Sunday Book Talk Nick Lake's 'In Darkness'

"In Darkness" is a fictional look at a boy struggling to survive after in the 2010 earthquake, intertwined with stories of Toussaint l'Ouverture, the Haitian slave turned revolutionary leader.

Nick hopes, among other things, the book will put a focus back on Haiti and make people realize Haitians still need help.

You can listen to my conversation with Nick Lake here.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
since 1947

Man Allegedly Damaged Sheriff's Car

A South Dayton, New York, man is accused of damaging a Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s patrol car during an incident last Saturday.

Deputies say when 20-year-old Bradley Comstock was asked to leave a home at 3 a.m. on January 21 he got upset and broke a window. While in custody he allegedly damaged the patrol car.

Comstock was sent to jail on $1,500 bail.

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Girl Seriously Hurt in Potter Co. Crash

A Genesee girl suffered major injuries in an accident Thursday on Eleven Mile Road in Oswayo Township.

A pickup truck driven by 18-year-old Maranda Coyle went out of control while rounding a curve, left the road, hit a tree and landed on its side.

Coyle was taken to UPMC Hamot for treatment of head and leg injuries.

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Sandusky Wants to See Grandchildren

Jerry Sandusky has filed a motion seeking to allow him to see his grandchildren, which is currently prohibited under his bail conditions.

The former Penn State assistant football coach is accused of sexually abusing 10 boys over a period of 15 years.

McKean County Judge John Cleland, who is presiding over the case, has scheduled a hearing for February 10.

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Rebert Gets Life in Prison

Steven Rebert will spend the rest of his life in prison instead of being put to death for killing Wayne and Vicky Shugar in their Brockway home in April of 2010.

A jury deliberated until about 9 o’clock Friday night and could not come up with a unanimous decision, which is necessary for the death penalty to be imposed. Eight jurors voted for the death sentence; four voted against it.

The 46-year-old Emporium man is still a person of interest in the murders of Kevin Smith and Bill Fickel in Western New York. Rebert, at one time, lived near the men.

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Luther Named SBS Advancement Director

Father Raymond Gramata, Pastor of St. Bernard Parish and Kimberly Mooney, Principal of St. Bernard Elementary/Middle School has announced Kristen Tate Luther will join the organization serving as Advancement Director.

As Advancement Director, Luther will manage fundraising, marketing, alumni and recruitment efforts for the school.

The new position is funded through the generosity of the Bradford Central Christian Charitable Trust, established for the specific purpose of supporting Catholic Education in the Bradford community.

Luther, an alumna of St. Bernard’s and Bradford Central Christian, is a graduate of Mercyhurst College earning a Bachelor Degree in Business Management.

A native of Bradford and a lifelong supporter of Catholic Education, Luther and her husband, Rich are parishioners of St. Bernard Church. Their children attend St. Bernard Elementary/Middle School.

Luther is a 10 year member of the St. Bernard School Advisory Committee, YWCA of Bradford Female Leadership Recipient and former Executive Director of the United Way of the Bradford Area.

Luther will officially start February 1st in her new capacity as Advancement Director and can be reached at the school (814) 368-5302 or via email at gomaroon@gmail.com

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
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Fine New Furnishings

As you heard on Thursday's LiveLine from President and CEO of the Bradford Area Public Library Tamara McIntyre, thanks to fundraising and generous donors the library was able to add new furniture to its lobby earlier this week. When you go in to check that out, along with a book or two, make sure to fill out the survey on what you think works, and what doesn't, at the library.

Remember the Groundhog Program from 11 a.m. to noon Monday!

http://bradfordlibrary.org

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Man Charged with Dangerous Burning

A Mount Jewett man has been charged with dangerous burning for setting fire to two mobile homes after being hired to demolish them.

State Police Fire Marshal Greg Agosti says 39-year-old Christopher Johnson was hired to demolish the mobile homes on Route 46, about a quarter of a mile north of Route 146 in Norwich Township. At around 11:23 a.m. on Saturday he allegedly set the fire.

A passing motorist reported the fire to McKean County 911. The Norwich Township, Smethport and Port Allegany fire departments responded to the scene. No one was hurt.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
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Happy Birthday, Doctor!

Dr. Karl F. Frankovitch, Emeritus Chief of Staff for the Shriners Hospital for Children in Erie, Pennsylvania and Medical Director of CARE for Children’s Rural Outreach Clinic, was honored last Friday evening for his 80th birthday.

In celebration of the occasion, the McKean County Commissioners deemed January 11, 2012 as “Dr. Karl F. Frankovitch Day” throughout the county with a proclamation recognizing his compassion and expertise; and the Bradford City Council also issued a city-wide proclamation recognizing his professionalism, wisdom and caring ways while treating thousands of children in the region.

Dr. Frankovitch has travelled to Bradford for 46 years to provide the opportunity for children to be evaluated for various orthopedic conditions, providing families with an alternative to extensive travel to out-of-town facilities.

Members of the CARE for Children staff, as well as members of the local Shrine Club, attended the celebration at the Erie Scottish Rite Education Center to honor Dr. Frankovitch, who is still actively evaluating and treating children during the monthly clinics at the CARE offices on Russell Boulevard.

In this file photo, provided by CARE for Children, Dr. Karl F. Frankovitch evaluates an infant during a local Shriners Outreach Clinic at the CARE for Children office in Bradford. Dr. Frankovitch has practiced at the clinic for 46 years.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
since 1947

Lady Owls Coach on Sports Forum

In case you missed Ann Nuzzo talking about her undefeated Lady Owls basketball team this afternoon on Sports Forum, you can listen here.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
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Cupcake Wars -- Pitt-Bradford Style

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford's Student Activities Council held its own version of "Cupcake Wars" last night, with four teams competing. They each had 90 minutes to make breakfast, dinner and dessert cupcakes for the judges to sample.





















I didn't get the names of all the contestants but Team 1 was Morgan, Amanda and Mindy.



Team 2



Team 3



Team 4 won the Cupcake War



The Judges

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Congressman Thompson Reacts to Forest Service Planning Rule

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Forest Service’s announcement of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule:

“Unlike national parks, our national forests are intended for multiple uses. This means our national forests are actively managed, and include activities such as timber harvesting, energy production and recreation,” said Thompson. “I remain committed to seeing that this goal of multiple uses is a central tenet of the nationally spanning planning rule.”

The National Forest Management Act of 1976 mandated that each of the country’s 155 national forests, with public input, establish individual management plans. The Forest Service’s planning rule provides the outline for establishing these forest plans. Despite ongoing efforts over decades to rewrite the current planning rule, the Forest Service still operates under a rule that was established in 1982.

Thompson, the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Conservation, Energy, & Forestry Subcommittee, has actively engaged the Forest Service since the agency first released a proposed rule on February 14, 2011. Thompson’s subcommittee held a hearing on this proposed rule in May. The hearing featured testimonies by U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary of Natural Resources Harris Sherman, Warren County Commissioner John Bortz, and several other stakeholders.

“I appreciate the work of the Forest Service in finally moving towards a new planning rule, but we still have a number of issues to work through,” added Thompson. “I have made it abundantly clear to Forest Service Chief Tidwell and Under Secretary Sherman that I continue to have concerns with some provisions of this new rule. Specifically, I’m concerned about the lack of adequate emphasis on timber harvesting and not enough action to help prevent unnecessary, wasteful litigation. Therefore, I look forward to continuing to work with the Service on improving the rule and seeing that the Service succeeds in its core mission of multiple uses,” Thompson concluded.

The final planning rule will be selected within 30 days of the publication of the PEIS. The U.S. Forest Service Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, can be found by clicking here.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
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UPMC Hamot Named One of the Best

UPMC Hamot has been named one of the best regional hospitals in the country by US News & World Report.

The magazine recognized 247 hospitals outside of major metropolitan areas that are capable of providing first-rate care, even to patients with serious conditions or who need demanding procedures, according to Avery Comarow, U.S. News & World Report's health rankings editor.

Hamot was one of nearly 5,000 hospitals evaluated and was considered "high performing" in nine of 16 specialties: cardiology and heart surgery; neurology and neurosurgery; and orthopedics.

http://www.hamot.org/

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
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'Shopping for Electricity' Workshop Feb. 2

It is not too late to register for the Penn State Extension workshops “Shopping for Electricity” on Thursday, February 2, 2012.

The class will be offered at 1PM in conference room 2 of the Annex Building located behind the Courthouse in Ridgway, PA. The second class will be offered beginning at 6 PM at the 911 Center classroom in Smethport, PA. There may be opportunities for significant savings for those who shop for an electricity supplier and especially for those who increase their energy efficiency.

Dr. Dennis Buffington, Penn State Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, will be the featured speaker. Pre-registration is required to attend either of these sessions and can be done by calling or emailing Jim Clark at the Penn State Extension office in Smethport at 814-887-5613 or jac20@psu.edu.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
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Jury Set to Deliberate on Rebert's Fate

A jury will start deliberating this afternoon on whether Steven Rebert should get the death penalty or life in prison.

On Thursday the jury heard from the 46-year-old Emporium man’s family about his normal childhood. They also heard from the family of Wayne and Vicky Shugar, who Rebert shot to death in their Brockway home in April of 2010.

Rebert is also a "person of interest" in two separate, unsolved murders in Western New York.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
since 1947

Man Accused of Committing Lewd Acts

A Belfast, New York, man is accused of committing lewd acts in front of 13-year-old boy over the past two weeks.

49-year-old Dan Rutar is charged with public lewdness and endangering the welfare of a child.

Rutar is in Allegany County Jail in lieu of $1000 cash bail.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
since 1947

Joe Paterno Memorial Service ...

He was more than a coach. Former players spanning six decades were represented at “A Memorial for Joe” on Thursday afternoon. They spoke of Joe Paterno the man, the educator, the role model.

http://www.pamatters.com/2012/01/26/a-final-goodbye/

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
since 1947