Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The Penn State Extension, in collaboration with the Bradford Public Library, is offering a monthly Saturday morning Nature, Science and Crafts Club at the Bradford Public Library Community Room for youth ages 7 - 11. The other WIFI is an initiative to reconnect youth to nature through youth programs about the PA Wilds that are Informative, FUN and Imaginative. Have fun exploring natural wonders through library scavenger hunts and nature themed crafts, games, experiments and hands-on activities. The first meeting is on Saturday October 8 from 10:00 am until 11:30am. This month's theme is leaf identification through games and a scavenger hunt. Participants will also make a leaf art project and have a snack. For further information call 814-887-5613 or email lmj14@psu.edu . To register contact the Bradford Public Library front desk.

Chris Mackowski, associate professor of journalism and mass communication at St. Bonaventure University, has published a new book on the Civil War battle of Chancellorsville. “Chancellorsville: Crossroads of Fire” recounts the events of the May 1863 battle, frequently cited as Confederate commander Robert E. Lee’s “greatest victory” because the Southern army overcame odds of nearly three to one. The book also serves as a tour guide for the battlefield. “There’s a lot that’s been written about the battle over the years, but not much has been written about the battlefield,” Mackowski says. “It was really a treat to be able to take readers behind the scenes and recount the history of the battlefield.” The book is designed so that readers can get an overview of the battlefield in a quick, easy-to-understand narrative, Mackowski explains. The book contains dozens of historical and contemporary photos and several original maps. “The books is something someone can pick up and read in an eveni...

Kane Community Hospital (KCH) marked a major electronic health record (EHR) adoption milestone recently when the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics recognized the 31-bed facility with Stage 6 Certification. HIMSS Analytics created its Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model using an eight-step scale that charts the path to a fully paperless health records environment. KCH is the 183rd hospital in the country—placing it among just 3.5% of U.S. hospitals—to achieve Stage 6 Certification. The requirements for HIMSS Analytics certification set a high bar for hospitals. KCH had to demonstrate that all application capabilities for Stage 6 Certification were operational, and that all lower certification levels had been achieved. This means KCH has met the HIMSS Analytics certification requirements in 20 areas, including radiology, transcription, pharmacy, patient care instructions, clinical decision support, clinical documentation, order communication (C...

The Allegheny National Forest has announced that the Timberline ATV trail system will be open on three different Sundays in October (10/9, 10/16, and 10/23) to offer additional fall riding experiences for trail users. The west side of the D Loop (from FR 339 to FR 113) will remain closed due to maintenance work occurring on that section of the trail. All other Allegheny National Forest ATV trails (Marienville ATV, Marienville Bike, Rocky Gap, and Willow Creek) will also remain closed. A valid trail pass (daily or annual) is required for riding the National Forest ATV trail system. The Marienville Ranger District Office will not be open for permit sales on these additional dates, however operators can purchase permits at the following locations: Forest Recreation (south of Marienville on Hwy 66), open from 9am-4pm Sat & Sun; Tionesta Visitor Center, open from 10am-2pm Sat & Sun; Russell City Store, open 10am-5pm Sat & Sun; and Forest Lodge in Pigeon, open 8am to 4pm, Sat ...

After a brief hiatus Book Talk is back (Yes, I'm feeling better. Kinda) and to mark the return we have a chat with best-selling author Diana Palmer, who talks about her latest book "Merciless." Listen here . In the coming weeks you'll hear from best-selling authors Emilie Richards and Carla Neggers, along with Robbie Cheuvront, formerly of the group Lonestar. And ... wait for it ... Jackie Collins! Remember, you can find books by all your favorite authors at the Bradford Area Public Library .

A North Harmony man is in jail after standing in traffic Wednesday afternoon. Sheriff’s deputies say 54-year-old Randall Lawergren was standing on Button Valley Road at around 3 o’clock, causing vehicle to swerve onto the shoulder to avoid hitting him. Lawergren was charged with disorderly conduct. After his arrest, deputies discovered he had an outstanding warrant in the town of Busti for aggravated harassment. On September 14, he allegedly called a Busti resident and threatened him several times.

A Clymer, New York, man stopped for not using a turn signal is now facing charges for, among other things, driving after his driver’s license had been suspended 19 times. Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputies say when they stopped 34-year-old Christopher Nielson at about 8 o’clock last night in the Town of Ripley he gave them the wrong spelling of his last name in an effort to prevent them from obstaining his driving status. Once they got the correct spelling, they learned about the license suspension, and also that his license had expired. He is charged with false personation and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Nielson’s passenger, 27-year-old Kristan Heber of Oil City is charged with facilitating aggravated unlicensed operation. They will both appear in court at a later date.

Don’t expect oil and gas drilling in Allegany State Park after all. Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday signed two pieces of legislation giving broad new protections against drilling in the park. The legislation comes a couple years after U.S. Energy Development of Getzville, which has drilling operations in Western New York and Pennsylvania, said it had subsurface mineral rights in the park and wanted state approval to sink five test wells. US Energy says it has claims on 2,800 acres in the Red House area of the park. The two-bill package Cuomo signed says any oil and gas claim not actively used within the past 20 years shall be considered "extinguished" and the rights reverted to the state, and gives the state parks department powers over any effort to explore or drill within Allegany State Park.

The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University opens the fall season with a number of new exhibitions and programs that focus on the art and music of the 20th century. Works from various artists and movements of the 20th century are on display in the Quick Art Center’s Paul W. Beltz Gallery in the exhibition “Out of the Soupcan: Art of the Mid-Century and Beyond,” on exhibition now through Dec. 30. Highlighted among these works are Moroccan inspired paintings by Cecile Brunswick. Also included are works by Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, and Helen Frankenthaler on loan from Bonnie Perryman in memory of her brother, Robert Young, as well as a rotating selection of 150 photos by Andy Warhol recently received by the Quick Center from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts through a nationally competitive grant. Accompanying the exhibition is a guide to the interchange of psychology and art written by St. Bonaventure professor of psychology Dr. Robin Valeri....

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Alumni Association will honor Dr. Shailendra Gajanan with its Teaching Excellence Award and Ryan Race ’07 as its Distinguished Volunteer as part of Alumni and Family Weekend. Gajanan was nominated by Danielle Graves ’00, who was an economics minor at Pitt-Bradford, in large part due to Gajanan’s teachings. “Economics can be a rather uninteresting subject for some,” she wrote in her nomination. “While attending classes with Dr. Gajanan, however, I never felt that he lost anyone’s attention. He used humor and really taught the subject on a level that related to all of the students, such as using examples with beer and pretzels.” Mark Byrne ’98 also nominated Gajanan. “As a former student, I can say, without hesitation, that Dr. Gajanan played a major role in my development at Pitt-Bradford. His intellect, subtle wit and keen sense of how to connect with students furthered my educational experience at...

St. Bonaventure University alumnus Thomas Marra, ’80, and his wife, Michelle, have made a donation to the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation to fund a one-time scholarship for a Southwestern High School graduate who plans to attend St. Bonaventure University. “We wanted to show our support for both Southwestern High School and St. Bonaventure, so this gift will highlight the commitment to excellence of both institutions,” said Marra, a native of Jamestown, N.Y., and alumnus of Southwestern. Marra is the president and CEO of Symetra Financial Corporation in Bellevue, Wash. “The Southwestern High School family is very grateful to Tom and Michelle for this gift, and we are very happy it will help one of our students to attend such a fine institution as St. Bonaventure,” said Michael Cipolla, principal of Southwestern High School. Cipollo is also a 1999, 2003, and 2005 graduate of St. Bonaventure. The $2,500 scholarship will be awarded by the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation to a...

A grant from the global professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers is supporting a new career mentoring program designed to recruit and retain minority accounting students in St. Bonaventure University’s School of Business. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) representatives were on campus recently for a presentation to all accounting majors on career readiness strategies, and to recognize three freshmen who have been chosen as the program’s inaugural participants: Thomas Green of Rochester, Dominic Greene of the Bronx, and Michael Marin of East Elmhurst, N.Y. The PwC grant was awarded to Dr. Susan Anders, professor of accounting at St. Bonaventure and chair of its Accounting Department, and Dr. Carol M. Fischer, professor of accounting and associate dean of business, to support their Accounting Scholars Program. The PricewaterhouseCoopers INQuiries grant is part of a larger effort by PwC to support diversity initiatives in accounting programs, added Fischer. “The program is designed ...

Someone stole hundreds of pounds of squash from an Elk County man’s garden earlier this week. State police say the thief stole four Hubbard squash from the garden of Kenneth Patterson sometime between 7:30 Tuesday night and 12:30 Thursday afternoon. The squash weighed between 70 and 90 pounds each. The thief also took 12 smaller squash weighing about 8 pounds each. The total value of the stolen squash is $136.

Someone broke into a Glenn O. Hawbaker Scale House in Turtlepoint and stole some money. State Police say someone pried open a door sometime between 5 o’clock Thursday afternoon and 5:50 this morning. Police did not say how much money was taken. They are continuing their investigation.

Do you like to play games? If you enjoy games, you’ll love chess! To learn how to play or to improve your play, visit the Bradford Knights’ Chess Club on Wednesday, October 5 at 6:30 PM at School Street Elementary. Players may register at the door. The club meets in the School Street Elementary cafeteria each Wednesday from 6:30 - 8:15 PM. All students in grades 3-12 are invited to join the scholastic chess program. The introductory program is scheduled for 4-weeks from October 5 through October 26. The Bradford Businessmen’s Chess League will begin November 2 and run through March 7. Many activities are scheduled, including pizza parties, matches, and tournaments. Research continues to confirm the educational value that chess instruction has on cognitive development, critical thinking skills, and academic subjects. There is a fee. For additional information about joining the club or the educational benefits of chess, please contact execdir@amchess.org .

Bradford City Police were called to a couple of fights on Wednesday, one at Interstate Parkway and Bennett Street, the other on North Center Street. Officers were called to a domestic disturbance on Belleview Avenue, and a disturbance on Mechanic Street on Thursday. Police got calls about a theft on Foreman Street, harassment on Pleasant and Foreman streets, a public drunk on Davis Street and a suspicious person on South Center Street, according to the complaint report and request sheet.

A 17-year-old Little Valley girl has been cited for harassment after throwing a cup of hot chocolate at another female. Sheriff’s deputies say the girl, who they did not identify, threw the hot chocolate while watching a football game in Salamanca on Saturday. She’s scheduled to appear in Salamanca City Court on October 5.

A Salamanca woman has been arrested on drug charges. 27-year-old Ashley John is charged with criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance. After being picked up on a warrant, she was taken to Cattaraugus County Jail, where she is being held without bail.

State Police are investigating a theft of money from the American Legion Post in Crosby. They say about $3,200 was taken from the John Berg American Legion Post 976 in June. Police say no other details are available at this time.

A Fredonia man is facing charges after a domestic dispute with his grandmother. 27-year-old James Hanson is accused of picking up a laptop computer, putting it over her head and threatening to hit her with it. He also threw a dinner plate across the kitchen. Hanson was sent to Chautauqua County Jail on $5,000 cash bail.