Area News Briefs

ST. MARYS -The Cameron and Elk Chapter of the American Red Cross has relocated to an office on South Michael Road in the building that formerly housed municipal offices for the City of St. Marys.

Landlord Louis Coppa is renting the chapter two offices. The Red Cross will also have access to a conference room for classes and meetings, and to parking spaces for staffers and visitors.

'Greener' funds coming

COUDERSPORT - Three area environmental projects have qualified for state "Growing Greener" grants.

Sizerville State Park will receive $350,000 to rehabilitate a spring-fed water system. Lyman Run State Park in Potter County will get $183,000 to build piles for a spillway bridge. The North Fork Dam, a flood control facility in northern Potter County, will receive $200,000 to help cover rehabilitation work.

Growing Greener is a voterapproved bond initiative that invests $625 million over six years to clean up rivers and streams; protect natural areas, open spaces and working farms; improve quality of life and revitalize communities.

Powdered metals storage

RIDGWAY -A new building scheduled to open by January in Ridgway will store tons of raw materials for the region's thriving powdered metals industry.

A railroad spur is being built to ferry the materials to the 85' by 220' warehouse from the Buffalo and Pittsburgh main rail line. The spur runs along Front Street near a PennDOT site.

Materials to be stored there will include iron, steel, tin, nickel, copper, aluminum and titanium, as well as refractory metals such as tungsten, molybdenum and tantalum.

Sentenced for theft SMETHPORT -A Kane woman received a light sentence on three charges linked with the theft of nearly $27,000 from a Kane bank.

Amy Geer, 39, is serving 30 days in the McKean County Prison, followed by 60 days of house arrest. President Judge John Cleland also ordered Geer to perform 100 hours of community service and pay court costs of $837. She already paid restitution to the victims.

Geer pleaded guilty to felony charges of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds and forgery. She also pleaded guilty to tampering with records or identification. Geer allegedly took $26,782 between Jan. 3, 2004 and Aug. 8, 2005 while working at Hamlin Bank and Trust. She was accused of forging a woman's name on documents to facilitate the theft.

Hopeful for 'Wilds'

RIDGWAY -Elk County Planning Director Matt Quesenberry believes the county can enjoy a boom in tourism as a results of the statesponsored Pennsylvania Wilds campaign.

Quesenberry told the Elk County Planning Commission that county officials should develop plans for coordinated land use regulations, infrastructure development and emergency services. He recommended the county hire a consultant to tie together the many local aspects with the statewide tourist promotion initiative.

Hospital expansion?

ST. MARYS -Elk Regional Health System is seeking federal assistance to expand its St. Marys facility. The plan calls for new patient rooms, nursing stations and facilities to be used by the medical/surgical, family unit and geriatric departments.

Several new jobs would be created and the project would solve a serious space shortage, according to an ERHS spokesman.

Triathlon today

McKEAN CO. -The first Disabled American Veterans Willow Creek Triathlon will be held today (Saturday), on a course from Allegany State Park to the Willow Creek park area.It starts with a 300-yard swim at Quaker Lake with the first event being a 300-yard swim in the lake. Then, participants will bike 15 miles to the Corydon Hotel. From there, they'll run three miles to the Willows.

A rules meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m. First heat will take off at 9:30. Team and individual competition will be held. Bradford Regional Medical Center and Northwest Savings Bank have signed on as sponsors. Proceeds benefit the Disabled Veterans of America.

Roof collapses

RIDGWAY -The roof over a Ridgway plaza collapsed, causing considerable property damage, but no injuries. Affected businesses were Dollar General, Butter Churn and Clarion River Trading Company.The collapse was discovered at about 8:30 a.m. last Saturday and was probably caused by structural decay aggravated by heavy rain. Ridgway Volunteer Fire Department investigated and secured the scene.

Music fest Aug. 11-13

BRADFORD -Folk music, contra dancing and jamming with old-time instruments will be featured Aug. 11-13 during the Heart of the Alleghenies Folk Music Festival at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

Workshops include fiddle styles, hammered dulcimer, finger picking, lap dulcimer, ornamenting fiddle tunes, banjo and others. There will be instruction in Old Time Round and Square Dances, as well as foot clapping and foot percussion workshops.