WRFA Public Affairs Director Jason Sample moderates a roundtable discussion on economic development in Jamestown, NY. The show coincided with WRFA’s 10th Anniversary Celebration and was recorded on Friday, September 12, 2014.

Panelists included:

The panelists who took part in WRFA’s 2014 roundtable discussion on economic development.

DR DAVID KEARNS
Vice President for Engagement and Economic Development at The State University of New York at Fredonia.

JENNIFER GIBSON
Senior District Executive Officer with Northwest Savings Bank; Co-Chair of the Jamestown Strategic Planning & Partnership Commission; president of the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County; and current board member of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

PETER LOMBARDI
Deputy Director of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, where he provides planning, research, grant-writing and project management support for JRC. Prior to joining the JRC, Lombardi was a senior research associate at the University at Buffalo’s Regional Institute and an adjunct assistant professor at UB’s School of Architecture and Planning.

JOHN SLENKER
Has served as Associate Economist for the New York State Department of Labor, Western New York district, for more than two decades.

DANIEL HAMISTER
Senior Vice-President & Chief Investment Officer for the Hamister Group, Inc. – based out of Amherst, NHY. Hamister is responsible for locating and purchasing real estate for new development of hotels and senior living residences as well as strategic business acquisitions. His company is currently involved with renovating the former Ramada Inn on W. Fourth St. in Jamestown, which is slated to reopen as the
Doubletree by Hilton in the summer of 2015.

ABOUT: Community Matters is a half-hour public affairs program airing every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. and Sunday at Noon on WRFA-LP 107.9 FM in Jamestown, N.Y.

10th Anniversary Celebration with 10,000 Maniacs, Rolling Hills Radio with Ken Hardley, and more!

JAMESTOWN – The area’s only locally owned and operated non-religious radio station, WRFA (107.9 FM Jamestown, streaming at www.WRFALP.com), will celebrate 10 years on the local airwaves on Saturday, Sept. 13 with an afternoon and evening of live radio programing that includes interviews and musical performances.

• ACCESS LIVE STREAM (STARTS AT 2:40PM)

SEPT. 13 SCHEDULE:

• 3 p.m. – Interviews with community members and local non-profit organization leaders (Streaming and broadcasting);
• 4 p.m. – Community Matters roundtable discussion on local economic development with community leaders, hosted by Jason Sample (Streaming and broadcasting);
• 5 p.m. – Rolling Hills Radio with Ken Hardley with special guests John Latini and Miche Fambro (live at the Reg Studio Theater and streaming, broadcasting) (Get Tickets);
• 7 p.m. – Interviews with WRFA and Reg Lenna Staff (Streaming and broadcasting);
• 8 p.m. – Live concert with 10,000 Maniacs (live at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts and streaming, broadcasting) (Get Tickets).

10 Years of Community Radio

WRFA began broadcasting as a non-commercial, low power radio station on Sept. 13, 2004 with a mission to provide educational and volunteer radio programming to listeners in the Jamestown area. It was started by musician Dennis Drew from 10,000 Maniacs, with a broadcast license held by the Arts Council for Chautauqua County.

Since its first broadcast, the station has grown to include online streaming, a variety of volunteer-produced programs and a public affairs department that focuses on news and issues affecting the greater Jamestown Community. Today, the station continues to operate with an independent spirit, mixing syndicated public radio programming with locally produced music, news and public affairs shows. Its license is currently held by Reg Lenna Center for The Arts.

Celebration Begins with Community Matters Roundtable

The 10-year anniversary celebration starts on Friday, Sept. 12 with a special recording of Community Matters, a program that focuses on issues that relate to the Jamestown and Chautauqua Region.

The program will feature a roundtable discussion on the future of economic development in the Jamestown area and will include officials from both local and state governments. The program will be moderated by WRFA Public Affairs Director Jason Sample. The program will be streamed online on Saturday, Sept. 13 beginning at 4 p.m.

Special Rolling Hills Radio Performance

On Saturday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m., the 35th episode of Rolling Hills Radio with host, Ken Hardley, will be broadcast live and streamed online from the Studio Theater (adjacent to The Reg) before a live audience.

Rolling Hills Radio, features singer/songwriters and small groups from around the nation and locally who perform Americana, folk, country and other roots music. Hardley will be joined on stage by Michigan’s John Latini and Miche Fambro from Geneseo, N.Y.

The show begins at 5 p.m. and is free to the public, but tickets must be ordered ahead of time at The Reg box office.

10,000 Maniacs at the Reg Lenna

Jamestown’s 10,000 Maniacs are part of a small group of American bands that defined college rock during the 1980’s and 1990’s. For over three decades they have written and performed powerful, danceable and socially conscious original music including “What’s The Matter Here?”, “Like The Weather” and “These Are Days.” The group toured extensively and independently produced their own records years before the industry caught on. After signing with Elektra Records, they achieved international fame with several albums, including the acclaimedOur Time In Eden.

Since the departure of original singer, Natalie Merchant and the death of founding member Robert Buck, the band has settled with a lineup including original members, Steve Gustafson and Dennis Drew, longtime drummer Jerry Augustyniak, guitar player Jeff Erickson and their vocalist since 1994, Mary Ramsey. The Maniacs released the album, Music From The Motion Picture in 2013 and is currently working on their new album, Twice Told Tales.

The Maniacs played at The Reg in 2006 and, in 2011, celebrated 30 years with concerts at Jamestown Community College (JCC) and an art retrospective at The Reg’s 3rd On 3rd Gallery.  Drew, who continues to serve as General Manager of WRFA, is no stranger to starting up radio stations. Before his time with 10,000 Maniacs, he and bassist Gustafson started JCC’s first radio station.

Tickets for 10,000 Maniacs are $10. Limited premium seating is available for $25.

V.I.P. packages may also purchased. These include tickets to the concert, a pre-show reception on The Reg mezzanine and a meet and greet after the concert with the band in the 3rd On 3rd Gallery.The packages are priced at $60 and $75 and include food and beverages from local businesses including Sandee’s Bakery, Hartley’s Potato Chips, Stedman Corners Coffee Roasters, Gypsy Moon Cake Co., Tom’s Place, Lone Palm Cookie Company, Ecklof Bakery, Fresh Picked Vegetarian Delicatessen, Peterson’s Candies and Southern Tier Brewing Company.

Live Streaming of All Events

Live streams of all the anniversary programs can be found on Sept. 13 at www.WRFALP.com. Streaming services will be provided by event sponsors, Digitell, Inc. and the official provider of voice and data for the Reg Lenna Center for The Arts, DFT Communications. Other sponsors include Shults Auto Group, Arthur R. Gren Company, Inc., Hogan Energy Consulting and Northwest Savings Bank.

Tickets for all of these events can be purchased and more information can be found at www.reglenna.com or by calling (716) 484-7070. The box office is open week days between 10 a.m.and 5 p.m. Reg Lenna Center for The Arts is located at 116 East Third Street with convenient street and ramp parking.

19th Century Poet Emily Dickinson.

JAMESTOWN – SUNY Fredonia’s The Emily Dickinson Singers will perform a concert inspired by the poet on Wednesday, March 26 at 7 p.m. in The Reg Studio Theater in Jamestown.

Emily Dickinson was one of 19th-century America’s greatest and most prolific poets. Dickinson also boasts another impressive honor: a large number of her poems have been set to music by hundreds of composers.

Wednesday’s concert is part of The Big Read and is made possible by support from The Reg Lenna Center For The Arts.

The Reg Studio Theater is located at 108 East Third Street in Jamestown, NY. Performance is FREE and open to the public.  First come, first served. Please join us for a sample of Dickinson poems set to music and a baked treat.

Once again, all proceeds will benefit Infinity Visual and Performing Arts, Inc.

Participating Venues include: Mojos, Shawbucks, Cibo, The Pub, Labyrinth Press Company, Forté, The Wine Cellar, The Reg Studio Theater, Jamestown Skate Products and Infinity Arts Café.

Pre-sale event tickets can be purchased at Infinity Visual and Performing Arts Center at 115 3rd Street and exchanged for wristbands the evening of the event. Wristbands can also be purchased the day of the event at participating venues.

For more information – including a complete schedule, call (716) 664-0991 or visit www.infinityperformingarts.org.

A total of 40 different acts will be participating in this year’s LMS.  The Venues are Mojos, The Pub, Labyrinth Press Company, Forte, The Wine Cellar, Suburban Blend, The Reg Studio Theater, and Infinity Arts Café.

Pre-sale event tickets can be purchased at Infinity Visual and Performing Arts Center at 115 3rd Street and exchanged for wristbands the evening of the event. Wristbands can also be purchased the day of the event at participating venues.

For more information – including a complete schedule, call (716) 664-0991 or visit www.infinityperformingarts.org.