Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A woman who swerved her car to avoid hitting some elk, ended up in a ditch. Police say 31-year-old Jeannette Friday of Weedville was on Bennetts Valley Highway at 3 o’clock this morning when she looked down to light a cigarette. When she looked back up, the elk were in the road. She was issued a citation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two teenagers have been reported missing from Weedville. State police say 14-year-old Mackenzie Guido and 17-year-old Broc McClintock were last seen at about 11:45 last night. They are both believed to be wearing blue jeans and Under Amour hoodies. Both hoodies are green, but different shades. Mackenzie is 5 feet 1 inch tall with long straight brown hair and braces. Broc is 5’ 7” with short brown hair. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact Ridgway-based state police at 776-6136. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two men were able to escape from their Weedville house before it was destroyed by fire late Wednesday night. Firefighters say the blaze at the River Road home of Dennis Celinski and Curtis Piszenski started at about 11:30 p.m. Firefighters were on the scene until about 6 o’clock Thursday morning. Route 255 was closed between Caledonia and Weedville while firefighters were battling the blaze. Flames damaged Windstream Fiber Optic Cable and West Penn Power Lines, causing a telephone outage in the area. One firefighter suffered a minor injury. He was taken by ambulance to Elk Regional Health Center, where he was treated and released, according to state police fire marshal Greg Agosti. The Red Cross provided food, clothing and shelter to Celinski and Piszenski. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Weedville man died after his motorcycle hit an elk this morning on Route 555. State police say 52-year-old Alvin Shutters was about a quarter of a mile west of Gray Hill Road in Benezette Township at 5:50 a.m. when his bike hit the elk in the road. He suffered fatal injuries. Police were assisted at the scene by Bennetts Valley Ambulance and the Jay Township Fire Department. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police have released more information about the vehicle that knocked over a gas pump at the Valley Farm Market in Weedville Sunday. Security cameras show that the vehicle is a dark-colored, late model Chevy or GMC extended cab truck. They say the truck will have damage to the right front headlight area, and possibly the passenger side door. Anyone with information about this truck is asked to contact Ridgway-based state police at 776-6136. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Several guns and other items were stolen from a Weedville home last month. State police say someone broke into the house along Redwood Avenue and stole three rifles, two shotguns, a train set, an antique slot machine and an accordion. The items are valued at $1,700. Also the burglar damaged a wood door frame, trim around the door and a window frame. Damage is estimated at $70.

The last of the five people who dragged a deer carcass into an Elk County Church has been sentenced. 20-year-old Brandon Ott of St. Marys pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal mischief and was sentenced to four to 24 months in jail. He and his co-defendants must also pay more than $3,700 in restitution. Back on October 26 Ott, along with Bradley VanVoorhis, Martin Chicola, John Gier and Haley Heindl broke into the Gardner Hill Community Church in Weedville, where they dragged a deer that Chicola and VanVoorhis shot. They also took a stereo and a table, broke a window and fired a gun inside the building. The other men were also sentenced to jail time. Heindl was put on probation for two years. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two Elk County men will be facing charges after a man watched them steal scrap metal from his property Wednesday afternoon. Police say Donald Herbstritt was on the back porch of his Kersey home at 4:30 when he saw the two men remove some scrap metal and leave. He watched their truck drive away, and then called police. The thieves are a 47-year-old from Weedville and a 35-year-old from Kersey. Police haven’t released their names yet, but say theft charges are pending. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Weedville woman is dead after a one-vehicle crash Saturday night on Route 555 in Cameron County. State police say a Jeep driven by Pamela Cousins went off the road and hit a tree. Cousins was partially ejected from the Jeep and was pronounced dead at the scene. Three passengers – Henry Amacher and Margaret and Steven Aharrah – all suffered moderate injuries and were taken to area hospitals for treatment. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police are investigating a burglary near Weedville this morning. They say someone went into a barn owned by Llewellyn Huff at 4 a.m. and took three 5-gallon gas cans. Huff said he saw a late ‘70s or early ‘80s pickup trucking leaving the scene and traveling toward Weedville on Route 555. Anyone with information on the burglary is asked to contact Ridgway-based state police. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Weedville woman is in jail after allegedly pointing a gun at a man during an argument over the weekend. Police say 44-year-old Annette Shutters pointed the gun at 64-year-old Simon Shutters and threatened him. Annette Shutters was charged with terroistic threats and sent to Elk County Prison. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A state trooper from Emporium has been promoted to corporal and is being transferred to Clearfield. Allen Brothers of Weedville was promoted today by State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan. Brothers has been a state trooper since 1998. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Five people have been charged for dumping a dead deer in a church back in October. 23-year-old John Paul Gier of St. Marys, 19-year-old Bradley Van Voorhis of Weedville, 19-year-old Brandon Ott of St. Marys, 22-year-old Martin Chicola of St. Marys and 19-year-old Haley Heindl of Houston, Texas, are facing nearly 40 charges in connection to the incident on October 26. Papers filed in District Judge Donald Wilhelm’s office say the group was drinking and playing cards before one of the men shot a deer and loaded it into a vehicle. They then allegedly broke into the Gardner Hill Community Church in Weedville and dragged the carcass inside. Police say an anonymous tip led them to the suspects. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for February on charges of burglary, vandalism and unlawful taking of big game, among others. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Weedville woman is accused of not paying for school pictures. State police say Dean Erich Photography of DuBois took pictures at Bennetts Valley Elementary School in April and 36-year-old Tami McClintick sent a check to the photographer for payment. The check was returned because the account was closed. The photographer contacted McClintick several times requesting payment, but the requests were ignored. McClintick is charged with two counts of theft by deception.

Someone broke into a Weedville church between 5 o’clock Thursday afternoon and 8:50 this morning and did about $2,000 worth of damage. In a fax sent to WESB and The HERO, State police say the burglar got into the Wesleyan Church through a door on the north side of building, rummaged through several offices, damaged several doors and door jambs and a safe. Nothing was reported missing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Ridgway-based state police at 776-6136.

A man robbed the Bennetts Valley Pharmacy in Weedville Sunday night. In a fax sent to WESB and The HERO, state police say the man displayed a knife during the robbery. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and a ski mask and made off with an undetermined amount of money.

A 31-year-old Weedville woman is facing drug charges after she was found unconscious on Monday. State police say they were called to Old Brynedale Road at 7 o'clock Monday night to help Byrnedale Ambulance personnel with an unconscious female. Police say the woman was found to be in possession of a suspected controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Charges are pending tests at a state police lab. Police didn't release the woman's name.