Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Sandra Mae Baker, 65, of 2 Bushnell Street, passed away Thursday, April 19th, 2012 at St. Vincent's Hospital in Erie. Born October 31, 1946, in Port Allegany, she was a daughter of the late Paul F. and Alma E. (DeLisle) Miller. Mrs. Baker was a 1964 graduate of Port Allegany High School. She had been formerly employed at AVX in Olean, NY, for several years. Her favorite pastime was painting and drawing She is survived by her children: Cassandra Buck of Bradford, Tammy Schneider-Ordonez of Houston, TX, and Johnny Baker, of Tampa, FL, five grandchildren, a sister Lois Clark of Port Allegany and a brother Arden Miller of Erie At the request of Mrs. Baker there will be no public visitation. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date and time to be announced. Arrangements are under the direction of the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes Inc. Memorials, if desired, may be made to the American Diabetes Association 1660 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 or American Cancer Society 95 Main ...

In case you missed today's Weekend Wrap about the film festival -- and more -- you can listen here . You can find more information at: http://alleghenyoutdooradventures.com/ http://www.alleghenydefense.org/ The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

At least one person was hurt in an accident at about 12:45 this morning at the intersection of Olean Road and Derrick Road when a vehicle crashed into a tree. Mercy Flight was called in to transport a person to an out-of-town hospital. Olean Road was closed during the investigation and cleanup. We’ll have more information as it becomes available. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Another Cattaraugus County resident has been charged with welfare fraud. 29-year-old Tara Link of Olean is accused of not reporting that she was receiving unemployment benefits from a job in Pennsylvania at the same time she was receiving benefits in New York. From July to December of last year she received $4,800 in food stamps, cash assistance and Medicaid she was not entitled to. She is scheduled to appear in court May 15. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A seesaw Friday night battle went the way of the Richmond Flying Squirrels who utilized nine runs over their final two offensive innings to turn a nailbiter into a 15-7 rout and even their four-game weekend series with the Curve at a win apiece at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Squirrels entered the eighth trailing 7-6, but sent ten men to the plate in the frame, getting the decisive blow on a two-out, two-run triple off the bat of top prospect Gary Brown. Daniel Mayora, Juan Perez, Eliezer Zambrano, and pitcher Brett Bochy each added an RBI in the six-run inning, as well. Richmond’s big frame victimized Bradford native reliever Zach Foster (0-1) who pitched well until the end of his outing and was saddled with the loss   The Squirrels added three more runs in the ninth, generating a franchise record-tying 22 hits in the win.   Shaky defense, a problem that has plagued Altoona throughout the first two weeks of the 2012 season, continued on Friday night. The Curve committed fo...

An Olean man has pleaded guilty to sexual abuse for engaging in two or more sex acts with a child younger than 11. 37-year-old Alex Belec had sex with the child between July of 1997 through 2002 in Olean.    He will be sentenced September 10.

Area firefighters are battling three wildfires this afternoon. The first is at Niles Hollow and Songbird Road and was called in at around 2 p.m. The second fire was called in at about 3:15 and is in Lafayette Township near the airport. The third is in Otto Township near the Rew service road. It was called in at about 3:30 p.m. We’ll have more information as it becomes available. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The ETHS endorsed the Citizens’ Wilderness Proposal in full, though it is most acutely interested in the two proposed forest reserves within Elk Township. These are the 3,022-acre proposed Cornplanter Wilderness Area between the Webb’s Ferry boat launch and Camp Olmstead, and the 4,752-acre proposed Scandia National Recreation Area, covering most of the ANF land south of Camp Olmstead to the Kinzua Dam. The group emphasizes that its efforts to have select areas of the ANF set aside should not be viewed as a referendum on the legitimacy of timber harvest or even oil and gas drilling throughout the entire federal forest. They seek only to leave certain special areas of woodland in their pristine condition by law for future generations. “We have concerned ourselves, since our inception in 2001, with preserving our cultural heritage here in Elk Township, which is indeed important,” noted ETHS Board Member, Dr. Julie Lindblom Boozer. “However, preserving our heritage goes beyond re...

A fraternity at Alfred State College has been suspended after its Greek letters were painted over a roadside mural dedicated to a soldier killed in Afghanistan. Kappa Sigma Epsilon has been temporarily suspended while the school investigates the matter. Friends of Army Sgt. Devin Snyder of painted her image and an American flag on a large rock alongside Interstate 390 in Livingston County. She died last June during an attack that killed three other soldiers. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A University of Pittsburgh at Bradford program that had been in hibernation during the fall semester due to funding limitations is back in business thanks to a gift from Pennsylvania General Energy of Warren, part of an educational tax credit program through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The $35,000 gift, along with funding from Pitt-Bradford and the Bradford Area School District, allows qualified high school students to take classes at Pitt-Bradford for free through the university’s Bridges program and therefore earn college credits. The gift also helped reduce tuition for some students in another Pitt-Bradford program called College in the High School, in which qualified high school teachers teach Pitt-Bradford classes in their high schools. An earlier incarnation of the Bridges program had students pay one third of the cost of a class at Pitt-Bradford, but the new funding formula al...

A new and potentially life-saving technology is now being piloted at Kane Community Hospital’s Emergency Room. KCH’s affiliation with UPMC Hamot makes this pilot possible. “It’s called the stroke telemedicine program,” stated KCH ER Nurse Manager Cindy Salerno, RN, CEN, PHRN. “What that means is, when a patient comes to our ER with stroke-like symptoms, our ER doctor and nursing staff, and more importantly the patient, will be able to consult directly with a neurologist at UPMC Hamot in Erie." "When an acute stroke patient arrives at the KCH ER, and the ER physician determines a call to UPMC Hamot is indicated, the call is made and a neurologist is dispatched to a specialized office to begin an assessment of the patient," Mary Parana, RN, ADON, Director of Outpatient Services at KCH noted. "This is possible because of mobile monitoring equipment that allows the stroke patient to be seen and be assessed by the neurologist with video camera and monitor at...

This prefabricated house was delivered to, deposited on, the end of Melvin Avenue. That's why a temporary no parking order was in place. WESB photo The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Tuesday’s primary election will serve as a trial run for Pennsylvania’s new voter ID law, but no one will be turned away for lacking an acceptable photo ID, according to Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson). Pennsylvania voters will be asked to show photo ID at the polls for Tuesday’s primary election, but will not be required to produce a photo ID until November’s general election. Voters not having an acceptable ID on Tuesday will be given a handout by poll workers, listing the acceptable IDs and where to get more information. “The primary election is basically a trial run for the new law,” Senator Scarnati said. “The intent this election cycle is to make sure voters know that the law is in place and to take steps to ensure that everyone has an acceptable ID in time for the November election.” Voters without an acceptable photo ID in November will be allowed to vote with a provisional ballot and then have six days to provide acce...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today joined Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in introducing bipartisan legislation to prevent Asian carp and other invasive species from entering the Great Lakes and destroying the Lakes' ecosystem. The Stop Invasive Species Act would require the speedy creation of an action plan to block Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes through a number of rivers and tributaries across the Great Lakes region. “We need to act now to prevent Asian Carp from infiltrating Lake Erie and threatening the fishing and boating industries that rely on a healthy lake,” said Senator Casey. “This bill would expedite the creation of an aggressive plan to stop Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes at 18 points of entry and protect the communities along Lake Erie that depend on the lake for recreation and commerce.” The Stop Invasive Species Act requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to submit to Congress an expedited actio...

By Alex Sosnowski, senior meteorologist for www.AccuWeather.com Low stream flows have forced officials to suspend water usage for the natural gas development (fracking) in portions of Pennsylvania. A lack of snowfall this winter and a lack of rain this spring were the major players in abnormally low stream flows, low ground water levels and depleted soil moisture. According to a report published by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SBRC), 17 separate water withdrawals were temporarily suspended. The suspension, initiated to mitigate plunging stream flows in the basin affects 10 companies in five Pennsylvania counties. Those counties are Bradford, Luzerne, Lycoming, Susquehanna and Tioga. Additional withdrawals may be suspended if rainfall continues to trend below normal. According to officials, the restrictions are applied to various streams when flow rates reach a certain threshold and do not wait for declaration of a drought. The abnormally dry conditions hav...

Six area school districts will share nearly $3 million in federal grants to promote literacy efforts. In making the announcement, Senator Joe Scarnati say the grants will be used to help increase reading achievement, utilize technology to improve literacy and provide new resources to teachers and administrators.   The school districts and they money they will receive are: ·         Port Allegany School District $452,548 ·         Otto-Eldred School District $307,985 ·         Bradford Area School District $879,250 ·         Brookville Area School District $724,085 ·         Clearfield Area School District $70,258 ·         Austin Area School District $276,518   “Improving reading and writing scores in our schools is one of the b...

Pennsylvania Game Commission officials on Wednesday proudly released two rehabilitated bald eagles at the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, State Game Land 213, in Crawford County, under the watchful eye of individuals from the Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, who were responsible for caring for these majestic birds. On April 16, 2011, an injured female bald eagle was captured near Union City by Erie County WCO Larry Smith. The injuries included problems with a wing and some missing tail feathers. The bird was emaciated and dehydrated and had suffered pellet wounds from a gunshot. Persistent infections resulted in a lengthy healing period. This mature bird was originally banded as a nestling near Vernon, Ohio, on May 11, 1992, making it 20 years old, and was an established breeder at the Union City dam nest for many years. The second eagle, an immature female, also was picked up by WCO Smith, on July 17, 2011, from the Six Mile Creek area east of Erie. The bird ...

The humans remains discovered in Allegany State Park on Tuesday have been positively identified. State Police say the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office used dental records to identify 92-year-old Reverend Thomas Hamilton of Great Valley, who was reported missing on November 11, 2010. A hiker discovered the remains and Hamilton’s personal effects near the Art Roscoe Ski Trails in the Red House area of the park. They were found near where Hamilton was reported missing. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Pittsburgh Pirates have called Bradford's Zach Foster up to the Altoona Curve. Foster had been with the Bradenton Marauders. The right-handed pitcher will be given a number once he joins the team in Altoona, according to the Curve's Director of Communications Mike Passanisi. Foster is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Betty C. Mongillo, 98, passed away Sunday, April 1st, 2012 at the Bradford Ecumenical Home. Born November 11, 1913, in Bradford, she was a daughter of the late Joseph J. and Theresa Marie (Luzzi) Varatta. On October 5, 1953 in St. Bernard Church she married Nick A. Mongillo who died on July 20, 2001. Mrs. Mongillo was a graduate of St. Bernard High School and a graduate of St. Mary's Business School in Buffalo, NY. She had been employed as a bookkeeper at Bradford National Bank for fourteen yeas and then as the assistant city clerk for the City of Bradford for several years prior to her retirement. She was a member of St. Bernard Church and a member of St. Mary of the Angels Church in Olean, NY. Mrs. Mongillo was a former judge of elections in 6th ward district, a former member of the St. Francis Church Alter Rosary Society, the Bradford Hospital Auxiliary and the Olean Health Club. Surviving is one nephew Joseph Varatta of Cincinnati, OH, two grand nephews, three grand nieces and ...

A man told police he made a bad decision when he broke into the home of his fiancée’s ex-husband. John Barber of Portville is charged with burglary, assault and several other offenses in connection to the March 3 incident on Pearl Street in Bradford. Barber allegedly broke a front door window and kicked in the front door of the house. When police arrived, he told them to take him to jail because he broke into and entered the home, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. Police say Barber was crying because his fiancé got hurt when he smashed the window, and that he was very sorry. He said he had been drinking, and he was upset because the woman and her ex-husband are still friends, and he snapped. Barber is Free on $10,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

UPDATE: The man who died is 74-year-old Frederick Beck of Emporium. One man is dead following a collision between a Jeep and a box truck this morning on Route 255 in St. Marys. Police say the Jeep crossed into the path of the truck and they collided head-on. The driver of the Jeep was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are withholding the person’s name until family members are notified. The truck driver, 57-year-old Michael Barr of Kersey, was not hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Television personality Dick Clark, the longtime host of "American Bandstand" and "New Year's Rockin' Eve," has died, his publicist says. For more on this breaking story go to MSNBC.com The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Rape and related charges against a Bradford man have been bound to court. Aaron Cobb is accused of raping a woman in his Congress Street apartment back in March. He and the woman agreed to meet in the parking lot of the Holiday Park Center in Olean and then he invited her back to his apartment, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. The pair started kissing in the kitchen of the apartment and then moved to the bedroom, where Cobb removed some of the woman’s clothes and then allegedly pushed her onto the bed on her stomach. He then allegedly removed his clothes, tied her hands behind her back with a rope and forced her to perform oral sex. Cobb is free on $10,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

If you missed today's LiveLine with some of the cast members and the director of Bradford Little Theatre's "Stay as Dead as You Are" you can listen here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An eight-foot-tall puzzle will be constructed Friday, April 20, to celebrate the uniqueness and unity of the St. Bonaventure University community. The Thisness Project, along with the Enough is Enough Campaign, will assemble an eight-foot-tall wooden puzzle at 12:20 p.m. Friday on the lawn near De la Roche Hall. There are 53 pieces of the puzzle — which will spell out SBU — and each puzzle piece was decorated by members of a university club, organization or department on April 16 and 17 at the Merton Center using paint, decals, pictures and any other objects that portray the organization’s uniqueness. Friday’s ceremony will consist of building the puzzle, and comments made by members from various departments and organizations at St. Bonaventure. “Each of us on campus, in our own uniqueness, forms a greater whole and each of us is important and worthy or respect. This event is tied to our Franciscan heritage and will help to show that we are all God’s creatures and no one should be trea...

Unattended smoking materials are believed to be the cause of a fire that heavily damaged a Falconer apartment building early Tuesday morning. Firefighters got the call at about 3:15 a.m. for 62 East Main Street. The blaze started in a first floor apartment. The two residents of the apartment where the fire started were treated for smoke inhalation at WCA Hospital, and then released. Three other tenants were displaced by the fire and are being assisted by the Red Cross. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Kane Area Development Center and the Kane Area Revitalization Enterprise (KARE) would like remind those who are interested in volunteering for KARE for Kane that they should pre-register by Tuesday, April 24th if they would like to receive a complimentary t-shirt and join in on the KARE for Kane Luncheon. KARE for Kane, scheduled for Friday, May 11, 2012 from 9AM-7PM will match volunteers with beautification, restoration and other community-based projects. Volunteers will have the opportunity to sign up for a specific block of time during the day to work on projects that best suit individual needs and interests. Some of the projects include Evergreen Park cleanup, painting, sidewalk sweeping, landscaping, window washing, and liter pick up along our community’s gateways. We are also in need of volunteers with pick-up trucks to assist with scrap metal and old appliance pick up. Volunteer registration forms are available at the Kane Area Development Center, 54 Fraley Street in Kane....

A hiker discovered what he believes are human remains in Allegany State Park Tuesday afternoon. The remains were found in the area where the Rev. Thomas Hamilton was reported missing a year and a half ago. The hiker made the discovery near the Art Roscoe ski trails in the Red House area of the park, and reported it to New York State Police. An autopsy is being conducted today. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two more Cattaraugus County residents have been arrested for welfare fraud. 41-year-old Donna Cox of Olean is accused of not reporting her husband’s income, or that he was in the household, when she submitted applications to the county department of social services. She received nearly $14,000 worth of food stamps she was not entitled to between April of 2010 and August of 2011. She’s scheduled to appear in court May 1. 34-year-old Tanya Palmeri of Salamanca is accused of not reporting that the father of her baby had wages, or that he lived in the household. Between September of 2011 and February of this year she received more than $7,000 worth of food stamps she was not entitled to. She’s scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947