Historic Brookville's Victorian Christmas is in full swing, and strolling through the streets on Friday evening were members of the Brookville Junior/Senior High School Choir singing classic Christmas carols. Victorian Christmas continues through Sunday in downtown Brookville. You can find a full schedule on historicbrookville.org.
In their final act as a team, the members of the 2017 Punxsy boys’ golf squad posed for one last photo — with their District 9 championship plaque — on Thursday. Pictured are (from left) Easton Rend, Zack VanLeer, Willie Hoover, Ryan Roberts and Coach Josh Conrad.
The new Punxsutawney Area School Board held its reorganization meeting for 2018 on Monday. Pictured (front, from left) are Jim Wehrle; Dr. Kyle Lingenfelter, board president; Penny Pifer, vice president; Deneen Evans; (back) Dr. Thomas Lesniewski, superintendent; Cindy Depp-Hutchinson; George Powers; Melissa Snyder; Susan H. Robertson, board secretary; Jim Baun; and Dave Young, solicitor.
The Fourth Annual Animal Shelter and Rescue Benefit will be held at 6 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Punxsutawney Moose Club. A $5 donation is requested at the door, and everyone is asked to bring a dog or cat toy or treat. Proceeds from the event will go to local animal shelters. Pictured (from left) are Moose board member Buck Ishman, Melodie Valkosky, Melodie Petrovsky, Patricia Wagner, Karen McDeavitt and Kaylah Burke.
There was good attendance for the first Community Visioning Session for Downtown Punxsutawney at Gobbler's Knob on Wednesday. Pictured are those in attendance voting on the various ideas that were attached to the wall as presented by the Pennsylvania Downtown Center. Nearly 100 people turned out to discuss their visions for what could become of the downtown area, with a special focus on downtown, shopping and visiting habits. For a full report, grab a print edition of Thursday's Spirit. (Photo by Larry McGuire of The Spirit)
PUNXSUTAWNEY — A 15-year-old male from Sprankle Mills has been charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and other related charges as the result of a domestic dispute that occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Oliver Township, Punxsutawney-based Pennsylvania State Police said in a report on Thursday.
The investigation stems from an incident during which the juvenile told police that he "heard voices in his head that instructed him to kill" a 48-year-old woman.
The affidavit of probable cause states that, at 1:45 p.m., members of PSP-Punxsutawney were dispatched to a home on Sprankle Mills Road for a domestic altercation. Upon their arrival, police said that they made contact with the victim, who had apparent injuries to her head and a stab wound to her right shoulder, near the neck.
They then made contact with the suspect, who they said, "was making statements in their presence that he was hearing voices in his head that were telling him to kill the victim," and that he thought he had killed her by stabbing her.
When the victim was interviewed, police said that the defendant had approached her with a steak knife and then held it to her throat as she tried to get away, at which time he started to strike her in the head and face. At that point, she said, he stabbed her in the shoulder before she got away and contacted emergency services for help.
A member of Jefferson County EMS, told police in an interview that he received a phone call at 1:42 p.m. that the victim had been stabbed and needed help. Upon responding to the scene, he observed the injuries to the head and the stab wound. Medical attention was provided, and she was transported to Punxsutawney Area Hospital before a transfer to Allegheny General Hospital. A police report issued Thursday said the victim is in stable condition.
In discussions on the scene, multiple state troopers confirmed that they had heard the defendant make statements that he'd heard voices instructing him to kill the victim and that he thought he did so. Thursday's police report stated that the actor was being treated at Children's Hospital, pending a mental health evaluation.
A member of the PSP Forensic Services Unit observed at the scene an excessive amount of blood throughout the residence. He seized two knives with suspected blood on them, and the items were secured and entered into evidence at PSP-Punxsutawney.
Based on the evidence, police filed charges, one count each, of attempted murder of the first degree (a first-degree felony), aggravated assault (felony-one), aggravated assault (felony-two), and two second-degree misdemeanor counts of simple assault.
The Light Up A Child's Life (LUACL) campaign for the Make-A-Wish Foundation begins next week. Pictured is the Stear family, whose Wish Kid Dane’s wish is to go to Disney World. Pictured (front row, from left) are Dane, Wish Kid; Denver; Elizabeth, holding Darin; and (back) Derek at their home in Perry Township.
The Punxsy IUP General Psychology class recently participated in a community service project in which students purchased gifts for seven children in need. The students wrapped the gifts Thursday morning and will be distributing them before Christmas.
Those looking to get into the holiday spirit while listening to the angelic voices of local community members will want to check out “At Last Noel.” “At Last Noel” is presented by the Community Choir and Orchestra, directed by Doug Temchulla. The event will be held at the Punxsutawney First United Methodist Church on Friday, Dec. 15, and Saturday, Dec, 16, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 10:45 a.m.
It was a successful day one for the Light Up A Child’s Life Campaign, as the first day started as it traditionally does at Ragley’s True Value Hardware in Punxsutawney and wrapped up the day at Make-A-Wish in Punxsutawney. Pictured are Lindsey Herzing (right), executive director of Make-A-Wish Punxsutawney, and Wish Kid Colin Wineberg.
Pictured are two Wish Kids who were visiting on Tuesday evening at Punxsy Pizza on North Findley Street, Punxsutawney, where the Light Up A Child’s Life (LUACL) campaign was broadcasting from on WPXZ 104.1FM. Wish Kid Drew Caylor, 2, Sprankle Mills, sat in the lap of 16-year-old Sara Lynn Parkin, Indiana.
Angelic voices could be heard echoing through the halls of Mulberry Square on Wednesday, as the students in the SS.C.D. Children's Choir paid the residents a visit and sang a variety of Christmas songs. It was part of the Make-A-Wish Light Up a Child’s Life Campaign, which has been raising money for wishes in town this week. So far, the campaign has raised more than $23,000 and is on its way to granting five wishes. Thursday, the Make-A-Wish team will pay a visit to the Punxsutawney Area Middle School, then the Punxsutawney Area High School. If school is delayed due to weather conditions, representatives from both schools will come to the office and make the donations on behalf of the schools. (Photo by Destiny Pifer/The Punxsutawney Spirit)
Punxsutawney-based Pennsylvania Police reported that possible injuries were sustained in a one-vehicle accident that took place on Thursday morning on Route 36, just south of Rocky Ridge Lane, in Bell Township. Police said that the crash occurred as a 2007 Honda Fit driven by 31-year-old Amanda M. Powell of Punxsutawney was traveling northbound on Route 36, which was snow-covered in both lanes. The car was negotiating a right curve and traveling uphill when it began to slide, and Powell lost control of the vehicle, which then slid off the east side of the roadway and struck a tree, spinning 180 degrees and coming to rest facing south. Powell, who was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, was transported to Punxsutawney Area Hospital by Jefferson County EMS EMS for treatment of possible injuries. The vehicle sustained disabling damage and was towed from the scene. The Punxsutawney Fire Department and Jefferson County EMS assisted at the scene.
Route 219 is now open in both directions in Snyder Township between Rattlesnake Road and Granville Road. The road was closed earlier due to a multi-vehicle crash.
Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 850 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
It’s a wrap! The Make-A-Wish Light Up A Child's Life Campaign concluded on a high note on Friday. (Left photo) Pictured are Lindsey Herzing (left), Make-A-Wish regional manager, and Dr. Joe Kernich, Make-A-Wish board member, auctioning off items on Friday to wrap up the campaign. (Right photo) Ty Caylor, known by many as “Ty the Quarter Guy” raised $2,100 this year, bringing his nine-year contribution to the campaign to $17,098.
Toons 4 Tots recently presented the Punxsutawney Salvation Army with a check for $5,624, which funded its entire toy campaign for this Christmas. Pictured (front, from left) are Amy Binsberger; Rob Burkett; Lt. Shane Carter, Salvation Army co-commander; Denny Fetterman, Toons 4 Tots committee; (back) Mike Waite, Toons 4 Tots Committee; Tom Vardy, Fox’s Pizza Den in Punxsutawney; and Kevin Cielo, Bruce Walker, Deanna Venturini and Michael Venturini of the Toons 4 Tots Committee.
Lt. Shane Carter is pictured with the Salvation Army Kettle at SHOP ‘n SAVE. Their goal for the Christmas season is at 35 percent. Carter says that this deficit is alarming, as this how they raise funds for the general fund, which is how they are able to help so many people throughout the year, not just at Christmas time. Carter said the programs that they offer are all funded through the Red Kettle drive, their biggest fundraiser, from the after-school program to the emergency food pantry.
“It’s what keeps our lights on, phones ringing and how they get everything done,” Carter said.
He said that the Red Kettles are located at Walmart, SHOP ‘n SAVE, Shoe Sensation, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar.
Twenty lucky families Shopped With a Cop at Peebles Department Store in the Punxy Plaza on Saturday. The event came about as a team effort between local police and first responders and the 4-H Barnyard Buddies club. Pictured (front, from left) are: Rusty Craft, Kelly Nissel, Ivy Nissel, Zayden Soliday, 4-H Barnyard Buddies; Patrolman Jeff Winfield, Punxsutawney Borough Police; (second row) Officer Tammy Murray, Punxsutawney Borough Police; Mary Craft, Emily Nissel, Megan O’Rourke, Kaydence Tyree, Garret Nissel, Kaylee Nissel, all from 4-H/Barnyard Buddies; Vicki Martino, warden, Punxsutawney Borough Police; Matt Conrad, chief Punxsutawney Borough Police; (third row) Patrolman Kirk Brudnock, Punxsutawney Borough Police; Richard Alexander, Punxsutawney Mayor; Patrolman Ryan Miller, Punxsutawney Borough Police; Walter Foster, 4-H Barnyard Buddies; Karen Arrington, paramedic; Joel Cressley, EMT; Kristie Booher, EMT; Donnie Haines, manager Jefferson County EMS; Andy Crossley, paramedic Jefferson County EMS; and Detective Brian Andrekovich, Punxsutawney Borough Police.
The Punxsutawney Area High School Concert Band treated the audience to a night of festive music at the 2017 Holiday Concert. The band played such selections as “Cenotaph (Fanfare for Band),” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Canticum,” “Salvation Is Created,” “A Festive Christmas” and “A Christmas Festival For Band.”
Members of the Giddy Up 4-H Club recently decorated ornaments for a tree at Laurelbrooke Landing's residents to enjoy. Pictured are (front row) Rylee Lindenpitz, (middle row) Anna Kennermuth, Randa Rickard, Taylor Rafferty, Grace Shick, Ryanne Lindenpitz, (back row) Kain Kennermuth, Amanda Wolfe and Sara Griffith. (Photo submitted)
