Police searching for man wanted in OC drug raid
From staff reports Sugarcreek Borough police are searching for a man wanted in connection with a drug raid last week at a Bissell Avenue apartment…
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UPMC Northwest welcomes ‘precious cargo’
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer UPMC Northwest received its first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine for the coronavirus at 9:50 a.m. Thursday. “It’s a…
Tri-county adds 79 virus cases
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Friday announced 79 new cases of COVID-19 were reported from the tri-county area, and Venango and…
Tri-county reports more virus cases, additional death
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Thursday announced 70 new cases of COVID-19 were reported from the tri-county area and Venango County…
Tri-county area adds 83 virus cases
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Wednesday announced 83 new cases of COVID-19 from the tri-county area, and Venango and Clarion counties…
Titusville Hospital receives vaccine
From staff reports Titusville Area Hospital announced it has received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and plans to provide it to their employees, as well as…
Franklin chamber offering free local delivery from downtown businesses
From staff reports The Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce is urging people to shop small this holiday season by offering free local delivery. “We came…
Area weekend virus cases hit 246
From staff reports The state Department of Health over the weekend announced the tri-county area reported an increase of 246 cases of COVID-19. Clarion County,…
Vatican rejects appeal of Catholic church merger
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer The Congregation for Clergy at the Vatican has denied an appeal made by a number of parishioners who opposed the…
State approves ALDI as option for SNAP online ordering pilot
From staff reports The state Department of Human Services announced ALDI has joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s pilot program allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program…
Police still looking for woman who fled from patrol vehicle
From staff reports Franklin state police are still looking for an Oil City woman who escaped from custody Dec. 4. Police said Megan Renee Slater,…
Venango County logs 101 new virus cases
From staff reports The state Department of Health announced Wednesday that 148 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the tri-county area, 101 of which…
Area has 96 new virus cases; Forest County reports death
From staff reports The state Department of Health announced Tuesday that 96 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the tri-county area and Forest County…
Farm Show cancels butter sculpture, citing COVID-19 concerns
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — There will be no butter sculpture at next month’s annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, which had previously been converted to an all-virtual…
Michigan hospitals: Partial shutdown should be extended
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan hospital officials said Monday the state’s partial shutdown of businesses and schools to curb the coronavirus is working and should…
PennDOT liability clampdown angers OC manager
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer A clampdown on insurance liability issues by PennDOT that could threaten any public events on state-owned highways drew fire…
Venango, Clarion virus totals jump
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Friday announced a combined 77 new cases of COVID-19 in Venango and Clarion counties and two…
7 Venango County facilities get antigen test allotments
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Seven facilities in Venango County have received an allotment of COVID-19 antigen tests. An unspecified number of tests went to…
Man arrested after incident at hospital; 2 officers hurt
By SARAH TITLEY Staff writer A Harrisville man is facing felony charges for physically attacking and threatening officers Monday in the emergency department of UPMC…
Food pantry sees increase in need for assistance
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer The number of families seeking food assistance at the Cranberry Food Pantry is going up and that has volunteers…
Central Elementary has 2 positive virus cases
From staff reports Two individuals from Central Elementary School tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, according to a post by Franklin Area School District…
72 tri-county virus cases reported
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Friday announced Clarion County reported 38 new cases of COVID-19 (10 confirmed and 28 probable), Venango…
Many turn to real Christmas trees as bright spot amid virus
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Ani Sirois, a respiratory nurse, has spent months caring for coronavirus patients at a Portland, Oregon, hospital, and she’s only getting…
Venango County will limit access to buildings
From staff reports Venango County is limiting public access to county buildings beginning Monday. Appointments must be made to enter the buildings due to the…
Oil City man facing numerous charges in fraud, robbery cases
By DILLON PROVENZA Staff writer An Oil City man is facing numerous charges following an investigation by police into multiple incidents that have occurred since…
Control of two downtown OC parks transferred to city
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Two lush downtown Oil City parks, each a product of a prior demolition project, are now under the auspices…
Man accused of breaking into Hasson school
From staff reports A Titusville man is facing charges for breaking into Hasson Heights Elementary School in Oil City overnight Wednesday. Franklin state police said…
Schroyer: ‘Tough putting finances together’
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer Striking a balance between a static revenue stream and the need to pay for city operations was “a real…
Area reports 39 additional virus cases
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Wednesday announced Venango County reported 25 new cases of COVID-19 (19 confirmed and six probable) and…
Man accused of fleeing from police, punching officer
From staff reports A transient man is facing charges for fleeing from police and punching a police officer in the face. Franklin police said in…
Cranberry puts winter sports on hold for now
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer The coronavirus pandemic is continuing to upend educational norms, and that has required some shuffling of the sports schedule…
Tri-county area reports more virus cases
From staff reports The state Department of Health for the third consecutive day announced more than 5,000 additional cases of COVID-19-including a combined 33 from…
Statewide virus cases top 5,000 again
From staff reports The state Department of Health for the second consecutive day announced more than 5,000 additional cases of COVID-19 – including a combined…
Machine shop expanding at North Seneca Street site
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer A longtime Oil City business has purchased a property just across the street from its current location and plans…
Former Titusville teacher pleads guilty in sex assault case
From staff reports A former Titusville Area School District physical education teacher accused of statutory sexual assault of a 14-year-old boy pleaded guilty to three…
OC, Cranberry moving to all remote learning
From staff reports Oil City and Cranberry school districts have announced more changes in learning models starting Monday. All schools in the Oil City district…
OC man facing charges for growing marijuana
From staff reports An Oil City man has been accused of growing marijuana in his garage and is facing drug charges. On Nov. 3, Raymond…
Weekend virus statistics show 71 new cases
From staff reports The state Department of Health over the weekend announced the tri-county area reported an increase of 71 cases of COVID-19. There were…
More sacred objects coming out as church demolition continues
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Demolition work is continuing at the landmark Assumption BVM Church building on Oil City’s North Side. A crew from BKI…
More than 330 Venango County businesses received CARES funds
By KARA O’NEIL Staff writer Nearly 400 small businesses and non-profits in Venango County have received grants through the county’s CARES funds. “The small business…
Man facing charges after incident at club
A Franklin man is facing charges for threatening to shoot people at the Franklin Moose Club on Tuesday. Franklin police said in a criminal complaint…
Turnout high across tri-county as incumbents win
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer As the changing dynamics of the presidential race held voters’ rapt attention for most of the election cycle this…
OC officer rescues stranded dog
By DILLON PROVENZA Staff writer A dog is “doing well” after an Oil Creek caper left the animal stranded on a small island and requiring…
Emlenton man facing strangulation, theft charges
From staff reports An Emlenton man is facing charges for strangling and threatening a woman during a physical altercation at an Emlenton residence. Franklin state…
OC restaurant finds new way to keep business running during pandemic
By JUDITH O. ETZEL Contributing writer A longtime Oil City restaurant and tavern, operated by the third generation of the founders and nestled into a…
Local virus totals climb
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Saturday announced Venango County reported nine new cases of COVID-19 (seven confirmed and two probable) and…
Venango, Clarion virus totals climb
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Friday announced Venango County reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 (seven confirmed and four probable) and…
Public meeting to address Routes 62, 8, 15th Street Hill
A virtual public meeting for safety study of the Route 62-Route 8 intersection and 15th Street Hill in Venango County is scheduled from 6:30 to…
Franklin man accused of having numerous firearms as a felon
From staff reports A Franklin man has been indicted by a grand jury in the federal court in Erie on charges of possessing numerous firearms…
Venango, Clarion add to virus case totals
From staff reports The state Department of Health on Tuesday announced Venango and Clarion counties each reported four new cases of COVID-19 (three confirmed and…