2013 Pennsylvania State Mine Rescue Contest

Connellsville Area student crowned coal queen
Herald-Standard
August 19, 2013

Carmichaels, PA — A Connellsville Area High School student is the first from the school to be crowned Bituminous Coal Queen.

The King Coal Association this week is hosting its 60th anniversary of the festival under the theme “King Coal –- A Diamond Celebration.”

The festival began Sunday with the 2012 coal queen, Ashley Avolio of Trinity High School in Washington, handing her title over to Marina Stefano, Connellsville Area High School’s representative in the pageant.  Stefano is a daughter of Patrick and Christina Tesauro-Stefano of Connellsville.  She is a member of the National Honor Society, student council, chamber ensemble, thespian honor society and the All-States Program.  She studies piano, voice and dance.

Stefano is the first ever from her high school to capture the coal queen title.

“It was a really awesome experience,” Stefano said, “All the girls were like your best friends.”

Stefano said she is excited for all the activities planned for the festival this week and for her year as coal queen.

“I am super excited about going down into the coal mine and a little nervous about speaking before the state Legislature,” she said.

The coal queen is the only pageant winner in the state, with the exception of Miss Pennsylvania, afforded the opportunity to address the Legislature and meet the governor.

Stefano, competing in her first pageant, performed the musical theater number “Spanish Rose” from her favorite Broadway musical "Bye-Bye Birdie".

Another first for this year’s festival will be a display of authentic historic coal mining memorabilia owned by Brice Rush of Carmichaels.  An original coal mine wagon, which is thought to have been buried for about 80 years, has been restored and will be on display for this first time this year.

Rush said the all-metal wagon has a bottom-dumping mechanism to feed coke ovens and a metal identification plate showing it was made by the Connellsville Machine and Car Co., which was a builder of railroad cars thought to have begun production as far back as 1870.  The mine wagon on display was probably built about 1900.

“This wagon is believed to have been found in an underground coal mine that operated on what is now the Larry Skochelak farm near McClellandtown,” Rush said, “The mine was in operation in the late 1920s and the wagon was discovered during strip-mining operations on the property.”

Also part of Rush’s collection and on display this week is an emergency mine capsule from Indiana county and a large display of safety posters, hand-drawn by Charles Benick of Republic, John M. Novotny of Isabella and Vachel Davis of Illinois during the 1930s and 40s.

Rush said most of the collection of posters originated from the Isabella Mine in Luzerne Township, which was closed and sealed in 1986.  The collections will be on display all week in the Carmichaels–Cumberland Township Volunteer Fire Company.

Also today through Saturday at the fire hall and grounds will be the baby King Coal prince and princess contests; carnival rides; bingo; hot foods; baked goods and coal souvenirs.

Disc jockey Dave Plavi will be performing on the carnival grounds from 7 to 10 p.m. today.

On Wednesday, mine rescue teams will take part in the Pennsylvania Bituminous Safety Association Mine Rescue Contest, beginning at 8 a.m. at the Carmichaels Area High School Stadium.  The 47th annual children’s pet parade also will be held Wednesday.  Parade participants will line up at 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Yoskovich Funeral Home.

The Pennsylvania mine benchman and examiner contests will be held at 8 a.m. Thursday in the Carmichaels Area Elementary School gymnasium.  Admission is free.  Thursday will also feature the 42nd annual Bill Gideon Decorated Bicycle Parade.  Lineup for the event will be at 5:30 p.m. in the Yoskovich Funeral Home parking lot.

Also on Thursday, Plavi will perform on the carnival grounds from 7-10 p.m. and the band “Hallow Lines” will perform a free concert from 7-9 p.m.

Friday’s events will include a music performance from the band “Double Down” on the fire hall grounds from 7-10 p.m.  There will also be a coal informational program from Dr. Evelyn Hovanec and Elaine Defrank of the Coal and Coke Heritage Center at Penn State University, The Eberly Campus, in the fire hall from 7-8 p.m.  Also, winners will be announced at 8 p.m. Friday for the King Coal prince and princess contests in the fire hall.

The Coal Show will conclude Saturday with several events, including the Charles Workman car show at Wana B Park.  Registration will start at 10 a.m. and the show will run from 12:30-3 p.m.  Registration is $8.  Admission is free for spectators.

The Charles Workman Memorial Car Parade will begin at 3:50 p.m. and will be followed by the 60th Annual King Coal Parade at 4 p.m.

The carnival will be open from 5-11 p.m. and a performance from the band “Hit N Run” will be held on the fire hall grounds from 7-10 p.m.

Carmichaels Borough officials have announced that the town square will be closed from 6-6:45 p.m. Wednesday for the pet parade and Thursday for the bicycle parade.

Residents are asked not to place any chairs along the parade route for Saturday’s parade until that morning.  No parking will be permitted along the parade route after 2 p.m. Saturday and no parking will be permitted in town square after 1 p.m.  Any vehicle blocking the parade route after those times will be towed.  On Saturday, police will be stopping traffic from entering the town around 3:45 p.m.