Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A man accused of carrying a domestic incident from his estranged wife’s home to her workplace – and threatening to kill heer and three other people – has waived his preliminary hearing. Court papers say Anthony Hornung II of Lewis Run dragged the woman through the house by her arm, and said if he can’t have her no one can. He left the house when her roommates came home, but showed up later outside her workplace on Main Street in Bradford, threatening her boss and others. When police arrived, he ran to Players Bar, but police caught up with him. Hornung is in McKean County Jail on $50,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Was L. Frank Baum, the author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” a Bradfordian? Did Bradford’s oil boom of the 1870s and ‘80s inspire Baum’s vivid imagination? Many people think so. One Pitt-Bradford professor claims to have the answers and will share them in a presentation titled “Case Closed: L. Frank Baum in Bradford,” at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 in the Mukaiyama University Room of the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The event is sponsored by Pitt-Bradford’s Friends of Hanley Library and is free. For decades, scores of Bradfordians have debated whether Baum lived and worked in their northwestern Pennsylvania town before he published his iconic work. Some speculate that he wrote for -- even founded – The Bradford Era. But was Baum really in Bradford circa 1879, starting or writing for a newspaper, before he went on to produce America’s greatest fairy tale? Tim Ziaukas, professor of public relations, claims to have tracked down the evidence. He published his results this summer ...

A domestic incident spilled into a woman’s workplace when her estranged husband threatened to kill her and three other people. Court papers say Anthony Hornung II went to the woman’s home Thursday night, argued with her, dragged her through the house by her arm and said if he can’t have her no one can. He left the house when her roommates came home, but then texted and called her, leaving threatening messages. Later that night he showed up outside the back of the Bradford Era building, where he was threatening people. He raised a fist to the woman’s boss as if he was going to punch him, and bumped the man’s chest with his repeatedly, while threatening to kill people. When police arrived Hornung ran to Players Bar, but police caught up with him. Hornung is charged with criminal trespass, flight to avoid apprehension, terroristic threats, disorderly conduct, simple assault and several summary offenses. He is in McKean County Jail on $50,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ....

Former Bradford Era Social Page Editor dies at age 92 Mary Ann Levis Lyons, 92 of 48 Sherman Street, Bradford, passed away Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at the Pavilion at BRMC. Born on November 16, 1920, in Erie, she was a daughter of Ernest Lewis and Ann (Rich) Levis. She was a 1938 graduate of St. Bernard High School. Free spirited, Mary Ann left Bradford to join the USO and served for a time in St. Marys. Later she began a successful career with Kaiser Frazer Automobile distributorship in New York City and worked her way up to become the first female general director for the distributorship. She was greatly admired in the industry. Mary Ann enjoyed a spirited life in New York City where she met and married Gerry Lyons and they resided there for 25 years. Mary Ann spoke often of her apartment life on Madison Ave. "Everything was dazzling", she would say. "I had no time to learn how to cook'. During that time, she and her husband also lived in Florida where Ma...

The following letter was sent to WESB/WBRR Monday morning: The police officers of the City of Bradford Police Department would like to clarify some misleading facts that have appeared in The Bradford Era. We are not doing this to get into a war of words with anyone, nor will we make any further comments regarding these issues. First is the issue of concession asked for by the city. Yes, we have rejected insurance concessions offered by the city in the past couple of years. The last concession offer made by the city was on December 17, 2010. Representatives of our bargaining unit were told by the city clerk and city solicitor that they needed an answer by December 18, 2010. Department representatives were also told that the insurance was not the main concern of the city, but that a retirement package was. A retirement package of 2 years post-retirement benefits for any officer age 55 years or older was offered to our department. Representatives were also told that the officer had to be ...

H.L. “Woody” Woodruff has been chosen to receive the 2011 Lester Brauser Theatre Appreciation Award, announced Bradford Little Theatre president Nanci K. Garris on Tuesday. Established in 2001, the Brauser Award is presented to an individual whose work makes community theatre possible in the Bradford area. It is named after theatre enthusiast the late Lester Brauser. “Since the 1960s, wherever there has been entertainment for the community, there has been Woody,” said BLT president Nanci K. Garris. “Sometimes he has brought performers to town, sometimes he has hosted bus trips to events out of town, and other times he is the performer. It is because of his ongoing support of the arts and especially his personal performances, that we are pleased to present him this award. Garris recounted Woodruff’s many onstage appearances in the annual Kiwanis Kapers benefit show; his work as auctioneer or master of ceremonies for local causes; his “bits” at local events like car shows; and even his ...

Chloe's Mom & Dad look over some of the items in the McKean County SPCA silent auction, while Chloe looks at some of the items for sale (and probably wonders if they're going to buy her a nice, new Christmas outfit.) These Shelties are just two of the many four-legged visitors to the open house, which is going on until 3 p.m. The SPCA is also holding a rabies clinic until 3 p.m. It's only $5 per cat or dog. You think Wade Aiken's job as a photographer for The Bradford Era is easy? Well, it can be a little difficult when one of the subjects of his photo insists on not facing the right way. That's Humane Officer Tony Danias looking on. Thanks to J&K Pets, Ott & McHenry Pharmacy, Northwest Savings Bank, Crescent Beer, Little Caeser's and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company for making our broadcast possible.

Lil Miss Street Dreams Kylie Stiles, Street Dreams Car Club President Gary Hoy and Polly Mills of the Make-A-Wish Foundation pose for Bradford Era photographer Alan Hancock outside the WESB/WBRR studios Wednesday afternoon. Kylie, Hoy, Mills and Tubby Colella (owner of the Thunderbird) were guests on LiveLine and talked about the more than $3,000 the Lil Miss Street Dreams contestants raised for Make-A-Wish this year. They were also the first guests on our first offical show that streamed live online. You can hear tomorrow's show live online at 12:40 p.m. at http://www.wesb.com/liveline/index.html Thursday's guest is Dr. Robert Tahara, director of Bradford Regional Medical Center's Peripheral Interventions Program and also Allegheny Vein & Vascular (and one of my very favorite people in Bradford).

By MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER Era Reporter marcie@bradfordera.com A Bradford business owner who had been instrumental in McKean County’s recycling program is among the 49 victims of Continental Flight 3407. Kristin Safran of 50 Jackson Ave. was the owner of Ark Specialty Services, an independent consulting company providing a full range of regulatory and technical services to the bottled water and beverage industries. Safran served on the board of directors for the International Bottled Water Association, and was apparently flying home from an industry-related meeting, according to Internet news about the crash. On the Web site for the International Bottled Water Association, a meeting was listed as being held Feb. 9 through 12 in Miami, Fla. For the full story, go to The Bradford Era .