U.S. hit IS with largest non-nuclear bomb — Page 2 @The_Derrick The Derrick and The News-Herald TheDerrick.com TheDerrickNews OCDerrick © OIL CITY, PA. FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2017 (800) 352-1002 (814) 676-7444 $1.00 Dan Rooney dies Saving mall a priority Economic development committee to work on issue By SALLY BELL His comments came at a Thursday ident, suggested that local business Others, including Bonnie Summers, Staff writer meeting of the Cranberry supervisors. owners form a conglomerate and buy a member of the township’s compre- Also in attendance were Supervisors the mall from the owner. hensive plan steering committee, and The future of Cranberry Town- Harold Best and Jerry Brosius, along The mall is private property and its Stephanie Felmlee, a local business ship’s mall will likely be one of the with township Manager Chad Findlay. owner lives in California. On the Ve- owner, said that communication must focal points of an economic develop- The mall came up as a point of nango County parcel viewer, the own- be opened between the township and ment committee that is being formed. discussion during the public comment er is listed as SSR LLC. the mall’s owner in California to dis- “We can’t lose that mall,” said Fred portion of the meeting. The township has never owned the cuss the property’s future. Buckholtz, supervisors chair. Marilyn Brandon, a Cranberry res- mall, Best said. See CRANBERRY, Page 8 ‘They have the opportunity to refocus their lives and have another chance’ Dan Rooney, the powerful and popular Oil City Steelers chairman whose name is attached to the NFL’s landmark initiative in minority hiring, dies at 84. looking Page 9 to fill fire, Moderate makeover police openings Schroyer says more candidates needed By SAXON DAUGHERTY President Donald Trump Staff writer hasn’t been in the White House for 100 days, yet Oil City’s police and fire depart- he’s already reversed ments are both in need of additional manpower. himself on many of his key City manager Mark Schroyer campaign promises. broached the topic during Thursday’s Page 2 City Council meeting, recommending the panel vote to start civil service procedures and search for more candi- ‘Obamacare’ fixes Photos by Richard Sayer dates as the current group has run dry. “We’ve exhausted our original Justin Hunter (center), of Oil City, picks up community service hours while on work release from list,” Schroyer said. the Venango County jail. The house being worked on is on Colbert Avenue in Siverly. Hunter was When the city was in contract nego- working with AmeriCorps volunteers Jared Montgomery (left) and Brandon Johnson (right). tiations with the fire department last year, both sides agreed to utilize more part-time firefighters to offset the rising cost of overtime. But Schroyer said the current pool of part-time workers isn’t enough to keep up with the demand. Working relationship In addition, Schroyer said there is The Trump administration a possibility of two workers leaving releases limited fixes for soon, creating an even bigger need. health insurance markets, The police department is in a simi- even as it reaffirms its Inmates gain skills while renovating homes lar spot as there are still four vacan- goal of dismantling the By SALLY BELL cies to fill. Obama-era law that Staff writer Oil City police chief Bob Wenner created them and now said, counting himself, there are 12 covers millions. A new pilot program has officers working right now out of the Page 7 inmates heading outside the 16 budgeted spots. confines of the Venango Wenner said that has increased the County jail to renovate workload for everyone in the department, homes with AmeriCorps. but help could be on the way soon. Today’s weather The program is new and Two officers are currently undergoing so far about eight inmates training and one candidate is still working have participated in the Key- to acquire the necessary certifications. stone SMILES House of Once the one candidate completes certification requirements, Wenner Trades Youthbuild Project, said he can be offered conditional Venango County Commis- employment, pending a physical and sioner Albert “Chip” Abram- Mostly sunny. High 68. mental evaluation. ovic said. Page 3 In other news Thursday, council The Youthbuild program approved two other personnel moves. is for individuals ages 16 First, the hiring of Lyndsey King to 24 who want to gain was approved by the panel. King will Index self-sufficiency and a com- take over as the administrative assis- Advice, horoscopes ......16 petitive advantage in ac- tant in the community development Business .........................7 quiring a high school or department after Kelly Amos was re- GED diploma. cently promoted to director. Classified ................ 13-16 Posters inside a home at 435 Colbert Ave. in Siverly show the condi- Comics ..........................17 See RENOVATE, Page 8 tion the house has been in and the progress during renovations. See OIL CITY, Page 8 Lotteries ..........................2 Opinion ...........................4 Sports ....................... 9-11 TV .................................12 Franklin-Pittsburgh flights would continue under budget cut By MARISSA DECHANT munities vulnerable to air service Local legislators support the EAS Flights accommodate up to 11 pas- Staff writer loss under the Airline Deregulation program, Buchna said. Once that sen- sengers, and Smith said a variety of Deaths Act, according to the Regional Air- timent is funneled up to the president, people take advantage of the service, Venango Regional Airport will line Association. it will hopefully be revealed to Trump both for business and leisure. Frederick K. Clark, Brookville maintain its personalized service to Southern Airways, the commercial how positive the program is for small “There is more personalized ser- Brian “Beave” K. Forsell, Pittsburgh during the upcoming trav- carrier for the airport in Franklin, has communities, he explained. vice of getting people on and off the Franklin el season even if President Donald a business model that is built on the The airport offers 19 round trips flights, especially for senior citizens Trump’s $1.15 trillion budget takes EAS program, said Bill Buchna, the a week to Pittsburgh, with three de- who need help down the steps,” Smith (Deaths on Page 18) effect, according to the airport’s airport’s manager. parting and returning every week- said. manager. However, Buchna said he is not day and two on both Saturday and Southern Airways is acquiring new The budget, which was unveiled overly concerned with proposed cuts Sunday. aircraft in order to expand and im- last month, calls for the elimination to the program. The $29 flights take 25 to 40 min- prove its services, and the airline has a of the U.S. Department of Transpor- “Trump is a businessman. It’s typi- utes, which is often more convenient plane based solely in Franklin, ac- tation’s Essential Air Service Pro- cal that you aim high, and if you end than the drive and parking costs in cording to Smith. gram. The program was authorized in up with something in the middle, you Pittsburgh, said Vincent Smith, a se- 1978 as a safety net for small com- still win,” he said. nior captain for Southern Airways. See FLIGHTS, Page 8 2 – THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Friday, April 14, 2017 W Briefly Focus Stories U.S. says countries must punish troops for sexual abuse UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley on Thursday urged all countries that U.S. hit IS with largest provide troops for U.N. peacekeeping missions to hold soldiers accountable for sexual abuse and exploitation, an appeal that came after she cited an Associated Press investigation into a child sex ring in Haiti involving Sri Lankan peacekeepers. She also warned that “countries that refuse to non-nuclear bomb ever hold their soldiers accountable must recognize that this either stops or their troops will go home and their financial compensation will end.” President calls it a ‘very, very successful mission’ Haley was speaking after the Security Council voted unanimously to end the U.N. peacekeeping WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. mission in Haiti in mid-October, sending a forces in Afghanistan on Thurs- strong signal that the international community day struck an Islamic State tunnel believes the impoverished Caribbean nation is complex in eastern Afghanistan stabilizing after successful elections. with “the mother of all bombs,” the largest non-nuclear weapon ever used in combat by the U.S. Suspected shooter of U.S. military, Pentagon officials said. border agent arrested in Mexico The bomb, known officially as a GBU-43B, or massive ordnance air PHOENIX (AP) — A fugitive accused of blast weapon, unleashes 11 tons of pulling the trigger to kill a U.S. Border Patrol explosives. When it was developed agent was captured in Mexico more than six in the early 2000s, the Pentagon did years after a slaying that exposed a bungled gun- a formal review of legal justifica- tracking operation by the U.S. government. tion for its combat use. Mexican authorities arrested Heraclio Osorio- The Pentagon said it had no Arellanes on Wednesday as the U.S. government early estimate of deaths or dam- has pushed hard to prosecute the suspected age caused by its attack, which marijuana bandits involved in the 2010 death of President Donald Trump called a Brian Terry, 40. “very, very successful mission.” His December 2010 killing unveiled the Fast The U.S. military headquar- and Furious operation, in which agents from ters in Kabul said in a state- the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms ment that the bomb was dropped and Explosives allowed criminals to buy guns at 7:32 p.m.