Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The defense in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse trial has rested without Sandusky taking the witness stand. Closing arguments are scheduled for tomorrow morning. Sandusky is charged with abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period. Eight of the alleged victims testified during the trial. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has named 280 students to its spring Dean’s list. Dean’s list status is awarded to full-time students who have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Full-time students earning a grade point average of 4.0 from Bradford were Richard W. Persing, a junior accounting major; Barbara A. Allen and Kira Lee Lipps, both junior early childhood education (PreK-4) majors; Jeffrey M. Warner, a freshman engineering major; Maxwell L. Cercone, a junior history-political science major; Kaitlin Marie Zapel, a senior human relations major; Jodi L. Irons, a freshman nursing major; and Amanda J. Kleps, a junior public relations major. Other full-time students from McKean County earning a 4.0 were Vincent D. Berrettini, a senior mathematics education 7-12 major from Eldred; Nicole D. Corliss, a junior accounting major, Bethany L. Mealy, a junior early childhood education (preK-4) major and Kyle J. Meserole, an undeclared f...

The Eldred Senior Center has air conditioning for people who are in need of some relief from the heat. They are inviting people to visit the center, and are providing cool refreshments. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Volunteers may be available for later hours. For more information call 225-3323. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

ALBANY – Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I – 57th District) announced that the state Senate passed legislation to further protect students who are bullied or cyberbullied. The bill, which clarifies and expands existing law, creates guidelines for school districts to develop policies and procedures to address the problem of cyberbullying. “This legislation provides our schools with the necessary tools to address a terrible problem. Social media such as Facebook, and text messaging have escalated bullying to an extreme level, sometimes with tragic consequences. We need to ensure our schools are safe so our students can have a positive environment for learning and development,” Senator Young said. Reports indicate that more than 7 million students from ages 12-18 were bullied at school and with the onslaught of technological advances in recent decades, more than 1.5 million students say they were cyberbullied on or off school property. “Our students now communicate in a cyber wor...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After the urging of U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Senate and House leaders negotiating a compromise Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reauthorization bill have agreed to include language to place a national ban on synthetic drugs like bath salts and synthetic marijuana. The agreement would control 26 synthetic substances under the Controlled Substances Act and also double the length of time the DEA can temporarily ban substances to allow a permanent ban to take effect. “For Pennsylvania communities that have faced violence and crimes as a result of synthetic drugs like bath salts, this agreement is very welcome news,” said Senator Casey. “I pushed legislation to get these substances off our streets and prevent the horrible acts of violence synthetic drugs induce, so it is a relief that a ban appears to finally be close to becoming law.” Senator Casey has been a leader in the effort to ban the harmful substances in bath salts and other synthetic drugs by pushing ...

HARRISBURG – Continuing its commitment to ending waste, fraud and abuse in the Commonwealth’s public assistance programs, the state House has approved legislation to bring accountability to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) said. LIHEAP provides cash grants and crisis grants to help qualified individuals pay their heating bills or replace or repair heating equipment; however, the Office of the Auditor General has identified a significant number of fraudulent claims in the program over the last several years, including more than 500 households that received $162,000 in benefits using the Social Security numbers of people who were deceased. “LIHEAP provides a valuable service to people in need,” Causer said. “But when someone defrauds the system, they are putting the people who truly need help at risk, and they are stealing money from the taxpayers. We need to be vigilant and put a stop to such abuses.” House Bill 1991 requires the...

Harrisburg -- The Senate on Tuesday unanimously adopted a Senate resolution sponsored by Senate President Joe Scarnati (R-25) to raise awareness about the fastest-growing form of cancer – thyroid cancer. The resolution designates September 2012 as “Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania. Scarnati, a thyroid cancer survivor, said it was important to approve the measure in June before the Senate recesses for the summer. “Several years ago I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and thanks to the excellent treatment I received by physicians in Pittsburgh, I have made a full recovery” said Scarnati. “The chances of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer have risen in recent years and have more than doubled since 1990,” said Scarnati. “The good news is that it is highly treatable when detected early. It’s my hope that ‘Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month’ will get the word out on how important it is to see a doctor if symptoms occur.” Increased risks for thyroid cancer can include a family h...

One Jamestown teenager has pleaded guilty and another not guilty in connection to a burglary December 15 in Cattaraugus County. 17-year-old Alex Colley admitted to breaking into a building in South Valley. He will be sentenced on October 9. His co-defendant, 16-year-old Jaycee Moore, pleaded not guilty to a felony count of criminal mischief. Her case has been adjourned for motions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An Olean man has pleaded guilty to selling crack cocaine. 22-year-old Adam Gerland sold the crack on November 18, 2010, in Olean. He is scheduled for sentencing on September 10. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Warren County woman is dead following a head-on collision on Route 6 this morning. Police say 54-year-old Wendy Borton of Pittsfield was driving near Dalrymple Street in Pittsfield Township at 12:20 a.m. when she fell asleep at the wheel and her car drifted into the opposite lane and hit a truck head-on. Borton was taken by ambulance to Warren General Hospital, and then flown to UPMC Hamot, where she died. Police say the truck driver, 35-year-old Daniel Rapp, suffered moderate injuries. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Gowanda man is accused of swinging a sledgehammer while arguing with a neighbor last weekend. Police say 30-year-old Jeremiah Bednarek appeared to be drunk while he was in an argument with a female neighbor. He allegedly threatened the woman while walking toward her swinging the sledgehammer. He was sent to Cattaraugus Count Jail in lieu of $1,500 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

No one was hurt in an accident when a driver fell asleep at the wheel this morning on Irishtown Road in Fox Township. Police say 24-year-old Jacob Mattim of Kersey fell asleep at just after midnight and his pickup truck went off the road, hit a utility pole, rolled over and landed on its roof. Mattim was taken to Elk Regional Health Center for a blood alcohol content test. Police say multiple summary violations along with DUI charges are pending. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

ALBANY -- The state Senate on Monday passed three bills to help grow and expand the craft beer industry in New York State. The bills, which represent a three-way agreement among the Senate, Assembly and Governor Cuomo, will protect an important tax benefit for small breweries that produce beer in New York, create a Farm Brewery license that will allow craft brewers to expand their operations through opening restaurants or selling new products and will exempt breweries that produce small batches of beer from paying an annual State Liquor Authority fee. “New York’s craft breweries create fantastic beer, but just as important, they have a strong and growing impact on our economy because they create jobs, support agriculture and promote tourism,” Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos said. “Senator Zeldin and Senator Ritchie did an outstanding job working with the Governor and the Assembly to reach agreement on these bills that will help encourage a thriving industry to expand and create...

These two rabbits stand guard on either side of one of our satellite dishes this morning. Actually, they are too skittish to be good guards but they're awfully darn cute. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Senate approved two bills sponsored by Sen. Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte) aimed at cracking down on problematic drinking, particularly in college towns, by increasing maximum fines and assessing a fee to pay for prevention measures. Senate Bill 941 increases the maximum fine limit for underage drinking violations and public drunkenness, to $1,000. The current maximum for underage violations is $500 on second and subsequent offenses, and $300 for all offenses of public drunkenness. "Municipalities are continuously facing the rising costs of alcohol related crimes, and those costs are borne by someone – in this case, the taxpayer," Corman said. "The goal here is to give the judiciary discretion to make a larger impact as it sees fit on the person violating the law, and to provide a more appropriate deterrent so that the individual makes better decisions the next time around. Additionally, if higher fines are chosen, the municipality and tax pa...

An Allegany County man is accused of sexually abusing a child younger than 14. State Police charged 49-year-old Gary Russell of Hume with criminal sexual act, aggravated sex abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. Russell is in Allegany County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A pedestrian is dead after being hit by a car in Jamestown Monday night. Police say 43-year-old Terry Harper walked into the path of a car on Washington Street near West 13th Street at around 9:15 p.m. He later died at WCA hospital. The driver was not hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The S. W. Smith Library Building Fund proudly presents “An Evening with Bob Stromberg” on Saturday, June 30, 2012, 8:00 p.m. in the Port Allegany High School. For more than 30 years Bob has been delighting audiences of all ages with his perfect blend of stand-up, story and shtick. The Chicago Sun Times called Bob, “…a mesmerizing physical comedian .” The London Times called him, “…a genuinely funny man.” Tickets are $15 pre-sale and are available at the library, Buchanan’s Pharmacies, First National Bank, and Hamlin Bank in Bradford. VIP tickets are available only at the S.W. Smith library for $50 and include a meet and greet with the comedian and reserved seating. Tickets are $20 at the door. Mr. Stromberg’s previous appearance in the area sold out -- get your tickets today!

Implementation of the detour on Lafayette Avenue/Big Shanty Road in Lewis Run has been delayed again. PennDOT has now scheduled the detour to start on June 25. It was originally scheduled to start on June 11, and then today, but it has been delayed one more week to complete all preliminary work. The detour is expected to last through late August while the existing bridge is replaced with a new concrete arch structure. All work is weather and schedule dependent. L.C. Whitford of Wellsville, New York, is the contractor on this $1.3 million project. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford woman has been sentenced for her guilty plea to welfare fraud. 55-year-old Carol Bunce received more than $8,000 in cash assistance and SNAP benefits she was not entitled to. She was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and 120 hours of community service, and was also ordered to pay full restitution. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947