Smethport Residents

Artist Julie Mader, of Smethport, Pa., is inspired and motivated by bluegrass music

The Evening Sun — by Heather Faulhefer

Julie Mader sat in a folding lawn chair and picked up a wooden board in the grass of her campsite at the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival.

She tucked her legs under her and rested the board in her lap looking over a 9-inch-by-7-inch pen and ink stippling of a banjo player’s hands, his fingers picking over the strings of the banjo.

A stippling is a labor of love — an artist creates a series of tiny dots with a pen and it turns into a soft and dusty image with enough time.  Read more »

Borough News

Smethport Gears Up for ‘Wheel Around the Hub’ Bicycle Race

Smethport Web

Cyclists far and wide will once again gather in Smethport for the historic Wheel Around the Hub bicycle race to be held on Saturday, September 18. The 53-mile, seven-lap race starts at noon on Main Street in front of the McKean County Courthouse. Proceeds will benefit the Smethport Volunteer Fire Department’s Fire Police.

The route takes cyclists through Smethport’s quaint business district, past the McKean County fairgrounds and scenic farmlands, over the Galico Bridge, through forests, past Hamlin Lake, and back onto Main Street past Victorian homes. Read more »

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Drive Through Smethport — From Your Computer

Smethport Web — by Nathan Muller

Thanks to Google technology you can now drive through Smethport without ever leaving your home. Just aim your browser to “Google Maps” and do a search for “Smethport Pa”.

When the street map of Smethport shows up, drag the orange “Pegman” from the top left to the location in Smethport where you would like to start your drive. Pegman acts as your guide through Google’s Street View.   Read more »

Smethport Rotary Club and CCMH to Hold Comprehensive Blood Analysis

The Smethport Rotary Club and Charles Cole Memorial Hospital will hold a comprehensive blood analysis from 6 to 10 am, September 11 at the Smethport Firehall, Water Street, Smethport.

The screening will include over 30 commonly requested blood tests including CBC, comprehensive, coronary risk, and liver function profiles. The cost for the screening is $45. Optional tests include prostate specific antigen (PSA) for $25 and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) for $15. A 12-hour fast is recommended prior to testing.

Appointments are required and can be made at www.charlescolehospital.com or by calling CCMH’s centralized scheduling at 260-5474 or toll free at 877-364-7905 from 2-5 pm, Monday through Thursday.

Miss Smethport, Kayla Woods, Crowned McKean County Fair Queen

Smethport Web — by Nathan Muller

Miss Smethport, Kayla Woods, has been crowned McKean County Fair Queen for 2010-2011. As the new queen, Woods will represent the McKean County Fair in the January state fair queen contest in Hershey, PA.

In addition to the talent and speaking categories of the contest, the five queen candidates, who represented the county’s high schools, were scored on interviews with the judges and the number of scheduled events they attended since mid-June. Wooly Willy Wonderdaze was one of the events Kayla and other candidates chose to attend.

For the talent portion of the contest, Kayla sang “Keep Holding On” and “Don’t Stop Believing.” Kayla is the daughter of Dan and Kim Woods of Smethport.

Kayla’s new duties include reigning over the Fair and representing McKean County during the State Fair Convention in January.

Attorney General & Gubernatorial Candidate Tom Corbett Visits Smethport

Smethport Web — by Nathan Muller

Tom Corbett visited Smethport on Saturday. The Republican Gubernatorial candidate stopped at two of the Borough’s landmark businesses as he stressed the importance of creating and keeping good, well-paying jobs in Pennsylvania.

To learn firsthand the concerns of business owners in the Smethport area, Corbett chatted with Connie Ronan at her Route 6 Diner, as well as Jamie and Jack Pierotti’s The Backus Company, including its subsidiary, Chef Specialties Inc.

Corbett then addressed a crowd gathered at the McKean County Courthouse where he was introduced by State Representative Marty Causer (R-67). Corbett related his philosophy to encourage job growth. He said, as Governor, his administration will be guided by three principles: fiscal discipline, limited government and free enterprise. Listen to Tom Corbett’s full speech.

Wayne Pearson Featured in ‘Rural Telecom’ Magazine

Smethport Web

In the July-August 2010 issue of Rural Telecom magazine, former Smethport Chamber president Wayne Pearson shares his insights on the question of, “Can Broadband Save Rural America?”

According to the magazine’s cover story, written by NTCA economist Rick Schadelbauer, proponents of rural America have long cited the numerous advantages to living in less populous areas: lower housing costs, lower crime rates, less traffic, better air quality and an overall lower cost of living.

“Our community has great schools, an airport 10 minutes away, and low housing costs,” said Wayne Pearson, former president of the Smethport, Pa., Chamber of Commerce. “You can buy a four-bedroom house in Smethport for $70,000.”

“We’re promoting Smethport as a place to run an Internet business and, eventually, retire,” said Pearson. “Telecommuting is the future of the workplace. As the next generation of managers takes control, the concept of ‘face time’ will not be nearly as important as it has been in the past. If you can do your job from anywhere, why not choose small-town America?”   Read more »

Mystery of the Missing Bees Solved in Smethport

Smethport Web — by Nathan Muller

Scientists, farmers and beekeepers have been expressing alarm in recent years over the apparent disappearance of bee colonies across North America. The situation goes far beyond a few bees here and there and threatens the pollination of fruits, grains, and vegetables.

According to news reports, at issue is American agriculture itself. Most orchards, fields of grain, and vegetable crops are pollinated by honeybees. And both milk and meat come from cows that munch on grain. If honeybee populations continue to disappear in such large numbers, it could have a devastating effect on crop yields — ultimately leaving every dinner plate in America empty.   Read more »

Smethport Through the Eyes of a Vagabond Resident

Smethport Web — by Matt Muller

A Chinese student, a talented English major from a university in Hunan, China, asked me to describe my hometown. This is what I wrote:

Smethport is very different from Chenzhou. It is like a dream that I’m afraid will seem unreal or too abstract for you to realize. Words alone are not enough to describe the beauty, wonder, and charm of my home town. But I will try.

Right now it is a very special time of the year in which we celebrate the birth of our country, the Declaration of Independence and like your country, a revolution against Imperial tyranny. Now the weather is much like Kunming in the autumn, winter or spring: everything is blue sky and very sunny. The people ride their bikes, fish, boat, swim, garden, walk their dogs, tend their lawns and the upkeep of their homes, or just go for a country drive to enjoy the scenery. Depending on the time of day you will smell fresh cut grass, sweet fresh air born upon a northerly breeze or the cooking smells of backyard barbecues that make your stomach growl.   Read more »

Smethport Resident named Executive Director of Kane Area Development Center

Smethport Web

Melanie Clabaugh, a recent arrival to Smethport with her husband Phil, has been named executive director of the Kane Area Development Center. Her duties span the Chamber of Commerce, Kane Area Industrial Development Corp., and the Kane Area Revitalization Enterprise.

Melanie has a BA and M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland. She was the marketing and outreach coordinator for the Oakland Business Improvement District responsible for planning, developing and implementing promotions and events designed to steer commerce to Oakland’s business district.   Read more »

Lesley Willis Turns in Perfect Score on ‘Discover Smethport’ Quiz

Smethport Web — by Nathan Muller

Lesley Willis of Smethport won the ‘Discover Smethport’ quiz written by Wooly Willy inventor Jim Herzog. Her perfect score earned her a $125 gift certificate from The Country Porch.

The 11-question quiz is sponsored by the Smethport Area Chamber of Commerce and is a featured event of Wooly Willy Wonderdaze. It tests a person’s in-depth knowledge of Borough history.

To find the right answers, participants are encouraged to visit local landmarks, do research online or at the Hamlin Memorial Library, and talk with area business owners.

This year, three contestants achieved perfect scores on the Discover Smethport quiz. The winner was selected by blind draw at The Country Porch, with Lesley Willis emerging as the winner.

The People and Organizations Behind ‘Wonderdaze’

Smethport Web — by Nathan Muller

Holding the five-day Wooly Willy Wonderdaze event requires the involvement of many people and organizations working behind the scenes, giving generously of their time and energy to help make our community a very special place.

We are indebted to the Borough’s utility crew who installed new poles to display the Wooly Willy Wonderdaze banner across Main Street after it had blown down twice at its original location.

On short notice, Borough electrician Charlie Jones built new utility boxes to handle the increased load at various locations in Hamlin Lake Park.   Read more »

Sights and Sounds of Wooly Willy Wonderdaze

Window Art Contest Winners Announced

Smethport Web — by Nathan Muller

The Chamber of Commerce encouraged business owners and individuals to paint Smethport’s storefront windows for the 2010 Wooly Willy Wonderdaze. The theme this year was, “Wooly Willy’s Impact on Main Street.”

Prizes for the contest, donated by The Hamlin Bank & Trust Company, are:   Read more »