<![CDATA[Eight & 322 - News From You]]>

<![CDATA[Eight & 322 - News From You]]>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:34:01 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Auditions for the Bard's 'Comedy of Errors' in Franklin]]>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:12:20 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/auditions-for-the-bards-comedy-of-errors-in-the-franklin

The Barrow-Civic Theatre is seeking actors for new Shakespeare in the Park program

There will be some old English fun this summer in Bandstand Park thanks to the Barrow-Civic Theatre bringing the classical humor of William Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors for a special outdoor two weekend run "Off-Barrow" production.

Auditions will be held at 2 p.m. on April 11 and 6 p.m. on April 12 at the theatre.

“Comedy of Errors” is a madcap comedy of mistaken identity with angry wives, scorned merchants, and a host of other characters. When two sets of long-lost twins unknowingly converge in the same town, chaos erupts in a whirlwind of confusion, slapstick humor, and heart.

The tomfoolery and classic Shakespeare word play makes it the perfect show for experienced actors, fans of The Bard, as well as newer performers, according to director Andrew Ritsig.

“If there’s a Shakespeare to start with, I’d say this is it,” he said. “It’s light, easier to understand, and shorter than other Shakespeare plays.”

And don’t worry about the Shakespearean dialogue. Ritsig has resources available for cast members to use as needed. “Once you understand the lines, it’s easier to memorize because you know where to go and what you are trying to communicate,” he said.

There are about 15 slots in the cast, some which have monologues and others with smaller roles. In the fashion of Shakespeare, all characters are open to all genders. “Go for the part you want,” Ritsig advises potential auditioners.

Auditions are open to anyone age 16 and older. Attendees should have a prepared 60- to 90-second comedic monologue, preferably but not necessarily from Shakespeare, and expect to read from a requested part of the script in pairs. Additional information is available online at www.barrowtheatre.org.

Ritsig designed an abridged version of the play with a goal run-time of two hours to ensure the shows end before the sun goes down.

Shakespeare in the Park performances will be at 7 p.m. on June 5, 6, 12 and 13, and 2 p.m. on June 7 and 14 on the Bandstand Park stage in downtown Franklin.

“Come and experience culture in a lovely outdoor setting,” Ritsig said.

Up next:

Click here for dates, times and tickets:barrowtheatre.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket#/events/a0STN000007yKcX2AU

]]><![CDATA[PennDOT memorial comes to Venango County]]>Tue, 29 Jul 2025 19:03:09 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/penndot-memorial-comes-to-venango-county

A little over a month after two local PennDOT employees, Robert Greenly and Seth Baughman, died in an accident, their names return as pert of the PennDOT statewide Traveling Workers Memorial.

The display will be in front of the Venango County Maintenance Office through August 7.

The memorial features 93 white stands, each representing a PennDOT employee who died while on duty statewide since 1970 when PennDOT was formed.. Each stand is adorned with a hard hat and safety vest along with a date and the name of a employee The display also includes an educational panel with additional information on the memorial and the names of the all the employees included.

PennDOT invites the public to visit the memorial at 1460 Pittsburgh Road (Route 8), Franklin but asks visitors to avoid parking along the shoulder of the roadway. There is limited parking available in the front lot of the building during business hours. Please do not block the gates leading into the workspace behind the main building. The memorial may also be visited during daylight hours and on the weekend while the office is closed.

Along with Greenlee and Baughman, eight other employees from the northwest region, which includes Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren, are represented in the memorial. Those employees include in the following:

George Peace, Crawford County, January 9, 1972.
Norman Matthews, Warren County, January 13, 1972.
Charles Passauer, Forest County, February 16, 1973.
Paul Anderson, Venango County, October 22, 1981.
Charlie Burin, Erie County, May 21, 1984.
Nyal Orr, Crawford County, May 29, 1984.
Dennis Miller, Mercer County, October 14, 1997.
Earle Chandler, Erie County, August 1, 2006.
Robert Greenlee, Venango County, June 18, 2025.
Seth Baughman, Venango County, June 18, 2025.

For more information about PennDOT’s efforts to keep motorists and employees safe in work zones, visit PennDOT’s website.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.

Find PennDOT news for the northwest region on X or Facebook.

]]><![CDATA[Holey Jeans kicks off new season this weekend]]>Mon, 31 Mar 2025 04:20:22 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/holey-jeans-kicks-off-new-season-this-weekend

The youth singing group HOLeY Jeans will hold its annual kick-off concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 6 at the Barrow-Civic Theatre.

Along with debuting their new songs for the 2025-26 season, the concert serves as a major fundraiser for the group, which offers community service through music throughout the region. It is also an introduction to their concert season theme, which this year is Journey through the Season with HOLeY Jeans. From spring's blossoms to winter's wonderland, this show will bring the magic of the year to life.

"The kids have been working hard to learn a variety of songs that represent either spring, summer, fall or winter so that they can take the audience on a little journey through the calendar," said director Martha Heise. "There are fun tunes, serious numbers, and, as always, a patriotic song."

For nearly three decades HOLeY Jeans has offered area youth in grades kindergarten through 12th a place to get together and sing.

This year's group has 35 members who attended schools in Venango, Clarion, Crawford, and Mercer counties.

Throughout the year they offer community service through music by performing at events, such as Applefest and Oil City Light Up Night, at various churches throughout the area, as well as retirement communities and nursing homes.

"During a typical community concert, the choir sings anywhere from three to six songs," Heise said. "Our annual concert at the Barrow-Civic is the one time a year the audience gets to hear our entire playlist in one performance." The group also takes time to honor senior and third year members, as well as recognize loved ones who have passed away in the past year.

Money from the concert is used to purchase music and other things needed to give concerts throughout the year. Along with the proceeds from ticket sales, money is raised through a basket raffle in the lobby before the show and during intermission.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at barrowtheatre.org or at the box office during regular theatre business hours or immediately before the show.

]]><![CDATA['Relentless drive:' Venango Chamber names top citizen of 2024]]>Mon, 23 Dec 2024 21:27:53 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/relentless-drive-venango-chamber-names-top-citizen-of-2024

"A true trailblazer and dedicated community leader, Cindy embodies the spirit of this honor with her relentless drive, compassionate service, and unwavering commitment to the Venango County
community," a press release reads from the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce announcing Cynthia “Cindy” Urban as the 2024 Citizen of the Year.

Urban is the President and CEO of Klapec Trucking Company.

"Cindy has shattered barriers and risen to the top of a male-dominated industry. Under her leadership, the company has received numerous safety awards, including the coveted President’s Award in both 2011 and 2021." the release continued.

She was also instrumental in Klapec' Trucking receiving the chamber's Business of
the Year title two years ago. And she was awarded the Women in Business Award in 2009

"A lifelong advocate for her community, she has devoted countless hours to causes that enrich the lives of others," the release continued. Cindy’s contributions, including volunteering at St. Stephen’s Festival, serving on the board of the Oil City Chamber during the change to the Venango Chamber, or supporting the YMCA through their merger with Clarion YMCA, have made a lasting impact on Venango County."

Urban is the daughter the company's founder Bert Klapec who credits with her strong work ethic according to the release. "Cindy fondly recalls helping her father with paperwork after finishing her grade school homework, thus beginning a lifelong commitment to hard work and service." She is the mother of four and grandmother of ten.

"Through her leadership, advocacy, and generosity, she has shown what it truly means to be an engaged citizen. Her efforts have inspired countless individuals, and her recognition as Citizen of the Year is a testament to the indelible mark she has left on the lives of so many," the release stated.
She will be recognized at the chamber’s nnnual dinner on February 19 at Crosscreek Resort in Cherrytree.

]]><![CDATA[TAGG your friends, a lot of art happening in Oil City]]>Thu, 19 Sep 2024 23:53:17 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/tagg-your-friends-a-lot-of-art-happening-in-oil-city

Oil City Arts Council Appreciation - This event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Transit Arts Gallery and Gifts at 206 Seneca Street in Oil City. All who appreciate the Arts are welcome. Refreshments and door prizes are provided. Please R.S.V.P to Noel Tippel by emailing nazcraft@gmail.com by September 23.

Grandma's Jewelry Box by Vicki Clark - this class will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on September 27 at the Transit Arts Gallery and Gifts. Students will have the opportunity to create a framed keepsake using their own costume jewelry pieces. Cost is $25/person. Contact Vicki Clark to register at (814) 673-5888 or rvrescueart@gmail.com.

Mary Rose Ragan will be hosting a “Pressed Flower Class” at the Transit Arts Gallery and Gifts from 10 am to noon on Saturday, October 19. Learn this unique style of decorating a paper mâché pumpkin with pressed flowers and glitter. This class is recommended for ages 15 and above with a limit of 8 participants. Sign up by emailing taggocac@gmail.com. Cost of class is $25 per person.

Victoria Geuder, a stained glass and fusion artist, and Stacey Sopher, an acrylic and mixed media artist will open a show at noon to 4 p.m on Sunday October 20 at the Transit Arts Gallery and Gifts, Light appetizers and drinks will be available. This event is free and open to the public.

]]><![CDATA[Printmaking you can easily do at home featured in workshop Sunday]]>Sat, 22 Jun 2024 01:51:39 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/june-21st-2024

An opportunity to learn a little about the art of printmaking is coming to a carpet store near you. Clifford's Carpets is once again supporting the arts with a workshop feature Meadville based printmaker and regional arts leader Ashley Cloud.

Her workshop will focus on the very user friendly linocut print process that can easily be done at home without highly technical equipment or chemical processes.

The event is from 1 to 4 p.m. this Sunday at Clifford Carpets in Oil City. Details are in the promotional posters above.

]]><![CDATA[The fourth be with you America]]>Thu, 20 Jun 2024 19:31:35 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/the-fourth-be-with-you-americaFranklin observes the Fourth of July with a multiple day event packed celebration.
They kick-off the annual Taste of Talent vocal competition at 7 p.m. on Wednesday June 26. The event features twelve contestants who will entertain crowds in Bandstand Park in an elimination competition that lasts over six weeks. The winner receives a thousand dollar grand prize.
The following night, the 168 year old Silver Cornet Band will preform at 7 p.m. again at the park.
Friday morning from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the very popular Penny Carnival takes over both downtown parks to give hundreds of children and their families dozen of games for prizes, face painting, a bouncy house, a petting zoo, and touch-a-truck. The Wild World of Animals Show will be on the Bandstand stage and a special SpongeBob photo shoot will be hosted in the park by the Barrow-Civic Theatre.
That evening the entertainment moves downtown with Al Fresco Friday performances by Iris Callahan at Bella Cucina from 6 to 8 p.m. and 2B40 at Benjamin’s
Roadhouse from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The second weekend of The Spongebob Musical kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Barrow-Civic Theatre. If you miss it on Friday there is also a show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
The weekly Farmer's Market opens at 8 a.m. Saturday on 12th Street next the courthouse and is open to 1 p.m.
While that is going on the Liberty Fest Parade will start at 11 a.m. followed by a kid's ice-cream social on 12th Street between the Library and Trails to Ales II. At 3 p.m., Bandstand Park Jerry and Sandi Rectenwald will play a set of hit music for the 1970s
Franklin takes a little breather on Sunday but return Monday July 1 with their annual Pet Show hosted by the Venango County Humane Society in Bandstand Park beginning at 5:30 p.m.
They take another breather on Tuesday.
Taste of Talent's second round will be at 7 p.m. on July 3 in Bandstand Park.
The week ends with the "Thunder Over Franklin" fireworks display at Riverfront Park on the Fourth. The band Public Water Supply will be performing prior with festivities kicking off beginning at 6 p.m.
Anyone with questions about Liberty Fest can call Franklin City Hall at (814) 437-1922, ext. 1123]]><![CDATA[ORA /VTC moving to utilize Venango Campus for nursing program]]>Wed, 19 Jun 2024 16:46:35 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/ora-vtc-moving-to-utilize-venango-campus-for-nursing-program The Venango Technology Center (VTC)’s is hoping moving it's nursing program to the facility that housed Clarion University's Venango Campus's nursing program, that they will have the room to expand its offerings.

“The Venango Campus offers more space, which will allow us to potentially increase enrollment and provide for enhanced learning opportunities,” said Dr. Cynthia Cornelius, VTC’s Director of Nursing.

The move is one of the first steps the Oil Region Alliance has taken in its new management roll over the campus.

According to a press release from the ORA "VTC’s LPN program has campuses in Venango and Warren counties and serves adult students of all surrounding counties. The ideal class size is 32 adult students per campus. The program is offered in a hybrid format with in-person classes 3-4 times per week with some additional virtual learning, according to Cornelius."

The LPN program is a State Board of Nursing licensed program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.
"First-time test-taking candidates of the program in 2023 had a 100% pass rate on the National Council for Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN), often called “State Boards”, which every Practical Nursing graduate is required to take to become licensed and to demonstrate readiness to provide safe and effective care, the press release said. "The program has also had a 100% job placement rate for many years, according to Cornelius."

The Venango Technology Center Practical Nursing Program was founded in July of 1966 and was originally operated by the Oil City Area School District. In July of 1968, responsibility for the Practical Nursing Program was transferred to the Venango Technology Center (known at that time as the Venango County Area Vocational-Technical School). A satellite program was approved in 2009 and operates in the Warren/Forest Higher Education Council Building on the State Hospital grounds in Warren, PA. The program adopted a hybrid format in August 2022, according to the release.

“The advisory board including Mario [Fontanazza, Jr., Director of VTC] and myself are working collaboratively to turn Penn West’s closure into an opportunity to grow programs of the Venango Technology Center,” said John R. Phillips, II, ORA President and CEO.]]><![CDATA[UPDATE: Another chance to hear unique musical offerings]]>Wed, 19 Jun 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/hitting-the-notes-of-angels

Good Hope Luteran Church will be next stop for area singers to present a unique vocal offering.

Below is previous story

“Mom made me promise her before she died that I would sing,” said Jamie Bastello, an opera singer who bought a house a couple years back in Oil City through the artist relocation program.

And that is exactly what she is doing.
The singer who once sang in the shadows of the Collosium in Rome is giving a performance in Franklin at 3 p.m. on May 19 titled “Jamie Bastello and Friends.

She will be joined by Kristen Craido, Rebecca Liopuh, Caleb Thompson and Eli Busch at the historic Franklin’s First United Methodist Church at 1102 Liberty Street.

“When you hear opera up close it is breathtaking, it’s shocking,” Bastello said. “Digital music is not the same as hearing live music. We are electromagnetic waves and we need nature, and we need interaction and connection with each other, and we need music… we need live music. It is a completely different experience singing in front of someone. It makes people feel good and that is really because of the resonance of the sound and the electromagnetic analog waves. It’s good for us.”

To purchase tickets visit eventbrite.com and search “Jamie Bastello. They are $20.

Bastello also mentioned you can purchase them from her if you come across her around town “P’opera-ing,” which she is known to do when she goes shopping or to grab a coffee.

Her mom wanted her to sing and she is determined to honor her mom’s wishes.

]]><![CDATA[ORA seeks members for a new ATV Association]]>Mon, 11 Mar 2024 01:39:40 GMThttps://www.8and322.com/news-from-you/ora-seeks-members-for-a-new-atv-associationIn the wake of releasing the findings of the ATV trail feasibility study, the Oil Region Alliance is looking for potential members of the newly created Oil Region ATV Association.

The 15-member association, which was formed in January, is a standalone organization that will provide technical assistance for the possible development of an ATV trail using public roadways in Venango County.

Potential board members, especially those with expertise and skills such as financial, legal, and marketing experience can contact Kim Harris at kharris@oilregion.org, 814-677-3152 or send a letter of interest to 217 Elm St., Oil City, PA 16301.

The creation of the board is the first outcome of the Oil Heritage Valley Trail Feasibility Study, which was commissioned by the ORA.

More than 1,200 responses were received during the study, which considered the following key factors:

Unprecedented interest, investment in motorized recreation utilizing All Terrain and Utility Vehicles (ATV/UTV) within the region;
The decreasing snowfall required to support snowmobile trail touring and growing interest in alternatives for outdoor recreation that extends throughout the year;
Emerging technological and mechanical advancements that accommodate trail exploration in large groups and as families;
Maximized diversity, equity and inclusion can be achieved through motorized recreation by extending recreation years of younger and older participants, no gender biased and accommodates people of all ages, abilities and endurance levels;
Recognition of the massive economic value that is leaking out to other states that already provide motorized community connector trails and large-scale community connector heritage and touring trail systems. The Oil Region can serve as a recreational hub that can attract visitors from surrounding states.

The "majority" of respondents were in favor of ATV trails in Venango County, according to a press release from the ORA.

"The study confirmed that this is a highly desired form of outdoor recreation. Most (respondents from the region) are current riders and over half report 15-plus years of riding experience. Yet ATV/UTV trails are among the most underserved and underdeveloped trail systems within the commonwealth," according to the executive summary of the study. The full summary is available on the ORA website.

“This has taken a great deal of time to go through, and we need to move forward positively,” said Harris, Oil Region Alliance Outdoor Recreation Program Manager. She emphasized incidents or riders traveling on private property can hinder some of the progress being made in developing a trail.

Despite the large support for creating a trail, no private landowners have come forward to have trails developed on their property. Therefore, public roads are being identified to create a “trail” that would allow ATV users to traverse the county.

“We have wanted to develop an ATV trail in Venango County for quite some time and recognize the potential economic impact it could have on our region,” said John Phillips, ORA president.

Any landowners interested in learning more about ATV trail development can contact Harris. There are different means of partnering for the trail, including easements and sales of portions of property or entire parcels that private individuals may not be aware of when considering allowing trail development on their land.

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