Archive - News Article
May 24th, 2011
PUNXSUTAWNEY â During the final week that the Punxsutawney Area High School Class of 2011 was able to share together, seniors not only shared memories of character, but also memories of scholarship as they came together as a whole for Class Night.
Class Secretary Marcy Sallack opened the program by saying the night would celebrate individual and group achievements of the class.
Principal David London expressed his wishes for the class as it enters the world. He also congratulated seniors on being May 2011 graduates.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â When a tragedy occurs like the one Saturday, when a three-year-old boy from Clearfield County lost his life after falling into Mahoning Creek, it not only affects the family and friends of the victim, but it also affects the emergency responders who attempted to rescue him from the chilly waters of the creek.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â More than 300 people crowded into the Alliance Church Tuesday to watch the Rainbow Express pre-school graduating Class of 2011 receive their diplomas.
There were four groups of students graduating. Cookie Monsters and Big Birds are ages four and five, and many were in their second year at Rainbow Express. The Muppets and Little Birds are first-year students between the ages of three and four.
May 23rd
PUNXSUTAWNEY â Business was a part of Brigette Trusal's family while she was growing up, but it wasn't quite the path she took in life.
Trusal, who was named The Punxsutawney Spirit's âTeacher of the Yearâ for the high school Monday, said her father was a financial advisor, "so I grew up with it. He would read the paper to find and research companies for stocks."
He imparted financial responsibility to his daughter at a young age.
"Even my allowance, when I was little, I had to keep a book on it," she said, adding she at least momentarily contemplated a career in the business world.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â For 36 years, Patti Spinelli has been a teacher â a goal she first recognized at age 16.
Monday, Spinelli, a fourth-grade standard language and reading teacher at Punxsutawney Area Middle School, was awarded for her hard work, being named The Punxsutawney Spirit's âTeacher of the Yearâ at PAMS.
Spinelli said she was surprised when she received her award Monday morning during the fourth-grade track and field day that was held at Jack LaMarca Memorial Stadium.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â If the size of a smile on the face of a student indicates the type of impression a teacher has made upon his or her life, then the sheer happiness expressed by the boys and girls gathered around Michele Basile-Long Monday morning as she was presented with The Punxsutawney Spirit's elementary âTeacher of the Yearâ award told of a positive one.
May 22nd
PUNXSUTAWNEY â Despite the valiant efforts of emergency responders, a three-year-old boy from Clearfield County lost his life Saturday after he fell into the Mahoning Creek near Elk Run.
According to Punxsutawney-based Pennsylvania State Police, it was reported that the victim, Joshua T. Parkinson, Irvona, was playing with other children around 3:30 p.m. Saturday at a home along Lane Avenue. A short time later, he was seen in the Mahoning Creek, at which point, police, fire and EMS were contacted, police said.
PUNXSUTAWNEY â Beginning Thursday, motorists who travel along Mahoning Street should be alert for PennDOT employees installing new traffic signals.
PennDOT District 10 public information officer Deborah L. Casadei said both motorists and pedestrians should expect some delays between Hampton Avenue and Gilpin Street, where the replacements will take place over the next several months.
(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
March 4, 1896
Grasshoppers in February
PUNXSUTAWNEY â The family of Stephen Obbish will receive $250,000 through the settlement of a lawsuit filed against the Borough of Punxsutawney, the mayor and two employees, according to the mediation settlement with Obbishâs family.
The mediation agreement between the borough and the family members of Obbish, who died Aug. 15, 2009, in the back seat of a borough police cruiser, was released this week by Punxsutawney Borough Council and the familyâs counsel, Chad A. Wissinger, Esq.
