Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

One 5-year-old accidentally shot another 5-year-old with a BB gun Friday afternoon in Cameron County. Police say the BB got lodged in the victim’s eyebrow, and caused a minor injury to the eyebrow. Police didn’t say if the children are boys or girls. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A West Virginia man is dead following a two-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon on Route 120 in Cameron County. State police say a car driven by 61-year-old James Burgeson of Allegany, New York, crossed into the lane of a pickup truck driven by 51-year-old Phillip Wagner of Phillipi, West Virginia. Wagner was taken to Penn Highlands Elk, where he was pronounced dead. Burgeson was flown to UPMC Altoona, where he is in critical condition. Route 120 in Portage Township was closed for about four hours after the accident. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Arson is the cause of a fire that destroyed the former Suzy’s Furniture building in St. Marys early Friday morning. State Police Fire Marshal Robert Southern determined the fire was deliberately set after finding multiple points of origin. St. Marys City Police are continuing the investigation. Crystal Fire Department was called at 2:45 Friday morning to the building on Route 255. Eventually, every fire department in Elk County was called to battle the blaze. Cameron County firefighters responded as well. Damage is estimated at more than half a million dollars. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man suffered minor injuries after an animal ran in front of his car on Wykoff Run in Cameron County on Sunday. Police say 30-year-old Mehedi Hasan of State College was traveling south near Peach Lane at 1:25 a.m. when he saw the animal enter the road. He swerved off the road, and attempted to correct, but then traveled into the opposite lane of travel and hit a tree. The car had to be towed from the scene. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A pedestrian is dead after being hit by a car early Sunday morning in Cameron County. Police say a car driven by 21-year-old Kaitlyn Crosby of Emporium hit two men who were walking along Old West Creek Road in Shippen Township at just after 3 a.m. 62-year-old David Croyle Jr. of Emporium was pronounced dead at the scene. 25-year-old Patrick Hornung, also of Emporium, was taken to Penn Highlands Elk for treatment of serious injuries. Police are continuing their investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Lakeview Motel in Sinnemahoning was heavily damaged by fire early this morning. The fire was reported at about 2:45 a.m. and volunteers from Sinnemahoning, Emporium, Coudersport and Austin were on the scene for about four hours. Although the roof caved in, most of the damage was confined to the hotel area and not the storefront. When they got this call, firefighters had just gotten back from battling a blaze in Coudersport that did $175,000 worth of damage to a house on Crandall Street. Coudersport fire Chief Bryan Phelps says the house is a total loss and very little personal property could be salvaged. A state police fire marshal was called in to investigate, and could not determine a cause. Port Allegany, Roulette and Galeton firefighters also responded. Austin Volunteer Fire Department photo The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 35-year-old woman is accused of hurting a 6-year-old boy who was trying to leave her house while she and a man were arguing. Police say Nicole Harvey was arguing with a man inside her Driftwood home last Tuesday night when the boy got scared and tried to leave. Police say she repeatedly grabbed him to keep him from leaving the house, and caused injuries when she did. Harvey was charged with simple assault and sent to jail lieu of $2,500 cash bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Cameron County High School Red Raiders marching band left today for Honolulu, where they will participate in Sunday’s Pearl Harbor Remembrance Parade. The Red Raiders were chosen to represent Pennsylvania in the annual parade. The 56 students raised more than $1,200 to be able to make the trip. They’ll spend four days in Hawaii. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Bath salts, a gun and drug paraphernalia were among the items police say they found in an Emporium man’s house last week. 59-year-old Gary Boyer is facing multiple charges after marijuana, smoking devices, a pill grinder and digital scales, as well as the bath salts were found. Police say he also had a .22 caliber pistol with the serial number removed. Boyer is in jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The effort to turn an abandoned rail corridor into a recreational trail is receiving assistance through a Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) grant, according to state Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk). “The 75th Legislative District includes some of the most scenic parts of Pennsylvania,” Gabler said. “Developing this area between Cameron and Elk counties will result in additional opportunities for outdoor recreation and allow more people to see more of our beautiful countryside.” The $150,000 grant will be used for Phase Two of the project, which involves an area between St. Marys and Rathbun. West Creek Recreational Trail Association applied for the grant as part of its effort to develop a trail for pedestrians, bicyclists, cross country skiers and snowmobilers that runs from St. Marys to Emporium, Cameron County. The CFA was established as an independent agency of the Commonwealth to administer Pennsylvania's economic stimulus packages. The grants themselves ...

An elk caused an accident in Driftwood Monday evening. Police say 26-year-old Joshua Boone of Port Royal was on Route 120 at about 6:30 p.m. and, when he went around a curve, saw an elk standing in the road. He put on his brakes and swerved but, because of the wet road from a recent rain, the back of the car slid, and the car went into a ditch and hit a culvert. Boone wasn’t hurt, but the car had to be towed from the scene. No charges will be filed. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police in Cameron County are investigating a report of sexual contact between a man and a child. They say the aggravated indecent assaults happened at a season residence in Shippen Township on various dates between 2009 and 2011. Police did not release the name of suspect, although their news release says he is a “known adult male.” The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A seven-year-old girl was hurt when she was thrown off the motorcycle she was a passenger on. Police say the bike was on Route 46 in Cameron County at about 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon when the valve stem of the back tire malfunctioned, and the tire went flat. The driver, 30-year-old Ronald McLaughlin of Johnsonburg lost control of the bike, and when it turned onto its side, Hailey James of Johnsonburg was thrown off. Police say Hailey's helmet wasn't on properly. She was taken by ambulance to Penn Highlands St. Marys for treatment of moderate injuries. McLaughlin wasn’t hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Cameron County Red Raider Marching Band was one of three that performed in exhibition tonight during the 35th Annual Autumn Classic at Parkway Field. The other two were Bradford and Otto-Eldred. Cameron County has been selected to be the official state representative band for the 2014 Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Honolulu, Hawaii, on December 7. If tonight's performance is any indication, they will do us proud! As for the results for the bands that were being judged: Class A: Coudersport 3rd, Port Allegany 2nd, Saegertown 1st Class AA: Cochranton 1st Class AAA: General McLane 2nd, Iroquois 1st You can see more pictures at Facebook.com/1490wesb . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

HARRISBURG – The Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) has approved a total of $2,594,832 for eight energy, transportation and water and sewer projects in the 25th Senatorial District, announced Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson). The projects approved for funding are a part of three different programs that are administered by the CFA, including the Alternative and Clean Energy Program, Multimodal Transportation Fund Program and PA Small Water & Sewer Program. “I am pleased that eight projects in our region have received state funding for important public improvements to better serve area residents and businesses,” Scarnati said. “These investments will provide needed growth and updates while also helping to generate local economic development.” Scarnati explained that in the 25th Senatorial District the following projects were approved across five different counties: Cameron County Mid Cameron Authority - $40,000 grant (PA Small Water & Sewer Program) The...

Minor injuries were reported after a three-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon near Tack’s Inn. Police say 51-year-old Alice Valenti of Austin was at the intersection of routes 219 and 59 when she didn’t yield the right-of-way to 46-year-old Diana Rankin of Mount Jewett and the cars collided. The impact caused Rankin’s car to cross lanes, where it was hit by a vehicle driven by Fred Angell of Bradford. Rankin suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Bradford Regional Medical Center for treatment. Valenti was cited for not stopping at a stop sign. ~~~ A Hinsdale woman was charged after a one-vehicle crash Saturday in Lafayette Township. Police say 32-year-old Jody Kenjocketty was traveling north on Route 219 when she lost control of her vehicle and drove off the road. The vehicle came to rest in a ditch. Kenjocketty and her three unnamed passengers suffered minor injuries and were taken to BRMC. Kenjocketty was cited for driving too fast for conditions. ~~~ A...

Marilla, Gilbert reservoirs getting money HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) today announced $500,000 in grants to develop and implement projects that benefit fishing, boating, and aquatic resources within in McKean, Cameron, Elk and Potter counties. This funding is available through a 2007 settlement agreement with Norfolk Southern as restitution for environmental damages from a June 30, 2006, train derailment in rural Norwich Township, McKean County. The accident spilled sodium hydroxide into Big Fill Run, Sinnemahoning-Portage Creek and the Driftwood Branch of the Sinnemahoning Creek. Under the settlement, Norfolk Southern agreed to pay the Commonwealth $7.35 million as restitution for environmental damages. The PFBC received $3.675 million of the settlement and must use the funds to develop and implement projects that benefit fishing, boating and aquatic resources in Cameron, Elk, McKean or Potter counties. “The funds received through this damage se...

Two people were hurt in a crash Thursday afternoon in Cameron County. Police say 52-year-old John Vanini of Olean was traveling west on Route 120 when his car drifted across the center line while rounding a curve and hit the front end of an eastbound pickup truck driven by 48-year-old Charles Lamenia of Warminster. Lamenia was taken by Emporium ambulance to Penn Highlands Elk for treatment of moderate injuries. Vanini suffered minor injuries, and was issued a traffic citation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

HARRISBURG – A Smethport bridge will be named in honor of the Bucktail Regiment under legislation sponsored by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) and approved by the General Assembly. House Bill 1929 designates the Route 6 bridge over Marvin Creek as the Bucktail Regiment Memorial Bridge. “The members of the Bucktail Regiment saw it as their duty and responsibility to serve and protect their country,” Causer said. “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to honor their dedicated service, which helped to make our country what it is today.” The Bucktail Regiment was a group of young recruits from Cameron, Elk, McKean and Tioga counties that rose to the defense of the Union following the bombing of Fort Sumter in April 1861. It was so named because its members adopted the tail of the whitetail buck as their badge of honor and adorned their caps with it. The 700 troops were mostly young woodsmen, lumberjacks, raftsmen, hunters and farmers. As part of the federal army, ...

HARRISBURG – Legislation to bring fairness and accountability to the collection and distribution of funds for ATV- and snowmobile-riding opportunities in the Commonwealth was the subject of a public hearing at the state Capitol on Wednesday, said Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint), prime sponsor of the measure. House Bill 2047 would direct the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to maintain separate ATV management and snowmobile management accounts to ensure an equitable distribution of those funds. “DCNR is currently unable to identify how much it spends on ATV trails versus snowmobile trails, but considering the number of trail miles on public lands for snowmobiles outnumbers those for ATVs by a 10-to-1 ratio, it sure looks as if there are some inequities,” Causer said. He pointed to the situation in Cameron County, 60 percent of which is state forest land owned by the Commonwealth. “People in Cameron County pay their ATV registration fees, yet...