27 2022
community
SEPTEMBER
p o t t e r m c k e a n
county
Austin • BRADFORD • Coudersport • Crosby • Eldred • Gifford • GALETON • Kane • Lewis Run • Mt. Jewett • Otto Eldred • OSwayo Port Allegany • Roulette • SHINGLEHOUSE • Smethport • Turtlepoint • Ulysses
Era file photo The McCleery Wolf sculpture at the historic depot in Kane represents a link to the borough’s founder, General Thomas L. Kane. Next week, the community will be the site of a pilot program for remote workers.
Remote work pilot program begins in Kane next week
BY MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER
KANE — Remote work has become much more commonplace since the pandemic, and the beauty of it is that it can be done from anywhere — so why not Kane at the beginning of autumn, when the leaves hit their peak of beauty? For six lucky workers from around the state and nation, their chance starts next week. Kate Kennedy, executive director of the Kane Area Development Center, explained. “PA Wilds received grant funding to pilot two communities to invite remote workers to come, to test what it is like” to live and work in the Wilds. The first test community was Bellefonte in July. The second is Kane, and the program runs
Sept. 26 to Oct. 14. It is called the Wilds are Working Remote Work Program. Funded by Ben Franklin Technology Partners through the Appalachian Regional Commission, this project serves as an element to address the issue of outmigration in rural areas and market PA Wilds communities as great places for remote workers to live and work. “The grant provides payment for lodging and a stipend to spend money at the retailers in the local area,” Kennedy said. KADC and Kane Area Chamber of Commerce went through 70 applicants, narrowed it down to 15 and did interviews, choosing six people. One person is from Denver, Colo., another is from Arlington,
Va., while the rest are from other parts of Pennsylvania, down around Philadelphia. “These are remote workers with a variety of jobs,” she said, explaining their professions are cybersecurity, therapist, branding and marketing, IT work for an exchange student program, and two writers, one who writes for Wires and the other for Sports Illustrated.” The group had a virtual meet-andgreet to familiarize themselves with the others involved, and Kennedy explained that each participant has been paired with a local person with similar interests. “We’re hoping they can match up and do some activities together,” she said, adding she hopes they can explore more of
Wilcox man jailed for alleged Kane incident KANE — A Wilcox man is in McKean County Jail, accused of striking a woman and prohibiting her from leaving a residence by nailing the windows shut. Dillon Robuck, 26, of Marvin Street, is charged with unlawful restraint, a first-degree misdemeanor, simple assault, a second-degree misdemeanor, and three counts of harassment, summary offenses. According to the
criminal complaint, on Aug. 11, the female victim told Kane Borough Police that Robuck had been staying with her to hide from law enforcement in Elk County, where he was supposed to be going on trial. Robuck put screws in all the windows of the victim’s home and wouldn’t let her leave, and would beat her, punch her and push her down. She said it had been going on for a week. While
Robuck was watching television, the victim got a screwdriver, took out the screws from the window frame in the bedroom and escaped, going to a friend’s residence to summon police. Robuck was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge David Engman in Kane and remanded to jail in lieu of $25,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in Central Court on Oct. 3.
the Wilds when they are here. The workers who took part in the Bellefonte project have provided a lot of feedback about the program, she said. “It was such a wonderful experience for them.” When Kane officials interviewed the program applicants, they learned what attracted them to take part. “A lot of them are from cities,” Kennedy said. “A lot of them are wanting to try out someplace smaller. One of the common things we heard was an idea there is more of a connection in a smaller town. “They’re looking for a way to make a connection and make more of an impact,” she said. When the program was first introduced, the Philadelphia
Inquirer ran a story about it, which was how many of the applicants learned of the program. “One person had family ties in the area,” Kennedy said, “another person had a cousin who did it in Bellefonte. “The criteria we were looking for, was people who weren’t already living in the PA Wilds and may consider moving to the PA Wilds, or had a type of job that may add value to our community, and/or to spread the word about how awesome this corner of the state is,” she continued. The workers will be staying at various places in the community — one at Kane Manor and five at Airbnbs. “Two are coming with a partner and three are bringing pets,” Kennedy said, “I
think they are already planning to share the experience with others they care about.” Kennedy said she’s excited about the program for a lot of reasons, but the biggest one is simple — “I just love Kane. I think everyone involved in this project just really loves this community. The biggest excitement is to share what we love about this region. “Whatever comes from that is going to be positive and great,” she said. “We are rural, sometimes it feels like people who don’t have a lot of experience in rural communities have stereotypes that aren’t always positive. “I think anytime we can give people the chance to experience rural for what it really is” is a positive. “We’re redefining rural for people.”
Bradford Kiwanis Club announces Kapers auditions The Bradford Kiwanis Club has announced auditions for this year’s Kapers show, “Relatively Kapers” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at St. Bernard’s Auditorium on Festival Way in Bradford. This year’s show is centered around the theme of family, and Kiwanis Kapers is looking for as many “family” units or family themed acts to be included in the show, as possible. It can be siblings, spouses, cousins, whole families,
extended families and even groups of people that you would consider to be family — But this is not limited to families only! Kiwanis is looking for acts to come with a prepared selection or act to be considered. If singing, people are encouraged to bring their own accompaniment track or sing without accompaniment. The show will take place this year on Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 12 at 2:30 p.m. and is being directed by Darren B.
Litz, executive director for the Bradford Creative and Performing Arts Center (BCPAC). The show will be presented in the same format as last year, as a dessert theater featuring a variety of music, dance and acts. Soloists, duets, trios quartets and various ensemble groups, reflecting on the theme of “family,” is the focus. Tryouts will be on a first-come, first-served basis. For any questions, contact the BCPAC office at (814) 362-2522.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
2
PORT ALLEGANY
GATORS
FALL SPORTS TEAMS
Girls soccer
CHeerleading
Volleyball
Front row:Thea Petruzzi, Evin Stauffer, Abby Lutz, Brielle Budd, Starlet Bridenbaker, Katelyn Dunn, Maya Kephart, Olivia Schott; Row 2: Kendra Meade, Madison Fillhart, Kami Archer, Keitha Line, Kailey Bartlett, Hannah Himes, Layla Safford, Hannah Taylor; Back Row: Coach Justin Osani, Julie Smith, Jennifer Baxter, Juliana Cole, Lily Madison, Alivia Dowell, Savann Tanner, Coach Jay Tanner. Missing from the photo are Chloe Cramer, Allie O’Shea, Hannah Taylor and Journey Wilmoth.
Front row, left to right: Alexsis Bennett, Savannah Hart, Trinity Hamilton, Stephanie Alcock, Kya Yentzer, Sarah Rothermel; Back Row: Coach Terrie Austin , Riely Coopersmith, Jeannette Nichold, Kaelyn Bonawitz, Sierria Peters, Cayle Lloyd, Willow Babcock and Avaree Redmond.
Front row, left to right: Brieanne Hosterman, Sabringa Reed, Willow Sauers, Madison Errick, Gracee Donovan, Alayna McKervey, Hayley Thomas, Jossalynn Mereen; Row 2: Jenna Renner, Brieanna Daniels, Lily Lehmier, Isla Lehmier, Alyssa Tanner, Amber Funk, Kyla Andreano; Back Row: Coach Matt Burr, Brynn Evens, Ella Moses, Emily Baumgarner, Leigha Nelson, Madeline Smith,Kayleigha Dowell, Lily Babcock, Paige Crum-Threadgill. Missing from the photo is Lorelai Burr.
Boys soccer
Football
Front row, left to right: Jett Ruding, Meryk Ault, Liam Rowley-Thompson, Shane Lawton, Aidan Emerick ;Row 2: Micah Emerick, Allen Hefner, Owen Kisler, Samuel Peterson, Trey Kiser, Justin Dunn, Skyler Pelchy, Austin Hamilton, Travis Carpenter; Row 3: Coach Aaron Clark, Isaac Barber, Saxon Palmer, Henry Kisler, Aidan Clark, Jarrod Funk, James Nichols, Alex Schott, Collin Stuckey, Eli Voss, Corbin Bridenbaker, Coach Matt Lawton.
Front row, left to right: Managers Sophia Bienkowski, Ayden Bachman, Alivia Bienkowski, Jadon Archer, Iziah Petruzzi, Jack Smith, Chase Boyd, Brennan Fillhart; Row 2: Seniors Jake Renner, Gavin Burgess, Blaine Moses, Drew Evens, Noah Archer, Kaden Price, Corbin Hamilton; Standing: Coach Chad Saltsman, Coach Seth Lowery, Ethan Tarbox, Kelvin Burgess, Kaleb Smoker, Brayden Babcock, Jarrod Funk, Ryler Fillhart, Jacob Causer, Aidan Bliss, Juuson Young, Carson Neely, Miska Young, Levi Howard, Braylon Button, Bren Carlson, Gavyn McKervey, Levi Wilfong Kole Kisko, Payton Yeager, Alex Smith, Josh Veilleux, Colton Crowe, Austin Freer, Petyon Stiles,Tayton Roys, Tristan Kiser, Coach Bienkowski, Nick Wilfong, Coach Josh McNeil. Missing from the photo: Charles Craft, Julian Kaple, Brayden Pearsall and Aiden Smith.
Marching Band Front row, left to right: Band Front Advisor Sarah Lindsay, Jeannette Nichols, Taylor Carpenter, Devan Carpenter, Lily O’Rourke, Jersey GAmet, Gianna Glasgow, Lillianne Reed, Anastasia Penick; Row 2: Aidan Clark, Isaac Fessenden, Alayna Palmer, Madison Fillhart, Savannah Hart, Chloe Cramer, Leila Stuckey, Kadence Beaver, Raelin Meacham; (Director Brad Stewart, James Nichols, Owen Kisler, Derrick Jaros, Trace Kazimer, Shane Lawton, Lily Madison, Connor Briggs, Delaney Stromberg and Assistant Director JT Madison.
All photos by Pam Fischer.
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COUDERSPORT
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SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
Will inflation push Pa. legislature to give costof-living raises to state, school retirees?
Bauer released to home detention BY MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER
After a little more than a year of incarceration, Capitol riot defendant Pauline Bauer has been released to home detention. In a conference held Tuesday afternoon before Judge Trevor McFadden, Bauer’s latest petition for release was granted, with conditions. Bauer, 54, of Kane, owner of Bob’s Trading Post and Graybill Marina, had been incarcerated since Sept. 17, 2021, for alleged violations of the conditions of her pretrial release. She had filed several times for release, to no avail. Now, with Pittsburgh attorney Komron Maknoon representing her, the motion was
granted. The conditions include the following: Home detention with the exception of employment, medical or religious services or visits to her father if approved by her supervising officer; location monitoring technology; surrender her passport; travel restricted to western district of Pennsylvania unless for meetings with attorney or for court; not to be in possession of a firearm. Her next court appearance is Dec. 16 at 11 a.m. in Washington, D.C. There are several outstanding motions in her case that have yet to be heard, including to dismiss the count of her indictment that deals
with obstructing an official proceeding and to hold an evidentiary hearing in support of Bauer’s claim of selective prosecution. Prosecutors have said video footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot shows Bauer calling for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to be hanged. Bauer is charged with entering any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting.
Casey announces $240 million for Pa. Clean Water initiative
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is awarding Pennsylvania $240,167,000 from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve water infrastructure. This funding will supplement the $67 million awarded to Pennsylvania for its Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds in fiscal year 2022. The funding will be used help communities access safe, clean water, repair aging pipes, collect and treat wastewater and build resiliency in the face of extreme weather events — which have
become increasingly common as the climate crisis continues. “All communities deserve access to clean, safe water. This funding will expand access to clean drinking water, invest in projects that collect and treat wastewater to protect public health and improve water resources for all to enjoy. Investments like these are particularly important because they reach many families who have historically been marginalized. And, as we continue to face the worsening effects of the climate crisis, this investment will mean increased resiliency in the face of unpredictable weather patterns like
floods and hurricanes,” said Casey. The funding will go to PENNVEST and will advance the Biden Administration’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40 percent of the benefits of certain federal programs to underserved communities, advancing environmental justice.
PHILADELPHIA (TNS) — With inflation topping 8% this year for the first time since 1981, Pennsylvania officials are mulling what to do about state and public school retirees’ demands for the first pension costof-living adjustments (COLA) since 2004. In the state Senate, two Democrats, Katie Muth and John Kane, who represent districts in Philadelphia’s western suburbs, said Monday that they planned to introduce legislation providing a cost-ofliving adjustment for beneficiaries of both the Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) and the Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System (SERS). ”Inflation is very harmful to fixed incomes,” and with prices so much higher in an election year this year, “the chance of passing a COLA really should be better” than at any time since the last increase was passed 20 years ago, the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees told members in a recent note praising the senators’ proposal. But it will be “a challenge” to enact a raise, the group added, noting the legislative session has about 10 days left, and a proposal would need the support of both parties and Gov. Tom Wolf. Left unstated by the retirees’ group, but all too familiar to state budget officials: After years of underfunding and disappointing investment returns, both plans have deficits running into the tens of billions of dollars, which lawmakers have been reluctant to increase by boosting retiree payouts. Combined, the systems pay retirement and survivor pensions to more than 370,000 Pennsylvanians. Payouts average a little over $2,000 a month but vary
widely; career state worker retirees collect an average around $31,000 a year, and teachers with at least 20 years’ service collect around $33,000, while hundreds of retired senior school staff collect more than $100,000. But thousands who retired before 2001, when pension rates were lower, collect far less. The senators circulated cosponsorship memos showing they plan to introduce two separate proposals that would give beneficiaries of both PSERS and SERS their first COLA since the last ones were approved in 2002. The memos note that inflation has boosted consumer prices more than 50% from 2002 to 2022. ”The number of people who that have emailed my office since introducing the memos is astounding, all in support of it,” Muth said Monday, several hours after announcing the proposal. She joined the PSERS board last year and has often clashed with board leadership, which Muth has accused of excessive secrecy and an overly complex, expensive investment policy. Gov. Tom Ridge signed legislation to increase state and school pensions and reduce eligibility in 2001, and a scheduled increase took place two years later. Pensions are based on years of service and highest annual pay before retirement. But the plans in the 10 years after that law passed slipped from well-funded to badly underfunded, as investments and “employer contributions” from taxpayers failed to keep pace with pension payouts. The General Assembly has improved no new increases since that time. ”Especially pre-2001 retirees,” who didn’t get the Ridge increase,
“deserve a COLA,” said Caroline Fedena, a retired school counselor at Sun Valley High School in Aston, noting that she is among those who retired just before pensions were raised. ”Although payments to the fund have increased due to higher salaries and a higher percentage of salaries paid to the fund, plus much higher school district contributions, the legislature has not seen fit to add even one COLA during that time,” said Rick Greenstein, who taught in Philadelphia schools from 1966 to 1996. ”There has been no COLA for 18 years, and yet the state plan, SERS, has managed with smoke and mirrors to continue paying higher pensions” to recent retirees, said Leo Burke Jr., a retired state social worker from Philadelphia and a past officer of the Pennsylvania Association of Retired State Employees. Burke said Tuesday that retirees pre-2001 “are disadvantaged by 25%” because their pensions were calculated on a lower basis and that union leaders “betrayed” them in a deal that also boosted pensions for state lawmakers. A spokeswoman for PSERS, Evelyn Williams, had no immediate comment to pension increase proposals. Pam Hile, a spokeswoman for the SERS plan, said they would look at a detailed proposal from the senators “once there is a bill” in the legislature. The lone PSERS board seat set aside for retirees is scheduled to go vacant pending an election among retirees, after Melva S. Vogler, a former board chairman who took over the seat with the backing of the PSEA teachers’ union, retires from the board at the end of this year. Vogler is the board’s longest-serving member.
Police release further details in Sunday fatal crash
RIDGWAY — Ridgway-based state police responded to a fatal accident on U.S. Route 219, Ridgway Johnsonburg Road, in Elk County at 7:41 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18. According to the report, Clement F. McAlee, 56, of Johnsonburg was driving north, while William C. Givler, 60, of Duncansville was traveling south in a tanker truck, hauling
fuel. McAlee’s pickup truck traveled over the double yellow centerline, according to the report, and into the southbound lane, striking Givler’s tanker truck. The pickup came to a final rest along the berm facing northwest. Givler was able to exit the vehicle and was treated on scene by Ridgway Ambulance Corporation before being transported to
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Penn Highlands DuBois for serious injuries. The truck caught fire, and both lanes of Route 219 were closed for roughly 11 hours while police investigated. The injuries to McAlee were fatal and he was deceased upon the officers’ arrival, per the report. Both drivers were reportedly wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.
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