It’s been over two years since we sold our home on the north side of Jamestown, but we still frequent both the city and Western New York.

And we continue to read The Post-Journal and follow the travails of the Chautauqua County (Jamestown) airport. This letter is one of many we have written to The Post-Journal over the years, remembering and relying upon the many times we were passengers on the local commercial air service to and from Pittsburgh and even Dulles Washington. Those days are long gone (as pointed out in your article of Feb. 4, 2026 -“Unused Jamestown Airport Terminal getting $1.2M makeover,” “commercial air service ended in 2018”, eight years ago now).

We are incredulous regarding the disconnect between what the paper and some of the editorialists continue to call both the importance, the necessity and the demand for the return of commercial air service, and the utter lack of local funding and anything other than meaningless verbal encouragement and support for its return. As we have in the past, we continue today to urge these local industries and companies to “put their money where their mouths are.” It should be painfully obvious by now, as it was to us during the last eight years, that without a local and private/capitalist effort to restore service to Jamestown, it is not going to happen. It’s wishful thinking to continue to hope for or rely on “$4,053,386 in federal funding to bring federally subsidized air service back to Jamestown” (Post-Journal, Sept. 9, 2025,”Opposition Shown for Airport Resolutions.”).

To all of you dreamers, wake up. God helps those who help themselves. Dr. Randy Elf seems to know this, from his frequent editorials on other subjects. If this city wants to enjoy commercial air service as much as it says it does, then have each major contributor to the Jamestown and nearby Western New York economy (Cummins, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), RTPI, Bush Industries, Trinity Biotech, Hope’s Windows, Phoenix Metals, Blackstone, and any others who have thus far provided lip service but have no “skin in the game” provide a “stipend” of $500,000, and at the same time, encourage and recommend that all of their employees and business connections use the local airport and the carrier that is chosen to provide the service. This is far more likely to bring the elusive commercial air service back to Jamestown in a relatively short and definable time than to continue to pin hopes on the restoration of this government subsidy alone (which, in this current environment and situation, is wishing for a “wing and a prayer.”) . The editors of the Post-Journal appear to be listening to the official responses (“Federal Lawmakers Airport Terminal Makes Little Sense”-The Post-Journal, Feb. 9, 2026).

Is anyone else?

Vanne and Fred Cohen are former Jamestown residents who now live in Jupiter, Fla.