Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The Seneca Nation may be branching out toward Rochester. Seneca officials announced today that they have reached a deal with a company to build a casino in Henrietta, about 10 miles south of Rochester. David Flaum of Rochester-based Flaum Management Company says they are inspired by the commitment and vision the Seneca Nation and its leadership has demonstrated to create business partnerships throughout Western New York. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man has pleaded guilty to stealing a police SUV and doing about $3,000 worth of damage to it. 21-year-old Kevin Stafford and another man stole a Seneca Nation Marshal’s Chevy Tahoe on May 23 while they were responding to a call on Kill Buck Road. Then they took the SUV to Old Route 17, where they met up with two other men, went to the gravel pits in Red House and did $2,665 worth of damage to the SUV. Stafford is scheduled for sentencing on October 21 in Cattaraugus County Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Weedville man died after his motorcycle hit an elk this morning on Route 555. State police say 52-year-old Alvin Shutters was about a quarter of a mile west of Gray Hill Road in Benezette Township at 5:50 a.m. when his bike hit the elk in the road. He suffered fatal injuries. Police were assisted at the scene by Bennetts Valley Ambulance and the Jay Township Fire Department. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A former Clarion shop teacher has been sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison for having sex with an 11-year-old boy back in 2006, as well as other children in the 1970s and 1980s. 62-year-old Gary Weckerly had been facing hundreds of charges related to the incidents but pleaded guilty in January to one count of rape and two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person younger than 16, which were the most serious charges. Besides the 11-year-old old, he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old inside Clarion Area High School in 1985 and sexually assaulted another boy a number of times between 1976 and 1987 when the victim was between 3 and 14 years old. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Estelle W. Johnston, 87, formerly of 89 Foster Hollow, Bradford, passed away, Saturday August 17, 2013 in the Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, surrounded by her loving family. Born January 1, 1926 in Lewis Run, she was a daughter of the late John and Mary (Sankner) Wozer. She was a 1944 graduate of St. Bernard High School. On November 8, 1952, in Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church, she married James W. Johnston, who survives. She was employed as a secretary at The Johnston Store and Lake Erie Engineering and later at Fannin’s Bridal Shop as a bookkeeper. She was a member of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church and St. Anne’s Church in Emmaus. Surviving in addition to her husband James of 60 years, are two daughters, Judith Johnston of Macungie, and Gretchen (Tom) Ackerman of Rutland, Mass.; one son, James W. Johnston of Washington, DC; five grandchildren, Meghann Ackerman, Patrick Ackerman, Madeline Johnston, Joseph Johnston, Jay Johnston; her only brother, John Wozer, of Ton...

Triple Divide, the investigative journalism movie seeking truth about the impacts of fracking, will be shown at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the First Lutheran Church, 109 W. 3rd Ave., Warren. The screening is free and open to the public. http://tripledividefilm.org/ Following the movie, a public hearing will be held concerning Waste Treatment Corporation violating its water discharge permit and discharging gas drilling wastewater into the Allegheny River. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man accused of telling a woman and her 15-year-old son he had a bomb that could blow up her house and anyone in it is in McKean County Jail. 41-year-old Don McCann of Kane tried to break in to the garage of a Tionesta Avenue home with a pocket knife, and later threatened the woman and her son, according to papers filed in District Judge David Engman’s office. Police say McCann did have two pocket knives with him, but no explosives. McCann is charged with burglary, attempted burglary, terroristic threats, harassment and criminal mischief. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A rollover crash early Saturday morning has led to charges against a Yorkshire man. State police were called to the crash on Creek Road at 1 a.m. and shortly after they got there determined that 26-year-old Steven Fuller was drunk. He was taken to Bertrand-Chaffee Hospital in Springville for treatment of injures and then issued tickets for driving while intoxicated as wells as vehicle and traffic law violations. He’s scheduled to appear in Town of Yorkshire Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man caught speeding in Portville early Monday morning is facing a number of charges. Sheriff’s deputies stopped 25-year-old Dustin Sprague of Portville at 3:25 a.m. for speeding and learned that he was driving with a suspended license. They say he was also driving while intoxicated and had marijuana with him. Sprague will answer the charges in Village of Portville Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A motorcycle rider had to be flown by helicopter to ECMC in Buffalo following a crash Sunday evening in the Town of Dayton. Sheriff’s deputies say 39-year-old Christopher Enser of Cattaraugus was on Route 353 when he failed to negotiate a curve and crashed. He is charged with driving while intoxicated, operating out of class and failure to keep right. While he was in the hospital he was issued appearance tickets for Town of Dayton Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 3-year-old Amish girl was taken by Mercy Flight to Children’s Hospital in Buffalo after the buggy she was riding in was hit by a car and flipped over. Sheriff’s deputies say 39-year-old Ezra Glick was operating the buggy on East Otto-Springville Road when a car driven by Dominic Fiorello of East Otto hit the buggy, causing it to roll over. No one else was hurt in the crash. The little girl is listed in stable condition. The sheriff’s accident reconstruction unit is looking into the accident. Charges are pending the outcome of the investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Dunkirk man is in jail following a burglary and assault last night in Silver Creek. Sheriff’s deputies say 26-year-old Christian Lamoreaux went into a house without permission at about 7 o’clock, assaulted one person and choked another. He’s charged with burglary, assault, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and criminal mischief. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A crow in Portville has tested positive for the West Nile Virus. No human cases of the virus have been reported in the area. The Cattaraugus County Health Department is reminding people to use insect repellent and avoid mosquito breeding grounds such as standing water. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Monday afternoon fire has left a Bradford family homeless. City firefighters say the blaze destroyed the Fiske Avenue home of Tim Sampson. The family wasn't at home at the time of the fire which did $300,000 worth of damage. The cause of the blaze hasn’t been determined yet and a state police fire marshal has been called in to investigate. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man wanted on several charges in the city turned himself in to Cattaraugus County sheriff’s deputies early this morning. Andrew Miller was arraigned in Randolph Town Court as a fugitive from justice and was sent to jail to await an extradition hearing. He was wanted on charged of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, driving without a license and careless driving for incidents that happened last Tuesday, his 18th birthday. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

There’s a new twist to Friday’s story about four teenagers getting locked inside a walk-in vault. It seems it wasn’t an accident, and 19-year-old Lyle Howard is charged with reckless endangerment for closing the door, spinning the locking mechanism on the door and trapping the four inside. He was taken to Chautauqua County Jail on $500 bail. It took Falconer firefighters and a locksmith about four hours to get the 18- and 19-year-olds out of the vault. Police haven't released their names but say charges of marijuana possession and underage drinking are pending against them. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

State police are looking for people who have been victims of a magazine subscription scam. They say an 88-year-old Kane man is one victim of the suspect, Cynthia Sheeley of Belleview, Florida. Police say Sheeley is selling the subscriptions but the magazines are never sent to the people. Anyone who has been a victim of this scam is asked to contact Trooper Dylan Toy with Kane-based state police. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A 65-year-old man is accused of hitting another man with his cane. Police say 65-year-old Ray Johnson of Clermont hit a 41-year-old man from Crosby twice in the neck and back area with the wooden cane. Johnson was cited for harassment. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Apparently a Delevan, New York, man couldn’t wait until he got home to smoke some weed and thought lighting up at a red light was as good a time as any. State police say 24-year-old Andrew Patton was at the intersection of routes 16 and 39 in the Town of Yorkshire when he lit his marijuana pipe and started smoking while waiting for the light to change. When they searched his vehicle, besides marijuana and paraphernalia, police found some pills and charged him with criminal possession of a controlled substance and marijuana, and having medication not in its original container. He will answer the charges in Town of Yorkshire Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man accused of pointing a gun at another man in a bar is not facing charges for that, but is facing a felony charge for driving while intoxicated. State troopers say they received a call about a man who pointed the gun at the Roadside Bar and Grill in Yorkshire. When they found 48-year-old Daniel Youngman of Machias they learned the gun was an air gun. The person who made the complaint didn’t want to cooperate so a menacing charge was not filed. But troopers say Youngman was intoxicated and, because he had a previous DWI conviction within the last 10 years, he’s charged with a felony and was taken to Cattaraugus County Jail in lieu of bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947