Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

NY Congressman Tom Reed and local manufacturers gathered Thursday morning at the Manufacturer’s Association of the Southern Tier (MAST) in Jamestown for a candid discussion of the manufacturing industry’s job creation outlook and a visit to MAST’s training facility. “To have such a variety of different manufacturers in the same room, around the same table, is really a valuable thing,” Rep. Reed said. “They are able to give me a frontline, real-time update of what they’re seeing as the biggest impediments to job growth and we are able to talk out possible solutions face to face.” Topics at the meeting included tax reform, rising utility costs, burdensome federal regulations, and workforce development – all framed around the need to get more people working. “At a foundational level, common sense, comprehensive tax reform will serve as the basis for setting manufacturers on a path toward growth,” Reed continued. “With the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world...

A man wanted in Warren was picked up as a fugitive from justice Thursday in Chautauqua County. 25-year-old Jeremiah Kays, whose current address is in Erie, was stopped at 2:30 p.m. on Route 394 in North Harmony for riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Sheriff’s deputies soon learned he was wanted in Warren. Besides the fugitive charge, Kays is charged with criminal possession of a hypodermic needle, and for not having his motorcycle registered or insured, and for unlicensed operation. Kays is in Chautauqua County Jail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Butler woman whose husband was shot and killed during a domestic dispute at their camp in Tionesta has pleaded guilty. 58-year-old Ruth Angert pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated assault and involuntary manslaughter for the November 17 death of 68-year-old Larry Angert. She is scheduled for sentencing June 21 in Forest County. Courts records say the Angerts were arguing after arriving at the hunting camp, and he pushed her to the floor and grabbed her neck. She says that’s when she grabbed a gun, and it fired as they were both struggling with it. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

City of Bradford Police on Thursday got calls about disturbances on High and West Washington streets, and on Brookline Court. They also got complaints about harassment on Amm, West Washington, Mechanic and Bushnell streets. Officers also investigated reports of trespassing on Kiwanis Court, disorderly conduct on Miller Street and noise on Lincoln Avenue. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

UPDATE: The victim has been identified as 60-year-old James Hall. A Busti, New York, man is dead after a farm accident on Thursday. Police haven’t released the man’s name, but say he was in his 50s and family members found him trapped under his tractor on their property in Busti. They say it appears he was clearing brush when the tractor fell down a 30-foot ravine. He died at the scene. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two Bradford men are facing drug charges following a traffic stop on Route 219 in the Town of Carrollton. State police charged 55-year-old James Fowler with DWI and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was arraigned in Town of Carrollton Court and released on his own recognizance. 62-year-old Kenneth McWilliams, who was a passenger in the vehicle, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was given an appearance ticket for Town of Carrollton Court on Monday. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Salamanca woman is accused of selling crack cocaine in the city. 26-yearold Micki Farnham is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and, sheriff’s deputies say, more charges are pending following a search warrant executed at her home. Farnham is jailed on $5,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department is still asking for the public’s help in the death investigation of Traci Douglass, the Salamanca woman whose remains were found in the Allgeheny Reservoir in 2009. Sheriff Tim Whitcomb held a news conference this morning saying the case is still active, and they have gotten more than 400 leads, but they are hoping people will come forward with information that would help them determine how Douglass died. Although her body was found four years ago, Douglass was not identified until last February because the remains were so badly decomposed. Douglass was last seen in Salamanca in January of 2007 The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

PRESS RELEASE: More than 6,500 unfunded mandates have been imposed on Pennsylvania’s local governments over the past 30 years. Township officials, tired of seeing millions of tax dollars wasted every year, came together last week to urge state lawmakers to change the system so that municipalities can put that money to better use, namely to improve roads and other infrastructure. Close to 4,000 local leaders attended the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ 91st Annual Educational Conference in Hershey, April 21-24, where they continued their campaign to eliminate the mandates, which Harrisburg and Washington pass on to local governments without accompanying dollars. During the conference, hundreds of township officials traveled to the State Capitol building in Harrisburg to meet one-on-one with lawmakers. And this time around, local leaders had some considerable ammunition: a 186-page state report released last year that declares unfunded mandates are crippl...

While discussing the state’s 7.9% unemployment rate on Radio PA’s “Ask the Governor” program, Governor Tom Corbett expressed concern that many employers can’t find qualified employees who can pass a drug test. The comments went viral in a matter of hours, with the Pennsylvania Democratic Party asserting that it’s just the latest example of Corbett blaming Pennsylvanians for the state of the economy. Read more at PAMatters.com . You can hear "Ask the Governor" at 10 a.m. Saturday on 1490 WESB. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two more Cattaraugus County men are accused of stealing from a railroad. 57-year-old Keith Smith and 51-year-old Douglas Smith, both of South Dayton, are charged with petit larceny and trespass for allegedly taking railroad spikes from the New York and Lake Erie Railroad in the Village of South Dayton. They are scheduled to appear in South Dayton Court on Monday. Late last month two Franklinville men were charged for stealing from the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad. 26-year-old Casey Marino and 27-year-old Lucas Marino are scheduled to appear in Town of Hinsdale Court today. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 71-year-old Salamanca man is facing charges for having sexual contact with several children under the age of 11, and under the age of 14, multiple times starting in 2002. Leonard Redeye is charged with six felony counts of sexual abuse and three misdemeanor counts of sexual abuse. Redeye was arraigned in Town of Salamanca Court and released on his own recognizance. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Nearly 600 marijuana plants worth half a million dollars were seized by the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force this morning, and three people are facing charges. Members of the task force executed search warrants at two homes on Busti-Sugar Grove Road at 8:45 this morning and, along with the 582 marijuana plants, found controlled substances and a loaded shotgun. 31-year-old John Boardman and 26-year-old Brad Strickland will be charged with unlawfully growing marijuana and criminal possession of marijuana. Boardman, along with 29-year-old Jennifer Grundstrom, will also be charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Grunsdtrom will also be charged with criminal possession of marijuana. The task force says the arrests came after a two-month investigation. Photos provided by the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

No children were hurt when a school bus was involved in a three-vehicle crash this morning in Chautauqua County. At 8:05 a.m. the Cassadaga Valley School bus being driven by 56-year-old Scott McKinney was stopped at the intersection of Route 60 and Wilson Road in Gerry while picking up students. A vehicle driven by 29-year-old Allen Thomas of Fredonia was stopped behind the school bus. The third vehicle, driven by 19-year-old Danna Neureuther of Orchard Park, hit Thomas’s vehicle, which then hit the bus. Neureuther told sheriff’s deputies she wasn’t paying attention and didn’t see either of the other vehicles. The seven students on the bus weren’t hurt, but Thomas complained of shoulder pain and was treated at the scene by Gerry Rescue personnel. Neureuther is charged with following too closely and deputies say other charges are pending. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Olean man has pleaded guilty to burglary. Prosecutors say on February 16 20-year-old Adam Marshall broke into an Olean building. He’s scheduled for sentencing on July 8. ~~~ A Brocton, New York, man has pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in connection to a break-in on October 27 in Perrysburg. 27-year-old Mark Dzielski is currently in Chautauqua County Jail awaiting further court proceedings on drug and burglary charges. He’s scheduled to be sentenced August 26 in Cattaraugus County. ~~~ A Freedom, New York, man who was growing marijuana on his property has pleaded guilty. Daniel Baldwin’s pot-growing operation was discovered on March 15, 2012, in Freedom. He’s scheduled for sentencing on July 8. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A motorcycle crash landed a Silver Creek man in the hospital. Sheriff’s deputies say 38-year-old David Coia Jr. was on Beebe Road in the Town of Hanover at just before 8 o’clock last night when the motorcycle tipped over while making a left turn. The bike then slid across the road. Coia was taken by ambulance to Lake Shore Hospital, and later flown by helicopter to ECMC. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

National Fuel is raising its rate effective tomorrow. This 3.3 percent increase will raise the monthly bill of a typical residential customer from $71 to $74. Sandra James, director of corporate communications for National Fuel, says the increase is directly related to the increase in the market price of gas. National Fuel’s next opportunity to adjust prices will be in August. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two Cattaraugus County men accused of having sexual contact with children younger than 11 have pleaded not guilty. 57-year-old Paul Starks of Great Valley is charged with predatory sexual assault of a child, course of sexual conduct against a child and endangering the welfare of a child for alleged incidents that happened multiple times between January of 2005 and March of this year in Great Valley. 29-year-old John Williams of Olean is charged with predatory sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual act, sexual abuse and incest for alleged incidents that happened between March of 2006 and November of 2007 in the Town of Allegany. Both men are currently in Cattaraugus County Jail. Both cases have been adjourned for motions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Clymer, New York, man is accused of stealing a tractor and selling it to scrapyard. State police say 22-year-old Tyler Gabriel stole the tractor on December 8, but the owners didn’t realize it was missing until recently. The tractor is valued at $3,500. Gabriel is charged with grand larceny and is scheduled to appear in French Creek Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a camp near Wilcox late Sunday night. State police fire marshal Greg Agosti says damage to the camp owned by Jack Williams of Sharpsville is $15,000. No one was hurt.

The body found Sunday in Conewango Creek has been identified as the pastor and Boy Scout leader who has been missing for a little over a month. Warren County Coroner Jerry Borden says the body of 69-year-old Dan Wolbolt was identified using dental records. Borden did not say how the man died. Wolbolt was reported missing March 23.

Two men are facing charges after gunshots were fired at a garage early Sunday morning. 20-year-old Franklin Smith of Portville is accused of firing three rounds at a garage on Salt Rising Road at 4 a.m. One round hit the garage, which is near a house in the Town of Genesee. He’s in Allegany County Jail in lieu of $7,500 cash bail. 24-year-old Zakary Cobb of Genesee, New York, is charged with conspiracy. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.

One wanted man may have learned a valuable lesson: If there’s a felony warrant out for your arrest, don’t voluntarily go to the state police barracks for fingerprinting. 28-year-old Thomas Thompson of Silsbee, Texas, learned that lesson too late, though. On Wednesday he went to the state police barracks in Warren to be fingerprinted for employment. Troopers soon learned he had a felony warrant in Louisiana. He was taken into custody immediately, and sent to Warren County Jail to await extradition.

Two Warren men are facing drug charges following a traffic stop Sunday in Chautauqua County. State police say they stopped 19-year-old Michael Monroe and 18-year-old James Sidon for speeding on Route 20 in the Town of Sheridan, and soon discovered they had marijuana with them. Monroe allegedly had 21 grams of pot and two pipes with marijuana residue on them. Sidon allegedly had 2 grams. They are both scheduled to appear in Town of Sheridan Court.

Two truck drivers traveling in a convoy late Saturday night on I-86 were fugitives from justice, and are now in Chautauqua County Jail awaiting extradition. State police were checking on a disabled dump truck driven by 43-year-old Bryon Burchan of Gladewater, Texas, and learned he had an active felony warrant against him for theft in Texas. Another driver, 42-yearold Fred Parker of Hermitage, PA, was wanted for robbery in Mercer County. State police said they also found multiple safety violations in the convoy, and all of those vehicles were placed out of service in the Ellery Overlook Rest Area.

Two Franklinville men are accused of stealing from the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad. State police arrested 26-year-old Casey Marino and 27-year-old Lucas Marino after receiving a complaint from the railroad. The Marinos are both charged with petit larceny and criminal trespass. They are scheduled to appear in Town of Hinsdale Court on Wednesday.

A pickup truck hit a bicyclist in the Town of Hinsdale on Sunday, and the truck driver is facing charges. The bicyclist, who police did not identify, was taken by Mercy Flight to ECMC in Buffalo, where he is in stable condition. The truck driver, 24-year-old Charles Hopkins of Hinsdale, is charged with driving while ability impaired by alcohol. He is scheduled to appear in Town of Hinsdale Court on May 8.

A Butler County man is jailed without bail after allegedly stabbing two people to death Saturday morning in Tionesta. 38-year-old Scott Allan Black is charged with two counts each of criminal homicide and aggravated assault. Police went to the home of 42-year-old Marcelle Edwards for a report of a man brandishing a knife and, when they got there, found the body of 43-year-old Donald Shay of Leechburg on the front porch. Edwards’ body was found on the kitchen floor. Forest County Coroner Norman Wimer says Edwards and Shay died of multiple stab wounds. He says Black is Edwards’ ex-boyfriend.

McKean County Coroner Michael F. Cahill is seeking help from the public in locating any relatives of Charles Johnson who died April 25, 2013. His age was 92, and he lived at the Bushnell Apartments. His father may have been Ernest G. Johnson who died in 1973. If you have any information please call 814-362-6643.