Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Legislation that would ban synthetic versions of marijuana and cocaine, as well as bath salts, has been unanimously approved by the Pennsylvania House. The bill now moves on to the state Senate.

The teenager who helped rob a National Guard solider who was working as a pizza deliveryman has pleaded guilty. 17-year-old Jordan Plaud of Olean entered the plea today in Cattaraugus County Court. He also agreed to cooperate with authorities in their prosecution of 19-year-old Hilario Maldonado Waskiewicz Jr. and 18-year-old Travis Satterfield, who are accused of robbing Matthew Balcerzak in Allegany last month.

An Olean man who was impersonating a volunteer firefighter during last spring’s massive fire in Salamanca has been sentenced to three years’ probation. 31-year-old Bradley Thomas was sentenced today in Cattaraugus County Court for pretending to be a firefighter during the May 7 blaze at the former Fancher Furniture Company building that caused more than a million dollars in damage. Thomas wore a Kill Buck Fire Department helmet and jacket and air pack from the Salamanca Fire Department. He told authorities he was a Machias firefighter.

Three of the men accused of fire bombing the Allegany apartment of several St. Bonaventure University students pleaded not guilty today in Cattaraugus County Court. Mark Braithwaite, Donald Phearsdorf and Calvin Weis have all been indicted by a grand jury on arson and assault charges in connection with the October 17 incident. The matter has been adjourned for motions. Gary Coleman and Adam Peterson were also indicted. A bench warrant has been issued for Coleman, who did not show up in court today. Peterson's arraigned was postponed. Two other men involved in the incident have already pleaded guilty. Steven Sprague of Olean will be sentenced May 2. Andrew Piccirillo of Portville is scheduled for sentencing on May 23.

By SANDRA RHODES ANF Visitors Bureau The headline could read “Dwight Eisenhower comes to Eldred.” Well, if not in person, then a pretty good understudy. Bruce Hoff will give three presentations as Gen. Dwight Eisenhower over Memorial Day weekend, May 28, May 29 and May 30, at the Eldred World War II Museum, 201 Main Street, Eldred, Pa. The presentations begin at 2 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Hoff will dress as Eisenhower, look like Eisenhower and talk like Eisenhower. However, the San Antonio, Texas, man favors the term interpretation over impersonation. “I try to give the listener what Ike would have done himself,” Hoff said. “They can make judgment as though they were meeting Ike. “I cannot sound just like him. I try. He had a very staccato walk of talking,” Hoff said, adding he has spent many hours studying the man. Hoff explained that the hour-long presentation will consist of about 40 minutes of him talking. The remaining 20 minutes will be devoted to questions ...

A Potter County man is facing burglary charges following an incident Sunday in Genesee Township. Police say 23-year-old Jeffrey Easton got into an argument with a woman about property in a home. The woman told Easton to leave, but he broke open the back door of the apartment, went inside and removed a television. Easton was found a short time later, when he was arrested and charged with burglary, theft, criminal trespass and criminal mischief. The value of the television is $800. Damage to the door is estimated at $450.

Father Sam Slocum will voluntary surrender to authorities on Friday. An arrest warrant was issued after state police filed criminal charges against Slocum last Friday. Slocum is facing felony charges of interference with custody of children and concealment of the whereabouts of a child in connection with incidents from January 1 through March 29. Today, police said an agreement has been reached between the McKean County District Attorney’s Office and Slocum’s lawyer saying that the priest will surrender at an undisclosed place and time on Friday.

St. Bonaventure accounting students volunteered more than 3,000 hours of their time to help local taxpayers earn $771,913 in tax refunds this year. Sixty-nine volunteer tax preparers, the majority of them St. Bonaventure students, closed shop Friday at their Olean Center Mall location. They prepared 517 tax returns since beginning operation Jan. 27. The Bonaventure Accounting Association formed the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program in 2004. Since then, VITA has helped low- and moderate-income workers earn more than $4 million in tax refunds, often through federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits. For every hour the volunteers contribute, whether in training or in hands-on service, $300 in tax refunds is generated for Cattaraugus County, said Dr. Susan Anders, professor of accounting and VITA adviser. It’s estimated that in tax-preparation savings alone VITA puts $825,000 back into the local economy, in addition to the tax refunds generated. Most colleges only dedicate a coupl...

The four Ripley, N.Y, residents accused of operating a rolling meth lab along Interstate 90 and other area roads have waived their rights to extradition and were arraigned this morning in Erie County. The state Attorney General's Office says 42-year-old Eric Fuhs, 38-year-old Marie Kopta, 18-year-old Alexandria Gibbs and 20-year-old John Gibbs manufactured meth while driving back and forth between Erie and Ripley after buying supplies in and around Erie. The AG’s office is also accusing the four of bottling the toxic waste produced in the manufacture of meth and tossing it from the vehicle onto the highway. They are jailed on $50,000 bail each, according to online court records.

MEADVILLE -- The Department of Environmental Protection has issued a cease and desist order to Catalyst Energy Inc. that prohibits the company from conducting all drilling and hydro-fracturing operations for the 36 non-Marcellus wells within 2,500 feet of two homes in the Yellow Hammer area of Hickory Township, Forest County. The order was issued after a DEP investigation confirmed that private water supplies serving the two homes had been contaminated by natural gas and elevated levels of iron and manganese from Catalyst’s operations. DEP first received complaints about water quality – odor and a cloudy appearance – in January. Notices of violation were issued to Catalyst for groundwater contamination Feb. 10 and March 1 for the two affected homes. In late March, a follow-up investigation confirmed the presence of natural gas above the surface and dissolved in both water supplies. In 2010, DEP issued permits to Catalyst for 36 non-Marcellus wells in the Yellow Hammer neighborhood. Ac...

By SANDRA RHODES There’s one event for mystery lovers that will suit them to a “tea”. The Three Pine Mystery Tea will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 10, at the First Presbyterian Church on East Corydon Street. The tea is the latest installment of the One Book Bradford season. Enticing murder mystery conversation will be served along with an array of sweet and savory refreshments. Tickets are $10 a piece and will be available for purchase in advance at Grandma’s House Teas & Gifts on Congress Street. “Still Life” by Louise Penny of Quebec, Canada, was chosen for this year’s 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, including a visit from the author. As with each One Book Bradford season, the culminating event will be a visit by Penny at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, in the Mukaiyama University Room a...

Harrisburg – Recognizing the 22 people killed in work zones statewide last year, acting PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch, P.E., today joined other state officials and local public utility providers to mark the start of National Work Zone Awareness Week, which runs through April 8. “Highway work zones are among the most dangerous places to work, with workers putting their lives at risk each time they fix a roadway or repair a gas, electric or water line,” Schoch said. “These workers are trying to perform difficult jobs while tons of steel race past them. Always use caution in work zones and never drive distracted. Your life and the lives of highway workers and other motorists are at stake.” According to PennDOT data, the 22 people killed in work zones last year included four workers: three PennDOT employees and one contractor. Three of those worker deaths were caused by a vehicle entering the work zone. Since 1970, 82 PennDOT employees have been killed in the line of duty. The people w...

Two state police drug detection dogs were at Bradford Area High School this morning doing a search that had been planned by school officials and police. Principal Ken Coffman tells WESB and The HERO that the search was “part of an ongoing effort to keep our students safe from illegal drug activity.” Coffman, along with School Resource Officer Butch Bartlett and state police coordinated the search. Coffman said no one but the planners knew about it until a few minutes before the dogs arrived. The dogs – with their handlers Trooper Brett Hanlin of Clearfield and Trooper Reed Grenci of Mercer – arrived at the school at 8:20 a.m. and left at about 9:30 a.m. The school was on security lockdown while the dogs searched. Coffman said he couldn’t say if the dogs found anything.

A 17-year-old girl escaped from a mobile home on Looker Mountain Trail that caught on fire because of a propane gas leak on Sunday. A state police fire marshal says a valve on a line behind the kitchen stove was leaking, and the propane was ignited by the pilot light. The girl was asleep at the time of the fire, and the smoke woke her up. Damage to the Looker Mountain Trail home is estimated at $30,000. Police stressed in their report that this incident is not related to the house explosions in Bradford Township.

An Elk County judge is expected to determine soon whether a man accused of burning down a Ridgway house last summer is competent to stand trial. 22-year-old Philip Wolfel is accused of setting the Depot Street house on fire in August, a couple of hours after he was charged in connection to a fight he had with one of the residents of the house. All the people in the house escaped, but a 16-year-old boy was treated at Elk Regional Health Center because he was having difficulty breathing several hours after the fire. Wolfel is facing 23 charges including attempted homicide, arson, and causing a catastrophe. During a hearing Friday, the judge heard arguments concerning Wolfel’s competency and, at that time, said he would make a ruling to a week to 10 days.

Many of the Sisters of St. Joseph were in Bradford Sunday as part of their continuing yearlong celebration of their 150th anniversary of serving the Erie Diocese. A Mass celebrated by Father Leo Gallina, pastor of St. Bernard's Church, was followed by a reception in the parish center. The sisters are visiting communities in which they ministered throughout the years to reconnect with the people they served. Pictured, left, Kristen Tate Luther poses with Sister Mary Rachael McGuire, one of the most beloved teachers at Bradford Central Christian High School. Pictured, below, the reception honoring the sisters hosted by the St. Bernard's Catholic Women's Club. Personal note: When you hear me enunciate "our" (instead of pronouncing it like "are") that's because of Sister Rachel. ("because" of Sister Rachel, not "becuz")

In observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month we're featuring the book "Redemption: A Story of Sisterhood, Survival and Finding Freedom Behind Bars." This is the true story of Stacey Lannert, who shot and killed her sexually abusive father and spend 18 years in jail. She also discusses how she came to terms with what happened to her, and how she transformed her life. Listen here . WESB's annual series on Sexual Assault Awareness with the Bradford YWCA starts on Thursday, and will air every Thursday in April at 12:35 p.m. on 1490 WESB and at WESB.com .

A criminal complaint against Father Sam Slocum has been filed with District Judge Rich Luther’s office. According to online court records, Slocum is charged with interference with custody of children and concealment of whereabouts of a child, both third-degree felonies; corruption of minors; defiant trespassing; and loitering and prowling at night. State police filed the charges in connection to incidents on January 1.

A Kill Buck woman and her son have been arrested on drug charges following a yearlong investigation by the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force. 41-year-old Maria Jimerson is charged with criminal possession of heroin. 21-year-old William Rodrieguez is charged with possession of hypodermic instruments and unlawful possession of marijuana. At the time of arrest, Rodriguez was allegedly found with narcotics and was also charged with criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance. They were both taken to Cattaraugus County Jail.

Now that the Toughest Weather City Tournament is over, it’s time to concentrate on the Ultimate Fishing Town contest. You can fish anywhere in the area, and still nominate Bradford as the Ultimate Fishing Town. Linda Devlin of the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau explains. Bradford "is where you come to stay overnight, and buy your fishing gear. This is where you come to tell your fishing stories at the local bar or local restaurant," she said on Thursday's LiveLine. "You can fish in any of the streams around here," Devlin said, "Potato Creek, Allegany State Park, the Allegheny Reservoir -- and it's just that Bradford would be the Fishing Town." (Listen to Thursday's LiveLine here .) You don’t even have to fish to submit a nomination. You can just say you see other people fishing and having a good time. http://www.wfnfishingtown.com/town/bradford-pa/1582