See even more photos at: ​https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p574597065

Despite the prediction for a wet Saturday, the weather was in Franklin's corner as usual. According organizers the event crowds were good. Sunday's weather is predicted to be sunnier and warm and the vendors will all be back. The tents open for business at 11 a.m. and will remain open until 4 p.m.

It was the duty of each student to learn the material in advance so they could more easily play with dozens of other students from about 20 other schools.

Under the direction of two music educators, Dr. Jonathan Hemlick, of Slippery Rock University and Dr. Jason Worzbyt of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the two bands worked with each director on three songs apiece.

In the evening the sixth and seventh graders played first. Then about 150 red-shirted musicians and instruments cleared the extended stage to make way for a nearly equal amount of similarly dressed eighth and ninth graders to perform their songs.

"What an honor and privilege it has been to host these wonderful young musicians," Chris Cohlhepp, Franklin High School principal, said in the concerts program. "Festivals such as this offer our students the opportunity to grow not only as musicians but as compassionate, caring, empathic human beings. They learn to come together in a collaborative effort to create with beautiful expression that which can only be communicated through music." 

Below are more photos from the performance Friday evening.
Even more photos can be viewed at https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p573571116.

Read more about the Saturday Farmer's curb markets here.

View more photos at: ​https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p686492644

Franklin opened its auditorium doors for a free night of song. The annual Spring Choir Concert returned with performances from the 7th grade choir, the 8th grade choir, the Madrigal singers, the show choir and the concert choir. The show was directed by Sarah Gilbert and they had a special guest accompanist in Zachary Covington.

OPINION: Feature picture of the day.

As I was walking to my car yesterday,  I got to thinking of a conversation I had just an hour earlier with two old friends from my Meadville Tribune days. They were in Franklin officiating a couple baseball games.
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I told one of them not to rush home after their games, but stay and have a nice meal in Franklin and enjoy the town.

I do this a lot with folks.

As I was walking by West Park, more commonly called Fountain Park, I was thinking of Ronnie Beith and all she has done over the years for this town. She is one of the reasons this town is what it is today and why I tell folks from all over that Franklin is a place to hang out, relax and enjoy what a small town can do for the soul.

​So I took these pictures just for her because I thought she is much like this flowering tree on the edge of the park. She shares her beauty without wanting to stand out, but, like the pink of this tree, she stands out anyway.  And like this tree - which is a small part of the park, when given the chance to be stopped and noted, is truly worth a moment of thanks. So thank you Ronnie. I know you're going to say it's not just you and you're, of course, right, but that is how great leaders lead.

Even this tree has many individual pink flowers that make up its beauty, but they are a part of the tree. You my friend are the tree.

​Franklin is, as its motto states, always eventful even when those eventful moments are just taking in the little bits of beauty each season brings.

I'm not a nature photographer, but I don't pass it up when it is front of me either.
​I rather enjoyed this busy little being doing squirrel things at Allegheny College the other day.

Teacher appreciate week kicked off yesterday nationally. Rocky Grove High School got a little bit of a jump on it last Thursday when the annual Spring choral concert roared back after some COVID related shutdowns over the last couple of years. Choir director Jodi Hoover has done some extraordinary things with here students from a top-notch musical to teaching choir remotely when needed to keep her students in tune sort of speak.
She said at last week's performance that often she would be singing to a blank screen on her computer oftentimes admitting her students may or may not have been asleep on the other end.

"Don't let her bright smile fool you, she is a scary woman," joked senior Dustin McMullen who was awarded the student and teacher's choice as outstanding member of the choir. The class of 2022 gave her a gift pillow with all their faces on it to show their appreciate for her dedication to them.

Valley Grove School District has a fairly active YouTube channel where they live stream many of the afterschool games and performances, including last week's junior and senior high chorus concert. Anyone interested in watching the show can do so now. It is also posted on the district's Facebook page. 

Many of the singers will be back on stage this Thursday with an instrument beside their voice in hand when they present their annual spring band concert at 7 p.m.
Parking might be tight with a volleyball game also taking place at the same time.

To view more photos from the spring choir concert please visit ​sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p353082863

Some nights just take you to another place. On Saturday, for Rocky Grove High School junior and senior students that place was "Under the Sea" as they celebrated prom night with their friends. The school's gym was transformed into a paradise of music, dancing and laughter. 
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"Everyone had a blast," said principal Kelly Hart.

The evening also included the traditional crowning ceremony. Travis Knupp was chosen as Prom King and Charlee Ginnery was the Prom Queen. 
Other members of the court were Trevor Hamilton, Michael Martz, Dustin McMullen, Isaac Clayton, Riley Bordell, Reiley Gordon, Rylee Reed and Caidence Sloss.

​Oil City Stephanie Staub was name the FLEX Young Professional of the Year during the group's annual FLEX Presents ceremony, held last night in the ballroom of the DeBence Antique Music World in Franklin.

The award is given to one area professional under 40 each year among nominees recognized for their contributions to their community through civic engagement, entrepreneurship, and leadership.

Staub was one of 11 nominees considered for the award this year. Nominations are made by members of the community and judged by professionals from outside the area. 

Here is some of the information Staub included in her bio as part of the judging process: 
 
Staub is a K-4 STEM Teacher and Technology Integrator with the Oil City Area School District. Her professional achievements include IU Professional Development on all STEM topics, Professional Book Study, Code.org seminars, Freedoms Foundation Summer Programs, and EVERFI Hockey Scholar Training. She has presented at the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference twice and was awarded a 2022 NASA SPARX Teacher Recognition.
She is involved in the National Association of the Education of Young Children, PBIS Team at Southside Schools, Teaching Next Generation Scientists Professional Learning Community, Intermediate Unit 6 Technology Integrators, and Pennsylvania Teachers Association and judging the Future Engineers program. 
Outside the classroom, Staub has helped with Oil City Athletics in different capacities, teaches Kids in College, and organizes local Remake Learning Day. Over the years, her schedule has also included helping with "Get on the Trails" business contest and organizing a 200-mile fundraiser to raise money for local organizations and families in need. 
She also stays busy by teaching yoga at Trailasana Yoga Studio; running Steph’s Silhouettes, a small self-run t-shirt and earring business; and opening Staub & Co. Succulents, a traveling greenhouse business.

The other 10 nominees were: 
Becky Deeter, Ag Choice Farm Credit; Jessica Hilburn, Benson Memorial Library; Kieran Irwin, Bandit's Gambit; Jennifer Mosher-Johnson, Oil City Area School District; Will Price, United Way of Venango County; Aaron Ritsig, Northwest Commission PTAC; Andrew Ritsig, Bon Appetit at Grove City College; Ashley Smith, Venango County Planning Commission; Megan Weber, Komatsu Mining Corp.; and Devin Zagar, 7 Foot Productions.

More on the FLEXand their FLEX Presents event is available in our earlier News From You story. 

The Barrow will be filled plenty of laughs starting Friday night. The two weekend show is a rollicking adventure of five nuns from Hoboken as they try to put on a variety style show to raise money for a sister's funeral who died from an accidental dinner poisoning.
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Nonsense The Musical opens Friday at 7:30 p.m.. Show times are April 29 and 30 at 7;30 p.m., Sunday May 1 at 2 p.m.. They then return May 6 and 7 for evening shows and the finale will be Sunday May 8 at 2 p.m.. Visit the Barrow box off ice for tickets or go online here for tickets.
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To view more photos please visit: https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p486327819

The proposed intersection project will take Liberty down to two lanes beginning around 11th Street and adding bike lanes in both directions. Between 11th Street and South Park Street a center turning lane will be added.

​This plan also allows for "bump outs" to decrease the distance for pedestrians crossing Liberty at 12th by several feet, perhaps as much as 30 feet at one crossing.

Some parking along Liberty will be lost but Jamieson pointed out the plans to turn 12th Street between Liberty and Buffalo into a one-way will allow additional parking spots there.
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The city will gain at least five additional parking spots, maybe more, according to Power.

Jamieson pointed out left turning lanes will be added at the intersection with 12th in both directions with new signals and signage.

​Landscaping is expected to be done to improve visibility and the bend at the intersection will be lessened. The goal of the project improvements is to increase safety all-around, according to Jamieson.

A group of Franklin High schoolers will be taking their noggin skills to Knoxville, Tennessee this week to compete in the Academic Game League of America National Championships.
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For many, it won't be their first rodeo. In fact, Alyssa Shick is a returning national champion in the Propaganda category. She was an eighth-grader who understood the art of influence better than anyone else in this country.​

In games leading up to this weekend, Bullard has been the top winner in the group, but they each have their specialty. When asked who is the best they all pointed to Shick without hesitation.

​Luther, who will compete at nationals for the first time, seems to have a gift for linguistics, but in a quick match during class lost to Motter. "It's kind of like advanced Scrabble," Luther said while explaining the way the LinguiSHTIK game is played.

The idea of a "sign" was prevalent Friday as I attended the annual Franklin Christian Ministerium Cross Walk. I saw signs everywhere. I made many photographs with signs in them. Some poignant to what was in front of me, some whimsical observations, but signs are what we look for when we are dealing with faith, though maybe not as literal as the signs I documented on this day.

Some were more obvious than others.

Some seemed tongue-in-cheek play on words.

Some seemed contrary to the message direction of the day. The 125-plus folks attending would possibly agree with the one way, but not going in the opposite way they were going.

But for Christians around the globe, Good Friday is perhaps the most significant day of the year. It was the day, according to Scripture, that an innocent man died in order to save all of humanity.

​Weighty stuff.

The Franklin Ministerium observes this day with the telling of Jesus Christ's last moments in the mortal coil. They enacted the 14 Stations of the Cross from Jesus being condemned to crucifixion to his ascension into heaven.

If one truly listens to the words spoken at each "station," it is a powerful story of love, hope and sacrifice.

Parents and grandparents attended to teach their kids and grandkids what they believe and what has given them comfort.

Good Friday for many is a chance to reflect on the religious beliefs they hold dear to their hearts.

Many of those in attendance have walked the roughly one-mile journey through town for many years.

"Do not let fear keep us from showing love."
Upon Christ's dying, he turned to the others being crucified and offered them salvation.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica the series of stations are: (1) Jesus is condemned to death, (2) he is made to bear his cross, (3) he falls the first time, (4) he meets his mother, (5) Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross, (6) Veronica wipes Jesus’ face, (7) he falls the second time, (8) the women of Jerusalem weep over Jesus, (9) he falls the third time, (10) he is stripped of his garments, (11) he is nailed to the cross, (12) he dies on the cross, (13) he is taken down from the cross, and (14) he is placed in the sepulcher.

Among car horns and others going about their business, Friday's crowd took a few moments to reflect on what Jesus tried to teach and continues to teach through his words given to us by his apostles and countless theologians and philosophers since.

Jesus seemed to embrace those who didn't agree with him and chose patient lessons to get his ideas out to others.

The annual Franklin Easter egg hunt that was put on pandemic hiatus returned to Fountain Park Friday.

Mind you it was scheduled for last Saturday and, mind you, it had a rain date for this Saturday, and mind you, the forecast for Saturday morning isn't what you'd call egg hunt friendly. 

So the Franklin organizers, who surround their leader Ronnie Beith, made a call Thursday afternoon to hold the event Friday night instead.

No one knew prior to that it would be Friday night. There was no long-time planning that it would be Friday night. Last week the organizers simply said to keep an eye on the Franklin Events page for instructions. They didn't say maybe it would be Friday night. Just that they needed flexibility due to the shaky weather forecast.

Whatever is in the drinking water the Franklin community consumes is working to make each event they do a success. This egg hunt had disaster written all over it - it was canceled and the rain date looked awful. But the organizers, with smiles strewn across their lips, said we got this.

Hours of preparation filling eggs came down to, will folks get the word?

​They did.

And boatloads of candy and prizes were doled out on a brisk, but warm spring-ish evening in a little town in northwest Pennsylvania that somehow always seems to get it right. One person quipped "Franklin could hold a nose-picking contest and it would be a success." 

Maybe that would be their line to never cross, but based on prior evidence this town knows how to give their community a fun time.

Happy Easter!

Update: Due to a less than favorable forecast for Saturday's rescheduled Easter egg hunt in Fountain Park, the organizers have moved the Franklin event to tomorrow night (Friday, April 15) at 6 p.m.

"Saturday morning is definitely not looking good. We want to get this event in and the best chance of that by the looks of the weather forecast is 6 p.m. Friday evening," said event organizer Ronnie Beith. "We have lots of great prizes and egg fillers and we can’t wait to gather the kids in the park."

Should anything change, Beith says folks should check on the Franklin events Facebook page.

If the giddy joy of Cheryl Brickner is any indication, there are some fun prizes hidden inside some 5,000 or so Easter eggs she and many others helped stuff Wednesday morning. In the small conference room turned Easter Bunny assembly line, Brickner could be found chasing a little automated Pikachu from one end of the table to the other.
She was having a blast in between stuffing the eggs. She was even caught crawling around on the floor under the tables to retrieve one that got away from her.

Perhaps it was product testing, or perhaps it is just the joy of volunteering and helping Franklin bring back a favorite tradition right before Easter.

​A small group gathered to stuff the last few hundred eggs to help top off the thousands already prepared by several organizations like the Kiwanis Club, Franklin Fine Arts Council, Rocky Grove High School and Franklin Rotary. Franklin Marketing and Events coordinator Ronnie Beith said it has been a challenge finding a way to store all the eggs.

In a press release issued a couple days ago, Beith acknowledged the Franklin Kiwanis Club as a good partner for the event for many years now. Donations have come in with items ranging from a couple hundred dollars worth of silver dollars to inflatable beach balls, tiny toys like Brickner's Pikachu (which she did put in an egg and not her pocket) and of course, plenty of candy.

“We are so excited to see the park littered with [thousands] of colorful eggs again and hear the joy of the dozens of children,” said Beith. "The community continually partners to provide these events for the children, and it is nice to get back to tradition.” Last year during the pandemic woes, they were able to partner with others to provide a drive-up Easter Bunny Lane as an alternative.

According to the press release, this year’s major prize sponsors include Chris Rakow, Pizza Hut, Eat ‘n Park, RAACA of Venango County, Haggerty’s Ice Cream, Venango County A.B.A.T.E. and Benjamin’s Roadhouse. Donations were also given by Pastries by Andrea, Leonardo’s Pizza and Wanango Country Club.

“We have the most prizes ever donated for this comeback year,” Beith said. “There are toys in the eggs, silver dollars, candy, and over 500 coupons for kids’ meals, pizzas, ice cream or treats. What a wonderful way to welcome the kids back to the park.”
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​​The event features four age divisions for those 8 and younger. There are four coupons for special prize baskets in each age group. The start of the hunt begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 9, in Fountain Park. "It's over in about five minutes," Brickner said with a chuckle.

But there is more to do.

Other Easter-themed events will also take place in Franklin that day. The Franklin Public Library will host a story time from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Rural King will be in have photo ops with chicks at Fountain Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A bunny petting station from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Galleria at Olde Liberty. And of course, the Easter Bunny herself will make an appearance in the park. Rain date for the hunt is April 16 unless otherwise noted through social media at https://www.facebook.com/FranklinPAEvents.

If your employer needs a quick turnaround on your status or if you're traveling has restrictions, this service could get you on your way.

​Dr. Thea M. Blystone has been a practicing pharmacist for a number of years. Seeing a need for quick accurate test results during the COVID pandemic she has opened a testing facility in Seneca. She evolves her business to the changing needs of testing. Her rapid turnaround is a benefit for those needing to travel where restrictions are in place or in the workplace so folks don't unnecessarily miss work.

"We guarantee a three-hour result," Blystone said. "But, we really haven't had to take that long."

​Though the pandemic seems to be getting to the control stage, there is still a need for caution and accurate testing according to the Center for Disease Control.

Blystone's clinic is located at 3529  Route 257 in Seneca. To learn more about her business and what she offers visit her at https://tmrx.care/test.