Historic Rainbow Retirement Center in receivership

Link to November 25 Great Falls Tribune article.

109-apartment, assisted-living complex for seniors.

New bridge opens; hailed as gateway to Oakland

Link to November 25 Pittsburgh Post Gazette article.

Excerpt:

Officials opened the new $29 million Boulevard of the Allies bridge over Forbes Avenue in Oakland yesterday.

The former span, built in 1928, was structurally deficient and weight-restricted. The new structure will carry about 28,000 vehicles a day.

Gannon Eyes City

Link to November 22 Warren Times Observer article.

Gannon, a four-year private university with a main campus in Erie, is interested in developing a new multi-story building on the vacant lot at the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania Ave. and Liberty St.

In Lackawanna, St. Barbara faces uncertain future

Link to November 19 Buffalo News article.

Excerpt:
Lackawanna city officials explored converting St. Barbara Catholic Church on Ridge Road into a new City Hall but determined it would be too costly for taxpayers.

A proposal for a performing arts center in the church didn’t advance very far, either.

So the majestic church, which sits slightly elevated over the empty houses and grassy lots in the surrounding neighborhood, remains unoccupied, waiting to be reused.

Fewer of Us Predicted

Fourth Avenue at Water Street.

Link to November 17 Warren Times Observer article.

Excerpt:
32,145.

That's what the population of Warren County would be in 2030 if nothing is done to attract new residents, according to the Pennsylvania State Data Center, which issued county population projections this week.

The data center forecast is that between the last official census in 2000 and 2030, Warren County will have lost 11,718 people.

The 26.7 percent drop in population would be the second highest rate of decline among Pennsylvania's 67 counties, behind only Wyoming County, where a 26.8 percent decrease in population is projected by the data center.

Lake Antoine island condo plan progresses

Link to November 15 Iron Mountain News article.

Excerpt:
The project calls for six units in three buildings, including four three-bedroom and two four-bedroom units. Five of the units will have the living space on the ground floor with walkout access to the lake front, and one unit will be two stories with a fully exposed lower level.

Architecture critic finds beauty in Buffalo

Link to November 17 Buffalo News article.

Excerpt:
In the review, headlined "Saving Buffalo’s Untold Beauty — a counterpoint to an era when almost everything seems overexposed" — Times critic Nicolai Ouroussoff calls Buffalo “home to some of the greatest American architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.” He specifically cited architectural “marvels” designed by Henry Hobson Richardson, Louis Sullivan, Frederick Law Olmsted and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Antonio Scordo, Jr.

Antonio Scordo Jr., ''Coach'', age 68, began his new journey of eternal life surrounded by his children on Monday, November 3, 2008, during his short stay at St. Vincent Health Center, Erie.

Mr. Scordo was born on January 30, 1940, in Tyrone, PA, the son of the late Antonio and Sunda (Sylvester) Scordo Sr., he was the youngest of nine children.

Tony graduated from Tyrone High school in 1958, where he played football and wrestled for the Tyrone Eagles. When he wrestled for the Tyrone Eagles, he was a two time district champion in 19561957, weight class 120 lbs. He also was a trumpet player for the Tyrone High School Band and earned his Eagle Scout.

He then attended Penn State University with a wrestling scholarship and was a runnerup champion during his Penn State wrestling career from 19591962. He graduated in 1962 with a Bachelors degree in Science and Physical Education.

Following college, he served in the U.S. Army from 19621965. During his high school and college years, he was an exceptional athlete, and in 2002, Tony was honored at Tyrone High School, being named in the hall of fame for wrestling.

He moved to Warren, PA in 1964 to begin his teaching career, as a health and gym teacher at Beaty Jr. High school for many years, and later at the Tidioute School before retiring, in 1994.

Tony also coached many different school sports, started as the assistant wrestling coach at Warren Area High and later becoming the head wrestling coach.

Throughout his life, he had many jobs; he was the manager of the Warren Boro Swimming Pool and worked as a lifeguard at the Warren Holiday Inn. He was a supervisor for Beech Street Playground and the old iceskating area at Beaty field. He worked with troubled youths at the JCC Camp and taught special needs children at the Chapman's Dam summer Camp. After his retirement he worked for Ekey's floral.

Tony was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed spotting dear and going camping. He enjoyed his hunting dog, Sparky, his cat, Buddy, spending time with his family, traveling to many different vacation spots, going to the casino with his friends, and his morning coffee group at McDonalds.

He attended Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, and was a loving husband, father, grandfather (pappy), friend and mentor to many.

He has touched the lives of many and will be sadly missed. His family will always remember him as Ninny, and to others, he will always be remembered as Coach Scordo.

He is survived by two daughters, Sunda Scordo Burns and her husband, Kyle, Tacoma, WA and Melissa ''Missy'' Scordo Zdarko, Warren; a son, Antonio Scordo III and his wife, Holly, Olean, NY; eight grandchildren, Kyleigh and Korissa Burns, Corey Scordo, Kyler Zdarko, Casey Ball and Joseph, Ruth and Rose Scordo; two brothers, Dominick and Joe Scordo; one sister, Nancy Risoldi; many, nieces and nephews; and a special friend, Gwen Young.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife, Joanne Sessamen Scordo, whom he married on March 31, 1964, in Maryland and who died on May 23, 2006; two brothers, Sam and Jim Scordo; and three sisters, Jenny Mayes, Mary Ieraci and Josie Maisano.

The Next Page: G.C. Murphy Co. -- the lore of the store

Store No. 1: the Murphy's in McKeesport,
the headquarters city, in August 1985

Link to November 11 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.

Excerpt:
And so I started off on a project we originally thought would take two years, but stretched to three, and finally resulted in the publication this month of "For the Love of Murphy's: The Behind-the-Counter Story of a Great American Retailer" (Penn State University Press).

The title came to me in December 2005, after I drove to Mt. Pleasant to interview Wayne Potter, a former maintenance supervisor for Murphy's, and his wife Lil, a former clerk. We had a wonderful evening together, but some of the stories the Potters told were hair-raising.

Iraq vet helps save majestic Black Rock church

Link to November 10 Buffalo News article.

Excerpt:
Buffalo’s Black Rock neighborhood, drawing increasing attention with the approaching bicentennial for its waterfront activity in the War of 1812 now has another reason for visitors, as preview tours have begun at the new Buffalo Religious Arts Center— once St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church — on East Street near Amherst Street.

“They don’t make churches like that anymore,” said East Street resident Sharon Keil. “It’s gorgeous, and it’s cool that they’re saving it.”

Repairs leave drivers with that sinking feeling

Link to November 10 Buffalo News article.

Excerpt:
Drivers in some parts of the East Side face a bumpy ride, but city officials say help is on the way.

Two areas in particular were brought to our attention by a Fix It reader: the intersection of Fillmore Avenue and William Street, and Broadway between downtown and Fillmore.

Prendergast Library Facing ‘Precarious’ 2009 Budget

Link to November 10 Jamestown Post Journal article.

Excerpt:
Catherine Way didn't think the budget situation for the James Prendergast Library could get any more precarious.

She was wrong.

Ms. Way, the library's director, spoke before the Jamestown City Council during its Nov. 3 budget workshop and said library officials are ''already scrambling'' to make up the difference between the amount they requested in the 2009 budget and the amount actually included in Mayor Sam Teresi's executive budget.

Library officials asked for $385,020 in the 2009 budget - a 3.5 percent increase, or $13,020, more than the library received in 2008 - but the 2009 executive budget included only $372,000. The library was given $370,000 in 2006 and 2007.

Commercial Construction Robust

Link to November 9 Great Falls Tribune article.

Excerpt:
Rattray cited construction starts this year for such big projects as the $17 million Great Falls Orthopedic Center, which will be across the sky bridge from Benefis East; a $4.3 million addition to McLaughlin Research Institute and the rapid-turnaround, $2.4 million rebuilding of the Prospector Restaurant and Casino after last year's fire.

In addition, developer Brad Talcott expects to start construction any day on the $8 million Staybridge Suites upscale hotel on the West Side.

Full list of projects is here.