Smethport HS Athletic Director Woodring Calling it a Career

Olean Times Herald – by Jeff Uveino When Rick Woodring arrived at Smethport Area High School in the winter of 1976, he only planned on staying one semester. A transplant from Lawrence County, Woodring took a substitute teaching position through the end of the 1975-76 school year. When fall came around, however, Woodring stayed. He’d spend another 46 years at Smethport, working with the community’s youth through teaching, coaching…

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Smethport Students Release Rainbow Trout

Bradford Era – Smethport students gathered, recorded and analyzed water chemistry data, fed the fish, and maintained a healthy environment for the developing trout. They raised 118 rainbow trout for release in Marvin Creek on May 26. Made possible by a unique partnership between the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited (PATU) and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), Pennsylvania Trout In the Classroom (PA TIC) is an interdisciplinary…

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Bucktail Memorial, Expansion Planned for Smethport Diner

Bradford Era – by Mandy Colosimo It’s official, the Smethport Diner, home of the “Hubber-Burger,” belongs to the American Legion Post 108. The 85-year-old diner went up for sale in 2021 and the legion was on top of the purchase, with expansion goals in the future. Post Commander Courtney Cole said, “the project will be a long process, but the end result will be worth it.” He explained the…

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Smethport Memorial Day – Remembering the Forever Young

Bradford Era – by Mandy Colosimo Some had been standing, others seated, for quite a while for the parade to make its way toward the McKean County Courthouse on Monday morning. Tiny screams and squeals of excitement filled the air in anticipation and children waved their grocery bags, hoping to fill them with candy thrown their way. A couple in the crowd said they had been coming to the…

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Smethport Native Darion Gregory Now Among Most Decorated Bonnie Athletes

Bradford Era – St. Bonaventure rising senior Darion Gregory has earned a pair of prestigious academic honors by being named to both the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team as well as the CoSIDA Academic All-District Cross Country/Track & Field Team, officials announced Thursday. Gregory, a native of Smethport, is now one of the most decorated Bonnies student-athletes in recent memory after previously being named to the…

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Thirteen Letter Winners Return to Smethport Softball Team

Bradford Era – by Jeff Uveino The Lady Hubbers will feature an athletic group that brings speed to the basepaths. If its inexperienced pitching staff can catch up to its lineup, an upward climb in the conference could result. Front row (from left): Danielle Nelson, Ashley Day, Coryn McClain, and Kristen Dunn. Back row: Hope Peterson, Eva Gifford, Elizabeth Hungiville, Serena Smyntek, Charity Lapp, Celeste Austin, Maddison Faes, and…

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Making the News: Fran DeLancey

Bradford Era – by Marcie Schellhammer The average time a person stays at a job in the U.S. is 4.1 years. But Fran DeLancey is anything but average. DeLancey retired last month after 43 years at The Bradford Era, where he was the Smethport-area correspondent. He described some of the changes he’s seen over his career. When he started, correspondents called in their stories over the phone, “and then…

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Smethport Defeats Curwensville – Earns Trip Back to Semis

Bradford Era – by Jesse Kolodkin Curwensville kept the game close but Smethport’s offense would not be denied on the way to a 46-27 playoff win. Smethport got off to a fast start, scoring twice before Curwensville scored once and taking a 12-0 lead. Noah Lent and Ryan Mason were finding lanes in the ground game and Lent took a great shot to Brandon Higley for a 25-yard touchdown….

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History of Backus Co. Heard at Historical Society Dinner

Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey Jamie Pierotti, the guest speaker at the annual fall dinner meeting of the McKean County Historical Society Thursday, highlighted the history of The Backus Company in Smethport whose founder, John C. Backus, invented the automatic pinsetter for bowling in 1905. A prolific inventor, Backus contracted with another Smethport firm, Holmes and Gilfillen, to manufacture the pinsetter. “These original pinsetters were used by…

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McKean County Fair Offers Something for all Ages and Interests

Bradford Era – by Joellen Wankel Families, amusement ride enthusiasts and animal lovers alike can make plans as the McKean County Fair gets underway Sunday. The fair offers something for all ages and all interests. This year, Patsy Cline fans and Jeep fans can mark their calendars as well, as the fair includes a Jeep obstacle course Tuesday and a Patsy Cline tribute Thursday. The fair opens Sunday, with…

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