Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Tack's Inn h as been cited by the state police bureau of liquor control enforcement for operating without a valid health permit or license, which expired on January 11. In a fax sent to WESB and The HERO, state police say the business still didn't have a valid permit or license on February 11. The charges will be brought before an administrative law judge.

A 72-year-old Union City PA man was rescued from Chautauqua Lake this morning after his boat overturned. In an e-mail sent to WESB and The HERO, Chautauqua County Sheriff's deputies say they received a call at about 10:30 a.m. saying that a boat overturned near Prendergast Point, and the operator was hanging onto the boat. Ronald Linkewitz was in the water for a about 25 minutes before rescuers arrived. He was conscious and coherent after being removed from lake. Linkewitz was taken to WCA Hospital in Jamestown for further evaluation.

For the second time in four months, New York Governor David Paterson has ordered a delay in school aid payments. $2.1 billion was supposed to be paid today. Paterson says the state intends to meet the June 1 statutory deadline for making this payment, assuming enough cash is available by then. In December, Paterson ordered the withholding of $750 million in payments to school districts, local governments, and other entities in order to prevent the state from running out of cash. Those payments were made in January when the state’s operating margins temporarily improved. Paterson also said some road construction projects will also be delayed. http://www.state.ny.us/governor/press/033010DelayedPayments.html

Windfall Road in St. Marys was closed for several hours Tuesday after a tractor-trailer crash. In a fax sent to WESB and The HERO, police say that at around 9 a.m. a rig driven by Kevin Prechtl of Ridgway went out of control while going around a curve, traveled across the road and turned over. The report didn’t say if Prechtl was hurt, and an answering machine at the police department said all officers were on patrol so no one was there to answer the question.

A Fredonia man is in jail following a domestic incident in the village. In an e-mail to WESB and The HERO, Sheriff's deputies say 28-year-old Matthew Peszko was arrested after they received a report of a woman screaming inside her home. Deputies say when they and state troopers arrived on the scene they found that the woman had a bloody nose, redness on her face and chest and saliva on her face. Deputies say Peszko pushed, slapped and spit on the victim while she had their one-month-old infant in her arms. They say the incident happened in front of a 4-year-old child. Deputies also found a pistol in his possession without the required state pistol permit. Peszko was taken into custody, arraigned and an order of protection was issued.

Diane Sheeley will be leaving her position as executive director of the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce on April 22. Sheeley has been with the chamber for about 8 years, and is taking another position in the community. Chamber board members say they will hire someone to replace Sheeley soon as possible.

A Brookville teacher is facing charges after being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student. 42-year-old Karin Hetrick was arrested last week at her home in Summerville after the girl's mother reported the relationship to police. According to court documents, Hetrick started a relationship with a female student in November 2009. The documents say Hetrick hugged and kissed the girl in her high school classroom, and that they traveled to remote areas to have sex. Hetrick is charged with child abuse, indecent assault and related offenses.

An Olean man has been sentenced to 5 years in prison on sex-related charges involving a child younger than 13, according to the Cattaraugus County District Attorney's Office. 54-year-old Clayton Griffis pleaded guilty in January to attempted course of sexual conduct. The incidents happened betewen November of 2004 and December of 2008.

The Southern Tier Symphony Chamber Strings, under the direction of music director John Whitney, will present a performance of “Bach’s Lunch” on Wednesday, March 31st, at First Presbyterian Church, 54 East Corydon St., at noon. Patrons may believe the title of the concert has something to do with food, but it is simply a musical presentation, lasting under one hour, to nourish the soul. This concert is a part of the anniversary celebration of Johann Sebastian Bach's 325th birthday, which occurred last week. Underwriting support sponsors for the concert are Barbara and Mac Sue and Stephen P. Grillo. The ensemble consists of twelve string players and pianist Nancy Hefti with the addition of two local sopranos. Annamaria Myers, of Port Allegany, PA graduated from Mansfield University in 1981 and was a finalist for the Schorr Prize in Voice at the Croswell Opera House in Adrian, Michigan. She has made numerous solo appearances in the twin tiers region including the mother in “Amahl ...

OLEAN -- The Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce and the Olean Area Motorcycle Enthusiasts are raffling off a 2010 Harley Davidson Dyna Wide Glide, black with flames during the 8th Annual Rally in the Valley motorcycle event in August. After a year's absence, the wide glide returns to the 2010 H-D lineup as one of four newer revised models introduced in the standard 2010 production line. The 2010 Dyna Wide Glide looks smoking' hot in its vivid black with flames color combo. The pulse of the Wide Glide is provided by a 1584cc, air-cooled Twin Cam 96 engine. Tommy Gun 2-1-2 exhausts replace the dual staggered shorty pipes of old and emit note at speed. Tickets are available for a chance to win the Dyna Wide Glide and second prize of a Krish Enclosed Two Bike Trailer. The tickets are $20 with a limit of 2,000 tickets to be sold. The drawing will be announced on Sunday, August 29. The motorcycle was partially sponsored by Larry's Sport Center, Galeton, PA. Tickets are availa...

Marienville, Pa. – On March 23, 2010, Marienville District Ranger Robert T. Fallon made the decision to continue using prescribed fire to maintain the herbaceous openings in the Buzzard Swamp area located in Jenks Township in Forest County and Millstone Township in Elk County, Pennsylvania. The project will burn up to 200 acres annually for the next 5 to 10 years. Prescribed burning would occur outside of the nesting season (April 15 to September 15) unless sites have been surveyed to determine that species with viability concerns are not currently nesting in these areas. This decision is not subject to administrative review or appeal pursuant to 36 CFR 215. Implementation may occur immediately. A map and complete project record are available from the Marienville Ranger District, 131 Smokey Lane, Marienville, PA 16239, or at http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/allegheny/projects/other .

The Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative (a 73,250 acre management area in McKean County) and Penn State Cooperative Extension are proud to provide sportsmen, private forest landowners, natural resource professionals and the public with a day to learn and talk about deer density as it relates to the carrying capacity of the habitat. We will be in the woods about half of the time. You will learn about deer biology; quality deer management; estimating deer density within deer home range, completing a deer browse survey, relating density to preferred deer foods, deer reproduction and deer harvest. The Deer Density and Carrying Capacity workshop will be in the Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative Management Area (includes ANF, Kane Hardwood, RAM Forest Products, Commonwealth Forest Investments and Bradford Water Authority lands) near Marshburg, Pennsylvania on Route 59 on Thursday, April 14 from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. There is a minimal fee of $10.00 which includes refres...

Syracuse Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Sewell will perform in the ninth and last concert of the Friends of Good Music season at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 16, at St. Bonaventure’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. The program will feature Ilya Yakushev, gold medal winner of the 2005 World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio, performing Prokofiev’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C-Major, op.26. “The program that the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra will be performing is a particularly interesting one,” said Joseph A. LoSchiavo, executive director of the Quick Center. “In addition to Prokofiev’s piano concerto, the orchestra will play the tone poem Death and Figuration by Richard Strauss and Nocturnes by Claude Debussy, both important works of the late 19th century. The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra’s concerts are firmly established as audience favorites and we are grateful for the symphony’s continued support in touring to communities in Western New York.” The Syracuse Sy...

The annual Kane Community Hospital (KCH) and Hamot Heart Forum has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 20, 6-8 p.m. at the St. Callistus Hall on Chase Street in Kane. This change takes place after blizzard conditions caused the February scheduled forum to be postponed. The forum is a “Heart to Heart” about heart disease, the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S. Each year between 1.2 million and 1.5 million people in the U.S. suffer a serious heart attack. More than 500,000 die. Everyone is welcome to attend the free forum. Pre-registration is required. To register or learn more about this event call KCH Cardiac Rehab at 837-4779. When you register, ask about what information you should bring or get prior to the forum so you can complete a heart risk assessment during the event. The assessment is a tool you can take home, share with your doctor, or use as a guide to regain or maintain a healthy heart. Speakers include keynote Kelly Hayes, M.D., Cardiologist, Hamot H...

Eleven students at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford were inducted on Sunday into the Upsilon Phi Beta chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda, the premier national honor society for nontraditional students. In order to be recognized as a member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, students must have earned at least 30 credits at Pitt-Bradford and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above. “Alpha Sigma Lambda provides a way for Pitt-Bradford to recognize and celebrate the academic achievements of its top performing nontraditional students, many of whom are working and/or raising families as they pursue their college studies.” said Dr. K. James Evans, vice president and dean of student affairs and advisor to Alpha Sigma Lambda. “The fact that ASL is a national honor society gives additional recognition to students who achieve this distinction.” `The new members this year are Grant Allen, a computer information systems and technology major from Bradford; Tamra Caton, a bus...

Pioneer Central Schools earned top team honors defeating Bradford by just half a point in the Western NY Scholastic Championship held at the Hornell High School over the weekend. All of Pioneer’s players were fifth and sixth graders whereas Bradford’s team consisted of second and third graders: Danny Fedak, Nate Evan, and Jacob and Jessica Yost. Danny Fedak won the third place individual trophy on tiebreaks. Coach Ferguson predicts that Bradford’s younger team should prove difficult to beat in future years. Pioneer also took top honors in the junior-senior high section. Buffalo finished second, while Hornell and Bath tied for third. Bradford did not take a junior-senior high team. Tied for third place team were Buffalo and Scio Central Schools. Other participating schools included Olean, Bath, and Hornell. Pictured, top, from left to right are first place individual Sam Tillinghast from Pioneer, second place individual James Miles from Buffalo, and third place individual Danny Feda...

Pennsylvania's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is now open until April 16, Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) announced today. The LIHEAP program is administered by the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) and helps income-eligible households pay for heat during the winter months. The LIHEAP program was scheduled to close April 2, but the program has been extended another two weeks to end April 16. DPW has helped nearly 500,000 families through cash and crisis grants since the program opened last November for the current season. For more information, contact the appropriate county assistance office: · Cameron County -- 814-486-3757. · McKean County -- 814-362-4671. · Potter County -- 814-274-4900. Assistance is also available by calling the toll-free LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095 (individuals with hearing impairments may call the TDD number at 1-800-451-5886). Internet users can access additional information at Causer's Web site at RepCauser.com .

The Chautauqua County man who shot his stepfather to death has been sentenced to 25 years in state prison. 21-year-old Daniel Hyers pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in January for shooting 51-year-old Dean Nagel in Villenova on September 9, 2008. After a massive manhunt, Sheriff Joe Gerace arrested Hyers himself after spotting him walking on Butcher Road in Villenova on September 10. http://1490newsblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/hyers-pleads-guilty.html

Bradford City Police were kept hopping over the last couple of days. Officers responded to reports of stolen property on Interstate Parkway and North Center Street; vandalism on High Street and loud music on State Street. They also received reports of harassment on East Main, High and Forman streets and criminal mischief on Davis Street. Police also responded to an accident on Interstate Parkway, a gun-related incident on St. Francis Drive and a report of a suspicious person in the North Kendall Avenue Park. They also received a report of a dog left alone on a South Avenue porch and responded to Bedford Street where a "juvenile was acting spoiled and (the) mother requested an officer to talk to her son," according to news releases faxed to WESB and The HERO.

Statement from New York State Senator Cathy Young: “It is unconscionable that the New York City-controlled legislators who currently are in the majority of both Houses left Albany without even trying to get the state budget passed by the April 1 deadline. They have failed to hold conference committees which would have moved along negotiations and put the process out in the open where it belongs, instead of negotiating the budget in secret. Last year, these same legislators forced through a state budget that contained out-of-control taxes and spending. This year, I fear they will pull the same stunts again, but add massive borrowing to their repertoire of bad fiscal policy that hurts our families and the economy. I am calling on the leaders of the Senate and Assembly to hold conference committees immediately. The people have a right to know what their government is doing. I also call on them to scrap their irresponsible borrowing plan, implement spending cuts and a...

John T. Costanzo, resident of Hockessin, DE, quietly passed into heaven from Delaware Hospice in Milford on Friday, March 26, 2010. He was 48 years old. Born in 1961 to Joseph and Marilyn Costanzo of Lewis Run, Pennsylvania, John was the youngest of three children and a special part of a large Bradford area extended family. There he learned to work hard and play hard, excelling in school and athletics. He graduated in 1979 from Bradford Central Christian High School, where among other things, he lettered four years on the Rambler Football Team. Following a long family tradition, John then moved to South Bend, Indiana to attend the University of Notre Dame, graduating with a bachelors degree in Business Administration in 1983. He flourished under the Dome of Our Lady and cherished his time at ND. After graduation from Notre Dame, in the footsteps of his Dad, John began a 25 plus-year career in the mortgage industry. Starting at MGIC and ending at Fifth Third Bank, he became a trusted an...

A chapter written by Dr. Philippe van Berten, assistant professor of business management and marketing at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, has been published in a new book about the emerging field of knowledge management. The chapter, “Market Information Knowledge: A Systemic Model for Customer Knowledge Management Which Changes the Enterprise Structure,” appears in “In Search of Knowledge Management.” Knowledge management is a new trend in marketing that allows companies to make the best use of information gathered and stored in large databases. Van Berten’s chapter develops a model of how companies can use database information gathered through customer loyalty program such as shopper cards for maximum effect on social networks. He has also contributed chapters on knowledge management to “Management & Knowledge Engineering” and “Guiding Principles to Knowledge-Centric Enterprise Engineering & Management,” both published ...

The Bradford Mastercraft All-American Soap Box Derby is organizing for this year's races, starting with at informational meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Byllye Lanes. They're looking for volunteers and drivers to participate in this year's Soap Box Derby. If you're interested, please attend. That's Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Byllye Lanes in Bradford.

An Emporium woman was hurt in an accident Saturday afternoon on Route 120 in Gibson Township. In a fax sent to WESB and The HERO Monday morning, state police say a car driven by 52-year-old Loretta Montgomery went out of control and hit an embankment. The car then rolled over, coming to rest in the road. Montgomery was taken by ambulance to Elk Regional Health Center for treatment of moderate injuries.

An illegal alien from Mexico was picked up in Cameron County Saturday evening. In a fax sent to WESB and The HERO, state police say they stopped 23-year-old Francisco Javier Parra Cazares during a traffic safety checkpoint just north of Emporium at 6 o'clock on Saturday. Cazares failed to provide evidence of his right to be in the United State. Police contacted US Customs and Immigration Services, who determined that Cazares was in the country illegally. ICE officers traveled to Emporium, where they took custody of Cazares.

This week's Big 30 selections: Pennsylvania Andy Neatrour, Smethport High School 6’ 225lbs. Nose Tackle Andy plans on going into the welding and fabrication trade after High School. Andy was asked why he would like to play in the Big 30 game and he said, “Because I have put a lot of time and effort in getting ready for the Big 30 game. I just like playing football.” Andy’s hobbies include; hunting and fishing. His favorite team is the Steelers and his favorite football player is Casey Hampton. Brad Daughenbaugh, Bradford Area High School 6’ 200lbs. Tackle / Defensive Tackle Brad will be attending Penn State Behrend in the fall to major in Mechanical Engineering. Brad’s honors include: 2 Year Letterman, Team Captain, PFN Honorable Mention All-State, and National Honor Society. Brad said, “My dad was in the Big 30, and it gives me a chance to play one more time. It is an honor to play with the best kids around, and it’s for a good cause. Brad’s big...

Someone broke into a Guardian Exploration storage facility on Fishing Creek Road in Hebron Township and stole about $1,300 worth of equipment. In a fax sent to WESB and The HERO, state police say the burglar stole several hand tools, a bolt cutter, a chop saw and a chain saw. The burglary happened sometime between March 19 and March 22. Anyone with information on this burglary is asked to contact Coudersport-based state police.

A Youngsville man who handed over seven pounds of marijuana to state police will spend the the next one to two years in state prison. 52-year-old Terry Knepp was sentenced on charges of possession with intent to deliver marijuana. When Knepp went to the state police barracks with the pot he said he wanted to turn his life around. Knepp was charged with a similar offense in 1996, according to Warren County Court records.

A 17-year-old is in jail after a couple of incidents Saturday night in Little Valley. In an e-mail sent to WESB and The HERO, sheriff's deputies say Wyatt Penfold of Bliss, New York, was arrested after they were called to two spearate homes where Penfold had trespassed. After his arrest, he allegedly used vulgar language after being told not to, and was found to be in possession of a marijuana pipe. He's charged with trespass, unlawful possession of marijuana and disorderly conduct. His bail is set at $1,000.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati said he is planning to introduce an amendment to Pennsylvania’s Constitution that would prohibit government from mandating that an individual participate in a given healthcare system. "Clearly the healthcare reform legislation passed by Congress crosses the line in many different aspects of personal freedoms and governmental intrusion," Scarnati said. "States have the right to protect our citizens from undue burdens and mandates placed on them by the federal government. Therefore, I find it imperative that the General Assembly of the Commonwealth amend the state’s Constitution to reflect a person’s right to choose their own healthcare policy." "I recognize the demand for accessible, affordable healthcare, but this legislation does neither and quite frankly, places government in between solid healthcare decisions involving doctors and patients," Scarnati stated. "I agree that healthcare reform is needed, but in...

A Limestone man and a Bradford woman are being accused of heroin possession following a traffic stop in Springville, New York. 30-year-old Lloyd Baribeau III and 25-year-old Mary Bradley are each charged with a felony count of criminal possession of a controlled substance. Erie County Sheriff's deputies stopped the car at about 3:15 p.m. Friday after receiving a report of an erratic driver in the village business district. On Wednesday, Baribeau waived a preliminary hearing in Bradford on charges of that he sold crack cocaine to confidential informants with the drug task forces of McKean and Warren counties.

PennDOT District 2 announced that work will start Monday, March 29, on a project to replace the Janders Run Bridge on Route 44 in Ceres Township, McKean County. This project is financed with federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Work includes removal of the existing, single-span bridge and placement of a new pre-cast concrete box culvert. A temporary road will be in place to maintain traffic through the area. PennDOT expects the new bridge to be open to traffic by mid June. L.C. Whitford Company of Wellsville, New York, is the contractor on this $$728,000 job. This project is part of PennDOT’s more than $66 million investment of federal economic recovery funds for 17 transportation projects across the nine counties of District 2. To learn more about how the federal economic stimulus will benefit Pennsylvania, visit www.recovery.pa.gov

Rap and pop recording artist Sean Kingston will perform in concert at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 29, at St. Bonaventure University’s Reilly Center Arena. Kingston, who describes his style as a fusion of “reggae, pop, dance and fun,” first burst onto the scene in 2007, when his single “Beautiful Girls” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and topped singles charts in the United Kingdom and other international markets. The record earned him a Teen Choice Award, as did his 2009 single “Fire Burning.” Kingston won a 2007 MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Award for Best Reggae Act, and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award as Outstanding New Artist in 2008. On his latest release, the single “Eenie Meenie,” he teams up with Justin Bieber, the Canadian teen pop star who was discovered through FaceBook. Born Kisean Jamal Anderson in Miami in 1990, Kingston spent much of his youth in Jamaica. He had a rough upbringing, landing in jail at the age of 11 on a breaking-and-entering charge, and ...

PennDOT District 2 announced that work will start Monday, March 29, on a project to make improvements on Route 6 in Potter County. This project is financed with federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). On Monday, March 29, crews will begin to resurface the roadway in Sweden Township, Eulalia Township and Coudersport Borough. The work zone stretches from the Franklin Bridge in Coudersport to the Route 6/Route 872 intersection. Work includes roadway resurfacing, drainage improvements, guiderail updates, new curbing and sidewalks, waterline installation and pavement markings. During daylight hours, motorists can expect short delays through the work zone. PennDOT expects work to be complete by the end of September. I.A. Construction of Zelionople, Butler County, is the contractor on this $2.1 million job. This project is part of PennDOT’s more than $66 million investment of federal economic recovery funds being spent on 17 transportation projects across the nin...

This year’s One Book Bradford season will come to a close Wednesday night with a presentation by author Lenore Hart. Hart, who wrote this year’s One Book Bradford selection – “Becky: The Life and Loves of Becky Thatcher” – will speak at 7:30 p.m. at the Mukaiyama University Room at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The event is free and open to the public. Hart will talk about her approach to writing and the story behind the story of “Becky.” Hart picked up where famed writer Mark Twain left off and carried Becky Thatcher, as well as other characters such as Tom Sawyer, into adulthood. Hart’s visit will also include a morning session at the Bradford Area Public Library where she and her husband, Bradford native David Poyer, will speak with registered participants about “Then Things Your English Teacher Never Told You About Writing.” Each year, One Book Bradford seasons end with a visit from the author of the featured reading. Hart’s visit culminates a busy season of activ...

The Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the recipients of their 2010 Awards and the nominees honored in each category. The Option House is the first recipient of the BACC Exemplary Business Award. The BACC Exemplary Business Award is given to a for-profit business that demonstrates a well-planned, commendable, and thorough approach to business development. They must also exemplify the unique “hometown” charm of the area in their manner of administration, customer service and quality of product or service. This award covers manufacturing, industrial, tourism, hospitality, retail or service. From the moment Sam Sylvester purchased The Option House, he had a plan, dream and vision of what he could do for the hometown he loves. Through hard work, determination and perseverance, he would give back to Bradford a magnificent, historic building that was on the verge of collapse and ruin. This landmark is restored to its former glory and beyond as ...

State police are warning people of a possible scam being run in the Lewis Run, Kane and Pittsfield areas. They say a woman approached a residence and began asking questions concerning the mortgage, saying the information was needed for Northwest Savings Bank. She said she worked for Default Services, which was working for Northwest. A representative of the bank told Kane-based state police that this person is not associated with the bank, and that Northwest does not have people going door to door. State police say they would like to remind the public that if they're not sure if something is a scam or not, take time to check it out prior to giving out any personal information.

A Shinglehouse man has been cited following an accident on in the 700 block on Summit Road Thursday night. Foster Township Police say 28-year-old Steven Lanager Jr. was traveling at a high rate of speed on the snow-covered, icy road when his car went out of control, off the road and into a ditch, where it hit a utility pole. Police say when they arrived on the scene the only thing holding the pole upright was the car wedged into it. The road was closed four about 4 hours and traffic was detoured at Summit Road's intersections with Rew Hill and Looker Mountain Trail. Penelec crews were able to stabilize the pole while Clayt's Towing removed the car. Lanager wasn't hurt. He was cited for driving at an unsafe speed.

Police, DA say Man Killed Woman, Baby By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director A Bradford man is facing two criminal homicide charges in connection with the deaths of a woman and her baby last week in their Pleasant Street home. 38-year-old Waide Eugene Nolf of 56 Pleasant St. is accused of killing 24-year-old Tonya Haight and 3 1/2-week old Tamara Haight, also of 56 Pleasant St., on March 19. Nolf is being held in McKean County Jail in Smethport without bail after being arraigned by District Judge Dom Cercone. Although Nolf lived in the same house as the victims, McKean County District Attorney Ray Learn said he can't comment in detail on the relationship they had. Learn, along with Pennsylvania State Police Information Officer Bruce Morris and acting Bradford City Police Chief Lt. Carl Milks, held a news conference Saturday morning in Bradford City Hall. Learn did say Nolf was "one of several persons of interest" in the case, and Morris said "all avenues were looke...

38-year-old Waide Eugene Nolf of 56 Pleasant Street is charged with two counts of criminal homicide in connection with the deaths of 24-year-old Tonya Haight and 3 1/2-week old Tamara Haight, of the same address, on March 19. More to follow.

Synergy Business Managment in Salamanca has filed a notice with the state labor department, saying it will lay off an undertermined number of workers effective June 30. The company, which employs 130 people, cited the PACT Act for the layoffs. If signed by President Obama, the PACT Act would prohibit the US Postal Service from delivering tobacco products ordered over the Internet. Synergy Business Management is not affiliated with the Seneca Nation of Indians, but Seneca leaders have said the PACT Act would result in the loss of about 1,000 jobs in Western New York.

Newly-developed award to allow United Way to acknowledge agency representatives The United Way of the Bradford Area has developed an award to acknowledge the effort and dedication of a funded-agency representative. The inaugural award will be given to CARE for Children Executive Director Tina Martin at the United Way’s annual Red Feather Volunteer event on June 1. The award, deemed as the “Excellence in Representation”, was created by UWBA Executive Director Kelly Case and Assistant Director Mandi Wilton Davis. It was voted on by the members of the UWBA Board of Directors. According to Case and Davis, there is a set criteria for which the award will be based including, but not limited to the recipient being affiliated in some capacity with a funded agency; the person who best exemplifies the United Way mission within their own organization; one who participates with the annual campaign; one who possesses a working knowledge of the United Way and how it benefits the various programs and...

Just a reminder that the Bradford City Firefighters' annual Easter Egg hunt is scheduled for tomorrow at Callahan Park. The hunt starts at 11 a.m., and we should have good weather for it -- sunny with a high in the mid- to upper 40s. Every participant from age 2 through 10 will get an Easter basket in a bag.

An Olean man is facing charges afer being accused of stealing a gun from a Town of Hinsdale house. 19-year-old Jonathan Fye is charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. Sheriff's deputies say Fye stole one gun in August but had other guns that were stolen from the same house by someone else. Fye is in Cattaraugus County Jail on $5,000 bail.

A convicted rapist from Gowanda has been sentenced to life in prison for a 1991 Maryland rape. 68-year-old was Leslie Maize was convicted earlier this year on rape and burglary charges. Investigators solved the crime through DNA testing after they came across the victim's rape kit and noticed it hadn't been added to a national criminal DNA database. Maize will begin serving the Maryland sentence after he's released from prison in New York, where he was convicted of a 1993 rape.

The Bradford woman accused of stabbing an Allegany woman in the neck with a pair of scissors is scheduled for arraignment today in Cattaraugus County Court. 19-year-old Samantha Jo Conner was arrested for stabbing a 27-year-old woman early Sunday morning at the Lantern Motel in Allegany. The victim was treated at ECMC in Buffalo, then released.

A Chautauqua County man who drives a Pine Valley school bus has been arrested on charges of public lewdness and endangering the welfare of a child. State police say 33-year-old Daniel Noody of Silver Creek exposed himself while sitting in the bus and acted in a lewd manner on Pine Valley Elementary School property on Monday. Noody is in jail on $20,000 bail. Troopers are continuing their investigation. Photo provided by NYS Police

The Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force in Cattaraugus County has broken up a marijuana-growing operation on Irish Hill Road. Authorities say they found a sophisticated marijuana growing and cloning operation, and in the process, seized 100 live plants, an unspecified amount of dried buds, 17 firearms, and a large amount of hydroponic growing equipment. The estimated street value is $200,000. Charges are pending. The suspects' names haven't been released yet.

Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA is launching a four week sermon series geared toward helping people strengthen their relationships this coming weekend. The series of talks, called "Relationship Rescue" will start Sunday, March 28 at Open Arms, and will address practical steps that can be taken to improve relationships from a biblical perspective. Week One of Relationship Rescue will explain that there is hope that even broken relationships can be restored, but it also has a cost. Week Two discusses the kind of attitude necessary to make a relationship function at it's best. Week 3 explains that love works best when it's put into action. Week Four addresses "building a better mate." Relationship Rescue is the continuation of a campaign at Open Arms to bring hope and healing to broken relationships, especially considering that the divorce rate in the US is over 60 percent. In February, Open Arms ran a four part series called "Finding Your Bella...

Tuna Crossroads will be closed next week as crews working on the Route 219 Bradford Bypass project demolish the bridge. The road will be closed starting Wednesday. Also, northbound traffic is sharing a lane with southbound traffic from Mill Street to north of Hillside Drive in New York. The lanes are separated by a temporary concrete barrier. Northbound ramps at the Foster Brook interchange and Tuna Valley Trail access at Bolivar Drive are closed. Trail access is still available at Crook Farm and Seaward Avenue.

Olean General Hospital’s Gundah Dental Center and Bradford Regional Medical Center’s McKean County Dental Center announce the addition of Joseph DiDonato III, D.D.S. Dr. DiDonato will split his time by working two days at each dental center, said Gregory McCraith, D.D.S., Chief of Dental Medicine at Olean General’s Gundlah Dental Center and Bradford Regional’s McKean County Dental Center. The addition of Dr. DiDonato will allow each dental center to expand access to patients in the region. Dr. DiDonato is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and earned his doctorate in dental surgery from New York University’s School of Dentistry. He has operated a dental practice in Rochester since 1982, and also served as a clinical instructor in the Eastman Department of Dentistry at the University of Rochester’s School of Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. DiDonato is a former president of the New York State Academy of General Dentistry. “Dr. DiDonato comes highly recommended to Olean General Hosp...

Two men are facing drug charges after a traffic stop in the Town of Pomfret on Wednesday. State police say 25-year-old Kahl VanKoughnet of Erie was found with less than 25 grams of marijuana and a pipe containing residue. 24-year-old Benjamin Steger of Fredonia was also found with less than 25 grams of marijuana and two pipes. Both were passengers in the vehicle. A passenger in another vehicle in Pomfret is facing charges after another traffic stop on Wednesday. Police say 20-year-old John Jarjabka Jr. of Warren was cited for underage drinking and for drinking alcohol in a vehicle on a public highway after the car he was riding in was stopped for a taillight violation.

Bradford City Police arrested 6 people for disorderly conduct following 3 separate incidents on Wednesday. At just before 12:30 a.m., police went to South Center Street for a disturbance call and arrested Tasha Butterbaugh. At just after 12:30 a.m., they responded to a fight call at the Riddell House, where they arrested Gary Simes Jr., Artter Hubbart and Michael Holden. Holden was also charged with DUI a short time later on Route 219. At about 7:30 Wednesday night, Eddie Ambers Jr. and Menton Harding were arrested for fighting on Main Street.

Bradford City Police responded to a variety of calls Wednesday. Officers received reports of suspicious people and a suspicious a vehicle in a Mechanic Street parking lot. They also received reports of harassment on Sherman and East Main streets, thefts on North and Main streets and criminal mischief on Amm Street. Officers also got an animal complaint from Leland Avenue, vehicle complaints on Blaisdell Avenue and State Street and reports of abandoned vehicles on Davis Street and at the Comfort Inn. Police are also looking into a report of unlawful contact with a minor, according to news releases sent by the police department.

A Bradford woman waived her preliminary hearing on charges of making false reports to law enforcement and driving with a suspended license. According to papers filed in District Judge Dom Cercone's office, on January 26 when police arrived at the scene of a non-reportable accident on East Washington Street one of the drivers was agitated. They say Jacquie Horton told them she was upset because she was pregnant and on her way to the hospital, which is also why she didn't have her driver's license with her. Instead of giving her name, however, she allegedly gave police the name and birth date of her older sister. After her younger sister called the older sister to tell her about the incident the older sister, who lives out of town, called police to tell them she wasn't involved in the accident. Horton later contacted police and "literally confessed several times" and said she gave the wrong name "because she was scared about going to jail," according t...

Retired Bradford City Police Chief Mike Close has waived his preliminary hearing on charges of simple assault and harassment. Close was charged by state police after an incident at around 12:30 a.m. on March 14, when he allegedly hit and pushed Amy Baker. He's free on unsecured bail.

Over the last couple of days, Bradford City police responded to reports of thefts on Congress and West Washington streets, South Kendall Avenue and Brookline Court. They also looked into reports of criminal mischief on Chestnut and Congress streets and a fight on Elm Street. Officers also responded to minor motor vehicle accidents on Campus Drive, Hoffman Avenue and West Washington Street, according to news releases sent by the police department.

A Galeton man is facing charges after trespassing in a neighbor's house early this morning, then driving into parked vehicles when he came out of the house. State police say 33-year-old David Dailey went through the front door of the neighbor's house. When he left, he got into his vehicle that was parked in front of the house. He drove in reverse for about 450 feet and hit two parked vehicles. Police determined Dailey was driving under the influence of alcohol, and will be charged with DUI, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and numerous summary traffic offenses.

A 31-year-old Weedville woman is facing drug charges after she was found unconscious on Monday. State police say they were called to Old Brynedale Road at 7 o'clock Monday night to help Byrnedale Ambulance personnel with an unconscious female. Police say the woman was found to be in possession of a suspected controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Charges are pending tests at a state police lab. Police didn't release the woman's name.

Last year's state budget was approved 101-days late. This year the House has advanced a budget bill 100-days early: The House voted 107 to 89 advance a $29-billion dollar spending plan that includes a 4 percent increase in spending. Three of those no votes came from Marty Causer, Kathy Rapp and Matt Gabler. Among the GOP objections are that the bill doesn't account for federal stimulus dollars running out.

Bradford City Council on Tuesday enthusiastically agreed to allow the demolition of 31-37 Mechanic Street. By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director One more blighted property in Bradford is coming down, and city leaders are working on ways to get rid of even more. During a public hearing on 2010 Community Development Block Grant proposed activities, Office of Community and Economic Development Executive Director Sara Andrews said she and Mayor Tom Riel had talked about trying to address a larger number of properties instead of the three to five they demolish annually with CDBG money. She said they are considering borrowing money for demolition, then paying the loan back with CDBG money. Andrews said she spoke with her grant manager in Harrisburg, who said that's possible but the city would have to pay the interest on the loan. However, she said the interest rate for municipalities is "probably pretty good right now." Councilman Jim Evans asked if the city could save money...

The South Dayton, New York, highway superintendent has pleaded not guilty to tampering with business records. 37-year-old Brian Taber is charged with falsifying business records, official misconduct and petit larceny. A grand jury indictment says that between July of 2008 and June of 2009 Taber concealed, altered or destroyed evidence that was believed to used in an official proceeding, and that he stole property. The County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police say Taber stole gasoline from the town highway barn at least four times and attempted to cover up the loss by altering records. Taber still serves as the town highway superintendent, after winning re-election in November 2009. The matter has been adjourned for motions.

A Randolph man pleaded guilty to rape this morning, just before jury selection for his trial was scheduled to start. The Cattaraugus County District Attorney's office tells WESB and The HERO that Christopher Emke had sex with a person younger than 17 on March 1, 2009, in the Town of Randolph. Emke is scheduled for sentencing on July 6.

A Portville man who attacked a woman last September has pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping and criminal possession of a weapon. 35-year-old William Phillips attacked the woman as she came out of a Wilson Farms store in Portville on September 15. Phillips served 15 years in a Georgia prison for convictions of rape and aggravated sodomy of a 13- year old girl. When he was released from prison in Georgia, He returned to Portville to be with his family. He's being held in Cattaraugus County Jail awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for July 6.

The New York State Senate has approved a $136 billion spending plan that would keep all state parks open. Democrats say the budget would keep spending increases below inflation, but Republicans say it still falls short of fixing structural deficits. Besides keeping parks open, the plan would close three prisons and cut Medicaid spending.

Attorney General Tom Corbett today said that he will file a lawsuit to protect the citizens of Pennsylvania whose rights will be violated when the health care reform legislation, passed last night by the U.S. House of Representatives, is signed into law by President Obama. Corbett said that he believes the courts will find the health care reform legislation unconstitutional. Corbett said he is discussing legal strategy with attorneys general from Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan, Texas, Utah, Washington, North Dakota and South Dakota and Virginia.

“Restoring Community History: Puerto Ricans In Central Florida” will bring the exhibit, “Puerto Ricans In Central Florida 1940s to 1980s: A History” for two weeks to SUNY Fredonia and for another two weeks to the Dunkirk Public Library. The exhibit consists of bilingual panels and dvds that showcase the oral interviews of hundreds of Puerto Rican families in Central Orlando reconstructing their history and their contributions to the area. The exhibit will also be accompanied by a presentation during opening day by Dr. Patricia Silver, the professor who began a “research” project that brought together universities and state agencies. The exhibit is in itself an expression of the public services provided by Dr. Silver with a team of scholars, students, state workers to create a digital archive of the history of the Puerto Rican community in Central Orlando. A faculty member of the sociology department at University of Central Florida, Patricia Silver began to do some research about the...

Poet Linda Gregg will hold a reading of her work at 7 p.m. on April 28 at Jamestown Community College’s Cattaraugus County Campus. The free event, which will be held in room 308 of the Library and Liberal Arts Center, is co-sponsored by JCC and the Olean Public Library with funding from the Katharine Jackson Carnahan Endowment for the Humanities and the New York State Council on the Arts. Ms. Gregg is the 2009 Jackson Poetry Prize recipient. The prize honors an American poet of exceptional talent who has published at least one book of recognized literary merit but has not yet received major national acclaim. Judges for the award described Ms. Gregg’s poems as “charting human emotion at its most risky, leading the reader at times into a metaphysical or mystical utterance, and at times into a plain-spoken observation of a human world. Her poems are wise and beautiful.” Ms. Gregg’s other works include All of It Singing (2008), In the Middle Distance (2006), Things and Fles...

Many hands make for light work. Last spring, many sportsmen and some scouts showed up for the work day on new state game lands building habitat for all animals on lands that everyone can enjoy. Brush piles are necessary habitat, food and nesting sites for many small animals in the wild, including rabbits and pheasants. They are easily built and will be immediately available for animals. Pheasants need this habitat work. This year we will meet at 8:00 AM on Saturday, March 27, 2010. Groups will form and work 9AM-noon and 1PM until 4PM or until the work is done. We will park at the dedication sign going into the Shawmut tract of PA State Game Lands #44. Signs will be placed along route 219 south of Ridgway. We will need as many people as possible to bring chain saws, chaps, helmets, pruning poles and other safety gear and brush cutting tools. Pheasants Forever will once again provide a lunch for the volunteers. We will be working outdoors cutting brush and building habitat so dress for t...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford College-Community Choir will perform Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem in D minor, Op. 48, during its annual spring concert on March 24. A Spectrum Series event, the concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Bromeley Family Theater, and is free and open to the public. “Fauré’s Requiem is undoubtedly his most popular composition; it’s a masterpiece of choral literature,” said Dr. John Levey, assistant professor of music at Pitt-Bradford. “I’d recommend this concert especially to those who have yet to see the College-Community Choir. “The Requiem isn’t a long work, but it’s quite moving, an embodiment of Fauré’s personal conception of death and the afterlife.” Fauré completed the first version of the Requiem in 1888, but reworked it several times through about 1900. The original is scored for orchestra, but the choir will perform a version with piano accompaniment by Roger Ducasse. Rick Snyder will accompany the group. Since taking over as music director in A...