Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A former guard at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh who slashed a $1.2 million painting because he didn't like it has been sentenced to house arrest for up to 23 months and ordered to pay $245,000. Twenty-eight-year-old Timur Serebrykov must also perform 500 hours of community service and will be on probation for four years. The painting – "Night Sky 2" by Latvian artist Vija Celmins – is now worth $240,000 less because of the damage.

Bills pending in the state Legislature could change the way municipalities, school districts and agencies required to give public notice of meetings give that public notice. Newspaper advocates say online posting would hinder the public's right to know, eliminate independent verification that public notice was given and would be expensive. Some government officials wonder if the price of print advertising outweighs the benefit, especially as readers turn to the Internet for most of their information. The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania also supports electronic advertising. For more on this story, go to phillyburbs.com

- Some recreation facilities on the Allegheny National Forest (NF) are opening this weekend, thus they will be open for the opening day, 4/18, of trout season according to Forest Supervisor Leanne Marten. Water may not be turned on at many areas. Recreation Areas scheduled to be open for the beginning of fishing season are: · Primitive Campgrounds with vault restrooms: Beaver Meadows, Hearts Content, Minister Creek and Tracy Ridge; · Improved Campgrounds with vault toilets and electric hookups; bathhouses will not be opened due to cold weather: Loleta, Red Bridge, and Twin Lakes; · Boat-to Campgrounds: Allegheny Reservoir-Handsome Lake, Hooks Brook, Hopewell, Morrison, and Pine Grove; Tionesta Reservoir-Tionesta Lake; · Boat Launches: Allegheny Reservoir-Elijah Run, Kiasutha, Roper Hollow, Webbs Ferry, and Willow Bay; Other Boat Launches: Beaver Meadows and Irwin Run on the Clarion River; · Day-Use Areas: Beaver Meadows, Hearts Content, Jakes Rocks Overlook, Loleta, Rimrock Over...

University of Pittsburgh Coach Jamie Dixon has been named the Naismith men's coach of the year after leading the Panthers to a school-record 31 wins and the NCAA tournament regional finals. The sixth-year head coach also guided Pitt to its first-ever top seed in the tournament and the school's first No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25. The Panthers fell short of the Final Four after a loss to Villanova on a last-second layup by Scottie Reynolds.

Police have identified the man charged in the shooting deaths of two people following a robbery at a Subway restaurant in Altoona on Monday. 28-year-old Nicholas Horner faces two counts of criminal homicide. He's in Blair County Jail without bail. Police say Horner shot two workers at Subway, killing one. He ran from the restaurant, then shot another man who was picking up his mail. The Subway employee killed was Scott Garlick, a senior at Hollidaysburg Area High School. For the full story, go to the Altoona Mirror .

KFC is suing one of its suppliers, saying cups used to hold popcorn chicken have caught fire while being reheated in microwave ovens. The complaint says that Paris Packaging “should have reasonably foreseen that KFC customers would reheat their leftover popcorn chicken.” For the full story, go to the Louisville Courier-Journal .

Four people suffered minor injuries in an accident at 6:30 this morning on Route 770 near Pine Acres Country Club. A vehicle driven by 31-year-old Patricia Whitsell of Oil Valley Road in Duke Center went out of control while rounding a curve due to snow and ice on the road, according to state police The vehicle spun around, then hit a large rock and rolled over. Whitsell and her passengers, a 16-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy and a 12-year-old boy were taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center for treatment. The vehicle was towed by Clayt's.

Three Potter County girls have been charged for having a prescription drug at Northern Potter High School. A 16-year-old from Ulysses and 17-year-olds from Genesee Township and Harrison Township allegedly had Tramadol that was not prescribed to any of them. They've been charged by police with disorderly conduct, which is in addition to any discipline from the school. Police say Tramadol is a non-narcotic prescription painkiller which is the reason for the disorderly conduct charge instead of a drug charge.

The man charged with killing three police officers often shared racist and anti-government views on Web sites After the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl, Richard Poplawski dismissed football as nothing but “negroball.” Then, instead of celebrating the victory, he went out and did reconnaissance on how the police tried to control the crowds and posted his findings. For the full story, go to the New York Times .

A Bucks County judge has revoked a sentence of house arrest for a former prosecutor and is sending him to prison for 6 to 23 months for corruption of minors. Anthony Cappuccio, the former chief deputy district attorney for Bucks County, had been sentenced to 23 months of house arrest after pleading guilty to giving alcohol to three teenage boys, smoking marijuana with them and having a consensual sexual relationship with one of them. When revoking the house arrest, the judge said he was dismayed to learn that Cappuccio was walking freely through Doylestown last week during a break in his divorce proceedings in another court.

The state attorney general has filed legal papers seeking to shut down a nonprofit organization founded by a former state senator convicted of using its money for his personal benefit. Attorney General Tom Corbett says the civil suit seeks to provide a complete accounting of the assets of Citizens' Alliance for Better Neighborhoods, founded by former Sen. Vincent Fumo. The suit also seeks the repayment of assets found to have been wasted, mismanaged or misappropriated. For more information, go to the attorney general's Web site .

Plans are being made for the 7th annual Bradford Area Town Wide Garage Sale, which will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2009 beginning at 9 a.m. Registration forms are now available at the Main Street Mercantile, Main Street, Bradford, for individuals and groups who wish to be a part of the event. In the past, more that 50 locations have participated. The deadline to register is Friday, May 8. The event is organized by the Bradford Main Street Program and the Downtown Bradford Business District Authority.

Binghamton gunman Jiverly Voong sent a letter to a Binghamton TV station Friday, the day he killed 13 people and himself. The station received the letter Monday. For more, go to News 10 .

Eight months later, outrage still is evident in this Cattaraugus County community, only now it belongs to the parents of the student’s classmates. They say their children are put at risk because school administrators refuse to protect them from the autistic teenager. For the full story, go to the Buffalo News .

First Niagara Financial Group of Lockport, New York, is buying 57 branches of National City Bank in Erie, Pittsburgh and Warren. PNC Financial Services Group was ordered by the federal government to sell 61 branches before its purchase of the financially troubled bank could be approved late last year. Marquette Savings Bank will buy three National City branches in Crawford County. No information has been released yet on who will buy the remaining branch. The Bradford branch is not being sold.

A 4-year-old boy and his 6-year-old sister are the latest victims in a series of fatal vehicle accidents in Chautauqua County. Monday evening, a car driven by Dr. Steven Ambrusko of Buffalo was on the New York State Thruway in Portland when it went off the road, down an embankment and flipped over. Peter and Katherine Ambrusko were pronounced dead at the scene. Their father is in the Intensive Care Unit at ECMC. Police say the children were riding in the back seat and were in properly restrained booster seats. The cause of the accident is under investigation, but police say weather does not appear to be a factor. Ambrusko is the director of the Hemoglobinopathy Center at Women and Childrens Hospital in Buffalo.

A Genesee man is jailed after being charged with beating a six month-old infant over a six month period. State Police say 21-year-old Robert Fiske is facing numerous charges, including aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. Police say the infant was sent to Pittsburgh’s Children’s Hospital with a fractured skull and multiple fractures of his arm. Fiske is in Potter County jail on $100,000 bail

A substitute teacher for the Ridgway Area School District has surrendered her teaching certificate because of inappropriate contact with a student. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education Web site, Amy M. Renaud surrendered her certificate on February 1 in lieu of discipline. The Web site says the allegations are that Renaud "engaged in inappropriate physical contact and communication with a student that included kissing the student on two occasions and sending inappropriate text messages.” She can re-apply to the Professional Standards Commission for a teaching certificate after a five-year waiting period.

An inmate at the Elk County Prison has been missing since Friday. Douglas Eugene Green had been issued a furlough to attend a funeral in Clarion, and was supposed to return to Elk County by 3 o'clock Friday afternoon. He didn't show up. Green had been sentenced to 180 days in jail for domestic relations contempt.

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director The issue of Foster Township employees – including supervisor Cary Kaber – doing work on a project that wasn't put out for bid was a topic of discussion again at Monday's supervisors' meeting. Contractor Bob Baker said it violates the Second Class Township Code because a township supervisor is using his position for monetary gain. "I don't want Cary Kaber lining his pockets at the taxpayers' expense because he wants to circumvent the process and not be fair and bid it like he's supposed to," Baker said. Supervisor Bob Slike said, from now on, they'll bid out even the smallest of projects even if it would cost less to have Kaber do them. Baker said that's not the point. "Now you're kind of turning this into me wanting to cost the taxpayers more money and it ain't about that," Baker said. "I want to keep the system honest. That's what I want to do. And if that requires that you d...

A New York appeals court has upheld the life sentence of a militant abortion opponent who admitted killing a Buffalo-area doctor. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said today all of the issues raised by James Kopp on appeal were without merit. Kopp was sentenced in June 2007 for the sniper-style shooting of Dr. Barnett Slepian in the kitchen of his Amherst home. Kopp's lawyers claimed a trial judge erred by preventing him from asserting that he was saving children's lives by preventing abortions. The appeals court disagreed

Dr. Marvin Thomas, professor of history at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, will speak on the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Suez Canal, one of the world’s major waterways, on April 14. The lecture, “Nothing so Successful as Success: The Suez Canal,” begins at 8 p.m. in Rice Auditorium in Fisher Hall. A part of the university’s Spectrum Series, this is the 33rd year Thomas has presented his popular historical talk. Located in northeastern Egypt, the 101-mile long artificial waterway joins the Mediterranean and Red seas. Ships from America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania heavily use the mostly single-laned Suez Canal to trade goods, bypassing a voyage around Africa. In the 13th century B.C., an Egyptian pharaoh ordered the site to be dug between the Nile River delta and the Red Sea. After years of neglect, the ancient Suez Canal ceased to function in the 8th century A.D. French-owned Suez Canal Co. excavated the site on April ...

HARRISBURG-Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren/Forest/McKean) again raised several concerns regarding the governor's proposed implementation of a new $210 million system of high school Graduation Competency Assessments (GCAs) during a joint House Republican Education and Policy committee hearing last Wednesday featuring testimony presented by State Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak. Broadcast to a statewide audience on the Pennsylvania Cable Network, Rapp opened her blunt, straightforward questioning of Zahorchak by once again stressing that: "I agree with you that Pennsylvania's public school system is failing to teach far too many students how to read. Rather than providing the solution, the graduation competency test is a method of punishing our children for an educational system that has repeatedly failed them." If adopted, all Pennsylvania high school students would be required to pass a GCA test demonstrating their proficiency in English, math, science and social stud...

A Salamanca teacher who had sex with two teenagers and showed indecent material on a computer to two other minors has pleaded guilty to sodomy and disseminating indecent material to minors. 43-year-old Michael DuPont was a seventh grade teacher in Salamanca when the incidents happened. As a condition of the plea, he is required to surrender his teaching license to the New York State Education Department. He had sex with the teenagers in February and May of 2002. He showed the minors the material on the computers in January of 2007. DuPont will be sentenced on June 15.

Kristin Asinger, a visiting professor of sports medicine at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, shows girls a model of a human eye at the GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math and Science) Squad workshop sponsored by the Pitt-Bradford Saturday. About 40 middle school girls from Floyd C. Fretz, St. Bernard, Ridgway, Smethport, St. Marys and Cameron County middle schools attended a day of hands-on sessions conducted by Pitt-Bradford faculty and the Science in Motion staff. In addition to learning about the human body, the girls could take workshops in nursing, math and more. ( Photo courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford )

Governor Ed Rendell today ordered all Pennsylvania flags at commonwealth facilities throughout the state to be flown at half staff through and including Saturday, April 11, to honor three Pittsburgh city police officers who were killed in the line of duty on Saturday, April 4. ~~~~~ Governor David Paterson has directed that flags on State government buildings across New York be flown at half-staff on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, in honor of the victims of the tragedy at Binghamton’s American Civic Association on Friday, April 3, 2009. Governor Paterson said: “On behalf of all New Yorkers, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families, loved ones and friends of the victims of this terrible tragedy. While we may never understand this senseless act of violence, our arms and our hearts must be opened to comfort those whose lives were forever changed. “In the months that follow, our responsibility as citizens is to not only console those who are suffering, but to devo...

Mike Cejka. While WESB and HERO listeners have been able to hear Mike for the last couple of months, WIVB viewers haven't been able to see him. He hasn't been on Channel 4 since he fell on some ice and broke his ankle on February 1. He tells us he expects to be ready for "Wake Up!" at 5 a.m. Tuesday -- just in time for an April snowstorm.

Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Samuel Wong and featuring violinist Philippe Quint, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, at St. Bonaventure University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. The concert is being presented by Friends of Good music in association with The Quick Center. The program promises to be a “crowd pleaser,” said Joseph A. LoSchiavo, executive director of The Quick Center, noting Quint will perform the rhapsodic Violin Concerto in D-Major by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The evening will also feature the popular symphony “From the New World” by Dvořák. “The Czech composer Antonin Dvořák’s ‘Symphony from the New World’ has become one of the most popular pieces of classical music among American audiences,” said LoSchiavo. “And we are fortunate to hear the dynamic Philippe Quint’s rendition of Korngold’s Violin Concerto before he records it for Naxos Records later this year. The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra’s concerts at The Quick Center are firmly establis...

Four people have been charged with hindering police while they were looking for Charles Tubbs. Tubbs was wanted on a warrant for assaulting his girlfriend when he was shot and killed by police after a chase last Wednesday night in Warren. Tubbs' girlfriend Lawanda Collins-Haines, along with Fred Kearney Jr., Brian Emerson and Jason Baribeau were charged today with hindering apprehension for concealing Tubbs' whereabouts. Kearney was also charged with making false reports to police. He is accused of driving Tubbs to Cleveland after the assault and later telling police that his vehicle and a weapon had been stolen.

A crew from C.A. Norris works on the new fuel island at the Foster Brook Crosby's Monday afternoon. During Thursday's Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, Doug Galli, vice president and general manager of Reid Stores Inc., said the store should start selling gasoline again in a couple of weeks. Crosby's is the chamber's large business of the year.

Brad Mason and the McKean County Sheriff's Department were featured in a recent edition of the National Rifle Association's "The Eagle Eye." The article featured Mason's gun safety programs presented to McKean County school children, with the help of Eddie Eagle. The GunSafe programs have also been presented at the Kinzua Outdoor and Travel Show, McKean County Fair and LEAF Day at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Pictured, Eddie Eagle with Smokey Bear at the Kinzua Outdoor and Travel Show.

Pennsylvania's conservation districts will no longer have sole authority in monitoring Marcellus Shale drilling. The Department of Environmental Protection has issued a memo to the 66 county conservation districts across the state saying some of the responsibilities for reviewing erosion and sedimentation control permits for construction of well pads, pipe lines, and access roads for Marcellus Shale gas wells will be handed over to the DEP regional offices. The memo says the change was an effort to streamline the process needed to get the wells up and running and to maximize efficiency. Previously, the conservation districts had been reviewing the erosion and sedimentation control permits for sites that would have more than 5 acres of land disturbed by construction of the wells.

Documents show that in 2006, facing a stiff challenge in an election that (State Rep. Bill) DeWeese nearly lost, his campaign tapped a state-paid computer consultant - a key figure in the Bonusgate probe - to perform a long list of political tasks. Among other duties, that consultant crafted fund-raising invitations and sent out blast e-mails to constituents in DeWeese's district in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania. For the full story, go to the Philadelphia Inquirer .

UPDATE: Sentencing has been postponed so Judge Larry Himelein can review a defense motion to set aside the guilty plea. The Salamanca man accused of killing his 3-year-old daughter will be sentenced today in Cattaraugus County Court. 27-year old Guy Maybee admitted causing injuries that led to the death of Ianna Maybee in March of 2008. She suffered broken bones, internal injuries and bleeding in her brain before she died. Maybee could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The man serving a 12-year sentence for knowingly infecting at least 13 women with HIV in the late 1990s will not be let out on parole. Nushawn Williams, who now goes by the name Shyteek Johnson was eligible for parole today but the New York State Department of Corrections Web site lists his earliest release date as April 13, 2010. The women he infected were in the Jamestown area. One of them has full-blown AIDS. He claims he doesn't remember being told by the state Health Department that he was HIV positive.

The former Bradford landlord who's in prison for his part in a mortgage fraud scheme has been banned from ever working in Pennsylvania's mortgage industry. The state Department of Banking filed "orders of prohibition" against 41-year-old Frank Kartesz II, meaning that he can't work with mortgages in any capacity whatsoever. Kartesz and his business partners bought run-down houses and sold them at inflated prices. They scammed the victims out of more than $1 million. Kartesz pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy and was sentenced in September to three-year and seven months in federal prison. He's is serving that sentence at the federal prison in Morgantown, W.Va.

"First, you have to understand what the problem is with Marcellus water. For discharge, it has high dissolved solids and it's got one constituent which is very toxic, which is barium," chief chemist and co-owner Timothy Keister said. "Those are the two things that stop you from just being able to dump it into the creek." ProChemTech's process removes the toxic barium from the flowback water, and also removes most of the scale forming minerals, allowing the water to be reused in the hydrofracturing process. For the full story, go to the Courier-Express .

A dozen area residents hiked into the remains of the Smokeless Powder plant and Aetna Picric plant Saturday near Route 46 outside of Emporium. Inez Jordan of Emporium looks at what is left of one of the structures. With the onset of World War I, explosives had been in great demand in Europe, giving Emporium the opportunity for growth and the nickname “Powder City." The Cameron County Genealogy Club sponsored the trek. A dozen area residents hiked into the remains of the Smokeless Powder plant and Aetna Picric plant Saturday near Route 46 outside of Emporium. Cameron County Genealogy Club leader Wendy Davis takes a picture of one of the structures. With the onset of World War I, explosives had been in great demand in Europe, giving Emporium the opportunity for growth and the nickname “Powder City." The genealogy club sponsored the trek. ( Photos provided by Alex Davis )

Pennsylvania Ross Nicholson, Kane Area High School 6’2” 220lbs. Fullback, Defensive End Ross will attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania to study Secondary Education and play football. Ross’s honors include; Selected to the All-State team 3 times, 3 time AML All-Star, 2 time D-9 Defensive Player of the Year, 2 time Big 30 All-Star, 2008 Big 30 Defensive Player of the Year, 2007 All State Defensive Player of the year in Class A. Ross was asked why he would like to play in the Big 30 Classic and he said, “for the chance to play High School football one more time with teammates and competitors that I have played with and against since I started playing at age 9 years old.” Ross’s biggest thrill came was playing in the state semifinals his junior year. Dillan Holden, Sheffield Area High School 5’11” 200lbs. Tight End, Middle Linebacker Dillan’s future is undecided at that time but would like to pursue a career in motorcycle mechanics. Dillan is an Honor Roll stu...

A fire destroyed Dale's Barber Shop in Eldred Sunday morning. A state police fire marshal says the fire started in a rear bedroom on the first floor of the two-story building at 157 Main Street. The fire was caused by an electrical malfunction. Dale Southard owned the building. Damage is estimated at $100,000. For more information, and photos, go to the Star Hose Company or the Austin Volunteer Fire Department .

Week in Review 3/29 to 4/05

My prediction is: a repeat.

A Westline man is accused of helping to destroy the inside of a home whose owner is in a nursing home. Last week, 20-year-old Douglas Hepfner was with two juveniles who smashed china, spray painted walls and broke light fixtures, among other things. Hepfner and the juveniles also climbed onto the roof of the house on El Day Drive, where Hepfner defecated and cleaned himself with his T-shirts. He left the T-shirts behind, and police recovered them. He's in jail on $20,000 bail.

Nearly 500 million tons of low-use wood, poor quality or damaged wood are estimated to exist in Pennsylvania's forests. The portion of this resource that is available economically could be used more extensively in an environmentally friendly way as an alternative energy resource. "Pennsylvania has an exceptional opportunity to look at homegrown alternatives to meet our energy needs," said (Agriculture Secretary Dennis) Wolff. "Using renewable materials like low-use wood as fuel sources will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, keeping more of our hard-earned money at home benefiting our local communities rather than sending those dollars abroad." For more information, click HERE .

Three police officers were killed and two others were injured in a shooting in Pittsburgh's Stanton Heights neighborhood Saturday morning, where as many as 70 to 80 rounds may have been fired. For continuing coverage, including live reports from the scene, go to WTAE-TV .

A black lab named Barley has been missing for 2 days. He was last seen in the South Union Street area of Olean near Reid's Food Barn. He was wearing a blue color and he's very friendly. If you see him, call Tricia at 598-2121.

“These are the rarest and most valuable pieces of Walt Disney art in existence,” said Ed Summer, founder and president of the Buffalo International Film Festival, which is presenting the daylong celebration to mark the 80th anniversary of Mickey Mouse. “They represent the first known drawings of Mickey Mouse as a fully defined character. For more information, go to the Buffalo News .

Part of Route 219 near Brockport in Horton Township was closed for about two hours because of a motor vehicle accident. The accident happened at 8:50 a.m. The road was re-opened at around 11 a.m. The investigating state trooper will release more information on the accident as soon as possible.

(CNN) -- Three police officers were shot in Pittsburgh on Saturday, as they responded to a domestic call, Allegheny County police said. A gunman is apparently holed up inside a home in the Stanton Heights neighborhood of the western Pennsylvania city. The conditions of the officers were not known. Police couldn't say whether the officers struck were from the city, the county or other departments. City, county and state police officers were at the scene. CNN affiliate WTAE reported that as many as 80 shots have been fired between people in the house and officers Get more, including live coverage, from WTAE-TV .

A truck driver hit a disabled trailer on Interstate 90 near Erie on Friday, dumping 43,000 pounds of salsa onto the highway. State police say a 1998 Freightliner hit part of a box trailer that had bent and stopped, partially blocking the right westbound lane of Interstate 90. The crash scattered boxes of salsa across the road near Route 20. No one was hurt. The right lane was partially blocked. It took a crew of eight men several hours to move the salsa to the side of the highway. No word on if anyone brought tortilla chips to the scene.

The former firefighter accused of setting two fires in the arson-plagued community of Coatesville says he has an alibi: He was buying drugs. During a preliminary hearing for 37-year-old Robert Tracey Jr., an investigator testified that Tracey told police he wasn't at the scenes on the night of the blazes because he had gone to buy cocaine. For the full story, go to the Philadelphia Inquirer .

The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for the entire region until 4 o'clock this afternoon. Some areas can expect sustained winds of 20 to 30 miles an hour with gusts up to 50 miles an hour. Winds this strong can cause minor property damage.

The state Senate put the final okay on New York's $132 billion budget Friday - three days past the deadline. The state budget increases spending by $10.5 billion, or 8.7%, and imposes $8 billion in new fees and taxes while closing a record $17.7 billion deficit. It also repeals much of the tough Rockefeller-era drug laws, adds bottled water to the 5-cent bottle deposit law, and eliminates a property tax rebate check. State Senator Cathy Young is unhappy with the budget, and voted "no" on all the bills. She says she hopes Governor David Paterson vetoes the bill. He is expected to sign the budget bill.

A Hinsdale man considered AWOL from the US Army is being held without bail in Cattaraugus County Jail. Sheriff's deputies arrested 27-year-old Nathan Michael Joy in Hinsdale about 7:30 last night on a warrant from the Army. He was arraigned in the Town of Olean and sent to jail.

“Earlier today (Friday), I spoke with Vice President Joe Biden, who wished to extend his, President Obama’s and First Lady Michelle Obama’s condolences and prayers to the families of those who were affected by today’s shooting, and all citizens of Binghamton, the Southern Tier and New York State. “On behalf of all New Yorkers, I would like to express our profound outrage at this senseless act of violence, where innocent people were killed, injured and traumatized. This is the worst tragedy in the history of this great city. It is time for all of us to come together and end this cycle of senseless violence. “The American Civic Association was established for those who wanted to become citizens of the United States of America. This place was a haven for those who wanted to be part of the American Dream. Today, that dream was tragically thwarted. But there still is an American Dream, and all of us who are Americans, or who want to become Americans, will now try to heal the very deep wound...

Pennsylvania soldiers were first to respond to a coalition air strike that killed one alleged insurgent and injured two more Thursday night near Taji, Iraq. Four armed Iraqi men were spotted placing an improvised explosive near an important intersection, according to the Multi-National Division in Iraq. The division called an air strike to the location. Soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade Combat team were first to respond after the strike. The soldiers administered first aid to the two wounded Iraqis and took them for medical treatment and interrogation. The man killed in the strike was turned over to local authorities for identification. Soldiers didn't find the fourth alleged insurgent in the area. National Guard troops from the Bradford Armory are members of the team.

(CNN) -- A lone gunman killed at least 13 people and himself Friday in an immigration services center in Binghamton, New York, in what officials are calling the "most tragic day in Binghamton's history." The gunman drove a car to the back of American Civic Association building to block the exit and entered the front of the building, where he shot two receptionists, Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski said. More from CNN .

By Ruth Gentilman Peterson Director of Communications Last week CEO J. Gary Rhodes announced that KCH is bringing Rehabilitation Services back in-house with a highly skilled team headed by Joseph Sorg, PT, Ph.D. New equipment has arrived and the new KCH Rehab Services is open for business with the full spectrum of services. This week, Senior Leader of Patient Care Services and Director of Nursing Pam Bray, RN has announced the following members of the team: Jim Bell, OTR/L, Ph.D., Occupational Therapist received his Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Denver, his MS in Occupational Therapy from D’Youville College, Buffalo and Ph.D. in Occupational Therapy, Healthcare Administration from Brentwick University in London, England. Deanna Gardner, Physical Therapy Assistant, received her Associate Degree in Science from The Pennsylvania State University. Don Zilkofski, Physical Therapy Aide, has been a part of the rehabilitation team at KCH for nearly twenty years. Ann Kane, PT...

Senator Cathy Young (R,I,C-Olean) today fought to restore STAR rebate checks to homeowners through an amendment that was voted down by the Senate Democrats. “Our property taxpayers need and deserve relief. This budget was put together in secret by three men in a room from New York City who don’t seem to care about the huge tax burden our homeowners are forced to shoulder. “Every fall, households across the state have come to rely on those checks for things like school clothes, groceries and other necessities,” said Senator Young. “What was once offered as needed property tax relief gets turned into yet another property tax burden that many families in upstate New York simply cannot afford.” Senate Republicans initiated the STAR rebate check program, which provide a yearly check mailed directly to homeowners to help ease the burden of skyrocketing property taxes, in 2006. Sen. Young said the amendment proposed today would have provided an additional $4.2 millio...

Dr. Helene Lawson, professor of sociology at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford who has taken tap dance lessons for five years, wrote a paper about her experience and those of other dancers, which has been published in an arts journal from England. Lawson’s paper, “Why Dance? The Motivations of an Unlikely Group of Dancers,” was published in the Winter 2008/2009 edition of Music and Arts in Action, which is published by the University of Exeter. In her paper, Lawson explains that she undertook the study because she wanted to know why amateur dancers dance. She interviewed 75 adult dance students, including the dancers in her tap dance group in Bradford, and also visited private dance studios across the country, including studios in Redondo Beach, Calif., Nashville, Tenn., and Chicago, Ill. In addition to addressing why people dance, Lawson also writes about how dancers are affected by recitals, which she said are emotional roller coasters, and...

Warren Police Officer Brian Gulnac has been exonerated in connection to the shooting death of a man Wednesday night. Police were attempting to pick up Charles Tubbs on a warrant for simple assault and reckless endangerment when he led them on a chase from West Fifth Avenue to Beech Street, where he crashed his vehicle. During a news conference this afternoon, District Attorney Ross McKierman said a police video captured part of the incident. McKiernan says after the crash Tubbs immediately began firing at Gulnac with a .22-caliber rifle and hit his police cruiser twice. Gulnac returned fire, and hit Tubbs in the chest and head. McKeirnan says Tubbs had 49 rounds of live ammunition in his pockets.

The head of a Philadelphia nonprofit organization is accused of using more than $400,000 in state taxpayer money intended for poor children and the elderly s to finance his lavish lifestyle. Tyron B. Ali is charged with more than 2,000 counts of forgery, theft, tampering, deception and other crimes. A grand jury recommended the charges after hearing testimony that Ali spent the money on Caribbean travel, fancy clothes and more. For more information, go to the attorney general's Web site .

From the US Forest Service: Snow banks are receding, the afternoon sun warms the air, and the green leaves of leeks are peeking from the earth where the snow just melted. The arrival of leeks (Allium sp.), or “ramps” as they are sometimes called, signal spring. “Is it legal or not to dig leeks on the Allegheny National Forest (NF)?” This is one of the questions frequently asked by the public in the springtime. According to Forest Service Law Enforcement, leeks may be legally picked without a permit for personal consumption on most lands within the Allegheny NF. Personal consumption means picking what you will use for yourself and your family. “…legally picked without a permit” is called ‘Incidental Free Use Without a Permit’. Persons picking leeks for personal consumption may not sell or exchange any portion of the leek plant. If you pick leeks under ‘Use Without a Permit’, then exercise reasonable care to sustain leeks into the future for your grandchildren to pick. You can ...

“It’s exploitative,” said Councilman Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn), who is planning a protest outside Obama Fried Chicken restaurant Monday if its green awning is not removed. “It's like saying Obama is a watermelon lover.” For the full story, go to amNewYork .

The gunman, a 42-year-old from Upstate New York, is among the dead. Authorities will hold a news conference soon. MSNBC has identifed the shooter has Jiverly Voong. Statement from New York Governor David Paterson: “This is a tragic day for New York. While the situation is still developing and details are being gathered, we do know that a gunman entered the American Civic Association in Binghamton this morning and that there are fatalities. We are monitoring the situation and I have directed the State Police to assist the Binghamton Police Department in any way they can. “I speak for all of New York when I offer my prayers for the victims and families of this tragedy.” For more information, go to CNN . Authorities say at least 12 people may be dead in a shooting in Binghamton, New York. That's according to Bob Joseph of radio station WNBF , which is located just a few blocks from the American Civic Association building where the incident is taking place. The suspect is described as...

An Indiana University of Pennsylvania student was shot in the stomach outside an off-campus Indiana bar this morning and was taken into surgery several hours ago. Justin D. McCoy, 21, of Springfield, Va., is in fair condition at Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown. For the full story, go to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .

It was one year ago today that 10 members of one family, and a family friend, died in a house fire in Brockway – and investigators still don't know what caused the blaze. Brockway Fire Chief Kris Benson told Brockway Borough Council Thursday night that he met with the fire marshal last week and there is still no answer. Benson told council members that everyone may have to come to the realization that they may never get a definitive answer.

The attorney for a father accused of hosting a teen drinking party that included a high school cheerleader dancing – in uniform – on a stripper pole says his client will plead guilty to some of the charges. 36-year-old Steven Russo of Bethlehem has agreed to plead guilty to selling or furnishing alcohol to minors, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors. As part of the deal, prosecutors dropped charges of intimidation of a witness and criminal conspiracy. Court documents say that a photo surfaced on Facebook showing a 16-year-old Freedom cheerleader drinking and pole dancing while another shows two underage girls kissing Russo. For more on this story, go to the Allentown Morning Call .

The Bradford City Firefighters annual Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for Saturday has been postponed until April 11 because of the weather. It will be at 11 a.m. at Callahan Park next Saturday.

A Philadelphia-area man is being held on charges that he bit and slashed his fiancée in a rage over the way she made his meatball sandwich. Superintendent John Reilly Jr. of the George W. Hill Correctional Facility says, "Wait until he gets a load of the prison food." For the full story, go to the Philadelphia Daily News

The West Michigan Whitecaps minor league baseball team is offering a 4,800-calorie cheeseburger on its ballpark menu that has been branded a "dietary disaster." The four pound meal has five beef patties, five slices of cheese, nearly a cup of chili, Fritos, salsa, nacho cheese, sour cream and lettuce and tomato all on an eight inch sesame-seed bun. For the full story, go to KVAL-TV .

BRADFORD, Pa. (CNNMoney.com) -- Six months ago this oil town in Western Pennsylvania was booming. You couldn't find a worker to paint a house, let alone man a drill rig. The nearby oil fields buzzed with activity as high prices drove a production frenzy. Now this boomtown's bustle is as quiet as the surrounding late-winter forest. For the full story, including comments from Shawn Keane and Willard Cline, go to CNN.com . Embedded video from CNNMoney.com Video Thanks to Pat Creighton!

Ten days ago we told you about the "Zombies Ahead" warning sign in suburban Philadelphia. Now Buffalo-area motorists are being warned. The "warning" on a construction sign outside of Canisius College on Main Street appeared Thursday morning. Watch the video from WIVB-TV or read the story HERE .

"Without out doubt, there is no issue more important today. The No. 1 issue we have is restoring respect and trust back into the Legislature that we once had," said Scarnati, who is the Senate's president pro tempore and the state's lieutenant governor. For the story, go to the Lancaster New Era .

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director The Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year says when you're trying to make changes, it doesn't matter how big you are. What matters is how dedicated you are. American Refining Group CEO Harvey Golubock asked everyone at the chamber's annual meeting Thursday night to step back to 1997 – the year Harry Halloran bought the refinery from Witco. "It was a frightening time," Golubock said. "The community was afraid and downtrodden. Closure of the refinery meant the loss of many high-paying jobs. Repercussions throughout the community would be felt far and wide." But, he said, because small group of concerned businessmen was determined to not sit back and watch Bradford die – "That was then and this is now." Since then, ARG has invested $50 million into the refinery and has bought three trucking companies and an oil production business. "All this from a company that most of the indus...

Change is what you get when you give more than what is required. ~~Diane Sheeley Executive Director, Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce Think about it -- and think about the people you know who are giving more than required.

Police have been investigating the Lockes Hill area of Wilcox for a week, but haven't said yet exactly what they're looking into. State Police Information Officer Bruce Morris says there is nothing to report while they are still in the investigation stage, but they will release some information soon because of the "buzz" and rumors caused by the police presence. Local, state and federal officials, including a state police forensics van, have been spotted in the area. Along with marked state police cruisers, a truck with government plates and US Forest Service Department of Agriculture vehicles have been parked along Lockes Hill.

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, introduced legislation this week that will amend the Small Business Act by allowing third parties the opportunity to provide high-quality distance training and education to potential and existing entrepreneurs through the use of technology. The Educating Entrepreneurs through Today’s Technology Act of 2009 (H.R. 1807), will particularly benefit rural communities, by enabling access through technology, the ability to utilize the resources of the Small Business Administration and the sixty-three Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) throughout the country. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and our rural communities,” said Thompson, a Member of the House Small Business Committee. “So while the Governor zeroed out funding in the state budget for the Community Education Councils, who supply critical services to both small businesses and distance education in areas of need, this legislation will allow ac...

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced the arrest of more than 200 Internet predators since the creation of the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit in January 2005, including recent arrests in Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Altoona, Chambersburg, the Harrisburg area and New Jersey. Corbett identified the defendants as: Carlos Ramon Harrison, 35, 4660 Sycamore Grove Road, Chambersburg. Timothy Edward Weidinger, 31, 416 Bach Ave., Greensburg. William L. Marcus, 46, 5904 Coventry Way, Mount Laurel, NJ. Timothy W. Senich, 61, 1112 Muldowney Ave., Pittsburgh. Abraham Sarver, 22, 308 Pine Ave., Altoona. Charles Aurelio Giuliani, 33, 79 Harvestview, Elizabethville. Robert A. Barner, 46, 569 Chesterfield Court, Harrisburg "The most recent arrests by the Child Predator Unit stretch from one end of Pennsylvania to the other," Corbett said. "They include men accused of traveling to meet children for sex, sending nude photos or videos to what they believed were yo...

Paying tribute to its namesake, the Thomas Merton Center at St. Bonaventure University was rededicated during a special ceremony Wednesday. The Merton Center is home to the campus ministry team and offices for Mt. Irenaeus, Bona Buddies, the Warming House, the Franciscan Center for Social Concern, and the Journey Project. Located at the center of campus, it is a place where students gather for relaxing, cooking, socializing, mentoring and spiritual counseling. “The beauty of what goes on here and flows out of here is a blessing,” said Robert Donius, vice president for University Ministries. In a 1966 letter to a St. Bonaventure alumnus, Thomas Merton noted that, “St. Bonaventure represented one of the happiest times of my life.” Merton, considered one of the most distinguished spiritual masters of the 20th century, taught English at what was then St. Bonaventure College in 1940 and 1941. As he revealed in “The Seven Storey Mountain,” Merton discerned his monastic vocation while he work...