Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will dedicate its newest residence hall, Sarah B. Dorn House, at 4 p.m. Sept. 10. After an introduction by Dr. Livingston Alexander, president, the program for the day will feature remarks by Craig A. Hartburg, chairman of the Pitt-Bradford Advisory Board; Joseph W. Fink, associate vice chancellor for facilities management, University of Pittsburgh; Howard L. Fesenmyer, a close friend of Dorn’s and executive secretary of the Blaisdell Foundation; and Jacob Loree, president of the Student Government Association and a chemistry major from Warren. Following a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours of the residence hall will be given and light refreshments will be served. The 103-bed Dorn House is the third residence hall to open on campus in five years. Located across the loop road from Fisher Hall, the $5.45-million residence hall is being named in honor of Sarah B. Dorn, co-owner of Zippo Man...

A Limestone man and an Olean man have been incidted by a Cattaraugus County grand jury for separate sex crimes. 28-year-old Jeremy Little is charged with criminal sexual act, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child younger than 11. The alleged incident happened March 7 in Limestone. Little will be arraigned Tuesday. 33-year-old Ronald Scott of Olean is charged wth rape, sexual abuse and endangeringn the welfare of a child. The alleged incident involving young children happened in Olean in 2009. Scott will be arraigned September 13.

State police and US Border Protection agents confiscated 176 marijuana plants spotted growing in a wooded area of Sheridan Thursday morning. The plants had a street value of about $352,000. No arrests have been made yet, and police are continuing their investigation.

A Gowanda man has pleaded guilty in to possession of child pornography. 19-year-old Kenneth Fisher will be sentenced December 7 in federal court in Buffalo. The US Attorney’s office says on March 9 Fisher’s laptop was confiscated, and he admitted to downloading videos of child pornography and using the Internet sharing program LimeWire. A forensic analysis of the laptop revealed that six videos depicting child pornography were stored on the computer.

Portville Police have learned the identity of a man who couldn't remember his name or where he was from. Police haven't released the man's name, but did say he is from Johnsonburg. Police say they spoke with family members who identified him and will pick him up in Olean. WIVB-TV is reporting that the family member saw the man's picture at WIVB.com , and then contacted police.

New sheriff in town takes over cross-country - Sports This is an article in The Bona Venture about Bob Macfarlane.

Today marks 4 years since New York State Trooper Joseph Longbardo died after being shot by Ralph “Bucky” Phillips during the largest manhunt in state history. Phillips shot Longobardo and Trooper Donald Baker on August 31, 2006, while they were staking out the home of Phillips’ girlfriend in Chautauqua County. Baker recovered and returned to work. Every year, he also attends a memorial run named for Longobardo in Sarasota Springs. Proceeds from the run go toward a scholarship for a student at Amsterdam High School who plans to study criminal justice in college. Phillips was captured in Pennsylvania on September 8, 2006, and is serving a life sentence at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York.

Megan Konopka’s daughter has been adopted by a couple from Kane, although the little girl’s grandparents had wanted custody of her. Konopka and her unborn son were murdered last September at the Riddell House. Her daughter Michell, who will turn 2 this month, has been a foster child of Scott and Laura Lorenzo since she was 3 months old. McKean County Children and Youth Services placed Michell with the Lorenzos after discovering that Konopka was mentally challenged and unable to care for her daughter. Her parents didn’t know about Michell until after Konopka’s death. Greggory Theobald is serving two consecutive life sentences without the chance of parole for killing Konopka and the unborn baby. Thomas Haggie has pleaded not guilty to his part in the crime and is undergoing a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation while awaiting trial.

Warren, Pa. – On Friday, September 3rd, the Allegheny National Forest will present an illustrated evening program on the American black bear. The program will explore and discuss the various ways North American generations have identified with black bears. Topics will also include folklore, history, biology, and safety in bear country. The program will take place at 8:00 p.m. near the Kinzua Beach bath house. There is no charge for attendance or parking. Please bring your own chairs, blankets, and flashlights.

Another radio personality at Froggy 100.3 in Meadville has died. The station announced this morning that 49-year-old Ron Smith died today of heart failure. Smith hosted the 2 to 7 p.m. show and was known to his listeners as James Pond. Smith’s death follows the May 3 death of 41-year-old Kerri Shields, who hosted a midday show and was known on the air as Crickett.

The Community Blood Bank is still experiencing a moderate blood shortage that has lingered for most of August. Labor Day Weekend is traditionally one of the three worst weekends of the year (July 4th is first and Memorial Day is second), and AAA is predicting a 10 percent increase in holiday travel. The Community Blood Bank will be taking blood donors this Saturday morning at Union Square in Bradford from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. "Labor Day is always tough for us," Says Dan Desrochers Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "People enjoy the last bit of summer and usually delay giving blood." The Community Blood Bank is the exclusive supplier of blood products to all the hospitals in Erie, Mc Kean, Warren, Elk and Potter counties, and now supplies Tioga County at over 50 percent. The CBB supplies 98 percent of all blood used in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, & Allegany Counties in WNY. Only blood donated with the Community Blood Bank will alleviate the shortage i...

The McKean County Historical Society will host its annual fall dinner meeting on Thursday, September 16 in the East Smethport United Christian Church hall at 6 p.m. Attorney Anthony Alfieri will be the speaker for the evening and will share information regarding the life of Pennsylvania’s war governor, Andrew Gregg Curtin. Tickets are $13.00 for society members and $15.00 for non-members. They may be purchased at the Old Jail Museum and at Lindgren’s in Smethport.

Friday, October 8 is Lee National Denim Day – a day when the nation comes together to put on their jeans in exchange for a $5 contribution to the fight against breast cancer, with the goal of raising millions of dollars in a single day. The power of the idea lies in its simplicity – just start a team with co-workers, clubs, organizations, friends or family and wear jeans for a $5 donation to the Women’s Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

Temple Beth El will hold services for the Jewish High Holiday services beginning next week at the temple at 144-146 Clarence St. Services will be conducted by a rabbi. Erev Rosh Hashanah services for the New Year will begin at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8. Rosh Hashanah services will continue at 10 a.m. Sept. 9. Yom Kippur services begin with Kol Nidre at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17 and Yom Kippur morning services at 10 a.m. Sept. 18. Yizkor will be held at 4 p.m., followed by a potluck break fast at 5:30 p.m.

From RadioPA's Matt Paul: A south central Pennsylvania middle schooler has collected over two-million soda-can tabs, and she's just getting started. Kayla Speelman's an Adams County 8th grader with a goal of collecting 10-million of those little aluminum tabs by the time she graduates. She's turning the collection over to the Hershey Ronald McDonald House, which raises money by recycling them. It's all in memory of a friend who died of a brain tumor several years ago. Kayla can't drink millions of sodas herself though; she's already received support both near and far. We can provide information if you'd like to help Kayla collect the tabs.

LEWISTON, N.Y. – Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course recently played host to Hank Haney, one of the nation’s premier golf instructors, TV personality and former coach for Tiger Woods. Haney was specially contracted to conduct a private two-day invitation-only teaching opportunity for VIP members of the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel in Niagara Falls, N.Y. In late August, more than 30 VIP guests had the opportunity to perfect their golf game with Haney on Seneca Hickory Stick’s driving range during a special warm-up clinic. Each day’s group of golfers then enjoyed a lunch before playing a full round of golf on the course, where Haney rotated between foursomes. Guests also received copies of Haney’s latest book, Essentials of the Swing, during an evening cocktail hour. “It was an amazing experience for everyone at Seneca Hickory Stick to be in the presence of such a skilled and respected teacher as Haney,” said Fran Roach, general manager, Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course. “The guests an...

A Johnsonburg resident and a Wilcox resident are accused of stealing several firearms from a Wilcox man’s home and selling them at a local gun store. Police say the firearms were stolen from the home of 64-year-old James Zilcoski between January 15 and Tuesday. Charges will be filed in District Judge Tony King’s office.

A Port Allegany man suffered major injuries in a motorcycle accident Wednesday morning on Route 46, just north of Spring Run Road in Norwich Township. State Police say 62-year-old Herbert Witter Jr. was traveling south when a deer ran into his path. Witter couldn’t avoid the collision and the bike hit the deer, causing the motorcycle to go out of control and slide onto the berm. Witter was taken by ambulance to Charles Cole Memorial Hospital.

By SANDRA RHODES One Book Bradford’s next selection is sure to be worth every cent – or so the author’s name implies. “Still Life” by Louise Penny of Quebec, Canada, has been chosen for the upcoming One Book Bradford season. In its fourth year, One Book Bradford is a community-wide reading initiative in which a book is picked and the community is encouraged to read it. Several activities are held throughout the season, which culminates with a visit from the author. “I was so pleased and so humbled that you would choose my books,” Penny said. “You know, Emily Dickenson called novels, 'frigates' that allowed us to travel to places we wouldn't normally go. “Bradford has taken it that glorious extra step, by not only choosing to 'travel' to Quebec, but in spending months reading the series and considering it, you are bridging the considerable divide between Bradford and Quebec. And I am most grateful for that.” This year, the committee also wanted to challenge the reade...

BonaResponds, a St. Bonaventure University community volunteer organization, is inviting the public to help prepare boxes of food for children affected by the earthquake in Haiti. The food will be packaged during a daylong work session Saturday, Sept. 11, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Reilly Center on campus. The organization, under the direction of Dr. Jim Mahar, associate professor of finance, will be working with a group called Feed My Starving Children to pack enough boxes of food to feed 100,000 children. They will also be looking for new volunteers to continue fundraising efforts for Haiti. “We really want and need community groups to get involved, including churches, Scout groups, school classes, etc.,” says Mahar. Volunteers will work in shifts of two hours, and may work one or multiple shifts. According to Feed My Starving Children, the meals to be packed are called MannaPack-Rice. They consist of rice, dehydrated vegetables and chicken flavored vitamins, can be cooked with boi...