Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Thousands of gallons of kerosene spilled onto Interstate 80 near Penfield this morning when a tanker truck crashed and rolled over at around 8 o’clock. The tanker was carrying 7,000 gallons of kerosene, and not all of it spilled, because emergency crews were able to stop the leak. Crews are still working to clean up the site. The driver suffered only minor injuries and was able to walk away from the crash. Police are continuing their investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An East Randolph, New York, man is accused of breaking into a Chautauqua County house while the residents were away. Sheriff’s deputies say 20-year-old Adam Dimpfl broke into the Town of Ellington house at 10:30 p.m. on March 7 and stolen some items. He was arrested Thursday and charged with burglary and petit larceny, and then sent to jail in lieu of bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Tidioute man who shot a woman to death back in December has been sentenced to a minimum of 33 years in state prison. 53-year-old Randy Lee Poole was sentenced this morning for shooting and killing 56-year-old Kathleen Sweeney twice in the head at close range. Poole told the judge he was under the influence of bath salts during the incident and doesn’t remember what happened. But the judge said Poole showed no mercy when he murdered Sweeney, so he would get the maximum sentence. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

ST. MARYS – Work to improve a northern section of Route 255 in the city of Saint Marys will get underway next week. Crews will begin preliminary work, including installation of temporary signing and surveying. The project stretches from the Tractor Supply intersection to Route 120/State Street in Saint Marys. No traffic disruptions are expected during the preliminary work. Once the project completes in late summer 2014, travel along this section of Route 255 will be smoother and more efficient. PennDOT will issue regular updates on this project as work schedules and traffic impacts require. Overall work includes pavement repair, drainage improvements, addition of a right-turn lane for Route 255 northbound traffic at Vine Street, re-alignment of the Arch Street intersection, a right turn lane on Route 120 east for traffic heading south on Route 255, and other construction items. All work is weather and schedule dependent. Dave Gutelius Excavating, Inc. of Mifflinburg is the contra...

HARRISBURG – Rep. Glen Grell (R-Cumberland) and Rep. John Sabatina (D-Philadelphia) announced today the introduction of a resolution authorizing a bipartisan impeachment investigation of Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. “We take no pleasure in considering the impeachment of a Supreme Court justice,” said Grell. “This entire situation is unfortunate for everyone involved: Justice Orie Melvin, her family and the citizens of the Commonwealth. But our constitutional duty to uphold the integrity of our courts and to preserve the public’s confidence in our system of justice remains.” Sabatina, a former assistant district attorney in Philadelphia, added, “It is important that due process be allowed to work regarding the justice’s right to appeal her conviction; however, the House of Representatives has a duty of oversight regarding the conduct of the Supreme Court.” On Feb. 21, Orie Melvin was found guilty of several criminal counts, including thefts of services, conspi...

An Emporium man fell asleep at the wheel of his car earlier this week, causing it to hit a fire hydrant in the borough. Police say 22-year-old Andrew Beck was on East Third Street at just after 1 o’clock Sunday afternoon when his car hit the road sign at the intersection with Locust Street. The car then hit the fire hydrant in the same intersection. Beck was cited for careless driving. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

On March 14th at about 11:00 pm, Tpr Jeffrey McDonald of SP Warsaw observed a vehicle with a Georgia registration, pass by him travelling in the opposite direction. The vehicle was speeding and driving with the high beams activated on East Lake Rd. in the town of Perry, N.Y. The vehicle was stopped and the operator identified as Kimberly S Packman of 1 Cove Dr. Savannah GA. Ms. Packman was observed to be intoxicated and a subsequent breath test revealed her blood alcohol level to be a .15%. Tpr McDonald issued Ms. Packman traffic tickets to appear in the town of Perry court on March 20th , 2013 at 6:00 pm. Normally, I would not post this story but the state police wrote the headline and I couldn't resist. ~~ Anne The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

No one was hurt when a car crashed into the back of a school bus at about 4 o’clock Thursday afternoon on Route 20 in the Town of Pomfret. Sheriff’s deputies say the Brocton Central School bus driven by 41-year-old Laurie Travis of Brocton was making a left turn into a business so she could turn the bus around but, as she was making the turn, a vehicle driven by 23-year-old Marianne Drzymala of Fredonia hit the back of the bus. The bus had only minimal damage. Drzymala was cited for following too closely. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Bradford native Tim Pecora is seeking the Republican nomination for a seat on Bradford City Council in the May primary. Pecora, who resides at 106 Harding Ave., is currently a sales associate for Control Chief Corp. in Bradford, a position he has held since April. Before that, he was a marketing representative for Burns & Burns Associates of Bradford for eight years. His prior work experience includes positions with insurance companies in Bradford and Pittsburgh. He is seeking one of three seats open on City Council this election. Pecora said his interest to serve on City Council was born out of his love for the community as well as seeing great potential for the city and its residents. “Bradford has all of the ingredients available to make a great success story - warm and friendly residents, strategic location for businesses, affordable cost of living, numerous leisure and recreational opportunities, plentiful natural resources, top-notch higher educational facil...

A State Senate district office to serve residents of the 25th Senatorial District is now open in Kane, according to Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson). Scarnati said staff at his district office in Kane will be available from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, to provide answers to constituents’ questions regarding state government programs and offer assistance with state-related issues. Senator Scarnati’s Kane Office 21A Field Street Kane, PA 16735 Phone: 814-837-1026 Fax: 814-837-1029 “It is essential that we provide residents with direct contact to state government resources, while also ensuring that their tax dollars are spent wisely and efficiently,” Scarnati said. “The Kane office will help offer constituents of the 25th district increased local access to state government, which is an extremely important component of providing effective governmental service.” The 25th Senatorial District consists of eight counties, including Cameron, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Po...

Independence Law Center hails decision in favor of elementary school student PITTSBURGH — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled unanimously on Tuesday in favor of a student whose invitations to a church Christmas party, while in the 5th grade, were singled out and prohibited even though other student invitations were permitted. One would have thought that this issue could have been worked out once the Pocono Mountain School District’s administration was made aware of the selective censoring of a student’s speech. However, the school district in K.A. v. Pocono Mountain School District argued before the District Court and again at the Court of Appeals that its policy was constitutional. The Court of Appeals disagreed, finding that the school district and its policies unconstitutionally suppressed student expression. “We are grateful that the Third Circuit has affirmed the right of student expression,” said Randall Wenger of the Independence Law Center, one of the stu...

Rep. Tom Reed voted this week in support of the Preserving the Welfare Work Requirement and TANF Extension Act of 2013. The legislation ensures that work requirements remain a central part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and prohibits the Administration from waiving work requirements for welfare recipients. The bill also extends the TANF program through December 31, 2013. “Work activities like on-the-job-training, vocational training, community service, and education in a job field are central to lifting families and communities from poverty,” Reed said. “By waiving the requirements that welfare recipients engage in these types of work activities, the Administration is discouraging recipients from gaining the valuable skills needed to gain meaningful employment to help their families.” Current welfare requirements encourage TANF recipients to engage in full or part-time employment, education and training. But in July 2012, the Obama Administration...

City of Bradford Police looked into a disturbance on North Street, harassment on Congress Street and a traffic/parking problem on Cole Avenue. Officers also investigated reports of suspicious activity on Mechanic and West Corydon streets. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

ALBANY – Following a statewide undercover investigation, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that his office has reached agreements with 23 gun show operators across the state to follow the "Model Gun Show Procedures" developed by the Attorney General's Office to promote uniform gun show operations across the state, including a rule that ensures all guns brought into the gun show by private sellers are tagged so that, upon exiting, the operator can determine if guns were sold and that a proper background check was performed. These 23 operators oversee more than 50 currently scheduled shows and gun auctions in New York this year, which represents over 80% of the shows in the state. Five more operators are reviewing the procedures and are also expected to adopt them. The process is ongoing, with the goal of universal adoption of the procedures in the state by the end of this year. “Gun violence is everyone's concern, and I’m proud that we’ve wo...

Two people suffered injuries in a one-car crash on Route 5 in Sheridan this morning. Sheriff’s deputies say at 6:45 a.m. 59-year-old David Kent of Silver Creek was trying to get around a vehicle on the side of the road when his vehicle went out of control, left the road and hit a tree. Kent had be freed from the vehicle by emergency crews. He was taken by Starflight helicopter to ECMC in Buffalo for treatment of unspecified injuries. His passenger, 47-year-old Elizabeth Lysek of Silver Creek was taken to Lakeshore Hospital for treatment of a head injury. Deputies are continuing their investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn 'GT' Thompson, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry, held a public hearing Wednesday to examine how the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is managing the National Forest System (NFS) and how this management affects rural communities. USFS Chief Tom Tidwell and Ken Kane, McKean County, Pa., President of Generations Forestry, were among the witnesses testifying. “Our National Forest system is currently threatened by land mismanagement, invasive species outbreaks, endless litigation preventing productive land use, including expanded timber harvests and natural resource development, and a host of other problems that result in fewer jobs, more fire-prone forests, and communities struggling to make ends meet,” stated Rep. Thompson. “Today, the subcommittee brought together forestry stakeholders to identify obstacles to a stronger National Forest management system and ways to expand...

City of Bradford Police on Tuesday investigated disturbances on West Washington and Elm streets, criminal mischief on South Center Street, a domestic incident on West Washington Street and a report of harassment on Congress Street. Officers also looked into reports of suspicious activity on Race Street and Interstate Parkway. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

To help launch the National "No More" campaign to help end domestic violence and sexual assault Anne Holliday today spoke with Delilah Rumburg, CEO of Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape/National Sexual Violence Resource Center. You can listen to the conversation here . Learn more at NoMore.org .

Sean Perry created this inspiring video about Brenda's journey with cancer. Please take the time to check it out. One of Brenda's dreams is to be on the Ellen DeGeneres Show so she can share her survival story with the world. Help make her dream come true: https://www.facebook.com/getbrendaonellen The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

HARRISBURG—Sponsored by Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren/Forest/McKean), legislation directing the PA Department of Health to establish the Early Childhood Vision Care Education Program (House Bill 477) unanimously passed the state House today. “The purpose of this legislation is to encourage all Pennsylvania citizens to make themselves, their families and their communities aware that early recognition of childhood eye disorders and diseases results in more effective treatment that can be both sight-saving and even life-saving,” said Rapp. “For example, if left untreated, retinoblastoma is almost always fatal, but with early detection and appropriate treatment, the overall survival rate increases to 95 percent.” The National Institute of Health reports that many vision problems develop before children reach school age. Fewer than 15 percent of all preschool children receive an eye exam and fewer than 22 percent of preschool children receive some type of vision screening. The most ...

Mary "Isabelle" Barrile, 84, of 5858 North St. Limestone, passed away, Monday, March 11, 2013, in the Olean General Hospital in Olean. Born April 9, 1928, in Brookville, she was a daughter of the late Fred and Mary (McManigle) Osborne. She attended schools in Brookville. On May 15, 1948 in St. Patrick's Church in Limestone she married Joseph Barrile who survives. Mrs. Barrile had worked for the B&0 Railroad, then as a waitress at the Old Hollywood Inn in Limestone and in 1995 she retired from Zippo Manufacturing Company after 42 years of service. She was a member of St. Patrick's Church in Limestone, and a member of the Church Guild. She was also a life member of the Limestone Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary and bowled in the Monday Night league. She enjoyed spending time with her family and especially with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was an avid bingo player, knitter and gardener. Surviving in addition to her husband of 64 years are ...

Candace M. Frantz, 63, of 62 Clarence Street, Bradford, passed away, surrounded by her loving family, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, in Hamot Medical Center, in Erie. Born January 5, 1950, in Kane, she was a daughter of the late Ronald W. and Katherine L (Hays) Mealy. On May 27, 1967 in St. Bernard Church she married Martin "Mick" Frantz who survives. Mrs. Frantz was a1967 graduate of Bradford Area High School. She was a stay at home mom who took care of her children and cared for everyone's children as her own. She had also worked for Zippo Manufacturing. In addition to her husband of 45 years she is survived by her six children: Kimberly (Jeffrey) Casterline, Buffie (Todd) Baldwin, Marty (Timothy) Nicastro, Chad (Wendy) Frantz, Cody Frantz and Brittany (Brent) Raabe, eight grandchildren, Chelsea, Devin and Delaney Casterline, Brock and Brett Baldwin, and Brandon, Haley and Hayden Nicastro, two sisters, Judy (John) Cattoni and Debi (Jeff) Prentice and two brothers Clayton...

HARRISBURG – The House Game and Fisheries Committee today unanimously approved a resolution calling for a study of the impacts of merging the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, said Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint), chairman of the committee and prime sponsor of the legislation. The resolution now goes to the full House for consideration. “Hunting and fishing are an important part of our heritage, and we need to look at all of the options available to help preserve these activities for generations to come,” Causer said. “The study will give us the good, solid information we need to make the best decisions for the Commonwealth’s hunters and anglers.” Watch Rep. Causer’s comments on passage of the resolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLzxunoVjYo House Resolution 129 calls on the non-partisan Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) to study the financial feasibility, impact, costs and savings that may be realized...

State police are looking into a case of theft and access device fraud at Allegheny Bradford Corporation in Lewis Run. They say between February 22 and March 4 fraudulent charges were discovered on a company credit card. The charges totaled almost $932. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Kane-based state police. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A former state Senate leader and seven other people have been charged in connection to a “pay to play” scheme involving the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Attorney General Kathleen Kane says, "The grand jury found that these men were using the Turnpike to line their pockets and to influence elections. That is stealing from the public, pure and simple." Retired state Senate Democratic Leader Bob Mellow, who is currently in jail on unrelated corruption charges, is accused of having his chief of staff help supporters and contributors get business from the turnpike, and having him pressure people at the turnpike to support him politically and raise campaign funds. Mellow is charged with corrupt organizations, bribery, bid-rigging, conspiracy and other offenses. A message left for a criminal defense lawyer who has represented him in the past was not immediately returned. Also charged was former turnpike chief executive Joe Brimmeier and former turnpike chairman Mitchell Rubin, who f...

Bradford City Council on Tuesday awarded the $1.8 million contract for renovations to the Callahan Park ice rink to Kessel Construction. Councilman Brad Mangel said he is glad the contract went to a local company. The project will paid for with $500,000 in grant money and through the refinancing of a general obligation bond, which council also approved last night. City Clerk John Peterson explained that $1.8 million for the renovation was included in this year’s city budget. Listen to the entire meeting here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

City of Bradford Police on Monday answered calls about disorderly conduct on Main Street and Interstate Parkway, harassment on Chautauqua Place and a domestic incident on State Street. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director The Bradford Area School District will be hiring an off duty Bradford City Police officer to provide security for Fretz Middle School. The officer would start April 1 and work through June 6. The salary will be determined by Bradford City Council and the police department’s collective bargaining agreement, but would not exceed $13,500. Also during last night’s school board meeting, district superintendent Katy Pude say the district is taking further steps to make all the schools safer. "In the upcoming months, we will also be utilizing the services of the Pennsylvania State Police Risk and Vulnerability Team to help identify any safety measures that we could improve within our buildings," she said during her monthly report. The district is still considering hiring a second school resource officer for next year. Also last night, the board approved an agreement with the Bradford Dental Center to provide exams for students in ki...

Reps. Tom Reed (R-NY) and Ron Kind (D-WI) are urging federal officials to take proactive steps to prevent Canada from imposing new barriers to U.S. dairy exports. New York and Wisconsin are well positioned to take advantage of opportunities in the Canadian market, but only if Canada does not move to block U.S. dairy imports. “With the growth the dairy industry has been experiencing in Upstate New York and the country as a whole, the federal government has to stand up for our dairy farms and ensure our dairy exports aren’t slowed,” said Reed. “Additional barriers placed on U.S. dairy exports to Canada will result in sizeable losses for our dairy companies, and run counter to efforts to foster a closer U.S.-Canada relationship.” “Dairy exports are critical to Wisconsin’s economy, and Canada has long been a valued trading partner for both Wisconsin and the United States,” said Kind. “We need to act now to avoid damaging new trade policies that could harm our dairy farmers and weak...

The nationwide manhunt for a fugitive from Puerto Rico has ended in Dunkirk. 26-year-old Eric Garcia-Rivas was wanted by the FBI for running a large drug distribution ring. He was picked up at about 6 o’clock Sunday night in Dunkirk after police saw him acting suspiciously, and then trying to hide his face from them. The FBI says Garcia-Rivas is part of a violent street gang that used weapons, threats and intimidation to run its drug distribution ring out of a public housing project. He was turned over to the FBI Monday morning. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Eleanor Jane (Leap) Walker, 87, formerly of Limestone, NY, passed away Sunday, March 10, 2013, in the Bradford Ecumenical Home. Born November 22, 1925, in New Martinsville, WV, she a was daughter of J. Paul and Dora E. (Rothlisberger) Leap. On August 21, 1948 in New Martinsville, WV. she married John J. "Jack" Walker, Jr., who died December 21, 2002. Mrs. Walker was a graduate of Magnolia High School in New Martinsville, West Virginia. She had been employed as an executive secretary in the Purchasing Department at PPG Industries while living in New Martinsville. After moving to Limestone in 1965, she worked as a legal secretary for McDowell, McDowell Wick & Daly and later as a secretary for Goodman Brother's Inc. She retired from the NY State Court System, in the Surrogate's Court in Little Valley, NY. After her retirement she was employed by Green Thumb, Inc., as an office assistant for the Cattaraugus County Department of Youth Corrections for Boys...

A school bus driver for the Randolph Central School District has pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing a child. 66-year-old John Hitchcock is accused of sexually abusing a boy younger than 13 on a number of occasion between September and October of last year between Randolph and Ashville. He is charged with seven counts of sexual abuse and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. Hitchcock is jailed on $50,000 cash bail. The school district placed him on administrative leave. Law enforcement and child advocacy centers in both Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties investigated the case. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947