Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Police have captured the woman who they believe robbed the Community Bank in Allegany at around 11:15 Friday morning. Troopers say 25-year-old Katherine Hayes handed the teller a note and got away with an undisclosed amount of cash. Police caught up with Hayes overnight and charged her with first-degree robbery. She’s jailed on $100,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Phyllis J. Sprague, 82, of 585 West Washington Street, Bradford, passed away Thursday, May 24th, at her residence. Born November 1, 1929 in Bradford she was the daughter of the late James S. and Rhea P. (Franklin) Lawrence. She was a 1947 graduate of Bradford High School. On September 4, 1948 in Niagara Falls, NY she married James E. Sprague, who died on June 20, 2010. Mrs. Sprague was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. She was a well known organist, playing at most of the area churches for Sunday sevices and weddings. She was a member of the TOPS Club of Bradford. Surviving are three daughters; Danita (David) Hersh, of Quarryville, Laurie (Mark) Marcello, of Palm Harbor, FL; and Diana (Ernest) Rankin, of Mt. Jewett., four grandchildren, one great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and a son, Dennis Sprague. Family will be receiving friends on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 from 3 to 5 & 7 to 9pm in the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes, Inc. 372 East Main S...

Police are looking for a 17-year-old Kersey girl who hasn’t been seen since Friday afternoon. They say Christina Bennett was last seen walking from her home in Kersey at 1:30 yesterday. She was headed toward the Kersey park. Anyone with information on Christina’s whereabouts is asked to contact Ridgway-based state police. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The bodies of both Jamestown kayakers who drowned last weekend have been found. At around 8 o’clock Friday morning the body of 23-year-old Jonathan Miller was pulled from the Allegheny Reservoir. He was found along a shoreline in Stateline Bay. At around 12:30 Friday afternoon, crews found the body of 32-year-old Jacob Maynard in the dredge area of the Allegheny River in the Starbrick area. Maynard’s kayak capsized and he drowned on Saturday. Miller’s kayak capsized on Sunday. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police are continuing to search for a woman who robbed the Community Bank in Allegany Friday morning. Troopers say the woman handed the teller a note and got away with an undisclosed amount of money at around 11:15 a.m. She said she had a weapon, but did not display one. She's believed to be in her 50s, weighing around 180-pounds with reddish hair. Police say the woman may be working with another female, who is described as having long, dark hair. They may be driving a charcoal, gray late 1990s Chevrolet two-door Blazer or GMC Jimmy. The vehicle has a roof rack, spare tire on the back and possibly a big shield. Anyone with information is asked to call State Police at 585-268-9030. Photo provided by NY State Police The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Law enforcement officers are searching for a woman who robbed Community Bank this morning. The woman is 5 feet 4 inches tall and heavyset and was last seen on foot going toward Wal-Mart at about 11:20 a.m. Bank employees say the woman was in the Community Bank for quite some timebe so they do have surveillance video of her. We'll have more information on this developing story as it's made available. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Three people were hurt when a minivan hit a tour bus Thursday afternoon on Route 5 in Dunkirk. State troopers say the bus stopped to pick up passengers when the minivan slammed into the back of it. The driver of the van was taken to Brooks Memorial Hospital for treatment of an ankle injury. Two men on the bus complained of head and neck injuries, and were also taken to Brooks Memorial. No further information has been released yet. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police have completed their investigation into the death of a St. Marys woman earlier this year, and say her death was accidental. 30-year-0ld Shannon Mecca was found dead in her North St. Marys Street apartment on February 25. Police did not release information on what kind of accident caused Mecca’s death. The Elk County Coroner’s Office worked with St. Marys Police in the investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A source tells us the body of the 22-year-old Jamestown man whose kayak capsized Sunday has been found. Jonathon Miller was with a friend on the Allegheny Reservoir when the boat flipped over. State Police dive teams found the Miller's body this morning near Webbs Ferry. Crews are still searching for the body of 32-year-old Jacob Maynard of Jamestown whose kayak capsized Saturday near Starbrick. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The man who grew his own pot because it’s cheaper than buying it on the street has been sentenced to 45 days to a year in jail. Police found the marijuana-growing operation of 38-year-old Richard Wixson while looking into a report of an underage drinking party at his home in November. Charges related to the drinking party were dropped as part of his agreement to plead guilty to the drug charges. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Forestville homeowner got a surprise early Thursday morning when a car ended up inside his house. Sheriff’s deputies say at around 4:40 a.m. a car driven by 21-year-old Tiffany Covert left the road, hit a street sign and traveled inside the house on Creek Road. The homeowner was in the house but was not hurt. Covert was issued a ticket for failing to reduce speed on a corner. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Seneca Nation says if the New York State Department of Transportation isn’t going to follow the rules while repairing Interstate 86, they’ll take on the project themselves. Seneca President Robert Odawi Porter said during a news conference today that he was informed last week by New York State transportation officials that they would not be following the 19-year-old agreement that allows the nation to monitor construction sites and look out for their interests. The Nation’s Tribal Employment Rights Office rules have been followed on every other state project that crossed Seneca territory. Porter says if New York goes ahead with the project the state would be considered trespassers on Indian land. Porter has contacted the Federal Highway Administration to ask that the $28.5 million for the project be re-allocated from the state to the nation so a Seneca company can do the work. The Interstate 86 project calls for reconstruction of 11.5 miles from Exit 17 near Steamburg to Exit 20 in...

Motorists traveling along two routes in McKean County in the coming weeks will be reminded of one of the most common types of aggressive driving behavior: speeding. PennDOT recently placed radar-controlled speed display signs on Route 770 (Warren Road), near Custer City, where truck speed is 20 mph; and Route 155 in Eldred Township near the Larabee Y, where the speed limit is 55 mph. The speed display sign uses radar to determine the speeds of oncoming traffic. Vehicle speeds are then posted on the lighted section of the sign. The speed display signs in McKean County will remain on location for up to four weeks. PennDOT says Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviors are among the leading causes of crashes and fatalities in Pennsylvania. Other aggressive driving behaviors include running stop signs or red lights, passing illegally and tailgating. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Judge John Cleland will be the speaker for Kane Area High School’s commencement exercises on June 8. Cleland is a Kane native and 1965 graduate of Kane High School. He was appointed to the McKean County Court of Common Pleas 1984. He was a Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge from 2008 to 2009. Cleland chaired the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice that was created to investigate the circumstances that led to the Kids for Cash scandal in Luzerne County. Now, he is presiding over the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Horton Township resident says he was scammed by a person selling merchandise from the back of a pickup truck. Police say the person bought three boxes of meat from the person at around 9 o’clock last night on Court Road, and when he looked inside the boxes, two of the three were empty. As one of our co-workers said upon seeing the news release, “That’s what you get when you buy meat from the back of a pickup truck.” The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Authorities have released the name of the 22-year-old man who has been missing since his kayak capsized on the Allegheny Reservoir Sunday afternoon. Sheriff’s deputies say 22-year-old Jonathon Miller of Jamestown was with a friend near Onoville when their kayaks overturned. Miller’s friend went for help. Crews are still searching for Miller’s body. A search is also continuing for another Jamestown man, whose kayak capsized Saturday near Starbrick. Witnesses say 32-year-old Jacob Maynard struggled against the current before disappearing underwater. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

American Refining Group's Fire Brigade Team and Bradford Township volunteer firefighters participated in a training exercise Wednesday evening. Earlier in the day, city firefighters participated in the training. WESB photo The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Rarely in today’s world of employment, can an organization boast of employee longevity. Yet Bradford Manor, managed by HCF Management Inc., Lima, Ohio, recently honored 10 employees for over 20-plus years of service to the care community, at the exclusive annual Platinum Club Celebration held in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. According to Chuck Okorowski, Vice President of Human Resources for HCF Management Inc., “employee longevity is one of the unique characteristics of Bradford Manor which results in the outstanding level of quality of care that is provided to the residents. HCF is honored to have such a dedicated team of care providers working for them.” Overall, HCF recognized over 340 employees who have twenty or more years of service with HCF. The employees were honored with a celebratory luncheon, awards and a special cloisonné pin. Susan Hughes, Bradford Manor’s administrator, celebrating her 20 years, is pleased to recognize the following employees for their devotion to providing...

A Scottsdale, Arizona, oil and gas investments company, is participating in a project in McKean County that encompasses five wells over 1,100 acres. Petrochase says the area they are exploring has a potential for more than 200 wells, because the area is very porous, allowing for easier transmission of oil and gas after fracking. This is not solely a Marcellus Shale project, but Petrochase does have existing projects in the Eagle Ford Shale and Marcellus Shale regions. You can read the news release here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 10-year-old boy is being treated for a gunshot wound after what is believed to be an accidental shooting in the Town of Portville last night. State police say the boy was playing in a field when he was shot. He was stabilized at Olean General Hospital and then flown by Mercy Flight to Women and Children's Hospital in Buffalo for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. During their investigation troopers learned that a 17-year-old was shooting at a skunk in the general area where the boy was hit, but they are continuing to investigate. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947