Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

UPDATE from our listeners/readers: I-86 eastbound (toward Bradford/Limestone) is open, but westbound (to Salamanca) is still closed . Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Seneca Nation President Barry E. Snyder, Sr. today announced the re-opening of Interstate 86, the Southern Tier Expressway, between Exits 20 and 23 on the Allegany Territory of the Seneca Nation in Cattaraugus County. Interstate 86 had been closed to traffic since early May as part of a $21 million reconstruction project. “Interstate 86 reopens today a more resilient roadway that will better serve residents and facilitate commercial activity in the Southern Tier," Governor Cuomo said. “This administration is committed to improving the quality of life for New Yorkers, and making smart investments in our infrastructure is absolutely critical.” The Interstate 86 improvement project included the major rehabilitation of approximately seven miles of road surface between Exit 20 and three miles west of Exit 23, and minor r...

A man accused of repeatedly exposing himself to passing motorists on I-86 is charged with three counts of public lewdness – so far. State police say 43-year-old Orion Purslow of Panama, New York, parked on I-86 in the Town of North Harmony on Tuesday, when he exposed himself. They say they have had three previous reports involving the same person and vehicle over the past four months. Troopers found Purslow at his home and arrested him. They are asking anyone with information on these incidents, or who may have seen Purslow expose himself, to call the Jamestown barracks. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A tow truck driver is facing charges after being found with hypodermic needles in his truck during a traffic stop on I-86 in Chautauqua County. State police say they stopped 24-year-old Zachary Legere of Sinclairville on Friday for speeding and soon learned he had falsified log book records, as well as hypodermic needles with heroin residue in them. Legere was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and a hypodermic instrument as well as log book violations. He is scheduled to appear in North Harmony Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Olean man is charged with a Leandra’s Law violation and for failure to pay child support after crashing into a concrete barrier near Exit 23 on Interstate 86 Saturday afternoon. Sheriff’s deputies say 38-year-old Bradley Fluent was on the road between exits 21 and 23, which is closed for construction. An 8-year-old passenger was hurt in the crash and was taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center for treatment. Besides the felony driving while intoxicated and child support charges, Fluent is charged with unlicensed operation of a vehicle and disobeying a traffic control device. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

You knew it was coming; you just didn’t know exactly when. The New York Department of Transportation announced today that the closing of Interstate 86 between exits 21 and 23 will start May 12. Both eastbound and westbound traffic will be directed to follow a detour using Route 417. Temporary traffic signals have been installed at the intersection of Route 417 and Business Route 219 at Exit 23, and also at the intersection of Route 417 (Wildwood Avenue) and Route 219 (Central Avenue) in the City of Salamanca. Motorists should expect delays. The $2.1 million projects started in March and includes rehabilitation of the road surface, minor bridge rehabilitation and the rebuilding of the eastbound on and off ramps at Exit 20 near the Seneca Allegany Casino. Construction is expected to be finished in October. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Work will start next week on a section of Interstate 86 in Erie County about a mile west of the state line. The work to correct embankment erosion will involve installing a rock embankment and guiderail updates, according to PennDOT. Traffic may be restricted to a single lane during daylight hours when work is going on. The project is expected to be finished by July 1. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman who was looking at her GPS instead of the road didn’t stop at a stop sign at the end of an I-86 exit this afternoon in Olean and an ambulance on Route 16 slammed into her pickup truck. Police say at just before 1:30 p.m. 26-year-old Jill Peangatelli of Houtzdale was coming off Exit 26 when she didn’t stop, leading to the collision with the Trans Am ambulance driven by Robert Brooks of Portville. Brooks and an EMT were the only people in the ambulance. Brooks suffered a laceration on one of his hands. Peangatelli sustained minor cuts and bruises. She’s charged with failure to stop at a stop sign, using a portable electronic device while driving and not wearing a seat belt. Traffic was detoured around the crash site for a short time this afternoon. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man was sent to Cattaraugus County Jail following a domestic incident in a vehicle Saturday night in Salamanca. Sheriff’s deputies say at 10:43 p.m. 24-year-old Dillon Penelle was in an argument with the victim when he jerked the wheel of his vehicle, causing it to crash into a guardrail on Interstate 86. The victim was ejected from the vehicle and did sustain injuries, but deputies did not say how serious they were. Penelle is charged with assault, reckless endangerment and driving without a license. His bail was set at $10,000. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Ohio man is dead and a Bradford woman had to be flown to UPMC Hamot following a crash Sunday on I-86 in the Town of North Harmony. State Police say a car driven by 57-year-old Thomas Erickson of Cuyahoga Falls went off the road, crossed through the center median and then crashed into an SUV driven by 52-year-old Barbara Kubiak of Bradford. Erickson was taken by ambulance to WCA Hospital in Jamestown, where he was pronounced dead. Kubiak was flown to Hamot with complaints of chest pain. Police are continuing their investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

PennDOT is designing a slope repair project along Interstate 86 in Greenfield Township, Erie County. The project is located on the south side of the eastbound lanes along French Creek just east of the Ashton Road overpass, approximately at mile marker 6. Anticipated work includes the removal of guide rail, placement of temporary barriers, removal of existing erosion material and the placement of rock along the existing slope. The anticipated work will be done in the 2014 construction season. Both travel lanes will remain open, but the shoulder will be closed at the project site. Motorists can expect flaggers controlling construction vehicle access at times during work hours. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By Anthony Sagliani Meteorologist for AccuWeather.com AccuWeather reports cold air sweeping across the Great Lakes from Canada will flip the snow switch on from northeastern Ohio into western Pennsylvania, western New York and the Appalachians on Wednesday night into Friday morning. While areas like Cleveland, Erie and Buffalo will have only a few wet snowflakes mixing in from time to time, with mostly rain squalls around, favored inland snowbelt regions such as Bradford, Pa., and New York state's Tug Hill Plateau will have moderate to significant accumulation. In fact, by the time Friday morning rolls around, parts of the Tug Hill just east of Lake Ontario could have 3-9 inches of snowfall, which would be the heaviest so far this season, and the greatest amount since last winter. A less significant, though still potentially disruptive 1-3 inches of snowfall is expected in areas such as Jamestown, N.Y., Du Bois, Pa. and Pierpont, Ohio. According to AccuWeather Chief Meteoro...

Interstate 86 eastbound from the Allegany exit to the Buffalo Street exit in Olean was closed for about four hours this morning after a tractor-trailer rolled over. The three-mile stretch closed at about 4:15 a.m. and reopened at 8:20. There’s no word yet on whether the truck driver was hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A traffic stop on I-86 has led to drug charges against an Oklahoma man. State police say they stopped 32-year-old Jamie Post at about 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Town of West Almond and later charged him with unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of marijuana. Post is in Allegany County Jail awaiting a court date on Thursday. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Florida man wanted on a kidnapping charge was picked up late last night on I-86 in Cuba. State police stopped 44-year-old Cesar Figueroa of Tampa for a vehicle and traffic violation and soon learned he was wanted for kidnapping, aggravated battery and grand theft in Hillsborough County, Florida. Figueroa was arrested as a fugitive from justice and taken to Allegany County Jail to await extradition. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman from Moscow is dead following a one-car crash Monday afternoon on I-86 near Cuba, New York. 65-year-old Lyudmila Shishkanova was flown to UPMC Hamot, but died of her injuries there. Another passenger was also flown to Hamot for treatment. The driver was taken by ambulance to Olean General Hospital. Police didn’t identify those people, but say their injuries appear to be non-life-threatening. The car went off the road and ended up on the road below the I-86 overpass at about 3:30 p.m. No charges have been filed. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Hornell man was hurt in a one-vehicle crash this morning on I-86 near the Kennedy exit. Sheriff’s deputies say 67-year-old Rodney Milliner veered off the road for an unknown reason and his vehicle hit a guide rail, then slid about 300 feet into a ditch. Milliner was taken to WCA Hospital in Jamestown for treatment of what deputies believe are non-life-threatening injuries. Charges are pending. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Work on the Quaker Road Bridge (NY Route 280) over Interstate 86 is scheduled to start Thursday, and a detour will be in place. The New York Department of Transportation says Quaker Road and Exit 18 in the Town of Cold Spring will be closed to westbound traffic on I-86. The detour will direct traffic to continue to Exit 17 and follow the detour route from there. The DOT expects the road to be closed for about seven weeks. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Pennsylvania man accused of driving108 mph on I-86 is facing more than traffic citations. After state police stopped 21-year-old Nathan Koman of Cranesville for speeding in the Town of Sherman, they searched his car and found a baggie containing 32 grams of marijuana. He’s charged with criminal possession of marijuana, along with a number of traffic violations, and is scheduled to appear in Sherman Town Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Jamestown man is facing charges after allegedly driving 105 mph on Interstate 86 in the Town of Randolph Monday night. State police say 20-year-old Lawrence Walsh failed field sobriety tests and was arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was also charged with possession of alcohol under the age of 21 after police found a 16-ounce can of beer in his car. Walsh is scheduled to appear in Town of Randolph Court on February 28. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Seneca Nation and New York State have resolved a dispute that has held up repairs to a portion of Interstate 86 that runs through Indian Territory. Under Monday's agreement, the Senecas will receive a 3 percent administrative fee on the $28.5 million Southern Tier Expressway repaving project. The nation wanted 3.5 percent, a fee amount it said had been built in to contracts involving work on nation territory since 1993 under the nation's Tribal Employment Rights Office rules. “The New York State Department of Transportation and the Seneca Nation of Indians agreed today to a framework to allow the start of much-needed rehabilitation work on the Southern Tier Expressway and other New York roads that pass through Seneca territory. The agreement, approved by the Seneca Council, means the contractor will deploy to the site as soon as feasible," said New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald in a news release. They will be working on an 11 ½ mile...