Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The world premier of the play "Before I Go," was presented Saturday afternoon at the Bradford Area Public Library. Playwright Paige Kiliany of Shady Side High School of Pittsburgh is the winner of Bradford Little Theatre's first-ever Young Dramatist Contest. Paige and her mother were among the people who attended the staged reading of the play. Without giving away too much, the play is about a recent high school graduate who dies in a car accident. During an informal question and answer session following the play, Bradford Area High School students Hallie Kleiner and Leah Costik were asked how they managed to rehearse and get through the play, considering the deaths of fellow BAHS students Evan Yehl and Britt Bookhamer in an accident on May 2. "When I'm on stage, I'm Sophie. I'm not Leah," Costik said, explaining that getting totally into her character allowed her to block out the real-life accident. "I bit my lip and tried not to cry," Hal...

"Twenty Wishes," the new novel from best-selling author Debbie Macomber is an uplifting story of hope and renewal. A group of recently widowed women bond over a unique and heart-warming idea: make a list of all the wonderful things they hope to experience in their lives. You can hear Debbie talk about her book, and more, on The Weekend Wrap Saturday at 9:15 a.m. on 1490 WESB and at 6 a.m. on 100.1 The HERO. But there's more. Debbie and her publisher are inviting readers to enter a contest to make their most-desired wish come true. Debbie and her publisher will choose the winner, who will receive $10,000 cash to make that wish come true. For more details, visit Set Your Wish Free And there's even more. On Thursday, May 22, Debbie will be at Wegman's in Williamsville, NY, at 2 p.m. for a book signing. On Friday, May 23, at 12:30 p.m., she'll be at Borders on Walden Avenue in Cheektowaga.

By ANNE HOLLIDAY News Director WESB/WBRR Taxes was one of the main topics of the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce inaugural legislative luncheon held Friday at the Abasso at The Downbeat. State Representative Marty Causer, one of more than half a dozen legislators and/or their aides who attended, said he knew gasoline taxes would be one of the questions posed by people at the event. He said the current tax is about 31 cents a gallon, and that money goes toward highway and bridge projects. He explained that if the gas tax was cut, the state would have to come up with another source to pay for those projects. Causer added that Pennsylvania is one of the few states that uses the gas tax for highway and bridge projects without using general tax money. Another question concerned a state House bill that calls for providing money to municipalities that have a large number of tax-exempt properties. Bradford Mayor Tom Riel explained that the bill calls for helping municipalities where 17 perce...

A soldier stranded overseas by the collapse of ATA airlines is back in the United States. Capt. Sharron Oleniacz is a nurse anesthetist from Jamestown, serving overseas as a reservist. She's at the end of her 90-day tour of duty in Iraq, but has been stranded in Kuwait since last weekend. Hundreds of soldiers are awaiting flights home, after charter ATA went bankrupt and cancelled flights in April. Oleniacz finally got a flight out of Kuwait and arrived in Mississippi earlier today. No word on when she'll be back in the Twin Tiers.

After discovering hexavalent chromium inside the former Berlin Metals building in Punxsutawney, the Department of Environmental Protection has ordered the property’s owners to prevent people from entering the building until it's safe. DEP has been investigating groundwater and soil and conducting a cleanup project in the neighborhood since 2006, but last month found material seeping through cracks in the concrete floor and learned it was hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen, which you may recognize from the movie "Erin Brockovich." The building at 400 Walnut Street formerly housed the electroplating company Berlin Metals. Its last occupant vacated the property several months ago. The building is owned by Punxsutawney residents Columba M. and Anthony J. Runco and the Runco Trust.

An Olean man is dead after an accident on Kinney Road in Potter County early Friday morning. 66-year-old Edward Muniga was driving his truck when it went off the road and hit several trees. Muniga was pronounced dead at the scene by Potter County Coroner Kevin Dusenbery. Police are continuing their investigation.

A criminal justice major at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has been awarded a coveted internship with the FBI at its Behavioral Science Division in Quantico, Va., the first time a Pitt-Bradford student has ever received an internship with the bureau. Nathaniel Rhoades of Linesville, a senior who is pursuing a dual degree in criminal justice and psychology, will spend 10 weeks with the FBI in what is known as the bureau’s Serial Killer Unit. From June 16 to Aug. 22, Rhoades will assist special agents with various tasks. In order to do so, he had to get top secret security clearance. “An FBI internship at Quantico is truly a remarkable accomplishment,” said Dr. Tony Gaskew, assistant professor of criminal justice, “and truly validates the fact that Nathan is considered one of the top criminal justice students in the country. I am extremely proud of Nathan.” Rhoades, who hopes to work for the FBI one day, said he wanted to intern with the Behavioral Science Division because he w...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has named Leslie E. Kallenborn to the newly created position of assistant director for annual giving. Kallenborn will develop and manage annual giving programs for alumni, faculty, staff, friends of the university and corporate donors. She will oversee direct marketing campaigns such as the annual Phonathon and mailings. She will report to Karen Niemic Buchheit, executive director of institutional advancement and managing director of the Bradford Educational Foundation. “We are very pleased to have a full-time staff member of Leslie’s caliber devoted to annual giving as it provides the foundation for fundraising growth at Pitt-Bradford,” Buchheit said. “In particular, Leslie will be using her considerable communication and marketing skills to work with more than 8,000 alumni to give them a chance to participate in a variety of ways and gift levels.” Before coming to Pitt-Bradford, Kallenborn was the director of fund development and community out...

Author Terri Morrison laughs during a presentation on business protocol around the world at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Friday morning. About 75 people from local businesses and industries attended the free seminar on international trade featuring Morrison, author of “Kiss Bow or Shake Hands,” the best-selling guide to doing business in more than 60 countries. The seminar was sponsored by the Pitt-Bradford Entrepreneurship Program in conjunction with the North Central Regional Planning and Development Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. ( Photo Courtesy of Pitt-Bradford )

A 16 year-old Ripley boy died Thursday night after being struck by a train on Goodrich Street in Ripley. Chautauqua County Sheriff Deputies say Kenneth Strang was with a group of youths running across the railroad tracks and was struck by a south-bound CSX train. Strang was taken to Westfield Hospital, but later died of his injuries.

A Jamestown, NY, soldier is stranded in Kuwait after the airline that was supposed to bring her home after her tour of duty in Iraq went bankrupt. Captain Sharron Oleniacz was ready to return home last weekend when the bankruptcy of ATA Airlines grounded her flight. She and 100 other soldiers are have not been notified when alternate travel plans will be arranged. Congressman Brian Higgins has written a letter to the US Army say that he understand delays are part of air travel, and the airlines' bankruptcy was unavoidable, but the armed services are not doing enough to get the soldiers home.

A Forest County woman has been arrested for stealing 80 thousand dollars from Laurel Eye Clinic in Brookville. Police say 45-year-old Deborah Geyer stole the money over a period of seven years when she worked as a patient account manager. Police say she didn't record checks in the accounting books, but deposited them for herself. She faces charges of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, tampering with records and forgery. Police say more charges are possible. She is Currently in Jefferson County Jail on $100,000 bail.

While saying he wants to run a clean campaign, Senator Joe Scarnati's opponent in November's election is passing along misleading information about campaign finances. Donald Hilliard of Brookville says he wants to concentrate on the issues, including healthcare, transportation and school funding. Meanwhile, he says he concerned about Scarnati's campaign contributions, saying the vast majority are from Political Action Committees. Hilliard told a newspaper in the 25th Senatorial District that only $200 dollars come from local people, one in Coudersport and one in Shinglehouse. However, the Department of State web site lists several thousand dollars worth of contributions from private citizens in Bradford, Brockway, Warren and Ridgway among other places in the district.

State police say a car drifted over the centerline before colliding with a tractor-trailer at just after noon today on Route 97, just south of the Troyer Farms potato chip plant. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and her passenger was seriously injured in the accident. The passenger was flown by helicopter to Hamot Medical Center. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not hurt. The truck is owned by Briggs Transport of Warren County. As state police were investigating, Hazmat crews were using sponges to absorb diesel fuel from the truck that was leaking into a stream that flows into French Creek. UPDATE: A Union City girl died Thursday after her car crossed the center line and hit a tractor trailer head-on. State Police say 18 year-old Crystal Carneal of Union City was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in her car 20 year old Katie Ellsworth was seriously injured. The accident happened on Route 97 - near the Troyer Potato Chip Plant - just after noon.

Pictured, Amy McCoy, a 2008 Pitt-Bradford graduate from Kittanning, with Dan Spencer, whom Pitt-Bradford has been named Distinguished Secondary Teacher. McCoy nominated Spencer for the honor, which is given each year to a secondary teacher nominated by a graduating Pitt-Bradford senior. They are shown at Honors Convocation last month. The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has named Dan Spencer, a retired teacher and volleyball coach from Armstrong School District in Armstrong County, this year’s Distinguished Secondary Teacher. Spencer was presented with the award during Pitt-Bradford’s annual Honors Convocation last month. The award is presented annually to a teacher who is willing to work with and challenge students both inside and outside of the traditional classroom. Members of the university’s senior class nominated candidates. Spencer was nominated by Amy McCoy, a 2008 graduate in public relations with a minor in athletic coaching from Kittanning. McCoy described Spencer as “a...

The Niagara County Sheriff's Department is alerting the public about a missing child. They say two-year-old Giana Lynn Bootes has not been seen since Wednesday May 7th at 8:00 p.m. For more information, click HERE . UPDATE: Figueroa-Oehler and the girl were found in the Super 8 Motel on Sheridan Drive in the Town of Tonawanda.

This week’s article on spring flowers will highlight some of the beauty of spring flowers. Many plants derive their name from the flower that caught a colonial’s eye and, henceforth, the common name of the plant became identified by the flower. Spring beauty” is a prime example of this connection of flower to plant’s name. Spring beauty flowers are considered a harbinger of spring because they are one of the first flowers to bloom after winter. These flowers can bloom as early as late March or early April. Spring beauties are often found in groups in fields, borders of woods, and front lawns. ‘Fragile’ is a word that adds to the beauty of the plant. The one-half inch wide flowers are on a thin stalk, and the pale pink streaks in the white flower add to the daintiness of the flower. Jack-in-the-pulpits are another beautiful flower of May because of its unique flowers. Found in shaded, woody areas, the Jack-in-the-pulpit resembles a man speaking from a pulpit. The pulpit itself is ...

Officials from several states, including Pennsylvania, say Facebook has agreed to implement more than 40 safeguards to protect younger users. Attorney General Tom Corbett said that like the agreement reached with MySpace in January, this agreement will better protect children from predators and inappropriate content on the Internet. Facebook has agreed to ban convicted sex offenders from using the service and will make it harder for older users to search online for subscribers who are under age 18.

The Mount Jewett Shur-Save has received borough council's first-ever certificate of appreciation. Councilman Chuck Paar says the management and employees of the store are very supportive and involved in community and civic affairs. He said the store and its employees support the Mount Jewett Swedish Festival, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Little League baseball, the Mount Jewett Ambulance Association, the Mount Jewett Volunteer Fire Department and the Charter School Coalition. Council voted 6-1 last month to accept Paar’s idea to honor a Mount Jewett business every quarter.