Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

City of Bradford Police on Tuesday investigated a theft on Bushnell Street, a motor vehicle accident on High Street, criminal mischief on Homestead Avenue and a disturbance on Davis Street. Officers received complaints about harassment on Interstate Parkway and West Washington Street, an animal on South Avenue and suspicious activity on North Street. They also looked into a report of impersonation on Petrolia Street. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will hold a panel discussion at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, featuring longtime and former employees telling stories from the college’s early years. The discussion will take place in the KOA Speer Electronics Lobby of Blaisdell Hall. Panelists include Jeff Armstrong, Margaret Bryner, Dr. K. James Evans, Ray McMahon, and Dr. Michael Stuckart. Refreshments will be ’60s-authentic Bundt cake. Attendees will receive small 50th anniversary gifts. The event, which is free and open to the public, is part of the university’s ongoing 50th anniversary celebration. Armstrong is the longest-serving member of Pitt-Bradford’s staff. He began working at Pitt-Bradford while in high school and worked personally for then-president Dr. Donald Swarts in his home. Today he is a maintenance worker III in the university’s facilities management department. Bryner was the dean of women from 1970 until 1972, during a time when the dean still lived with the students in ...

A man captured in Bradford back in May after a burglary and theft in Carrollton has pleaded guilty in Cattaraugus County Court. 21-year-old Joshua Elliott attempted to break into a building in the Town of Carrollton on April 30. In May Bradford Police executed a search warrant at an East Avenue home and found Elliott there. He is scheduled for sentencing on February 24. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

"Appointments: A Novel of Life in Our Nation's Capital" centers on an Alabama senator who relentlessly pursues his dream of becoming the South's first white Supreme Court Justice in decades. His quest takes us through the tangled web of Washington and national politics. Author David Carmell is a Washington lawyer whose varied career includes experience as a lobbyist, law professor, and political appointee in State and Federal governments. You can hear my conversation with David Carmell here . This week's non-fiction selection is "Let Hope In" by Pete Wilson. Pastor Wilson writes about four choices that will change your life forever. You can hear our conversation here This week's review is "The Silver Star" by Jeannette Walls. You can read it here . Remember you can go to the Bradford Area Public Library any time you need a new book to read. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) announced today his latest effort to protect consumers and employers from wasteful mandates that drive up the price of food and gasoline. Sen. Toomey is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lessen the renewable fuel standard (RFS) that refiners must meet when manufacturing gasoline – and to do so in a timely manner. According to federal law, every November, the EPA must announce a sensible RFS mandate for the upcoming calendar year. Unfortunately, the EPA failed to meet this responsibility last year when it ignored the deadline and increased the RFS mandate on gasoline manufacturers. This lead to increased compliance costs for many Pennsylvania employers, including refineries located in Southeast Pa. “The EPA’s failure to follow the law last year put many family-sustaining jobs in Southeast Pa. in jeopardy. I urge the EPA to follow federal law and announce the RFS for 2014 in a timely manner,” said...

PennDOT is designing a slope repair project along Interstate 86 in Greenfield Township, Erie County. The project is located on the south side of the eastbound lanes along French Creek just east of the Ashton Road overpass, approximately at mile marker 6. Anticipated work includes the removal of guide rail, placement of temporary barriers, removal of existing erosion material and the placement of rock along the existing slope. The anticipated work will be done in the 2014 construction season. Both travel lanes will remain open, but the shoulder will be closed at the project site. Motorists can expect flaggers controlling construction vehicle access at times during work hours. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Are you a veteran who enjoys pheasant hunting? Then you’re in luck, because the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) second annual Veterans Hunt still has openings. The hunt is scheduled for Tuesday, November, 12, 2013, at Buzzard Swamp on the Allegheny National Forest. The event is free of charge and is open to veterans of any age. Physical limitations should not be a deterrent, as organizers will have the ability to let people with limited mobility enjoy the hunting experience. Veterans participating in the hunt will need a valid Pennsylvania hunting license and the required orange apparel. Participants are encouraged to bring their own shotguns, but a limited number of shotguns will be available. The hunt will be staged out of the Veterans Club of Forest County located off of Route 66 just north of Marienville. Check-in starts at 8 a.m. and will be followed by a safety briefing. For more information and to register, contact Kristen Giger at...

Stanley P. Doleski 95, of Bradford, passed away, Sunday October 27, 2013 at the Olean General Hospital in Olean. Born August 23,1918, in Scranton, he was a son of the late Stanley P. and Stella (Motylewski) Doleski, Sr. On October 17, 1945 in Bradford he married Florence "Babe" N. (Osborne) Doleski, who died, August 20, 2005. Mr. Doleski was a proud veteran of World War II. He entered the United States Army in 1939 served in the Pacific Theater, was awarded the Purple Heart. He was honorably discharged in 1944. He was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Church. He worked at the Star Garage in the morning and then went to work Bovard and Seyfang in the afternoon, he retired from Dresser Manufacturing. He continued his life long passion of automobile repair. In his later years he became a great lawn mower mechanic. He enjoyed bowling, gardening, and especially his Friday night fish Fries. Surviving is a daughter, Carol (Bob) Riddle, of White, GA, five ...

Congressman Tom Reed and the House Manufacturing Caucus welcomed a panel of experts Tuesday to Washington for a discussion on the “National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) – Past, Present and Future.” The caucus delved into a conversation of the first national manufacturing innovation institute, what current proposals exist for additional institutes, and the outlook for legislation to authorize future innovation centers to promote job growth in the United States. “Having a network of manufacturing institutes is what we need here in America to ‘Make it here, sell it there,’” Congressman Tom Reed said. “The Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act I introduced in the House will add more manufacturing institutes to bolster private-sector job creation and advance our competitive edge. We’ll engage the best and the brightest minds in manufacturing, academia and business to move American manufacturing forward.” Caucus Members were joined by panelists from the...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, has joined a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress in introducing the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (H.R. 3370), a bill to terminate rate increases under the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 until two years after the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) completes the rate affordability study originally mandated under the law. "Despite action taken by Congress in 2012 on a set of long-overdue reforms that strengthen the solvency and administrative efficiency of this program, I have serious concerns over FEMA’s ability to properly implement these changes without causing massive rate hikes for policy holders,” said Thompson. “I have already heard from many in the 5th District who are being affected, and it’s simply not fair." Under the 2012 law, which was designed to more accurately match subsidies with actual flood risk, Congress mandated FEMA complete an affordability study...

A McKean County jury has found a Smethport man guilty of raping a woman back in June. 33-year-old John Brown Jr. showed up uninvited at a woman’s home on June 20, dragged her through the house in front of her three young children, choked her and raped her. Besides rape, Brown was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, indecent assault and indecent assault by forcible compulsion. District Attorney Ray Learn tells WESB they found Brown guilty of all charges except aggravated assault. The trial started at 8:30 this morning. The verdict came in at about 5:15 this afternoon. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A cheese manufacturing plant is moving to Chautauqua County, and bringing a couple hundred new jobs with it. Empire Specialty Cheese Company will take over the former AFA Foods Plant in Ashville. The $6 million project that includes renovating the building and buying new machinery and equipment is expected to create 204 jobs over five years after the project is finished next year. The project is also expected to create new demand for local milk production and potentially re-employ workers at the facility that were terminated less than two years ago. “In Chautauqua County and Western New York, local businesses like Empire Specialty Cheese are expanding, investing in their community and creating new jobs for New Yorkers,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo. “This company’s choice to invest in economic improvements in Western New York is another example of what can happen when state government partners with businesses to help them succeed.” Empire State Development, the state’s economic de...

Several scams have been making their way back through the area within the last couple of weeks. Now, it seems, the jury duty scheme is back, too. State police say people identifying themselves as court employees have been calling citizens and tell them they have either been selected for jury duty, or that they have not reported for jury duty as directed. Then the caller asks to verify names and Social Security numbers, and asks for credit card numbers. If the request is refused the caller threatens the person with fines. Police are reminding people that court employees do not contact people by phone and ask for personal information. If you receive one of these calls, hang up. It’s an attempt at identity theft. If you’ve already given out personal information, monitor your account statements and credit reports, and contact your local police department. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Shrapnel from a gunshot hit and injured a man during a neighbor dispute Monday evening in Steamburg. Sheriff’s deputies say 36-year-old James Newell and his 53-year-old neighbor were arguing on Route 394 when he fired a round from his rifle into concrete, causing shrapnel to hit the neighbor. The neighbor was flown to ECMC in Buffalo, where he was treated and released. Newell is charged with reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon, because he is a convicted felon and prohibited from having a weapon. He was sent to jail on $10,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Robert Samuel Day, 92, of 20 Sherman St., Bradford, died Monday (Oct. 28, 2013) at The Pavilion at Bradford Regional Medical Center. Born Oct. 28, 1921, in Warren, he was a son of the late Elmer Irvin and Mary Margaret Sweeney Day. On July 16, 1949, in Pittsburgh, he married Lois Isabella Ginn, who survives. Mr. Day attended a one-room schoolhouse in Warren County and his teacher rode to school on horseback. He graduated from Lander High School in 1940. He served with the U.S. Army Infantry during World War II. He was awarded the Bronze Star for the heroic action of carrying a wounded fellow soldier on his back to safety under enemy fire. He also received the Purple Heart for injuries suffered in the war. Mr. Day attended art school in Pittsburgh following the war and worked at McCourt Label for 37 years as a commercial artist. After retirement in 1987 he volunteered for the American Red Cross and the McKean County Special Olympics for a number of years He was a member of St. Be...

Today Cole Memorial was named one of the nation's Top Performers on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. Cole Memorial was recognized by The Joint Commission for exemplary performance in using evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children's asthma, stroke and venous thromboembolism, as well as inpatient psychiatric services. New this year is a category for immunization for pneumonia and influenza. Cole Memorial is one of 1,099 hospitals in the U.S. earning the distinction of Top Performer on Key Quality Measures for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance. Cole Memorial was recognized for its achievement on the following measure sets: Surgical care and pneumonia prevention. The ratings are based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported t...

Motorists may want to avoid East Main Street this afternoon while paving is being done. The paving is from East Avenue to Kendall Avenue. Expect traffic backups and delays. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford woman is accused of going into the home of an acquaintance and leaving with several items that didn’t belong to her. 33-year-old Jennifer Coldren was in the garage of another woman’s home at 1 a.m. on October 20 without permission when the woman got home, according to papers filed in District Judge Rich Luther’s office. The victim says Coldren then said she needed to use the restroom and went into the house. About half an hour later, a friend of the victim gave Coldren a ride home. Later, they learned that Coldren had taken clothes, which she claims the victim gave to her, along with a bottle of perfume and a bottle of prescription medication. Coldren is charged with burglary, theft and prowling at nighttime and is jailed on $50,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The woman accused of driving under the influence in a crash that killed her daughter, nephew and four other people was arraigned today in District Court. 37-year-old Kathleen Douglas is also charged with six counts of homicide by vehicle, as well as multiple counts of aggravated assault by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter and a number of other offenses. Police say Douglas was driving her SUV on Route 219 at the Meade Run Road intersection on the afternoon of August 31 when it crossed the center line and hit a car head-on. Her 12-year-old daughter Olivia Douglas and 6-year-old nephew Jarrett Costanzo were pronounced dead at the scene. Douglas and her 10-year-old son were flown to trauma centers for treatment of serious injuries. 62-year-old Gary Beimel, 55-year-old Elaine Beimel, 54-year-old David Cuneo and 81-year-old Florence Donachy, all of St. Marys, were also pronounced dead at the scene. Douglas is in McKean County Jail on $750,000 bail and a preliminary hearing is schedule...

MOUNT JEWETT – Paving work began yesterday on Route 146 between Marvindale and Clermont in McKean County. The work zone stretches for about five miles in Hamlin and Sergeant Townships. Through Nov. 13, crews will perform a paving operation to place 4.5 inches of asphalt on Route 146 in this area. Flaggers will be in the roadway to control an alternating traffic pattern during daylight hours. Drivers need to remain alert for flaggers, sudden stops, and short travel delays. Each day, when work is complete, this section of Route 146 will re-open to two-way traffic. In addition to the paving operation, shoulder backup, guide rail removal/ replacement, and line painting will occur. All work is weather and schedule dependent and may also take place during the weekends. Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. of State College is the contractor for this $1.1 million roadway improvement, which is being funded by Seneca Resources. PennDOT reminds drivers to obey posted speed limits and use caution throug...