Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Construction crews at the Seneca Allegany Casino’s new hotel tower hoisted up the final beam of the framework this morning. That milestone came several weeks ahead of schedule. During a ceremony at the casino, Seneca Nation President Robert Odawi Porter said, “This ends an important phase in this project and is one more step in the economic sovereignty of the Seneca Nation of Indians. The $53 million expansion project will add about 200 rooms, doubling the hotel’s capacity. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Pittsburgh Pirates' Pedro Alvarez poses with a young fan and gets a workout today in Pirate City. Photos courtesy of the Pittsburgh Pirates The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The annual ‘One World’ Cultural Festival will be held at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, in the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The theme of this year’s festival will be Polynesia, featuring dancing by Tuika’s Polynesian Island Magic, as well as returning favorites, such as the International Sampling Buffet, a routine by the Pitt-Bradford Dance Team, the Parade of the Nations and a wide array of international displays and booths. Those dining at the International Sampling Buffet are asked to bring a dish to share or make a $5 donation. There is no charge for Pitt-Bradford students. Tuika’s Polynesian Island Magic is a Polynesian entertainment group from the Pittsburgh area that brings authentic Hawaiian and Polynesian dance, music and costumes with its Hawaiian Hula dancers and Samoan dancers. The group has entertained for events throughout the United States and at colleges such as the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State and Allegheny Co...

The Buffalo Bills announced today that season ticket prices will not increase for the coming season, and tickets in two sections will actually be cheaper than they were last season. According to BuffaloBills.com , Tops Family Corner ticket prices dropped $10 from last season, to $30 per game. The Coors Light Rockpile prices will be $25 per game, $15 less than last season. The team also announced that the preseason game previously scheduled to be played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto will now be played at Ralph Wilson Stadium, due to a scheduling conflict in Toronto. The Bills will still play one regular season game in Toronto. You can listen to the Buffalo Bills all season long on 100.1 The Hero. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Richard "Jack" Bottorf, Jr., 57, of 555 East Main Street, passed away Monday, February 20th, 2012 at Bradford Regional Medical Center. Born March 29, 2054, in Cleveland, Ohio, he was a son of the late R. Jack Bottorf and Norma J. (Pace) Bunce and step father Glenn D. Bunce of Chesterfield who survives. He was formerly married to Brenda Kerr who survives. Mr. Bottorf was a 1972 graduate of Bradford Area High School. He served in the United States Navy. After the service he worked in Baton Rouge in offshore drilling, returned to Bradford, worked for S. W. Neilly Air Notching then moved to Virginia, and worked for the Department of Transportation. Mr. Bottorf had been a coach for the Legion Baseball team. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed playing baseball and golfing. He loved football and was a Browns football fan. A favorite hobby of his was landscaping. He is survived by one daughter, Brooke L. Bottorf of Bradford, one sister Debra Kimbrell of Baton Rouge, LA; t...

One of the men who stole hundreds of pounds of copper from a lumber yard in Great Valley on April 28 has pleaded guilty. 28-year-old Douglas Reed of Great Valley, along with two other men stole the copper from Donver’s Lumber Yard. One of Reed’s co-defendants, Jason Dille, of Great Valley, pleaded guilty in August. Reed will be sentenced May 21. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Three people appeared in Cattaraugus County Court Tuesday on drug charges. 40-year-old Karen Fries of Allegany was sentenced to five years’ probation for attempting to sell crack cocaine in Olean on May 26, 2010. 35-year-old David Vattes of Olean was sentenced to five years’ probation for selling a narcotic preparation on March 17, 2011, in Olean. 28-year-old Alicia Tyger of Salamanca pleaded guilty to attempting to sell Oxycodone in Salamanca on December 21, 2010. The district attorney’s office did not say when she would be sentenced. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two men have pleaded guilty in Cattaraugus County Court to attempted burglary in connection to separate incidents last spring. 19-year-old Jandrew Terwilliger of Franklinville attempted to enter a building in Franklinville on May 8. He’ll be sentenced April 23. 23-year-old Travis Gilbert of Salamanca broke into a Great Valley home on April 28 and stole several items. Gilbert will be sentenced May 14. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Salamanca man has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder. 24-year-old Allen Larkin Jr. was indicted for seriously injuring a woman in what police are calling an unprovoked attack. The alleged attack happened December 11, 2011, on Messenger Street. The woman had to be taken to Olean General Hospital for treatment. The indictment charges Larkin with attempted murder, assault, and reckless endangerment, all felonies. He is also charged with misdemeanor counts of menacing and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the cattaraugus County District Attorney's office. He allegedly attacked the woman with a metal snow brush. The matter has been adjourned for motions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

State police are investigating threats that were made against police, prosecutors and judges in Warren County over a past criminal case. The threats were made between Jan. 14 and Feb. 9 and targeted Warren County District Attorney Ross McKeirnan and Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Feronti; Warren County President Judge Maureen Skerda and Senior Judge William Morgan; state police Trooper Jeffrey Walters; and two other people, who police did not name. Police say the victims got correspondence indicating that harm and/or death would come to them for their roles in a past prosecution. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

CARE kid, Damien, age 7, gets some last-minute instruction before hitting the slopes at Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, New York on Monday during CARE for Children’s ski outing for children of all abilities. Damien is pictured with Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program volunteer ski instructors Patty Jordan-Smith (l) and Eric Marasco (r). A total of 12 children from ages six through 17 took part in the afternoon of instruction, including two children that were sit-down skiers using mono and bi ski equipment. The event, including transportation, lift tickets and lunch, was sponsored by the Port Allegany Rotary Club. Through the Lounsbury program, a chapter of Disable Sport/USA, certified, volunteer ski instructors provide expert coaching and instruction to children of varying abilities. The program also provides a wide-range of adaptive equipment to meet the needs of each individual participant. This is the ninth year that CARE for Children has offered the program. The adaptive ski outing is ...

In case you missed State Representative Marty Causer on today's LiveLine on 1490 WESB, you can still listen here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Atlantic 10 has selected St. Bonaventure senior forward Andrew Nicholson and Xavier senior guard Tu Holloway as its Men's Basketball Co-Players of the Week. Nicholson - earning league honors for the second straight week - averaged 25.5 points and 9.0 rebounds, while shooting 4-of-4 from 3-point range and 60 percent from the floor overall (20-30) in a split week for the Bonnies. The Mississauga, Ontario, native finished with 19 points, five rebounds and four blocks in a 76-70 loss to league-leader Temple. On senior night versus Rhode Island, Nicholson had 20 points before halftime, totaling 32 points and 13 boards to complete his fifth double-double of the year. Nicholson is just shy of averaging a double-double in his last 10 games, posting 19.7 points and 9.7 caroms in those A-10 contests. Holloway led Xavier with 32 points (one shy of his career high), six rebounds, five assists and two steals in a win over Dayton. Massachusetts redshirt freshman forward Maxie Esho was chosen...

Newly acquired Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett, right, talks with catcher Rod Barajas following a bullpen session today in Bradenton, Florida. Photo provided by the Pittsburgh Pirates The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Soprano Victoria Canizzo and tenor Alok Kumar will perform a recital of operatic duets, arias and love songs at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26, at The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University. Canizzo and Kumar, winners of the Quick Center for the Arts Performance Prize at the 2011 Liederkranz Competition in New York City, will be accompanied by pianist Elizabeth Hastings. This is the sixth concert of the Friends of Good Music season at The Quick Center. The concert will be narrated by Joseph A. LoSchiavo, associate vice president for The Quick Center at St. Bonaventure. He will guide the audience through the evening, explaining the settings of the works being performed and providing background information about the operas and composers. LoSchiavo is also a noted opera stage director who has directed productions for the New York City Opera National Company, the Kentucky Opera, the Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap Festival in Washington, D.C., and many others. Annually since...

Riding a program-best 14-game winning streak, the 25-2 St. Bonaventure women's basketball team moved up to No. 19 in the Associated Press Poll released Monday afternoon. The Bonnies, undefeated in Atlantic 10 Conference play at 12-0, are coming off a 66-48 win over Xavier on Saturday in front of a Homecoming Weekend crowd. The victory extended Bonaventure's regular-season A-10 winning streak to 16 straight, dating back to last season. The only team in the nation with more wins than St. Bonaventure is No. 1 Baylor (27-0). No. 3 Notre Dame is also 25-2 on the year. Bonaventure, which broke into the AP Top 25 three weeks ago at No. 25, was ranked No. 22 last week before cracking the top-20 for the first time in program history on Monday. The ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll will be released Tuesday afternoon. The Bonnies were ranked No. 25 in that poll last week. SBU returns to action in its regular-season home finale on Wednesday against Fordham. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Bo...

Police say a Cheektowaga, New York, woman tried to kill herself Saturday night at the Corydon Hotel. They say the 33-year-old woman tried to commit suicide by consuming an excessive amount of prescription pills. She was taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center for treatment. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Wilcox man wasn’t hurt when he fell asleep while driving on Oil Creek Road in Jones Township Sunday night. State Police say after 52-year-old Bruce Anderson fell asleep his pickup truck crossed the road and hit a tree. The truck had to be towed from the scene. Anderson will be cited for not reporting the accident to police. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Bradford Area School District, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, and the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce are seeking community support for a new project called Art of the Heart. Art of the Heart, intended to encourage compassion within the Bradford community, is a project designed to engage students in expressing their vision of compassion through art. The project will bring together students in the area schools and students at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford to create a mosaic of ceramic tiles, with each tile depicting the student’s vision of compassion. The mural of tiles will be displayed for the public in the late spring. At the conclusion of the public display, the tiles will be given away to area businesses, schools, and offices to act as an ongoing reminder of the importance of compassion in our daily lives. Community members can support the Art of the Heart project in many ways: by attending the showing of the mosaic; continuing the conversation about compa...

Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., who has served as president of St. Bonaventure University since 2004, has been named the new chair of the Board of Directors of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU). Sr. Margaret, who was previously secretary of the board, will serve as chair for a two-year term that began Feb. 1. She succeeds the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., president of DePaul University. Also at the ACCU’s 2012 annual meeting, the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, O.S.F.S., president of Rockhurst University, was re-elected to the board for a second term and will serve as the group’s new secretary. Association members also elected Sr. Mary Reap, I.H.M., president of Elms College, to the board for her first term, which will end in 2015. Daniel J. Curran, Ph.D., president of the University of Dayton, was also elected for his first full term, though he had previously been appointed to the board to complete the term of Sr. Rosemarie Nassif, S.S.N.D., who retired a...