Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Ron Booth welcomes more riders into the Zippo parking lot for the 11th annual Kids & Cancer Motorcyle Fun Run ... ...and later, Dave Geitner gives the official welcome... ...in a ceremony that featured introductions of past recipients, including Pennsylvania State Trooper Ray Millard and his family. Father Leo Gallina offered his traditional blessing of the bikes and bikers before they took off. Geitner led the "parade" ... ...that included Lanny Layton's and Jim Long's restored fire truck. These riders wait their turns to get into the run ... They made their way through the city before heading out to Bradford Regional Airport for the first stop. The run takes them throughout the Twin Tiers, and ends up at The New Willows.

Fireworks capped off Friday's night's activities for Case Collectors Appreciation Weekend and Summer Fest. Check back for more photos from yesterday, and today.

The latest addition to renovations in Bradford Regional Medical Center's Emergency Department was completed Friday with the installation of signage reflecting the hospital's new mission statement. The newly adopted statement, officials say, is "Caring for Our Community Through the Journey of Life." Pictured applying the signage near the Emergency Department front desk is Jerry Clark of Sign DeSign, Westline. Also pictured is Emergency Department Triage Liaison Theresa Potter, LPN. ( Photo Courtesy of BRMC )

From Solomon's Words : Potter County Commissioners Endorse Scarnati's Plan .

The Belmont man who robbed a Wellsville Pharmacy then engaged in a stand-off with police will spend the next 20 years to life in prison. 53-year-old Gene Fanton Jr. robbed the Rite Aid on Route 417 with a loaded handgun on November 19, then exchanged gunfire with police during his escape. He stole a van, which a sheriff's deputy rammed to end the police chase. He was sentenced to 20 years to life for attempted murder, and 10 years for robbery. The state prison sentences are to be served concurrently.

Bradford City Police have arrested the man they believe assaulted a 13-year-old girl Sunday evening near Silicon Way and East Main Street. 55-year-old Victor Manuel Medina allegedly kissed the girl, touched her inappropriately and exposed himself to her. At that point, two workers on a train saw what was going on and called police. Wednesday, the victim's father saw a man he believed was the same person he saw Sunday when he was looking for his daughter, and called police. The father and daughter identified Medina and he was charged with indecent assault, indecent exposure and corruption of minors. He's in McKean County Jail on $50,000 bail.

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Rep. John E. Peterson, R-Pleasantville, announced that young adults interested in attending a U.S. military service academy in 2009 may submit their nomination application to his congressional office in State College, PA. Students aged 17-22 who have an interest in attending the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, the Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, or the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point may begin the process by completing the nomination application and submitting it to Congressman Peterson’s office. The deadline for submitting applications is October 1, 2008. Peterson explained that candidates for the service academies will be reviewed this fall by a non-partisan board. The board will make recommendations to Peterson, who will in turn recommend qualified candidates for admission to the service academies. Interested applicants from Pennsylvania’s 5th congressional district may call Peterson’s office at (814) 238-177...

A Jamestown native has died in Iraq. The Department of Defense reports that Staff Sgt. David W. Textor died of injuries suffered from a vehicle accident in Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Lewis, Wash. The 27 year-old Textor was a Green Beret. This was his first deployment to Iraq. Textor played football at Randolph High School.

A 2-year-old boy drowned in a private swimming pool in Brookville. The toddler, Seth Yanosky, was found at the bottom of an above-ground portable swimming pool behind his Laurel Avenue home around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. He was transported to Brookeville Hospital, where he later died. The boy's father, Shane, told police he looked away for a moment and when he turned around, his son was gone. ( I can't imagine what the father is going through. I hope people who read Seth's obituary will keep it in their minds, and make sure a tragedy like this never happens again. )

This was the scene about 12 hours ago at W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. on Owens Way. Now, thousands of collectors -- some from as far away as New Zealand -- have descended on the grounds to celebrate the inaugural Case Collectors Appreciation Weekend. For more information on the events scheduled for this weekend, go HERE . Remember, the big fireworks shows starts at 9:45 tonight!

Jazz-A-Billy performs "Oh, Pretty Woman" Thursday night in Union Square as part of an ongoing free summer concert series. Next Thursday, people can hear the music of acoustic guitar duo Kira & Mike. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the music! You can hear Jazz-A-Billy again at next month's Lunch in the Square, August 20.

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director State Senator Joe Scarnati says he applauds the efforts of a colleague to have a special session on ethics and reform convened. Senator Jeff Piccola of Dauphin County cited the charges against one current and one former legislator, and 10 other people, in the "Bonusgate" investigation as one reason the special session is long overdue. Petitions are currently being circulated through the Legislature in an effort to have the session convened. Scarnati says the Bonusgate situation is "egregious. It just totally destroys confidence in our Legislature. I'm embarrassed as a legislator." "I have done everything I can do in the last year and a half to try to restore some respect and trust in what we do in the senate – passing numerous reforms, and making sure we changed the way business is being done in Harrisburg," he said. The Bonusgate allegations had just come to light when Scarnati was elected President Pro Tempore...

Two men are under arrest after authorities say they were connected to a $2 million cocaine and heroin ring in central Pennsylvania. State Attorney General Tom Corbett says 27-year-old Kalen Shaffer of Jersey Shore and 31-year-old Matthew Anderson of Mill Hall were connected to a ring that brought drugs from New York City to Lycoming, Clinton and Centre counties. A third suspect who lives in Florida, Michael Marshall, is still at large. Corbett says the latest arrests are connected to the arrests of 15 people in January 2007 who were later convicted. Among those taken into custody was an alleged member of the Latin Kings street gang. Police made the latest arrests following a grand jury investigation.

A Warren man has been charged with criminal attempted homicide after an alleged incident early Wednesday morning in the city. Police say 27-year-old Jason Lee Wilson attacked a female employee at the Eagles Club. She suffered serious injuries and had to be hospitalized. Wilson is in Warren County Jail on 100,000 dollars bail.

GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A state senator whose gun was used by a teenage neighbor in an apparent suicide said Thursday that his acquittal on gun and perjury charges shows that his prosecution was a politically motivated "witch hunt." State Sen. Robert Regola III, speaking in his first interview with The Associated Press since the charges were filed, also said he's confident that an expected civil lawsuit will ultimately exonerate both him and his son Bobby. For the full story, go to pennlive.com .

Just in case you missed it the first time, here's where you can find our story on Case Collectors Appreciation Weekend .

Did you know Marty Causer has a YouTube channel? Here's a video of him talking about Marcellus Shale. The natural gas found in the Marcellus Shale formation could become an economic boon for Pennsylvania. Individual royalties will vary, and there's no telling how much the estimated 50-trillion cubic feet of natural gas might be worth, but David Passmore of Penn State tells us that every $1-billion dollars in royalty income will mean 8,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. Passmore says these future natural gas royalties will benefit the entire Commonwealth's economy.

SALAMANCA - Cultural arts presentations will be part of the 2008 Seneca Allegany Casino and Hotel Veteran's Pow Wow to be held this weekend at Veterans Park. The pow wow, a dance competition that features Native American dancing from tribes across the country and Seneca Indians, also features refreshments that include items such as Indian tacos, bear meet and more. On Saturday and Sunday, grand entry, or the parade of dancers, begins at noon. A memorial service to veterans will be held and cultural arts presentations begin at 2 p.m. with lacrosse stick making, cornhusk doll making and moccasin making. On Sunday, cultural arts presentations include wood carving, basket making and beadwork. Competition dancing continues throughout both days and tickets can be purchased at the gate.

Personally, I think "Mad Men" was nominated because of the Zippo connection .

A St. Marys teenager is in critical condition in a Pittsburgh hospital after being hit by a car while riding his bike earlier this week. Police say 16-year-old Brandon Johnson ran a stop sign on Mark Street. Now neighbors are saying changes have to be made. They say people slow down at the stop sign, but just drive through. They're asking for the intersection to be changed to a four-way stop.

A Warren County mosquito sample has tested positive for West Nile virus. The sample was collected from the Youngsville area, and now officials are working on a treatment program. Rick Weber of the DEP Warren District Office says they used "low-volume" sprayer to kill mosquitoes in the immediate area covered by the positive trap. They will continue to set and check traps in the area, but officials say people don't have to be nervous because the average person's risk from West Nile Virus is small. About 80 percent of people who acquire the virus never show any symptoms. There have been no reports of infected people in Warren County.

The Festa Italiana is held on the third weekend of July in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The two-day festival will be held on the grounds of St. John’s Church in Olean and is kicked off with a Mass at 11:00am on Saturday. Festival hours are Saturday 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM and Sunday 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Originating in 1983 as a neighborhood block party, Festa Italiana has been an annual event for many years, with a dual purpose of raising extra money for parish needs, and of celebrating the rich cultural background in the parish and the surrounding neighborhoods of North Olean. “Festa” has grown into not only a parish tradition, but also an Olean tradition; a joyful summer celebration of ethnic foods and entertainment. Friends and family from all over are reunited as vacations, home visits, and reunions often coincide. All proceeds of Festa Italiana are used exclusively for the spiritual, physical, and academic life of St. John’s parish. As always, the food is a major attraction...

Some Brookville women are missing their underwear. Brookville Police say Derrick Shafferman of Knoxdale took women's underwear out of the washers and dryers at the Creek Side Laundromat, then took them home with him. Police say he later burned the evidence. The incidents happened over the last four months. Shafferman has been charged with seven counts of theft and harassment.

Several correction officers and inmates were injured during an 18-man brawl at Clinton Correctional Facility Tuesday night. Within a few hours, staff covering the north yard of the facility had to break up three fights between inmates, the last of which left five officers and more than a dozen inmates injured. About two hours later, another fight erupted, this time involving about 18 inmates. When they were ordered to stop, 16 inmates stepped away from the violence. But as the last two inmates continued the fight and staff tried to break up the assault, two officers were sliced with a metal shank. Among the inmates at the prison are Ralph "Bucky" Phillips, and former Portville teacher and Boy Scout leader James Molyneaux , who molested 2 young boys.

The following people have pleaded guilty in Cattaraugus County Court, and will be sentenced in September. 26-year-old Ryan S. Bartlett of Salamanca is charged with rape and endangering the welfare of a child for having sex with a person younger than 17 on March 14 in Allegany. 27-year-old Cassandra L. Busekist of Salamanca possessed crack cocaine with the intent to sell it on December 19. 18-year-old Devon M. Grochowiak, of West Seneca pleaded guilty to third-degree attempted burglary in connection with a Nov. 4 incident at Lambert’s Storage in the Town of Machias. These people have pleaded not guilty, and their cases were adjourned for further motions. 46-year-old David L. Maull of Olean was indicted for selling crack cocaine June 15, 2006, in Olean. 23-year-old Leslie R. John of Salamanca was arrested on Dec. 7 in the City of Salamanca with more than four ounces of a narcotic drug intended for sale. 27-year-old Mark A. Larrabee of Great Valley and 19-year-old Charles E. Miller II of...

A Kane man died in an accident late Wednesday night on Route 219 in Hamlin Township. State Police say a car driven by 71-year-old Robert Schmidt crossed the center line and struck a vehicle driven by 29-year-old William Frasier of Bradford. Schmidt was ejected from his vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Frasier and passengers 24-year-old Daniel Kronwetter of Bradford and 32-year-old Michael Miles of Smethport were all treated for minor injuries, then released.

I've posted a couple of things about this weekend's Dam Show in Austin, but Solomon's Words is doing an exceptional job providing previews of what promises to be a great weekend, so I'm sending you THERE .

By Matthew Roberts Director of Operations SALAMANCA - Construction has begun to reopen the Center Street Bridge, thanks to a $200,000 state grant secured by Senator Catharine Young. The grant matches more than $800,000 in federal funds and nearly $30,000 in City money to fix the badly-deterioriated structure that serves as a connector within Salamanca. “The great news is that we expect to open for traffic around August 24th, unless something unforeseen happens. It should be completed before Labor Day and the beginning of the school year,” said Senator Young. “While the reopened bridge will be alternating, one-way traffic under 15 tons, it will accommodate school buses and some emergency vehicles. There will still be some inconvenience, but it will be minor compared to the situation now.” “I would like to thank everyone who had a role in expediting the process of coming to an agreement on the repairs to the Route 353 Bridge and also on moving up the replacement date of the bridge,” ...

Two Pittsburgh brothers drowned Tuesday in Allegheny Reservoir near the James Morrison Bridge. State Police say that at around 1 o’clock 19-year-old Stephen Pitcher jumped 75 feet off the west end of the Bridge and appeared to be injured and so his 21-year-old brother Vincent swam out to help him. Both men disappeared under the water. The McKean County Sheriff’s Dive and Rescue Team recovered the bodies around six hours later. Read more in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .

Catfish will be legal game for anglers/hunters using bows and arrows, crossbows, spears and gigs, as soon as the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission can publish the regulation change in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Publication in Pennsylvania Bulletin serves as official notification to the public of the regulation change. Commissioners also voted to formalize the commission's program of approved trout waters open to year-round fishing. On the waters open to year-round fishing, anglers may fish from March 1 to the first day of trout season but they may not keep any trout they catch during that period. They also approved the following list of waters to be included in the year-round program. Mahoning Creek in Armstrong County, West Creek in Cameron County, Laurel Run in Clearfield County, West and Straight creeks in Elk County, Tionesta Creek in Forest County; Cummins Reservoir in Indian County and Mead Run in McKean County .

A road to the Ralph will be renamed in honor of Tim Russert. The US House of Representatives has approved a measure to rename a portion of Route 20A near Ralph Wilson Stadium after the Buffalo native and avid Bills fan. The Senate gave its OK late last month. The bill is now on its way to President Bush for his signature. US Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton, along with Congressman Brian Higgins, proposed the renaming shortly after Russert died of a heart attack last month. Following the House vote, Higgins said it's a "fitting remembrance of a man, who after all his success, never forgot his hometown." The stretch of Route 20A between Abbott Road and California Road in Orchard Park will be designated as the "Timothy J. Russert Highway."

Recent St. Bonaventure graduate Tyler Relph will participate in the EuroBasket Summer League exposure camp in New York City this weekend on the campus of Fordham University. Relph will look to become the 11th former Bonnie in the active professional ranks. Fellow 2008 graduates Michael Lee and Zarryon Fereti are also expected to make to make a bid to become professionals. The camp tips-off on Saturday, July 19, and runs through Sunday, July 20. Rose Hill Gym is the third of four hosts for the summer league showcase that has already made its way to Chicago and Las Vegas. The final camp will begin on July 24, in Salt Lake City, Utah (July 24-26). Relph ended his three-year stint as a Bonnie by averaging 16 points per game over the final 14 contests, highlighted by four 20-point outings and 12 games in double figures. For the season, the 6-foot-3 shooter ranked third on the club in scoring (11.9) while leading the team with 112 assists. Relph ranked sixth among the Atlantic 10 leaders in...

Dan Himes of Personal Touch Painting in Bradford applies joint compound to drywall seams in the future location of Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Patient Accounts Department. ( Photo Courtesy of BRMC ) A renovation and expansion of Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department that’s set to conclude in early August will not end the hospital’s improvements. In fact, officials say, this project will prompt several other internal efficiencies and exterior upgrades at the hospital. Following the Emergency Department work that will double its size and make it more customer-friendly, the adjacent lobby inside the Interstate Parkway entrance will have glassed double doors installed as an added safety measure, says Jeff Gabel, Plant Services director. “The Emergency Department will have the capability to lock its unit doors after 8 p.m. each evening so individuals cannot enter or exit without being accompanied by a BRMC employee,” Mr. Gabel explains. Once this occurs, this will b...

Hundreds of people packed Veterans Square Wednesday for the third Lunch in the Square of the season. Toucan Jam performed in the gazebo during the event. I interviewed Bradford Little Theatre President Dick Marcott, who talked about "Seniors at Large," a new BLT initiative. Speaking of BLTs, Val from The New Broaster makes an awesome BLT wrap. (And I'm not just saying that because she told me to. It really was awesome!)

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director State Senator Joe Scarnati says he believes that during his years in Harrisburg he's been responsive and accessible to his constituents – and he'll continue that if he's re-elected for a third term in November. "I know the plight of the people in my district," he said. "It's tougher every day for a family, or a working single mom or an elderly couple to make ends meet." In that vast state budget, and all the programs out there, I do my best every day to bring that back to my district and make sure that we're getting our fair share of the tax dollars," he said. For example, when Governor Ed Rendell proposed giving the majority of the education budget to Philadelphia-area schools, Scarnati fought to have the funding doled out more equitably. "I pledged to my school districts here that I was going to do better for them, and actually doubled the funding the governor proposed, and that means no tax in...

A Bradford man may be facing charges after his pit bull apparently attacked a 13-year-old Monday afternoon on Clarence Street. The girl was visiting the area when she was attacked by the dog owned by Edward Dallenbach. The dog bit the girl on the hand and lower back, and the girl was treated for her injuries at Bradford Regional Medical Center. Police caught the dog after chasing it down the street and through neighboring yards. No charges have been filed yet for this incident, but Dallenbach was found guilty last week of failure to confine the dog, having no dog license and for contributing to the attack of another dog in June

Two alleged burglars from Florida took four law enforcement agencies on a high-speed chase through Cattaraugus County last night. 39-year-old Kenneth Davis and 28-year-old David Tester allegedly burglarized a Farmersville home. The homeowner saw them leave and called police. A state trooper tried to stop the men, who were allegedly driving a stolen pickup truck, which eventually plunged about 100 yards down a steep hill, where they abandoned it. Troopers found Davis a short time later at a grocery store in Franklinville. A New York State Police Aviation helicopter and a K-9 Unit helped them find Tester in nearby woods. Both men are in Cattaraugus County Jail.

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director One of the hottest topics in the state right now is oil and gas drilling – specifically in relation to the Marcellus Shale formation. State Senator Joe Scarnati sent a letter to Governor Ed Rendell last week, which he believes "begins a process of getting an understanding of what's going on with drilling in the Commonwealth." Specifically, he asked the governor what information his administration can share with the Legislature in respect to the Marcellus Shale and drilling. The letter also addresses drilling on state land. On Monday, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced it is seeking bidders for more than 74,000 acres of state forest land in north central Pennsylvania. The tracts up for bid are in the Tioga, Loyalsock and Tiadghton state forests in Tioga and Lycoming counties. The state is allowing new drilling to resume, following a five-year moratorium. More than 300 companies have expressed intere...

A 45-year-old Portville woman is dead following a two-vehicle accident last night in Amity. Tara Hartzell was driving on County Route 48 and was looking for a driveway to turn around in after getting lost. She tried turning left when a vehicle driven by a 17-year-old tried to pass her, and the vehicles collided. Hartzell was taken to Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville, where she was pronounced dead. Two passengers in her vehicle suffered minor injuries.

McKean County Judge John Yoder wants attorneys to submit written arguments by August 14 before he determines whether to throw out some evidence against a railroad engineer whose train derailed and polluted part of Sinnemahoning-Portage Creek. The attorney for 46-year-old Michael Seifert of West Seneca, N.Y., says investigators illegally obtained his employment records from Norfolk Southern offices. He also says state investigators obtained private medical information about Seifert without a search warrant or his permission. Prosecutors say Seifert was under the influence of drugs and might have fallen asleep as the train sped down a steep grade in June 2006 near Gardeau. About 42,000 gallons of sodium hydroxide spilled into the stream, killing thousands of fish.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi are urging House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese to take immediate action on seven reform-focused bills languishing in the House. Among the bills stuck in House committees are measures that would prohibit bonuses for state employees; require governmental salary information to be posted online; and strengthen penalties for violating the Sunshine Law. Scarnati/Pileggi Letter to DeWeese .

By Paul W. Heimel Special to WESB/WBRR AUSTIN – Many cars in the Austin area during the 1970s and 1980s bore bumper stickers reading, “Austin: The Town Too Tough To Die.” More recently, the small southern Potter County borough has a new slogan, “Austin: Best Town by a Dam Site.” That’s a reference to the Austin Dam, a tourist attraction and important artifact that stands in tall, concrete sections across the Freeman Run Valley, about two miles north of the borough. A volunteer group has been working for several years to maintain a park established at the base of the dam ruins. In downtown Austin, a separate group has built a replica of town founder E. O. Austin’s home, a new museum that tells the story of the area’s heritage. Austin was one of the boom towns of the region’s 1890-1910 lumber era. As the old growth trees were vanishing, the Freeman Run valley still had immense tracts of pulpwood. Industrialist George Bayless arrived from Binghamton, N.Y., to build a paper mill. Freeman R...

The public is invited to attend a special presentation by the Bob Jones University Drama Ministry Team at Faith Baptist Church, 498 Seaward Avenue, Bradford, on Sunday July 20 at 6:00 P.M. The program will feature an original drama, “Every Good and Every Perfect Gift.” The Drama Ministry Team is touring the Mid-Atlantic States this summer. Members of the group are students at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Bob Jones University is a Bible-believing Christian liberal arts university with an enrollment of over 4,000 students from every state in the Union and about 50 foreign countries. Following the service there will be a time for food and fellowship in the church’s fellowship hall. Sunday’s schedule will include our Sunday School hour at 10:00 A.M. and the Preaching Service at 11:00 A.M. when Pastor Bill Raymond will continue his series of messages from the book of Romans.

The 20-year-old woman who was baby-sitting two toddlers when they accidentally drowned near Waterford has been sentenced today to 11 ½ to 23 months in Erie County Prison. Brittany Steward received the sentence immediately after she pleaded guilty today to two counts of the misdemeanor of endangering the welfare of a child. As part of the plea deal, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office dropped two counts of involuntary manslaughter, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in a state prison; and two counts recklessly endangering another person. State police accused Steward in the deaths of her 20-month-old half sister, Jenna Walker, and Jenna’s friend, Maggie Kovski, 2, on May 30, 2007. Prosecutors claim Steward's negligence led to the drownings, based on evidence that she stayed out all night and drank alcohol the night before she knew she had to baby-sit.

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Having more places for the community to gather was one focus of a work session held Monday night by the Bradford Master Plan Team. The aim of the work session was to come up with ideas for four specific areas of the city – the Elm Street off-ramp to Route 219; the Tuna Creek area of Mechanic and East Washington streets; the intersection of West Washington Street and Interstate Parkway; and Veterans Square. The people who attended the work session were separated into four groups to address the issues concerning those areas. Chris Hauser's group worked on ideas for Veterans Square and, Hauser said, a reconfiguration of the elements of the square to create more space would be more conducive to holding a variety of events there. For example, during Summerfest all the vendors could be set up in an around the square instead of along Main Street. He said it would instill "a sense of community instead of being fragmented up and down Main Street...

Attorneys for opponents of the Seneca Nation's Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino have filed a motion in federal court, asking U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to enforce last week's order that gambling on the nine-acre site is illegal. Attorney Richard. Lippes is asking for a hearing, while saying the judge's decision is clear and unequivocal. He says there's no question the Seneca Gaming Corporation is allowing illegal gambling. Attorneys for the National Indian Gaming Commission and the U.S. Justice Department have declined to comment. The Seneca Nation of Indians, which is not a party to the lawsuit, issued a news release this afternoon praising New York State for continuing to staff the casino with inspectors from the state Racing and Wagering Board.

Bradford City Police are investigating a report of an indecent assault of a female juvenile that happened near the railroad tracks off Silicon Way Sunday night. Police say a crew worker for the railroad contacted them saying he saw a girl who appeared to be struggling to get away from an older man. The suspect is described as a white male, 30 to 40 years old, tall with a thin build and dirty blonde wavy hair. When he was last seen, he was wearing glasses, a teal colored button-down shirt and shorts. The suspect left the scene on a black or dark-colored mountain bike, traveling north on East Main Street. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Bradford City Police or use the confidential tip line at cityofbradfordpolice.com

A Coudersport man has been charged with rape after an alleged incident Sunday morning in Summit Township. Police say 46-year-old David Alan Thomas took a boy and a girl camping with him for the weekend. Sunday morning, the boy was outside the tent cooking by the campfire when he heard the girl inside the tent crying. The boy looked inside to see Thomas on top of the girl. The boy opened up the tent, Thomas jumped up and walked out. The boy asked the girl what happened. After she told him, he ran to a nearby home and had the occupants called state police, who arrested Thomas at the scene.

Sen. Arlen Specter has completed his last scheduled round of chemotherapy. He says he plans to celebrate with a martini and dinner with friends. The 78-year-old Republican from Pennsylvania traveled to Washington on Monday after receiving the 12th and final dose at a Philadelphia hospital. He worked all day, as he has throughout the three-month regimen. Specter learned in April he had an early recurrence of Hodgkin's disease. He was treated for the same type of cancer in 2005.

This week, the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Association (POGAM) submitted to Allegheny National Forest (ANF) planners a thorough legal brief on the scope and limitations of the statutory and regulatory authority available to the US Forest Service in its relationship with private oil and gas mineral owners in the Allegheny National Forest. POGAM prepared the legal brief to assist ANF staff to meet their obligations to complete work on the 2007 ANF Land Resources Management Plan. “We decided to develop a rigorous legal analysis of the statutory and regulatory authority available to the US Forest Service in its relationship with oil and gas operators to help ANF staff complete work on two significant tasks required by the Forest Service Chief’s 2008 administrative appeal decision on the 2007 ANF Forest Plan,” POGAM president Stephen Rhoads explains. The ANF Administrative Appeal Decision found several procedural and substantive errors in the 2007 ANF Forest Plan’s treatment of privately-owned...

Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today became the new chairman of the National Governor’s Association and announced that the organization’s annual “Chair’s Initiative” will focus on strengthening infrastructure investment. “It is an honor to serve as NGA’s chair,” Governor Rendell said during the NGA’s Centennial meeting. “Out-going chair, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, deserves a tremendous amount of credit for moving America closer to clean energy. Just last week I signed legislation to invest more than $650 million in Pennsylvania’s alternative energy sector. Tim’s leadership has inspired every governor in the nation and once again states are taking the lead on this critical issue. “Another significant challenge facing our nation is the rebuilding of its infrastructure,” Governor Rendell said. “If America is to continue competing in the global economic marketplace, we need an efficient and sound infrastructure. For the past two decades, state and local governments have been...

Eighteen teams and a community Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back toppling the American Cancer Society’s Goal for Kane by $20K and raising over $62K. A year-long fundraising effort ended this past weekend with a parade in Uptown Kane on Thursday night and 24 hours of laps, fun and festivities at the Kane Area High School Track Friday – Saturday. The Miss Relay Contest Friday evening raised over $2,300 in an hour from the crowd gathered to take part in opening, survivor, and luminaria ceremonies. The Survivors Teams raising money this year included: Doug’s Desperados, Team Captain Shirley Milliron; Crusader’s for Cancer Cure, Team Captain Corine Varga; Sandy’s Girls, Team Captain Sherry Marconi; KCH Kaleidoscopers, Team Captain Sherri Peterson; The Dreaming Angel’s, Team Captain Shirley Morgan; Talkin & Walkin, Team Captain Trudy Powell; Kane Educators Rainbow Rockers, Team Captain, Julia Anderson; Tippin’ Our Hats for a Cure –Red Hat Society, Tema Captain: Nancy Ely; Chris’ Crusaders...

Washington, DC – Following the President’s announcement that he will abolish the 18-year old presidential moratorium on offshore energy production, Representative John E. Peterson, R-Pa., the leading force in congress to increase offshore energy production, issued the following statement: “I commend the President for his decision to eliminate one of the many hurdles that restricts the environmentally responsible practice of offshore oil and natural gas exploration and production. His actions today are a step in the right direction and should serve as an example for Speaker Pelosi and leaders in Congress. “Make no mistake, the price at the pump and sky-high natural gas prices are the result of 27 years of failed Washington policies. The politics of fear, implored by fourteen consecutive Congresses and three presidents, at the behest of radical environmental groups like Greenpeace, Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity, are the reasons Americans are paying record prices for...

A Bradford woman is being treated at Hamot Medical Center after a pickup truck ran over her foot as she was walking along Derrick Road at about 1:45 Monday afternoon. Foster Township Police say 55-year-old Diane Costa was walking along the berm just beyond the Crosby Mart when a pickup driven by Richard Wright was pulling out of 7 Derrick Road. Wright looked in his rear view mirror, saw Costa and stepped on the brakes, but a tire of the truck ran over her left foot. Costa was taken by Stat MedEvac helicopter to Hamot. Police were assisted by Bradford City Ambulance and Derrick City Volunteer Firefighters. The accident is still under investigation.

The woman accused of driving drunk in an accident that killed her 6-year-old son has waived her preliminary hearing, and may plead guilty to the charges. The lawyer for 26-year-old Erin Howard of Corry says a tentative plea deal has been reached. Howard is accused of involuntary manslaughter, DUI and other charges related to the death of her son, Samuel Carpenter, on June 14. Howard also faces an escape charge. State police said she went to a tavern after her son’s funeral in Hamilton, Ohio, instead of returning to the Erie County Prison as ordered by a judge.

A dead body was found in a small wooded area between BJ Wholesalers and Tim Horton's coffee shop in Allegany Friday afternoon. Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Deputies say the body is a white male, possibly in his 50s who has not been positively identified yet. They say an exam was performed on the body and at this time there are no signs of foul play. The preliminary cause of death appears to be natural causes. Deputies have not released the name of the person until positive identification can be made through dental records.

Ann Kaczmarek, nurse manager of Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department, makes some minor adjustments to the gravel bottom of the new 75-gallon aquarium installed in the waiting room. It was installed to give the waiting room a more soothing and calm atmosphere, she says. The aquarium also goes along with the seascape theme of the child-friendly play area in the Emergency Department waiting room. Nearly $9,000 in funding for the waiting room’s aquarium and child-friendly play area came from the Kids & Cancer Benefit Motorcycle Dice Run Committee. The committee held a fundraising dice run in July 2007. ( Photo courtesy of BRMC )

Peg Hannold, MT, HEW, a medical technologist in Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Laboratory, reviews a protein report that can now be completed more quickly because of a new system acquisition. ( Photo Courtesy of BRMC ) All bodily fluid protein tests are being completed in far less time at Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Laboratory with the acquisition of a fully automated analysis system. The automated Sebia Electrophoresis instrumentation is easy to use, allowing laboratory technicians to load samples, press a button and go on to other tasks, says Ron Truax, Laboratory director. “This new equipment upgrades our technology by 15 to 20 years for protein tests that were a very labor-intensive job,” he says, noting proteins are organic compounds that are considered the building blocks of all living organisms. “The equipment upgrade also allows us to keep the work here rather than have to send it out,” Mr. Truax notes. The beneficial result for patients means they get a diagnosis so...

State forestry officials say they will take bids from oil and gas companies interested in drilling on 74,000 acres in three state forests in northcentral Pennsylvania. The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced the lease sale Monday after it ended a five-year moratorium on new drilling earlier this year. Eighteen different tracts are involved. To win, a bidder must submit the highest money offer on the first year's land rental. Successful bidders will be able to take a shot at a deep gas reservoir, the Marcellus Shale formation, some 6,000 to 8,000 feet underground. The Marcellus formation is thought to contain large quantities of natural gas and is drawing the interest of exploration companies from Texas to Canada.

State Senator Joe Scarnati is asking for support from community leaders in making his transportation plan a reality. Scarnati's plan would eliminate the possibilities of imposing tolls on Interstate 80 or leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike. He is hoping that community leaders will support the plan in the form of a written resolution or statement sent to him as well as the media. If you haven't seen Scarnati's plan, you can find it here: Senator Scarnati's Transportation Plan PDF And, you have one more day to submit questions you want me to ask the senator.

WHITESVILLE, NY — The state Department of Environment Conservation will hold a hearing on a controversial oil and gas well drilling proposal at 1 p. m. Tuesday in Whitesville Central School. East Resources of Warrendale, Pa., is asking permission to drill as many as 6,000 wells in the Fulmer Valley sandstone in the Whitesville Field, a 20,000- acre area that includes parts of the towns of Willing and Independence in Allegany County and the Town of West Union in Steuben County. An association of landowners, Preserve Our Water and Environmental Resources (POWER), plans to protest the drilling operation. Chaired by Ed Worman of Whitesville, the group objects to the company’s bid to drill 12 times as many wells as DEC regulations allow.

Heavy hitters from the 2008 festival scene will converge in Potter County over the July 18-19 weekend for the sixth annual Dam Show at the Austin Dam Memorial Park. On Friday night and all day and night Saturday, the stage at the base of the Austin Dam ruins will be filled with the sounds of bluegrass, country, rock, old-timey music, gospel and other genres with broad appeal. Several of the bands will be accompanied by a legion of faithful fans who have been following them along the festival circuit across the country, headlined by world-class fiddler Michael Cleveland and his band, Flamekeeper. They’ll play a 90-minute set on Friday night. Other acts who will attract their own roving fan base to Austin include the Ryan Montbleau Band, the Hackensaw Boys, and Buddhahood. Lighting specialist Groovin’ Lumens will be back to paint the dam ruins with a colorful light show in support of Dam Show sponsor, the Potter County Fine Arts Council, in partnership with the Austin Dam Memorial Associ...

An apparent murder-suicide happened Sunday afternoon between 4-6pm in Roulette. State Police say that 29 year-old Cheri Baker went to her estranged husband’s house to discuss arrangements for their two year old son. Police believe that 32 year-old Matthew Baker then shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself. Baker also set the house on fire, but it extinguished itself. The investigation continues.

Vandals damaged five caskets at the Kibbe mausoleum in Whites Corners Cemetery in Potter County. State Police say the vandals cut the locks to the mausoleum and then caused extensive damage to the caskets. The damage occurred between May 26 and this past weekend.