Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

If you think Downtown Bradford looks good now, keep watching. It’ll be looking even nicer. Bradford City Council on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to more than a dozen improvement projects planned by private property owners. Mayor Tom Riel and OECD Director Sara Andrews said this shows that people do really care about the city’s revitalization efforts. Riel said in the nine years he’s been on council he has never seen anywhere near that many certificates of appropriateness approved in one meeting. “I think that speaks volumes to … the funds (OECD) has been able to secure for downtown, and just the overall sense of revitalization in the downtown.” “It’s been a fantastic summer,” Andrews said. She noted that this represents thousands of dollars’ worth of private investment in the historic district. St. Bernard’s Church, Man’s World, Whimsical Studios, Moments to Remember, Chosen Acres, Kabob’s, as well as buildings owned by Todd Hennard, John Kohler, James Colligan, Dwayne Zimmerman and...

Bradford Little Theatre is opening new office and rehearsal space at 79 Main St. starting Saturday. “We are excited to be moving into a bigger space that will not only house our offices, but meet our need for rehearsal, tryout and construction space,” said BLT president Nanci K. Garris. “Our new space offers first-floor access and a dynamic downtown presence,” said Garris. “It should eliminate the need to rent rehearsal and tryout space as we have in the past. Also, we should be able to do basic set and prop construction in the rear – an option we have never had before.” “The board examined this move carefully to ensure financial feasibility, and believe that the site will not cost our non-profit organization any more than is currently spent for rehearsal and meeting space.” “We are excited about the possibility of using the space to be part of downtown activities as well,” she said, noting the two large display windows in the front of the site. Currently, the BLT office is on the thir...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Frustration has been growing among Atlantic Broadband customers about television reception, and one person took his concerns to Bradford City Council Tuesday. Bradford resident Brad Mangel said, with the franchise contract coming up for renewal in a couple of years, maybe the city could do something. “The lower channels are terrible and they’re not doing anything about it,” Mangel said. "This new digital TV …was supposed to be a Godsend. Well, to me, it’s made my television reception worse,” he added. Police Chief Chris Lucco asked if Mangel had tried contacting the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Mangel said cable companies are not governed by the PUC. “I wish I could go to the PUC,” he said, “but it wouldn’t do any good.” "I’ll keep complaining to Atlantic Broadband and they’ll keep telling me it’s a satellite signal and clouds get in front of them, and I know better. I think they have some issues with their lines,” Mangel sa...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director One city official says if the code enforcement department is complaint driven, perhaps more people should make formal complaints. “If it has to be complaint driven then I guess a bunch of us have to walk up and down Main Street and write a complaint out,” said OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews. “I think it has to go beyond being complaint driven and at this point in time – if we see something we need to address it,” she said. Andrews made her comments during Tuesday’s Bradford City Council meeting in a discussion on who is responsible for enforcing codes in commercial buildings. Businessman John Kohler brought up the issue, and gave the IAS building on Marilyn Horne Way as an example, saying wires are hanging off of it, electric boxes are hanging loose, there’s broken glass and piles of pigeon droppings. “Who’s responsible to make sure that kind of stuff is cleaned up and taken care of?” Kohler asked. “Somebody could walk by there and get hur...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Bradford Mayor Tom Riel thinks, although the city’s landlord ordinance is only 18 months old, it could still use more teeth, and he also thinks the code enforcement department needs to give more attention to individual property owners. Bradford businessman John Kohler started the discussion during Tuesday’s City Council meeting by saying, “I’m just trying to get what the 'enforcement' means in 'code enforcement.'” Kohler wanted to know how much money had been collected in fines from landlords. Councilman Ross Neidich said he couldn’t provide those numbers, but will be meeting with code enforcement Wednesday and will have the numbers then. Kohler also said it’s not just bad landlords who are contributing to blight in the city. “There are a lot of blighted individual properties,” he said. “In our community, we have a lot of aging houses to begin with,” Neidich said. “We have people that sometimes don’t seem to care about what their...