Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

State police reported three accidents on icy roads – all involving vehicles that went out of control and slid off the road. In Potter County, neither 78-year-old Martin Sweigart of Galeton nor 21-year-old Kira Sutton of Austin was hurt. Sweigart was cited for not staying in his lane; Sutton for driving too fast for conditions. In Elk County, 31-year-old Holly Hutchins of Johnsonburg suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Penn Highlands Elk. No charges were filed. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Minor injuries were reported after a three-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon near Tack’s Inn. Police say 51-year-old Alice Valenti of Austin was at the intersection of routes 219 and 59 when she didn’t yield the right-of-way to 46-year-old Diana Rankin of Mount Jewett and the cars collided. The impact caused Rankin’s car to cross lanes, where it was hit by a vehicle driven by Fred Angell of Bradford. Rankin suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Bradford Regional Medical Center for treatment. Valenti was cited for not stopping at a stop sign. ~~~ A Hinsdale woman was charged after a one-vehicle crash Saturday in Lafayette Township. Police say 32-year-old Jody Kenjocketty was traveling north on Route 219 when she lost control of her vehicle and drove off the road. The vehicle came to rest in a ditch. Kenjocketty and her three unnamed passengers suffered minor injuries and were taken to BRMC. Kenjocketty was cited for driving too fast for conditions. ~~~ A...

A Coudersport woman will be cited for hitting a man in the head with a pack of baby wipes. Police say 21-year-old Katelyn Miller hit 31-year-old Jeremy Earl while they were at his house in Austin at about 4:30 Sunday afternoon. Miller will be cited for harassment. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By Kiara Catanzaro SBU ’15 St. Bonaventure University will host its 28th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29. Local high school girls and their coaches will participate in sporting event programs throughout the day with St. Bonaventure’s female student-athletes and staff. The event, sponsored by the School of Education, the Department of Physical Education, the Department of Athletics, the Department of Military Science and the Visiting Scholars Program, will host 15 school districts including 400 women student-athletes along with their coaches and teachers. Students from the following school districts will attend: Allegany-Limestone, Archbishop Walsh, Austin Area Schools, Bath, Bolivar-Richburg, Bradford, Cuba-Rushford, Fillmore, Franklinville, Jamestown-Lutheran, Portville, Randolph, Seneca Nation, South Park and Southwestern. After 9 a.m. registration, students will listen to a keynote address from alumnus Amy Mo...

A Potter County girl is one of 13 fifth-graders in the state whose artwork will appear in the attorney general’s 17th annual drug free calendar. A drawing by Abigail E., who attends Austin Elementary School, will be October’s featured picture. You can see all the pictures, and find more information, at AttorneyGeneral.gov . Attorney General Kathleen Kane says the reason the contest is geared toward fifth-graders is that most of them have been exposed to drugs or alcohol socially, and her office wants to engage them in positive activities before they or their friends make a bad choice. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two people have been arrested in connection to the burglary at Perry’s Corner Store in Austin last week. 24-year-old Evan Heller of Renovo and 29-year-old Shawna Shay of Milesburg are each charged with burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, prohibited possession of a firearm and criminal mischief. State police say with the help of the US Marshal Service, several other state police agencies and the federal bureau of alcohol, tobacco and firearms they were able to find Heller and Shay and items linking them to the burglary. Heller is in Potter County Jail. Shay is in Clinton County Jail. Their bail is a quarter of a million dollars each. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Handguns, lottery tickets and cigarettes were among the items stolen during a burglary at Perry’s Corner Store in Austin overnight. Police say sometime between 9 o’clock last night and 4 o’clock this morning someone got into the store and took multiple handguns as well as the lottery tickets, cigarettes and food items. Police say at this time they’re not sure of everything that was taken. Anyone with information on the burglary is asked to contact Coudersport-based state police at 814-274-8690. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Roulette’s Friendly Inn has been burglarized again. The first burglary was between 1:25 and 3:50 Wednesday morning when bottles of alcohol were taken. Sometime after 2:36 Saturday morning someone broke into the establishment and stole an undetermined amount of money. Also in Roulette Township someone entered the home of Justin Fillhart between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Thursday and stole copper piping. And in Austin in Potter County someone entered a home on School Street over the weekend and stole a bed and nightstand. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police are looking for a man who assaulted a woman Sunday evening in Austin. They say 26-year-old Thomas Richards of Emporium punched 20-year-old Katherine Burger in the face, causing a cut on her lip. He also attempted to choke her as he pushed her to the ground, causing a cut on her ankle. Richards will be charged with simple assault, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. A warrant has been issued for Richards’ arrest. Anyone who knows of his whereabouts is asked to contact Coudersport-based state police. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police say a man threatened to hurt himself if a girl half his age didn’t start sexting him. 28-year-old Matthew Pritt of Austin randomly texted a 14-year-old girl’s cell phone number, and then got into a conversation with her. When she told him she was 14 he continued to text her and then allegedly told her if he didn’t sext him he would hurt himself. He then allegedly sent numerous sexually graphic text messages to her. Pritt is charged with corruption of minors and harassment. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Austin man is accused of lying to police about a robbery. State troopers say they were called about a home invasion at the house of 26-year-olf Michael McNally at 2:40 this morning, and he told them that while he was cleaning a hunting rifle in his living room a man forced his way into the house, hit him, took the rifle and drove away. Troopers later learned that there was no robbery or altercation. McNally is charged with two counts of making false reports to law enforcement. He’s free on $5,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Austin man is in jail for allegedly stealing two ATVs earlier this month. 19-year-old Skylar Shaffer is accused of breaking into Terry LeFever’s camp on September 2 and taking cigarettes, chewing tobacco and alcohol before driving away on the stolen ATV. Later that morning he allegedly broke into Donald Torrey’s barn and stole another ATV. The ATVs were found in a wooded area in Austin and have been returned to their owners. Shaffer is charged with two counts each of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, theft, criminal trespass and receiving stolen property, all felonies. He is also charged with a misdemeanour count of corruption of minors. He’s in Potter County Jail unable to post $25,000 bail. Police say their investigation is continuing and more arrests are pending. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

State Police in Coudersport are investigating two burglaries and a theft that all happened earlier this week. Someone got into garage of Austin resident James Diefenderfer and stole at ATV. Some got into property owned by Linda Smith of Austin and stole a portable generator and a table saw. On Sunday someone stole prescription medication from 27-year-old Christopher Hall of Galeton while it was in a cow barn at the Potter County Fairgrounds. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Austin –A bridge project on Route 3003 (First Fork Road) in Sylvania Township, Potter County, opened today, nearly two and a half weeks ahead of schedule. PennDOT’s Potter County bridge crew began deck replacement work June 4 on the Eleven Mile Run Bridge. The 15-foot bridge spans Eleven Mile Run on Route 3003, a few miles east of Austin. The project facilitated the removal of the 17-ton and 31-ton weight postings on the bridge. A detour had been in place during the deck replacement. Although the bridge is now open to through traffic, crews will continue further upgrades in the area of the bridge, and motorists should be alert for workers. All work is weather and schedule dependent. Drivers are reminded to obey posted speed limits, follow detour signs and always buckle up. Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAStateCOLL . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

HARRISBURG – Two Potter County bridges are being named in honor of area Vietnam veterans under legislation authored by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) and signed into law by Gov. Tom Corbett today. Under the law, the bridge carrying State Route 607 over Freeman Run in Austin Borough will be designated as the Captain Edgar E. Nuschke Memorial Bridge. The bridge carrying State Route 872 over the east fork of Sinnemahoning Creek in Wharton Township will be named the Private First Class Edward Ritsick Memorial Bridge. “Decades have passed since these men gave their lives for our country, but their sacrifice is no less significant today than it was on the day each of them died,” Causer said. “Naming these bridges in their honor ensures that their service is remembered by both current and future generations.” Nuschke served his country for 22 years in the U.S. Air Force. He served in World War II and Korea, and in 1966 was assigned to duty in Vietnam, where he was shot down and killed....

Six area school districts will share nearly $3 million in federal grants to promote literacy efforts. In making the announcement, Senator Joe Scarnati say the grants will be used to help increase reading achievement, utilize technology to improve literacy and provide new resources to teachers and administrators.   The school districts and they money they will receive are: ·         Port Allegany School District $452,548 ·         Otto-Eldred School District $307,985 ·         Bradford Area School District $879,250 ·         Brookville Area School District $724,085 ·         Clearfield Area School District $70,258 ·         Austin Area School District $276,518   “Improving reading and writing scores in our schools is one of the b...

The Austin man who helped another man dump the body of an Eldred teenager in a creek has pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. 26-year-old Avery Buckingham helped 20-year-old Jonohan Prather of Coudersport throw the body of 18-year-old Samuel Miller into Prouty Creek last June after Prather shot him eight times in the head and chest. Buckingham will be sentenced May 22, and could get up to 40 years in prison. Prather has already been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A third co-conspirator, 16-year-old Kaylynn Benson of Coudersport, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and will be sentenced May 1. She could spend up to 20 years in prison for holding a spotlight for Buckingham and Prather while they threw Miller's body into the creek. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police in Potter County are investigating two burglaries in Austin where guns were stolen. Someone entered the home of LouAnn McNally sometime between September 30 and last Friday and took two rifles and a shotgun. Sometime last weekend someone entered the home of Linda Yaras through an unlocked window and stole a handgun and prescription medication. Anyone with information on either of these incidents is asked to contact Coudersport-based state police at 274-8690.

A 15-year-old girl has been charged as an adult in connection to the murder of an Eldred teenager earlier this month. Kaylynn Benson of Coudersport is charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, according to online court records. She, along with 19-year-old Jonothan Prather of Coudersport and 25-year-old Avery Buckingham of Austin are accused of killing 18-year-old Samuel Miller on June 5. They are accused of taking Miller to an area along Prouty Run Creek in Potter County, where Prather allegedly shot him eight times. Prather and Buckingham then allegedly dragged his body to the creek and threw him in while Benson held a spotlight, according to papers filed in District Judge Anette Easton's office. A fisherman found Miller’s body in the creek last Saturday afternoon. Prather and Buckingham are jailed without bail. Benson is being held in a juvenile facility. Memorial services for Miller will be held Tuesday afternoon at the B...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director One of the people accused of killing an 18-year-old Eldred boy says he shot him because he was a snitch and he was arrogant. That’s according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in District Judge Annette Easton’s office for 19-year-old Jonothan Prather of Coudersport. He and 25-year-old Avery Buckingham are both charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of Samuel Miller. A 15-year-old girl is also facing charges. According to the court papers, Prather told Buckingham “he needed to kill Miller because he is a snitch.” Buckingham told police Prather had been talkng about killing Miller for about three weeks. At around 8:30 p.m. on June 4 Prather, Buckingham, Miller, the 15-year-old and her sister went to the Foster Brook Wal-Mart to buy a spotlight. They then went to Coudersport, dropped off the 15-year-old’s sister, and then went to a pull-off on Prouty Road near a bridge. At about 3 a.m. on June 5 Prather shot Miller multi...