Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Thumbs up to a pair of local residents who are stepping up to expand horse programs for Chautauqua County 4-H. Julie Covert of Busti will lead classes for youth to work with miniature horses after watching her daughter Corinne participate in miniature horse competitions at the New York State Fair and noticing there were many areas of competition not offered by Chautauqua County 4-H. Julie Logan, a Mayville volunteer, will lead a hunter/jumper division of the Horse Program. 4-H hadn’t had volunteers qualified to safely lead such classes in the past. Kasey Fanara of Jamestown and Marie Milliman of Fredonia, meanwhile, are volunteering to enhance the 4-H Cloverbud horse program. 4-H is still working to build its endowment at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that volunteer time is just as valuable to 4-H as monetary donations. Thumbs up to those willing to give their time to a cause in which they believe.
Thumbs up to a chance to become better acquainted with local history. Notable residents of the Chautauqua Lake Region will be showcased at the Robert H. Jackson Center, 305 E. Fourth St., Jamestown, starting at 4 p.m. Thursday. The celebration is hosted by the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and is free and open to the public. The idea is based on the latest book from local authors Kathleen Crocker and Jane Currie – “Legendary Locals of the Chautauqua Lake Region.” From founding families in the 1800s to contemporary conservationists in 2011, the book celebrates all those who have impacted the Chautauqua Lake region. Some of those featured in the book, as well as friends and family members of those who have passed away, will also be in attendance. Beginning at 4 p.m., guests will have the opportunity to mingle with the authors and local legends. At 5 p.m., Crocker and Currie will discuss the process of researching and publishing a book on local history. There will also be a question and answer session. A limited number of books will be available at the event for $20. All proceeds from the book sale will benefit the Fund for the Region at the Community Foundation.
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Thumbs up to another family who will receive a new home thanks to Habitat for Humanity. The Mid-County Habitat for Humanity group is hosting a public welcoming event for Thomas and Rosemarie Bottomley and their three daughters, Caitlyn, 12; Haley, 10; Emma, 5; and Lilian, 1 years old; today at 1 p.m. at the 7 Patterson St. construction site in Mayville. Rosemarie noted that this was the second time the family applied for the housing, mostly because they are in more need. When she lived in Dewittville, she was a nurse’s aide, but now is a stay-at-home mom. The family now lives across the street from the current housing under construction, but needs more room. Anyone willing to volunteer their time can participate on Saturdays with opportunities ranging from actual construction to support activities. For more information, call Mike Ricketts at 753-7831.
It will take time for Cassadaga Valley Central School board members to heal the breach with taxpayers caused by the recent resignation of Scott Smith, district superintendent, and leave of absence of Dr. Tara DiDomenico, high school principal. But thumbs up to Tom Schmidt, interim superintendent, for doing what he can to restore normalcy to students in the district by appointing a John Gilevski, Sinclairville Elementary school principal, as the new high school principal and naming John Kwietniewski the interim principal at Sinclairville Elementary School. Taxpayers are still fuming at recent events in the district, but Schmidt is correct in maintaining a focus on educating children in the district.
Thumbs up to Joyce Shelters, a Chautauqua County Humane Society volunteer who was recently awarded a Presidential Volunteer Lifetime Service Award for her service working at the Humane Society through Chautauqua County RSVP. Shelters has donated more than 4,000 hours – or more than two years of full-time work – to the Humane Society because she enjoys the animals. Receiving the award, she said, was a chance to promote volunteer opportunities at the shelter. Despite dedicated volunteers like Shelters, the Humane Society still needs volunteers to walk dogs, clean animals, in foster care, shelter maintenance, thrift store sorting, special events and fundraising drives. For more information, visit www.spcapets.com or call 665-2209, ext. 205.
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Thumbs up to the cream of the crop of the fall sports season as they advance to regional and state competitions. On the gridiron, Randolph and Jamestown advanced to Far West Regional competition. The Randolph girls volleyball team will play in the state championships in Glens Falls. Meanwhile, Hope Pietrocarlo of Maple Grove won a state cross country championship while Pietrocarlo and her teammates Caroline Benson, Taylor Norris, Grace Auer and Kristen Kelemen finished second in the team competition. Megan Marsh, a Jamestown High School sophomore, will compete at the state swimming championships in the 100-yard breast stroke and 200 individual medley along with Southwestern’s Sydney Thomas, who qualified in the 100 backstroke; Deidra Osula of Dunkirk-Fredonia-Olean, who qualified in the 100 butterfly; and Southwestern’s 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Members of the 200 freestyle relay are Xiane Smith, Kelsey Powers, Sydney Burk and Katie Lawton. Joining Thomas on the 400 freestyle relay are Smith, Burk and Lawson.
Thumbs down to secrecy. In the past week, the replacement of the Westfield Volunteer Fire Department chief and treasurer and the resignation of the Cassadaga Valley Central School superintendent have come to light. Jim Pacanowski, former Westfield fire chief, wasn’t given a reason for his removal as fire chief and was notified in an email. Scott Smith, Cassadaga Valley superintendent, resigned after a lengthy executive session by the school board while a settlement for Tara DiDomenico, high school principal, was also approved after the same lengthy executive session. What is frustrating for the taxpayers in Westfield and Cassadaga is the lack of information available about the situations leading to such sudden changes. In both cases, the boards likely made the right decisions – but the closed-door actions and fight to get information only feed the small town rumor mill. Taxpayers deserve better explanations and more information from those in leadership positions.
Thumbs up to the Chautauqua Leadership Network, a year-long educational program designed to help members become more effective leaders for their companies, their communities and Chautauqua County as a whole. The Class of 2013 will graduate on Nov. 21 and joins nearly 500 area residents who, since 1993, have formed an ever-increasing network of community leaders throughout the county. CLN graduates can be found in leadership positions on various not-for-profits, companies and other agencies throughout the county and even in the state Assembly. The agency is a wonderful training ground for the future leaders of Chautauqua County.
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Thumbs up to Robert Crowell, a South Dayton man who recently donated $5,000 to the Chautauqua County 4-H Endowment Fund. Crowell and his son, Daniel, own the Greenbanks Dairy Farm, where they milk 550 cows and raise an additional 550 replacement heifers. Crowell first joined 4-H in 1951, has shown dairy cattle at the Chautauqua County Fair for more than 62 years, is a certified official cattle judge and has served as the official judge for many dairy shows over his judging career. For the Crowells, 4-H is also a family tradition. All six of Crowell’s children joined 4-H and participated in the Dairy, Dog, Home Economics, Woodworking, Cooking, Sewing and Electrical projects competitions. The 4-H Endowment Fund was established a year ago with a $2 million goal. Once the endowment fund is completed, 4-H will be able to use that pool of money rather than government assistance that has been unreliable in recent years. The fund is housed at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. Contributions less than $250 can be made payable to ‘Friends of 4-H CCE’ and mailed to the 4-H Office at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County, 3542 Turner Road, Jamestown, NY 14701. Larger donations made payable to Chautauqua County 4-H Endowment Fund can be sent to the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, 418 Spring St., Jamestown, NY 14701.
Thumbs down to the lengthy – and quiet – investigation into Frewsburg postmaster Donna Spencer. Spencer is on nonduty status while the U.S. Inspector General’s office investigates financial irregularities at the Frewsburg Post Office. What is troubling is the public knows nothing of the types of irregularities being investigated, how much money may be involved or how long the investigation is expected to take. The lack of information reminds us of the day the FBI stormed into the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency offices. From that loud and noisy beginning, the investigation fizzled. Information was impossible to get until finally the probe quietly died with no charges against anyone at the IDA. At some point, the public deserves answers from the Inspector General’s office.
Thumbs up to recent inductees to the Sherman Central School Wall of Fame. Fred Hamilton, a 1980 Sherman graduate who has run the district’s game clock for more than 30 years; John Pulinski, a 1982 Sherman graduate who went on to a more than 30-year career of combined service in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army Aviation; Genevieve Matteson Larson, who passed away in 1990 but was a teacher at Sherman from 1932-62 and was also the founder of the French Creek Yorkers; Lester Post, who attended Sherman as a high school student and later served in a number of capacities at Lockheed Missile Division; and Harry Waite, a 1953 Sherman graduate who has been active in the Sherman community and served on Sherman’s Board of Education from 1972-80. Their service to Sherman and the greater community makes such recognition by their alma mater more than deserved. Congratulations all!
If you have a suggestion for a Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down, email it to jwhittaker@post-journal.com for consideration.
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Thumbs up to the true unofficial start to the holiday season. The seventh annual Toys for Tots Charity Ball will be held tonight at the Robert H. Jackson Center, 305 E. Fourth St., Jamestown, to raise money for the county’s Toys for Tots drive. Last year, about 2,340 children received toys from Toys for Tots. Tickets to the charity ball can be purchased for $25 per person. Besides The Resource Center, sponsors of this year’s event include Bair’s Pizza, Chautauqua Connections Inc., the Greater Woodlawn Federal Credit Union, the Jamestown Gateway Train Station, the Johnson Foundation, Moore and Myott, LLP and Premier Consulting Associates.
Thumbs up to three Jamestown Democrats who may have gotten lost in the shuffle of Wednesday’s failed vote to sell the Chautauqua County Home. Charles Nazzaro, Victoria James and Paula DeJoy all voted in favor of the sale, with DeJoy telling Timothy Hoyer, a fellow Jamestown Democrat and opposer of the sale, on the floor, “Be the voice of your constituents. Your beliefs must be set aside because you were elected to represent them.”
Thumbs down to the recent hubbub over comments at a League of Women Voters debate over who is and isn’t welcome in the Chautauqua County Clerk’s office. At a debate Monday in Dunkirk, Lori Cornell was asked about her proposals to cut staff, improve services and upgrade technology, and if, in making those proposals, she had taken time to go to the county clerk’s office to see how the office is run. Her response was that she wasn’t welcome there. The moderator, Marcia Merrins, then told the audience apparently politics is involved in the county clerk’s office. At issue in the race between Larry Barmore, R-Gerry, and Lori Cornell, D-Jamestown, is which candidate is best qualified to handle the plentitude of records that come through the clerk’s office. Who is the best record keeper? Who is the best staff organizer and motivator? Who will do the best job? Both candidates have said repeatedly this campaign season that politics shouldn’t come into play in this race, yet a week before the election, at least one candidate – and one debate moderator – didn’t get the memo. Thumbs down, indeed, to these shenanigans.