Bradford Era — The MJ2KB T(rails) Club has a busy week this week, and at their monthly board meeting on Monday, discussed Tuesday’s McKean County Commissioners meeting as well as a public comment session on the plans for the 3.9-mile section of corridor to be presented by E&M Engineers and Surveyors of Bradford at the Mount Jewett firehall at 5 p.m. Thursday. Read more

Bradford Era — The MJ2KB T(rails) Club took its concerns to the McKean County Commissioners once again, updating them about an upcoming meeting with Headwaters Charitable Trust of Curwensville, the McKean County Planning Commission and E&M Engineers and Surveyors of Bradford.

The meeting is slated for 5 p.m. May 26 at the Mount Jewett firehall.

They also kept the commissioners abreast of other issues they have encountered over the last week involving the acquisition of the former Knox-Kane rail corridor by Headwaters. Read more

Bradford Era — Last month’s announcement issued by the Catholic Diocese of Erie that St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, located at 20 Division St. in Mount Jewett, would merge with St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Smethport was met with shock and sadness at the small McKean County parish.

Now, St. Joseph parishioners are becoming “voices that challenge,” and are looking to petition the Most Rev. Lawrence Persico, bishop, to keep their church home open. Read more

Bradford Era — Plans for the parking area at the Center Street trailhead of the proposed trail to be built on the former Knox-Kane rail corridor were presented at the Mount Jewett Borough Council meeting on Monday.

And the MJ2KB T(rails) Club had some questions of its own to ask the Knox-Kane stakeholders present at the meeting. Read more

Bradford Era — The Mount Jewett Sewer Authority met in special session on Wednesday to discuss debris found in the sewer system on the west end of the borough after a stoppage was discovered and removed, and how the junk got there in the first place.

Sewer authority chairman Gene Ginkel said a plugged sewer line was found west of the borough on U.S. Route 6 near the Danielson Farm. Ginkel estimated approximately 20,000 gallons of sewage was backed up at that point.  Read more

Bradford Era — The MJ2KB T(rails) Club wrapped up their Intelliconference this week as the last installment, titled “Final Report: The Sense of Community,” was released on Tuesday.

And it was a humdinger.

The Mount Jewett-based club would like to see the rails on the 3.9 mile section of the former Knox-Kane rail corridor in between Mount Jewett and Kinzua Bridge State Park remain intact while having a passive use trail adjacent to the rails. Headwaters Charitable Trust of Curwensville is in the process of purchasing the entire 73.8 mile corridor from Kovalchick Salvage Co. of Indiana. Headwaters’ executive director Janie French is adamant about pulling the rails up to turn the corridor into a rail trail.  Read more

Bradford Era — Mount Jewett Borough Council did not meet Monday due to a lack of a quorum. However, Dr. Karen Sees of the MJ2KB T(rails) Club did make a report to the three members of council who were there.

MJ2KB would like to save the rails on the 3.9-mile section of the former Knox-Kane rail corridor in between Mount Jewett and Kinzua Bridge State Park and have a trail adjacent to the rails. Headwaters Charitable Trust of DuBois is in the process of purchasing the entire 73.8-mile corridor from Kovalchick Salvage Co. of Indiana. Headwaters’ executive director Janie French is adamant about pulling the rails up to turn the corridor into a rail trail.  Read more

Bradford Era — With the MJ2KB T(rails) Intelliconference entering its third and final stage this week, Michael Sussman of On Track North America of Philadelphia, the club’s consultant, has weighed in on the conference thus far, and on his plans for the next course of action.

The club advocates saving the rails on the 3.9 mile section of the former Knox – Kane rail corridor which runs between Mount Jewett and the Kinzua Bridge. The club would like to have a pedestrian trail next to the tracks. Headwaters Charitable Trust of DuBois — which is in negotiations with the owner of the entire 73.8 mile corridor, Kovalchick Salvage Co. of Indiana — is planning on tearing out the rails to convert the corridor into a rail-trail.  Read more

Bradford Era — Construction of the multi-million dollar Kinzua Bridge State Park Visitor Center and Park Office near Mount Jewett is slated to be completed this spring, state officials confirmed this week.

“Cooperative weather patterns have allowed for continued progress on the Kinzua Bridge State Park Visitor Center and Park Office construction project,” according to an update provided by the Bureau of State Parks.  Read more

Bradford Era — With rumors of a new dollar store circulating around the borough for at least the last couple of years, the Mount Jewett Senior Center may still be interested in selling their property located at 8 Main St. for development of a possible store.

However, according to borough Councilwoman Sarah Glover, such a move might hinder the senior center’s chances of being awarded a grant for building repairs.  Read more