Wednesday, June 21, 2023

This is my Year in Review from 2006. Don't know why it was in "drafts," but I figured I might as well publish it now.

On April 2, when we ran a three-sentence story about a man who escaped from jail and could possibly be heading toward an Indian reservation, we didn't know that story would dominate the rest of the year.

In fact, the story of Ralph “Bucky” Phillips that started in the spring just ended, for all intents and purposes, last week.

Between the time of Phillips' escape from the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden and June 9, people throughout the Twin Tiers reported seeing the fugitive. He was reportedly in a Bradford restaurant and stole a pickup truck from Limestone. But on June 10, the search heated up when Phillips shot New York State Trooper Sean Brown during a traffic stop near Elmira.

Phillips sightings became more frequent and, several times, law enforcement officials thought they had him cornered. The fact that he seemed to be staying one step ahead of police turned him into a somewhat of a folk hero in some circles. T-shirts and blogs in support of Phillips popped up. One Chautauqua County restaurant even introduced the Bucky Burger -- but it could only be ordered “to go.”

But as if shooting one state trooper wasn't enough to make people realize there shouldn't be anything funny about the search for an armed and dangerous fugitive, on August 31 two more state troopers were shot while doing surveillance near the Chautauqua County home of Phillips' former girlfriend, Kasey Crowe.

That's when New York State Police Superintendent Wayne Bennett entered the picture.

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Trooper Jospeh Longobardo died three days after the shooting.

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Baker spent nearly three months at Hamot Medical Center in Erie before being transferred to Albany Medical Center, closer to his home, where he is still continuing his recovery.

In a story you heard here first, we learned that guns stolen along with the weapon used to shoot the troopers were found in the Ludlow home of Todd Nelson, and that Phillips had been at Nelson's home for several days.

Then, on September 8, we learned that after Phillips had stolen two cars in Warren County, police had him cornered on the state line between Chautauqua and Warren counties. Reporters from all over New York State, Pennsylvania and as far away as Massachusetts converged on the village of Carroll, New York. Even CNN showed up. W-E-S-B was the only local media outlet on the scene when Superintendent Bennett gave his first press conference of the day.

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About 8 hours later, Phillips surrendered to Pennsylvania State Police in a Warren County field. In November, he pleaded guilty to shooting all three state troopers as well as the prison break that started the ordeal.

But, about a week before his scheduled sentencings, Phillips said he wanted to withdraw the guilty pleas, claiming that he only entered them so charges would be dropped against Crowe and their daughter, Patrina Wright, who helped him elude police during his 5 months on the run.

Judges would not allow him to withdraw the guilty pleas and, on December 19 and 20, he was sentenced to -- all together -- life plus 105 years in prison. He was taken from Chemung County to an undisclosed correctional facility, in shackles, escorted by nine state troopers.


Although Bucky Phillips dominated the news for most of the year, much more happened.

In fact, Trooper Longobardo was not the only person in uniform who died this year.

Master Sergeant Thomas Maholic died in the line of duty while serving in Iraq. His memorial service drew national attention when, as you heard here first, the Westboro Baptist Church made plans to disrupt the service. Members of the church travel around the country protesting at military funerals saying that God is punishing America for its views on homosexuality by killing military personnel.

In the end, however, the six members of the church who did travel to Bradford for Maholic's memorial service were merely an annoyance, and soon forgotten. Hundreds of community members, as well as the Patriot Riders motorcycle group, shielded Maholic's family and friends from the protestors.

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Another veteran passed away this year. To many in Bradford and surrounding communities, Vince Goodrich personified the word “patriotism.”

Dr. Edward Konwinski had this to say about his friend.

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Bradford lost two more prominent veterans -- who were also Bradford City Police officers.

Both Tim Davis and Dan Close died of cancer.

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And, speaking of veterans, the Vietnam Moving Wall made a stop in Smethport this summer. David Peterson filed this report.

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As in most years, politics made news, too.

We could definitely tell this was an election year as politicians vying for state and national positions swarmed into the area.

Senator-elect Bob Casey didn't make it to Bradford, but he did visit Smethport. The man he defeated in the general election, Rick Santorum, did visit Bradford, making a stop at Beacon Light Behavorial Health Systems.

Former Pittsburgh Steeler Lynn Swann challenged Ed Rendell for the governor's seat. Swann toured the Zippo factory and stopped at the Zippo/Case Visitors Center.

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Rendell stopped at Werzalit -- with a big check.

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As election day drew near, people were concerned about how the first general election using new electronic voting machines would go. While other parts of the state had problems, everything went smoothly in McKean County.

Senator Joe Scarnati wasn't up for re-election this year, but the fall-out from the legislative pay raise controversy, along with the voters' call for reform in the Legislature, got him a new position in the senate when longtime President Pro Tempore Robert Jubelirer was not re-elected.

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Scarnati is now third in the line of succession for governor, behind Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll. We were the first local media outlet Scarnati spoke with following his election.

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He says his new position in the Senate means only good things for his district and his constituents.







Locally, Bradford City Council saw some changes. Tom Riel officially took his seat as a councilman. Tom Shay, who was re-elected, resigned to take a full-time position with the city. Ross Neidich, who was defeated in last year's general election, was named to replace Shay.

And, because 2007 is an election year for two council members, the game of musical chairs may not be over yet.

But council members themselves weren't the only news coming out of city hall. One of the biggest issues they dealt with, and are still dealing with, is feral cats.

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Hearings on the issue are spilling into the new year.



Something else that will continue into the new year is clean-up of hazardous material spill into the Sinnemahoning-Portage Creek.

In another story you heard here first, 16 cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed near Gardeau, spilling more than 40 thousand gallons of sodium hydroxide.

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The Department of Environmental Protection has ordered Norfolk Southern to clean up the area.


Bradford Regional Medical Center brought us good news and bad news this year.

Earlier this month, hospital officials announced that staff hours would be cut because of budgetary concerns.

On a more positive note, B-R-M-C entered into an agreement with Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

the expansion project is moving ahead.


In other construction news, work on the Route 219 Bradford Bypass got underway.













In education news, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford set new attendance records this year.

Here's university president Dr. Livingston Alexander.

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Limestone residents joined together earlier this year to save their school -- and they did.

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The lack of snow at the end of December is just one sign that the weather was wacky this year.

Remember this?

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This is what News 4 Meteorologist Mike Cejka had to say about this year's weird weather.

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And, Bradford celebrated a big anniversary this year. American Refining Group's Bradford Refinery has been in existence for 125 years.

C-E-O Harvey Golubock.

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And, to end our News Year in Review, we have the Bradford Blues Brothers singing The Story of Brad Penn.


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With Frank Willliams, Greg Pistner and David Peterson, I'm W-E-S-B News Director Anne Holliday.

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