Check out these pictures by Ariel Campbell of how Bradford fared during the Valentine's Day Blizzard.
http://www.rouletterebel.com/pictorial.html

Labels: pictorial, snow, winter

Today's Bradford Era talks about two Port Allegany boys involved in the cheerleading squad.

Colby Brookens, and RJ Shively, both accomplished athletes decided they wanted to add cheering to their resumes.

I've known Colby for a long time, his brother Josh Kinney (you might recognize that name!) was a friend of mine when I was a kid, Colby's mom graduated with my mom, and I used to be Colby's youth pastor.

I think it's great that these two young men, and the young man in Otto Eldred have the guts to go against the flow! Way to go boys!

Labels: cheerleaders, port allegany

McKean County officials are looking at establishing a separate dormitory for work release inmates at the Old County Home, as part of an effort to lower overcrowding at the prison and be in compliance with the state.
Read the Complete Story in the Bradford Era Online.

Labels: bradford era, jail

WESB reports:
Bfd Man Pleads Guilty to Sex With Child A Bradford man pleaded guilty Thursday in McKean County Court to two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. 33 year-old Robert Crowl Jr. entered the plea before Judge John Yoder. Crowl had been charged with assaulting a 7 year-old child over a course of three years. He is subject to a lifetime registration under Megan’s Law. Crowl will be sentenced on May 24. He is facing a minimum of five years in prison.
from wesb.com

Labels: bradford, sexual offender, wesb

WESB reports:
A Bradford man has been charged after an incident at Walmart in Foster Township on February 1. 27 year-old Marc Policastro tried to exchange gift cards for money at the retailer and became abusive. Court records indicate that Policastro allegedly threatened to kill two assistant managers too. He is charged with making terroristric threats and disorderly conduct. Policastro was held on $1,000 dollars bail.
from wesb.com

Labels: theft, wal-mart, wesb

WESB reports:
Bradford City firefighters responded to a fire at 11 Lincoln Avenue Thursday morning. Firefighters say a pet apparently dragged a pizza box across a floor furnace where it caught fire. They used a water can to extinguish the fire. Firefighters say there was minor damage to the home owned by the Louis Verrelli Estate. from wesb.com

Labels: bradford, fire department, wesb

WESB reports:
A Port Allegany man was injured when the car he was riding in was struck by a bus at the intersection of Minard Run Road and High Street in Bradford Township Thursday morning. Bradford Township Police say a Bradford Area school bus driven by 46 year-old Raymond Kelly pulled into the path of a car driven by 21 year-old Corrie Taylor. A passenger in the Taylor car, 38 year-old Mark Taylor was taken to BRMC with back and leg pain. There were 32 children on the Bradford Area school bus. None were injured in the accident.
from wesb.com

Labels: bradford, port allegany, traffic, wesb

WESB reports:
What started as a class research project for students and instructors at Bradford Regional Medical Center's School of Radiography has resulted in less radiation exposure for patients undergoing several types of tests in the Department of Imaging Services Known as "The C-A-S-L Study: Dose Reduction in a Computed Radiography Environment," the students performed examinations on 80 patients over a six-month period, using lower doses of radiation during several exams. Those included cervical spine, abdominal, shoulder and lumbar spine exams. Following the conclusion of the study, the research findings were submitted to Radiologic Technology magazine, a monthly publication of The Journal of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, distributed to 120,000 readers worldwide. The article was published in the November/December 2006 issue.
from wesb.com

Labels: brmc, wesb

WESB Reports:
Three Chautauqua County residents who had been jailed since August after admitting they helped fugitive Ralph "Bucky" Phillips were released this week after pleading guilty. 24-year-old Natasha Berg, 44-year-old Alice Ann Kelly, and 49-year-old Timothy Seekings, pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of attempting to hinder prosecution. They were sentenced to time served, and set free. The three were arrested after Phillips led a state trooper on a motorcycle chase to their second-floor flat the night of August 19, 2006. Phillips ditched the motorcycle and ran into the house before sneaking out the back. The incident occurred two months after Phillips shot State Trooper Sean Brown during a traffic stop near Elmira, and 12 days before he shot troopers Donald Baker Jr. and Joseph Longobardo. Longobardo died three days later. Investigators learned that Phillips had stayed in the apartment for at least a day. Phillips is serving a life sentence in an eastern New York correctional facility.
From WESB.com

75 dollars worth of beef steaks were stolen from teh Pine Acres Country club, along with about 100 dollars in beverages.

District Judge Dom Cercone waived charges to court agains 27 year old Ralph Carr for charges of posessing the stolen meat.

Labels: bradford, mckean county, theft

While those chicken nuggets at WalMart might smell really great as you walk through to do your shopping, be sure to pay for them.

Two Bradford residents (I will not print their names, because to publish names for so stupid a crime is ridiculous) were recently sentenced to six months probation and 40 hours of community service for stealing buffalo chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese from the WalMart Deli.

27 year old Kevin Barber of Port Allegany will spend 18-36 months in State Prison, according to McKean County Court.

He appeared for sentencing last week, and was sentenced concurrently with a two to four year sentence for other burglaries.

Barber broke into a home on Hobbs Lane in Port A witht he intent to commit a theft.

Labels: mckean county, port allegany, theft

On February 8th, 33 year old Robert Crowl Jr of Bradford petitioned the court for a lowered bail.

Crowl is charged with numerous alleged sex offenses against a child.

He told the court that his SSI income is not enough to pay 20 thousand dollars in bail.

Crowl says he is homeless after spending six months in jail, and intends to find temporary housing at the Riddell House in Bradford.
Assistant District Attorney Scott Klein told the court, "The Riddell House is the scene of more crimes than you can count."

Klein said that the Riddell House would be innappropriate for Klein considering the charges against him.

Labels: bradford, mckean county, sexual offender

Jose's Bar and Grill in Lewis Run was burglarized this week, according to State Troopers.

Suspects broke into the Jukebox, making off with an undetermined amount of money. The suspect also tried to break into the safe, but were unsuccessful.

Labels: lewis run

Gasco Distribution Systems is selling the assets of its Kane Division to a company in Ohio, according to a report in the Bradford Era this week.

The Public Utilities Commission approved the sale to Utility Pipeline LTD, and then to Knox Energy, for about 4 and a half million dollars.

Labels: kane, natural gas

Former McKean County Commissioner Larry Stratton has expressed interest in running again for a spot on the Republican Ticket.

Stratton hails from Farmer's Valley

Here are some articles I've recently written on Helium.com
Thought you might like to read them:

How to Prepare Your Best Resume
Dinner time at the table or in front of the TV
Helping your twins get along
Reflections: Valentine's Day
Sexual predators within the school community
Best resources for spiritual movies

Labels: helium

Just a note to let you all know we have been HAMMERED with snow hear in Bradford.

How bad is it where you live?

Send us pictures:
editor@rouletterebel.com

I've recently found ways to link up the Roulette Rebel with other websites through the power of RSS.

Sparing all the complicated details, we've generated a list of the most updated news items and message board posts from each of our counties.

So if you post on a local Yahoo group, or a few other places, or if a new newspaper article goes online, a link to it might automatically show up on our list of top stories.

You can access those links at: rouletterebel.com

or, you can view all of our news for your favorite county at it's individual news page:
rouletterebel.com/mckean
rouletterebel.com/potter
rouletterebel.com/cameron

One Bradford teenager and her mother believe in miracles. How else can they explain the teen reuniting with a father she was separated from for three years and thousands of miles?
Read the Complete Story in the Bradford Era online.

Labels: bradford era

The debate on what the Allegheny National Forest should be used for was brought to the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Thursday night, when author Samuel MacDonald presented "The Allegheny National Forest: Loggers, Environmentalists and the Struggle for Control of a Forgotten Forest."
Read the Complete Story in the Bradford Era Online.

Labels: allegany national forest, bradford era

WESB reports: Bradford city and township firefighters rolled to fires Wednesday accidentally started by residents trying to thaw frozen pipes. Bradford Township firefighters responded to a fire at 7:30pm Wednesday night at 556 West Washington Street. The fire was contained to the kitchen. The home is owned by Greg McIntrye.

Bradford city firefighters answered a fire call at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon at 13 Bushnell Street. The fire was contained to the rear wall of the structure. The house is owned by Dan Ross.

And, City firemen responded to a call at 12:23 Wednesday afternoon at 86 Congress Street. The fire was contained to a side wall. from wesb.com

Labels: bradford, fire department, wesb

WESB reports: A Bradford man is seeking to have his bail lowered while he awaits trial on alleged rape charges of a child. 33 year-old Robert Crowl Jr. has been jailed for six months and is unable to make his $20,000 dollars bail. Judge John Yoder listened to testimony from Crowl and his attorney and took the motion under advisement. from wesb.com

Labels: bradford, sexual offender, wesb

WESB reports: A Derrick City man had his petition to change his Megan’s Law conditions denied Thursday by Judge John Yoder. 44 year-old Percy Doner asked Yoder to change the conditions so he could live with his fiancee and her child. A probation officer testified that Doner has not complied with his treatment failing to show up for appointments. The Probation officer recommended to the court that Doner be returned to jail.
from wesb.com

Labels: derrick city, megan's law, wesb

Found on a German Website

Bradford Era:
Liz Reap Carlson has been on a roll all her life. Now, she's getting international attention for it.

The Smethport native is part of the USA Cycling's Talent Pool. Reap-Carlson explained that USA Cycling, the governing body for the sport, uses certain criteria to classify athletes worthy of sending to international competition.

Read the Complete Story in the Bradford Era Online

Labels: bradford era, smethport, sports

WESB reports:
A Bradford man was arrested Sunday morning after pulling a knife on patrons at Players Downtown in Bradford. 25 year-old Donald Hoffman was charged with several counts including terroristic threats, assault and public drunkenness. Court Records indicate he was intoxicated at the time of his arrest.
from wesb.com

Labels: bradford, police, wesb

WESB reports:
Members of the Rew Volunteer Fire Department want their fire hall to be used as an emergency shelter. To do that, they need a generator, so they've asked the Foster Township supervisors to apply for Community Development Block Grant funding. The department is still looking for cost estimates for the generator, and related expenses. With the generator, the fire hall could be used as a shelter in case of a natural disaster or other emergency that leaves the area without power.
from wesb.com

Labels: fire department, foster township, rew, wesb

WESB reports:
A Smethport man was arrested after a domestic dispute at his home Saturday night. 32 year-old Elmer Deforge III was charged with assault, endangering the welfare of a child and resisting arrest. State Police say Deforge was intoxicated and arguing with his wife when he threw a plate at her striking a child. Deforge also fought with police officers. He was jailed on $5,000 dollars bail at the McKean County Prison.
from wesb.com

Labels: domestic dispute, police, smethport, wesb

WESB reports:
Bradford City Councilman Ross Neidich has announced his intention to seek reelection in the May primary. Niedich is currently filling the position which was vacated by Tom Shay. Neidich is President of the Music Owls Boosters and on the boards of the Ecumenical Home and Futures.
from wesb.com

Labels: bradford, City Hall, wesb

WFRM reports:
A Port Allegany man pleaded guilty Thursday in McKean County Court to burglary, theft, and related offenses in connection to a burglary at the Port Allegany Jubilee last August. Christopher Rethmel, 23, will be sentenced on March 1.
rom wfrm.net

Labels: port allegany, theft, wfrm

WFRM reports:
Minor injuries were reported for a Mechanicsburg woman following a snowmobile collision Saturday after at the intersection to FR 321 and the Westline Road in Lafayette Township, McKean county. State police staid Carolyn Erno had stopped her Arctic Cat at the intersection and was rear-ended by a machine operated by Jewel Vargas of Harrisburg. Both Artic Cats are owned by Richard Teats of Liverpool, PA.
from wfrm.net

Labels: crash, mckean county, snowmobile, wfrm

WFRM reports:
njuries were reported following a three-vehicle crash Saturday a half mile south of the McKean County village of Aiken. Authorities said a Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Mallory Stewart of Port Allegany spun out of control on icy Route 346 and crossed over into the path of a Dodge Stratus driven by Ashley Williams of Bradford. Deborah Gross who was traveling behind the Williams coupe, swerved to avoid the crash and her Toyota van slid off the road into a tree. Williams suffered serious injuries while her passenger Michelle Williams of Smethport and Stewart both received minor injuries. Gross was unhurt.
from wfrm.net

Labels: aiken, bradford, mckean county, port allegany, traffic, wfrm

Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) has been named minority chairman of
two House subcommittees by Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Punxsutawney).
 
Causer will be his party's chairman of the Subcommittee on Parks
and Forests within the House Environmental Resources and Energy
Committee, and of the Subcommittee on Programs and Benefits within the
Aging and Older Adult Services Committee.
 
"Most of the in-depth discussion and research we do on
legislation is done at the committee level, and even more so at the
subcommittee level," Causer said. "I am pleased to have the opportunity
to help lead this discussion, especially on issues as important as our
parks and forests, and senior programs and benefits."
 
Causer has already been actively involved in issues involving the
state's parks and forests, since the 67th Legislative District has
substantial park and forest acreage.
 
"Our parks and forests are great assets, both in terms of our
quality of life and our economy," Causer said. "I will continue to make
it my priority to maintain an appropriate balance between the two of
these."
 
Causer said senior issues are always a priority with the General
Assembly, especially in terms of the benefits and programs that help
make life better for older Pennsylvanians.
 
"Our Commonwealth has some outstanding programs for our seniors,
including the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, PACE/PACENET,
transportation and others that are funded by the state lottery," Causer
said. "I think we need to keep an eye on lottery revenues and how they
might be affected by the recent expansion of gambling in the state. We
need to make sure we continue to have the financial resources to support
our senior population."
 
In addition to his work on the Aging and Environmental
committees, Causer is also serving on the Commerce and Economic
Development and Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness committees.
 
Causer is serving his third term representing the 67th District
in Cameron, Potter and McKean counties.

Superbowl XLI Party

Watch the Big Game on the Big Screen

February 4th at 6PM

FREE

just bring a dish to pass and some non alcoholic drinks

Chicken Wing Sauce Contest
(wings provided)

Open Arms Community Church
1289 East Main Street
Bradford, PA

www.openarmsbradford.org

A Kane man waived his preliminary hearing on charges of threatening Kane Police Officer Heath Boyer.

Ronald M. Lucore, 19, who has been listed by police at residences in both Kane and James City, waived the hearing in January before District Judge Michael Kennedy of Kane.

Read the Complete Story in the Kane Republican Online.

Labels: kane, kane republican, police

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has extended a permit authorizing Norfolk Southern to continue its second phase of contaminated soil excavation and removal in Norwich Township, McKean County, at the site of the June 30, 2006 train derailment that caused sodium hydroxide to flow into Big Fill Hollow.

DEP issued a 30-day permit on December 20 to allow the second phase work to begin. Project construction was well underway when heavy rains in early January washed out the work that had been done. With the likelihood that weather conditions could interfere with the project again, DEP extended the permit period until March 19 to allow for future weather-related delays.

The activity covered by the permit will focus on the west side of the Norfolk Southern tracks where wetlands and riparian areas of Big Fill Run and Sinnemahoning Portage Creek were destroyed when sodium hydroxide spilled from derailed tanker cars and flowed into Big Fill Run and then overflowed into adjacent areas.

“Removing the contaminated soil will help to stop the seepage of sodium hydroxide, halting the ongoing contamination of the stream,” DEP Northwest Regional Director Kelly Burch said. “Replacement soil will be brought in to serve as the basis for the next step—seeding, mulching and restoration of wetland and surrounding areas.”

The permit allows Norfolk Southern to temporarily divert a portion of the Big Fill Hollow watercourse, excavate and restore the Big Fill floodway, build a temporary clean water ditch through the floodway, and construct groundwater collection devices within the floodway watercourse that will be removed once the project is completed.

The area to be restored includes approximately an acre of stream, wetlands and upland that were damaged by the spill and another two acres that were disturbed due to cleanup work, equipment storage and road construction.

All excavated material must be disposed of at a permitted landfill and all disturbed areas must be restored to the original contours and replanted with native, indigenous plant species.

Work on the west side of the Norfolk Southern tracks follows similar work that was completed on the east side of the tracks in mid-December when nearly 3,000 tons of contaminated soils were removed and disposed of at permitted landfills.

The June 30 spill wiped out fish and aquatic life in Big Fill Run and an 11-mile segment of Sinnemahoning-Portage Creek. It also affected aquatic life in the Driftwood Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek. The effects of the spill were observed as far as 30 miles downstream from the derailment site, with much of the impact in Cameron County.

As much as 42,000 gallons of sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda or lye, spilled from three tanker cars in the derailment. An unknown amount of sodium hydroxide soaked into the ground in and around the derailment site. This residual material must be addressed and cleaned up to ensure a complete recovery of Sinnemahoning-Portage Creek, which is designated as an exceptional value and wild trout stream.

On Oct. 19, DEP announced $8.89 million in penalties against Norfolk Southern for violations of the state’s Clean Streams Law related to unpermitted discharges and the state’s Solid Waste Management Act and Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act related to the unpermitted disposal of wastes and the release of hazardous substances because of the accident.

On Sept. 22, DEP Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty visited Emporium, Cameron County, and issued an order to Norfolk Southern establishing legally-binding milestones and objectives to ensure the company cleans up the ground contamination and fully restores the area to pre-spill conditions.

The spill took place in an area designated by Governor Rendell as the Pennsylvania Wilds, a 6.5 million-acre region covering 12 counties in the north-central portion of the state that is renowned for its spectacular scenery and wildlife and contains 1.6 million acres of state forest and game lands.

Labels: gardeau, spill, train wreck

WFRM reports: The Pennsylvania Game Commission says its is partnering with the National Aviary and Carnegie Museum of Natural History to evaluate how eastern golden eagles migrate through Pennsylvania, and identify areas of potential conflict that migrating eagles face from the developing wind energy program in the Commonwealth. The commission says
the possible increase of wind power on Appalachian ridges may threaten golden eagles as they travel their historic migratory corridor that follows these mountains through Pennsylvania to reach their nesting grounds in eastern Canada or wintering grounds in the southern reaches of the mountain chain. Since all known eastern golden eagle migratory routes track over the Appalachian Mountains, possibly along or in close proximity to ridges targeted for wind power development, the Game Commission must ensure the well-being of this state and federally-protected species - as well as other wildlife - as this growing industry sites turbines between the state's Allegheny Front and Blue or Kittatinny Ridge. The study will use gps transmitters to track the eagles as they fly over Pennsylvania. The data will be used to generate maps to show the specific route usually taken.
from wfrm.net

Labels: wfrm, wildlife

WFRM reports: A couple of vandals who caused $1000 in damage to the check-in booth at the Willow Bay Campgrounds in Corydon Township, McKean County during the night of January 20, were recorded on surveillance video while throwing beer bottles through the windows. But Allegheny Site Management, owner of the building, asked police not to release the suspects names after they agreed to pay for the repairs, unless the agreement is not kept.
from wfrm.net

Labels: police, wfrm, willow bay

WFRM reports: Both Kane drivers are being cited for traffic violations following a collision Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Route 6 and The Greendale Road in Wetmore Township, McKean County. State police said the crash occurred when 79 year old Joseph Wolfe, blinded by blowing snow after a log truck passed, turned left onto the Greendale Road in front of a Ford Explorer driven by John Sheaffer. Troopers said Sheaffer tried unsuccessfully to avoid the collision on the slush covered highway.
from wfrm.net

Labels: kane, traffic, wetmore, wfrm

A historic landmark destroyed in 2003 will be revived for the public with a new design that will leave the rubble where it lies.

The design for a two-phase improvement project at the Kinzua Bridge State Park will focus on the history and destruction of the Kinzua Bridge. The 2,053-foot long railroad bridge completed in 1882, had 11 towers in the center of the bridge blow down during a Category F-1 tornado on July 21, 2003.

Read the Complete Story in the Bradford Era.

Labels: bradford era, kinzua bridge

The attorney for two women convicted of perjury in the Timothy Williams murder case is no longer seeking to have the case dismissed because the transcripts were not prepared.

West Chester attorney Sam Stretton, the attorney for Marian Kay Nersinger and Michelle Nelson, still is continuing to fight for the case to be dismissed on the grounds of communication between a prosecution witness and members of the jury.

Read the Complete Story in the Bradford Era.

Labels: bradford era, mckean county, timothy williams

National Fuel Gas Corp., lowered its monthly natural gas rates for residential customers, effective Wednesday.

Officials attribute the drop in price to a milder-than-normal early portion of the winter. As it stands, a typical customer using 100,000 cubic feet of natural gas a year will see the price decline from $120.05 to $113.49, or 5.74 percent.

Read the Complete Story in the Bradford Era

Labels: bradford era, mckean county, natural gas

Bradford Area School District officials said Wednesday the axle which fell off a school bus carrying 36 children on Dec. 4 was not caused by sabotage.

Read the Complete Story in the Bradford Era.

Labels: bradford, bradford era, school, traffic

Applications for the state's Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program for 2006 are now available, announced Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint).

These are the first applications available under the Taxpayer Relief Act of 2006 (Act 1), which expanded eligibility for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.

The new law increases the income limit from $15,000 to $35,000 for homeowners and boosts the maximum rebate from $500 to $650. Those who apply should deduct half of any Social Security - including Medicare premiums - or railroad retirement benefits from other income when determining eligibility.

The program benefits people who are 65 or older, widows and widowers 50 or older, and disabled people 18 or older. Individuals and married couples who meet the age and income requirements can apply for a rebate based on the amount of property tax or rent they paid during the previous year. The rebate breakdown is as follows:

Income Level	Homeowners Maximum Rebate	Renters Maximum Rebate
0-$8,000	$650	$650
$8,001-$15,000	$500	$500
$15,001-$18,000	$300	Not applicable
$18,001-$35,000	$250	Not applicable

Applicants can receive a property tax or rent rebate only on a residence they occupied during the period for which a rebate is claimed. Applications must be filed by June 30.

Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary income, property tax or rental information required to process claims quickly and accurately.

To receive a Property Tax/Rent Rebate application, contact one of Causer's offices:

· 78 Main Street, First Floor, in Bradford, telephone 814-362-4405.

· 2 Allegany Avenue in Coudersport, telephone 814-274-9769.

Applications are also available online at RepCauser.com.

Labels: causer, mckean county, taxes