Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The main defendant in a huge marijuana-growing operation in Crawford County has pleaded guilty and faces a mandatory 10 years in a federal prison at his sentencing in U.S. District Court in Erie on Aug. 5. 53-year-old Gary Coulter pleaded guilty today to one count of trafficking in marijuana. He was charged with five other defendants, four of whom have either pleaded guilty or pleaded guilty and been sentenced. State drug agents found the plants growing throughout eastern Crawford County after a raid on Coulter’s house in Rome Township, in the eastern part of the county, in August 2006. The investigators said they found 1,183 full-grown marijuana plants -- with an estimated street value of $1.2 million. Authorities described the operation as one of the largest in Pennsylvania history.

Greg Ulyan has resigned as executive director of the McKean Potter Counties Chapter of the American Red Cross, after holding the position for 18 ½ years. "I can't tell you how much this job and the people in this community have meant to me," Ulyan said. "I had a good time working with the volunteers, the staff members, the donors – whether they be blood donors or financial donors – they have really made it an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. The National Red Cross hasn't named a replacement yet. Jason Bange will be the interim director.

A Corry man is dead after a standoff with police and members of the Erie SWAT team. The SWAT team entered the house early this afternoon to find 40-year-old Tony Bromley dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police say he barricaded himself in the home of his estranged wife at about 8 o'clock this morning after police responded to a domestic violence call there. No one else was in the home when the SWAT team went inside.

Stayed tuned to WESB and The HERO , and keep checking back here, for more about Debbie Macomber and her new book ... coming (very) soon.

Story and Photos By Kimberly Marcott Weinberg Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing 3-year-old bloodhound Lucy and her handler, Karl Allen of Lexington, S.C., and NPBA instructor S.L. “Buck” Garner of Louisa, Va., are participating in the organization's spring seminar. In the first three photos, Lucy is trying to find Garner. Below, she has found him and is receiving lavish praise from Garner and Allen. These photos were taken Wednesday morning along the West Branch of the Tunungwant Creek on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Members of the National Police Bloodhound Association brought their dogs to the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford this week for field training as part of the organization’s spring seminar. In total, about 50 dogs and their handlers from around the United States are attending the spring training seminar in nearby Allegany (N.Y.) State Park. The seminar is hosted by the Cattaraugus County (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Department. Handler...

The Pittsburgh city planning commission has approved the design for the Penguins $290 million arena. The decision clears the way for a groundbreaking this summer, with completion expected before the start of the 2010-2011 hockey season. This is one of the drawings submitted to the planning commission. It shows the entrance to the arena at Fifth Avenue and Washington Place.

The American Refining Group has a simple company vision. “It is important for a large employer to integrate into the fabric of the community, especially in a small town,” said Harvey L. Golubock, President and Chief Operating Officer. Success in business is inextricably coupled with community leadership. We provide our employees with the opportunity and encourage their participation in community and civic projects.” This vision is one reason why ARG is being awarded the 2008 Governor’s Workplace Development Employer of the Year award for Central Pennsylvania. The award will be presented at an awards luncheon during the Pennsylvania Partners annual conference in Harrisburg on Thursday, May 8, 2008. It will be jointly presented by PA Partners and the PA Department of Labor and Industry on behalf of Governor Rendell. ARG was nominated for this award by the North Central Workforce Investment Board (WIB). Susan Snelick, WIB Director, describes ARG as a “true friend of workforce development....

By Joe Kosack Wildlife Conservation Education Specialist Pennsylvania Game Commission HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Game Commission has found itself on a new frontier: it is working with several states and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to sort out what is killing bats in New York and New England. Although White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) has not been found in Pennsylvania - and agency officials hope it stays that way - the state is fast becoming an integral player in regional and national efforts aimed at learning more about this unprecedented threat to bats. Just mentioning the words White Nose Syndrome (WNS) to Pennsylvania Game Commission biologist Greg Turner brings concern to his face. He knows WNS is just over the border in New York, as well as Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, and recognizes it's not something that Pennsylvania's bat population can endure without negative consequences. In many northeastern hibernacula where it has struck, WNS has decimated wintering ...

Lackawanna Six member Faysal Galab has been released from prison and has been sent to a halfway house in Detroit. Galab's sentence was set to expire next year, but he applied for time off for good behavior. Galab is one of six men accused of attending an al Qaeda training camp inside Afghanistan in summer 2001, just months before the September 11 terrorist attacks. All of the defendants, who lived in Lackawanna, were indicted in October 2003 on charges of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has received a $1 million gift from anonymous donors in honor of Harriett B. Wick to build an interfaith chapel on campus. The announcement was made at a luncheon for potential donors where the design of the chapel was also unveiled. “We are delighted and honored to receive this gift,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, university president. “This lead gift will enable us to secure the balance of funds needed to build this chapel.” The chapel, which has been part of the university’s master plan for several years, will be located on the west side of the campus, overlooking the Tunungwant Creek. The building will intentionally be set apart from other buildings, thus reinforcing the perception of its unique use as a place for spiritual reflection and campus community prayer. The location overlooking the stream was chosen specifically for its woodland setting. Albert Filoni president of MacLachlan, Cornelius and Filoni Architects Inc. of Pittsburgh des...

The date of the upcoming All American Soap Box Derby has been changed from May 31 to June 21. Organizers say there's still plenty of time to get involved and they're still looking for boys and girls ages 8 to 17 to be drivers. For more information, call Steve Feldman at 558-0669.

The son of the main defendant in one of the largest marijuana cases in Pennsylvania history has been sentenced to a year and six months in a federal prison for his part in the operation, which was based in Crawford County. 26-year-old Dustin Coulter appeared in court today. His father, Gary Coulter, is scheduled for a plea hearing tomorrow. Drug agents with the state Attorney General's Office found nearly 1,200 full-grown marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $1.2 million throughout eastern Crawford County in August 2006. Investigators say this was the largest pot-growing operation in state history.

A Pennsylvania man who strangled a 28-year-old mother of two in 2006 has been sentenced to life in prison. 39-year-old Eugene Talik Jr. of Sewickly pleaded guilty in January to killing his girlfriend, Kelly Jo Elliott. Her body was burned and buried in a shallow grave near the Clearfield/Elk County line. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped the death penalty as a possible sentence.

Construction is well under for Allegheny-Bradford Corporation's 50,000 square foot manufacturing facility. The facility will house state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment and a secure inside loading area for truck shipments. With the new facility, ABC will increase its capacity and expand its capabilities for tanks and large assemblies. The building will be finished in September. For pictures of the construction site, click HERE .

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati pays tribute to Pennsylvania police officers who died in the line of duty during a Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Ceremony held at the State Capitol on Monday. ( Photo Courtesy of Senate Republican Communications )

The United Way of the Bradford Area has a new initiative called "Live United" – a mission aimed at getting people to give, advocate and volunteer in the community. United Way Assistant Director Mandi Wilton Davis explained "Live United" during this morning's Red Feather Breakfast. She says "You're being asked to complete an action today demonstrating how you live united: Give of yourself, advocate on behalf of an organization which is near to your heart, volunteer your time to those in need of it. Then, tell the United Way what you did today. After you complete your action, go to the United Way's web site and tell them about it. Go ahead. Do it. It'll make you feel good!

The Annual Memorial Service at the 28th Division National Memorial Shrine, Boalsburg, Centre County, will be held Sunday May 18, 2008 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania National Guard and hosted by the Pennsylvania Military Museum, this event commemorates the Pennsylvania "citizen soldier” in a ceremony that dates back to 1924 when the first monuments within the Shrine were dedicated to the fallen divisional soldiers of World War One. For more information on the museum pleased call 814-466-6263 or visit pamilmuseum.org. For information on the Celebration of Service, call Master Sergeant Rodney D. Drake at the Harrisburg Military Post at 717-787-6705.

A 26-year-old inmate from Philadelphia has pleaded guilty to helping convicted killer Malcolm Kysor escape from the State Correctional Institution at Albion in November. John Gromer entered the plea today in Erie County Court to one count of criminal conspiracy to commit escape. He remains in jail and his sentencing is set for July 22. State police accuse Gromer of helping Kysor escape by hiding him in a garbage can. . The can and Kysor went outside the prison gates on the back of a state Department of Corrections truck. Kysor was found April 5 in Bakersfield, Calif. He is now in the state prison at Mercer. His preliminary hearing on an escape charge is May 29.

A Wellsville man has been charged with four felony counts of forgery and related offenses for stealing checks then cashing them at area businesses. State police say Levi Hunt and another person cash checks at Reed's Market and State Line One Stop in Genesee for a total of 400 dollars. The checks had been stole from Josey Kemp of Wellsville. Hunt was arrested after allegedly trying to cash a forged check in New York State. Police say several similar incidents have been reported in New York. Police are continuing their investigation and trying to identify the second suspect.

A 40-year-old Ridgway man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge that he stole 11 black cherry trees from the Allegheny National Forest in September 2004. Joseph Harvey is charged with theft of government property. Harvey is scheduled for sentencing on July 31 in Erie Federal Court.

Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Deputies are asking for help in their investigation into an accident that killed a Bradford woman on April 26 in Limestone. They say they are looking for the driver who swerved to avoid the accident, resulting in a vehicle driven by Wendy Karnes to be hit head-on by a vehicle driven by David O'Brien of Allegany. O'Brien is a retired state trooper. He's charged with DWI, 2nd degree vehicular manslaughter and is free on bail. Anyone who has information on the accident should contact Investigator Nathan Root at the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Department.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is seeking public input on a draft fisher management plan, which can be reviewed on the agency's web site . "We are seeking public comment on the draft fisher management plan to ensure the resulting final management plan considers the thoughts and concerns of Pennsylvanians about this species," said Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director. "As written, the plan is science-based, progressive and promotes responsible management. We're interested in hearing from Pennsylvanians who would like to offer comments, and to see if we've missed something or if they share our management vision for the future." Pennsylvania's fisher reintroduction got started back in 1994, when 22 fishers were released on the Sproul State Forest in Centre and Clinton counties. Overall, 190 fishers were released in Pennsylvania as part of a reintroduction partnered by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Frostburg S...

Main Street Manager Diane DeWalt is leaving her position Wednesday. Mayor Tom Riel says DeWalt turned in her resignation last week and is leaving to take a similar position in Florida. Her replacement as Main Street Manager hasn't been chosen yet.

Bradford High School principal Ken Coffman tells WESB and The Hero that grief Counselors are on hand at Bradford High today and will be available to students throughout the week. McKean County Coroner Mike Cahill confirmed Sunday night to WESB and The Hero that 18-year-old Evan Yehl and 18-year-old Britt Bookhamer died in Friday's night's crash near Marilla Reservoir in Bradford Township. Cahill says Yehl and Bookhamer both died instantly of blunt force trauma. Yehl was driving the car. The funeral for Evan Yehl is Tuesday at 7pm at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Bradford. Funeral arangements for Britt Bookhammer are incomplete. Yehl was driving the car. A third boy in the car, Ian Clark, is in fair condition after surgery at Hamot Medical Center in Erie. Boys in a car that was traveling with Yehl's car reportedly pulled Ian out before the car burst into flames. Jeffrey Caldwell, Joshua Hilmes and Brenton Goldthwait were all treated at Bradford Regional Medical Center Frid...

McKean County Coroner Mike Cahill has confirmed that 18-year-old Evan Yehl and 18-year-old Britt Bookhamer are the Bradford Area High School students who died in Friday's night's car crash near Marilla Reservoir. A third boy in the car, Ian Clark, is still in serious condition at Hamot Medical Center in Erie. Cahill says Yehl and Bookhamer died instantly of blunt force trauma.

The investigation continues into the deaths of two Bradford boys in a two vehicle crash Friday night near Marilla Reservoir in Bradford Township. Sources tell 1490 WESB that the two were seniors at Bradford High. They also tell us that one boy has been charged with DUI in the accident. Bradford Township police say two vehicles were "traveling together" in the same direction when one of the vehicles left the road, hit numerous trees and burst into flames. Two of the youths died. A third young man, Ian Clark, is in Hamot Medical Center in serious condition. Three other boys in a seperate vehicle were treated at BRMC Friday night. Bradford Township Police have been joined by a State Police crash reconstruction team from Erie in the investigation.

A former McKean County woman is fighting the Seneca Nation of Indians for custody of her 4-year-old daughter. Kevin McGonnell is a member of the Seneca Nation and, because of treaties signed decades ago, US custody laws are not valid in the Seneca Nation. Amanda Prechtel, who now lives in Elk County, is fighting for her daughter Marissa anyway. During a visit to her mother last week, Marissa said she didn't want to go back to Salamanca with her father. Seneca marshals traveled to St. Marys to serve a custody order from Seneca Peacemaker's Court. But Amanda said she didn't answer the door, still has Marissa, and plans to keep fighting for her.

I can't tell you why some people are having problems accessing WESB but, rest assured, we have paid our bill and the site is still there, and still being updated.

"Oil Field Trash" --> The Mad Tatter --> Worth W. Smith --> The "Mad Tatter" receives his trophy. "The Army Guys," who raced The HERO's Lean Mean Latrine get ready to pick up their trophy. Burritt's Appliance Center Regains the Title! If you've never seen an outhouse race, here ya go. It's "The Army Guys" racing The HERO's Lean Mean Latrine.

A little rain didn't dampen anyone's spirits any the 7th Annual East Bradford Stinkfest on Saturday. Scott Douglas and Jeff Wemmell team up for part of The HERO's live broadcast during Stinkfest. Later, Jeff added this appropriate-for-the-occasion hood ornament to the Twin Tiers Action Van. The Church Street Blues Band entertains in the East Main Street Gazebo.

Two local youths died as a result of an accident late Friday night on West Washington Street near the Marilla Reservoir. Bradford Township police say two vehicles were "traveling together" in the same direction when one of the vehicles left the road, hit numerous trees and burst into flames. Two of the youths died. A third young man is in Hamot Medical Center in serious condition. The second vehicle hit the guiderails, crossed both lanes of traffic, hit an embankment and ended up in a ditch. Police say three local youths were taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. Bradford Township Police were assisted at the scene by a state police crash reconstruction team from Erie, McKean Count District Attorney John Pavlock and McKean County Detective. Gerald Okerlund. Bradford Township Volunteer Fire Department and Fire Police assisted with scene management. Also on the scene were the Corydon Township Volunteer Fire Department and Bradford City Fire D...

A 45-year-old Warren County man has been ordered to stand trial on a homicide charge and other counts related to a fatal shooting in February just outside Corry, Testimony at Friday's preliminary hearing showed that the defendant, David Beattie, argued with the victim, 58-year-old Andrew Balog, prior to the shooting. Beattie and Balog were housemates, and a state trooper testified that Beattie told him young girls frequently visited Balog to use drugs with him, sometimes in exchange for money or sex. Beattie is in Warren County Jail without bail.

Several family members of the 40 passengers and crew who died on hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 say they're fed up with controversies surrounding the design of a national memorial. The families of four victims held a news conference in Pittsburgh, where they said it's time to get on with developing the memorial near Shanksville, where the hijacked airliner crashed during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The plane was the only one of four hijacked that day that terrorists were unable to crash into a building. A government inquiry determined the plane crashed as the passengers attempted to wrest control from the four hijackers. The planned memorial has been dogged by some critics who say its crescent-shaped design and other features call to mind Islam or subtly include the hijackers alongside the passengers and crew.

Leslie C. Quick III (right) talks with Laura Peterson, lecturer in music, during a reception Friday. St. Bonaventure University recognized the Leslie C. Quick III family with a campus reception on Friday for their "extraordinary commitment" to arts education through the establishment of the $2 million Thomas T. and Mary W. Clarkson Arts Education Endowment. The purpose of the Quicks' endowment is to ensure that regional elementary, middle, and high school students and their teachers have access to the superb collections and facilities of The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. The endowment will provide funding for support of exhibitions, performances, and arts education programming, as well as transportation for K-12 students to the center's programs, and transportation of the center's programs to students at their schools or other venues.

Leslie C. Quick III talks with students in the School of Business as they use the Bloomberg Machine. The Bloomberg machine and subscription to the database, known as the Bloomberg Professional Service, will allow students access to financial, market and regulatory database information. "St. Bonaventure has an outstanding School of Business. My wife, Eileen, and I wanted to build on that excellence," Quick said. The Bloomberg machine and subscription to the database offer students a hands-on learning environment and the opportunity to reinforce their theoretical knowledge, Quick said. Subscription cost for the database is approximately $1,800 per month.

Pittsburgh-area student Paige Kiliany has won first prize in the inaugural “Young Dramatist Contest” sponsored by Bradford Little Theatre. An eleventh-grader at Shady Side Academy, Kiliany won the award with a one-act play titled “Before I Go.” The contest began last Fall, with announcements sent to high schools throughout western Pennsylvania and New York. “We’re looking for ways to stimulate interest in theater among young people,” said Diane Kerner Arnett, President of Bradford Little Theatre, a community-theater organization. “We have produced many plays with parts for young actors, at both the grade- and high-school levels, but we were looking for a way besides acting to get kids involved in the theatrical experience,” Arnett explained. “We thought a writing contest would be one way to do that.” The judge for the contest’s finalists was Dr. Kevin Ewert, Associate Professor of Theatre at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and past General Manager and Artistic Associate of the...

Because the Beijing Olympics are coming this summer, I thought speaking with a Beijing native would be interesting. So this weekend, you can hear my interview with author, actress and illusionist Grace Chang. Besides her book, Jin Jin the Dragon , she'll be talking about Chinese culture, Chinese philosophy, East meeting West and the city of Beijing itself. The Weekend Wrap airs at 9:15 a.m. Saturday and Sunday on 1490 WESB and 6 a.m. Saturday on 100.1 The HERO. For more information on Grace Chang, visit Chang Imagination .

A 70-year-old Millcreek man who said he robbed a bank to make up for gambling losses has been sentenced to four years and five months in federal prison. Donald Cesare was sentenced this morning but will report to federal prison at a later date. Cesare said he was dealing with gambling-related financial problems when he robbed $6,172 from the First National Bank on November 8. Cesare admitted using an old handgun to threaten a teller to give him the money, which he stuffed in a plastic grocery bag.

A Sugar Grove woman is accused of stealing funds from the Eisenhower High School band boosters. State Police say 49 year-old Susan Lyle used money from the account to pay personal bills. Lyle used at least $1,200 worth of Bantastic Funds from 2006 until her arrest on Wednesday. She's in Warren County Jail on $25,000 bail. State police say the investigation is continuing.

Authorities in Brockway expect to issue an announcement soon concerning the cause of a fire that claimed the lives of 10 people early last month. Fire Chief Chris Benson says several items from the fire have been sent to a lab for testing, and the fire marshal has narrowed down the cause. Nine members of the Peterson family, along with family friend Jason Mowry, died in the April 3 fire. Mowry had actually escaped from the burning house, but went back in to try to save members of the Peterson family.

In case you heard this on The Food Insider on 1490 WESB on Thursday: The Search for America's Worst Cook . And, I got this in my e-mail this morning: Ugliest Door in America Contest .

News 4 Meteorologist Mike Cejka is calling for rain on Saturday, so what does that mean for Stinkfest? Fred Cloud of the East Bradford Business Association says "It's gonna go rain or shine. We play in the rain; we play in the sun. Whatever it is, that's the way we have the festival. ... It's amazing the number of people who will come out for our festival even if it's a damp, rainy day. They want to see the outhouse race." Stinkfest is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday on East Main Street. The outhouse races start at 1 p.m. Scott Douglas and 100.1 The HERO will be broadcasting live from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stop by and say hello!

Dr. Steven Hardin, vice president and dean of academic affairs, congratulates Andrea Robbins, instructor of chemistry, on being awarded the Chairs’ Faculty Teaching Award during Honors Convocation at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. “Andrea is very sensitive to students’ demands and suggestions, and always does her best to make adjustments to meet the students’ needs,” said Dr. Yong-Zhuo Chen, chairman of the Division of Physical and Computational Sciences, in nominating Robbins for the honor. “She is active in introducing new teaching methods and technology in her classroom teaching.” Robbins was chosen for the award by the chairmen of Pitt-Bradford’s five academic divisions. ( Photo Courtesy of Pitt-Bradford )

Ralph "Bucky" Phillips, the man who was the focus of the largest manhunt in New York state history, is appealing the convictions that put him in prison for life. Appeals have been filed to overturn his convictions in Chautauqua, Chemung, and Erie counties. Phillips pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder after shooting three state troopers in 2006 after he escaped from an Erie County prison using a can opener. Trooper Joseph Longobardo died as a result of the Chautauqua County shooting. Phillips was eventually arrested in a Warren County field. He is serving time at the Clinton County Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York.

Landfill Wants to Use Rail Rustick LLC representatives and officials with the DEP presented a plan for Tuesday night for expanding the landfill. Rustick President Rich Godshall says the company wants to expand the landfill and handle municipal waste by rail. Under the landfill expansion, the company is asking for permission to bring in up to 6,500 tons per day by rail. 04/30/08 - Man Charged With Inspection Violations A Bradford man was arraigned Tuesday on charges he passed his own vehicle for inspection when the vehicle wasn’t licensed. Court records indicate that 31 year-old Alvin Reed is facing altered, forged or counterfeit of documents and plates and tampering with public records. He is also facing charges for passing another vehicle for inspection when it wasn’t right. The incidents happened while Reed worked at Monro Muffler in Bradford. He remains in the McKean County jail.

The Clearfield County District Attorney says he may seek the death penalty in the case of a Houtzdale man accused of killing his mother and reading the Bible to her as she died. Jesse James Campbell has been charged with murder for allegedly cutting his mother's throat on March 13 following an argument over a computer. William Shaw Jr. says he's looking at the possibility of the death penalty very closely, but hasn't made a decision yet. Campbell is in Clearfield County Jail without bail.

A process server has been arrested after investigators learned she had allegedly filed false affidavits to the Cattaraugus County clerk. 34-year-old Annette Forte of Alden, is accused of claiming she had served papers on people when she had not, leaving them with no notice of pending court actions against them. The charges are the result of investigations by the Cattaraugus County clerk’s and state attorney general’s offices. State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says the victims had no idea that a court action had been brought against them and, because of that, were unable to defend themselves. Forte is free on her own recognizance. There's no word on how the judgments based on the false affidavits will be resolved.

The Department of Environmental Protection says they're already addressing many of the recommendations offered today in a report released by the auditor general. D-E-P Secretary Kathleen McGinty says efforts began more than four years ago to improve the safety of the state's dams and levees. D-E-P regulates nearly 800 dams that are classified as "high hazard." Among those is the East Branch Dam in Elk County that was built by the Army Corps of Engineers to control flooding on the Clarion River. The dam was placed on a watch list earlier this year, but officials with the Army Corps say that doesn't mean the dam isn't safe. For more information, visit DEP's Dam Safety pages.

Victims of securities fraud committed at Adelphia Communications can ask for restitution to recover some of their financial losses, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Adelphia founder John Rigas and his son Timothy, the company's former finance chief, were convicted of looting the company to pay for personal land deals and vacation homes, and are now serving prison sentences. More than $700 million in criminal forfeitures were made to the government as a result of the case, which will be distributed to victims of the fraud. Petitions must be submitted by July 16 to qualify for a distribution from the Adelphia Victim Fund. For more information, visit Adelphia Victim Fund .

A Clearfield family has been flushed from their home after 22 tons of human waste got dumped in their yard following a traffic accident. A truck driver had taken a curve in the road too fast and dumped the load of sludge into the front yard of Dan Firestone's house. The sludge was on its way from New York City to state game lands in Clinton County. The sludge is semi-treated, but officials say it could still be dangerous so they are taking their time cleaning it up. Meanwhile, the Firestones are staying somewhere else until the mess is cleaned up. And we thought we had problems!

“Spring showers bring May flowers.” We’ve all heard the adage; and we all appreciate the beauty of a field of wildflowers in bloom. This is a series of weekly articles for the month of May to showcase the importance of wildflowers. Flowers play a role in society and nature that few of us recognize. The first of the spring flowers to emerge in this part of Pennsylvania in wooded areas is rarely thought of as a flower – the purple flower of skunk cabbage emerges in wetlands in April. Eastern skunk cabbage derives its name from the foul-odor the plant emits when leaves are broken or crushed. The skunk-like odor attracts pollinators such as flies and bees that help complete the lifecycle of the skunk cabbage. The plant is particularly attractive to carrion (dead animal) insects because it is the first flower to emerge after winter. Skunk cabbage can even grow in icy soils by creating its own heat in a process called thermogenesis. The warmer air temperature inside the flower moves...