Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A Ridgway Borough police officer has been found guilty and fined $400 for two state game violations after he used an ATV to hunt deer. Shawn Geci was hunting on the ATV on December 3 in Johnsonburg. He has 30 days to appeal the conviction and fines. Thursday's convictions were his third and fourth violations of state game laws. He pleaded guilty and was fined $300 for illegally taking or possessing game in 2005 and fined $200 in 2003 for a game law firearms violation.

A Salamanca man already facing charges for having sex with minors is facing additional charges of tampering with witnesses. The US Attorney’s office says 45-year-old Kevin Donaldson tried to tamper with one of the girls who is a witness against him. Donaldson was originally charged with transporting minors accros state lines to have sex with them. He’s accused of sending three letters to the alleged victim, trying to persuade her not to testify against him, and telling her that he loves her. Donaldson has pleaded innocent to the original charges. http://1490newsblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/man-indicted-on-child-sex-charges.html

WASHINGTON, DC—In the spirit of bipartisanship, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) announced today that they will sit together during the President’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 25. Democrats and Republicans have typically sat in different sections of the House chamber during the speech. "The simple act of sitting together in a normally divided chamber will send an important signal that legislating shouldn't be about taking partisan sides," said Senator Casey. "Senator Toomey and I will sit together as public officials representing all the people of Pennsylvania. I look forward to working together and hope the bipartisan spirit will continue for all Members of Congress." “I am proud to sit with my fellow colleague from Pennsylvania, Senator Bob Casey,” Senator Toomey said. “There will be many opportunities for us to work together in the 112th Congress, and sitting next to each other is a small, but important step towards ...

The Annual Warren County Winterfest starts Friday at Chapman State Park and runs through Sunday. One of the highlights of the event is the Polar Bear Plunge, when hundreds of people take a dip in the icy cold waters of the West Branch of the Tionesta Creek. This year's plunge is being held at 1 p.m. Saturday and includes a special guest -- Lt. Governor Jim Cawley. Cawley made a promise during his campaign to do the plunge if he got elected, and he's making good on it. Governor Tom Corbett is expected to attend Winterfest next year, but will not be doing the plunge. "Grizzly" Gary Wert, who is the master of ceremonies for the plunge (and has done it himself several times), tells us to get to the park well before 1 p.m. if you're plunging, or watching. Shuttle buses are available to take people from the parking areas to the event areas for free. Other events include sled dog races, cardboard box derby, geocaching, ice skating, snow sculpting and sleigh rides. For mo...

Harrisburg – Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.5 percent in December, down one-tenth of a percentage point from November. Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell for the fifth consecutive month, according to figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor and Industry. Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted civilian labor force – the number of people working or looking for work – was down 5,000 in December to 6,358,000. Resident employment rose by 4,000, the fourth consecutive month of growth. The number of unemployed residents fell by 10,000 to 538,000. Pennsylvania’s labor force was down 35,000 from its December 2009 level. Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs fell, for the first time in four months, by 1,100 in December to 5,619,800. Declines were seen in seven of the 11 supersectors, four of which were down at least 1,000 jobs from November (Construction, Manufacturing, Information, and Other Services). Professional...

Nushawn Williams was in court again today asking to have his guilty plea on rape charges vacated. He finished serving his sentence on those charges last spring, but the state attorney general’s office has filed a lawsuit that’s keeping him in jail, saying he is still a threat to society. That case isn’t expected to go to court until later this year. As for today’s motion, the judge has not made a decision yet. Williams was convicted for knowingly infecting more than 13 Chautauqua County residents with HIV in the late 1990s.

An inmate at FCI-McKean will spend an extra month in prison for having contraband in prison. 51-year-old Hakim Malik Ali pleaded guilty to the charge, and the sentence will be tacked onto the 97-month sentence he’s currently serving. Ali had a cell phone in the prison last October.

You can read the story at CNN.com .

Many residents and business owners have expressed interest in a sustainable, long term, relevant block watch network for the City of Bradford. In order to have strength in numbers, Project Pride is attempting to organize a Neighborhood Watch for the City of Bradford. A meeting will be held at 6 p.m. January 27 at the Bradford Area Public Library for anyone interested in learning, sharing and finding out how to help. During the meeting, a representative from the City of Bradford Police Department will facilitate a discussion about Neighborhood Watches; share safety/observation tips that can be used right away; and answer residents’ questions. The organizers are looking for input as to what people want to see in a neighborhood watch program, and are looking for people interested in participating by being a Block Captain or member of the Neighborhood Watch. All residents in Project Pride, as well as other city residents and/or business owners, interested in participating are encouraging t...

Bradford City police got complaints about animals on North Center Street and Belleview Avenue and parking on Main Street, according to the complaint report and request sheet faxed to WESB and The HERO by the police department. They also checked out several buildings where alarms were activated, issued a number of subpoenas and looked into a report of a suspicious vehicle on South Kendall Avenue.

Ridgway state police are investigating another burglary – this time at a house. They say someone walked in the front door of Bruce Bowers’ house on Montmorenci Road and took about $800 from a desk drawer in the den. Police are also investigating about 40 camp burglaries in Elk and Cameron counties.

You can also read the story at CNN.com .

Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) today was appointed to the state House Appropriations Committee, giving the fifth-term lawmaker greater standing in the development of the annual state budget. “My number one priority this year is for the state House to adopt an on-time, fiscally responsible state budget, and I believe my appointment to the Appropriations Committee will help us reach that goal,” Causer said. “Many of the people I represent have told me enough is enough when it comes to government spending, and I could not agree more. I will make sure their voices are heard loud and clear in this year’s budget negotiations.” As a member of the committee, Causer will participate in a series of in-depth hearings with officials from every major state agency and department to determine their budgetary needs. He also will play a role in monitoring ongoing expenditures to ensure departments are operating within the confines of the enacted state budget. Additionally, the Appropriations Commit...

Bradford City Police are investigating a reported burglary on East Main, a theft on High Street, and theft from a vehicle on Bon Air Avenue, according to the complaint report and request sheet faxed to WESB and The HERO by the police department. Officers also got reports of a traffic problem on Cole Avenue, an erratic driver on Route 219, harassment on Main Street and a disturbance on Florence Street.

A Warren man has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. 23-year-old Joshua Atwell and 55-year-old Richard Raspatello of Kersey conspired to defraud financial institutions throughout western Pennsylvania on a number of occasions. Atwell will be sentenced May 2. Raspetello already pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in March.

An Olean woman who told police she was sexually attacked in Oak Hill Park has admitted that she made up the story. Police say that toward the end of their investigation she admitted she was not telling the truth about the attack. She had been taken to Olean General Hospital after taking 9 Benadryl tablets. The woman has not been charged with making false reports, but has agreed to seek counseling.

An 18-year-old Olean woman says she was sexually attacked in Oak Hill Park Monday night. Olean police say the woman was walking home on Putnam Street at 7:55 p.m. when a black man attacked her from behind, put a cloth to her face, dragged her into the park and had sex with her. The man then uncovered her face and ran away toward West State Street. Police took the woman to the hospital because she took 9 Benadryl tablets and to collect evidence of the attack. They are continuing their investigation.

A faulty kitchen appliance caused a fire that damaged a Sunset Bay home Tuesday morning. Sheriff’s deputies say the residents were not home when the fire started at around 8 a.m. The Sunset Bay Fire Department and several others responded to the blaze. The county fire investigation term determined the cause to be the appliance.

A Salamanca teenager is facing charges for endangering the welfare of two babies. Salamanca Police say the 17-year-old girl threw two six-week old infants on a bed hard enough to make them bounce in the air a few inches at the Zafron House in Salamanca. The teen then tried to shut staff members out of the bedroom. The teen was taken to Cattaraugus County Jail in lieu of $500 bail. The infants were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

Harrisburg – Governor Tom Corbett today delivered his Inaugural Address after being sworn-in as Pennsylvania’s 46th governor: Chief Justice Castille; Governor Rendell, Judge Rendell; members of the judiciary; leaders and members of the General Assembly; members of Congress; my fellow Pennsylvanians: today we celebrate a long, proud, and sustaining tradition of democracy. Over three hundred years ago, a free society took root here in Penn’s woods. The leaders of those times were uneasy with a government more prone to political favor than fairness to the people. They were deeply troubled by government exploitation and excess and through the course of human events, envisioned the potential for a new government – a new ideal – based in unalienable rights and power derived from the consent of the people. That debate conducted by our forefathers, beginning with William Penn and carried through the 13 colonies to Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, was not without moments of rancor or sacrifi...

Lt. Governor Jim Cawley joins Judge Mike Fisher, his wife Suzanne and his son Nicky following swearing-in ceremonies in the State Senate. Photo provided by Senate Republican Communications

A St. Marys woman escaped injury in a one-car crash at 3:15 this morning on Route 120 just east of Beechwood Road in Shippen Township in Cameron County. State police say a car driven by 24-year-old Heather Penfield went out of control on the snow-covered road and hit a utility pole. Police say Penfield was wearing a seatbelt. She will be cited for driving at an unsafe speed.

Bradford City Police investigated an assault on West Corydon Street and a retail theft on West Washington Street, according to the complaint report and request sheet faxed to WESB and The HERO by the police department. Officers also got reports of found property on School Street, a traffic hazard on East Main Street, a vehicle complaint on Edna Avenue and public drunkenness on Main Street. Police also did a number of traffic stops and received several requests to speak with an officer.

U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) recently visited Afghanistan and Pakistan on a congressional delegation (CODEL) led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). During their trip, the senators met with U.S. troops, military officials and political leaders to discuss political, economic and security issues in the region. In addition to meeting with Pennsylvania troops, Sen. Toomey met with General David Petraeus, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Pakistani General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, chief of army staff of the Pakistan army. Sen. Toomey left Washington, D.C., Jan. 13 and will be returning to Pennsylvania today. Sen. Toomey was joined by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Pictured, Toomey visits a school in Nawa, Afghanistan, built by U.S. Marines. Toomey meets with villagers in Nawa, located in southern Afghanistan. Photos provided...

In case you missed this the first time I posted it, here's the trailer for the movie "Rango," starring Johnny Depp and featuring Lew Temple. See if you can find Lew in the trailer. (Hint: His first appearance is about 30 seconds into it.)

To read the story go to CNN.com .

State police are investigating yet another camp burglary in Elk County. They say someone attempted to enter a camp on Demo Drive in Highland Township by kicking the front door. The incident happened sometime between December 30 and 8 o’clock this morning. Police are currently investigating at least 40 camp burglaries in Elk and Cameron counties.

Police continued to be kept busy with domestic disturbances over the weekend. They were called to Orchard Place, Kane Street, High Street and Congress Street, according to the complaint report and request sheet faxed to WESB and The HERO by the police department. Officers were also asked to remove unwanted people from Kane and Congress streets; were called to a disturbance on Interstate Parkway; investigated a report of a stolen vehicle on Cole Avenue; looked into hit and runs on Barbour and Summer streets; and went to a motor vehicle accident on Davis Street. Police also got complaints about parking on Jackson Avenue and Williams Street and animals on Barbour and Davis streets. They also got a number of requests to speak with an officer.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On a conference call with reporters today from Kabul, Afghanistan, Senator Pat Toomey talked about his trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan with six other members of Congress. “The purpose of this trip was to become familiar with our efforts in both Afghanistan and Pakistan and to learn from our commanders on the field, our embassy officials and some of the people we are working with in these countries. It was also an opportunity to make it clear to the leaders in both Islamabad and Kabul that we’re committed to success here and to discuss some of the things they need to do to make sure we’re successful.” “It is truly amazing what the American servicemen and women are doing in Afghanistan. The caliber, the talent, the dedication and the ability of our troops are incredibly impressive, and there is no question that they are doing a terrific job and making tremendous progress. The big challenge now, as we continue to clear the remaining difficult areas in Afghanistan, is m...

A Lackawanna, New York, man is dead after a two-car crash Sunday on Route 219 in Ellicottville. State Police say at about 1:30 Sunday afternoon a driver lost control of his car on the snow and ice and hit an SUV driven by 53-year-old Joseph Faircloth head-on. Police say 33-year-old Matthew Disch of Henrietta suffered a broken ankle and may end up facing charges. That section of Route 219 was closed for about 4 hours Sunday.