13 2022
community
DECEMBER
p o t t e r m c k e a n
county
Austin • Coudersport • Crosby • Eldred • Kane • Lewis Run • Mt. Jewett Port Allegany • RIDGWAY• Roulette • Smethport • Turtlepoint
First Night Fun, a community of celebration The schedule has been announced for First Night 2023 and it is loaded with fun for the whole community. Best of all, the non-alcoholic New Year’s celebration is accessible and affordable for everyone. Admission to all the listed venues and entertainment acts is all-inclusive with the purchase of a $6 First Night button. Participants age 6 and over must have a button to attend events. Children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge. Buttons are available at the following locations: WESB, Tops Friendly Markets, Bradford Chamber of Commerce, BCPAC, and Northwest Bank, both Main Street and Foster Brook branches. Fun begins at the Bradford Area Public
Library with magic and Percy from 10:30 a.m. to noon. And then, from 1 to 4 p.m. enjoy a game at Byllye Lanes or from 1-5 p.m. get together with friends at Callahan Park Ice Rink for ice skating. Horse and carriage rides, courtesy of Kathy Obermeyer, take place on Main Street from 4 to 8 p.m. and the venues open for the night of entertainment and activities at 6 p.m. Grace Lutheran Community Life Center will host In Jest with Nels Ross from 6-6:50, 8-8:50, and 10-10:50 p.m. In between they will host the Wada Ensemble from 7-7:50 and 9-9:50 p.m. At the Marilyn Horne Ballroom, enjoy the Twin Tier Community Band from 6-7:50 p.m. followed by Jim Ronan and Dana Jared from 8-10:50 p.m.
Mr. Jim and the Juicebox Heroes will perform from 6-6:50 p.m., followed by Barb Pederson from 7 to 7:50 and Jeremy Fuller from 8-8:50 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension sanctuary. Hill Memorial Social will host the Rock and Roll Pet Store, 6 to 6:50, 8 to 8:50, and 10 to 10:50 p.m.; as well as Bwana Jim from 7 to 7:50 and 9 to 9:50 p.m. Fair to Fiddlin’ plays twice, 6-6:50 and 8-8:50 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church social hall. Dennis Regling, puppeteer and illusions will perform from 7-7:50 and 9-9:50 p.m. in the social hall as well. The B-Free Church has a lineup of performers for First Night, too. Taking the stage from 6-6:50 is Don Konwinski, followed
by Connor Brien from 7-7:50 and 9-9:50, with Lyndsey Niegowski from 8-8:50 p.m. all in the social hall. The social center of the First United Methodist Church will bring in Art Class with Kathleen Shay. Children ages 5-7 can come from 6-6:50 and 8-8:50 p.m., ages 8-10 can come from 7-7:50 and 9-9:50 p.m. In the sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church, several performers are set to take the stage throughout the night. STEPS Singers entertain from 6-6:50; Jeremy Fuller, Lori Johnson, Rick Nelson, and Maggie Travis step up from 7-7:50; the Bradford Area High School Chorale begins their performance from 8-8:50; and closing out the night at this venue are Gretchen Henneman and Andrew Truman.
Lewis Run-based state trooper charged with DUI on the job, suspended BY MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER
KANE — A Lewis Run-based state trooper is facing DUI charges from allegations that he was drinking on the job on Nov. 27 while answering a call in Mount Jewett. Austin James Mac Burney, 29, of Cooksburg, has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the case, the Pennsylvania State Police announced Tuesday. According to the criminal complaint filed with District Judge David Engman in Kane, on Nov. 27, state police shift supervisor Nicholas Wissinger reported for duty at the Lewis Run barracks at 3 p.m. At about 3:15 p.m., he was told by the morning supervisor, Cpl. Dennis Twigg, that another trooper said he thought he could smell alcohol on Burney prior to the start of his shift, and
that Burney’s eyes were bloodshot and glossy. The trooper told Twigg that Burney “seemed to appear extremely talkative which is not his normal behavior,” the complaint stated. Wissinger said that Burney had already left the station to handle the Mount Jewett call, operating a state police patrol vehicle, a 2020 Ford Explorer. W i s s i n g e r immediately left the station to go to Burney’s location to speak to him. At 3:37 p.m., Wissinger arrived at Burney’s location on Gallup Avenue in Mount Jewett and began to ask him about alcohol consumption prior to work, which he denied, the complaint stated. “During this encounter, I observed his eyes to be just slightly glazed over and little redness to the far outside of the sclera,” Wissinger
stated in the criminal complaint. He asked Burney for a preliminary breath test, to which he consented. It was positive for alcohol, the complaint stated. “I then transported (Burney) back to PSP Lewis Run where further testing was completed by Cpl. Twigg within my presence,” Wissinger wrote. At 4:24 p.m., Burney attempted, and failed, field sobriety tests. Burney consented to a blood draw. At 4:57 p.m., Twigg and Wissinger placed Burney in handcuffs and took him to Bradford Regional Medical Center for a blood draw, which was sent to a laboratory for analysis. It came back at .086% for a blood alcohol content; the legal limit is .08%. Wissinger also obtained the mobile video recording from the police vehicle Burney had driven
from Lewis Run to Mount Jewett. He noted the vehicle did not stay in its lane, crossing the double yellow lines on multiple occasions while traveling west on Route 59 and south on Turkey Track Road, the complaint stated. He also observed that the vehicle did not keep right while traveling south on Kushequa Avenue, according to the complaint. Burney was charged with DUI/ unsafe driving, and DUI/BAC .08-.1%, both misdemeanors; and failure to keep right and disregarding a traffic lane, summary offenses. A preliminary arraignment in the case was set for 1 p.m. Jan. 4 before Engman. Burney enlisted in the PSP in February 2021 and graduated in August 2021 with the 161st cadet class. He has been assigned to Troop C, Lewis Run, since his academy graduation.
The auditorium at St. Bernard’s will host Studio B Dance Academy and Storm Athletics All-Star Cheerleading. Studio B performs from 6-6:50 and 8-8:50 p.m., while Storm Athletics jumps into their routine from 7-7:50 and 9-9:50 p.m. At the Leo Gallina Social Hall, Kevin Abbott and Grant Orris will entertain from 6-6:50 and 8-8:50 p.m.; Sparkles the Clown Princess, with balloon animals, will be in attendance from 7-7:50; and Jeremy Fuller, Lori Johnson, Rick Nelson, and Barb Pedersen close the night from 9-9:50 p.m. But, wait, that’s not all. The main event, the finale, will be held in the St. Bernard’s Church parking lot on Festival Way. The Block Party begins at 10:30 with
Trigger Happy The Band. Fireworks will seal the night at midnight. “First Night Bradford will have the gazebo drop sponsored by Kessel Construction at midnight followed by fireworks by Skylighters Fireworks,” said Barb Pederson, performer and event organizer. The party will conclude after the fireworks, around 12:30 a.m. Pederson said, “First Night is very appreciative and thankful for the support of BCPAC in bringing high quality entertainment to our audience.” She also added, “We also thank Kathy (Obermeyer), so much, for sponsoring the horse and carriage activity for our enjoyment.”
OLEAN, N.Y. — The Tri-County Arts Council announced “A Little Something Small,” the third annual juried small works show, which is taking place now in the Peg Bothner Gallery, located at 110 W. State St. in Olean. From now until Jan. 14, the public is invited to view more than 140 pieces of artwork submitted by over 50 different artists from Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties. Each piece is available to purchase in person or online at www. tricountyartscouncil.org, and a portion of each sale supports the arts council. Now in its third year, the TCAC’s small works show features more artists and pieces than ever before, and according to Sean Huntington, exhibition coordinator, this year’s selection is incredible. “Every year, this has grown,” he said. “In the first year, we had approximately 100 pieces, and in the second year, we had 130. This year, we have almost 150 pieces and the quality
is amazing—these artists just keep topping themselves!” New this year, the TCAC is giving out awards in two categories: Amateur and Professional. Sean Conklin, assistant curator at St. Bonaventure University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, will select winners for the following awards: Best in Show, Best Professional, Honorable Mention Professional, Best Amateur, and Honorable Mention Amateur. Each award winner will receive a cash prize and a year’s Artisan Membership, which allows the artist the opportunity to sell in the TCAC’s Artisan Market. Artwork ranges from watercolor, gouache, oil painting, photography pottery, jewelry, sculpture, stained glass, and more. Each participating artist submitted one to three pieces of artwork under 12 inches by 12 inches, and some have already sold out.
Juried art show taking place in Olean