Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

In response to extensive damage caused by recent hail storms to food and vegetable growers around the region and state, Senator Catharine Young, (R,I,C – Olean), Chair of the State Senate Agriculture Committee, will be touring storm-ravaged farms in Chautauqua County to survey the devastation, is spearheading communication between the federal government to help alleviate the situation. Last week, Senator Young urged growers from around the state who sustained damage from severe wind and hail storms to report any damage to their crop loss adjusters and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “This Sunday, I will be touring two farms in Chautauqua County to inspect the damage and begin to lay the groundwork for a course of action,” said Senator Young. “I’ve formally asked the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer to include our recent storm within the scope of the disasters covered by the newly-adopted disaster assistance program. We also need to ensure that the recently re-autho...

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he believes the Buffalo Bills will be in Western New York for a long time. Speaking at the Chautauqua Institution yesterday, Goodell addressed fears that the Bills would relocate to Toronto. He says with the additional revenue the team will generate from playing a game north of the border the franchise's future is more secure. Under the deal, which begins this year and runs through 2012, the Bills will become the first NFL team to play an annual regular-season game outside the United States.

The husband and wife who police say operated a methamphetamine laboratory from their Albion home were arraigned on multiple charges Friday in Millcreek Township. Authorities had been looking for Ronald and Patricia Frey since March 14 when the state attorney general's office charged them and 27 co-defendants with possessing and manufacturing meth as part of Operation Family Cookout. The couple was arrested in Florida after some people overheard the Freys talking about being wanted by police. Those people tipped off authorities. Ronald Frey was sent to Erie County Prison in lieu of $600,000 straight bond. Patricia Frey was sent to the prison in lieu of $500,000 straight bond. Ronald Frey's brother, James Frey, was also charged in what the Attorney General's Office said was the oldest known methamphetamine operation in northwestern Pennsylvania.

No one was hurt in a 4-vehicle accident at about 9:30 Friday night on the I-86 Bridge in the Town of Ellery. Chautauqua County Sheriff's Deputies say a motorcycle swerved into the path of a car driven by Jennifer Maurer of Jamestown. She hit the guide rail, then came to rest in the middle of the bridge. Brian Schott of Warren stopped to see if Maurer was OK. A car driven by 16-year-old Victoria Wessel of Lakewood slowed down to avoid the stopped cars, but another vehicle driven by 76-year-old Ulla Larsen of Jamestown hit the Wessel vehicle from behind and pushed it into Schott's vehicle. No charges will be filed.

Coudersport state police are investigating two related burglaries in Shinglehouse. They say someone kicked open the door of a garage belonging to Phillip Urban and took a chainsaw, a tool set, a tool box, a generator and a meat grinder. The value of the stolen items is nearly $3,000. The other burglary happened in a garage and home owned by Thomas Kemp. The items taken include an antique desk valued at $300.

A Cattaraugus County Grand Jury has handed up an indictment against a retired New York State trooper accused of killing a Bradford woman in a drunk driving accident. 68-year-old David O'Brien of Allegany pleaded innocent to charges of vehiclular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and driving while intoxicated. On April 26, his car hit a car driven by 38-year-old Wendy Karnes along Route 219. They were both on their way to work at the Seneca Allegany Casino. O'Brien's next court appearance is scheduled for August 1. He's free on his own recognizance.

An Olean Alderman has pleaded guilty to a petit larceny charge. 22-year-old Andrew Searles took a pre-paid gas card from Mastel Ford while he worked there. He is required to pay $600 in restitution, court costs and fines. If he doesn't pay it within 60 days, he'll be re-sentenced. Searles says he plans to be on the ballot in November to keep his seat on Common Council.

McKean County Judge John Cleland and three others have been endorsed by the Senate Judiciary Committee to fill temporary vacancies on Pennsylvania's appellate courts. If confirmed by the Senate, the nominees will serve until 2010, when the judges elected next year will be sworn in for 10-year terms. All four have agreed not to run for a full term. Cleland and and Robert Freedberg of Northampton County would serve on the Superior Court. Philadelphia Judge Jane Cutler Greenspan was tapped to fill an opening on the state Supreme Court. Former state labor commissioner Johnny Butler is nominated for a seat on the Commonwealth Court.

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will name its new residence hall in honor of Howard Fesenmyer, a retired Zippo Manufacturing Co. executive who is executive secretary of the Blaisdell Foundation, a board member of Zippo, and a member of the advisory board of Pitt-Bradford, where he is a leader in fundraising. The University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees approved the naming of Fesenmyer House at its annual meeting today in Pittsburgh. Fesenmyer attended the meeting. Fesenmyer House will become home to 144 students this fall. Pitt-Bradford broke ground for the $7.3 million residence hall last July. It is located near Blaisdell Hall. “Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought this could happen to me,” Fesenmyer said. “I am humbled, honored and pleased, and I thank Pitt-Bradford for this remarkable recognition.” Livingston Alexander, president of Pitt-Bradford, said, “Howard is not only a major fundraiser for Pitt-Bradford, but he also is our greatest cheer...

Earlier reports that the victim in a church shooting had died were premature. Jim Dixon, and the person who shot him, are both on life support at an Altoona Hospital and are being kept alive for organ donation, according to the Blair County Coroner. Norman Kauffman shot Dixon Thursday morning in the Trinity United Methodist Church in Clearfield. Pastor Bob Rupp said Dixon was retired and worked as the church's maintenance worker to keep busy. Kauffman served as the church's computer teacher. For eight hours, Kauffman led police through Moshannon State Forest's network of dirt roads, which stretch into Elk, Centre and Cameron counties. When police found him, he was immediately flown to the hospital because of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

By George Nianiatus, senior writer Communications Department Pinpointing sleep disorders will be far easier and faster to accomplish now that Bradford Regional Medical Center officials have purchased state-of-the-art sleep diagnostic equipment from industry leader Nihon Kohden Corp. The hospital’s two-bed Sleep Clinic on the third floor of the Outpatient Services Center has new polysomnography equipment to study sleep disorders, including sleep apnea which results when people stop breathing repeatedly during the night. “This new equipment from Nihon Kohden provides us with digital real-time video where our fully trained staff can instantly see sleep activity, ranging from sleep apnea, snoring, insomnia and restless leg syndrome” says Penny Oyler, BRMC’s director of Cardiopulmonary Services and also the Sleep Clinic. Earlier equipment did not provide video capability. “Any person who has these sleep disorder symptoms can undergo a study at BRMC’s Sleep Clinic but they must be referred b...

The scam artists who targeted an elderly couple in Emporium this week could have been in McKean County, too. Peggy Grimes said a man came to her Prentisvale house Tuesday saying that he needed to see her property line because he was cutting down trees for the state. After several minutes outside with the man, Mrs. Grimes said she wanted to go back inside to check on her 88-year-old husband. That's when she learned someone was in the house. She says she doesn't think anything is missing from the house, but someone did rummage through her cedar chest.

Gov. Ed Rendell says he would be interested in serving in a prospective Obama administration as a Cabinet member once he leaves his state office. In a talk-show appearance on WITF-TV in Harrisburg on Thursday night, Rendell said he "absolutely" is interested in an eventual appointment as head of the federal departments of energy or transportation. Rendell has repeatedly said he intends to complete his second term, which expires in January 2011, and is not interested in becoming the running mate for Democratic presidential nominee-apparent Barack Obama.

A Cattaraugus County Grand Jury is expected to release its findings today on the head-on crash that killed a Bradford woman in April. Retired State Police investigator David O'Brien of Allegany is accused of hitting a car driven by 38-year-old Wendy Karnes on Route 219. Karnes was pronounced dead at the scene. O’Brien was charged with driving while intoxicated, second- degree vehicular manslaughter and various vehicle and traffic violations. Both O’Brien and Karnes were on their way to work at the Seneca Allegany Casino in Salamanca at the time of the accident.

A Marienville woman accused of embezzling more than $200,000 from the Laurel Laser and Surgery Center in Brookville has waived her preliminary hearing. 45-year-old Deborah Geyer is facing 471 felony and 157 misdemeanor charges and remains in Jefferson County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bond. Police say Geyer diverted the money from December of 2001 to October of 2007 while she worked as the patient accounts manager.

An 18-year-old from Russell is hospitalized in serious condition after falling about 80 feet down a cliff at the Rim Rock recreation area on the Allegheny National Forest Wednesday. Alicia Amroski, who just graduated from Eisenhower High School, was walking south of the developed overlook at Rim Rock when she fell. The people she was with called 9-1-1. She was taken to Kinzua Beach, then taken by helicopter to an Erie hospital, where she is in the intensive care unit.

After a nearly eight-hour search a Penfield man accused of shooting another man at Trinity United Methodist Church in Clearfield Thursday morning was apprehended in the Moshannon State Forest. The shooting happened around 6:30 this morning. The victim was seriously injured and is being treated at a Clearfield-area hospital. The victim's name was not released. The suspect, Norman Kaufman, turned himself in, but is being treated for a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Kaufman is facing a charge of criminal attempt to commit homicide and related charges.

A man is in serious condition after being shot this morning at Trinity United Methodist Church in Clearfield. Clearfield police say the suspect, believed to be Norman Kauffman of Penfield, walked into the church at about 6:30 at shot a maintenance worker. The victim has not been identified. Police are still looking for Kauffman in Clearfield, Elk and Centre counties. He's is driving a white pickup truck with a license plate beginning with the letters Y-J-M. Kauffman is considered arms and dangerous.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has banned the transport of firewood from Mercer County after state workers found evidence of the emerald ash borer this morning. Ash borers are invasive and destructive beetles that destroy ash trees. They were first spotted in Pennsylvania in 2007. The state responded with a quarantine on firewood from Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties. Survey workers from the Department of Agriculture have set traps for ash borers throughout in region, including several in the City of Bradford. The traps are those purple boxes hanging from trees. No insects have been found in this region.

Police are searching for a gunman who shot a man in a Clearfield Church this morning. The shooting happened around 6:30 at Trinity United Methodist Church. Police say a man entered the church and shot a maintenance worker then fled in his vehicle. Police believe the man is driving on dirt roads that stretch into Elk and Centre counties. The victim was transported to the hospital for treatment and his condition was not immediately known.