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.

Franklin 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

 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.

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

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