Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Sen. John McCain will make a campaign stop in Erie Monday. McCain will be joined by former Governor Tom Ridge. The stop in Erie will kick off a two-day campaign trip in Pennsylvania.

The Bradford Legion Baseball team defeated Hatfield 4-2 today. They move on to play the loser of the Plum/Boyertown game at 4 p.m. tomorrow. Nick Foster was the winning pitcher. Brandon Slater got the save.

The Erie VA Medical Center will be hosting a veteran’s benefits briefing for any veteran who is not currently receiving services from the Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday August 12th at the Warren Holiday Inn from 6:00 to 9:00pm. Information will be provided concerning eligibility to medical services, compensation and pension. Light refreshments will be served. To assist us in planning we encourage you to call 1-800-274-8387 extension 2966, if you are planning on attending. If you receive a recorded message please leave your name to indicate you will be attending. Erie VA would like to thank all those who have served or are serving.

MAYVILLE, NY -- An announcement made this week by Governor David Paterson has been well received by Chautauqua County Executive Gregory J. Edwards. On Wednesday, August 6, Governor Paterson announced more than $42 million was approved by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). The awards will be used to create and retain more than 400 jobs, revitalize communities across the State and renovate nearly 1,000 units of affordable housing. The awards, funded through the New York State Community Development Block Grant (NYS CDBG) and NY Main Street programs will assist every region of the State. Nearly $34 million of funding comes from the Federal Community Development Block Grant program. More than $8 million in additional funding comes from NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation, which is funded from fees earned by the State's Housing Trust Fund for administering other federal programs. “These grants will create jobs and revitalize urban business districts, and ...

Quite a few people have come to this blog in search of the House Bipartisan Energy Working Group started by Congressmen John Peterson and Neil Abercrombie. Most of what I know about it, I've learned at Congressman Peterson's Web Site . I hope that helps!

The Cattaraugus County Board of Health will start fining a couple of Amish families for not installing necessary sanitation devices in their outhouses. The two East Otto Amish families who obtained permits but later refused to install the specially designed wooden boxes have been fined $200 each, and will be fined $10 a day until they install the septic systems. The families say installing the septic systems goes against their religion. A similar situation is being played out in Cambria County, where two Amish farmers were sentenced to 90 days in jail for not operating outhouses according to state sewage laws. Now a defense attorney says the sentences were excessive and violated their constitutional rights to freedom of religion. The county prosecutor says the case is about public safety, not the First Amendment.

A 76-year-old Wellsville man has been charged with dealing firearms without a license. Robert Merrick was arrested by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms after they executed a search warrant at his home. ATF Agent David DeJoe says the investigation began six months ago. DeJoe didn't even want to guess how many weapons were in Merrick's house and vehicle and simply said there were "a lot."

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A computer technician accused of illegally destroying years' worth of state Senate computer records will plead guilty next week, marking the first plea in the corruption case against Sen. Vincent Fumo. Leonard Luchko will plead guilty at a hearing Monday in Philadelphia, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Zauzmer said Wednesday. He declined to specify terms of the plea agreement, which had not yet been filed. Luchko is charged in 29 obstruction or conspiracy counts, all relating to attempts to delete e-mails or computer records during the FBI investigation. He and a colleague destroyed e-mails from computers at Fumo's Senate offices, New Jersey shore home, and at a South Philadelphia nonprofit he controlled, the FBI charged. Fumo, 65, is stepping down after 30 years in office to prepare for his Sept. 8 trial, which is expected to last several months. The powerful Philadelphia Democrat is charged with misusing more than $1 million in state resources and another $...

Former Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett will serve as the Grand Marshal for the Zippo 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen International on Saturday. "We are pleased to welcome Kevin Everett as the Grand Marshal of the Zippo 200," said Zippo president and CEO Greg Booth. "His story has inspired people all across the country, especially those of us in this area who followed it so closely.” Everett won The Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at ESPN’s annual ESPY Awards ceremony on July 20th after he was severely injured in last year's Buffalo Bill’s season opener, but has begun to walk again.

Two McKean County school districts are among 175 districts throughout the state that will be getting money for tutoring programs in their career and technical centers. The Otto-Eldred School District will receive $24,077 and the Port Allegany School District will receive $39,999 through the state's Educational Assistance Program. Governor Ed Rendell says targeted tutoring is one of the most strategic, cost-effective ways to help those struggling students and schools that need it most. Other school area schools districts receiving money are St. Marys ($77,230); Galeton ($14,785); Northern Potter ($42,271); Oswayo Valley ($53,521); and Warren County ($425,584).

State Police are investigating the theft of about 55 chickens from a Tioga County farm. They say sometime between Monday and Tuesday, on two separate occasions an unknown person entered Terry Lynn Baker's chicken pen, took the chickens, then fled the scene. They took 40 birds the first time, and 15 the second time.

A Great Valley man is accused of hitting his brother with a log during a domestic dispute. Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Deputies say when 24-year-old Jordan Howard hit his brother in the head with the log, it caused a deep cut and severe bleeding, which required stitches. Howard was charged with assault and menacing, then released on his own recognizance.

National Fuel Gas has filed a petition with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) for an interim decrease to Gas Supply Charges to be effective on Commission approval. This decrease would lower the bill of a typical residential customer from $2,078.42 to $1,855.65. This request comes on the heels of the Company’s annual adjustment to Gas Supply Charges that took effect Friday, resulting in an overall increase of 33.4 percent. Even with this interim decrease, rates will still be up 19.1 percent.

The Bradford Legion baseball team beat Abington 5-3 Wednesday in the state American Legion Baseball Tournament. Lou Jones went 2 for 3 with an RBI double. Mike Pascarella was also 2 for 3. Pitcher Ryan LaBrozzi went the distance, striking out 8 and only giving up 9 hits. Bradford plays again today at 12:30.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has whittled down its list of potential locations for nine toll collection sites along Interstate 80. The commission on Wednesday revealed 20 locations along the 311-mile roadway that could get one of the nine cashless tolling stations. Officials are not expected to select the final sites until sometime this fall. Sites that collect the most revenue while diverting the fewest vehicles onto alternate routes are the ones most likely to be selected, said project manager Barry Schoch. In most cases, the traffic diversion issue will be critical, because sites close to each other are projected to produce about the same amount of money, he said. The plan is to install cashless toll "gantries" that either communicate with E-ZPass electronic toll transponders or photograph license plates so bills can be mailed to the vehicle owners. Drivers would pass through them at highway speeds. For the full story, go to pennlive.com

Olean Mayor David Carucci has been working from home this week after spending Saturday night in ECMC with dangerously high blood pressure. The mayor called an ambulance Saturday night when he was having chest pains. Tests later that night showed that he was not having a heart attack, but his blood pressure was spiking from normal to very high levels. Carucci returned to Olean Sunday, but hasn’t been back to his office yet. He has been working from home, though, and says he may go in Thursday, depending on how he feels.

At a Capitol news conference, Senator Jeff Piccola and members of the Legislature called for the convening of a Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention. Next month the senate state government committee will consider three bills concerning a constitutional convention. Piccola says residents of Pennsylvania have to lobby their legislators if they want the Harrisburg status quo to change. ( Photo Courtesy of Senate Republican Communications )

Dunkirk: At the corner of Central Avenue and 5th Street in Dunkirk, there stands a church that is home to a not-for-profit organization that recycles donated and discarded bikes, and makes them available to community members in need of two-wheel transportation. The Spoke Folk Community Bicycle Project, located in the lower level of Iglesia Getsemani, is a volunteer organization dedicated to "Building a Healthier Community One Bicycle at a Time." Spoke Folk and its director Richard Goodman, teach bicycle safety, maintenance and repair for all age groups. Goodman and his group teach youngsters life skills by providing them with an opportunity to "Earn a Bike" by learning about history, technology, basic business principles and the importance of community service. To that end, Spoke Folk donated a refurbished a bicycle for the 2008 Chautauqua County Fair and the Bike Raffle held at the County Government tent inside the main gate. The winner of that bike was 13 year old...

Jenn Stuczynski spent Tuesday night in Fredonia, as she gets ready for her trip to Beijing for the Olympics. The pole vaulter is one of America's best hopes for an Olympic medal. Stuczynski, who is foregoing the opening ceremonies for the games in order to concentrate on training, was in Fredonia to take part in National Night Out activities.

The National Football League unveiled its first "Fan Code of Conduct" for patrons in its stadiums and parking lots on Tuesday. According to a copy of the code, drunk and "disruptive" fans can be ejected from stadiums or parking lots without refund — and stripped of their season tickets. The same goes for fans who verbally or physically harass other fans, use obscene language or gestures or interfere with the game by throwing objects onto the field. Fans who become drunk or unruly during pregame tailgating will not be allowed into stadiums.

Brad Penn will be the official lubricant sponsor and supplier to Monster Jam in 2009. Live Nation Motor Sports and American Refining Group made the announcement today. Under the agreement Live Nation will use only Brad Penn in its 33 monster trucks, and the Penn Grade 1 logo will be displayed on all of their trucks, including Grave Digger, Ninja Turtle and Monster Mutt. Dick Glady, director of branded lubricant sales and marketing for Brad Penn says they are pleased to be part of the Live Nation Motor Sports team, and look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship.

By Kathy Mohney Executive Assistant Allegheny National Forest “Look at the pretty pink flowers,” exclaimed my son. “Ooh, mommy, look!” We were traveling on U. S. 6 east of Sheffield, heading for Kane. We had just passed the wetlands on the south side of road, ablaze with pink/purple flowers of loosestrife. I stopped the truck so we could admire the beauty. The flowers were pretty. But, I knew the dangers behind the beauty. Escaped from cultivation, purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) readily invades wetlands and wet areas. It reproduces so readily that native flowers and wetland plants cannot compete against the aggressive loosestrife. The loosestrife continues to grow and dominate a wetland to the point where native flowers, grasses, sedges, reeds, and bushes die; then our native animals have no place to live. Wildlife loses a high quality source of nutrition (food) when native plants die. Purple loosestrife continues to grow and form such a thick mat that salamanders, wa...

DuBois, PA – U.S. Representative John E. Peterson, R-Pleasantville, the leading force in Pennsylvania to keep Interstate 80 toll-free, recently met with Federal Highway Administrator Jim Ray to reassert his strong opposition to the tolling of I-80. Peterson stressed the devastating economic impact tolling I-80 will have on the Commonwealth and the funding scheme that further jeopardizes the Pennsylvania Motor License Fund, which is used to maintain and repair roads and bridges throughout the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania, like many other states, is facing a transportation funding shortage, but unlike other states, Pennsylvania has grossly mismanaged funds dedicated to road and bridge repair. While the Governor and the legislative leaders in Harrisburg continue to pout and point fingers for the transportation funding shortfall, one only has to scrutinize the State Budget to see why the Commonwealth comes up short – highway dollars are being used for other programs. “If the leaders in Ha...

Elm Street intern Kara Smith (in the green shirt) hands out some swag to a little participant in Tuesday's "National Night Out" hosted by Project Pride. Lewis "Intern Cool Man" Keller was part of the festivities. Elm Street intern Rachel Ence (in the gray shirt)mans a table during National Night activities, which followed a going away party for her and Kara Smith, who started Bradford's Community Garden on Bank Street. Kim Murphey of CARE for Children/Safe Kids McKean County, Elm Street Manager Lisa Campogiani, Bradford City Police Officer Chris Lucco and Mayor Tom Riel were among the people on hand. Also at the event were Councilman Bob Onuffer, Police Chief Mike Close, Police Lt. Linda Close, Police Office Tony Llama, members of the McKean County Sheriff's Department Dive & Rescue Team, including diver Justin McKiernan, OECD Director Sara Andrews ... and many more.

From the Idol Chatter blog: I wouldn't ordinarily devote a post to the news of an Idol's tour sponsorship, but the newly announced partnership between Bucky and the Zippo lighter folks featured a quote from Bucky I found amusing: "I'm a big fan of their products so it's a great match." Pun intentional? That's the question. BTW ... Know one of the things that was cool about seeing Bucky yesterday? The news/AC and classic rock stations (both me) were there, but the country stations that surround me were not.

McKean County District Attorney John Pavlock says he won't be seeking the appointment for judge in the Court of Common Pleas, but he's not ruling out running in the next primary election. He says that since Judge John Cleland was nominated to fill a seat on the state Superior Court, he has been asked repeatedly if he would seek the appointment. He said he feels it would be improper to walk away from programs he started when he was elected district attorney while there's still work to do. However, he is considering running in the primary election in the spring. He says he is consulting with family, friends and voters regarding his decision.

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York City police say two men washing windows at a building in downtown Manhattan were killed when the vehicle carrying their lift tipped over. Detective John Sweeney says the accident occurred early Tuesday at the World Financial Center, just across the street from ground zero. He says the men were working when the contraption fell. They were pronounced dead at the hospital. The men, both in their 30s, have not been identified.

A former state lawmaker will escape jail time after pleading guilty to charges that she forged signatures on her nominating petitions. Linda Bebko-Jones, an Erie County Democrat, was sentenced in Dauphin County today to 12 months' probation. She pleaded guilty to charges of making false signatures and statements, conspiracy and making a fraudulent filing. Bebko-Jones resigned in 2006 after questions were raised about the validity of her signatures. Prosecutors say Bebko-Jones and an aide generated the fake signatures in March 2006 by combing the Erie phone book and Bebko-Jones' personal address book.

A Crawford County man has been sentenced 10 years in a federal prison for running one of the largest marijuana-growing rings known to operate in northwestern Pennsylvania. 54-year-old Gary Coulter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in marijuana for growing nearly 1,200 plants with an estimated street value of $1.2 million. Drug agents seized the plants from secret growing spots throughout eastern Crawford County in the summer of 2006.

Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards has announced that Troy D. Smith has been named the County's newest Veterans Service Agency Director. Smith will took over as VSA Director, effective Monday, August 4, 2008. "Troy is an amazing asset for the veterans of Chautauqua County," Edwards said. "He brings a number of skills to the table that will be crucial in the operation of the Veterans Service Agency." The Veterans Service Agency is a part of the New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs. The NYSDVA was created in 1945 as part of the Executive Department to assist veterans, members of the armed forces, their families, and their dependents in securing benefits earned through military service. For more than half a century, the division has been a strong advocate for veterans and veteran issues at the local, state, and national level. "The Chautauqua County VSA has dramatically improved its service to our County's veterans and their families in t...

Pheasant Forever Chapter 630 for North Central Pennsylvania is proud to announce their new web site NorthCentralPA.PheasantsForever.org . Like a living breathing animal, this site will be different every month. Visit our web site to find recipes, past monthly newsletters, wildlife planting rates for seed and equipment and much more. The Calendar page will list meetings, the upcoming banquet, the annual youth hunt and other sporting dates. The annual youth hunting is featured with many pictures from the past. Look for your hunting partner and dog pictures on these pages. The national Pheasant Forever organization also provides many great links for hunting, habitat, news and more. The national PF web site is pheasantsforever.org . ‘We are looking for suggestions to improve this site and keep our members up to date,’ says Jane Bryndel, the web site editor. What do you want to see? Please send all suggestions to janebryndel@msn.com . Feel the need to get involved? Pheasants Foreve...

Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) today sent a letter to President Bush suggesting that he call Congress back into session to act on energy legislation. In the letter, Senator Specter writes that Congress should be using the August recess to legislate on energy “in an effort to deal with the high cost of oil and gasoline at the pump.” Specter writes: “On July 28, 2008 in a floor debate, I challenged Majority Leader Reid directly to keep the Senate in session during August for that purpose. He declined, responding that Republicans would ‘suffer’ more than Democrats because more Republican Senate seats were in jeopardy. I countered with the observation that it wasn’t a matter of whether Republicans or Democrats would ‘suffer’ the most, but that the issue was the suffering of the American people from the high cost of oil and gasoline.” Specter goes on to write: “For months the Senate has been dysfunctional and gridlocked for reasons specified in my op-ed article (copy enclosed) which is pu...

A Salamanca man has pleaded guilty to stealing his stepdaughter’s trust account. 74-year-old William Lisman pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny for stealing the money between August 25, 2006, and last December 13. His 58-year-old stepdaughter was awarded $40,000 after a car accident, and had a special needs bank account. Lisman was listed as a trustee. The woman, who is disabled and lived in Lisman’s household, now lives in an Allegany County nursing home.

Two Allegany County sheriff’s deputies have been suspended, but the sheriff and district attorney aren't releasing many details. 59-year-old John Clouse of Angelica is charged with obstruction of governmental administration. Timothy Histed of Belmont hasn't been charged with a crime, but an investigation is continuing. Clouse was facing disciplinary action by the sheriff internally when he allegedly threatened to go public with things that have taken place in the department in the past 20 years. District Attorney Terrence Parker says Clouse made direct threats to the sheriff, while the sheriff was attempting to take legal authorized steps in the disciplinary process. The incident with Histed involves the FBI. Sheriff WilliamTompkins said he is waiting to see information from the FBI before taking any other steps in the matter. Histed has been suspended for 30 days

A former Mercyhurst College volleyball player has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for suffocating her newborn baby in a campus apartment. Nineteen-year-old Teri Rhodes of Michigan faces a maximum of 10 to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced later this year. Rhodes was a sophomore when she gave birth Aug. 12, 2007. Police say she hid and denied her pregnancy during a team physical two days before giving birth. They say she put the infant in a plastic bag and left her on the floor of a bathtub while she showered. Then Rhodes left her apartment. Authorities say Rhodes had done research on the Internet on topics including "what can kill a fetus" and "herbal abortion techniques."

The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down in Warren County last month. The tornado was classified as an "EF-1," with wind speeds at 90 miles per hour. The storm hit on the night of July 26 in Mead Township. Several residents reported spotting a funnel cloud in the vicinity of Chapman Dam Road and Farnsworth Road, just south of Clarendon. The National Weather Service surveyed the storm damage last week and said there was a clear swath of damaged trees 25 to 50 yards wide and about 250 yards long.

A sign and balloons welcome Specialist John McGriff back to Bradford. McGriff is welcomed by his family. Fred Feightner shakes hands with McGriff after he and John Sullivan of W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery presented the solider with a knife. Bradford High cheerleaders and other members of the community gather on Main Street to welcome McGriff home.

American Idol alum Bucky Covington poses with Erin, the first person in line for a "meet and greet" this morning at the Zippo/Case Visitors Center. Covington will be peforming at the Warren County Fair Tuesday night.

A Geneva, Ohio, man is dead following at ATV accident in Warren County Sunday afternoon. Police say 74-year-old Jack Morris was on the Rocky Gap ATV Trail when the vehicle went out of control while going down a hill and rolled over. Morris was pronounced dead at the scene.

An accused rapist from Clearfield County is behind bars in Kansas. Police had been looking for 43-year-old Sherman Graham since last Monday when he allegedly raped a 4-year-old girl. Police say Graham surrendered Saturday morning when he was pulled over for a traffic violation. Before being stopped in Kansas, Graham was seen in Buffalo, when he stopped at a former girlfriend's house, and in Ohio, where he rammed a gate at a toll booth when he didn't have money to pay the toll.

Thanks to Shawn Murray of Reflecting Memories Photography for sending these photos:

Casey Reist's mother, with Ken Coffman, releases two balloons in honor and memory of her daughter, who died in April in a car accident in Warren. Casey was the head cheerleader for Eisenhower High School and would have been a Big 30 cheerleader. Joan Raabe and Brent Raabe Frank Williams and Barry Morgan

I could have said "Frampton Comes Alive in Salamanca," or "Salamanca Comes Alive for Frampton," or ... Well, you get the idea. But that's been done ... for 32 years ... so I thought I'd try something different. Although Frampton referred to himself as a "geezer," he's still got it -- minus the hair. I haven't had a concert render me practically speechless in a long time. I'm still in awe. I'll probably sleep with my guitar pick under my pillow.

Country recording artist and American Idol alum, Bucky Covington, will make a meet and greet appearance from 11am – 1pm on Monday at the Zippo/Case Visitors Center. The appearance will consist of a photo opportunity and autograph session. His appearance is a result of Zippo’s sponsorship of Covington’s “Throttle Wide Open” tour with Trace Adkins and Dierks Bentley. The public is welcome to attend and the first 30 people in line will have the opportunity to meet Covington, get an autograph, and have a photo taken. The public meet and greet will last from 11:10am – 11:40am. All visitors to the Zippo/Case Visitors Center will have the chance to win tickets to see Covington play live at the Warren County Fair on Tuesday, August 5. Bucky Covington merchandise including Zippo lighters, CDs, and t-shirts will be on sale during the appearance.

Sewage treatment plant operators in Elk and Clearfield counties have been charged with environmental crimes.State Attorney General Tom Corbett says 49-year-old John Forster of Penfield and 55-year-old Donald Rucinski of Weedville submitted 1,497 falsified test results on monthly reports submitted to DEP between January 2006 and October 2007. Forster served as operator of the Huston Township Sewer Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant in Clearfield County, and also served as a back up operator for the Jay Township Municipal Authority Wastewater Treatment plant in Elk County. Rucinski served as the operator of the Jay Township plant. According to the criminal complaint, DEP inspectors determined that the laboratory at the Jay Township plant had only purchased 50% of the supplies necessary to perform certain tests, and had only purchased 25% of the supplies necessary for other testing. Additionally, Corbett said that DEP inspectors determined that nearly every result for fecal coliform ...

McKean County police agencies are warning people about a dramatic increase in home burglaries over the past two months. They say the current trend is to target homes that are for sale, as well as vacant homes. The actors then steal as much copper pipe as they can. Police say they believe most of the burglaries are happening late at night, but some people have been bold enough to park in a vacant garage while breaking into a house and removing the copper pipe. Police say with the price of copper reaching record levels, it is imperative that the public knows about this trend. State police are encouraging people to be aware of suspicious activity around vacant houses, or houses that are for sale, and to report any suspicious activity to police.

The death penalty will take center stage at St. Bonaventure University this fall as the Theater Program will produce the play "Dead Man Walking" and the University welcomes Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J., author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book by the same name. The SBU Theater season opener will run at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5-8 in the Rigas Family Theater of The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on campus. The SBU Theater production of "Dead Man Walking" will be directed by Dr. Ed. Simone, who chairs the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, and designed by Rebecca Misenheimer, assistant professor of theater. Simone chose the play to be the theater program's contribution to St. Bonaventure's 150th Anniversary Celebration because of its strong themes of social justice and non-violence. "Dead Man Walking" is based on the book of the same title by Prejean, who wrote of her early experiences ministering to inmates on Louisiana's death row. Prejean...

Back on July 21, crews were leveling land behind the Foster Brook Crosby Mart to get ready for their "new" store. At that time, Doug Galli of Reid Petroleum said the company isn't ready yet to discuss the plans, but will issue a statement when they are ready.

Twenty-one Japanese students from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s sister college will be seen riding bicycles through the streets of Bradford to immerse themselves in American culture through Aug. 14. The Yokohama College of Commerce students, who arrived at Pitt-Bradford Wednesday (July 30, 2008) with two of their instructors from YCC, will be honing their English as part of Pitt-Bradford’s Summer Intensive English Program. The students will be living on campus and studying English with Gary Tessmer, assistant professor of composition, and Helen Ruggieri, a former assistant professor of writing. Field trips are planned to expose the students to both America and Americana. To help them explore their home in the United States, SIEP rented a bicycle for each student. To encourage their exploration further, the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce developed a “treasure hunt” for students that encourages them to visit downtown businesses and practice their English. “They get a chan...

A Falconer, New York, must pay the government more than a quarter of a million dollars for filing false Social Security claims. Everett Wilson collected nearly 90 thousand dollars in Supplemental Security Income payments, while using a second Social Security number to collect more payments. Wilson received the payments from 1993 to 2006.

A federal judge has again postponed the sentencing of former Bradford landlord Frank Kartesz II, who pleaded guilty in March to taking part in a widespread mortgage-fraud scam in Erie. The sentencing had been scheduled for this morning, but one of his lawyers had a scheduling conflict so the date has been moved to September 11. Kartesz was part of a scheme in which he and others bought rundown houses and sold them at inflated prices. Most of the buyers had low incomes and knew little about buying homes. The government said the victims lost more than $1 million. Kartesz faces up to 35 years in prison, but he will probably receive a lesser sentence because of his guilty plea.

The jury for the case against a Houtzdale man accused of killing his mother will come from outside Clearfield County. Clearfield County Judge Paul Cherry granted a change in venire request in the case against 20-year-old Jesse James Campbell, who is accused of killing his mother, 49-year-old Cindy Jo Coleman in her apartment on March 13. Campbell allegedly argued with his mother about a computer and then went to her home where he hit her several times in the face and slit her throat. After the alleged attack, Campbell sat beside her and read the Bible to her. The jury will be chosen in Mercer County. The trial will be held in Clearfield County.

A woman who was found guilty of killing two Pedestrians in Mahaffey will serve time in state prison. Twenty-three year old Bobbi Jo Morgan of Patton was sentenced to serve 10 years 8 months to 34 years in state prison for her part in the deaths of Bertha Kitchen and her 3-year-old granddaughter. Kitchen and her granddaughter were killed when Morgan swerved off the road and hit the two of them as they were walking from the Post Office in Mahaffey. Morgan was at a methadone clinic prior to driving toward Mahaffey. Expert testimony during the trial said that the methadone in her system, combined with the prescription Valium that she took made her unfit to drive.

By Alex Johnson and Jesamyn Go Reporters, MSNBC Luke Russert, whose eloquent eulogy for his father, the late NBC News journalist Tim Russert, moved many Americans last month, will join the network as a correspondent, NBC News announced Thursday. Russert, 22, a May graduate of Boston College with a degree in history and communications, will cover the youth vote through the national political conventions and the general election, the network said. Russert said he would be an at-large correspondent reporting for many of NBC’s outlets, including “NBC Nightly News,” TODAY, MSNBC and msnbc.com. NBC News made the announcement in rolling out its plans for more than 200 hours of live coverage of the Democratic and Republican national conventions next month. For the full story, go to MSNBC.com

A Potter County homeowner is under investigation after authorities say the person neglected and deprived a horse, dogs and chickens by starving them from food, water and veterinary care. It happened at a home on Dividing Ridge Road in Homer Township. State Police based in Coudersport ask that anyone with information contact their barracks.