed for the better by getting a bike, especially one outfitted or sold specifically for their needs. "New bike day is sometimes a turning point in their lives, " he said
He says many people who owned bikes in the past don't realize how important getting the right bike is for them. He has helped many people get the bike adjusted so it helps their riding experience. The couple will maintain their Erie County business, but Jim will be in Franklin Friday through Monday once they are open while Rachel stays in Fairview to handle that business and their two year-old daughter Fern, who Jim jokes that he expects her to be head mechanic by the time she is four. At the Franklin location, 4 Season Cycle will offer bike and parts sales, rentals and servicing. Cole expects to service a lot of locals who previously took their bikes to Meadville or Erie, but also hopes to be a source of promoting the area trails and bringing tourist traffic to the store and community. Though plans are still technically up in the air, they are hoping for a soft opening on July 25. In the meantime, Cole hopes the business will have a strong presence at the Bike the Wilds race next weekend at Two Mile Run County Park which typically brings 25-30 racers. They don't intend to race but be available with product information and servicing help. Once up and running he is hoping for a long relationship with Venango county and it's surrounds. "The goal is world domination or at least regional expansion," he said laughing. When I reached up to get another angle for a shot of these kids on a merry go round (I sometimes envy the tall photographers) and saw my shadow was going to be in the frame, I decided to take this selfie anyway to use for this little announcement.
As soon as I was furloughed back in March I knew exactly what I was going to do. I was going to get up the next morning and go to work. Too dumb to take a hint I guess. I was fortunate to figure out unemployment quickly, find health insurance I could manage through the Affordable Care Act, and have old personal equipment I could dust off and relearn to use. So I did. I published my first stories a couple days later on this website and then just kept going. This week I learned my furlough will be extended into next year. I didn't ask any questions and won't at this point. Though I'm very concerned for my newspaper, I need to focus on me. Yes, I still call it my newspaper. I love The Derrick and The News-Herald. I even still call The Meadville Tribune my newspaper because for 18 years they took care of me. I fear for The Derrick that it may not continue, or be bought up by a corporation. The latter may be better, but only marginally since corporations gut newspapers and as a result, we have far fewer quality journalists working today. I want to help them survive, but I can't just sit and wait to be called back. Not that long. I need to start planning like I may never be called back. So this week I will be sitting down and deciding a few things that will determine my future. I have options. I could: Hit a very bad job market for my profession and hope? Surely that will mean a move. Not ideal. Plus not many jobs, and the ones I see out there don't fit me well and pay crap. Get out of the business entirely and get a real job? I may have thrown up in my mouth a little typing that last sentence. Restart a photo portrait type of business? I was building one up a few years back but it nearly killed me partialy because I was still working at the Trib and teaching at Allegheny College. I may not have a love for portrait photography so doing it exclusively could become a bit like having a real job. A real job? No thank you. haha. Look to teach again? I love this idea but I'm not interested in teaching art or photography online at the moment even if a job was available. COVID-19 is making online classes look like its a possibility for the upcoming year. Run away and live in my car until my retirement and 401(k) runs out? (I would have to cash them out and suffer all the penalties - wait isn't it my money?) This options has some great appeal to me until I remember I really like to shower every day. Freelance? There are so many of my professional friends already doing this that I'm not sure what kind of market I might be entering. Or continue doing what I do and begin the process of letting Eight & 322 be my living? Perhaps turn this free blog into a weekly newspaper that is supported through ad sales or sponsorships. I'd love for it to be free to read if I can figure that out. Information and our community are too important to miss because no one wants to pay for it. And something solid to hold and read helps us absorb information much better than the fleeting internet, even though the internet will be key to this idea having any success at all. I may be employing a combination of the above list but putting some real sweat equity into the last item. At least I'll try to figure out if this will even be feasible. Let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading along with me on this forward journey. I'd be hard pressed to ever remember a time talking with DP Warner when music didn't come up. The drummer/painter/art professor/installation artist seems to have a song running through his head 24/7. This week we're looking at pieces from his extended series of work based on his love and interest in sound. "These show an evolution of mark making, opening up to new material, imagining what sound might look like and the notation of music," Warner wrote. Turning the Table, the image at the top of the page, was his first music related piece. It dates back to 1979, when he also drew Coltrane, shown directly above. As he developed his idea of what music would look like, he began abstracting his record collection in 1980. The direction of sound began to really influence the shapes and marks on the canvas. A year later, at the start of the Reagan years, DP abstracted sound further as he painted large acrylic canvases. Drifting Pedals is a 40" by 60" vertical abstract employing several reactions to sound with larger masses of paint, scrape marks and splatters. In 1983, he was working on a "notation" series again mixing lots of media together as he was beginning to move more towards his sheet music series. In 1984, while America was about to enter into a second term with Reagan and a 12-year run of Conservatism, DP went to another 40" x 60" painting influenced by smokey nighttime jazz. Night Riff employed the figure within the sea of abstraction and remnants of the notation series. By now DP was full bore into his sheet music series, which was again, abstractions influenced by reading music. To see last weeks entry which features some of DP's more recent work please visit: http://richardsayerphotojournalism.weebly.com/eight--322/featured-artist-of-the-july-dp-warner
COVID-19 has cancelled some of the events of the International Bowhunting Association this year, but not the one at Two Mile Run County Park in Venango County, where the pandemic numbers are still quite low compared to other parts of the state and country. For professionals, like Dan McCarthey, who make their living off competitive events and sponsorships, having fewer events makes doing well at them even more important. "Every event is important," McCarthy said with a half grin on his face He and his wife Emily walked the course Friday, they looked like they had just crawled out of a race car window at Daytona. Their sponsor laden black and yellow shirts showed the importance of their doing well. This weekend's archery event at Two Mile is the second in a national championship triple crown that concludes next month in Seven Springs. On Friday, the archers were on the course getting tuned up for this weekend's competition, which typically draws several hundred visitors to the park. According to the IBO website, the 32-year-old organization seeks to promote wildlife conservation and education about the sport of bow hunting. Their competitions are broken into several classifications and age groups. The IBO isn't just the competitions. "As state game agencies are increasingly recognizing that bowhunting can play an important part in modern suburban American deer management, the IBO is prepared to play a pro-active role in the process and providing the best-trained, best prepared and most ethical bowhunters," the group posted on its website. These events also allow vendors and bow hunting educators a forum to teach the public about safety and advancements of technology and equipment.
The event concludes Sunday at Two Mile. The Crawford Area Transportation Authority, which also services Venango County, will begin bus runs from Franklin and Oil City to Two-Mile County Park's Crosby Beach starting today and running through August. This effort hopes to help city residents get to water to cool off and have fun since both municipalities decided not to open their pools this summer due to COVID-19 and restrictions associated with the pandemic. According to swim coordinator and lifeguard Jen Kissell-Dudek the beach has been very busy. "In all the years I've been here I've never had to open up the second swim area," she said. Due to increased numbers, over 200 last week in a single day, she opened up the extra swimming area to help with social distancing. She said they haven't had to bring on more staff as yet but wasn't sure what the bus route will mean for numbers. Kissell-Dudek also noted the concession stand has been very busy this season.
Wednesday there was plenty of room for social distancing even though it was busy at the beach and even in the water. Temperatures are expected to remain high for the rest of the week. Today the first CATA bus will drop off beach goers from Franklin at noon before heading to Oil City to pick up the next batch. The buses will run this cycle all afternoon Thursday through Saturdays until August 29. For more information on bus routes and times visit https://www.catabus.org/two-mile-run-crosby-beach Once again you access the world of knowledge and imagination a library houses. The Oil Region Library Association, which has branches in Oil City, Franklin and way out in Cooperstown, has opened back up. It is again providing its wide array of services to walk-ins - though some restrictions will be in place. Masks and social distancing monitored and all staff must be masked. According to the ORLA website the staff will employ "excessive" cleaning measures being sure items and surfaces are sprayed down. Computers are spread out and returned items will be quarantined until they a sanitized. Curb-side pickup will continue for those who just don't want to go inside. Hand and spray sanitizers are available inside as well. They are limiting individual use to 30 minutes to aid in social distancing and allow more people to access the library. More information can be found here: http://oilregionlibraries.org/covid-19-updates The Franklin Library will be going through some renovations and reorganization during their re-opening. A new carpet will be installed and the children's room will be moved into a larger area and the adult books section also relocated. "It's going to be a hodge-podge for awhile," said Terrie Grove, who has been with the library for five years. "But people are willing to work with us through it. I think they are just glad to be able to come again."
Andy Wilks, a regular patron agrees with that statement. He said he is "very much" pleased to be able to return. "It's been almost four months," he said as he used one of the library's computers Monday. For more information on hours at each branch as well as the programs being offered on-line or through pickup packets visit : https://oilregionlibraries.org/oilregionlibraries.org/ They saw a need. They formed a group. They solved the problem. It was as simple as that for a trio of Reno women. In October 2019, Jessica Struthers, Valerie Zitterbart, and Laura Anna, or the "three chicks" as they refer to themselves, decided it was time for the Reno playground to get a an update. "The neighborhood kids come up here all summer," Struthers said, also noting the nearby bus stop brings lots of afternoon visitors during the school year. No major renovations had been done to the Oak Street park in since the women were youth themselves, and some of the equipment dates back quite a bit further. The thought of a renovations sparked the idea of forming a community group, and the Reno Neighborhood Association was born at the end of last year. After looking into a few different possible avenues for funding, the association was able to secure funds through the Samuel Justus Charitable Trust and the Frederick & Ellen Fair Charitable Trust. The money is enough to cover a whole new set of equipment for the park. Among the goals the women set for the remodel was to make the park more inviting for different ages and ability levels. "We really need it to be inclusive for everybody," Zitterbart said. The new equipment will include a variety of swings, multiple slides, a merry go round, and other interactive pieces. The update will also include new benches and garbage cans. The equipment is expected to arrive in August, but the women didn't want to wait to get the playground makeover underway. This past week they organized a small group of volunteers to clear out over growth around the former volleyball court. Mother nature, time and neglect has made the playground a little smaller each year as bushes and other plants invaded the space from the nearby hillside, virtually taking over the court. Now the neighborhood association is taking it back. As they wait for the major equipment to be deliver, the women have made arrangements to rejuvenate the volleyball area with new sand and a net. The sand will be delivered by Bert Klapec, who will also be assisting with removal of the current equipment when the time comes. Community support was also received from Sherwin Williams, which made a donation to help revitalize the picnic tables. Additional support will be needed with the equipment arrives and volunteers will be needed to help assemble and install it. Struthers also added that the borough stepped up to help clear even more brush than the volunteers weren't able to get done. Zitterbart and Struthers said the playground renovation is just one of many positive things happening to make the village a great place to raise a family. If they have their way, the momentum will continue into next year as well.
"Eventually we want to replace the picnic tables," Zitterbart said, adding that the basketball courts and pavilion will also receive attention. Their track record shows that is very likely to happen. "We TCB'd it," Struthers said of their aggressive timeline. "We took care of some business." |
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