Blog Archives

Titusville grad educates other in the place she learned to love nature

6/30/2022

This story first appeared in The Titusville Herald on 6-29-22

“I grew up playing in this park,” said Oil Creek State Park’s Environmental Education Specialist Ivy Kuberry. “What better place to work than where I learned to love being outside.“

The 2012 Titusville High School graduate returned from college and a spattering of other environmental jobs at the end of 2019 to take over for long-time park educator Chris Mosebach who retired. “I told Chris I was gunning for his job when I was going to school,” she joked. "And here I am."

She began right when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, so this year’s educational opportunities have been a little more fun for her to put together.

She is currently running a series of day camp programs for kids titled “Oil Creek DiscoverE Day Camps.” Last week she completed her first group consisting of 4- and 5-year-olds over three nights. She used the theme “Meeting the Mammals” to discuss and teach about what a mammal is, how and where they live and some identification activities.

She is gearing up for the second camp, titled “Modern Day Dinosaurs," for ages 6 to 8. That camp is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the pavilion near the Petroleum Center park office.

In August, she will hold another three-day camp for older kids ages 9 to 13 with “Outdoor Recreation” as the theme. That camp will be earlier in the day beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 2:30 p.m. starting August 3.

Kuberry also runs several other educational programs for all ages throughout the park. She said one of her goals is to get people outside to enjoy nature.

These programs bring people to the park to experience what she has known her whole life - that park offers a lot to do.

To see more educational programs visit the parks website at https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Education/Pages/default.aspx

0 Comments

Flash Dance

6/29/2022

0 Comments

updated to fix email address to hollymckenzie70@gmail.com

A flashmob dance surprised the audience at the Taste of Talent Vocal Competition Wednesday night. Halfway through the list of 10 performers, just as emcee Tammi Dahl got ready to make some announcements, the Franklin YMCA Magic All-Star Cheerleaders broke into a dance in the middle of the crowd and entertained the roughly 700 people in attendance.

It seemed to be a hit.

This was the cheer group's first attempt at a flashmob, said Holly McKenzie, the group's coach. After their competition season was over, they decided to think about doing pop-up-style appearances. "We thought it would be a great way to get ourselves out and about during the summer," McKenzie said.

She said soon after they talked to Taste of Talent organizer Ronnie Beith who thought it was a wonderful idea. "The athletes and parents actually had a blast," McKenzie said about their inaugural run. "We actually had several parents join us tonight and we're glad they did, it shows that any age can do it."

McKenzie said if anyone is having an event or just wants the group to perform a flashmob happening, she would be happy to hear from them. The group is preparing at least four songs and routines they can rotate through this summer. Several of the teen athletes helped with the choreography.

Anyone wanting to schedule something can email McKenzie at hollymckenzie70@gmail.com

The group is likely to make another appearance at a future Taste of Talent event, but since they are supposed to be a surprise, we're going to keep the secret about when that will be.

Below is a great education opportunity for teens.

0 Comments

Candy, waves and firetrucks, Fireman's parade delights

6/29/2022

0 Comments

Didn't seem like a huge crowd along the zig-zagging parade route through Rocky Grove Wednesday evening, but those along the route seemed to have pretty big bags of candy to lug back to their houses.

Here are a few moments captured from the first few minutes of the Rocky Grove Fireman's Parade.

See more photos at https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p663617908

0 Comments

Bandstand Park is full of talent once again

6/29/2022

0 Comments

The annual Taste of Talent vocal competition kicked off the 2022 season with 10 contestants who got a chance to give the crowd a glimpse of what is to come. This is an elimination-style event. But in the first week, everyone gets a second chance to wow the crowd who is ultimately casting the votes that will decide who moves on each week. Votes were taken tonight and they will be added to next week's totals.

Performing tonight and next Wednesday are Reji Exley of Oil City, Ruth Herrick of Greenville, Tim Craver of Franklin, Alexander Karg of Oil City/Pittsburgh, Iris Callahan of Vowinkel, Maesa Burns of Titusville, Christian Agnew of Oil City, Kaleb Beichner of Shippenville, Madison Wakefield of Titusville and Shanay Jackson of Oil City.

Next week's performance will again begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening. Additional concerts will be held with contestants being eliminated by audience vote on Wednesdays July 13, 20, and 27. The semi-finals will be held Saturday, August 6 at 7 p.m., and the competition finale is on Sunday, August 7, at 4 p.m.

Find out more about the event by going online to www.franklinpa.gov or on Facebook at FranklinPAEvents.

See more photos at https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p639871164

Former winners Rachael Mellor and Nathaniel Licht returned as judges of the popular singing contest. Tammi Dahl serves as this year's emcee.

0 Comments

Rocky Grove Fireman's Fair kicks off

6/28/2022

0 Comments

The annual Rocky Grove Fireman's Fair, the department's biggest fundraiser for the year, kicked off Tuesday night with the usual fair staples - food, games and rides. At the end of the evening they also lit up the sky with fireworks.

Local band High Above 80 performed as well.

The fair continues every night through Saturday. On Wednesday, a parade will snake through the neighborhoods of the village of Rocky Grove before ending at the fairgrounds. Thursday night features a car show and cruise-in. Friday is "Buddy Night" where two get ride tickets for the price of one and a performance by local band Rurally Bankrupt. The fair concludes Saturday with the garden tractor pulls. The fair opens each night a 6 p.m. except for Saturday, when it opens at 5 p.m. The fair closes each night at 10 p.m. It is free to enter. Parking is $5.

0 Comments

Skills USA participant has some concerns about firefighting's future

6/26/2022

0 Comments

And two other locals bring home hefty hardware

Evan Mullen, a 2022 graduate of Titusville High School and the Venango Technology Center, recently competed in the Skills USA national finals in Atlanta, Georgia. Mullen competed against 37 other students from all over the country in the firefighting program.

He was matter of fact about his state and regional wins that allowed him to represent the state of Pennsylvania in the competition. And he says it is indicative of a bigger problem.

"It was me and this other kid from Rocky Grove," he said about his regional gold medal. "He could school me on the physical stuff, but I scored high on the knowledge end." Only two young men competing in the competition regionally and both from Venango Technology Center.

Granted not all vocational schools in the area offer firefighting in their curriculum, but that too is also a problem according to Mullen.

At the state level he competed against only five others and he said the same thing there. "There were kids there with higher certifications," he said explaining he is certified to fight fire externally, but not enter a burning structure as yet.

At nationals there were more, but only 27 of the 50 states were represented.

He said the competition was fun and he learned a lot and his raining at VTC, volunteering for Cherrytree VFD and working closely on his skills with Oil City firefighter Eric McFadden really got him prepared to win states and compete well in Atlanta.

"I hope anyone who wants to enter Skills USA does what I did and work with (McFadden),” he said.

Mullen's path to firefighting began after attending the Pennsylvania State Police summer program Camp Cadet. He signed up for VTC’s Protective Services program wanting to be a police officer. His dad Jeff encouraged him to join the Cherrytree VFD to serve and be active.

A version of this story first appeared in The Titusville Herald on June 28, 2022.

Mullen's interests began shifting towards firefighting and he has gone full bore to learn as much as he can about the profession. Though he didn't medal at nationals his advisor at VTC said just getting to go is amazing. VTC has only has three students advance to nationals, tow of them this year.

Mullen is concerned for the future of firefighting stating fewer and fewer people are signing up. Even in the classroom he said the firefighter section is one of the smallest.

“It would be nice to see more people get involved in volunteer fire departments,” he said. “It is really needed, (the profession) is dying.”

He added that there is more to being a member of a fire department than just fighting fires. Volunteers are needed for many taks including fundraising, support and upkeep of the department, fire police etc... "There are so many jobs that need to be done and we need more people."

He left Monday for the Navy and his future, but realizes that leaves one less person to help fight fires locally.

In the navy he will be a damage control man which firefighting is definitely included in his duties. He will be a sort of master of all trades aboard a ship that has to know just about every system and more importantly, know how to fix it.

Mullen wasn't the only local to compete in the SkillsUSA competition. Another Venango Technology Center student Matt Woolcock, a 2022 Cranberry High School graduate, also competed at Skills USA in Atlanta. Woolcock competed in the welding division where he took home the top honors in the nation. This is the first national champion for VTC who has only had one other qualifier for nationals prior to this year with Mullen and Woolcock. Cameron Muir of Oil City qualified in 2019 in the Protective Services division.

Woolcock said he was pleased with his performance. “I had a good time, I was there to weld, so that’s what I did,” he said.

“I am super proud of both kids, said Bob Moore the Skills USA supervisor. “They went and did their job and they were profession the whole time they were there.”

Woolcock, who plans to go to Penn College for welding engineering, said his instructor Travis Crate has been instrumental in pushing him to learn more and more. He said being able to figure out when something goes wrong is key saying when he struggled to learn something, he eventually became even better at it than things that came easy.

“I would like to say the only reason I’m here where I am today is because of Mr. Crate and the Good Lord,”

Also doing quite well was Crawford County Career and Technical Center and 2022 Maplewood grad Trista Robinson. She was one minor error away from perhaps being the country’s best in the Estheticians category which concentrates on skin care and make-up. She had to settle for second. “It was an awesome experience,” she said about the competition and the awards ceremony. “It was like a concert arena.”

She credits her teacher Kristen Deets for really helping her get where sh has. She plans to continue working in her mom’s shop Chelby’s Hair Garage in Townville and maybe take some more continuing ed classes in the future. “She has worked really hard for this, We’re just so proud of her,” her mom said.

“I was very proud to represent Pennsylvania in the national competition,” Trista said.

0 Comments

Still in need of some help

6/26/2022

0 Comments

This is an update from a story first told two years ago about a father still searching for a kidney

Darrin Graham spends four hours each Monday, Wednesday and Friday hooked up to a dialysis machine. The treatments wear him out. "He's tired a lot," Rhiannon Graham said.

Darrin has been dealing with kidney failure since he was 15 years old living in Baltimore. He got one kidney transplant that just didn’t take. A second has given him some years but it too is wearing out. Now the 43-year-old Franklin resident needs a third.

"He doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes or anything. He barley even drinks soda," Rhiannon said

Darrin is a dad. He has six kids he is trying to raise while battling this disease trying to kill him.

For the last 28 years he has dealt with failing kidney's, dialysis and knowing he likely has to hope a new donor will be there when he needs it the most.

Now is one of those times.
Two years ago he was lined up to get a kidney from an organ donor who died, but something happened and the kidney went to another patient.

So the Grahams went back to waiting. That is what they a seemingly always doing… waiting.

Grahams last transplant was a success but a transplant just buys time, not a lifetime.

"We were told a transplant is generally good for about ten years. This one has been 16,” Rhiannon said. And this kidney wasn’t a perfect match and has required him to continue dialys

"He's still really tired all the time and getting dizzy more frequently. His blood pressure is on the rise and he has a couple of close calls because his port( a device put into the body under the skin to administer treatments) has failed,” Rhiannon Graham said. Rhiannon said there just isn’t another place to put a port for him so they are taking it day to day.

”We're just hoping we can find a match before anything does get worse."

It's a huge ask.

Darrin Graham understands this. So does Rhiannon, his wife of the 14 years. Darrin has been dealing with kidney failure for over 30 years. He has had possible donors in the past that just didn’t pan out for one reason or another.

Waiting on a donor who has died, that matches blood type and a score of other criteria is a painfully arduous process.

Darrin is still spending 12 hours a week hooked to a machine just to keep his body functioning. They have been told that finding a living donor is their best hope.

Waiting for a match through a deceased donor is a 1 in 50,000 chance, they said.
He feels lucky that he doesn't really experience much pain and has been able to help take care of his kids.

The family has started a Facebook page with lots of information about becoming a living donor. Even if one doesn't match Darrin's blood type they can still sign up and their kidneys could help another and the agency will try to match Darrin's through a swap system.

The page describes Darrin's situation and provides information about being a living donor and where folks can go to help.

"This is very draining on him. But he sucks it up and is a great father to his children. He goes to all their sporting events, plays catch with them and he helps takes care of his 5 year old son who was born with congenital heart disease and has had 5 open heart surgeries." the page explains.

Battling kidney failure has become his second full-time job to being a dad.

"I know this is a lot to ask of someone but at this point it seems to be our only option," Said Rhiannon. "I just want to see my kids grow, that's all that matters" Darrin added.

Need more information? Check out there
Darrin Graham needs a kidney facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Darrin-Graham-Needs-a-Kidney-107809347387855/

Living donor form
https://livingdonorreg.upmc.com/?fbclid=IwAR2TWF1lwEyM4hJLuk5bwrzl7Xi1h_g2s_yN__9-kn3i4aKEs5RlWoYGRVc

0 Comments

Getting an impression of the area

6/26/2022

1 Comment

Van Gogh had Arles, Cezzanne - Mount Sainte-Victoire and Monet had Giverny. Joshua Sterling has Oil Creek State Park.

The former reporter/editor for The Titusville Herald, left newspapering a few years ago to help Venango County figure out a lot of community issues including housing. His work for the Venango County Regional Planning Commission deals with numbers and regulations and trying to find ways to help the people of the area live better quality lives. It's rewarding but difficult work tha doesn't exactly have the creative outlet that his former jobs had,

So when he looked back on an old college class he found a kind in inspiration that let him get away from it all, focus on his thoughts and look at the world around in a different way.

He took up painting. Not wall and not some paint and sip classes to make a personalized replica of art to relax. He dove head-first into the world of Plein Air painting, a form of landscape painting done on site, in the open air and usually in a single session. He jumped into the ring with the Impressionists.

A version of this story first appeared in The Titusville Herald on June 24, 2022

Sterling understands the difficulty of staring at a completely blank surface and working step by step on filling it up. His work as editor for the Herald presented him with that every single day.

This training, though it wasn’t meant to be for his artistic endeavors, was perfect for going out into the world to find something that tickles his fancy and making something that he can share with others.

Besides laying out a newspaper, Sterling also took a class over a decade ago at Penn State Altoona to learn some basics of painting. This class stuck with him and just before the pandemic hit he started making some paintings. “Most of them get stacked in the garage,” he said with a bit of a chuckle. “Some that we (his wife Jaimee and he) think look good we frame and hang in the house.

Sterling gravitated toward the impressionists because that work made sense to him. A lot of modern art was lost in translation to him and making a painting felt like a building activity.

When Sterling was young he gravitated toward music for his artistic expression. He played and wrote hard punk rock music. “I shouted into the microphone,” he said of his grungier sloppy music days.

His writing songs turned into other writing that calmed his voice down a bit. He worked on a novel and began writing for the local newspaper.

Painting has become one of his preferred go-to activities for dealing with the stress of his professional career. It is a release and a time to be alone with his thoughts and in his surroundings, he said. He has subjects planned around Titusville and it's surrounding countryside where deer and Amish buggies make up the traffic. But he has found himself in the local state park a lot as well. “I guess I have a sort of unofficial Oil Creek series going,” he noted.

“Since finding some sort of guiding principles for my visual art outlet, I’ve been strict with myself only documenting the world’s light as it strikes my eye,” he said. “Like a truth from my perspective. Every time I come out I try to bite off a little more each time.”

Sterling won’t brag about his artistic abilities. Like most artists he struggles to know if he is making anything worthy of others attention. “Anxiety is the blank canvas, I can honestly say I have no idea as I start.”

“I’ve always felt like I was escaping something. Just to be able to focus on taking a three-dimensional world - then simplifying everything down to mixing three primary colors…..”

Sterling makes paintings first, worries about if they are art later.

He says he has had a few commissions, but mostly he paints because he is compelled to for himself. He’ll occasionally toss a piece into a regional show, but painting isn’t an endeavor of a monetary life for him, but of a life worth living.

1 Comment

Celebrating youth, art, culture and a somewhat lost history

6/25/2022

0 Comments

Being an excellent drummer who had a flamboyant style of crossing hands and sticks over to the opposite side of the drum while marching may have gotten Franklin's Wes Law some attention as a supreme showman but in the days of segregation, it didn't get him a spot in a white band. Undeterred, an all-black band was formed and played for decades around the area.

Franklin's music history is long and diverse, and that diversity will now be celebrated for years to come thanks to a mural and descriptive plaque on the side of the Barrow-Civic Theatre.

A roughly 11 x 33 foot brightly colored mural was dedicated Saturday morning in front of a crowd of over 100 people. The project was made possible through a couple of grants from the Bridge Builder's Foundation and spearheaded by Franklin High School art teacher Rachelle Surrena. It was created mostly by Franklin High School art students, but many others contributed to the mural.

"Making a gigantic mural makes big dreams seem more achievable," she told the crowd as she began to describe the project and the work of her students and community.

Rachelle Surrena addresses a crowd in front of the mural depicting the Sheepskin Band with members Wes Law, Kale Law, John Lawson and Ed Lawson.

The project began months ago with meetings and field trips. Local historians Carolee Michener, Peter Greene and Steve Johnston were instrumental in helping Surrena and her students settle on a subject.

Greene, who has researched a great deal of Franklin's music history was one of the speakers Saturday. He gave a history of the band known as the Franklin "Sheepskin Band." He described how the band was invited to be a part of several local events, including the very large Armistice Day parade in 1918. "The band's history was emblematic of its time. Respected, honored and hired for all sorts of major local occasions, yet at the same time, its members were never invited to join in other groups," Greene said.

He said Saturday that after the death of leader Wes Law, their famed drummer, the band was largely forgotten. So he was excited to be able to speak Saturday about this band. "It is a great thing to see this chapter of Venango County's cultural history acknowledged and preserved here."

Several local leaders and school officials came out to the dedication ceremony. Two students, Kayleigh Beasly and Calista Judy each spoke of their involvement and thanked the community for the experience in creating this mural as a lasting tribute to this largely forgotten part of the city's and county's history.

“We had plenty of ideas on what to do for the mural, but in the end, we decided on representing the Sheepskin Band,” Beasley said. “It was incredibly interesting to learn about the band and to work on something big that would represent them and educate the community.”

"In today’s climate, there is great importance in celebrating, and promoting visibility for our diverse history. Through music, the Sheepskin Band richened our culture and deserves significance," Judy said.

Innovation has a new home in Franklin

6/23/2022

0 Comments

A group of young people gathered in a large room above the Franklin Chamber of Commerce back in May to fly a few drones around obstacle courses mostly made up of blow-up dinosaurs. The youngsters were having fun but also learning. A small bit about coding and uses for robotics and drones in the future was the goal of this Remake Learning night.

The space they were in once housed the Franklin Masons, a fraternal organization that recently moved out when they merged with the Oil City chapter.

This story first appeared in the Titusville Herald, published this morning. Great community partnerships are the future of local journalism.

That night turned out to be a testing ground to see if the space could be used for the Innovation Institute For Tomorrow, a project of the Pennsylvania Rural Robotics Initiative.

In 2021 the Pennsylvania Rural Robotics Initiative thought it found its new home in a historic building with good bones that just needed some TLC. The Franklin, an old hotel and event venue, had sat vacant for a few years but had just found a new owner looking for saving the building and an investment into the future.

Tim Heffernan's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiative seemed like just the right kind of future the historic building needed, at least to its new owner and Heffernan.

Well, not all dreams come true.

After some extensive roofing repairs, the project kept evolving and at one point, as Heffernan stood in a trout fishing stream, he got a phone call that the building had been put back on the market.

What may have seemed like a devastating roadblock to his endeavor may have been a blessing in disguise. Around this same time a few blocks away the Franklin Masonic Lodge that occupied the upper floors above the Franklin Chamber of Commerce was moving out as they consolidated with the Oil City lodge.

Jodi Baker Lewis, the chamber’s director, is a long-time supporter of the robotics initiative. The Franklin Chamber owns the building and they needed a new tenant. The institute had its plans change suddenly and they needed a new home.

Coincidence? Fate?

Heffernan and his board began looking at these two floors that once held the secret society of Freemasons rituals as the possible future for their initiative. It has large ballroom-sized rooms, storage, kitchens and bathrooms - just about everything it needs to get up and running.

“I think it might even have more space than The Franklin,” Heffernan said. Certainly better overall space to suit the institute's eventual needs.

What Heffernan, a former Franklin High school history and STEM teacher, is trying to establish is a space where kids interested in robotics, drones, information technology and coding can come after school and during the summer to work on advancing their skills while learning valuable information that will help them gain a career in the future. He knows that this location can be utilized by local schools especially those within driving distance, including all of Venango County, much of Clarion and Forest counties and Titusville area kids.

“If we can eliminate the barriers preventing kids from learning, we can really do some great things,” he said. Barriers in rural areas such as Venango and eastern Crawford County are access to the equipment and technology needed for bright kids to learn at a higher level.

STEM is offered in many schools and the PA Rural Robotics Initiative has been working with eight counties and over 25 school districts to get the schools supplies and education for both students and educators. Pennsylvania Robotics has already obtained several PAsmart grants that have brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to these schools.

This new home for the Institute will help advance these programs and enable Heffernan to utilize even more resources including strong relationships with big technology heavy-hitters like Carnegie Mellon University and the Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, who are taking a strong interest in what Heffernan is doing.

There will be enough space for many workshops and conferences. Hefferenan said that they are looking into all the improvements the space will need down the road but says other than some fresh paint, a rug or two and figuring the level of wi-fi and connectivity they will need, he sees the space being active by the end of the summer and growing throughout the year with further improvements.

One major improvement has already been implemented, the hiring of a full-time program manager. Steve Cutchall, who has been actively helping out, will handle a lot of the programming needs allowing Heffernan to spend more time developing relationships and bringing other opportunities to the local students.

The initiative reaches thousands of kids through the schools, but Heffernan and Cutchall are hoping they can reach more and really focus this help on the students that need it the most and who don’t always have the resources or ability to get to the resources they need. This won't change what they are doing in the schools but add another layer to what the institute and the rural robotics initiative offer

They are planning a regional STEM summit to bring further resources to the area starting in the fall if all goes well. They want to have directed workshops and after-school activities for kids. Heffernan is hoping that having the institute open and available from 4 to 8 p.m. during the school year will really benefit these technology-oriented kids. And they have many summer program plans as well for the future.

0 Comments

Local ballooning will continue on

6/20/2022

0 Comments

When Meadville resident Roger Miller started ballooning in the late 1990s this area could've had a mini hot -air ballooning festival just about any day of the week. The city of Meadville itself had four balloonists. Add Cambridge Springs and Edinboro and there were even more. So for years the Thurston Classic made a lot of sense being a Meadville thing.

Now in 2022, Miller is the only one left with a balloon. Most others have given up their balloons, retired or passed away. A little less than two-years ago, the main organizer of the Thurston, Ted Watts Sr. died due to complications surrounding COVID-19. The pandemic had already cancelled the event in 2020 and then it took its leader.

The fate of the Father's Day staple event in Crawford County was up-in-the-air with the prospect that it could be grounded forever.

This past weekend, though the weather didn’t cooperate, the pilots, the committee, and Watts family answered the question with a firm commitment that the event will continue.

When balloon meister, Alex Jonard, a long-time participant in the classic, was asked if there was ever a doubt the event would return he simply stated “Not to me.”

After 30 plus years the event has grown beyond just one person.

“We’re optimistic and excited that this will continue on,” said Watts daughter, Angela Gibbons, as she stood looking up at her dad’s old balloon. She and her family posed for family photos on Father's Day with his iconic yellow "Legal Eagle" balloon. As Gibbons struggled to hold back tears, she agreed that keeping this event alive is a great tribute to her father’s legacy.

The family, especially Ted Watts Jr. are now actively involved with the committee.

Last Thursday the 32nd annual Thurston Classic kicked-off at the Robertson Athletic complex at Allegheny College with a traditional Night Glow. The balloons were inflated at dusk and the burners lit just enough to make the colorful balloons glow, but not lift off. At the end of this event the pilots and committee were able to honor Ted Sr.’s memory.

As the balloons began to deflate, Watts old balloon remained inflated. The pilots then positioned their now balloon-less baskets in a line and lit their burners, an act called a candle-stick glow. “Ted was a military man so this seemed appropriate to have this kind of tribute,” said Miller, a long-time balloonist friend of Watts.

Jonard told the crowd this was a “21-burn salute.”

Miller thought this was personally moving, but as he participated all he could think about was how his old friend wouldn’t have liked the attention. “Knowing him I know he would say ‘What are you doing this for?’ But I think it would’ve made him humbled and proud.”

Ted Jr., who didn’t know this was planned stood on the side of the field staring at the tribute and his dad's ballon. “That is awesome,” he said quietly almost under his breath.

The Thurston Classic was off to a good start, a big Thursday crowd and a lot of smiling faces left the field at the end. Photographs littered Facebook and the event was again the talk of the town.

Unfortunately, the rest of the weekend’s four scheduled launches did not go as planned.

The cool breeze after a couple of hot summer nights last week may have seemed like a welcomed respite to everyone gathering along the hillside to see the balloons, but to the pilots that cool breeze was not cool at all, in fact it was downright dangerous.

Winds exceeding 10 mph is too much for safe ballooning. And it isn’t just the wind running through our hair, the balloonist has to know what the wind speed is a different elevations.

A typical hot air balloon flight is between 800 and 1000 feet up in the air. The balloon meister’s job is to know when it is safe. One of the ways they figure it out is by sending up a small balloon known as a pi-ball to observe its reaction to the wind as it ascends. They also use more sophisticated weather tracking instruments and check the national weather radar.

“Every balloonist wants to fly, but they also want to fly safely, “said Phil Koon, one of the Thurston Classic committee members.

Each of the planned flights were hopeful, but the weather didn’t cooperate for any of them - so no balloons went up into the skies over Meadville this year.

The organizers still did what they could to educate and entertain the crowd.

“We have a few tricks up our sleeves,” said Jonard.

They put out equipment for people to see and had some alternative fun activities.

The food trucks gave the event a festival atmosphere and they played music throughout.

Disappointed with no flights, the committee looked to early Sunday morning to at least give people something before the weekend was over. “Alex Janard and the committee did the next best thing this morning,” said Miller. At sunrise the balloon pilots assembled in a line to inflate their balloons.

At first only about a dozen people were milling around to see what was happening. By the time the balloons were all inflated and the sun was popping up over the trees, over 100 showed up. The organizers then invited them all to come down for a closer look.

“We thought we’d put on the best show we could for these folks that came out,” Jonard said. “And they will go back to church or breakfast and post all over Facebook.”

Among those walking under the balloons was Dave Thurston, a decendent of Samuel and Alic Thurston who brought ballooning to Meadille in the 1800s. He walked with his wife Emily carrying their young daughter, Helen, who kept looking up and pointing at the balloons. He said he is very happy the committee is going to keep the event going.

“Our intent is to keep it going. We are transitioning in some younger people,” said Tim Cooper, the current chair of the committee. He said the hope is to grow their social media presence, thus growing the awareness of the event. He said it is all volunteer effort, but the event costs about $40,000 to put on. They are thankful for the corporate sponsors but are looking for new ways people can contribute.They created a QR code for donations this year and were happy with the results. “A bunch of $10 donations add up. The committee really believes this is a county treasure,” Cooper said emphasizing if the community supports this they take ownership in its success. And that bodes well for its future.

Watts family and friends agree. “This was Ted’s baby,” Miller said. “I think it really great they are going to keep this event going.”

0 Comments

The blues gods shone down on Franklin today

6/18/2022

0 Comments

Franklin's Bandstand Park was full of people and sound Saturday for the annual Blues and Barbecue. The weather couldn't really have been better. One of the event organizers, commissioner Chip Abramovic said that proceeds from these events go toward local music education. This weekend they have given $1,500 to the Franklin Madrigal singers and HOLeY Jeans. They will also present the Franklin High School Jazz band with $2,500 on Sunday.

Other performers Sunday will include the following:
11:30 - 12:00 FHS Madrigal Group
12:00 - 1:15: Miss Freddye and Glory Be
1:30 - 2:00 Franklin High School Jazz Band
2:15 - 3:15: Charlie Barath Blues Band
3:30 - 5:00: Vanessa Collier

0 Comments

Unveiling some lesser known history in new Franklin mural

6/18/2022

0 Comments

This story will also appeared in The Titusville Herald on 6/18/2022

Franklin Area High School art teacher Rachelle Surrena is currently installing a roughly 12 by 24 foot mural on the side of the Barrow-Civic Theatre for a grand unveiling next week.

The mural was a project of the the school’s art students who painted three-foot squares that would be put together later on the theater’s wall. Surrena used a program to break the image down into simpler color shapes that were then filled in by the students during this last half of the the school year.

The project was made possible thanks to a grant from the Venango Area Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Bridge Builders Foundation.

Several others from the community were also allowed to participate including members of the school board. Prior to one of their meetings they even invited the incoming superintendent Dr. Eugene Thomas and his family to add their personal touches. Surrena tried to involve as many as she could including several elementary school students.

The colorful painting, which will be visible from a large municipal parking lot and alley between businesses and theater, depicts a bit of lesser known Franklin history. The image, taken from an old black and white photograph shows members of the “Sheepskin Band, an African-American community fife and drum band.

Surrena said the community is invited to attend the unveiling ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 25. “It took the people from throughout the community to complete the mural, so we hope the people from throughout the community will come to celebrate with us at the unveiling,” said Surrena.
Along with unveiling the art, the event will include information on the project, and a history of the scene depicted in the mural.

The ceremony will also be live streamed on the Franklin Events and Marketing Facebook page.

0 Comments

Glowing memories

6/17/2022

1 Comment

During Meadville's bicentennial celebrations in 1988, organizers wanted to bring to light the tradition of ballooning from the late 1800s and early 1900s started by the Thurston family of balloonists.

The committee formed a sub-committee to bring a special balloon festival to the city that year. One of the members of that committee was Meadville lawyer Ted Watts. Watts and other committee members then took it a step further, Watts got his own balloon and the committee made it an annual event. 34 years later, sans two pandemic cancelled years, the festival is still going celebrating its 32nd event.

2022 marks the first Classic without Watts who died in 2020 from complications associated with COVID. Last year a memorial tribute flight was scheduled, but due to the lingering pandemic, a full Thurston Classic was not scheduled.

The Night Glow has been named after one of the long-time organizers Joyce Stevens who passed away in 2017.

At the end of the glow a special and moving remembrance for Watts was also held - a 21 burn salute, where the pilots ignited their burners no longer underneath the balloon. Watts old balloon, the Legal Eagle stood alone in the field inflated but did not light its burner.

It was a surprise to Ted Watts Jr. who is helping to see the Classic continue.

Folks familiar with the Thurston Classic and Watts' years of local ballooning recognize the iconic yellow balloon adorned with the eagle in flight which is now owned by Ray Hinchcliff of Canton, Ohio.

Watts is no longer here, but his presence is still felt.

The night glow always kicks off the weekend event. Friday, though a beautiful night in Meadville was just too windy for safe ballooning so the flight had to be cancelled. The next scheduled flight is Saturday morning with the balloonists, weather permitting, flying over Robertson Field at Allegheny College to drop a beanbag on a target.

It is a standard test of piloting ability and luck of the gust (ie which way the wind blows.)

This year's event features a nearly double-sized special balloon called Neptuno. The 130 foot tall balloon is a stylized sea horse. Each year the committee tries to bring in a unique special balloon.

Another lift off is scheduled for Saturday night from Robertson Field around 6 p.m. There is music and food trucks at the event

The Classic will conclude with an early morning Father's Day flight into Robertson Field for a second target drop. If the flight goes off it will be a nice Father's Day gift from young Ted to his dad.

1 Comment

So how many took notice?

6/14/2022

0 Comments

June 14 every year is flag day.

To be clear it is American flag day. It isn't international flag day,

It is a day set aside by Harry S. Truman as the specific day to honor the American Flag and the symbol it represents to people around the world, but especially for Americans.

At least the ones who care.

And that number seems lesser and lesser each year.

Like Memorial Day and Veterans' Day services each year seem smaller and smaller unless there is a parade with candy tossing paraders incentivizing participation.

Though it seems fewer people care to acknowledge these days, does that mean fewer people care about the country? Or is it more that rituals are a thing of an outdated time?

Each year I seem to have the same thoughts and tonight as I spoke to a good friend, I. caught myself perhaps not caring myself. I noticed we were talking right in the middle of the keynote speakers speech. We weren't trying to be rude, but we honestly didn't know what was happening because our friendship and catching up took precedence, I guess, over respecting this service and the speaker.

It has been weighing on my mind since.

The Franklin ceremony tonight, barring the participants in the flag retiring service, the V.E.T.S. Honor Guard, the Elks, who put on the event, and their families and the Silver Cornet Band and their families, maybe a half dozen folks showed up? Maybe ten?

Have the ceremonies lost their luster? Are they are not being advertised as well as they should? Maybe they are just tired old ceremonies in need of new approaches?

This said, poor attendance doesn't seem to stop those who organize this hour long-ish event. It reminds me of the person who does something they believe in even though no one else knows they do it.

There is at least something noble in that.

These are some of the photographs from Franklin's Flag Day ceremony. See even more photos by visiting:
https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p863426261

0 Comments

Small class for Oil City

6/11/2022

1 Comment

A quick and quiet ceremony at Oil City on the football field saw 110 students receive their diplomas. Tori McClelland was named the class Valeditorian and Emily By the Salutatorian.

Commencement speaker was 1972 Oil City graduate Denise Jones spoke about her time as the only black female student and how she dedicated herself to working hard to overcome any obstacles thrown her way. "Learning to adapt to your situation is key to your success," she told the students and guests.

She had some perspective advise to give about personal drive and commitment. "Remember, no one can make you feel bad about yourself without your permission." She repeated that sentence. "You be yo. Don't be afraid to be different, use your difference,

Near the end of her speech she also quoted Muhammed Ali, "Don't count your days, make your days count."

Below are some photos from the ceremony and after mingling.
To see even more you can follow this link https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p294124802

1 Comment

Sixty-two earn diplomas from Rocky Grove

6/8/2022

0 Comments

"I am in no way the smartest person up here, I am essentially
just the best studier and test taker." -Dustin McMullen, Valedictorian

Editors note: These words are from Dustin McMullen's Valedictorian speech. He was gracious to allow us to print it here. We thought his words were funny and apropos. When Dustin got to the podium he pulled out his speech and told the crowd to "get comfy."

I had no clue what I was going to say to start this speech. I was thinking of starting with some comedy to break the ice but I was afraid that my nerves would get the best of me while I was standing up here.

I saw this thing on the internet that I thought was really weird. It said when you are nervous giving speeches in front of a very large group of people, it is a good idea to imagine them all naked…

Good evening Mr. Heckathorne!

Anyways, I would like to say hello and welcome to the parents, the teachers, the administration, and to the class of 2022.

I’m extremely honored and grateful to have the privilege of standing up here today as Rocky Grove High School’s Class of 2022 Valedictorian.

The journey to valedictorian was not in any way easy and it came with a lot of Emails to Mrs. McBride to make sure that Rylee hadn’t passed me.

I knew since sixth grade that I was going to buckle down and do anything I could to be number one in the class. Mrs. Latshaw told me if I didn’t give up, there would be no doubt that I could be here tonight giving this speech.

Now a common misconception is that being valedictorian means you are the smartest kid in your class. That is sometimes correct but in this year's case, it is definitely not.

When it comes to random knowledge and facts that literally no one in the world should know off the top of their head, that award would go to Connor Elder and Devon Haugh.

When it comes to true excellence in any of the sciences and ability to study and retain useless information, that award would go to Rylee Reed.

Random stats and records of teams that I’ve never even heard of, that’s all Reecie.

When it comes to being the best at understanding multiple languages, that would be Abby and Jallysa.

When it comes to fixing a car, I’m virtually useless… Half these black gowns up here could tell you why your spark plug is leaking and where to put your blinker fluid.

Basically what I am saying is, Valedictorian means that you were good at studying what you needed to study and you succeeded on the tests. I am in no way the smartest person up here, I am essentially just the best studier and test taker.

While writing my speech, I had no clue where to put my thank you’s. I figured the part of the speech that the majority of the audience would stop listening to is the middle so if I put my thank you’s there, then everyone might stay engaged to hear if they got thanked.

So get comfy because here it goes.

My first thank you goes to a few very important teachers.

First, Mrs. Engles. You are one of the very first teachers to treat your kids as if they are adults and not just a class you have to get through to get to your paycheck. You found a way to integrate humor and empathy into your teaching and because of you, so many students have been encouraged to not give up and make it to graduation.
You are the heart of Rocky Grove High School and we will very much miss you when you leave this school.

The next teacher I would like to thank is Mrs. Cohlhepp.
Mrs. Cohlhepp was the most influential math teacher I had in my whole educational career. You can ask any of the students that were in my math classes, I was the kid who sat in the front row and had a question for literally everything that was being taught to us. If a new topic was introduced, I had a question.
If something was being re-explained, I was confused. Mrs. Cohlhepp took the time to slow it down and teach me and other students every time we were having troubles. She quickly became my favorite teacher because she too treated her students as equals, not subordinates. She is one of the main reasons I continued to love math throughout highschool and she is easily the best teacher I have ever had in any subject. So thank you Mrs.Cohlhepp for being there and explaining the things when my brain couldn’t catch up.

Next, I would like to thank my grandparents. Grandma Cindy, Grandma Bobbie, Ken, and Aunt Jean. If all of you couldn't make it to one of my events, then at least one of you was there. I remember one game where I was completely by myself, no parents, no grandparents, just my teammates and coaches.
My teammates were genuinely worried that there was something wrong because for every single event, you would see an old blonde haired woman walking through the door about an hour and a half too early just to sit in the stands and wait for the action to start.
I have never felt anything but love from you all and I am extremely fortunate to have you all be a part of this journey.

Now onto the scary one… the salutatorian. I can almost guarantee that no Val and Sal in the entire history of education has a backstory like Rylee and I do.

Though it may not have always been rainbows and sunshines with us, you have been my very best friend throughout the majority of my educational career. You have inspired me like no other person and you are one of the main reasons I stayed up studying so long each night because I knew that even though you texted me goodnight, you just got your binders back out and you were going through your notes again.

You have made me more confident in my abilities as a student and you have helped to encourage me to never give up on any topic no matter the class. You have believed in me the whole way and have made me into a better person. I want to commend you for all that you have accomplished in your highschool career and I want you to know how unbelievably honored I am to call you my inspiration, my best friend, and my girlfriend.

Alright, now that I have that out of the way, it’s time to thank the most important people in my life.
Mom, Dad, and Courtnee. I first would like to simply say thank you.

“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

I have put you guys through so much unneeded stress in our brief 18 year period together and you never once gave up on me. You have held me while I cried like a baby and you have celebrated me at my highest highs.

I have had the opportunity to watch my mother get laid off from her job, go back to college as an old person, and then graduate and find a new job in a completely new field. She has surpassed all expectations of a “farmgirl” and has taught me more about determination and honesty than anyone in this world.

I also got the opportunity to watch my father be the only one from the same plant my mother was laid off from, get offered a new job at the same company. He is the only person in his office building that did not need the college degree to get to the level that he is. He worked for his experience and his knowledge in his field and earned the position he has through his unbelievable integrity. With that, I would like to thank my father for teaching me that working smarter and having a good work ethic will get you farther than you know in your future endeavors.

And finally I would like to thank Courntee for being the best big sister a little brother could ask for. I have always looked up to as a role model. We have always been extremely competitive with each other and I knew that you were the best at everything singing and it drove me absolutely crazy. You taught me how to get out of my comfort zone and try new things both in and out of school. I want to thank you for instilling this need to be involved within me and propelling me into this position where I am today. You walked through the halls of RG so that I could run. And with that, I now conclude my thank you’s…

As I stand up here tonight attempting to hold in my tears, thinking about closing this chapter and immediately being thrown into the next one, I think about what Dr. Suess told us when we were too young to understand. He said, “do not cry because it is over, smile because it happened.” This quote made me think back on some of the times that I and some of my friends have had over the years. So, I asked some of my close friends to please tell me some of the random memories they have from the past few years. The following is the best they could come up with. (Prepare for a whole lot of Reece)

The memories that they chose that I decided not to go into detail on were our numerous taco bells runs, our famous tik tok, (one second, let me find the senior moms…) the intersection of Martz and Diven road and rerack, Reece taking out the call of duty dodgeball mats in gym and Mr. Sanner again threatening a detention he would never give, Travis saying whoopsies with some random kid at splash lagoon, Brett and Michael learning how to weld in Beary’s room whenever Mr. Beary was absent, Isaac running with the horses on the covid Google Meets, Connor everyday having to do his calming exercises to not lose it on Brett or Evan at lunch, Brett accidentally requesting that the front office have his high school transcript emailed to our own front office, Braden saying every single sentence backwards and usually being the only one to laugh, and finally staying up all night playing poker and then leaving at like 4 in the morning to go to Oakmont bakery.

These memories are barely the surface of all the memories that were created during our time here, but it is these same memories that are the most important thing to me from the past twelve years.

More important than this cap and gown and whatever this thing around my neck is called. The only other quote I could find that would help describe how I am feeling right now comes from none other than Winnie the Pooh. He said, “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

We had no clue coming into the high school what we should be expecting. We had no clue that if you dropped one of Mrs. Cohlhepp’s calculators you would have a permanent grudge held against you until the day you leave this world. We also didn’t understand why the administration thought it would be best if Mr.Beary didn’t have the incoming seventh graders in any of his classes.

Though we didn’t know about any of this, we did know that we would support each other through the thick and the thin no matter the obstacles thrown in front of us. If there is anything you take from today, remember that to “leave a legacy” and to “achieve greatness” is not equal to getting money and receiving recognition. It is to give those with whom you cross paths with a little more happiness and hope. Our time here together as a senior class will not be remembered by grades, popularity, or likes on Instagram. It will be remembered by the relationships that we created. The kind of person you were, these are our legacy’s. The same legacy that we must leave.

Tables turn, bridges burn, and you live and learn and oftentimes it’s the journey that teaches you about the destination. So, as I go to sit down, preparing for someone to come up here and tell us to move our tassels, I start to put this day into memory because that is what I have realized I want all my memories to come from. Dreams I got to live out and reflect upon down the road. It has been my dream to be up here since sixth grade… It was worth every single second of sleep that I missed out on studying, every morning I puked before a test, and every comment I got about messing up the curve on a physics test. And with that, I want to thank you the class of 2022 and thank you mom and dad for never giving up on me.

Mom, Dad… I did it.

Thank you all very much!

Click here to see more photos: https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p1057270067

0 Comments

Senior walk with a twist: Class of 2034 joined class of 2022 for clap out

6/7/2022

0 Comments

To say principal Kelly Hart has been waiting a long time for this moment would be an understatement. "I first saw this in 2020," she said about the idea of pairing up seniors with kindergartners.

Then COVID.

But she didn't forget the idea. Tuesday her wish came through.

The Rocky Grove graduating class of 2022 walked through the Valley Grove Elementary School for a senior walk and clap out, each with a little one in tow. "Cute" was the buzzword echoing in the halls.

The senior walk is an annual tradition, but now that tradition will not only celebrate the past accomplishments of the graduating seniors, but look to the future of the school by celebrating its youngest students as well.

Rocky Grove will hold its graduation tonight (June 8) at 6:30 p.m. outside at Valley Grove Elementary School. The class recently announce Dustin McMullen as the class Valedictorian and Riley Reed as Salutatorian.

Below are a few more moments from the day plus a short video.

A tiny video of the walk through. Click to watch and hear the excitement.

0 Comments

Vote tonight to make Thomas acting Superintendent prior to contract

6/7/2022

0 Comments

UPDATED: Dr. Eugene Thomas takes over as acting superintendent of Franklin Area Schools affective 6/8/2022. He will take over as full superintendent on July 1.

A special Franklin Area School Board will be held tonight (June 7) at 6 p.m. in the high school's library. The agenda on their website followed a posting on the homepage late last week.

The purpose of the meeting is to vote on appointing Dr. Eugene Thomas as the new acting superintendent. Thomas was voted by the school board to be the new permanent superintendent in a May 23 meeting. His contract is set to begin July 1.

"This has been the plan all along," said board president Sabrina Backer. She said current acting superintendent Dr. Tom Holoman was filling in a much-needed role while waiting for Thomas' availability. That availability begins June 8. "I really appreciate Tom jumping in. He's done a fantastic job and he's a huge asset to the district," she said.

The board will first vote to accept the resignation of Holoman, who has been acting superintendent since May 16 after then acting superintendent Pat Gavin resigned. Thomas was named the new superintendent a few days later with his contract to begin effective the new school calendar year.

The vote tonight, which is expected to be passed, calls for Thomas to be paid $480.77 a day from June 8 through 30. "Everything is going good," said board vice-president Andy Boland, indicating this is all procedural and doesn't expect the meeting to last very long.

0 Comments

Franklin principal makes pitstop to deliver diploma to racing graduate

6/5/2022

1 Comment

'It's not just one race'

Blaze Myers' hot start to this season's Rush Wingless Sprint Car Series left him having to decide between attending his high school graduation or the Sunday races at the Tri-City Raceway Park. Missing the race would mean giving up a chance to earn much coveted points in the hunt for the championship.

He chose the race.

He is near the top of the leader board and he just didn't want to lose momentum.

Instead of being salty about Myers' decision, Franklin principal Dr. Christina Cohlhepp decided to roll with the punches. After a suggestion from Denise Phipps, director of student support services and a friend of the Myers family, Cohlhepp embraced her student's decision.

After sending off 143 graduates into the world Sunday evening at the school's commencement ceremony, Cohlhepp raced, with Phipps to the raceway in order to personally deliver the 144th diploma to Myers who was just a few tenths of a point away from graduating with honors.

Myers, who has been racing since he was in kindergarten, had no idea this was going to happen.

When Cohlhepp arrived, raceway announcer John McConnell had already begun telling the crowd that Myers had skipped his graduation to be at the track. "(He's) a young man with his priorities all set," McConnell said as Myers stood in front of the crowd in his cap and gown. Myers thought that was the extent of it and that his mom had arranged for him to be embarrassed in front of all the race fans.

McConnell asked Myers if he recognized anyone walking across the track and then Myers spotted Cohlhepp. "I know who that is," he said into the microphone and then told everyone it was his principal.

"I was confused when they kept saying 'she's coming.' I thought they meant my mom," Myers said.

"We didn't want you to miss your opportunity to receive your diploma tonight," Cohlhepp said.

It was a quick moment in front of the crowd with Cohlhepp handing over the diploma, pinning a flower to his gown and the two posing for a few pictures. Then they headed back to the pits so the races could resume. Within minutes Myers was back in his race overalls working on a tire for his race car.

Four generations of Blaze's family were on sight for the race and the impromptu commencement.

"It was awesome that she (Cohlhepp) was willing to come out and do this," said Brandi Myers, Blaze's mom.

"It's not just one race. It's obviously important to him and his family," said Cohlhepp, who had one more request of Blaze - "I told him that he has to come in first."

Pictures and a story on Franklin's formal commencement is available here.

Jill Harry, Long-time reporter for the Derrick and News-Herald, contributed to this article.

1 Comment

<<Previous

Archives

Categories