Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A Ripley woman is dead following a one-vehicle crash at just afternoon midnight last night in French Creek. Police say 52-year-old Brenda McClelland was on Brownell Road when her vehicle left the road, and then went back onto the road, crossed both lanes of travel and then hit a tree. McClelland was taken to Corry Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Fire claimed the life of a Ripley, New York, man Tuesday afternoon. The Chautauqua County Fire Investigation Team say 61-year-old Kevin Lantz was found inside the West Main Street home at just after 4 p.m. He was taken to Westfield Memorial Hospital, where he died a short time later. Investigators say an electronic device in the house accidentally caught on fire. They say it appears Lantz was able to get device to the porch of the house, but he went back in and then couldn’t get back out because of smoke inhalation. Investigators are continuing to look into the incident. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 75-year-old Ripley, New York, man is accused of inappropriately touching three females at a Bingo function last week. Sheriff’s deputies did not give the ages of the victims but say Dale Reynolds grabbed the private areas of two young females, and another female on Thursday. A warrant was issued for his arrest. Reynolds was taken into custody on Monday and charged with three counts of sexual abuse. He is in Chautauqua County Jail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A natural gas leak has been determined as the cause of a house explosion in Ripley, New York, Monday morning. The Chautauqua County Fire Investigation Team says there was a gas line break in December at the house on Lakeview Avenue that had been repaired. But over the course of the past several months the ground where the repair was made had settled, causing the repaired section to break loose, which then caused an underground gas leak. The ground became saturated with natural gas that then leaked into the basement of the house. Once the air mixture in the basement got to a volatile state, it ignited from the pilot light on the hot water tank, which caused the explosion. No one was home when the house exploded. Six fire departments battled the resulting fire. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A buildup of natural gas is believed to be the cause of a house explosion this morning in Ripley, New York. The house at the corner of Lakeview Avenue and Goodrich Street exploded at about 11:30 a.m. No one was home at the time, and there were no injuries. Firefighters say although the gas buildup is believed to be the cause, they are still investigating. Six fire departments from New York and Pennsylvania battled the blaze for about an hour. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947