Chicora: Taking advantage of the mild weather, an outside inauguration ceremony was held on December 30, 2011, for Lewis Stoughton, who took the oath of office for his second term of Magisterial District Judge 50-3-02 at the newly rededicated Chicora Honor Roll.

On December 21st  Emlenton’s Dr. Andor Jobb received a great surprise when he called for his mail. He found that he had been paid a great honor – the certificate he held in his hand announced that he had been “#l Ranked National Master Athlete by The National Governing Body for the Sport of Judo in the United States of America as recognized by the US Olympic Committee in the M10 66kg Category.

The Allegheny Valley Trails Assn. (AVTA) and the City of Parker recently placed three new benches along the walking - biking trail from Parker to Foxburg.  Funding was supplied by the Parker City Revitalization Corporation (PCRC) and a local Foxburg member of the AVTA.

Over 15,000 volunteers laid nearly 90,000 wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday, December 10, 2011.  Wreaths were also laid at the Pentagon, Vietnam and Korean Memorials and other national cemeteries. 

With the closing of Parker Rotary in June 2011, the same members decided to attempt another approach to provide support for the Parker area in avenues such as the flags posted on the main drive through town, maintaining the GAR Cemetery, and the planting of flowers at Parker Presbyterian Cemetery at Memorial Day.  We have made some changes to how we meet such as 6:00 PM the FIRST Wednesday of the month, rather than weekly.  The meeting place remains the Parker House Hotel, with meals provided by the kitchen staff of the hotel.

In March of 2011, the Butler Library bookmobile ceased servicing northern Butler County residents. Concerned citizens met during the summer in hopes of adding service in the Chicora area. Business owners were approached to house such a function; and earlier this year, Matthew Tack, Administrator of the Chicora Medical Center complex generously granted gratis space along with cost-free utilities at the facility's then existing library.

Bruin Elementary School held an open house in honor of Veterans’ Day on Wednesday, November 9 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. This year they had a special display created by Dave Haunty, a resident of Butler County. The display was on the bottom floor of the Bruin Elementary building. In addition, recognition photos of local veterans that students have been submitted and were on display in the gymnasium.  A video tribute was also shown in the gym which spans World War II to the present.

On October 19th, 2011 the students of Allegheny-Clarion Valley Elementary School in Foxburg, PA got to participate in an event that has never occurred at their campus.  A “Kids Walk for Diabetes” walk was held at the school.

For some area landowners the wait is over. The marcellus shale train has arrived and is being fueled by the natural gas rush in western Pennsylvania. On Wednesday, November 16th, representatives from Shell Oil Company, (the world's largest producer and distributor of liquefied natural gas,) addressed an audience of about 150 landowners at the Clintonville VFD Social Hall. What’s all the hype? Natural gas!

The Riverstone Lounge and Grill in Parker is announcing their official opening on November 10, 2011 and everyone is invited to check out this beautiful non-smoking, renovated establishment.