Jamestown Juneteenth organizer Regina Brackman shares details about the three-day festival celebrating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.

Juneteenth organizer and City Councilmember Regina Brackman said the committee has worked hard to plan events that will bring people out to celebrate.

The festival kicks off Friday night with The Breeze Band performing classic R&B, Motown, Soul, and funk music on the Wintergarden Plaza from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Brackman said at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 17, an opening ceremony for the festival will be held at Jackson-Taylor Park, “We have a drum procession that will open up the ceremony. And then we will do a little bit on the Juneteenth history. The mayor will be there and probably some other officials, so they may have an opportunity to speak.”

Brackman said activities at the park will include a basketball clinic by the Jamestown Jackals, a 3-on-3 Basketball tournament, kids activities, and food and craft vendors.

A performance by R&B and Gospel singer Marsha McWilson will be held at 7:00 p.m., Saturday night at the Spire Theatre. Tickets are $5.

And then on Sunday, June 18, a worship service is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. at Jackson-Taylor Park followed by more kids activities and then a Gospel Festival at 3:00 p.m.

Brackman said the Juneteenth Scholarship award presentation will then happen at 5:00 p.m. She said the festival activities helps raise funds for that scholarship, “We talked with one of the recipients from last year’s scholarship award and he is still very thankful and grateful for that scholarship because it allowed him to pay for his books, to buy a laptop to go to school. I mean, anybody that’s going to college, it costs money just to get there as far as books, and bedding, and all this other stuff.”

For more information about the Juneteenth Festival, visit https://www.facebook.com/JTownJTeenth. To learn how to become involved in the Juneteenth Festival planning or learn about the Juneteenth Scholarship, email juneteenthofjamestownny@gmail.com

The event will take place noon to 7:00 p.m. at the Morton Club located at 118 Pratt Avenue in Jamestown.

It will feature a basket raffle as well as beer and wine slushies.

Tickets are $15 and include a half chicken, a choice of potato or macaroni salad, baked beans, and a roll. They can be purchased at the door or presale by calling (716) 708-9942.

Juneteenth Organizer Regina Brackman said proceeds from the event and other Juneteenth events go to support the Juneteenth Scholarship fund, “I think it was in 2021, we were able to give away three $800 scholarships just based on assets of the events that we had and the money that was raised. Last year, we gave away three $1,000 scholarships. So, it seems like we’re progressing on the amount of the value of the scholarships that we can give away.”

Brackman said the scholarship is open to students in the Greater Jamestown region.

She said they’re still looking for volunteers to help at the fundraiser on April 29 and for Juneteenth as well. People who are interested can contact Regina at 716-499-5849.

For more information about Juneteenth activities in Jamestown, visit facebook.com/JtownJteenth

Jamestown Local Development Corporation meeting (April 19, 2023)

Over a half million dollars in American Rescue Plan funded grants have been approved for eight Jamestown businesses.

The Jamestown Local Development Corporation awarded $500,000 in Machinery and Equipment Upgrades funds as well as $50,000 in New Business Development funds at its monthly meeting.

Ballgame Heroes and Pearl City Cycle will each receive $25,000 under the New Business Development grant fund.

Jamestown Businesses Receiving ARP New Business Development Grant Funds

Department of Development Grant Manager Tim O’Dell said Pearl City Cycle is opening a retail store at 245 Fluvanna Avenue and will use the funds for store signage as well as painting the interior and exterior. He said Ballgame Heroes will use the funds for updating security systems, new displays inside, as well as for store programming and events.

The five businesses receiving $92,000 each in Machinery and Equipment Upgrade grant funds include:
– Colecraft Commercial Furnishings toward a $361,792 total project
– Dawson Metal Company toward a $134,900 total project
– El Greco Woodworking, Inc. toward a $143,952 total project
– International Ordnance Technologies toward a $226,600 total project
– National Wire & Metal Tech Inc. toward a $320,000 total project

Crown Street Roasting was awarded $37,500 for a $50,000 project

Jamestown Businesses Receiving ARP Machinery & Equipment Upgrades Grant Funds

O’Dell said 29 full time and three part time jobs are to be created and 163 full time and five part job positions retained through the funding.

The Machinery and Equipment Upgrades grant has a 25% match requirement for the businesses as well as job creation benchmarks that must be met or funds could be clawed back.

Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said the department reached out to 18 businesses about applying for the Machinery and Equipment Upgrades grant. Included in that list was Jamestown Skate Products, which is owned by JLDC Board member Pete Scheira. Scheira did not submit an application for funding.

Jamestown Businesses Contacted About ARP Machinery and Equipment Upgrades Grant

Surdyk said, when asked why these specific businesses were contacted, said they were businesses that had made past inquiries and expressed interest in grant opportunities.

JLDC Board member and City Council member Kim Ecklund expressed concern that when the grant applications were being accepted in January, businesses had already developed their budgets for the year and might not have had the 25% capital match budgeted that’s required. She added she’d still like to see more and different businesses participate in the grant programs.

While the discussion and decision regarding the ARPA grants awarded to Jamestown Skate Products and It’s Your Day was removed from the agenda, JLDC Attorney and City Corporation Counsel Elliot Raimondo did share that the city was still waiting to hear back from the U.S. Treasury Department, “I spoke to the Congressional representative today on that issue. The Treasury Department has, for lack of a better term, bounced him from person to person to person. So, we’re still waiting on what is the status of state and local fiscal recovery fund guidance, specifically what they mean by violations of ethical rules.”

WRFA has reviewed the federal guidelines for the $28 million in ARPA funding awarded to the city in 2021 and did identify a provision that states “Recipients may not use [the money] in violation of the conflict-of-interest requirements contained in the Award Terms and Conditions, including any self-dealing or violation of ethics rules.”

We also have reached out to the Treasury Department office for clarification to see if any of the grants in question violated the “self dealing” provision found in those guidelines, but have yet to receive a response.

The JLDC also approved $5,100 in Downtown Programming funds for the Juneteenth Festival to hold a free concert event on the Wintergarden Plaza on Friday, June 16 as well as concert at Spire Theatre on Saturday, June 17. These concert events will be in addition to traditional festivities held in Jackson-Taylor Park in celebration of Juneteenth.

Members of the Jamestown Juneteenth Planning Committee are pictured with
the 2022 Jamestown Juneteenth Freedom Scholarship recipients: Sabion Taylor, Asa Perez,
Andrew Edwards.

Three Jamestown High School students are the recipients of the 2022 Jamestown Juneteenth Freedom Scholarship.

Graduating seniors Andrew Edwards, Asa Perez, and Sabion Taylor were selected as award recipients.

Each year the proceeds of the Juneteenth festival benefit a scholarship award for a local Black American student who is a graduating high school senior pursing their higher education through college, trade school, apprenticeship, or a certificate program.

Juneteenth is sometimes called Freedom Day, as it historically marked the freedom of the Black American population. As part of their scholarship application, each student prepared a personal response to the meaning of freedom.

Each student was awarded a $1,000 scholarship to assist with the costs of attending college in the fall.
Edwards has been accepted to SUNY Fredonia to study Cooperative Engineering and Environmental Science, Perez to Jamestown Community College majoring in Art, and Taylor to St. Bonaventure University majoring in political science.

Support for the 2022 Freedom Scholarship awards was provided by Blackwell AME Zion Church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Emmanuel Temple Church, North Main Street Church of God, and the proceeds of the annual festival.

Bishop Leecroft Clarke

The formation of the Chautauqua County I.D.E.A. Coalition was announced at this weekend’s Juneteenth celebrations.

The coalition is made up of 17 organizations and businesses and is aimed at pursuing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (I.D.E.A.) strategies in the community. The I.D.E.A. Coalition’s goal is to make Chautauqua County a place where everyone belongs and has opportunities to thrive, especially those who have been historically marginalized. They are committed to addressing, prioritizing, and giving voice to those directly impacted by racism and social injustice in the community.

United Way of Southern Chautauqua County Executive Director Amy Rohler said in a press release, “After the George Floyd murder in 2020, we knew there was a need to proactively address racism in our community”

Rohler added that the incident prompted several informal conversations with individuals from educational institutions, law enforcement, local businesses, and nonprofits across the county.

The United Way is serving as the backbone agency for the I.D.E.A. Coalition. In May 2022, the United Way hired Bishop Leecroft Clarke to be the Project Director for the I.D.E.A. Coalition. He is currently the lead pastor of Healing Word Ministries. His extensive community service includes his roles as the chairperson of the Addiction Response Ministry of Chautauqua County, co-chairperson of the Racial Reconciliation Taskforce of Chautauqua County, past board member for the HOPE Chautauqua Coalition, and a past member of the ESPRI Taskforce.

The Coalition’s initial efforts would start with engaging the African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino communities, expanding efforts and conversations to other historically marginalized populations in the county.

Membership in the I.D.E.A. Coalition is open to any organization interested in supporting its initiatives and signing the membership agreement.

In addition to United Way of Southern Chautauqua County’s investment, the I.D.E.A. Coalition has received grants to fund its work through Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, and the Cummins Foundation.

More information about the Coalition can be found at www.uwayscc.org/ideacoalition. Organizations and businesses interested in becoming a member can contact Leecroft Clarke at IDEA-Director@uwayscc.org.

Juneteenth recognizes when enslaved people living in Galveston, Texas, learned of their emancipation approximately 2.5 years after the Civil War ended. On June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Texas became free. This was the last state of the Confederacy to learn of the independence, even though President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

The annual Juneteenth Festival will start with a free showing of the movie “Sister Act 2” at the National Comedy Center the evening of Friday, June 17. Activities begin at 6:00 p.m. with basket raffles, drawings, and concession stands.

An opening ceremony for the Juneteenth Festival will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 18 at Jackson-Taylor Park. Saturday’s itinerary will feature a variety of live music, entertainment, a basketball tournament, and food/craft vendors. Families are encouraged to bring their children to Jackson-Taylor Park from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to take part in games, contests, and activities, including a meet-and-greet with Jamestown Fire Department.

Saturday night’s performances at Jackson-Taylor Park for the Festival include poet and author Rodney Mitchell at 4:00 p.m.; and blues artist Marsha McWilson performing at 6:00 p.m.

On Sunday, a 9:00 a.m. morning worship services will be followed by more live music, vendors, and basketball. Festival attendees will also have the opportunity to attend the Carol Faison Memorial Gospel Fest at 3:00 p.m. The announcement of the Juneteenth Scholarship Winners will take place Sunday evening.

In observance of Juneteenth, the Jamestown City Clerk’s Office will be closed Monday, June 20.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said other city departments will be open that day.

He added that starting in 2023, Juneteenth will be a paid holiday for all City of Jamestown employees.

A free showing of the movie “Sister Act” will take place at the National Comedy Center on Friday, June 17 with other activities planned for June 18 and 19 at Jackson-Taylor Park.

Juneteenth Planning Committee Chair Regina Brackman said there will be a lot of activities for families and kids, “Games and carnival activities, we have a three-on-three basketball tournament that will be going through the day, there will be music, we have food vendors, Juneteenth (committee) will be operating a concession stand. That money from the concession stand goes toward our scholarship fund.”

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, originated in Galveston, Texas to commemorate the anniversary date of June 19, 1865 when the announcement came proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas, which was the last state of the confederacy with institutional slavery.

President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in 2021, recognizing the day as a federal holiday.

Brackman said Juneteenth means a lot today with the Buffalo mass shooting and racial division she sees, “The fact that they made it a holiday speaks volumes, because now you’re acknowledging that that was a pivotal time in our history. And that it needs to be acknowledged, you know, this is a celebration. I think it gives pride that we’re a population that endured a lot and we’ve come a long way, but there’s still a long way to go.”

Brackman said they still need volunteers to help with setting up the event and then during the event. She said they also welcome donations to help defray costs of the event.

Those interested in volunteering or donating to this year’s Juneteenth Celebration can email juneteenthofjamestownny@gmail.com or visit the group’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/JTownJTeenth/

Paula Pichon was hired as the Grant Writer for both entities following the position being approved by City Council last year.

A staff report in the City Council work session pre-file states that Pichon has written 13 applications with 5 being awarded, 7 pending, and 1 denied. Total grant funding received in 2022 for the City is $2-million-764-thousand dollars.

A full report on this topic will be presented to City Council Finance Committee at its work session at 7:00 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room on the fourth floor of City Hall.

The Finance Committee will also revisit a resolution for the City to contract with the Jamestown Local Development Corporation to administer American Rescue Plan programs. The cost of that is $500,000. The resolution failed 3-5 at City Council’s April voting session with some council members expressing concern that having JLDC adminster the programs would take away oversight by City Council since only programs receiving $100,000 or more in funding would come to Council for approval.

Also on the Finance Committee’s committee’s agenda is a report from Comptroller Ryan Thompson on the 2021 Year End and 2022 Quarter One Financials.

The Public Works committee, which meets in the Department of Development Conference room on the fourth floor of City Hall, will hear an informational report on a request for a permanent memorial garden. That meeting also is at 7:00 p.m.

The Public Safety Committee will review a number of special event permit applications at its meeting tonight.

Included are applications for the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 30; the Third Thursdays concert series on the Wintergarden Plaza starting May 19, the Jamestown Public Market on West Third Street starting Saturday, June 11, the Juneteenth Festival in Jackson-Taylor Park for the weekend of June 17 through 19; and the return of the World Series of Wheels to Bergman Park on Saturday, July 23.

The Public Safety Committee meets at 7:00 p.m. in the 4th Floor Police Training Room of City Hall.

The full Council work session begins at 7:30 p.m. in the 4th Floor Police Training Room of City Hall as well.

Most federal workers will observe the holiday today. Several states and the District of Columbia announced that government offices would be closed today. New York State had declared Juneteenth a holiday for the first time in 2020.

Juneteenth is the 12th federal holiday, including Inauguration Day once every four years. It’s also the first federal holiday since the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was added in 1983.

Locally, Juneteenth will be celebrated this weekend in Jackson-Taylor Park. The opening ceremony at 11am will feature a tree planting in honor of City Councilmember and Juneteenth organizer Vickye James, who died in March. Saturday will include sport activities, carnival games, and vendors at the park.

On Sunday at 9 a.m., a morning worship service will be led by Guest Speaker Minister Amaysha Ray Smith. Activities will continue through Sunday with Gospel Fest performing artist Carol Louise Pennamon Faison at 3pm and concluding with the presentation of the Vickye James scholarship to a graduating senior pursuing a college education. All events are free.