Potter & McKean County Community Source | 04/05/21

APRIL

5 2021

BRMC, OGH to ease visitation Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean (N.Y.) General Hospital will ease its visitor restrictions starting Thursday, April 1.

BRMC and OGH will allow two visitors for the duration of the inpatient’s stay, as determined by the patient, from 2-6 p.m., daily.

Visitors must remain in the patient’s room for the duration of their visit unless otherwise directed by staff.

Visitors should have identification, must be 18 years of age, must wear a mask and will be screened for COVID symptoms, including being given a temperature check, prior to entering the hospital. Visitors will be reminded to wash their hands and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently, especially

BY RICK MILLER

before and after entering a patient’s room. Obstetrics patients will be allowed one support person and one designated doula during

the stay and one visitor gency department patients from 2-6 p.m. Pediatric pa- will be allowed the same tients will be allowed two parents/legal guardians visit during the stay. Emer- BRMC continued on .................. page 2

McKean County on track to double number of vaccinated residents in April

BY JOELLEN WANKEL

jwankel@bradfordera.com

McKean County is back on the map for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and the plan for April looks busy.

Two locations in McKean County, Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and UPMC-Kane, are slated to receive deliveries of the vaccine on an alternating weekly basis.

With the planned shipments for the month, McKean

Northern Access pipeline moves closer to start with court ruling

County stands to double the number of partially or fully vaccinated people from approximately 4,000 to nearly 9,000 by the end of April.

McKean County Commission Tom Kreiner shared details of a late evening phone call on Wednesday with the state Department of Health with media outlets Thursday. He announced that he was told of the plan for shipments.

“Pfizer must be shipped in trays of 1,170 so we are potentially going to be re-

ceiving more than the criteria set of 900 per week by DOH,” said Kreiner. “The 900 per week goal is the calculation to keep us at pace with other counties, and right now this plan will put us ahead of schedule.”

Kreiner explained that the Pfizer doses will be shipped to McKean County each week, on an alternate schedule to Bradford Regional Medical Center and UPMC-Kane.

“We are very grateful to the McKean County

Commissioners, State Rep. Martin Causer, the McKean County EMA, Sen. Cris Dush, Gov. Tom Wolf and the PA Department of Health who helped secure additional COVID vaccine for our region,” said Dr. William Mills, Chief Medical Officer for Upper Allegany Health System, which includes Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean General Hospital. “We look forward to the additional

Vaccinated continued on ......... page 3

It appears the U.S. Supreme Court would be the last hurdle standing in the path of the Northern Access pipeline.

On Tuesday, a threejudge panel on the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City ruled against an appeal by the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation, which sought to stop the project.

National Fuel Gas filed an application for the 96mile pipeline — from McKean County in Pennsylvania to Elma in Erie County — in 2015. At that time it was called Northern Access 2017 and its cost was estimated at $500 million.

The NY DEC, which the court said was “flimflammed” by National Fuel Gas over the one-year review timeline of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, has not decided whether to appeal the court’s unanimous decision.

The NY DEC and NFG officials had agreed to an extension of the timeline, but NFG later backed out.

FERC ruled the parties did not have the authority to

extend the one-year period NY DEC had to rule on a permit for the pipeline project. This was the basis for the court challenge by NFG. NY DEC officials had denied the Northern Access permit to cross 192 streams between the New York-Pennsylvania line near Ceres and the Erie County, N.Y. terminus point.

The pipeline would start in Sergeant Township south of Smethport, wind north to the east of Eldred and cross under the Allegheny River near Ceres in the town of Genesee in Allegany County, N.Y. From there, the 24-inch pipeline would go north and west, crossing into Cattaraugus County, N.Y. in the town of Portville. The line would hook into the compressor station north of Interstate 86 in Hinsdale.

From there it would pass through parts of the towns of Ischua, Franklinville, Machias and Yorkshire before crossing Cattaraugus Creek west of Yorkshire Corners.

The 75-foot-wide pipeline route would mostly

Pipeline continued on ............... page 2

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APRIL 5, 2021

Zonta donates to CAC, CASA The Zonta Club of Bradford recently donated much needed comfort items and supplies to The Children’s

Advocacy Center and to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), both located in Smethport. Pic-

tured are Holly Puglio, Zonta; Tonia Hartzell, family advocate, Children’s Advocacy Center; and Karolyn

Graves, Zonta. A total of $500 in markers, blankets, books, paper and other items needed for the agencies were purchased and delivered to these two organizations. The Children’s Advocacy Center is dedicated to serving child victims of abuse and their families by providing collaborative services in a child friendly environment in order to reduce trauma and promote healing. CASA of McKean County provides volunteers who are committed to support the local court as advocates of abused and neglected children with the goal of breaking the cycle of child abuse so that children can thrive in safe, permanent and nurturing homes.

Zonta Club of Bradford advocates for human rights.

Bradford woman sentenced for theft from church r.bogdan@bradfordera.com

SMETHPORT — A Bradford woman accused of stealing money from a Port Allegany church will serve jail, house arrest and probation.

Pamela J. Hamilton, 53, was sentenced Thursday in McKean County Court before President Judge John Pavlock.

Hamilton will serve a term of 90 days to one year, with the first 45 days to be served in McKean County Jail and the second 45 days on house arrest. That will be followed by three years of consecutive probation.

On March 11, Hamilton pleaded guilty to a charge of theft by unlawful taking, a third-degree felony, for allegations that while she served as financial secretary at the First Baptist Church of Port Allegany, she took $23,743.76. Hamilton did this by taking from the weekly offering and by writing checks from the church without permission.

District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer said that Hamilton is to

pay $200 in restitution up front, which will go to the church, then the remaining $23,543.76, which goes to the church’s insurance company, will be paid in monthly installments of at least $100.

Her attorney, Jeffrey Weinberg of Pittsburgh, noted, “Miss Hamilton is confident that she can pay substantially more than that.”

According to Weinberg, Hamilton has a job in which she makes just under $25,000 a year, and she plans to “deny herself any luxuries of life” in order to make higher payments.

Hamilton said she is looking for a second job, too.

“I did come forward in January 2020 of what I had done because I knew I needed help,” she told Pavlock prior to sentencing, noting that she paid back $4,800 when she admitted what happened. She said she is now in therapy, and she believes will be for a long time.

“I just can’t express the shame I feel,” said Hamilton.

continued from 1 one visitor during the triage phase and in the patient room during the ED stay.

Limited visits are permitted at the Pavilion at BRMC; to schedule a family visit, call the Pavilion at 814/3628293.

As required by the state, all visitor contact information will be documented upon entrance to the hospital.

Visitation will not be permitted for COVID/ COVID suspected patients, OGH’s Marie Lorenz Outpatient Dialysis Center, the hospitals’ behavioral health units, outpatient testing/ physician practices.

Exceptions will be made, on a case-by-case basis, for end of life/palliative care and other special circumstances as determined by the nurse manager. Specific policies are in place as determined by state regulations.

Pipeline continued from 1

Photo provided A cheerful Daffodil, captured by Bradford resident Emily Schellhammer, stands out against the green at Allegany State Park.

follow existing utility rights of way.

The pipeline would move gas from affiliate Seneca Resources Co. LLC-operated wells in northwest Pennsylvania to markets in New York, Canada, the Northeast and the Midwest.

In addition from FERC, the project has had approval from Pennsylvania for years.

Karen Merkel of National Fuel Gas corporate communications said the company “is very pleased with the results and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit’s thorough decision today regarding our Northern Access project.”

National Fuel Gas “has committed to meet or exceed all safety codes and

environmental protective measures in the construction and operation of this project,” Merkel said. “With these measures in place, the project will not put at risk or endanger any water resources or surrounding environments.”

Merkel agreed the ruling “certainly clears the most significant hurdle facing the continued development of the Northern Access project.”

No project timeline has been determined, Merkel added. FERC had set a February 2022 deadline for completion of the pipeline and had rejected a NFG request to extend the deadline to December 2024.

NY DEC said it is “reviewing the court’s ruling and assessing all legal options to prevent this project from impacting New York’s environmental resources.”

The state’s legal option is whether or not to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.

NOW HIRING! is in search of a

WE ARE HIRING! Outside Sales & Marketing Inside Telesales & Support Digital Sales & Marketing We are in search of serious candidates who are motivated and willing to work in a fast paced, ever changing work environment.

We have recently launched new weekly publications and are in need of successful individuals to join our advertising team. If you have media experience, general outside/inside sales experience, or are simply looking to make a career change we would appreciate the opportunity to talk with you about our openings.

This is a full time position Monday through Friday. We offer a competitive compensation program.

Interested candidates should send resume with cover letter and references to:

The Bradford Era

PL US BE PA NE ID F H 40 ITS OLI 1k AN DA D YS

BY RUTH BOGDAN

BRMC

“We realize the COVID restrictions have been difficult for patients’ families and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation to keep our patients, staff and community safe,” said William Mills, MD, chief medical officer, BRMC, OGH, Upper Allegheny Health System.

“While we are pleased to allow patients to have a loved one with them for brief periods during their stay, we hope everyone will understand our continued vigilance as we navigate during this pandemic.

“We’ve been more fortunate than other parts of the country when it comes to large outbreaks of COVID cases. With that said, we are not out of the woods yet. While many people are tired of hearing me say this, wearing a mask, practicing good hand hygiene and social distancing have gotten us to this point and those continued practices will help us keep our communities safe and healthy until this pandemic ends,” he said. For more information on visitation, visit www. ogh.org or www.brmc.com.

Attn: Jim Bonn 43 Main Street, Bradford, PA 16701 or email jbonn@oleantimesherald.com Bradford Publishing is an EOE employer.

Duties include sales and customer service of digital advertising, electronic newsletter marketing, social media partnerships and sponsored features. Interface and interact with local and national businesses to build rapport, assess needs & qualify, build value, create desire, address & overcome objections, and close deals. Determination and persistence a must. Exemplary communication and interpersonal skills required.

You will be counted for something extremely important--a task no less important than to basically modernize our newspaperʼs digital presence. So big picture strategy development is required. But first and foremost, we will rely on you for sales and business development. Ideas must also be paired with execution.

This is a full time position Monday through Friday.

We offer a competitive compensation program.

Interested candidates should send resume with cover letter and references to:

The Bradford Era Attn: Jim Bonn 43 Main Street, Bradford, PA 16701 or email jbonn@oleantimesherald.com Bradford Publishing is an EOE employer.

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APRIL 5, 2021 Thank you for taking the time to read your Potter & McKean County Community Source. As you can see we have changed the name of your local free paper to better represent what most readers have been asking for – namely content of a local variety. What once was Moneysaver News is now Potter & McKean County Community Source, in the weeks to coame we will continue to add content of various scope so that we can better represent the area we live and do business in. We invite you to be an active participant in this redesign. If you have any local news, a wonderful photo of something local, maybe an accomplishment by a son, daughter, niece, or nephew we would welcome the opportunity to show it off in the pages of your hometown local free edition. Simply send it to SourceBPC@gmail.com a week in advance of publication and we will try our best to include it.

Enjoy the new look and let us know if we can do anything better. Happy reading!

– The Community Source Staff

Vaccinated continued from 1 shipments to BRMC and UPMC Kane so we can continue offering vaccination clinics for our community.

The timing is particularly helpful as Pennsylvania is set to open vaccine eligibility to phase 1B on April 5, phase 1C April 12 and to all state residents 16 years of age and older April 19.”

The first shipment is scheduled to arrive at BRMC the week of April 5, while the second shipment is slated to arrive at UPMC-Kane the week of April 12.

Kreiner further explained the schedule, noting that subsequent shipments to each facility of two trays of vaccine, or 2,340 doses, will be sent the weeks of April 16 and April 56. These will be alloted to administer the follow up 1,170 second dose shots and also to make available another 1,170 first dose shots, each week.

“Being offered these doses by DOH is a game changer,” said Commissioner Carol Duffy. “The willingness of each facility to step up to accept these quantities was vital. We have committed the resources established by our Emergency Management Agency for this very purpose and so far, volunteers have been the backbone of the success of this operation.”

Anyone who would like to be on the waiting list to be vaccinated with the twodose Pfizer vaccine should register with the medical facility directly or with McKean County’s Call Center at 814-887-3443. Officials ask that residents please do not call BRMC as the hospital will not be accepting registrations.

“We are tentatively planning to hold a community vaccination clinic next week at the former St. Bernard’s school where we held a clinic in March and are grateful for the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford for offering the use of their building,” Mills said.

“Once we receive confirmation that the vaccine will arrive and we have an online registration link and firm date/time, we will share the information with the public.

We’ll once again work with the county EMA and our nursing staff to secure volunteers for upcoming clinics.”

Meanwhile, UPMC officials state the hospital facilities are prepared to vaccinate all adults throughout the communities it serves.

“We fully expected the commonwealth to increase the number of people eligible to receive the vaccine,” said Dr. Donald Yealy, UPMC’s chief medical officer and chair of emergency medicine. “We want everyone who wants a vaccine to get one as quickly and as easily as possible.”

UPMC continues to vaccinate those in phase 1A who registered to receive the vaccine. The interest in vaccination remains high and UPMC will hold more vaccination clinics to meet the need.

“The commonwealth is giving us both notice of deliveries and shipping more vaccine to us recently,” Yealy said. “We’ll schedule as far forward as we can, based on these notices. We want everyone to have the comfort of knowing when you arrive to get vaccinated, we’ll have that vaccine here for you.”

While the news of scheduled shipments is encouraging, Yealy cautioned the public to continue to be patient. He encouraged them to show patience when scheduling the vaccine and also to remember we have not seen the last of the pandemic. Instead, adhering to masking, social distancing and handwashing protocols remains important.

The public can register to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at Vaccine.UPMC.com.

Registration can be done by contacting McKean County’s Call Center at 814887-3443 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to EMA Director Tracy Carl, having a volunteer force is more important than ever for the success of this vaccination initiative.

“I can’t say enough about the quality and commitment of our volunteers, starting back in January with the mobile testing, staffing a mass vaccination clinic in February and working the phone lines in March,” said Carl. “Here in McKean County, our communities pull together in a crisis and we are fortunate to have this resource.”

Anyone who can assist with the phone lines on Tuesdays and Thursdays or assist at a clinic should email mckeandes@mckeancountypa.org.

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TAXES & FINANCIAL PLANNING

Did you know?

Credit scores are important factors when lenders determine if individuals applying for credit or loans are worthy borrowers. Credit is used when purchasing a new home, buying a car, opening a business, or applying for new credit cards.

A credit score is a three-digit number that corresponds to a certain range. The standards were established by FICO®, and the higher the score, the better (scores start at 300 and move upward to 850). Various things can impact credit score, and some

weigh more heavily toward the final score than others.

The following are the factors that influence credit score in order of their importance, according to Wells Fargo bank.

• Payment history (making payments on time) • Current debts (carrying high balances) • Credit history • New credit application inquiries • Types of current credit (mixed forms of loans, credit cards, etc.)

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AUTOMOTIVE Properly pack a car emergency kit After home and work, the next most common place people spend their time is in their vehicles. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says the average American spends 17,600 minutes driving each year. Statistics Canada indicates that most of the Canadian population averages 1.2 hours per day behind the wheel.

Because they spend so much time behind the wheel, drivers need to be prepared for breakdowns. Packing an emergency kit in the car can help people make the best of such situations.

A car emergency kit can help drivers get back on the road promptly. Without such kits, drivers may be stranded for hours after a breakdown. Emergency kits also come in handy during weather-related events that can sideline cars until roads become passable. Getting caught in a vehicle during a snowstorm and failing to have the proper gear can be a life-threatening scenario under extreme conditions.

It is always wise to plan

for the worst and hope for the best. The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Homeland Security note that these key items should always be included in a car emergency kit: durable bags or crates to store supplies complete first aid kit small fire extinguisher jumper cables rain ponchos plastic tarp flashlights and extra batteries bottled water small cache of nonperishable foods wrench and pliers local maps rags

duct tape multipurpose tool ice scraper automotive fluids blankets/warm clothing cat litter for slick roads tire-changing equipment spare tire road flares or caution re-

flectors empty, refillable gas canister cash for gas phone charger cable Being prepared can make a difference when vehicles are sidelined. In addition to an emergency kit, cars and trucks should be regularly maintained to prevent breakdowns. This includes ensuring all fluids are at proper levels, filters are changed, batteries are in good working order, and tires are inflated correctly.

Investing in a roadside assistance service also can help get drivers back on the road quickly.

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APRIL 5, 2021

OUT & ABOUT OV Heart Heroes raise money for American Heart Association Photo submitted Students taking part in the Kids’ Heart Challenge at Oswayo Valley Elementary School raised over $5,828 for the American Heart Association.

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HOME

whelming support of our community, 20 Heart Heroes had a chance to pie their principal.

To date, the Oswayo Valley Elementary School has raised over $60,000 for the American Heart Association. Also, physical education teacher April Mashensic incorporates health and wellness lessons into her classes, spreading awareness of heart health.

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SHINGLEHOUSE — overall top sponsor student.

This year, the Oswayo The top sponsors from Valley Elementary School each homeroom were as folHeart Heroes raised over lows: $5,828 for the American 5G – Kaitlynn Costello, $168 Heart Association during 5W – Reese Thompson, $290 the Kids’ Heart Challenge 4G – Heidi Schimp, $166 Event.

4W – Wyatt Willetts, $259 Over 43 students partic3G – Phillip Long, $284 ipated in this year’s event.

3W – Tanner Fetzer, $186 Reese Thompson was the Any student who raised $150 or more had the opportunity to toss a pie at Principal Doug Dickerson. Due to the over-

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3 ways to use your lawn to improve curb appeal Returns on home improvement projects vary. In its annual Cost vs. Value Report, Remodeling magazine notes the projects that yield the best returns on investment in a given year. But a host of factors, including the type of market (buyers’ or sellers’) and the region where the home is being sold, ultimately combine to determine if homeowners’ investments in home improvement projects will provide the returns they were hoping for.

Though there’s no way of guaranteeing a home improvement project will yield a great return, real estate professionals often cite improving curb appeal as an excellent way to attract prospective buyers and potentially get the asking price or more when selling the home. Improving curb appeal makes even more sense in today’s real estate market, when many people do their own searching via real estate websites such as Trulia or Zillow. When using such sites, buyers will likely be less inclined to click on a listing if exterior photos of the property are not eye-catching.

Various projects, including tending to lawns and gardens, can improve curb appeal. An added benefit to focusing on landscaping to improve curb appeal is it promotes spending time outdoors in spring and summer. In addition, many lawn- and garden-related home improvement projects need not require professional expertise.

Maintain a lush green lawn.

Lawns that fall into disrepair may not give buyers a correct impression about how homeowners main-

tained their homes. Lawns with multiple dead spots and grass that appears more brown than green may lead many buyers to assume that the home’s interior was equally ill-cared for. Maintaining lush green lawns is not as difficult as it may seem. Applying fertilizer and aerating at the appropriate times of year (this varies by region) can promote strong roots and healthy soil, making it easier for grass to survive harsh conditions like drought.

When watering in summer, do so in early morning or evening so as little water is lost to evaporation as possible.

Address brown patch.

Even well-maintained lawns can fall victims to brown spots. According to the lawn care professionals at TruGreen, lawns in regions with hot temperatures and high humidity can be infected with brown patch, a common lawn disease that is caused by fungus, which can produce circular areas of brown, dead grass surrounded by narrow, dark rings. Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences notes that removing dew that collects on grass leaves each morning, which can be accomplished by mowing or dragging a water hose across affected areas, can be an effective way to re-

duce brown patch. Homeowners without much lawn care experience can consult professional landscapers to address the issue. But those looking to sell their properties should note that buyers often walk the grounds of homes they are considering buying. So addressing any issues on the lawn should be a priority for sellers.

Confine dogs to certain areas Dog owners may want to let their pets roam free in their yards. But homeown-

MONEYSAVER NEWS

ers about to put their prop- urine may even adversely erties up for sale may want affect pH levels in the soil. to confine their four-legged Curb appeal can go friends to certain areas. a long way toward helpThat’s because dog urine can be high in nitrogen. Nitrogen itself is not harmful to lawns, but in high concentrations it can contribute to yellow or brown spots.

Also, highly acidic dog

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