Community Notebook
Free bread for tradition
Growing up in a Catholic, Italian family, Barbara Waterman of Dunkirk remembers every year her grandmother Frances Sorce, Mother Marie Seyler and my Aunt Jeanette Granata would gather together and prepare a special feast in honor of St. Joseph.
This meal is traditionally meatless and includes many delicious dishes such as pasta con sarde, cardona, stuffed artichokes, cod, smelts, frittatas and the special St. Joseph's Bread, and then comes the honey bits, spingie and the canoles.
The prayer before the meal is dedicated to someone in need, usually someone who is sick or struggling with something that needs more help than we can offer here on earth.
''I remember my grandma's door, my mom's door, and Aunt Jeanette's door open to anyone who wanted to come to the meal,'' Waterman recalled. ''It lasted for hours and then they would look around and say 'did anyone eat yet' because there was so much food left. ... Everyone took a care package home, and care it was because each dish was made with so much love from those beautiful women's hands.
''This tradition I have taught to my daughters Charlotte and Natasha, sons Tom and Rick. We have dedicated our tables over the years to friends and family member, to customers' children that we have never met.
On Thursday, St Joseph's Day, Sweet Perfections on Lake Shore Drive in Dunkirk would like to offer a free St. Joseph's Bread to anyone who would like to join in our celebration of tradition, love and caring. To those that offer a prayer or ask St Joseph for help as they break bread at their own dinner.
''Thank you St. Joseph, thank you Grandma, Mom and Aunt Jeanette for such beautiful memories and for giving us the special gift of family tradition,'' Waterman said. ''Give us the strength to have enough bread to go around and of course have a few loaves for the 'care packages.' I dedicate this giving of bread to my son Tom who lost his business and looks for work and to all of you who struggle in these difficult times that we all share.''
For more information, call 366-0900.
New hours at the Dunkirk Free Library
The Dunkirk Free Library is changing its hours of operation effective immediately. The library's new hours are Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Top CVCS students
The valedictorian and salutatorian of Cassadaga Valley Central School's 2009 graduating class have been announced.
They are Jeffrey Bulger, Valedictorian, son of Jeffrey and Ginger Bulger of Cassadaga.
Lauren Moss, Salutatorian, is the daughter of Douglas and Shaun Jaquith of Sinclairville.
They will deliver their addresses at the CVCS commencement ceremony on June 26 at the CVCS high school auditorium.
Update of Portland's Comprehensive Plan
Portland's planning board chairman Bob Patterson says the town will be involved in a update of the Comprehensive Plan this summer.
Data collection and a steering committee tasked with reviewing this data will "keep it as generic as possible," Patterson told the town board.
A public hearing on the proposed revised Comprehensive Plan will be scheduled once the report is complete and referred to the town board.
Closed roads now open
County roads that were closed due to flooding have now been opened. This includes the Kabob Road in the Town of Stockton.
President orders probe
Seneca Nation of Indians President Barry E. Snyder Sr. Monday signed an executive order creating an investigative committee consisting of four Tribal Council members to determine who leaked to the news media a confidential, preliminary audit of Seneca Gaming Corp. activities.
The Presidential Investigative Committee will include Councilors Linda Doxtator, Todd Gates, Al George and Rodney Pierce. It will conduct an investigation of the SCG, its audit committee, board members, officers, and counsel, and report back in 30 days who was responsible for dissemination of the preliminary audit report. The Nation's Department of Justice will serve as committee counsel.
Weak pavement?
Every day I watch near-accidents at the railroad crossing on Route 60 in Dunkirk. Cars routinely swerve onto the shoulder of the road to miss the enormous pot holes. Is there something wrong with pavement in New York state? I have traveled through other states that have railroad crossings in the middle of a thruway that you can cross over going 65 mph and barely feel a thud..
Robins sighted
Robin sightings have been reported throughout the area. Springtime is on its way, although winter is apparently going to make one last stand this weekend with snow showers expected and highs in the 40 range.
Open house
The Versailles Fire Department has tentative plans to hold an open house and dedication ceremony for the new fire hall on May 17. "Everything hinges on completing all projects on time," Secretary Joel Neu reported.
Prospect Station Road
It's official. Barnes Road in Portland is to be known as Prospect Station Road.
Diane Hofner, a resident of the road, is happy about the change.
"It was no fun living in no man's land," she told the town board.
Mrs. Barnes said confusion over the road's name caused problems with deliveries.
Now, she and the other road residents and the town will have to notify various agencies of the name change.
The town's list covers eight different contacts while the residents' list is a page-long.
The names were provided by the county's 911 coordinator Neil McNeight.
