DUNKIRK — Behind a strong pitching performance from Danielle Palisin and a strong defensive effort from Naomi Muck Fredonia edged Dunkirk 3-0 on Wednesday in a Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 softball game while Muck made several nice plays at shortstop to help the Hillbillies improve to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the division “Naomi Muck is turning into an all-star,” Fredonia coach Jesse Beers said “She’s really coming into her own Fredonia scored all its runs in the third inning highlighted by RBI doubles from Palisin and Callie Draggett Kassidy Donisi turned in a fine pitching performance for the Marauders as she surrendered eight hits and two earned runs Collecting a single apiece for Dunkirk (1-8 SINCLAIRVILLE — Avery Smith tossed a two-hitter and Eva Gnadzinski smacked three hits to lead Westfield to a 16-2 five-inning victory over Cassadaga Valley in a Division 2 game struck out five and walked three as the Wolverines improved to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the division Mackenzie Schumaker also had a three-bagger for the winners Emiley Anderson and Chloe Lundberg both had a single BROCTON — Megan Gruber did a little bit of everything in Forestville’s 13-1 win over Brocton in a Division 3 game In addition to tossing a six-hitter and striking out 13 she also helped her own cause with three hits Teammate Madison Christian collected four hits as the Hornets improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the division Maria Daugherty had two hits for the Bulldogs (0-7 FALCONER — Cattaraugus-Little Valley led 9-6 after the top of the fifth inning but Falconer scored twice in the bottom of the frame and two more runs in the sixth inning to beat the Timberwolves 10-9 in Division 4 action at Ernie Strickland Field Khloe Livengood led the Golden Falcons (6-0 3-0) offense with a pair of doubles while Payton Smith Katrina Schrantz and Mylie Zaranek (RBI) each added a double Riley Preston was 3 for 4 and Madison Rogan struck out seven in the circle for Cattaraugus-Little Valley (2-6 SILVER CREEK — Priya Sakpal had two hits and drove in two runs to lead Silver Creek past Pine Valley 5-2 in Division 3 action Maddie Blair struck out 10 in the circle for the Black Knights (4-2 Cassidy Westbrook drove in two runs and Molly Becker stole three bases Danica Farnham struck out nine in the circle for the Panthers (4-4 Olivia Lawton and Destiny Lindquist had two hits apiece while Danielle West had an RBI double ELLICOTTVILLE — A 7-0 second-inning lead held up for Ellicottville in an 11-3 Division 4 win over Portville Katie Lafferty tossed a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts and one walk for the Eagles (4-3 Riley Whitmer homered and drove in two runs; Lafferty went 3 for 4 with a double two RBIs and three runs scored; Courtney Marsh was 3 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored; Ande Northrup singled twice and scored a run; and Teaghan Finn singled and scored two runs in the win Ella Warters struck out eight in five innings for the Panthers (3-4 Bella Morales was 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored while Alexa Schoonover was 2 for 4 with a double BEMUS POINT — Maple Grove outhit Clymer/Sherman 4-2 but stranded nine runners on base as the Wolves won their Division 2 matchup 3-0 Elli Bodamer tossed a four-hit shutout with five strikeouts and two walks for Clymer/Sherman (5-0 Taylor Pinzok and Addie Wiggers had the only hits for the Wolves Alyssa Pratt had an RBI fielder’s choice and Kelsey Wagner hit a sacrifice fly Jessica Lyon struck out nine and walked three in her two-hit effort in the circle for the Red Dragons Cassie Lyon and Bry Cornell each singled for Maple Grove/Panama (2-4 SALAMANCA — Fredonia scored four runs in the fourth inning and five more in the fifth to turn a one-run lead into .. Copyright © 2025 Ogden Newspapers of New York | https://www.post-journal.com | PO Box 3386 The North County recovery center of the Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County is reopening on Tuesday The Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County (MHA) returns to providing regular services in the north county on Tuesday its hours will again be Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m The center has been closed since late March because of a building problem whose remediation is now completed MHA Executive Director Michael Nordin said “We appreciate everyone’s patience during this time and look forward to having everyone back.” an MHA recovery coach has been available weekly at Chautauqua County Rural Ministry’s Friendly Kitchen in Dunkirk Anyone who needs assistance before the May 6 reopening can still call (716) 661-9044 or email info@MHAChautauqua.org The MHA is a peer recovery center offering support groups and individual coaching for people looking to improve their lives Trained peers offer a unique perspective to share their experience and knowledge to help others to navigate community services and access treatment and basic life needs by providing support through a complicated system including xylazine wound care kits and fentanyl test kits The Jamestown recovery center in the Gateway Building To learn more about the Mental Health Association call (716) 661-9044 or visit MHAChautauqua.org or facebook.com/MHAChautauqua A schedule with descriptions of MHA’s dozens of groups and classes in Dunkirk and Jamestown is at MHAChautauqua.org/groups The last of the Lake Shore indoor flea markets took place the weekend of April 4 and 5 | https://www.observertoday.com | PO Box 391 the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships will commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Allied evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940 including by retracing a route many vessels took To mark the 85th anniversary of the Dunkirk Little Ships toiling over nine days to evacuate Allied soldiers in 1940 during World War Two a fleet of over 70 Little Ships used in the operation will sail from Ramsgate to Dunkirk The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) is organising the event which will run from the 17th to the 26th of May and feature commemorative occasions open to the public in Ramsgate and Dunkirk ADLS defines a Little Ship as ‘all craft that were originally privately owned and includes commercial vessels such as barges Belgian and Dutch fishing vessels and pleasure steamers’ used in the mission The Association also includes some ex-service vessels The organisation comprises current Little Ships owners who gather every five years to retrace the route many vessels took in 1940’s Dunkirk evacuation window._taboolaSlots=window._taboolaSlots||[];window._taboolaSlots.push({"mode":"thumbnails-a-mid","container":"taboola-mid-article","placement":"Mid Article","target_type":"mix"}); ‘Ramsgate is my hometown; it will be great to have a fleet of the Little Ships here again for our five-yearly crossing to Dunkirk Ramsgate and Dunkirk are pulling out all the stops to commemorate celebrate and educate throughout our stay in the very centre of these two excellent ports’ the BBC announced the following over radio: “The Admiralty have made an Order requesting all owners of self-propelled pleasure craft between 30′ and 100′ in length to send all particulars to the Admiralty within 14 days from today if they have not already been offered or requisitioned.” large numbers of those with privately owned boats in the UK travelled across the channel and rescued stranded allied troops from France’s Dunkirk beaches between 26 May and 4 June 1940 Little Ship Breda won Best in Show at the Thames Traditional Boat Festival in Henley in 2021 and was chosen as one of three National Historic Ship UK flagships The Little Ships participated in Operation Dynamo which involved Ramsgate as a major departure point ‘approximately 850 private boats sailed from Ramsgate,’ and over 250 were lost during the Dunkirk evacuation Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Admiral Ramsey hoped that the operations would rescue between 30,000 and 40,000 troops Thanks to the combined effort of the Dunkirk Little Ships the response from the Little Ships’ crews and owners was hugely important for saving Allied lives and keeping British forces strong enough to continue fighting the war Photo: Association of Dunkirk Little Ships The mission’s outcome turned a military disaster into a symbol of courage in adversity The term ‘Dunkirk Spirit’ is still used to describe bravery and solidarity in very difficult situations the anniversary voyage is long-awaited for those in the Association The last passage was in 2015 because the coronavirus pandemic prevented a 2020 event Little Ships will arrive alone and in small groups at Ramsgate Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning 2016 film The public is welcome to view the Little Ships from the harbour or pontoon to get a sense of life during the historical evacuation Honorary Vice Admiral of The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships “The fleet will soon gather in Ramsgate for this return to Dunkirk which is made all the more special by the number of Little Ships involved A vast amount of work is going on at present to make sure the Little Ships look their very best and are fully prepared for the channel crossing” the Association plans a full day of commemoration including a parade through the town and on the harbour front This event will involve unveiling the refurbished Ramsgate Operation Dynamo memorial and dedicating the bell from the large paddle steamer Crested Eagle which was sunk off of Bray Dunes beach east of Dunkirk on 29 May 1940 A service will follow in the Sailor’s Church the ADLS will hold a briefing for skippers making the crossing giving final details and deciding whether it’s safe to proceed restored Quisisana after becoming inspired by chatting to a marina neighbour with close ties to the ADLS He was honoured to welcome a delegation from the Coldstream Guards aboard the refurbished vessel the Little Ships will leave Ramsgate to arrive in Dunkirk by 1600 local time the ADLS will host further commemorative events in Dunkirk To learn more about the event, click here Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market Please register to access this FREE content a priest of the Disciples of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary has a great analogy for families’ role in the situation facing the Church today He says each home is like a little ship of Dunkirk where a flotilla of private vessels came to the rescue of stranded troops when nothing else could help My wife April has made it her mission to spread his idea that domestic churches — faithful families, little versions of the Barque of Peter — can save stranded souls, most recently in a talk she delivered at the Symposium for Transforming Culture at Benedictine College Last year, Father Noriega shared his Dunkirk plan at the college’s Family Week The Church today is in the position of the British in 1940 when 336,000 Allied soldiers were stranded at the French port town of Dunkirk Any big ship sent to rescue them was easy pickings for the Germans so the British tried another tactic: 850 small private vessels set out from the British coast to save as many troops as each could fit the “big ships” of the Church — the great Catholic institutions that were so successful in the past — are not always able to do their work and damaged by “friendly fire” — attacks by fellow Catholics But each home is a domestic church with a grace all its own If each domestic church saves as many as it can “Let me describe what Dunkirk looks like in Atchison April knows the power of the parish — she herself teaches Confirmation there — but her talk focused on what individual families do on their own A Community Dinners initiative started when Cathe Sienkiewicz saw a homeless person living under a bridge and she felt she could not live a real and human Christian life and continue to do nothing about such suffering and poverty.” When the dinner’s founders discovered how many free meals were offered already “We thought people needed community more than they needed food,” Jeremy told April So now they gather people in a church basement once a month for food and a sing-a-long with a band of parent-and-child musicians led by Br She also shares the story of the town’s chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace whose motto is “No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town.” Benedictine College School of Engineering’s Patrick O’Malley likes that the group creates a family-to-family connection The work involves setting up the bed with the family who is receiving it and “Our eldest was 8 when we started so she and the other kids have grown up with this as part of their lives and having a spirit of service wrapped up in our family ‘identity’ has been beautiful and very formative for the kids.” “Even if we can only rescue seven people in our marriage’s lifetime “The smallest boats are those who simply invited others to do what they were already doing,” she said “thereby building community and making a positive difference in the lives around them.” One dad was saying Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours daily so he invited his sons and their friends to join Now boys head out on bikes or on foot early in the morning to pray at his home started a boys’ bike ride that leaves at dawn and winds up at the parish for morning Mass who have seen these boys roving around like a positive street gang,” April said Other small boats include an informal “Knights of St Benedict” high school boys’ group that has been a tremendous influence on our sons and a more formal high school girls’ group held in a private home April described lots of small boats: Meal train efforts and community-building get-togethers for women and men “We need to tell every domestic church to be a Dunkirk boat!” said April making small forays across the ocean that make sense and fit into our family’s lives on the one hand but maybe still stretch us a bit on the other,” she said “If we work together and become a flotilla of small boats helping each other we can be a mighty force capable of doing great things.” Subscribe below to receive weekly emails The opinions expressed on this website do not necessarily reflect the views of the college Copyright © 2025 Benedictine College Site Archive DUNKIRK, NY — In response to the worsening financial crisis facing the City of Dunkirk, Senator George Borrello has introduced legislation (S.7497) to establish the City of Dunkirk Interim Finance Authority a financial control board tasked with stabilizing the city’s finances and restoring long-term fiscal health “Dunkirk is at a financial tipping point,” said Senator Borrello This legislation provides the structure and oversight necessary to ensure transparency and a path forward for the city’s recovery.” Borrello noted that the 2015 closure of the NRG power plant created a structural imbalance between the City of Dunkirk’s revenues and expenditures the state provided millions in mitigation funding over seven years Despite the ‘soft landing’ provided by the state the city failed to adequately adjust finances to compensate for the revenue loss Once the problems became apparent last year Senator Borrello sponsored legislation with former Assemblyman Andy Goodell authorizing up to $18.5 million in bonding to close multi-fund deficits the City’s liabilities now exceed $20.5 million according to a November 2024 audit by the State Comptroller “The City’s challenges are not just about numbers—they're about maintaining essential services and restoring confidence in local government This legislation gives Dunkirk the tools to meet those challenges head-on while maintaining its independence as a municipal entity,” Borrello said The effective date of the legislation establishing the Finance Authority is June 30 The control board will consist of nine members Members will serve without compensation but will be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the course of their duties The Authority will have the ability to issue up to $800 million in bonds to finance specific costs particularly tax certiorari settlements initiated after June 1 the city may request bond issuances of up to $15 million annually to cover such liabilities The authority will dissolve once its responsibilities are complete and property transferring back to the City of Dunkirk “This isn’t about taking over Dunkirk’s government — it’s about giving the city the tools and support it needs to regain financial stability,” Borrello said “We’ve seen this model work in Buffalo and Nassau County It provides strong oversight while still keeping local leadership in the driver’s seat.” The Senate bill has been referred to the Senate Corporations Assemblyman Andrew Molitor (R-Westfield) is introducing companion legislation in the Assembly “This is a critical step to restore fiscal integrity and position Dunkirk for a stable future,” said Assemblyman Molitor “Our constituents deserve responsible governance and sustainable solutions.” — Two Dunkirk residents have been charged with dealing in meth were arrested March 25 after Jay County sheriff's deputies and Dunkirk police served a search warrant at their home in the 300 block of East Ohio Street Deputies reported finding more than 7 grams of meth in the house including many small plastic bags and digital weighing devices More: Winchester woman, 18, charged with providing meth that led to teen's overdose death They also reported seizing a smaller amount of a substance that tested positive for both heroin and fentanyl from McCombs' purse Lykins — also listed in court documents at a Redkey address — said she had been staying in the Dunkirk home about two weeks She at first maintained she was unaware there were controlled substances there Myers reportedly acknowledged being addicted to meth and heroin but insisted he only bought the drugs for his own use Lykins and Myers are each charged in Jay Circuit Court with dealing in meth maintaining a common nuisance and possession of paraphernalia The dealing charge against Lykins is a Level 2 felony with maximum 30-year sentence while Myers is charged with a Level 3 felony carrying up to 16 years in prison McCombs was charged in Jay Superior Court with possession of a narcotic drug possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com Support Innovation and Enable Chocolate Ingredient Manufacturing New Manufacturing Facility Will Support the Creation of 270 New Jobs to Produce Ice Cream and Frozen Novelty Products New York State Investments Further Support Governor Hochul’s Commitment to Grow and Strengthen the Advanced Manufacturing Sector See Rendering of State-of-the-Art Plant announced that Wells Enterprises is significantly expanding its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Dunkirk The now $425 million project will increase capacity of its current ice cream production create new capabilities for future innovation and add a first-of-its-kind chocolate manufacturing facility within the plant to use for ingredients in its ice cream and novelty products This investment will enable the company to add 270 new jobs and retain approximately 380 full-time jobs It will be one of the largest single private investments ever made in Chautauqua County New York State is supporting the project with up to $12 million in Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits and a $6 million grant from Empire State Development in exchange for job creation and capital investment commitments The County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency is also working with the management team of Wells to provide support that will expedite the project “We are building momentum in Chautauqua County’s manufacturing sector with multiple companies growing and creating hundreds of new jobs in Dunkirk and the region,” Governor Hochul said “The expansion of the Wells Enterprises is an important win and we're transforming a struggling plant into a high-tech facility that will benefit New York workers and the region’s hard-working dairy farmers." “We couldn’t be more excited about the future of Wells and the role this expansion in Dunkirk will play in our ambition to be the U.S We are extremely grateful to the State of New York and the community of Dunkirk for their unwavering support of our growth this is testament to the leadership and commitment of every one of our team members in Dunkirk and excellence in operations are truly what makes this possible.” The new Dunkirk facility will be about 350,000 square feet The facility’s production capabilities are expected to increase output to more than four times their current production to support the company’s growth in novelty and packaged ice cream The newly announced expansion plans include all new production lines more than doubling the number of manufacturing lines with high-output capabilities a new chocolate ingredient manufacturing facility and facilities designed to provide the best working environment for their team Construction has already begun on the new facility Wells is continuing to manufacture ice cream products in the existing facility while construction is underway The company’s growth will also benefit the dairy industry in the northeast The planned expansion will continue to utilize millions of pounds of dairy annually That number is expected to grow along with the overall consumption of ice cream Fortune Business Insights estimates the global ice cream market will reach $132.32 billion in 2032 up from $76.11 billion in 2023 and reflecting the overall increase in the world’s craving for ice cream New York State has nearly 3,000 dairy farms that produce over 15 billion pounds of milk annually making New York the nation's fifth largest dairy state New York ranks 4th nationally in ice cream manufacturing with 51 payrolled business locations ranking the state 3rd in ice cream production in the nation packaged foods with leading brands like Nutella Wells is the largest privately held ice cream manufacturer in the United States Wells and run by the Wells family for generations the company is now an independent operating company of the Ferrero Group Wells produces more than 200 million gallons of ice cream per year and distributes products in all 50 states Wells employs over 4,000 employees across the country and operates multiple manufacturing plants These facilities play an important role in the company’s expansion plans for its national manufacturing network of its Blue Bunny We're transforming a struggling plant into a high-tech facility that will benefit New York workers “An excellent expansion deal at the Wells ice cream plant has just gotten sweeter with an additional $175 million investment from the company Food manufacturing is an important part of New York State’s recipe for economic success and a skilled workforce is the key ingredient public-private partnerships are generating the jobs of the future in Chautauqua County and all across the State.” “This expansion is great news for the hundreds of dairy farmers that supply fresh local milk for the Wells Enterprises ice cream plant which has a long-standing tradition of producing some of New York’s finest dairy products This will not only help to solidify Wells’ future in Western New York but will also ensure New York State remains a leader in the dairy industry for years to come I look forward to seeing this project come to fruition.” “The decision by Wells Enterprises to expand the scope of their new manufacturing facility in Dunkirk is tremendously exciting It is a sign of their confidence in our local workforce award-winning dairy suppliers and strong state and local partners Those resources will continue to be integral as Wells innovates and strives to reach new goals Empire State Development and Chautauqua County leaders for the partnership and commitment that made this latest success possible.” “Wells Enterprises' expansion is great news for Chautauqua County is a great employer and is an important economic pillar for the surrounding area Many thanks to Wells Enterprises for your continued investment in our community.” “We are thrilled with Wells Enterprises' monumental investment of $425 million in the City of Dunkirk and northern Chautauqua County This expansion not only signifies their commitment to the community but also promises a brighter future by creating 270 new jobs we will pave the way for economic growth and prosperity ensuring that Dunkirk and Chautauqua County continue to thrive and shine." Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel said “Today marks a monumental day for Chautauqua County as Wells Enterprises significantly expands their investment in Dunkirk Wells Enterprises' commitment to our community's prosperity is truly commendable and we are proud to support this transformative project This expansion goes beyond ice cream production; it represents a promising future for Dunkirk and Chautauqua County We are grateful for Wells and the Ferrero Group's dedication to our region and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency and the State of New York for their invaluable funding and support in making this project possible We look forward to celebrating this sweet success together.” “I am proud of the prior support the CCIDA was able to provide to Wells Enterprises to help make the two previous phases a reality for this exciting project We look forward to continuing our relationship with the company and working with management in the coming weeks and months to provide new assistance for the additional expansion plan to ensure it will come to fruition and provide additional jobs for the city of Dunkirk and Chautauqua County." The ice cream plant will also continue to utilize Americold’s new cold-storage distribution facility located in the Town of Dunkirk which is providing much-needed storage for the food supply chain in the area Americold’s $41 million project was supported by up to $700,000 in performance-based taxed credits through the Excelsior Jobs Program in return for the creation of 60 full-time jobs along with Chautauqua County Commissioners of Elections Luz Torres and Nacole Ellis announce a new partnership designating the P-TECH Academy as a polling site.) —The Chautauqua County Board of Elections is proud to announce a new partnership with Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES (E2CCB) for the use of Western New York P-TECH STEM College and Career Academy as a polling site in the City of Dunkirk.  This new polling site will be assigned to voters who had previously voted at the St Hedwig’s Social Center from Blessed Mary Angela parish “We are extremely excited to partner with WNY P-TECH This partnership signifies a sense of community involvement and empowerment By voting at a local educational institution voters can feel more connected to their community and its future," said Commissioner of Elections Nacole Ellis the Board of Elections is able to provide a convenient and familiar venue for voters and it fosters a sense of pride and responsibility the partnership underscores a commitment to community engagement and civic responsibility." The switch to utilizing WNY P-TECH as a polling location comes on the heels of the Diocese of Buffalo's decision to sell Blessed Mary Angela buildings in Dunkirk “When we learned of the Diocese's decision we immediately started preparing for the possibility that these sites would no longer be available Finding new poll sites can be a challenging task due to a variety of factors," added Commissioner of Elections Luz Torres "Suitable locations must be accessible to all voters and have adequate space for voting equipment and personnel the new sites must be strategically located to ensure they are convenient for the community they serve minimizing disruption and confusion for voters." "We believe that by actively ensuring every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast their ballot and by demonstrating collaboration among local organizations to support the voting process we can encourage increased civic engagement and participation in governance," says both Commissioner Torres and Commissioner Ellis WNY Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) is a program that allows students to gain first-hand knowledge in high-skill and Mechatronics while earning their Regents High School Diploma Students also earn a no-cost-to-the-student Associate Degree in their chosen career path from Jamestown Community College “We are proud to partner with the Board of Elections to both provide the community a place to participate in democracy by casting their ballot in the elections that change the landscape of our daily lives and to help our students understand the importance of being civic-minded,” noted Jeffrey Teluk Voters will be notified of this change in May, during the annual yellow Mail Check cards. Signage will also be placed at St. Hedwig’s to direct voters to the new poll site location. For more information about WNY P-TECH visit www.e2ccb.org New Dunkirk Polling Location Announced Petitioning for Local Offices Begins Feb. 25      How can I view the County Executive's Monday Morning Memo? How do I look for Civil Service Employment Opportunities? How do I find Property Tax Information? How do I find out about the County's Privacy Practices? Employee Access Site Map Documents Center Accessibility Copyright Notices Website built in Western New York by Orbtist LLC 101 Creamery on Main in Dunkirk will hold its grand opening this Saturday morning at 11:00am They are located at 101 North Main Street in the village A full menu was released on the 101 Smokehouse Facebook page on Wednesday Some of the food items they will be serving include BBQ Pork They will also have hand-dipped and soft serve ice cream and more dairy treats 101 Creamery will be open seven days a week from 11am until 7pm You can stay up to date by following 101 Creamery LLC on Facebook Written by: bclark WKTN is a locally owned and operated radio station broadcasting from Kenton Our broadcast covers Hardin County and into Allen and Wyandot Counties including a majority of communities within OLEAN- The Olean Softball team continued to develop some confidence in their CCAA West 1 home matchup against Dunkirk on Monday After years of plugging away with acclaimed he finally won the big one when his 2023 film Oppenheimer swept every major awards board going scored two acting prizes for Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr and finally admitted Nolan to the hall of ‘Best Directors’ The film he made immediately before this career high point was Tenet highly indulgent attempt to convince everyone that he could direct a ‘James Bond’ movie if he wanted to This was the director’s version of the famous World War II moment from the titular French port during which hundreds of thousands of Allied troops were rescued from the Nazis by a fleet of civilian boats The interweaving of three concurrent storylines gets a bit much in places and most of Tom Hardy’s dialogue is inaudible due to a heady mixture of muffled sound and silly vocal choices and Nolan’s typical brand of jaw-dropping visual effects to keep you satisfied This isn’t the only place Nolan looked for inspiration “Steven Spielberg very kindly lent us a print of Saving Private Ryan You look at the horror that’s presented in that film we don’t want to chase that in any way because he’s done it definitively You also say to yourself: The tension that I’m feeling watching Saving Private Ryan is not the tension I want for Dunkirk… We need this story to be about survival and suspense.”  Nolan’s ability to draw inspiration from two very different movies to make his own is admirable Dunkirk probably ranks somewhere in the middle of his overall output but it’s still a well-made presentation of one of the war’s most extraordinary moments spoke that day about how being part of Special Olympics “never gets old.” Zentz said that upon graduation he wanted to carry on what he took from Dunkirk’s involvement with the Unified sports program and Special Olympics to his new school Now a freshman at Fredonia State and a member of the Blue Devils baseball team Zentz and fellow student athlete Hannah Retzer have founded a Special Olympics Club at Fredonia State The Club’s inaugural kickoff event will be Sunday from 10 a.m The event will feature events designed for participants of all abilities Campus Police will also be on hand as guest speakers for safety demonstrations and guests will also be treated to food provided by Blasdell Pizza a sophomore at SUNY Fredonia and member of the women’s soccer team acts as the Special Olympics Club President Retzer said her goal for the club is “to create an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone with and without disabilities can develop physical fitness and gain confidence through participation in sports and community.” It makes sense why Retzer and Zentz would partner in the endeavor as Zentz was a leader at Dunkirk in fostering relationships with his classmates at Dunkirk through the Unified sports program He participated in various Unified sports and Special Olympics events at Dunkirk including the Torch Run at each of the last two Special Olympics events at SUNY Fredonia As Vice President and Treasurer of the Special Olympics Club at SUNY Fredonia Zentz said he hopes the club will build “relationships that will last a lifetime.” Many of Zentz’s former classmates and teammates have remained in contact over the past year and look forward to being part of the upcoming event Building upon the relationships established through Unified sports the mission of the Special Olympics Club at SUNY Fredonia is to invite high school special education classes to campus to participate in a variety of events to provide “a welcoming and empowering environment for all participants.” the club will host various events including sports activities and creative workshops that will enable high school students with special needs to interact with college students to form meaningful relationships and show these students that they are valued members of our community,” Zentz said The Special Olympics Club at SUNY Fredonia holds monthly meetings on campus to discuss upcoming events and fundraising opportunities Approximately 50 SUNY Fredonia students are involved with the club in some capacity The club is seeking monetary donations to cover the cost of events and other expenses associated with hosting events contact Zentz via email at zacharyzentz13@gmail.com Donations can be made out to SA Comptroller for Special Olympics Club and can be sent to Fredonia State University c/o Special Olympics Club Dunkirk Police report that at approximately 9:37 p.m. police officers responded to several 911 calls reporting an altercation with shots fired additional calls were received reporting active gunfire Upon arrival officers were met with several uncooperative subjects As officers began investigating and canvassing the area several spent casings were located in the road Information was then developed identifying the alleged suspect as Luis A It was learned that Sanchez was involved in an altercation with several subjects in the area and fired several rounds from a pistol during it Sanchez was then located in the area by officers and taken into custody which resulted in the location and recovery of the alleged firearm used in the incident was illegally possessed by Sanchez at the time of the incident It also contained an illegal high capacity magazine Sanchez was transported to city police headquarters where he was booked on charges of felony second- and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon first-degree reckless endangerment and unlawful discharge of a firearm Sanchez was later arraigned in Dunkirk City Court and remanded to CCJ on $10,000 bail City police were assisted by the Dunkirk Police Detective Bureau the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force and the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office The investigation is ongoing and anyone with knowledge of the incident is asked to contact the Dunkirk Police at 716-366-2266 or the confidential tip line at 716-363-0313 Legislation that recently passed the state Senate would place a faculty member in a non-voting position on .. April Hoopes presented this paper on the apostolic activity of families in Atchison, Kansas, at the Benedictine College Symposium for Transforming Culture on March 21 Click here for the article about the Dunkirk presentation. I want to reflect on a fascinating concept I heard at Family Week (pictured) here at Benedictine College for the last couple of years because I think it is a great inspiration for Catholic couples The concept focuses on the British Operation Dynamo in World War II that evacuated roughly 338,000 soldiers from the port city called Dunkirk located in Northern France across the English Channel The usual means that would be used for such an operation was to send large British Naval ships and fill them with troops because the German enemy kept quickly and easily targeting those ships So this operation employed lots of smaller privately-owned British sailing vessels The evacuation at Dunkirk during World War II provides an excellent analogy of the way the domestic church can and does function in the Church today and will and should in the future of the Disciples of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Since the large institutions of the Church are now rejected and “bombed” repeatedly from enemy fire (and even friendly fire) a renewal of the most urgent kind is needed in individual families to re-evangelize Catholics and bring the world to Christ I will present on Father Noriega’s conclusion that the best way to do this is to rely on “little boats,” — that is 40 people in their lifetime by catechizing currently married couples and engaged couples on the great importance of their marriage as the sacramental presence of Jesus Christ in their neighborhood witnessing in their daily lives the path to safety in Christ and salvation in his Church let me touch on the cultural setting for the analogy has lost its connection with many Catholics today Then there are also many Catholics who feel the Church has either abandoned them or burned them through some interaction There are those deeply hurt by and negatively impacted by the sex scandals and other scandalous behavior in the Church; those who felt abandoned or rejected by the Church during the pandemic and the many Catholics who have gravitated toward the warmth and welcome they have felt from other denominations We ourselves know plenty of fellow Catholics who have been disenfranchised or felt betrayed by the Church Many of us take heart in relatively new attempts — which have had great success — of evangelizing and re-evangelizing our fellow brothers and sisters about the wonderful beauty and timeless truths of our faith Podcasts and internet sites have reached out to many who would otherwise still be isolated and separated from Mother Church Mike Schmitz and Ascension Press’s Bible In a Year and Catechism In a Year Father Mark- Mary Ames’s Rosary-in-a- Year and many more podcasts that reach millions Christopher Nolan made a film about the operation to save the troops stuck in France In it is portrayed the full drama of these little fishing boats the 850 Little Ships of Dunkirk that sailed from Ramsgate When British soldiers trying to advance in Europe were defeated by the Germans they were forced to retreat but the water blocked them one way and the German army blocked them the other way The German soldiers didn’t finish them off but left them there and destroyed any approaching military ship The movie shows the desperation of those who were stuck at Dunkirk needing to be saved and it shows how brave the hundreds of small boat captains were who came to save a few dozen of them at a time I think this works very well for the situation of the Church in our time there is an uncrossable distance between their current situation and safety They have not learned what they need to learn to embrace Christ Or they are closed off from the larger entities within the Church built to save larger numbers of souls Maybe in the past there were big boats that could save them but now the big ships of the Catholic Church are in trouble The laws are no longer friendly to them and require many things that they can’t provide Catholic Charities and Catholic hospitals are embattled by regulations that hurt their ability to practice their Catholic identity Catholic schools bow to regulations requiring certifications and requirements that often have the effect of making them very much like public schools with religion tacked on these institutions were the pride and joy and the secret to the success of the Catholic Church and Christian denominations They did incredible things and reached many people these institutions also suffer from attacks from other Catholics who impair their ability to function it is interesting to note that of the 221 Catholic colleges and universities in America only 17 appear in the Newman Guide of faithful Catholic colleges while 54 appear in the National Catholic Register’s guide the vast majority of Catholic universities no longer retain their Catholic character I love Father Noriega’s suggestion: We need our own Operation Dynamo launching our small boats to rescue who we can The Vatican II document Lumen Gentium said in paragraph 35: “The Christian family loudly proclaims both the present virtues of the Kingdom of God and the hope of a Blessed life to come.” That means that And each family can play a critical role in salvation history The Little Ships of Atchison’s Dunkirk Operation Now let me paint a picture of what the small boats – or the domestic church — does in our town: There are families in Atchison who are always trying to get things going always trying to get their boats to Dunkirk and back again I will explain the bigger endeavors they’ve started in a minute But first let me give you a few examples of the smallest boats Those who simply invited others to do what they were already doing or responding to a need for themselves or their families and thereby building community and making a positive difference in the lives around them: who happens to teach theology at Benedictine started inviting a group of boys to pray the Morning Office each morning with him — he was doing it anyway — and then some of them go to morning Mass together afterwards started a boys’ bike ride several years ago go out early in the morning on a cycling adventure who have seen these boys roving around like a positive street gang and have expressed to me their wonder and amazement It’s quite a sight to see so early in the morning Our son in high school was touched by a group that a young married man started in our parish seven or eight years ago After he discovered there was a need in the parish to get the young men together Now each of our sons in college has taken turns helping to lead it for the high school boys in town doing various physical activities and then praying Night Prayer with the monks here at the Abbey mostly — but it does a great amount of good for uniting those young men at a crucial time in their lives but I personally think they put a bit more effort into their planning and activities so they might be considered a slightly bigger boat than these smallest boats are very dedicated and selfless when it comes to serving the younger women in high school It’s beautiful to witness and a comfort if your kids can take advantage of these groups And then there are other boats who have used existing needs to create a groundswell of momentum for others to join in and lend a hand: Meal Train: This runs via our Catholic women’s email listserv The Atchison Catholic women’s listserv is a phenomenon unto itself now but it has humble beginnings of just trying to connect with each other and as a means of communication I know of several women who have moved away from the area but still desire to remain on the list to keep apprised of what’s going on here The meal train works well in our community … and it’s an easy way to serve others I haven’t even met some of the people I give meals to It is a relatively easy way for me and others to engage with those in need Moms with new babies; people in need from hospital stays; others going through difficult periods of time There are sometimes those who know of our listserv that ask to use it for others in town who need a meal either because of needs discovered through the college or wider community and then that allows other folks to jump on board to help serve them Besides setting up the initial email group and establishing a few guidelines up front it runs itself and has blossomed into a service engine par excellence we have a Saturday morning “Ladies’ Morning Coffee.” Cathe Sienkiewicz started it that she “gets fired up a lot to start things” — but admits she’s grateful to others who keep the ball rolling Cathe saw a need “to get together and spend time as women.” So there is a time and rotating space (different women host) to welcome new people Makinzie Burghart followed suit and did the same thing on Wednesday nights with cocktails and conversation because she wasn’t able to attend on Saturday mornings with her busy family activities she also craved time with the other women in her community So instead of feeling sorry about her situation she just opened up this idea of creating community and it is a low-key event I have brought people to that happened to be visiting I’ve also invited anyone I was hoping to get to know better and have her meet others as well and make connections Jeremy (Cathe’s husband) and Doug Hynek started to do Whiskey Wednesdays on his Porch and just an opportunity to create space for others to join your family’s “boat.” Or a group of families’ boats The men’s gatherings may not have the regularity of other events but they make up for it with a healthy dose of enthusiasm My daughter Olivia started a food pantry drop-off place — she and her husband built a box where people can drop off or pick up food donations located by the thrift store and later they were inspired to build another one for baby items which is now located outside our local Catholic Charities office these efforts “cost” relatively little to invest in — besides a few email reminders and organizing hosting details lovely; there’s very little to “do” apart from spending time with others – which is necessary to create connections and foster community And then act on the lights from the Holy Spirit that might be brought forth from those conversations there was a mix of various ships: personal yachts The smallest one was called the Thomassina but it basically means that it can go into shallow water as far as its draught allows it could get pretty close to shore to rescue soldiers even though it couldn’t hold a lot of people it could rescue the ones that might have been unable to wade out to reach other boats Some families that can just naturally attract and pull in lots of different evacuees; and some families that can strategically go where others can’t and all other kinds of families in between a bit bigger or with more capacity than the smaller boats these are folks or families who had to do a bit more to work out how they were going to help pull in people off the shore Or who needed a larger (or greater) structure to aid in their rescue efforts Here are some medium boats in our domestic churches of Atchison: This is actually an international Movement which began in France and is geared toward fostering and nurturing married couples and their families in the faith Teams of Our Lady ministers to married couples helping them be held accountable to individual and couple prayer and allowing “protected” space for dialogue and advice about marriage and family life as well as regular study on various related topics Cathe Sienkiewicz — the firecracker in town I spoke of earlier — had begun the inquiry process into joining a Teams of Our Lady group before she moved here in 2012 but was not able to get a team piloted where they were living they were able to connect with a more experienced couple who helped pilot the first team above all the other initiatives I will explain is the most direct ministry in doing what I think the Church could do by fostering married life and family life in a “small boat” kind of way cementing their communities with the natural goodness God made them to be Cathe Sienkiewicz was also a founder of the community dinners that are now hosted every third Sunday of the month It started when she saw a homeless person living under the 5th Street viaduct in town she felt she could not live a real and human Christian life and continue to do nothing about such suffering and poverty they shadowed the local Methodist Church’s “Thanksgiving feed.” Jeremy says the Methodist Church does amazing work and delivers over 400 meals a year “But we thought people needed community more than they needed food.” So Joseph’s parish basement (not just delivered) “We quickly realized that the people who came would be lonely and isolated again before the next Christmas and started monthly dinners on the third Sundays We also needed help and recruited another family they’ve had countless other volunteers and food and money donors since.” And experiencing Community Dinners led to another ministry “We also noticed that this was not enough for true community We’ve been fixing it up since October 2024 Our hope is to have daily events and openings with coffee We have a club on Benedictine’s campus that has helped us in all the areas we are serving It is named the Cana House since the main help that Our Lord and Lady gave at the wedding feast was one of hospitality and presence Atchison’s SHP is a chapter of a national non-profit that makes beds for families in need Benedictine Colleg School of Engineering Chair Dr Parick O’Malley heard about it at a time when he had been looking for a service project to be involved in directly working with people in need and that his family could all be a part of “SHP was especially attractive because not only did it let me use my engineering skills but also we deliver the beds and assemble them in the kids’ bedroom so you have time to be with the family who is receiving the bed and share that time together We built our first beds at Benedictine the day after finals ended in May 2018 It has been a great endeavor for my family to be a part of (our eldest was 8 when we started so she and the other kids have grown up with this as part of their lives and having a spirit of service wrapped up in our family “identity” has been beautiful and very formative for the kids) invited others along and now ministers to many others Pace e Bene. One family in town decided to open a (nationally recognized) Catholic bookstore they opened up a new area: a pilgrimage site (Check out the Shroud of Turin display while you’re here The whole Zia family works at some point in the store every week and gelato; they allow students and small groups to meet and mingle and use their wi-fi so it always feels “hopping,” and you’ll likely run into someone you know; they have introduced a larger gathering space for small receptions Our friends and neighbors Larry and Carol Lintner had a small reception for their 50th Wedding anniversary there recently they have just renovated a space in their shop for a rotating display of relics and other types of religious displays.) to play in rescuing the people of our time But critical to all of it is our own marriages our own “domestic churches” to lead the way If we minister to what a marriage truly is we can launch initiatives through our family connections and make Dunkirk boats with our own family hospitality If our domestic churches are just focused on survival but maybe still stretch us a bit on the other We need to tell everyone that their marriages don’t just have a vocation to stay together and look lovingly at each other but to reach out and invite others into your family life If we work together and become a flotilla of small boats helping each other we can be a mighty force capable of doing great things We need to tell every domestic church to be a Dunkirk Boat Our domestic churches can save those trapped left behind by the culture and those who can’t rely on the larger boats of safety from the past paragraph 86: “The future of humanity passes by way of the family.” Families are the future The domestic church must be fed and nurtured This is a call to all of us to live our family life with more intention we can help each other grow together towards salvation We can gather others in and invite them along with us — helping a dozen or more — rescuing others we pass along the way in our little boats Let’s all encourage each domestic church to become a Dunkirk boat He prepared England for tragic news in its wake Therefore when so many ended up being saved in the end it was referred to as a “miracle,” so much so that Churchill had to remind the public in an effort to keep up their fighting spirit But that is precisely the point that the analogy helps us to see We might feel gloom and doom about the state of the Church and its unbelief This culture war we so adamantly feel is taking us away from our true path to heaven be won by evacuations made by all the little boats of the domestic Church Whether or not our parishes give funding to marriage and family ministries will make the naturally occurring connections that we are inspired to make creating spaces and avenues to include those who need our support in ways the Church at large is unable to provide We all don’t even need to be large families Even if we can only rescue seven people in our marriage’s lifetime God is only asking us to help those we can come into real contact with April Hoopes received her Master’s in Theology from the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family She teaches Marriage Preparation for students engaged to be married at Benedictine College in Atchison as well as several courses in the Atchison Kansas Classical home education Co-op She is the mother of nine children and the grandmother of 13 grandchildren at last count Join us from Dunkirk City Hall (342 Central Ave as we plant pinwheels to raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month and our community's commitment to protecting children and building a safer future Explore the Path to Adulthood at the 2025 “Real” Game of Life Resource Fair Pinwheels for Prevention: Dunkirk City Hall Planting Event Pinwheels for Child Abuse Prevention in Mayville, NY Jamestown’s Pinwheels for Prevention Ceremony County Launches Public Assistance Shelter Supplement to Address Housing Crisis Chautauqua County Launches Family-Centered Case Management Initiative to Support Unhoused Families Please select the program of interest on the left for specific program office locations Email the Department George Borrello speaks at a news conference in March This week Borrello introduced legislation that would implement a fiscal control board in the city of Dunkirk A control board in the city of Dunkirk could be coming by the end of June under legislation introduced Monday by state Sen Borrello said in late March he was going to introduce legislation to implement a fiscal control board in the city of Dunkirk told the OBSERVER in late March he will introduce a companion bill in the state Assembly Monday’s introduction of S.7497 provides greater detail on the proposal than Borrello and Molitor discussed in March It has been referred to the Senate Corporations “The city government’s failure to anticipate the loss of tax revenue from the NRG closure combined with its inability to adjust spending accordingly has only deepened these financial challenges the City has experienced substantial budget gaps and a considerable increase in local taxes,” Borrello wrote in his legislative justification “To prevent further financial deterioration and stabilize the city’s finances the creation of an interim finance authority is essential.” The City of Dunkirk Interim Finance Authority will function as a corporate governmental agency and an instrument of New York state authorized to issue bonds exclusively for the purpose of financing city-related costs – including the refunding of existing bonds – and for establishing and funding reserves necessary to pay for those bonds the authority will implement fiscal oversight and budgetary requirements on the city aimed at restoring financial stability and enhancing the city’s long-term fiscal management The legislation also provides for state assistance to support the city in efficiently resolving and paying tax certiorari claims further alleviating the city’s financial burden including one each appointed based on the written recommendation of the Senate president Assembly minority leader and the state Comptroller’s Office as well as four members appointed directly by the governor Six members would be Chautauqua County residents Control board members would be unpaid but reimbursed for actual expenses Beginning within one year of issuing bonds the authority must report annually to Dunkirk’s mayor minority leadership in both chambers of the state Legislature and the state Comptroller’s Office on the costs it has financed and the amount of financing for each cost over the past year The city would decide and formally state when it is requesting the City of Dunkirk Interim Finance Authority to finance certain costs with the city mayor requesting the authority to provide financing the authority may enter into agreements with the city mayor and with the approval of the Common Council may also enter into agreements with the authority Agreements have to specify the particular eligible costs to be financed in whole or in part by the authority; outline the financing plan for those costs; detail the method responsible parties,’and terms and conditions under which money provided by the authority will be disbursed to the city The total principal amount of bonds issued to cover the financeable city costs – specifically those resulting from certiorari proceedings initiated on or after June 1 2025 – shall not exceed $800 million in total or other obligations issued to refund or repay previously issued obligations the authority shall issue bonds in the requested amount to pay tax certiorari settlements or judgments of any kind involving the city That number decreases to no more than $10 million in 2032 The authority would also not be able to exceed the city’s debt limits under the state constitution The control period specified in Section 3769 of this title will begin on June 30 submits to the authority a modification to the city’s budget for the 2025 fiscal year 2025; and the authority determines that the modification will reduce the projected gap – through recurring or nonrecurring actions – for the 2025 fiscal year together with any prior budget modifications through recurring actions before May 10 a reduction of at least $50 million per year for the following three fiscal years “This framework is designed to equip the city of Dunkirk with the tools needed to meet its financial obligations while maintaining its status as an independent municipal corporation of the state,” Borrello wrote “It also seeks to improve investor confidence in the city’s debt issuances and enhance the city’s ability to access capital markets during its recovery process The authority will remain in existence until all of its responsibilities and liabilities are fulfilled or otherwise discharged the authority will be transferred to and vested in the City of Dunkirk ensuring a seamless transition as the city moves forward with its financial recovery.” The article in April 12-13 edition of the OBSERVER “Towns may partner in new Pomfret site,” detailed Pomfret Supervisor Dan Pacos’ comments at a recent Pomfret Town Board meeting regarding a potential partnership between the two towns for a new Town Hall While Pacos believes the move would be a fit for both towns residents of the Town of Dunkirk were surprised to hear the news with little to no notice of a potential partnership before the news broke “I was surprised to see the article too,” Town of Dunkirk Deputy Supervisor Jean Crane said “We like our Town Board and residents to be notified of anything before it comes out in the news but it didn’t happen that way.” Pacos spoke with Town of Dunkirk Supervisor Priscilla Penfold about sharing the space With Penfold out of town for the recent meeting confirmed that the Town Board was notified that an offer was made by Pacos to Penfold “There has been no discussion about it whatsoever.” Town of Dunkirk resident Sue Hazelton addressed the Town Board at its recent meeting regarding the article Hazelton felt that Pacos was “making a command for this merger to happen.” Hazelton a frequent attendee to Town of Dunkirk meetings noted how she did not recall such a move ever being discussed “The Town has said it could use more space but is this merge the right merge at this time That’s the big question,” Hazelton said The Town of Pomfret moved to buy a former Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship site in March for its new Town Hall Dunkirk’s current Town Hall on Willow Road is approximately a mile away from the building purchased by Pomfret According to a resolution passed March 6 by the Pomfret Town Board the new building will cost $370,000 to purchase with remodeling and renovation costs totaling up to $600,000 Pomfret is utilizing funds set aside along with federal grant funds to facilitate the move “This sounds very expensive – a million dollars or more – for ‘more parking spaces.’ I don’t think Pomfret is going to let the Town of Dunkirk move in for free,” Hazelton said Hazelton stated that the Town should be more focused on other priorities Crane responded that the Town Board has been focused on the Shorewood Water Project and that it remains a priority “Please don’t let anyone push you into something you’re not ready for,” Hazelton said “I guess it just depends on how comfortable you all feel about such a merge.” The Town of Dunkirk has rescheduled its Town Hall meeting for residents to openly discuss matters in the town to May 8 at 6 p.m. maybe we’ll have information about this “… It’s nothing that’s going to happen right away The Town has also moved the date of its regular meeting in the month of June due to a scheduling conflict The monthly meeting in June will now take place on Tuesday DUNKIRK — The financial challenges keep piling up at Dunkirk City Hall — in part because of a lack of information The city still doesn’t have a full audit of its 2023 finances and audits for the previous couple years only came in recent months Speaking at a Common Council Finance Committee meeting Tuesday Councilwoman Nancy Nichols wondered why the audits were delayed Treasurer Mark Woods cited “health problems.” Mayor Kate Wdowiasz shook her head “We’re still finding inaccurate information “We have very poor record keeping.” The 2023 audit is still held up because the Dunkirk Housing Authority has not provided all the information that auditors are looking for Wdowiasz said she wants an audit of 2024 finances ready by July so it can be available for the process of compiling a 2026 city budget “Please explain to (Editor John) D’Agostino it’s hard to do a budget when you don’t have an audit,” snapped Councilman James Stoyle clearly irked by the OBSERVER editorials on the city’s troubled finances Wdowiasz said that the state “will not certify our debt without a certified 2024 audit.” The debt certification is a key step in the Fiscal Recovery Act passed by the state Legislature in 2023 In other financial news from Tuesday’s meeting: — Woods said the city will soon have to pay $978,731 in principal and interest payments — Fiscal Affairs Officer Ellen Luczkowiak said “We are taking a very close look at all of our utilities” in order to save money She’s been trying to have conversations with gas and electricity providers asked Luczkowiak to provide a report in April highlighting which budget lines are outpacing their spending allotments He wants to know every line that spent 25% or more of its 2025 budget by March 31 — Stoyle proposed doing property taxes for two of the city’s four wards from January through June with the other two wards on a July-to-December schedule He reasoned that it would provide the city a constant flow of tax revenue throughout the year stating that it would add to expenses because the city would have to send out bills at multiple times of the year pointing out that all the bills could be printed at once with some saved for future mailing — Nichols stated the $100 fee to rent a city softball field “is way too low.” She said it causes the city to lose money on events that are longer than a day or two The $100 doesn’t cover city expenses for the longer events Luczkowiak offered to “take that offline and talk about it.” She apparently meant a private conversation “Into the Woods” will be performed Friday to Sunday at Dunkirk Secondary School Students at the Dunkirk Secondary School are busy preparing for this year’s spring musical “Into the Woods.” The musical will take place at the Dunkirk Secondary School Auditorium from Friday to Sunday Into the Woods debuted on Broadway in 1987 and has since been revived 3 times It was the second collaboration between Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests The main characters are taken from “Little Red Riding Hood” (spelled “Ridinghood” in the published vocal score) The musical is tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family (the original beginning of the Grimm Brothers’ “Rapunzel”) their interaction with a witch who has placed a curse on them and encounters with other storybook characters during their journey The musical theatre program has gone through several transitions over the past few years Along with being the general music teacher at Northern Chautauqua Catholic School Janie has an extensive repertoire in directing choreography and performing professionally throughout the region and the East coast She has directed and choreographed over 50 productions and is thrilled to be leading the new team at Dunkirk Secondary School “There is something truly special about the students here,” said Ms Janie (as she is lovingly referred to by her students) “This story is not only about magic but about having faith and trust in others These are things that this cast has learned throughout the process how to have faith in each other and to believe in the magic of the future.” SINCLAIRVILLE – Sinclairville Free Library’s Wednesday afternoon Story Hour with Miss Jessica is very happy to .. NY — In response to the ongoing financial crisis facing the City of Dunkirk Senator George Borrello announced today that he will sponsor legislation to authorize the creation of a financial control board which will be tasked with providing management and oversight of the city’s finances  “The City of Dunkirk’s deteriorating fiscal situation has reached a crisis point and delayed audits threatening the city’s future viability,” said Senator Borrello.  “Over the past several months I have had many conversations with the mayor city council members and county and state leaders including New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli as well as constituents who are very concerned about the future of the city I have tried my best to be supportive and allow the process to continue under local control,” said Borrello the problems have proven to be too large and complex With an 84% property tax increase already in place and essential services at risk it’s time for the state to step in and provide the necessary resources and oversight to restore fiscal stability and ensure long-term accountability.”“I will be introducing legislation in the coming days to authorize the creation of a finance authority that will bring much-needed structure to the city’s financial operations while supporting This type of oversight has worked in other New York communities during times of crisis including Buffalo and Nassau County,” said Borrello “The goal is not to permanently remove local control but to help guide Dunkirk back to fiscal health Dunkirk can move beyond crisis management and finally begin to rebuild with confidence.”  Assemblyman Andrew Molitor will be introducing companion legislation in the Assembly.  “The City of Dunkirk is facing a financial crisis that cannot be ignored any longer we are not only ensuring that the city has the oversight it desperately needs but also empowering local leaders with the support and tools to rebuild and recover This is about providing the city with a chance to regain its fiscal footing and create a sustainable future for its residents,” said Assemblyman Andrew Molitor.  sponsored by Senator Borrello and now-retired Assemblyman Andy Goodell authorized the City of Dunkirk to issue up to $18.5 million in debt to address its multi-fund deficit a November 2024 audit by the Office of the New York State Comptroller reported that outstanding liabilities now exceed $20.5 million The report also cited several ongoing challenges including delayed audits A Dunkirk man is facing charges after creating a major commotion on the state Thruway on Friday afternoon was charged after bizarre incidents that took place shortly after 2 p.m The first incident occurred on Alleghany and Holmes Road when the car he was driving up to speeds of 100 mph went through a guardrail and landed on Interstate 90 another motorist pulled over to check on his wellbeing Payne took that motorist’s vehicle and fled westbound before crashing it on East Church Street in Eden around 3:26 p.m State police charged Payne with felony fourth-degree grand larceny felony fourth-degree criminal possession of a stolen vehicle and third-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer Car crashes through guardrail in Hanover, lands on Thruway clear morning in the city finally brought a cold clear number on the upcoming tax hike: 84% The Common Council unanimously passed a 2025 budget during a special Saturday morning meeting and the city property tax rate is going up to $33.82 per $1,000 of assessed property value That number — up 84% from the 2024 tax rate — is lower than the 108% increase in the initial budget proposal it’s higher than the approximately 69% council had cut it to The 69% relied on a water and wastewater rate structure change that hasn’t happened yet Councilperson-at-large Nick Weiser said added revenue from that move got cut a big reason the number went back up to 84% Wdowiasz vetoed the council’s amendments but the council unanimously voted to override her The mayor said after the meeting she wasn’t surprised at the result Wdowiasz said council cut some part-time positions “I’m not in favor of eliminating positions in such an abrupt swipe of the pen,” she said “I really think that more thought should have gone into it — and seeing as how I proposed the budget in late September passing a budget.” (The council legally had to pass a budget by Dec “I’m hoping we don’t have any shortfalls this year because this version of the budget gives us absolutely zero room for overage.” Weiser noted the budget contains “longstanding contractual obligations which cannot easily be undone” without causing costly legal trouble He emphasized that councilors will continue to look at more options for cuts and added revenue including the water and sewer rate changes removed from the final budget which would alter or eliminate a block-usage system that lets high-volume customers pay less “You have to be realistic about not overprojecting on revenues especially if you don’t know what the revenues will be.” “We tried very hard to bring it down to a more reasonable number to our taxpaying base,” Councilperson Nancy Nichols told the OBSERVER “We’ve had discussions about going on a payment plan so people don’t have to pay (their taxes in) one lump sum We are very disappointed we did not bring it down to the low 60s,” she added Nichols echoed Weiser in saying that council’s room to maneuver was limited by contracts “We cannot touch any of it,” she said The veteran council member bashed both Wdowiasz and previous Mayor Willie Rosas Nichols claimed that during the budget process Wdowiasz discouraged department heads from working with the council on a Weiser request to cut 10% from each of their budgets “We didn’t put ourselves in this position Willie did,” Nichols said of Wdowiasz’s two-term predecessor “All these budgets that we were told were balanced This is the most honest budget we’ve had for eight years.” Weiser stood out in his first budget process as Councilperson-at large “For a new guy in that position he’s done a remarkable job.” many sleepless nights” working on this budget I’m really attracted to the tiny house scene but maybe it’s because when I was a little .. Holding up a city of Dunkirk curbside pickup schedule Department of Public Works head Randy Woodbury encouraged residents last week to use that service for brush disposal after the city eliminated its Lucas Avenue brush dropoff point The city of Dunkirk has eliminated brush drop-offs at its Lucas Avenue Department of Public Works facility “With the tightening of our fiscal belt we really can’t afford to have a drop off brush pile anymore,” DPW head Randy Woodbury told the Common Council last week He spoke in response to a question about the matter from Councilwoman Nancy Nichols DPW officials and Mayor Kate Wdowiasz “got together and said we’re going to try to just pick it up on the (curb pickup) brush schedule,” Woodbury said He said people should store brush on their properties and the city can pick it up according to the published schedule Woodbury said there are two scheduled curbside brush pickups but noted that a pickup is set “if there happens to be a storm.” “We will try to find if there is a private landscaping company that would like to take that over That would be one plan,” he continued “Another thing is that the county planning division has been working on a regional idea with brush for a couple years now It would be nice because it is a regional problem We’ve had people try to sneak in from other communities We’ve had to politely send them away We can’t even really monitor it for our own people right now.” “It’s going to be an inconvenience for a while but I think there’s workaround on that Councilman Abby Zatorski noted the big brush pile at the Lucas Avenue facility was getting removed “We’re going to tub grind that and turn it into mulch and use it for our own facilities,” Woodbury replied “We do have out of city residents that are utilizing that (brush) service and we can’t be having that,” Nichols said “We have enough within the city on our own.” (WKBW) — Lawmakers in the City of Dunkirk voted to approve an 84% property tax hike on Saturday a decision that frustrated many taxpayers and business owners Dunkirk councilman at-large Nick Weiser told me this final decision to increase property taxes by 84% came after the city council voted to override the original proposal by Mayor Kate Wdowiasz that would have increased property taxes by 108% "If I were to describe it in one word, I would say unprecedented," Weiser said in an interview with 7 News earlier this month Q: “What is going into this tax increase that residents are going to get out of it?” Weiser: “This is an effort to close the $5.6 million gap and so we are not including new services.” Weiser told me that the budget deficit was caused by years of the city’s failure to balance the budget properly over the past 30 years One taxpayer has already started a Change.org petition combined with inflation and the cost of living will make it nearly impossible to stay financially afloat I was told she was unavailable for comment and could not provide any statement “The tax rate historically had hardly moved for almost 30 years inflation continues to drive prices up and drive up expenses,” Nick Weiser said “I’m frustrated by this [tax increase] number too… I can assure you that no one in that room wanted to have to make this decision This is a consequence of many years of decision making.” “Everything has increased; I don’t know that I can handle this hike,” Demetri’s Restaurant Owner Shirlene Miller said “I don’t understand why it wasn’t raised a quarter-percent last year or the year before we serve about 4,000 meals a month… We have seen an increase steadily since Covid of people and families that we have never seen before asking for help,” Chautauqua County Rural Ministry Executive Director Bridget Majka said “It’s going to be harder and harder for people to purchase things like food and clothing if they want to keep their homes.” We want to hear what’s going on in your community Share your voice and hear from your neighbors DUNKIRK — Quick work from the Dunkirk Fire Department on Thursday evening prevented a fire originating in the laundry room of a Dunkirk home from becoming a much bigger problem “It looks like we caught it early,” said a City of Dunkirk firefighter on the scene The City of Dunkirk Fire Department responded to a structure fire at approximately 4:42 p.m. crews found smoke and fire coming from the first floor in the rear of the house Firefighters used multiple hose lines and tools to bring the fire under control there were no flames or smoke visible from the street City of Dunkirk Police had Robin Street blocked off from traffic as several firefighters calmly entered and exited the front door of the residence Firefighters also accessed the upper level of the building on a ladder from outside the home There were no injuries reported at the scene The lone occupant of the house made it out safely and received assistance from the Red Cross Firefighters also rescued a pet cat from the residence The City of Dunkirk Fire Department was assisted by the Fredonia Fire Department The cause of the fire was investigated by City and County Fire Investigators the fire was ruled accidental in nature caused by the improper discarding of smoking materials After multiple public hearings were held and adjourned a project on Williams Street proposed by Solar Liberty Energy Systems was not resolved at a recent meeting of the Town Board The Town will continue evaluating the special use permit application and variance requests in the coming weeks The proposed 3.75 megawatt solar energy system would consist of approximately 14,580 ground mounted solar panels across three parcels of land as defined by the Chautauqua County Tax Map The project would be located on the premises at 3751 Williams Street East in the Town of Dunkirk who has previously harvested grapes at the property It is located in a Residential-2 Zoning District The project has been in the works since 2019 when Solar Liberty first started negotiations with Dach for the land to host the project stated that with the market for solar energy systems advancing as much as it has in recent years the capability for the project in question would likely not be available had the project not started when it did in 2019 Rizzo believes the town of Dunkirk will not continue to see as many solar energy project proposals as it has in recent years because the utility connection capacity is near its limit Pictured below is the plan for a 3.75 megawatt solar energy system located on Williams Street East in the town of Dunkirk vice chairman of the Town of Dunkirk Zoning Board spoke in favor of the proposal as not only a member of the Zoning Board but also as a resident of Williams Street with experience as a farmer Miller stated the Zoning Board granted a variance request for the project to proceed despite the Residential Zoning restriction the Town had set Miller said that making an exception for this project is warranted because there are no utilities serving the property the landowner attempted to sell the property prior to considering the solar energy route and the land is not profitable for grape harvesting in its current state Miller spoke to the difficulties grape farmers face with restrictions in place coupled with the rising cost to produce grapes Miller stated five tons per acre is a breakeven point which he believes would be too costly to reach with the property in question Rizzo stated that without water and sewer lines to the property the proposed solar energy project offers both the Town and Dach an opportunity to profit from his land “We feel this is a great opportunity for Mr it’s an opportunity for the Town to make some additional revenue without burdening your system more,” Rizzo said “… This type of development is going to be purely revenue to your tax base.” In reviewing the State Environmental Quality Review Act document submitted with the proposal the Town Board highlighted several areas of concern that required deliberation Among those issues were the impact on agricultural resources the inconsistency with community plans and character of the Town because of the zoning regulations currently in place the Town Board received correspondence from James Dimmer Solar Liberty representatives assured the Town that the land can be returned to agricultural land after the project is decommissioned at the end of its useful life Any noise concerns will only be during construction as the sound of the system will not exceed the decibel level of nature from 100 feet away Traffic plans can be determined in coordination with the Town’s Highway Department at a later date should the project be approved After a discussion with Town Attorney Jeff Passafaro following the latest public hearing the issue came up on the agenda at the regular meeting less than an hour later Passafaro advised the Town of its right to reserve decision on the proposal to a later date Town Board member Phil Leone moved to reserve a decision on the matter which was supported unanimously by the Board The Board anticipates taking action on the proposal — one way or another — at its next regular meeting on Tuesday A complete copy of the application is on file at the Town Clerk’s Office and is available for the public to view during regular business hours Dunkirk’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative is hardly a stunning success The Dunkirk Marina is in “legal limbo,” according to city Planning and Development Director Vince DeJoy Jamestown Community College pulled back plans for a workforce development center on Central Avenue construction is progressing on a mixed-use development in a former bank building within sight of DeJoy’s Stearns Building office DeJoy expects work to start soon on a 80-unit apartment development planned for two locations Kathy Hochul visited the Clarion Hotel in January 2023 to announce the $10 million DRI award as part of a state-backed program Projects that will access the funding were announced in spring 2024 There’s high interest over the status of the DRI in economically depressed Dunkirk Councilperson Natalie Luczkowiak asked DeJoy about it at this month’s Common Council meeting the OBSERVER had an interview planned about it with DeJoy for the next day “it’s in legal limbo,” DeJoy said Previous marina runner Peter Smith found himself on the outs with city officials after a bad July 2023: he was arrested over alleged threats and accused of a fish-stuffing incident at a tournament in a separate incident Triple S was confirmed by the Common Council last year as new marina leaseholders Triple S is suing Smith for not properly conducting the handover DeJoy said he had a meeting planned Friday with Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency officials to discuss the case The DRI project would install new docks at the marina DeJoy made clear the project will continue once the legal problems are sorted out “We’re disappointed the project is stalled but we see that as an important component of what the DRI will accomplish,” he said Waterfront development is a key part of the DRI DeJoy can see a happier DRI story right across the street from his office Peak Development is currently constructing a mixed-use development in the former bank building on the corner of Fourth Street and Central Avenue There will be market-rate apartments on the second floor and commercial space on the ground floor DeJoy acknowledged he is unaware of any firm commitments to using the commercial space He noted that a flatbed truck piled high with construction materials had arrived at the site on the previous day DeJoy added that workers have to do a lot of asbestos abatement Despite the lack of commercial tenants so far “at least we’ve seen some substantive progress happen here,” DeJoy said “I think it will help spur additional collateral development and investment in that area “I personally tried my best to make it work,” DeJoy said of a proposed Jamestown Community College workforce development center in the Graf Building near the corner of Third Street and Central Avenue JCC backed away from the project in December “It was a great project but it probably wasn’t the right time for JCC,” he added The $2.2 million allocated to the project in the DRI will now go elsewhere DeJoy will meet with state officials to hash that out “There’s at least four potential projects” that could get the money They are projects that were proposed for the DRI but didn’t make the cut when Dunkirk officials sent their plan to the state for approval The four projects are for Demetri’s Restaurant and a renovation of the old Ehlers building on Central Avenue DeJoy said some of the $2.2 million could also be diverted into the DRI’s small business fund “It’s basically to assist businesses within the DRI footprint to do projects that could be impactful such as rehabilitation of a facade,” DeJoy said Other projects could include interior remodeling or the purchase of equipment to increase business capacity Businesses that win grants from the fund will have to pay for the projects upfront The grants can reimburse up to 75% of the costs The state mandates that the city hire a consultant to run the fund DeJoy said Dunkirk has received three replies on its Request for Proposals to consultants A decision on who to hire will come within days DeJoy is hoping the fund program can launch by the end of January “We really want to see some great participation” from Dunkirk businesses Regan Development received $500,000 from the DRI for a $35 million project to build 80 apartment units at two sites One of the sites is next to the Save-a-Lot Plaza the other is the vacant lot in the 200 block of Washington Avenue “They’ve submitted applications for housing tax credit financing,” DeJoy said of Regan They are awaiting approval sometime in the first quarter of this year and will proceed with construction once that happens rather they are designated as “workforce affordable housing.” DeJoy said they are “not Section 8,” but acceptance of applicants will be based on income “It’s very much needed here in Dunkirk,” he said “If you ask anyone who’s looking for an apartment here — “We haven’t had much of an update” on plans to convert the former Adams Art Gallery into a community center called Central Hall He said organizers of that project are still trying to get additional funding we want to be ready with another viable project lined up,” DeJoy said — “We’re still trying to put together the Clarion Hotel project,” DeJoy said There was $1 million appropriated for renovations to the city’s waterfront hotel “It’s important to have that presence on the waterfront,” DeJoy said Steelbound Brewery opened a branch in the hotel a few years ago The company is “still very high on Dunkirk” and wants to invest in it although its recent focus has been on opening new locations in Williamsville and Las Vegas — “I hope to have some encouraging news in the next couple weeks” about a project for the building at Washington Avenue and Lake Shore Drive across the street from the Clarion The DRI awarded $500,000 for a plan to convert the building into medical office space and market-rate apartments The project also got a $1 million Restore NY grant He said the building’s owner is bringing a new investor into the limited liability company behind the project The investor will have a majority share in the project Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County (MHA) Executive Director Michael Nordin announced Friday the agency is looking forward to reopening the North County Recovery Center by early May Three weeks ago Nordin reported the center was being closed temporarily because of issues with the building “We have been working with church personnel to determine and remediate the problem which we anticipate will be early next month we will continue to have one of our recovery coaches at Dunkirk’s Friendly Kitchen every Tuesday.” Operated by Chautauqua County Rural Ministry the Friendly Kitchen is at 319 Washington Avenue in Dunkirk “We know how important the Dunkirk center is to the community and we appreciate everyone’s patience We’re looking forward to getting the doors open again and being there for the people who count on us.” Nordin emphasized that until the reopening anyone in recovery from substance use or mental health disorders who would like to talk to or meet with an MHA coach in Dunkirk can call (716) 661-9044 or email info@MHAChautauqua.org – In recognition of the importance of mental health for individuals of all ages the City of Dunkirk’s Treasurer’s Office was closed at the direction of the State Comptroller’s Office This decision was made to preserve critical documents contained within the office as part of an ongoing investigation Mayor Kate Wdowiasz said that concerns over non-standard accounting practices brought to her attention led to the involvement of the State Comptroller’s Office “Practices were made to my attention that weren’t necessarily standard accounting practices due to policies and procedures that I implemented at the end of the year last year and they were very concerning,” Wdowiasz said “The office of the State Comptroller felt it was necessary to involve additional parties into their investigation.” the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office arrived at the Treasurer’s Office with a Grand Jury subpoena and the police department assisted with the shutdown Mayor Wdowiasz confirmed that information is still limited due to the active nature of the investigation It remains unclear if the issues at the Treasurer’s Office are linked to the city’s financial struggles, including the 84 % property tax hike approved by lawmakers in December to cover a $5.6 million deficit. “I know that the city’s finances have been a huge topic of conversation for the last year, and we will get through this,” Wdowiasz said. “I am pushing to implement new software so that we have reports and accurate accounting measures available to us on a daily basis.” City Councilman-at-Large Nick Weiser said he doesn't the city's deficit is related to this ongoing investigation, he added he has been closely monitoring the city's finances since the year and had he has been working for the city to ensure accountability and transparency. However, he believes that the city should consider appointing, rather than electing, the treasurer. “We are among one percent of municipalities in New York state that has an elected treasurer position, I think we need to call for charter reform and look to get that converted to an appointed treasurer position, so we can ensure whoever is in that office has the minimal qualifications required by New York state civil service,” Weiser said. Councilwoman Natalie Luczkowiak has also called for greater transparency in the city’s budget process. “I would like our budget to be as transparent as possible and to know where every single cent is going,” Luczkowiak said. As the investigation continues, Wdowiasz assured that the city will provide more information when it becomes available. We want to hear what’s going on in your community. Share your voice and hear from your neighbors. HomeDestinationsInterestsTop Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to France A unique celebration with a strong fishing theme one of northern France’s most famous and vibrant festivals draws tens of thousands of visitors annually to the coastal city of Dunkirk the carnival captures the spirit of the region’s fishing heritage with music This centuries-old event is a unique blend of local customs and modern festivities offering visitors a deep connection to Dunkirk’s maritime past and a chance to experience one of Europe’s most lively and unconventional carnivals The Dunkirk Carnival is renowned for its vivid celebrations and parades that fill the streets every weekend “La Bande de Dunkerque,” takes place on the Sunday before Mardi Gras (the final day of Carnival) Musicians dressed in yellow fishermen’s coats lead the parade creating a festive atmosphere that lasts for hours A unique feature of the carnival is the custom of tossing smoked herring into the crowd At the climax of the event on the Sunday before Mardi Gras the mayor and city officials throw nearly 1102.31 pounds (500 kg) of herring from the balcony of the Town Hall on Place Saint-Valentin where attendees eagerly await the chance to catch one This quirky tradition harks back to the days when fishermen were about to embark on long voyages and the herring toss symbolizes a blessing for prosperity and good fortune but the most eventful days take place in the final weeks leading up to Shrove Tuesday Starting with the Bath of the Frozen in Malo on January 1 the carnival unfolds with a series of “bandes” (parades) and balls nearly every weekend Highlights include the Beerne Band on February 8 and the Black Cat Ball at the Kursaal the following night alongside other local favorites such as the Armbrouts-Cappel Band on February 9 known as the "Three Joyful Days," begin on March 2 with the first parade featuring the Dunkirk Band and its traditional herring throw Festivities continue on March 3 with a parade along Citadel Strip near Port Museum and culminate on March 4 with the final parade and Rosendael's Band Shrove Tuesday’s events close the carnival with a joyful spirit including children’s events like the Children's Ball of the Knights on March 5 Saturday nights are dedicated to grand balls at the Kursaal where locals and visitors alike can dance to the music of regional bands The peak weekend also features additional celebrations like the Kiekeun Festival on March 7 in Coudekerque-Branche and themed balls such as the Sporting Ball and the Spring Ball later in March These celebrations not only mark the end of winter but also usher in the coming of spring with exuberant parades making it an accessible experience for all visitors some of the grand balls may have ticketed entry and advance booking is recommended due to high demand Parking around Dunkirk can be limited during peak carnival days so visitors are advised to use public transport where possible Special arrangements are often made to increase accessibility with additional transport services and signage to help visitors navigate the festival areas making it a popular destination for visitors from across Europe The carnival is spread throughout the city with many events centered around Place Saint-Valentin and the Town Hall visitors can explore the Dunkirk Maritime Museum which provides insights into the city’s seafaring history which are just a short distance from the city center the historic Fort des Dunes and the picturesque Flemish villages make for excellent day trips The origins of Dunkirk Carnival date back to the early 17th century when local fishermen would gather for a grand feast before setting off on long fishing expeditions to Iceland and Newfoundland The carnival became a way to celebrate and support the fishermen’s journey offering them a memorable send-off filled with music and festivities this celebration evolved into a community-wide event integrating local traditions and welcoming visitors from beyond Dunkirk an association known as “Les Amis du Reuze de Dunkerque” has reintroduced “giants,” large wicker mannequins symbolizing folk heritage adding yet another layer to this unique festival’s traditions Carnival season in France is a vibrant time filled with festive parades and traditional foods that usher in Mardi Gras celebrations the season brings lively events across cities like Nice The Nice Carnival features illuminated floats and the famed Flower Parade while Annecy’s Venetian Carnival sees masked participants wandering the streets Mulhouse boasts grand parades and satirical events and Dunkirk is famous for its herring toss and costumed revelry Each city offers a unique take on this cherished tradition neighbors voiced their concerns about the 84% property tax hike is rethinking whether she made the right choice "What I am paying now for my property taxes The City Council passed the tax increase during a meeting on Saturday morning The council voted to override Mayor Kate Wdowiasz's original proposal which would have increased property taxes by 108% "I don't want to say 84% is better than 108% because we are still in a no-win situation and there's no bright light at the end of the tunnel," said Schanzlin Mayor Kate Wdowiasz did not comment or even make a statement when 7 News asked for one on Monday but I had an opportunity to speak with her directly on Tuesday night "The new tax hike will be about $60 on average a month on a house that's assessed at $50,000 which is about the average increase," said Mayor Wdowiasz Mayor Wdowiasz said she would listen to taxpayers' concerns and seek revenues to help with the costs "I will take constructive criticism at every turn because I am here for the community," said Mayor Wdowiasz Councilmember Natalie Luczkowiak told me the budget is still unacceptable for a city with a poverty rate of 25% "I don't mean to blame anyone for our financial demise We could have worked so much harder and done better—perhaps me too—but it was a great disservice to the community," said Luczkowiak Councilman at Large Nick Weiser said the tax hike is one of the smaller ones in the area "This represents a period of significant change in the city I would encourage people to know that this isn't as high as some of our neighboring communities regarding the tax rate," said Weiser The property tax hike takes effect in January The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) are sailing as a fleet from Ramsgate to Dunkirk over the late May Bank Holiday weekend 21-26 May 2025 There will be 74 Dunkirk Little Ships in the fleet a large number never having been previously seen in the modern era The voyage marks the 85th anniversary of Operation Dynamo the rescue of more than 338,000 British and Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk in late May and early June of 1940.  This will be the first time the Little Ships have made the crossing since 2015 The ADLS arranges a voyage every five years but in 2020 the event was cancelled due to the pandemic The 2025 crossing will be escorted by the Royal Navy and the RNLI with a spectator fleet of modern craft present in Ramsgate and Dunkirk Commemorative events will be held in Dunkirk The Little Ships are planning on sailing from Ramsgate Royal Harbour on 21 May 2025 They will assemble in Ramsgate before the initial sailing date and will likely be berthed in the inner marina The Dunkirk Little Ships (DLS) made their first return to Dunkirk in 1965 The voyage was the brainchild of Mr Raymond Baxter OBE aWWIISpitfire pilot and latera BBC broadcaster who also presented the Tomorrow’s World science programme Baxter was the owner of a DLS motor yacht named L’Orage and was astonished to learn of her wartime history After that first return trip by a handful of ships Commander Charles Lamb and John Knight co-founded the ADLS dedicated to the preservation of the Little Ships in 1966.A return crossing now occurs every five years Ships monthly is published every month and has a cover price of £4.99 Proposed reuse of Graf Buiding on Central Avenue in Dunkirk as a Jamestown Community College campus is no longer in the works Jamestown Community College is pulling out of the Dunkirk Downtown Revitalization Initiative JCC President Daniel DeMarte made the announcement in a Wednesday letter to college employees JCC made a successful application “to renovate the Graf Building on Central Avenue to house a Workforce Training Center (both academic and workforce) that would potentially include childcare JCC currently offers workforce development programs at its North County Center on Route 60 in the town of Dunkirk DeMarte stated the Graf Building project had “specific success criteria.” That included no new costs for the move adequate available transportation and childcare we have gathered data and analyzed every angle of the move resulting in the submittal of our recommendation to not proceed.” He wrote that the JCC Board of Trustees backed the recommendation at its Nov JCC may now look to sell part of the Graf Building property which includes several parcels adjacent to the structure itself The property was used for various Chautauqua County offices and services until 2023 This marks a serious blow to Dunkirk’s DRI an approximately $10 million state-backed project that came complete with a February 2023 visit by Gov Other projects in the DRI include work on Dunkirk’s waterfront and a renovation of an old bank building at Fourth Street and Central Avenue into business and living space Despite Les Maritimes being in the below tier, they are a dangerous team, as they have already proved by beating three Ligue 1 teams in this season's cup competition Désiré Doué - cool as a cucumber! ⚽️✨#TimeToWatch presented by @purnell_watches 📺 pic.twitter.com/iHcm7X3j2F Luis Enrique rested several players against St-Etienne on Saturday Marquinhos and Achraf Hakimi did not feature and Vitinha played the last 30 minutes of the game Midfielder Lee Kang-in will likely miss this game with a foot injury The South Korean picked up the injury on international duty with no timeline for a return MORE: PSG Offer Cryptic Kang-in Lee Update After Suffering Injury With South Korea IMAGO / Sports Press PhotoGK: Gianluigi Donnarumma - The first-choice goalkeeper was on the bench of the game against St-Etienne and will likely come back in for the semi-final RB: Achraf Hakimi - The Morrocan was not in the squad for the weekend game He returned to training on Sunday and will likely start this game CB: Marquinhos - Marquinhos was another player who did not feature from the bench on Saturday after traveling to South America for international duty The Captain should start against Dunkerque CB: William Pacho - Pacho played 60 minutes against St-Etienne The earlier withdrawal may indicate that Pacho may start the game alongside Marquinhos LB: Nuno Mendes - The left-back played just under 30 minutes and will make it a full-strength back four for Luis Enrique CM: Vitinha - Vitinha was the first substitute used in the previous game playing 189 minutes for Portugal on international duty There is a good chance he will start this game. but Warren Zaire-Emery is also pushing for a start but likely come on later in the game CM: Fabian Ruiz - The Spaniard assisted the fifth goal against St-Etienne The injury to Lee Kang-in means Ruiz will likely start this game CM: Desire Doue - Doue has been in great form over the past month He is versatile but will likely start in midfield RW: Bradley Barcola - Barcola added two more assists against St-Etienne The youngster also has 18 goals this season ST: Ousmane Dembele - The Frenchman came on for the last 26 minutes of the game on Saturday He scored for France on international duty LW: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - The Georgian scored the second goal on Saturday and is showing his quality since his arrival in January from Napoli Dunkerque vs PSG French Cup Preview: Start Time, Team News, How To Watch & Live Stream St-Etienne 1-6 PSG: Report and Match Highlights From The Parisians Dazzling Win St-Etienne 1-6 PSG: Player Ratings As Parisians Deliver Emphatic Second Half Show JORDAN MERRITTJordan Merritt is a freelance soccer writer who covers Real Madrid CF, Bayern Munich, and PSG On SI. He is an obsessive soccer fan and an Arsenal supporter. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Chautauqua County government is urging residents in northern Chautauqua County and areas heavily impacted by lake effect snow — including Ripley and Silver Creek — to avoid unnecessary travel as hazardous winter weather continues The National Weather Service has issued a Lake Effect Snow Warning for the region with total snow accumulations of 2 to 3 feet expected in the most persistent bands along with wind gusts of up to 40 mph causing blowing and drifting snow These conditions are leading to poor visibility Residents are advised to stay off the roads whenever possible and to monitor weather updates be prepared for rapidly changing conditions and ensure your vehicle is equipped for emergencies in cooperation with the Mayor’s Office is issued a travel ban until further notice “Only essential workers will still be allowed to travel to ensure that critical services continue uninterrupted,” Dunkirk police reported “Essential workers are those who perform operations and services that are critical to maintaining infrastructure and public health and safety We thank them for their dedication and commitment during this time.” the Dunkirk Department of Motor Vehicle office The office plans to reopen during normal business hours tomorrow County residents in need of DMV services are encouraged to visit the Jamestown or Mayville locations Hazardous conditions in the city and north county include: Always assume any downed line is live and energized Maintain a safe distance of at least 35 feet Treat intersections as a four-way stop if traffic lights lose power — Keeping vehicles off the road will help facilitate snow plowing and ensure emergency vehicles can access the streets safely — Residents are asked to follow alternate parking regulations to assist with snow removal efforts and allow easier access for emergency responders The city of Dunkirk is in line for a mammoth property tax hike Mayor Kate Wdowiasz’s 2025 budget proposal would more than double the rate the proposal calls for a tax rate of $37.75 per $1,000 of assessed property The final budget proposal of previous Mayor Wilfred Rosas in 2024 had a rate of $18.12 per $1,000 assessed – a small hike after years of no increases Wdowiasz was supposed to present two budgets – one that didn’t cut services and one that did as she explained before her official presentation again The alternate budget “shows a glaring $5.2 million hole,” she said green-covered proposal was distributed around the room; the alternate one with a red cover was not but stacks of them were there up front for the taking Many in the room went to get copies of the “red” budget when Wdowiasz finished her speech The obvious difference between Wdowiasz’s green and red budgets: The red one has $5,482,625 less in property tax revenues glancing at the summaries of revenues and expenses The green budget calls for $20,155,054 of general fund revenues The red budget has $14,672,429 in general fund revenues That is also $5,482,625 less than the green budget garbage and Boardwalk funds are the same in each budget Expenses are envisioned as $28,961,502 in both budgets That gives the city a $196,252 surplus in the green budget the red budget shows a $5.2 million deficit — $5,286,373 to be exact The big tax increase comes as Dunkirk experiences financial problems The city has had to take out Revenue Anticipation Notes in the last year and is under state Comptroller’s Office supervision after the Legislature passed a multimillion-dollar Fiscal Recovery Act to help keep it afloat Wdowiasz got right to the point in her budget message “We must face a significant reality: we are facing a tax increase.There are many contributing factors which have led us to this point.” The only factor mentioned was the loss of the NRG plant and its big property tax payments That “can no longer be ignored and must be addressed,” the mayor said The state granted gradually decreasing mitigation payments to help offset that loss of revenue “I have taken the time to understand the budget and the budget process,” Wdowiasz said “I have spent hours meeting with the various departments to listen to their needs and address their concerns The 2025 budget maintains all services available to city residents.” The proposal “adequately funds our police and fire departments,” she added Much of the rest of Wdowiasz’s speech did not strictly focus on the budget She mentioned the city’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative teamwork involved in having the Department of Public Works take over maintenance of ball fields and collaboration with DPW Director Randy Woodbury “to calculate and implement a necessary cost based increase in the water rates for the North County Water District.” The mayor also restated City Hall’s support for Wells Enterprises’ ice cream plant expansion Wdowiasz ended her talk by inviting the Common Council to work with her on the budget She immediately conferred with councilors Nancy Nichols and Nick Weiser when she stepped down from the podium Executive Director Michael Nordin announced Friday that due to some issues with their Dunkirk space the Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County’s (MHA) North County Recovery Center is temporarily closed The center is located in Grace Lutheran Church Nordin apologized for any inconvenience this will cause and said he will announce when it reopens Anyone in recovery from substance use or mental health disorders can reach out to the Jamestown center for help The Jamestown center phone number is (716) 661-9044 and the email address is info@MHAChautauqua.org Coaches are also available to meet in Dunkirk call or visit MHAChautauqua.org or facebook.com/MHAChautauqua A schedule with descriptions of MHA’s dozens of groups and classes is at MHAChautauqua.org/groups Dunkirk is chipping away at a deficit that still tops $2 million Fiscal Affairs Officer Ellen Luczkowiak reported a year-ending deficit of $2,148,000 at a meeting of the city council’s Finance Committee on Tuesday She said the deficit was $2.4 million at a December meeting of the committee Luczkowiak reported a $2.9 million deficit “A lot of that was overtime expenses I don’t think anyone was spending unnecessarily.” Luczkowiak said the city has an available cash flow of about $4.6 million Luczkowiak also explained a list of modifications to the 2025 budget The modifications were tabled by the council at its last meeting Luczkowiak said she and Treasurer Mark Woods had to make the modifications because internal sections of the budget did not balance She stated that “the beginning and the end” of the budget is balanced The modifications are “basically moving interfund monies around to balance each fund,” Councilperson-at-large Nick Weiser said We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money The family of Leo Glogas created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Leo Franklin Delano Glogas passed away on November .. 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All rights reserved (WKBW) — The Trump Administration is slashing $1 billion from U.S Department of Agriculture programs that provide food grown on U.S That appears to include a seasonal food box giveaway at the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry FeedMore WNY received $2 million from the USDA to provide food to thousands of Western New Yorkers and support more than 30 New York State farms executive director of the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry said she's worried about the future of the program “There are hungry people in the United States of America there are hungry people in Chautauqua County in Dunkirk and we need to we need to help them," she told 7 News Folks who came to Wednesday's food drive talked about how the boxes of food help them make ends meet — and some had a message for President Trump That is gonna be cutting off all those programs to help us all.” Cynthia: “If President Trump is hearing this don't cut us back because we need these programs to feed the families.” so I know that God will always supply for me.” Everybody's so happy to come and get this.” The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County announced food box distributions that began Wednesday and run through the end of August Dunkirk Mayor Kate Wdowiasz is vetoing Common Council amendments to her 2025 budget This sets up a whirlwind of behind-the-scenes negotiation before the council meets at 11 a.m Wdowiasz told the OBSERVER Thursday afternoon her veto message was imminent Councilperson-at-large Nick Weiser said Thursday night it was not formally filed yet with the city clerk The council will then meet Saturday to finalize the budget “We are still in the process of having discussions and working to negotiate a final form of the budget,” Weiser said 3 meeting where that body passed the budget amendments “Some of the numbers have been shifting and we’ve been working to get a final budget that will likely be reflected in compromises by both mayor and council,” he said “It is my understanding that council has additional amendments they want to propose at the meeting Saturday.” “I think we’ll all have a sense before we walk in” to Saturday’s meeting about the final details of the budget “There have just been a lot of day to day conversations about it” among city officials One of the problems Wdowiasz had with council’s Dec 3 amendments is that they counted on revenue from a change in water and wastewater billing that hasn’t happened yet Weiser suggested Thursday the council “may shift away from that idea for the time being” in order to get the budget passed Wdowiasz’s initial budget proposal in March socked Dunkirk taxpayers with an approximately 108% tax hike council’s amendments got that down to about 69% once everything is finally settled Saturday Pictured is a scene from the Dunkirk parade last year that includes Girl Scout Troop 20237 The second annual Dunkirk Holiday Parade will be Friday in downtown Dunkirk at 6:30 p.m. Mayor Kate Wdowiasz and the City of Dunkirk Festivals and Specials Events Department announced This year’s theme is “Gingerbread Avenue and Candy Cane Lane,” which encourages participating entries to decorate their vehicles and people with some type of gingerbread and candy cane design Floats are encouraged to play their favorite Christmas music Patterson is a true representative and supporter of his hometown All parade entries must check in at Robin and Third Street by tunnel before going to their designated spot The event will feature pre-parade entertainment with a DJ Dance Party with Rudolph from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m traveling south toward City Hall and ending at the corner of Central Avenue and Fifth Street Trophies will be awarded to the top three best-decorated entries the lighting of the Christmas tree also is planned Interested groups and companies that would like to participate are asked to complete a parade application available at www.cityofdunkirk.com under the Residents/Festivals tabs or pick up form in the Development Office in the Stearns Building The Gingerbread City of Dunkirk will also be on display for public viewing in the Stearns Building window located next to City Hall Spectators are reminded to dress warm to enjoy the holiday event Central Station Restaurant will be open until 7:30 p.m The parade is sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Refresco along with the support from Dunkirk Rehabilitation & Nursing Center Jamestown Community College – North County Extension Center Lil Ginger’s Deli and Access to the Arts Corporate parade sponsors are available at the following levels: $1,000 – Overall Sponsor $250 – Candy Cane Level and $100 – Sugar Plum Level Interested parties can also sponsor a trophy for $25 The city events staff are also looking for photos from any past Dunkirk winter holiday events that can be shared with them at City of Dunkirk at (716) 366-9848 or smekus@cityofdunkirk.com