Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Several people pleaded guilty to drug charges in Cattaraugus County Court this week. Frank Chase of Olean and Joshua Small of Buffalo had heroin; Laurie Lawall and Brad Smith, both of Olean, and Katie Stebbins of Salamanca, all had prescription pills; Pierre Morgan of Buffalo had cocaine; Samantha Perkins of Cuba had crack cocaine. Stebbins and Morgan are scheduled for sentencing on February 2; the rest are scheduled for January 12. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An investigation into sale of drugs in the Town of Friendship has led to the arrest of a Cuba man. Sheriff’s deputies say 26-year-old Albert Rhodes sold morphine to an undercover agent twice. He is charged with criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance, and is jailed without bail while awaiting arraignment. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman is accused of stealing more than $1,300 from the Hinsdale American Legion. State Police say 46-year-old Wendy Cook of Cuba defrauded the legion out of $1,333 by using store credit at a business in the Town of Cuba. She was charged with grand larceny and is scheduled to appear in court on August 5. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police believe they’ve solved the case of a string of church burglaries in Cattaraugus and Wyoming counties. 18-year-old Thomas Archer and 18-year-old Christopher Rose, both of Machias, 18-year-old Danae Chiarilli of Cuba and 20-year-old Christopher Boilard of Franklinville, are accused of stealing case, two safes, musical equipment and other smaller items over a period of three days. They are all charged with burglary, conspiracy, possession of burglary tools, grand larceny and criminal mischief. All four are in Cattaraugus County Jail on $10,000 cash bail each and have been scheduled to appear in Court on Thursday. State Police photos The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A tip from a Facebook follower led Olean-based state police to the woman they say hit and Amish horse and buggy last week on Route 16 near Ishua, and then drove away. Troopers say someone saw their press release on Facebook and called in a tip saying he knew who the driver of the minivan was, and where to find her. 31-year-old Tiffany Armstrong of Cuba, New York, is now charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, leaving the scene of an accident involving an animal, and a number of traffic violations. The horse, who was seriously hurt, and the three people involved in the crash are recovering from their injuries. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man accused of driving his motorcycle under the influence in a crash that killed his wife has waived his preliminary hearing. 50-year-old Raymond Maedl Jr. of Cuba, New York, is charged with homicide by vehicle and homicide by vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in connection to the April 27 crash that killed 50-year-old Jeanie Maedl. The crash happened on Westline Road when Maedl was rounding a curve and hit a guiderail. His wife was thrown from the bike and pronounced dead at the scene. Maedl is free on $50,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Olean man has been charged with stealing $30,000 worth copper from a Smethport building. Court records say 32-year-old Ian Wojcik was working at a building in the borough and would go to the basement and remove new copper. He then handed it off to 36-year-old Christopher Hubbard of Cuba, who sold it to a scrap yard in Allegany. Wojcik is in McKean County Jail on $30,000 bail. Hubbard is scheduled to appear in court later this month. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Cuba, New York, woman is dead following a motorcycle crash on Westline Road Sunday afternoon, and her husband is in jail on a DUI charge. Police say the motorcycle operated by 50-year-old Raymond Maedl Jr. went out of control while rounding a curve and hit a guide rail. 50-year-old Jeanie Maedl was thrown from the bike, and into the guide rail. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Raymond Maedl was arraigned early this morning on charges of DUI, disregarding a traffic lane and careless driving. His bail is $50,000. 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...

Dr. K. James Evans, vice president and dean of student affairs at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, presents the Student Affairs Special Recognition Award to senior criminal justice majors Nicolette Kellogg (second from right) and Richard Obermeyer, far right, during the 20th annual Honors Convocation today. Kellogg, who is from Cuba, N.Y., was honored for her advocacy and education efforts in the areas of LGBTQ equality and human trafficking as well as her volunteer work with the campus Habitat for Humanity chapter. Obermeyer, who is from Bradford, was recognized for being a founding member of the Pitt-Bradford hockey team as well as for working with inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution McKean and completing an internship with the U.S. Marshals. Photo by Alan Hancock The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 23-year-old man Olean man is still on the run after allegedly assaulting a woman outside Cuba Town Court Tuesday night. Cuba Police and state police attempted to take Giovanni Salmonson into custody after they say he attacked the woman outside the courthouse, but he ran into a wooded area. The state police K-9 officer lost his trail in a creek bed. Authorities believe he is still in the Cuba and Olean area. He is considered armed and dangerous and is wanted on a felony warrant for intimidation of a witness and criminal obstruction of breathing. The woman, who is a witness in a case against him, wasn’t hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man is facing a weapons charge in New York State. Police say they stopped 25-year-old Taylor Thomas for speeding on Friday, and then charged him with criminal possession of a weapon. They didn’t elaborate on the charges. Thomas is scheduled to appear in Town of Cuba Court on January 7. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Florida man wanted on a kidnapping charge was picked up late last night on I-86 in Cuba. State police stopped 44-year-old Cesar Figueroa of Tampa for a vehicle and traffic violation and soon learned he was wanted for kidnapping, aggravated battery and grand theft in Hillsborough County, Florida. Figueroa was arrested as a fugitive from justice and taken to Allegany County Jail to await extradition. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A woman from Moscow is dead following a one-car crash Monday afternoon on I-86 near Cuba, New York. 65-year-old Lyudmila Shishkanova was flown to UPMC Hamot, but died of her injuries there. Another passenger was also flown to Hamot for treatment. The driver was taken by ambulance to Olean General Hospital. Police didn’t identify those people, but say their injuries appear to be non-life-threatening. The car went off the road and ended up on the road below the I-86 overpass at about 3:30 p.m. No charges have been filed. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Cuba, New York, woman will spend the next three years on probation after using a noxious material to hurt another person. 34-year-old Jennifer Abdo pleaded guilty to assault in connection to the incident that happened March 8 of last year in Olean. Prosecutors did not say what noxious material she used. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two people are facing drug and other charges following a traffic stop Sunday in the Town of Cuba. John Berdon and Reina Cole are each charged with 12 counts each of criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, along with endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest, driving while ability impaired by drugs, unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. They are both in Allegany County Jail on $50,000 cash bail each and are scheduled to appear in Cuba Town Court on Tuesday. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Cuba, New York, man is accused of stealing a wedding ring from a Town of Genesee home. State police say the ring was reported missing on Friday and, after interviewing the people who reported the theft, they determined 24-year-old Albert Rhodes took the ring. Police say he admitted to the theft. Rhodes is charged with petit larceny and is scheduled to appear in Town of Genesee Court on March 14. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two Cuba, New York, residents are in jail for growing marijuana and having an assault rifle in their home. Police say 30-year-old George Brown and 23-year-old Sybil Davis had 61 marijuana plants and packaged marijuana, valued at $74,000, along with cash, an assault rifle, 50-round drum magazines, a large amount of ammunition, indoor growing equipment and a surveillance system. They are both charged with unlawfully growing cannabis, criminal possession of marijuana and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Brown is also charged with criminal possession of a weapon. Brown’s bail is $15,000. Davis’s is $10,000. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police have released the name of the woman who died when a man who was charged with DWI hit a car head-on Saturday in Cuba. 71-year-old Amelia Murray of Rushford was taken to Olean General Hospital after the crash at 6:45 p.m. on North Shore Road, but was then taken by Mercy Flight to ECMC in Buffalo, where she died two hours later. Police say 46-year-old William Felicetti of Niagara Falls left his hunting camp and was on Mount Monroe when he didn’t slow down for yield sign and hit a car driven by 51-year-old Kenneth McElheny of Rushford. Murray was a passenger in McElheny’s car. McElheny and his other passenger, 50-year-old Susan McElheny, were treated at Olean General for minor injuries and then released. Cuba Police say they are waiting for an accident reconstruction team to finish its work before deciding whether to charge Felicetti with anything besides driving while intoxicated. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police have identified the people who died in Tuesday’s murder-suicide in Cuba, New York. The Wellsville Daily Reporter newspaper says police identified them as 69-year-old Thomas Jerge and 61-year-old Susan Babcock. Police Chief Dustin Burch told the newspaper Jerge shot Babcock in the back of the head, and they found her dead inside her vehicle when they responded to a call about a homicide at 3:45 p.m. Burch also told the newspaper Jerge shot his dog to death before committing suicide. Police found the bodies of Jerge and the dog at Jerge’s camp. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947