The Mighty Falcon Marching Band has really looked and sounded great at the football games. From playing the National Anthem before kick-off to the awesome half-time performances to getting the crowd fired up during play. They are really impressive. It's easy to see how hard they've worked and we should all be proud of their representation of our school district and music program as they go on the road to the away games. The show is the music of Journey including "Any Way You Want It," "Open Arms" and "Don't Stop Believing." The drum majors are Jelena Kyle and Sue Stazetski. Featured soloists are TJ Hogan, Grant Wortman and Justin Shaw. The colorgaurd is enthusiastic and very professional too.
• Congratulations to CAHS Class of 2011 graduate Justin Teets who last week was elected president of the freshman class at St. Vincent College.
• The Highlands Hospital Auxiliary upcoming events that will all be held in the lobby are a book sale Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; a jewelry sale by Grand Illusions, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 31 and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 1, every item will cost $6; tickets for the annual Festival of Christmas Trees will be sold beginning Nov. 3, also in the lobby.
• The second annual Autumn Mum Festival sponsored by Downtown Connellsville will have something for everyone. Vendors include Jalyn's House of Collectibles, Erra Creations, Christian Clay Winery, St. John and Trinity Lutheran Churches, Tammy's Treasures, Avon, Cookie Lee Jewelry, Grandma's Attic, Bull of the Woods, Thirty-One, Falcon Foundation, CAHS Patriots, Greater Connellsville Chamber of Commerce, Serve Pro of Fayette County, Friends of the Carnegie Free Library, Connellsville Area Historical Society, CAHS Class of 2012, Jamie Lee's Country Decor and Crafts, Krafty Kreation, Domino's Pizza, Tastefully Simple, Jackson-Hewitt Tax Service and more. Buy Local will have pumpkins, gourds and seasonal produce. Live entertainment will go on throughout the day including Ben Haines, Mac Martin and the Dixie Travelers and 2 Edged Sword. And of course, there will be mums of many colors.
• The Rotary Club of Connellsville will be selling a dozen beautiful roses for only $10 at various locations around town on Oct. 1 and will also be in the lobby of Highlands Hospital on Sept. 30.
• Another event on Oct. 1 is Brats & Brews Festival 2011 being held at Bud Murphy's Sports Bar and Restaurant. The fun starts at 7 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m. with entertainment, German food and beer, celebrity bartenders and prizes. The proceeds from the evening will benefit the Community Foundation of Fayette County operating fund. The director of CFFC is Clara Pascoe who says some of the groups in Connellsville who received grants given by the organization include Highlands Hospital, Yough River Trail Council, Wesley Health Center, Connellsville Historical Society, Fayette County Cultural Trust, Connellsville Redevelopment Authority, Edwin Porter Theatre, Conn Area Catholic and Geibel High School (scholarships).
• This is a big weekend for Dunbar. Starting at at 7 p.m. Friday, you can bring the whole family to enjoy bluegrass music. Then on Saturday, there will be a full day of activities including the Pechin Red Dress Run/Walk, bicycle poker run, a duck race on the Dunbar Creek, a parade, car show, quilt show, book sale, volleyball tournament and new this year is Bryner's Hurdy-Gurdy antique Wurlitzer organ which will play throughout the day. There will also be lots of food, crafters, a flea market, basket raffles and the final collector's mug in the series featuring the Lazy Hour Ranch. The High Ryders will play starting at 4:30 p.m. followed by The Dunbar Players at 6 p.m. There will be FCRR train rides and speeder car rides throughout the day. For more information call Cindy Moag at 724-628-6716.
• If you've wondered about computer use at Carnegie Free Library of Connellsville this is how it works. The library has 14 computers for patrons, six are reserved for those 18 years of age and older, four are reserved for those 12 years of age and under. All computers are internet connected. Parents must sign a permission slip for children 13 and under to use the computer. The following programs are available on all computers: Microsoft Office, Powerpoint, Photodraw and Publisher. "We are going to get new desktop computers in the children's area soon by selling some of the laptop computers," said Casey Sirochman, director and head librarian. For more information go to www.carnegiefreelib.org or call 724-628-1380.
• The SCA Trail Town Outreach Corps will be holding Tangled Up In Brew from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 16. All home brewers and hard cider makers who are interested in entering this competition are invited to email sca.estrong@gmail.com or call 724-603-3151. The categories for the competition are going to be Best Beer - Judge's Choice, Best Beer - Popular Vote, Most Unique - Judge's Choice, Best Name - Popular Vote, and Best Pairing - Popular Vote. It will be held at the Elks in Connellsville.
• The vendors at the Bullskin Township Heritage Day will dress in colonial attire and demonstrate their arts where possible. It will be held in the Mt. Vernon Furnace area located off Route 982 in Wooddale on Oct. 15, 10 a.m. to dusk. The event is sponsored by Bullskin Township Historical Society and geared toward the iron furnace era. For more information call 724-887-4689.
• Mark your calendar for these upcoming events: Sept. 23-24, Dunbar Community Days; Sept. 25, Harold Betters at Christian Klay Winery; Sept. 30, Nationality Day at St. Rita's Social Hall; Oct. 1; Mum Festival, Trek Our Town, Rotary Club Rose Sale, Brats & Brews Festival at Bud Murphy's and Soap Box Derby; Oct. 6-7, Highlands Hospital Auxiliary Book Sale; Oct. 8, Community Yard Sale in South Connellsville; Oct. 15, Bullskin Heritage Day; Oct. 16, Fall Foliage Bike Ride and Tangled Up In Brew
