Ronald L. Falk, local restaurant owner

Ronald L. Falk, 69, of Church St. passed away Monday (Apr. 28, 2014) in his home, after a long illness.
    

Born June 3, 1944, in Buffalo, NY, he was a son of Vernon M. and Mildred Overdorf Falk. On Jan. 30, 2009, in Port Allegany, he married Patricia F. Kontz, who survives.
    

Ron was employed with Ethan Allen Co., Eldred, as a purchasing agent for 15 years, and also owned and managed Ron’s Place of Port Allegany for 27 years, and Munchies Food Shop for 13 years, before his retirement.
    

Mr. Falk was a lifetime resident of the area and a graduate of the Port Allegany High School, Class of 1962.
    

He was a founding member of PA Cleanways of McKean County, former member of the Port Allegany School Board, and Port Allegany Chamber of Commerce; and also enjoyed classic cars.
    

Surviving in addition to his mother, Mildred Richner of Coudersport, and his wife Patricia, are a son, Brian P. (Amy) Falk of Hummelstown, PA; a daughter, Nicole F. (Dave) Stahlman of Port Allegany; a stepson, Christopher R. Kontz of Port Allegany, three stepdaughters, Jessica L. Bundy of Shinglehouse, Corina L. Bundy of Warren, PA, and Sandra D. Shaffer of Port Allegany; 13 grand-children, two brothers, Gary E. (Alice) Falk of Port Allegany, and Robert J. (Brenda) Falk of Eldred; four sisters, Janice A. Williams of Upland, CA, Anna S. (David) Fair, Nancy L. (Terry) Hardes, and Ellen M. (Chris) Mosher all of Port Allegany; and several nieces and nephews.
    

He was preceded in death by his father Vernon Falk and stepfather Richard Richner.
    

Friends will be received from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday (May 2, 2014) in the Switzer Funeral Home, Port Allegany, where a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. with Rev. Ronald Emery, pastor of the United Methodist Church of Eldred, officiating.
    

Memorials can be made to the Port Area Ambulance Service or the Port Allegany Fire Department.

Hats off to Broadway

Oh, Baby! Betty Wallace, aka Broadway Baby, struts her stuff at a rehearsal of the Potter-McKean Players and North Country Voices production of "Hats Off to Broadway," to be presented at the Coudersport Consistory the evenings of May 9 and 10.  Martha Knight Photo

Hats off to Broadway

The cast of "Hats off to Broadway" doff their top hats at a rehearsal, as they prepare to present the Potter-McKean Players and North County Voices joint production, at 7 p.m. May 9 and 10, in the Coudersport Consistory. The show presents highlights of 100 years of Broadway musicals.  Martha Knight Photo

Happy Birthday Angie

Angie Culver displays the cake served at the Port Allegany Senior Center's April birthday celebration, Monday. The only birthday person present, center director Culver shared the cake with all the lunch diners present.  Martha Knight Photo

Revitalization group to be revitalized Thursday night / By Martha Knight

The Port Allegany Main Street Revitalization Corp. (PAMSRC) met for the first time in years, and reorganize to undertake “holdover” projects and new ones, at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in the Port Allegany Elementary School large group instruction room.

According to Sue Carlson, the remaining officer of the group which has not met formally for some time, initial tasks will be reorganization, and a cleanup day May 5, and a storefront window decorating contest to be held a few weeks later.

Carlson will present a PowerPoint program entitled “Is Our Port Allegany Main Street Sustainable?” Also on hand will be Dusti Dennis, director of the McKean County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, to outline the agency’s plans for properties it owns on Main Street. The public is welcome.

PAMSRC, an outgrowth of the Port Allegany Area Economic Development Corporation (PAAEDC), came into being in connection with a grant assisted program which gave the downtown commercial district a facelift, or Façade Improvement Project. Later a larger project, also grant assisted and coordinated with a PennDOT street rehabilitation, further improved the street and sidewalks in the area, provided period street lights, and created Maple Commons at a key intersection.

Meanwhile, PAAEDC had become inactive. Since late 2012 it has been reorganizing, and is undertaking projects within a broader area. PAMSRC aims to concentrate on commercial districts in the community, Carlson says.

Congratulations Chelsea and Mike

Chelsea (Abbott) and Michael Haight of Beaver Falls, PA welcomed a healthy baby girl this afternoon at 3:50pm at Beaver Medical Center.

Mila Grace weighed 7lbs 13oz and was 20½ inches long.

She joins a brother, Cameron Michael, age 3.

Maternal Grandparents are Dana Abbott of Port Allegany and Sylvia & Roy McCutcheon of Patterson Township, PA.  Maternal Great-grandparent is Eva Jean Parish of Port Allegany, PA.

Paternal Grandparents are Debbie and Dave Haight of Lewis Run, PA.  Paternal Great-grandparent is Ron Kellogg of Bradford, PA.

Proud uncle is Brandon Abbott, PAO webmaster.

School board splits 5 to 4 on hiring coaches / By Martha Knight

The Port Allegany School Board narrowly approved a list of nine coaches and assistants and one advisor, at the board’s meeting Monday night.

Voting no were Ingrid Lapp, Scott Moses, Dan Kysor and Mark Carlson. Voting for approval were president Dave Mensch, vice-president Dee Buchanan, Jason Stake, Rod Howard and Sean Lathrop.

The coaches and their supplemental salaries are Jason Luther, Dan Eskesen, Michael Bodamer and Nathan Zitnik, all assistant football coaches and each to receive $3,958;  Travis Cowburn, girls’ head soccer coach, $3,381; Anthony Edgell, girls’ assistant soccer coach, $2,184; Pamela Terrette, assistant volleyball coach, $2,169; Douglas Triplett, girls’ golf coach, $1,572; Jeanette Burleson, cross country coach, $2,355; and Danielle O’Rourke, majorette and color guard advisor, $1,604.

Kysor raised the issue of a recent discussion of adding a junior high soccer program, which would probably draw a good number of students, whereas the cross country program had only three participants this year. Junior-senior high school principal Marc Budd said time is of the essence, to get a junior high soccer program ready by fall. Superintendent Buchsen pointed out that if any program has so few students signed up it seems infeasible, it, and its staff, could be dropped.

The board followed a budget preparation update as business manager Judy Bodamer and Buchsen explained it. Bodamer said there is a $380,000 gap between revenues and expenditures right now, and it appears the state budget will not be finalized before the school district must adopt its budget. The board will adopt a tentative budget in May, and a final budget by June 30.

The board unanimously approved the Seneca highlands Career and Technical Center operating budget. Its expenditures and revenues come to $1,830,938.

Hoffman Landscape & Fence will install fencing around the recently renovated basketball court at Community Park at a cost of $7,920. Buchanan voted Nay, expressing a preference for “bars” to protect the area, as had been done in the past. Funds will come from the capital reserve fund.

Also approved was resurfacing the main gymnasium floor. S & S Flooring is the contractor identified in the resolution. Approval was unanimous for the $20,400 project.

The board met in executive session for about half an hour before the public meeting and again after the public meeting. In the open session the board adopted a resolution that the school district would attempt to resolve “the matter of Hamilton v. Spriggle et al in accordance with the recommendation of the Solicitor.” Solicitor Christian T. Mattie III and others had been at the earlier executive session; the second closed session was said to involve “personnel matters.”

A proposed policy on homeless students was presented for “first reading.” Action by the board is expected at a later meeting.

Police Report 4/07 - 4/13

Juveniles may or may not have been fighting, late at night, but were sent home to avoid curfew issues. An attempt to perform automotive repairs on the Shop ’ n Save parking lot was interrupted by police. A diamond ring came up missing during a move from one residence to another. A Texas warrant was not served.

Those and other matters came to the attention of Port Allegany Police in the week that began Monday, April 7.

Last Monday at 6 p.m. Officer Adam Dickerson received a warrant out of Texas for Richard Smith of Ransome Street. The subject was located in Bradford but the warrant was not served upon him because of his medical condition.

Last Wednesday Chief Dave Distrola received a call from a New York resident who said he had not received the title for a vehicle he had bought from a resident on Brooklynside Road. The officer contacted the seller, and she indicated that the title was being processed by PennDOT.

Friday at 11:51 a.m. Distrola received a report of a parking violation on Mill Street. A truck was observed parked in a no-parking zone and on the sidewalk. A citation was issued.

At 2:10 p.m. Distrola received a report of a lost or stolen ring. The ring owner said the diamond ring had come up missing during a relocation from Smith Avenue to Laurel Lane. The complainant was not sure whether the ring had been lost or was stolen by persons hired to conduct maintenance or move her belongings.

At 6:01 p.m. Officer Tony Tanner received a report of a suspicious person in the North Main Street area wearing a cowboy hat and seeming to be intoxicated. Tanner reported that he did not speak directly with the complainant, and he was unable to locate a suspicious person of that description.

At 10:46 p.m. Tanner received a report of persons fighting on the roadway in the North Main Street area. Tanner did not find any combatants but did find four juveniles in the area. He advised them to head for home to avoid violating the 11 p.m. curfew.

Saturday at 3 p.m. Officer Jason Crants received an anonymous report of an unlicensed driver operating a blue van in the Pine Street area. He did not locate the vehicle.

Sunday at 2 a.m. Crants received a complaint of a noise disturbance in the area around 110 Arnold Avenue. Crants found a crowd there, but it dispersed upon his arrival.

At 2:30 p.m. Officer Kyle Day assisted the ambulance crew with a call at a West Mill Street address. Apparently a subject had suffered a seizure but refused treatment, then left the area on foot.

At 6:37 p.m. Officer Tanner responded to Moose Park for a report of intoxicated persons interfering with emergency medical services. Tanner conducted crowd control until the arrival of Pennsylvania State Police.

At 7:38 p.m. Tanner went to the Shop ’n Save lot for a report of persons performing mechanical repairs on a vehicle parked there. Tanner advised them to remove their vehicles or the property owner would have them towed.