Students from Jamestown High School share their original poetry, inspired by the theme “Poetry Is…” The poem were written and recorded after students from Elizabeth Rowe-Baehr’s 9th grade English classes worked with Sony Ton-Aime, who serves as the Michael I. Rudell Director of Literary Arts at Chautauqua Institution.

Several students stopped by the WRFA studios and were recorded as they recited their original works. The recording were featured Friday, May 19, 2023 on WRFA’s Small Things Considered morning show.

Thank you to Sony for developing this project and also to Betsy her students for sharing their work with the Jamestown community via WRFA.

Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone invited Dr. Kevin Sabet to speak about his concerns on cannabis legalization in New York State at a conference in Celoron on May 1, 2023.

Dr. Kevin Sabet presents on marijuana legalization (May 1, 2023)

PJ Wendel

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel has declared a State of Emergency that bars housing additional immigrants in the county.

Wendel said the order is in response to New York City’s announced intentions to send migrants and asylum seekers to other counties in the state.

Declaration of State of Emergency

State of Emergency Order

State Senator George Borrello also sent out a statement opposing Governor Kathy Hochul‘s proposal to house migrants at SUNY Schools, saying, “I don’t believe her when the Governor says housing migrants at SUNY campuses is a temporary solution. Migrants processed into the U.S. as asylum seekers earlier this week were given immigration court dates more than a decade away. Once these migrants are brought to SUNY campuses, neither the Governor nor anyone else knows how long they will be there.”

Borrello went on to say that communities that never declared themselves as sanctuary communities shouldn’t be forced to accept migrants.

The County Executive said in a press release, “In December 2016, New York City declared itself a Sanctuary City dedicated to supporting undocumented individuals. Over the past several months, thousands of asylum seekers have been arriving in the City, which is now so overwhelmed that it is trying to move these individuals to other counties that do not have the infrastructure to care for them, especially since social services funding is not available to undocumented individuals. While we support the families who have already migrated to our County, we lack the services and funding required to assist additional individuals.”

The state of emergency was issued Thursday, May 18 and remains in effect for 30 days, at which time it may be extended.

The order prohibits other municipalities from bringing and housing people in the County, prohibits hotels and motels from housing immigrants without a license, and requires any municipalities that might bring migrating or asylum-seeking people into Chautauqua County to ensure they will be fully cared for and paid for.

Chautauqua County joins other counties in New York State with issuing these emergency orders including most of Western New York, excluding Erie County, as well as Broome, Nassau, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Oswego, Rockland, and Suffolk counties.

Jamestown YMCA VP of Operations John Barber presents to Jamestown Local Development Corporation (May 17, 2023)

The Jamestown YMCA is requesting $1 million in American Rescue Plan funds to construct a new facility on Harrison Street.

YMCA Vice President of Operations John Barber and Tom Benson presented to the Jamestown Local Development Corporation on their request of funding from the Non-Profit Business Grant Program.

Benson said the total project cost for the nearly 68,000 square foot facility is $30 million. He said there is currently $4 million committed from local foundations, “But we have three or four other sources of funding lined up, but we have to be able to go back to them and say, ‘Now we’ve got the city commitment, not just with a letter but with skin in the game.’ Go back to the state and try to get the state to commit. Then we have New Market Tax Credits, then we have tax rebond reissuance, then we have the (Ralph C.) Wilson Foundation who told us to come back when we had more commitment.”

Benson said there will come a time when the current East Fourth Street location will not be sustainable.

The new facility will include a childcare center, two pools, group exercise areas, a track for running and walking; gymnasium, and other exercise areas.

The Jamestown YWCA also presented a request of $145,714 for a three-year “Young Women Choosing Action” Program.

The program was developed by the national YWCA and is an “intersectional, culturally responsive, trauma-informed leadership program designed with the unique challenges and opportunities of low-income young women and young women of color, ages 13 to 19.”

Collaborative Children’s Solutions also presented on a request for $96,850 toward a peer-run mental health and substance use group that would be mainly operated at the Northwest Arena.

Wednesday’s presentations were the first three of eight that will come before the JLDC board before they are expected to vote in June on which non-profits will receive funding. The grant program was funded with $1.5 million.

Grants Manager Tim O’Dell said Southern Tier Builders will use the American Rescue Plan funds for a Pre-Apprenticeship Program through the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCR) for high school, college, and young adults, “So, if you take a look at the curriculum here you will notice that the program introduces training to a large variety of trades. And this is very advantageous because when they go through all of the courses, not all of them are listed here, they will have exposure and dip their feet in, if you will, into multiple trades. So, they can get a very good lay of the landscape of what it’s like to be in the trades and from there they can make more informed decisions of what trade they’d like to participate in for their career.”

O’Dell said the purpose of the program is to establish a pipleine for workforce development where students will have the opportunity to go into a union and start their apprenticeship or to go to trade school.

He added that Southern Tier Builders hopes to receive its accreditation from NCCR by July and start classes in the Fall.

The request will now go before Jamestown City Council for approval on Monday, May 22 as the amount approved is over $100,000.

Jamestown Local Development Corporation meeting (May 17, 2023)

A second round of $35,000 in downtown business grants were approved by the Jamestown Local Development Corporation board on Wednesday.

Grants Manager Tim O’Dell said the awards came from the Downtown Small Business Evolution fund.

He said Nouveau Beauty Aesthetics has been awarded $8,000 toward a $27,000 project to purchase new equipment that the businesses said will help sales increase by 20% based on the new services that will be available to customers.

Lisciandro’s Restaurant will receive $5,000 toward a $15,548 project to put in new floors and booths.

Sandees Bakery will use the $10,000 grant for the $19,760 purchase of a new meatball machine which will help with catering needs.

The Beer Snob has been granted $7,000 toward a $14,900 purchase of a three-door fridge to improve to-go purchases of beverages.

Art Cloth and Craft has received $5,000 toward the $8,000 purchase of sewing machines to use to create goods for the store in addition to use the machines for classes.

The JLDC board also approved three Fund for Downtown Programming requests.

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts received $21,160 for three summer concert events that include a block party. The concerts receiving support include Lez Zeppelin on June 17, Vixen on July 9, and the block party with Uncle Ben’s Remedy on July 27.

Ballgame Heroes were approved up to $29,500 for a Trading Card Buffalo Bills Signing Show with Andre Reed. The event would include a VIP party on September 15 followed by a signing event on September 16. Owner Starr Ryder said the funds would be used toward Mr. Reed’s talent fee as well as to purchase merchandise that attendees could buy to have signed.

Collaborative Children’s Solutions also was approved $15,000 for a Winterfest event that will take place from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., Saturday, December 2 ahead of the annual Christmas parade. Organizer Pat Smeraldo said he’s working out details still but the event could include an outdoor synthetic ice rink, live music, Christmas village, ice sculptures, and more.

The event will take place from 8:00 a.m. to noon. People interested in helping should meet on Tracy Plaza next to the Municipal Building at 200 East Third Street.

You can register in advance for the clean-up by visiting jamestownny.gov.

Audubon Community Nature Center plant exchange and sale

The Audubon Community Nature Center will hold its annual Plant Exchange and Sale this Saturday.

The event will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

People are invited to trade their own potted plants in exchange for new ones or purchase plants outright. There will be a large number of native plants, as well as annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs.

Local nurseries will be on hand selling plants, including natives, as well as a sale of gently used garden equipment and décor, tools, pots, and more.

Plants will be accepted for exchange until noon.

Audubon reserves the right to reject invasive species, unpotted plants, those in poor condition, plants in multi-species pots or ones that seem to be infested with weeds or jumping worms.

This event is outdoors and takes place rain or shine

Tim Kachelmeyer and his girls flag team lost their first game, but have picked up two quality wins since then. He advocates for the establishment of modified programs for the sport. Along with a heartwarming story of a girl who stepped up when her name was called, and rose to the occasion.

In the Knock on Wood series finale, WRFA’s Collin Wood wraps up more exciting action from CCAA girls flag football action. The sixth and final coach, Tim Kachelmeyer, joins for an interview.