Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A woman has pleaded guilty to setting a garage on fire this past summer. 21-year-old Crystal Lore of Little Valley set the fire at a residential garage on Second Street in Little Valley on July 23. Lore is scheduled for sentencing in Cattaraugus County Court on December 8. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A tip led Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s deputies to a large scale methamphetamine operation in Little Valley on Monday. The Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force and State Police Contaminated Crime Scene Emergency Response Team spent hours at a home on South Court Street, where they seized numerous pieces of evidence including lab equipment, meth precursors, reagents, solvents, and surveillance equipment. Deputies also found 14.8 ounces of meth. 32-year-old Lucas Leclerc is being held without bail pending arraignment in Buffalo Federal Court. The DEA Office in Buffalo has taken over the case, and the case will be prosecuted on the federal level. The investigation is continuing and more arrests are expected. The Little Valley Fire Department and Cattaraugus County Emergency Services also helped with the hazardous materials clean up. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

There will be a village-wide power outage in Little Valley from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday so crews can do maintenance on the lines. All village residents will be effected. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley woman is accused of supplying several Salamanca residents with controlled substances. The Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force says the arrest of 25-year-old Amanda Calkins was the result of a transaction they saw, which led to a traffic stop in the Town of Ellicottville, where she had several hydrocodone pills. Calkins is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. She was sent to Cattaraugus County Jail on $750 cash bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Charges are pending following three-vehicle crash that seriously injured a Randolph man. Cattaraugus County sheriff’s deputies say 52-year-old Scott Brown was driving his car south on Rock City Street (Route 353) in Little Valley at 7:10 this morning when he rear-ended a pickup truck driven by 18-year-old Brock Doberstein of Little Valley. The then went into the northbound lane and hit another pickup truck, this one driven by William Andrews of Salamanca. Brown, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was taken by Mercy Flight to ECMC in Buffalo for treatment of serious head and chest injuries. The other drivers were not hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley man is accused of punching another man in the face, and breaking his jaw. Sherriff’s deputies say 20-year-old Preston Quinn punched the 23-year-old man at about 7 p.m. on Monday. The victim had to be treated at ECMC in Buffalo. Quinn was charged with assault and scheduled to appear in Town of Little Valley Court next month. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley man who is no stranger to the court system has pleaded guilty to felony criminal mischief and harassment. Brian Blasdell admitted to assaulting another man in his home on August 1 and damaging the man’s vehicle. He’s scheduled for sentencing on June 3 in Cattaraugus County Court. Blasdell is already on probation for attempting strangle a person in 2012 and for growing marijuana, which police found when they responded to call. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley man has pleaded not guilty to rape and other charges. 45-year-old Robert Case is accused of breaking into a Town of New Albion building on January 31 and raping a person. Case is also charged with burglary, assault, strangulation and unlawful imprisonment. His case has been adjourned for motions, according to information sent to WESB by the Cattaraugus County DA's office. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The US Marshal’s Office and Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to investigate the death of a federal prisoner in the county jail in Little Valley. They say the man was found dead of an apparent suicide on Wednesday. He was in the custody of US Marshals and had been in the county jail for six days. The man’s name has not been released yet. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Four horses are dead and an SUV is destroyed after an accident early this morning on Route 353 in Little Valley. Sheriff’s deputies say David Mohr of Cattaraugus was traveling north between Whig Street and Stone Chimney Road at 2:07 a.m. when the horses entered the road. The vehicle caught fire and completely burned. Mohr wasn't hurt. The road was closed for several hours. Deputies are continuing their investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 16 year-old Little Valley girl is facing charges after getting into a fight with another student at Cattaraugus-Little Valley High School Friday afternoon. The girl was released to her parents and issued an appearance ticket to New Albion Town Court. In Youngsville, two students at Youngsville Elementary Middle School attacked women in separate incidents on Friday. At about 10:45 a.m. a 12-year-old girl kicked a female teacher several times and punched her. The girl is charged with assault and harassment. Then at 1:30 p.m. a girl was leaving the school with her grandmother when she became irate, tried to bite her grandmother and then pushed her to the ground. Police say the 57-year-old woman had visible injuries to her elbow and knee. Charges against the granddaughter are pending further investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley man has pleaded guilty to attempted strangulation following a domestic incident in December, but says he’s not guilty of growing marijuana in his home. 27-year-old Brian Blasdell attempted to strangle the person on the afternoon of December 20 in the Town of Little Valley. He is scheduled for sentencing on August 26 on that charge. Police say they found marijuana growing in the home when they responded to the domestic. Last month Blasdell pleaded not guilty to growing of cannabis as well as criminal possession and unlawful possession of marijuana. That case has been adjourned for motions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley woman is accused of pushing someone into a table during a fight early Tuesday morning. Sheriff’s deputies say 31-year-old Sunny Leblanc pushed the other person at just after 1 a.m. in New Albion. She is charged with assault and will appear in court at a later date. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man and a Lewis Run man both suffered broken ribs when their motorcycles crashed Saturday afternoon in Little Valley. Sheriff’s deputies say the motorcycle driven by 61-year-old Garry Pugrant crashed on a curve and then 50-year-old Arthur McMurtrie’s bike crashed while he was trying to avoid the first crash. They were both taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center. Their passengers, 47-year-old Amy Pugrant of Bradford and 49-year-old Susan McMurtrie of Lewis Run were also taken to BRMC for treatment of minor injuries. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Salamanca man who took police on a high-speed chase last fall will spend the next two to four years in state prison. 45-year-old Richard Skye was sentenced today in Cattaraugus County Court for the incident that started on September 4 on Route 353 in Little Valley. Sheriff’s deputies tried to stop him but, instead of stopping, he led them on chase into the Town of Ellicottville, where the pursuit ended when Skye drove his vehicle up a seasonal road. He pleaded guilty last month to reckless endangerment and unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A large number of marijuana plants, other drugs and cash were seized from a Little Valley man’s home on Thursday. The Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at the home of 39-year-old Frank Nuttall on Mill Street, and also found processed and packaged marijuana. Nuttall is charged with unlawful growing of marijuana. Additional charges are pending. He is scheduled to appear in Village of Little Valley Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley man who admitted that he tried to have sexual contact with a child younger than 11 has been sentenced to probation in Cattaraugus County Court. 21-year-old Eric Kuhaneck pleaded guilty to two counts of felony attempted sexual abuse in connection to the incident that happened on August 15 in Little Valley. He will spend the next 10 years on probation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley man has admitted that he tried to have sexual contact with a child younger than 11. 21-year-old Eric Kuhaneck pleaded guilty Monday in Cattaraugus County Court to two counts of felony attempted sexual abuse in connection to the incident that happened on August 15 in Little Valley. Kuhaneck will be sentenced on March 25. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley man is facing assault and drug charges after sheriff’s deputies were called to his home for a domestic incident and found marijuana growing there. 27-year-old Brian Blasdell is charged with assault and strangulation in connection to the domestic dispute that happened at about 2:45 Thursday afternoon. He is also charged with growing of cannabis and criminal possession and unlawful possession of marijuana. Blasdell was sent to Cattaraugus County Jail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Little Valley man is accused of having sexual contact with two 6-year-olds. 20-year-old Eric Kuhaneck allegedly had the contact with the children Wednesday afternoon. The Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Bureau conducted the investigation and on Friday charged Kuhaneck with two counts of sexual abuse and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Kuhanek is jailed on $2,500 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947