The annual event recognizes some of the local businesses, individuals, and organizations that make a difference in the community.

Awards will be presented to the following:
New Business of the Year – Southern Sails Junk Removal
Restaurant of the Year – Tim Hortons of Jamestown & Olean
Retailer of the Year – Everyday’s True Value
Service to Humanity Award – Patrick Smeraldo
Legacy Award – The Post-Journal
Pride of Jamestown Award – Chuck DeAngelo
Business of the Year – D & S Glass Service

Officials and Store Representatives gather for ribbon cutting on Washington Street Tim Horton’s (January 13, 2023)

A new type of Tim Horton’s stores held its grand opening celebration Friday in Jamestown.

The store on Washington Street is the fifth Tim Horton’s in the Jamestown area and sixth owned and operated by TAR Enterprises.

Owner Blake Tarana said it was one of the first stores in the country to feature a double drive-thru and an outside window for pick-up orders, “You know, with us already having five stores in the town, we have over 200 seats in the city, we figured that adding a drive-thru only so that we could get a little quicker service, maybe reduce some of the lines at other stores, that’s what we were looking for. I don’t think I’d put this store in a city where it’s the first store, but with it being the sixth store it was a good option.”

Tarana said they’re continuing open Tim Horton stores to the east of Jamestown with three more being built in Olean, Hornell, Wellsville.

The Washington Street store employs 20 people and has a limited baked goods and lunch menu.

Jamestown Planning Commission reviews site plan for proposed Tim Horton’s on Washington Street (June 21, 2022)

The Jamestown Planning Commission has approved the site plans for a new Tim Horton’s store on Washington Street.

Franchise Owner Blake Tarana said the store, located at 1505 Washington Street, will be the first double drive-thru in Jamestown, “We’re building a few more of these outside of the city, but obviously with a double drive-thru it’ll help us with speed of service and getting the guests through and hopefully shortening the lines up around the city.”

The store also will include an outside pick-up window and outdoor patio space. There would be no indoor access to the restaurant for customers. Tarana added that the store would have a limited menu and be open 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. He said 15 to 20 employees would be at that location.

The Jamestown Zoning Board of Appeals had approved a variance request at its June 9 meeting related to the parking lot set-back.

TAR Holdings LLC requested a five-foot set back versus the 10-feet required under zoning requirements. Consultants explained to the ZBA that the variance request is to provide an extra bypass lane for pedestrian customer safety, allowing them to bypass the drive thru if they decide to leave the site, while also providing “a means for trash pick up that does not impact any customer stacking or customer driving thru the restaurant pick up window area.”

Tarana said they hope to start construction in late July or early August with hopes to be open by mid-September or early October.

Rendering of proposed Tim Horton’s on Washington Street

The Jamestown Planning Commission reviewed an initial site plan for a new Tim Horton’s on Washington Street.

Franchise Owner Blake Tarana said the 880 square foot building at 1515 Washington Street will be the first of its kind in the United States as a drive-thru only store. The site will feature a double drive-thru, a walk-up window, and some outdoor patio seating.

The site plan requires a variance approval for parking set back. The required set back is 10-feet and the restaurant owners are requesting 5-feet to allow for a by-pass lane around the perimeter of the lot.

The variance request will appear before the Jamestown Zoning Board of Appeals at its June 1st meeting.

The Planning Commission is then expected to approve the final site plan at its June meeting.

Comments from the Planning Commission included a suggestion by Commission member Mike Laurin that bike racks be added to the design due to its proximity to the bike path and Riverwalk.

Earlier this week the Jamestown Planning Commission held its monthly meeting and approved the site plan for a new Tim Horton’s, which would be the fourth one in Jamestown and the fifth in the greater Jamestown area.

Local Tim Horton’s owner Victor Tarana says the new Tim Horton’s would be located at the southeast corner of Foote and Cole Avenues at the current Pizza Hut Location. The new location is being developed to help alleviate the number of vehicles that use the Brooklyn Square location, when is less than a mile away the new proposed site, near the center of the city.

Police are looking for an Hispanic male in his mid 20s (pictured on the right), who is accused of holding up the Tim Horton’s restaurant in Brooklyn Square on Monday night, May 26 2014.

JAMESTOWN – City police are investigating an armed robbery that took place Monday night at Tim Horton’s in Brooklyn Square.

According to a media release from the Jamestown Police Department, an Hispanic male entered the store – located at 21 S. Main St. – just before 10 p.m. on Monday, May 26. Police say that when the suspect entered the store, he immediately walked behind the counter and demanded cash from the cashier. The suspect did not display a weapon, but did hold his hand in his pocket like h may have had one. Once taking an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect then fled the store on foot, running toward the CVS pharmacy across the street. At the time of the incident there were several employees and customers in the restaurant.

Police describe the suspect as being a dark-skinned Hispanic male in his mid 20s, standing about 5’9 to 5’10” tall and weighing about 140 pounds. He was wearing a bulky jacket with a hood and red stitching, long blue jean shorts and white shoes.

Police say a surveillance camera was able to get an image of the suspect, but it was very poor quality.

Anyone who may have information on the incident or who may know the suspect can call the Jamestown Police Department at 483-7537 or they can leave an anonymous tip at 483-Tips (8477).

The new location is an express Tim Hortons, designed for customers to use the drive-though lane, with about 17 cars can fit in the drive-thru lane. There is room for about 24 people who want to enjoy their coffee or baked good on-site, although some of the seating is located outdoors.

Construction crews began working to put up the new restaurant in early June, following approval form the Jamestown city planning commission.  A grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration is planned for 10 a.m. Tuesday.

On Tuesday afternoon members of the panel had a lengthy discussion with the restaurant’s planner Bob Bender, which included questions regarding the removal of trees, vehicle accommodation and overall aesthetics of the building and property.

Safety was also discussed, and Bender said the restaurant plans to work with the county to remediate that issue by making the intersection with W. Oak Hill Rd. more perpendicular with N. Main Street. They also said that once developed, the site line at the exit of the drive thru would provide a clear view north, all the way to the interstate overpass. Once developed, the property itself will be able to contain 30 automobiles with as many as 20 in a drive-thru line without encroaching onto the road.

Following the presentation and discussion, the commission gave its unanimous approval of the site plans.  With the approval, the restaurant will move forward with construction. The first shovel is expected to hit the ground in June and it will take 90 days to build the restaurant, with an opening tentatively expected at some point in the fall.

The restaurant will be operated by Vic Tarana, who also is the general manager of the Tim Horton’s franchises located in Brooklyn Square, on E. 2^nd Street, and on Fairmount Ave. in Lakewood.

Yesterday, the planning commission also gave approval to site plans for a the construction of a salt barn on Steele Street, to be constructed by the city for its public works department. Members also went over a walkability study for the downtown, in an effort to look for ways and address issues that would make the downtown more pedestrian friendly.

Jamestown Principal Planner William Rice said the commission will review four items, including a site plan for a proposed Tim Horton’s restaurant on North Main Street near the city line. In addition, the panel will review a plan for the construction of a salt barn on Steele Street and also improvements to an area of Lakeview Ave. near Buffalo St. The commission will also review the city walkability analysis that was recently completed.

The planning commission meeting will take place at 3:30 p.m. in the Police Training room on the 4th floor of City Hall and is open to the public.

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown Public Schools district is proposing the elimination of as many as 29 positions to prevent any tax increases for next school year. That’s according to today’s Jamestown Post-Journal, which says the school board went over the administration’s proposed budget during last night’s board meeting. Rather than increase property taxes a projected 8.68 percent, Superintendent Deke Kathman said the district would use over  $2.7 million from the district’s fund balance and also look into eliminating 29 positions.

Kathman also presented the board with other potential budget cuts, including reducing maintenance in school fitness centers as well as consolidating the three middle school modified softball teams into one district softball team.

The budget’s first draft has expenditures of $77.7 million – an increase of $3.28 million from last year. After increases in state aid and the end of short-term federal aid, the district found itself with a projected gap of $1.27 million.

The next Board of Education regular meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 27. A work session will be held Tuesday, March 13.

DICKSON PARK IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS CONTINUE

JAMESTOWN – The Chautauqua County Health Network‘s Creating Healthy Places to Live, Work, and Play initiative held another community meeting last night at the East Side YMCA in Jamestown to discuss ways to improve Lillian Dickson Park on Falconer Street and also make it safer for children. About 10 residents attended the meeting, along with several community leaders – including Creating Healthy Places Project Coordinator Janet Forbes, City Council President Greg Rabb, and Jamestown Police Chief Harry Snellings.

During the first part of the meeting, several residents outlined the specific safety concerns they had with the park and the surrounding neighborhood. Most of those concerns involved crime in the area, including gang activity, drug use, and vandalism. Traffic was also listed as a concern.

The second half of the meeting involved the attendees splitting into two groups to discuss ways to get the community involved with improving the park, as well as establishing a neighborhood watch group in the area to curb crime and other concerns. Ways to secure funding to help improve equipment at the park was also discussed.

For more information on the Lillian Dickson Park improvement project, call Janet Forbes at the Chautauqua County Health Network at 338-0010 or email forbes@cchn.net.

NEW TIM HORTONS PROPOSED FOR CITY’S NORTH SIDE

JAMESTOWN – A new Tim Horton’s could soon appear on the North Side of Jamestown near the city line.

At Tuesday’s Jamestown Planning Commission meeting, A Tim Hortons representative submitted a rough draft of the proposed location at the corner of Main Street and Oak Hill Road, near the Jamestown exit of I-86.

The proposed business would have entrances and exits on both West Oak Hill and Main Street. It would have 17 parking spots and a drive-thru which could accommodate nine cars at a time. The restaurant would have three interior tables with three seats each, as well as several outdoor tables. Further discussion between the commission and Tim Hortons will occur before any resolutions will be submitted to City Council for approval.

EDWARDS TO PRESENT STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS TONIGHT

MAYVILLE – Executive Greg Edwards will make his annual State of the County address tonight in Mayville.

The County Executive will make his address to the legislature in the Chautauqua County Legislative Chambers at 6:30. In his weekly Monday Morning Memo, Edwards says his 2012 State of the County Address will highlight the successful initiatives that have been implemented the past year,  the continued pressure for reform and relief in Albany, and a look into the impact of the legislature’s budget decisions of this year on the upcoming 2013 finances.

The County legislature will also hold its monthly voting session. Among the items to be acted on is a resolution calling for the creation of an Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw the county legislature district lines so that they are in compliance with the 2010 Census.

CONGRESSMAN HIGGINS TO MAKE THREE APPEARANCES IN JAMESTOWN

BUFFALO – Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) will be in Chautauqua County today for a number of public events. Shortly after noon, Congressman Higgins will address the students at Clymer Central School, speaking about his work and experiences in Congress, and taking questions from the group. At 3:30 p.m., Higgins will speak with and hear from local residents at a Congress on Your Corner stop in Mina at the Findley Lake Community Center. At at 7 p.m., the congressman will make an appearance at SUNY Fredonia to give a talk on the improvement of local economics. The talk will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. in 105 Fenton Hall. It is open to students, faculties, staff and community at no cost for admission.