January 2008 Archives

Bradford rang in the new year with fireworks shooting out of an oil derrick in Veterans Square. The fireworks -- and the countdown to 2008 with Scott Douglas -- capped off the 10th First Night Bradford celebration.

Spider from Bradford Online put this First Night video together:

Jackson Edward Flowers became the New Year’s baby for 2008 at
Bradford Regional Medical Center when he was born at 8:22 a.m.
Wednesday, weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces. Jackson is the son of Leslie and Jason Flowers of Bradford. His maternal grandparents are John and Theresa Carson of Bradford. His paternal grandparents are Mike and Marsha Flowers, also of Bradford.


Congressman John Peterson has decided not to seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Peterson says he made the decision after a great deal of consideration and discussion with his family over the Christmas holiday. He says it was not an easy decision, but there is some comfort in knowing that his work in Washington on such issues as rural health, energy security and economic security for the region and State in preventing the tolling of I-80, are on the right track and continued public education and support will bring about the right solutions. The 69-year-old lawmaker spent seven years on the Pleasantville Borough Council and nearly 20 years in the Pennsylvania Legislature before his election to the House in 1996.
Peterson handily won his congressional races with at least 60 percent of the vote.
Go HERE to see Peterson's complete news release.



Bradford has a new mayor, two new city councilmen and a new police chief. Tom Riel and Bob Tingley, along with City Treasurer Karen Hector, were sworn in this morning, after being elected in November. Council also appointed Rick Benton to fill Riel's unexpired term as councilman. After being sworn in, Riel announced that he was relieving Roger Sager of his duties as Bradford City Police Chief and naming Mike Close as the new chief. Sager will return to the rank he held previously.

Bradford Mayor Tom Riel administers the oath of office to new Bradford Police Chief Mike Close during City Council's reorganizational meeting Monday morning. Riel says one of the reasons he chose Close is that he was the "closest thing to Buford Pusser I could find to reform the city police department."

Allegheny Bradford Corporation is expanding, and will ultimately create about 150 new jobs. Kessel Construction is beginning work on the 50,000 square-foot facility in Lewis Run Tuesday. Company President and CEO Dan McCune says they expect construction to be finished in September. Allegheny-Bradford manufactures high precision stainless steel and sanitary/hygienic products. Besides the expansion, the 6 point 5 million dollar project includes buying new machinery and equipment as well as workforce training. McCune says, along with all the employees who were instrumental in seeing the project come to fruition, the company would like to thank the Borough of Lewis Run, the Bradford OECD and Senator Joe Scarnati's office. Governor Ed Rendell says projects like Allegheny Bradford's have helped turn Pennsylvania into a desirable location for manufacturers. The project was coordinated through the Governor's Action Team.



Harvey Golubock, president and chief operating officer of American Refining Group; Dr. Livingston Alexander, Pitt-Bradford president; and Harry Halloran Jr., ARG board chairman and owner; check out a biodiesel processor ARG donated to the university for student and faculty research and lab work. However, ARG has also made a much larger donation -- $500,000 for scholarships, energy-related projects and to lay the ground work for an Energy Institute. “The contributions could not have come at a better time as we struggle to get the Energy Institute off the ground,” Alexander said. “We’re deeply grateful to Mr. Halloran for his commitment to Pitt-Bradford and the confidence he is placing in us to produce beneficial outcomes for the region.” The Energy Institute will foster the study of both traditional fossil-fuel applications and renewable energy sources for the benefit of student learning, commercial projects and the regional economy. Possible projects include creating biodiesel fuel or lubricants from plant oils; gasification technology; experimental wind turbines; and converting municipal solid waste into energy.


(Photo courtesy of Pitt-Bradford)