Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

UPDATE: Power restored to 2,300 customers at 8:52 a.m. Still no word on what caused the problem. A blown circuit breaker at the Mill Street substation has caused a power outage in most of the City of Bradford. Penelec crews are on the scene trying to fix the problem. Schools will be open today. Police and Special Police are directing traffic where traffic lights are out. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Judge John Cleland says a request by Jerry Sandusky’s defense team for more information from the attorney general’s office in his child sex abuse case is moot because prosecutors have said they can’t produce more information. Sandusky’s lawyers argued on Monday that they need more information on when and where the alleged crimes took place so they can present a defense. Prosecutors did turn over information a couple of weeks ago but Sandusky lawyer Joe Amendola said it wasn’t specific enough. Also today, Cleand issued a two-paragraph order saying the names of people identified in grand jury reports as victims 1 through 10 remain under seal "and may not be disclosed by any person, except pursuant to court order" or other judicial authorization. Jury selection in the trial is scheduled for May 14. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

During Monday's Bradford Area School Board meeting, superintendent Sandra Romanowski gave a presentation about the cut in education funding in this year’s state budget. She noted that funding for prisons has increased more than funding for education. "What are (the state's) priorities? Prisons or schools?" she asked. "If you look at many of the most vulnerable children that we have served in our community day in and day out, you will see that if nothing else is done and they don't receive good educations, and they don't receive ... the support systems that they need you will definitely have to increase your costs for prisons because those children -- many of them -- will end up there." As the state budget stands now, the Bradford Area School District would see a decrease of $670 per student. Port Allegany and Kane would see decreases of $850 and $845 per student, respectively, and Oswayo Valley would see a decrease of $717 per student. Also during th...

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y., March 13, 2012 — St. Bonaventure University’s new business center will be named the William E. & Ann L. Swan Business Center after Ann L. Swan of Clarence, N.Y., and her husband, the late William E. Swan, ’69. Bill Swan served Western New York as a business leader and philanthropist, and was a dedicated St. Bonaventure University alumnus and Board of Trustees chair. Mrs. Swan has given a $3 million gift to St. Bonaventure’s School of Business Campaign as a means of honoring Bill’s commitment to the Franciscan tradition while also continuing the couple’s extraordinary legacy of philanthropy. “The university’s Board of Trustees decided to honor Bill’s memory and Ann’s continued leadership in Catholic higher education at St. Bonaventure, Hilbert College and Christ the King Seminary by naming the building after them,” said Jack McGinley Jr., chair of the Board of Trustees. “Bill was very proud of being a St. Bonaventure graduate and he reminded business colleag...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) today praised Senate passage of a bipartisan amendment he co-sponsored to the pending highway bill that would free farmers from onerous red tape. The amendment, which passed by voice vote, would clarify that the federal government may not require farmers to comply with the same red tape reporting requirements that apply to long-haul truckers. Farm truck regulations would instead be left to states to decide, without interference from the U.S. Transportation Department. The amendment is sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and co-sponsored by Sens. Toomey and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). Farmers and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau reached out to Sen. Toomey for help cutting through this red tape. Sen. Toomey’s constituent services campaign, Had Enough?, asks Pennsylvanians to tell the senator their experiences with red tape, government waste and overregulation. Had Enough? is focused on helping Pennsylvanians, finding solutions, and making the fed...

The officers and members of Olean Elks Lodge #491 will honor Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., president of St. Bonaventure University, as their “Citizen of the Year” at a dinner to be held on Saturday, March 31. Each Lodge is encouraged to select a citizen, not necessarily an Elk, who has contributed in a special way to improving the local community. This individual should be someone who has shown leadership in the community; has contributed voluntary service; and is recognized as being an all-around good citizen. Sr. Margaret was selected for this recognition because of her continuous, untiring community involvement. In December 2010, during the re-location process of the Warming House, Sr. Margaret commended the citizens of Olean for coming forward and giving their opinions, whether in favor of or against the re-location of the Warming House. She thanked the Olean community for the opportunity to hear their concerns. In 2008 at the GOACC Annual Awards Dinner, the chairman of St. Bonavent...

The men's swimming team have been ranked for the CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Major Division 1 Rankings. The men were ranked 20th in the standings with 215.86 points. The men were ranked 23rd in February. Atlantic-10 rival and 6-time defending champion Massachusetts was the highest ranked A-10 team at 18th with 239.40. A-10 foes, Fordham, George Washington and Xavier also received consideration. Canisius, Niagara and Binghamton who faced the Bonnies in regular season are also receiving considering in the Division 1 Rankings. The men are coming off of their sixth straight silver medal at the Atlantic 10 Swimming and Diving Championships, earning 567 points. The St. Bonaventure women's swimming team is also receiving consideration in the Division 1 Rankings with 203.87 points.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn 'GT' Thompson recently received the National PTA Congressional Voice for Children Award. Thompson was recognized for the award, along with U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), on Thursday, March 8, 2012, during National PTA’s Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. National PTA’s Congressional Voice for Children Award is given to two Members of Congress each year in recognition of outstanding leadership related to child and education advocacy. "Representative Thompson has been a member of the House Education and Workforce Committee since being sworn into office in 2009. Earlier this year, Representative Thompson played a critical role in saving the Parent Information and Resource Centers from elimination when he supported the Platts Amendment during the Education and Workforce Committee’s markup of the Setting New Priorities in Education Spending Act,” National PTA stated, in a release issued earlier today. “In additi...

The St. Bonaventure men's basketball team will depart campus at 10:15 Wednesday morning and arrive at Buffalo Niagara International at approximately noon. The campus and Greater Olean communities are invited to a brief sendoff salute to the men's basketball team Wednesday morning as they leave for Nashville and their first-round NCAA Tournament game. The basketball-court parking lot between Richter and Reilly centers will be closed off, with the team boarding the bus starting at 10 a.m. and departing campus at 10:15 a.m., led by a police and fire escort through the village of Allegany and down West State and North Union streets in Olean as they head north to the Buffalo airport. The bus will drive down Union Road in Allegany to get to the west end of the village and head back east toward Olean down West State. Well-wishers are asked to gather by 10 a.m. at the parking lot, and business owners and community members are encouraged to stand outside and salute the team as they he...

State and Congressional redistricting has received most of the focus as lawmakers try to draw new district maps, but boundaries for District Judges are also under review following the federal Census. McKean County Judge John Pavlock today issued a report saying outlining he has proposed. The report says although there is a minor decline in McKean County’s population, the likelihood of increased population and caseload from Marcellus and standard natural gas development are among the factors that outweigh a reduction in district judges. He said caseloads of the current judges, however, does call for a change in the current districts. The proposal moves the City of Bradford’s 6th Ward 1st District from District Judge Dominic Cercone to Rich Luther. Lafayette Township would move from District Judge Bill Todd to David Engman. Pavlock said if, after the next federal Census, McKean County sees another population decline and increased demands do not materialize, reduction may be appropriate. ...

A Forestville man is dead after a one-car crash at around 3 o’clock this morning. Sheriff’s deputies say 21-year-old Christopher Reading Jr. was on Dennison Road in the Town of Hanover when his car left the road, spun around and then hit a utility pole that broke off. Reading was pronounced dead at the scene. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Four people appeared in Cattaraugus County Court Monday for selling drugs in Olean. Rodney “Kippy” Pearson of Olean has been sentenced as a second felony offender to three years in prison for selling cocaine on June 12. Robert Barnes and Jesse Conner were each sentenced to 5 years’ probation. Barnes sold Xanax pills on November 10, 2010. Conner sold cocaine on March 25, 2011. Jody Peterson pleaded guilty to selling cocaine on February 12, 2011. He will be sentenced May 14.

The St. Bonaventure women's basketball team will travel to Tallahassee, FL as the fifth seed in the Raleigh Region in the NCAA Tournment. They will take on Florida Gulf Coast Sunday at 2:30 p.m. "It's a pretty good time to be a Bonnie right now. There's no doubt about that," said Atlantic 10 and ESPN.com Coach of the Year Jim Crowley during a selection show viewing party at the Reilly Center. "A pretty good time to be a Bonnie right now."

A Bradford man who pleaded guilty to robbing the Sugar Creek store in Olean in September of 2008 and Domino’s Pizza in Allegany in October of 2008, will spend the next 5 years in state prison. 21-year-old James Baribeau was sentenced today in Cattaraugus County Court to 5 years in prison for each incident, but he will be able to serve the sentences at the same time. Baribeau robbed Domino’s with Douglas Carnahan and James Munday, who have already been sentenced. He used an unloaded .357 Magnum supplied by Kyle Grandientti in the Sugar Creek robbery. Grandinetti has already been sentenced for his part in that crime. Baribeau and co-conspirators also robbed the Chestnut Street Uni-Mart and Mastercraft on East Main Street in Bradford and the Hilltop Baptist Church back in 2008.

A Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department patrol car collided with an Amish buggy as it was responding to a report of an underage party Sunday evening. Sheriff's deputies say the Amish buggies were traveling in both lanes of Clymer Hill Road in Sherman when the patrol vehicle approached them. One of the buggies moved aside, but another one -- driven by 20-year-old Marty Troyer of Panaman -- moved into the other lane and collided with the car. The buggy flipped onto its side, and the horse separated from the buggy and ran to a nearby stream. A passenger, 19-year-old Marvin Byler of Sherman, suffered minor injuries when his leg was caught underneath the buggy. Two of the other buggies fled the scene after the crash. Deputies say Marty, Marianne and Leroy Troyer and Marvin Byler had been drinking alcohol, and there were several containers in the buggy. They were charged with possession of alcohol. Marty Troyer faces an additional charge of unlawfully dealing with a child because he...

Behind a near triple-double from senior Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure (20-11) won its first Atlantic 10 Championship title and clinched its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2000 with a 67-56 win over Xavier Sunday afternoon.

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Police have new information about a Jamestown man who has been missing since late January. The last confirmed sighting of 48-year-old Michael Whitehill was on South Main Street in Jamestown at around 8 p.m. on January 22, but police have learned that he may have been involved in an accident at 11 o’clock that night on Riverside Road in the Town of Kiantone. A person told police they believe Whitehill was sitting in a disabled vehicle. Whitehill’s vehicle was found abandoned that night with damage to its hood and driver’s side. Investigators believe Whitemall may have walked away from his vehicle and was possibly picked up by another person driving by. Anyone who has seen him is asked to call detectives at 716-483-8477. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A house was destroyed but no one was hurt in a fire Friday in Ulysses. Paul Crippen Jr. and Kelli Crippen owned the house at 419 Graham Street. State Police fire marshal David Surra says Kelli Crippen was asleep in the house when smoke alarms woke her up and she was able to escape. Surra says due to the extensive damage and the collapse of the roof and first floor, the cause of the fire is undetermined. Damage is estimated at $120,000. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

ESPN.com has named St. Bonaventure women's basketball coach Jim Crowley as its National Coach of the Year. Crowley has led the No. 16 Bonnies to a program-record 29 wins, first Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season crown and first visit to the A-10 Championship title game. Bonaventure is all but assured a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The brackets will be unveiled Monday evening at 7, and a viewing party will be held in the Reilly Center. ~~~~ Take St. Bonaventure to the NCAA tournament? Lead that school into the top 25 and to an undefeated regular-season championship in the Atlantic 10? Make the Bonnies -- the Bonnies -- nationally relevant? Nobody was supposed to be able to do that. But Jim Crowley did. Rewind the tape six years, and if St. Bonaventure wasn't the worst women's program in Division I, you could see the bottom of the ladder from where it sat -- making that basement, frankly, about the only thing close to Olean, N.Y. Seemi...