REGIONAL NEWS

U.S. Army Staff Segeant Heathe Craig

Sgt. Craig remembered

BRADFORD - U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Heathe Craig was remembered during Mem

orial Day ceremonies in Bradford.

Craig, the son of Jeffrey Craig of Shinglehouse and Donna Sloan of Eldred, died in Afghanistan on June 21, 2006, when his helicopter hoist malfunctioned during a rescue operation in a combat zone. He was assigned to the 159th Air Ambulance Medical Company in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Craig's parents accepted a posthumous honor on his behalf.

Also during Monday's ceremony, members of the 112th Infantry, 1st Battalion, Charlie Company of the Bradford Armory were honored. They are to be mobilized in September for deployment to Iraq.

Air service suspended

DuBOIS -- Mesa Air Midwest has ceased operations to the DuBois Regional Airport. There will be no commercial air service until another provider, Gulfstream, takes over in mid-August.

Mesa has also terminated its subsidized air service to Franklin/Oil City and Lewisburg, W.Va. The company cited "high fuel prices, low demand and a difficult operating environment."

Gulfstream International will provide commuter service to and from Cleveland after being selected as winning bidder by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. The company will provide 12 weekly nonstop round trips from DuBois to Cleveland, as well as 12 weekly one-stop round trips between DuBois and Cleveland via Franklin/Oil City.

Remembering 'New Deal'

SMETHPORT -- McKean County Historical Society will open its exhibit, "The New Deal in Pennsylvania: 75 Years," on June 9.

The display is supported by a $1,000 Pa. Historical and Museum Commission grant.

The Old Jail Museum is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Extended hours to view the New Deal exhibit have been announced for June 9, July 8 and August 6.

Protecting chestnut trees

KANE - A citizens group, Friends of Allegheny Wilderness, is trying to protect the chestnut trees in the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) from destruction due to oil and gas exploration and production.

The group's goal is to have sections of the ANF declared off-limits to drilling. That would require designation of certain tracts as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. In order for that to happen, the federal government would need to acquire the gas, oil and mineral rights in the designated area.

While the government owns surface rights in the ANF, more than 90 percent of subsurface rights are privately owned.

A Friends of Allegheny Wilderness spokesman said private sources could make money available for the purchase of the gas, oil and mineral rights in selected tracts.

Garage, car destroyed

SMETHPORT -- Fire destroyed a garage and vintage automobile Sunday night near Smethport.

Fire Chief Steve Field said that the garage, located in Keating Township and owned by Jim Tanner, was fully engulfed when they arrived. Field said a 1973 classic car and many other items stored in the garage were lost in the fire.

Metal theft epidemic

PORT ALLEGANY - Recent theft of metal items from several sites, including railroad rights-of-way south of Port Allegany, have prompted some state lawmakers to propose a tougher theft law.

Under the proposal, scrap metal dealers in the state would be required to record more details about purchases as thefts increase. They would have to record sellers' identity and other information for any purchases of more than $100.

Thefts have skyrocketed as metal prices have increased.

Korean vets gathering

BRADFORD - A special service to honor area veterans of the Korean War will be held on Saturday, June 14, in Bradford.

Veterans who have not yet registered with Rep. Martin Causer's office should do so as soon as possible at 362- 4400 or online at repcauser. com. They will be presented with certificates and commemorative medals from the Pa. House of Representatives.

Participants are asked to provide Rep. Causer's office with their names, addresses, phone numbers, branch of service and rank.

The event will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford's Bromeley Family Theatre.

County may sell property

SMETHPORT - The McKean County Commissioners want to sell the properties currently listed on the "repository" in the county's tax office.

There are about 134 properties that could be offered for sale, 30 of which were recently put up for a judicial sale with no bidders.

Proceeds from the sale would be divided between the school district, county and municipality.

Visitors from India

PORT ALLEGANY -- A Rotary International group study exchange team from India visited Port Allegany last week.

Members of the Port Allegany Rotary Club hosted the visitors. They toured Ethan Allen in Eldred; Recycall Inc., Pittsburgh Corning and Seneca Highlands Vocational- Technical School, all in Port Allegany.