Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will name its new residence hall in honor of Lester Rice, chairman emeritus and former CEO of KOA Speer Electronics Inc. and the Mukaiyama-Rice Foundation, and his wife, Barbara. The University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees approved the naming of Lester and Barbara Rice House at its meeting today in Pittsburgh. Rice House will become home to 109 students this fall. Pitt-Bradford broke ground for the $9.3 million residence hall, which is located near Hanley Library, in October. “Les Rice, and his wife, Barbara, are tireless advocates for our campus and, by example, helped to establish a legacy of giving not only to our campus, but to this community in general,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, president of Pitt-Bradford. “We’re honored and thrilled to have their names grace our newest residence hall.” The Rices, along with KOA Speer Electronics and the Mukaiyama-Rice Foundation, have provided s...

Fire damaged a house at 4 Osborne Place this morning, but no one was hurt. City Fire Department Captain Matt Rettger tells WESB they got the call at 8:18 a.m. He says the first fire hydrant they went to was frozen, but they were able to operate with water from their tank and it didn’t hinder the battling of the blaze at all. “It didn’t change the outcome,” he said, adding that damage is estimated at $20,000. They don’t know the cause of the blaze yet, but are going back to the scene this afternoon and may have a determination later today. The house is owned by Neil Reynolds. The occupant, Vincent Reynolds, was home at the time but was able to get out safely. Sixteen Bradford firefighters were on the scene until 10:40 a.m. Six Bradford Township firefighters were also on the scene. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Smethport woman is in jail for allegedly forcing her way into a man’s house, spraying him with pepper spray and stealing several items. Police say 60-year-old Frances Herzog knocked on the victim’s door in Emerald Isle at about 11 o’clock Wednesday night and then sprayed him with an unknown type of pepper spray before going into the home and taking multiple items. She then left the scene on foot. Herzog is charged with burglary, robbery, theft and harassment. She’s in McKean County Jail on $20,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

One more person picked up in the New Year’s Eve sweep by the McKean County Drug Task Force has waived his preliminary hearing. 34-year-old Franklin Howard of Bradford is charged with delivery and possession of a controlled substance in connection to an incident on November 5. He’s free on bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 19-month-old baby is hospitalized in critical condition and a woman is in jail on assault charges. Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s say they were contacted by staff at Bradford Regional Medical Center after Limestone Ambulance brought the child in with “a very serious unexplained head trauma.” The child was transferred to Women and Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, where the medical staff determined the trauma was “most likely caused by recklessly shaking the child.” 22-year-old Jessica Courteau of Bradford was charged with assault, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child and was sent to jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. The baby is Corteau's boyfriend's child. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

One of the Buffalo men convicted of dealing drugs in McKean County a couple of years ago was at it again in Bradford – until city police caught up with him early Tuesday morning. 52-year-old Donald Gadley, who had absconded from parole in May, was found in the Hotel Holley with suspected drugs and paraphernalia after police were called for a domestic disturbance. Gadley also gave police the name of his brother when they asked for identification, even after they told him he’d be charged when they confirmed who he was. Gadley is charged with flight to avoid apprehension, giving false identification to law enforcement, possession and use of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana. He’s jailed on $40,000 bail. The white powdery substance police found in bags have been sent to a crime lab for positive identification. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman who had already been warned to stay away from another person is now charged with stalking after trying to get into the victim’s apartment Tuesday morning, and then in the afternoon causing some commotion at the county jail. Sheriff’s deputies were called to the Silver Creek home, where 30-year-old Stephanie Hart was allegedly trying to get in. Deputies say over the course of a month several reports have been filed stemming from Hart making unwanted contact with the victim. She was charged with stalking, criminal trespass and harassment and sent to Chautauqua County Jail, where she smashed a television in her cell during an outburst yesterday afternoon. She’s now charged with criminal mischief as well. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Several people waived hearings on drug charges today in district court. Matthew Howard is accused of selling cocaine to a confidential informant of the McKean County Drug Task Force on two occasions in Bradford. Kelly Hess is accused of selling marijuana to an informant on two occasions on South Center Street. Justin Jones is accused of selling Suboxone to a confidential informant from his Hedgehog Lane home. Charges against Kevin Armstrong were bound to court following a hearing in front of District Judge Dominic Cercone. Armstrong is also accused of selling cocaine to a confidential informant on two occasions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man accused of threatening to a kill a woman and a couple of her family members has waived his preliminary hearing in front of District Judge Dominic Cercone. On November 8 police were called to a domestic disturbance, but were told by the couple involved that the argument did not turn physical, and attributed an injury to 32-year-old Ryan Forsythe to his tripping over a toy. Later that day, the woman went to the police station saying Forsythe had assaulted her but she was afraid to say anything in front of him. She also said he threatened to kill her, her brother and her father. Forsythe is free on bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to explain its inappropriate attempts to police news rooms nationwide. Senator Toomey and all of his Republican Senate colleagues signed a letter to the FCC Chairman asking him to explain the federal government’s intrusion into newsrooms. In recent weeks, Americans learned that the FCC was attempting to move forward with a Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs (CIN Study), which would investigate how news rooms select stories, “perceived station bias,” and even about why news stations do not spend more time reporting stories the Administration deems “critical.” After the study received national condemnation, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler suspended it and indicated that the survey would be subsequently “revised.” “It is impossible to imagine a rationale for the Commission to consider using the CIN Study under any circumstance given its flagrantly unconstitutional implication...

The Bradford man accused of allowing his infant to be burned with scalding bath water has waived his preliminary hearing in that case as well as two others. 21-year-old Harvey Rose told police he was getting the 2-week-old ready for a bath, left a container of steaming hot water on a table next to the infant and then left the room. He said when he returned, the water had spilled onto the baby. Later, a caregiver noticed the baby had second-degree burns. The infant was eventually taken to Buffalo Children’s Hospital for treatment. In another case, Rose is accused of stealing a cell phone from a customer at a bank. According to court papers, the customer left the phone on a counter and Rose took it. He told police he planned on reported that it had been stolen and hoped to get a reward, but he never did report it. In a third case, while police were investigating an unrelated burglary they found Rose with marijuana. Rose, who is also charged with arson in several cases, remains in McKe...

Charges against man jailed for going on a burglary spree late last year in Bradford have been bound to court. 27-year-old Daniel Colella is accused of going into several homes and taking items, sometimes when the residents were home. One of those residents picked him out of a photo lineup, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. Colella is also accused of selling or trading his boots and clothes he was wearing during the alleged burglaries to other people to throw police off his trail. In a separate case, Colella is accused of breaking into an apartment and stealing a large container of change and a class ring. He’s in McKean County Jail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that he has weighed in with the Department of Defense about proposed budget cuts which could impact members of the National Guard across Pennsylvania. Casey released a letter that was joined by a bipartisan group of 12 Senators that expressed concern about the impact that budget cuts would have on our national security and readiness. Currently the Department of Defense is considering a plan that would move assets like Apache helicopters away from the National Guard to the Active component. Casey also spoke to Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Christine Fox to emphasize the importance that the National Guard has across Pennsylvania and the critical need to maintain a robust role for the National Guard in the nation’s defenses. “The women and men of Pennsylvania’s National Guard have made incredible sacrifices on behalf of our nation and contributed to keeping our country safe,” Senator Casey said. “As we drawdown in Afghanistan and ...

HARRISBURG – A House Education Committee public hearing Tuesday on proposed legislation to bring community college programs to rural Pennsylvania identified both support for and concerns with the concept, said Reps. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) and Kathy Rapp (R-Warren). House Bill 1701 seeks to create a rural community college pilot program serving an 11-county region of northwest and northcentral Pennsylvania. “Two things became very clear during today’s hearing,” Causer said. “One, every single person who testified recognized the need for additional education and training opportunities in our region. And two, some in the education establishment see my proposal as one that infringes on their turf and their funding. “That’s unfortunate, because the discussion really should be about our students in rural Pennsylvania and ensuring accessibility to affordable education and training programs,” he added. “This is about providing the students of rural Pennsylvania with the...

A Shinglehouse woman will spend the next five years on probation for forging checks and stealing more than $3,000. 44-year-old Tina Bellamy was convicted of grand larceny for the incidents that happened between October 3, 2012 and February 7, 2013 in Olean. Bellamy must also do 100 hours of community service and pay restitution. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A convicted heroin dealer will spend six years in state prison. Prosecutors say 57-year-old David Foster of Olean had heroin with the intent to sell it on February 1 of last year in Olean. He was also convicted of criminal possession of a controlled substance for selling a narcotic drug on January 18 of last year in Olean. Also in Cattaraugus County Court, 31-year-old Janine Heitzinger of Olean pleaded guilty to criminal sale of a controlled substance for selling a narcotic drug on February 26 of last year in Salamanca. She is scheduled for sentencing on September 8. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Casella Waste Management will be getting nearly $7 million to build a rail siding transfer station along the Buffalo & Pittsburgh rail line at the McKean COunty Landfill. Money for the Rail Transportation Assistance Program comes from the new Multi-Modal Fund, created by the state’s new transportation funding program. In all, $33.4 million was approved for rail projects across the state. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman accused of stabbing her ex-boyfriend and his female visitor with a butcher knife has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder. 48-year-old Carol Silverheels allegedly went to the Gowanda home of her ex-boyfriend on the morning of September 6, argued with him and then punched him and his girlfriend. She then allegedly stabbed the woman in the back and hand, and the man in the chest before running away. Besides attempted murder, Silverheels is charged with assault and reckless endangerment. The case has been adjourned for motions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Issued By: NYS - DOT Route 219 is closed NB/SB between Snake Run Rd. and East Otto Rd in the Town of Ashford, Cattaraugus County, for up to 4 hours due to an accident at 1:15pm. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The man who killed Clymer School Superintendent Keith Reed will spend 25 years to life in prison. Anthony Robert Taglianetti was sentenced this morning in Chautauqua County Court. In November, a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder for shooting and killing Reed outside his home in August of 2012. Taglianetti killed Reed because of a relationship between Reed and Taglianetti’s estranged wife. After the trial jurors said the most compelling piece of evidence was Reed’s blood on a gun that was wrapped in a printed-out email between Reed and Mary Taglianetti. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947