Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

If you've been thinking you haven't heard a lot from Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati lately, you're not imagining things. Scarnati is recovering from surgery he had last week to remove a cancerous thyroid gland. Doctors told him they got all of it. His mother had the same kind of cancer 11 years ago and recovered completely. The cancer was discovered during a routine physical. Scarnati says he feels lucky and blessed – but tired. He took personal leave from the Senate this week, but expects to be back in Harrisburg next week.

03/14/08 - Kanefest Cancelled for This Year Kanefest has been cancelled for this year. The festival planning committee says that due to many unforeseen economic circumstances it's not financially feasible to go ahead with the festival. The committee also said that due to recent negative publicity, there have been several lost sponsorship opportunities, adding to the financial problems. The committee had decided that a beer tent could be set up at the festival, but local clergy opposed that idea. A public forum is scheduled for April 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kane Area Community Center to discuss new ideas for a community festival. 03/14/08 - Alleged Bank Robber Didn't Plan Well A Tioga County man is accused of an attempted bank robbery — and if poor planning were a crime, he'd probably be charged with that, too. Police say a man arrived at the Citizens and Northern Bank in the borough of Liberty on Thursday and waited in his car for about 20 minutes. Shortly after noon, he trie...

I just talked to one of my favorite authors -- John Grisham. Yes, that John Grisham. The interview will be on WESB's LiveLine on Tuesday.

03/11/08 - Shopping Cart Ordinance to be 'Tweaked' Grocery store managers agree that there's a problem with abandoned shopping carts in the city, but they also think more work has to be done an a proposed city ordinance aimed at curbing the problem. Mayor Tom Riel says the purpose of the ordinance is to make people more responsible and help to clean up the city. Businessman Fred Pysher says the right people -- those who steal the carts -- need to be held responsible. The ordinance passed 3 to 2 on first reading during Tuesday's City Council meeting, but council members and store owners will meet to tweak the ordinance before it's brought up on second reading April 8. 03/11/08 - Bradford City Council Meets Work is expected to start next month on the last project included in the Impact Bradford plan that received millions of dollars in state grant money. The project includes paving, curbing, planting, lighting and other improvements and will be Boylston Street from Me...

Spitzer? I didn't even touch her!

The sorority sisters of Alissa Ann Cameron, a University of Pittsburgh at Bradford student who died in January as the result of an accident late last year, are working to establish a scholarship in her memory. Lambda Xi president Amy McCoys says the sorority wanted to do something in memory of Alissa and a scholarship seemed perfect. A sophomore at Pitt-Bradford, Cameron majored in the athletic training program. In addition to being a member of Lambda Xi, she also participated in the Bradford City Softball League and volunteered in many community service programs. In order to permanently endow the scholarship, the sorority has committed to raising $10,000. The sorority should be up to the challenge, having raised $2,700 to benefit the Cameron family with a spaghetti dinner held last month on campus. To make a contribution to the scholarship fund, contact the Pitt-Bradford Office of Institutional Advancement.

03/07/08 - Man Jailed on Child Porn, Assault Charges A Genesee man is jail on multiple charges of statuary sexual assault for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old female in the summer of 2006. 22-year-old Christopher Inzana has also been charged with sexual abuse of children after police found child pornography on his computer. He also allegedly downloaded child porn onto the computer at the Genesee Fire Department, where he was secretary/treasurer. Police say his computers are being searched for additional child pornography, so they don't have an exact count yet has to how many files he allegedly had. Inzana is in Potter County jail on 75 thousand dollars bail for the sexual assault charges and 65 thousand dollars for the child porn charges. 03/10/08 - Man Pleads Guilty for Pot-Growing Op A Titusville man has pleaded guilty in connection to what authorities say is one of the largest marijuana-growing operations in state history. 54-year-old James Keyes was arrested in June for ...

More from CNN

...on Meet the Press.

Long-time United Way supporter, Mary Ann Quinn has been selected to receive the 2008 Red Feather Volunteer Appreciation Award, designed to honor outstanding efforts by a community member to the organization. “Mary Ann has been a member of our Board of Directors for eight years,” says Assistant Director Mandi Wilton Davis, “but her talents and dedication to the United Way exceed that position, both personally and professionally.” Quinn has three times served as vice-chair of the annual appeal, has continually organized various divisions of the campaign, served as Board Secretary for six years and also headed the Personnel Committee for six years. She, too, has coordinated work-place campaigns and has been an integral part of the Special Events committee for several years. And, she and her husband, Scott, are annual contributors. “I feel very blessed and more honored than anyone will ever know to even be considered for this distinction,” says Quinn. Quinn, the daughter of the late Jose...

03/07/08 - Third Person Arrested in Jimerson Death A third man has been arrested on a charge connected to the shooting of a Salamanca man last year at his girlfriend’s home. 24-year-old Keith Hennard of Fillmore has been charged with making a punishable false written statement to police during the investigation into the shooting death of Tharin Jimerson. On Monday, 27-year-old Robert Secrist was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for for shooting Jimerson in the chest with a .22-caliber rifle fired through the window of Krista Brown’s home. Secrist and Brown are the parents of two children, and Jimerson was Brown’s boyfriend. After the shooting Secrist, Hennard and 50-year-old Thomas Burrows of Fillmore, attempted to leave in Burrows’ van but were stopped by police, according to authorities. Burrows has been charged with conspiracy and making a false statement. 03/07/08 - Special Olympics Invitational Swim Meet More than 100 special athletes from McKean, Warren, Elk and Cameron co...