1september 2015

Opinions. We all got them right? I mean what’s better than having a opinion on something? Isn’t that what makes the world an interesting place to live in? Opinions are the basis of almost every conversation you have with people. Whether you’re talking about the weather, sports, community happenings, TV, movies, food or dare i say... politics, opinions can make any dull subject fun.

Well with this new publication, we humbly call Talk of the Town, we went out to the streets and asked local folks what their opinions were on a few subjects. Some folks where a little shy and some had no problems express-ing their opinions but at the end of the day we collected some great opinions and recommenda-tions that we think make a fun and insightful read.

I hope you have a good time read-ing what our neighbors had to say and also enjoy reading some of the great local stories inside. We will be produc-ing this monthly so stay tuned for next months edition and If you see Preston Cochran or I out on the streets feel free to stop and say hello and give us your opinions... who knows maybe you’ll make next month’s edition. All I ask is that you be nice when express-ing your opinions to us because, just

like you, we have opinions too. :)So thanks to all the brave local folks who

didn’t mind having their opinions and faces out there for everyone to see and make sure to visit all the great local businesses inside. Till next month... keep those opinions fl ying!

- Justin Parkes

JUSTIN PARKES

FOUNDER

2 september 2015

3september 2015

What is the biggest issue in your

community and what would you do to fi x it?

KarenO’HaraSpringville

Springville is a great commu-nity with a diversity of small businesses. However the new

expressway has diverted traffi c and we have lost many new potential custom-ers. The only fi x would be for the community leaders and the D.O.T. to come together and change the signage requirements to allow an interchange-able billboard to allow community business to advertise affordably.

A:

Laurie Hunt

Salamanca

I think on of the largest issues is drug abuse in our commu-nity. I don’t know how to fi x it

but it defi nitely is a problem.

A:

Debbie F.

Humphrey

Depression and lack of smil-ing. I am fi xing my community one smile at a time.

A:Becky

M.Limestone

Depression and lack of smil-ing. I am fi xing my community one smile at a time.

A:Logan

WeatherbySalamanaca

Pave the street better and clean up drugs.A:

Angie Wolf

Salamanca

Better economic growth. Bigger diversity in our retail setting.

A:

Tonya Hoch

Little Valley

People need to have a open mind. People need to try new things to bring new people in

to our community.

A:

LeeSalamanaca

The manure smell that blow in to the west end of Salamanaca move it to the east end.

A:

Robert HooperSalamanca

Not just in this community but drug abuse is really a problem in the entire country, and crime

goes right along with it.

A:

Meggan Bacelli

Salamanaca

A large kid friendly park. Their is just not enough for kids to do.

A:

Rebecca Myhre

Little Valley

Local people need to support local business.A:

Toni A.

Salamanca

Lack of businesses and activi-ties. I try to do my part through promotion, but in the big

scheme…one lone person can’t change it all, we need to be working together more!

A:

4 september 2015

For local 4-H member Courtney Charlesworth, a recent trip to Syracuse resulted in a handful of awards from the New York State Fair.

Courtney, a 17-year-old senior at Ellicottville Central School, earned Reserve Master Showman and Reserve Champion Female in the New York Junior Angus Show in her second year competing at the state fair.

She also earned Reserve Master Showman, Grand Champion Angus Heifer, Grand Champion Angus Cow/Calf Pair, Reserve Grand Champion Angus Prospect Bull and Supreme Champion in the 4-H Beef Show.

“Being at the state fair is so much fun because you get to see all your friends from all over the state,” Courtney said. “You are all there for the same reason.”

Last year, she received First in Class during the 4-H Beef Show.

Courtney’s involvement in 4-H began six years ago when she started showing rabbits. About four years ago, she started showing beef cattle at the Cattaraugus County Fair. Last year, she made her fi rst trip to the state fair.

“Being up at the state fair is a completely different experience from the county fair,” she said. “There is much more competition. While we may only have about 20 beef animals at the county fair level, there is over 100 animals just in the angus breed at the state fair.”

And days at the state fair are busy, she said, including the potential to show every day — “which can be exhausting, but is also a lot of fun,” she said.

Working with the animals to prepare them for fairs is much more than just work during the summer, Courtney said. In order to go to the fairs in the summer, work begins during the winter

months.“There is a lot of work involved because you will want

to keep them and clean and get them trained so they will perform their best when you enter the show ring,” she said. “Keeping their pens cleaned and properly feeding them are part of the responsibilities that are year round.”

Then there’s the responsibilities in the days leading up to and at the fair — washing and walking the animals, clipping them a few days beforehand and packing the trailer for the trip, whether it’s down the road to Little Valley or upstate to Syracuse.

Throughout her time in the 4-H, Courtney said she has learned a lot of skills that will help her in other aspects of her life. Among them is responsibility — having to take care of animals is a task that she has learned a lot from, she said.

“You also learn how to deal with disappointment and how to win with grace to be considerate of others,” she said. “I have also learned how to help others and I have made friends from all over the state.

“Some of my favorite aspects are the people you meet because these are lifelong friends and you will always have their support later in life.”

Following graduation in June, Courtney plans to attend college and do something in the agricultural fi eld, although

she’s not sure exactly what that will entail. Fields such as animal science or veterinary medicine are defi nitely being considered, she said.

“4-H has defi nitely infl uenced my decision because without 4-H, I wouldn’t have developed as much of a love of agriculture or animals,” she said. “Even though without 4-H I would have still been involved with these two things, it would not have been to this extent and I am so very thankful to have 4-H in my life.”

Charlesworth earns awards in SyracuseBy Rich Place

Submitted photoCourtney Charlesworth, a senior at Ellicottville Central School, won several awards at the State Fair in Syrcause, including Supreme Rotation Champion (left).

exhausting, but is also a

Submitted photo

5 september 2015

My brother just about ran away and he joined the U.S. Navy at an early age. That just about killed my mother, but Pa knew he had never wanted to be a farmer anyway.

After that, I used to do a lot of things to help Pa with the old Fordson trac-tor when I was still small — very small — and Pa tied wooden blocks on the bottom of my shoes so I could reach the pedals on the grain binder.

Brother wrote that he was on a submarine and told of depth charges trying to sink their sub. This started Pa on the fi rst submarine history, which I will now relate to the best of my knowledge.

The fi rst sub was only about 25 feet long and not very successful. The second one was a Confederate vessel called the H.L. Hunley and was about 39 feet long and only 4 feet wide. The propulsion was provided by a hand-turned propel-ler shaft and a screw propeller and could attain a maximum speed of four knots, or about fi ve miles per hour. Her normal crew was nine and her armament was a single 90-pound charge.

On Feb. 17, 1864, this strange craft would soon be inscribed on American

history. Their mission was to sink a 1,240-ton Federal vessel, the U.S.S. Housatonic, which had been blockading Charles-ton, S.C. harbor as part of the confl ict between the states, which had started three years earlier.

So the young skipper had the men close the hatches and get under way. Slowly, they submerged and started toward the big ship, which was their prey. The men on the Housatonic thought they saw a wooden plank or a porpoise nearby. Then the sub was able to get close enough that the ship’s big guns couldn’t reach them. The rifl es and revolvers of the men on the deck of the big ship couldn’t penetrate the hill of the Hunley and they were able to place their 90-pound charge against the hill of the Housatonic and detonate it, thus causing the big ship to sink. Unfortu-nately, the Hunley also sank and it was only very recently that divers were able to raise and salvage the Hunley, whose nose was still pointed at the ship she sank. It was the fi rst submarine in history to sink a warship.

Mama would dress me in little sailor suits which I didn’t like as much, as some folks called me a little boy. Brother came home from that terrible war, but he was bothered by it all the rest of his life. Many of our young men didn’t return. Like Uncle Stanton’s son, Buddy, and my uncle was heartbroken over his loss.

Let’s all remember the men of today who have come back but they all need our love and help and understanding.

Give away smiles, say hi to a friend for me!

Submarine StoriesBy Florencie Bryant Contributing Writer

The men on the Housatonic

6september 2015

Which Presidential candidate do you

hope wins and why?

Laurie Hunt

Salamanca

Donald Trump. I’m sick of the political correctness in this country and he seems too tell it

like it is. He can be a little too blunt at times but I think he is the best candi-date out there right now.

A:

John Valentine

John Kasich he can balance the budget he has done it before and can do it again.

A:

Debbie F.

Humphrey

Is this really who we have to choose from?A:

Becky M.

Limestone

Bernie Sanders. Because he makes the most sense to me.A:

Angie Wolf

Salamanca

Donald Trump because he stirs the pot.A:

Tonya Hoch

Little Valley

Have not found the lesser evil yet.A:

LeeSalamanaca

Donald Trump seems to know how to run things and has cool hair.

A:

Toni A.

Salamanca

Donald Trump!!! The man is a business genius who is self-funded! His views are straight-

forward and blunt, but honest.

A:

Logan Weatherby

SalamanacaNot Donald Trump. A:

7september 2015

Jo Patterson doesn’t like garbanzo beans, but she was happy to eat a spoonful of them to celebrate a consider-able accomplishment by attendees of this year’s hootenan-nies.

Patterson helps area resident Sally Marsh out with the weekly old-fashioned, singing event held each Thursday throughout the summer at the Quaker Amphitheater at Al-legany State Park. She lost “a bet,” of sorts, after enough money was raised this summer to purchase a new portable screen and microphone for the hootenannies.

Meanwhile, Marsh avoided having to bite into a tomato — certainly not one of her favorite foods — after declar-ing enough money was raised. It was all part of the fun attendees had during the fi nal hootenanny of the season on Thursday, Sept. 3.

Even State Senator Catharine M. Young, R-Olean, a friendly face to the hootenannies, stopped by to declare the winner of the fundraising effort.

“Sally … I love you to pieces,” she said, “You’re the best. So I’m glad I could be here tonight to deem you as the winner.”

In good-natured fun, Marsh offered Patterson a canister of assorted Reese’s snacks to avoid having to dive into the garbanzo beans. But Patterson took one spoonful anyway to keep her promise.

The money raised from various raffl es and sales of keychains throughout the summer will be used to purchase a new portable screen for the weekly hootenannies and outdoors movies shown at the Quaker Amphitheater.

“With the screen that we have now, if it’s down people

can’t get underneath (the amphitheater),” Marsh said, noting that although “it doesn’t rain on Thursday nights” for her hootenannies a portable screen would allow for people to gather in case the wet stuff does fall.

Enough money was raised for one new portable mi-crophone and a second is hoped to be purchased as well, she said.

“The new microphones will be so good I’ll be able to bother everybody up top or in the bathrooms,” Marsh

joked. “You won’t be able to get away from me when I’m trying to get you to sing.”

She said the equipment will also be able to be used by other organizations to show movies and such elsewhere in the park.

Following announcement of the fundraising result, the hootenanny returned to the same tradition it’s known for — singing and dancing the night away. Marsh said the hootenannies went well this year, as well as the outdoor movie showings weekly on Friday or Saturday nights.

“These nights have been absolutely wonderful all sum-mer,” she said. “Even on those three days it rained all day, it stopped at 6 o’clock.”

This fundraising efforts comes the year after hootenan-ny offi cials led an effort to raise money for the projector and sound equipment needed to start showing outdoor movies again. The money raised for that equipment came from Smokey Bear’s birthday party held in August 2014.

Marsh has conducted hootenannies at the park for more than 40 years and will host a Columbus Day week-end hootenanny, which has just recently become an annual tradition, on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.

By Rich Place

Rich Place/The Salamanca PressState Senator Catharine M. Young, R-Olean, (right) stopped by Sally’s Hootenanny Thursday night to declare Sally Marsh the winner of a fundraising challenge to raise money for a new microphone and portable screen for Marsh’s weekly hootenannies and movies.

Rich Place/The Salamanca PressSally Marsh holds a “Keeper of the Hoot” jacket made by one of the frequent attendees of her weekly hootenanny on Thursday, Sept. 3. In addition, Marsh presented shadow boxes with memoriablia from the “Old McDonald” World Record breaking attempt to Bob Schmid of the Allegany State Park Historical Society and to her friend, Jo Patterson, who helped with organization of the August 2013 event.

Rich Place/The Salamanca PressSally Marsh holds a “Keeper of the Hoot” jacket made by one of the

Hootenanny ends 2015 season with fundraising fun

8 september 2015

It’s widely known that Labor Day is the unoffi cial end of summer, but perhaps a more local indicator of the beginning of the autumn season is the opening of Pumpkinville.

The farm opened to the public Sept. 12 and remains open through Halloween on Oct. 31. It features seven weeks of fall-themed attrac-tions, fresh pressed apple cider and, of course, a wide selection of pumpkins.

The farm, owned and operated by Dan and Diane Pawlowski, employs about 100 seasonal workers when in operation. This year marks 20 years of opera-tion for Pumpkinville, a local attraction that has now become an autumn tradition that spans generations.

“I just like to see the people having fun,” said Diane Pawlowski while helping to ready the farm for opening last week. “You’re a whole lot more than just a fun (place to go), you’re a (place that creates) a lot of memories. That’s what I like — seeing the people come and talk about it.”

New this year at the farm is a Punchin’ Pumpkins maze attraction. Four pumpkins are scattered throughout the maze, and participants race to hit — or in the spirit of the name, punch— each pumpkin while racing the clock.

“You can play it as a group, as a family, as an indi-vidual or as teams,” said Dan Pawlowski. “We thought it would be a cool addition and I think it will be a lot of fun for people.”

“I can see brothers and sisters competing or moms and dads,” added Diane Pawlowski. “It’s a lot like the corn cannon — Dad will say, ‘I’ll beat you guys, you wait and see.’ I think Punchin’ Pumpkins is going to be the same way. I know it would be if it was me with my kids.”

The attraction is one of several attractions at the farm

that will be

free to visi-

tors. An activity wristband — $11 Monday through Thursday and $12.50 on weekends — will gain visitors access to the Pumpkin Jumpin’ Pillows, the Mix 96 six-acre corn maze, farm pedal carts, a country hayride and the cow train.

Admission to Pumpkinville is free and comes with a greeting from one of the Pawlowskis at the front gate. Di-ane Pawlowski said it’s an important aspect of the family’s operation there.

“There’s always a family member at the front gate,” she said. “We want people to know it’s a family farm busi-ness. It’s important to us and it’s important for people to know a name to a face and a face to a name.”

It also allows the Pawlowskis to interact directly with visitors, listening to their stories or working to improve their experience at the farm.

“I like when people come and tell us their stories,”

By Rich Place

It’s widely known that Labor Day is the unoffi cial end of summer, but perhaps a more local indicator of the beginning of the autumn season

The farm opened to the public Sept. 12 and remains open through Halloween on Oct. 31. It features seven weeks of fall-themed attrac-

and, of course, a wide selection of

The farm, owned and operated

Pawlowski while helping to ready the farm for opening

that will be

free to visi-

tors. An activity wristband — $11 Monday

continued on next page

Pumpkinville open for the season

9september 2015

Diane Pawlowski said. “There was a couple who were here and he was going off to Afghanistan the next day and this is where they wanted to spend their last day. That was a tear-jerker.”

There’s plenty of memories that have been created at Pumpkinville, which Dan Pawlowski looks considerably different than it did when it fi rst opened 20 years ago. He pointed out two buildings, now used only as storage, which are the only two original buildings still on site.

But the family-friendly aspect of it hasn’t changed, he said. And, of course, neither has the availability of Pumpkinville’s namesake — a wide variety of pumpkins.

“We had that wet spring and it affected things like our corn a little bit, but with that exception our pumpkins look good,” Dan Pawlowski said. Pumpkin picking began at the beginning of the month and the harvest had been impressive, he said.

Pumpkinville is open daily 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Halloween on Saturday Oct. 31. Admission and parking are free.

Pumpkinville is located at 4844 Sugartown Road off Route 98 north of Great Valley. For additional information, call 699-2205 or visit pumpkinville.com.

Diane Pawlowski said. “There was a couple who were here and he was

There’s plenty of memories that have been created at Pumpkinville,

10 september 2015

A throwback of sorts along with a second location for The Board-room will fi ll a vacant storefront on Washington Street in time for the upcoming ski season.

The opening of Adventure Bound on the Fly, an outdoor- and life-style-themed shop, may spark memories for longtime village residents and visitors — it’ll open in the same location as the original Adventure Bound in the 1970s.

On the store’s lower level will be The Boardroom on Main, a second location for The Boardroom currently located outside the village at 6113 Route 219.

The combined store will be located at 16 Washington St., which has been vacant since Kazoo II moved across the street in 2012.

Adventure Bound on the Fly will be operated by John Rounds, whose parents owned the original Adventure Bound store in the ‘70s. The Timkey family, with help from a new employee, will operate at The Boardroom’s new location.

Mike Timkey, who owns The Boardroom, once worked the Adven-ture Bound before opening his own business.

“It’s a cool story in terms of John (Rounds) coming back to open his parents’ store and then partnering with an established business owner who happened to work for his parents,” said Spencer Timkey, Mike’s son and one of the employees at The Boardroom. “It’s all coming full circle, which is really cool.”

Timkey said plans are to have the store open by Ellicottville’s Fall Festival in mid-October and offi cials have spent the past month or so preparing the location for opening.

As far as The Boardroom’s presence there is concerned, the space is smaller than the location outside the village but will carry many of the same products and brands right downtown and within walking distance to the village’s other stores.

“It’s defi nitely going to be more casual,” Timkey said about the difference between the two locations. “It is in town and what we want to do with it is make it a little more lifestyle oriented, like a shop you might fi nd in Stratton Village in Vermont. We want it to be cool, modern, fun and engaging and just because we are on the lower level doesn’t mean it won’t be welcoming.”

The Adventure Bound on the Fly fl oor will feature more fair-weather items like paddleboards and fl y fi shing equipment, for example.

“The two (stores) kind of lend themselves together to make for a really cool dynamic,” Timkey said.

According to a press release issued by The Boardroom, the idea for the

combined store spawned after Rounds approached Mike Timkey to discuss a po-tential partnership. Now the past four weeks have been spent working to open this location in addition to the regular pre-Fall Festival planning that goes into operating a ski shop in Ellicottville.

“It’s a lot of work getting the building ready but it’s a task we’re up for,” Spencer Timkey said. “When it’s a labor of love, you make it happen.”

The Boardroom, which is active on various social media platforms like Face-book, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, has been getting favorable response from its users about the second location, Timkey said.

“People are super psyched for us, which is cool to get that reaction,” he said. “You work so hard to attain and grow that loyal customer base and a lot of these customers turn into friends and vis versa. It’s cool when you’re excited about the idea and it’s validated because your customers are also super excited for you.”

Like The Boardroom’s current location, The Boardroom on Main will be open October to April. Adventure Bound on the Fly is expected to be open year-round, Timkey said. The Boardroom’s original location is also now open weekends.

By Rich Place

The Boardroom to open second location in conjunction with outdoors store

Submitted PhotoThe Boardroom on Main and Adventure Bound on the Fly are expected to open at 16 Washington St. in Ellicottville in time for Fall Festival weekend in mid-October.

outdoors storeoutdoors store

Submitted Photo

11september 2015

The Seneca Nation of Indians hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday morning, Sept. 3, at what will become the site of a $13 million cultural center and museum.

The facility will be the new home of the Seneca Iroquois National Museum, currently located on Broad Street, and an outdated-archives department. The Nation is conducting pre-development work on the project while a full construction schedule is being fi nalized, according to a press release.

The Seneca Iroquois National Museum was built in 1977, and many Seneca offi cials in attendance remarked how far the Nation has come in nearly 50 years.

“In 1977, I had the honor of serving as tribal coun-cilor,” said Seneca President Maurice John. “I was the master of ceremonies for the opening of the Seneca Iro-quois National Museum. At that time, we did the best we could with our budgetary constraints, but we recognized the value of building a museum.”

Even at that point in time, Seneca Councilor Stephen Gordon said, they had a clear vision for the museum’s intent and purpose that will be carried on in this new facil-ity.

“I remember what the people said. The people said we don’t a museum that will house a big collection, we want it to be a living museum, letting the people know that we are still here,” he said. “It is going to be my hope and encour-agement that the new ground we are breaking here for the new museum and archive center will go forward with that message in mind.”

It is the intention for the new facility to provide greater space and opportunity to display the Nation’s growing collection of artifacts, as the limited size of the

current museum only allows them to display a small por-tion. It will also function as an updated facility to house its archives, according to Rebecca Bowen, director of the archives department.

In keeping with the notion of “living history,” future plans also include space for outdoor culture and arts areas, along with research and library programs.

John hopes the Nation will be able to fi nd use for the old museum building in some way.

Gordon took a moment during the ceremony to recog-nize the important role Bowen has played in the preserva-tion of Seneca artifacts.

“I applaud Becky Bowen,” he said. “The work she does in archives she does with a true passion. She loves what she’s doing, and she knows it’s for those generations still coming.”

Bowen emphasized the importance of renewed efforts to preserve the Senecas’ artifacts, art, culture and tradi-tions.

“This building and its contents will stand on this ground long after the generations represented here on this day have passed on,” Bowen said. “Today we bequeath to future generations of Senecas and to the visitors who will come from across the United States the opportunity to be inspired and enlightened by our great nation.”

“It is a great day for the Seneca Nation of Indians and the city of Salamanca,” said Mayor Ronald Ball in a state-ment after the groundbreaking ceremony. “The cultural center is the fi rst step in preserving the Nation’s heritage, as well as sharing the uniqueness of it and the city that we share. I believe it will promote economic development, create jobs and promote tourism to our city. I applaud the Seneca Nation and its leaders for opening the cultural center.”

Seneca Nation breaks ground on cultural center

By Christa Nianiatus

12 september 2015

Who is your Celebrity Hall Pass?

Laurie Hunt

Salamanca

Blake Shelton. He is tall, dark and handsome and I really love his music.

A:

Ryan ConwaySpringville

Sofi a Vergara. She is an ex-tremely attractive middle-aged woman, I love her accent and

she is a great actress.

A:

Debbie F.

Humphrey

Robert Downey Jr.A:

Becky M.

Limestone

Dwayne JohnsonA:

John Brads

SalamanacaMila KunisA:

Angie Wolf

Salamanca

Blake SheltonA:

LeeSalamanaca

Megan KellyA:

Meggan Bacelli

Salamanaca

Channing TatumA:

Rebecca Myhre

Little Valley

Kurt RussellA:

Toni A.

Salamanca

Charlie Hunnam!A:

Holly Wood

Springville

Ryan Gosling is so hot!A:

Jamie Buff

Salamanca

Emilia ClarkeA:

13september 2015

A local girl from Salamanca has been on both sides of the fence, in a way, when it comes to horse shows and competitions.

Madelynn Turano, a senior at Salamanca school, participates in a variety of horse-related activities within 4-H, and now she’s headed to Kentucky this fall to represent New York State in horse judging.

A lover of all things equine, Madelynn participated in a horse judging competition at the New York State Fair recently, which earned her a spot in the national event scheduled for early November.

The art of horse judging is just like it sounds and it’s unique in the sense that it’s a competition judging another competition. Participants judge horses and their riders based on a variety of aspects, as an offi cial judge tallies the actual results.

Then, the horse judging contestants compare their notes and scores to the offi cial ones. Later, they take time to explain to the judges why they chose the scores and remarks they did.

“You meet with judges and try to persuade them why” you scored contes-tants a specifi c way, Madelynn said. “If you can back it up with enough reason-ing — that makes sense logically through horse terms — you get points.”

Madelynn is following in the footsteps of her older sister, Holly, who also was named to a national team it couldn’t go because of age requirements.

It’s not the fi rst time Madelynn had been at states but it was the fi rst time she had been to states to participate in horse judging.

In a 4-H world like Madelynn’s where she does “pretty much everything” related to horses, horse judging actually helps her in other events as well.

“While I’m in the class riding I think to myself ‘at this judging clinic I learned the judges looked for this in particular. Make sure I don’t do that,’” she said. “It helps knowing what the judges are looking for.”

While there’s a good chance she’ll be thinking about her upcoming competi-tion and what she needs to do there, some of the focus the next several weeks will be on securing funding to get to Kentucky. The trip comes with a cost and in a senior year with other expenses like senior trip and preparing for upcoming graduation, Madelynn will be reaching out to local businesses to help support her fi nancially.

While in Kentucky, she’ll be able to explore other parts of the area like the Kentucky Horse Park in addition to nationals.

She’ll also be meeting others from the state and the rest of the country com-peting in horse judging and other horse-related events.

Madelynn said, among other life lessons, 4-H “teaches you to be social as well. Especially with this horse judging, I’ll be on a team with all these kids I don’t know but I’m still excited.”

And striving for perfect attendance throughout her high school career — she said she hasn’t missed a day yet — she recently found out her two days absence from school to attend the trip will be excused and counted as an educational experience. That made her happy.

The Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup, which will include the horse judging events Madelynn will participate in, will be held Nov. 6 to 8 at the Ken-tucky Fair and Expo Center in Louisville.

Those interesting in supporting Madelynn on her trip are asked to email her at ponylover08@yahoo.com.

By Rich Place

Salamanca’s Turano, headed to nationals

Submitted PhotoMadelynn Turano, a senior at Salamanca Junior-Senior High School, is headed to the 2015 Eastern Nationals 4-H Horse Roundup in Louisville, Ky. in November, after advancing from competition at the New York State Fair in Syracuse two weeks ago.

Submitted Photo

14 september 2015

It was a gloomy day, but you wouldn’t know it from the smiles on the faces of the St. Bonaventure athletes and community members who came out Saturday morning for the Giant Strides: Taking Steps to Cure Cystic Fibrosis Walk.

Approximately 300 people gathered on the lawn of St. Mary’s Church on Wildwood Avenue to raise money for cystic fi brosis research and in support of Andy Herrick, 10, who is living with the disease.

“(Andy) wasn’t supposed to live past 5,” said Father Michael Lonto of St. Mary’s. “But they keep making strides and strides and strides (in research) and next thing you know he’s still here. He’s going to grow up to be an old man.”

Andy’s father, Greg Herrick, said they have been fortunate Andy hasn’t experienced most of the complica-tions associated with the disease yet, for which there is no known cure, and the life expectancy of those living with the disease keeps increasing.

“So far (Andy) has led a normal life and we’ve been blessed with good health, but I think he also realizes that it’s because of all these efforts,” said Herrick. “He’s a little young to express some of his feelings but we see more and more of it now that he’s 10 years old, and he understands the importance all these people have in his life.

“As a matter of fact, within two years he’ll have a brand new drug he’ll be able to take that will hopefully extend his life even further.”

Donations from events like Saturday’s walk are essen-

tial for the improvement of the lives of those with cystic fi brosis, as research toward treatment of the disease is not funded by the government.

“There’s no federal funding like there is for cancer re-search,” said Sandi Brundage, Andy’s aunt. “It’s a disease where ‘only’ 30,000 people are affl icted with the disease, so all the money going toward research is fundraised.”

Now in its ninth year, organizers of the walk have set their sights on a fundraising goal of $300,000 for under-funded cystic fi brosis research.

“We have raised approximately $268,000 coming into this year and our goal is to get over $300,000 and do this for at least 10 years,” said Herrick. “We also have wrap around events throughout the year the community has really come to love like the Octoberfest and fl ag football tournament. So we’re trying to do as much as we can.”

The family’s efforts are aided by Herrick’s brother-in-law, Darryn Fiske, director of strength and conditioning at St. Bonaventure University, and the entire Bonaventure student-athlete community.

Last year, 10 teams at the college sent athletes to par-ticipate in the event and many showed up Saturday morn-ing again dressed in their Bonnies’ attire. The partnership with St. Bonaventure has been around since the fi rst walk was organized and they continue to support the cause.

“I don’t know if you can go to too many places and get nine years of support from college athletes like that,” said Herrick. “Usually it goes a year or two and fi zzles out, but this has been a pretty good partnership and they’ve been here every year.

“We always feel it’s important to bring them in too, because they come from all over the United States and the awareness is almost as important as the donations sometimes.”

But the Bonnies’ participation isn’t limited to just one day a year, and has evolved into a large community of sup-port for Andy.

“The Bonaventure community has really wrapped its arms around Andy. Last weekend he was the honor-ary coach for the women’s soccer team and they made announcements and brought him out to the middle of the fi eld,” said Herrick. “It’s more than just today, throughout the year they treat him like a king and like somebody really important. I think it helps his emotional and mental state too, just to know he has so many people fi ghting for him.”

By Rich PlaceChrista Nianiatus/The Salamanca PressWalkers begin a rainy trek down Wildwood Avenue Sept. 12 for the Giant Strides: Taking Steps to Cure Cystic Fibrosis walk.

By Rich Place

Hundreds brave rain to support CF walk, research

15september 2015

An Ellicottville native is returning to the village and he’s bringing with him a new restaurant fresh from his time in the Queen City.

Nick Pitillo, owner of Osteria 166 in Buffalo, has announced plans to open a restaurant at 7 Monroe St. in Ellicottville. The location was the longtime home of The Barn Restaurant before it closed in mid-August.

The new restaurant — to be called Villaggio — is expected to be open in time for the village’s Fall Festival which begins Oct. 10.

The new restaurant operators are in the process of making extensive inte-rior changes.

“You can only do so much because it’s actually a barn,” Pitillo said about any changes to the exterior of the building. “But we will not be The Barn Restaurant as it has been historically known. We will be a completely different restaurant.”

Pitillo is working to open the restaurant along with his business partner and executive chief, Jeffrey Cooke.

The Ellicottville location will be larger than Osteria 166, located at 166 Franklin St. in downtown Buffalo, but is expected to have a more streamlined menu. Osteria 166 has seating for less than 100 people, compared to roughly 160 people at the location in Ellicottville, Pitillo said.

Pitillo said the restaurant will feature a similar Italian theme but the menu will be customized for Ellicottville’s small town charm and ski resort character-istics.

“It’ll be our most popular items and some traditional items we think fi t the resort setting as well as extensive specials,” he said. “It will be a more stream-

lined menu than what we have here (in Buffalo).”A graduate of Ellicottville Central School, Pitillo worked for Seneca

Casinos more than seven years in the food and beverage division. He ran La Cascata, the Italian restaurant at Seneca Niagara Casino, and helped lead the effort to open Patria, Seneca Allegany Casino’s Italian eatery.

He said he has operated Osteria 166 for about two years and has “always been looking for an opportunity” to bring a restaurant to his hometown of Ellicottville. Plus, the move back to his roots extends beyond his restaurant business.

“We are looking to raise our daughter there,” he said. “It’s a wonderful place to raise a family.”

The opportunity to operate out of The Barn Restaurant’s former location came following that restaurant’s closure. According to its website, The Barn Restaurant had been in operation in Ellicottville since 1963 — the building itself was built in 1895.

Rich Place/The Salamanca PressFormerly known as The Barn Restaurant, 7 Monroe St. in Ellicottville will become home to Osteria 166 soon.

By Rich Place

Rich Place/The Salamanca PressFormerly known as The Barn Restaurant, 7 Monroe St. in

Buffalo’s Osteria 166 owner to open E’ville eatery