Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Bradford High’s Ashton McGriff broke the school record in the 400 during Friday’s PIAA Track & Field championships in Shippensburg. She not only broke the previous record set in 1996 – she shattered it by nearly a full second. And, she’s only a freshman. Unfortunately, she just missed out on a berth in the finals. Her sister Brooke competes in the pole vault today. Also yesterday, Kane’s Savannah Anderson medaled in the pole vault in Class AA. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The high school’s Criminal Justice Club is sponsoring a rally and walk on Friday to show support for local police. People are asked to meet at the high school at 6 p.m. City Police Officer Butch Bartlett says the club will have markers and other materials so people can make signs in support of the police that they can carry on the walk. The walk starts at 6:30 and will go to Veterans Square, and then back to the high school. Bartlett says there will be a bus at the square for people to warm up, or to ride back to the school. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

On Thursday the Bradford Area High School volleyball team will join thousands of teams from around the country participating in this year's Side-Out Foundation's Dig Pink National Breast Cancer Awareness Rally . Senior players Jessica Buchheit, Hailey Burgess, Courtney Henry, Courtney Holzwarth, Rylee Lundgren and Marissa Yohe are organizing the event as a voluntary community service project. Their team is one of manymiddle school, high school and college teams promoting breast health education in the community as well as raising funds to further research. Dig Pink events give spectators the opportunity to become involved by making donations to the cause and by ?pinking out? the events -wearing pink to show their support. Thursday's event be held in conjunction with the team's match against Elk County Catholic High School. The JV game will start at 6 p.m. with the varsity match to follow. Admission is free, but attendees are encouraged to wear pink....

The Cameron County Red Raider Marching Band was one of three that performed in exhibition tonight during the 35th Annual Autumn Classic at Parkway Field. The other two were Bradford and Otto-Eldred. Cameron County has been selected to be the official state representative band for the 2014 Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Honolulu, Hawaii, on December 7. If tonight's performance is any indication, they will do us proud! As for the results for the bands that were being judged: Class A: Coudersport 3rd, Port Allegany 2nd, Saegertown 1st Class AA: Cochranton 1st Class AAA: General McLane 2nd, Iroquois 1st You can see more pictures at Facebook.com/1490wesb . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Pulitzer Prize winning author Alison Lurie has written a book about how buildings speak to us. She said while getting ready for our interview this morning she looked up some of Bradford’s buildings and was struck by the differences between the old and current libraries, and that, at first, she was put off by the outside of the West Washington Street building. Listen to her brief comments here . She also talked about Old City Hall and Bradford Area High School. Her book is “The Language of Houses: How Buildings Speak to Us,” and you can hear my chat with her on an upcoming LiveLine. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Today is Police Memorial Day, and Bradford Area High School hosted a service honoring police officers in both Pennsylvania and New York. The keynote speaker was Cattaraugus County Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb, who talked about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He started by talking about his friend, former Sheriff Dennis John, who took his own life in August of 2009. He then talked about some of the threats police officers face every day including natural disasters like floods and other weather events. He said while the general public is told to stay inside and be safe, emergency responders are out making sure everything is safe. Whitcomb also mentioned traffic accidents, and people who try to harm or kill police officers. He told the police officers in the auditorium that to protect and serve the public, they need to protect and serve themselves, and their brother and sister law enforcement officers, and said sometimes a person who needs help is closer than they think. Fallen officers f...

The Bradford High students who have been selected to play with the US Army Field Band Jazz Ambassadors tomorrow are the very talented Hannah Leposa and Lexie Thurston. Good luck, ladies, and have fun! The concert is at 7:30 in the Bradford High auditorium and it's free! The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Avi, the Newbery Award-winning author of more than 70 books for children and young adults, will visit the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford March 19. The presentation, “A Conversation with Avi,” will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the Pitt-Bradford Hospitality Management Program will provide refreshments. The visit, sponsored by the Pitt-Bradford education program and the Education Club, is free and open to the public. To reserve a seat, contact Dr. Wayne Brinda, assistant professor of education, at wjb27@pitt.edu. Most recognized for his Newbery-winning Crispin series, Avi will talk about how he gets his ideas and thoughts on using adolescent literature and will read excerpts from his most recent story, “Sophia’s War,” and other books. A book signing will follow the presentation, and books will be available for purchase. Avi says that engaging his readers is one of the key reasons he ke...

National Teen Driver Safety Week is underway and Governor Tom Corbet at the Pennsylvania State Mayors’ Association are also behind the initiative. Bradford Mayor Tom Riel is the spokesman for the Northwest Region and says, "One may wonder why a mayor might care about this issue. The answer is really simple. Over one third of deaths among teenagers are caused by motor vehicle accidents." He also pointed out some figures released by the Centers for Disease Control including that per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are three times more likely than drivers 20 and older to be in a fatal crash. He also noted that people ages 15 to 24 represent only 14 percent of the US population, but they account for 30 percent of the total cost of motor vehicle injuries among males, and 28 percent of the total cost among females. You can find more information at http://pamayors.org In conjunction with National Teen Driver Safety Week, Bradford Area High School has entered a contest a...

Charges against a Bradford woman accused of assaulting her high school-age child have been bound to court. According to court papers, a student at Bradford Area High School heard another student talking about her mother abusing her at home and told School Resource Officer Butch Bartlett about it. Soon after that the victim went to Bartlett's office, where he noticed she had injuries to both of her eyes. Bartlett later learned that her mother, 36-year-old Amy McLaughlin, punched her in the face many times and, at one point, pushed on her eyes, according to court papers. McLaughlin is free on unsecured bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s Financial Aid staff will be offering free financial aid advice to college-bound students. The financial aid high school night presentations begin next week in Coudersport and continue through the end of January 2013. The schedule is as follows: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4 Coudersport Junior-Senior High School 6:30 p.m. Jan. 8 Allegany-Limestone (N.Y.) Central School 6 p.m. Jan. 9 Otto-Eldred Library 6:30 p.m. Jan. 9 Smethport Junior-Senior High School 6 p.m. Jan. 10 Bradford Area High School, Room 232-236 6 p.m. Jan. 16 Cameron County High School 6 p.m. Jan. 23 Sheffield High School 6 p.m. Jan. 30 Oswayo Valley Junior-Senior High School ...

Registration Underway Now The Second Annual Bryan Hannon 3-on-3 Basketball Scholarship Tournament will be held on December 22nd, 2012, at the Pitt-Bradford Sport and Fitness Arena, in memory of Bryan, who passed away in August of 2011. All of the proceeds will go in the Bryan T. Hannon Scholarship Fund in his memory. The fund will offer scholarships each year to Bradford Arera High School seniors who embody Bryan's spirit and attitude. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 9:30 a.m. High School freshman and older are encouraged to play. The cost will be $15 a person with no more than 5 players on a team. T-shirts are included in the fee. Organizers would like to have all registrations in by Sunday December 16th, 2012. Donations can be made to the Bryan Hannon Memorial Scholarship Fund in the form of a sponsorship or memoriam for a loved one and can be sent to PO BOX 110, Bradford, PA 16701. To sign up please contact Brent Raabe at 814-366-3715. The news...

WESB and The Hero's Create-a-Commercial winners for this year were recognized this morning during an assembly at the school. Nate Franco came in first with his ad for W.R. Case & Sons. Second place went to Chris Eaton for 100.1 the Hero.com; third place went to George Hocker for Kathy Obermeyer/Real Living Avista Properties and Casey Warner for Signature Smile. An honorable mention went to Linsy Simanowski for Northwest Savings. The annual Awards Assembly for seniors was held last night at the school. Bethany Swan performs "Sonata" during Tuesday's assembly. Swan, who served as a drum major for the Marching Owls, was presented with several awards and scholarships. Jon Hannon (purple shirt) hugs one of the recipients of the first Bryan Hannon Memorial Scholarship. Bryan Hannon, Jon's brother, died in August of last year in an automobile accident at the age of 21. Bryan was a 2008 graduate of Bradford Area High School. The scholarship recipients are Paul DePalma...

Anyone who has seen a Bradford Area High School chorus concert or musical knows about the wealth of talent the students possess. Wednesday evening those talented students were recognized for their accomplishments during the Vocal Music Awards Night and Pops Choral Concert. The seniors recognized were Angela Barger, Tianna Card, Chelsea Clark, Brigid Colligan, Patricia Eck, Zara Ellis, Garrett Evan, John Golden, Dallas Helgren, Sara James, Kelsea Kagarise, Danielle Keyes, Christina Kohlmeier, Danielle Lutz, Emily Marshall, Alexandria Martin, Cody Mascho, David Reinhardt, Deborah Rickman, Michael Silvis, Bethany Swan, Mark Thompson and Kristina Tingley. Kitty Colligan received the BAHS Choral Booster Award (and I thank her for setting up all those LiveLines!). The school's stagecraft class was also recognized. You have one more chance to see these talented students perform -- May 31 at 7 p.m. at Bradford High for the Spring Showcase. Here's a preview: The Bradford Area School Dis...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn `GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, today announced Ryan E. VanGuilder of Bradford, Pa., has accepted a fully qualified appointment to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Ryan, the son of Jan and Alan Bean, is currently a senior at Bradford Area High School. “Ryan’s commitment to serve our country, coupled with superior academic achievement and leadership traits, will serve him well at the U.S. Air Force Academy,” said Representative Thompson. “The education, leadership training, and skills that Ryan will learn at the Academy will not only prepare him for a distinguished military career, but also give him the tools to succeed in life’s many challenges.” A member of the National Honor Society, Ryan will graduate from Bradford Area High School with a 100 cumulative grade point average, which includes both Advanced Placement and College courses. Ryan was also active in athletics as a member of the Varsity Soccer and Wresti...

The Downtown Bradford Business District Authority held its first Lunch in the Square for this season today. Pictured above, a gentleman buys his lunch from John Williams European Pastry Shop, just one of the local restaurants that participated in the event. Pictured below, Cole Vecchio and Mike Silvis & Kaitlin Hallock perform on the gazebo "stage." Members of the Bradford Area High School Music Department, under the direction of Chad Young, provided entertainment. WESB photos The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Orak Grotto’s annual Tag Days recently raised $1,500 that will support scholarships for CARE for Children’s upcoming day camp, as well as scholarships for specialty camps, all for children with developmental and physical disabilities. During the day camp, CARE kids will take part in inclusive activities such as open gym, crafts, adaptive swimming, gross motor sessions and field trips; as well as a day at Mystic Waters for putt-putt golf, crafts and outdoor play. The donation will also enable 10 children to attend camps, including Camp JJ and Woodlands Youth and Teen Sports Camp. Pictured from left to right are: Dr. Karl Frankovich, M.D., Chief of Staff Emeritus, from Shriners Hospital in Erie; Zethan Brougham; Terry Matthews, Orak Grotto Treasurer; Rodney Jones; Tina Martin, CARE for Children Executive Director; and Gene Carll, Shriners Transportation Volunteer. Brougham, a seventh grade student at Floyd Fretz Middle School, is the son of Steve and Ann Brougham of Bradford. Jone...