Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The 2011-12 Prism Series at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford promises its audiences a musical medley of North American heritage: from Native American and early settler beginnings to the Civil War to reality TV fame. The university’s premier arts series will open the season with the return of The Barter Theatre in its performance of “Civil War Voices,” at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 25 in the Bromeley Family Theater in Blaisdell Hall. In 2010, Prism audiences enjoyed The Barter Theatre’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Ticket prices for the public are $30 and $26; costs for faculty, staff and alumni are $26 and $22; students pay $13 and $11. James R. Harris based his musical on the diaries and other writings of his great-great-uncle, a young couple separated by the war, a young professor who became a lieutenant, and a freed slave working as Mary Todd Lincoln’s dressmaker. The music arrangements by Mark Hayes include period songs such as “Dixie,” “The Yello...

A Forestville man suffered serious injuries in an ATV accident late Friday night in the Town of Hanover. Sheriffs deputies say 37-year-old Joseph Kaye was about to turn his ATV into a private driveway when 39-year-old Nathan Stevens ran into the back of Kaye’s vehicle. Stevens’ vehicle rolled over. Stevens, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown form the ATV. He was taken to ECMC with serious injuries. Deputies are continuing their investigationand say charges are pending.

A Dayton, New York, woman is facing charges for fraudulently receiving nearly $8,300 in public assistance. Sheriff’s deputies say 31-year-old Michelle Rogers received the daycare assistance fraudulently when she failed to notify the Department of Social Services that she was using daycare providers other than the provider approved by the department. Rogers is charged with welfare fraud, grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing. She is scheduled to appear in City of Olean Court on June 7.

A Jamestown man is in jail on drug charges following a traffic stop early this morning in the Town of Pomfret. Sheriff’s deputies stopped 26-year-old Nicholas Hill-Lindsay and learned he has had a suspended driver’s license since 2007 for a previous conviction for sale and possession of drugs. Deputies found that Hill-Lindsay was in possession of a narcotic drug with intent to sell. He was arraigned and sent to jail on $5,000 cash bail.

A an Emporium woman suffered minor injuries in a crash this morning on Route 120 in Cameron County, about 2 miles from the Elk County line. Police say a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Cody Andrus of Emporium was near the rest area when a deer entered the road. He swerved to miss the deer, and his vehicle went off the road, hit a sign, a ditch and a culvert. His passenger, 25-year-old Jessica Steger was taken by ambulance to Elk Regional Health Center, where she was treated for her injuries. No charges will be filed.

A state of emergency will remain in effect in the Village of Little Valley until Monday because of the damage caused by Thursday night’s flash flooding. Emergency Services Director Christopher Baker says due to the ongoing closure of 4th Street, if people are in need of assistance they should contact the Little Valley Fire Department. Cattaraugus County has donated large trash bins to help in debris removal. People are asked to place all flood-damaged items at the curb for pick-up. Collection of damaged household items will continue on Monday.

Scott Douglas just sent us this picture from Little Valley. He says Rock City Street is closed; it's the main road thru Little Valley twoard Salamanca.

Charges against a man accused of assaulting a Bradford police officers have been bound to court. 18-year-old Frederick Camejo Jr. of Bradford was asked by police to leave property owned by Bradford Regional Medical Center, following a request by the hospital. According to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office Camejo said, “I know my rights. I don’t have to leave.” When the police officer told him again to leave, he again said he didn’t have leave, used several expletives and said, “I don’t see no signs” telling him he couldn’t be there. As the officer arrested him for trespassing, Camejo elbowed him in the face and also threatened him. Camejo is free after posting $20,000 bail.

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 613 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2011 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... MCKEAN COUNTY... * UNTIL 915 PM EDT... * AT 605 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED FLASH FLOODING IN AND NEAR THE CITY OF BRADFORD DUE TO A NUMBER OF SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE COUNTY. VERY HEAVY RAIN FELL IN THE MOUNTAINS AROUND BRADFORD CITY AND NEAR PORT ALLEGANY BETWEEN 4 AND 6 PM...AND THE WATER HAS BEGUN TO REACH THE VALLEY LOCATIONS. * LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO BRADFORD... CORYVILLE...CYCLONE...KINZUA BRIDGE STATE PARK... PORT ALLEGANY...SMETHPORT AND WESTLINE. CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE THROUGH AT LEAST 7 PM. BUT ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF LESS THAN AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED AREA THIS EVENING. THUS...THE FLOODING SHOULD THEN START TO ABATE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.....

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has added a third mural to its campus. “Man and Scholarship” was painted during the spring term by Oleg Gotchev and his Mural Design class. Gotchev, who heads the mural department at the National Academy of Art in Sofia, Bulgaria, taught at Pitt-Bradford in the spring as a Fulbright Scholar. “I leave behind something done by my hand,” he said of the new mural in Swarts Hall, which houses behavioral and social sciences, nursing, composition, writing, languages, English, and business management and education. The mural depicts a woman sitting with her legs crossed, similar to a lotus position. Her body forms a triangle, while another body behind her forms a square. A circle encompasses them both. In each portion of the geometric figures are tiled depictions of the different disciplines. “This is the symbolic figure of the thinker and creator,” he said, adding that he chose to paint a woma...

WASHINGTON, DC— U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement in response to new employment figures released today by Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry, which showed a drop in the unemployment rate from 7.8 percent in March 2011 to 7.5 percent in April. “These positive developments show that the Pennsylvania economy is moving in the right direction. We must stay focused on policies that help businesses expand and increase hiring so that the recovery continues and reaches all parts of the Commonwealth. As Chairman of the JEC, I will continue to look at how we can help create additional private sector jobs, spark innovation and add strength to the recovery in Pennsylvania and across the country. “Today’s employment report shows that the Pennsylvania economy continues to recover. The unemployment rate dropped to 7.5 percent, a drop of 1.3 percent since April of 2010, and marks the fourth month in a row that ...

Bradford City Police had to deal with mischief-makers on Wednesday. They were called to Walker and Marion avenues and to Congress Street for reports of criminal mischief, according to the complaint report and request sheet. They also received reports of harassment on Jackson Avenue, an intoxicated female on Kennedy Street and terroristic threats. Officers were also called about a skunk on Clarence Street.

Wondering if the carnival at The Bradford Mall is still on even in the rain? The answer is "Yes." When you go, stop by the throwing-the-darts-at-balloons game and say hello to Poochie and Dave. Tell 'em Anne sent ya!

J. Gary Rhodes, Vice President of UPMC Hamot and CEO of KCH announced today that "UPMC Hamot is expected to begin construction of a new Medical Park in Mt. Jewett this summer to improve access to quality healthcare and better serve residents of the area." Completion of the facility is expected before winter. The Family Medicine practices of Linda Rettger, M.D. and Eric Asp, PA-C will relocate to the new "UPMC Hamot Medical Park - Mt. Jewett" on Main Street in the commercial area of Mt. Jewett. Physicians of Internal Medicine and Women’s Health (OB/GYN) as well as extended hours of operation are also anticipated. The 2,600 square foot center will allow two physicians to see patients at the same time with six exam rooms, a minor procedure room, plus support and wait areas. The center will be connected to KCH and UPMC Hamot via high-speed fiber optics allowing use of the electronic medical record system of KCH and the expansion of telemedicine services provided by ...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director During a hearing this morning, Father Sam Slocum’s lawyer asked that the charges against his client be dismissed because using “bad judgment, especially with 20/20 hindsight, is not in the criminal code.” District Judge Rich Luther did dismiss a charge of criminal trespass but bound to court charges of interference with custody of children and concealment of the whereabouts of a child. Slocum is accused of allowing a 15-year-old boy to be at his house and the rectory in Lewis Run after the boy’s mother said she didn’t want her son there. Both the boy and his mother testified during the hearing that lasted nearly two hours. Slocum did not take the stand. The mother testified that she wrote a letter to Slocum after learning that her son was going to see the priest when he was grounded. She said at first she was not concerned about her son spending time with Slocum, but she eventually did get concerned that the boy was spending too much time with S...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $182,000, through two grants, to the Bradford Regional Airport (BFD) in McKean County, PA. The FAA grants will help BFD pay for runway safety enhancements and purchase aircraft rescue and fire fighting protective equipment. “These grants help meet the transportation needs and safety requirements of our regional airport authorities,” said Thompson. “Through this federal support, the Bradford Regional Airport will meet safety requirements and be able to continue offering the best possible aviation transportation services for our rural communities.” The Federal Aviation Administration awarded the funding in the form of two grants: · Grant I: $47,250.00 to “Acquire Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting Safety Equipment, Security Enhancements.” This funding will provide for the acquisition of aircraft r...

Chris Hauser has won both the Republican and Democratic primaries for the second judge position in McKean County, according to unofficial results and, depending on what Governor Tom Corbett decides, he could be taking the bench before January. Prior to the election Senator Joe Scarnati said if the same person won the Republican and Democratic primaries he would recommend that person take over as soon as possible. He had not seen the election results until we talked to him earlier today. "There's a strain on the bench up there," Scarnati said, "I don't know what the governor's feelings are going to be about it but I certainly made that commitment and I'll write myself a note now." Corbett is currently recovering at home in Shaler Township from back surgery he had Monday, but told reporters this morning he is already back to work. He expects to be back in Harrisburg this coming Monday. Hauser got 47 percent of the vote on the Republican side and 38 per...

A Smethport man apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his car this morning on Route 219 in Elk County, causing a two-vehicle crash. Police say a car driven by 38-year-old Scott Weimer of Smethport was traveling north in Horton Township when it crossed into the southbound lane and hit the driver’s side of a car driven by 59-year-old Lawrence Sprague of Johnsonburg. No one was hurt. Weimer’s car had to be towed from the scene.

One of the men accused of breaking into Save-A-Lot last month waived his preliminary hearing today. 22-year-old Quinton Mills is charged with burglary, theft, conspiracy and criminal mischief. Mills and 21-year-old Axle Tankersley are accused of breaking into the store in the early morning hours of April 7 doing $2,500 worth of damage to the building and taking $1,500 from an ATM. Mills is jailed on $10,000 bail.

Linda Newman, Director of the Bradford Area Public Library, announced her plan to retire at the Board Meeting on Monday. Her retirement will be effective on September 30, 2011. The Board accepted her plans with regret and appreciation for her years of work at the library. Linda came to the Bradford library position ten years ago. Prior to accepting the library directorship, she held the position of Head of Technical Services at the Leominster Public Library, Leominster, Massachusetts. During her tenure at the Library, Linda has overseen a complete change in the circulation system, was instrumental in establishing a local author’s collection, and spearheaded a major restructuring of the library’s collection. Under her guidance, the number of computers available to the public has increased and collections of books on disc and dvds have been added. Additionally, during her tenure, a number of building improvements have been accomplished, including the installation of new carpeting,...

A charge of trespassing against Father Sam Slocum has been dismissed following a preliminary hearing in front of District Judge Rich Luther this morning, but charges of interfering with the custody of children and concealment of the whereabouts of a child have been bound to court. Slocum is accused of allowing the boy to be at his house and the rectory in Lewis Run after the boy’s mother said she didn’t want her son there without another adult present. The alleged incidents happened between January 1 and March 29. We'll have more on this story later today.

The man charged with raping a 13-year-old girl earlier this month is now facing another rape charge. 19-year-old Anthony Kremer is charged with rape, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors in connection to an alleged incident May 11 in Bradford Township. All the charges are felonies. The first set of charges stem from alleged incidents May 7 in the City of Bradford. Kremer is in jail on bail.

A former volunteer firefighter already serving state prison time for setting three arson fires has been charged with setting two more blazes, according to papers filed in District Judge Bill Todd’s office. 40-year-old Scott McClain, who police are calling a serial arsonist, set fires at the Eldred Township and Eldred Borough fire halls, as well as a camp in Eldred Township. Now he’s charged with setting two more fires – one to the Eldred Borough ambulance building, and the other to his father’s garage. The fires were set in June and July of 2009.

Joe DeMott and Al Pingie have kept their seats as McKean County Commissioners, staving off a challenge by former commissioner John Egbert. DeMott picked up nearly 38 percent of the vote while Pingie gathered nearly 37 percent. On the Democratic side, incumbent Judy Church garnered 45 percent of the vote while former commissioner Cliff Lane got 32 percent.

Newcomer John Sullivan appears to have beaten BJ Campbell for a Foster Township Supervisors’ seat in a close race. Sullivan garnered 320 votes while Campbell, who was appointed to the supervisor position earlier this year, picked up 275 votes. The totals are still unofficial until they are certified later this week by the McKean County Board of Elections.

Chris Hauser has won both the Republican and Democratic primaries for the second judge position in McKean County, according to unofficial results. He got 47 percent of the vote on the Republican side and 38 percent on the Democratic side. Former District Attorney Michele Alfieri-Causer garnered 34 percent of the Democratic votes.

Ridgway State Police are looking for a wheel chair thief. They say sometime between Sunday evening and Tuesday morning someone went to the lobby of Building 500 at the Ridgway Commons and took a wheel chair belonging to 43-year-old Tina Hill of Ridgway. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Elk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-775-2030 or Ridgway-based State Police at 776-6136.

The Interior Department launched a national plan today to combat a mysterious disease that has killed more than a million bats in the eastern and southern United States. White-nose syndrome is caused by a fungus, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says the new plan provides a road map for more than 100 federal, state and tribal agencies that are tracking the disease and attempting to fight it. White-nose syndrome, first identified in upstate New York in 2006, has been found along the Eastern seaboard from New Hampshire to North Carolina, as well as in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. “Having spread to 18 states and four Canadian provinces, white-nose syndrome threatens far-reaching ecological and economic impacts,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “We’ve learned a lot in the past few years about the disease, but there is much more work to be done to contain it. This national plan provides a road map for federal, state, and tribal agencies a...

Washington, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Representative Glenn `GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, announced plans for a Veterans Outreach Week, an initiative consisting of events in locations across the Fifth District to assist area Veterans with a wide variety of federal issues. Thompson today announced event details for the Veterans Outreach Week event in Bradford, PA. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the U.S. Small Business Administration will be available at the event to provide the latest information on benefits and support programs. Thompson and his staff will be on hand during the event to assist Veterans with casework and scheduling future meetings with departments and agencies. Details for the Bradford event are as follows: Bradford Veterans Outreach Week Event: WHEN: Thursday May 19th from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. WHERE: American Legion 22 Pine Street, Bradford, PA 16701 WHO: Congressman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Erie VA)...

A Dunkirk man has been indicted on a second-degree murder charge for the March 30 stabbing death of a Silver Creek man. 22-year-old David Corsi II is accused of killing 20-year-old Ricardo Vazquez. Corsi allegedly stabbed Vazquez on the night of March 30 in Dunkirk. Vazquez died early the next morning in ECMC. Corsi turned himself in to police. Corsi is jailed on $500,000 cash bail. A pre-motion conference is scheduled for June 13.

A Wellsville man is dead following a crash Monday afternoon. State Police say 28-year-old Timothy Lyon was operating his motorcycle on Route 21 near Andover, New York, and was behind a slow-moving backhoe operated by 50-year-old Patrick Crowley of Shortsville. Lyon attempted to pass the backhoe at the same time Crowley attempted to turn left into a work area. The motorcycle hit the backhoe and Lyon was fatally injured.

Scientists have confirmed that researchers working at The State Museum of Pennsylvania in 2004 discovered a new dinosaur dating from the Late Triassic period. The dinosaur, now known as Daemonosaurus chauliodous, was found in a large mudstone block from New Mexico that contained other fossils. The block was on loan from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History for display in the Harrisburg's museum's "Dino Lab" exhibit, where visitors can view a technician working to uncover dinosaur remains. Fossil preparer Kevin Dermody found the Daemonosaurus skull. Museum experts quickly recognized the specimen as a new dinosaur and notified the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, which removed it for further review. It was then sent to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History for additional study. The confirmation findings were published in a scholarly journal in April. Photo from The State Museum of Pennsylvania

Members of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and DEP place an identification band on a peregrine falcon chick born on the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Photo provided by Commonwealth Media Services For more information: http://state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=18&objID=1067555&mode=2

HARRISBURG -- The Department of Environmental Protection today fined Chesapeake Energy $1,088,000 for violations related to natural gas drilling activities. Under a Consent Order and Agreement, or COA, Chesapeake will pay DEP $900,000 for contaminating private water supplies in Bradford County, of which $200,000 must be dedicated to DEP’s well-plugging fund. Under a second COA, Chesapeake will pay $188,000 for a Feb. 23 tank fire at its drilling site in Avella, Washington County. “It is important to me and to this administration that natural gas drillers are stewards of the environment, take very seriously their responsibilities to comply with our regulations, and that their actions do not risk public health and safety or the environment,” DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. “The water well contamination fine is the largest single penalty DEP has ever assessed against an oil and gas operator, and the Avella tank fire penalty is the highest we could assess under the Oil and Gas Act. Our m...

The summer is the hardest time for the blood supply and Memorial Day Weekend is traditionally one of the three worst weekends of the year for the blood supply (July 4th & Labor Day are the other two) and the Community Blood Bank trying to get ready early by making sure the local patients who will need blood have it. The blood supply is below last year's level at this time. The Community Blood Bank is open Thursday at Union Square from 3:30 to 7:30pm and Saturday 9-1pm. No appointment is needed to save a life. This Thursday at Union Square there will be food from Tasta Pizza and one lucky donor will win an Ipod. Frank Williams will be broadcasting live from the Blood Bank on 100.1 The HERO from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. "You never know what can happen over a holiday weekend," Says Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "We hope for the best but prepare for the worst." The Community Blood Bank is the supplier of blood products to all the ho...

Three Olean residents appeared in court Monday to face drug charges. Jonathan Neiss, Jesse Bartlett Jr. and Samantha Vantuil all pleaded not guilty. Neiss and Bartlett are both accused of selling hydrocodone pills on December 15 in Olean. Neiss is jailed on $15,000 bail. Bartlett’s bail is set at $10,000. Vantuil is accused of selling hydrocodone pills in Olean on December 16 and 22. Her bail is set at $5,000

The Southern Tier Symphony performed its final show of the season Sunday afternoon at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The show titled "Music is Dancing" included Aaron Copeland's "Hoe Down" from his ballet "Rodeo," and Rachmaninov's "Symphonic Dances." The symphony's encore was John Phillip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" with guest conductor Bob Sader of Olean.