Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Today would have been the 100th birthday of the greatest comedienne of all time -- Lucille Ball. You can celebrate by going to her birthplace, Jamestown, New York, where there's a huge celebration. http://www.lucy-desi.com

Following is a letter Bradford Regional Airport Director Tom Frungillo sent to business and community leaders in the region: As many of you have read of the ongoing debates concerning the FAA reauthorization bill and the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, there is still light at the end of the tunnel. Senator Casey’s staff has reached out to us regarding the Essential Air Service (EAS) language in the compromised FAA extension and it very encouraging. The Senator is still very much in support of the continuation of this important program for our region and the other airports at risk in the Commonwealth. Senator Casey has been stalwart in working hard for Pennsylvania. Please encourage your business contacts and friends to FLY BRADFORD! and support Senator Casey and Representative GT Thompson throughout this funding debate of our commercial air service program. Also it’s important that you let Senator Toomey know we disapprove of his position on Essential Air Service (EAS). EAS is n...

An employee at Dresser-Rand in Wellsville is dead after an industrial accident Friday afternoon. Wellsville Village Police say the accident happened at around 1:55 p.m. The man was taken by ambulance to Jones Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police have not released the man’s name yet. They will be issuing a news release Monday after OSHA completes its investigation.

The Department of Environmental Protection has issued a drought warning for four Pennsylvania counties, including McKean, and Mount Jewett is in a state of emergency because of their water problems. A drought warning asks residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 10 to 15 percent. In Mount Jewett, residents are being asked by the water authority to not wash cars, fill swimming pools or water their lawns and gardens. Residents are also being reminded to keep boiling their drinking water. Elsewhere, precipitation levels in Elk County are more than 4 inches below normal. Cameron and Potter counties are also under a drought warning. Forest, Jefferson, Tioga, Venango and Warren counties are under a drought watch. Read the news released from DEP: HARRISBURG -- The Department of Environmental Protection today issued a drought warning for four Pennsylvania counties and a drought watch for 40 counties. “With the hot, dry summer, our statewide monitoring network indicates a need to take this ...

By Josh Hatcher Usually at 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings, Open Arms Community Church in Bradford is just starting their weekly worship service – but throughout the month of August – they’ll be headed out the door. They’ve decided to cancel their second church service each Sunday morning to host Free Block Parties at different locations in town, starting this Sunday with a picnic at the parking lot of Phillip’s Auto Depot on North Kendall Avenue from 12:00 Noon until 3:00PM. “The idea is something we've bounced around for quite some time,” says Open Arms Pastor Mike McAvoy, “My wife has always wanted to cancel service to go serve the community and some others in the church had a similar idea, and my thought is: one service isn't radical, but canceling service 4 weeks in a row is radical.” The church will instead hold one service at 9:15, and then start loading up supplies and preparing for the outreaches. Each of the four weeks in August, Open Arms will partner with individuals an...

A benefit dinner for the North Kendall Park Revitalization Project will be held this Sunday August 7th from noon to 8 PM at the Fraternal Order of Eagles located at 49 East Main Street. The cost of the dinner will be $10.00 for a single, $15.00 a couple, and $25.00 for a family up to 5. New conceptual drawings of the park revitalization will be on display for the public to see. Area residents are urged to attend this benefit to find out more information about the plans for the revitalization of the North Kendall Park. If you would like to donate to the North Kendall Park Revitalization Project a special account has been established by the First Wesleyan Church of Bradford at the Hamlin Bank located 671 East Main Street. To keep updated on current developments with the North Kendall Park Project, you can join our Facebook page by logging on to Facebook.com and searching for North Kendall Park.

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — Following a distinguished nine-year term of service, Associate Vice President and Executive Director of the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, Joseph A. LoSchiavo, will step down as the center’s leader effective Dec. 31, 2011, to pursue new professional opportunities. “While we certainly respect Joe’s decision and wish him the very best, we sincerely regret the loss of his leadership for the Quick Center for the Arts. He will leave us having accomplished significant milestones and having generated national and international recognition of our museum, University collection, and our institution’s capacity to present major exhibitions,” said Brenda L. McGee, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration. University President Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., said that LoSchiavo’s commitment to enriching the artistic and cultural opportunities of citizens throughout the Twin Tiers region will be his legacy. “Joe ran with the university’s vision to establish th...

GOWANDA, NY – An increase in coordinated law enforcement sweeps conducted by members of the Zoar Valley Task Force have been an effective tool to promote safety and help stop illicit and dangerous activities, according to Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I - Olean). Over the summer months, the New York State Police, New York State Forest Rangers, Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Department and other members of the Task Force have increased patrols in the gorge area, parking lots and surrounding roadways to ensure that people are aware of dangers and to prevent trespassing, drunk driving, drug use and illegal camping. “We want people to enjoy Zoar Valley, but extreme caution should be exercised. Zoar Valley can be extremely hazardous and visitors need to adhere to the rules,” said Senator Young. “If you take risks, trespass, use drugs or alcohol and break other rules, chances are you will be caught. “Unfortunately, we have had deaths, serious ...

One person was hurt in accident in the Town of Chautauqua at around 12:15 this afternoon. Sheriff’s deputies say 17-year-old Brandon Hilton of Mayville didn’t stop at a stop sign and hit a vehicle driven by 49-year-old Ronald Krisanda of Dewittville. One of Krisanda’s 16-year-old passengers suffered a minor hand injury and was treated at the scene. Hilton will appear in Town of Chautauqua Court at a later date. ~~~ A South Dayton man was hurt in an accident Tuesday morning in the Town of Villenova. Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputies say it appears 19-year-old Joshua Press fell asleep at the wheel while he was driving on Route 83 at just after 6:30 a.m. His vehicle went off the road and rolled over. Press was taken to Lake Shore for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Someone stole six rolls of lottery tickets from the Duke Center Superette between 8:30 and 9:30 this morning. The tickets are valued at $4,200. Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact Kane-based state police.

By US Senator Bob Casey Friday, we learned that the economy added 117,000 jobs in July. Better than many forecasters predicted, but not enough to bring down the national unemployment rate below 9 percent. Unfortunately, the modest job growth is consistent with the GDP data released at the end of July, which showed the economy grew at an annual rate of less than one percent during the first half of 2011. The recovery has slowed and we need to ensure it regains momentum. It’s critical that we focus on jump-starting job creation and reducing the unemployment rate. Nearly 14 million Americans, including 479,000 in Pennsylvania, remain out of work and more than six million of these workers have been jobless for six months or more. As Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, I held a hearing on Friday to better understand our country’s employment challenges. We heard from Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Keith Hall, who oversees the federal government’s jobs data. Although Cong...

CNN Presents will broadcast a three-part special report, "Twisted Tale," on Sunday, August 7, at 8 p.m. ET. The report digs deep into what precisely happened during a 2003 bank robbery in Erie, Pennsylvania, and examines one man with prior knowledge of the plot who has never been charged. For more information go to CNN.com .

AMITY, NY - Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Marine Corporal Jason Dunham has been honored in a special way with the naming of a bridge and part of State Route 19 near his hometown in his memory, according to state Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I-Olean). Senator Young, who initiated and authored the legislation, said that Governor Cuomo signed the bill on Thursday that renames the stretch of State Route 19 and bridge that crosses over Interstate 86 in Amity in honor of the fallen hero who grew up in Scio. Corporal Dunham’s parents, Dan and Deb, still live there. “This roadway leads directly into Scio, and Jason must have traveled that route thousands of times. He is missed by many, and the memory of a man who made the ultimate sacrifice for his nation will live on forever in the hearts and minds of the people from the place he called home,” Senator Young said. She said she filed the legislation after being contacted by a constituent who felt ...

Former NFL player Seth Payne poses for a picture with Voice of the Owls Frank Williams during the Big 30 Banquet Thursday at Pitt-Bradford. Payne played 5 years with the Jacksonville Jaguars and 5 years with the Houston Texanas, and is now an assistant coach with the Portivlle Panthers, The annual Don Raabe Big 30 Charities Classic is at 7 p.m. Saturday at Parkway Field. You can hear the game on 1490 WESB, 100.1 The HERO and live online at WESB.com . The parade starts at 2 p.m. on Main Street. A tailgate party follows at Callahan Park.

The Bradford Ranger District of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) is evaluating a request from U.S. Energy Development Corporation for a right of way for a natural gas pipeline. This pipeline would gather natural gas from proposed wells on Warrant 3713 to an existing pipeline on Warrant 4872 in McKean County, Corydon Township. A special use authorization has been requested because 2,825 ft. of the proposed pipeline would be installed across the ANF surface in Warrant 3719 where U.S. Energy does not have rights to subsurface resources. Approximately 1,900 ft. of the proposed pipeline would run along an existing road (Forest Road 272) and approximately 900 ft. would extend from the road to the boundary between Warrants 3713 and 3719. U.S. Energy has requested a 25 ft. wide right of way for construction and maintenance of the pipeline, which would encumber approximately 1.62 acres of Forest Service land. The proposed construction would occur in Management Area 3.0, which allows special ...

Traffic from Route 27 is currently being detoured through the Warren County Fairgrounds and PennDOT is urging pedestrians and motorists to use extra caution while the fair is being set up and in progress from Monday, Aug. 8, through Saturday, Aug. 13. Pedestrians should be aware that the traffic detour will result in increased traffic at the fair this year. Motorists are urged to slow down and be especially alert while traveling through the fairgrounds. “We hope everyone enjoys the Warren County Fair, but we are asking fairgoers to always keep safety in mind. We are asking motorists to be especially watchful for pedestrians approaching and crossing the roadways,” said Don Hall, assistant district executive for design in PennDOT’s District 1, which covers Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties. The detour is due to ongoing replacement work on the Route 27 bridge over Little Brokenstraw Creek in Pittsfield Township, Warren County. The detour uses Hickory Lane, Barton...

From CNN: Congressional leaders have reached "a bipartisan compromise between the House and the Senate" to fully fund the Federal Aviation Administration, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says. The deal will "put 74,000 transportation and construction workers back to work," Reid says. "This agreement does not resolve the important differences that still remain," Reid said in a written statement. "But I believe we should keep Americans working while Congress settles its differences." http://cnn.com U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement: “This agreement is good news for Pennsylvania jobs as well as travelers across the Nation. It is frustrating that things got to this point in the first place but I am gratified that a bipartisan agreement was reached. Moving forward, I will continue to fight for communities that rely on regional airports and work to ensure that they are not needlessly targeted. “I hope that this agreem...

The Theater and Culture Club at Jamestown Community College’s Cattaraugus County Campus and Olean Toastmasters welcome area actors, comedians, and musicians to participate in an original production of “Scared Speechless.” According to director Anna Bush, musical numbers may be added to the production if enough musicians participate. The deadline to sign up is September 15 and participants must be high school age and up. Set at a high school reunion, the murder mystery centers around witnesses to a crime who have been scared speechless and attempt to act out their version of events to the audience with comedic results. “Scared Speechless” will be performed at 7 p.m. on October 27 and 28 in JCC’s Cutco Theater. Performances are free and open to the public. For more information or to sign up, call Ms. Bush at 716.376.7508 or via email at annabush@mail.sunyjcc.edu .

Starting Monday, Aug. 8, McKean County drivers will encounter work zones on various routes, as bridge repair work takes place. The first three locations include: · Route 6 at the east end of Port Allegany, over a tributary of the Allegheny River. Work includes repairs to the concrete barrier wall, deck and beams. Work should take about two weeks. There will be minimal impacts to traffic but drivers may encounter intermittent delays, with flaggers. · Route 6 five miles west of Port Allegany, over Lillibrige Creek. Work includes concrete wing wall repairs, concrete curb repairs, and beam repairs. Work should take about three weeks. There will be minimal impacts to traffic but drivers may encounter intermittent delays, with flaggers. · Preliminary signing will be set next week for a bridge on Route 46 over Cole Creek in the village of Farmers Valley, Keating Township. An alternating traffic pattern will be controlled by a temporary signal, which will be set later this summer. Work will in...

WILLIAMSVILLE, NY – Tops Friendly Markets announced today it is not affected by Cargill Added Value Meats Retail voluntary recall of 36 million pounds of its fresh and frozen ground turkey products. On Wednesday, August 3, Cargill Value Added Meats Retail, a business unit of Wichita-based Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation announced a voluntary recall of 36 million pounds of fresh and frozen turkey products produced at its Springdale, AK facility from February 20, 2011 through August 2, 2011. The recall is a result of internal investigation and investigations of the Center for Disease Control and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service. The Arkansas Cargill meat production facility has been identified as the potential source of a strand of salmonella, Heidelberg, which has affected 26 consumers nationwide since March 2011. “Tops Markets does not receive ground turkey products, fresh or frozen from any of Cargill’s four meat manufacturing facili...

A man who was sentenced to probation last month in McKean County is now in jail in West Virginia for alleged sexual abuse of a 4-year-old girl. 25-year-old Tony Ford was booked at the North Central Regional Jail in Marion County on Wednesday. West Virginia State Police began looking into sexual abuse allegations involving the girl back in November 2009. The victim's mother called authorities and told them her daughter had been touched by "Uncle Tony". Ford had been living with the family for quite some time, according to the criminal complaint. He allegedly touched the girl inappropriately and told her not to tell anyone. Ford moved out of the house before he was arrested, and has been living in Pennsylvania since the incident. US Marshals picked him up as a fugitive from justice in March near Towanda and brought him to McKean County to answer charges that he was riding a bicycle on a Main Street sidewalk in Bradford after police told him not to. When police stopped him ...

A St. Marys woman who had been considered missing since Wednesday morning was found this afternoon. Elk County Control tells WESB and The HERO that Margaret “Peggy” Haberberger” was found at about noon and she is alive and well.

The Chicago Brass Quintet will play a holiday concert at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford joined by the vocalists of Table for Five, which made its mark performing Christmas concerts in the Chicago area. The concert, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 in the Bromeley Family Theater, replaces the previously announced “American Idol Stars in Concert for the Holidays!” Tickets for the Chicago Brass and Table for Five concert are $24 to $28 for members of the public and $10 to $12 for all students. “We are getting two stellar groups together for an unusually good holiday concert,” said Randy L. Mayes, director of arts programming. “Either group by itself would offer a strong concert. Together, this concert will be extraordinary.” The program will include beloved traditional selections such as “Joy to the World” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” as well as selections from Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. Table for Five will perform a capella versions of the “Coventry...

Starting Monday, Aug. 8, Potter County drivers will encounter work zones on various routes, as bridge repair work takes place. Locations include: · Route 144 (Bridge Street) over Pine Creek in Galeton. Road will be closed to replace bridge deck. A detour using Route 1020 (Germania Street/ Union Street), Route 2002 (West Street) and Route 6 will be in place. This closure is expected to last about three weeks. · Route 6 over Trout Brook in the village of Knowlton, Roulette Township. Temporary signals will enforce an alternating traffic pattern for about six weeks. · Route 1003 over Cushing Run in the village of Loucks Mills, Pike Township. Temporary signals will enforce an alternating traffic pattern for about six weeks. · Route 1005 over Phoenix Run in the village of Sunderlinville, Hector Township. Temporary signals will enforce an alternating traffic pattern for about six weeks. · Route 44 over Kettle Creek in the village of Carter Camp; Abbott Township. Drivers should be alert for an...

The Downtown Bradford Farmer’s Market will be held on Saturday, August 6 from 8 a.m. to Noon in the Old City Hall parking lot located on Boylston Street in Bradford. The Farmer’s Market will be held every Saturday through mid-October. A variety of produce vendors will be in attendance. Items this week include Certified Naturally Grown fresh produce from Canticle Farms in Allegany, NY, fresh produce and blueberries from Blueberry Hill Farms and Stayer’s greenhouse, baked goods, canned goods, honey, and honey products. Produce items will include lettuces, radishes, carrots, scallions, mini onions, peppers, cucumbers, plums, peaches, corn, squash/zucchini, swiss chard, tomatoes, rye flour, corn flour and more. Other vendors include Herbalife Distributors.New vendors are welcome. Vendor set up will be from 7 – 7:45 a.m. Reservations are not required. For more information contact the Main Street Manager at 598-3865.

UPDATE: Alert Lifted Virgina Tech is on lockdown because a person with a gun has been spotted on campus. The university's website http://www.vt.edu/ says: "Person with a gun reported near Dietrick. Stay inside. Secure doors." 33 people were killed during a shooting rampage on the campus in April of 2007.

An Eldred man has been sentenced to one to three years in prison in New York State for tampering with evidence and other charges. Last July in Ellicott, New York, 38-year-old Ryan Brooks tried to hit two people with his car, and there was a child present at the time. When he was taken to the police station for processing he tampered with evidence. Then when he was being he taken to Chautauqua County Jail, police found that he had a small amount of crack cocaine.

Bradford City Police are investigating an assault at Hanley Park; a burglary on McCourt Place; a theft on High Street; and motor vehicle accidents on West Washington, Main and Rochester streets. Officers also got calls about harassment on Williams and Pike streets and Walker Avenue and suspicious people on Kendall Avenue and in Oak Hill Cemetery. They also got a complaint about a barking dog on Congress Street and a complaint about an unspecified animal on Florence Street, according to the complaint report and request sheet.

Someone broke into an Emporium house and stole a shotgun. State Police say the burglary happened between May 30 and July 31 at the home owned by Donald Sestina. The burglar went into the home and removed the shotgun from the basement. The gun is valued at $150. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Trooper David Burd at 814-486-3321.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) announced today that he has co-sponsored S. 950, which would repeal a ban on states using toll road revenues as matching funds for Appalachian Development Highway System projects. Congress authorized construction of the Appalachian Development Highway System in 1965, and 2,715.1 miles of the authorized 3,090-mile system were completed or under construction as of September 2010. Allowing states in the Appalachian corridor to use toll road credits as matching funds for the system will speed up the use of already allocated construction dollars for several Pennsylvania infrastructure projects. The ban does not exist outside the Appalachian corridor. “Several important highway projects in Pennsylvania, including the U.S. 219 extension and the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway, have stalled because Pennsylvania isn’t allowed to use its toll road credits as matching funds. Since states outside the Appalachian corridor can use toll road credi...

August has been a busy month for Bradford City Police so far. Officers looked into a possible violation of the drug act on West Washington Street, a possible theft on Belleview Avenue and a prowler on Euclid Avenue, according to the complaint report and request sheet. Police also looked into disturbances on Main and High streets and Rockland Avenue; harassment on High Street and Tibbetts Avenue; and criminal mischief on Winter and Pike streets. They investigated a motor vehicle accident on Davis Street, a gas drive-off on East Main Street and reports of stolen bikes on Brookline Court and Euclid Avenue. They also recovered a stolen bike on Rochester Street. Officers responded to four domestic disputes; reports of suspicious people on Lincoln Avenue and Summer Street; a complaint about ATVs on Clarence Street; and walkers on Route 219.

Harrisburg – After reading hundreds of suggestions from children across Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Corbett and First Lady Susan Corbett have chosen names for their two new Airedale Terrier puppies: “Penny” and “Harry.” The female pup’s name is short for Pennsylvania, and the male pup’s name is short for Harrisburg. “Our new puppies arrived last week and they've already taken over the Residence. They are so lively and fun,” said Susan Corbett. “The Governor and I would like to thank all the children who sent us letters and emails with names for our puppies. We thoroughly enjoyed reading the suggestions and learning about other pets.” Penny was the overwhelming suggestion for the female, with 37 children submitting the name. Harry was submitted by 4 children and there were 3 children who submitted both names. There were a total of 548 puppy name submissions. “The children of Pennsylvania did a terrific job of coming up with the names,” said Governor Corbett. “It was nice to see so ...

A Smethport woman suffered minor injuries in a one-vehicle accident this morning on Route 46 in Otto Township. Police say 49-year-old Laura Sullivan was about a mile east of Route 646 at just after 10 a.m. when her pickup truck went out of control, went off the road and hit an embankment. Sullivan was taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center for treatment of her injuries.

A vessel operated by Daniel Sehnke of Northeast, PA, was disabled in Lake Erie off the Town of Ripley Tuesday afternoon, and got some help from the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office navigation division. Deputies say Sehnke was unable to operate the vessel due to a mechanical failure and it drifted into shallow water in the area of RJ's Campground in Ripley. A Good Samaritan from the campground assisted the owner and three passengers. They were able to hold the boat off the rocks until the navigation unit arrived at the scene. The four occupants were then helped up a cliff to safety.

A Salamanca man is facing charges for leaving the scene of an accident on Route 417 early Monday morning. 22-year-old Aaron Pierce is accused of hitting several construction signs and guard rails on 417. Police stopped him on I-86 in the Town of Allegany at just after midnight. Pierce was also charged by sheriff's deputies with driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired by drugs and a couple of traffic violations.

St. Bonaventure University’s student-run radio station, WSBU-FM 88.3 The Buzz, has once again reached the top of the charts. Just four years after being ranked No. 1 in the “Best College Radio Station” category, WSBU hit the top spot again this year in The Princeton Review’s annual college guide, which ranked St. Bonaventure as one of the nation’s “Best 376 Colleges.” The station previously held the top spot in 2007 then dropped to No. 2 in 2008 and 2009, and to No. 4 in 2010. Rankings reporting the top 20 colleges for radio stations, along with more than 50 other categories, are in the 2011 edition of The Princeton Review’s annual college guide, which was released Tuesday. The station, founded in 1948, prides itself on broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering a variety of music, including modern rock, alternative and hip-hop, along with news, sports and specialty shows. In February, WSBU was also voted one of the 10 finalists for mtvU’s 2011 College Radio Woodie Award...

For the eighth consecutive year, The Princeton Review has recognized the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford as one of the best colleges in the northeast. “We’re delighted to once again receive national recognition for our high quality programs and the outstanding collegiate experience we provide to our students,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, president. “This is clearly a reflection of the terrific work and exceptional talent of our faculty and staff.” The education services company selected Pitt-Bradford as one of 220 institutions it profiles in its “Best in the Northeast” section of its PrincetonReview.com feature “2012 Best Colleges: Region by Region.” The 629 colleges named “regional bests” make up about 25 percent of the nation’s 2,500 four-year colleges. The Princeton Review survey asks students to rate their own colleges on several issues – from the accessibility of their professors to the quality of the campus food – and answer...

A Farmersville man has been charged with rape for allegedly having sex with a person younger than 13. 18-year-old Leo Stromecki is accused of having sex with the person in May, according to Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s deputies. He was released on his own recognizance and will appear in Farmersville Town Court at a later date.

A brand new brochure – Dining Guide & Map of the Allegheny National Forest Region – is now available through the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau. The brochure includes information on 25 area restaurants and farmers markets along with the times the business is open, if there is a full bar or if reservations are required. There is also a map of the region that identifies the location of those in the brochure as well as other attractions in the area. The Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for McKean County. The free maps are available by calling 800-473-9370 or e-mailing info@visitANF.com . In addition, a variety of tourism information for individuals or businesses may be picked up at the ANF Visitors Bureau Welcome Center located at 80 E. Corydon Street, Bradford, which is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.