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.

The conference, “Going Green: Growing Our Workforce, Our Community & Our Economy,” will take place Wednesday, July 26 at Chautauqua Institution during Infrastructure Week.

The 10:45 a.m. lecture will feature Nuclear Engineer and Environmentalist Leslie Dewan discussing her work in improving nuclear reactor designs and the potential of nuclear energy infrastructure to help power our energy-dependent world.

BPU Business Development Coordinator Ellen Ditonto said a private lunch for conference attendees at the Athenaeum would take place after the morning lecture, which would then be followed by a panel discussion, “Where we will have again both employers, workforce development experts, talking about how things are different in terms of how we recruit, retain, and train our workforce in the coming years.”

Ditonto said some of the panelists will include Green Force Training Executive Director Jeffrey Conrad, Wendel Companies Environmental Engineer Scott Rybarczyk, Sr., and Goodwill Goodskills Career Builder Program Liaison Bryan Boleratz.

Tickets for the conference are $30, which also includes parking.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit https://retoolwny.jamestownbpu.com/

Hadi Matar (Photo Courtesy of Chautauqua County Jail)

The Jamestown Post-Journal reports the trial for the man accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie at Chautauqua Institution last summer could be scheduled for this fall.

Hadi Matar of New Jersey has been charged with 2nd Degree Attempted Murder and 2nd Degree Assault. He pled not guilty to those charges in Chautauqua County Court and has been in the County Jail in Mayville without bail. Matar faces 32 years to life in prison if found guilty of the charges.

Matar is accused with stabbing Rushdie on August 19 at the Institution. Rushdie lost his sight in one eye and one of his hands is “incapacitated” following the attack.

Matar is being represented by Public Defender Ned Barone.

Jefferson Project research on Chautauqua Lake (photo provided by Chautauqua Institution)

Chautauqua Institution is applauding the County Legislature‘s approval of funding for the Jefferson Project.

The approval of $1 million in American Rescue Plan funds to continue research in 2020 has received $4 million in funding from Chautauqua Institution.

Institution President Michael Hill said in a statement, “The work of The Jefferson Project is informing mitigation efforts that will eventually save Chautauqua Lake. Chautauqua Lake will not survive unless we make the right decisions now.”

The Jefferson Project is a collaboration between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, IBM Research, and the Lake George Association that exists to collect and process massive amounts of data on freshwater bodies to create a new model for environmental monitoring and prediction.

The group is working on efforts to reverse negative environmental conditions, including Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and invasive weed growth, include watershed conservation, weed harvesting and targeted herbicide applications.

According to a release by the Chautauqua Institution, The Jefferson Project researchers compile data using platform buoys, called vertical profilers, that are situated in selected locations in the lake to take measurements at increments from the surface of the water to the bottom of the lake. The funding from Chautauqua County will enable the expansion of this effort to tributaries that feed the lake. They said the next step is to create a “smart lake” to allow for real-time monitoring and analysis leading to short- and long-term solutions.

Researchers also are using boats to conduct water sampling every two weeks.

Chautauqua Lake was designated as impaired by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in the early 2000s because its phosphorus levels were, and continue to be, too high.

Hill said the Institution is still seeking additional financial support for lake work from private and public sources.

Chautauqua County Legislature voting session (April 26, 2023)

Despite calls to table the measure for more discussion, the Chautauqua County Legislature approved using $1 million in American Rescue Plan funding for the Jefferson Project.

One of a handful of public comments opposing the funding included Chautauqua-Conewango Watershed Consortium representative Jane Conroe, who stated the Legislature should be leading with science, “Why would we pay for understanding algae mechanisms that we already have information for? The very comprehensive ‘Harmful Agal Blooms Action Plan for Chautauqua Lake’ that we already have has much of this information. California, the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project has done extensive research along with Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The need for a complete agal DNA reference library has been taken up by this organization.”

Former County Executive Vince Horrigan submittted a letter in support of funding the Jefferson Project saying the project “brings a professional outside and an objective approach” to identifying issues in Chautauqua Lake.

The Jefferson Project is a collaboration of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, IBM Research, and the Lake George Association that is conducting water quality and Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) research. It was introduced to Chautauqua Lake in 2020 in partnership with the Chautauqua County Government, Chautauqua Institution, and the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance.

Legislator Tom Nelson made a motion to table the resolution, saying more discussion was needed. The motion failed 5 to 14.

Legislator John Hemmer echoed the need for more discussion, saying there was not enough information for how the $1 million would be spent and what would be done, “I listened to the presentation that was given and it was a lot of talk about testing and research. And nowhere in the presentation did they say anything about the solution to the problem being presented at the end of the research.”

Legislator Bob Bankoski said it was advantageous for the Legislature to move forward with the project, “I do agree with some of the people that made comments today. I think some of this stuff is very vague and I really, really hope that we have some locked down answers. When they’re done with this project I want an action plan from them that tells us exactly what to do.”

An amendment by Legislator Tom Harmon to add language to the resolution saying that “this funding would be used for research and ongoing work in 2023” did pass.

The final vote was 17 to 2 with Legislators John Hemmer and Susan Parker being the only no votes.

Jordan Steves

Chautauqua Institution has announced the interim appointment of Jordan Steves to the role of Emily and Richard Smucker Chair for Education.

This appointment follows the the resignation of Matt Ewalt, Vice President and Emily and Richard Smucker Chair for Education, who is taking on a new role for The Texas Tribune.

As interim chair, Steves will lead the coordination, planning and presentation of the Chautauqua Lecture Series. The series is the Institution’s signature lecture platform that takes place at 10:45 a.m. Monday-Friday during the Summer Assembly.

Steves has served as the Director of Strategic Communications since 2017. He was first employed full time in 2009 as the Chautauqua Lecture Series lecture associate within the Department of Education before moving to the Marketing and Communications department in 2014.

Steves’ appointment is part of an interim organization plan while the Institution conducts a national search.

Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy’s Twan Leenders presents to the Jamestown Local Development Corporation board (March 15, 2023)

The Jamestown Local Development Corporation board has approved over $360,000 toward Chadakoin River bank stabilization and debris removal.

Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Conservation Director Twan Leenders presented a request for $362,925 in American Rescue Plan funding to remove debris in the Chadakoin River basin as well as do bank stabilization work on the basin’s north shore as well as the north and south shores between the Warner Dam and Main Street Bridge.

Leenders said with the city receiving funding to activate the Chadakoin River basin, there are other projects that should take place first, “It involves items like the existence of tree stumps and vertical spikes in the basin. If you go down to the Chadakoin basin right now, with the water level being as low as it is, you’ll see three, four-foot spikes sticking up out of the sediment. You’ll see tree stumps sticking up. And, you know at this point the dam is still open because it’s on the winter regime, so it’s mostly for flood control just getting water from Chautauqua Lake, melting water, rain water, to feed it out as soon as possible.”

Leenders said the dam will close on May 1, causing water levels in the basin to rise to the same level as Chautauqua Lake and hiding those spikes from boaters. He recommended the debris removal be done as soon as possible given that water levels are low and the DEC will prohibit work in the river come April 1 when fish spawning season arrives.

Leenders said Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District would be contracted to do the work for all of the projects.

JLDC broke up CWC’s request by approving $35,000 for the debris removal project so that that project could begin immediately. They then approved a second resolution for the remaining $327,925 for bank stabilization work.

City Council will review the $327,925 funding request at its work session on Monday, March 20th where Leenders is expected to present on the request.

Council previously approved $277,750 from the Water, Sewer and Broadband funds category to fund phase one of the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Chadakoin River Stabilization Project. Phase one, which involved the CWC removing debris and clearing trees out of the lower Chadakoin River, was completed in Summer 2022.

Chautauqua Institution‘s Symphony Orchestra was granted $50,000 in Downtown Programming funds for a concert at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.

The program will be “The Music of Billy Joel featuring Michael Cavanaugh with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra” and is scheduled to take place Thursday, August 17.

This will be the first time the Chautauqua Symphony performs off the Institution’s grounds. Their previously scheduled performance in 2020 was canceled due to the Pandemic and the performance scheduled for August 2022 was canceled after author Salman Rushdie was attacked at the Institution’s Amphiteatre the same day.

County residents are invited to read “Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation” by Linda Villarosa.

The purpose of the shared book read is to engage Chautauqua County residents, businesses, nonprofits and organizations to help heal  divides and propel participants to be engaged citizens working towards a more inclusive and just society.

Each participant is also encouraged to attend one book discussion group between April 17 and 28, 2023. In-person and online book discussion groups will be offered.

To register for a book discussion, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_fNuj5EcsSwIutCnkVacD03U19GS-jvnwk9-rJupqF1-55A/viewform

Additionally, participants are invited to attend a live lecture at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, July 20 with the author, Linda Villarosa, at the Hall of Philosophy on the Chautauqua Institution grounds.
This day has been designated as “Chautauqua County Day” at the Institution, and all Chautauqua County residents are eligible for free admission and parking.

Tickets for this day will be available beginning June 1 by calling the Chautauqua Institution Ticket Office at 716-357-6250. Free parking is only available with ticket orders made by July 11. This offer may not be combined with a long-term ticket.

For more information on “Chautauqua County Day,” visit: chqcounty.chq.org

While participants are encouraged to purchase their own copy of the book, the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System has a limited amount of the title to borrow as well.

More information on the times and locations of the book discussions is available via the registration link and at https://www.ywcajamestown.com/chqbookread

The grants are part of nearly $45 million going toward over 1,200 arts organizations and 426 artists in New York State.

Chautauqua Institution is receiving $40,000 in funding as well as $10,000 toward the program, “Cerstin Johnson: The Trian of Millicent Owakhu,” and another $10,000 for the program, “Jimin Han: Mistaking Minari: Growing Up Korean American in Chautauqua County.”

The Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet will receive $40,000. Infinity Visual and Performing Arts has been granted $30,000. The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, which is the parent company of WRFA, is receiving $30,000. And the Roger Tory Peterson Institute will receive $25,000.

In 2021, NYSCA overhauled its funding strategies to allow greater access to art funding across the state and recommitted its support to artists. As a result, NYSCA increased its funding of artists by 400 percent and awarded grants to 83 percent of first-time applicants.

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts’ programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Salman Rushdie

Author Salman Rushdie has lost his sight in one eye and one of his hands is “incapacitated” following a stabbing attack in August.

The update came in an interview given by Rushdie’s agent to a Spanish newspaper. Literary agent Andrew Wylie declined to tell the newspaper, El País, if Rushdie was still hospitalized and did not say when he had been last updated on his condition.

Rushdie underwent emergency surgery after he was stabbed several times before his scheduled lecture at Chautauqua Institution on August 12.

24-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to 2nd Degree attempted murder and 2nd degree assault in attack.