Archive - 2013 - News Article
May 6th
PUNXSUTAWNEY â There is good news in downtown Punxsutawney: The Punxsutawney Area Community Center (PACC) continues to grow under the current board of directors after it came perilously close to closing its doors circa August 2009.
"There's been quite a change at PACC regarding our facilities under the current board of directors," said Rob McCoy, PACC director.
McCoy said he's been helping out at the center off and on since 1998.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â The co-coordinator for the basketball league at Harmon Field put in a request to the Punxsy Borough Council Public Safety Committee for new basketball hoops and poles to help grow the program further.
Aaron Emhoff, one of the directors of the basketball league at Harmon Field, asked the committee if Punxsutawney Borough Council would look into replacing the hoops at Harmon Field.
Read the full story in Tuesday's print edition of The Spirit.
The senior citizens at the Mahoning Hills Social Center received a visit from some students from the Longview Elementary School recently.
Mrs. Gotwald's first-grade class decided to have a pajama party with the seniors and had the students and seniors wearing their pajamas.
Each student stood up and read from a book of his or her choice.
Clarence Spotts (left) and Claire Schrock (right) listen attentively as Gracie Carey (middle) reads the book "Olivia the Princess."
May 5th
According to Punxsutawney Borough Police, Gina Smith of Punxsy was driving this green 1995 Chevrolet truck west at 8:34 p.m. on Saturday when she lost control for unknown reasons and struck a Pleasant Avenue house owned by Joseph and Heather Bellomo.
Police said there was a 2007 GMC truck that was parked in the driveway and was damaged by Smith's vehicle when it struck the house.
There was no information available regarding any injuries suffered by Smith.
Police were assisted at the scene by the Elk Run Volunteer Fire Company, Jefferson County EMS and South Side Service.
Carley Smith and Jerod White were crowned the 2013 Prom Queen and King at Saturdayâs prom held at the Punxsutawney Country Club.
View our online photo gallery for more prom pics.
(The Spirit is pleased to share with our readers vignettes of life in the 19th century as originally reported in past issues of the newspapers. These reproduced stories include their original headlines and spelling.)
Local Intelligence
May 12, 1897
A BIG BLAZE
Wilson's Big Training and Stock Barn Burned
Last Thursday morning about 4 o' clock, a fire broke out in Wilson's big circular barn on the hill in the North end, which resulted in the complete destruction of the building.
May 3rd
PUNXSUTAWNEY â Her kids call her "The Germ Police," but Abby Kengersky's role as the infection preventionist at Punxsutawney Area Hospital (PAH) goes a bit beyond that description, as well.
DUBOIS â On Friday, at approximately 4:13 a.m., the DuBois City Police responded to a burglary in progress at The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy on West Park Avenue in DuBois.
Upon arrival, officers reported that they discovered the glass on the front doors broken out and the actor still inside the business.
The actor was taken into custody and identified as Justin B. Smith, 31, from Treasure Lake, DuBois.
Smith was allegedly attempting to flee with approximately 9,000 pills valued at $22,000.
Members of the McCalmont Township Volunteer Fire Company are shown Friday knocking down the flames at a barn fire located on Beagle Road in Bell Township.
Pictured (from left) are Kevin Toven, Critter Porada and Derek Toven working to extinguish the flames in what remained of the barn owned by Alvin Knarr.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â The seniors at Punxsutawney Area High School (PAHS) who
want to keep it real received a large dose of reality in regard to the consequences you face when you drink and drive or text and drive at the Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) annual mock crash held Friday in the parking lot behind the school.
Trooper Matt Powell of the Punxsutawneyâbased Pennsylvania State Police spoke to the students once the very realistic portrayal had concluded for another year.
