Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Warren, Pa. – The Allegheny National Forest will hold an open house at an active archaeological dig site at the “King Farm” near West Hickory, PA, on Tuesday, July 1, 2014. Dr. Susan Prezzano of Clarion University is conducting the dig in conjunction with the forest. The public is invited to visit the dig to witness how an archeological excavation is conducted and learn about the people who lived and used the King Farm area throughout history. The site will be open to visitors from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The King Farm site is located in Forest County near the Allegheny River. To reach the site, from West Hickory, take Dawson Run Road (paved) south for about 2 miles. After the Allegheny National Forest motor vehicle sign (large white sign with black text), watch for the first gate on the left. There is a small dirt parking area near the gate. The excavation is about 200 yards behind the gate. For additional information, contact Marienville District Archeologist ...

Part of Champlin Hill Road in Turtlepoint will be closed starting Monday so crews can repair a state-owned bridge. The 200-foot bridge spans the Allegheny River in the village and will get a new deck and beams, along with a small amount of paving. PennDOT’s official detour is about 8 ½ miles long and will take drivers to Route 155, Route 446 and then back to Champlin Hill Road. All work is weather dependent. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Significant outflow from the Allegheny Reservoir will continue through Sunday, and the Allegheny River will continue to flow at or near full conditions until then. The US Army Corps of Engineers at the Kinzua Dam says the reservoir level has to be lowered to maintain adequate storage space for possible future floods. Because of the high water level in the river boaters and fisherman are being advised to use extra caution. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

More hemlock woolly adelgid have been found on the Allegheny National Forest. The invasive insect from Asia was found in the West Fork area of the Tionesta Research Natural Area by DCNR personnel on November 20 and confirmed by the state Department of Agriculture on Monday. The hemlock woolly adelgid threatens trees and the biodiversity they support in parks and forests, according to the US Forest Service. An infestation causes environmental changes for some wildlife, fish and plants because of increased light and warmer temperatures when hemlock trees die. The insect was found in Cook Forest and Clear Creek state parks this past spring, and on the forest near the Clarion and Allegheny rivers and Webbs Ferry. The forest service is partnering with The Nature Conservancy, DCNR, game commission, New York Department of Environmental Conservation and New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to develop a strategy for the high Allegheny Plateau of Pennsylvania and Ne...

The Department of Environmental Protection has reached a proposed consent decree with Waste Treatment Corporation that addresses adverse impacts to the Allegheny River caused by the company’s treatment and discharge of wastewater in Warren. DEP conducted biological surveys in 2012, which indicated that the discharge from Waste Treatment Corporation’s plant at 341 West Harmar St. in Warren was harming the river’s water quality and biological community. Among the requirements are that Waste Treatment must install additional wastewater treatment measures, and they must be installed and meet requirements in the decree by January 1, 2016. The proposed consent decree must go through a 30-day public comment period before Commonwealth Court’s final approval. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

For nature lovers interested in seeing American Bald Eagles in the wild, there is a great opportunity to do so on Eagle Watch Day, held annually at Kinzua Dam in Warren County, PA. When the cold expanse of Allegheny Reservoir behind the dam freezes over and ice forms downstream in Allegheny River, the open tailwaters below the dam become prime fishing waters for eagles. On a wintry day during February 2012, nearly 500 visitors to Big Bend Recreation Area viewed juvenile and adult eagles, just downstream from the dam. Other wintering birds and cold-water creatures were also observed. For 2013, this event will be held on Saturday, February 2nd from 8:00am until 2:00pm. Sponsors include US Army Corps of Engineers, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Penn Soil Resource Conservation and Development Council, Kinzua Cachers, Allegheny Outdoor Club, and Eagles Club, Warren Aerie #313. In addition to wildlife observation, activities include an audio-visual program detailing eagle restoration e...

OLEAN, NY – Opportunities for economic development, job growth and waterfront revitalization are increasing with the addition of the Allegheny River and the Cattaraugus Creek to New York State’s list of Designated Inland Waterways. State Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I – Olean) sponsored legislation that was signed last week by Governor Cuomo designating both bodies of water as official inland waterways. With the additions to the list, communities on these bodies of water are now eligible to apply for grants through the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and other similar programs. “Many municipalities were established near rivers and other waterways for the beauty and practicality of the location. Communities continue to look for job growth, economic development and tourism opportunities through waterfront revitalization, and it is especially important to provide them with the necessary tools in these challenging economic times,” said Senator Young. Assemblyman Joseph M. Giglio (R...

Here are more pictures, provided by Commonwealth Media Services, from the first day of Governor Tom Corbett's three-day kayak tour of western Pennsylvania. Pictured, First Lady Susan Corbett makes her way down the Allegheny River near West Hickory, PA; Aboard the Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad, the Governor and First Lady had their State Park Passports officially stamped at the nation's only remaining, operating on-train post office. The Corbetts visited Oil Creek State Park and the Drake Well Museum during their three-day kayak tour. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The body of a 36-year-old woman was found along the edge of the Allegheny River in Warren County near a Route 6 bridge Monday afternoon. Police say a passing motorist called them when he saw something in the water near the east bank of the river in Pleasant Township. Police later identified the woman as Sally Engstrom of Warren. They say it appears that foul play was not involved but they are continuing their investigation. 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

A source tells us the body of the 22-year-old Jamestown man whose kayak capsized Sunday has been found. Jonathon Miller was with a friend on the Allegheny Reservoir when the boat flipped over. State Police dive teams found the Miller's body this morning near Webbs Ferry. Crews are still searching for the body of 32-year-old Jacob Maynard of Jamestown whose kayak capsized Saturday near Starbrick. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

They say you have to be in it to win it and Bradford’s in it as one of the finalists to win the title “Ultimate Fishing Town USA.” Bradford collected more than 1,000 votes and was able to garner a “wild card” seat in the tournament that started with hundreds of towns and is now down to 20. The top two vote-getters in each bracket moved onto the second round. Six wild card towns were also selected to advance. The contest is sponsored by the World Fishing Network. Bradford, the only town in Pennsylvania that made the second round, was up against towns from Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New York and District of Columbia. Plenty of good fishing is done here, including two state records. The Allegheny Reservoir is the best trophy northern pike fishery in Pennsylvania. The state-record pike – a 35-pounder – was caught here. There’s also largemouth bass, bluegill, steelhead and walleye fishing here, too. In ...

Earlier this week on the air we reported that the Onoville Marina in Cattaraugus County would not be opening this weekend because of high water. On Friday, John Stoneman sent us these pictures of the Kinzua Reservoir. You can see more of his pictures at BradfordToday.com . He, and The Olean Times Herald, report that the water level has not been this high since Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says a significant increase in outflow from Kinzua Dam is planned through Sunday, and may cause substantial rises in the river below the dam. Boaters and fishermen are being advised to use caution this weekend. The Corps says the opening of the gates will be spaced over several hours so they don’t cause sudden rises in river levels.

HARRISBURG -- State officials today released an updated list of fish consumption advisories that includes nine new advisories and also eases or lifts seven other advisories, and includes fish caught in Warren, Forest and Venango counties. Due to mercury contamination, officials are advising that people eat Smallmouth Bass from the Allegheny River in Warren, Forest, and Venango counties no more than two times per month. The advisories were developed through a partnership between the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the state departments of Environmental Protection, Health, and Agriculture. The advisories are only for fish caught recreationally and do not apply to fish raised for commercial purposes or those bought in stores or restaurants. “Consumption advisories are not intended to discourage anyone from fishing or eating fresh fish in moderation,” DEP Secretary John Hanger said. “However, at-risk groups and people who regularly eat sport fish are most susceptible to contamina...

The Pennsylvania Turnpike will offer live coverage of the demolition of its Allegheny River Bridge on its website on Tuesday. The main span of the old bridge is scheduled to be blown apart with explosives at 10 a.m. Turnpike officials say there is no place on public property to view the demolition safely and is urging the public to stay away. Traffic will be stopped on the turnpike for up to 20 minutes at the time of the explosion. The old bridge, which opened on Dec. 26, 1951, has been replaced by twin spans nearly a half-mile long at a cost of $193.6 million. The site to see the explosion is www.paturnpike.com