Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Starting Wednesday, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will no longer distribute Monday through Saturday editions outside its core circulation area. Circulation director Randy Waugaman says home and retail delivery outside Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties represented just a small portion of overall delivery. Sunday distribution will continue. Waugaman says the change will allow the paper to support growth in its core market.

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. – Tops Friendly Markets, the leading full-service grocery retailer in Western New York, Central New York, including Rochester, and Northwestern Pennsylvania, announced that Kraft Foods has today issued a voluntary recall of Planters products containing pistachio nuts that have the potential to be contaminated with the Salmonella organism. Five varieties of Planters products have been taken off of Tops’ shelves as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the California Department of Public Health continue to investigate Salmonella contamination in pistachio products sold by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc, California. The removal of this product is a precautionary measure, and based on the current state of the investigation, the FDA "recommends that consumers avoid eating any products containing pistachios. These products should not be thrown out until additional information is available regarding specific products that are subject to the recall." This...

Partisan squabbling and a sick senator have stalled today's voting on the 2009 New York State budget. Senators were told voting would begin at 9:30 this morning, but Republicans refused to take their seats after complaining that hadn't gotten some key fiscal information, including district-by-district school aid numbers. But by early afternoon, Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos said a new delay came up: Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson – a Democrat – was in the hospital getting an EKG. Without Thompson Democrats didn't have the 32 votes necessary to approve any of the budget bills. Hassell-Thompson is expected to return to the senate floor this evening.

U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-Pa.), has been tapped by House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), to serve as a member of the House GOP American Energy Solutions Group. The group will be chaired by Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.). “The skyrocketing energy prices of a year ago, that brought the economy to its knees, are bound to return if action is not taken by this Congress,” said Thompson. “In this time of economic uncertainty, the last thing taxpayers need to worry about are higher energy costs. The group Leader Boehner has assembled will chart a new path toward securing America’s energy independence – a path that utilizes our vast natural resources and the ingenuity of the American people.” Securing energy independence continues to be top priority of Congressman Thompson and the House Republican Conference. “High energy costs continue to hit the pocketbooks of American families and small businesses,” said Boehner. “As gasoline prices skyrocket...

Police are looking for a boy they believe may have been involved in a suspicious fire in Clarendon Monday afternoon. The fire happened at the corner of North Main and Anchor streets between 4:30 and 4:40 p.m. Police say they couldn't find any accidental causes for the fire, so it's been determined suspicious. During interviews, they learned that a male juvenile was seen on the steps of the house before the fire was discovered.

Governor Ed Rendell has picked the retired CEO of two Philadelphia area manufacturers to chair a committee that will have oversight on how federal economic stimulus dollars are spent. Ronald Naples, who will be paid $120,000, appeared Tuesday with Rendell for the announcement in Harrisburg. Naples' job as chief accountability officer is to ensure that the money is spent wisely, and that the public can see how the money is spent. During the news conference this afternoon, a reporter asked about paying Naples $120,000 rather than filling the position with a volunteer. Rendell said, "You can go out and buy a car, or you can ask someone to give you a car. My guess is if you buy a car it will run better than the car that someone gives you for free. That's just my guess." For more on this story, go to the governor's Web site .

"At a time when DEP is admittedly understaffed to deal with the rush of Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania, it makes no sense whatsoever to strip the conservation districts of their duties and give them to DEP staff that lack their level of experience in erosion and sediment control," said Myron Arnowitt, Pennsylvania state director, Clean Water Action. "Many local communities have already been heavily impacted by drilling. The public is looking for more oversight, not less." For the full story, go to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .

When (acting DEP Secretary John) Hanger was nominated seven months ago, (Senator Mary Jo) White said she wouldn't support his nomination because he had accused her of being corrupt due to her ties to various extractive industries. For the full story, go to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .

WIVB-TV -- especially Mike Cejka and Lindsay Schwarzwaelder -- on their 3 Emmy Awards. For the story, click HERE .

The April meeting of the Kane Area Relay for Life is set for Tuesday, April 7 at 6 p.m. at the St. Callistus Hall. Team captains and organizers attending the March meeting: Standing l-r, Sherry Marconi, Susan Coulter, Connie Smith, Joyce Alexis, Missy Sanders, Luanne Larson, Marianne West, Shirley Milliron, Seated, Sally Huckabone, Kellie Ely, Brenda Emer, Dave Synder, Julia Anderson. Last year the Kane Area Relay for Life raised more than $62K through online fundraising and hundreds of mini-events held throughout the year raising money a dime and dollar at a time. Some teams join up with area product associates for special events where proceeds are shared with the co-host team. Others hold bake sales and yard sales. Others recycle bottles and cans, have collection containers or dime jars. There are spaghetti dinners, hoagie sales, 50-50s, raffles, candy sales, perennial sale and much more. The Kane Area Relay army for 2009 has expanded to 18 teams with an estimated 15 individua...

The Leadership Cattaraugus class of 2009 began their training with a retreat on March 23 and 24 at Jamestown Community College. John Stevens, board president and Class of 2004, and Jodi Fuller, Class of 2006 and curriculum committee member, led a discussion involving attributes they considered essential to leadership. Among the characteristics were self confidence, empowerment, ethics/integrity, collaboration, perseverance, and vision. The group also developed a list of critical issues. Since 2004, each class has comprised a list of issues they feel are critical to the growth and stability of the region. The Class of 2009’s critical issues included unemployment, health care, taxes, technology infrastructure, transportation, relocation of young people, aging infrastructure, lack of education for professional development, health insurance, lack of amenities, lack of activities for youth, generational poverty/welfare, affordable housing, decreasing population, aging population, slow in va...

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and it marks the important role that communities play in protecting children. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, child abuse and neglect can be prevented by strengthening families and communities. In recognition of Child Abuse Awareness Month the Bradford Exchange Club is partnering with Safe Kids McKean and Bradford Regional Medical Center’s ‘Bringing Up Safe Babies’ campaign. From left to right in the photo: Kathleen Peace, Bradford Exchange Club secretary and members of Safe Kids McKean, Paula Platko BRMC nurse manager, Obstetrics Unit, Kimberly Engstrom, director, Rainbow Corner Preschool, and Kim Murphey, community relations coordinator, CARE for Children, place a Time Out Teddy Bear in all the Safe Baby Bags to be given out to every baby born at the medical center during the month of April. “We are so pleased that so many groups support the Safe Baby campaign and ...

Soccer star perseveres without her dad, a Flight 3407 victim . This Buffalo News story is about Patti's family.

A man took police on a high-speed chase this morning that ended in a crash near the Liberty Bell. Police say 42-year-old Gary Mayo of Morton traveled as fast as 100 miles an hour and went the wrong way on two highways while trying to elude troopers. The chase started on Interstate 95 just outside of Philadelphia at about 2:30 this morning, and ended up in Philadelphia's historic district when Mayo's vehicle collided head-on with a police cruiser. No troopers were hurt. Mayo is in jail.

The recent scandals involving the misuse of state economic development grants in Beaver County has prompted Senator Jane Orie (R-Allegheny) to renew her efforts to provide stricter oversight over state grants used for job creation and retention. Orie said Senate Bill 697 would create the Economic Development Accountability Act and require that the Department of Community and Economic Development improve its monitoring procedures for state economic development grants. "The recent controversy has made it clear that we need to do more to ensure that state dollars are being used judiciously and for the purpose in which they were intended," Orie said. "These projects are funded by state tax dollars and the recipients should be held accountable for their effectiveness." Orie's legislation would require DCED to more strictly oversee grants by: Receiving annual reports starting within 12 months of receiving a subsidy. Instituting site visits for large grant and loan r...

A New Castle couple is jailed on charges they made methamphetamine at a home where they lived with their three daughters, and took their infant they with them during two drug deals. 34-year-old Rocco Wing and 33-year-old Martha Mills are charged with making the drugs in a second-floor bedroom of their home. Their daughters are 14 and 7 years old and 7 months old. Attorney General Tom Corbett says the infant rode in the back seat while the couple sold drugs in November. The children are in custody of the county. For more on this story, go to the attorney general's Web site .

U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, this afternoon delivered a letter to Kent Connaughton, Regional Forester for the United States Forest Service (USFS), outlining his concerns with the review process currently in place for oil and natural gas permits on the Allegheny National Forest (ANF). Thompson submitted these comments in response to the USFS Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the ANF, pursuant to Federal Register Document E9–3862, February 27, 2009. In part, Thompson wrote, “…I remain alarmed by the suspension of notices to proceed with regard to oil and gas leases located in the ANF. The subsurface rights belong to private individuals in Pennsylvania and the Federal Government has no right to unnecessarily deny them further access to their property. Beyond the clearly questionable property rights issue, the unorthodox actions being taken by the USFS have created substantial and truly adverse affects upon the rural economy of North Western Pe...

Washington, D.C. —Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) today introduced legislation that would scrap the 17,000 pages of current IRS code in favor of a 20 percent flat tax for all individuals and businesses. The revenue-neutral legislation would allow tax-payers to file returns on a postcard that could be completed in 15 minutes. “My flat tax legislation would make filing a tax return a manageable chore, not a seemingly endless nightmare, for most taxpayers,” Senator Specter said. “This legislation will fundamentally revise the present tax code, with its myriad rates, deductions, and instructions.” The 20% flat tax plan would eliminate taxes on estates, dividends and capital gains, but would maintain two important deductions: those on mortgage interest and charitable contributions. Tax returns would be filed on a 10-line postcard tax form that requires information related to wages, personal allowance, number of dependents, and total taxable compensation. In contrast to those who file 1040...

A man who had to be hospitalized after stabbing another man last September in Olean has pleaded guilty to attempted assault. 38-year-old Dana Rickey of Portville stabbed 26-year-old Matt Zawatski twice in the chest and twice in the groin area at about 2:15 a.m. on September 5 in Olean. Following the incident, Rickey suffered an apparent heart attack at Olean General Hospital and was sent to ECMC. Rickey will be sentenced on June 8.

A play exploring the complexities of friendship over an argument about artistic style will be staged this weekend at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Pitt-Bradford’s Division of Communication and the Arts will present “Art” at 7:30 p.m. on April 2-4 and at 2 p.m. on April 5 at the Studio Theater in Blaisdell Hall. Admission for the annual spring play is $6 for the public and $2 for students. A part of the University’s Spectrum Series, “Art” replaces the previously announced “Cripple of Inishmaan.” Written by Yasmina Reza, the play focuses on the cataclysmic effect on three friends when one of them purchases an expensive work of abstract art -- a large painting consisting of white lines on a white canvas. The heated, hilarious debate over the painting gets really explosive when longstanding relationships come to be measured against this illuminating, infuriating, bare canvas, said Dr. Kevin Ewert, director of theater at Pitt-Bradford. ...