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Wolf Administration considers recovery funds for state parks. See story below.
Jamestown, NY man found guility of indecent assault by a McKean County Jury….Westfield resident accused of threatening to shoot Harrison Valley man…Snowmobiler may have been drunk before wrecking in Wharton Township…Shinglehouse boy accused of assaulting woman…Two Elk County men suspected of spitting on their victims….Wolf administration looks at using Covid relief funds to help state parks….
McKean County
Following a jury trial in McKean County February 14, 2022, 25 year old Tristan Holdridge of Jamestown, NY, was convicted of having indecent contact with a woman in Bradford Township. The defendant was convicted of Indecent Assault – lack of consent. The jury found the defendant not guilty of an additional count of Sexual Assault (lack of consent) and Aggravated Indecent Assault (lack of consent). Holdridge assaulted the victim April 19, 2019 at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Campus. While visiting, Holdridge went back to a female student’s room and assaulted her. Sergeant Amber Black of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Police Department investigated the incident. District Attorney Stephanie L. Vettenburg-Shaffer prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth. The Judge scheduled sentencing for May 19 and ordered the defendant to undergo an assessment prior to sentencing due to the sexual nature of the offense as required by law. o sentencing due to the sexual nature of the offense as required by law.
Lewis Run state police have charged 20 year old Dylan Richardson of Allegany, NY with drug possession. Richardson was a passenger in a 2003 Dodge Chrysler which was pulled over on Jackson Avenue in Bradford late Sunday night for traffic violations.
Potter County
Coudersport based state police have charged 54 year old Andrew Hummel of Westfield for making terroristic threats.
Troopers allege Hummel threatened to shoot a 53 year old Harrison Valley man on January 31. A warrant was issued for Hummel’s arrest and he surrendered to authorities about a week later.
Physical harassment charges are pending against 23 year old Colton Bova of Coudersport for an assault allegedly taking place on the night of February 6 at 103 E.7th Street, Coudersport. The victim has been identified as 34 year old Rachel Kazimer of Coudersport.
An Altoona man is facing DUI charges following a snowmobile crash Saturday evening in Wharton Township, Potter County. State police at Coudersport claim 54 year old Michael Park was operating his Arctic Cat Sno Pro under the influence of alcohol/controlled substance when the machine failed to make a right curve, went off the road and struck a fallen tree and an embankment before stopping. Park was taken to UPMC Cole by Austin Ambulance for treatment of serious injuries.
No injuries were reported for two Ulysses men following a one-vehicle crash last Thursday in Allegany Township, Potter County. Troopers claim Jonathan Petsch was going too fast for road conditions when his 2008 Chevrolet Silverado failed to make a right curve and crossed to the other side and hit an embankment before flipping over onto its roof. Petsch and his passenger, Seth Morley were using seatbelts. Petsch has been cited for speeding.
A 17 year old Shinglehouse boy has been charged with physical harassment for an incident allegedly taking place Friday afternoon on Lincoln Street in Shinglehouse. While investigating, police allegedly found the teen had assaulted a 22 year old Shinglehouse woman during an argument.
Elk County
State police at Ridgway have arrested 19 year old Christian Shaw of St.Marys for physical harassment in connection to a road rage incident allegedly taking place late last Friday night in Fox Township. Authorities claim Shaw followed a vehicle driven by a 19 year old Kersey man into Kersey park, honking his horn. Once inside the park, Shaw allegedly went to the victim’s vehicle, spit on his face and tried to remove him from the vehicle.
A Kersey man is also accused of spitting on his victim’s face during an argument last Friday morning at the St. Marys Walmart. Joshua Knepp, 34, is also accused of grabbing the arm of the 34 year old Weedville man during a disagreement.
Statewide
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Deputy Secretary John Norbeck today visited Gifford Pinchot State Park to call attention to the park’s infrastructure needs and how the use of recovery funds could address vital infrastructure needs across the state.
Gifford Pinchot State Park is a 2,338-acre full-service park consisting of reverting farm fields and wooded hillsides with the 340-acre Pinchot Lake serving as a prime attraction. The park faces a number of infrastructure challenges including replacing its water distribution system, water treatment plant, sewage collection, new wells, dam repairs, ADA compliance upgrades and other green infrastructure needs.
Norbeck noted Gov. Tom Wolf’s $1.7 billion plan to help Pennsylvania recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes a designating $450 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars for conservation, recreation and preservation.
DCNR has a documented need of more than $1.4 billion for infrastructure repairs and improvements. Issues such as addressing wear and tear, extreme weather and climate change impacts, and a high demand for outdoor recreation require investments, which also allow incorporation of sustainable design and energy efficiency.
Pennsylvania made its last major injection of funding for conservation an outdoor recreation in 2005 with the Growing Greener II initiative, which funded hundreds of trail projects, conserved thousands of acres of threatened and open space and helped with hundreds of water projects to reduce pollution and flooding.
Statewide, outdoor recreation is multibillion dollar industry that directly supports 150,000 jobs. For every dollar invested in state parks, $12.41 returns to the commonwealth.
DCNR manages 121 state parks, 2.2 million acres of state forest lands, and is tasked with conserving and sustaining Pennsylvania’s natural resources for present and future generations’ use and enjoyment. More than 42 million people visited state parks in 2021, which is the second most visitors behind 2020’s total of nearly 47 million visitors.
Region
The state Health Department reports the number of deaths in Pennsylvania now totals 42,203. Deaths in the Black Forest Broadcasting Service area to date are mostly holding steady.
Cameron 19
Elk 93 (+7)
McKean 131
Potter 89 (+3)
Allegany County (NY) 146
Cattaraugus County NY 208