Highs and lows: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
HERTLEIN RETIREMENT – Brocton’s School Superintendent John Hertlein’s resignation for retirement purposes was made official this past week. Hertlein faced some difficult times with Brocton losing out on a merger with Westfield and also the death of a student from a high school football game. We wish him the best in retirement.
SKI PATROL – For 50 years Fritz Worosz has been hitting the slopes on area ski resorts, making sure skiers are safe and following the trails. Worosz spent the majority of his time as a volunteer at Cockaigne. The last couple of years he was at Peek ‘n Peak, after the fire that destroyed the historic main lodge. He was honored this past week by both state Sen. Cathy Young and Assemblyman Andy Goodell, as well as the National Ski Patrol. It was a well deserved honor.
PBS PIES – Earlier this week, PBS aired a documentary called “A few good pie places.” The program’s first featured pie place is Portage Pies in Westfield, where the Thayer family has been making and selling simple pies since 2009. Other pie places include Auburn, California; Portland, Maine; and Millvale, Pennsylvania to name a few. It was great to see Portage Pies get the honors like it did. If you’ve ever had one of their pies, you know they belonged in that documentary!
WORST
GAS PRICES – In Northern Chautauqua County, gas prices have been running around $2.74 a gallon for regular unleaded fuel. But go to Buffalo, and gas prices are $2.49 a gallon. Go to Rochester and gas prices are $2.25 a gallon! How it is that our local area’s fuel prices can be 50 cents a gallon more from a city two hours away in the same state?
Highs and lows: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
LITTLE LEAGUE COACH GOES BIG – Congratulations to Mike Miga, a Brocton native, who is the coach of the Wilshire Riverside Little League team. The team, from Portland, Oregon, played Friday in the Little League World Series. Although they lost, they’re not out yet. It’s been great to see a person with local ties participating in the nationally televised event.
SUMMER THEATER – Good luck to the students who will be performing “Cinderella” today at SUNY Fredonia. In 2007, Professor Ted Sharon started Playground, a summer drama camp that allows middle and high school students the opportunity to put together a show in a week. “Boy Scouts learn skills in the woods and football players learn on the field. Stage people learn in the theatre,” he said. We agree. It’s a wonderful opportunity these younger students get.
BEACH BASH – Today is the Chadwick Bay Beach Bash at Wright Park. The Beach Bash didn’t happen last year and was delayed from earlier this year. Looking at the weather forecast, it looks like Mother Nature is cooperating. From 4-6 p.m. will be the band Left of Center and 7-9 p.m. will be the band Key West Express. At 5:30 p.m is the “Run Dunkirk” 5K in conjunction with the TriDunkirk. There will be beach volleyball, face painting and food vendors all day. If you can, stop by. It should be a good time.
WORST
BROCTON TRAFFIC LIGHT – The traffic lights on Lake Avenue in Brocton that direct traffic by the viaduct are still out. They went out following the July floods. Right now vehicles traveling under the bridge, which is a single lane, have no idea if vehicles are coming from the other direction. Brocton officials say they can’t do anything because it’s a county road. Chautauqua County officials need to get this fixed. It’s an accident waiting to happen. The cost of the traffic lights are going to be cheaper than the lawsuit which is sure to follow.
Highs and lows: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
REALTOR RETIREMENT – Congratulations to Charles St. George. After 61 years in the real estate business, St. George has decided to retire. The 90-year-old Fredonia resident started his real estate tenure in 1954 and later started ST. GEORGE REALTY. He says that since 1997, he has written over $19 million in contracts. As a side note, he and his wife Norma today are celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. We wish the best to them both.
LENDING A HAND TO PAINT – Jennifer Dillion of Silver Creek has been diagnosed with a rare form of soft tissue cancer. Her home was to be painted by a contractor. The individual started the job but later got arrested and never finished the work. Dillion desperately wanted to see her house finished, so a group of people from the community came together recently to fulfill her wish. More than 70 people helped do the work. That’s what community is all about.
GOLFING FOR A CAUSE – The Pinehurst Golf Club in Westfield was one of many places devastated by this summer’s flooding. A group of golfers have taken it upon themselves to do something about it. On Sept. 19, a golf tournament will take place to benefit Pinehurst. The tournament is limited to the first 72 golfers and is a four person scramble format. For more information or to register, call 326-4424. We applaud those golfers who saw a need and are doing something about it in a fun way.
WORST
RUNNING WATER – Fredonia crews repaired an 8-inch water main on Monday after a break occurred. But several residents said the break actually occurred on Sunday morning and had been leaking for 24 hours before any attention was given to it. Why wasn’t this water main break attended to sooner? It seems like someone just didn’t want to work on a Sunday and let the water continue to run, instead of addressing the problem sooner.
Highs and lows: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
DEMOLITION FINALE – Sunday’s demolition derby was one for the ages. The last two cars of the final heat were driven by Jim Ellman Jr. and Cory Near, both of Dunkirk. Ellman was driving in memory of his brother Chad, a popular demolition driver who died unexpectedly in January. Near was the grand champion in 2014 and it seemed he was going to win again. His car continued to pound Ellman’s vehicle, but suddenly Near’s car stopped running and Ellman was able to get in one last hit, which gave him the win. The Ellman family and friends wore blue shirts in memory of Chad. After Jim won, a sea of blue shirts rushed the field. It was a fitting ending. Chad would be proud!
DEMENTIA CARE CONFERENCE – On Tuesday, the Western New York Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association held a workshop at Harvest Chapel Free Methodist Church. Staff writer Vicki Notaro wrote a preview about it. We also listed the event in our various calendars. Organizers told Notaro there were about 90 people at the conference and about 90 percent of the people said they heard about the conference after reading about it in the OBSERVER. We’re glad we could help get the word out on this important topic.
COMEDY CENTER MOMENTUM – Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is arguably the biggest living sitcom star today. So it was a big honor to have the TV star come to Chautauqua County last weekend, in memory of arguably the biggest sitcom star of all time Lucille Ball. Seinfeld’s appearance came as ground broke for the National Comedy Center in Jamestown. This comedy center seemed like a pipe dream a few years ago, but hard work and vision are making it happen. What’s good for Jamestown is good for Chautauqua County.
WORST
COUNTY LANDFILL PLAN – The Chautauqua County landfill in Ellery is extremely important to the region. Right now the landfill will be full in the next three or four years. A plan has been proposed to expand it, which would make it viable for the next 20-30 years. But the Ellery Town Planning Board is looking at local laws which would prohibit expansion. Every resident in the county takes trash to the landfill one way or another. It’s important that county and town officials work together to make a viable plan.
Highs and lows: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
FIT TO A TEE – In what is known as the path to the Professional Golfers’ Association Tour, Web.com officials announced that Peek’n Peak resort in Clymer will be a destination for a four-day tournament in July next year. “It’s great to be back here at Peek’n Peak. Talking to players, we have had so many positive comments from players who were here,” said Bill Calfee, president of the Web.com Tour. “We’ve got a contract for four years, but we are into long-term partnerships and we expect to be here for 25 years.” The tour’s arrival is a team effort with a big assist from county officials.
LAUGH IT UP – How about a round of applause for Jamestown. Today, it breaks ground on a national comedy center that is built around the city – and Celoron – being the home of Lucille Ball. Its festival this weekend has Hollywood written all over it, including a performance by comedian Jerry Seinfeld. It is an example of some great work by our partners in the south county.
WORST
BRADY’S DEFENSE – After the NFL did not reduce a four-game suspension for “deflategate,” All-Pro New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady issued a response on his “public” Facebook page that notes his disappointment with the decision. “The discipline was upheld without any counter offer,” he wrote. “I respect the commissioner’s authority, but he also has to respect … my rights as a private citizen.” Brady is, in no way, a private citizen. He is almost the face of the NFL, making millions of dollars – and is a celebrity wherever he goes. He lost his privacy when he took the quarterbacking job. He won’t get his privacy back until after he retires – and may not get those first four games back either.
SWEET 16? – It’s training camp for the Buffalo Bills at beautiful and the non-successful St. John Fisher in Rochester. The Bills left Fredonia in 1999, the last time the team made the playoffs. Fisher’s facility is definitely an upgrade. Its success on the field, however, is a downgrade.