Here are some of the best - and worst - of the week:
BEST
COACHING IN LONDON - A lot of us have been looking forward to seeing Jenn (Stuczynski) Suhr try again for a Gold Medal at the Olympics. Now we have another reason to cheer. Fredonia wrestling coach Alex Conti is serving as an assistant coach to the USA Women's Olympic Wrestling Team. What a great honor for the area to have two local people participating in the Olympics.
USA NATIONAL TEAM - Speaking of the Olympics, there may be another area resident participating in four years. Hannah Walters of Angola has landed on the USA National Gymnastics Team for the third straight year. At age 18, Hannah already has her sights set on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "You have to be turning 16 before December 31 to be eligible. The current Olympian is 22 now. The peak age is later. Most are 26ish. Hannah is hoping to stay in it until 2016," said her mother Gail. It's pretty exciting to see how far she's come. We'll see what happens; the sky's the limit.
FRESH AIR FAMILY - Diane and Tom Neal of Silver Creek have been participating in the Fresh Air Fund for the last five years - four of those with Stephany from Brooklyn. "Hosting a Fresh Air child has been a rewarding experience for both Stephany and my family. It has given us an opportunity to learn about another culture," said Diane. The Fresh Air Fund is a great project and we applaud the Neals for their involvement.
WORST
DEVELOPER BACKS OUT - It's hard to criticize Krog Corp. The company, which was the preferred developer for the former Bertges auto dealership property located at 18 Lake Shore Drive West, did a business study and determined that they couldn't come up with a feasible project at this time. Perhaps it was because of the local economy, the high cost of taxes in the region, the worries about NRG, or a combination of a number of factors. But in the end Krog Corp. decided it wasn't worth it to move forward. The Dunkirk Local Development Corp. purchased the Bertges property back in 2010 for $525,000. For now that investment will remain on hold.
