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This January has turned out to be above average, temperature-wise. Temps on Thursday topped out in the low 40's and are expected to stay above normal for the next few days at least. This lady and her dog enjoyed an afternoon stroll in the country.

Richard Simmons
Fitness guru Richard Simmons surprised Justin Willoughby with a phone call
this afternoon, and surprise is an understatement when describing Justin's
reaction.

Willoughby lost more than 400 pounds, but has reached a plateau. He says the
phone call from Simmons is just what he needed.

He goes on to say that Simmons said he'll keep in touch.

Justin Willoughby

Adelphia Communications is asking a bankruptcy court to erase more than 3
point 5 billion dollars in claims made against the company.

Adelphia has been operating under Chapter 11 protection since 2002. They
announced the new move in a filing submitted to the Securities and Exchange
Commission on Tuesday.

A hearing has been scheduled for March 1st in Manhattan.

The Chapter 11 plan is based on a deal to sell the majority of its
properties to Time-Warmer and Comcast for 17 point 6 billion dollars in cash
and stock.

Tim Warner says the deal should be closed in the first half of this year.

Police made what they believe is the biggest drug seizure along I-80 in
Clarion County.

They found nearly 400 pounds of marijuana of in the back of a minivan driven
by a Tennessee man.

The estimated street value is between 500 thousand and one point 5 million
dollars.

A state trooper discovered the pot on a routine traffic stop. While talking
to the driver, he says he noticed an overwhelming odor of raw marijuana.

The Bradford Sanitary Authority is starting a project to reduce inflow and
infiltration that was not addressed during the work done in its Corrective
Action Plan that started in 1998.

The corrective action plan was lifted in 2004, but wet weather issues still
remain. One of the problems is in a 30-inch sewer located directly in the
Tuna Creek. Among the obstacles are that the manholes are under water.

The state department of environmental protection approved the work in
August, and worked is expected to start in July.

The estimated cost is 400 thousand dollars. The authority intends to apply
to PennVEST for help with the cost.

An Austin man was pulled over for speeding this weekend when police
determined him to be Driving Under the influence.

Police say 40-year-old Jerry Morgan Marks' blood alcohol content was over
the legal limit.

Minor injuries were reported in a Potter County crash. 75 year old James
Keating was traveling north on Whites Corners Road when he fishtailed and
struck a tree.

State Police are investigating a burglary in Emporium. 22-year-old Cortney
Housler reported someone broke into his home through a basement window,
stealing 80-85 vicodin tablets, and fleeing the scene.

McKean County Commissioners are set to hold a visioning session Wednesday at
7, particularly targeting tourism related business owners, as they meet at
the Court of Angels in Smethport to discuss the county comprehensive plan.

Four teens were charged in the recent rash of graffiti incidents in
Bradford.

Bradford City Police say they nabbed 18 year old Tim Bickle and three
teenagers, filing numerous charges of vandalism, ad desecration of venerated
objects.

American Refining Group is getting ready to celebrate the 125th anniversary
of its Bradford refinery.

A parade, a swap meet and auction for oilfield and refinery memorabilia are
among the events plant for September 7th through 9th.

The refinery was found in 1881 and is the oldest continuously operated
refinery in the United States. It's also the only refinery dedicated solely
to processing 100 percent Pennsylvania Grade Crude Oil.

Some of the Cafeteria Staff in Smethport School District will be getting the
boot.

The School Board met last night and approved reorganization, that will
reduce the staff to six full time and six part time employees.

The layoffs of three part time workers were approved unanimously by the
board.
Four full time positions will then become part time.

The layoffs will take place in mid February.
Cafeteria worker Donna Morrison told the school board that behind each
layoff was a person.

And after asking the board to table the matter, she symbolically shook hands
with the board members, and said, "I'm Donna Morrison, and I'm going to lose
my job."

Details have been released on yesterdays Minard Run crash. Police say a 16
year old from Bradford pulled out in front of a car driven by Limestone
resident Ira Good.

Airbags went off in the Good vehicle, injuring one passenger.

The juvenile will be charged in the incident.

State Police are investigating an unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in
Potter County.

Police say Tonya Joe Sparks of Harrison Valley held on to and used a
Chrysler LeBaron for two months, after being told by owner Etelka Mattison
she could use it for a day.

Police picked up a fugitive in Coudersport yesterday.

Officers say that 29-year-old Rochester man Sean Piccarreto was wanted in
New York State for a felony DWI. Piccarreto was serving time in the Potter
County jail for crimes in Harrison Township. He will continue to reside in
the Potter County jail until an extradition to NY state is complete.

A Bradford woman received minor injuries in a crash in Otto Township. State
Trooper report that early this morning, 24 year old Erika Hess lost control
of her Chevy S-10 and struck an embankment along Route 646.

Police say Hess was injured.

A Port Allegany third grade teacher has been recognized with a Disney
Teacher award. Paula Moses has submitted an application to be considered for
the 2006 Disney Teacher of the Year award.
She'll be invited to a Red Carpet Gala for other teacher's award winners in
July.

A 7-year-old received minor injuries during a bus accident this week on
Route 446 just south of Eldred.

Police say 67-year-old Nancy Nick of Smethport was driving the bus and, when
she reached to move a book bag, the bus crossed lanes and hit a dirt
embankment.

Police add that Nick wasn't hurt but the bus was severely damaged.

Careless driving charges were filed.

A fire that destroyed a vacant Bradford house last week was caused by an
electrical malfunction.

Bradford Fire Department officials say the fire at 64 East Ave. started in
the attic and destroyed the rest of the single-story wooden building.

No damage estimate was available.

A Coudersport woman was injured in a crash on Route 872.

State Police say 42-year-old Cheryl Ianson wrecked her Dodge Ram as she
rolled it on the icy roadway.

Ianson and a 13-year-old passenger were both injured and treated at Charles
Cole memorial hospital.

State Police in Emporium are investigating an incident at the Alliance
Church on Sizerville Road.

An unknown suspect shot the church sign with a paintball gun.

McKean County is set to get almost 1.7 million in funding from Allegany
National Forest Timber sales. The counties portion will be at about
$254,thousand, with the rest going to other municipalities and school
districts within the county.

A Smethport Teen was injured in a Keating Township crash Sunday. State
Police say 18-year-old Sarah Gee hit an icy spot on Route 770 near the
village of Aiken, when she left the road, and hit a tree, flipping her car
over.

Police say Gee was seriously injured, and had to be cut from the car with
the Jaws of Life, and life flighted to Hamot Medical Center in Erie.

Police are investigating a hit and run in Wetmore Township. Two vehicles
driving in different directions clipped each other on Route 321. Police say
Clifford Schlopy was charged in the incident after failing to stop.

Charges are pending.

A Dog saved the life of four Olean residents. Michael and Carime Scott say
their apartment caught fire this weekend, when a cooking fire started. Olean
Fire Department reports that all of the smoke alarms had missing batteries,
and the family's dog warned them of the smoke. The Scott's and their baby
escaped, along with the tenant from downstairs, Joyce Clifford.

The fire caused about ten thousand dollars in damage.

Officials say the dog succumbed to smoke inhalation, but was revived on the
scene.

Adelphia employees in Coudersport are looking for contributions in a support
our troops campaign. Last year a committee of employees sent out nearly 60
care packages and more then 150 Valentine's Day greetings and letters of
support. Donations of money can be sent to the Northwest savings bank on
North East Street in Coudersport. Collection boxes for care package items
will be located in the lobbies of the Adelphia School Building and the
Operations Center on North Main Street of Coudersport.

An Unknown person is being wanted for the theft of a large orange Harley
Davidson sign from an Emporium home. The sign was reportedly taken from
Nora Cressley's garage sometime Thursday. The value of the sign is
estimated at 150 dollars. Anyone with information is asked to contact the
State Police barracks in Emporium.

A juvenile in Hector Township is being charged with simple assault and
harassment according to a released report on Thursday. Coudersport State
Police are saying that two brothers were having an argument that ended with
injuries. The one brother was taken to Charles Cole memorial Hospital for
treatment of a broken nose and minor bruises.

State Police in Coudersport are releasing a report on a DUI accident from
Thursday afternoon. Susan Petriello was traveling east on State Route 49 in
her Dodge Neon near Ulysses when she allegedly struck a Mack Truck
attempting to turn on to the road. Petriello was taken to the Charles Cole
Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries when she was determined to be
driving under the influence. Aubry Francois of Quebec, Canada, was
uninjured in the incident.

A Custer City couple has been charged with receiving stolen property in a
February 2005 theft. Donna and Michael Braunroth were arraigned yesterday
for the theft of a TV, and other small items and electronic equipment from
the Bradford Township Volunteer Fire Department station in Custer City.
There were three other people in the Braunroth's residence that were also
charged in the incident. Bail was set at 25 hundred dollars for each
defendant.

The Kane area School Board had a new member sworn in on Thursday. Harry
Steele, a 43-year-old resident of Kane for the past 11 years, was approved
at the Thursday meeting after Mike Holtz, who was elected to the position in
November, resigned due to employment obligations. Also voted on in the Kane
School board meeting was next year's school calendar and many other
appointments to fill vacancies.

The PA Wilds meeting earlier this week could mean a lot for tourism in the
state.

State representative Martin Causer says the major message he wanted to get
across during the meeting is that while state officials should encourage
tourism in this area, they should not forget about the people who live here.

A Roulette girl was cited for possession of alcohol.

Police were called about the 16 year old, and upon arriving, they found her
with two cans of beer.

State Police are investigating an incident on Sunnyside Road in Sharon
Township.

70 year old Frank Lyautey told police someone used a handsaw to saw almost
all the way through a 16 foot blue spruce growing in his yard.. The incident
left the tree destroyed.

Police are investigating.

A Bradford woman was sentenced to six months probation for stealing money
from the Moose Club Pool League.

29 year old Melissa Hannon collected 12 hundred dollars from pool league
members without turning it in. Judge John Yoder pointed our that Hannon has
since paid back about a thousand dollars.

A Smethport man will get 24 months probation for an incident in May.

Judge John Yoder told 41-year-old Todd Ladlee that he's sick of dealing with
incidents involving a love triangle involving Ladlee. Yoder told Ladlee that
if he violated the current protection from abuse order, he'll get time in
State Prison.

A Bradford man was sentenced to two years probation.

39-year-old Calvin Teeters was sentenced for stealing 2 thousand dollars
worth of services.

In the courtroom yesterday Teeter admitted to finding an empty house on
Susquehanna Road, and then just moving in, and turning on the utilities.
After occupying the house, Teeter refused to pay the utilities.

He lived at the vacant home from April of 2003 until September of 2004.

A Port Allegany man will get 90 days to 2 years for a third DUI conviction
in less than ten years.

Judge John Yoder says the local court system can't rehabilitate him locally.
SO after serving time in the state pen, he'll be paroled to a half way
house, so that as Yoder says, he can get some help.

A Bradford man will spend five years in State Prison for DUI.

29-year-old Dennis Schlopy was sentenced in McKean County court for a
collision while he was intoxicated.
Schlopy was given credit for 129 days served.

A Committee has been established to celebrate the discovery of oil in
Pennsylvania.

The sesquicentennial of Drake's Well discovery will be in 2009.

Drake's Well near Titusville is the site of a museum on Pa Oil heritage it
includes information and items from Bradford's oil history, as well as a
nitroglycerine truck from Duke Center.

The Downtown Bradford Business District Authority has elected officers.

Jen Eakin was chosen chairman, with Gary Hoy as vice chairman.

Candy Tingley will serve as secretary, and Kriss Patterson will serve as
Treasurer.

The DBBDA also took a look at ARG 125 anniversary Celebration that's in the
works, and talked about the second annual snowman competition.

McKean County has begun the process of looking for a new warden for the
McKean County Prison.

The jail, which has been the subject of debate since the control of the jail
was removed from the sheriff's office and placed under the control of Dennis
Luther.

Luther has since resigned from the post.

The state supreme court ruled that school and municipal property taxes can
not be levied on church parking lots because they are vital to church
operations.

The case concerned the Wesley United Methodist Church in Dauphin County, and
could save church across the state millions of dollars.

The decision overturns a 1959 ruling saying that only church buildings were
tax-exempt.

A Rochester man faces theft charges after allegedly cashing forged checks at
Kibbe's Busymart store in Harrison Valley.

State police say 29-year-old Sean R. Piccareto stole a book of checks from
Thomas Wheeler of Harrison Valley, then cashed several of them.

Piccareto is in Potter County Jail in lieu of 20 thousand dollars bail.

The trial of a Portville man accused of fondling a 13-year-old girl has been
postponed.

Richard Treusdell's trial was set to start Wednesday, but he hired a new
attorney who has been given time to familiarize herself with the case.

Treusdell is accused of trying to take the girls blouse and bra off last
August.

Treusdell pleaded innocent and is free on his own recognizance.

A Bradford woman accused of writing thousands of dollars worth of checks on
her employers' checking account was arraigned today by District Judge
Dominic Cercone.

41-year-old Stephanie Cramer was charged with theft by unlawful taking and
receiving stolen property for allegedly writing more than 22 thousand
dollars worth of checks from a business account belonging to John Kohler and
Randy Hall between January and December of 2004.

Cramer is free on 10,000 bail. Cercone scheduled a preliminary hearing for
February 8th in his office.

Someone cut a copper gas line and took a four-tank gas regulator and two
100-pound propane tanks from Bradford NuGas In Lewis Run sometime between
December 26th and yesterday.

State police are investigating.

Portville is shutting off the water. Residents with overdue water and sewer
bills will see their taps run dry as officials act on what they've been
saying for some time now. It's not fair for paying customers to subsidize
the bills of those who don't pay. Some residents are already heading out to
pay up.

Bradford Township Supervisor Tom Vickery says he's looking into the
Emergency and Municipal Services Tax, and trying to determine whether that
tax should be charged in Bradford Township.
Vickery says he has not instituted the tax, but if he determines that if
research shows a large number of people come into Bradford Township to work,
but not live, he could see charging the tax.
If Bradford Township does institute the tax though, Vickery says he would
not increase the tax burden on Bradford Township Residents.

US Congressman John Peterson is looking for more federal allocations for
townships, schools, and counties in the ANF. He spoke up Tuesday at the
Allegany Forest Alliance meeting at Kane High School, and says the
legislation providing the funds doesn't appear to have any opposition.

Right now, Pennsylvania ranks 32nd out of 41 states in terms of National
Forest Acreage, but 10th in terms of money allocated for Safety net payments
to municipalities.

State Representative Mike Turzai is running for Lt. Governor. The Allegheny
County representative made his way to Bradford Wednesday to meet with local
officials.

Turzai says PA needs to make significant changes to head a different
direction.

He believes the state needs more fiscal responsibility, more open
government, and more economic help for employers.

The Bradford Area School District is headed into negotiations with bus
drivers and maintenance workers over contracts.

Human Resources Director Lee Doynow says both sides met Monday and will meet
again in February and March.

Officials say that both parties have been cooperative.

The district is still in talks with the Bradford Area Education Association
on teacher's contracts. The teacher's contract expired in June of last year.

The North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission
is still looking for a replacement for former head man Ron Kuieck.

The executive director resigned at the end of December after being placed on
administrative leave.

A Penn State scientist is on a team that discovered a possible dwarf galaxy.

The scientists found a collection of starts in the constellation Virgo that
covers nearly 5,000 times the size of the full moon.

Professor Donald Schneider says the cluster lies about the same distance
from earth, as earth lies from the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

The scientists believe the cluster is a dwarf galaxy that's merging into the
Milky Way.

A Lewis Run man is accused of burglary following an alleged incident at
about 9:30 Tuesday night.

Patrick Dowell allegedly forced his way into David Baker's house trying to
collect 16 hundred dollars that was owed to him. Dowell allegedly threatened
Baker several times.

Dowell was arraigned by District Judge Dominic Cercone on charges of
burglary, harassment and DUI, then released on his own recognizance.

The Department of Labor & Industry discovered a computer error that
prevented direct deposit payments of unemployment compensation bi-weekly
claims filed on Sunday and Monday. Checks were mailed to those people
today.

Department Deputy Press Secretary Shannon Powers says they and the treasury
department are doing everything they can to make sure this doesn't happen
again.

Only claims filed on Sunday and Monday by people who receive direct deposit
payments will be affected. People who normally receive checks by mail will
continue to do so, with no delay.