by Amanda Jones Organizers in Cameron County are creating a new event to be part of a Triple Crown series that will be available beginning next year. Previously, a group had banded together to organize the Sinnemahoning Ultra Trail Run which pits long-distance runners against a grueling track that starts and ends in Emporium […]

  by Bruce Whitman A brand new home in Emporium is ready to welcome an income eligible owner under an Affordable Housing program sponsored by the Northern Tier Community Action Corporation. The residential dwelling is located at 236 West Fifth Street and is the first new family style home to be constructed in the borough […]

  by Amanda Jones Façade improvements are ongoing at several downtown Emporium businesses who are taking advantage of a grant program to help stretch their funding. Last week, work began at the Cameron County Chamber of Commerce and Artisan Center building on East Fourth Street. The building is owned by Blair and Linda Lundberg, of […]

  by Bruce Whitman The public is encouraged to attend Thursday evening’s meeting of the Emporium Borough Streets Committee for a discussion on the traffic light at the intersection of Routes 120 and 46. The meeting will be in the Borough Council Room starting at 6 p.m. Committee members will review a PennDOT traffic study, […]

  by Amanda Jones The community of Cameron County lost one of its most prominent citizens with the passing of Glen Fiebig last week. Fiebig was originally from the Norristown area of southeastern Pennsylvania, but moved to Cameron County while serving as a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper nearly 40 years ago. He stayed on with […]

by Bruce Whitman In 1961 I joined the reporting staff of the Harrisburg Patriot-News as a sportswriter. In those days the Patriot-News was building circulation through intense coverage of high school sports. A youngster’s name in a sports article prompted parents, grandparents and other relatives to buy a paper. About the same time a young […]

  A warrant was issued for a New York State resident who has failed to appear at several scheduled hearings in the Cameron County Court of Common Pleas. Arthur Viall Alpaugh, III, age 40, of Waverly, New York, had been scheduled to appear for a plea on charges of theft from a motor vehicle stemming […]

  The 6th annual St. Mark Festival is Friday! This year’s event will be held only one day, Friday, August 31st. Friday evening will have a variety of activities for young and old alike. Come for a homemade turkey dinner at O’Connell Hall between the hours of 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Only 200 dinners […]

  by Bruce Whitman St. Marys resident Jim Baumgratz has published an interesting and locally relevant book detailing murder and mysterious events in Elk County. “Elk County Murders” covers the years 1873 to 1936 and includes chapter topics ranging from bootleggers to revenge killings. The historic true crime book details 25 murders and deaths in […]

    Cameron County High School proudly announces that Tess Dubler and Shannon Crisp have earned the titles of Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the Class of 2018, respectively. Tess Addison Dubler, Valedictorian, is the daughter of Julie Dubler and the late Gary Dubler. Tess’s school activities include Mock Trial, Envirothon, Student Council (student body treasurer), […]

    by Amanda Jones A former police officer will remain in jail beyond his minimum sentence after his parole was denied during a hearing held Tuesday at the Cameron County Courthouse. Francis Paul Johnson, age 53, of Weedville, who formerly served as an officer with the Emporium Borough Police Department had his request for […]

      by Bruce Whitman Cameron County Commissioners approved a number of spending agenda items during their meeting last Thursday. The once tabled bidding process to replace a major culvert on Sizer Run was finally acted on. Solveson Contracting of Emporium was awarded the bid at $55,605.65 after revising specifications for the project. Moyer […]

    An Emporium man was sentenced to serve more than five years in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to inappropriate contact with a minor earlier this year. Norman Francis Pettit, age 22, was sentenced to serve between five and 10 years in a state correctional institution. In March, Pettit pleaded guilty to one […]

    Probation was revoked for a man under the supervision of the Cameron County Probation Department who was convicted of additional crimes in Elk County last month. Luke Thomas Romanowski, age 25, with addresses listed in Johnsonburg and Emporium, will be resentenced on charges from 2014 following his entrance of a guilty plea in […]

      by Amanda Jones A sentencing hearing was held for Timothy Paul Reese, age 57, of Emporium, on a charge of driving under the influence (DUI), second offense. Reese was ordered to spend a minimum of five days in jail, which he will spend as a split-sentence over two consecutive weekends. If Reese […]

    The Cameron County Community Pool will open on Monday, June 4th. Advance season tickets may be purchased in the High School Principal’s office beginning Monday, May 21 through June 1 at the following prices: Family – $75, Adult – $55, and Student – $45. Starting June 4, prices will be: Family – $90, […]

    by Bruce Whitman A freak windstorm, described by one Cameron County official as “brief but devastating,” swept through the region Friday evening. What has been described by weather authorities as a micro burst with very high straight line winds, hopped and skipped across portions of Cameron, Elk and McKean counties just before 6 […]

      A bench trial held in Emporium for three people charged with assaulting a man with a shovel ended with guilty verdicts for the defendants. Last week, Cameron County President Judge Richard Masson presided over a non-jury trial that combined cases against Emporium residents Michael E. Hallowell, age 48, Dana Lee Grovanz, age […]

      Fire companies and DCNR Bureau of Forestry crews were kept on the move last week by wildfires brought on by warm, dry weather and gusty winds. In Cameron County two wildfires were reported along Route 555 in an area commonly known as the “low grade.” The first response was just west of […]

    Cameron County’s Board of Commissioners has been forced to rebid a project to replace windows at the Emporium Arms on West Fourth St. in Emporium. Cliff Clark, administrator for the Community Development Block Grant funded project, informed commissioners last Thursday that no bids had been received for the work. The project calls for […]

    by Bruce Whitman A general discussion on recycling matters was held during Monday night’s meeting of Emporium Borough Council. Councilman Mike Stuaglicio suggested that the recycling of cardboard and glass bottles from restaurants and taverns  in the borough might be brought under recycling efforts. Councilman Dave Hallowell inquired about having electronics recycled at […]

    An Emporium man was sentenced Tuesday on charges related to his possession of controlled substances on school grounds. Ethan Vislay, age 18, was charged with one felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance stemming from an incident that occurred in October at the Cameron County High School (CCHS). Vislay […]

    by Amanda Jones An Emporium woman was ordered to attend the Potter County Women’s Rehabilitation Center in Harrison Valley following probation violations that caused her intermediate punishment to be revoked. Jody L. Wiltrout, age 33, of Emporium, was paroled during her hearing on Tuesday in front of Judge Richard Masson in Emporium and […]

    by Bruce Whitman Cameron County’s Democratic Committee continues to move forward  with efforts to  reorganize and strengthen its role in area politics. The group met earlier this month to formulate plans for the upcoming May 15 Primary Election. Rich Schweikart, Elk County Democratic Chair, told those in attendance that it was of great […]

    by Bruce Whitman The possibility of establishing a wildlife museum in Cameron County was part of informal discussion at last Thursday’s meeting of the Cameron County Commissioners. Ken Gerg brought up the matter after commissioners had completed action on routine agenda items. Gerg asked board members if there had been any movement on […]

    The Cameron County Chamber of Commerce is spearheading a committee to continue the Cameron County Canoe & Kayak Classic in 2019. The Classic has brought paddlers from across the United States to the region the first Saturday in April for the past 44 years. A dozen individuals recently met with retiring Classic coordinator […]

    Emporium Borough officials met informally last week to discuss, among other things, a right-of-way issue involving property owners along a narrow alley leading from Broad St. to Wood St. The owners and operators of a soft ice cream business at Wood and 4th Sts. are seeking public access through the alley to a […]

    It’s just hours since you’ve lost your home to a fire. The initial shock is starting to wear off and now the grim reality of total loss is starting to set in. Insurance will cover the structure and most of its contents. It’s the little things that are gone that start to add […]

    An Emporium man jailed on felony drug-related charges is accused of attacking a co-defendant in his case while the two were housed at the McKean County Jail. Gregory Burdick, age 32, allegedly assaulted co-defendant Darren David Donovan, age 25, of Emporium, during the afternoon of April 5. Police allege that Burdick approached his […]

    by Bruce Whitman First responders had little to no chance of saving any of the properties involved in an early Sunday morning fire on April 8 in Emporium. An apartment house and a private residence at 541 E. Allegheny Ave. were destroyed in the fast moving inferno. In addition, a vacant building across […]

    by Bruce Whitman The Northern Tier Community Action Corp. has taken a major step in addressing Cameron County’s need for affordable housing. In recent weeks a brand new modular home  was erected at 236 West Fifth St. in Emporium. It’s the current showcase in Northern Tier’s efforts to insure that residents with limited […]

    by Amanda Jones Members of the Cameron County School District (CCSD) Board of Directors continue to look into ways to cut additional expenditures from the proposed budget. As of last week, expenditures were still expected to come in at more than $360,000 over the amount expected to be received through taxes, state funding […]

    by Bruce Whitman An apartment building and a single private residence were destroyed by fire early this past Sunday morning in Emporium. Five fire companies from three counties responded to the blaze with the first dispatch coming at 12:53 a.m. The blaze is believed to have started in one of four apartments in […]

    Paddlers in the 44th annual Cameron County Canoe & Kayak Classic had to take the good with the bad, The good for Saturday’s event was near perfect water conditions. The bad was bitter cold conditions. Temperatures were in the mid-30s under a pale April sun and brisk breezes. “The event went well,” said […]

    Two additional defendants have been charged in connection with an ongoing drug investigation in the Borough of Emporium. Last weekend, charges were filed against Kurt Wallin, age 50, of Emporium, following information received by members of the Emporium Borough Police Department (EBPD) while conducting a traffic stop on unknown individuals. That traffic stop […]

    On Friday, an Austin woman being arraigned on charges of conspiracy to commit several drug-related crimes escaped from custody but was apprehended a short time later. Kortney Leigh Bundy, age 28, was awaiting finalization of her preliminary arraignment on felony charges of conspiracy to commit possession of controlled substances and related counts when […]

    Cameron County’s Board of Commissioners last Thursday approved two appointments to the county’s Planning Commission. Ann Horning and Ray Schneider will each serve six year terms on the board, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2018. Commissioners approved a lease agreement with the Cameron County School District on behalf of the county’s Family Center. Approval […]

    by Bruce Whitman Gold fever has once again broken out in the remote mountainous forest lands of Elk and Cameron counties. WJAC-TV of Johnstown fired up a renewal of a 155-year-old legend of lost gold last week when it reported federal and state agency representatives and a treasure hunter were conducting activities in […]

    by Amanda Jones Seven students advanced to the local finals round of the Emporium Rotary’s 4-Way Speech Competition held last week, which determined which student advances to the Regional round in April. Nine students entered the first round of competition, held in February. From those nine, six typically advance, but as sixth and […]

    by Bruce Whitman What started out as a search for a new challenge has turned into a crash course in government for Justin M. Zimmer. Justin, 36, took office as mayor of Emporium in January, replacing long time mayor and public servant Bruno Carnovale. “When Bruno retired as mayor, I decided to become […]

    Emporium Borough Council is expected to adopt an ordinance clearing up a parking issue on 6th Street Extended at its April 2 meeting. The new ordinance comes as a result of citizen concerns over on street parking creating a traffic issue. Parking vehicles in the immediate area can create a situation where emergency, […]

    Three Cameron County residents have been arrested after a search warrant was executed at a residence in the Emporium Borough last Wednesday, March 7th. According to information on file at Magisterial District Justice Barry Brown’s office in Emporium, police visited the residence at 60 Sycamore Street while attempting to locate Darren Donovan, age […]

    by Bruce Whitman An update on upgrades to Driftwood Borough’s water system was provided to Cameron County Commissioners during their Thursday (March 8) meeting. Joe Williams, former Driftwood mayor, said crucial work on the system is moving along. After leaving office, Williams stayed on to coordinate work on the public water system that […]

    by Amanda Jones Students at the Woodland Elementary School will receive a visit from U.S. Representative Glenn Thompson (R-Bellefonte) later this month, which will include a question-and-answer session with fifth and sixth graders. Cameron County School District (CCSD) Superintendent Dr. Keith Wolfe discussed the visit with school board members during the regular board […]

    by Amanda Jones The Cameron County Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Auxiliary recently hosted its annual Cash Bash fundraiser, which was held at the Vets Club in Emporium last Saturday. The Auxiliary supports a number of Cameron County organizations utilizing money raised during the event. “It’s great to see a small town come […]

    by Bruce Whitman Rep. Martin Causer has announced he’s running for a 9th term in the state House of Representatives. Causer represents Cameron, McKean counties and most of Potter County in the 67th Legislative District. A resident of Turtlepoint, Causer has appeared regularly in Emporium to meet with borough and county residents. In […]

    by Bruce Whitman Like the phoenix of Greek mythology, an Emporium industrial operation will soon rise from fire and ashes. Emporium Hardwoods, located along  million. 120 in Shippen Twp. just east of Emporium, is preparing to make operational a new “green mill” facility. Just a year ago (March 11, 2017) a devastating fire […]

    by Bruce Whitman Dave Smith is probably the only person in Cameron County, or the entire country for that matter, who gets excited when early spring brings on the dreaded explosion of dandelions. “The dandelion is the life saver of bees,” said Smith, who maintains 105 colonies in hives in three counties. “Man […]

    by Bruce Whitman Emporium Borough Council Monday night discussed two pending cleanup matters that need to be addressed. Tina Johns-Solak spoke before council on a matter of trash and an overflowing dumpster in a lot next to the former Jasper Harris Building. “The dumpster is always overflowing and items are being dumped, including […]

    Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017, Cole Memorial is set for another historic year as it became UPMC Cole on March 1, 2018. After a decade-long relationship with UPMC Hamot, Cole Memorial, now UPMC Cole, officially becomes part of the growing Pittsburgh-based UPMC health system, which also has tertiary hospitals in Erie, Altoona, […]

    by Bruce Whitman Final planning for the 2018 Cameron County Canoe and Kayak Classic is being overshadowed by an announcement by Randy Bailey that he is contemplating stepping aside as the event’s coordinator. This year’s classic is scheduled for Saturday, April 7. Bailey will coordinate the event as he has done for the […]

    An Emporium woman will serve at least six months in jail after pleading guilty to setting her own house on fire last year. Ashley Callaway, age 30, entered an open guilty plea in November to two felony counts related to arson at her residence on Old West Creek Road in Shippen Township. On […]

    by Amanda Jones An Emporium man serving jail time for unlawful contact with a minor was granted parole on Tuesday during Return Day hearings held at the Cameron County Courthouse. Judge Richard Masson agreed to allow Matthew Kriner, age 28, to be paroled from jail, but ordered that he spend the next several […]

    by Amanda Jones An Emporium man will serve time in jail and must register as a sex offender after being sentenced on charges of having inappropriate contact with a minor female on Tuesday in Cameron County. Peter Paul Romanowski, III, of South Broad Street in Emporium, entered a guilty plea to felony charges […]

    by Bruce Whitman Congressman Glenn (GT) Thompson was in Emporium last week to assure  voters that he would continue to represent Cameron County, no matter what the outcome of the current redistricting issue in Pennsylvania. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the 8th, 5th or 15th District, Cameron County will be in my district,” […]

    by Bruce Whitman GKN Sinter Metals made it official last week when it issued a news release stating the holdings are up for sale. GKN operates two plants in Emporium and a third in nearby Kersey, Elk County. GKN PLC went public with a statement that it seeks to unload GKN Powder Metallurgy […]

    by Amanda Jones A new group has formed in Cameron County to promote local events and draw together resources for betterment of the community. Team Cameron County, which is composed of like-minded individuals who are participants in a number of other local organizations, is looking to create a network of community members to […]

    An Emporium woman has been charged with numerous counts in two separate cases related to identity theft and making terroristic threats. Ashley Jo Callaway, age 31, of Emporium, has been charged with several felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from investigations into incidents that occurred in October and November of 2017. In the first […]

  by Bruce Whitman Cameron County and the surrounding region have not escaped the ravages of the 2017-18 flu epidemic, unfortunately. Whilst no deaths have been directly linked to the flu, activity at region hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices has been high. This suggests that more and more people are beginning to feel the impact […]

    by Bruce Whitman Cameron County government is looking forward to an upgrade of operating systems in the coming months. Chief Clerk Brenda Munz informed commissioners at their Thursday (Feb. 15) meeting that the first phase of a new Incode 10 software system should be up and running by early March. The new package […]

    by Bruce Whitman With the thoughts of the recent Parkland, Fla., school shooting still seared in the minds of many, the backdrop for a local training event this week couldn’t be more appropriate. Work Place Violence and Mass Shooting training will take place at the Emporium Fire Hall Wednesday (Feb. 21) from 1 […]

    by Amanda Jones Members of the Cameron County School District (CCSD) Board of Directors again discussed a move made at a recent meeting to ban scheduling of activities on Sundays. Following a request made by the local Ministerium association for information on Sunday practice and activity polices, the board voted to no longer […]

    An Emporium resident has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person following an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident on private property in Shippen Township. Jonathan Elmer Wareham, age 37, has been charged with two misdemeanor counts following an incident alleged to have occurred on January 31. Wareham […]

    by Amanda Jones Shippen Township Supervisors discussed the purchase of new vehicles at the regular monthly meeting held on Tuesday night. Two new plow trucks were approved for purchase. The trucks will replace the current units that are beyond their life expectancy and are regularly breaking down. More often than not they can […]

    by Bruce Whitman A proposal to redraft Pennsylvania congressional district would bring no change to voters in Cameron County. Under the proposal Cameron County would remain fully within the 5th Congressional District currently served by U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, a Republican from State College. The state legislature was tasked with redrawing congressional districts […]

    Jon A. Carlson D.C., CCSP, a board certified chiropractic sports physician has joined the staff at Geisinger Gray’s Woods. A Cameron County High School grad, Dr. Carlson is Geisinger’s first chiropractor. A former collegiate athlete who suffered many injuries himself, Dr. Carlson became a doctor to specialize in injury prevention and performance. He […]

    by Amanda Jones The first public meeting of a group aimed to collect data from residents for the betterment of the community was held last week. The Cameron County Project, launched by accountant Jessica Herzing, was introduced to community members on Monday night, with more than 30 people in attendance. Herzing is a […]

    Dollar General continues to make shopping easier and more convenient for customers in Emporium with the grand opening of its newly-relocated store at 209 Sizerville Rd. on Saturday, February 10 beginning at 8 a.m. Customers will enjoy special deals and free prizes at the grand opening event. Additionally, the first 50 adult shoppers […]

    by Bruce Whitman During their scheduled meeting Thursday (Feb. 1) Cameron County Commissioners announced the county’s 2017 Community Development Block Grant has been approved. Cameron County is scheduled to receive $203,969 from the grant program. The county uses CDBG funding in a variety of programs, most notably in updating low income housing. The […]