The employees of GE-Motor Coils were treated to a luncheon, by local management , last Thursday. The event was held to acknowledge three consecutive years without a lost time injury, a monumental amount of time in the railroad industry. The Emporium facility also accomplished a record 527 days without a recordable injury. GE-Emporium was featured in the Safety Section of GE Transportation monthly newsletter, in January, for their exemplary safety record.
Operations Leader John Rosella addressed the employees, "Congratulations to every GE-Motor Coils employee for achieving this safety milestone. Three years without a lost-time accident is a tremendous achievement."
The Emporium facility has a very proactive safety program, with cooperative involvement from all levels of employment, under the leadership of EHS Director Fred Manginell.

A three-vehicle accident in Jay Township Wednesday morning involving a
tractor-trailer sent one man to the hospital. State police say a Nissan
pathfinder driven by Matthew Rightnour of Clearfield was stopped on Route
255 waiting for a vehicle ahead of him to make a turn from Route 255.
Emporium resident Mary Laughlin struck the rear of the pathfinder while
attempting to stop behind him. A freightliner driven by David Harris of West
Decatur, Pa then went off the road while attempting to avoid the two
vehicles and ended up striking the back of Laughlin's vehicle. A passenger
in Laughlin's vehicle reported minor injuries.

The Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania will hold their Fall Membership Meeting on Sunday Sept. 25th at 9:30, at the Milesburg Holiday Inn located just north of Route 80 at Exit 158.

The featured speaker will be Jeff Krause, Wildlife Biologist for the US Army Corps of Engineers. Jeff will be speaking about habitat enhancement projects at Raystown Lake. Also speaking will be outdoor writer and radio personality Jim Slinsky, along with presentations by the PA Fish and Boat Commission.

Coffee and donuts will be available at 9:00 and lunch will be provided at noon. All sportsmen are welcome.

Guided Elk Watches will be available Sept. 30 and Oct,1, at 5:00 PM starting from Sinnemahoniong State Park. Spaces are limited and registration is required. The tours will be available until Oct. 15, with a cost of $30 per family group. To register, or get details, call the Park office at 814-647-8401

Trisha has been selected as the 2005 Flaming Foliage Festival rep for CCHS. Trisha is the daughter of Kurt and Carol Strahl, and will be escorted by Mike Patton, son of Amelia Smith and Paul Patton. The annual Flaming Foliage Festival is held in Renovo, Pa. on Oct. 14,15, and 16.

The Cameron County Commissioners have hired Statewide Tax Recovery, Inc. to collect delinquent per capita taxes owed to the county. The costs would be paid through fees charged to the people owing the back taxes. The CC School District, and other county municipalities opted out of using this service several years ago.

The Cameron County commissioners approved pay raises for all country elected officials during a Sept. 8 special meeting. The commissioners voted 3-0 in favor of the increase, averaging 4% annually for four years. The current commissioners will not benefit from the increase during their current terms, which expire in 2007.

The Cameron County School Board is moving forward to implement a mandatory random drug testing policy. The board met in a special session to hammer out the details of the plan, before the Oct. 3 regular meeting. The policy will require all participants in school sports and other extracurricular activities to agree to submit to random drug testing.

Pennsylvania State Police have charged a 16 year old male with fleeing from
police, driving an ATV on streets, and reckless driving.

The teen was found riding on Main Street in Lewis Run. Police chased the 16
year old along Lafayette Avenue, and Valley Hunt Road, and along Route 219.

Police were able to apprehend the kid.

State Police addressed a handful of incidents across the region over the
past few days.

* Someone damaged a mailbox at the Arnett residence on Big Shanty Road in
Lafayette Township.

* Flowers were stolen from a graveside in McKean Memorial Park

* Someone broke into Murphy's Law bar in Duke Center and stole 114 dollars
in change, and a half-gallon of Captain Morgan.

State Police also cited an Eldred man and woman for playing loud music
within the boro, and banging on a wall.

An Eldred woman was injured in a crash in Eldred Township along Route 446.

Sherri Crawford lost control and struck an embankment with her 96 Monte
Carlo.

The car rolled onto its roof. Crawford received minor injuries.

A Kane man was arrested on drug charges Tuesday. State Troopers arrested
22-year-old James Greville for possession of marijuana with intent to
deliver. Greville as arraigned before District Judge Chris Hauser and
released on bail.

A Bradford woman was arrested last night in Allegany. Police say 60-year-old
Elizabeth Baliski attempted to steal four cartons of cigarettes from Ron's
Smoke Shop. Baliski was issued a ticket to appear in Allegany Town Court.

A Clearfield County hearing aid company has been ordered to repay clients
$31 thousand and stop operations in Pennsylvania.

Attorney General Tom Corbett says that Dubois Based Mark Jones and his
business M.E. Jones Hearing Instruments, as well as Joseph Pannette and his
business Marketing Instruments will also have to pay $190 thousand in fines
for failing to comply with a court order from July of 2001.

The court ruled that the defendants did not comply with 30-day money back
guarantees, which are required by the Hearing Aid Sales Registration law.

Several McKean County residents were listed in court documents as having not
received refunds from the companies.

A Ulysses teenager will be charged with harassment after an incident in
Ulysses Monday night. A 16-year old will be charged after he or she
allegedly walked onto the back porch of Dennis Pollock's home shortly before
9 p.m. and threw rocks at Pollock and yelled obscene language. The juvenile
then fled on foot.

Charges are pending from a crash in Shippen Township over the weekend.
20-year old Michael Cressley of Emporium was traveling east on Sizer Run
Road in Cameron County Friday afternoon when his Chevy Cavalier went off the
road and over an embankment. Cressley was not injured in the accident.

Three area residents were charged after a traffic stop on Route 219 in
Sergeant Township this afternoon. State Police report that a vehicle owned
by 28-year old Weedville resident Aubrey Sapeilak was stopped on Route 219
at 2:16 p.m. and drug paraphernalia was found during a search of the
vehicle. Sapeilak and a passenger, 30-year old Kerry Kremple of St. Marys
were also found to be in possession of heroin. A third person in the
vehicle, 31-year old Sherrell Clemons of Weedville was wanted by State
Police in Ridgway. Drug charges were filed against Sapeilak and Kremple
while Clemons was arrested and taken to Elk County, where he was arraigned.

Rumors about a meningitis outbreak at the Bradford area School district are
at this point, just that, rumors.

Officials with the Department of Health say there are still no confirmed
cases of any kind of meningitis.

School Superintendent Sandra Romanowski met with the Department of health
yesterday, and says the School District is doing whatever they can to insure
the safety of the students.

While no confirmed cases have been reported, testing for meningitis can be a
painful process, involving a spinal tap.

Bacterial and spinal meningitis can be spread from person to person through
saliva. Some people can carry the bacteria and not contract the disease.
Symptoms include a fever, swollen glands, a rash, and a headache or stiff
neck.

A Federal court in Philadelphia says the US Forest Service's East Side
Management plan is acceptable.

The Allegany Defense project has appealed an earlier court ruling,
protesting the logging of black cherry and other native trees in the ANF.

Timber industry supporter and US Congressman John Peterson is in favor of
the ruling.

Today is National School Backpack awareness Day. Locally, CARE for children
is teaming up withy the American Occupational Therapy association to let
parents and students to the dangers of carrying backpacks too heavy, and
improperly worn.

Students should not carry more than 15 percent of their body weight. And
backpacks should be fitted so that the straps fit snugly, and the pack is
carried in the middle of the child's back.

Injuries, and back and neck pain are on the rise as more students carry
heavier load home, and around school with them.

Zippo Manufacturing and WR Case and Sons Cutlery and their employees have
corporately and individually donated $46,000 for Hurricane Katrina Relief.

Ten thousand dollars each was given to the Salvation army and Habitat for
Humanity, various raffles, and other fundraisers drew in the rest of the
money.

Zippo also donated non-perishable food items to a Hurricane Katrina food
drive sponsored by another organization in Bradford.

There will be a time warp in Smethport this weekend as Smethport Residents
celebrate a Victorian Weekend.
The Smethport Area Chamber of Commerce is organizing the weekend full of
activities.
Merchants will decorate their windows in the style of the late 1800's. The
weekend will be filled with street cafes, music, and other events.

Pennsylvania State Police across the Northern Tier have been busy the last
few days:

* Officers investigated a burglary along Prentisvale Road in Otto Township.

* A Counterfeit ten-dollar bill was received at KwikFill in St. Marys. The
bill was printed with the back upside down.

* A Ridgeway man told police someone poured sugar in his gas tank. Damage is
estimated at around one thousand dollars.

* A Mailbox in Lafayette Township was destroyed along Big Shanty Road.

* Police found two bicycles in the borough of Ulysses.

* Someone broke into a camp in Keating Township, rummaging through
cupboards. It's unknown if anything was stolen.

* An Allegany Man reportedly harassed a Smethport woman.

* A "lifer" at SCI Forest was assaulted.

* An incident of harassment was reported in Hamilton Township.

The Solid Waste Authority may or may not be around for a while. The landfill
sale and consolidation effort were discussed as the authority met at the
office of Tony Alfieri in Smethport, but not final decisions were made about
anything. except the resignation of six-year board member, Merle Johnson.

Four Honda gas powered engines were stolen from Double J Resources over the
weekend. State Police say the engines were taken from various well pumps
along Forest Road 187 and 187 C in Hamlin Township. The loss is estimated at
$2420. Anyone with information should contact the Kane Barracks.

A Myerstown, Pa man reported a burglary at his camp in Potter County
sometime this month. 53-year old Michael Eberly reported to police that his
camp was broken into sometime between September 5th and the 16th and several
items were stolen, including two shotguns, a motorcycle helmet and two pairs
of binoculars.

A Kane man suffered minor injuries in a motorcycle accident Sunday afternoon
in Potter County. 64-year old Roy Compton was traveling north on State Route
44 near Cherry Springs State Park when he veered off the right side of the
road and his motorcycle tipped on its side and skidded for 25 feet before
flipping onto the other side and throwing Compton from the bike. Compton was
taken to Charles Cole Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries.

A robbery attempt left an Olean woman shot in the arm Monday morning.
Jessica Lawrence reported to Work at UPS in Allegany at 4:15 Monday morning,
where a white mae confronted her, demanded money, and shot her in the arm.
Police say the middle aged, 250 pound man fled into the woods.

John Rigas has donated several sugar maple trees to be planted on the
Coudersport Town Square.

Potter County Commissioners made the announcement in a meeting last week.
Several trees had to be cut down after a limb fell off and landed in the
square, just moments after a group of people left the vicinity.

A Bradford girl is still missing according to State Police. 19-year-old
Heidi Schimp was last seen August 20. Police ask anyone with information
about her whereabouts to give them a call.

Demolition is set today for the former Castle Inn and Restaurant in
Allegany.

The site will be home to a retail and office complex.

The Castle Restaurant, built in the 1940's had been known as an upscale
getaway for many years before it closed down.

A Tioga County Soldier Died in Iraq September 11. The Department of Defense
announced th4 death last week.
21-year-old U.S. Army Specialist Jeremy M. Campbell, was killed when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during patrol
operations.

An Elk County man has won a trip to Dallas for tonight's game. Scott
Whittaker won after entering a code from a Snickers Wrapper on the company's
website.
Whittaker and his wife will spend three days and two nights in Dallas, where
they also won tickets to the Cowboy / Washington Redskin game tonight.
The couple also won 1 thousand dollars in spending money for the trip.
Whitaker will appear in a Snickers Commercial as well.

An Emporium man has been acquitted of all charges against him after a
Cameron County Jury trial.

31-year-old Brian Uber was found not guilty of raping a 17-year-old juvenile
in a car in a parking lot in Driftwood, over a year ago.

Doctors say a four year-old Jamestown boy has miraculously recovered after
eating a heroin and cocaine mixture on Sunday.

The boy was walking with 25-year-old Raymond Medina, who is charged with
reckless endangerment and drug possession.

The boy was reaching into Medina's pocket to pull out mini chocolate bars.
A packet of heroin and cocaine was in the same pocket.

He four year old got became seriously ill and went unconscious after
consuming the drugs.

Police say a search of Medina's home yielded about 14 thousand dollars worth
of drugs.

Maintenance work planned by McKean County employees includes:

* CRACK SEALING - SR 3005 Campbell Town Road. SR 219 Elk County Line to
Lantz Corners.
SR 446 Farmer's Valley to Larbee Y. SR 46 Farmer's Valley to
Columbia Hill.

* DITCH CLEANING - SR 1006 McCrea Brook. SR 1009 Bells Run.

* HOT PATCH - SR 155 Port Allegany to Potter County Line.

* PIPE INSTALLATION - SR 59 Marshburg. SR 219 Custer City.

SIDE DOZING - SR 321 SR 346 to SR 59. SR 219 Bradford to NY Line.

State Police in Kane are investigating an incident of hit and run this
morning on State Route 46 one mile north of Smethport. An unknown vehicle
was traveling north on State Route 46 when it lost control while rounding a
left hand curve. The Vehicle struck a Utility pole, breaking it off at
ground level but not knocking it over. The Vehicle then left the scene in
an unknown direction. Anyone with information is asked to contact the State
Police barracks in Kane.

Two Eldred Men were arrested for underage drinking yesterday according to
Pennsylvania State police. Zachary Johnston and Tyler Ferguson, both 18,
were discovered to be drinking on North Main Street in Eldred while police
were conducting an investigation that occurred at another location. Charges
are still pending.

Several area bridges have received top priority in McKean Counties 12 year
replacement program. Some of the Bridges listed for consideration by the
state were the Valley Road project estimated at 1.4 million dollars to
replace, the Kennedy Street Bridge in Bradford at 1 million dollars,
Replacement or the repair of the Bordell Road Bridge over Cole Creek near
Elk Lick Scout Reserve. Replacement cost is 450 thousand dollars and repair
costs are at a little under 325 thousand dollars.

Donations are coming in for City Councilman Dan Costello's Operation
Suitcase.
The project is designed to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Donors are asked to pack a suitcase, duffle bag, or knapsack with necessity
items that could help the evacuees in their efforts to start a new life.
NBS Trucking has donated a truck to carry the bags to Sugar Creek Baptist
Church in Sugarland Texas.

Bags will be collected at Grace Lutheran Church between 9. and 6 Thursday
and Friday