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Chautauqua Lake Child Care, JCC awarded $7.6M for daycare

A childcare center in Mayville and an area college are getting millions of dollars to expand daycare. On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced more than $106 million in awards through the Childcare Capital Construction Funding Program to support 37 projects that will create and expand access to quality childcare across New York State. Among those awarded funds were Chautauqua Lake Child Care Center, which was awarded $4,734,578 and Jamestown Community College, which was awarded $2,895,600. Chautauqua Lake Child Care Center operates out of Chautauqua Lake Central School. The ...

Coming up …

MONDAY, JUNE 29 Annual Charity Pro-Am Golf Tournament to benefit Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Chautauqua Golf Club, 4731 W. Lake Road, Chautauqua, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 11 a.m. shotgun, a PGA Pro will play with each threesome, cart, lunch, dinner, prizes included. For details, justina@chautauquawatershedconservancy.org Sheridan Historical Society open house, meeting 2702 Route 20, open house begins at 12 p.m., meeting starts at 3 p.m. Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation 40th annual meeting, Footprints Award presentation SUNY Fredonia, Science Center, 4 p.m. George B. Weaver ...

Sheridan winery fined $1,000 for missed water reports

A winery in the northern end of the county has once again been fined after missing multiple water reports. During the Chautauqua County Board of Health meeting, it was announced there were 11 Agreements to Settle for public water supply violations. All businesses cited are on private well water and are required to do various reporting. Most of the businesses or organizations fined were for one or two reports missing. Woodbury Vineyards, however, was cited for missing its fifth water report from 2025. Justin Ortel, dba Woodbury Vineyards, at 3215 S. Roberts Road, in the ...

New storage unit to be built in Stockton

OBSERVER Photo by Gregory Bacon A new storage unit is being built in the town of Stockton at the intersection of Route 380 and Mill Street, near the former elementary school which is now a senior housing complex. According to Stockton Town Supervisor Dave Wilson, the developer is the same ...

Bird talk goes behind closed doors

The village of Fredonia’s legal team has muscled into the Dave Bird situation, counseling that discussion of the former Department of Public Works supervisor should be held in closed sessions. A motion to rescind Bird’s termination was on the agenda of last week’s Board of Trustees meeting. However, Mayor Michael Ferguson announced village legal counsel — the Webster Szanyi law firm of Buffalo — said the matter should be discussed in an executive session. The motion was not considered and no vote was held on Bird’s future. Ferguson was asked via text message after the ...

Gowanda hires two new teachers

GOWANDA — Two new teachers were recently hired by the Gowanda Central School District. Katelyn Mesch was appointed as the district’s newest Elementary Teacher, and Bryan Lucas Brawdy was hired as a Mathematics Teacher. Mesch has initial certifications in Students with Disabilities All Grades, Childhood Education Grades 1-6, and Students with Disabilities in English Grades 7-12. Her appointment takes effect July 1 and her probationary period ends Aug. 26, 2029. She will begin as a fifth grade teacher next school year. Brawdy, a Gowanda resident, holds initial certification in ...