Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A Brooklyn, New York, man has been cited for causing an accident that dumped 40,000 pounds of shaved metal onto his car Friday afternoon on I-86 between Salamanca and Red House. Sheriff’s deputies say 29-year-old Ricardo Roman Jr. moved from the driving lane to the passing lane and hit the front end of a tractor-trailer driven by 47-year-old Robert Winchell of Wellsville, causing the truck to go out of control and flip over onto the car. The tractor-trailer landed on its side and blocked the entire eastbound lane of traffic, and spilled the load of metal shavings onto the road. Roman and Winchell were both taken to area hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Portville Truck led the cleanup effort. The Seneca Nation Hazmat/Spill Response Team along with several police and fire departments were on the scene. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

When my husband left on his deployment, our 6-year-old son could not walk on his own. He has cerebral palsy. Doctors originally said that he would never walk or do much of anything. While daddy was away, he learned to walk. For his homecoming, we set it up for Michael to walk to his daddy for the first time ever! We kept the fact that he could walk a secret the whole time his dad was gone!” -Melissa C. http://welcomehomeblog.com/ The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Chautauqua County man is accused of having 74 marijuana plants in his house, as well as more than a pound of processed and packaged pot. Earlier this month members of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force searched the Sheridan home of 50-year-old Jeffrey Bacho and seized the plants. He was charged with unlawfully growing marijuana and criminal possession of marijuana. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

UPDATE: 6:35 p.m. -- A tractor-trailer tipped over, spilling its load of shaved steel onto a car on I-86 this afternoon. Both the driver of the car and the truck were taken to area hospitals. State police say their injuries are considered non-life-threatening. Troopers say the accident happened between Red House and Salamanca (Exits 19 and 20) when the car made an abrupt lane change. The tractor-trailer driver tried to avoid hitting the car but flipped over onto its side. At one point, traffic was backed up for about two miles while crews try to clean up the 40,000 pounds of shaved steel. Emergency and cleanup crews are still on the scene at this hour. ~~~ An accident on I-86 near Exit 19 in the Town of Red House has traffic backed up for about two miles. The accident reportedly involved a tractor-trailer that tipped over and a car. We'll have more information as it becomes available. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 6-year-old girl and a 2-year-old St. Bernard will be honored Monday for saving a family from a fire earlier this year. At 12:30 a.m. back on January 17, Menash Petscher was awakened by his dog Nana relentlessly licking his face, something he said she had never done before. As he quickly learned, Nana was letting him know there was a fire in the family’s two-story home in Kiantone. Petscher managed to get his wife and three young daughters out of the house, thanks to his daughter Madelyn, who was 5 years old at the time, and who insisted her family have a fire escape plan. Petschers other daughters were 3 years old and 6 months old at the time. It wasn’t until after the fire that Petscher learned Madelyn had gone on a field trip three months early to the Chautauqua Children’s Safety Education Village, where she learned about making and practicing a fire escape plan. Nana, however, died in the fire. The Petscher family believes she was either trying to find her feline companion, "...

Two people were treated for fire-related injuries after a blaze at their home early this morning. Jack and Margaret Archer of 6 West End Drive have been released from Bradford Regional Center. The fire started at 1:10 a.m. and did $300,000 worth of damage to the single story house. A state police fire marshal has ruled the fire accidental. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Dr. Tammy Haley, assistant professor of nursing, has received the 2012 Chairs’ Faculty Teaching award for excellence in teaching at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. “Tammy stands out for her high teaching scores, her leadership in a campus outreach project to help a struggling clinic in Cameroon, Africa, and in the way she brings an analytical, evidence-based nursing approach to Pitt-Bradford students,” said Dr. Mary Mulcahy, associate professor of biology and chairwoman of the Division of Biological and Health Sciences, who nominated Haley. Haley was chosen for the award by the chairmen and chairwomen of Pitt-Bradford’s five academic divisions. In choosing an award recipient, the chairpersons reviewed letters of recommendation, student evaluations of teaching, syllabi and grade distribution. They also considered the teachers’ knowledge of subject matter and their advising and dedication in working with students beyond the classroom in such ...

Coudersport – A roadway improvement project on Route 6 in Potter County will enter a new phase next week, as temporary traffic signals are turned on mid-week. The roadway betterment work will extend the useful life of the roadway and bridges and result in a smoother, safer ride for motorists. The four-mile work zone stretches from the Potato City Inn to about one mile east of the Denton Hill Ski area. Temporary traffic signals are located on the bridge at the Denton Hill Ski area and on the bridge about one mile east of the ski area. The signals will be placed on flash mode Wednesday, May 16. The signals will be activated on Tuesday, May 22, enforcing an alternating traffic pattern so that crews can work in the closed lane of each bridge. For roadwork, daylight, alternating traffic patterns will be in place and drivers can expect to encounter flaggers on the roadway and short travel delays. Motorists need to be alert for sudden stops. Project work includes roadway and bridge repairs, r...

Harrisburg – The Department of Public Welfare today released the 2011 Annual Child Abuse Report, which offers statistics on child abuse cases in Pennsylvania and on continued efforts to better protect children from abuse and neglect. “All children deserve to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment, free from abuse and neglect,” said Public Welfare Secretary Gary D. Alexander. “This report serves as a tremendous resource in measuring prevention efforts, as well as identifying and creating better strategies to further prevent abuse and neglect.” This year’s report includes completed child abuse case data collected during the 2011 calendar year. Some of the findings included in the report are: · Thirty-four child fatalities occurred in 2011, one more than the previous year; · The total number of reports of suspected child abuse received was 24,378, a decline of 237 reports from 2010; · A total of 3,408 substantiated reports, a decrease of 248 from 2010; · Of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties...

Governor Tom Corbett has made his most extensive comments yet about a scathing ESPN The Magazine article that criticized his role in the firing of Joe Paterno. Radio PA's Brad Christman has the exclusive details at PAMatters.com . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Harrisburg -- Legislation sponsored by Senate Transportation Committee Chairman John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) to crack down on drunk drivers who put minors at risk has been signed into law. Act 39 of 2012 increases penalties for drunk drivers who have a minor in the vehicle with them when the violation occurs. The maximum fine for a first offense will be $1,000 and 100 hours of community service. A second offense will carry a maximum fine of $2,500 and imprisonment of up to six months. Drivers convicted of subsequent offenses can be jailed for up to two years. Fines and imprisonment required under the new law will apply on top of previously enacted penalties. "It's bad enough that drunk drivers endanger themselves and others on the road. Enactment of this law sends that message that putting a child at risk through such reckless behavior is unconscionable and will not be tolerated," said Rafferty. New York already has similar legislation called Leandra’s Law. The news l...

University of Pittsburgh at Bradford resident assistants Jahlil Davis-Green, a sports medicine major from Philadelphia, left, and Christopher Barr, a criminal justice major from Bradford, deliver donations to SACKS, a resale shop that benefits the Bradford Hospital Auxiliary. The items were donated by students who were moving out of campus housing at the end of the semester. Donations included laundry detergent and non-perishable food items to the YWCA food pantry, six bags of clothes to SACKS and shelving units, lamps, bedding and kitchenware to the Goodwill Store. Photo by Alan Hancock The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Garnet D. Andrews, 83, a loving wife and devoted mother, formerly of Minard Run Rd., has gone to be with the Lord, Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at the Bradford Ecumenical Home. Born in Bradford on January 4, 1929, she was a daughter of the late Harold Pratt and Clara (Caswell) Stickney. On February 25, 1949 at DeGolia United Brethern Church, she married William E. Andrews who survives. Garnet was a member and had a prayer ministry at the Evans Memorial United Methodist Church and always sent the right card or flowers to those hurting or in need and sang in the choir. Many were touched by her unfailing kindness. She was also known for her love of baking and was famous for her fudge, pies and cinnamon rolls. Surviving in addition to her husband Bill of 63 years are two sons, Daniel (Lori) Andrews of Charlottesville, Va., Jeff (Sara) Andrews and two daughters Bonnie (Tom) Groce and Linda Jane (Dave) Farrell all of Bradford. She was involved and interested in the lives of her seven grandchildre...

Work to replace a structurally deficient bridge in Lewis Run will get underway next week. The bridge spans Lewis Run on Lafayette Avenue/Big Shanty Road in the borough of Lewis Run. Replacing the bridge with a new concrete arch structure will shorten the list of structurally deficient bridges in McKean County by one. Work that is scheduled to start Monday, May 14 includes waterline relocation, storm sewer and inlet placements, and roadwork and drainage improvements on Big Shanty Road. This work will be done with little or no traffic impacts. Once initial work is complete, a detour will be in effect so that the current bridge can be removed and the new one built. The detour is expected to begin on June 11 and last through late August. The detour route will use Route 4001, Route 59, and Route 219. PennDOT will issue an updated release before the detour goes into effect. All work is weather and schedule dependent. L.C. Whitford of Wellsville, New York is the contractor on this $1.3 millio...

Tina Wood shows off the one-of-a-kind Case knife she won in WESB's 65th Anniversary Celebration Contest. Pictured with Tina is WESB General Manager Don Fredeen. The knife -- the 47 Model -- is engraved with the current WESB logo on one blade, the original logo on another blade, and "65" on the third. Congratulations to Tina and thank you to W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. for the beautiful knife! The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two people are in jail after being accused of burglarizing homes inside the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution. 22-year-old William Sloan Jr. of Sherman is charged with seven counts of burglary. 23-year-old Stephanie Textor of Mayville is charged with four counts. Sheriff’s deputies say in December and January the Chautauqua Institution Police Department received complaints about the burglaries. The sheriff’s department, Jamestown Police and the county Forensic Investigation Team assisted Chautauqua Police with processing the crime scenes. Sloan and Textor were developed as suspects during a lengthy investigation and were indicted Tuesday by a grand jury. They were arrested at their homes without incident. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By Sandra Rhodes Visitor & Member Services Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau There are plenty of opportunities to show some appreciation to your mother this Mother’s Day in the Allegheny National Forest Region, whether it’s creating a craft together, shopping for some bling or sipping some wine. Mark off the weekend of May 12 and May 13 for mom and treat her to something special here at Trail Central, located in northwestern Pennsylvania, just 90 miles south of Buffalo, N.Y. You won’t need to needle mom into going to this great little store. Keeping Ewe in Stitches, at 10 Chestnut Street in Bradford, is a wonderful place to pick up your knitting and crocheting supplies and you can even start a project to take home with you. Call Doris at 814-331-4860 for details. Another crafty place is Paper to Pages at 20 Congress Street, Bradford. This unique craft store also has classes that can help you create memories that last a lifetime, as well as a place to keep those memories. He...

In recognition of National Travel & Tourism Week we spoke with Linda Devlin, executive director of the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau, about the importance of tourism to McKean County and the forest region. You can listen here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

St. Marys student places third Washington, D.C. — Kristen Henderlong of Clearfield Area High School, Clearfield, Pa., has won the Fifth Congressional District’s 2012 High School Art Competition, which was sponsored by U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Howard. Henderlong won the contest with her work, “The Essence of Light,” an acrylic-on-canvas painting of a classroom in Haiti where she had traveled to on a humanitarian mission. “Kristen is a tremendously talented artist and I look forward to showcasing her work in the halls of Congress before the hundreds of daily visitors to the U.S. Capitol,” said Representative Thompson. “I want to thank each of the winners and all of the participants for their hard work, as well as their friends, teachers and families for supporting these young artists and making this another successful competition.” The contestants and winning entries were recognized Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Winkler Gallery in DuBois, Pa. The 2012 competition receiv...

BUFFALO, NY — Alex Adjei, MD, PhD, FACP, Senior Vice President of Clinical Research and Katherine Anne Gioia Chair in Cancer Medicine at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), has received the inaugural Drug Development Research Professorship Award from the Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The funded professorship will support Dr. Adjei’s efforts to mentor junior colleagues in the areas of drug development, clinical trial design and regulatory science. Dr. Adjei’s current research on the anticancer effects of CBLB502, a toll-like receptor 5 agonist, will be the primary vehicle for his mentoring activities. “CBLB502 is an agent developed by my Roswell Park colleague Dr. Andrei Gudkov and his company Cleveland BioLabs Inc.,” said Dr. Adjei. “We’ve begun a phase I clinical research study to assess its effectiveness in preventing and controlling growth of cancer cells, looking at all solid tumors. In their preclinical studies, Dr. Gudkov and his...

A 35-year-old Titusville man has been sentenced to 50 years in a federal prison without parole for trafficking in child pornography on his personal computer in 2010. Craig Finley was convicted in January after he was found with 30,000 images of child pornography, mostly involving young boys. One of the images he distributed over the Internet showed him fondling a sleeping 10-year-old boy. Assistant US Attorney Christian Trabold says Finley is a sexual predator and “every parent’s worst nightmare.” The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 19-year-old and 16-year-old from Coudersport, who are already charged with several counts of burglary in connection to a three-county crime spree, are facing even more charges. Aaron Trowbridge and a 16-year-old boy who police did not name allegedly broke into seven camps on Cherry Springs Road and East Fork Road in Potter County back in January. The value of the stolen items is more than $1,700. Damage is estimated at more than $1,500. The 16-year-old is in a juvenile detention center. Trowbridge was arraigned for the camp burglaries, then sent back to McKean County Jail, where he has been since last month after being charged in connection to several burglaries in Port Allegany back in March. Police arrested Trowbridge after a police chase that started in Olean. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

State police say no evidence has been found to suggest the incident involving rear wheels falling off Johnsonburg school bus was a criminal act. Last Thursday morning a set of wheels fell off the Johsonburg Area School District bus as it was taking 25 elementary school students to the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. The bus driver was able to bring the bus to a safe stop and no one was hurt. The incident happened on Route 28 in Allegheny County. Trooper Bruce Morris says state police treated the incident as a criminal investigation, and had the bus analyzed by forensic unit troopers and the state police motor carrier safety assistance program. They also reviewed the remaining fleet of buses and found no other problems or damage. State police in Ridgway and Kittanning said they would like to thank the school district and the bus contractor for their assistance in the investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A New York state corrections officer is accused of assaulting and choking his live-in girlfriend. 52-year-old William Prost allegedly hit his girlfriend in the face then covered her mouth and nose with his hand, keeping her from breathing. The alleged incident happened at around 9:30 Sunday night in Fredonia Prost was arraigned on charges of third-degree assault and criminal obstruction of breathing and then released. An order of protection was issued for the victim. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Olean man has pleaded guilty to robbing a cab driver last summer. 26-year-old Stephen Schindlbeck was originally charged with first-degree robbery and criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. On August 15 on North Union Street in Olean he robbed a cab driver at gunpoint and got $106. He is scheduled for sentencing on July 30. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Money restored for Pitt, Penn State, Temple, Lincoln Better than anticipated revenues over the past few months enabled the Senate to pass a General Fund budget bill for Fiscal Year 2012-13 on Wednesday that makes significant restorations without raising taxes, according to Senator Jake Corman, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Senate Bill 1466 will provide substantial restorations to certain areas of the Governor’s proposed budget that reflect the fiscal realities that we have today. Increased revenues over the past few months allowed us to alter what the Governor had initially proposed back in February, including significant restorations to higher education, basic education, early childhood funding, and social service funding,” Senator Corman said. General Fund spending for Fiscal Year 2012-13, as proposed in SB 1466, is $27.656 billion, $517.2 million, or 1.9 percent more than the Governor’s budget request in February. “This budget, which is sustainable ...

Men's basketball head coach Mark Schmidt has signed a long-term extension with St. Bonaventure University, director of athletics Steve Watson announced on Wednesday. Schmidt, now under contract through the conclusion of the 2018-19 campaign, inked a five-year extension following a season that culminated with the program's first Atlantic 10 Championship title and first NCAA Tournament berth since 2000. No further details of the contract will be announced. "I'm happy we were able to reach a long-term agreement and give men's basketball at St. Bonaventure the security and continuity it deserves," Watson said. "Mark and his staff have done a terrific job with the program on the court, in the classroom, on campus and in the community. We look forward to their continued success." The Sporting News Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year guided the Bonnies to 20 wins in 2011-12, the most in a season since 2000, while posting a 10-6 A-10 mark that earned a bye into...

The Downtown Bradford Business District Authority held its first Lunch in the Square for this season today. Pictured above, a gentleman buys his lunch from John Williams European Pastry Shop, just one of the local restaurants that participated in the event. Pictured below, Cole Vecchio and Mike Silvis & Kaitlin Hallock perform on the gazebo "stage." Members of the Bradford Area High School Music Department, under the direction of Chad Young, provided entertainment. WESB photos The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

News coming a little later today regarding men's head coach Mark Schmidt and his status with the #Bonnies. We'll pass the news along as soon as we get it. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director The Bradford Sanitary Authority has decided to hire a consultant to help their engineers get through the upgrade to the sewage treatment plant. Authority member Lee Ann Doynow updated Bradford City Council during its regular meeting Tuesday night. She said the board looked at several consultants after council expressed concerns about the project. They decided to go with Tighe & Bond of Massachusetts because, Doynow said, they have the most experience with the broadest base. According to the company’s website, Tighe & Bond “has a long history of designing efficient, cost-effective wastewater collection and treatment systems to achieve compliance with federal, state and local regulations. Projects range from small industrial pretreatment systems to large regional treatment facilities. Designs may include features to conserve and/or reuse water, facilitate advanced nutrient removal or incorporate innovative residuals management processes wh...

By SANDRA RHODES Visitor & Member Services Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau Tourism in McKean County uncorks many possibilities for business here so it only seems fitting that a new wine was unveiled Tuesday night during Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau’s Spring Fling to celebrate National Tourism Week. Kinzua Journey, a new wine developed by Flickerwood Wine Cellars & Lounge in Kane, is now for sale with part of the proceeds to be donated to the ANFVB to help support tourism in McKean County. Tourism is the second largest industry in Pennsylvania. Flickerwood co-owner Sue Zampogna said the tribute to the new Sky Walk is as much a celebration of the rebirth of this amazing attraction as it is a resurgence of their business from tourists. “When the Sky Walk opened last September, we were amazed at the business we had at the winery from folks who had gone to the Sky Walk,” she said. “After nine years of little to no business from tourists going to the Kinzua Bri...

HARRISBURG – Citing the inefficient and cumbersome process communities must endure when trying to remove potential flood hazards from small streams, Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) has introduced legislation to force the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to streamline its process. “Stream obstructions, such as gravel bars, are serious flood hazards and can threaten the lives and property of people living nearby,” Causer said. “This is a serious problem, and we need a clear, efficient and effective process to deal with it – now.” During state House budget hearings earlier this year, Causer and several other lawmakers questioned DEP Secretary Michael Krancer extensively about the issue of gravel bars and the difficulty communities and property owners have when trying to address the hazard they create. Causer cited a situation in Emporium, Cameron County, where officials have been working for more than five years to gain approval to remove a gravel bar. The situation is st...

By Stephanie Timblin Senior Communications Specialist Upper Allegheny Health System Zippo has been heating things up for 80 years. Now they’re doing it large-scale, with a $750,000 donation to Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) to modernize the hospital's boiler plant. "We are extremely grateful to George Duke and Zippo for this very significant gift to our community hospital," said Timothy J. Finan, president and CEO of Bradford Regional Medical Center and its parent company, Upper Allegheny Health System. "Zippo and members of the Blaisdell family have a long history of tremendous generosity to BRMC and the community. Their notable giving over the decades has made so many things possible at BRMC,” Finan said. “Zippo’s faith and confidence in the hospital means so much to all of us. It is both motivational and inspirational in terms of our desire to work even harder to provide our community with high quality and personalized health care." George Duke, Zip...

Power outages have been affecting the Bradford area for most of the day. Penelec’s Linda Routzhan says equipment problems caused outages that affected upwards of 2,000 people a couple of times today. The first was at about 4 a.m. The outages forced W.R. Case to cancel its second shift. The last outage was a “forced outage” crews had to start in order to replace a piece of wire that burned up, Routzhan said. She said crews would continue working until all power is restored, which it was before 6 p.m. according to the company's outage map. A power surge to a transformer at Bradford Regional Medical Center caused the hospital to temporarily close Upbeat, Smart and Foothills Medical Group offices in the Interstate Parkway facility. Patient care was not affected, according to Stephanie Timblin of Upper Allegheny Health System. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

CARE for Children and Pat Ryan received the 2012 George G. Blaisdell YMCA Community Service Award this morning. Ryan (right) is director of operations at Futures Rehabilitation Center and heads McKean County’s Special Olympics program. CARE Executive Director Tina Martin and Board President Mick Marshall accepted the award for the agency, which is in the second phase of its fundraising drive to build a new facility on East Main Street. CARE for Children photo