2004: A year to remember
BLAIRSVILLE--It was a year that started relatively quietly, as compared to 2003 when the war with Iraq was gearing up, but lawmakers both local and national, and area athletes from the Blairsville Bobcats to the Pittsburgh Steelers eventually begin to stir things up.
Warmaking in Iraq continues, and tension remains high. The year saw anniversaries for many communities, clubs, and churches. Many deaths were mourned, both locally and nationally with the passing of local restaurant legend Darrell Dean, President Ronald Reagan, Christopher Reeve, Ray Charles, Julia Child, comedian Rodney Dangerfield, and most recently, Broadway great and Law and Order regular Jerry Orbach.
Communities, lawmakers, and officials clashed continually over issues like the Uniform Construction Code, school consolidations and renovations, housing plans for WyoTech. A salmonella outbreak caused by tainted tomatoes at Sheetz follows in the footsteps of the 2003 hepatitis outbreak. A flu vaccination shortage causes pandemonium--again. And the weather--well, 2004 started off with one of the better snow storms of the past few years, rounded out fall with a visit from Hurricane Ivan, and ended feeling more like May than December.
The following is a review of 2004--the good, the bad, and the ugly, as reported in the pages of The Dispatch:
Jan. 2 --Outgoing Indiana County commissioners Randy Degenkolb and Bill Shane go out with a bang, as part of a controversial vote that amended an ordinance to permit deep and surface mining in the county's recreation and conservation zones...The Dispatch Football All-Stars are published, with seven Bobcats leading the pack...Chris Matava's transformation of a young and inexperienced football team into playoff contenders earns him the Coach of the Year honor.
Jan. 9 --Saltsburg Borough Council begins a miserable year, when a bad case of executive reluctance strikes when nearly every board member was nominated for the president's position, only to decline. Ralph Brown eventually accepts the position...In Dispatch editor John Jennings' "Wish List to Start the New Year," he asked to see the Pittsburgh Steelers have a bounce-back season, including "a 10-6 regular record and the AFC North Championship." Well, John, your wish has been granted, beyond what anyone could have foretold...Rodney Ruddock takes the head seat as chairman of the Indiana County commissioners...The Blairsville community bids farewell to one of its icons, as Dean's Diner owner Darrell Dean goes to that big pie shop in the sky...Kylie Lasher becomes the first girl in Saltsburg High School's history to hit 1,000 points...Local agricultural zealots prepare for a big week at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show.
Jan. 16 --Jeff Coleman has political circles buzzing with his unexpected announcement that he would not seek a third term as state representative...Much needed renovations to the Saltsburg schools once again ignite talk of consolidation in the Blairsville-Saltsburg School District, talk that continues throughout 2004...The Bobcats rally for their seventh Heritage Conference win on the basketball court.
Jan. 23 --Public libraries once again feel the pinch as state budget cuts target the bookkeepers...Patricia Garner, principal of Saltsburg Middle/High School, resigns...Local wrestling teams find renewed hope in their younger tusslers...The G.C. Murphy building tops citizens' concerns at the Blairsville Council meeting, citing safety concerns.
Jan. 30 --A pile of ice and snow is dumped on the region as winter reared its ugly head...It was announced that the installation of Lawrence Brandt as bishop of the Catholic diocese would be broadcast on cable television...Jeff Coleman shocks the public again by stating that he would be hitting the airways in April as a conservative radio talk show host on his own radio network, "Generation Next Radio" By year's end, Coleman has announced yet another twist on his future..."Latrobe: The Game" is introduced as a unique souvenir for the town's upcoming sesquicentennial.
Feb. 6 --Bongianino's Bakery closes its oven doors, ending a 70-year legacy of bread-baking in Blairsville...After failing to advertise its 2004 meeting schedule, Saltsburg Borough Council is forced to cancel its second meeting of the year and reconvene at a later date...Two United athletes break school records in one month's time--Kurt McGinnis becomes the second United boy to net 1,000 points as a junior, and Lee Manning wrestles his 100th win on the mat to become only the second Lion wrestler to do so...Gov. Ed Rendell unveils his proposed 2004-05 budget for the state, which included a renewed effort to legalize slot machines in Pennsylvania.
Feb. 13 --A proposed merger is greenlighted for the Blairsville Municipal Authority and the Black Lick-based Lower Indiana County Municipal Authority...Not foreseeing the imminent disbanding of its police department, Saltsburg Borough Council decides to invest in a used police cruiser...Brothers Justin and Shane make the last name "Dickert" something to reckon with on Laurel Valley's basketball court, with Justin breaking a 1,000 barrier in both career points and rebounds, and the duo often sharing lead scoring and rebounding tallies...Indiana senior Philip Kuehn recalls his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of playing his upright bass at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Feb. 20 --It's announced that by summer's end, renewed train traffic will roll into Indiana Borough, as Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad reconstruct a 16-mile stretch of tracks between Creekside and Homer City...The fate of the G.C. Murphy building is at the mercy of Blairsville Borough Council, which applied for a grant to study its options to refurbish and reuse the crumbling structure. Otherwise, demolition is likely in its future, council said...Anthony Kobus is introduced as the new head varsity football coach for Saltsburg, on the heels of a frustrating losing season led by former head coach Glenn Richards.
Feb. 27 --Nowrytown residents receive good news--after being subject to water rationing, Conemaugh Township supervisors approved a plan to connect the the village with Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County...For the first time in Saltsburg High School history, the Lady Trojans advance to the District 6 Class A championship game, also guaranteeing the girls a a first-ever trip into the PIAA state tournament.
March 5 --IUP's Memorial Fieldhouse proves to be the site where District championship dreams are dashed for the Homer-Center Wildcats and the Saltsburg Lady Trojans...Six wrestlers, three fledgling freshmen and three veteran seniors, show that Indiana County schools are ripe with talent on the mat, as they qualify for the state tournament.
March 19 --Serious talks begin for new housing options for WyoTech students, whose population was expected to exceed the dorms available...Papa Sal's Italian Restaurant announces its plan to move to a new location in Burrell Township...The Dispatch's annual Enterprise publication features stories on the Seward Power Plant's, the impact the new Wal-Mart had on its retail neighbors, and Clark Metal's 50-year anniversary.
March 26 --The proposed plan for an extended runway at the Indiana County Jimmy Stewart Airport is grounded until county commissioners complete talks for the land acquisition...Roxanne Rouse's savvy teaching skills at Homer-Center High School earn her a spot as a semi-finalist for the 2005 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Award...United High School graduate and fifth-year senior at University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown, John Burda wrestles a second place win at the NCAA Division II national wrestling tournament.
April 2 --Displaced Indiana County United Mine Workers find new employment in their field--but discover they have to log in long-distance miles to do so...It was announced that a state historical marker commemorating the rescue of a fugitive slave in Blairsville will be part of the 27th annual Conference on Black History in Pennsylvania--it was the first time the conference was ever held in Indiana County...One of the few girls in Saltsburg High School's history to play football, Priscilla Varelas, Clarksburg, tackles national women's professional football as a member of the Pittsburgh Passion...Another Saltsburg athlete, junior Janelle Reed, is named third team all-state for her prowess on the basketball court...Two local radio stations--WCCS, Indiana, and WLCY, Blairsville, grab awards from the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters for Excellence in Broadcasting...Actor Robert Wagner makes an appearance at the Jimmy Stewart Museum to accept the annual Harvey Award.
April 9 --Aftershocks of the Hepatitis A outbreaks from the Beaver Valley Mall Chi-Chi's Restaurant still resound through the area, as the count of infected people reaches 660, including four fatalities...Westmoreland Health System unanimously approves an agreement that would later merge Latrobe Area Hospital with nearby Westmoreland Hospital...Donna Rohaus, a dog trainer from New Alexandria, along with her border collie, Cap, are chosen to represent the United States at the World Agility Championship, which was held in May in Valencia, Spain...Due to a hike in raw materials and energy costs, the fate of Latrobe's Standard Steel plant is up in the air, its only hope being a new buyer...Former Saltsburg Borough secretary Elizabeth "Cookie" Rocco joins Saltsburg Council after newly sworn-in member Albert Eckenrode submits his resignation...With the deadline looming for the state's new Uniform Construction Code, Burrell Township joins a long list of local municipalities to take advantage of Indiana County's offer to administrate the code enforcement.
April 16 --United School Board veteran Al Fatula Jr. steps down after 16 years of service to the school district...Seward native David John Solich, a Marine Corps and Vietnam War veteran, is honored in Washington, D.C. at the annual Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund In Memory Day...Derry Borough reactivates its decade-old application for a railroad crossing at North and South Chestnut streets, requesting an at-grade crossing as a safety measure...The search is on for Bigfoot, as Keystone State Park becomes the base camp for the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society's lookout expedition...The Blackleggs Watershed Association holds an open house for its new office digs in Saltsburg.
April 23 --The transformation of two buildings near Derry Area High School begins, as the school district's Barbara Thompson Early Literacy Center takes shape...A Blairsville teenager who was the picture of bravery, Jessica Kurnocik, loses her three-year battle with a rare form of cancer...Jerry Hammack, a youth baseball organizer, coach, and advocate in Saltsburg, once again pleads with the Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board for Saltsburg to have a baseball team of its own, instead of the school district's unified program--who could foresee that the school board later this year would nix the program in its entirety?
April 30 --It was a busy week in both the political and sports arenas, as the primary election gives a little foresight as to what would happen in November, and the NFL draft scatters newbie players throughout the league...On the political front, Arlen Specter survives a strong challenge from U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey in the race for U.S. Senate, and U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster pulls ahead in his fight for reelection...The NFL loses a star player, and a family loses a husband, father, and son when former NFL player Pat Tillman gives his life as he served in the war with Iraq...The Dispatch moves to its new headquarters at 116 E. Market St., occupying the former Pyle Furniture building...Burrell Township's planning commission begins to review development proposals for WyoTech student housing plans...In a move that some sees as controversial, the Steelers ink a deal with a rookie quarterback by the name of Ben Roethlisberger--the 22-year-old drafted from Miami (Ohio) soon proves his worth when he takes over the starting quarterback position, helping Pittsburgh earn a 15-1 season, the best in AFC history.
May 7 --John Pulliam vacates his position as Homer City's mayor...Questions of whether council had entered into arbitration with the Saltsburg police force's union are left unanswered, even after borough council's two-hour long executive session...Ligonier Valley and Marion Center share the title of Heritage Conference track meet champions...Frank Krevetski, who led the United Lions to win three Appalachian Conference titles and a 1986 District 6 championship, is honored with two hall of fame inclusions, the Pennsylvania Football coaches Hall of Fame, and the Indiana Count Sports Hall of Fame...Commuter flights out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport are grounded after passenger numbers fall and national cutbacks in commercial air service.
May 14 --The Blairsville Century Club lives up to its name, celebrating 100 years...Demolition begins on the vacant Industrial Ceramics Inc. in Derry, to make room for redevelopment...After spending nearly $100,000 in engineering fees, Derry Area School District scraps its $12 million construction project at Grandview Elementary...The district then announces that full day kindergarten will likely go into effect for the 2004-05 year...Blairsville resident Bernie Diloreto advances in the U.S. Open qualifying.
May 21 --Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board, in an attempt to shave money from the budget, proposes to nix the elementary art programs as well as the high school golf and baseball programs, inciting a slew of angry parents and students to protest...Blairsville Borough Council abandons plans to build housing units for WyoTech students at the site of the unused community pool...Indiana painter J.J. Altrogge wins Best in Show honors at the Indiana Art Association's annual spring show with his piece, "A Cluster of Country Buildings"...Mike Gaydosh is sworn as Homer City's new mayor, after John Pulliam pulled out...In honor of its native son's birthday, Indiana County holds the first Jimmy Stewart Days, where a ribbon cutting was held for the museum's new entrance.
May 28 --The Blairsville area is pelted with hail, torrential rains, and high winds in a fierce storm that downed power lines and trees throughout the community...After a year's hiatus, the Stand for Children event returns to Indiana County...Derry Area High School graduate Greg Lasinski takes Salisbury University of Maryland to the college Division III World Series.
June 4 --Area high schools push their senior students out of the door and into the real world as the classes of 2004 fly from their secondary school nests...Two seats left vacated on Homer City's borough council are filled by a former Citizen of the Year, Kenneth Walker, and Kate Yancy...A crowd of 10,000 are on board at Latrobe's 150th birthday party...The third time is a charm for Penns Manor's Christina Sgriccia, who grabbed gold as the PIAA Track and Field Championship state titlist in the Class AA girls triple jump...A few ambitious teens announce their intent to raise money to build a professional skate park in Derry...For the first time, state troopers transform into "camo cops," hiding in bushes with radar guns to ensnare speeding motorists...Derry Borough is denied its at-grade railroad crossing, but council vows to take a close look at Rt. 217 highway bridge and its safety concerns.
June 11 --Ending months of speculation, Saltsburg Borough Council votes to disband its two-man police force, citing financial woes--the move would incite mixed feelings of anger and relief among community members...United senior Justin Eppley's outstanding academic and community service records earn him the top spot as The Dispatch's Student of the Year...The United States loses one of its beloved leaders, as President Ronald Reagan's battle with Alzheimer's Disease ended...A look back at Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department's 125 years of service coincides with the town's 150th birth-day...Derry baseball stars Ryan DeMary and Zach Dixon earn spots on the WPIAL all-star baseball games...Sgt. David R. McConnell is welcomed home after fulfilling four years of duty with the Army--he is given a hero's welcome by the kindergarten class he kept in contact with.
June 18 --With the Uniform Construction Code deadline rapidly advancing, local property owners scramble to fit in home improvement projects, both small and big--the UCC would force them to undergo state inspections and fees for all construction, residential or commercial...A book is published hailing the dairy triumphs of Derry's Joseph A. Greubel, credited as Westmoreland County's first ice cream maker...Adelphia's Blairsville call center is still set to close, leaving 150 people without work, while 117 employees at Standard Steel brace themselves for the closing of the Latrobe plant.
June 25 --Despite a 9 mills property tax hike, Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board finalizes a budget that also axes the elementary art programs, leaving two teachers jobless--high school journalism courses and the golf and baseball teams are also given the boot...Two years after investigations first began, hospital officials reinstate testing for cadmium poisoning, to determine if the toxic metal poses a threat to the area's population...After resigning as head coach of the Trojan football team, Saltsburg's Glenn Richards is named the school's athletic director...Indiana native Brett Mack makes his film debut in a television pilot based on stories of the paranormal on the Ghost Town Trail, called GhostHunters, PSI.
July 2 --More locals get airtime in a production of The War That Made America, which filmed in the area...Westmoreland and Latrobe Area hospitals officially become one...Reliant Energy makes power history as it gears up to open its Seward station, which will use coal waste to generate enough electricity to power 450,000 homes in one year--it is not only the first major coal-fired plant to to be built in Pennsylvania in two decades, but it's also the second largest power plant in the United States...Indiana County Technology Center for the first time offers cosmetology as an adult education option.
July 9 --Six resign from the Blairsville Recreation Board, including four members, the recreation director, and the secretary...The hunt continues for a site for WyoTech housing, as work continues on the school's expansion at its Cornell Road, Burrell Township site...With Homer City's 150th birthday approaching, Bethel Church, the borough's forbearer, receives the spotlight... Caldwell Memorial Library says it might be doomed after Derry Township supervisors cut back its funding...Grant Dorn, a 1996 Derry Area graduate, puts his pitching prowess to good use as a member of the Washington Wild Things.
July 16 --Blairsville Improvement Group names Greg Fornalczyk, of Indiana, as its full-time Main Street manager...Tainted tomatoes at Sheetz are linked to the outbreak of salmonellosis in the area, after almost 50 people become sick...Homer-Center alum Lindsey Stefan is named to the second team National Academic All-America women's track team for her accomplishments as a high jumper at St. Francis University.
July 23 --Sheetz tries to bounce back and regain business after the salmonella scare...Blairsville Borough Council relaxes a recent two-tenant ordinance, allowing those who rented property before the ordinance was voted into place to continue housing up to three unrelated tenants...The West Nile Virus makes an appearance in Indiana County for the first time this year, when a dead crow testing positive for the virus was found in White Township...State university officials look to raise tuition rates once again.
July 30 --Tri-Community Ambulance Association makes its last run as the primary emergency caregivers in Bolivar, as Citizens' Ambulance prepares to take over the wheel...The Indiana County Jail finally takes steps to implement a fire alarm system, after years of operating without one...The Dispatch features a story on Irene Kelley, a Latrobe native who has penned many a song covered by top country stars such as Loretta Lynn, Alan Jackson, and Trisha Yearwood.
Aug. 6 --Dr. Matthew Sisak finds that his new business has doubled as a quest for history when he discovered that the Victorian house in Center Township that he was renovating as business headquarters was once a schoolhouse for Graceton-Coral...Some Saltsburg landlords dispute a proposed ordinance that would require them to submit a list of their tenants in order to improve borough tax collection...Travelers on the Pennsylvania turnpike have their first encounter with the 42 percent toll hike, making drivers dig a little deeper into their pockets--or under the seat--for extra change...Despite a state law that lowered the blood alcohol limit that determines whether or not a person is driving under the influence, Greensburg state police announce that DUI arrests have remained the same...With little to no objection, Derry Area School Board closes Bradenville Elementary School, reasoning that if it remained in operation, repairs needed would cost the taxpayers too much dough.
Aug. 13 --Federal funding puts drug enforcement to the task in Indiana County...In what they hope puts an end to their police force woes, Derry Borough Council gives Randy Glick their vote of confidence to take over the role as police chief...Four local baseball standouts--Brenton Gilmore, Derek Mechling, Doug McNulty, and Greg Lasinski--lend their talents to the Johnstown Grays and their push for AAABA National Tournament championship.
Aug. 20 --After almost a year's worth of WyoTech housing talks, Blairsville residents come before council with accusations that they are catering to the students, ignoring problems such as plummeting property values and bad behavior among students...Norfolk Southern Railway's plan to extend its tracks between Clarksburg and Saltsburg may endanger Blackleggs Watershed Association's trout nursery in Clarksburg...The friendship between hometown hero Jeremy Feldbusch and Jessica Kurnocik, who lost her battle with cancer this year, will be immortalized, as ground is broken for a garden memorial featuring the two friends, called "The Garden of Heroes and Angels"...Derry's Al "Duke" Dellavecchio is honored for his role in IUP's 1968 Boardwalk Bowl and his selection to IUP's All-1960s team with an induction into the IUP Hall of Fame...Bradenville Volunteer Fire Department gets fired up when vandals smashed up its antique 1952 For Central pump truck.
Aug. 27 --The 2004 Academic Achievement Report, based on the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, finds Blairsville-Saltsburg School District lacking in reading and math proficiency...Chestnut Ridge Inn on the Green in Blairsville, along with Chestnut Ridge and Tom's Run golf courses, are turned over to new partnership owners, half of which is New Alexandria real estate developer Eugene Bartolini...Consolidation once again becomes a topic of controversy between the Ligonier Valley and Laurel Valley schools.
Sept. 3 --In conjunction with the New Growth Arts Festival, the Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County displays colorful works created by artists of the county's past...The high school football season kicks off...Two local athletes prove that disabilities have nothing to do with athleticism as Cody Bureau and Jeff Hantz prepare to compete in the 2004 Paralympic Summer Games...Local rockers The Clarks receive their national debut on "The Late Show with David Letterman."
Sept. 10 --Indiana Regional Medical Center's Herbert L. Hanna Center for Oncology Care takes a page from recent cancer research in its new healing garden...Terry Marolt, New Florence native and Westmoreland County commissioner, dies...The Blairsville Bobcats forecast their stellar season with a good romp over Laurel Valley.
Sept. 17 --As Pennsylvania seems to have taken center stage in the presidential race, with both candidates shmoozing for votes here, local residents give their two cents in a straw pole, showing Bush with a slight advantage over Kerry...Seward Presbyterian Church marks its 100-year anniversary of faith and fellowship in the community...Indiana Regional Medical Center breaks ground for its planned Breast Center, which will serve as the cornerstone of the hospital's Women's Health Program...The Bobcats show their claws in a 55-0 blowout against Penns Manor.
Sept. 24 --Hurricane Ivan saturates the area, resulting in the most widespread flooding in Pennsylvania history--many local communities are evacuated as water crept up into the first floors of homes, swept away bridges, leaving thousands of dollars of damage in its wake...Consolidation is the word of the week as Ligonier Valley School Board approves a study that would research the positives and negatives of consolidation between Ligonier Valley and Laurel Valley schools, and the Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board members lock horns over the long-discussed idea of merging the two schools in the district...Indiana Area Junior High students end their extended summer vacation when classes finally resumed after summer renovations pushed back the start of the school year...Fans of the Black and Gold may have thought the season was as good as done when starting QB Tommy Maddox is taken out of the game with an elbow injury--little did they know what a stellar starter backup Ben Roethlisberger would turn out to be.
Oct. 1 --Get well wishes are sent out to Mark Bertig, Indiana County general manager of Renda Broadcasting and local youth sports booster, who suffered a heart attack, eventually making a full recovery...Blairsville High School receives a visit from the SafetyBug, an automobile program that teaches kids first-hand the dangers of driving drunk...In yet another undefeated Bobcat season, Blairsville head coach Ab Dettorre grabs his 100th career win in 18 seasons with the Bobcats...Damage assessments from the recent floods continued, as Blackleggs Trout Nursery laments the loss of nearly three-fourths of its just-delivered stock...New Florence police officer Michael Bandzej begins his slow recovery after a then-unidentified hit-and-run driver breaks his leg.
Oct. 8 --Enough resident interest propels officials to greenlight a study that could bring public water service to the village of Clarksburg--but a similar promise in nearby Nowrytown was never followed through...Last minute changes to the Uniform Construction Code cause confusion among many municipal residents and business owners wanting to know when a UCC building permit is needed...IUP snaps its losing streak in a Homecoming win over Shippensburg, resulting in a weekend of celebration for some students that, as usual, ended being a little too rowdy.
Oct. 15 --A year-long celebration begins in Blairsville's Catholic community, as SS. Simon and Jude marks 175 years...Martha Stewart begins her prison sentence at "Camp Cupcake"...A shortage of flu vaccine puts the nation in a panic, and ensuing weeks find lines a mile long for those wanting a shot of those limited vaccinations...1987 Indiana Area High School alumnus Scott A. Zellem, who lost his life while fighting as a Navyman in Iraq, has his life honored on the football field as the Indiana community dedicated the weekend to their fallen hero.
Oct. 22 --Blairsville's First United Methodist Church hosts 28 German Methodists in their American excursion to its sister church...Comedian Rodney Dangerfield dies, finally gaining the respect that he always lamented was never his...IUP's deaf education program is featured on a public broadcast television program...A local boosters club goes to bat for the defunct Blairsville baseball team, as the Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board votes to allow the boosters to take over the program and raise money to cover expenses for the spring season...For the first time in 35 years, Homer City Generating Station will have much of the coal it burns to generate electricity delivered by train, officials announce.
Oct. 29 --Some fear that the upcoming presidential election could be a repeat of the last election's "hanging chad" nightmares, as one of the closest elections in history gears down...Filmmaker Michael Moore endures the largest protest rally of his month-long tour at an appearance at IUP, where he promoted his Bush-bashing film, Fahrenheit 9/11...The area mourns the loss of another of its soldiers when Pfc. Aaron J. Rusin, of Seward, was killed under enemy fire in Bagdhad...The Bobcats clinch the Heritage Conference football title for the third straight year in a win against Ligonier Valley, while three other Heritage Conference teams are given a shot in the District 6 playoffs--Laurel Valley, United, and Purchase Line.
Nov. 5 --In a seemingly endless campaign standoff, President George W. Bush wins himself a second term in a victory over Democratic rival John Kerry...In other election victories, Rep. Dave Reed will also serve a second term in the state House, while Jeff Pyle came out on top of the run for the state House in the 60th District, succeeding Jeff Coleman, and U.S. representatives Bill Shuster and John P. Murtha retain their positions on Congress...New Florence fire policeman Charles Leo McAdams Jr. is charged with the hit-and-run of injured borough police officer Michael Bandzej.
Nov. 12 --Blairsville native Dave Varrato, a prep football star in the late 1950s, becomes a member of his college alma mater, New Mexico Highlands University's Athletic Hall of Fame...Controversy surrounds the drug Vioxx, as studies find that it can increase the risk of a heart attack...The Laurel Valley Rams play one of its worst game in years, losing 52-8, in what just happened to be a District 6 playoff game...United didn't fare much better, falling out of the playoffs in a 21-6 loss...Blairsville, meanwhile, keeps themselves alive in a 40-26 win over Portage...The Bobcat cross-country team also deserves laurels for grabbing the District 6 crown and sending the entire team to the PIAA state meet.
Nov. 19 --The River City Brass Band makes an appearance in the area, with Derry Area graduate and RCBB trumpeter David Auman leading the way...For the first time in 12 years, Blairsville residents will have to endure a tax hike, this one of eight mills...The Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board reject a contract with the 59-member Educational Support Personnel Association, denying the group's claims that a tentative negotiation had been reached...The Bobcats are scratched from the playoffs by Bishop Carroll in a 35-28 overtime standoff...Derry Area School District bans all witches and ghouls as it does away with Halloween activities.
Nov. 26 --Indiana's Kristin Paouncic is on her way to compete for the title of National American Miss Junior Teen, in which she was named third runner-up...Deer season opens with Pa. Game Commission boasting that hunters should find "some real wallhangers"...The addition of Northwest Airlines flights at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport puts the airport back on the commercial travel map, after its last U.S. Airways Express flight took off in July.
Dec. 3 --With the flu vaccination shortage and concerns of a flu epidemic, local residents recall how the spanish flu of 1918 ravaged the area...Indiana County commissioners try to balance the 2005 budget by raising taxes one mill...The Derry Area Y
