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COVID-19 Coverage

County Reports 153 New COVID Cases Over Long Weekend

The county Health Department recorded 153 new cases of COVID-19. The statistics are from information collected Friday through Monday. Of the new cases, 52 involve people living in the Jamestown zip code; 22 were in Fredonia; 17 in Dunkirk; six in Westfield; four each in Bemus Point, Portland and Stockton; three each in Silver Creek, Cassadaga, Cherry Creek, Gerry, Ripley and Sinclairville; two each in Forestville, Brocton, Frewsburg, Kennedy and Sherman; and one each in Ashville, Celoron, Chautauqua, Clymer, Falconer and Panama. There are currently 302 active cases, an increase from ...

COVID Holding Up Reopening Of Cheesemaking Plant

BLOCKVILLE — A former cheesemaking facility in the county remains closed due to the new owners’ inability to come visit the plant. As reported by the OBSERVER and Post-Journal at the end of April, an Italian-based investment group purchased the former Castelli America facility in the town ...

Ollie’s Struggles To Meet Heightened Pandemic Sales Expectations

As Ollie's Bargain Outlet prepares to open a new location in the Chautauqua Mall, the store's parent company is struggling to meet heightened expectations driven by last year's stimulus check-fueled buying bonanza. Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc. officials recently released the ...

A ‘Waiting Game’: Former Area Resident, Family Stuck In Vietnam

When Meghan Bartok and her fiance, James, moved to Vietnam they never could have imagined the difficulties they would face. With the spread of COVID-19, the couple and their baby, Claire, are stuck in the middle of an intense lockdown where they are confined to their home and cannot leave ...

Annual Harvest Fest Returns To Findley Lake

FINDLEY LAKE — “We’re coming back pretty close to 100%,” said Larry Gross, president of Our Own Candle Company in Findley Lake, which organizes the Harvest Fest. The annual Harvest Fest, which could not take place last year, will be making up for lost time in 2021. The event will ...

County Records 56 More COVID Cases; Hospitalizations See Bump

The uptick in new COVID-19 cases in Chautauqua County continues as 56 were reported Friday. The number of people with the virus in the hospital also saw a bump. There are currently 281 active cases, 500 people in quarantine and a seven-day positivity rate of 8.5%. There have been 10,173 confirmed cases to date as well as 9,727 recoveries and 165 virus-related deaths. Of the new cases, from information collected Thursday, 18 came from people residing in the Jamestown zip code; 12 in Fredonia, five in Westfield and Dunkirk; four in Bemus Point; three each in Falconer and Lakewood; ...