Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director All three of Thursday’s Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce award recipients could have won the Community and Spirit Award because they all exemplify what it means to work for something you believe in, and to make Bradford a better place. Steve Cavallaro received the actual Community and Spirit Award for his work to restore and revitalize the Willow Dale Duck Pond. The Tin Ceiling Gift Shoppe received the Exemplary Business Award. Madeline Miles received the Directors Award for her tireless efforts in activities throughout the area. In accepting his award, Cavallaro thanked the many people who donated time, money and talent to help make his dream come true. He singled out Howard Fesenmyer who, Cavallaro said, does every day for the community what he did for the duck pond. He also thanked Russ Safran, who donated the pavilion and bridge in memory of his wife, Kristin, who died in the crash of Flight 3407 in Clarence Center in 2009. On a lighter not...

Families of the people who died on Flight 3407 will be able to sue for unlimited punitive damages. A federal judge had to decide whether Virginia law or New York State law should apply. Colgan Air was based in Virginia at the time of the crash, and that state caps punitive damages at $350,000. The crash happened just outside Buffalo, and New York has no cap. The judge ruled that New York law should apply. All 49 people aboard the airplane, including a woman from Bradford, were killed when it crashed into a Clarence home. The homeowner also died.

Classmates Alex Safran and Maddy Weinberg will hold a Lemon-Aid for the SPCA sale from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, July 3, at Tops Friendly Markets in Bradford. Alex, 6 ½, sponsored the stand last year, and this year asked her friend and fellow animal-lover Maddy, 7, to help. The girls will both be entering second grade at The Learning Center this fall. In addition to 12 oz. cans of lemonade and other fruit flavors, the girls will sell chances to win a Zippo Fashion Italia handbag filled with Zippo gifts donated by Zippo Manufacturing Co. Lemonade and chances are both $1. The stand is being co-sponsored by ARK Specialty Services, the bottled beverage consulting firm started by Alex’s late mother, Kristin Safran. All of the proceeds will benefit the SPCA. To make a donation or for more information, contact Russ Safran at (814)368-6303 or Kimberly Weinberg at (814)362-1866.

Wrongful death lawsuits have been filed on behalf of a Westfield couple killed in on Flight 3407 near Buffalo on February 12. The suits on behalf of Ronald and Linda Davidson are the fifth and sixth filed in federal court in Buffalo. Attorneys say the crash could have been avoided if the plane had a low-air speed-warning system on it.

Soccer star perseveres without her dad, a Flight 3407 victim . This Buffalo News story is about Patti's family.

My thoughts are with Patti & Frank, and Amanda & Dan --- and family and friends -- as they attend memorial services today.

Nearly 60,000 Facebook users have petitioned ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" to rebuild the Buffalo home that was ravaged in the crash of Continental Airline's flight 3407. "Extreme Makeover" executive producer Anthony Dominici said the petition was under review, "but we do not comment on casting." For the full story, go to ABC News .

(CNN) -- Southwest Airlines warned its pilots just weeks before the crash of a commuter flight in Buffalo about safety issues with so-called instrument approaches at the airport. The warning concerned runway 23, the same runway the crashed commuter plane was lined up to use. For the full story, go to CNN.com .

Governor David A. Paterson has directed that flags on State government buildings across New York be flown at half-staff on Monday, February 23, 2009, in honor of the 50 victims of the crash of Continental Airlines Flight 3407. Governor Paterson said: “On behalf of all New Yorkers, I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to the families, loved ones and friends of the victims of Flight 3407. As we struggle to make sense of this loss, we must devote our energies and efforts to those whose lives were forever changed by this dark tragedy. “We are all connected, and we find out just how connected we are when tragedy such as this strikes our communities. We are taught to love our neighbors as we would love ourselves, but during this time of need we love our neighbors because we realize they are ourselves. “I would also like to express my thanks and appreciation to the countless first responders and volunteers who worked with flawless professionalism and swift coordination in maintaining the...

Colgan Air, Inc., a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (NASDAQ: PNCL), today issued the following statement regarding the ongoing National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation of Flight 3407: Historically, NTSB investigations are confidential and involve a thorough determination of the facts before public statements are made. Colgan Air continues to cooperate in every respect with the NTSB as it conducts the investigation. As such, we will respect the integrity of the NTSB ongoing investigation by not commenting on specifics. However, we do feel compelled to comment on public speculation about potential causes of the accident. Here are the facts about our operations. Colgan has instilled a systemic culture of safety throughout our organization that is rooted in significant investment in crew training, systems, leadership and equipment. Our crew training programs meet or exceed the regulatory requirements for all major airlines. Our ground and air training is designed in ...

to the person who is questioning our decision to send someone to the crash site. We did not do that just to be there. The person who went to the crash site is related to the one of victims. We think we know better than you do what our listeners want to hear, and we did get comments about that report -- not one of them was critical of it. And, believe me, people have no problem calling to bash us if they feel like it.

WIVB-TV in Buffalo has been showing a video of Captain Joseph Zuffoletto, who died in the crash of Flight 3407. In that video, along with Zuffoletto, are Bradford Regional Airport Manager Tom Frungillo, former McKean County Commissioner Cliff Lane, Olean Times Herald reporter, and Bradford resident, Kate Day Sager and several other McKean County residents.

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 .

CLARENCE, N.Y. — Experts who helped identify victims from Flight 93's crash in a Pennsylvania field on 9/11 have joined the search for remains from a commuter plane's crash site outside Buffalo. For the full story, go to the Centre Daily Times .

The Colgan Air manifest for Flight 3407 lists Kristin Safran of Bradford as a passenger on the plane that crashed Thursday night in Clarence Center killing all 49 people on board. Also, former Olean resident, Kevin Johnston, a graduate of Olean High School, is among the dead. And a cousin of Patti Arlington of Bradford, David Borner of Pendleton was also killed in the crash of Flight 3407.

A former Olean resident, whose daughters graduated from St. Bonaventure University, is one of the victims of Flight 3407. Kevin Johnston, a graduate of Olean High School, worked at Henkel Corporation in Buffalo and was returning from a business trip. The plant was closed Friday in honor of Johnston and Douglas Wielinski, the man killed when the plane crashed into his Long Street home. He worked at Henkel until 2003 Johnston's daughter Melissa is a 2005 graduate of St. Bonaventure. Amanda Johnston graduated last year. St. Bonaventure President Sister Margaret Carney says the university community is saddened by Johnston's death and offers heartfelt condolences and prayers to his family and friends, as well as the others touched by the tragedy.

The cousin of a Bradford woman is one of the people who died in Flight 3407 in Clarence Center Thursday night. 49-year-old David M. Borner, of Pendleton, who worked for Kraft Foods, was returning from a business trip in New Jersey. He had planned to leave for a Florida cruise with his family this morning. He has one child in Starpoint High School and another in Starpoint Middle School. Borner is the cousin of Patti Arlington.

A Jamestown resident is one of the crew members who died in the crash of Flight 3407 in Clarence Center. Captain Joseph Zuffoletto was off-duty, but was the fifth employee of Colgan Air on board the flight.

“Earlier tonight, Continental Airlines Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air Inc., crashed just miles outside of Buffalo Niagara International Airport after departing from Newark Liberty International Airport. The devastating crash took place at approximately 10:20 p.m. “Forty-four passengers were killed along with four crew members and at least one person on the ground, according to New York State Police. A team of emergency responders and aviation officials are still evaluating the situation and working to gather as much information as possible. The aircraft involved was a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400. “As we continue to monitor the situation in the Town of Clarence, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were on board, and with the people of the Buffalo metropolitan area. We will work closely with law enforcement and aviation officials to give families, loved ones and the public updated information as it becomes available. “Families and loved ones seeking information sh...