Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Seneca Nation President Barry Snyder Sr. says Governor Andrew Cuomo is a bully. Snyder released a statement today saying Cuomo is engaging in playground bully tactics regarding the stalemate over revenue sharing from the nation’s casinos. After signing an agreement with the Oneida Indian Nation on Thursday, Cuomo said the state could force the Senecas to stop operating their casinos after their compact expires in 2016. At issue is the more than $500 million in payments the Senecas have withheld from the state because they say New York violated a contract by allowing gambling in the nation’s exclusive territory. Cuomo wants to expand gambling in New York and said last week that unless the Seneca, Oneida and Mohawk nations came to agreements with the state, new casinos could possibly be built in their territory. You can read Snyder's news release here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Jaden and Tayga Griffin, with help from their grandfather Greg Booth, cut the ribbon on the Ashley Booth Griffin CARE for Children Center this afternoon. Looking on are CARE Executive Director Tina Martin, Zippo owner George Duke, Aaron Griffin, Cherie Booth and CARE board president Mick Marshall. Duke donated $1 million to CARE, which expedited the building project, which had been in the works for several years. Booth is president and CEO of Zippo and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery. It was Duke's idea to name the building in honor of Booth's daughter, who died in a car accident in 2008. In his remarks today, Booth said although his daughter was physically at the dedication, she was there in spirit. You can see more pictures of today's dedication on WESB's Facebook page . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway announces the launch of its new website www.cayugalake.com , ,an excellent resource that connects you with local area businesses and beautiful scenic venues surrounding Cayuga Lake. www.cayugalake.com   on its home page starts you out on a journey emphasizing numerous great reasons to visit the area, geo-cacheing, wineries, bird watching and natural wonders. "Geo-cacheing along the scenic byway is our newest venture", says Cathy Millspaugh the chair of the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway. " A modern-day treasure hunt. We are just a few months into the program and have had numerous visitors take part and experience what this beautiful area has to offer. The byway is divided into two regions with 10 caches on each side of the lake. If a visitor finds at least 15 caches they will receive one of our commemorative 10 year anniversary coins". Dave Kellar, one of the first to collect a coin shared, "I completed the Cayuga Lake Scenic ...

With the summer season approaching, your local State Parks are gearing up for another great season of fun. Chapman State Park’s swimming beach will officially open to the public Saturday May 25, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. Swimming hours are 8 a.m. to sunset. In addition to the beach opening, our concessionaire, BEI, will be opening Friday May, 24th at 1 pm. The concession provides canoes, kayaks and paddle boats for rent as well as food, snacks and firewood for sale. Contact BEI or the park office for concession hours. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Shinglehouse – Work to replace two pipes in Potter County will require a closure on State Route 4014 (Plank Road) May 28 and 29. The road will be closed between Wheeler Hill Road and Honeoye each day from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This two-day closure in Sharon Township will feature an official PennDOT detour. Drivers will use Routes 4023 (Eleven Mile Road), 44, and 4021 (Honeoye Road) to get around the work zone. The work will be performed by PennDOT Potter County Maintenance, with the detour lifted overnight, once work is complete on May 28. The road will be fully opened on May 29, as soon as possible – once the pipe work is finished. All work is weather dependent. Drivers are reminded to obey posted speed limits, follow detour signs, and always buckle up. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson today voted to advance legislation to address the student loan interest rate increase scheduled for July 1, 2013, and create a long-term student loan system that is predictable and affordable. The Smarter Solutions for Students Act, H.R. 1991, today passed out of the U.S. House Education Committee. “For too long, Congress has kicked the can down the road and avoided putting forward a long term plan for college affordability,” stated Rep. Thompson. “Today, the House Education Committee took a strong step by strengthening our student loan programs by moving to a rate system that is more reliable and sustainable.” Under H.R. 1911, student loan interest rates would reset once a year and move with the market. Both subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loan interest rates would be calculated based on the 10 year Treasury note plus 2.5 percent. President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget included a similar proposal to mov...

A speeding motorcyclist lost control of his bike, crashed and is now in critical condition at UPMC Hamot. Sheriff’s deputies say 24-year-old David Baum of Ripley was on Route 76 in the Town of Ripley at just after midnight Thursday when the bike went out of control on a curve and hit the guard rail. He was flown to Hamot, where a blood test was taken. Deputies say they expect to file charges against Baum. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Shinglehouse man is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl. 54-year-old Brian McMullen is charged with indecent assault, endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of minors in connection to alleged incidents that happened at two houses in Shinglehouse between June of 2011 and Thursday. He is in Potter County Jail in lieu of $75,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Fire destroyed a Jefferson County house Thursday evening and investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the blaze. The fire at the Big Run home of Melvin Coblentz was reported at about 5:45 p.m. Damage is estimated at a quarter of a million dollars. No one was hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Another pipe bomb was found in Elk County. At about 7 o’clock Thursday night someone found the device in a wooded area off Aviation Way in St. Marys. The State College Bomb Unit was called in, and the device was rendered safe. Police are continuing their investigation. Monday morning a pipe bomb was discovered in a wooded area off Boone Mountain Road in Fox Township. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

If you felt the Earth move under your feet at around 9:45 this morning, you weren’t alone. The US Geological Survey says a 4.4 magnitude earthquake in Eastern Ontario, Canada, could be felt in the Buffalo area, about 350 miles away. The USGS originally said it was a 5.0 magnitude quake. People have told Buffalo media outlets that they felt their houses sway and the ground shake for less than a minute. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

HARRISBURG – State Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) recently joined his House colleagues in unanimously passing House Resolution 245, which recognizes May 2013 as “Lyme Disease Awareness Month.” “A significant majority of Lyme disease cases in the United States occur in the northeastern part of the country, and Elk and Clearfield counties have been especially hard hit,” Gabler said. “It is a disease which is growing in epidemic proportions and can be fatal if left undetected or untreated.” Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria. It is the most common tick-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. In 2012, state health departments reported more than 22,000 confirmed cases of Lyme disease and nearly 7,600 probable cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The actual number is believed to be much higher than the yearly number of cases reported, due to reporting criteria varying from state to state. For more info...

The McKean County Natural Gas Taskforce is hosting a series of three free events focused on Hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing has been and continues to be a hot topic related to natural gas development. May and June will feature investigative films, with opposing viewpoints, focused on hydraulic fracturing. The final event scheduled on this topic is a presentation on alternative fracturing techniques being developed for the gas industry. The views and opinions expressed in the documentary films and presentations being presented as part of this series are those of the film producers and speakers, and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the McKean County Natural Gas Taskforce, its members, or its member agencies. The McKean County Natural Gas Taskforce strives to provide information that represents both sides of the natural gas debate. Individuals are strongly encouraged to attend both movies and the presentation to hear both sides of the issue and draw...

The American Association of University Women - Bradford Branch honored Margie Holland of Bradford with the Gateway to Equity Award last week. Holland, a native of Kane, tackled Title IX and brought forth a lawsuit that set a precedent in the state of Pennsylvania for coaches of women sports to be paid the same as coaches in male sports. She also played professional women's baseball in her younger years. Holland taught in the Bradford Area School District for several years as well as coached girls' basketball. Gateway to Equity award to honor individuals, groups or organizations that have shown, by action and philosophy, that they advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy or research. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Since 2005, the fictional paper company Dunder Mifflin has called Scranton, Pennsylvania its TV home. Production of the NBC series The Office didn’t take place in Lackawanna County, but the constant references to local businesses and other real-life features of the region were a boost to locals over the sitcom’s 9-season run. Read more from Brad Christman here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A federal inmate was sentenced today to life in prison for the violent murder of a fellow inmate in Pennsylvania’s Allenwood Correctional Complex, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Peter J. Smith. Ritz D. Williams Jr., 32, of Gila River Indian Reservation, Sacaton, Ariz., pleaded guilty to one count of first degree murder and possession of a weapon on April 15, 2013. U.S. District Court Judge Yvette Kane sentenced Williams to life without the possibility of parole on May 15, 2013, for his role in the murder of fellow inmate Alvin Allery. Williams and his co-conspirator Shawn Cooya were indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2008 and a superseding indictment was returned in July 2009. According to court documents, Williams and Cooya aided each other in the premeditated murder of Allery. On Sept. 28, 2005, Williams and Cooya stabbed A...

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced today that it recovered in Maryland the missing nuclear gauge a Franklin County company lost in West Virginia on May 3. The device has not been tampered with or damaged. “We are relieved that the nuclear gauge has been recovered and that no radioactive materials were released,” DEP Bureau of Radiation Protection Director David Allard said. “The agency thanks the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, West Virginia officials, the public and the citizen who discovered the gauge along the road for the combined effort to find it.” The nuclear gauge has been returned to Valley Quarries Inc. of Chambersburg, Franklin County, which lost the Troxler Model 3430 gauge when it fell off the company’s truck on I-81 in West Virginia between mile markers 17 and 24. The gauge is normally stored in a locked yellow transportation container when not in use at construction sites for taking measurements in the ground, but it appar...

KANE -- On Friday, May 17, all day, Zook Motors, Inc. and Ford Motors Company are sponsoring a DRIVE 4 UR COMMUNITY to benefit Kane Community Hospital. They will donate $20 for every test-drive done on Friday up to 300, with a goal of earning $6,000 for the KCH Futures Fund and the KCH Cafe Makeover Project. KCH has already entered a Ford photo contest that gives the Hospital a chance to double the Drive total. We have a potential $12,000 riding on your support. So come to the KCH Parking Lot, anytime from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and drive the Ford vehicle of your choice from Zook's impressive lineup. Test drives take about 10 minutes --You register, you drive, you complete a survey. No sales pitch or pressure. So come drive for your community and help KCH reach the goal of 300 test-drives. There is grass/field parking for your vehicles while you drive and participate in other activities. Also at the event will be a bake sale, a Chinese auction, and some tickets rema...

Harrisburg -- United States Marshal Martin J. Pane announced the arrest of Derrick Eugene Johnson, a 23-year old man, in Memphis, Tennessee. Johnson was being sought for a homicide that occurred on February 17, 2013 in the 600 block of East Market Street in York. The victim, a 21 year old male, died from gunshot wounds. On March 11, an arrest warrant was issued by Magisterial District Judge Linda Williams, charging Johnson with Criminal Homicide. At the request of the York City Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force in the Middle District of Pennsylvania began investigating the whereabouts of Johnson shortly after the murder. U.S. Marshals based in Harrisburg developed information that Johnson may have fled to the greater Memphis area. An investigative lead was sent to U.S. Marshals Service personnel based in Memphis. During the evening hours of May 13, U.S. Marshals Service personnel located and arrested Johnson in Memphis. The fugitive was taken into...

HARRISBURG – Students should not be required to pass Pennsylvania’s Keystone Exams in order to graduate from high school, a move the State Board of Education has proposed that negatively impacts student learning, usurps local school boards’ power to set graduation requirements, and could cost school districts as much as $300 million, the president of Pennsylvania’s largest school employee union said today. Mike Crossey, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, encouraged members of the Senate and House Education Committees to join Sen. Andrew Dinniman (D-Chester) in opposing the regulatory change, which would convert the Keystone Exams from end-of-course exams to high-stakes tests on which students must score proficient in order to graduate. “This takes high-stakes testing to a dangerous and counterproductive new level,” Crossey said. “It replaces the professional judgment of a teacher who has observed a student’s work over a full year. We will have students who hav...

Washington DC- Today, in advance of next week’s Senate Finance Committee oversight hearing, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released a letter calling on Treasury Secretary Jack Lew to immediately begin implementing the Inspector General’s recommendations that have come in the wake of admitted political targeting by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to make the timeline to implement those recommendations public. In his letter, Casey demanded swift reforms to IRS procedures and accountability for those involved in the targeting of conservative political groups. “The American people should expect impartiality and fairness from their government. In his instance the IRS fell far short of that standard,” Senator Casey said. “The Treasury Department owes the public a timetable for the implementation of the Inspector General’s recommendations. And the Administration must move swiftly to ensure all responsible parties are held fully accountable.” The news leader of the Twin Tiers...

$2 million is a far cry from $475 million, but the person who bought the winning $2 million Powerball ticket in St. Marys probably isn’t complaining. The person bought the ticket yesterday at the Sheetz store on South Michael Street. Sheetz will get a $10,000 bonus for selling the ticket. Lottery officials can’t release the name of the winner until the prize is claimed and the ticket is validated. Winners have a year to claim their prizes. Because there wasn’t a big winner Wednesday, Saturday’s Powerball jackpot has rolled to $475 million. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two local businesses in the 25th Senatorial District will receive grants totaling $750,000 to be used for conversion of vehicles to run on natural gas and CNG fueling stations, according to Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson). The grants were awarded through the Natural Gas Energy Development Program, created as part of Act 13 of 2012. Scarnati, a chief architect of Act 13, explained that the program is designed to help reduce Pennsylvania’s dependence on imported oil and improve air quality, by reducing vehicle emissions of carbon monoxide. The Natural Gas Energy Development Program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). “Through the development of the Marcellus Shale industry, Pennsylvania has a tremendous opportunity to become a leader in energy advancement initiatives,” Scarnati said. “Embracing new and innovative technology is an integral part of making our state energy independent and continuing to reduce our reliance on fore...

By Kimberly Marcott Weinberg Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Stephanie Welge does not want the words “opera” or “Wagner” to scare anyone. “Opera is all about feeling,” she says, and more familiar than most people think. Welge will share her love of both opera and Wagner in a recital at 7:30 p.m. May 17 in the Bromeley Family Theater in Blaisdell Hall at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The concert is free, and programs will provide synopses and translations of each piece she plans to perform. There will be a short reception afterward. Before George Lucas brought the world of “Star Wars” to the screen, before JRR Tolkien created Middle Earth in “The Lord of the Rings,” Richard Wagner created his own world on so grand a scale that the adjective for such epics became “Wagnerian.” The 19th century German composer’s scores are still heard today in movies and television commercials. Bugs Bunny’s “Kill the W...

Washington, D.C. – Before midnight on Wednesday evening the U.S. House Agriculture Committee passed a 5-year farm bill reauthorization, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (FARRM) Act of 2013. U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy & Forestry, voted to support the bipartisan measure which passed by a vote of 36-10. “The House Agriculture Committee has advanced a package of agriculture reforms that will save taxpayers nearly $40 billion and strengthen the economic health of our family farms and local economies,” stated Rep. Thompson. “The FARRM Act will keep our farmers, and our foresters, profitable by streamlining outdated or duplicative programs and improving the overall effectiveness of federal agriculture policies.” “I look forward to working with members of the committee to further improve this package through the amendment process on the House floor,” Rep. Thompson said. “I also loo...

Congressman Tom Reed announced today that Megan Clark, a sophomore at Clymer Central High School, is the winner of the 2013 Congressional Art Competition from the 23rd district. Megan’s artwork will be put on display in the United States Capitol in Washington, DC where thousands of visitors from across the country will view the artwork. “Congratulations to Megan on her winning entry in this year’s contest,” said Rep. Tom Reed. “I know our panel of judges had some difficult decisions to make again with this year’s entries which goes to show what high caliber of talent we have in our area. I am proud to have Megan’s photography hang in the Capitol representing our district.” Each of the original entries from high school students throughout the district were judged by a panel of art professors from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Megan’s digital photography titled “One Way” will hang in the Capitol for the entire year of the exhibition. Megan has also been invited to th...

Pennsylvania Sen. Matt Smith, D-Allegheny/Washington, has introduced legislation that would require schools to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors, commonly known as EpiPens, in a secure location to be used by designated personnel to treat an anaphylactic reaction. Physicians and families and advocates of children with food allergies joined Smith to announce introduction of Senate Bill 898 in the Main Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pa., and to discuss the importance of the bill in potentially savings children’s lives. Pennsylvania schools have been encouraged in the past to keep on hand a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors. An epinephrine injector sends adrenaline into the victim’s system to slow down the allergic reaction, providing emergency personnel time to treat victims – often saving their lives. Because children exposed to a potential food allergy need immediate medical attention, requiring epinephrine injectors to be kept at school will save children’s li...

Route 59 is down to a single lane with a 10-foot lane restriction at the intersection with Keck Street in Mead Township, Warren County. Road crews are working on a scheduled slide repair. Traffic is being controlled by portable traffic signals. The road is expected to re-open by 4 p.m. on July 26. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Following a successful Phase 1 effort in 2011, the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce is requesting donations for Phase 2 of the downtown holiday lighting program. Phase 2 will include replacing all holiday lights on the Main Street trees with LED lights that will match the snowflakes purchased in Phase 1. There are fifty trees that need to be converted, and two remaining trees in Veteran’s Square that will also be lit if the campaign goal is reached. Changing the tree lighting to LED lights will reduce the cost of electricity used by the holiday lights throughout the season. “We think the completion of Phase 2 will create a beautiful, cohesive look to the downtown setting during the holiday season from Thanksgiving through the end of January,” said BACC Executive Director Ron Orris, “while replacing the older lights and saving on energy costs.” The Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce is asking for donations to help complete this project. Donations can be sent to the Bradford Ar...

HARRISBURG — Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren/Forest/McKean) voted in support of a resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study of all aspects of Pennsylvania’s mental health system and associated laws. The Pennsylvania House unanimously adopted House Resolution 226 on Tuesday. “Conducting this study is long overdue, especially considering that Pennsylvania’s current Mental Health Procedures Act which governs the state’s regulations and procedures relating to the mental health treatment of inmates is more than 35 years old,” said Rapp. “With such antiquated and inadequate regulations, it is little wonder that our state and county correctional facilities are extremely overcrowded and the state is incarcerating tens of thousands inmates with a mental health diagnosis. I will continue to work in a bipartisan manner with my legislative colleagues, Pennsylvania Public Welfare Secretary Beverly Mackereth and Corrections Secretary John Wetzel to protect Penns...

The Bradford Family YMCA recognized nine area individuals and one organization for their commitment to the community at its 2013 Bradford Community Awards Breakfast on Tuesday, May 7 at 7:30 a.m. at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The “George G. Blaisdell YMCA Community Service Awards” were presented to Dr. Richard McDowell, by Judge John Cleland and to BCPAC, by Patty Colosimo. The annual award recognizes one or more individuals, businesses, or organizations in Bradford and the surrounding area for continual commitment to the improvement of the community by his/her actions, words, and deeds that exemplify the YMCA mission of building “spirit, mind, and body for all.” McDowell has been a lifelong resident of Bradford who holds a BS in biology from High Point University and a Ph. D. in biology from St. Louis University. He completed his pre-doctoral fellowship at Argonne National Laboratories in Chicago, and then returned to Bradford in 1970 as the assistant professor...

The FAW (Friends of Allegheny Wilderness) volunteers honored Earth Day by having a trail stewardship weekend along the Allegheny National Forest’s scenic Hickory Creek Wilderness trail. Using only axes, they cut a hiker passage through a large-diameter oak tree that had fallen on the trail. In federal wilderness areas such as the Hickory Creek Wilderness, no power tools are used for trail clearing or for any other purposes. The pictured method of trail clearing also has significant value because, while it allows easy passage for hikers on foot, it acutely frustrates and discourages illegal non-conforming uses of the trail such as by motorized and mechanized vehicles. Rough axe cuts also provide a rustic, aesthetically pleasing appearance for the wilderness hiker. Pictured are volunteer trail stewards with the Warren-based non-profit organization Friends of Allegheny Wilderness (FAW) along the Allegheny National Forest’s scenic Hickory Creek Wilderness trail during FAW’s recent...

Decorated 'Santa House' for many years Daryl R. Williams, 90, of 440 Congress Street, formerly of Rockland Ave., passed away Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at The Pavilion at Bradford Regional Medical Center, surrounded by his loving family. A lifelong area resident, he was born November 14, 1922 in Bradford. He was a son of the late Russell H. and Leona B. (Roberson) Williams. He was a 1940 graduate of Bradford High School. On September 8, 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served during World War II. While in the Army, he served with the 101st Airborne Division, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, Company A in the Normandy Invasion, Operation Market Garden in Holland and the defense of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded twice and received the Purple Heart and Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Unit Badge with Oak Leaf Cluster and the European African Middle Eastern Service Badge with four bronze stars. He was honorably discharged October 16, 1945. ...

The man accused of fatally stabbing his former fiancé and her boyfriend is headed to court. Two counts each of homicide and aggravated assault against 38-year-old Scott Black of Butler were bound to court following a preliminary hearing in front of District Judge George Gregory in Forest County. Police say Black killed 42-year-old Marcelle Edwards of Tionesta and 43-year-old Donald Shay of Leechburg back in April. He was arrested several hours after the bodies were discovered, and he had bloodstains on his clothes and a number of minor injuries. Black remains in the Warren County Jail without bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947