Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A Potter County man is in jail in Allegany County, New York, after leading police on a chase at speeds of more than 100 miles an hour Tuesday night. Police say they attempted to pull over a pickup truck driven by 20-year-old Derrick Barker of Harrison Valley when he sped away on Route 417 between Bolivar and Alma. The chase continued into the Village of Wellsville, where Barker crashed the truck and ran into the woods. Police found Barker two hours later hiding in the woods dressed only in his underwear. He was arraigned on charges of driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana, fleeing an officer and related offenses, and sent to jail on $5,000 bail. The original news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Warren woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to providing contraband in prison. 47-year-old Robin Ostrowski provided marijuana and hydrocodeinone to an inmate at FCI Loretto on March 7, 2010. Sentencing is scheduled for April 3, and she faces up to 20 years in prison. The original news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Coudersport – A temporary lane restriction will run from Dec. 7 to 23 on Route 872, near Coudersport, Potter County. The daylight restriction is necessary so crews can obtain core-boring samples for a future bridge project. The restriction will run from the Route 872/Route 6 intersection to the Route 872/Costello Road intersection. Work hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should be alert for flaggers along the roadway, as traffic alternates turns through the work zone. For more information on roadway construction and maintenance operations, visit PennDOT’s website at http://www.dot.state.pa.us/ . Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAStateCOLL . The original news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Someone got a 7-point buck on Monday – but he got it after hunter took it and brought to his camp. State troopers say the freshly killed deer was stolen from a camp near Tidioute sometime between 1:30 and 3:30 Monday afternoon. The hunter from Painesville, Ohio, who police did not name, shot the deer legally earlier in the day. The original news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A former New York State corrections officer has pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of child pornography. 40-year-old Shawn Pound of Gowanda had 190 images of child pornography on two computers in his home in October of last year. Pound will be sentenced on March 5 and faces up to 20 years in prison. The original news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two men who took police on a high-speed chase in Wellsville, then a foot chase, were found hiding in the woods. Village police and state police found the driver of a pickup truck and his passenger hiding in a wooded area near the Wellsville Country club. The pickup is registered to a Potter County man, but police have not released his name yet. The chase started at around 9 p.m. and ended at around 11, after the truck crashed. Police didn’t say why the chase started.

The Bradford City Water Authority has lifted the Boil Water Advisory, effective immediately. All water samples collected and tested following state-mandated DEP guidance were returned safe as sampled. The testing was necessary after a large water main break on November 22. Water authority Executive Director Kim Benjamin says the authority "appreciates the cooperation and patience of all water system customers throughout this process of restoring water storage levels to normal, and assisting us in assuring that the public health of our customers was protected." http://bradfordwater.com

For the 19th consecutive year, the Friends of Hanley Library at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will present its annual “Season’s Readings” on WESB’s Live Line program with its host Anne Holliday. The show, which can be heard at 1490 AM, will be broadcast at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 7. Dr. Don Ulin, associate professor of English, will read excerpts from David McKain’s book, “Spellbound: Growing up in God’s Country.” Published in 1988, McKain’s memoir looks back at his turbulent boyhood years growing up in Bradford. According to Pat Donahue, president of the Friends of Hanley Library, “The Friends are grateful to Dr. Ulin for bringing this wonderful holiday event to our region each December and for continuing the tradition begun by Dr. Robert Laing in the 1990s. We always look forward to hearing his selections. We also appreciate that WESB’s Live Line format allows the Friends to reach many listeners in their homes and places of work.” The Fr...

A Tennessee man is in jail for allegedly raping an Elk County girl over the weekend. Emporium State Police say they were helping St. Marys Police locate a missing 13-year-old, who they found at a home along CCC Memorial Highway in Cameron County. They say she was with 20-year-old Jonathon Allen Prater, and determined that he sexually assaulted her. Prater is charged with rape, involuntary sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and interference with custody of children, all felonies. He’s in Elk County Jail on $250,000 bail. Note: This is not the same person accused of killing an Eldred teenager earlier this year. That is Jonothan Edward Prather, who is in Potter County Jail without bail.

On today's LiveLine I spoke with Identity Theft Expert Joanna Crane, executive adviser to the Identity Theft Resource Center. She gave some useful tips on how to protect yourself. My other guest was travel expert Nicole Hockin who shared some tips for traveling during the holidays. You can listen here .

A St. Marys man is in jail after turning himself in to University Park police following a domestic incident. 21-year-old Michael Delullo was involved in a dispute with a female Penn State student in her on-campus apartment last night and, during the incident, he allegedly displayed a handgun and threatened to kill himself. The woman escaped the apartment and when she returned Delullo was gone. Police learned that he fled to Clearfield County, where they were able to contact him and convince him to turn himself in. Delullo, who is not a Penn State student, is charged with a felony count of possession of a firearm without a license, and misdemeanor counts of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment. He’s in Centre County Jail on $50,000 bail.

Dr. Conrad Murray has been sentenced to four years in custody in the death of Michael Jackson. Three weeks ago, Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death. Prosecutors successfully argued that Murray's reckless use of the surgical anesthetic propofol to help Jackson sleep, without proper monitoring equipment, led to the singer's death. Testimony during Murray's trial revealed that he gave propofol nearly every night in the two months before the singer's June 25, 2009, death as Jackson prepared for upcoming comeback concerts in London. For more on this story go to CNN.com .

Area residents who are opposed to a convicted murderer being relocated from a state prison to the Just for Jesus Homeless Outreach shelter in Brockway should urge their local officials to hold a public hearing on the proposed placement, according to Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson). Scarnati said many residents who live by the facility do not want Tracy Alexander, a recently released inmate from SCI Fayette, to move to Just for Jesus because of safety concerns. He said that local governments have the authority to require that residents have an opportunity to have their questions answered in light of safety concerns of the community with the transfer. “This is a chance for people in the community to let their local officials know that they have legitimate concerns about a dangerous criminal moving into their neighborhood,” Scarnati said. “This has been an ongoing issue and one that has caused a great deal of anxiety for folks in this area. They need to be able to voice their opin...

A 25-year-old Collins man has pleaded not guilty to raping a 19-year-old woman in Little Valley last November. Brian Blasdell pleaded not guilty on Monday to third degree rape and third degree assault. Blasdell allegedly raped the teen on November 25, 2010, and prosecutors say Blasdell "engaged in sexual intercourse with another person without their consent and recklessly caused injury to another person." The case has been adjourned for motions.

An Allegany man who served time for a fatal beating in 1994 has been arraigned on a nine-count indictment that includes assaulting his wife. 50-year-old Gerald Lapiere is accused of assaulting a woman with a lamp on August 26 in the Town of Allegany. He is also charged with sexual abuse, aggravated sexual abuse, strangulation and unlawful imprisonment. Lapiere pleaded not guilty, but a judge increased his bail form $50,000 to $250,000. He will be back in court in January. On August 1, 1996, Lapiere pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in the beating and strangulation death of 59-year-old Joseph D. Kielar. Kielar died March 18, 1994. He was found in his Hinsdale home by his two sons, who came to check on him.

A Stockton, New York, woman is facing charges after calling sheriff’s deputies about a possible intruder in her home. Deputies were called to the home at about 11 o'clock Sunday night, but didn't find any signs of a break-in. They did, however, find marijuana and paraphernalia in plain view. 38-year-old Nancy Gibbons was charged with unlawful possession and will appear in Stockton Town Court at a later date.

An 80-year-old woman was taken to Altoona Hospital after an accident Friday on Route 120 in Emporium. State police say Esther McKimm of Emporium was in the westbound lane of Fourth Street when her car crossed the center line and hit a pickup truck driven by 42-year-old Steven Welsh of Austin. Her car then traveled back into the westbound lane and hit a parked car. McKimm was taken to the hospital by ambulance for treatment of moderate injuries. Welsh wasn’t hurt.

An Erie man suffered minor injuries in an accident Sunday night on Route 120 in Driftwood. State police say an SUV driven by 57-year-old Paul Pitonyak Jr. went out of control while rounding a curve, hit an embankment and was disabled. Pitonyak was cited for driving at an unsafe speed.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today urging him to not to implement new rules on private mineral rights in the Allegheny National Forest. On a recent trip to northwestern Pennsylvania, Sen. Toomey met with local officials who expressed concern about an increased push by the federal government to impose burdensome regulations on mineral extraction. The Allegheny National Forest is unique because 93 percent of the forest’s subsurface mineral rights are privately held. Developing both the oil and natural gas in the Allegheny National Forest are a key economic driver for this rural region in Pennsylvania. In his letter, Sen. Toomey urges Secretary Vilsack to forgo imposing a new layer of federal rulemaking that will seriously hinder extraction of these privately-owned minerals and cost the region jobs. “It is not clear to me that the initiated rulemaking would address any environmental concerns not already handled by t...

Buffalo, N.Y. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), announced the seizure of over eighteen thousand marijuana pipes and accessory paraphernalia in a cargo shipment attempting to cross at the Peace Bridge. On November 5th, CBP Officers intercepted a shipment of 147 boxes of illegal drug paraphernalia destined to New York City. (See photo) The shipment, originating in China, was being hauled across the border manifested as glass vases and pipe accessories. The shipment was targeted by CBP Trade Enforcement Officers due to discrepancies in the shipping paperwork and was held for a secondary inspection. The boxes were offloaded and all items were inventoried and inspected. A total of over 16,000 marijuana smoking pipes were discovered and over 2,000 other accessory items were revealed. The Port of Buffalo has executed approximately five other similar seizures in 2011, all goods originating from East Asia, with this case being the largest. In almost all cases, the quantity a...