Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced that they have acquired catcher Chris Snyder, minor league shortstop Pedro Ciriaco and cash considerations from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for infielder Bobby Crosby, outfielder Ryan Church and right-handed pitcher D.J. Carrasco. The announcement was made by Pirates Senior Vice President, General Manager Neal Huntington. The 29-year-old Snyder made 58 starts behind the plate for the Diamondbacks this season and hit .231 (45-for-195) with 10 home runs and 32 RBI in 65 games overall. He had his 240-game errorless streak snapped on June 6; the third-longest streak in Major League history by a catcher behind Mike Redmond (253 games, July 22, 2004-May 18, 2010) and Mike Matheny (252 games, August 2, 2002-August 1, 2004). Snyder’s current OPS of .778 ranks ninth among Major League catchers with at least 225 plate appearances and he has the seventh-highest OPS (.774) among catchers in the Major Leagues with at least 1200 plate appearances since...

The Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce has set a goal of 1,000 Facebook fans by Tuesday -- and they're almost there. Join the nearly 800 people who have already become fans. http://www.facebook.com/BradfordPAChamber Their ultimate goal is 3,000 fans. Piece o' cake!

From the Jeffersonian Democrat: BROOKVILLE - Overcrowding in one county prison may prove to be a boon to the Jefferson County Jail. Monday Jefferson County Jail Warden Tom Elbel said he has been in contact with McKean County about the possibility of housing prisoners for that county. Read the full story here .

A Buffalo man is facing charges after police stopped him for speeding and learned he has 17 scofflaw suspensions on 11 different dates. Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputies say that at around 12:40 this morning they stopped 20-year-old Darnell Carr for speeding on Route 60 in Cassadaga. During a driver license check they learned about the suspensions and that Carr was operating on a non-driver ID only. He was remanded to the Chautauqua County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 property bond.

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, today sent a letter to President Barack Obama with 17 additional bipartisan signatures to ask that Joe Paterno be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “The Medal of Freedom has always stood for those who make a contribution to making our nation a better place to live,” said Thompson. “I believe Joe Paterno represents an ideal of what student and college athletics should be.” “Rarely has the award been made to someone who has personified sportsmanship on the field of play and academic achievement in the classroom,” Thompson wrote in the letter. “It is our hope, that this year the Medal of Freedom does just that by honoring Joe Paterno for his contribution to the coaching of football, his commitment to the academic integrity of the young men under his charge, and his deep dedication to education in general.” The letter was signed by 16 other Representatives from Pennsylvania and one from Virginia, Rep. Frank Wo...

Bass Pro is backing out of Buffalo. The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation was notified by Bass Pro President Jim Hagel today that they would be withdrawing from further consideration of Buffalo's waterfront development. Congressman Brian Higgins who issued an ultimatum to Bass Pro last week issued the following statement: "Western New Yorkers have waited fifty years for waterfront development to happen and we aren't waiting anymore. After nearly a decade of talk there comes a point when this community should expect our business partners to either sign on the dotted line or we as a community must again stand up for ourselves and demand we move forward. “I will be asking Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation to develop a revised plan with emphasis on public infrastructure that will help us to reach our full waterfront potential. Thanks to our hard work over the last several years we have over $100 million in NYPA funding immediately available to implement that pl...

A federal judge in Buffalo issued a mixed decision in response to a request by Seneca Nation business owners regarding the PACT Act. Judge Richard Arcara’s ruling says Senecas in the mail-order cigarette business will have to comply with some provisions of the new federal law, but not all of them. The ruling temporarily exempts the businesses from the part of the law that requires sellers to comply with state and local taxing laws, but a provision prohibiting them from shipping cigarettes through the mail can be enforced. This will be in effect as the business owners continue to challenge the constitutionality of the law.

Twelve chambers of commerce from the Great Lakes region today sent a letter (see attached) to President Obama urging him to take immediate action to block the destructive Asian Carp from infiltrating the Great Lakes. The Honorable Barack Obama President of the United States The White House Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: The economies of the American Midwest are under serious threat by Asian Carp. These invasive species are aggressively colonizing watersheds dangerously near the Great Lakes, risking an environmental and economic catastrophe. We collectively ask for your leadership and active and immediate federal engagement in this issue. While the threat is real and immediate, prompt action by the federal government could slow, or even prevent, calamity. Various solutions to address the Asian Carp issue have been proposed, including the closure of locks along the Chicago Area Waterways System. This proposed solution, while addressing the immediate problem of invasive spec...

HARRISBURG -- Rep. Jennifer L. Mann, D-Lehigh, has introduced HB 176, the Act to Ban Synthetic Marijuana, today in the Pennsylvania House. The legislation will ban the sale or use of "K2," a synthetic marijuana responsible for numerous emergency room visits by teens and children, and a drug which causes severe health effects in its users. "My legislation would ensure those found possessing K2 would be subject to the same laws as those possessing marijuana," Mann said. "Mixes sold on the street marked as ‘K2’ contain various dangerous chemicals which present real health risks to users. We must act immediately to ban this substance to protect the Commonwealth’s children." The drug is so new, no federal or Pennsylvania law exists to give police the right to arrest those possessing K2. "By setting clear guidelines on the use and consumption of synthetic marijuana, we empower our law enforcement personnel to stop the spread of this new threat to our childr...

On Wednesday, Kane Community Hospital (KCH), an affiliate of Hamot Health Foundation, held a celebration to honor employee participation in the Tenth Anniversary of the Kane Area Relay for Life. The celebration began in the Gardens at KCH where J. Gary Rhodes, CEO of KCH and Mark Papalia, Director of Operations grilled hot dogs and hamburgers for hospital staff. In his remarks to those gathered for a pre-luncheon ceremony, Rhodes commented that it was a most appropriate place to remember and to celebrate the many triumphs of cancer research and care. The Gardens at KCH were created after the loss of long time nurse Patti Zook (who suggested gardens at the Hospital) after her courageous fight with cancer. After her passing, many more KCH colleagues followed, Rhodes noted, remembering each and the toll cancer has levied on the Hospital and throughout the Kane Area. Rhodes reminded team members and staff that KCH’s involvement with the American Cancer Society’s signature event ...

The Marcellus Shale Coalition announced Friday that former Governor Tom Ridge has agreed to serve as its strategic adviser. A coalition spokesman says Ridge's communications and policy groups will be paid $75,000 a month for help in such areas as public outreach, education and coalition building. We have learned from the past that we must develop our resources safely and efficiently. During my term as governor, we grew our economy by providing incentives for economic growth and always by ‘Growing Greener.’ The development of the Marcellus Shale will benefit all of the citizens of our state, our region, and our nation. Not only can the environmental and economic benefit be transformational for generations to come, our homeland security will be forever strengthened,” Ridge added. http://marcelluscoalition.org/2010/07/gov-ridge-joins-the-marcellus-shale-coalition-as-strategic-advisor/

The Bradford Drillers baseball team is headed to Cooperstown, New York, to play in the Youth Baseball Tournament. You can get all the schedule information, as well as information about the team, at Bradford Drillers.com . More information is available at Cooperstown Dreams Park.com . Good luck, guys!

The Allegheny National Forest announced today the temporary closure of Forest Road (FR) 188 in Lafayette Township, McKean County. FR188 between the intersection with FR504 and Westline will be closed from Tuesday, August 3 through Tuesday, August 10 for culvert replacement work.

State Senator Richard A. Kasunic (D-Fayette/Somerset) today introduced two bills that would increase the number of State Police troopers and keep the department as close to full strength as possible. “While State Police officers have done an admirable job tackling expanded responsibilities with fewer resources, it is imperative that we take steps to assure that there are an adequate number of troopers patrolling our highways and communities,” Kasunic said. His two bills would: · raise the State Police compliment from 4,310 to 5,000; and · mandate that a new State Police cadet class be formed if the total number of troopers falls 5 percent or more below the department’s compliment. Both measures would exempt troopers assigned to casinos, liquor enforcement or the Delaware River Bridge Authority from being counted toward the compliment. Kasunic said the State Police is currently 260 officers under its 4,310 complement. He said patrol responsibilities have grown ...

Washington, D.C .— U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, learned today that the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $224,500 to the Bradford Regional Airport to purchase snow removal equipment and rehabilitate runways. “This federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation will enable the airport to keep their runways in good working order and provide greater safety in the winter with better snow removal,” said Thompson. “I understand the existing snow plow has reached the end of its useful life.” Airport Director Tom Frungillo said, “The funds will be used to rehabilitate, crack seal and mark Runway 14-32 and Runway 5-23. Additionally, we will purchase much needed snow removal equipment.”

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.– U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Field Operations announced the arrest of a United States citizen wanted in Maryland on homicide charges. On July 30, CBP officers received notification from Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that Benjamin Moore, a 46- year-old United States citizen from Lexington Park, Maryland, was being deported from Canada and returned to the United States. Canadian authorities advised that Mr. Moore was taken into custody by Niagara Regional Police after a traffic stop in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Record checks by Canadian authorities revealed the possibility of an active warrant in the United States. Mr. Moore was deported from Canada by CBSA and returned to the United States via the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls. Upon his return to the United States, CBP officers verified the validity of the nation-wide felony warrant and confirmed the extradition. The warrant was issued July 26, 2010 by the St. Mary’s County (MD...

National Fuel Gas customers will see a 20 percent increase in their bills starting Sunday. The monthly bill of a typical customer will go form $76.21 to $91.74. Nancy Taylor of National Fuel says the primary reason for this increase is the completion of a refund of previous over-collections that has been included in rates for the past year. She adds that the market price for natural gas is projected to be greater the current rate. National Fuel projects annual Gas Supply Charges each year on August 1 and can then update them through quarterly reconciliation of actual costs against projections. Any necessary updates can be made on November 1, February 1 and May 1.

A man has been arrested for attempting to rob an Amish couple earlier this month. In an e-mail to WESB and The HERO, Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s deputies say they arrested 29-year-old Donald Pfaffenbach for attempted robbery and menacing. Deputies say on July 11, in the Town of Leon, Pfaffenbach, tried to forcibly steal property from an Amish couple by displaying a handgun and demanding their wallet. When the couple said they didn’t have a wallet, Pfaffenbach fired one round near the horse that was pulling the couple’s buggy. Pfaffenbach is in jail in lieu of $500 bail. Deputies say more arrests are pending after their investigation is complete.

Frank Williams Sports Blog: PA Practice Smooth : "Thursday night's Big 30 practice at Kane went smoothly for Pennsylvania. A couple of players getting nicked up and leaving practice because ..."

By SANDRA RHODES If competition breeds success then there are already many winners in the Willow Creek Triathlon. The obvious winners in the Fifth Annual Willow Creek Triathlon, set for Aug. 7, may be determined by those who benefit from the race – the Disabled American Veterans of McKean and Warren counties. There are also the participants who strive to better themselves as well as bring out a little competitive side, pitting friend against friend, family member against family member. Participants swim for 300 yards in Quaker Lake in Allegany State Park, bicycle 15 miles to Giordano’s Corydon Hotel and run three miles to The Willows Restaurant. Individuals can do all three events or be part of a team. One example of the competitive spirit is a group from the Bradford Kiwanis Club. The team of Karen Buchheit, Candy Tingley and Denise Bean will compete against Steve Cottillion, a fellow Kiwanian. Buchheit will swim, Tingley will bike and Bean will run. Although none were clear on how th...