Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The case of a convenience store robbery early this morning was solved quickly, thanks to the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department K-9 officer. Deputies say 34-year-old David Zembardo of Jamestown confronted the clerk in a parking lot of the Kwik Fill on Route 60 in the Town of Kiantone after she closed the store. They say he pulled a knife on her, forced her back into the store and took an undisclosed amount of cash. Drago, the K-9 officer, was able to track Zembardo to an area behind some businesses on Foote Avenue in Jamestown. Zembardo is charged with robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing and petit larceny. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man is accused of using his sick neighbor’s Access card to buy more than $200 worth of merchandise. Warren Mackey was asked by his neighbor on February 16 to buy her some juice. She gave him her Access card and the PIN, and he brought the juice back. But the next day she couldn’t find the card, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. She later learned that Mackey used her card to make purchases at Wal-Mart, Save-A-Lot and Tops. Charges against Mackey were bound to court. He’s free on unsecured bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The local community continues to show its support for the annual United Way campaign, as 20 percent of the $330,000 goal has been raised to date. “I am so excited to give this update,” said Mandi Wilton Davis, Executive Director. “We are working hard to maintain a strong pace throughout the campaign, and we’re so appreciative of the generosity we’ve seen so far.” Nearly half of the contributions received have come from the leadership/professional division, which is co-chaired by Lisa Minich and Jeannine Schoenecker. “We are excited and pleased with the increases we are seeing at the Leadership Level of giving this year,” said Minich. “With so many individuals in our community facing extremely difficult times, it’s inspiring to see the generosity of giving at this level.” Schoenecker echoed those remarks, adding, “It is during times like these that makes us proud to be part of such a caring community.” With two months remaining in the campaign, United Way staff and agency represe...

City of Bradford Police on Tuesday investigated a theft on High Street, a disturbance on King Street and harassment on Melvin Avenue. Officers also got calls about suspicious circumstances on Congress, Main and Williams streets. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Bradford City Council on Tuesday honored Judge Chris Hauser, who is leaving his position as chairman of the Downtown Bradford Redevelopment Corporation. Under his leadership, the DBRC established the Main Street Mercantile, renovated the Main Street Movie House and other key buildings in the Downtown Historic District, and returned them to private ownership. Hauser had been chairman of the DBRC since its inception. He stepped down after being elected judge in the McKean County Court of Common Pleas. Also Tuesday, council approved a change order for the new fire truck for the city fire department. Councilman Rhett Kennedy explained that the truck is necessary because the one it’s replacing is more than 30 years old. The next “newest” truck is 16 years old, he said, adding that the normal life of a fire truck is 10 years. Mayor Tom Riel added that without up-to-date equipment the department may not be eligible for grant money. The total coast of the truck and equipment is “not to ...

By Joe Pinter, @JPinter93 ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. (Oct. 8) – St. Bonaventure University staff called in the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department on Monday afternoon after workers saw a student drop a suspicious bag inside the Quick Arts Center. At about 2 p.m., a student wearing a hoodie stashed a bag inside the north entrance to the Quick Center, near the Devereux Hall quad. After faculty noticed that the student left almost immediately after dropping the bag, they notified Safety & Security officers, according to university officials. Read the full story here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The preliminary hearing for the man whose father shot and critically wounded a state trooper has been moved to next month. Kenneth Lees II had been scheduled for a hearing on felony charges of aggravated assault and fleeing or eluding police as well as a misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment and six traffic offenses. Lees’ father shot state trooper Bradley Wilson in the neck and torso as he was trying to serve a warrant on Lees’ Brockway house to look for evidence of a meth lab on September 26. After the shooting, police were looking for the younger Lees, who eventually took them on a chase that lasted nearly half an hour. Lees’ father shot and killed himself inside the house. Wilson remains hospitalized in Pittsburgh. Lees has not been charged with any drug offenses. He is in Jefferson County Jail on $75,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man who allegedly used a baseball bat to help him choke a woman is facing charges. 36-year-old David Dietrich of Delevan, New York, was charged with menacing and criminal obstruction of breathing in connection to an incident late last month in the Town of Yorkshire. State police say the woman was not hurt. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Charges against a Turtlepoint man accused failing to comply with a Megan's Law requirement have been bound to court. 60-year-old Gregory Koons allegedly failed to re-register as a term of his sentence for a 1991 attempted rape of a 15-year-old girl in Chemung County, NY. He is free on $10,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A burglary at the Twin Lakes Trailer Park in the Town of Yorkshire has landed a Delevan man in jail. State police say 21-year-old Stephen Frank committed the crime last Tuesday. The proceeds of the burglary have been recovered. Frank was charged with second-degree burglary and sent to Cattaraugus County Jail in lieu of bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man is accused of exposing himself to women in Cattaraugus and Erie counties over the past few months. State police say 26-year-old Tony Gilcrease was in his car in public places and exposed himself to women, or otherwise harassed them. The charges stem from three incidents in the Town of Yorkshire and one in the Town of Sardinia between late April and late September. Gilcrease will answer charges of public lewdness and harassment in Town of Sardinia and Town of Yorkshire courts. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

UPDATE 10/09: She has been found safe and well in Erie. Police say an Allegany woman last seen at WCA Hospital in Jamestown Sunday morning probably left the area on her own, but she will be considered a missing person until she contacts her family. Jamestown Police say the disappearance of 50-year-old Roseanne Hardiman is not considered suspicious. They are working with an out-of-state agency to confirm her whereabouts. In the meantime, they and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office are asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact them. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Bradford man accused of selling thousands of dollars’ worth of his aunt’s jewelry is now facing an unrelated charge of criminal trespass. On August 28 27-year-old Matthew Musolino pried a door jamb to get into a Cornen Street apartment, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. The resident was in bed when a man entered the room, said he was looking for someone and then left. The resident said he didn’t know the man but would be able to identify him if he saw him again. Later, he told police he saw the intruder’s picture on their Facebook page, and identified Musolino as the person who went into his apartment. Musolino is also charged with receiving stolen property for selling the jewelry back in August and flight to avoid apprehension for attempting to run from police 18 days later. He’s in McKean County Jail unable to post bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man is accused of trying to pay his lawyer with bad checks. 27-year-old Jason McCracken wrote 11 checks totaling $2,250 to attorney Jarett Smith and when Smith tried to cash the first one he learned the account was closed. According to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office Smith has attempted to contact McCracken and sent two certified letters that McCracken signed for. Smith says he also tried to call McCracken. McCracken is charged with 11 felony counts each of theft by deception and bad checks. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Salamanca woman has been charged with a Leandra's Law violation after a DWI arrest early Saturday morning on Interstate I-86 in the Town of Red House. Sheriff's deputies say 36-year-old Juanita Rivera was in an accident and was stopped a short distance from the scene where they discovered she was under the influence of alcohol, and that she had three children – ages six, seven and nine – in the car with her. In addition to the felony DWI charges, Rivera is charged with endangering the welfare of children. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man accused of choking his girlfriend and kneeing her in the face is in McKean County Jail. 24-year-old Axle Tankersley allegedly smashed windows in his girlfriend’s car and then assaulted her to the point that she blacked out last Saturday. She was treated at BRMC for severe facial injuries. Tankersley is charged with aggravated assault, criminal mischief, harassment and possession of a controlled substance. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Attempted homicide charges have now been filed against the man accused of breaking into the house of his former boss and threatening him and his wife with guns. 61-year-old Gary Patrick of Derrick City allegedly threatened David and Christine Taylor on the night of September 23. David Taylor was able to get the guns away from Patrick both times he threatened them. In addition to attempted homicide, Patrick is charged with aggravated assault, criminal trespass, burglary, terroristic threats and possession of a weapon. Police are also investigating an arson at a camp near Patrick’s home where they say they found more evidence against him. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A natural gas leak has been determined as the cause of a house explosion in Ripley, New York, Monday morning. The Chautauqua County Fire Investigation Team says there was a gas line break in December at the house on Lakeview Avenue that had been repaired. But over the course of the past several months the ground where the repair was made had settled, causing the repaired section to break loose, which then caused an underground gas leak. The ground became saturated with natural gas that then leaked into the basement of the house. Once the air mixture in the basement got to a volatile state, it ignited from the pilot light on the hot water tank, which caused the explosion. No one was home when the house exploded. Six fire departments battled the resulting fire. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy The Olympic torch might not be windproof, but the Zippo lighter still is. On Sunday, shortly after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin kicked off the four-month-long torch relay for the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, the flame, which had traveled to Moscow all the way from Athens, Greece, was extinguished in a wind gust outside the Kremlin. As the torchbearer, a former champion swimmer Shavarsh Karapetyan, noticed his torch’s lack of luminance, he hustled over to nearby onlooker, possibly part of the security detail, who deftly got things back on schedule with a quick flick of his Zippo lighter. Burning brightly once more, thanks to the dependable American classic, Karapetyan continued on his leg of the relay with no more incidents. “We’re always happy to provide a reliable flame in a moment of need,” said David Warfel, director of global marketing. “We hope that everyone along the relay route has their ...

Gov. Tom Corbett is scheduled to visit Rep. Martin Causer’s (R-Turtlepoint) Senior Citizens Expo this Friday, Oct. 11, at the Roulette Fire Hall, 12 Riverside Drive, Roulette. The governor is scheduled to arrive at 10:45 a.m. to greet and talk with area senior citizens. “I am pleased to welcome the governor to Potter County,” Causer said. “This is a great opportunity to talk about the issues that matter to rural Pennsylvanians.” The Senior Citizens Expo is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. State, county and local vendors will be on hand to distribute information and answer questions. Information about health care, insurance, nutrition and exercise, fire safety, financial planning, fraud protection, government services, hunting/fishing and personal safety will be available. Health screenings will also be offered, and door prizes will be awarded. Admission is free, and lunch will be provided. Due to the expo, Causer’s offices in Bradford and Coudersport will be closed on Frida...