A chance meeting between a museum curator on a buying trip to Holland and a history buff who loves to travel produced the opportunity of a lifetime for a young woman with aspirations to study medicine in college. Miriam Teeuwssen, (pronounced tea-you-sen), began her senior year at King George High School this year as a foreign exchange student purely by chance. Her host parents, LuAnn and Mike Farrell, along with their 10 year old son, Brett and their 12 year old daughter, Carly, welcomed Miriam to their home August 29 of this year. The phrase, "it's a small world" is appropriate in Miriam's case due to the fact that it was Mike's sister, Susan, in Bradford, Pa. who first made Mr. Teeuwssen's acquaintance.

Read the Complete Story Here.

For those of you that miss good ole' Chuck Brooks, He's doing well.
Read the article here.

'I get dozens of calls from parents,' said Kimberly Young, a psychologist who opened the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery, in Bradford, Pa., in 1995.
'It's the same story time and time again. Parents say, `At first I thought it was a hobby and a phase, but he won't stop. He thinks it's fine to live in his bathrobe and play the game all day and not have any social contact.' There's a whole subculture that supports that.'

Read the Article Here.

Sportsmen will not have to supply their Social Security numbers in order to obtain future hunting and fishing licenses under a new law supported by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint).

"This is an important step that will help protect our sportsmen from identity theft," Causer said. "Identity thieves are getting more and more creative in their methods for stealing people's money and destroying their credit - the last thing we want to do is make it easier for them."

Pennsylvania had been collecting Social Security numbers on various state forms, including hunting and fishing license applications, because of a federal welfare reform law that was aimed at identifying parents who were not living up to their child support obligations.

The new legislation, signed into law by the governor Thursday, allows sportsmen to instead supply their driver's license number, or a non-driver identification number supplied by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, on such applications.

"This law should keep us in compliance with federal welfare laws but without putting the identities of our sportsmen and women at risk," Causer said.

A companion bill that authorizes PennDOT to provide non-driver identification cards to children age 10 and older was also signed into law. That will ensure young people, who are unlikely to have any child support obligations, aren't forced to list highly sensitive information like their Social Security numbers.

Causer said people applying for driver licenses or for non-driver photo identification will still have to provide their Social Security numbers.

Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) and Sen. Joe Scarnati
(R-Brockway) today announced a grant of nearly $300,000 for the expansion of the Hamlin Memorial Library.

Smethport Borough, which sponsors the library, applied for and was awarded the grant. It will help fund a 4,000-square-foot expansion of the facility.

"Hamlin Memorial Library is a great asset to the Smethport area," Causer said. "I applaud the borough for taking the initiative to obtain this grant, which will allow the library to provide better services to even more people."

Scarnati agreed. "The support of the borough and the state are vital to Hamlin Memorial Library's success, but we also want to extend our thanks and appreciation to the library staff for the great work that they do."

The grant of $299,633 was awarded through the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund library facilities grant program. The purpose of the grant program is to help support and improve library facilities across the Commonwealth.

For more information on the Hamlin Memorial Library and the services it offers, visit Causer's Web site at RepCauser.com and click on the "district links" button on the left side.

By David Hunt

Mascaro Construction, of Pittsburgh, Pa., has assembled an arsenal of heavy equipment on Route 219 to complete an ambitious two-year, $55-million project to rebuild the Bradford Bypass in northcentral Pennsylvania.
Read the Complete Story Here.

101 bears were checked in at the Mount Jewett Bear Station on opening day this week.

79 of them were from McKean County, seven were from Potter County, five from Cameron, and one from Warren.

Rumors have been reported of a 690 pound bear harvested in Potter County, but that number has not yet been confirmed.

101 bears were checked in at the Mount Jewett Bear Station on opening day this week.

79 of them were from McKean County, seven were from Potter County, five from Cameron, and one from Warren.

Rumors have been reported of a 690 pound bear harvested in Potter County, but that number has not yet been confirmed.

101 bears were checked in at the Mount Jewett Bear Station on opening day this week.

79 of them were from McKean County, seven were from Potter County, five from Cameron, and one from Warren.

Rumors have been reported of a 690 pound bear harvested in Potter County, but that number has not yet been confirmed.

18 year old Meranda Paynes pleaded guilty to corruption of minors for an incident over the summer. She's charged with having sex with a 14 year old male and smoking pot with him as well.

36 year old Glenn Wank is charged for an incident that allegedly occured January 1st.

Wank is accused of inappropriately touching a teenage boy.

The Port Allegany School District Tax Study Commission is considering a recommendation to look for a referendum on the spring ballot.

That referendum could mean a .5 percent increase in the Earned Income Tax, which will help to fund the minimum property tax relief.

The group will hold a public hearing in the Blue Room at the Port A. Elementary School December 4th at 6:45 PM.

Officials at Pittsburgh Corning announced last week that it plans on shutting down one of it's melters on February 1.

Human Relations Director Stacey Lunn says the shutdown will lead to the layoff of 50 workers.

The company's problems are because of an influx of imported glass blocks, made by overseas companies, and sold at cheaper prices.

Ludlow Man Todd Nelson has entered a guilty plea for helping Ralph Bucky Phillips.

District Attorney John Pavlock says that Nelson allowed Phillips to stay after he learned he was running from the law.

He was sentenced to nine months to 23 and a half months incarceration.

Norfolk Southern was granted permission from the DEP to dig up the contaminated soil at the site of the Gardeau Train Wreck.

The soil, which was flooded with sodium hydroxide after a train derailment June 30 is still leaching chemicals into the water.

The hope is that the dig will get to the root of the continued contamination.

Norfolk Southern recieved an 8.89 million dollar fine after the incident.

23 year old Richard Williams of Bradford was in court last week to answer for several charges after a series of incidents in October.

According to Police, Williams attacked signs at Citizens Trust Bank in Port Allegany with an axe, causing almost 2 thousand dollars in damage.

He then struck the door of 4 North Main Street, breaking a pane of glass, causing 760 dollars in damage.

Police found Williams near Sheetz, and determined that he was intoxicated. He has a preliminary hearing set for Novemebr 28th before District Judge Bill Todd.

State Police say 750 dollars worth of firearms were stolen last month from the Annin Township home of Robert Strait.

According to the police report, a Remington .270, a winchester .243, and an old US army 30.06 were stolen from a gun cabinet in Strait's home.

Six employees of the Bradford Post Office will be eliminated within the next 60 days.

According to Communications Spokesperson for the Erie District Steve Kockersperger, one member is retiring, and the other five will be given an option for relocation to post offices within 100 miles of Bradford.

The Smethport Area School board approved the "early bird" agreement last week.

The Smethport Area Educational Support Professionals Association agreement. School board officials lauded the union and board cooperation.

Now, the teacher's union and contract is up for discussion.

The Port Allegany School District agreed to hire Ken Gross as an interim assistant Principal.

Gross will serve for no more than 95 days at a total of 300 dollars per day.

Gross served as a teacher, guidance counselor, and principal for many years at the school.

County Administrator Dick Casey reported last week that there could be problems between the county employees and the current attempt at putting together a union for the Court Related Unit.

The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board was unavailable for comment. Casey says the members of the union have petitioned for decertification, which means that the unit will cease to exist as it currently does, though how things will take shape is still to be seen.

I read the November 14th Bradford Era, and saw a photo of a 16 year old boy that is on the cheerleading squad.

The former freshman football player has been the School Mascot, and wanted to be able to recieve a varsity letter for his work in the sport. The Cheerleading coach said that in order for that to happen, Josh Roberts has to be a part of the cheerleading squad, attend practices, and well... cheer...

I can't imagine the flack this kid gets. I don't know him personally, but I know that as a former "band geek" myself, that peers can be harsh.

I also know that the male cheerleaders I met in college were anything but weak, and I wouldn't want to upset them, because they could snap me in half. Anyone who can lift up thirteen girls in a pyramid, or throw a two hundred pound (yes, sometimes, girl cheerleaders get that big) 15 year old 20 feet in the air deserves some kudos.

It takes a lot of guts to break the traditional gender barrier in this area. While I would not have wanted to be a cheerleader (ten years ago, it would have cost me a few more black eyes), I applaud Roberts for his move.

State Police report that one person was injured in a crash November 11 in Wetmore Township.

According to the police report, 20 year old William Davis was driving in front of the East Kane United Methodist Church when he hit a curb, and went across the roadway, spinning around.

Davis struck the church sign, and was injured in the crash.

The Eldred World War II Museum celebrated the dedication of the Gallery of Valor on November 11th.

Martin Causer was on hand along with many veterans to open the new wing.

Dear ABC News

After watching your piece on Crisis Pregnancy Care Centers, I have to
express my opinion. I am a journalist, and I wanted to throw the tv
across the room after watching such horrible and irresponsibly
reporting.

Every sentence of that segment was dripping with bias.

You did not give the Pregnancy care centers a reasonable chance to
explain themselves, you obviously took out what you wanted to use from
your interview footage to make them look dishonest and deceptive.

The placement and the flow of the story resulted in a similar air, and
to the millions of uninformed Americans that you have already
brainwashed into thinking your journalism is not slanted, the story
succeeded in vilifying good people who want to help people.

The children that "THEY" call a gift from God? I have four of them...
And I am angered and frustrated at your biased reporting. You have a
responsibility to inform, not influence.

The News Revolution is here, and you will see that this kind of
reporting will sink you and destroy your empire, if it doesn't destroy
our country first.

Kevin Spink of Coudersport is facing charges of identity theft after
allegedly giving another name and birthday to Police officers after a
traffic stop in Port Allegany.

18 year old Alex Loucks could face charges after an incident last week.

The Port Allegany man allegedly was involved in a case when a 15 year
old girl left her home without her parents permission.

Police say the couple made plans to leave the area.

The incident is still under investigation.

After reading an article in the November 6th Bradford Era, it's come to
my attention the Pittsburgh residents are sending letters to Bradford
City Hall to "stick up" for our feral cats.

C'mon. Get a life. An animal life is not as valuable as human well
being, and public safety.

And you in Pittsburgh have NOTHING to do with what happens in Bradford.
You are not here when the feral cats scatter my trash(which by the way,
include diapers, so human waste is involved here...)

Pittsburgh, you have not been there when I have yet another sleepless
night thanks to the yowling of your precious cats.

Am I advocating cruelty to these animals? No. I support the humane
methods of getting rid of them. But I also am not opposed to putting
these miserable beasts out of their (and my) misery.

A Feral cat is a wild animal, and has every instinct of a wild animal,
and can be a danger and a pest, on top of a liability to property
values.

They are a nuisance that Bradford must deal with, not Pittsburgh.

Since we're on the subject of butting out noses into other people's
business...

Hey Pittsburgh... I propose mandatory driving classes for ALL your
residents. You can't drive.

So deal with the problems in your own city, and let us deal with our
cats.

Thanks.

The Hamlin Library has announced that it has archived 75 rolls of
microfilm in digital format on their website!

The Citizen, The Forester and Smethport Register, McKean County Citizen,
McKean County Democrat, McKean County Journal, McKean County Miner,
McKean Orbit, McKean Yeoman, and Settler and Pennon are all available
online in pdf format.

Newspapers from as early as 1859 are included in the archive.

To Check it out, visit their website at http://hamlinlibrary.org/

Bradford City Police have issued charges against a Bradford woman after
they saw her minor son with a leg injury.

The child was injured by a full blooded boxer named "Rocky".

The child had been attacked with no provocation, according to Police.

The boy had been taken to the hospital several times for similar
attacks, according to Police.

The woman was charged with child endangerment.

The Bradford Era reports that Dr. Martin Jacobs, the Bradford doctor
accused by a federal judge of Tax Evasion and Falsifying a Federal
Student Aid Application has pleaded "not guilty".

Jacob's is accused of improperly dealing with taxes since 1997 in one
way or another.

Bradford Regional Medical Center officials confirmed with the Bradford
Era that Jacob's had relinquished his medical privileges at the
hospital.

According to court records, 20 year old Raymond Austin of Port Allegany
pleaded guilty last week to corruption of minors, for smoking marijuana
with two juveniles. His sentencing is set for the end of December.

25 year old Matthew Skok is set to be sentenced December 28 after he
entered a guilty plea last week for Endangering another person.

Police records say that Skok struck Amy Holly, and discharged a firearm
in the vicinity of her and and another person.

State Police say someone stole a computer and a digital camera from
Apollo Hardwoods in Wetmore Township last Saturday.

According to the police report, the computer was a Toshiba Laptop in a
black case. No further information has been released.

A report in the Bradford Era indicates that Pitt Bradford has the
largest enrollment it's ever had this year.

1,110 full time students are enrolled at the Bradford Campus.

Tim Barth is in the McKean County Jail after allegedly using another
name on a cell phone application. Barth is charged with forgery after
applying under the name of Ronald Glassman. He was arraigned on Friday.