Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The City of Bradford and University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Police departments were among those presented with awards by the AAA today. Both departments received Bronze Community Traffic Safety Awards. The St. Marys Police Department, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department and Jamestown barracks of the New York State Police received platinum awards. The Warren and Youngsville police departments received gold awards and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office received a silver award. “We are proud of all these departments for their achievement and participation in the Community Traffic Safety Program,” said Terri Rae Anthony, AAA East Central Safety Advisor. “They went above and beyond the call of duty by organizing projects to make their communities safer places for motorists and residents.” To be eligible for the annual awards, a community must conduct traffic safety promotions and educate the public on safety topics. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

City of Bradford Police didn’t get a day of rest on Sunday. They answered calls about disturbances on Center and Elm streets as well as Oakwood Avenue, a fight on Mechanic Street and harassment on Main, Mill, High and South Center streets, as well as Linwood Avenue. Officers investigated reports of thefts on Boylston, East Main and South Center streets and a motor vehicle accident on Davis Street. Police also got complaints about an animal on Congress Street, littering on Poplin Avenue and suspicious activity on East Main Street. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

City of Bradford Police answered a number of calls on Friday including a report of a hit & run on Jackson Avenue, disorderly conduct on Bushnell Street and a domestic incident on Main Street. Officers also checked on the welfare of several people, and checked out a report of harassment on Interstate Parkway. They also looked into a couple of traffic and parking problems on Interstate Parkway. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Just last month City of Bradford Police Officer Butch Bartlett updated the school board on safety procedures within the Bradford Area School District. He said the district and area law enforcement have been proactive in developing the procedures. You can hear Bartlett's presentation to the school board here: Bartlett by wesbnews1 The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

City of Bradford Police were kept busy in the downtown area over the weekend. They answered calls about disturbances at a Main Street restaurant and on High and Amm streets; fights on West Washington and Barbour streets; and disorderly conduct at a Mechanic Street business and on Elm and South Center streets. Also, according to the police log, officers received reports about public drunkenness on West Washington Street and a suspicious person on Main Street. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police were kept busy with a variety of calls on Thursday. They looked into a report of child abuse on Lincoln Avenue and checked on the welfare of people on Mechanic Street and Interstate Parkway. Officers got reports of disorderly conduct on Bushnell Street and Interstate Parkway; a domestic disturbance on East Main Street; and harassment by communication on Pearl Street. They also served a warrant on Tibbetts Avenue and issued a traffic citation on South Avenue, along with handling administrative tasks, and answering calls about alarms sounding, according to the police log faxed to WESB and The Hero. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Case Collectors Reunion continues today on Owens Way, and several other events are also planned. The FOP craft & vendor fair starts at 10 a.m. at the Bradford Township Lions Club. It also includes demonstrations by area police and fire departments, a fly-in by a Stat MedEvac helicopter and the world famous Bradford Township Lions Club chicken barbecue. For more information and a schedule of events go to www.Facebook.com/1490wesb . The 15th annual Kids and Cancer Benefit Motorcycle Run starts at noon. Registration starts at 9:45 in the Zippo parking lot on Congress Street. One of the stops will be the Kinzua Sky Walk. This is the anniversary of the day a tornado knocked down the Kinzua Viaduct. After the run, a block party will be held on Mechanic Street, where the winner of the Harley of Hope will be announced. You don’t have to participate in the motorcycle run to attend the block party. Also today, Habitat for Humanity is hosting a spaghetti dinner from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Fi...

No need to worry about a little rain washing out all the events scheduled for this weekend. They’re all going on rain or shine. Frank Williams is at the Case Collectors Reunion and will give us live updates all morning. Later, he’ll be at the CARE for Children Motorcycle Show in downtown Bradford. Tomorrow is the annual Kids and Cancer Benefit Motorcycle Run, which is also going on rain or shine. You can hear more about that on a special Friday edition of 1490 WESB’s LiveLine at 12:35 p.m. Tomorrow is also the F-O-P craft and vendor fair, which includes the world famous Bradford Township Lions Club chicken barbecue. That’s also going on rain or shine. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Today is National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor the memory of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Among those taking part in ceremonies today at Bradford Area High School were Phillip Hoh, retired, of the St. Marys Police Department; BAHS criminal justice students Natalie Munn, Jordan Graffius and Jacob Sirline; and Officer Butch Bartlett, Bradford City Police Department. Back row,Officer Jeff Shade, Bradford Township Police Department; State Representative Marty Causer; criminal justice students Carrygan Jordan, Justin Reams and Shane Acton; and McKean County District Attorney Ray Learn. Pennsylvania officers killed in the line of duty during 2011 included Deputy Sheriff Kyle D. Pagerly of the Berks County Sheriff’s Department; Police Officer Robert A. Lasso of Freemansburg Borough Police Department; Police Officer Derek Kotecki of City of Lower Burrell Police Department; and Police Officer John David Dryer of East Washington Borough Police Department. Photo pr...

Four area Police Departments received Platinum Awards from AAA for their community traffic safety efforts, according to officials at AAA East Central. Five local departments earned Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards. The Platinum awards were given to “Commendable Leaders” for their safety efforts and enforcement activities geared towards making communities safer. The recipients of the prestigious awards were the Jamestown and St. Mary’s Police Departments, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department and New York State Police, Zone 3, Jamestown Station. The departments were among hundreds nationwide that participated in the Community Traffic Safety Program. Warren County Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Department, Bradford and Youngsville Police Departments earned a Silver Award. The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Police Department achieved a Bronze Medal. “We are very proud of the departments for their achievement and participation in the Community Traffic Safety Program,” sa...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Delta Development Group is recommending something many people in Bradford have been suggesting for years: Taking code enforcement out of the fire department. That was one of the many recommendations the consultants made during a presentation Wednesday night concerning their work with the city in the Early Intervention Program for financially troubled cities in the state. “(Code enforcement) does not belong in the fire department,” said Deborah Grass of Delta. “We don’t think it makes a whole lot of sense for trained firefighters to be looking for high grass and weeds and garbage and junk cars and those kinds of things.” Grass made it clear that Delta was not doing performance reviews of personnel or departments; they were concentrating on the financial aspects of all city departments. Before the presentation Mayor Tom Riel stressed that while some recommendations in Delta’s report have already been implemented, not every one will be. “Just becau...

Charges have been filed against two men accused of breaking into Save-A-Lot on Forman Street on April 7. 21-year-old Axle Tankersley and 22-year-old Ouinton Mills, both of Bradford, are each charged with burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary, both felonies. They are also facing misdemeanor theft and conspiracy charges. Bradford City Police Chief Chris Lucco says the photo of one of the suspects that was released to the media last week “received an enormous response, which solidified the department’s feeling that the suspect in the photo was Axle Tankersley.” Lucco says while serving a search warrant at Tankersley last known address to look for evidence of the crime, officers discovered evidence to link the residence to another recent burglary at Matthews Services Station, where tools and other miscellaneous items had been stolen. He says after Tankersley was taken into custody he cooperated with police and provided a detailed account of the events, including the identity of Mills....

Investigators are still looking into the cause of a fire that damaged a vacant School Street House Wednesday afternoon. The building owned by Guilder Investments of Springville, New York, has been unoccupied since March 6, according to a news release sent to WESB and The HERO. Bradford City firefighters were able to contain the fire to the basement area of the building. Damage is estimated at $10,000. Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call Bradford City Police at 368-6133 or the State Police Fire Marshal at 776-6136.

The following letter was sent to WESB/WBRR Monday morning: The police officers of the City of Bradford Police Department would like to clarify some misleading facts that have appeared in The Bradford Era. We are not doing this to get into a war of words with anyone, nor will we make any further comments regarding these issues. First is the issue of concession asked for by the city. Yes, we have rejected insurance concessions offered by the city in the past couple of years. The last concession offer made by the city was on December 17, 2010. Representatives of our bargaining unit were told by the city clerk and city solicitor that they needed an answer by December 18, 2010. Department representatives were also told that the insurance was not the main concern of the city, but that a retirement package was. A retirement package of 2 years post-retirement benefits for any officer age 55 years or older was offered to our department. Representatives were also told that the officer had to be ...

Many residents and business owners have expressed interest in a sustainable, long term, relevant block watch network for the City of Bradford. In order to have strength in numbers, Project Pride is attempting to organize a Neighborhood Watch for the City of Bradford. A meeting will be held at 6 p.m. January 27 at the Bradford Area Public Library for anyone interested in learning, sharing and finding out how to help. During the meeting, a representative from the City of Bradford Police Department will facilitate a discussion about Neighborhood Watches; share safety/observation tips that can be used right away; and answer residents’ questions. The organizers are looking for input as to what people want to see in a neighborhood watch program, and are looking for people interested in participating by being a Block Captain or member of the Neighborhood Watch. All residents in Project Pride, as well as other city residents and/or business owners, interested in participating are encouraging t...

Three area police departments received Bronze Awards from AAA for their community traffic safety efforts in a recent award ceremony. Bronze awards were given to , Bradford City, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and the City of Saint Marys police departments. "We are very proud of the departments for their achievement and participation in the Community Traffic Safety Program," said Terri Rae Anthony, AAA safety adviser. "They went above and beyond the call of duty by organizing projects which would make their community a safer place for motorists as well as local residents." The awards were given by AAA East Central for a department's safety efforts and enforcement activities geared toward making communities safer. The departments were among hundreds nationwide that participated in the Community Traffic Safety Program. To be eligible for the annual awards, departments must conduct traffic safety promotions and educate the public on safety topics. In 201...

Two area Police Departments received Platinum Awards from AAA for their community traffic safety efforts, according to officials at AAA East Central. Seven local departments -- including Bradford City and Pitt-Bradford -- earned Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards. The Platinum awards were given to “Commendable Leaders” for their safety efforts and enforcement activities geared towards making communities safer. The recipients of the prestigious awards were the Jamestown Police Department and Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department. The departments were among hundreds nationwide that participated in the Community Traffic Safety Program. A Gold Award, the second highest recognition, was given to the New York State Police, Zone 3, Jamestown Station. Warren County Police Department earned a Silver Award. Bronze Awards were given to Warren County Sheriff’s Department, Youngsville, St. Marys, Bradford and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Police Departments. “We are very proud of the depart...

Bradford City Police Chief Christopher Lucco, Lisa Keck and the Bradford National Night Out Committee members encourage residents to spend the evening of August 3, 2010 out and about with your fellow neighbors in recognition of the 27th annual National Night Out. Sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), National Night Out (NNO) was conceived with the aim of empowering community residents, and as a unique tool against criminal and drug activity. Along with traditional displays of outdoor lights and front porch vigils celebrations of National Night Out also features activities such as block parties, cookouts, parades, flashlight walks, exhibits, contests, youth programs and visits from local police departments. Goals of National Night Out include creating a heightened awareness of crime and drug prevention efforts, as well strengthening neighborhood spirit. NNO 2009 involved over 36 million people in 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cit...

McKean County District Attorney Ray Learn just issued the following news release: Today, the McKean County Drug Task Force arrested thirty-one (31) suspected drug dealers from various parts of McKean County. In the first operation of its size, seventeen officers from the McKean County Drug Task Force, assisted by thirteen law enforcement officers from other county and municipal law enforcement agencies, made arrests in nearly fifty (50) cases for Felony drug delivery charges. These charges span from early 2009 to June of 2010. The sweep resulted in the seizure of five vehicles, quantities of cocaine and cash, prescription pills, and drug paraphernalia. Participating in the operation was the McKean County Drug Task Force, McKean County District Attorney’s Office, Bradford City Police Department, Bradford Township Police Department, Foster Township Police Department, Port Allegany Police Department, Smethport Police Department, McKean County Sherriff’s Department, Cattaraugus County Sher...

The McKean County Drug Task Force spent the better part of Friday rounding up suspects in Bradford. McKean County District Attorney Ray Learn is compiling all the information, and is getting ready to issue a news release. As soon as we get that information, we’ll pass it on to you. Pictured, Bradford City, Bradford Township and Foster Township police cars at York and Mill streets this afternoon.