Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

It took me a while to get into this book (I even set it aside for a couple of months) but once I got past the first 75 or so pages, I was hooked. Billy Summers is a gun-for-hire who only kills bad people who deserve to be killed, and has just been hired for what he decides will be his last job. The glaring foreshadowing lets us know that something will go wrong, but it is a Stephen King book so we already know it's not going to be all rainbows and roses. While Billy is waiting for his target to be extradited his cover is as an author working on a new book. As he's writing his life story he realizes that he actually is a good story-teller and may want to pursue it further. Also while he's waiting, he creates another persona in case he needs a backup plan after the hit. Spoiler alert: He does. Billy also develops relationships with the neighbors in both of his temporary homes as both of his aliases. As these relationships develop it's interesting to think about h...

Special Olympics athletes from throughout McKean County will travel to Kane Area High School on Wednesday, May 6, to compete in the annual Special Olympics/Zippo Track & Field Meet. Over 230 special athletes, ranging from 5 to 71 years of age, are registered to participate at the 40th annual event. Starting time is 10:00 a.m. In case of rain, the meet will be postponed to May 7. Event director is Ashley Komidar, teacher at Kane Elementary School. Up to six athletes can qualify to represent McKean County at the Pennsylvania Special Olympics State Games at Penn State, June 4-6. McKean Special Olympics coordinator Pat Ryan noted, “The track meet is our biggest competition of the year and our athletes have been working hard in training for this event.” Volunteers are needed to help with the meet. They should call 368-9310 or register at the concession stand on Wednesday morning. McKean County Special Olympics is a year-round program of sports training and competition for ment...

One of the Zippo/Case Museum’s most historically significant pieces– a lighter that was hand engraved on a landing craft en route to the D-Day invasion – is currently on loan, along with several other WWII-era artifacts from the Zippo and Case archives, to the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh for a special exhibit opening Saturday, April 25, 2015. The Zippo/Case Museum pieces will be featured in the upcoming “We Can Do It! WWII” exhibit, which explores how Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania affected the home front and battlefield during WWII. “We’re honored to be able to share so many of our important historical pieces with the Heinz History Center,” said Pat Grandy, Zippo Corporate Media and Communications Manager. “Zippo and Case’s reputation for dependable products was cemented by our performance during WWII. We have so many letters, images and artifacts from WWII in the Zippo/Case Museum, it was hard to choose only a few, but we feel they make an important contri...

The Bradford City Water Authority along with Zippo President and CEO Greg Booth will be honored by the YMCA of the Twin Tiers with the organization’s George G. Blaisdell Community Service Award. The awards presentation will be during the annual breakfast on May 5 at Pitt-Bradford. Also, the 2015 Ray C. Uhler Outstanding Youth Award recipients have been named. They are Sarah Potter from Bradford Area High School, Lauren Kerr, Otto-Eldred; Dillon Mattis, Kane; Keenan Kost, Smethport; and Jefferson Stehle, Port Allegany. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

OLEAN, NY - Upper Allegheny Health System (UAHS), parent company of Olean General Hospital and Bradford Regional Medical Center, elected its 2015 Board of Directors Officers at the organization’s annual meeting January 28. Five Board members were re-elected to three-year terms. The new officers include: Board Chair, Brenda McGee, Senior Vice President, Finance and Administration, St. Bonaventure University; Vice Chair, Muhammed Javed, M.D., Nephrologist at Olean General Hospital and Bradford Regional Medical Center; Secretary, Richard Roupe, Chief Financial Officer, Zippo Manufacturing Company; Treasurer, Martin Digel, President and CEO, Hamlin Bank and Trust. These individuals were also elected as Board officers of Olean General Hospital and Bradford Regional Medical Center. Prior to her election as Board Chair, Ms. McGee served as Vice Chair of the UAHS Board of Directors, Olean General Hospital Board of Directors and Bradford Regional Medical Center Board of Directors. ...

Medal of Honor recipients Lt. Col. Hal Fritz and Sgt. Sammy Davis were at the Zippo/Case Museum this afternoon to install a prototype of the commemorative Medal of Honor Zippo lighter Case knife set. And, in case you were wondering Davis -- who is known as "the real Forrest Gump" -- was wounded in the same place the fictional character was -- "In the buttocks, sir." In his speech, Fritz said after meeting Zippo and Case employees, as well as many people from the Bradford area, he believes the companies and the community represent "the spirit and core of America." You can see more pictures on our Facebook page facebook.com/1490wesb . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Medal of Honor recipients Sgt. Sammy Davis and Lt. Col. Harold Fritz took part in Veterans Day ceremonies this morning in Veterans Square in Bradford. At 3:30 this afternoon they will be at the Zippo/Case Museum, where they will install a commemorative Medal of Honor Zippo lighter/Case knife set. The public is invited. You can see more pictures of today's Veterans Square event on our Facebook page: http://facebook.com/1490wesb . WESB photos The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two Medal of Honor recipients – a man whose life was saved by a Zippo lighter, and the man known as the “real” Forrest Gump – will be honored at the Zippo/Case Museum on Veterans Day. The two American heroes will install special Medal of Honor commemorative lighter and knife sets at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at the museum. Harold Fritz was leading a column of heavily armored vehicles through Quan Loi in 1969 when they were ambushed by North Vietnamese fighters. Thrown from his vehicle, Fritz led a point-blank charge on the enemy and was hit several times by shrapnel and small-arm rounds. One particular blow on the left side of his chest knocked him down. He was evacuated by helicopter, but when he returned to the battlefield later that day, he found a Zippo lighter that had been given to him as a going away present by his wife. It had been in his left breast pocket, where it stopped the bullet that would otherwise have killed him. Fritz received his Medal of Honor from President Nixon in ...

Yesterday we told you on the air that the United Way of the Bradford Area was at 53 percent of its campaign goal. Well, that news is outdated already. Bradford Area School District, Zippo Manufacturing Co., American Refining Group Inc. and Northwest Savings Bank have so far been the champions of the United Way of the Bradford Area’s latest campaign. Officials announced Friday that, just more than a month into its 2014 Be a Champion campaign, they have already raised 60 percent of the $345,000 goal. School district staff members increased their contributions by nearly 50 percent, while both Zippo and ARG also recorded significant increases in their employee campaigns. The campaign has been structured differently this year under the leadership of co-chairs Lisa Minich and Jeannine Schoenecker, who have stressed the importance of having plenty of volunteers and making more-personal appeals. “Our goal with this year’s campaign was to re-energize the volunteer base and bring bac...

A St. Bonaventure alum took home the top prize at Monday’s Blaisdell Pro Am Invitational at the Pennhills Club in Bradford. Chris Stoddard was awarded the $6,000 cash prize and trophy by Zippo owner and Chairman of the Board George B. Duke at the banquet following the tournament. Stoddard’s team, composed of amateur golfers Mike Tarbox, Scott Tanabe, and Paul Kessel, each took home a $400 cash prize for their winning team score of 115. The Blaisdell Pro Am, sponsored by Zippo, drew 26 PGA pros from the Western New York Professional Golf Association, along with 78 amateurs, competing for the $20,000 in prize money available. “The day was perfect and the Pennhills course is outstanding,” said WNY PGA Executive Director Joe Bertino. “Our pros were really excited to get out here, and all the teams played exceptionally well.” The Blaisdell Pro Am was held to honor Zippo founder George G. Blaisdell, who loved the game of golf and the club he helped found, the Pennhills Club...

A court in Germany has said a company cannot use the “blu” brand name for its e-cigarettes because Zippo already owns the BLU® trademark. The preliminary injunction against Cygnet UK Trading Ltd. prevents the company, which is a subsidiary of cigarette maker Lorillard, from using the brand name for e-cigarettes sold in Germany. Zippo has started proceedings to oppose applications to register, or cancel trademark registrations, for the blu e-cigarette brand in Canada, Mexico and the European Union. Sweden already rejected Lorillard’s application. In May Zippo sued Lorillard subsidiary LOEC for trademark infringement in the United States. A trial is scheduled for April of next year. Zippo President and CEO Greg Booth says he is very pleased that the German Court affirmed the company’s legal rights to their intellectual property. He adds that Zippo is working vigorously to protect all of its trademarks – worldwide – from any misuse. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947 ...

The Zippo/Case Museum celebrates Bradford’s Italian heritage with an exhibit featuring the Zippo lighter art of Italian master of photography and airbrush, Claudio Mazzi. The collection, on display now through August 15, has been loaned to the museum by a special arrangement with a private collector and features six hand-painted, individually numbered Mazzi designs created specifically for the members of Zippo Club Italia. “The Zippo/Case Museum is honored to have the chance to showcase these beautiful Italian masterpieces,” said Linda Meabon, Zippo/Case Museum Curator and Historian. “I have had the distinct pleasure of watching Maestro Mazzi turn a Zippo lighter case into a unique piece of art. His works are so vividly realistic and dimensional; sometimes it’s hard to believe that it’s not a photograph.” Mazzi, who lives and works in Modena, Italy, began airbrushing original works of art onto Zippo lighters in 1996, after a chance meeting with the president of Zippo Italia, Zippo’...

By SANDY RHODES When Micah Irwin crossed the finish line of Saturday's Willow Creek Triathlon, he was not alone. Actually far from it. There was the announcement over the PA system, "Welcome to Willow Creek." There were the two lines of veterans clapping and eagerly waiting to shake his hand. And then there was the image of Irwin's grandfather on the front of the 24-year-old's T-shirt. "I did this in memory of my grandfather (Ralph French) who was a World War II veteran," the Bradford man said. "He passed away a few years ago. Irwin was one of 290 who participated in the ninth annual triathlon that this year raised $40,139 for the transportation funds of the Disabled American Veterans of Mckean and Warren counties. This year's event surpassed last year's donation by more than $10,000. The nine-year total is more than $151,000. All of the proceeds help local veterans. The funds are earmarked to help with transportation - making su...

Designed Kendall, Zippo, Fretz buildings Preston Roger Abbey, 90, of 670 East Main St, passed away July 10, 2014 at the Bradford Ecumenical Home following a brief illness. Born on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924 in Smethport, he was a son of William Hugh and Geneva Belle (Owens) Abbey. On June 24 1950 in Port Allegany, he married Lois A. (Hanna) Abbey. Preston graduated from Port Allegany High School and entered the U.S. Marine Corps where he served on the USS Guam during WW2. Upon returning from the War, he studied architecture at Williamsport Community College for two years. After completion, he did an internship with Raymond Hall Archetects. Once Preston passed his architectural boards, he decided to move to Bradford with his young family and worked for Earl Wheeler. He later established Abbey, Hemingway and Coatsworth and in 1980 renamed the firm Preston R. Abbey and Associates Inc. He designed numerous banks, schools, churches, and hospitals. Among his accomplishmen...

Zippo has issued its latest collectible set, honoring the 70th Anniversary of D-Day. Presented in a special gift box and accompanied by a wartime replica brass Acme clicker, or “Cricket”, this set has been created as a tribute to the courage and ingenuity of those who served on 6 June 1944. The U.S. Army’s 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions, “The Screaming Eagles”, who were the first troops to drop behind enemy lines, were equipped with a Zippo Windproof Lighter and Acme Cricket in addition to their standard battle gear. This gift set is a timely reminder of those who served in one of the world’s most important historical conflicts. About the commemorative lighter The design for the 70th Anniversary D-Day Zippo lighter was created by Zippo Design Center artist, Dave Dalton. The artwork depicts the welded iron girders, often referred to as “Czech hedgehogs,” that were half-buried along the Normandy coastline as an anti-tank defense measure and were visible in so many of the gripp...

Whether you think it’s necessary or not, Pennsylvania is one step closer to having an official state firearm. The House on Wednesday voted 173 to 24 to designate the long rifle as the state’s official firearm because of its historical significance. The gun was manufactured in southeastern Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries and valued by early settlers for its light weight and accuracy. Several lawmakers objected to the measure, citing concerns about gun violence and saying it would be an insult to victims. He also said, historically, commercial products have not been recognized by lawmakers as an official symbol for the state. The long rifle designation was actually an amendment to a bill that would make the J3 Cub the state’s official aircraft. The single-engine J3 Cub, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, was manufactured in Lock Haven between 1937 and 1947. Originally intended for flight training, it went on to become one of the most popular planes of all ti...

The Bradford Gun Club’s 28th annual Zippo Trap Shoot competition will be held Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-26, 2014. Registration for the Zippo Trap Shoot begins at 8:00 a.m. each day, and the first event starts at 9 a.m. This is the first time that the popular competition, which is expected to draw more than 200 people from several states to the Bradford area, will be held on a three-day holiday weekend, said Mike Schuler, president of the Bradford Gun Club. The Zippo sponsored competition, held at the Bradford Gun Club’s West Warren Road location, is a registered Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA) event. All registered shooters will receive a complimentary Zippo baseball cap. “The Bradford Gun Club is grateful for Zippo’s generous support of this shoot over the past 28 years,” Schuler said. “This is one of the premier shoots in the region and regularly attracts some of the most talented shooters, including many ATA All-Americans.” The event is open to all le...

Zippo Manufacturing Company -- maker of the iconic Zippo® lighter – and its subsidiary ZippMark, Inc. announced today that they have sued LOEC, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lorillard, for trademark infringement in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The Company's lawsuit seeks to prevent LOEC from selling its electronic cigarettes, or "e-cigs," under the brand name "blu" in light of Zippo's ownership of the trademark BLU® for its line of blue-flame butane lighters. "Despite our attempts to resolve this matter amicably, Zippo has been compelled to seek the Court's assistance to protect our BLU trademarks," said Zippo President and CEO Gregory Booth. "Zippo is instantly recognizable because we have long understood the value of our brand and the need to vigorously protect it against use by others. Our BLU trademarks are similarly valuable and will be similarly protected." Zippo's trade...

As part of their Eagle Scout project, two young men from Bradford have cleared a trail through the area that was formerly the Zippo Ski Slope, near Callahan Park. Quentin and Kyle Frombach, who currently hold the Life Scout rank with the Boy Scouts of America, spent more than 2 years removing brush, grading the trail, and relocating the path to create a loop, which made it more accessible for novice hikers. They also crafted and installed benches along the trail as resting points. “It was a lot of work, but definitely a worthwhile project because now people can more easily enjoy the trail again,” said Quentin, who will graduate from Bradford Area High School this June. The Zippo Ski Slope Trail is 3,578 feet long and accessible from the Callahan Park parking lot. An informational trailhead marker has been installed that was designed by Quentin with help from the Zippo Creative Services and Marketing teams. Kyle and Quentin contacted Zippo about donating the sign and pro...

Zippo Encore today announces a partnership with country music star Jerrod Niemann. Through the collaboration, Zippo Encore will join Niemann’s summer tour, for all appearances from May through September. At each concert stop, Zippo Encore’s pop-up retail shop will feature exclusive custom lighters, including two which were designed by Niemann himself as part of the Zippo Encore Artist Custom Series Program. These special lighters will only be sold at the Zippo booth at each of Niemann’s concerts. Niemann will also visit the Zippo booth for autograph signings at six concert stops, which will be determined during the tour. In addition to purchasing exclusive Custom Series lighters, visitors to the Zippo Encore booth can also participate in an onsite lighter design contest by creating a hand-drawn design. One lucky winner at each tour stop will receive a Zippo Lighter. At the end of the tour, a grand-prize winner--as chosen by concertgoers who visit the booth--will win a Zippo Encore ...