Garfield Elementary 3rd Graders Observe Arbor Day

Arbor Day was observed in Wellsville yesterday with Mayor Susan Haugh issuing a special proclamation. The Wellsville Tree Committee organized the special event with Garfield Elementary's entire 3rd Grade taking part. The Elks Lodge 1040 hosted the observance, entertainer Kenny Beaver sang and members of Heritage WTI presented a special program for the students.

According to the Mayor's proclamation J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agricultural in 1872 that a special day should be set aside for the planting of trees. That special day was named Arbor Day and was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska.

Trees can reduce the erosion of our topsoil, cut energy costs for heating and cooling , clean the air we breathe, produce life giving oxygen and provide a habitat for wildlife. Trees are a renewable source of wood and paper and countless other products.

WTI employees Don “Mass” Miller, Cris Noel and Raymond Wayne had a presentation on their efforts at the plant, located in East Liverpool's East End, to keep the environment “green” around the plant.

Prior to helping to take part in the planting of a tree along Riverside winners were announced for the Arbor Day poster contest. First place went to Ashley Durbin, second to Emma Smith and two third place winners were E. Dierringen and Dakota Long. All the students were given coupons for treats at Nick's Pizza and Wellsville's Dairy Queen.

Tree Committee Chairwoman Dawn Johnston explained the anatomy of a tree pointing out how the root system gathers nourishment for growth. Committee member Gwen Murphy supervised the planting of a Japanese Royal Empress tree. The Royal Empress is a fast grower, growing up to 15 feet per year and reach full growth in three to five years.

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OVCT Nursing Students Help Wellsville With Spring Cleaning

Getting some time in for their Community Service requirement these four nursing students volunteered to do some spring cleaning around the Gazebo area in Wellsville's 4th Street Square. The students are committed to put in 48 hours of community service as part of their curriculum to graduate.

Shown here from the left is Tina Heiney, Shannon Lyle, Wellsville Council Member Tonda Ross, Kristen Scott and Dianna Landers. Ross is Chairwoman of Council's Street & Light Committee. The other ladies are members of Ohio Valley College of Technology's first class of students in their nursing program. The program is a 22 month course and the graduates will be Registered Nurses once they pass the State Board Exams. All are Wellsville area residents.

Thanks & Good Luck ladies...

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Wellsville's First Christian Leads "Pledge To Take A Stand for Change"`

Pastor Mark Blakely and his staff at Wellsville's First Christian Church are making a commitment as a village church to stand up in the community to help put an end to bullying. This past Wednesday, April 25, they opened the doors of the church to everyone in town to join them to “pledge to stand for change”. The goal for the event was to get the word out that it's time to take a stand against bullying of any kind.

Nearly 200 people accepted the invitation to join in the commitment to stand up to bullying. Most all of them signed a huge banner pledging to do their part. That banner will be displayed on the church's sign near the eastern entrance to town. Pledge cards were given to all the students attending asking them to tape the cards on the front of their lockers in school.

In addition to Pastor Blakely the event was also organized by Youth Pastor Brandon Russell and Children's Director Lyndsey Mackall. First Christian has joined forces with the Wellsville School District and the Family Community & Resource Center to host regular weekly tutoring help in the district's effort to improve scores on State mandated proficiency tests. The weekly event is held every Wednesday afternoon at the church with entertainment, healthy snacks and tutoring.

The staff at First Christian has stated that they are making a commitment as a church to stand up in the community to help put an end to bullying. They are making a very visible effort toward this goal and they are doing all they can to provide a safe place where children are not judged, picked on or hurt.

The church is located at 831 Main Street in Wellsville. For more information on the “Pledge to Stand For Change” call 330-532-1587.

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Wellsville Library To Hold Three Day Book Sale

Starting a week from today on Thursday, May 3, the Wellsville Carnegie Public Library will have a three day book sale.  The proceeds from the sale will go to the benefit of the library. 

Donations are being accepted for the sale if you have books you would like to offer.  For more information call the Library @ 330-532-1526.

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Wellsville's Indian Head

There’s been some interest expressed lately on Face Book about the Indian head that use to be in the hillside in the east end of Wellsville where Route 7 now passes through town. Shown here is a photo that is in the archives at the River Museum and is noted to be “the last picture” of the rock formation. There’s a section on that web site entitled “You Know You’re From Wellsville If You Remember…” It’s devoted to historical facts & trivia about our village.

Someone inquired if the Indian was a natural formation or was it actually carved out of the hillside. That sent us to the files and the answer we found is that it is a little bit of both. When it was decided to make Route 7 into a four lane highway along the hillside in the mid to late 1960s there were many casualties to that part of the city. Along with Buckeye Avenue, Acme Craft Pottery and half of Lisbon Street the Indian head was slated to be taken out.

It was a very contested issue at the time, according to newspaper accounts. Committees were formed, petitions were circulated and politicians were beseeched to intercede with the Ohio Department of Transportation. The drive to save the monument even reached the Nation’s capital when U.S. Congressman Wayne L. Hayes promised to ask President Nixon to intervene.

The Indian head profile use to sit along the hillside near MacDonald Hts. It was across Wells Ave. midway up on the hillside from where Huntington Bank now sits. The late Mrs. Galen Lewis was born and raised in that area. Her family roots dated back to Alexander MacBeth, a Scottish immigrant, who settled in Wellsville in 1833. She wrote a letter to the then Evening Review documenting the history of the Indian head. MacBeth was Mrs. Lewis’s great-grandfather and he was a stonecutter. He had built a small frame house along Little Yellow Creek where the floodwall now sits. There was a chestnut grove & stone quarry on the hillside adjacent to the MacBeth house. Mrs. Lewis’ maiden name was Kellaway, whose childhood home sat on the hillside behind the MacBeth house.

According to Mrs. Lewis’ letter her father told her many times the story of the Indian head. It was sometime between 1875 and 1902 the head was formed when rock fell away during quarry operations. After cutting some stone out of the hillside the Indian head appeared when the stone fell away. She contended in her letter that, until the time it was demolished, drill holes could be seen in the formation. We’re speculating that those are the “foot holds” we have been told was there.

Unfortunately this unique monument was sacrificed in the name of economy. ODOT officials reported that it would cost $3 to $4 million to reroute the road even after being promised all the land needed to do so for free. On August 21, 1972 at 2:35 PM the Indian head was blasted out of existance.

In one of the articles it was mentioned that former Wellsville Press editor Ed Pugh named the Indian head “Chief Logan Profile Rock”. As we can now see it was only a tribute to one of Wellsville’s earliest area residents.

So in answer to the question it was sort of man made. May the old Indian rest in peace…

As radio commentator Paul Harvey use to say “now you know the rest of the story”…

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Wellsville Residents Kept In The Dark

Wellsville Village Council held their regular bi-monthly meeting Tuesday evening, April 17, at Village Hall. Mayor Susan Haugh presided. Except for Councilman Don Brown all Council members were present along with Fiscal Officer Dale Davis and Village Administrator Thom Edgell.

Rebecca Smith, one of the Riverside Roadhouse restaurant co-owners, asked Council's approval to obtain a D5i Liquor License. The Riverside Roadhouse is nearly a full service restaurant located at 565 Wells Avenue Extension in the village. Smith related the license would be for on-site consumption only by their dining customers. They are not attempting to start a bar. Their goal is to be competitive with some of the Calcutta establishments and feel it would contribute to Wellsville's revitalization if approval is granted. Councilman Tony Cataldo advised that once the application is submitted, State Dept. of Commerce officials will send paperwork to the Clerk of Council for Council's consideration. The owners must first submit an application. It was noted that liquor licenses were allocated in some of the smaller communities. It is possible Wellsville has their full quota.

Village Administrator Thom Edgell reported “this administration is all about sharing & partnering”. This week the Wellsville River Terminal helped with paying for four tons of hot patch and with their help the two surviving Street Department workers used up seven tons of hot patch in the last two days. One Street Department employee is currently off with a job related injury and hopefully will be back soon.

Edgell remarked that last year Springhill Cemetery did not look as it should, especially for Memorial Day. It was decided that wouldn't happen this year. Edgell said Eastern Ohio Correctional Center has three to five inmates that have volunteered to help in the cemetery. Wellsville First Christian Church offered the use of one of their vans with a driver to transport the helpers for five days preceding the holiday. Police Chief Scarabino will provide an off-duty police officer to supervise the work party.

Edgell commended Hammonds Park caretaker Gerald Walker for getting the park in good shape with keeping the grass cut and repair some of the playground equipment. Walker remarked there are only three swings left that need repaired. The marquee at 17th Street will have one of the decorative lamp posts that were donated to the village. The Mayor remarked that Wellsville Terminal employees are repairing the fountain at that location. She also thanked United Water Plant Manager Greg Stewart for having the grass cut around that area. The third lamp post & light will be placed on the Pete Amato Boardwalk next to the floodwall murals. Also the village is working on getting lighting on the murals.

Wrapping up his report Edgell said May 18 & 19 will be Spring Clean-Up. Dailey Refuse is furnishing six huge dumpsters that will be placed behind Village Hall those two days. Village residents will be able to dispose of junk free of charge. Items not permitted will include paint or any type of hazardous waste, tree limbs, grass trimmings, batteries or tires. However car & light truck tires are presently being accepted for disposal and piled up by the Village Garage behind the Fire Department. The tires will be collected until the end of May. They will be taken to Minerva for recycling.

In her report the Mayor noted that all volunteer help is greatly appreciated but said Village officials for the most part have a plan in place for certain areas. The Mayor asked that all volunteers check with her office before proceeding with any project to avoid any conflicts.

The Finance Committee Chairwoman said there has not been a finance report this year because the Village “did receive money from the oil & gas rights to the tune of $1.3 million. That money is currently sitting in the General Fund so (she doesn't) want to give an actual account of the General Fund”. The money will be invested but she doesn't want residents to think it will be spent unwisely. Once invested she will better be able to give an actual account of the General Fund. We won't mention any names but we are left wondering why it is necessary to keep village tax payers in the dark about their financial affairs.

Council approved a request by the Wellsville Tree Committee to close off Riverside between 7th & 8th Streets for an Arbor Day observation on Friday, April 27 from 9:15 to 10:30 AM. Students from Garfield Elementary will help plant some trees.

Wellsville resident Tim Long notified Council that the 4th Annual “Dash for Mat's Bash” will be held October 13 starting at 5:30 PM. The annual event is a fund raiser for scholarships given each year to WHS graduating student/athletes in memory of the late Mathugh Johnston. There will be costume contests for the children and a 1.5 run for prizes and awards. Long is in the process of filing the request with the Police & Fire Chiefs.

A motion was passed to enter into an agreement with Western Solutions to test water from the old reservoir. Western Solutions is a subsidiary of Chesapeake Oil. Chesapeake is looking for water sources to be used in fracking gas wells in Marcellus shale.

The meeting adjourned at 6:30 PM. The next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, May 1 at 6:00 PM. The meeting will be at Village Hall at 1200 Main St.

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Wellsville BOE Meets

The Wellsville Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting this past Monday, April 16, in the high school media room. BOE President Karen Dash presided.

District Treasurer Coleen Wickham reported that March expenditures were $809,131, receipts were $808,329 leaving a General Fund balance of $1.6 million. There was no change in the General Set-Asides Fund. Interest earned on investments in March was $2,897.86.

An overview of the High School Building Leadership Program was presented for members of the board and guests by the BLT staff. The goal of the leadership team is to improve state mandated math test scores by at least 2% by 2013. Working toward that goal was implemented this year. Next year they will add working on a reading improvement goal. Each “building” in the district has a BLT and program which the students have enthusiastically welcomed. Students are given concentrated assistance to improve their math understanding and ability. Some receive specialized tutoring and all are eligible for incentive to improve awards. At the high school the awards range from pizza parties, movie days, gift cards and to get their name in a drawing for an ipad.

Mrs. Dash reported that Garfield Elementary 3rd-grade students will be taking state achievement reading tests on April 24 and math achievement tests on the 26th. The Garfield 3rd Graders will be participating in an Arbor Day program sponsored by the Wellsville Tree Committee on April 27.

Daw Middle School students will be taking their state achievement tests from April 24 through May 4. Make-up tests will be taken May 7 through 11. Daw 7th & 8th Graders will be leaving on a Washington, D.C. Field trip on May 10.

The high school the student of the month is Lizbeth Bickel, daughter of Renee & Roger Bickel. The High School Spring Music Concert will be Friday, April 20, starting at 7 PM in the Auditeria.

Tom Brophey announced that he was recently in Columbus for meetings. In his Legislative Update report Brophey advises that the Ohio Dept. of Education is coming out with many changes. One change on the drawing boards is the report card grading system. The OSBA is recommending school boards ask for a one-year waiver to allow the state to get their standards in place. Brophey added there will be “several technical amendments to the bi-annual state budget”.

The Board approved renewing one, two & three-year contracts for a list of 14 teachers. They also approved several non-renewals of contracts for temporary short-hour professionals, substitutes, volunteer & supplemental contract coaches effective at the end of the school year. This is an annual procedure required by state law. Most contracts will be renewed for the next school year. Two field trips to the Pittsburgh Zoo was approved and will take place in May.

After a question was raised on the price of prom pictures the Board rejected renewing a contract with Lifetouch National School Studios for next school year. The company takes photographs of student groups, dance pictures and individual students. They are located in the Canton area. Prom picture packages are $60 this year which include 2-8X10s, 2-5X7s & 8 wallets. The question raised was if smaller, less expensive packages were available. Superintendent Rich Bereschik recommended voting no and he will try to get more information from the company.

A list of 51 graduating WHS Seniors was released. Although uncertain it was felt that the Class of 2012 is one of the smallest in modern times. This year's graduating class will be the 137th Commencement in Wellsville history.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:49 PM. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 21, at 6:30 PM. The May meeting will take place at Garfield Elementary, 1600 Lincoln Ave.

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Wellsville Library Cutest Pet Photo Contest Began Monday

We almost missed this one...  Submitting entries for the Cutest Pet Photo Contest began yesterday.  It's not too late to get your entry entered.  The contest ends Friday, April 27. 

They are judging for two categories - cutest dog & cutest cat picture.  Only one entry per person.

Good Luck...

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WAMA Members Announce Busy Schedules

Members of the Wellsville Area Ministerial Association set out a busy schedule at their monthly meeting held this past Tuesday, April 10. The meeting was held at Tonda’s Place on the 4th Street Square in Wellsville. WAMA President Aaron Smith presided.

Bishop Bill Rudder of New Life Ministries announced that this coming Saturday, April 14, Jubilee Ministries Apostle Mark Kauffman will be conducting a Pentecostal service at 7 PM at the Wellsville church located at 1335 Main St. For more information call 330-532-5433.

Scott Deitch of Savior’s Promise announced there will be a benefit pasta dinner this coming Sunday, April 15, at Sellabration Hall located at 409 Broadway. Dinners will be served from noon to 5 PM. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up” rally to be held June 9 at Thompson Park. For more information on the dinner or the rally call 330-831-7356 or 330-708-4078.

Also scheduled for this coming Sunday, April 15, members of the First Baptist Church will be celebrating Pastor Roosevelt Thompson’s 31st Anniversary as a minister at both their Sunday services. Services are at 11 AM and 3 PM. Thompson has a son who is a Deacon who will speak at the 11 AM service.

Brother Byron Carter announced that Lee’s Chapel will host a two day revival on Thursday & Friday, April 19 & 20. Revival services begin at 7 PM each evening. Lee’s Chapel will also host the annual Mayor’s Breakfast for Graduating WHS Seniors. That breakfast will at 9 AM, May 23.

Pastor Darlene Zanders announced that Mt. Sinai will host an “all you can eat” luncheon on Saturday, April 21, at the church starting at noon. Proceeds from the luncheon will go to benefit this year’s mission to South Carolina. Cost is $10 per person.

Members of Covenant Presbyterian will be joining forces with the Whipping Post Ministries in a mission trip to Honduras this year according to Lucille Huston.

Beverly Hentzell of the Committee to Save the Immaculate Conception Parish announced that on Sunday, May 6, there will be a Human Prayer Chain of Hope and crowning of the Blessed Mother service held at the closed Catholic Church. That will begin at 3:30 PM.

First Christian Youth Pastor Brandon Russell announced that on Wednesday, April 25, that parish will be hosting a Stand-Up to Bullying event to be held on the lawn at the church. There will be music, food and fellowship for all who attend. There is more information available on their event page on FaceBook.

Pastor Kenny Malone advised that Amanda Wilson is organizing a new youth ministry in the area which will be called “Plant the Seed”. The ministry will be open to young individuals from all over the area. Their mission will be to plant flowers; do yard clean up, etc. for elderly residents or others who are unable to perform such tasks. It will be a non-denominational group “that spreads the love of God throughout the community”. Wilson will be holding organizational meetings in the near future and hopes to get started in mid-May. For more information contact Wilson at 614-557-8339 or e-mail her at awilson68@kent.edu. Malone advised they are looking for volunteers to join in and names of people who could use their help.

Dates were also announced for Summer Vacation Bible Schools. Wellsville’s Church of the Nazerene has theirs scheduled for June 4 through 8. The First Christian will have theirs July 22 through 27. Members of WAMA are attempting to schedule the annual VBS without any overlapping dates this year.

Members of First Christian have elected to have their annual mission right here in the Wellsville area instead of traveling to some far off location. Youth Pastor Brandon Russell remarked that there are those that need help in our area just as much as anywhere else in the nation. To date they have scheduled an event at the church to concentrate on personal hygiene with furnishing free shampoo, soap, tooth paste and tooth brushes, etc. That will take place on Wednesday, June 27 at 6 PM. The mission will run from June 24 through 27 and is a Wellsville community project according to Russell.

In other WAMA news President Smith announced that a new FaceBook page is in the process of being set up. It is hoped to post all area church events once it is started. The annual National Day of Prayer is May 3 will ceremonies set to begin at the 4th Street Gazebo at noon. Smith said the agenda is still being worked on and he can be contacted at 330-383-8651. The annual Men’s Rally will once again be at the Covelli Center in Youngstown on May 5. Tickets are $15 for the all-day event. Baccalaureate is scheduled for Sunday, May 20 at the Wellsville First Christian Church. Services will begin at 2 PM. Donations were given to both the Chaplaincy departments at East Liverpool City Hospital and the Columbiana County Tobin Center.

The next WAMA meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 8. The meeting will be held at Tonda’s Place at 400 Main St. beginning at 9 AM. The public is invited to the meeting and all the events listed above. Speaker at the May meeting will be Mary Caye Bexter of the Kin & Kids organization.

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Wellsville Lions Taking Rose Orders

The Wellsville Lions Club announced they are now taking orders for their annual rose sale. The roses are being sold for only $12 per dozen and will be ready for pick-up or local delivery on Friday, April 20. Orders can be placed now by calling Erin at 330-692-2037 or 330-532-1569.

Roses must be pre-ordered. Orders for pick-up will be ready around 12 Noon at Roberts Funeral Home, 631 Main St. Proceeds from the sale will help support the many charitable projects of the Wellsville Lions Club.

Impress that certain someone. Buy one,two,three or more dozen...

ole nib

"A Taste of Wine, A Sampling of Cheese & Shopping"

That's the theme of Wellsville's next Cash Mob target. Scheduled for this coming Saturday, April 14 from 1 to 5 PM the next Cash Mob will be at Air Waves. Located at 464 Main Street Air Waves is owned and operated by Wellsville residents Lon & Beverly Hentzell, pictured here. They opened their shop four years ago in the old Perpetual Bank building. It's a hometown business owned and operated by hometown people.

Air Waves is an authorized Direct TV dealer & installer. They also offer & install Hughes Net High Speed internet services. Hughes Net can be used by anyone but is especially great for folks that do not have ready internet access in their area. They also have a full line of Wellsville Tiger apparel and novelties. Prices on the Tiger items will be reduced for this event.

For more information call 330-532-9488. You get to talk to a human being, not some machine, when you call their store.

Stop by Saturday afternoon and get acquainted with another Wellsville business.

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Activities For Library Week Announced

The Wellsville Library staff have announced what's on the agenda to celebrate National Library Week with the list shown above. Everyone is invited to join in on the fun. For more information call 330-532-1526.

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Wellsville Area Ministerial Association Carries On Good Friday Traditions

It was a busy day yesterday for members of the Wellsville Area Ministerial Association and other faithful as they commemorated Good Friday, the day Christ died on the cross. The day started with the annual Wellsville Good Friday Prayer Breakfast. The breakfast was held at the Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Later participants gathered at the closed Immaculate Conception Church for the traditional Good Friday Cross Walk. Prior to the walk getting started WAMA President Aaron Smith offered prayers that the church will soon be reopened for the Wellsville Catholics.

Lead with Wellsville Church of the Nazarene Pastor Dirk Hall & retired Rev. Jay Nightengale (in the red ball cap) carrying the cross those gathered proceeded down Main Street to Mt. Zion FBH for a noon Good Friday service. The service was conducted by Mt. Zion Pastor Darlene Zanders. Several Wellsville area congregations were represented in the Cross Walk.

Pictured here is the beginning of the Cross Walk and Smith offering the prayer in front of the Wellsville Catholic church.

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Wellsville In The Spring

"Spring has sprung, the grass is rized..." Wellsville is at its prettiest two times of the year in our opinion. That would be early Spring and Autumn in full foliage. We have been having some beautiful Spring weather here the past few days. It makes you glad to live in Wellsville, especially at times like this.

With the sun sparkling off the river, the new greening of the lawns and hill side and the dogwood in full bloom this scene caught our eye yesterday. We wanted to share it with you.

Happy Easter...

ole nib

Remember Wellsville's 532 Main Street???

Some of you may remember this house that was located at 532 Main Street. That spot today is the parking lot of Shoub Towers just to the right of the building and across the street from the Twisted Stone. We don't have the exact age of the building but the first picture has a date of July, 1902 written on the back. The gentleman on the right is believed to be Alexander Wells. He was the last surviving child of William Wells, the town's founder and name sake. Unfortunately we have no idea who the others pictured there were.

The second picture shows the house as it last appeared before it was demolished to make room for Shoub Towers. The last residents to live there was the Catherine & Houston Henderson family. We been told Mrs. Henderson was a Spanish teacher in the Wellsville School District and Mr. Henderson had a television/radio repair shop. Judging from the car shown parked on Main Street we're guessing this picture was taken sometime in the early to mid 1950s. It is part of what is believed to be the Bucky Moore collection.

The alley that was just to the right of this house is still in place. It goes from Main Street to Riverside. You can see the rear corner of the house that use to sit on the other side of that alley. That too is now a parking lot. The back of that house faced the back of the Riverside Presbyterian Church. You can see part of the church roof between the two houses.

Both pictures are property of the Wellsville Historical Society. We found them in the archives filed at the Riverside Museum.

We think it's fun to look back in time through these to remember how things in the 'ville once were...

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Wellsville Welcomes Anchor Drilling Fluids

At this week's Village Council meeting, in her report, Mayor Susan Haugh welcomed a company new to Wellsville to town. Haugh announced that Anchor Drilling Fluids USA will be establishing a presence at the Port Authority's Intermodal Park. Headquartered in Tulsa, OK, Anchor Drilling Fluids is one of the largest suppliers of drilling “muds” in the United States. According to Wikipedia “drilling fluid is a fluid used to aid the drilling of boreholes into the earth, often used while drilling oil and natural gas wells and on exploration drilling rigs. Liquid drilling fluid is often called drilling mud”. With over 40 years of experience in the business Anchor Drilling Fluids has operations in 13 states and has a District Office in Cranberry Twp., PA, just north of Pittsburgh.

According to a recent Tom Giambroni article in The Review, Anchor Drilling is in a joint venture with Cimbar Performance Minerals “to process lubricants used in oil and gas drilling”. “It is not part of the hydraulic fracturing process used to extract the natural gas” in the Marcellus shale according to that same article.

Mayor Haugh reported that Anchor Drilling Fluids CEO Bob West was in Wellsville recently to explain the operations to her and the Service Administrator. Haugh noted Mr. West “will be back when all the permits are in place and ready to be signed”. The new business is expected to employ at least 20 people once they are in operation.

Pictured here are several “black barrels”, as the Mayor calls them, in place at the Intermodal Park. The tanks will hold the mixed drilling mud ready for transportation to drilling sites once they are assembled.

ole nib

Wellsville Carnegie Celebrates National Library Week

The week of April 9 through 13 is National Library Week and the good folks at the Wellsville Carnegie Library have planned some fun activities. We'll have more to announce but starting Monday, April 9, everyone is invited to stop by and take a guess on the number of jelly beans they were able to get in the jar.

If your guess is the closest without going over the jar is yours. If you need more information call 330-532-1526.

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Wellsville Catholics Keep The Faith

With the recent announcement that the Vatican's Congregation of Clergy ordered 13 Cleveland Diocese parishes reopened the Wellsville Catholics gained renewed hope for the now closed Immaculate Conception Parish. In 2009 and 2010 Bishop Lennon of the Cleveland Diocese closed 50 parishes. Thirteen of them appealed that ruling. It was found that the closings were done in violation of various Canon Laws and those 13 were ordered reopened by Vatican officials.

In a meeting last week Save the Immaculate Conception Parish Committee Co-chair Tom Brophey reported that they received an e-mail from church activist Peter Borre that he is getting favorable vibes in Rome that the Bishop may be reconsidering his closing of the Immaculate Conception Parish. Boston resident Borre is representing many parishes throughout the country in their appeals to Vatican officials to get their parishes reopen. Borre represents those parishes in Cleveland that were mentioned, Wellsville's Immaculate Conception and many more in the United States and Canada. Being fluent in Latin Borre works with the Roman Canon lawyers representing the closed parishes in their appeals to the Vatican. Everything done at the Vatican in Rome is done using the Latin language. Wellsville Co-chair Beverly Hentzell was quoted in a Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper article as saying “Peter's a champion”.

Brophey went on to explain there were many similarities found in the reasons for ordering the reopening of the Cleveland Diocese parishes that raise hope they will also be considered for reopening the Wellsville parish. In their appeal filed by Peter Borre there were 10 violations of Canon Law listed for reasons the closing of Immaculate Conception should be reversed. Many of the same violations were cited in the reopening orders for the Cleveland parishes.

Meanwhile the Wellsville parishioners keep the faith in hopes that their church will soon be reopened. It's been a two year campaign for their prayers and efforts to be answered. Fund raising continues with a gas card raffle underway. The Committee is offering chances on a $100 BP gas card to be drawn May 17. Chances are $1 each or 6 for $5. There will be a pancake breakfast on Saturday, May 5 from 9 to 11 AM at the SOI. The public is invited.

In cooperation with the Wellsville Area Ministerial Association it was announced that there will be a Good Friday Cross Walk on Friday, April 6. The walk will form up at the Immaculate Conception parking lot at 11th Street with participants marching down Main Street to the Mt. Zion Church at 1617 Main. There will be a noon Good Friday service at Mt. Zion FBH.

Hentzell also announced that there will be prayer service and joining of hands in a human chain around the Immaculate Conception Church held on Sunday, May 6. The service will culminate in the crowning of the Blessed Mother. The time of the service will be announced at a later date. The public is invited to join in.

Regular Saturday prayer services are still being held at the First United Methodist Church at 3:30 PM each week-end. The next meeting of Save the Immaculate Conception Parish Committee is scheduled for Thursday, April 12 at the SOI Club, 327 Main St.

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Wellsville Chamber Names Holly Development As Business of the Month

The Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce held their monthly luncheon this past Thursday at the Riverside Road House. First Christian Church Pastor Mark Blakely offered the invocation noting that Wellsville is experiencing a spiritual awakening. Chamber President Randy Allmon welcomed new members New Life Ministries Pastor Bishop Bill Rudder and Donna Rudder. Allmon also announced that Welcome Committee Chairman Brandon Russell introduced Chamber members and welcomed Wellsville's newest business “Four Bad Jacks” dog grooming business. It is located at 525 Main St.

Allmon issued a reminder of the upcoming Columbiana County Economic Summit. The summit will be held May 7 and 8 at the East Liverpool Motor Lodge. There will be 60 businesses present with many of them doing job interviews. Anyone wanting more information can contact Allmon at 330-843-3475. Guest speaker was Agent Dean Hassman of the Youngstown FBI Field Office. Hasson spoke of the different categories of crime and offered tips to guard against identity thief and cyber crime.

Pictured above is the Business of the Month being awarded to Wellsville's Holly Development. Shown from the left is Chamber member “Pinky” Gill, Theresa Pullie & Byron Carter of Holly Development and Chamber President Randy Allmon. Allmon noted the Main Street headquartered company has been in business for five years and have always been very supportive of Chamber activities. Holly Development is located at 460 Main St.

The next luncheon is scheduled for Thursday, April 26 at the Dairy Queen, located at 400 Third St. The luncheon begins at 12 noon and the public is invited.

ole nib