Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Part of Route 6 near Youngsville is still closed after a truck carrying asphalt rolled over Sunday afternoon. The crash happened at about 4:45 p.m. The westbound lanes of Route 6 near the interchange with Route 62 and the Forge Curve re-opened at about 7:30 this morning. The eastbound lanes are still closed, and there is a detour from Youngsville to Starbrick. Police say 55-year-old Asa Brown of Fredericktown, Ohio, was traveling west when the tractor-trailer went out of control and hit a concrete barrier in the median, puncturing the tanker and spilling asphalt. Some of the asphalt went down a hill and into Brokenstraw Creek. A hazmat team was called in to help with the cleanup. Brown wasn’t hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Youngsville schools were on alert, but not on lockdown, after sounds resembling gunshots were reported this morning in the area of the elementary/middle school. The school district and police later learned that a training/qualifying event was being held at the Brokenstraw Fish and Game Club, and the noises most likely came from there. All schools were operating normally by the end of the day, and after school activities will continue as usual. 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

Three Youngsville High School graduates have admitted to doing at least $700,000 worth of damage to the school back in June. 19-year-old Duston Miller of Youngsville, 18-year-old Tylor Keyes of Grand Valley and 20-year-old Derek Gifford of Greensburg emptied fire extinguishers in the gym and cafeteria, computer lab, hallways and principal’s office; and spray-painted computer screens, chalkboards, doors, tables and walls. A sentencing date hasn’t been set yet, but the three have agreed to pay for the damage. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Youngsville man is dead following a head-on collision this morning on Route 27 in Sugar Grove Township. Police say 26-year-old Melvin Murvine was traveling north at 8:35 a.m. and, while cresting a hill, his pickup truck went into the southbound lane and hit a Pepsi truck head-on. Murvine was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Pepsi truck, 48-year-old Scott Williams of Sugar Grove, complained of back pain and was taken to Warren General Hospital, where he was treated and released. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Youngsville man is in serious condition at UPMC Hamot following a one-car crash Saturday night on Route 426 in the Town of Mina. Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputies say 49-year-old Darcy Smith was traveling north when her car went out of control, went into a ditch and hit a utility pole. Smith and her passenger, 53-year-old Charles Insinger, were both treated at the scene, but they were both later taken to Erie. Deputies are continuing their investigation and say charges are pending. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Six more area seniors have accepted invitations to play in the 39th Annual Don Raabe Big 30 All-Star Charities Classic football game. They are: Mike Berardi Wellsville Central School Off: running back Def: safety Height: 5’9” Weight: 180 lbs. Mike plans to major in engineering at a school yet to be decided. Twice selected to the Olean Times Herald Big 30 Team, he was selected to New York Class C All State first team. Mike is also the Salutatorian of the Wellsville class of 2012. He is a fan of Fred Jackson and the Buffalo Bills. He wants to play in the Raabe Classic to join the club of elite people that have played in past games. Mike’s biggest thrill was being a part of winning Wellsville’s first sectional title in school history. His hobbies include gaming and bowling. Mike Swartwood Kane Area High School Off: guard Def: end Height: 5’9” Weight: 175 lbs. Mike is undecided regarding future plans at this time but hopes to attend a four year c...

39 people have been rounded up in a drug sweep throughout Warren County. Members of the Warren County Drug Task Force conducted early morning raids that targeted “petty drug dealers selling dangerous chemicals which wind up being injected into the veins of users.” Warren County District Attorney Ross McKeirnan added in news release that, "We are not talking about blowing around a little pot smoke. This stuff destroys lives." He said there would have been four additional arrests today, had it not been for four recent drug-related deaths. McKiernan also had a message for the drug dealers. He says the police know who they are, and are coming to get them. Sheriff Kenneth Klakamp served as incident commander of the operation. Special agent William Mickle developed the logistics and operational plan that involved Warren City Police, Youngsville Borough Police, the state attorney general's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, US Marshals Service, state police, the Warren County S...

Four people were hurt in an accident late last night on Cobham Park Road when their vehicle ended up in a stream. State police say 19-year-old Jarrett Woodward of Warren was going 60 mph when he lost control of his SUV on the wet road. The SUV dropped off the road, rolled onto its passenger side, then dropped off a steep embankment and landed on its roof in a small stream. Passengers William Turfitt, Anthony Morici, Christopher Sutton, all 19-year-olds from Warren, and 18-year-old Ian Anderson of Youngsville, along with Woodward, were all taken to Warren General Hospital. Morici, Sutton and Anderson were later taken to UPMC Hamot. Woodward was not hurt, but will be charged with driving under the influence of illegal drugs, and driving at an unsafe speed.

Two area Police Departments received Platinum Awards from AAA for their community traffic safety efforts, according to officials at AAA East Central. Seven local departments -- including Bradford City and Pitt-Bradford -- earned Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards. The Platinum awards were given to “Commendable Leaders” for their safety efforts and enforcement activities geared towards making communities safer. The recipients of the prestigious awards were the Jamestown Police Department and Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department. The departments were among hundreds nationwide that participated in the Community Traffic Safety Program. A Gold Award, the second highest recognition, was given to the New York State Police, Zone 3, Jamestown Station. Warren County Police Department earned a Silver Award. Bronze Awards were given to Warren County Sheriff’s Department, Youngsville, St. Marys, Bradford and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Police Departments. “We are very proud of the depart...

Students from Bradford Area and Port Allegany High Schools took top honors at the 9th Annual College Mathematics Competition held Thursday at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The competition is organized each year by the mathematics departments of Pitt-Bradford and the Jamestown (N.Y.) Community College Cattaraugus Campus. Forty-nine students coming from five different high schools competed by taking a two-hour math examination. According to their size, the schools were divided into two different divisions. Patrick Hoover of Youngsville High School was the overall individual winner, earning a $1,500 scholarship to Pitt-Bradford. Hoover was also the first-place winner in the small-school division. Elliot Binder of Port Allegany came in second in the small-school division. Dan Tingley of BAHS took first place in the large-school division and also earned a $1,500 scholarship to Pitt-Bradford. Coming in second in the larg...

A Youngsville woman will spend up to 40 months in prison for having sex with an underage boy. 23-year-old Sable Kolstee was sentenced to two terms of 10 to 20 months in prison on statutory sexual assault charges. Her relationship with the boy went from January to March of this year in the area of the Pleasant Valley Trailer Park. The pair also communicated through text message several times during the relationship, which was revealed through forensic analysis of the boy’s cell phone. http://1490newsblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/woman-facing-two-dozen-sex-charges.html

A Warren County man is in jail after firing a rifle toward a woman inside a Youngsville house early this morning. 32-year-old John Little is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and simple assault, and is being held on $75,000 bond. Police say Little got into a fight with a female acquaintance at around 1:30 a.m., and fired a rifle toward her while she was laying on the floor. The shot did not hit the 28-year-old woman, who police did not identify. State police arrested Little at the home.

A man has been arrested for attempting to shoot a woman inside a Youngsville home early this morning. State police say 32-year-old John Little got into a physical fight with the woman at about 1:30 a.m. and aimed a bolt-action rifle at her as she lay on the floor. He also fired a shot toward her. The shot did not hit the 28-year-old woman, who police did not identify.

The coaches for the 37th annual don Raabe Big 30 Charity classic are in place. Tony Tridico and his staff from Youngsville will coach the Pennsylvania All Stars. Wellsville's Frank Brown and his staff will handle the New York All Stars. The Big 30 classic is Saturday August 7 at Bradford's Parkway Field. You'll hear the game on 1490 WESB, 100.1 The Hero and on the web at WESB.com Pictured, the Bradford Area High School football players and cheerleaders who will represent the school during the Big 30 game. Photo courtesy of Patti Arlington

A Youngsville woman is facing multiple charges after being accused of having sex with an underage boy. In a fax sent to WESB and The HERO, Warren-based state police say 23-year-old Sable Kolstee is charged with 24 counts each of statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, corruption of minors and unlawful contact with a minor. Police say the relationship went from January to March of this year in the area of the Pleasant Valley Trailer Park. They say the pair also communicated through text message several times during the relationship, which was revealed through forensic analysis of the boy’s cell phone. Kolstee is free on $25,000 bail.

A Youngsville man who handed over seven pounds of marijuana to state police will spend the the next one to two years in state prison. 52-year-old Terry Knepp was sentenced on charges of possession with intent to deliver marijuana. When Knepp went to the state police barracks with the pot he said he wanted to turn his life around. Knepp was charged with a similar offense in 1996, according to Warren County Court records.