Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Bradford City Council on Tuesday unveiled its 2013 budget, and the mayor is hopeful a tax increase won't be necessary to implement it. The $8.9 million spending plan is about $700,000 more than this year's budget. Following the council meeting, Mayor Tom Riel told WESB and The Hero council is "cautiously optimistic" about not having to raise taxes. He did stress, however, that they have "work to do" on the spending plan before final reading next month.

Theresa Tunall of Kane is the winner of free gas and groceries for a year (a $10,000 value) from Tops Friendly Markets. From October 28 through November 10, customers who contributed $1 per entry to the Tops Markets Free Gas and Groceries campaign were automatically entered to win free gas and groceries for a year (a $10,000 value). The drawing of the winner was held on November 17 at the Festival of Trees Gala at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo. This year’s campaign raised more than $113,877 , with proceeds benefiting the Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. Tunall, (pictured left) received her prize today at the Kane Tops, 525 North Fraley Street, from store manager Michele Gangloff. “Annually, the Gas and Groceries campaign raises an abundance of money for our regional children’s hospitals,” said Andrew Brocato, Tops director of community relations. “Through the support of customers like Theresa, we are making a significant contribution to improving the quality of life for c...

An inmate at FCI-McKean will spend two extra months behind bars for having marijuana in the prison. 37-year-old Jose Antonio Sanchez had marijuana in the prison on May 5. He pleaded guilty to possession of contraband in prison. The two months will be tacked on to the sentence he’s currently serving. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Paul Ceglia has been indicted on federal wire fraud and mail fraud charges. The Wellsville man was charged in October, but the indictment is necessary to move ahead with the legal process. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Ceglia pleaded not guilty last month. His next court date is tomorrow in federal court in Manhattan. The indictment says Ceglia engaged in a multi-billion dollar scheme to defraud Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg, and to corrupt the federal judicial process. Ceglia is accused of doctoring a contract he had with Zuckerberg that wsa unrelated to Facebook to make it look as if he was involved in the creation of the multi-billion dollar company. He is also accused of fabricating e-mails and destroying evidence in order to support his claim. Ceglia’s latest lawyer, Dean Boland, is in federal court in Buffalo today arguing his motion to withdraw from the case. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Harrisburg – Governor Tom Corbett today released the following statement applauding the Task Force on Child Protection, a panel created by the General Assembly, for its review of state laws and procedures governing child protection and the reporting of child abuse. “I want to thank the task force – especially the chairman, David Heckler – for leading such a comprehensive review of our child protective services laws and regulations,’’ Corbett said. “The task force’s recommendations are an important step in putting the protection of Pennsylvania’s children first. My staff and I will work with the legislature, law enforcement agencies and advocates to review each recommendation in detail. “It’s my hope that we can take the work of the task force to help create a culture that promotes greater awareness, more accountability and better coordination. “If we want to continue to protect Pennsylvania’s children from abuse and neglect, we must close the gaps that exist between state and local gov...

Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to sentence former state Senator Robert Mellow to two years in prison for corruption and tax fraud charges. The 70-year-old retired senator pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on Friday on the charges related to using his Senate staff to do campaign work for himself and his political allies. He also underreported his income on his 2008 tax return. US Attorney Peter Smith argued in a memorandum Monday that the Mellow should be sentenced to the maximum time because he not only knew about the fundraising and campaign work, in many instances he directed it. Smith estimates Mellow’s conduct cost taxpayers $79,806 in salaries that were paid to staff while they did political work on state time. He adds that the most disturbing aspect of the case is that Mellow continued to order the political work even after the convictions of former state Senator Vincent Fumo and former State Representative Jeff Hababy. When a staff member warned Mellow t...

UPDATE: 24-year-old Danielle Kellogg of Brant is charged with vehicular homicide and DWI. 31-year-old Denise Hine is in serious condition at ECMC. A baby is dead and her mother is hospitalized in critical condition following a crash this morning in the Seneca Nation’s Cattaraugus Reservation. Sheriff’s deputies say at around 9:45 a.m. an SUV crossed the center line on Southwestern Boulevard in front of Signals Discount Tobacco Gas and Food, and hit a car so hard it split in two with the back end landing about 30 feet from the front of the vehicle. The seven-month-old girl was taken to Lake Shore Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her mother was flown to ECMC, where she is being treated for serious injuries. Deputies are looking into the possibility that the SUV driver was impaired. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man wanted in Allentown for not complying with Megan’s Law registration requirements was picked up in Lewis Run Monday afternoon. State police served an arrest warrant on 33-year-old Leonard Shugars at just before 5 p.m. at 155 Lafayette Avenue. He was sent to McKean County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail. Shugars is considered a sexually violent predator and was convicted of aggravated indecent assault in August of 2004, according to the state's Megan's Law website. He was released from prison in June. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Dramas Depict Reactions to Birth of Jesus A series of monologues titled “So Little They Knew’ will be offered throughout Advent at Grace Lutheran Church, 79 Mechanic St. The special services will be offered at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays Dec. 5, Dec. 12 and Dec. 19; also at regular services at 5:15 p.m. Saturday Dec. 15 and 11:15 a.m. Sunday Dec. 16; and culminate services at 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 and at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 23. They are free and open to the public. The monologues, written by Marion Fairman depict how different women react to the possibility that Mary’s son Jesus is the Messiah. Christen Davis will portray “A Gossip of Nazareth” on Dec. 5; Lisa Boser-Miller, “A Soldier’s Wife” on Dec. 12; Laura Keesler, “An Innkeeper’s Wife” on Dec. 15 and 16; Dana DiBlasi, “A Wife of Herod” on Dec. 19; and Carole Pletcher, “A Shepherd’s Wife” on Dec. 22 and 23. In her talk, each character reveals facts about the culture and practices of the times from the time...

A Delevan, New York, woman is accused of stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of scratch off lottery tickets. Sheriff’s deputies say 49-year-old Kim Woolston was working at the Yellow Goose Store in Delevan when, over the course of several months, she allegedly stole more than $50,000 worth of tickets. She is charged with one count of grand larceny and has been scheduled to appear in Town of Yorkshire Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Franklinville man is accused of kidnapping and assaulting a woman Sunday in Olean. Seneca Nation Marshals stopped to check on a vehicle parked on the side of Route 219 and found that 39-year-old Dean Pepper and a woman had been involved in a domestic incident. They called sheriff’s deputies who believe Pepper assaulted, strangled and kidnapped the victim in his vehicle in Olean, then drove to the Town of Carrollton. Pepper is charged with assault, kidnapping, strangulation, coercion and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He’s jailed on $25,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Sandra L. Cramer, 69, of 2 Bushnell Street, passed away, Wednesday, November 21st, at The Pavilion at BRMC. Born December 22, 1942, in Salamanca, NY she was the daughter of the late Geneva Maude Lee. Mrs. Cramer was a graduate of Bradford High School. She was a member of the former Bradford Moose Lodge, the Marche Club and the Italian Club. She is survived by two daughters, Julie Cummins, and Jenny (Wayne) Veite, and one son, Eric Cramer, and a brother, Dennis (Michelle) Lee, all of Bradford, eight grandchildren; Christopher Cummins, Chelsea Cummins, Nikki Cummins, Max Cummins, Daniell Veite, Nathan Veite, Savannah Cramer and Allie Mills-Land. She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Victor Lee, and a son William J. Cramer who died December 5, 2003. Family will be receiving friends on Wednesday, November 28, 2012, from 5.00 to 7:00 pm in the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes, Inc. South Ave. Burial will be in Limestone Cemetery, NY. Memorials may be made to the charity ...

Thirteen people were killed in crashes investigated by state troopers during the five-day Thanksgiving holiday driving period, State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan announced today. In addition to the 13 fatalities, 349 people were injured in the 1,124 crashes to which troopers responded during the official holiday driving period, covering Wednesday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 25. Five of the people killed were not wearing seat belts and two of the 13 fatal crashes were alcohol-related. Overall, 86 of the 1,124 total crashes were alcohol-related. “Drivers must insist that all passengers wear a seat belt -- they work best when everyone is buckled and children are properly restrained in the back seat,’’ Noonan said. State law requires that children under the age of 4 ride in a federally-approved car seat that is appropriate for the child's age, height and weight. Children between the ages of 4 and 8 must use a booster seat if they are no longer in a car seat. Stat...

A Rixford man is accused of physically and sexually abusing a woman early this morning in a house on Looker Mountain Trail. Police say at about 12:30 a.m. 42-year-old William Morrisroe grabbed a woman’s throat, pinned her against a refrigerator and then threw her onto the floor, causing her to hit her head on a glass jar, which broke. He also allegedly sexually assaulted her during the time of the physical assault. Morrisroe is charged with two counts of indecent aggravated assault, two counts of indecent assault, two counts of simple assault and one count of harassment. He is in McKean County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A veteran Jamestown police detective, who resigned during an investigation into evidence tampering, has been charged in the case. 39-year-old Eric Corey is charged with official misconduct, which is a misdemeanor. Corey resigned from the police department in September after an internal investigation revealed a number of cases where prescription pain killers were missing from the department’s evidence room. Both of Jamestown’s city court judges have recused them from the case, but it hasn’t been assigned to another court yet. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Six local organizations and municipalities have been awarded more than $1.03 million in state grants to make improvements to park and recreation facilities, promote snowmobile and other trail systems, and protect greenways, according to Senator Joe Scarnati (R-25). The grants were provided through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Community Conservation Partnership Program (CCPP). The CCPP program is administered by DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, to provide financial and technical assistance to local governments, river and trail organizations, land trusts and other non-profits, for the planning, acquisition and development of park, recreation, conservation and greenway projects. “These state investments in local projects will help to improve the quality of life for area residents and build on the many recreational and natural resources we have in the region,” Scarnati said. “I am very pleased that CCPP has recognized the importance of these projects...

Swans, Geese Prices Soaring PITTSBURGH – An improving economy coupled with a severe drought that caused increased feed costs for large birds generated a 4.8 percent surge in the 2012 PNC Christmas Price Index®, the whimsical economic analysis by PNC Wealth Management. Based on the gifts in the holiday classic, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” the price tag for the PNC CPI is $25,431.18 in 2012, $1,168 more than last year. Last year the CPI increased by a modest 3.5 percent increase last year and in 2010 it leaped 9.2 percent. The 29th annual survey results were revealed this morning on an enhanced web site ( www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com ) that includes an innovative worldwide gift hunt using the web. The web site also reflects PNC’s commitment to education by teaching economic trends through the PNC CPI. This year, the PNC CPI’s increase outpaced the government’s Consumer Price Index, which stands at 2.2 for the past 12 months through September. The core index, removing volatile...

Officials from the Pittsburgh Film Office and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office say Pennsylvania could attract a lot more Hollywood business if the state legislature would consider increasing the state’s $60 million film tax credit program. They’re lobbying for an increase to $150 million to support a program that offers a 25 percent tax credit to productions that spend 60% of their budgets in Pennsylvania. Capped at $60 million, the program this year is helping to fund eight feature films, one documentary, eight TV episodes, a pair of TV series and one TV pilot. Senator Wayne Fontana of Pittsburgh, the Democratic Chairman of the Senate Committee on Community, Economic and Recreational Development, who supports increasing the amount of money in the film tax credit program, says an increase is justifiable although he’s not certain the state can afford to hike it $150 million. He says $100 million may be more realistic. Fontana also agrees with film office officials tha...

A man, who is wanted in Florida, is in jail for allegedly holding a box cutter to a woman’s throat in Jamestown Friday night. Police say 26-year-old Jairo Roldan got into a fight with a woman at just before 11 o’clock when he punched her, choked her and held the box cutter to her neck to keep her from leaving the house. He’s also been charged as a fugitive from justice. After answering the charges in Jamestown, he will be extradited to Hillsborough County, Florida, to answer an aggravated assault charge there. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A judge will hear arguments Tuesday from a lawyer who wants to withdraw from Paul Ceglia’s lawsuit against Facebook. A hearing is scheduled for federal court in Buffalo, where Dean Boland is expected to outline the reasons he wants out. He has not said publicly yet why he no longer wants to represent Ceglia. Boland’s request to withdraw from the civil case came just a few days after Ceglia was arrested on charges of doctoring and destroying evidence to support his claim that he is a part owner of Facebook. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947