CambridgeSprings.net

Number one

2008-05-07T08:28:00.002-04:00

A reader pointed out to me that the Cambridge Springs High School boys volleyball team is ranked No. 1 in the latest Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association's statewide poll for class AA schools. That's quite an honor for the Blue Devils. District 10 is well represented in the poll, with Meadville, Maplewood and Saegertown holding the third, fourth and fifth spots respectively.

Suspicious in origin

2008-04-28T11:04:00.003-04:00

If there's one word to describe the Hotel Evergreen in recent years (and the fire that destroyed it), I think "suspicious" is it. Photo courtesy of Laura Tysiachney of ERA Richmond Real Estate. Click on photo for a larger version.

It's elementary

2008-04-01T09:10:00.003-04:00

If you need to register your child for Kindergarten in the fall at Cambridge Springs Elementary School, don't follow the instructions listed on the Penncrest Web site, which say to register your child as soon as possible at the school he or she will be attending. Those instructions are dead wrong, as I found out this morning when visiting the elementary school. The office staff said that they've asked Penncrest to change the information on the Web—but I think it's been there for at least two weeks.

At CSES, Kindergarten registration is on Friday, April 18 from 9 to 10 a.m. or 2 to 3 p.m. More info on what to bring with you is here.

In sort of related news, you can look up the 2006-07 salary of most any public school teacher/official in Pennsylvania on this site, provided by the Asbury Park Press newspaper in New Jersey. For example, CSES principal Patty Fiely made $74,886 last year, while Cambridge Springs Jr./Sr. High School principal David Nuhfer made $91,246. Happy searching!

Not in my town?

2008-03-11T08:22:00.004-04:00

I was a little surprised to see this item in the police blotter on Friday:

Feb. 28, Cambridge Springs Elementary School. Staff member assaulted by a student. In a separate incident, a boy, 12, was charged with harassment after he tried to punch a staff member.

I don't have any further information than that, but I would be really interested to hear the details of this situation. It just doesn't sound like the kind of thing that happens in Cambridge Springs, but, then again, neither did that pipe bomb scare.

I've been converted

2008-03-06T23:26:00.002-05:00

I picked up a government-subsidized digital television converter box at Wal-Mart in Meadville today. As was expected, the cashier initially wasn't quite sure what to do with the $40 government-issued card/coupon. A manager-type person came over and cleared things up as to how to handle the card, and the net price after discount was $9.87 plus tax. It's a Magnavox—the only brand that Wal-Mart had.

Setup was simple: coaxial cable to my set of amplified rabbit ears, composite audio/video (red, white and yellow) to the home theater receiver, and power cord to an outlet. A power switch on the side and one on the remote (batteries included) brought the unit to life, and a set-up guide appeared on the screen. After a few questions about audio output and screen format, the unit auto scanned for available channels.

As expected, I was only able to pick up the stations from WSEE (16.1 aka channel 35, and 16.2, WBEP.) That makes sense since WSEE is the only area station broadcasting its digital signal at full power. The good news is that reception is simply fantastic. Once I adjusted the antenna, I ended up with a sharp picture (far better than the analog WSEE signal) without any stuttering or pixels dropping out (which Coaxial Cable's digital cable service suffered from quite a bit in my experience.)

Now these Erie stations just need to get moving on ramping up their digital signals.

Don't bully me

2008-03-04T08:42:00.004-05:00

Yesterday marked the start of an anti-bullying program at Cambridge Springs Elementary School. (More information in this article from a few weeks ago in the Neighbors section of the Erie Times-News. By the way, it looks like the Times Publishing Co. won't be mailing the Neighbors sections to non-subscribers after this week. My guess is they won't gain very many subscriptions off of that move, unless they decide to cut off online access to the section as well.)

The article notes that the program works by encouraging "bystanders"—other children who witness the bullying—to confront the bully about their actions and stand up for the victim. It's not mentioned in the article whether these children get to administer an old-fashioned beatdown on the bully (I'm picturing the ancient Israelites gathering to stone a sinner), but I'm guessing that's probably not part of this innovative solution, which has proven effective in Norway.

Off to states

2008-02-24T17:14:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Lady Blue Devils, who advanced to the PIAA basketball playoffs with a victory over Reynolds on Saturday. The Meadville Tribune has a story and a slideshow recounting the win.

Internet stars

2008-02-22T08:12:00.002-05:00

I found it interesting that Cambridge Springs High School has its very own podcast, coordinated by business/computer teacher Vickie Schultz. The podcasts feature students telling stories (tasteful of course) and interviewing teachers and fellow students. It's good experience for the students (assuming they're doing some of the production work too and not just the "talent" portion), and it's a nice way for the community to get some sense of what's going on at the school. It would be especially nice if it became interdisciplinary—the American cultures (aka social studies) teachers could have students do a podcast on the Pennsylvania primaries, etc.

But even if that doesn't happen, it's still a good resource.

One suggestion for Mrs. Schultz: submit your podcast to iTunes (details here) and share it with the world.

Go to jail. Do not pass go, do not collect $200

2008-02-20T12:08:00.002-05:00

Two Cambridge Springs-area residents were among a group of six war protestors sentenced to serve a few days in jail for refusing to pay fines related to blocking the entrance to the federal courthouse in Erie. They were surprised to learn (reports Tim Hahn in the Erie Times-News) that they still have to pay the fines, even though they served time in the county lock-up. But it turns out the jail time was for a contempt of court charge, not for the charge of obstructing the entrance.

I guess we'll get to see how far these individuals will go to stand by their convictions. But it sure seems like it's time for them to pay the Man and move on.

Hot Diggety Dog

2008-02-19T08:29:00.001-05:00

A few quick notes:

The BigSkinny Hot Dog Shop (146 N. Main St., across from Kwik-Fill) is set to open this Friday, Feb. 22. They've posted quite a few "before and after" photos on their Web site.

The Cambridge Springs girls' basketball team will face Villa Maria next in the District 10 playoffs. Villa is ranked No. 1 in the state, so it looks to be a tough contest for the Devils.

Fast Eddie Gingerich got his butt thrown back in jail after admitting to using a rifle to go hunting in November. (Possessing a firearm is a no-no for him). Tim Hahn reported the other day in the Erie Times-News that Gingerich's bond was lowered from $500K to $100K. Is anybody else tired of seeing this dude's name in the news?

This Meadville Tribune headline speaks for itself: Couple exchanges vows in Cambridge prison. I spell that F-A-I-L.

Watery winter

2008-02-10T20:46:00.000-05:00

This crazy February weather took us from flooding (see pictures below of the icy water receding off of Forest Street last Friday in Cambridge) to sub-zero windchills. Good times.

Recycling returns

2008-01-21T16:18:00.000-05:00

It looks like a recycling drop-off center will be returning to Cambridge Springs in early March. Crawford County apparently figured out that outsourcing is the way to go for recycling, according to this Erie Times-News article by Tim Hahn. The old blue bins were removed last January amidst mounting financial losses for the recycling program. Under the new program, there will be just two bins at each site: one for paper/cardboard and one for plastics, glass and other approved materials.

It's about time. It's pretty shameful that Cambridge Springs borough hasn't offered any sort of recycling program for nearly a year—whether or not it would have cost taxpayers more money.

A tale of two sentences

2008-01-17T22:03:00.000-05:00

The Crawford County D.A.'s office is recommending that former Cambridge Springs resident Christopher Cote, who pleaded guilty to felony assault of a 3-month-old girl, receive the mandatory minimum five-year sentence for his crime. (He goes before Judge Gordon Miller for sentencing in May and could get up to 25 years.)

Meanwhile, the D.A.'s office is recommending that beer baron Casey Castile get five years for knocking off the Cambridge and Saegertown beer distributors last year. (Castile has already been sentenced to 20 to 40 years for similar crimes in Erie County.)

Five years is probably too little for either crime--especially Cote's. We can only hope that Judge Gordon Miller, who will sentence both men, makes the right call.

RIP Mr. Cambridge Springs

2008-01-16T08:43:00.000-05:00

If anyone could stake a legitimate claim to the title "Mr. Cambridge Springs," it was Howard Glenn, who passed away on Monday afternoon. More details in this Meadville Tribune story.

That blows

2007-12-04T21:03:00.000-05:00

There was finally enough snow in the driveway at my palace on Brink Drive to break out the Ariens and blow some snow. The first 10 or 15 minutes of snowblowing in a season is sort of exhilirating--watching the snow arc up into the air, looking down with satisfaction at the freshly cleaned blacktop. Eventually reality sinks in, and you remember it's 25 degrees and most of your extremities are very cold. But snowblowing still beats the heck out of shoveling, which the kid next door was doing while I was clearing the driveway. Back in the old days, when I lived over in the shadow of St. Anthony's, I relied on shoveling and running over mounds of snow with the Corolla. It wasn't long into the season before one or both of us planted our car in the grass because all the packed down snow had turned the driveway into a skating rink.

Ah, memories.

No comment, I'm doing my job

2007-11-30T08:45:00.000-05:00

Amidst all the coverage of the Malcolm Kyser-in-a-garbage-can escape from SCI-Albion, I read this interesting paragraph in an Erie Times-News report:

Melinda Adams, spokeswoman at the Albion prison, said prison Superintendent Marilyn Brooks was not available for comment Wednesday because she was busy overseeing prison operations. Brooks has not spoken publicly since Sunday's escape.

Before heading off to Albion, Brooks, you may recall, held the top post at SCI-Cambridge Springs. It seemed like there were always a lot of rumors flying around about shenanigans going on at the prison while she was in charge there. In the current situation, I'm sure Brooks was instructed to keep her mouth shut by the bigwigs at the PA Department of Corrections. But it's still pretty funny that the reason the spokesperson gave for Brooks not commenting was, well, because she was doing her job. Isn't part of her job to be transparent about what's going on under her watchful eye?

The end of a relationship

2007-11-28T08:10:00.000-05:00

This Friday will mark the end of one of the longest relationships I've ever been involved in. It wasn't an easy decision to make for a variety of reasons, but it had to be done. I've decided to cancel service from Edinboro's Coaxial Cable TV. Over a decade, Coaxial has increased its basic cable rates about 43 percent (how do I miss thee, days of $27.88 cable bills?), and it's even more if you're a digital cable subscriber. (And where the heck is that HD programming that was promised for this year?) Even with all the additional channels—and I'm know this is a pretty common complaint amongst cable customers—I was consistently watching only a few of them, and lately that's been mostly network programming.

What will I do to satisfy my TV needs? I've purchased this indoor antenna from Wal-Mart, which allows me to pick up the five Erie broadcast stations pretty well. (It takes a little fiddling when you move from station to station, so I'll be getting some exercise from the recliner to the TV.) I've also hooked up an old PC (that thankfully had an S-video output) to my TV and receiver, so I can watch network programming free from their web sites. I tried this out last night with "How I Met Your Mother" from CBS, and it worked pretty well, except that the CBS player wouldn't go full screen in either Internet Explorer or Firefox. Full screen works very well on the TV from Fox and NBC sites, so I can continue to watch The Simpsons, Family Guy, and The Office at my convenience. I may also upgrade my NetFlix subscription, but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to get through a two-hour movie (which is sort of pathetic). And I'm sure I'll be listening to many more podcasts from NPR and elsewhere.

Will there be things I miss about cable? You bet. South Park, some of the shows on FX, and sitcom reruns always gave me a reason to watch TV instead of doing something else. I'll also miss being able to flip on Monday Night Football and the news channels. But, in the end, I think I'm making the right move by dumping Coaxial.

And there's always Dish Network and DirectTV.

"Freaking huge buck"

2007-11-27T10:54:00.000-05:00

GoErie.com reports that a buck smashed into the side of a Cambridge Springs police cruiser driven by Chief Eric Johnston, who was transporting a 15-year-old to juvi hall in Erie on Monday morning. "This freaking huge buck literally blew through the side of my window," Johnston eloquently noted after the accident.

But, wait, it gets better. Immediately following the accident, as Johnston was pulling shards from glass from his own eyes, a hunter stopped by to ask if he could have the deer. That's a classy move.

The happiest place on Earth

2007-11-26T08:58:00.000-05:00

Kudos and plaudits to Mike for informing me of the existence of the Disneyland Sign Generator. Try it. You'll love it.

Something's brewing

2007-11-16T08:08:00.000-05:00

The Meadville Tribune reported this week that Sprague Farm & Brew Works has been granted permission by Cambridge Township to open a brew pub at their location. It always seemed a little weird that you couldn't sit down and (legally) drink a beer at a place that, well, makes beer. (I guess we can thank Pennsylvania's abstruse liquor laws for that mystery.) It will certainly be a nice alternative to the happening downtown Cambridge bar scene, although the Spragues will continue to operate with the same hours: noon to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday; and noon to 7 p.m. on Friday.

In other local beer news, Meadville's Voodoo Brewery is indeed selling its beer at a few local distributors (as the Tribune reported in late October). I've heard a report that a 12-pack of 22 ounce bottles runs around $85. Wow—and can anyone confirm that? I'm sure it's great beer, but 85 bucks would pay my electric bill. I guess the product is aimed at the Lexus crowd, while we Toyota drivers will have to stick with Yuengling.

And because YouTube videos are always fun, here's the classic beer-launching fridge:

Checkpoint Charlie

2007-11-14T08:11:00.000-05:00

State police will be conducing a "Click it or Ticket" campaign through the end of the month focusing on the Saegertown and Cambridge Springs areas on State Routes 19, 86, 99 and 198. Police will set up traffic-safety checkpoints focusing on seat belt safety, reports GoErie.com. These are typically under-patrolled roads (at least in my experience), so you'll want to be vigilant in watching for these checkpoints.

My initial reaction is that this is a poor use of taxpayer resources and police time. I'd much rather see police busting meth heads, drunk drivers and child molesters. But as long as people continue to be ejected from cars and killed because they were too lazy or ignorant to buckle up, I guess these education campaigns will have to continue.

Here's what can happen when you don't wear a seatbelt:

The way things used to be

2007-11-12T09:54:00.000-05:00

Here's a postcard I bought on eBay a few months back with the intention of turning it into a header graphic for this site. That hasn't happened yet—but this is nevertheless an interesting view of the way things were in Cambridge Springs, looking south from the bridge at the Y where Venango Avenue and Main Street split.

That rings a bell

2007-10-31T11:42:00.000-04:00

The Cambridge Springs unit of the Salvation Army is looking for bell ringers for its annual kettle campaign (more details from the Meadville Tribune). The money collected (about $4,000) is used to support local families in need.

And in further proof that absolutely everything is on YouTube, here's a Salvation Army bell ringer training video. Best tip: Never leave the kettle unattended.

Unsophisticated palate

2007-10-29T11:21:00.001-04:00

There was a blurb on GoErie.com today about Voodoo Brewery in Meadville beginning to distribute its beer locally. I guess this means some more competition for Sprague Farm & Brew Works (located between Venango and Cambridge Springs on Routes 6/19), but I guess raising the profile of locally produced beer is good for everyone in the business.

The article includes this hilarious nugget: "The brewery owners say their biggest challenge is explaining to locals that the relatively pricey beer is meant to be enjoyed for its taste, not its alcoholic qualities."

That makes us Crawford Countians sound like a bunch of rubes. Bring on the Natty Ice and Genny Cream Ale!

Judgment call

2007-10-12T15:56:00.000-04:00

Two people have been ordered to stand trial on child endangerment charges for not seeking medical treatment for a 20-month-old after he was scalded in a bathtub at a Cambridge Springs residence, reported Tim Hahn a few days ago in the Erie Times-News. You'll see from reading the article that this was clearly a case of poor judgment—the mother leaving the kid with the boyfriend, the boyfriend leaving the kid in the bathtub unattended, and both failing to err on the side of caution by taking the kid to the hospital.

I guess it's hard to determine at what point bad parenting becomes criminal, but it's equally hard to argue that two people who apparently displayed such poor judgment shouldn't be punished in some way for their actions. Parents all screw up sometimes—but you always hope the screw-ups aren't so monumental that a significant injury to a child results. Nobody is perfect, but there are some things society just won't give someone a free pass on.