Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

City of Bradford Police on Thursday investigated a burglary on Congress Street, a theft on Bedford Street and a retail theft on Davis Street. Officers also looked into a hit and run on School Street, criminal mischief to a vehicle on Davis Street and harassment on Cornen Street. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Work to repair an earth slide and prevent future slides along Route 59 near Warren is scheduled to start Monday, weather permitting. Traffic will be restricted to one-lane. At first it will be controlled by flaggers but, as work progresses, temporary traffic signals will be used. Two-way traffic is expected to be restored by August 28. The project is scheduled for completion by May 1, 2014. The work includes building a 160-foot retaining wall, and a 135-foot slope wall along the section of Route 59 about 2 miles from the intersection with Route 6. Work in the 1,200-foot-long project area will also include road replacement, paved shoulders, improved drainage and updated guiderails and pavement markers. The $1 million project is being paid for with federal funds. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The four men accused of killing a Chautauqua County couple last week were arraigned in county court this morning. Davide Coggins and Joshua McCormick are each charged with first-degree murder, second-degree intentional murder, second-degree murder, arson, burglary and conspiracy. Ricky Knickerbocker and Steven Todd are also charged with second-degree intentional murder. Coggins’ bail is $2.5 million cash. McCormick’s is $2 million. Bail for both Knickerbocker and Todd is $1.5 million cash each. The four are accused of killing Joyce and Gordon Skinner during a home invasion. The Skinners were found dead during a house fire. Pictured, Gordon and Joyce Skinner The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Cattaraugus County cleaning lady was apparently trying to clean out one house in more ways than one. Sheriff’s deputies say the owners of a home on Crumb Hill Road in East Otto told them money had started coming up missing from the house, and the days it came up missing coincided with the days 28-year-old Kylene Hellriegel of Dayton was coming to clean. Hellriegel is charged with three counts of petit larceny and one count of criminal possession of stolen property. She was issued appearance tickets for East Otto Town Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will be able to offer a limited number of full scholarships for qualifying North Central Pennsylvania children to attend either X-treme Science Camp or its Crime Solving 101 Summer Enrichment Class. The scholarships are made possible by a $3,171 grant from the North Central Workforce Investment Board Youth Council to promote learning about science, technology, engineering and math by students between the ages of 5 and 18. Children who are eligible live in low-income households, including those households with an income below 235 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Level, which comes to an annual income of $55,343 for a family of four. Other considerations are whether a student has dropped out or is at risk of dropping out of school, is in foster care, is homeless, is the child of incarcerated parents or has a disability. Crime Solving 101 is for youths 13-18 and will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon Jun...

St Marys – Work to improve a northern section of Route 255 in the city of St. Marys began late last month. The project stretches from the Tractor Supply intersection to Route 120/State Street in St. Marys. Work this year will concentrate on the section between Wendy’s Burgers and Satterlee Fueling. 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. Activity the week of April 29 will include: • The contractor will continue working 24 hours per day starting on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. and working until 6:00 p.m. Thursday. The contractor anticipates working this schedule unless they are affected by the weather. • During off peak hours, 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., Route 255 will be restricted to one lane northbound and one lane southbound from the intersection at Tractor Supply to the intersection of Iron Run Road. Drivers...

Special Olympics athletes from throughout McKean County will travel to Kane Area High School on Wednesday, May 1, to compete in the annual Special Olympics/Zippo Track & Field Meet. More than 220 special athletes, ranging from 5 to 69 years of age, are registered to participate at the 38th annual event. Starting time is 10:00 a.m. In case of rain, the meet will be postponed to May 2. Ashley Komidar and Nancy Germano, teachers at Kane Middle School, will serve as event directors. Up to six athletes can qualify to represent McKean County at the Pennsylvania Special Olympics State Games at Penn State, June 6-8. McKean County Special Olympics coordinator Pat Ryan noted, “The track meet is our biggest competition of the year and our athletes have been working hard in training for this event.” Volunteers are needed to help with the meet. They should call 368-9310 or register at the concession stand on Wednesday morning. McKean County Special Olympics is a year-round program of ...

Clearfield – More than thirty children accompanied their parents or guardians to work at PennDOT’s District 2 Office in Clearfield today for “Take Your Child to Work Day.” “This day is really special for us. It lets kids get a firsthand look at our day-to-day operations while they’re with their parents and it give our parents a chance to see the work we do through their child’s eyes,” PennDOT District 2 Executive Kevin Kline said. Today’s activities included: • A demonstration of Operation Lifesaver, which helps kids learn about staying safe when it comes to railroads; • A visit to the District’s Traffic Management Center to learn how cameras, message boards, and other Intelligent Transportation Systems help keep drivers safe; • A demonstration on the workings of a plow truck; • Discussion of environmental concerns, regulations and safeguards used in PennDOT’s operations; • A Presentation on bicycle safety Following lunch with their parents, children teamed up to create Pow...

A firefighter from Westons Mills collapsed Wednesday while an accident scene was being cleared, and quick action by a state trooper saved his life. Troopers say they were investigating the three-car crash at the intersection of Route 417 and Promised Land Road in Portville. Two drivers were taken to Olean General Hospital for treatment. A few firefighters stayed on the scene to help with traffic control and, while waiting for tow trucks to take the vehicles away, a firefighter collapsed, was not breathing and had no pulse. While the other firemen rushed to help him and started CPR, Trooper John Zeigler got an Automated External Defibrilator from his cruiser, and used it on the collapsed fireman. Then they continued CPR until he started breathing again. The fireman was taken to Olean General, and is expected to make a full recovery. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police are looking for the person or people who told a Roulette woman they ran a modeling agency and convinced her to send money for a photo session. One the person or people got money from the victim, the pictures were never taken. The incident happened between April 10 and 12. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Galeton woman was hurt when her pickup truck flipped onto its roof in a crash Tuesday afternoon on Route 44. Police say 55-year-old Dolly Lazorchek was traveling north when the pickup went out of control, went off the road, hit a ditch and flipped over. They say Lazorchek suffered moderate injuries. The investigation is continuing. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Harrison Valley man is accused of threatening to kill a woman with a knife. Police say at 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon 24-year-old Paul Bethlehem threatened to kill the woman, and showed her a knife. They say he admitted to the crimes. He’s charged with terroristic threats, possessing instruments of crime and harassment, and is in Potter County Jail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Charges against a Port Allegany man accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl were bound to court following a preliminary hearing in front of District Judge Bill Todd. 40-year-old Jeffery Pinchock is accused of smoking marijuana with the 15-year-old girl and then sexually assaulting her. He is charged with sexual assault, indecent assault and corruption of minors, and is jailed on $60,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The four men accused of killing a Town of Carroll couple last week have waived their preliminary hearings. 18-year-old Ricky Knickerbocker, 18-year-old Steven Todd, 21-year-old Joshua McCormick, all of Elmira, and 34-Davide Coggins are now scheduled to appear in Chautauqua County Court on Friday for arraignment on murder charges. They were indicted by a grand jury earlier this week for breaking into the home of Gordon and Joyce Skinner and killing them. Their bodies were found during a fire at their house. The four suspects were found the next morning in Elmira. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Jamestown man is jail after allegedly trying to choke a police dog during a chase last night in the city. Police say at around 10:15 they stopped a vehicle driven by Curtis Nance Jr. and learned he was driving on a revoked license. During the stop they also saw drugs in the center console. When they asked Nance to get out of the vehicle he started fighting with officers, and then ran away. They caught up with him, and he continued to fight, so they let their K9 officer loose. The dog took Nance to the ground, and that’s when he tried to choke the dog. Police then used a Taser on Nance and were able to take him into custody. He was first taken to WCA Hospital for treatment of injuries from the Taser and the dog. He’s facing a number of charges including assault, criminal possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man who allegedly stalked a woman for about two weeks has waived his preliminary hearing. 58-year-old David Heflin is accused of seeking the woman out and making sure she saw him, and also of following her to and from work during her lunch break. According to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office, he also placed a sign near the victim’s workplace that read, “Mi Amor, You cause me great emotional distress. Please talk to me. I don’t want to be somebody you used to know.” Heflin is free on unsecured bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Homicide and assault charges against a Johnsonburg man were bound to court today following a hearing in front of District Judge Tony King. 22-year-old Nicholas Martin is accused of stabbing 18-year-old Alyssa Forsyth of Ridgway with a screwdriver repeatedly, then wrapping her body up and dumping it in a swampy area of Sandy Beach Park. Martin is jailed without bail and is scheduled to appear in Elk County Court on May 31. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 34-year-old Emporium man is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl. Arthur Allen Helzel allegedly raped the Bolivar, New York, teenager between May of 2007 and September of 2008 in Cameron County, according to state police. Helzel is charged with rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, all felonies. He is jailed on $100,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Bradford City Council on Tuesday approved resolutions dealing with some of the most talked-about problems in the city -- road conditions, dilapidated properties and bad behavior in the downtown area. Council ~~ also approved, on first reading, an ordinance that would allow shoppers to park longer at metered spots on Kennedy Street. Council has to approve the ordinance a second time, presumably on May 14, before it goes into effect. ~~ agreed to advertise for services to install a security and video surveillance system downtown. Private donations are paying for the system. ~~ approved the demolition of three blighted properties: 57 Amm Street, 179 High Street and 44 Willard Avenue. Mayor Tom Riel said, "It's about time," regarding the demolition on Willard. Councilman Fred Proper seconded the resolution "with pleasure." The money for the demolition comes from the CDBG fund. ~~ agreed to advertise for bidders to work on resurfacing eight city streets, inclu...

BY SANDRA RHODES The purchase of a Derby Gala ticket is a sure thing - an evening of fun, food and friends all to benefit a great cause. The Bradford Area Public Library’s Derby Gala is set for 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the Pennhills Club in Bradford. The Gala, in its fifth year, coincides with the running of the famous Kentucky Derby. Big screen TVs allow spectators to watch the “greatest two minutes in sports” as they root for their favorite horse, whether it be Overanalyze or Will Take Charge. It will be a lucky day for three of these people as cash prizes are awarded for win, place and show. And the winning doesn’t stop there. Ticketholders can actually parlay the cost of their ticket into a trip to Las Vegas to the casino. “Since the casino has been so popular in the past few years, we have expanded it to include more slot machines,” said Karen Costello-Pecht, co-chairwoman. “The best part of the casino is that you don’t have to pony up any of your own money. We give y...

Several people appeared in Cattaraugus County Court Monday on drug charges. David Showers was sentenced to two years in prison for selling heroin on May 31 in Olean. James “Manny” McClary was sentenced to two years in prison for selling cocaine on June 28 in Olean. Chad Smith Sr. of Olean was sentenced to a year in jail for selling prescription drugs on January 21, 2012, in Olean. Reginald Crouse of Salamanca was put on probation for five years for selling prescription drugs in Salamanca on October 20, 2011. Bradley Cox of Gaineville was sentenced to six months in jail for having more than 2 ounces of marijuana on March 15, 2012, in Freedom. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

NIAGARA FALLS and SALAMANCA, N.Y. – One of the most thrilling summer concert lineups in the Great Lakes Region is back for another year and packs some serious heat for entertainment lovers. Summer Rush at Seneca Casinos includes some of the world’s very best entertainers as well as unique promotions on the gaming floor and the ever-popular fireworks displays for the Independence Day holiday. June Entertainment Summer Rush kicks off with arguably the world’s premier blues musician, B.B. King, at Seneca Allegany Events Center in Salamanca, N.Y., on Saturday, June 8. Coming the following weekend on Saturday, June 15 to Seneca Niagara Events Center in Niagara Falls, N.Y., is 1980s new wave rock band The Go-Go’s, whose debut album Beauty and the Beat continues to be the only No. 1 album entirely written and performed by an all-female band. The following weekend on Saturday, June 22, comedian Paul Reiser from the TV sitcom “Mad About You” takes the stage at Seneca Allegany for an even...

The Bradford Hospital Auxiliary is pleased to announce a change of business from Sacks Resale Shop to Angel Kiddies, a new Bradford area business. Angel Kiddies will be an independently owned consignment shop. For nearly 70 years, the Auxiliary has been host to resale shop under many different names. Sacks has been in business since 1998. “We sincerely thank the community for their patronage of Sacks over the years, whether it was by way of donations or purchasing of items,” said Virginia Hauser, Executive Director, Bradford Hospital Auxiliary. “We are truly thankful and grateful to the community for their many years of support.” Sacks no longer accepts donations as of April 18, 2013; however, arrangements can be made with Angel Kiddies to accept clothing and merchandise. Angel Kiddies intends to carry similar merchandise as Sacks, with a concentration on children’s items. “We welcome Angel Kiddies to the Bradford business community and wish them success,” Hauser said. ...

University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Students, led by Dr. Steve Robar associate professor of political science, will be canvassing the Allegheny National Forest starting in mid-May to conduct a full environmental analysis for the Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways (PKP) proposed project “The Trails at Jakes Rocks.” Representatives from PKP, Pitt-Bradford and the ANF attended a dynamic presentation by the students, describing exactly how these eight to 10 students will accomplish the analysis for the 47 miles of proposed mountain biking trails. Starting in May, students will break into two teams and will begin the work of studying, documenting, capturing on film and indexing all flora and fauna found within 100 foot corridors of the proposed trail network. “These students will be able to provide more detailed information than would have been provided if we had to use our own ANF resources. We would not have been able to commit this amount of time or this amount of ANF resources to this pro...

Olean state troopers picked up a fugitive from justice out of Georgia on Monday. During a traffic stop on I-86 they learned that 26-year-old David Keech of Franklinville was wanted in Georgia. He was taken to Cattaraugus County jail without bail and is awaiting extradition to Georgia. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two Kersey residents are in jail for breaking into a house, leaving with an 11-month-old baby and, later, assaulting a state police trooper. State police say on Monday 19-yearold Breanna Uhl and 21-year-old Roger Dugan went to a house on Old Kersey Road, entered without permission, pulled three telephones from the wall, took the baby girl and drove away in their car. They went to St. Marys and, after police found them in a house, they ran away. When police caught up with them, they allegedly assaulted the trooper. The only charge listed on the police report is burglary, but online court records also list a charge of interference with custody of children for Uhl. Her bail is set at $10,000. Dugan's records have not been updated yet. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Mayville man is jail after allegedly attacking someone with a sword Friday afternoon. Sheriff’s deputies say 20-year-old Brandon Hogue assaulted the person at around 1 o’clock Friday afternoon at a house in Mayville. He is charged with assault, menacing and unlawful imprisonment. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947