Highs and lows: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
NEW BUSINESSES – Hibbett Sports, Harbor Freight Tools and Dominos are all well on their way to opening in the town of Dunkirk. On Monday, Dollar General opened in Cassadaga. People have mixed opinions about chain businesses coming to town, concerned it will impact local businesses. If you have a local business you enjoy, keep supporting it. We’re glad to see these new businesses coming. Empty buildings are being filled, new jobs are being offered and the businesses are adding to the tax base. New development is a sign of a healthy community.
CLEANING UP – Kudos to the Silver Creek varsity football, cross county, cheerleaders and boys soccer teams. The Black Knights went out last weekend, helping senior citizens with various housekeeping projects, including raking and bagging leaves, cleaning up trash and anything else they could. It shows they care about the community.
WORST
LEAD FOOT DRIVER – Police have yet to release the name of the 20-year-old driver who attempted to pass a tractor trailer on Route 60 in Sinclairville Thursday night. The driver hit a mini-van with a mother and two young children. There were no injuries, but we hope that 20-year-old faces stiff penalties for his actions. Officials are complaining, rightly so, that too many accidents are caused by drivers under the influence or using their cell phones. They face steep penalties for their actions. Reckless drivers should be penalized just as much.
HIGHS AND LOWS: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR – Rintaro Mizuno has been a key component to the Westfield Academy boys soccer team this fall. The Wolves have had some success and Mizuno, an international student from Japan, has been an important part of the team. Soccer, or sports in general, can often bridge the gap between cultures. We’re glad that Mizuno has been able to participate at Westfield Academy and Central School and we think Westfield students have benefited from his visit this year just as much.
FEEDING THE HUNGRY – The Feeding Fredonia Challenge has generated nearly 5,000 pounds of food. That’s amazing! We applaud those who have opened their cupboards to give so generously. With the closure of Carriage House in particular, it’s been a difficult year for some families. This food will help greatly.
IHRA CHAMPION – Congratulations to Doug Lynden. The Fredonia resident recently won the International Hot Rod Association’s Summit Racing Equipment World Finals in Memphis, Tennessee. Lynden graduated from Fredonia High School in 1989 and has been doing the IHRA for the past 15 years. When he’s not on the track, Lynden works at Towne Chevy Buick Cadillac of North Collins, where he’s the service manager. Not everyone can see their dreams fulfilled, but Lynden is definitely seeing some of his dreams come true.
WORST
SAILING SHIP – The Sea Lion is headed out – permanently. The Sea Lion, a replica of the three-masted British ship, has been sitting in Westfield in poor condition for more than 10 years. Something needs to be done with it. It will soon be sent to Albany where it will be refurbished and eventually transferred to Chester, Virginia. The sadness we feel is remembering when the ship was in good condition before it was sent to Buffalo following a court dispute and ended up sinking in the harbor up there. We know this is the best for the ship. It’s just a shame the Sea Lion ended up the way it did.
Highs and lows: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
TODDLER RESCUED – Kudos to State Police officer Gary Mahoney. He, along with troopers Derek Raichel and Glenn Steinert, went to a Collins residence for a missing 3-year-old child. Upon arrival, a neighbor told police she thought she heard a child in a nearby swimming pool. Mahoney jumped into the pool in full gear and brought the child to safety. Too often police get a bad rap. Mahoney, by doing his job, saved a life.
SPIKE OUT CANCER – On Thursday, the Forestville Lady Hornets, opponents Silver Creek Black Knights and the gymnasium were all decked out in pink for sixth annual “Spike Out Cancer” volleyball match. The Forestville team and their parents raised money for breast cancer research. Sports is a great venue to raise awareness for causes like breast cancer. It helps students understand what really matters.
FALL COLORS – This weekend the weather forecast doesn’t look good. Forecasters are calling for rain – and possibly snow. But even so, it’s been a beautiful fall. Foliage will be peak throughout the Chautauqua-Allegheny region this weekend. In Chautauqua County, spotters predict 85 percent color change with average to bright gold-yellow, orange and red leaves. In Cattaraugus County, spotters in Allegany State Park are expecting the season’s best color this weekend with 75 percent transition and brilliant orange, yellow and red leaves. Erie County will be midpoint to near peak this weekend with 40-50 percent transition. If you get a chance, take a drive out to the hills in Arkwright or in the Amish country in Cherry Creek, either this weekend or some time next week. You won’t be disappointed.
WORST
LIVES CUT SHORT – Two young men lost their lives on Friday. Jacob Schuk, 18, who recently graduated from Fredonia High School, was reported missing. His body was located in a creek bed by lower Spoden Road near Route 60 in the town of Pomfret. Then later that night Bryan Willis, 23, of Dunkirk crashed his car into a home on Lake Shore Drive East near North Ermine Street in the city. Willis was being chased by police for an alleged patrol violation. There are families today that are in mourning. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
Highs and lows: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
. CHAMBER WINNERS – Congratulations to this year’s Chamber winners. We particularly want to salute the co-winners of the Economic Development Award – the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, as well as the Person of the Year award winner Journey Gunderson. NCCF and CRCF both work hard at raising and distributing funds to improve our region. Gunderson, the executive director of the Lucy Desi Center, has done a terrific job in developing the National Comedy Center. The award winners were well deserving.
BOOKS FOR KIDS – In collaboration with the Chautauqua County Health and Human Services Department and Usborne Books and Moore, Fredonia residents Elizabeth Geiger and Celia Molitor facilitated a book drive to benefit local foster children. More than $1,200 was raised and nearly $2,000 in new books were purchased using the book publisher’s 50 percent matching grant program. The books will be distributed to families via foster support groups as well as Family Court. What a wonderful gift for children. For more information about sponsoring a book drive for kids in need, email geigers2010@yahoo.com or cmolitor12@gmail.com.
BACK ON ICE – It’s been a long two years for the Buffalo Sabres. The team has finished last out of 30 teams both in 2013/14 and 2014/15. Although the team lost their opener Thursday, there’s much more hope. There’s a new coach, a new star player in Jack Eichel as well as host of other new players. Winter can be long, but a good hockey team can make it that much more of an enjoyable season. Let’s hope that is the case this year.
WORST
JAMESTOWN TAXES – Not only is Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi proposing raising taxes above the 2 percent property tax cap, the executive budget has the city at 99.9 percent of its constitutional tax margin. That’s crazy! You want new businesses to come to Jamestown with the creation of the National Comedy Center, then you need to work harder at lowering taxes.
Highs and lows: Some of the best, worst of the week
Here are some of the best – and worst – of the week:
BEST
COBURN RESPONSE – We want to applaud everyone who helped out the residents of the Coburn Building on Central Avenue, Dunkirk after a partial building collapse Wednesday. SUNY Fredonia and the American Red Cross helped residents find shelter. Police and firefighters responded to the scene to make sure everyone was safe and checked the building to make sure it was vacant. City officials put up a fence to stop people from walking too closely to the building, especially with debris still falling. These responses are what’s necessary in times of an emergency.
WORST
CAMPUS SHOOTING – Our hearts are broken for the family and friends of the nine people killed in Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. According to the LA Times, there have been 16 mass shootings this decade alone, taking the lives of 132 people. Shootings have occurred everywhere – college campuses, public schools, churches, military yards, movie theaters and other places of business. Some of the shootings occurred when the perpetrator knew the victims, but many times, the victims were randomly chosen, a casualty of someone lashing out, trying to create a scene. These shootings, although statistically rare, have created a paranoid society. It’s no wonder a SUNY Fredonia student called University Police after he heard some ticking from his vehicle and saw a wire protruding under his seat. After all, you just never know.