Bradford City Councilman Dan Costello is announcing an effort to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Called Operation Suitcase, the project asks anyone willing to donate to pack a suitcase, duffle bag or knapsack with items you think you would need if you lost everything today. A list of items is available upon request. The bag should then be dropped off at Grace Lutheran Church on Thursday and Friday of next week, September 22 and 23^{rd between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.}

The McKean County Solid Waste Authority is set to meet at Solicitor Tony Alfeiri’s office Monday. The county landfill was recently sold to independent firm Rustick LLC.

Talk about the sale over the course of the last few years seemed to indicate that after the sale, the Solid Waste Authority would dissolve.

It’s not clear if that’s what will happen at this meeting

Convicted of shooting a police officer, Timothey Williams is still in jail fighting for a retrial. Attorney Sam Stretton has asked for more tiem to file briefs in the case. Stretton recently complained that the case was taking too long.

A Mount Jewett man was deemed as a sexually violent predator for indecent assault of an 11 year old. 36-year-old Charles Kontz will spend 2-5 years in State Prison.

Judge John Yoder says the sentence is greater than what sentencing guidelines require for the offence, because Kontz showed unusual cruelty in the crime.

A Duke Center man will spend 2-10 years in state priso after he pleaded guilty to aggravated indecent assault and making terroristic threats for a July 31 molestation.

44-year-old Joseph Taylor threatened to harm a 10 year old girl and her family if she told anyone about the sexual abuse.

The victim’s father told the court his daughter still has nightmares, and the whole family has been disturbed by the attack.

Taylor has been determined to be a sexually violent predator, as he has had more than one victim in the past five years.

State Treasurer Robert Casey Jr. has issued a brochure to explain the new credit report laws. Under the new laws, credit reports form the nations three major credit reporting firms are available free twice a year so that consumers can get the information they need to protect their identities and report and charges or billing irregularities found on their personal credit history.

The brochure is available online at www.patreasury.org

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry in Potter County is giving away a lease on a state owned camp north of Lyman Run Road.

The camp lease will be free for the first year, and if the winner wishes to continue, it will cost 250 a year. The lessee will be required to make some minor repairs to the building at their own expense.

Smethport authorities are investigating a break in at the McKean County Courthouse over Labor Day weekend.

Someone reportedly broke into the treasurer’s office, and tried to break into a safe.

The safe could not be cracked, so the thieves made off with a donation jar and the change inside.

Smethport Police Chief Ryan Yingling says the incident is still under investigation.

County Commissioners recently spent a large chunk of money to upgrade security at the courthouse.

Representative Martin Causer was in Port Allegany Friday to award a grant to the Potter County Education council and the McKean County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Representative Causer will present a grant check for $10,000, to be used toward a new Education Council Facility in Port Allegany.

Auditor General Jack Wagner has released a performance audit of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Wednesday that shows the prisoner work program is in possession of $32 million gained by overcharging customers.

According to a special performance audit of the Department from July 1^{st, 2000 to February 18th of this year, Pennsylvania Correctional Industries, the bureau that oversees the funds was ineffectively managed and the funds were not used in the way planned. Auditor General Jack Wagner has said that if the funds will not be used properly, they should be returned to the Pennsylvania taxpayers.}

State Police are investigating a stolen motorcycle. Kenneth Gee of Coudersport reported his 2002 Honda CR125 bike missing from his garage. The suspect was seen with the bike along Dingman Run Road on Tuesday night.

The Twin Tiers Pregnancy Care center is gearing up for an event Sunday at Hamlin Lake Park. The Walk for Life is a fundraising event where participants collect pledge monies to give to the center.

While the center is pro-life, the organizations primary goal is to meet the needs of people in crisis pregnancy situations.

A public meeting in Smethport was held Tuesday night to discuss plans on the development of the Kinzua Bridge state Park. The 8 million dollar plan will include a visitors’ center and some safety repairs to the remnants of the bridge.

The meeting comes just days before the Bridge Festival, to be held this weekend.

Martin Causer is preparing for his third annual Senior expo in Coudersport. The event will be held at the gymnasium at the Gospel Tabernacle Friday October 7.

Lunch will be provided at the event for seniors, which is designed to bring seniors and various organizations together under one roof.

A 500-dollar generator and 100-dollar weed eater were stolen from a boy scout lodge in Austin. State Police say the door of the Porcupine Lodge was busted in sometime in the last month, with thieves making off with the items.

A Bradford Native was killed in Iraq. 54-year-old Marlin Carnes died while working for a Haliburton subsidiary. Carnes died when his truck drove over an improvised explosive devise.

Carnes had volunteered to drive truck in Iraq, to help rebuild the country.

Ten Thousand Dollars have come in for the McKean County Historical Society. The Society was awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The grants are used to support the preservation of the heritage of Pennsylvania.

Representative Marty Causer said the grant will help ensure future generations will be able to enjoy McKean County’s heritage.

Governor Ed Rendell wants you to see the elk.

A new adventure guide is available for the Elk Scenic Drive which travels through Elk, Clinton, Clearfield and Centre counties.

Rendell says more than 75,000 visitors travel to Pa in the fall to see the elk herd. The new guide will give them insight into historic spots in the area and entertainment beyond the elk herd.

The Elk Scenic Drive guides are available at tourist promotion agencies, PennDOT welcome centers, state parks and forests.