Weekend terrible for blood supply

The Fourth of July weekend is usually one of the three worst weekends of the year for blood usage, and this year that was certainly true with extremely heavy blood usage by local patients in the last three days. The blood supply is just about depleted with type O positive being extremely critically low. The situation is critical for local patients needing blood.

Community Blood Bank lab staff was called back from vacation early to test the last few units of blood that came in Thursday night, so there would be something to send to the hospitals.

Area blood drives open to the public: WCA Hospital in Jamestown today from 7 a.m. to noon; Friday - Meeder's Restaurant in Ripley from noon to 5 p.m.; July 17 - at Lake Shore TLC in Irving from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

All these drives are open to anyone; photo ID is required but no appointment is needed to give blood.

Cherry Creek Summer Concert Series

"Slim Griffin and The Country Gentlemen" will play for Cherry Creek's Gazebo Summer Concert Series Thursday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Cherry Creek Memorial Park on Main Street. Bring lawn chairs. Refreshments will be available. If inclement weather, the concert will be held at the VFW on Route 83 in Cherry Creek.

'In Jest' comedy show

Chautauqua Institution welcomes back Nels Cremean for an all new 'In Jest" Comedy Show today for two performances at 5 and 7 p.m. on the Smith Wilkes Stage.

With more than two decades of experience as a "professional oddball," Cremean is a highly sought after performer and presenter, providing comedy variety shows, keynotes, and more throughout North America and abroad.

Currently CEO of In Jest, Inc., and Chair of the Humor & Health Association of Western New York, Cremean continues to defy gravity. When he is not entertaining, educating, or uplifting audiences, he lives and laughs with his wife and five children in Buffalo.

Children 12 years and younger are admitted free. All other tickets may be purchased at the Chautauqua Box Office in the Turner Community Center on Route 394. They may also be ordered by phone at 357-6250 or on the Web at tickets.ciweb.org.

Open house & art show

Everyone is welcome to an open house and art show at the Heritage Village Retirement Campus on Route 60 in Gerry Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Refreshments will be served and visitors will have the opportunity to review all retirement living options and the unique art pieces submitted by employees of Heritage Ministries and residents of Heritage Village Retirement Campus. For more information, call 985-6839.

Second rain barrel workshop scheduled

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County and the village of Silver Creek will be hosting a workshop to show village residents how to construct rain barrels Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Department of Public Works building, 19 N. Main St. The workshop is intended to provide all materials and instruction necessary for participants to construct and take home a rain barrel ready for use.

Currently, the Silver Creek wastewater treatment plant is experiencing excessive flows during wet weather, due, in part, to roof downspouts directing rain water into the village sanitary system. Now, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has mandated these high flows be reduced. The rain barrel is used for water conservation and helps reduce inflow into the village sanitary system by diverting water from roof downspouts into the rain barrel for storage and use later rather than the sanitary sewers.

The workshop will include a presentation on rain barrels, and instruction on how to construct a rain barrel as well as proper installation and maintenance.

There is no cost to village residents. However, pre-registration is required to participate in the workshop, with a maximum of 40 participants accepted. Pre-registration will end on July 8 at 5 p.m. To pre-register, contact Betsy Hite, of Cornell Cooperative Extension at 664-9502 or by e-mail at emh92@cornell.edu. Interested individuals can also contact the village clerk at 934-3240.

Lane closed on Main Street in Silver Creek

A section of Main Street located in front of Petri Baking Products in the village of Silver Creek will be limited to a single lane of traffic beginning this morning and lasting until road work is complete.