Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

After being closed most of Friday because of poor driving conditions related to the weather, Interstate 90 is opened in both directions in New York and Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania lanes reopened Friday afternoon. The New York lanes opened late Friday night. Authorities say the road is clear and dry.

Two Olean men have been indicted by a Cattaraugus County grand jury on multiple charges relating to the theft of $30. 20-year-old Jamie Crawford and 23-year-old and Joshua Slawson were each charged with robbery, assault and grand larceny. They are accused of attacking a man November 14 behind a convenience store, then stealing $30 from him.

A Delevan man is dead following an accident on Route 16 in the Town of Sardinia Friday evening. New York State Police say 26-year-old Erik Goodheart was traveling north when his vehicle went out of control and slid into oncoming traffic and hit a US Mail delivery truck. Police say the force of the accident caused Goodheart's truck to split in two and threw him from the vehicle. He was taken to Bertrand-Chaffee Hospital in Springville, where he died. The driver of the mail truck was not seriously hurt. Police say weather conditions contributed to the accident.

Harrisburg – Governor Edward G. Rendell today expressed his gratitude and appreciation in marking the observance of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, which will be celebrated starting tonight. “Americans of all faiths are fortunate to have the freedoms that we enjoy today. First and foremost, I’d like to recognize our military heroes for ensuring that we remain protected,” said Governor Rendell. “I also want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all the emergency personnel, here in Pennsylvania and throughout our great nation, for keeping us safe.” In Harrisburg, Hanukkah will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, at the War Veterans memorial Fountain on the Capitol East Wing Plaza. Sponsored by the organization Chabad-Lubavitch, the event will feature live music, dancing, clowns, balloons, Hanukkah gifts, and latkes, a traditional Chanukah delicacy. Hanukkah, which lasts eight days, commemorates the establishment of Freedom of Religion for Israelites. It contain...

The Philadelphia Inquirer has an interesting story on menorahs here .

By George Nianiatus, senior writer/media manager Communications and Marketing Department Upper Allegheny Health System From a young mind sprang an ambitious goal to help others in true need by raising funds which ultimately led to purchasing a ventilator for Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC). Two years ago Jenna Gorrell, then a Bradford Area High School junior, developed the idea for “First Breath,” a fundraising walk-a-thon for the ventilator. Through her idea - and several other subsequent fundraising activities - just over $23,000 was raised to buy a ventilator that will be able to treat and save hundreds of lives at BRMC. A high school student’s lofty aspiration became reality when an Evita XL ventilator was rolled into the main lobby and presented to Penny Oyler, BRMC’s director of Cardiopulmonary Services. The Evita XL is designed for patients of all ages and health levels. It’s produced by Drager Medical of Telford, Pa., which is a subsidiary of Drager & Siemens Co. “I...

Charles Cole Memorial Hospital has announced the addition of Moheb Mohareb, M.D., to its medical staff. Dr. Mohareb earned a medical degree at Cairo University and completed a surgical residency at the University of Illinois, Metropolitan Group Hospitals. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and is an American College of Surgeons fellow. He most recently served as chief of surgery at Wetzel County Hospital in West Virginia where his practice included gastrointestinal, endoscopic, laparoscopic, colorectal, and breast surgery. Dr. Mohareb and Dr. Frank Horn will see patients in the hospital’s general surgery suite at the Irwin Medical Arts Center. Appointments may be scheduled by calling 814/274-7474.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) called on the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to release the $290 million in direct payments to dairy farmers by the year’s end. The funding to increase government purchases of surplus dairy products was approved by Congress on October 8th, but the Department of Agriculture has yet to move on distributing the much-needed aid. Senator Specter cosponsored the amendment providing financial relief for dairy producers, introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), which was adopted as part of the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of Agriculture Appropriations Act. “The approximately 7,600 dairy farms in my state of Pennsylvania support over 55,000 non-farm jobs in the hauling, distribution and processing industries,” Senator Specter wrote. “The loss of a dairy farm has repercussions far beyond the individual farm and impacts entire communities. With an unemployment rate of 8.8%, my state cannot accept the loss of more dairy farm...

D & I Silica will be receiving $700,000 in state money to build two new transloading facilities and improve the functionality of two existing facilities for transloading of silica sand from rail cars to trucks for local gas-well production in McKean, Cameron, Tioga and Luzerne counties. The money is part of a $24.5 million state investment from PennDOT’s Rail Freight Capital Budget/Transportation Assistance and Rail Freight Assistance Programs, Governor Ed Rendell announced today. “Upgrading and expanding our freight rail lines helps maintain service and also opens the door to greater business opportunities,” Rendell said. “These investments will help meet growing demand for freight rail service and also help ease highway congestion by reducing the number of trucks on our roadways.” The Buffalo Pittsburgh Railroad in Elk County will receive $1.7 million to construct a siding and reactivate a bridge over the Clarion River to connect to another railroad.

From the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department: I90 both EB & WB are still closed between the Dunkirk Exchange and the PA State line. WB on I90 in PA is open now but EB in PA is still closed per PASP. There is still a winter weather travel advisory on I90 between Dunkirk Exchange and the Buffalo Exchanges.

From the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department: I86 (Rt17) both EB & WB is back open in Chautauqua County. PSP inform us that I86 is open in PA now too. Please drive carefully and expect winter weather driving conditions.

Bradford Regional Airport will be receiving $900,000 to build a hangar facility within a Keystone Opportunity Zone on airport property. Eight other airports across the state will also be receiving from PennDOT’s Aviation Capital Budget/Transportation Assistance Program, Governor Ed Rendell announced today. The program is funded through state capital bond dollars in the General Fund budget. The grants, which are authorized by the General Assembly, are administered by PennDOT’s Bureau of Aviation.

Dianne Stanton, president of the Erie Outing Club, recently won an award from the Warren-based non-profit organization Friends of Allegheny Wilderness for choosing a new name for the organization's quarterly newsletter. Her winning entry was "FAWN." Dianne is pictured holding her award at a recent FAW event at the Warren Public Library along with her husband Gary, who helped her choose the newsletter name. The award is a professionally matted and framed photograph of Nelse Run, taken by FAW executive director Kirk Johnson within the proposed Tracy Ridge Wilderness Area in the Allegheny National Forest. The photo was framed by Kinzua Country Frameworks in North Warren. More information about FAW can be found online at www.pawild.org ( Photo courtesy of FAW )

From the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department: I-86 (Rt17) both EB and WB from Stow, exit 8, to the PA State line, exit 4, is closed due to detiorating road, driving and weather conditions.

From the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department: At this time I-90 is still closed from the Dunkirk Thruway Exchange to the PA State line in NYS. Heavier than normal traffic flow on Rt 5 and on Rt20 at this time due to that. In Pennsylvania I90 is still closed from the State line all the way to Erie, PA. Also I-86 (Rt17) in Pennsylvania is closed from I-90 to exit 3 (Rt89). It is extreme winter weather driving conditions out there in the NW corner of the County at this time.

One cat died and a firefighter was injured as a result of fires at two Congress Street homes this morning. Bradford City Fire Department Captain Dave Paul said that, as of 11:15 a.m., one firefighter was being treated for a back injury at BRMC. Firefighters were called to a duplex at 279 Congress at 6:10 a.m. When they arrived, they found flames coming from the left side of the duplex and saw that the fire had already jumped to the house four feet away at 277 Congress and extended into the attic. They called in a second alarm at 6:15 a.m. "Both crews had a fairly quick initial knockdown," Paul said. But he added that because of the wood shingles at 279, they had to cut the roof away so the fire didn't burn more of the building. He said there was heavy fire damage to attic, but minimal damage to the rest of the house. As for 279, there was heavy fire and smoke damage to the left side of the duplex, but it did not extend to the right side. Firefighters have not been able to...

Titusville has another state historical marker, and this time it has a Bradford connection. The marker honors Byron Benson, who oversaw the completion of the first long-distance pipeline, which ran 109 miles from the Bradford oil fields to Williamsport. Benson worked in Pennsylvania's oil region from 1865 through 1888 and was a founder of the Tidewater Pipe Company.

13 more social networking sites, including those owned by Google, Yahoo! and AOL, have agreed to remove New York sex offenders from their sites. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says that as of Thursday, 15 major social networking companies have agreed to use the state's Electronic Securing and Targeting of Online Predators Act. Last week, Facebook and MySpace removed more than 3,500 sex offenders from their networks. http://www.oag.state.ny.us/media_center/2009/dec/dec10a_09.html

A bear hunter who shot and killed a man near Punxsutawney won't be charged. State police say the November 24 shooting of 63-year-old Frank Shaffer was justified. They say Shaffer confronted five hunters on property he owns in Summerville and ordered them off his land. The hunters left, but a short time later, Shaffer confronted three of them again in another area and shot 23-year-old Paul Plyler, of Summerville, in the hand. Shaffer shot three more times, striking Plyler in the back. Plyler then fired back, hitting Shaffer once.

Former New York State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno has quit his consulting job following his conviction on two corruption counts in federal court. The 80 year-old former lawmaker plans to appeal the fraud convictions under the "honest services"' statute. Bruno was acquitted on five counts with the jury divided on a sixth.