Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The preliminary hearing for Stephen Stidd that had been scheduled for tomorrow has been moved to March 11 in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. Stidd is accused of shooting and killing his son-in-law, Mel Bizzarro, behind Togi’s Family Restaurant on East Main Street earlier this month. Stidd had been free on bail, but that was changed today when Judge John Pavlock brought to Cercone’s attention that he couldn’t set bail on a criminal homicide charge. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Legal troubles continue to mount for a Port Allegany veteran suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. 45-year-old Diane Ayala is now accused of charged more than $3,500 on another person’s credit card and the Crosby’s store on South Avenue, Dollar General in Eldred and McKean County E-Sales in Smethport. She was sent to McKean County Jail in lieu of $35,000 bail. Last week she was charged by Olean-based state police with stealing $77 worth of merchandise from the Allegany Wal-Mart. All of these happened while she is on probation for confronted three non-American men inside the Bradford McDonald’s in November. In January, when sentencing her to a year of probation and 40 hours of community service, McKean County Judge John Pavlock urged Ayala to avoid further unlawful activity. In 2012, she was convicted of welfare fraud for receiving nearly $7,000 in medical assistance and transportation benefits. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Port Allegany woman on probation in McKean County for drunkenly confronting three non-American men inside the Bradford McDonald’s in November is now facing charges in Cattaraugus County. Olean-based state police say 45-year-old Diane Ayala took $77 worth of merchandise from the Allegany Wal-Mart without paying for it. She was sent to Cattaraugus County Jail and scheduled to appear in court. After the incident at McDonald’s Ayala attributed her behavior to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She is a US Army veteran and served in Operation Desert Storm. In January, when sentencing her to a year of probation and 40 hours of community service, Judge John Pavlock urged Ayala to avoid further unlawful activity. In 2012, she was convicted of welfare fraud for receiving nearly $7,000 in medical assistance and transportation benefits. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Dr. Gregory Page, associate professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, made a presentation at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention last month on data gathered from the McKean County Court of Common Pleas. Page examined the court records and judicial files of 258 defendants processed by the McKean County Court of Common Pleas during 2012. While preserving anonymity of each defendant, Page recorded characteristics associated with each, such as age, sex, prior offenses, drug and alcohol use, and/or treatment, etc. Page was particularly interested in the characteristics of a rural population since previous research has neglected to explore rural court systems. By examining court records, he was able to include defendants who were not incarcerated in addition to those who were incarcerated, thereby giving a more complete picture of the rural defendants. Page plans to expand the data set to include 10 year...

A Bradford man is in Cattaraugus County Jail after being arrested as a fugitive from justice. 27-year-old Darren Cruz was picked up on a warrant Saturday afternoon in the Town of Allegany. After his arrest, Cruz allegedly tried to escape and was then charged with attempted escape and unlawful possession of marijuana. McKean County Judge John Pavlock issued a bench warrant for Cruz on December 20 after he pleaded guilty to access device fraud, but absconded from probation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The following people were sentenced Thursday in McKean County Court: 29-year-old Travis O'Conner of Johnsonburg; 23 1/2 months probation for receiving stolen property. In November of last year he had stolen coins valued at between $200 and $2,000. 31-year-old Kristopher Wilson of Smethport; 14 to 28 months in state prison for simple assault and theft. In November of last year he hit a woman in the eye. In January of this year he stole a car and $8.000. 48-year-old Peter Carey of Bradfod; 24 days to six months in McKean County Jail. He pleaded no contest to terroristic threats for allegedly threatening to kill man a June 10. 46-year-old Virginia Milner of Kane; 90 days to 23 1/2 months in McKean County Jail. She delivered morphine tablets to confidential informants with the McKean County Drug Task Force in February. 35-year-old Joshua VanGorder Smethporto; 45 days to 12 months in McKean County Jail. He pleaded no contest to simple assault and disorderly conduct for al...