Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

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 graduate student from Arizona who vandalized three gas and oil wells in the Allegheny National Forest in August has been accepted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program. 21-year-old Jeffrey Branham of Prescott had been working to clear a trail with others from the Student Conservation Association when he broke off pressure gauges at wells owned by Howard Drilling, just west of Route 321 in Hamilton Township. About one barrel of oil – or 42 gallons – spewed into the ground and onto nearby trees. If Branham successfully completes the ARD program the charge of risking a catastrophe will be cleared from his record. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The husband and wife who conspired to rob the Crosby’s store on South Avenue have pleaded guilty. 39-year-old Robert Hannon Sr. and 34-year-old Alice Hannon drove to the store on September 17. After his wife dropped him off, Robert Hannon forced an employee who was leaving for the night to unlock the door and go back inside, where he unlocked the safe and took about $3,000. He is a former Crosby’s employee. He then drove the employee, Jamie Cabisca, to Allegany State Park in her car, made her get out of the car took her cell phone. Robert Hannon pleaded to robbery and kidnapping to facilitate a felony. Alice Hannon pleaded to conspiracy to commit robbery. They are both scheduled for sentencing on January 9 in McKean County Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The former Bradford paramedic accused of stealing drugs from the fire department’s ambulance service and altering paperwork to cover it up was scheduled to be in McKean County Court this morning for his Last Day to Plea, but that’s been moved to January 2. 32-year-old Brandon Landuyt is accused of taking morphine and fentanyl from vials in a storage locker and putting saline in the vials to make them look full. The charges were filed in July. He was fired from the fire department in August. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The man who sold a gun to another man who shot at a person in downtown Bradford has pleaded guilty in McKean County Court and was sentenced to two to 12 months in prison. 23-year-old Allen Funk of Smethport will serve the sentence at the same time as a one to four year sentence he’s currently serving for three other cases. Funk sold the gun to Lawrence Fox of Buffalo for cash or cocaine. Fox then shot seven bullets toward a Pittsburgh man on Chautauqua Place. Fox was sentenced in April to five to 10 years in state prison. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The man who stole about 20 commercial batteries and then sold them has pleaded guilty. 23-year-old Nathan Hoy of Smethport took the batteries from Duffy’s while he was employed there, and then sold them to what is now Metalico Goodman Services in Bradford. Hoy will be sentenced September 19 in McKean County Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Port Allegany man has admitted to conspiring to steal six long guns, two bows and jewelry from a house in Skinner Creek Road back in May. 25-year-old Christopher Taylor drove the getaway car. He will be sentenced August 22 in McKean County Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Several people pleaded guilty to drug charges Thursday in McKean County Court. 41-year-old Randy Gourley of Bradford delivered seven methadone pills. 21-year-old Brandon Goodreau of Emporium provided marijuana to two 16-year-old girls and smoked it with them in his car. 34-year-old Rennie Gobin of Bradford had a small amount of marijuana and was driving under the influence of marijuana and hydrocodone. 30-year-old Joshua Armstrong of Mount Jewett was driving under the influence of controlled substances and had drug paraphernalia. 50-year-old Neil Reynolds of Bradford had drug paraphernalia and was driving under the influence of alcohol. All of the men are scheduled for sentencing on July 18. 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...

The man accused of beating his mother because he blamed her for his physical shortcomings is scheduled to be in McKean County Court this afternoon. 32-year-old Robert White allegedly threw his mother against a wall, punched her in the face, stomped on her left ear, kicked her, banged her head on the floor and choked her. He also allegedly threatened to get a knife and chop her up. Also scheduled for a last day to plea is Robert Pierce, who allegedly conspired with two other people to steal a car, take it to Buffalo and trade it for drugs. A Bradford man who allegedly tried to sell jewelry stolen in two separate burglaries is also scheduled to appear in court this afternoon. 26-year-old Matthew John Musolilno allegedly sold, and tried to sell, the jewelry in August and September. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By withholding car registration renewal until all court fees are paid, state Sen. Mike Stack today said he has found a way to bring significant money back into the state and cut the budget deficit. He has introduced Senate Bill 836, which would require individuals to pay all outstanding fees and fines owed to the Court of Common Pleas before they can have their car registration renewed. Once an individual pays their fines, surcharges, fees, or penalties, the court would provide PennDOT with authorization to renew the person’s vehicle registration. “We’re in a crisis in Pennsylvania,” Stack said. “We are facing a $4 billion deficit and a governor who believes the only answer is to cut and slash our way to a balanced budget. Pennsylvanians can’t afford more cuts right now, so we must find creative ways to bring in revenue. Senate Bill 836 is a real solution.” Stack joined state Rep. John Sabatina (D-Phila.), Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery and Philadelphia Common Plea...

A hearing on the proposed Holiday Inn Express on Forman Street is scheduled for next Friday in McKean County Court. In the hearing, attorney Greg Henry is expected to argue that the Bradford Zoning Hearing Board should not have granted variances to Tarport Properties for the proposed development. Henry represents Bradford Motel Associates, which objected to the Comfort Inn moving to the site where it's been for nearly 10 years. The variances the board granted in September included allowing the hotel to be four stories and 54 feet tall, when code allows for three stories and a maximum height of 50 feet; and allowing some of the parking spaces and landscaping to not follow code requirements. Developer John Stranburg said he isn't deterred by court action and plans to go ahead with the development.