If you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it. - J.P. Morgan

While gasoline prices in the rest of the nation declined, on average, to under $3.00, prices in Bradford Pa remained well above $3.00. Now that prices are rising again, retailers in Bradford are ahead of the curve, raising prices immediately. The U.S. reports healthy oil reserves, and the Chinese have capped prices and cut imports. So what’s the excuse this time? Reportedly, Speculation on a slowing U.S. economy is driving oil prices up.

Check here for the latest Bradford, PA Gas Prices.

Put your creativity to the test! Pennsylvania middle and high school students are invited to participate in the “Operation Safe Surf” Video Contest. With the growth in popularity of social networking sites, instant messaging and blogs, teens are getting messages from everywhere and everyone about being safe online. Here is your chance to talk about the issue from your own perspective. What does online safety really mean to kids? Why should they care about it? How can kids best protect themselves while surfing the net?

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett has teamed with Microsoft and Comcast to sponsor this unique video contest for all Pennsylvania middle and high school students. You can help spread the word about online safety by producing a 30-second public service announcement (PSA). Six regional semi-finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges - three from western Pennsylvania and three from eastern Pennsylvania. The six semi-finalists will travel to Harrisburg to put the finishing touches on their videos in a state-of-the-art production facility. The top six finished videos will be posted online and on Comcast’s On Demand for final voting. Two state winners will be chosen - one from eastern Pennsylvania and one from western Pennsylvania. The winners will be announced during special ceremonies at their respective schools in May 2008. Each semi-finalist will receive educational software from Microsoft. The two winners will receive xBox 360’s from Microsoft, and Comcast will air the two winning videos throughout Pennsylvania.

The City Of Bradford Police Department has unveiled their new web site, CityOfBradfordPolice.com. The web site is part of the department’s effort to interact with the community and allow residents to give information to help local police do their job better.

One feature of the site is a form for people to give the police tips and information anonymously. This feature is in response to the many people who already want to help law enforcement. The anonymous form will send information to a secure email address that is monitored by the police department.

The web site will also carry the latest department news, links to law enforcement, resources for crime victims, and information about laws and safety.

Representative John Peterson announced he will not be running for re-election at the end of his term this year. Nine Republicans and three Democrats are now officially running for the 5th District Congressional seat Peterson has occupied in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Pennsylvania Fifth Congressional District Map

John Peterson
Pleasantville
Owned and operated a retail food market for 26 years
Peterson was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1977. In 1984, Peterson was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate where he served for 12 years, chairing both the Public Health and Welfare Committee and the Republican Policy Committee. In 1996, Peterson was elected to serve Pennsylvania’s Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Republican Candidates:

• Elk County Coroner Lou Radkowski
• Jeffrey J. Stroehmann, a business owner who is the great-grandson of the founder of Stroehmann Bakery
• Derek Walker, owner of a financial planning business
• Chris Exarchos, a former Centre County commissioner
• Matt Shaner, a hotel developer
• Glenn Thompson, the Centre County GOP chairman and a nursing home administrator
• Keith Richardson, an attorney and pastor
• Clarion Mayor John Rea Stroup
• John Krupa, an insurance agent.

Democratic Candidates:

• Bill Cahir, a journalist who fought in the Iraq war with the Marines
• Clearfield County Commissioner Mark McCracken
• Lock Haven Mayor Richard Vilello.

Kerry Gern of Glade Township will challenge Representative Kathy Rapp in her bid for re-election.

Representative Marty Causer is running unopposed.

In the 25th Senatorial District:

• Senator Joe Scarnati is running for re-election on the Republican ticket.
• Democrat Donald Hilliard of Brookville is running as a Democrat.

The 5th District is traditionally conservative Republican territory. The presumptive winner in the November general election will be the winner of the April 22nd Republican primary. Without an incumbent to challenge, the three Democratic candidates stand a better chance of winning than they have in decades. Since the district is considered one of the most conservative in the state, a democratic win would send a strong message to Republicans in Harrisburg.

The precautionary boil water advisory for the Bradford area has been lifted as of noon on Friday. The advisory had been issued after water main breaks caused a disruption in service to customers of the Bradford Water Authority.

Executive Director, Kim Benjamin, wished to thank Water Authority customers for their patience and cooperation during the past week. Water line breaks caused the Bradford water reserve to lose half of its volume of eight million gallons, creating a critical situation. The conservation efforts of customers allowed the system to return to normal winter operating conditions 24-36 hours ahead of the projected time.

When asked if the breaks occurred because the Bradford water system is old, Benjamin explained that our situation is no different from many systems in the north east that were originally built in the late nineteenth century. Some of our lines are as old as 120 years, but are operating without a problem. Other lines are much newer but tend to have more problems. More than age, there are many factors that effect the integrity of the water lines. Factors such as ground movement and water pressure can result in system leaks and it is very difficult to predict when or where they will occur. He likened the system to maintaining city streets. Some need paved frequently and develop pot holes often, while others last for years. It’s not practical to repave every street, but when potholes occur they are filled.

Update: The Bradford Area School District has announced there will be no school on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 due to on-going water main repairs.

“Conserve, Conserve, Conserve” were the three words Kim Benjamin of the Bradford Water Authority wants to stress to area residents and water customers.

Water system customers are urged to conserve water after several breaks were detected in city and township water lines. Crews have been working to repair the breaks. The most serious break was detected Sunday morning in the 20 inch water main along Campus Drive that is the major supply line to the City. About half of the normal water reserve of eight million gallons, was lost in about an hour.

Currently Benjamin believes that all water leaks have been detected or repaired. However, until the water reserve is replenished, another large break could seriously effect the area. He estimates it will take another 5-7 days to replenish the supply. While the break along Campus Drive was not directly related to the cold weather, most line breaks do happen during the winter. In an effort to curtail water use many high volume water customers have been cooperating with the Bradford Water Authority. Bradford area schools were closed Monday, and other customers effected include Pitt-Bradford, BRMC, FCI-McKean, Zippo, Case, and Dresser.

The Bradford Water Authority also issued a precautionary boil water advisory for the next 72 hours. The advisory is voluntary, but was issued because disruptions could cause sediment and other contaminates throughout the system. No health problems have been reported.

The water main break along Campus Drive spilled 4,000,000 gallons in about an hour.

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City of Bradford, Pennsylvania - January 1, 2008

REFUSE AND RECYCLING NOTES

By Ordinance 2801: Refuse shall not be placed for collection earlier than 5:00 P.M. the day prior to the collection date.

In the City of Bradford, recycling is mandatory.

If you need additional information please call 362-3884, ext. 12.

The City has the right to refuse any items not in compliance with these regulations.

Newspapers, Magazines & Other Paper:

• Must be tied, bundled or taped -placed in a bin

Cardboard:

• Flattened, tied & NOT bagged - NO PLASTIC coated cartons

Clear Glass, Green Glass & Brown Glass:

• Rinsed out, NO lids, NO broken glass DO NOT put in bags.
• Separate clear from colored glass.

Aluminum Cans, Steel Cans & Bi-Metal Cans:

• Rinsed out-DO NOT BAG - Put in a bin

REFUSE:

Items Placed at Curb as Garbage:

• Hard Cover Books
• Light Bulbs
• Florescent Bulbs (please mark bags)
• Television
• Couch/Chair/Mattress/Box Springs
• Wooden & Metal Furniture
• Toilet/Small Tub
• Carpeting (Cut into 4′ sections, bundled & tied)
• Paint Cans (paint must be dried & hard)
• Swing Sets (torn apart, bundled & tied)
• Scrap Wood (Cut into 4′ lengths, bundled & tied)

Items NOT Placed at Curb as Garbage:

• Tires/Motor Oil/Car Batteries
• Hazardous Waste (NOT even empty red bags)
• Liquid Paint
• Construction Materials
• Snowmobiles/Motorcycles
• Liquid Grease
• Propane Tanks
• Anything weighing over 40 pounds

CALL PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT - 362-3884, Ext. 21 for:

WHITE GOODS PICKUPS:

• Stoves
• Dish washers
• Washers
• Dryers
• Trash Compactors
• Hot Water Tanks

***Refrigerators/Freezers/Air Conditioners
***ITEMS MUST BE FREON FREE

RECYCLING SCHEDULE FOR YEAR 2008

Bradford Regional Strategy

is the process of hammering out a development plan for Bradford and the surrounding area. In addition to the 100 local residents involved on committees, the consultants invite public input via their web site.

So far, topics for discussion include Bradford’s strengths and weaknesses. Read the information directly from the researchers and consultants. You can read the minutes of each interview session as they talked to local students, township commissioners, realtors, and others. Voice your opinion. Give your two cents about the direction Bradford should take, or how to get where we need to go.

The web site has an in-depth analysis of economic data for McKean County and the 8 counties immediately surrounding it. The study compares local and regional data with national and state averages. It identifies what we have, what we’re short on, and what we’re totally missing to grow now and in the future.

The analysis itself is interesting, and breaks the economic picture into several views. Almost 50% of the region’s economic output is from manufacturing. In McKean County, Forest, wood, and wood related products provide 1,174 jobs. Healthcare and healthcare related industries provide 1,866 jobs in the county.

You can also read some ideas on the subject here.

From their “About Us” page:

The Master Planning Process:

1 - All three municipalities - The City of Bradford, Bradford Township and Foster Township - have agreed to participate in and support this effort.

2 - There are four main committees made up of nearly 100 involved residents:

- Steering Committee

- Downtown Strategy and Regional Business Subcommittee

- Zoning Subcommittee

- Economic Development Subcommittee

3 - There are plans to hold at least two Town Meetings during the process that will be open to the public. Ideas will be presented and input will be solicited from community members.

4 - The planning team will be meeting with government officials not specifically sitting on plan committees during the process to keep them informed.

5 - The planning team make-up:

MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni Architects - Albert Filoni, Kenneth Lee, Amy Maceyko

Impact Economics - Simon Tripp

Zoning/Planning - Roberta Sarraf, AICP

6 - Meeting minutes, reports and other documents will be posted to this website throughout the process for public consumption and comment over the course of the next year.

Local news sources are reporting the Tom Riel has defeated Bob Onuffer in the Bradford Mayoral race. The vote was reported as 785-527 in Riel’s favor.

Both men are Bradford City Council members. Onuffer still has two years on his current term. Riel will resign his position and Council will appoint a replacement.

Riel congratulated his opponent on running a clean race, saying that is “something to be proud of”.

This year’s race marked a milestone. It is the first time local political candidates have issued statements to an Internet publication, Bradford-Online.com, as part of their campaigns. Both statements can be found in our community forum, TalkAboutBradford.com.

Congratulations to Tom Riel!

In the race for McKean County Commissioner, former Commissioner Al Pingie from Bradford, has been re-elected. Pingie and other Commissioners lost a previous race to the three member “New Directions Team”. Clifford Lane, the last member of the team, garnered the lowest vote count and will leave office at the end of this term.

Congratulations to Al Pingie!

The races are over. We look forward to seeing cooperation in our local government to move the City and County forward.

Additional details here:

WESB.com
Bradfordera.com

Pennsylvania State Representative Martin Causer Joins in Fight to Pass a New Fair Share Act

Usually Rev. Charlene Schine receives messages from the other side and passes them on. This time she sent a message for us to pass on:

Good Luck To Bradford YMCA Gymnastic Team (the Flames) at Legionor PA Sat.Oct. 20, 2007. GO TEAM!

Rev. Charlene Schine
charleneschinemedium@hotmail.com

Bradford’s Full-time Mayor

In a nut shell, I’m a family man. I’ve been married to my wonderful wife for 29 years. I have 5 children and 8 grandchildren and I enjoy being involved in their activities as they relate to the community. I am currently serving on Bradford City Council as DPW director. I am also a member of the advisory committee for the Elm Street Revitalization Project and recently became a member of the Kiwanis Club of Bradford. I am active in my local church as a Bible study leader. I also recently retired from Dresser Piping Specialties, where I worked for over 30 years. I’ve been a resident of Bradford for 50 years, I have a heart to see this beautiful city prosper and grow to its true potential.

Would you like to have a voice in how your city is run and be a part of putting government back into the hands of the people?

It is time for the people to take back the government and stop electing people who refuse to listen to them. It takes all of us to run Bradford, not just a few who are lucky enough to be in positions of authority. We all need to get involved in the decision-making process. To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what Bradford can do for you, ask what you can do for Bradford.”

If I am elected mayor, I will be visible, available, and approachable. I will be a public servant who will have time for any of our citizens, regardless of their status, to voice their concerns, complaints, or ideas.

I will govern with the people, not over them. I will spend time in the mayor’s office on a regular basis; hours will be posted so anyone can come at a time suitable to them.

If you want to help take back our city for the people, then please vote for Bob Onuffer on November 6, 2007. Let us work together to make a better and brighter future for Bradford.

As mayor I will be overseeing the police department, working with the chief and spending time on all shifts with the officers. My objective will be to understand their needs and the difficulties they encounter.

I will also continue to be involved with the OECD, not only with city developments, but also working with surrounding municipalities. I’m a firm believer in continuing the Council of Governments to improve the cooperation of all the local governments. Along with that, the “Master Plan Development” is long overdue and needs our full support for the future growth of the Bradford area

Like you, I am tired of government officials who are more concerned about their own agenda and not the ones of the people they are supposed to be working for.

I will be working for and with the people of Bradford to make this a better place for all of us to work, shop, do business, and live. We are responsible for the future of our city.

Bob Onuffer
Bradford, PA

Phone: 814-362-6371
Email: nonuffer@atlanticbb.net

Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced a lengthy state prison sentence for a Harrisburg religious leader arrested by the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit after using Internet chat rooms to sexually proposition two undercover agents who were using the online identities of 12-year old girls.

Steven Jacob Mojecki, 47, 2008 Bradley Drive, Harrisburg, was sentenced today in Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas to a term of 5-to-10 years, to be served in a state prison, along with a $500 fine, on a charge of criminal solicitation of unlawful contact with a minor. Additionally, Mojecki was sentenced to a prison term of 9-to-18 months, along with a $100 fine, on a charge of criminal use of a computer. Both sentences will be served concurrently.

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