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VOL. 137 — NO. 13

THURSDAY,

AUGUST 6, 2015

$1.00

Redbank ElementaryHome Room ListsInside Today’s L-V

ROBERT CRISSMAN LEAVES the Pennsylvania State Po-lice barracks in Kittanning after being arraigned Friday, July 31. Crissman, an escaped inmate suspected of stran-gling an acquaintance and stealing a gun and two trucks while on the run, led police on a chase and rammed a cruiser before being captured Friday, authorities said.[Darrell Sapp/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP]

[L-V photo by Evanne Gareis]

THE 4-H LIVESTOCK Auction brought in more than $122,000 Friday night at the Clarion County Fair. Among the sellers was Jus-tin Ferringer of New Bethlehem

(above photo, at right) who sold his Champion County Bred steer to Tom’s Riverside, represented by Tom Minich and Les Aaron. For auction details, see Page A-8.

KIDS ENJOYED THE BUMPER CARS AND OTHER RIDES AT THE FAIR

By JOSH WALZAKL-V Editor

RAYBURN TWP. – One week ago, an Armstrong County Jail inmate walked away from the lo-cal lockup in Rayburn Township. And in the 24 hours it took to recapture Robert Crissman Jr., one woman was killed, a county was put on alert, and the story made news across the nation.

Crissman, 38, originally from

the Templeton area, was appre-hended Friday morning in Boggs Township, only a few miles away from the jail he escaped from a day earlier. He was charged with the murder of 55-year-old Tammy Long of Kittanning, the theft of two vehicles and a gun, escape and aggravated assault on a police officer.

During a press conference last Friday morning at the Arm-strong County 911 center, Dis-

trict Attorney Scott Andreassi said that reports from the public were crucial in locating and ap-prehending Crissman only 24 hours after his escape.

“Their help was invaluable,” he said.

After word of Crissman’s es-cape last Thursday began to spread, officials said a number of calls reporting sightings of the inmate began coming in to 911; however, it was one call in particular Friday morning that did the most.

Andreassi said that early Fri-day morning, Crissman walked up to the home of a Boggs Town-ship woman along SR 1034 and knocked on the door, asking for help. Andreassi said the woman immediate recognized Crissman

Armstrong reels from jail escape, murder

[Continued on Page A-2]

By JOSH WALZAKL-V Editor

ALCOLA – Nearly perfect weather, supportive sponsors and volunteers, and several nights of big crowds helped the 77th edition of the Clarion County Fair, which concluded last Saturday, to

be considered a success.Fair board president Mark Wyant

said Tuesday that while it is getting harder and harder for the gate admis-sions to pay for the fair, with the orga-nization’s many generous sponsors, the fair finished the year in the black.

Weather helps make Fair Week a success

[Continued on Page A-12]

By EVANNE GAREISL-V Staff Writer

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – She swam 2.4 miles, rode her bike 112 miles and ran a full 26.2-mile marathon in just under 15 hours, without a break, and in the end she had completed one of the biggest triath-

lons ever.She is New Bethlehem

native Sally Sherman, who, as a health and phys-ical activities instructor at the University of Pitts-burgh, trained long and hard to participate in the Lake Placid, N.Y. Ironman Triathlon on July 26.

Sherman’s journey be-

gan in earnest three years ago when she signed up for her first-ever race, a half-Ironman — which in-cluded a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run.

As a professional danc-er for 12 years, Sherman — who is the daughter of

NB native finishes Ironman triathlon

[Continued on Page A-12]

By EVANNE GAREISL-V Staff Writer

NEW BETHLEHEM – In their final meeting before school begins on Aug. 26, the Redbank Valley School Board discussed several issues relevant to the start of the new year.

One issue centered on the purchase and use of Google Chrome Books for Redbank Valley students.

High school principal, Amy Rupp presented a pilot program that would enable each ninth-grader to be assigned a Chrome Book that they would use daily throughout the

school year. She reported that the Chrome Book was chosen because it is cheaper than standard laptops and is compatible with the Google Docs and Gmail that students and teachers will be using.

Rupp continued that the incoming ninth grade class was selected to par-ticipate in the pilot study because that is the grade where the majority of the students will begin test-ing for the Keystone Ex-ams, and many of the ninth grade teachers have checked out laptop labs in the past.

Ninth-graders to test Chrome Books at RVHS

[Continued on Page A-2]

By JOSH WALZAKL-V Editor

RIMERSBURG – While people attending recent Cookie Daze festivals in Rimersburg have been able to find a big parade, fireworks, a huge car show, mu-sic entertainment and much more, one question has kept popping up for festival organizers:

Where’s the cookie?“Last year we had quite a few people ask us,

‘Where’s the cookies?’” festival organizer Sheila Johnson said.

Rmbg. festival asks: Where’s the Cookie?

[Continued on Page A-11]

The Clarion County Fair has come and gone, but those of us who spent time at the fair this year have plenty of great memories of our region’s signature event.

The weather was gor-geous for Fair Week, pro-viding even more time this year to take in all the sights and sounds — and great food tastes — that the fair offers.

Congratulations to the Fair Board and the many volunteers who helped [Continued on Page A-5]

By JOSH WALZAKL-V Editor

RIMERSBURG – Rim-ersburg Borough employ-ees were rewarded earlier this week for their service and dedication to their work.

During Monday’s meet-ing of Rimersburg Borough Council, the borough’s four full-time employees were granted vision and dental insurance.

The move came follow-ing personnel reviews con-ducted Saturday with the council’s Personnel Com-mittee.

Council president Roger Crick described the new benefits as something that will truly benefit the work-ers, not a “smoke and mir-rors” benefit that some em-ployers offer that amounts to little.

“What we’re offering all four employees said they wanted it,” he said.

As part of the offering from Municipal Benefits Services (MBS), Rimers-burg’s employees will re-ceive a high option den-tal coverage at a cost of $30.97 per employee per month, and a basic optical plan from Vision of Ameri-

Borough beefs up employeebenefits

[Continued on Page A-9]

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