Jason Woodruff Named Commander of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard

Bradford Era – by Joellen Wankel A Smethport native has just received a promotion of note — Lt. Col. Jason L. Woodruff has been named as Commander of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard. “I am honored and humbled to be a part of this group. This team that I lead are the best of the best, and my job is to remove obstacles,” Woodruff said Tuesday. “They can…

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Smethport’s Zach Smith Reflects on Journey to Division 1 Basketball

Bradford Era – by Nate Steis The year is 2007, and Zach Smith, a 2013 graduate of Smethport Area High School, has a big decision to make. Should he really focus in on the game of basketball and play AAU travel basketball or not? After Zach and his parents, Todd and Lori Smith sat down to look up more about travel basketball, the couple and Zach decided together it…

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Smethport Father-Son Duo Experienced Apollo 11 Mission Prep First-Hand

Bradford Era – by Joellen Wankel The Apollo 11 launch may have been prepped and successfully accomplished in sunny Florida in 1969, but a Smethport father-son duo were up close and personal during the entire process of preparation for the historic occasion that led to the first man walking on the moon. Bill Barton, a Smethport native, moved to Florida in 1966 to become a photographer for Technicolor, a…

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Smethport’s Katie Treat Delivers AMCC Volleyball Crown for UPB

Bradford Era – by Nate Steis The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford found itself down two games to none at last fall’s Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference volleyball championship match against Penn State Behrend. The Panthers, however — playing on Behrend’s home court — stormed back to secure the third AMCC title in program history. Helping the team to the come-from-behind victory was former Smethport four-sport athlete Kate Treat, who…

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Assistive Devices – What Was Once Trash is Now a Nation’s Treasure

Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey In our throw-away culture, many pre-owned, but still highly usable mobility devices, such as canes, crutches, walkers and even wheelchairs are often sent to landfills where they occupy valuable space. In other cases, these devices can be found in basements, closets and garages. Crutches 4 Africa has found new homes for this equipment, also known as assistive devices. Locally, Rotary International District…

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Laura Burdick of Smethport Wins First Prize in ANFVB Photo Contest

Smethport Web – by Linda Devlin A photo of a bald eagle protecting and watching over its nesting young won first place in the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau’s 2018-2019 Photo Contest, out of 66 entries. The winning photo, taken by Laura Burdick of Smethport, shows a bald eagle aerie full of eaglets in a tree-top surrounded in a whimsical aura of sunlight, streaking through the foliage. Jeannie Porterfield,…

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Sue Ganczak Named Sena Kean Administrator in Smethport

Bradford Era Administrators at Sena Kean Manor in Smethport have announced that Sue Ganczak is the new administrator at the facility and began her duties June 4. Ganczak succeeds Phil Sell, the previous administrator who served for nine years and has been named regional vice-president of Complete HealthCare Resources Eastern Inc. A native of St. Marys, Ganczak graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, where she earned a…

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Smethport Acupuncturist Shaune D. Ralph Earns Doctorate

Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey Smethport acupuncturist Shaune D. Ralph, DAIH, is now one of only five members of her profession to earn the prestigious degree, Doctorate of Acupuncture and Integrative Health. Ralph and her classmates — one in Maine and three in Massachusetts — were the first to meet the requirements of this degree that is designed for practicing acupuncturists who already possess a master’s degree…

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Smethport’s Kane-Walker Continuing Family Tradition in Softball

Bradford Era – by Nate Steis “Brooke Kane-Walker was the toughest pitcher I faced in high school. It was a great feeling getting a hit or having a quality at bat against her.” This quote by local college athlete and former Port Allegany Gator Hannah Lathrop shows just the kind of athlete Brook Kane-Walker is and the respect opponents have for her. Kane-Walker is a 2016 graduate of Smethport…

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U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jason Woodruff Addresses Smethport Graduates

Force Lt. Col. Jason Woodruff

Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey “Continue to strive for improvement and good things will happen,” said U.S, Air Force Lt. Col. Jason Woodruff urged members of the Class of 2019 Friday at the Smethport Area High School commencement exercises. “Continue to progress, continue with your education, whether it’s on-the- job training, taking a course or two from home after work or at a college or joining the…

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