American Heart Association Walk in Cranberry Twp.

2015 American Heart Association Walk in Cranberry Township

Deb Harry, Vice President of Pittsburgh Chapter of American Heart Association

Mike Robic III, 3rd grader from St. Killian's Catholic School

Seneca Valley Cheerleaders at the walk

North Country Wins Best Can Design

Known for their creative beers and different dishes, North Country Brewing now has won a recognition for artistic reasons.

Competing against a field that included four other cans of beers including Sam Adams and Magic Hat, North Country Brewing's Buck Snort Stout was named the best can design in the United States by Brewery Collectable Club of America.

Owner Bob McCafferty raises a glass of Buck Snort Stout.

Along with the Buck Snort Stout, there are multiple other beers
to be sent out to numerous distributors in Ohio, West Virginia, and Florida

 The BCCA has its headquarters in Mizzouri and has an annual poll in which its members vote on the best can design on an online poll.

Owner of North Country Brewing, Bob McCafferty said this win was a testament to his crew's work and all-around team effort.

North Country Brewing has been on the corner of Main Street in Slippery Rock since Februrary 2005.




The photos shown, though, were not taken at the restaurant, but rather the North Country Cannery.

McCafferty purchased this space two years ago, in October 2013 as a way to bring the beer to the people.

"With all the alumns of Slippery Rock scattered everywhere, people want to drink the beer they partied with in college," McCafferty said.

North Country was also in the process of brewing their annual Late Night Pumpkin Ale during my trip.

     

The kettles house over 10 different brews of beer, including
the Buck Snort, as well as the timely Late Night Pumpkin Ale

McCafferty said their pumpkin beer its a little different than their competitors because they use the actual meat from the pumpkin.

"You could make a pie out of this stuff," McCafferty said.

The crew settled in to celebrate the win for North Country and of course, have a beer.

The fermenter and the whirlpool are essential parts to the brewing process

The crew gathers to celebrate the win for the Buck Snort Stout.
Behind them sits thousands of empty cans, getting ready to be poured.

McCafferty (far right) brings over a block of cheese and kielbasa
for the crew to have while enjoying a celebratory Buck Snort Stout.

Is College Worth It?

Get a college education. Get a good job. Make good money. Retire. That's been the formula high school students have been told for years. But today, with soaring educational costs- just not tuition but everything else- you know, like food to live off, students are wondering, "Is my education worth it?"

I'm not here to offer my opinion on the subject- but here to help you form your own.

Gallup says, yes college is worth it, but only for those who want to be there.

Poll from Gallup's website using their "Big 6" elements of a
successful college experience.

The folks at The Economist say success after college depends on what degree you get and where you go to school.

You've heard this one before...Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs. All college dropouts. But, this piece by Forbes takes a very in-depth look at college's return of investment (ROI).

President Obama said a college degree is the "surest ticket to the middle class." The Washington Post finds a study that they may not be so true. (They suggest you finish on time,)

There's a tremendously over-dramatic trailer for a book called "Is College Worth It?" by William J. Bennett. You can order the book there as well.

Morley Safer shows both sides of the argument in this 60 minutes piece. (The subject of the 60 minutes piece, Peter Thiel, is worth an estimated $3.3 billion.)

In a country where student debt is over trillion dollars, it is certainly an argument worth having.