Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A South Dayton, New York, man is accused of damaging a Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s patrol car during an incident last Saturday. Deputies say when 20-year-old Bradley Comstock was asked to leave a home at 3 a.m. on January 21 he got upset and broke a window. While in custody he allegedly damaged the patrol car. Comstock was sent to jail on $1,500 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Genesee girl suffered major injuries in an accident Thursday on Eleven Mile Road in Oswayo Township. A pickup truck driven by 18-year-old Maranda Coyle went out of control while rounding a curve, left the road, hit a tree and landed on its side. Coyle was taken to UPMC Hamot for treatment of head and leg injuries. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Jerry Sandusky has filed a motion seeking to allow him to see his grandchildren, which is currently prohibited under his bail conditions. The former Penn State assistant football coach is accused of sexually abusing 10 boys over a period of 15 years. McKean County Judge John Cleland, who is presiding over the case, has scheduled a hearing for February 10. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Steven Rebert will spend the rest of his life in prison instead of being put to death for killing Wayne and Vicky Shugar in their Brockway home in April of 2010. A jury deliberated until about 9 o’clock Friday night and could not come up with a unanimous decision, which is necessary for the death penalty to be imposed. Eight jurors voted for the death sentence; four voted against it. The 46-year-old Emporium man is still a person of interest in the murders of Kevin Smith and Bill Fickel in Western New York. Rebert, at one time, lived near the men. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Father Raymond Gramata, Pastor of St. Bernard Parish and Kimberly Mooney, Principal of St. Bernard Elementary/Middle School has announced Kristen Tate Luther will join the organization serving as Advancement Director. As Advancement Director, Luther will manage fundraising, marketing, alumni and recruitment efforts for the school. The new position is funded through the generosity of the Bradford Central Christian Charitable Trust, established for the specific purpose of supporting Catholic Education in the Bradford community. Luther, an alumna of St. Bernard’s and Bradford Central Christian, is a graduate of Mercyhurst College earning a Bachelor Degree in Business Management. A native of Bradford and a lifelong supporter of Catholic Education, Luther and her husband, Rich are parishioners of St. Bernard Church. Their children attend St. Bernard Elementary/Middle School. Luther is a 10 year member of the St. Bernard School Advisory Committee, YWCA of Bradford Female Leadership Recipient...

As you heard on Thursday's LiveLine from President and CEO of the Bradford Area Public Library Tamara McIntyre, thanks to fundraising and generous donors the library was able to add new furniture to its lobby earlier this week. When you go in to check that out, along with a book or two, make sure to fill out the survey on what you think works, and what doesn't, at the library. Remember the Groundhog Program from 11 a.m. to noon Monday! http://bradfordlibrary.org The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Mount Jewett man has been charged with dangerous burning for setting fire to two mobile homes after being hired to demolish them. State Police Fire Marshal Greg Agosti says 39-year-old Christopher Johnson was hired to demolish the mobile homes on Route 46, about a quarter of a mile north of Route 146 in Norwich Township. At around 11:23 a.m. on Saturday he allegedly set the fire. A passing motorist reported the fire to McKean County 911. The Norwich Township, Smethport and Port Allegany fire departments responded to the scene. No one was hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Dr. Karl F. Frankovitch, Emeritus Chief of Staff for the Shriners Hospital for Children in Erie, Pennsylvania and Medical Director of CARE for Children’s Rural Outreach Clinic, was honored last Friday evening for his 80th birthday. In celebration of the occasion, the McKean County Commissioners deemed January 11, 2012 as “Dr. Karl F. Frankovitch Day” throughout the county with a proclamation recognizing his compassion and expertise; and the Bradford City Council also issued a city-wide proclamation recognizing his professionalism, wisdom and caring ways while treating thousands of children in the region. Dr. Frankovitch has travelled to Bradford for 46 years to provide the opportunity for children to be evaluated for various orthopedic conditions, providing families with an alternative to extensive travel to out-of-town facilities. Members of the CARE for Children staff, as well as members of the local Shrine Club, attended the celebration at the Erie Scottish Rite Education Center to ...

In case you missed Ann Nuzzo talking about her undefeated Lady Owls basketball team this afternoon on Sports Forum, you can listen here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford's Student Activities Council held its own version of "Cupcake Wars" last night, with four teams competing. They each had 90 minutes to make breakfast, dinner and dessert cupcakes for the judges to sample. I didn't get the names of all the contestants but Team 1 was Morgan, Amanda and Mindy. Team 2 Team 3 Team 4 won the Cupcake War The Judges The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Forest Service’s announcement of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule: “Unlike national parks, our national forests are intended for multiple uses. This means our national forests are actively managed, and include activities such as timber harvesting, energy production and recreation,” said Thompson. “I remain committed to seeing that this goal of multiple uses is a central tenet of the nationally spanning planning rule.” The National Forest Management Act of 1976 mandated that each of the country’s 155 national forests, with public input, establish individual management plans. The Forest Service’s planning rule provides the outline for establishing these forest plans. Despite ongoing efforts over decades to rewrite the current planning rule, the Forest Service still operates ...

UPMC Hamot has been named one of the best regional hospitals in the country by US News & World Report. The magazine recognized 247 hospitals outside of major metropolitan areas that are capable of providing first-rate care, even to patients with serious conditions or who need demanding procedures, according to Avery Comarow, U.S. News & World Report's health rankings editor. Hamot was one of nearly 5,000 hospitals evaluated and was considered "high performing" in nine of 16 specialties: cardiology and heart surgery; neurology and neurosurgery; and orthopedics. http://www.hamot.org/ The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

It is not too late to register for the Penn State Extension workshops “Shopping for Electricity” on Thursday, February 2, 2012. The class will be offered at 1PM in conference room 2 of the Annex Building located behind the Courthouse in Ridgway, PA. The second class will be offered beginning at 6 PM at the 911 Center classroom in Smethport, PA. There may be opportunities for significant savings for those who shop for an electricity supplier and especially for those who increase their energy efficiency. Dr. Dennis Buffington, Penn State Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, will be the featured speaker. Pre-registration is required to attend either of these sessions and can be done by calling or emailing Jim Clark at the Penn State Extension office in Smethport at 814-887-5613 or jac20@psu.edu . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A jury will start deliberating this afternoon on whether Steven Rebert should get the death penalty or life in prison. On Thursday the jury heard from the 46-year-old Emporium man’s family about his normal childhood. They also heard from the family of Wayne and Vicky Shugar, who Rebert shot to death in their Brockway home in April of 2010. Rebert is also a "person of interest" in two separate, unsolved murders in Western New York. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Belfast, New York, man is accused of committing lewd acts in front of 13-year-old boy over the past two weeks. 49-year-old Dan Rutar is charged with public lewdness and endangering the welfare of a child. Rutar is in Allegany County Jail in lieu of $1000 cash bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

He was more than a coach. Former players spanning six decades were represented at “A Memorial for Joe” on Thursday afternoon. They spoke of Joe Paterno the man, the educator, the role model. http://www.pamatters.com/2012/01/26/a-final-goodbye/ The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

In case you missed it: Greg Booth, chief executive officer of Zippo Manufacturing Co., talks about the company's decision to manufacture products in the U.S. rather than outsource. He speaks on Bloomberg Television's "InBusiness with Margaret Brennan." http://www.bloomberg.com/video/84889458/ The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Governor Tom Corbett today encouraged members of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, a newly-formed panel of judges, lawmakers, state cabinet members and other officials, as they begin studying ways to increase public safety in Pennsylvania and reduce spending on corrections. Led by Mark Zimmer, chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel, the group will meet regularly during the next several months to review data analysis, hear from local government representatives, prosecutors and public defenders, victim advocates, treatment providers and others, before crafting policy proposals. “In order to keep Pennsylvanians safe, the Commonwealth has in the past years invested hundreds of millions of dollars to build additional prisons, expand parole supervision, and increase community-based treatment. Nevertheless, recidivism rates have not decreased significantly,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati (R-J...

Why wait until next Thursday to see a real, live groundhog when you can see one Monday right here in Bradford? The Bradford Area Public Library is holding a Groundhog Program from 11 a.m. to noon Monday to give people an educational and up close look at live groundhogs. This program is for all ages and the library staff says it's "bound to teach you something you didn't know about the timid animals." Another upcoming event is Football Friday on February 3. We'll tell you more about that in a couple of days. Or, if you just can't wait, go visit the library on West Washington Street. http://bradfordlibrary.org/ The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Harvey Golubock, president of ARG Resources Inc., will speak on Feb. 6 at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford as part of its Executive Speaker Series. Golubock will speak from 11 a.m. to noon in the Mukaiyama University Room of the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The event is free and open to the public. A year ago, Golubock retired as president and chief operating officer of American Refining Group in Bradford, but he continues his relationship with the company as president of ARG Resources Inc. and as vice chairman of the board of directors at ARG. American Refining Group Inc. purchased the Bradford refinery in 1997 from Witco Corp. The transition was led by Golubock, who was an executive with Witco before becoming president at ARG. Golubock will speak about how he was able to turn around the company while at the same time convince employees that the new owner could be trusted and lead them to greater days. Golubock was with...

Friends of Allegheny Wilderness and the Scandia Wilderness Committee are inviting people on an overnight winter backpacking trip into the proposed Scandia National Recreation Area over the weekend of February 11th and 12th. This outing will give hikers a fine sense of wild, remote character of this eminently qualified prospective national recreation area. FAW, the Scandia Wilderness Committee, and others seek to protect in perpetuity in its natural state this stunning wild area from all forms of development. Of particular concern to the organizations are development ideas that have been floated in the past that are tacky and egregiously inappropriate for this highly natural area. The hike will begin Saturday morning from the north side of the proposed area along the Roper Hollow Road, and the group will hike south into the Hodge Run drainage from there. Participants should be prepared for off-trail hiking, and consider that there is possibility for deep snow at this time of the year. S...

A Jamestown woman has been arrested for robbing Lakeshore Savings Bank Wednesday afternoon. Police say 49-year-old Sherry Cowart went into the bank at just before 4 o’clock and demanded cash from one of the tellers. She told the teller she had a weapon, but did not display it. Police reviewed surveillance video, identified Cowart, found her on West Fourth Street with some of the money and charged her with robbery. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The man accused of attacking another man with a hammer at the Hotel Holley is now charged with attempted murder. Additional charges were filed today against 19-year-old Larry Shroyer Jr. of Bradford. He is also now charged with robbery; criminal solicitation of robbery for allegedly asking Kip Cobb to assist him in a robbery; theft of cash from the victim, 56-year-old James White of Buffalo; and ethnic intimidation. District Judge Dominic Cercone explained the new charges to Shroyer via video conference and increased his bail from $100,000 to $150,000. Shroyer is scheduled to appear in Central Court on February 2. This will be the first day Central Court will be held in the McKean County Courthouse instead of District Judge Bill Todd’s office in Smethport. Shroyer is accused of hitting White with a hammer more than 20 times on Sunday in a room at the Holley. White is still being treated at UPMC Hamot. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The President and CEO of Cabot Oil & Gas says the EPA is wasting money by launching an expanded investigation of water contamination in Dimock. Dan Dinges sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the decision of the agency to initiate a water sampling program in Dimock Township. He also says the EPA decision appears to undermine President Obama’s support for shale gas development as a key aspect of the country’s energy policy and economic recovery. The state DEP says Cabot polluted Dimock’s aquifer with methane gas in 2008. Cabot has since fulfilled the terms of a DEP consent order, but some residents say their wells are still polluted with methane and toxic chemicals. You can read Dinges' letter here . PDF The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Federal prosecutors have told a judge that the six-year-old indictment of Adelphia Communications founder John Rigas and his son Timothy should be dismissed. Last week US District Judge John Jones III dismissed a conspiracy count against the Rigases. Prosecutors say, in light of that ruling, eight counts of tax evasion should be dismissed as well. The IRS is still pursuing a civil case against them. 86-year-old John Rigas is serving a 12-year prison term and 55-year-old Timothy is serving a 17-year term after being convicted of stealing nearly $2 billion from Adelphia and lying about the cable company’s finances. John is expected to be released on January 23, 2018. Timothy’s expected release date is June 23, 2022. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Ripley man has been arrested for stalking a woman in Westfield, New York. 49-year-old Robert Burgess is accused of stalking a woman between March of 2011 and earlier this month. State Police say the victim was “fearful for her safety and well being.” After his arraignment Burgess was released on his recognizance, but a judge ordered him to stay away from his victim and not have any contact with her. He is scheduled to return to court on February 21. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Jamestown man is facing charges after a bag of marijuana allegedly fell out of his pocket and onto the floor of the Seneca Allegany Casino. 31-year-old Anthony Raymond is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana following the incident that happened at about 10:30 Monday night. Sheriff’s deputies say after the bag of marijuana was found on the casino floor, they used surveillance video to find out where it came from. Raymond will appear in Salamanca City Court at a later court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947