Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A man wanted for more than a dozen burglaries in Erie was picked up outside the Jamestown McDonald’s Monday. State troopers say a man who identified himself as Jonathan Larson was one of five people involved in a fight with a customer at the restaurant, and who was later escorted from the building. Outside he got into a fight with an 18-year-old girl, and was arrested for disorderly conduct. After being arraigned and sent to jail, authorities learned he was actually 22-year-old Justin Kaliszewski, who was wanted by the Millcreek Township Police Department for the burglaries that happened in October. He was then charged with criminal impersonation and obstructing governmental administration. His New York State bail is $5,000. There’s no bail for the fugitive from justice charge. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The bodies of both Jamestown kayakers who drowned last weekend have been found. At around 8 o’clock Friday morning the body of 23-year-old Jonathan Miller was pulled from the Allegheny Reservoir. He was found along a shoreline in Stateline Bay. At around 12:30 Friday afternoon, crews found the body of 32-year-old Jacob Maynard in the dredge area of the Allegheny River in the Starbrick area. Maynard’s kayak capsized and he drowned on Saturday. Miller’s kayak capsized on Sunday. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two people appeared in Cattaraugus County Court Monday on drug charges. Jeff Bellamy Jr. of Buffalo was sentenced to two years in prison for being found with more than 1/8 of an ounce of cocaine during a traffic stop in Olean on December 3, 2010. Trisha Hammond of Olean pleaded not guilty to possessing and selling cocaine on December 11, 2010, in Olean. Her case has been adjourned for motions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

OLEAN – A former Green Beret who served for two tours in the U.S. Army was honored on Thursday with long overdue awards he never received. Sgt. Mark Close of Olean was surrounded by friends and family at a special ceremony held at Senator Catharine Young’s office where he received the Korea Defense Service Medal, the New York State Medal For Merit, and the Cold War Recognition Certificate. “It always is a tremendous privilege to present medals to deserving veterans like Sgt. Close. As a Green Beret, Sgt. Close went through intense training in order to better protect our country. Like all veterans, he is deserving of our respect and gratitude and it is my honor to thank him for his outstanding service,” said Senator Young. After enlisting in the U.S. Army in August 1976, Sgt. Close was sent to Fort Jackson in South Carolina for basic training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) in supply. From 1978 until 1979, he served at Camp Casey in Korea with the Second Infantry Division on the ...

Don’t expect oil and gas drilling in Allegany State Park after all. Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday signed two pieces of legislation giving broad new protections against drilling in the park. The legislation comes a couple years after U.S. Energy Development of Getzville, which has drilling operations in Western New York and Pennsylvania, said it had subsurface mineral rights in the park and wanted state approval to sink five test wells. US Energy says it has claims on 2,800 acres in the Red House area of the park. The two-bill package Cuomo signed says any oil and gas claim not actively used within the past 20 years shall be considered "extinguished" and the rights reverted to the state, and gives the state parks department powers over any effort to explore or drill within Allegany State Park.

Brenda L. McGee, senior vice president for finance and administration at St. Bonaventure University, has been named to serve on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development group for Higher Education. The Higher Education group was appointed by the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council to work in conjunction with the council to develop a five-year strategic plan for long-term, sustainable regional economic growth with higher education as the driver of that growth. The plan will establish a vision and provide a framework for regional growth, leveraging the strength of higher education and other strengths in Western New York and address the needs of the region. The Western New York council is one of 10 councils statewide appointed by the governor. Each council is tasked with developing a strategic plan for the development of their region. The governor has set a Nov. 14 deadline for strategic plan submissions, and has announced $200 million in capital funds ...

A Freedom, New York, woman is the latest to be charged with welfare fraud in Cattaraugus County. Sheriff’s deputies say 28-year-old Jessica Koch did not report her boyfriend or his income on applications that she submitted to the Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services from January to March. She received $864 in food stamps her family was not entitled to. Koch is charged with welfare fraud, petit larceny and offering a false instrument for filing. She’s scheduled to appear in Olean City Court on September 13.

SALAMANCA, N.Y. -- Strengthening their position as the premier gaming operator in the Western New York region, Seneca Gaming Corporation announced that it plans to build a new hotel tower at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel in Salamanca. The project was recently approved by separate votes of the company's Board of Directors and the Seneca Nation of Indians Council. Seneca Gaming Corporation is planning a $53 million project that will add approximately 200 hotel rooms at the gaming and entertainment resort, essentially doubling the number of hotel rooms available for patrons. The current 212-room hotel tower opened in 2007 and has received a Four Diamond rating for service and quality from AAA in each of the past four years. "The ability to offer additional hotel capacity will help strengthen our position in the marketplace and further establish Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel as a true destination resort," said Karen Karsten, Chairman of the Seneca Gaming Corpo...

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced his economic development councils that he hopes will will stimulate the economy and create jobs throughout New York. He explained that the 10 regional economic development councils will compete for $1 billion to fund the best ideas to create jobs and growth. "For too long, Albany has imposed one-size-fits-all economic development plans across the state, ignoring the unique assets and challenges of each region," Cuomo said. "Today, we are taking a new approach. With the Regional Councils, we will empower individual areas like Western New York to chart their own course for job creation and growth and we will send a clear message that New York is open for business." The Western New York Economic Council will be made up of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara Counties and will be co chaired by Univeristy of Buffalo President Dr. Satish Tripathi and Howard Zemsky of the Larkin Development Group. Also on the council are D...

A Bradford man is in jail on drug charges. 20-year-old Tyler Martin was arraigned early this morning on charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Martin is in jail in lieu of $10,000 bail and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for July 13 in front of District Judge Dominic Cercone. In Cattaraugus County, a Niagara Falls man was sentenced to two years in prison for selling a controlled substance in Olean in November of 2009.

A woman already in prison on burglary charges has pleaded guilty to breaking into several businesses in Cattaraugus County in November. 21-year-old Alexa Knoxsah broke into Eddy’s Restaurant in Great Valley as well as New Beginnings Fitness Center and Norton Hardwoods in Salamanca. Knoxsah and her brother, 18-year-old Kyle Cooper, are accused of stealing cash and checks from the businesses. She’ll be sentenced on September 21. Knoxsah is serving a 2 to 6 year prison sentence in Bedford Hills for breaking into the Across the River Smoke Shop in Salamanca in July and stealing nearly $8,000 worth of merchandise.

Two weeks ago, 22-year-old Christopher Roper pleaded not guilty to robbing a Yorkshire restaurant in January. But he changed his mind, and today he pleaded guilty today in Cattaraugus County Court. On the night of January 6, Roper, his twin brother Cory and 24-year-old Paul Andolina went to The Shop restaurant with a shotgun and demanded money, according to court records. Andolina and Cory Roper have pleaded not guilty. Christopher Roper will be sentenced on May 31.

One of the men who broke into a New Albion home and stole more than $1,000 worth of property has been sentenced to 1 ½ to 3 years in prison. 26-year-old Justin Cusimano of Gerry, New York, broke into the house in August of last year. Scott Kewalski and Angelo Pollino were charged in connection to the same incident.

Route 98 in Great Valley is closed after part of the road collapsed on Friday. Cattaraugus County officials say when a portion of the hill on Route 98 between Sugartown and Martin roads gave way it caused 50 feet of the southbound section to collapse. They believe water run-off caused the collapse. No one was hurt. The road will be closed until further notice while officials decided what to do.

An Olean man has pleaded guilty to impersonating a firefighter. 31-year-old Bradley Thomas claimed to be a firefighter during the blaze that destroyed the former Fancher Furniture building in Salamanca in May. Thomas was wearing a helmet from the Kill Buck Fire Department and a jacket and airpack from the Salamanca Fire Department when he was arrested. He told police he was a Machias firefighter.

A flood warning is still in effect until this afternoon, when the Allegheny River at Olean and Salamanca is expected to drop below flood stage. In Olean, the river crested at 15.7 feet Thursday night. Flood stage is 10 feet. In Salamanca, the river crested at 15.2 feet at noon Thursday. The flood stage there is 12 feet. Most roads in the area closed by flooding remain closed.

Cattaraugus County Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb has issued the following travel advisory: Snow county wide has made travel conditions difficult and motorists are urged to use caution. Lake Effect Snow that is forecasted for today and tonight will make roads more treacherous in the northern portions of the county. Unnecessary travel in these areas is not advised. Drivers should be aware of the possibility of sudden changes in road conditions due to the winter weather. At this time, most roads in Cattaraugus County are snow covered and slippery. No roads are closed at this time. This travel advisory is in effect until 6:00 a.m., Thursday, December 2, unless otherwise extended.

OLEAN, NY -- The Cattaraugus County Arts Council (CCAC) announces its free summer programming held in partnership with Allegany State Park. The classes were made possible with funds donated by National Fuel as well as monies raised by auctioning artist-inspired Adirondack Chairs in August 2009. The first of many summer art workshops will begin next week with Instructor Joan Pingitore who will teach Printing from Nature. This fun, interactive, workshop will give kids and adults a chance to create art from nature and have a beautiful creation to take home with them. Joan Pingitore, a local artist, will guide participants through creating an interesting composition and printmaking techniques. Everyone will make a unique piece of art while learning about the environment in the process. The workshop will take place at The Warming Hut. The Warming Hut is located at the Summit Cabin Loop across from the Art Roscoe x-country ski trails. From I-86 take exit 21 into the park and proceed to the t...

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation says more trees in the Randolph area have been infested with emerald ash borer, a tree-killing beetle first confirmed in New York last year. DEC foresters have detected emerging insects on private woodlands south of Interstate 86, but within the previously established quarantine area. The emerald ash borer is a small but destructive beetle that infests and kills North American ash tree species, including green, white, black and blue ash. Since it was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, the emerald ash borer has spread to 13 states, including Pennsylvania, and two Canadian provinces and is responsible for the destruction of 70 million trees in the United States alone. After the insect was discovered in Cattaraugus County last year, a multi-agency effort was undertaken to attempt to control its spread. An informational meeting was held last night in Randolph and DEC officials say property owners, and communties, should be read...

Two people died in separate motorcycle crashes over the weekend in Cattaraugus County, according to e-mails sent to WESB and The HERO by the sheriff's office. At 6:48 Saturday evening a motorcycle operated by 50-year-old Charles Bailey of Cattaraugus, New York, was on Hammond Hill Road in the Town of East Otto when the bike went out of control and hit a ditch. Bailey was thrown from the motorcycle and suffered significant trauma to the upper portion of his body. He was flown by Mercy Flight to ECMC, where he died from his injuries. At 7:26 Sunday night, 50-year-old Daniel Lynch of West Falls was riding his bike on McKinstry Road in the Town of Yorkshire when he failed to negotiate a curve in the road and hit a guardrail and signpost. He was thrown from the bike and was pronounced dead at the scene.