Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Brandon Means has been named manager of the Bradford Foster Brook office of Northwest Savings Bank located at 950 East Main Street in Bradford. William Pantuso, district manager, made the announcement. As manager of the Bradford Fosterbrook office, Mr. Means will be responsible for customer service, administration, lending and business development. He will work with the commercial lending, business services and investment management areas of the bank to provide customers a full-range of financial services. He will also oversee the bank’s involvement in community activities. Mr. Means joined Northwest Savings Bank in February 2010 as a management trainee. Upon successful completion of the management program in March 2011, he became the assistant manager of the Bradford Fosterbrook office. A 2009 graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Mr. Means received his bachelor’s degree in political science. He graduated with top honors from the Pennsylvania Banker’s Associatio...

Four Chautauqua County teenagers had to be rescued from a walk-in vault after they got trapped inside early this morning. Starting at about 1 o’clock this morning crews from two fire departments as well as a locksmith worked at getting the teens out of the vault in a house in Falconer. The locksmith was able to get the door open at around 4 a.m. But getting trapped inside the vault is the least the teens’ problems. Inside the vault, police found a small amount of marijuana, and evidence that they had smoked some. Police also found numerous cans and bottles of alcohol. Police say the teens who admitted to having the marijuana will be issued court appearance tickets. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

State Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane announced today the filing of theft charges against a state worker. Investigators say Marylinda Freyermuth stole more than $15,000 in state money, and spent it on herself and her family. She has been suspended from her job.8-16-13 Freyermuth Freyermuth is a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources employee working at the Bald Eagle State Forest office located in Laurelton, Union County. In that capacity, she collected money from people for wood and stone permits. She was supposed to turn the funds over to the state, but investigators say instead she pocketed the money. In this way, investigators say, she stole more than $12,000 in cash that she had collected for the permits. In addition, Freyermuth used a state credit card to make $2,614.24 in purchases for herself and her family, according to investigators. Freyermuth faces these charges: • One count of Theft By Failure to Make Required Disposition of Funds Received • One co...

The Don Raabe Big 30 Charities Committee is now accepting requests for funding from groups and individuals throughout the Big 30 Area. Preference is given to youth related groups and individuals with emergency needs. Anyone wishing to submit a request should provide the following information: 1. Name, Address and Phone Number of the intended recipient 2. Name, address and phone number of the person requesting the grant. 3. Amount requested. 4. Describe in detail the specific need. (How will the gift be utilized?) Send your request to Don Raabe Big 30 Charities at P.O. Box 82, Bradford, PA 16701 to the attention James Danias before September 3, 2012. If you have any questions or require further information call Mr. Danias at (814)368-6670. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 46-year-old Yorkshire man is accused of inappropriately touching a teenage boy. Joseph Reese was charged with forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child following an investigation involving a 16-year-old. Reese was sent to Cattaraugus County Jail and will appear in Yorkshire Court at a later date. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The man who sold a gun to another man who shot at a person in downtown Bradford has pleaded guilty in McKean County Court and was sentenced to two to 12 months in prison. 23-year-old Allen Funk of Smethport will serve the sentence at the same time as a one to four year sentence he’s currently serving for three other cases. Funk sold the gun to Lawrence Fox of Buffalo for cash or cocaine. Fox then shot seven bullets toward a Pittsburgh man on Chautauqua Place. Fox was sentenced in April to five to 10 years in state prison. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The man who stole about 20 commercial batteries and then sold them has pleaded guilty. 23-year-old Nathan Hoy of Smethport took the batteries from Duffy’s while he was employed there, and then sold them to what is now Metalico Goodman Services in Bradford. Hoy will be sentenced September 19 in McKean County Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Kane man is facing more than 50 drug charges after being found at a table in his house with several vials of a white powdered substance, drug paraphernalia, a scale and stacks of cash. 25-year-old Ryan Thomas also allegedly had four guns and some knives. He was sent to McKean County Jail on $100,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Duke Center man is in jail for raping a young girl over a period of several years. 38-year-old David Frederick is accused of forcing the girl to have sex with him between 2008 and July of this year. The girl was younger than 13. He is charged with rape of a child, incest of a minor and endangering the welfare of a child. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Olean man and woman are in jail for having drugs and weapons. The Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force say 22-year-old Leshawn Kimbrough and 24-year-old Misty Davis had drug packaging items and paraphernalia in the presence of a child younger than 17. They also allegedly had a handgun and a modified shotgun. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Port Allegany man has admitted to conspiring to steal six long guns, two bows and jewelry from a house in Skinner Creek Road back in May. 25-year-old Christopher Taylor drove the getaway car. He will be sentenced August 22 in McKean County Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An explosion at the Gernatt Gravel Pit in Delevan seriously injured a man this morning. State police say 53-year-old Thomas Treadway was shutting down the asphalt plant at just before 6 a.m. when the explosion happened in the conveyor belt, causing significant damage to the plant. Treadway was taken by Mercy Flight to ECMC for treatment for burns to his upper body. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

St. Bonaventure University has once again been named one of “The Best 378 Colleges” in the nation by The Princeton Review, which cites outstanding academics as the primary criteria for inclusion on the annual list. But the rankings are also largely informed by student surveys. St. Bonaventure students told The Princeton Review that talented instructors “make class both fun and informative,” and most “do a good job at engaging the class and promoting discussion” between students. “The school is very focused on making successful graduates, and not just in the classroom,” therefore, the curriculum “puts a huge emphasis on real-world experience in a student’s field,” one student said. St. Bonaventure students described their classmates as “hardworking, religious, fun-loving, outgoing, involved in many activities, friendly, and accepting.” With extracurricular activities at St. Bonaventure catering to a wide range of interests, “It’s easy to make friends and find a go...

A police chase from Amity to Wellsville has landed an Olean man in jail. Police say the chase started when they were trying to pull over 34-year-old Boyd Miller for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, but he drove off, almost hitting a sheriff’s car. The chase ended on the brigde near Memorial Park in Wellsville. Miller is facing numerous charges and is jail on $10,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

With its numbers in Pennsylvania continuing to soar ever higher, the bald eagle soon could be removed from the state’s list of threatened species. The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Management is recommending the bald eagle be upgraded from “threatened” to “protected” status statewide. Doug Gross, a biologist who heads the bureau’s Endangered and Nongame Birds section, addressed the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners at the board’s working group meeting on Monday, saying the bald eagle’s remarkable comeback in Pennsylvania has reached a point where eagles safely can be removed from threatened species list. As of Monday, Gross said, 266 nesting pairs have been confirmed statewide so far this year. And while that count is not final and the number of confirmed nesting pairs still could rise, the updated figure represents the continuation of an upward trend in Pennsylvania. In 2012, researchers documented 237 nesting pairs statewide. “This year marks just ...

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Director of Athletics Steve Watson announced today the hiring of Dr. Heather McDivitt for the position of Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Support and Student Services. Megan Van Tatenhove has also re-joined the Department of Athletics to assist McDivitt as an Academic Coordinator. McDivitt, an Olean, N.Y. native and Portville Central High School graduate completed her undergraduate degree at Grove City College and received a Masters in Education from SUNY Buffalo. After teaching elementary school for four years, she returned to graduate school. She received a Masters of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh, Scotland. She comes to SBU from Wingate University in North Carolina where she served as Assistant Professor of Religion. While there she also served as a member of the Academic Affairs Committee, International Studies Committee, Student Affairs Committee and Honor Council....

Actress Lisa Robin Kelly, one of the stars of TV's "That '70s Show," has died, according to her agent, Craig Wyckoff. Kelly was 43, according to her biography on the Internet Movie Database. "Lisa had voluntarily checked herself into a treatment facility early this week where she was battling the addiction problems that have plagued her these past few years,” Wyckoff said. “I spoke to her on Monday and she was hopeful and confident, looking forward to putting this part of her life behind her. (Wednesday) night she lost the battle,” Wyckoff said. “Cause of death has not been issued yet and no death certificate has been issued either." The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Julianna Rose Barton, 10, of 344 West Washington Street, passed away Thursday, August 15, 2013, at her residence, surrounded by her loving family. Born June 14, 2003, in Bradford she was the a daughter of Frank W. Barton and Jessica L. (Stidd) Marrone. Julianna was the family's "Princess". She was a "ray of sunshine" and a strong fighter. She was going into the fifth grade at School Street Elementary School this coming year. She is survived by her father Frank Barton of Bradford, her mother and stepfather Jessica and Ray Marrone of Bradford; a brother, Alex T. Barton at home; two step brothers, Andrew S. (Lynea) Marrone, of Ward, AK, and Anthony T. (Tanika) Marrone, of Goldsboro, NC; maternal grandparents Bob and Kathy Stidd of Bradford; paternal grandparents Frank & Patricia Barton of Bradford; paternal great parents, Russell & Ann Trumbull of Lewis Run; paternal step grandmother, Patricia Marrone of Eldred; maternal uncle, Bobby Stidd; paternal ...

The man who injected a Brookville girl with a lethal dose of heroin will spend the next eight to 16 years in state prison. During sentencing for 30-year-old Shawn Ryan Carr of Kittanning the judge said he wanted to reject the deal Carr made with prosecutors because he thought it was too lenient. But he imposed the sentence because the family of 19-year-old Devan Knapp wanted the ordeal to end. After being injected with the heroin Devan stopped breathing. That’s when Carr moved her body to her car, drove her to Clarion County and put her in the driver’s seat with a syringe on her lap to make it look as if she overdosed there. Her family reported her missing on January 13. Her body was found two days later. Carr had pleaded guilty to drug delivery resulting in death and other charges in July. Pictured, Devan Knapp The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

18 people have been indicted by a federal grand jury for transporting more than $17 million worth of contraband cigarettes from Kansas City to New York State. The 43-count indictment says hundreds of thousands of cartons of contraband cigarettes were taken from the Kansas City area to New York, where they were sold primarily on Indian reservations between 2010 and 2012. The indictment says two defendants bought the cigarettes from undercover agents and transported about 620,000 cartons without paying the required $4.35 per pack excise tax. Prosecutors estimate the scheme cost New York more than $8 million in taxes. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

No one was hurt in a fire that broke out at CUTCO in Olean this morning. The fire started at about 9 o’clock in the southwest corner of the main building on East State Street. About 250 employees were in the building at the time and were evacuated. Besides the company’s own emergency response team, the Olean, Westons Mills, Allegany and Portville fire departments battled the blaze. Employees in the administration part of the building were allowed back in at around 11 a.m. People working in the manufacturing section were sent home for the day. A cause of the blaze hasn’t been determined yet. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A six-year-old suffered minor foot injuries when the child was hit by a car Wednesday afternoon in the Town of Pomfret. Sheriff’s deputies say 28-year-old Dusten Rader was backing out of a driveway when he accidentally hit the child. The youngster was treated at Brooks Memorial Hospital, then released. No charges have been filed. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Arizona man says he damaged three wells and caused an oil spill in McKean County. State police say 20-year-old Jeffrey Branham admitted to breaking off pressure gauges at three wells owned by Howard Drilling off forestry road 261, just west of Route 321 in Hamilton Township. Police were called to the site at 2 o’clock Wednesday afternoon for a report of a gas explosion and oil leak. One of the damaged wells spilled several barrels of oil. A cost for the damage hasn't been determined yet. Branham was arraigned early this morning by District Judge Dominic Cercone on felony charges of risking a catastrophe and criminal mischief. He’s jailed on $50,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

As today officially marks the start of the fundraising efforts for the United Way of the Bradford Area’s 2013 campaign, this year’s co-chairs – Lisa Boser-Miller and Mary Boser - are ready and waiting to get started! “What an honor to even be thought of as someone who could lead this organization’s campaign,” said Lisa. “We are proud that the United Way staff and Board felt strongly about our abilities and commitment to our community that they would offer us this responsibility.” The two ladies are no strangers to the United Way. Mary currently is finishing her final month of her term as a member of the Board of Directors, having served for the past eight years. Lisa previously served as a board member for four years, and has since been heavily involved with special events and corporate solicitations. “I think this is a great way for me, personally, to finish up my Board tenure,” said Mary. “This organization will always be close to me, whether I’m on the board, co-chairing a ca...

Campaign Already at 10 Percent of Goal A sure sign of the summer winding down is the kick-off of the United Way of the Bradford Area’s annual fundraising campaign, which officially begins today. “We are so pleased to announce the official start of this year’s appeal, ‘Life Is Good When You’re United’,” said Executive Director Mandi Wilton Davis. “We, as an organization, are so fortunate to be as successful as we are, which is attributed to the generosity of our local community.” This year’s goal is again $330,000, of which $33,000 (or 10%) has already been raised. “To be able to say today, the public start of the campaign that we’re at 10% of goal is exciting,” said Davis. “I’m so optimistic about what the next four months will bring!” The United Way campaign runs from August through December and has a goal of securing pledges from the community through workplace campaigns and individual contributions that benefit the local United Way’s 18 affiliated agencies and 32 programs. ...

With the second-largest freshman class ever enrolling at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford this fall, the university will once again house some of its students for the fall term at the Best Western Bradford Inn. About 50 upperclass students with confirmed spaces on campus were given the option to switch to the Best Western, where they will be able to ride the Area Transportation Authority bus service to campus and eat at the hotel’s continental breakfast each morning. The students were offered an incentive in the form of a $500 on-campus credit for use toward books, supplies and food on campus. The purpose of the incentive is to create more bed space on campus in order to continue the tradition of having all freshmen live on campus. This is not the first time that Pitt-Bradford has used the Best Western to accommodate some of its students, having used blocks of rooms in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10. The university opened its 144-bed Howard L. Fese...