Recent severe storms remind us that we need to be prepared for power outages. The loss of power can jeopardize the safety of refrigerated and frozen foods. Penn State Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator, Cathy Guffey, gives the following advice about keeping food safe:

The Freezer

To keep food safe, keep the door of the freezer closed and control the temperature. A full freezer of food will probably remain frozen for about two days if the door is kept closed. A half-full freezer can only be expected to keep food frozen for a maximum of 24 hours. Check with the utility company to see how long it will take to restore power. If it will be more than one day, consider moving your frozen food to a freezer that is working. You might have a family member or friend with extra space in their freezer. When your freezer is not full, keep items close together - this helps the food stay cold longer. Freezing water in milk cartons is an easy method of filling space in the freezer.

If another freezer is not available, use dry ice to keep your food frozen. Find out ahead of time where you can purchase blocks of dry ice; don't wait until the emergency to know if dry ice is even available in your community. A 50 pound block of dry ice will keep the contents of a full 20 cubic foot freezer frozen for three to four days. When you buy dry ice, have it cut into small enough sizes to use. Regular ice may help but is not as cold as dry ice. Dry ice can burn skin, so wear gloves when handling. Also, ventilate the air when using dry ice.

What should you do if the food is thawed? Some thawed food can be re-frozen, but the texture will not be as good. Other foods may need to be thrown away. Temperature is the key to safety. Generally foods that stay at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below can be safely refrozen if the color and odor are good and the packages show no signs of spoilage. Examine each item separately.

A food thermometer can measure the temperature of a food if you are not sure that it is cold enough. Discard any packages that have been or are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit as they could be unsafe. Generally, if the packages of meat or poultry have ice crystals remaining, it is safe to refreeze them. Discard any packages if juices from thawed meat or poultry drip on them. Refreeze vegetables only if ice crystals are still present. Fruits may be refrozen if they show no signs of spoilage. Thawed fruits may be used in cooking or making jellies and jams. If ice cream is partially thawed, throw it out because the texture of ice cream is not acceptable after thawing and refreezing. Refreeze creamed foods, pudding and cream pies only if they were always at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Breads, nuts, doughnuts, cookies and cakes can be refrozen if they show no signs of mold growth.

If you anticipate a power outage, it's a good idea to run the freezer between minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit and minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The colder the food, the more slowly it thaws.

Read more about handling frozen foods during a power outage at http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/frozen_food.html.

The Refrigerator

If the power is off for more than two hours, you should begin to monitor the temperature of the refrigerator. Keep a thermometer close to the opening of the door. This will allow you to open the door only slightly, keeping the temperature lower. Check the temperature every hour. When it reaches 40 degrees Fahrenheit, place block ice in a container in the refrigerator. Or, move perishable items to a cooler with ice or ice packs.

If the temperature of the refrigerator rises above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours, discard any items from the list below:

- meat, poultry, seafood

- lunch meats, hot dogs

- casseroles

- soft cheeses, shredded cheeses, low-fat cheeses

- cream, sour cream

- yogurt, milk

- eggs

- custards, puddings

- creamy salad dressings, fish sauces, hoisin sauce, opened spaghetti sauce

- cookie dough, refrigerator biscuits or rolls

- cooked pasta, rice, pasta salads

- pizza

- cut fresh fruits

- greens, cooked vegetables, opened vegetable juice

- baked or mashed potatoes, potato salad

Any food that has an unusual odor, color or texture also should be thrown away.

Foods that are safe, even if held at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or above for more than two hours, are:

- hard and processed cheeses that are properly wrapped

- grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses

- margarine that is properly wrapped

- canned or uncut fresh fruit and fruit juices (discard if they look, feel, smell or taste unusual)

- fresh vegetables, canned vegetables

- herbs, spices

- peanut butter, jelly, relish, mustard, ketchup, olives

- taco, barbecue and soy sauces

- breads, rolls, cakes, muffins, bagels, pancakes, waffles

- opened jars of mayonnaise, tartar sauce, or horseradish (unless held at 50 degrees Fahrenheit for more than eight hours - then throw them away).

Read more about handling refrigerated foods during a power outage at http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/refridg_food.html.

Never taste food to determine its safety. Some foods may look and smell fine but may contain bacteria that can cause food borne illnesses. Dispose of spoiled foods by sealing them in a plastic garbage bag or burying the food. And remember, food that is not safe for you is not safe for your pet.

Submitted by Cathy Guffey, Nutrition, Health and Food Safety Educator, Penn State Extension.

TROY - You can buy a cheap used book or listen to some free music - or do both - today in Troy.

The Allen F. Pierce Free Library will hold its annual used book sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the library.

Librarian Sue Wolfe said there will be cheap prices.

According to a news release, book prices range from 25 cents to $2.

The sale will be inside the library.

Also, the Troy Community Hospital Auxiliary will hold its free annual summer concert and ice cream social with Ike Bowers performing. The event, on Davison Green in Troy, benefits the hospital auxiliary. Also, the auxiliary will have many treats for concert-goers including hot dogs, homemade ice cream and homemade pies, sloppy joes, and a variety of beverages.

The sale of refreshments will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the concert taking place from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Should weather be inclement, the concert and concessions will move to the First Baptist Church of Troy on Canton Street. Concert patrons are reminded to bring lawn chairs.

CANTON - After a rainy start this week, the Canton Fireman's Fair is back on track.

Treasurer Jodi Bardo said the Canton Volunteer Fire Department's annual event was rained out Tuesday, due to the bad rains.

But she said the fire department had a "very big" night Wednesday and Thursday was also busy.

This year, the fair has free admission, although donations are accepted at the gate.

Bardo said the fire department wanted to "try something different" by offering the free admission.

Everything is going "so far, so good" with the arrangement, she said.

In addition to all the usual rides and other offerings, the fair this year also has "Hole in One" golf. Also, bingo has been brought back.

And there's also a gun raffle, with a drawing on Oct. 5.

This year, Blaze, the fire department's fire prevention clown, is in full costume and offering balloons, helmets and fire prevention tips.

Bill Klees of Towanda and his children were visiting with Blaze Thursday.

He said the whole family likes the fair, and they've been coming to it each year for four or five years.

Another fairgoer, Misty Benson, said her three daughters were going on a fire truck ride for the first time.

Also, Bardo noted that Grace Community Church from Bradley Hall in Columbia Cross Roads is helping out the fair this year with volunteers.

Joe Alkire, the pastor, said 12 people from the church are volunteering.

"We want to serve the community in any way we can. We think that is the best way to show Christ's love."

The fair features a different dinner each night. Tonight, it's fish and macaroni and cheese. McNett Brothers plays tonight at 7 p.m.

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

TOWANDA - Towanda Borough is offering to make low-interest loans to borough residents to repair or replace their sidewalks, the Towanda Borough manager announced this week.

The loan program was discussed at this week's meeting of the Towanda Borough Council, where the council also approved the advertisement for bids for a street paving project, and heard an update on the borough's continuing appeal of its preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map.

The borough has a total of $14,000 to loan out to residents for sidewalk repairs or replacements, Towanda Borough Manager Kyle V. Lane said.

The maximum loan that would be available to a resident is $3,000, he said.

Some of the sidewalks in the borough are in "deplorable" condition, he said.

The borough has had a program to fund sidewalk repairs "off an on" for many years, Towanda Borough Councilman William Kovalcin Jr. said.

Lane said he plans to apply to the county for federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds which, if they are approved, would allow the borough to also provide grants to residents to repair or replace their sidewalks.

To qualify for such a grant, residents typically would need to have an income below a certain level, Lane said.

However, residents of any income would be eligible to apply for a loan, he said.

Lane said it is too late to apply for the CDBG funding this year, but added that he will apply for it next year.

The paving project that will be bid out will take place on streets near Towanda's school campus.

The paving will take place on Western Avenue, from Pine Street to Mill Street; on Mill Street, from Western Avenue to Lombard Street; and on Lombard Street, from Mill Street to Third Street, Lane said.

The area around the school campus has a relatively high amount of traffic, he said.

Nineteen free, three-hour parking spaces on the Merrill Parkway were recently converted to reserved parking spaces, Lane said. The spaces that were converted are located north of Washington Street, on the east side of the parkway, he said.

The borough rents out reserved parking spaces. The creation of the additional reserved spaces is intended to offset the loss of reserved parking spaces that will occur when the Midtown Parking Lot on Main Street is eliminated to make way for the planned Towanda Terrace development, he said. When the borough's planned $5 million parking garage is constructed, additional reserved spaces that are located in municipal parking lots off State Street will be lost, too, Lane said.

Maps

Lane announced some good news related to the borough's ongoing appeal of its preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map, which delineates the location of so-called Special Flood Hazard Areas. Hunt Engineers, which is conducting a hydrology study of the Mix Run stream, "feels confident" that a number of homes in the area of Mix Run will be removed from a Special Flood Hazard Area, Lane said. Special Flood Hazard Areas are locations where citizens would be required to obtain flood insurance - whose annual premiums are projected to rise to thousands of dollars - in order to qualify for a mortgage from a bank.

Another piece of good news related to the appeal is that FEMA has waived a $5,400 fee that the borough was going to have to pay to submit a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) to FEMA, Lane said. The submission of the LOMR is a step in the appeal.

FEMA is also stating that the volume of water that is carried by the Susquehanna River during flood events is larger than it was the last time Flood Insurance Rate Maps were established for the region, which occurred decades ago, according to Lane.

Lane said he believes one reason the volume increased is that there are more storm drain systems for roads, which funnel water to the river.

Towanda Police Chief Randy Epler announced that the Towanda Police Department recently received a donation of almost $5,000 from Towanda V.F.W. Post 1658 to purchase five tasers and a number of radios.

Lane said the V.F.W. post has donated thousands more to the police department since he became borough manager in May 2013.

James Loewenstein can be reached at (570) 265-1633; or email: jloewenstein@thedailyreview.com.

CANTON - Canton Mayor John Vineski said he is encouraged by the arrests of four people recently in a sting of a heroin delivery operation in the borough.

"I like it," he said, when asked for comment. "I hope there's a lot more of it coming. I like cleaning up the streets of Canton."

According to an employee in the office of Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Wilcox of Troy, the preliminary hearings for the people charged in the bust have been continued to later this month. They were scheduled to appear before Wilcox on Wednesday.

Those charged include the following individuals:

- Barbara Christine Kennedy, 45, of East Tioga Street, Canton

- Samantha Lynn Laudenslager, 22, of East Tioga Street, Canton

- Thomas Rice, 58, of North Center Street, Canton

- Bobbi Rice, no age given, of North Center Street, Canton

Vineski said people "are happy to see that our police department and the Bradford County Drug Task Force are working together to get this situation resolved."

Vineski said the arrests make the town a safer place, but said there is more that needs to be done.

In addition, he said that he hopes the arrests send a message "to the ones who are continuing to do it, that we will get you eventually."

Vineski said he is very appreciative to the Bradford County Drug Task Force for its investigation.

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

TROY -

After years of sitting dormant, the Troy Sale Barn regained some of its former glory Thursday as more than 300 people flocked to the old building for an open house.

The event served as the official kick-off for the fundraising drive to preserve the beloved structure in Troy Borough.

Those in charge of saving the dilapidated barn worked for weeks to get it ready for the open house.

And the event appeared to have exceeded their expectations.

"It was great," said Bill Bower of Troy, one of the people involved with the open house. "We thought if 150 showed up, we would be happy. People are telling me we got way over 150.

Outside, the building was dressed up with an American flag, patriotic bunting, and summer flowers. Inside, various displays and memorabilia filled the spruced-up interior, as people explored the cavernous structure. The town band played outside the entrance.

Various elected officials and dignitaries attended the open house.

"Politicians like what they saw and people are happy we're saving it," Bower commented.

Those attending include the Bradford County commissioners, who this week proclaimed Thursday "Farm Appreciation Day" in the county, in conjunction with the open house.

Bower said that while none of the elected officials attending the event made a commitment to provide funding, they stated that they would help in any way they can.

According to Bower, fundraising has already taken place to the tune of $60,000. This will be applied to the first phase of the restoration project. In this phase, the first of three phases, $90,000 will be spent on the installation of concrete footers and steel supports in the arena area of the building.

"I think it's a great community project," said state Sen. Gene Yaw, who grew up on a farm himself. He thought the sale barn, once restored, would be a good tourist draw and economic catalyst for Troy. State Rep. Matt Baker also attended.

Another dignitary, Jim Van Blarcom, with the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board, was also enthusiastic.

He thought the project was a good way "to save our history of a very important industry that has been here a long time and hopes to have a long future."

Van Blarcom recalled coming to the sale barn as a child. He said that he and his siblings would fight with one another to see who would get to go to the sale barn.

Looking back, Van Blarcom said that a visit to the sale barn was an exciting time for a little child.

He remembered the barn as noisy and smelly, and said Troy was a "booming town" on the sale days.

Inside the sale barn, the public got the first chance to view architectural plans for the building. The drawings showed the future planned use of the building: a community hall on one side and a stage, seating, dressing rooms, kitchen, and restrooms on the other.

According to Bill Brasington of Troy, who is involved with the sale barn project and the open house, the sale barn was built around 1920 by the Troy-Canton Holstein Association, which he said was a group of 20 farmers who pooled their money together to buy three expensive breeding bulls, which sired offspring that broke records for milking. Their photograph was on display for the open house.

He said the association developed a reputation for quality in the northeast United States. According to Brasington, the sale barn changed the economic history for western Bradford County, and just as easily could have been built in Canton.

The Troy Historical Society is in charge of the project to restore the sale barn.

Once the project is finished, the sale barn will be a home for the historical society and will feature many display cases for local history, a theater, and a hall area for such events as auctions, square dances, farmers markets, and youth activities.

Daniel R. Naylor, Eastern Regional Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, said, "I think it's a tremendous thing to recognize the heritage here and the economic impact it's had over the years."

One visitor, William Avery, 93, was pleased with the project to save the sale barn.

"It's good to keep the building up," he said. A former farmer, he used to come to the sale barn.

"It was always a busy place," he said. "On Wednesdays, they came from quite a ways."

His son, William Avery Jr., who farmed with his father, remembered how horses were brought in from the West to be sold at the sale barn.

He also remembered all the sales that took place.

"People could get rid of their animals if they didn't have a place to sell them," he said.

He recalled all the animals that were sold: cows, horses, sheep, pigs, ducks, chickens and rabbits.

Brasington estimated that more than 300 people attended the open house. He said some even brought checks to donate to the sale barn project.

He noted that all the dignitaries went on a VIP tour of the sale barn and learned about the history of the building and the plans for it.

"They got a look into the past and a look into the future."

People could also watch videos, look at a large collection of photos of area barns, and take in other sights. The photos of the barns were placed on a long wall in the sale barn.

Cindy Ammerman's quilt, featuring the sale barn, was being raffled off to benefit the sale barn project. She is the owner of Nothin' Fancy, a quilt and fabric barn on Fallbrook Road. Nicole Harris, who was helping out with the raffle, said that 204 tickets were sold. The drawing is Oct. 2 at the Sportsman's Banquet at Canton Elementary School, according to a ticket.

Canton and Troy FFA members were also on hand for the open house.

Troy FFA Member Ashley Mount said once restored, the sale barn would be a good place for the county FFA meetings.

More information about the sale barn renovation project and the Troy Historical Society can be found at the following website: http://historyoftroy.com/

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

Correction

Township wrong

Brock and Ginger Edwards live along Sugar Hill Road in Wilmot Township. The township was incorrectly reported in Thursday's edition of The Daily Review.

Wires causing flat tires

I'd just like to know if maybe the state or emergency personnel that set off the flares along the edge of the road to alert traffic to oncoming accidents, if maybe they could possibly go back and pick up the metal wires that the flares are made from. It does create a problem for putting holes in tires for slow-moving vehicles such as tractors and farm equipment along the edge of the road. Or perhaps, for people who need to get off to the edge of the road for the gas industry's wide loads coming through. So, like I said, maybe these people could go back and pick them up - have gloves in their vehicles - and take away the wires. It would really be appreciated!

Wanted to see more

I'm calling in reference to the parade that was in Towanda on Saturday. It was really a very nice parade. A lot of work went into that, and a lot of respect. I know the main theme of the parade was to honor the POWs of Bradford County. There were a few POWs that couldn't make it (probably because of their age) and their names weren't mentioned in the paper. And, there weren't any pictures in the paper of the POWs. There was a beautiful picture of the ladies walking down the street with the flag. And, the young lady who sang the National Anthem was absolutely wonderful. But, I was really taken aback that the paper didn't have a picture of all the POWs and didn't mention all their names and what wars they were in.

Who was the sponsor?

I read in the paper that Athens Legion were the champs of the Legion League and I wondered how that would be possible when the Athens Legion wouldn't even put up the sponsor fee for the team. I think the boys should be recognized, but I think it's pretty poor when a Legion like Athens wouldn't sponsor a baseball league like they've always done. And then the Legion gets credit when the boys won the tournament.

Tax dollars at play?

On Tuesday I read that Wysox Township is having a wide picnic, scheduled for September. Now, do you bring a dish to pass? Or is the Wysox Twp. money paying for the picnic? Where does the money come from? My taxes? Wrong! And I don't plan on coming anyway.

On the roads in Rome

If the Rome Township supervisors didn't fire the road crew, the roads - Towner Hill, Bliss Road and Robinson Road, wouldn't be so rough.

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Care to share?

The Daily Review's new Sound Off column will include items, both positive and negative, called in to a Sound Off hotline. That number is 570-265-1603. Calls will be anonymous; names will not be published. Profanity, as well as libelous content will be edited out. Give us a call. Let us know what's on your mind. We look forward to hearing from you!

WYSOX - Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative line crews are nearing completion of power restoration work following a fierce storm that swept through the region Tuesday evening, July 8.

Less than a dozen Claverack members, all in Susquehanna County, remained without power as of 2 p.m. Thursday. Co-op officials expected to have power restored to all members by the end of the day, Thursday.

High winds and heavy rain caused numerous trees and limbs to fall onto electric lines, bringing down wires, snapping poles and causing widespread power outages throughout Claverack's service territory beginning around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday. At the height of the outage, more than 5,000 Claverack members were without power.

Crews from Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative, BNF Powerline Construction and Asplundh Tree Experts assisted Claverack with restoration efforts.

Members are urged to stay away from any downed power lines they encounter. Fallen lines may still be energized and should not be touched. To report downed lines or outages, call Claverack at 1-800-326-9799.

A member-owned, non-profit utility, Claverack serves approximately 18,000 consumers in Bradford, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Tioga, Lycoming, Sullivan, Lackawanna and Luzerne counties.

Submitted article.

TOWANDA - The design of the planned $5 million municipal parking garage in downtown Towanda has been revised, which will increase the number of parking spaces in the facility by almost 20 percent, borough officials said.

Towanda Borough Manager Kyle V. Lane confirmed on Tuesday that, based on the latest design, the garage will have 320 parking spaces. Under the previous design, the garage was going to have 270 parking spaces, he said.

"We wanted to get as many parking spaces as we could get" with the funds that were available to construct the garage, which will be located behind the Towanda Borough Hall, Towanda Borough Council President Mark Christini said at Monday's Borough Council meeting. "Now we can get more parking spaces" while spending the same amount of money, he said.

The new design will be made possible by moving the Flying Cow Bakery & Cafe closer to the Merrill Parkway, Lane said.

Because of the presence of the Flying Cow, the garage was originally going to have a square footprint, Lane explained. By moving the existing Flying Cow building closer to the Merrill Parkway, the parking garage will have a rectangular footprint and be able to accommodate many more parking spaces, he said.

The borough has approached Chris Carr, the owner of the Flying Cow, about the new design for the parking facility, and he is "on board" with it, Lane said.

The move will give the Flying Cow better visibility from the Merrill Parkway, Lane said.

The garage will be a steel structure, with brick corners, which is where the stairwells will be, he said.

Brick will be installed around the garage's elevator shaft, too, he said.

It will be "a very efficient" garage, he said.

Tom Fairchild Jr., a project manager for the borough, wants to incorporate antique-style lampposts into the design of the garage, Lane said. Trees will also be planted in front of the garage, he said.

"The architect thought the cost (of moving the Flying Cow) would be minimal in the whole scheme of things," Lane said.

Another option being looked at would be to demolish the Flying Cow building and construct a new building for the Flying Cow on the same property, but closer to the Merrill Parkway, Lane said.

Lane said he assumes moving the existing Flying Cow building would be much cheaper than constructing a new building for the business. However, he said he is waiting to see what the architect's estimates for the cost of the two options will be.

While Towanda Police Chief Randy Epler has expressed concerns that the parking garage could hinder his officers from traveling from their parking spaces behind the adjacent police station to the scene of an emergency in a timely manner, Christini told Epler that he would be "pleased" with the new design.

It looks like the construction of the garage will probably start in the early spring of 2015, Lane said.

James Loewenstein can be reached at (570) 265-1633; or email: jloewenstein@thedailyreview.com.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will be performing maintenance work at the following locations:

SR 0409, Wyalusing, Bridge Work

SR 0187, Wysox/Durell and Asylum Twp., Paving

SR 4013, Berwick Turnpike, Ridgebury Twp., Paving

Various Routes, Canton Area, Roadside Mowing

SR 0706, Wyalusing Borough and Twp., Shoulder Back Up

SR 4018, Wolcott Hollow Road, Athens Twp., Replace Cross Pipes

SR 4027, Bucks Creek Road, Ridgebury Twp., Patching Pipe Trenches

County Wide, Sign Installation and Repair

SR 1026, East Street, Pike Twp., Seal Coat

SR 0467, Pike, LeRaysville and Orwell Twp., Seal Coat

SR 1049, LeRaysville Road, Pike and Warren Twp., Seal Coat

SR 0014, Troy to New York line, South Creek Twp./Columbia/Troy Twp., Shoulder Cutting

SR 0187, Asylum Twp., Driveway Adjustments

SR 1049, LeRaysville Road, Pike Twp., Cleaning Ditches

SR 1051, Gulf Road, Orwell Twp., Cleaning Ditches

SR 0014, Canton Borough, starting at the intersection Tioga Street to Alba, Contractor.

Submitted by PennDOT.

WAVERLY - The Waverly Free Library board of trustees recently selected Todd Williams as the library's newest director.

Williams, who started July 1, has spent his first few days on the job becoming oriented to the library and introducing himself to patrons.

Williams is also currently being trained on the library's database management software and making connections throughout the community as well as with members of the 33-library Finger Lakes Library System, he said.

Williams is originally from the Rochester, N.Y. area, but has lived in Waverly for nearly nine years. He most recently worked as a teacher at the Chemung Valley Montessori School in Big Flats, N.Y., where he was responsible for cataloging and maintaining the school's collection of about 25,000 books, he said.

Williams is active in the community, serving in the past as a village trustee and presently with Venture Crew 105 of Athens and the Waverly Farmers Market. He is also a coach for Valley Youth Soccer and volunteers with Waverly Recreation and Waverly Little League.

Williams plans to highlight the library's role as an academic center in the village by offering more guest lecturers and programs for patrons of all ages. He'd also like to host more interest groups in the library's community room and look into expanding the library's hours of operation, he said.

In the long term, Williams and the library's board of trustees are exploring the possibility of making the library more handicap accessible and renovating the children's area.

He also plans to keep the community up to date on the library's programs via its Facebook page, created in the spring by previous director Rachel Lee.

Williams is looking forward to working with patrons, the board of trustees and staff to move the library forward, he said. "It's a great place," he said. "I believe very strongly in the library here."

Amanda Renko can be reached at (570) 888-9652; or email: arenko@thedailyreview.com.

TROY - A 19-year-old Ogdensburg man who led police on a high-speed chase June 22 in the Canton-LeRoy area bragged on his Facebook page about outrunning police and "how it was fun," according to court papers filed with the office of Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Wilcox of Troy.

Tyrone Earl Hartford of Ogdensburg, Pa. has been charged with fleeing or attempting to elude officer, a felony of the third degree, and multiple other offenses following a chase that began in Canton and continued east on Route 414, reaching speeds of 90 mph, the papers note.

Hartford faces a preliminary hearing before Wilcox at 2:30 p.m. July 16. He had his preliminary arraignment on July 8, and his unsecure bail was set at $20,000 and posted.

In an affidavit, Canton Police Officer Trey Kurtz said that around 8 p.m. June 22, a man approached him near East Second Street in Canton Borough, and asked if he recognized a red four-door Subaru that Kurtz just passed at a previous intersection.

Kurtz explained he had never seen the vehicle before, but said the male occupants "appeared nervous, as if they had just done something wrong."

The man informed Kurtz that it was because they "flew by the park, which was full of children, at approximately 50-60 mph and pulled the (emergency) brake, sliding sideways through the stop sign," just before Kurtz had turned down the street.

According to Kurtz, approximately an hour or so later, at or around 9:18 p.m., the same vehicle passed by him on Route 14, traveling south. Kurtz said he later identified the driver as Tyrone Earl Hartford.

Then, Kurtz immediately turned around and followed the vehicle, as it turned left onto West Carson Street and left onto North Center Street, where Kurtz activated his lights and siren to make a traffic stop.

Kurtz said the vehicle immediately accelerated north on North Center Street, in an attempt to flee.

Kurtz said he pursued the vehicle to the end of North Center Street, where Hartford "blew through a stop sign, making a right onto Minnequa Main Road," and then turning right onto McFadden Road.

As they approached the intersection of Route 414 and McFadden Road, Kurtz said he backed off the vehicle in the hope that Hartford might slow down and stop to make sure there was no oncoming traffic. However, Kurtz said he saw Hartford's vehicle "blow through the stop sign and slide sideways" as a driver in a red Dodge minivan slammed on the brakes to avoid a major collision.

"I stopped at the intersection and could see the driver of that van was visibly shaken but unharmed; once clear, I proceeded to follow the defendant (Hartford) east on Route 414," Kurtz wrote in the affidavit. "As I followed the defendant (Hartford), I observed him carelessly swerve into the opposing lane of traffic, in a no passing zone, and around a red Ford Ranger pickup at approximately 80 mph."

Kurtz said that while following Hartford east on Route 414, Hartford reached speeds of 90 mph, endangering the general public, himself, his passenger, and Kurtz.

"At one point, the defendant (Hartford) swerved around a vehicle and off the road to the right, when he almost put his vehicle into a ditch, but was able to keep from doing so. As we entered LeRoy Township, I could see the traffic became more congested ahead of us. I observed several vehicles in front of us pull off to the side of the road in (an) attempt to get out of harm's way."

According to Kurtz, Hartford was forced to stop traveling east, directly in front of the LeRoy General Store, when an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer, with a trailer, stopped in the roadway in an attempt to assist Kurtz with bringing Hartford's vehicle to a halt. At that time, Kurtz was able to read the Pennsylvania registration plate on Hartford's vehicle to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) via radio.

He said it appeared that Hartford was stopping, just as the tractor-trailer coasted ahead a few feet, leaving Hartford room to make a right turn onto Mill Street and up the hill, where he almost wrecked, making a right turn onto South Side Road, heading west back into Canton Township.

Kurtz said that while following Hartford west on South Side Road for a few miles, Kurtz was informed by the EOC that the Pennsylvania registration plate on Hartford's vehicle had come back expired, belonging to Jesse M. O'Conners, no age or address given, for a Jeep station wagon. Knowing it was a fictitious plate, Kurtz said he continued following Hartford as he turned left onto Beech Flats Road. Kurtz said it appeared that Hartford may have thrown something from his vehicle between the intersection of Lake Hill Road and Wheelerville Mountain Road.

Kurtz said Hartford turned right onto Wheelerville Mountain Road. When he turned right onto Ellington Mountain Road, Kurtz said he was contacted by Canton Police Chief Doug Seeley via radio and told to discontinue the pursuit, as Seeley was concerned for public safety. Kurtz said he immediately stopped and deactivated his lights and siren while he saw Hartford's vehicle continue up Ellington Mountain Road and out of sight.

Then, Kurtz double-backed to try to locate the debris that he thought Hartford may have thrown, but was unable to find anything.

On June 23 at the Canton Police Department, Kurtz met with O'Conners, who informed him the license plate belonged to him in 2012, when he had it on his 1995 Jeep. He told Kurtz that he left it at his mother's house, when he moved a few years back.

"O'Conners also informed me that his brother, Tyrone Earl Hartford, had just acquired a red Subaru Legacy two days prior and currently lived at his mother's house, where he had access to that expired plate," Kurtz wrote in the affidavit. "Jesse went on to explain he had received phone calls from people asking why he was out running the police last night and when he put it all together, he contacted his mother, Wendy Dempsey, the following day. Wendy informed him that Tyrone came home last night bragging to his little sister about how he just outran the police and thought it was funny."

Kurtz said that he was also contacted by two people and they showed him several posts on Tyrone Hartford's Facebook page "where Hartford bragged about how he outran the police last night and described how it was fun and continued commenting and joking with his friends about it."

Kurtz said he then went to the Hartford residence on Ogdensburg Road, where he met with O'Conners, Hartford, and their mother.

"After speaking briefly, Tyrone informed me that he wanted to cooperate and write a confession," Kurtz stated.

According to Kurtz, Hartford wrote in his confession that he was nervous because he thought he had a warrant out for his arrest and he panicked.

Hartford's confession continued, "I know what I did was wrong and I take full responsibility of my actions. And to the people I could've caused harm to, I apologize. I also apologize to the officer on duty for risking his life."

Hartford is also charged with misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person, a summary violation of "maximum speed limits," summary reckless driving, summary careless driving, a summary violation of "stop signs and yield signs," a summary violation of "driving on right side of roadway," a summary violation of "no passing zones," a summary violation of "overtaking vehicle on the right," a summary violation of "operation of vehicle without an official certificate of inspection," a summary violation of "registration and certificate of title required," a summary violation of "unauthorized transfer or use of registration," and a summary violation of "operating vehicle without financial responsibility."

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

NORTHEAST, Pa. - The American Red Cross NEPA Region continues to respond to areas hardest hit by severe storms that came through the region on July 8, 2014. Cooling centers were opened in many communities and Red Cross disaster volunteers traveled throughout neighborhoods with supplies and support both on foot and in the Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle. Our disaster action team volunteers continue to work with residents, assessing damage and providing ongoing support as needed.

Bradford/Sullivan Chapter

On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 an F2 tornado was confirmed in Cherry Township and an F1 tornado was confirmed in the Bradford area. Red Cross volunteers and staff distributed tarps (provided by Walmart), bottled water, hand sanitizer and snacks to those in need.

About the American Red Cross

You can help people affected by disasters like floods, fires, tornadoes and hurricanes, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS, (1-800-733-2767). Contributions may also be sent to the American Red Cross, Northeast Pennsylvania Region, 964 Marcon Blvd. Suite 220, Allentown, PA 18109 or your local Red Cross chapters.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

Submitted by American Red Cross.

Moving up from 10K to Half Marathon and need a comfortable step in between? This race is perfect for you.

The Monroe Hose Company will be hosting their first ever 5K/15K run.

Our run will be held at 8 a.m. on July 12, 2014 at Mountaineer Park. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. and the race will begin at 8 a.m.

The cost is as follows: 5K $25.00, 15K $40.00.

Age groups are as follows: 13 and under, 14 - 19, 20 - 29, 30 - 39, 40 - 49, 50 - 59, and 60+.

There will be groups for male and females of all ages. Medals will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in all age groups.

The first 50 participants will receive a free T-shirt. T-shirts will also be for sale for $15.00.

Participants will park on the fairgrounds and be shuttled to our truck hall for registration and the start of the race.

The 5K will wind through the Monroe Borough, and the 15K will go through the borough and then head out Woodside Road into Towanda Township and back to the truck hall.

We hope to see everyone out either running/walking or if you are unable please come out and cheer on the competitors.

CANTON - It's definitely not a sit-down meal.

The "Walking Taco" is new at the Canton Fireman's Fair this year, and fire department treasurer Jodie Bardo said it's a hit with fairgoers.

She said a lot of them are being sold.

"It's a taco in a bag and you can walk around and eat it," she explained. She said it's easy to eat.

The "Walking Taco" is served in a Fritos bag.

Bardo said it's "something new, something different" at the fair.

"It's going over very well," she commented. "It tastes like a taco salad basically."

On Friday, one fairgoer, Martina Erb of Blossburg, said she liked the "Walking Taco."

"It's good," she said.

Cody Cservak of Canton tried the unique meal for the first time Friday.

"It's not bad," she said.

She said the taste is like a regular taco.

"I've actually wanted to try one," she said. "I've seen them on Facebook and stuff."

Bardo said Friday night was another busy night for the fair, which has free admission this year.

"Free admission is the hot thing," Bardo said.

No attendance figures were available, due to the free admission.

She said the fire department will try and continue free admission for next year's fair.

Bardo thought the weather was beautiful for the fair Friday.

Tonight is the last night of the fair.

Jubal will play rock music at 7 p.m. For Saturday, the meal is chicken and biscuit and the Chinese auction will be drawn at 9 p.m. This year, a five-piece patio set is among the prizes.

Bardo said a lot of tickets have been sold this year for the Chinese auction. People don't have to be present to win.

The fair will start at 6 p.m. and end with a big finale of fireworks at 10 p.m.

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

DALLAS - A Monroeton man was remanded to the Bradford County Correctional Facility after being charged with assaulting a Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer, the agency's Northeast Region Office announced recently.

Steven Harold Neilson, 43, of Mountain Road, was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault, two felony counts of endangering the welfare of children, one misdemeanor count of making terroristic threats, two misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, one misdemeanor count of simple assault, two misdemeanor counts of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, and other crime and game code violations.

The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on the afternoon of June 7 in Overton Township, Bradford County. Wildlife Conservation Officer Jeffery Oleniacz was patrolling an area of State Game Lands 12 near Schrader Creek when he encountered several individuals operating all-terrain vehicles, (ATVs), utility-task vehicles (UTVs), and dirt bikes on a game lands road posted closed to motorized vehicles.

The vehicles scattered, but Oleniacz stopped one UTV and was interviewing the driver when Neilson returned to the scene and drove in circles near the officer while making verbal threats before driving away, according to the affidavit of probable cause. Neilson then allegedly returned and drove his UTV, with his daughter seated in the passenger seat, towards Oleniacz, accelerating and swerving towards the officer before striking him in the left arm. Neilson then fled the area.

Two search warrants were executed by wildlife conservation officers (WCOs) at separate locations and the UTV believed to have been driven by Neilson was seized as evidence.

Charges were filed by Luzerne County WCO David Allen and Neilson was arraigned at the office of Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton, Wysox. A cash bail of $10,000 was set and Neilson was remanded to the Bradford County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 16, at the office of Magisterial District Judge Timothy Clark in Towanda.

WCO Oleniacz sustained an injury to his left arm that did not require medical attention.

"Our officers conduct regular patrols on state game lands to protect these valuable resources from abuse," explained Game Commission Northeast Region Director Daniel Figured. "Assaulting an officer with a motorized vehicle is a serious offense and persons committing this crime will be prosecuted to the fullest extent. This dangerous and reckless act put the safety of three persons at risk," added Figured.

Submitted by Pennsylvania Game Commission Northeast Region.

ORWELL - To most people, jewelweed is just another plant, but to Esther Welden, it's a link to the past.

Welden, a master dyer from Montrose, was teaching natural dyeing Saturday during Youth Day at the Home Textile Tool Museum in Orwell.

Welden showed visitors how jewelweed, indigo and Brazilwood chips can be used as natural dyes. These natural dyes were used before synthetic dyes came into use in the 19th century.

"These dyes are important because they were an important part of our history," she said.

One surprising fact that Welden pointed out was how indigo dye, for example, looks green when it's in a pail, but changes color when placed out in the air.

She dyed a sample with indigo dye and then aired it out. The dye on the sample then turned blue, due to being exposed to oxygen.

She thought the transformation was fascinating.

"You keep dipping and airing until you get the color of blue you want," she said.

With 50 dips, she said, the color of navy blue can be achieved.

Welden studied at The Mannings in East Berlin, Pa. in the 1970s.

She noted that other sources of natural dye include marigolds, coreopsis, and the root of a plant called madder.

Youth Day, which is an annual event, also features spinning, weaving and story-telling, according to a brochure. A total of 27 people attended the event, including home-schooled students.

It's for "the young and the young-at-heart."

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

CANTON - Not all the smoke at the Canton Fireman's Fair comes off a grill.

At the Fire Prevention Smoke House, firefighters were on hand this week to guide children through the smoke-filled trailer in an effort to teach them about fire safety.

Of course, it wasn't real, but fake smoke that filled the Smoke House, but that didn't matter.

The experience was realistic enough to teach the kids an important lesson.

"A fireman walks them through and teaches them what to do if they're caught in a house full of smoke or fire," said fire department president Rich Bardo.

With smoke rising, he said they're told to stay low to take advantage of the pocket of fresh air below.

The children are also taught to beware of hot door handles, which are an indictor of a fire inside a room.

Canton native Elizabeth Miller brought her son, Davian, 3, to the Smoke House Saturday.

She thought the Smoke House was educational.

"I think it's cool," she said.

The children walk with a firefighter up stairs in the simulated smoky interior and then they are helped out a window and down a ladder.

Mary Saunders of Canton was volunteering at the Smoke House as she carefully assisted the children on the ladder.

Blaze, the fire department's fire prevention clown, was also on hand, giving out balloons and helmets.

She and another volunteer said hundreds of children went through the Smoke House during the fair this week.

There were also free raffles for smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, not to mention a whole table full of giveaways of fire prevention material.

Jackie Torrence of Elmira, N.Y., who was there with her granddaughter, Kayla Kreisler, said all the materials were "very nice."

"It teaches kids," she commented.

Fire department treasurer Jodie Bardo was happy with the attendance at the fair this week.

She noted the fair is the fire department's biggest fundraiser.

"I thank everyone for coming and supporting us," she said.

She noted that the money will help with the fire department's biggest expenses, which include insurance and fire gear. The fire department also needs an air pad system.

Bardo said the fire gear has a price tag of $3,500 per person.

The final night of the fair was scheduled to be capped off with a fireworks show.

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

Are you pregnant?

Are you scared?

Are you unsure of where to start? What decisions to make?

It doesn't matter how old you are, who your friends are, or how much money you make.

Pregnancy doesn't discriminate. And the Endless Mountains Pregnancy Care Center (EMPCC) can help.

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What was started 23 years ago in a small upstairs apartment by two ladies in Canton, is now reaching out to women of all ages, from three locations in Bradford County. One center is still located in Canton at 26 West Main St., one is in Towanda, at 13 State St. and the newly-opened facility in the Valley is called the First Look Pregnancy Center. First Look is a medical facility at 209 West Lockhart St. in Sayre. There, women can get an ultrasound to confirm both their pregnancy and the age of the baby.

Executive Director Shellie Gerould sums it up, saying all three centers provide a pressure-free, caring, safe place for women (and men) facing an unexpected pregnancy in a completely non-judgmental environment.

They counsel girls from teens to women in their 40s. Each, she says, is given medically-sound information to help them make informed and healthy decisions. The centers are Christ-centered and pro-life. A brochure from the center states it is there to help provide "life-saving alternatives to abortion, while helping expectant mothers deal with the stress and emotions that accompany pregnancy." But, Shellie says, "We understand this is her baby and her decision. We can't make that decision for her. We try to understand her heart and meet her where she is." She explains how when someone is in a crisis situation, that's all they can see. And, "It is never wise to make an uninformed or hasty decision in a life-changing situation."

And yes, of course, some women still choose abortion. Even so, there are no judgments, no guilt trips; the center offers help to them too with a program called "Surrendering the Secret." It's a small support-group setting that guides women through a healing journey.

All services are free and confidential.

Besides counseling and referrals, while the ultrasound is only available in Sayre, the Towanda and Canton centers offer pregnancy testing, maternity and baby clothes up to 2T and a variety of baby items.

There is also a program called "Earn While You Learn." Participants have the opportunity to earn brand new items such as car seats and Pack and Plays by completing a series of five parenting classes. They may choose from topics such as prenatal teaching, newborn and toddler development and discipline and safety.

Shellie explains that the EMPCC is totally supported by private individuals, churches, business donations and fundraisers. It receives no tax money.

"It is nothing short of miraculous that three centers, one being a medical facility, can operate by the generosity of those who not only love life for the pre-born, but quality of life for parents and families as well," she says.

For training purposes, the EMPCC is looking for volunteers who are between 7 and 22 weeks pregnant who would like to have an ultrasound at its Sayre office.

There is no charge. Please call 800-326-9953.

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Most of the EMPCC staff consists of volunteers. A volunteer seminar is planned to give a general overview of volunteering positions and duties. It is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon on Aug. 20 at the United Methodist Church in Towanda. A light lunch and tour of the Towanda Center will follow.

For more information or to make an appointment:

Call 800-326-9953.

Visit the website at www.empccfree.com

Email to contact@empccfree.com