Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

(News Release) HARRISBURG – Two bills to reduce the size of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Senate passed the House today, Speaker of the House Sam Smith (R-Jefferson/Armstrong/Indiana) said. Both bills now head to the Senate for consideration. House Bill 1234, authored by Smith, would reduce the House of Representatives to 153 members from 203 and passed by a vote of 148-50; House Bill 1716 would reduce the Senate to 38 members from its current 50 and passed by a vote of 150-48. “A smaller legislature will be more efficient,” Smith said. “A smaller legislature means state government will be more productive and more responsive. This bill will bring a greater level of understanding between the people crafting legislation. The end product will be more responsive to the needs and concerns of the people of Pennsylvania.” With 253 members, the Pennsylvania General Assembly is the second-largest in the country (New Hampshire’s legislature consists of 424 member...

A new federal study has found high levels of methane gas in water wells in the Southern Tier of New York, even in areas that aren't near oil and gas drilling. The U.S. Geological Survey says 15 percent of groundwater samples from 66 household wells across south-central New York contained methane at levels high enough to warrant monitoring or remediation. Higher concentrations of methane were found in water wells located in valleys. The USGS says the testing was done in the summer of 2012 and the study area includes about 2000 square miles in parts of Broome, Tioga, Chemung, Chenango, and Delaware counties. You can read more on the survey here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Brookville man is in jail for kidnapping a woman at gunpoint. Police say they got a report at around 7 o’clock last night that a woman was being kidnapped, but she was able to jump out of the vehicle and run to a nearby store for help. 39-year-old Shawn Whitenight fled the scene and police found him at his home, where he kept them at bay until around 1 o’clock this morning when he surrendered. He is charged with felony counts of kidnapping, aggravated assault and terroristic threats as well as a number of misdemeanors. His bail is set at $150,000. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A New York State Trooper is dead after being hit by a tractor-trailer while he was conducting a traffic stop on the Thruway near Albany Monday night. New York State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D’Amico says Trooper David W. Cunniff died this afternoon in Albany Medical Center. The 35-year-old trooper was in his patrol car with emergency lights activated when the tractor-trailer hit his car and the car Cuniff had stopped. The impact forced the trooper’s car off the road and partially ejected him from the vehicle. Trooper Cuniff is survived by his wife and two sons, ages 6 and 4. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two people were sentenced on drug charges today in Cattaraugus County Court. 31-year-old Carlton Sayles will spend two years in prison for attempting to sell a narcotic drug between September of last year and September of this year in Olean. 31-year-old Nathan Green will spend 5 years on probation for selling Suoxone on September 19 of last year in Olean. Also today, 23-year-old Rachel Slawiak of Portville pleaded not guilty to selling hydrocodone on June 7 of last year in Olean. Her case has been adjourned for motions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Minard Run Oil Co. has made a $25,000 contribution to the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford that will allow more high school students to take advantage of a program that allows them to earn college credit at minimal cost. The contribution is made possible through a tax credit program offered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. This is the second year Minard Run has taken advantage of the program. “We’re happy to make this investment to allow students to have the opportunity to bridge their education to a potentially greater future,” said Frederick Fesenmyer, owner, president and chief executive officer of Minard Run Oil. Pitt-Bradford has two programs in which students can earn both high school and college credits for the same course, BRIDGES and College in the High School. Both programs will benefit from Minard Run’s contribution. In the BRIDGES program, high school students attend Pitt-Bradford...

A Smethport man is facing drug and weapons charges. 67-year-old John Kelly called police at around 9 o’clock Friday night to report a fight between him and a house guest, and to say the argument was escalating. While at Kelly’s home, police saw a loaded sawed-off shotgun and 12 marijuana plants in plain view. He was sent to McKean County Jail on $5,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Kane man is in jail for choking a woman and threatening to kill her. Police say 35-year-old Robert Duck was fighting with the driver of a vehicle they were both in at just after midnight Sunday when he choked her and threatened her. When police arrived he gave them a fake name and date of birth. Duck is charged with simple assault, terroristic threats and providing false information to law enforcement. His bail is set at $10,000. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man has been arrested for stealing guns and other items from a Keating Township home last week. Police say 35-year-old Ronald Bliss pushed in a locked door at Benny Toothman’s home, then stole two rifles, ammunition, a flat screen TV, some tools and two jars full of change. Bliss was sent to McKean County Jail on $100,000 cash bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

City of Bradford Police on Friday investigated an attempted burglary on Summer Street and incidents of trespassing on Williams and Pleasant streets as well as Rockland Avenue. Officers were also called about disorderly conduct on Chestnut, Main and East Corydon streets and suspicious activity on Mill Street. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

(News Release) SMETHPORT – The McKean County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) met on December 6, 2013 at the County EMA facility. Representatives from McKean County Emergency Management, Pennsylvania DEP, Zippo, W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery, American Red Cross, American Refining Group, FCI Mckean and Allegheny Bradford Corporation were in attendance. The LEPC was formed in accordance with PA Act 165 of 1990 and the Federal Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Title III. The primary roles of the LEPC are preparing plans dealing with the release of Extremely Hazardous Substances from facilities utilize these chemicals, the collection and use of chemical fees from industries to support Hazardous Materials Response needs in the county. Updated plans for Universal Well Services and The McKean Landfill were reviewed and approved. Also, new plans for Baker Petrolite and the CARES-McKean were reviewed and approved. The LEPC was also notified that Superior Well Serv...

A young Chautauqua County couple is facing charges for helping their toddler smoke marijuana. Sheriff’s deputies say 17-year-old Jessica Kelsey and 18-year-old George Kelsey – along with the child’s grandfather 54-year-old Don Baker of Mayville – encouraged the 23-month-old boy to smoke marijuana from a lit bowl at a home in Mayville on December 5. All three were charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child and sent to jail. The toddler and a sibling are in the custody of Child Protective Services. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

No one was hurt when a pickup truck and a Peterbilt roll-off truck collided Thursday morning on Route 219 near the Elk/Jefferson County line. Police say the Peterbilt truck driven by 42-year-old Ronald Huey Jr. of Brockway was traveling north at 6:44 a.m. when a pickup truck driven by 35-year-old David Rosensteel of Brockway pulled out from the Brockport Post Office into the path of the other truck. Route 219 from Brockway to Brockport was closed until around 11 a.m. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Senate Education Committee voted this week to unanimously pass legislation which will create a Rural Regional Community College Initiative, according to Senator Joe Scarnati (R-25). Senator Scarnati, who introduced Senate Bill 1000 in June, explained that the legislation is a bi-partisan measure which is based largely on recommendations by a Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) study completed in December 2011. “Senate Bill 1000 will help set the foundation for establishing rural public community college opportunities in Pennsylvania and help meet the educational needs of students in rural areas,” Scarnati stated. Scarnati noted that a public hearing on Senate Bill 1000 was held by the Senate Education Committee in Harrisburg in October. Testifiers at the hearing included the North Central Workforce Investment Board, American Refining Group Inc., Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges, Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Rural Community Col...

(News Release) Effective Monday, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office 911 Center will begin dispatching for the New York State Police Barracks in both Jamestown and Fredonia. Currently, the State Police dispatches Troopers from the Jamestown Barracks on Rt. 60 in the Town of Ellicott. On December 16th, the police phone lines from the Barracks will be transferred to the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office 911 Center and the Troopers will switch to the Sheriff’s Office police radio frequency as their primary channel. All 911 calls via cell phones are currently received by the Sheriff’s Office 911 Center. Staff at the State Police Barracks for non-emergency business may still be contacted by calling 716-665-3114 or 716-679-1520. There will also be an emergency call box located at the front door of the Jamestown and Fredonia Barracks in the event a citizen arrives at the Barracks with an emergency. The call box will ring into the 911 center and the closest available police car will b...

A Limestone man is in jail for stabbing a person with a knife multiple times Thursday night. Sheriff’s deputies say 31-year-old Justin Cramer stabbed Carey Mills Jr. at Mills' Limestone Run Road home. Mills is in Stable condition at UPMC Hamot in Erie. Deputies and other police agencies – including Bradford City and Foster Township – were on the lookout for Cramer following the stabbing and found him in Cattaraugus County. Cramer is charged with assault and is jailed on $200,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

City of Bradford Police on Thursday investigated an attempted burglary on Kennedy Street, reports of suspicious activity on Bushnell and East Main streets, and thefts on Pleasant and Chestnut streets. Officers were called to domestic incidents on Willard and Marion avenues and Kane Street, a disturbance on West Corydon Street and motor vehicle accidents on Main Street and at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Jackson Avenue. They also got reports of Disorderly conduct on Brennan Street and harassment on School Street and Interstate Parkway. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two men suffered major injuries in a crash Thursday afternoon in Ridgway Township. Police say a pickup truck driven by 21-year-oldl David Cyphert of Ridgway didn’t stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Water Street Extension and Long Level Road, and hit a vehicle driven by 48-year-old Kurtis Barclay of Ridgway, which spun around, crossed the center line and went into the path of a vehicle driven by 46-year-old Sharon Streich of Ridgway. Barclay and Streich’s passenger 54-year-old Kenneth Streich were taken by ambulance to Elk Regional Health Center for treatment of major injuries. Sharon Streich suffered minor injuries. Cyphert was cited for not stopping at a stop sign. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A dirt bike was stolen from a Norwich Township home on Thursday. Police say sometime between 4 and 10 p.m. someone went to the Christian Hollow home of Michael Thielges and took his 2005 Honda CRF dirt bike. The bike is red and black and has Torco, Dunlap and Planet Fitness stickers on it. The thief put the bike onto a vehicle and then drove away. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Kane-based state police and reference incident number C05-1146529. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Winter Storm Watch will go into effect at 5 o’clock tomorrow morning for Pennsylvania and will last until 1 a.m. Sunday and a Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday in New York. Six to 10 inches of snow is possible. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947