History lesson

A reader emailed yesterday to ask if I had considered posting some information on the history of the Cambridge Springs, PA, area on this site. I honestly hadn't thought about it, but it's a fantastic idea. Then it dawned on me that someone else may already be doing this, and sure enough, there is an outstanding site focusing on the area's history at: http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~cambridgesprings/main.html.

This site is extremely interesting and comprehensive. There are photographs, newspaper clippings and stories galore. It's maintained by a local resident, and it's clear that he's invested a great deal of time and energy into it. The graphics and navigation might be a bit over the top, but that's a minor quibble given the thoroughness of the site.

I've added a permanent link to the site on the right side of CambridgeSprings.net under "Related Links."

Hydrant flushing Tuesday and Wednesday

Saw an item in the Meadville Tribune that the borough will be flushing hydrants on Tuesday and Wednesday (April 3 and 4) between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. in both the borough and portions of Cambridge Township on the borough's water system.

If you turn on the tap and get dirty water, run cold water until it clears, the Tribune sagely advises.

She fought the law, and the law won

The Erie Times-News reported (in a story that was picked up by the Associated Press) that Kathryn White of Cambridge Springs was among the Iraq war protesters fined $500 each for blocking the entrance to the federal courthouse in Erie.

White says she won't pay the fine and will go to jail instead. I guess you can't question her commitment to her beliefs.

Student helps start Model U.N. program at CSHS

Sunday's Meadville Tribune had a good article about student Mia Bayuzick leading the effort to start a Model U.N. Chapter at Cambridge Springs High School. A total of 10 students represented the school at a recent Model U.N. Conference in Pittsburgh.

If students are looking for another great initiative to start, I would suggest a campaign to paint rundown houses in town during the summer. By the look of things, they wouldn't run out of houses to paint anytime soon.

CAJA sewer rates doubling by July 2009

If you purchase water/sewer service from the Cambridge Area Joint Authority (CAJA), you should have received a letter last fall informing you that sewer rates would be gradually increasing until they more than double by 2009. Apparently, the idea of raw sewage being jettisoned into French Creek during heavy rains wasn't all that appealing to the PA Department of Environmental Protection. The fix? A new, $9.3-million wastewater treatment facility and upgrades to the existing facilities on Grant Street. How's it being paid for? Significant rate "adjustments" for CAJA customers.

The facility is being constructed to handle anticipated sewage loads for the next 20 years (which doesn't really sound very long, so I wonder if rates are going to be doubling again in another 20 years). According to the letter, the monthly bill for an average customer will increase by about $5/month every six months. The increases started in January--your $31 bill then will be nearly $57 by July 2009 for the same amount of usage.

In case you missed the letter, a pdf of it is available here. I guess I won't be surprised if this is one of those projects that ends up costing more than planners think it will.

Venango Township road dispute settled

An article in today's Erie Times-News notes that a long dispute and court battle over the ownership of the nearly decade-old Mayflower Hill Drive (map here) has ended, with Venango Township supervisors agreeing to take over the road. (The article does not appear to be available online.) Garbage trucks, school buses and post office vehicles would not travel on the road while it was under private ownership. That truly must have been a pain for those who live on the road, and it sounds like it was the right thing to do since previous supervisors had agreed to take ownership of the road several years ago.

New bingo game in Cambridge (Friday nights)

For those with better things to do with their money than save it...

The Bravo! section of today's Meadville Tribune notes that the Cambridge Springs American Legion is now offering bingo on Friday nights. Doors open at 5, games start at 6:30 p.m. That's a smart move by the Legion, as few things probably bring in the cash like bingo.

Also of note--the "usual" game in town, the VFD bingo at St. Anthony's, is having a special event on Monday, March 26. Doors open at 5, and the games start at 6:30: $20 up to 30 cards, and a $500 & $1500 Jackpot. The first hundred people attending get a gift.

Penncrest income tax forms available online

In case you're like me and invariably mess up the one income tax form that Penncrest sends to you each year--the wage tax office has posted pdfs of the tax forms on its web site. That's a nice service. (Of course it would be even better if they had an easy online tax filing system like Pennsylvania's pa.direct.file, but that's probably too tall of an order.)

Where in Cambridge Springs is Leon Ray Livingston buried?

A reader over at ErieBlogs.com asks if anyone knows where in Cambridge Springs famous hobo and author Leon Ray Livingston is buried...Anyone out there know? Leave a comment or drop me a line at info@cambridgesprings.net if you do. Thanks!

Penncrest athletic schedule feeds

I just discovered that the Penncrest School District has RSS feeds available for their high school athletic schedules. This is a nice service and an easy to stay on top of what the teams are doing. (There are also standard web pages with the schedules available at the above link.)

You can learn more about RSS in this Wikipedia entry.

Riverside Inn and Golf Course on the market

It's old news, but the Erie Times-News reported today that the Riverside Inn and Riverside Golf Course are for sale (list price: $4.5 million.) The Times first reported this news back in 2001. Since then, owners Michael and Marie Halliday reunited the two Riversides by purchasing the golf course in 2003.

The Hallidays--ages 79 and 77--bought the inn in 1985 and should be commended for the incredible work they've done over the past two decades. It's hard to imagine what Cambridge Springs would be without the Riverside.

More inmates at SCI-Cambridge Springs?

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that more than 800 new beds will be added at four state prisons, among them our own SCI Cambridge Springs.

Spa police help out in huge pot bust

Cambridge Springs police assisted in an investigation that resulted in seven more arrests as part of what the attorney general says was "one of the biggest pot seizures in the state's history," according to this article in the Oil City Derrick.