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. While no deaths have been directly linked to the flu, activity at region hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices has been high. Flu cases across the nation have been at their highest rates in the […]

    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 Tuesday night. Two new plow trucks were approved for purchase. The trucks will replace units that are beyond their life expectancy and are costing the township thousands of dollars each time they break down. Over […]

    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 […]

    by Bruce Whitman Bruno Carnovale attended Monday night’s meeting of Emporium Borough Council. No big deal, he’s been doing that for half a century. The difference this time was that Bruno was there as a citizen, not as mayor or as a council member. Carnovale left public service at the end of December […]

    The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum in Potter County will host Snowmobility Weekend this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Lumber Museum staff will host a number of special events and movie showings, and open additional opportunities for winter outdoor recreation. If snow conditions allow, a five-mile snowmobile route will be created from Thompson Road, south […]

    The Sinnemahoning Sportsmen’s Association is gearing up for its 13th annual Coyote Hunt the weekend of Feb. 16-18. The event is open to coyotes taken anywhere in Pennsylvania taken by hunting, trapping and the use of dogs. All participants must be members of SSA and must be registered by 11:59 p.m., February 15. […]

    by Bruce Whitman Cameron County Echo With no fanfare or hoopla, Dollar General opened its new store in Emporium this past Sunday. Word of mouth and curiosity were enough to attract a large turnout of customers at the Sizervile Rd. facility. For much of the day Sunday the parking lot was full and […]

    by Bruce Whitman Two Cameron County emergency organizations are teaming up to provide training in work place violence and mass shootings in February. The Cameron County Emergency Management Agency and Local Emergency Planning Committee will sponsor the two-hour seminar Wednesday, Feb. 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Emporium Fire Hall. The […]

    by Bruce Whitman Two Cameron County emergency organizations are teaming up to provide training in work place violence and mass shootings in February. The Cameron County Emergency Management Agency and Local Emergency Planning Committee will sponsor the two-hour seminar Wednesday, Feb. 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Emporium Fire Hall. The […]

    by Bruce Whitman Three Cameron County emergency response organizations are in line to receive grants from the state. Rep. Martin Causer announced the grants last week.The grants which will be awarded in three counties,  with the overall package amounting to $410,000. “Our emergency response organizations continue to struggle financially. These grants are sure […]

      Free tax counseling and preparation for Pennsylvania taxpayers with low and moderate income, with emphasis for those 60 and older, is available from AARP Tax Aide in Cameron, Elk, McKean and Potter counties. This service runs from February 5, 2018 through April 6, 2018. Qualified preparers will be offering help with personal […]

    by Amanda Jones During a regional visit, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro met with law enforcement officials in Emporium to discuss efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. Cameron County residents can count themselves lucky; the area has not suffered as many hardships from the opioid crisis as neighboring counties and other communities across […]

    by Bruce Whitman Cameron County Commissioners conducted routine business during a scheduled meeting last Thursday. Commissioner Lori Reed was appointed the county’s Fair Housing Officer and in a related matter, approval was given for the county’s Fair Housing resolution. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was adopted between the county and Northern Tier Community […]

      by Bruce Whitman Emporium employers will soon begin collecting the borough’s increased local services tax (LST). The tax is levied on people who work in the borough and earn more than $12,000 in annual paychecks. For the past 10 years the Emporium LST rate was $25. Borough council moved to increase the […]

    by Bruce Whitman Representatives from state government, officials from five counties and several hundred good friends all showed up Friday at the Emporium Borough Fire hall to honor Bruno Carnovale. Bruno just recently ended a public service spanning 51 years, stepping down as Emporium’s mayor Dec. 31, 2017. The gathering was officially known […]

    by Amanda Jones Two defendants turned down plea agreements and will proceed to trial following return day proceedings held at the Cameron County Courthouse last Tuesday. Norman Francis Pettit, age 22, of Emporium, will proceed to trial on a litany of charges including rape, indecent deviate sexual intercourse (IDSI) with a person less […]

    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 For the most part, Cameron County escaped major consequences from weekend flooding in the Northcentral Region. “We pretty much dodged a bullet,” said Cameron County Emergency Management Agency director Kevin Johnson. Neighboring counties, including Potter, McKean and Elk were not as lucky. “It was close for a time,” continued Johnson. […]

    by Amanda Jones An appeal decision has been overturned by the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, and now blood evidence can be presented by the prosecution in a driving-under-the-influence (DUI) case begun in late 2014. The Commonwealth filed an appeal for a decision affecting the case of the Commonwealth vs. Kaitlyn N. Wolfel, age […]

    by Amanda Jones The Cameron County School District (CCSD) will be looking to fill several positions for sports programs and support positions following resignations from five individuals. The resignations of Head Football Coach Scott Burnside and Head Softball Coach Ralph McKimm, Jr. were both accepted, effective immediately, during Thursday night’s school board meeting. […]

    by Amanda Jones A grant of more than $30,000 has been awarded to the Cameron County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) to be used in a façade improvement program in the Emporium Borough. State Representative Martin Causer (R-Turltepoint) announced last week that a grant of $31,150 is being awarded through the Keystone Communities program. […]

    by Bruce Whitman A large turnout is expected Friday (Jan. 19 )at the Emporium Firehall to honor long time public servant, Bruno Carnovale. Bruno spent more than half a century in public service before retiring as Emporium’s mayor, Dec. 31, 2017. Mayor Justin Zimmer has proclaimed the date as “Bruno Carnovale Day.” Bruno’s […]

    by Amanda Jones  Echo News Editor Organizers of the Pinktober and Baskets of Hope fundraiser at the Cameron County Courthouse announced that this year’s activities raised an unprecedented amount of money and garnered more support to keep the project up and running. Prothonotary Mary Grace Olay announced that Pinktober activities raised just over […]

    Cameron County Commissioners and county officials are working with municipal tax collectors to ready for a collection agency to step in to collect delinquent per capita and occupational taxes. Notices will be sent to residents with currently delinquent taxes prior to the accounts being sent to collection to give them time to pay […]

    Pennsylvania’s annual Elk Hunting Season was held last week, with hunters harvesting many of the animals permitted through the lottery license system. Lucky hunters are chosen through a lottery system during an annual festival held at the Elk Country Visitors Center in Benezette. Each tag is assigned to a management area, and a […]

    Last week, President Donald Trump declared the United States’ opioid crisis a public health emergency, and the Pennsylvania legislature is taking steps to address the problem in the state, as well. Senate Bill 936 would require the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry to adopt an evidence-based drug formulary for the Pennsylvania Workers’ […]

    Local races are set for the General Election to be held across the Commonwealth on Tuesday, November 7. Several local races are uncontested. In the county-wide race, Republican Mary Grace Olay is running unopposed for the Prothonotary position, which she has held for several terms. Current Sheriff Allen H. Neyman is running unopposed […]

    The George B. Stevenson Dam at Sinnemahoning State Park was rededicated on Monday following a multi-million-dollar rehabilitation project completed this year. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) employees and a number of state officials marked the restoration and rededication of the dam on Monday morning at the boat launch area in […]

    by Amanda Jones  Echo News Editor Cameron County’s most anticipated business will open its doors to host a photography exhibit featuring the work of a well-known Emporium resident. A photography exhibit will be hosted at the Hygrade Inn featuring photographs taken by George Kempher, a late Emporium resident known for his photos that […]

    The unemployment rate for September is down slightly from the previous month for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, dropping to 4.8%. This month’s unemployment rate dropped by one-tenth of a percentage point, with employers across the state adding about 10,300 non-farm jobs throughout the month. Total new hires were listed at 26,580. Initial unemployment […]