As we welcome 2024, here is a look back at some of the events that happened in The Progress News reading area in 2023.
• Knox Lions donates $5,000 to the Knox Area Vol. Ambulance Company.
• Oil Region National Heritage Area announced that it was reauthorized for 15 Years. According to the Alliance of National Heritage Areas, NHAs around the country are cost-effective, grassroots organizations, which promote economic development through historic preservation and natural resource conservation.
• On Saturday, January 21st, Hero’s Angels and the Beer Garden Sports Bar and Grille teamed up to host a surprise welcome home party for Brock Bailey and Shawn Crilley, two local soldiers who recently returned home from deployment. Bailey and Crilley, serve in the United States Air Force.
• Celebration of Talent Contest names the twelve contestants for the 6th Annual Contest, held at the Barrow-Civic theatre in Franklin, Pa.
• Chicora’s sports chiropractor, Dr. Justin Miller, of Chicora, joined the Dr. Justin Miller Joined themedical team during the FISU World University Games at Lake Placid in NY. FISU Games is an eleven-day international festival and competition that combines high-level sports and educational and cultural events. The Winter World University Games is the largest winter multi-sport collegiate athletic event in the world.
• Winners selected at the 6th Annual Celebration of Talent Competition, presented by the Barrow-Civic Theatre and Franklin Rotary Club. The competition was held on Saturday, February 4, 2023, at the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin, PA. The winner of the competition was the Luke Pentz of Emlenton. Luke played the drum. His first song was “Whispers in the Dark” by Skillet and his 2nd song was “Everlong” by Foo Fighters.
• Sarah Cooper, of Emlenton, was promoted to Senior Accountant with Mattern CPA, of Emlenton. Sarah’s goal is to become a CPA. Mattern CPA is located on Main Street in Emlenton.
• Karns City High School presented an original story line in the play, “The Addams Family” – Musical.
•Rachel Brosnahan begings her new column, “River Roots, Redevelopment”, a weekly column in The Progress News. Her column explores ideas to “redevelop” communities, vacant properties and learn about new industries, innovations and at the same time listen to your ideas for the area.
• The Karns City Scholastic Foundation (KC Foundation), received a $5,000 donation from the Mars bank, through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Developments Educational Improvement Tax Credit (ElTC) program.
• PEMA Launches Online Train Derailment Dashboard for Concerned Residents in Western Penna. In light of the ongoing clean-up efforts in East Palestine, Ohio, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency launched an online train derailment dashboard in coordination with other relevant state agencies to better inform concerned residents in western Pennsylvania.
• The Rimersburg Rod & Gun Club held Hunter-Trapper education classes for youth. Studentshad be at least 11 years old on the day of the class.
• The BHS Clarion Hospital Foundation announces its seven $1,000 scholarships to students interested in a health care profession. Be watching for this year’s details.
• Isabella Duffee was named the Knox Lions Student of the Month for February.
• The A-C Valley Drama Club announces its plans to present “The Wizard of Oz”, a musical. The performances were held at the A-C Valley High School Auditorium.
• The Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts presented a St. Patrick’s Day Celebration with Carnival of Souls at Lincoln Hall. Carnival of Souls performed with stirring vocals, reels and jigs on highland bagpipes, bodhrán, guitar, flute, tin whistle, accordion and keyboards.
• Houston Texas, CFISD Board Approves Namesake for Elementary #58, Brosnahan Elementary.CFISD Board Approves Namesake for Elementary #58, Brosnahan Elementary Dr. Carla Brosnahan, formerly of Parker, Pa., a 1975 graduate of ACV High School, and an accomplished educator, principal, and district administrator who served a 39-year career in Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District (CFISD) of Houston Texas, was approved as the namesake for the district’s 58th elementary school during the regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting on March 6, 2023. Brosnahan Elementary School is located at 20220 Clay Road Katy, Texas, and opened for the 2023-2024 school year.
• 13th Year of Snowball Kickball Fundraiser 13th Year of Snowball Kickball Fundraiser sets yearly fundraising recordSets Yearly Fundraising Record. Forsythe’s set aside their personal agendas and begin to prepare, plan, organize their “pay it forward” event for the past 13 years, to help make a difference in someone else’s life. The event raised $45,000. Keep watching for details for this year’s event.
• Natalie Welter received an invitation to the Junior Olympic Rifle Championship for Woman’s Smallbore Rifle and Air Rifle as a First-Round Qualifier. The Junior Olympics that was held in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center on April 8 thru April 15, 2023.
• A Blessing Box has been installed at the First Presbyterian Church located at 700 Wood Street in Clarion. A Blessing Box is a small structure that community members can place non–perishable food items in. Anyone in the community who is in need of food may help themselves to food in the box, the concept is similar to a Little Library.
• Joy Wilsted, of Eau Claire, and author of five self-published books held a book- signing at the Clarion Mall on Thursday, March 16th and Sunday afternoon, March 19th. Joy’s books were available during Mr. Bookman’s sale at the mall from March 16th through March 19th.
• State Senate approves Sen. Scott Hutchinson’s Bill. The legislation allows more health professionals to participate in the Medical Officer Health Incentive Program. The Senate Bill 162. Will also adjust monthly educational stipends for dentists, physician assistants, nurses, doctors, and behavioral health specialists to help them pay their high tuition debt.”
• Hutchinson and James announced the awarding of more than $1.5 million in state funding to nine projects from the Local Shared Account (LSA) Program for community improvements in Venango County. Emlenton Borough received $400,000 for improvements at Hughes Park. The project will demolish and reconstruct an existing tennis court and construct two pickleball courts. ADA parking and walkways will be added from Campbell Avenue to Grove Street with a connection crossing Prospect Street to the pool house for restroom and splash park use and a connection to the baseball and basketball area.
• A total of 58 Thiel College student-athletes were named to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Academic Honor Roll for their performance in the classroom during the fall 2022 semester. In our reading area, those named were: Kylee Eaton, of Parker, who is studying Medical Technology, and Brooke Griffith, of Chicora, who is studying Public Policy and Psychology.
• House of Trades (HOT), through the Keystone SMILES AmeriCorps program, organized a crew to help take down a garage that had posed safety concerns on Oak Alley in Emlenton on Monday, February 27th. The clean-up was a gesture of goodwill for the homeowner.
• The Moniteau Academic Decathlon Team Moniteau Academic Decathlon Team sets sights on nationals in Frisco, Texas. The Academic Decathlon consists of ten events: Social Science, Science, Mathematics, Economics, Art (18 selected works), Music (14 musical pieces), Literature, Essay, Interview, and Speech (prepared and impromptu).
Each year the Academic Decathlon centers on a specific topic. 2023’s topic was The American Revolution and the New Nation. Their Social Science is all about that era, our artworks and musical selections are all related to the era, and the Science is Chemistry- which became its own field around that time.
• The A-C Valley H.S. hosted a “Night of Jazz” at the high school auditorium. The school hosted 7 jazz bands throughout the evening. Each band played for 15 minutes each. Sets Sights on Nationals in Frisco, Texas
Year in Review . . . To be continued next week!
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