Thursday, October 15, at 7 pm, Devon Taylor, Chautauqua Town Historian will be giving the Chautauqua Town Historical Society’s monthly talk. The Chautauqua Town Historical Society’s speaker’s programs are normally the third Thursday of the month. The talks are in the Veteran’s Memorial Meeting Room of the Chautauqua Town Hall, 2 Academy Street, Mayville, NY, and free and open to the public.

The Steamboat Era on Lake Chautauqua

For more than 135 years, steamboats were one of the defining features of life on Lake Chautauqua. From the launching of the first steamer in 1827 to the final voyage of the City of Jamestown in 1963, steam navigation transformed the lake from a relatively isolated inland waterway into a transportation corridor, a tourist attraction, and by the 1880s the number one tourist destination in the entire United States! At their height in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, large paddle-wheel steamers carried hundreds of thousands of passengers annually. They connected Jamestown, Mayville, Bemus Point, Lakewood, Chautauqua, Celoron and numerous smaller landings, carrying residents to work and market, tourists to hotels and amusement parks, and church and civic groups on excursions. In an era before good highways and automobiles, the lake’s steamers were both public transportation and entertainment.

Lake Chautauqua was already an important transportation route before the arrival of steam power. Native peoples and early settlers used canoes, flatboats and other small craft. There was even an unsuccessful experiment with horse-powered navigation. The first steamboat on Lake Chautauqua was the Chautauqua, built in 1827. Regular steam navigation began in 1828 with daily service from Jamestown to Mayville, a three-hour trip. The success of the Chautauqua quickly stimulated competition. The early lake fleet was not confined to large passenger vessels. Smaller steamers, ferries, freight boats and excursion boats appeared as communities and businesses around the lake grew.

From transportation route to tourist destination

The greatest transformation in the history of Lake Chautauqua came in the second half of the nineteenth century with the rise of the tourist industry. By the end of the 19th century, not only were there many large steamboats, but many lesser steamboats and other crafts plying the lake. Passengers could ride on the open decks, eat meals, socialize, enjoy the scenery and travel to resorts and amusement parks. Much of this traffic was servicing the tourist trade. Some twenty large resort hotels ringed the lake and dozens of other smaller lodgings, enjoying a symbiotic relationship with the steamboats. The largest hotel was the Grand Hotel in Lakewood, with some 400 rooms, and up to 1000 occupants. The largest steamboat on Lake Chautauqua was the three-decker Jamestown. It was 175 feet long with a capacity of some 3,000 passengers.

The other main mode of transportation were the railroads. The railroad reached Mayville in 1866. By the 1870s they were delivering tourists to the depots, primarily Mayville’s, for transit by steamboats to the area’s expanding lodgings. This change in transportation also made it possible to easily and inexpensively ship goods and materials into and out of the Mayville area and the local economy rapidly improved. For example, the harvesting, storage, and sale of lake ice to Pittsburgh started in 1871 when Adam Hersperger built the first large icehouse on the North end of the lake located in what is now Lakeside Park. The railroad placed a pier in the lake near their depot. The pier eventually came to be 50 feet wide, 300 feet long and was covered to shield passengers from rain and sun. Another pier and a coal dock to fuel the steamboats were also added. It was maintained winter and summer.

There was so much demand for steamboats that the Mayville area became a boat building location. Boats built in Mayville were both large and small. The steamboat portion of this presentation uses resources from the Fenton Museum in Jamestown for listings and descriptions. Pictures of a number of these boats are included. Other railroads and trolleys soon came from Jamestown up both sides of the lake. Property taxes paid on their right of ways and gradually gave the steamboats competition. The money was often used to build and maintain roads and the rising use of cars and trucks led to the decline of transportation by boat. The lake’s steamers increasingly became recreational rather than essential transportation.

The decline of the steamboat

The decline was gradual rather than sudden. One by one, the large steamers disappeared. The City of Jamestown survived long after most of its contemporaries had vanished but made its final voyage in 1963. The history of Lake Chautauqua steam navigation also mirrors the technological history of nineteenth- and twentieth-century America. The progression was remarkable: canoe → flatboat → horse-powered boat → early side-wheeler → large paddle-wheel steamer → steel-hulled steamer → automobile and highway. However, the end of the historic fleet did not mean the end of the steamboat’s cultural importance. The memory of the old vessels remained strong enough that a new paddle-wheel vessel was eventually built to evoke the lake’s steamboat heritage. The Chautauqua Belle, constructed at Mayville in the 1970s, brought paddle-wheel excursions back to the lake. The Belle is only one of five sternwheel paddle steamers currently operating in the United States today. The Belle makes regular runs through the main summer and fall tourist season.

If you’ve enjoyed a “long weekend”, and you’re reading this paper on Monday, Oct. 12, you may wonder: what is today? Is it Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Columbus Day?

The answer depends a lot on where you are, what your calendar looks like and your culture.

According to the Library of Congress, the first recorded celebration of Columbus Day in the U.S. was held on Oct. 12, 1792, by the Society of St. Tammany. The celebration commemorated the 300th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ landing in the Americas. Over the years, the day was commemorated through proclamations, celebrations and other events. In 1934, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated October 12 a national holiday. The date was amended in 1968 to “the second Monday of October.”

In the past few years, many calendars across the U.S. have seen a change for this mid-October holiday. According to the Associated Press, President Joe Biden officially recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2021. The holiday is now recognized by a growing number of states, cities and schools, though the name and form of observance vary by community. Some have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, while others recognize both on the same date.

While the broad recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day has been relatively recent, the holiday celebrations date back several decades. The idea was first introduced at a United Nations conference in 1977. The holiday is an opportunity to highlight the history and culture of Native Americans through education, events and more.

The two observances reflect different histories. For many Italian Americans, Columbus Day has served as a symbol of heritage and belonging. Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes the history, cultures and continuing presence of Native nations, whose homelands long predate European arrival in the Americas.

While it may be confusing for some, the dual names of the second Monday in October can also prompt a broader look at how public holidays shape the stories a country chooses to remember.

Regional manufacturers are invited to attend a free Manufacturing Crossroads event co-sponsored by the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities’ (BPU) Retool WNY initiative and Properly Works, a regional automation systems vendor, on Wednesday, October 28, at the Northwest Arena’s Arena Club.

The drop-in event from 2 – 5 p.m. will allow attendees to see automation solutions that solve manufacturing challenges and talk with business consultants about available grants and funding opportunities for equipment additions to their production lines. The solutions are designed to address production line challenges that can hurt a company’s bottom line.

The event will include robotics demonstrations and opportunities to talk with regional experts about integrating this technology into production lines to improve efficiency.

The region’s newest manufacturer, Electrovaya, will host a tour of its facility at One Precision Way in the Mason Industrial Park at 5 p.m. Electrovaya produces and assembles lithium-ion battery packs. The company is renovating the former Acu-Rite facility.

BPU General Manager Kristofor Sellstrom believes this Retool WNY event celebrating Manufacturing Month will help regional manufacturers see how investments in automation technology could help increase productivity and efficiency.

“Our manufacturers need to take advantage of tools like robotics in order to maximize their output,” Sellstrom said. “In addition, if some repetitive or dangerous tasks can be handled through automation, employees can be trained for more technical jobs on the production line,” he added.

Dominic Myers, President of Properly Works and Chairman of the Buffalo Niagara Manufacturing Alliance (BNMA), encourages regional companies to explore technology that can improve processes and their bottom line.

“Manufacturers need to see what’s possible and connect with people who can help them take the next step. Manufacturing Crossroads brings working technology, practical expertise, and funding resources together in one place, helping manufacturers turn everyday challenges into opportunities to improve and grow,” stated Myers.

Participating companies and organizations include CS Automation, Insyte Consulting, Ganson Street Innovation Station, the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier (MAST), Straight Forward Consulting and Jamestown Community College’s Workforce Development team.

The event is free, but pre-registration is required. Attendees can go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/manufacturing-crossroads-tickets-2000992067138 or contact Ellen Ditonto, BPU Business Development Coordinator, at businessdev@jamestownbpu.com. Registration is open through October 23rd.

More than 20 local manufacturers were represented at a special luncheon hosted on Thursday, October 1, 2026, by the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) and Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) at the Southern Chautauqua County Federal Credit Union Training Center in Lakewood, N.Y. The event provided information and resources to help businesses explore opportunities connected to the growing NY SMART I-Corridor and regional semiconductor supply chain.

Presented through the CCPEG Workforce Development work group, the luncheon brought together business leaders, economic development partners, and industry representatives to discuss how specified Chautauqua County companies may be able to participate in future supplier, contracting, and business development opportunities connected to the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub.

“An important part of our role is making sure Chautauqua County businesses are connected to the major economic opportunities taking shape across our region,” said Mark Geise, Chautauqua County Deputy County Executive for Economic Development, CCIDA CEO, and CCPEG Advisory Board Co-Chair. “The NY SMART I-Corridor has the potential to create new opportunities throughout the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing supply chain, and we want our local manufacturers to understand where they may fit and what resources are available to them. Bringing these resources and experts directly to Chautauqua County gives our companies an opportunity to ask questions, make connections, and begin considering what steps they may need to take to compete for future business as it relates to semiconductors.”

The program assembled representatives from several organizations directly involved in regional business development, workforce development, supply chain activation, research, and commercialization efforts associated with the NY SMART I-Corridor. Speakers included representatives from Invest Buffalo Niagara, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, Insyte Consulting, the University at Buffalo Center for Supply Chain Analytics, and the University at Buffalo Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics.

Their presentations provided local businesses with perspectives on several components of the initiative. Invest Buffalo Niagara is helping connect semiconductor and advanced manufacturers with regional resources and supply chain opportunities, while the Buffalo Niagara Partnership is working with employers and workforce training organizations to strengthen the semiconductor talent pipeline. The University at Buffalo Center for Supply Chain Analytics is leading the Supply Chain Activation Network component of the NY SMART I-Corridor, which is focused on helping regional firms evaluate opportunities to pivot or expand into the semiconductor supply chain. UB’s Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics also helps connect companies with university expertise, research capabilities, funding, and commercialization resources.

The luncheon followed CCIDA’s announcement earlier this year that Chautauqua County was selected to be included in the NY SMART I-Corridor. “SMART” stands for Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology. The statewide initiative is designed to strengthen semiconductor manufacturing, research, commercialization, workforce development, and supply chain capacity across Upstate New York. The corridor spans the Buffalo, Rochester, Ithaca, and Syracuse metropolitan statistical areas, along with the Auburn and Batavia micropolitan statistical areas, covering 11 core counties across Upstate New York. Outreach associated with the initiative is also extending into neighboring counties, including Chautauqua County, to help businesses understand how they may be able to participate in the growing semiconductor and advanced manufacturing ecosystem.

For existing Chautauqua County manufacturers, potential participation could include evaluating whether current products, processes, or capabilities can serve semiconductor companies and their suppliers, pursuing new certifications, investing in specialized equipment, or adapting production to meet emerging industry needs. The initiative also creates opportunities for businesses to connect with regional experts who can help them better understand supply chain, workforce, research, and commercialization resources.

“Chautauqua County has a long manufacturing history, and we have companies here with tremendous expertise and capabilities,” Geise added. “Our goal is to make sure these businesses are connected to the people and resources involved in this growing regional sector. Events like this allow us to bring these connections directly to our manufacturers, help them better understand where opportunities may exist, and give them a starting point for determining what it may take to become part of this supply chain.”

The event also served as an opportunity to kick off Manufacturing Month in Chautauqua County with the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier, highlighting the importance of manufacturing to the local economy and the potential for established companies to participate in emerging industries.

Connecting local businesses to the NY SMART I-Corridor also aligns with Chautauqua County’s broader economic development strategy. The updated CCPEG Economic Development Strategy identifies continued engagement with the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub, stronger relationships with regional innovation leaders, and positioning Chautauqua County as a trusted supply chain partner and growth location among the county’s business development priorities.

Manufacturers that were unable to attend the luncheon but are interested in learning more about opportunities connected to the NY SMART I-Corridor are encouraged to contact the CCIDA at CCIDA@CCIDA.com or 716-661-8900.

Community Inclusion, Inc. is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has selected Christine Schuyler, BSN, RN, MHA, to serve as its CEO/Executive Director.

“We are excited to have Christine lead Community Inclusion,” said Todd Jacobson, MD, chair of the CI Board. “We are confident that this organization and our community will benefit from her passion and expertise.”

Jacobson noted that Schuyler is an accomplished professional with over 30 years of progressive leadership experience in the private and public sectors, dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. She most recently served as the Director of Emergency Services at UPMC Chautauqua and notably served as Chautauqua County’s Public Health Director and Social Services Commissioner from 2008-2022.

“Community Inclusion has a strong commitment to providing high quality medical and dental care that is inclusive of all and accessible by all,” said Schuyler. “This commitment aligns closely with my professional and personal values. I believe that health care must be available to all, particularly those who are underserved.”

Community Inclusion, Inc., formerly The Resource Center’s Community Health Center, is an independent not-for-profit organization, providing primary care and dental care as a NYSDOH-licensed Article 28 Diagnostic & Treatment Center at 890 E. 2nd Street in Jamestown. Its mission is to provide high quality, cost effective, comprehensive primary and preventative health care to the communities they serve, regardless of one’s ability to pay. Those without insurance can access services on a sliding fee scale that is based on their annual income.

“I am excited at the opportunities ahead for Community Inclusion and our community. We are committed to being a trusted organization that truly values our patients, staff, and community. We look forward to working collaborating with all partners to improve health outcomes across the region,” said Schuyler.

For more information on Community Inclusion, Inc., please visit www.cihealthchq.org or phone 716-661-1447.

Megan Arnone Eckwahl has been named to succeed Rebecca Irwin Robbins (Becky), who is retiring after twenty years as the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities (BPU) Communications Coordinator.

Eckwahl leaves her role as Manager of Marketing & Communications for the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum, where she has worked since 2022. Previously, she was the Director of Marketing, Communications and Sales at the Northwest Arena, and spent four years at the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau in the role of Marketing & Communications Coordinator. The new BPU employee also served as Marketing Manager & H.O.G. Chapter Manager at Harley-Davidson of Jamestown.

Eckwahl earned her bachelor’s in communication at the State University of New York at Buffalo after attending Jamestown Community College. A Southwestern High School graduate, she has been active in the community as a Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Member and volunteer, a 2023 graduate of the Chautauqua Leadership Network, and a member of Conduit Ministries. She previously served on the Board of Court Appointed Special Advocates of Chautauqua.

In 2025, the New York State Tourism Industry Association recognized Eckwahl for innovations and leadership in tourism marketing across New York State.

“What draws me to the BPU is its mission and its impact,” states Eckwahl. “I am deeply committed to Chautauqua County, and I am most motivated by work that makes a real, measurable difference in the lives of people who live and work here. Few organizations play a more essential role in the daily life and long-term vitality of our community than the BPU. Reliable utility services are foundational to everything else required for our community to thrive.”

BPU General Manager Kristofor Sellstrom welcomes Eckwahl to the utility. “We look forward to Megan’s service as Communications Coordinator at the BPU, succeeding longtime manager Becky Robbins. We are confident that Megan’s professionalism, talent and experience will prove to be an important addition to our communications efforts.”

Eckwahl resides in Lakewood with her husband, Tom, and his two children. She assumes her duties at the BPU on October 19.

An entertaining event that supports people with disabilities returns when the 10th Mark Pacheco WOW Fund Lip Sync Battle is held Friday, October 16.

The battle takes place at the Celoron Legion, located at the corner of Fairmount and Jackson avenues. The doors will open at 6:00, and the show will start at about 8:00. Admission is $20. Patrons must be 21 years old to attend the event.

The lip-syncing competition is open to anyone. People can participate as solo acts or in a group. The cost to compete is $50 per contestant. Acts will be judged on how well they lip sync; the creativity of their performance; and their “WOW” factor. First place is worth $500, second place is $150 and third is $100.

People wishing to compete must register in advance by phoning event organizer Marcos Figueroa at 716-951-6118.

In addition to the lip-syncing competition, celebrity lip-syncing artists Katrina Twerk Island and Coco Vega are slated to entertain. Besides the on-stage entertainment, there will be drawings for dozens of prizes donated by area businesses, as well as drawings for cash prizes.

Employees of The Resource Center and Filling the Gap assist in conducting the battle. Proceeds from the event will be directed to The Resource Center WOW Fund at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. The WOW (Working on Wonders) Fund supports Chautauqua County residents with disabling conditions to enjoy recreational and travel experiences they otherwise could not afford.

The fund was created in memory of Mark Pacheco, an employee of The Resource Center who died in 2010 of injuries sustained in an altercation on a Jamestown street. Pacheco’s family and friends suggested the establishment of the WOW Fund as a tribute to him and to create something positive from his death.

“I took this opportunity to make a bad situation into something I know Mark would love,” Figueroa, Pacheco’s friend and co-worker, said of the Lip Sync Battle and the WOW Fund. “The money raised goes to individuals with developmental disabilities to grant a wish or a dream that they may have or want but just do not have enough funds.”

Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, Kinetic and Fenton are helping to sponsor this year’s WOW Fund Lip Sync Battle.

For more information about the Mark Pacheco WOW Fund or the Lip Sync Battle, phone Figueroa.

I was scanning checks at a bank branch in Hamburg when a nurse called to tell me I had breast cancer. As she explained surgery and possible treatment, the check images kept moving across my screen. I started to cry. All I could think was, Of course. With everything else going on, now this. I was still trying to get back to the career I loved, and now I had cancer to deal with, too.

It was spring 2024, my second diagnosis. My first mammogram found stage-zero cancer in 2009. This time, it was stage two, in three areas of my left breast. I hadn’t felt a lump either time. Both were discovered through mammograms.

I was already worried about my career and money. After working my way into compliance and earning my master’s degree in compliance law, I was laid off during an internal restructuring of the compliance department following a bank acquisition. I became a floating teller, traveling to branches that needed staffing, doing work I hadn’t done in more than 28 years. Teller work is important, but my heart was in compliance. I wanted to return to the work I loved.

That week, my car lease was ending, and I arranged to get a new car. Then, on a work break, I bit into a tortilla chip and felt something strange. One look in the bathroom mirror confirmed it: a chipped tooth. Great. Anything else going to happen this week? Then came the cancer diagnosis. Somewhere in that whirlwind, I interviewed for an internal fraud analyst position—with my chipped tooth, a lingering cough and a diagnosis I was still absorbing. And I got the job. What a week.

I started the remote fraud job May 14th and had surgery May 24th. The following Tuesday, I was back online for training. I hoped working from home would let me recover, attend appointments and keep moving forward. Then I learned I needed radiation. Fortunately, I didn’t need chemotherapy and qualified for a one-week radiation course. Still, there were planning appointments and daily trips from Dunkirk to Orchard Park, about 40 minutes each way.

Getting time off became a struggle. I felt as though I had to prove that cancer treatment was something I actually needed to do. I wanted to get better. I also wanted to work. I needed the income, but I needed the fulfillment, too. I still had something to offer.

Meanwhile, the fraud job was different from what I expected. Much of it involved calls about restoring Zelle access. Some customers screamed and swore at me. There I was, recovering from surgery in my own home, getting yelled at by strangers. I had to get back to compliance.

Then I found an opening at Alden State Bank. An hour and 10 minutes from home? That was a drive. But I had already driven 45 minutes for work my heart wasn’t in. Why not go farther for something I loved? I applied. Within about 10 minutes, they called. My interview was the morning of my radiation-planning appointment. It felt like the stars were aligning.

That afternoon, another planning appointment was scheduled two days later. I worried about asking for more time off. After hearing my concerns, the doctor overseeing my radiation treatment wrote a note explaining that I had cancer and needed treatment. He underlined “cancer” three times. Someone was standing up for me. The next day, after another difficult conversation about leave, my cellphone rang.

I was offered the job.

When I explained that I needed to finish radiation before starting, my new employer agreed. That kindness meant everything. The following Monday, I gave my two weeks’ notice. My little mic-drop moment.

Radiation wiped me out. By midweek, I came home and fell asleep. I could be determined and still need rest. I finished radiation August 2nd, 2024, and started my new job August 5th.

Everyone’s cancer experience is different. My desk-based work helped make continuing possible. Others need leave and deserve support. But we shouldn’t have to choose between caring for ourselves and having a fulfilling career when support and flexibility can help us do both.

In October 2025, I became compliance officer at Alden State Bank—my dream job. I’m doing work I love with people who welcomed me when I needed a new beginning. I’ve never been happier in my career.

Thank you to my friend Mary Beth for encouraging me to share my story. I hope it reminds someone facing breast cancer that their dreams still matter. Cancer became part of my life, but so did this wonderful new beginning. I’m still who I am—and I’m still moving forward.

The Chautauqua Center (TCC) is partnering with Roswell’s Eddy Mobile Cancer Screening Unit, Brooks Hospital TLC Dunkirk, and UPMC Chautauqua Jamestown to offer its annual Mammogrammy events as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. These events are about empowering through prevention and encouraging everyone to “Be bold, get screened!”

The Mammogrammys aim to provide expedited mammogram screenings for current patients at TCC, while also offering a relaxing and supportive atmosphere to the entire community. While all mammogram appointments have been filled on the Eddy unit and at the hospitals this year, everyone is encouraged to attend the accompanying free and open events.

Event Dates and Locations:

Jamestown: Tuesday, October 13th, from 9AM-3PM at The Chautauqua Center, 107 Institute Street.

Dunkirk: Thursday, October 15th, from 9AM-3PM at The Chautauqua Center, 75 E. Third Street.

Attendees can enjoy a variety of activities focused on relaxation and well-being:

• Beauty & Health Care Demos (manicures, facial waxing, and hair tinsel, braiding, and up-dos)

• Massage Therapy

• Seasonal Snacks & Beverages

• Free build-your-own bouquets

• Fitness demos

• Music and Photobooth

• Cancer prevention information and community resources

• A Chance Auction (basket auction/giveaways)

• A quiet discussion space

TCC emphasizes the importance of regular mammograms for early detection of breast cancer.

“We understand that various factors can prevent individuals from getting a mammogram, including inconvenience, waiting times, and fear,” said Michael Pease, The Chautauqua Center CEO. “We want to make this process as easy and comfortable as possible for our patients. At the same time, these spa-day events are a way to give back to the community as its health center.”

The American Cancer Society provides the following guidelines for women at average risk:

• Women between 40 and 44 — Have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year.

• Women 45 to 54 — Should get mammograms every year.

• Women 55 and older — Can switch to a mammogram every other year or continue yearly mammograms.

Preventative screenings are covered by most insurance plans.

Mammogrammys are organized by The Waterfront Foundation, working alongside The Chautauqua Center to improve community health and wellness.

Special thank you to our contributing supporters — Brenda R. Eno Breast Cancer Fund at the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York.

Thank you to our preventative mammography partners — Roswell’s Eddy Mobile Mammography Unit, Brooks-TLC Hospital System and UPMC Chautauqua.

Options Care Center is inviting the community to come together for its annual Walk for Life on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 560 West 3rd Street, Jamestown, New York.

The Walk for Life is a family-friendly event that brings the community together to celebrate life while raising vital funds to support the mission and programs of Options Care Center.

Online registration is now open, and participants can choose to register as a walker, make a donation, or become a fundraiser. In-person registration will begin at 10:30 a.m. on October 17, with the walk beginning promptly at 12:00 p.m.

Participants are encouraged to come early and enjoy the fun before the walk begins! Families can visit the bubble station and let their creativity shine with sidewalk chalk. Walkers can also participate in a Walk Scavenger Hunt Challenge, adding a little extra fun and friendly competition to the event.

Food trucks will be on-site, giving participants and families an opportunity to purchase lunch and enjoy time together before or after the walk.

All proceeds from the Walk for Life benefit Options Care Center and help support its ongoing work serving women, men, and families in the community.

Whether you walk, raise funds, donate, or simply come out to show your support, everyone is invited to be part of this special day.

Event Details

Options Care Center Walk for Life

Saturday, October 17, 2026

560 West 3rd Street, Jamestown, NY

In-person registration: 10:30 a.m.

Online registration: https://givebutter.com/MOMS_ROCK_walkforlife

Walk begins: 12:00 p.m.

Food trucks: Available for lunch purchases

Family activities: Bubble station, sidewalk chalk & scavenger hunt

For more information about Options Care Center and its life-affirming work in the community, please contact Options Care Center at 716-664-5459.

When New Horizons flew past Pluto in 2015, the world was stunned by a distant, icy world with a giant heart-shaped glacier across its face. Many of the sharpest views came from LORRI, the powerful telescopic camera aboard the spacecraft. Steve Conard, then an optical engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), led the team that built and tested it. Now you can hear LORRI’s story directly from the engineer who led that team. Join us at the Martz-Kohl Observatory on Wednesday, October 21, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern for his talk, “LORRI: The Camera That Showed Us Pluto.”

New Horizons left Earth in January 2006 faster than any spacecraft before it, crossing the Moon’s orbit in about nine hours. The spacecraft is about the size of a grand piano and runs on a nuclear power source, because sunlight is too faint for solar panels that far from the Sun. It used a 2007 flyby of Jupiter to pick up speed, then coasted nearly nine and a half years to Pluto, passing just 7,800 miles above the surface in July 2015. LORRI’s 8.2-inch telescope revealed details as small as a few hundred feet across, including towering ice mountains, flowing nitrogen glaciers, and Pluto’s largest moon, Charon. On New Year’s Day 2019, New Horizons flew past Arrokoth, a small, ancient Kuiper Belt object and the most distant world ever explored up close. The spacecraft is still operating today, billions of miles from home.

Conard will follow LORRI from design, construction, and testing through two decades in space. He will share its images from Jupiter, Pluto, and Arrokoth, along with the inside story of the mission. As both a spaceflight engineer and a lifelong amateur astronomer, he offers a view of the mission few speakers can match.

“I was fortunate enough to be the lead engineer for LORRI from 2003 through 2024, so I had a front-row seat for the whole amazing journey, from building and testing the camera on the ground to seeing Pluto come into focus,” says Conard.

Conard’s career grew out of his enjoyment of telescope making as a teenager. After his undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona, he joined Johns Hopkins University in 1982 and stayed for 42 years. He began by supporting sounding rocket experiments that studied the upper atmosphere in far-ultraviolet light, then worked on NASA’s Astro-1 and Astro-2 space shuttle missions and the FUSE satellite. In 2002 he moved to APL, the nation’s largest university-affiliated research center. There he built instruments for NASA’s CONTOUR mission before beginning his two-decade role on New Horizons. He later served as integration and test engineer for L’LORRI, a similar camera on NASA’s Lucy mission, which is surveying the Trojan asteroids that share Jupiter’s orbit.

Now retired and living in Wellsboro, PA, Conard remains an avid amateur astronomer. He is a founding member of the Pennsylvania Wilds Astronomy Club and a member of the International Occultation Timing Association. Through that work he has discovered two asteroid moons, and asteroid 149163 StevenConard is named in his honor. He and several colleagues also founded Second Light Observatory Services, a nonprofit that provides free skilled labor to help college observatories with repairs. Away from the sky, he enjoys minor league baseball, craft beer, and railroading history.

The talk will be presented live via Zoom and shown on the big screen at the Martz-Kohl Observatory. We warmly encourage you to join us in person. Watch alongside fellow stargazers and put your own questions to Steve during our always-lively Q&A session. If the weather cooperates, the evening will end with guided tours and viewing through our telescopes. Please dress for the elements: our classroom is heated, but the observatory domes are not.

Those unable to attend in person may join online. For more information and the Zoom link, visit martzobservatory.org.

The Martz-Kohl Observatory is managed by the Marshal Martz Memorial Astronomical Association, Inc., a non-profit organization of amateur astronomers. The association is committed to observational astronomy, with a particular emphasis on educational outreach, citizen science, and the enjoyment of stargazing. The observatory is located at 176 Robbin Hill Rd, Frewsburg, NY 14738.

Seven members of the Zonta Club of Jamestown joined Zontians from around the world at the 67th Zonta International Convention, held July 11–14 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The international gathering brought together Zonta members from around the world for four days of education, networking, organizational business and inspiration focused on advancing Zonta’s mission of building a better world for women and girls. The Convention offered keynote presentations, interactive educational sessions, networking opportunities, advocacy activities and discussions about the future of Zonta International.

Among the keynote speakers were Sally Armstrong, a Canadian journalist, humanitarian and author known for her work on women’s rights, and Melina Laboucan-Massimo, a Lubicon Cree advocate for Indigenous rights, climate justice and sustainable solutions. Both speakers challenged attendees to consider ways they can create positive change in their communities and around the world.

The Convention’s “Build a Better World” Breakthrough Sessions offered practical ideas on leadership, advocacy, human rights, gender equality, violence against women, climate action, membership and communications. Sessions also explored engaging younger members, protecting children online, ending period poverty and strengthening Zonta’s “Zonta Says No” campaign.

Convention participants also took part in the Zonta Says NOW Walk/Run for Gender-Equal Climate Action, attended business sessions and participated in discussions concerning the organization’s future.

For the Zonta Club of Jamestown, the Convention was especially significant because three local members were elected to leadership positions within Zonta District 4 for the 2026–2028 biennium.

Eileen Healy was elected Area 5 Director, Jill Colburn was elected District 4 Treasurer, and Rosie Papalia was elected District 4 Lieutenant Governor.

The Convention also provided an opportunity for the Jamestown members to meet and exchange ideas with Zontians from many countries and to learn about innovative service and advocacy projects being conducted around the world. The members returned home with new ideas and renewed enthusiasm for putting Zonta’s mission into action in the Jamestown community.

The Zonta Club of Jamestown, chartered in 1921, has a long history of service to the local community. Zonta International is a global organization of individuals working together to build a better world for women and girls through service, advocacy, education and fellowship.

The Zonta Club of Jamestown continues to support women and girls through scholarships, service projects, advocacy efforts and partnerships with local organizations. For more information about the club go to zontajamestown.org or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Riders can drop off a non-perishable food item on any CHQ Transit bus to receive a $1 coupon off their next ticket. One coupon per donation. The last day for donations will be November 16, 2026.

The event is called “Fill the Bus” with the goal of collecting enough donations to fill a CHQ Transit bus. Visit CHQ Transit’s Facebook page and website for updates and final donation totals.

Donations will be delivered to the First Covenant Church Food Pantry, Jamestown SDA Church, and The Lord’s Vineyard Church.

CHQ Transit Senior Project Coordinator Michele Westphal encourages the Chautauqua County community to participate.

“The Fill the Bus campaign is a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together and support local families in need. We encourage everyone to donate canned goods and other non-perishable items and help fill the bus with generosity this season,” Westphal said.

Donation drop boxes are also set up at the CHQ Transit Jamestown office located at 234 Hopkins Avenue, Jamestown, and the Dunkirk office, located at 2 Aero Drive, Dunkirk. Agencies, community groups or businesses interested in setting up a drop box to collect donations for this event are asked to contact Ethan Luce at Ethan.Luce@chqgov.com.

SWNYDLFC is celebrating the internationally recognized Year of the Woman Farmer with our upcoming Tractor Safety Workshop. This educational program is designed to build the confidence and skills needed to operate and maintain farm equipment safely and responsibly. SG Groat, an experienced tractor safety trainer, will be instructing attendees in tractor functionality, maintenance, and safety.

Registration for these programs is separate based on location. Registration is required as space is limited and will close once capacity for each program is reached.

Rodgers & Sons Inc., Cherry Creek NY

Saturday, October 31st, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

7406 NY-83, Cherry Creek, NY 14723

Cost is $30/person

Register by call/text to Katie Callero at 607-422-6788 or email swnyteam@cornell.edu.

SWNYDLFC is a partnership between Cornell University and the CCE Associations of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Steuben counties. Their team includes Katie Callero, Dairy Management (607-422-6788); Katelyn Miller, Field Crops and Forage Management (716-640-2047); and Amy Barkley, Livestock Management (716-640-0844). Cornell is an equal opportunity employer. For more information visit hr.cornell.edu/eeo.