Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A cheese manufacturing plant is moving to Chautauqua County, and bringing a couple hundred new jobs with it. Empire Specialty Cheese Company will take over the former AFA Foods Plant in Ashville. The $6 million project that includes renovating the building and buying new machinery and equipment is expected to create 204 jobs over five years after the project is finished next year. The project is also expected to create new demand for local milk production and potentially re-employ workers at the facility that were terminated less than two years ago. “In Chautauqua County and Western New York, local businesses like Empire Specialty Cheese are expanding, investing in their community and creating new jobs for New Yorkers,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo. “This company’s choice to invest in economic improvements in Western New York is another example of what can happen when state government partners with businesses to help them succeed.” Empire State Development, the state’s economic de...

Recognizing his outstanding record of military service during World War II and his contributions to the liberation of France in 1944-45, United States Army Air Forces Sergeant Herman E. White of Portville has received the honor of appointment to France’s National Order of the Legion of Honor. At a reception held this afternoon in Bradford, Pennsylvania, Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I - Olean) presented Sergeant White with the official medal conferred upon honorees inducted into the Legion of Honor. The National Order of the Legion of Honor is the highest decoration in France. Appointment to the Order is awarded by the President of France for excellent civil or military conduct, as confirmed after official investigation by the French government. Not limited to French citizens alone, appointment may also be conferred upon American World War II veterans who fought to liberate France from the occupation of Nazi Germany. “Herman White put his life on hold and answered the call to serve o...

Farmers in New York just received a big boost to help contain rising property taxes. The Assembly followed up the Senate’s action by unanimously passing a bill that will cap agricultural land assessment increases at 2% a year. This has been a top priority for New York Farm Bureau this legislative session. There has been great concern among our farmer members who have seen rising land values push up property tax bills for farmland in recent years, essentially doubling since 2006. Agricultural land assessments are dictated by a complicated formula that takes into account national production value statistics and soil type. Currently, New York farmers pay $38.41 per acre in property taxes, according to Farm Credit East. That is the second highest rate in the country and eats up 15% of a farm’s net income. This puts farmers in this state at a clear competitive disadvantage. “The passage of the 2% cap on agricultural assessments is we...

UPDATE: The New York State Assessor's Office says Senator Young in fact did not "double dip" STAR tax relief. The North Greenbush home exemption was registered prior to her purchase. The Assessor's Office says it was an honest mistake by both parties. She has already paid the money back, with interest. It came to about $2,000. In a statement to the media, Young said she appreciates that assessor John Harkin came forward and verified the mistake. She also said she appreciates the support and encouragement she has received over the past couple of days, and added that she has tried to let this incident be too much of a distraction as she and other lawmakers work on the state budget. State Senator Cathy Young says she was unaware until over the weekend that she had been “double-dipping” into the STAR property tax exemption and she said it was her husband’s mistake. In a statement to the media Young said, "Like many families, my husband handles all of our fina...

ALBANY- Senator Catharine Young (R-C-I, Olean) joined Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos and members of the Senate Republican Conference today to unveil the Family Tax Relief Act, a package of tax relief and reform measures designed to provide a major economic boost to New York’s struggling middle-class families. The Senate Republican plan would increase tax breaks that have not kept pace with inflation, and, in some instances, haven’t been adjusted for more than 25 years. The plan also restores the STAR property tax rebate check program to provide real and direct relief to millions of New Yorkers who pay some of the highest property taxes in the country. Senator Young said: "Families struggle to keep up, pay the monthly bills, and have enough left over to save for college. Parents go out each day, work hard, pick the kids up from daycare or school, and feel stressed and overburdened from suffocating taxes. Moms and dads need the government to stop reaching into their walle...

St. Bonaventure University will host a ceremony Thursday, March 7, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Friedsam Memorial Library. The 10:30 a.m. program to bless and rededicate the library will be followed by a light reception and tours of both the historic building and the new Holy Name Library for the Franciscan Institute, which houses St. Bonaventure’s remarkable collection of rare books. Members of the community are welcome to attend. Attendees can expect remarks from Paul Spaeth, M.L.S., library director; Dr. Michael Fischer, provost and vice president for academic affairs; Bill Heaney, representing state Sen. Catharine Young; and Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., president of St. Bonaventure University. The library opened on March 7, 1938, and was built from money donated by the foundation of Col. Michael Friedsam, who became president of New York City’s B. Altman Co. in 1913. Friedsam had the majority of his fortune set aside to form a foundation that don...

The Jamestown Savings Bank Arena, Chautauqua Striders and the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy are proud to join in partnership to present the Inaugural Lucy Town Half Marathon and 5k. Runners of all abilities will come to the Jamestown area on October 12-13 (Columbus Day Weekend) for a weekend of events including a 5k run, a sports expo, and a “Night of Comedy”. The festivities will culminate with a 13.1 mile half marathon run on October 13th. The goal of the weekend is to promote a healthy lifestyle and the area of Jamestown. Race registration is available at LucyRace.com. The early registration cost to enter the half marathon is $55 for half marathon participants, and $20 for 5k participants. Univera Healthcare members will receive a $5 discount to register for the half marathon participants, and a $2 discount for 5k participants. The USATF certified course, which begins and ends in Jamestown, runs through the neighboring towns of Lakewood and Celoron. The course travels near the ch...

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At just aftern 5 o'clock this afternoon New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into a law a new package of gun regulations to fortify the state's existing assault weapons ban, limit the number of bullets in magazines and strengthen rules that keep the mentally ill from owning firearms. The measure is the nation's first gun-control bill since last month's school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. State Senator Cathy Young voted against the measure saying it goes too far in penalizing law-abiding gun owners who are not part of the problem, and doesn't go far enough to address the root causes of violent crimes. She says untreated mental illness of those who are dangerous is not adepquately addressed. Young says while she's glad parts of Kendra's Law were passed, too many people will still fall through the cracks and there will be more victims as a result. Kendra’s Law allows for court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment for mentally ill people who won’t ...

Nearly 60 projects in Western New York will share $52.8 awarded by the Regional Economic Development Council. Half a million will go toward a partnership between Alfred University and the SUNY Buffalo to create an Advanced Materials Manufacturing and Training Center that will speed up the time it takes for new materials to be brought to market. $420,000 has been earmarked for the restoration and reopening of Gowanda’s Historic Hollywood Theater, a project that is expected to create jobs, enhance cultural tourism and encourage new business development. Dunkirk Bioenergy will get $350,000 to provide a more affordable recycled waste disposal alternative, as well as lower cost clean power and heat to two of the largest employers in Chautauqua County. This project is designed to take advantage of the industrial organic waste stream that exists around the facility site to receive and process organic waste for power generation. The Town and Village of Ellicottville and the Town of Mans...

ALBANY – Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I- Olean) is again calling for strengthening Kendra’s Law, a law that was put in place to help people with mental illness receive outpatient treatment, after a deranged man killed a Queens resident by pushing him in front of an oncoming subway near Times Square. Ki Suk Han, 58, died on Monday. “Based on reports from the media and witnesses, it appears that the attacker had been yelling and cursing at passersby on the subway platform,” said Senator Young. “We need to expand and strengthen the laws and procedures that determine how and when people receive treatment for mental illness. We cannot afford to wait any longer.” In an eerily similar incident in 1999, Kendra Webdale, a 32-year-old woman, was pushed in front of a subway train by a man with untreated schizophrenia who was roaming New York City streets. “Kendra’s Law” was enacted in response to this tragedy. It put in place “Assisted Outpatient Treatment” (AOT) in New York, which...

New York State Senate Republicans and the Independent Democratic Conference made a deal today to take control of the chamber in an unprecedented power sharing plan. The announcement by Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos and IDC leader Jeffrey Klein sunk the hopes of the traditional Democratic conference from taking the near absolute control of the majority, even though they won more seats than Republicans in the November elections. Senator Cathy Young said, “This coalition builds on a bipartisan partnership that was formed two years ago. Our Senate Republican Conference has worked well with Governor Cuomo and the members of the IDC to pass on-time budgets and move the state in the right direction." “We share a number of the same priorities, including economic revitalization and job growth. This agreement maintains regional balance and ensures that upstate is treated fairly and equitably, instead of being controlled by New York City-dominated political bosses," she conti...

Some election results are inevitable because the candidates were running unopposed. In Pennsylvania, incumbent state representatives Marty Causer, Kathy Rapp and Matt Gabler did not have challengers, nor did incumbent State Senator Joe Scarnati. State Representative Scott Hutchinson can officially be called Senator-elect Hutchinson. He was running unopposed for the seat held by Mary Jo White, who is retiring. She was first elected in 1996. The 21st Senatorial District includes Forest, Clarion and Venango counties, and parts of Warren, Butler and Erie counties. In New York, incumbent State Senator Cathy Young ran unopposed. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

DalTile has announced that it will close its operations in Olean at the end of January, leaving nearly 200 people without jobs. Senator Cathy Young says all levels of government worked to put together a lucrative package to keep the company in Olean but, in the end, the national economy was too much to overcome. She says sales are down at the facility has been running and 40 to 50 percent capacity. She says it would have cost the company $10 million more in capital and operations to say in Olean than to stay in Gettysburg, where its sister plant is. Back in August, company officials said a decrease in sales of mosaic tiles nationwide was forcing them to make a decision on whether keeping both the Olean and Gettysburg plants open was feasible. She says she’s been in contact with the Department of Labor and the Rapid Response Services team will be coming to Olean to help workers with job placements, unemployment insurance and job training. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... sinc...

The Seneca Nation and New York State have resolved a dispute that has held up repairs to a portion of Interstate 86 that runs through Indian Territory. Under Monday's agreement, the Senecas will receive a 3 percent administrative fee on the $28.5 million Southern Tier Expressway repaving project. The nation wanted 3.5 percent, a fee amount it said had been built in to contracts involving work on nation territory since 1993 under the nation's Tribal Employment Rights Office rules. “The New York State Department of Transportation and the Seneca Nation of Indians agreed today to a framework to allow the start of much-needed rehabilitation work on the Southern Tier Expressway and other New York roads that pass through Seneca territory. The agreement, approved by the Seneca Council, means the contractor will deploy to the site as soon as feasible," said New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald in a news release. They will be working on an 11 ½ mile...

OLEAN, NY – Opportunities for economic development, job growth and waterfront revitalization are increasing with the addition of the Allegheny River and the Cattaraugus Creek to New York State’s list of Designated Inland Waterways. State Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I – Olean) sponsored legislation that was signed last week by Governor Cuomo designating both bodies of water as official inland waterways. With the additions to the list, communities on these bodies of water are now eligible to apply for grants through the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and other similar programs. “Many municipalities were established near rivers and other waterways for the beauty and practicality of the location. Communities continue to look for job growth, economic development and tourism opportunities through waterfront revitalization, and it is especially important to provide them with the necessary tools in these challenging economic times,” said Senator Young. Assemblyman Joseph M. Giglio (R...

Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I-57th District) and Assemblyman Andy Goodell (R,C-Chautauqua) announced they have secured another $50,000 state grant to help clean up Chautauqua Lake. The funding doubles the $50,000 the lawmakers obtained in the state budget that was passed in March, totaling $100,000 for this fiscal year that will be used by the Chautauqua Lake Association (CLA) to harvest invasive weeds. “This situation has reached a high point of urgency, and Assemblyman Goodell and I were able to convince Albany of the immediate and dire need. You can’t have part of the CLA’s weed harvesting fleet sitting idle and areas not being tackled. Our goal is to get operations humming again to have maximum impact against the weeds this year, while looking at the future and long term management of aquatic invasive species,” Senator Young said. “Our local economy and tax base depends heavily on having a clean and healthy lake. It brings in millions of tourism dollars, is the economic engine...

OLEAN – When Sergeant First Class Glenn Treaster stopped by Senator Catharine Young’s office in Olean to inquire about military medals, he had no idea he would be receiving so many awards. “When I learned about the medals, I thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’ To me, this is awesome. I am getting something I didn’t know I had coming. I’m being honored. I’m on top of the world,” Sergeant Treaster said. Senator Young presented Sergeant Treaster with medals during a special ceremony at Central Baptist Church, where he serves as a substitute minister. The awards Sergeant Treaster received for his service, included the United States Army Achievement Medal with Device, New York State Medal for Merit, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and Cold War Recognition Certificate. He also earned the United States Army Achievement Medal with Device, New York State Medal for Merit, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, United States Army Career Counselor ...

BOLIVAR, NY – Specialist 5 Thomas Jordan had no idea he deserved medals for his service in the Army until he spoke with long-time friend and recent medal recipient Boatswain’s Mate (BM), Third Class Daniel Little. “Dan Little, who already received medals from Senator Young, was in the Navy and said something about the Korean Defense Medal. He thought I might be eligible to receive it, told me to send my DD-214 to the Senator’s office and they would research it. That’s how it all began,” Spec. 5 Jordan said. “I would have never pursued the medal if it hadn’t been for Dan. He started it, and that’s how this all took place,” he added. During a ceremony at the Kenyon Andrus American Legion Post on Friday, Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I – Olean) presented Spec. 5 Jordan with the Korean Defense Service Medal and a Cold War Recognition Certificate. “Spec. 5 Jordan committed a total of three years, eight months, and 21 days of active service in the United States Army, and it is a incredible pr...

The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University has again drawn itself into summer reading programs at public libraries across the Twin Tiers. And taking a cue from this year’s program theme, “Dream Big,” the Quick Center has nearly doubled the number of library stops scheduled by the ArtMobile and its driver/educator Miranda Earley, museum educator at The Quick Center. “We’ll visit 17 libraries this summer, which is up from about 10 or 11 stops last year,” said Earley. “We’re all over the place – five counties in two states, from Jamestown to Alfred to Port Allegany.” This is the fourth year that The Quick Center has been invited by local libraries to inject a dose of art into the unified, themed summer reading program held by public libraries across the country. Earley will load up the ArtMobile with supplies and make two trips to each of the 17 participating libraries. Each hour-long visit will present a lesson and activity aligned with the “Dream Big” theme of...