State expects bumper crop of wine grapes

State expects bumper crop of wine grapes By BEN DOBBIN ASSOCIATED PRESS 8/31/2006
	Click to view larger picture Buffalo News file photo Although Western New York's grape yield is down, the Finger Lakes region expects a heavy harvest. ROCHESTER - Despite a projected 10 percent drop in New York's overall grape crop this year, a mild winter, plentiful rain and rising consumer demand could help generate the biggest supply of wine grapes since 1999. An estimated 160,000 tons of grapes will be produced statewide in 2006, down from 178,000 tons last year, according to a growers' survey by the National Agricultural Statistics Service's field office in Albany. The key reason for this year's decline was a spring frost that devastated grape-juice suppliers in Erie, Niagara and Chautauqua counties. By contrast, better-than-average growing conditions in the Finger Lakes and Long Island wine regions could help yield as much as 60,000 tons of wine-producing grapes - up sharply from 46,380 tons crushed in New York last year. Although a final tally won't be known until January, that would be the biggest wine-grape harvest since 61,120 tons were crushed in 1999. "Whatever it is, it should be a pretty significant increase over the past two years because we didn't have the winter damage," said Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. With 31,000 acres of vineyards, 239 wineries and nearly 1,400 grape farms, New York state is the nation's third largest wine producer and third largest grape grower behind California and Washington. It typically churns out about 200 million bottles of wine each year, generating more than $1 billion in sales. Harsh winters in 2004 and 2005 left many wineries "low on inventory, so they're looking to replenish their warehouses," Trezise said. "The reputation of New York wines keeps going up and up, and so people really want them." That rising demand could persuade growers to turn a larger percentage of their Concord, Niagara and other native grapes into wine instead of grape juice, Trezise said. Many growers in the Lake Erie region, which accounts for two-thirds of New York's grape crop, lost at least half their crop to a late-April frost. But most Finger Lakes vineyards "experienced excellent growing conditions" and "there has been lots of rain which has increased berry sizes," the statistics agency said in a report this month. In addition, Long Island grape production is expected to be "average to slightly above average," it said. In California, the wine grape crop will be 10 percent lower than last year, according to a state Agriculture Department forecast that estimated a statewide crop of 1.9 million tons. California accounts for 90 percent of the nation's grape production, with Washington state at 5 percent and New York at 2 percent. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Chautauqua County & NY Wine Facts

Wine Facts

There’s no doubt that the wine and grape industries are a significant portion of Chautauqua County’s economy. The vineyards right here in our backyards are part of a much larger statewide industry. The July/August 2006 edition of Rural Futures, a publication of the New York State Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, included a list of facts and figures related to the wine and grap industry. Some of those facts are:

• New York State’s wine, grapes and grapes juice industries have a $3.3 billion economic impact each year, and support 36,000 jobs.
• New York is the nation’s third largest grape and wine producer.
• There are five major wine producing regions in the State: the Finger Lakes, Long Island, the Hudson River, Lake Erie and Niagara Ecarpment.
• There are more than 230 wineries in the State, including 148 established in the last 20 years, and 63 in the past five years alone.
• Wine production has increased more than 50 percent in the last 20 years to nearly 200 million bottles annually.
• New York winery sales account for $420 million a year and more than 4 million tourists visit wineries annually.

If you haven’t had a chance, why not be a tourist in your own backyard and visit one of the many wineries located right here in Chautauqua County?

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Summer�s Not Over, Is It?

Summer’s Not Over, Is It? 8/30/2006 - Roadsides lined with little except Queen Anne’s lace and late-blooming chicory are as much a harbinger as is the calendar that brings August to a close tomorrow. While maples here and there are showing signs of the beginning of autumn already and vineyards are heavy with ripening fruit, we can see summer’s final burst of color from goldenrod is imminent. We would like to hang onto this summer a bit longer. It was long and lazy — downright hot a few times — and we had just enough rain to keep everything green and growing but not enough to interfere with summer fun. We missed having the Nature Art Festival in Jamestown, but everything else was simply marvelous. By tradition, summer is not over until the final events at Bemus Point this weekend. First up is the Trombone Salute featuring John Marcellus and the Eastman School of Music students in concert at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on the floating stage in Bemus Bay. And then on Sunday, the full symphonic Bemus Bay Pops orchestra brings us the Labor Day Finale with music and fireworks starting at 6:30. Jamestown’s Labor Day Festival at Bergman Park is Sunday, by the way. A bit further west, we note, Findley Lake is marching onward without looking back and so has its ninth annual harvest festival — yes, harvest — all three days this weekend. Crafters, artists, live music, wine tasting and an ox roast will be under way 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The Historical Society’s annual quilt show is Saturday. And then, come Tuesday, there we will be — Sept. 5. The youngsters will be back in school, football season will be well under way, days will keep getting shorter and it will be — are you ready? — just eight weeks to Halloween. As much as we enjoy glorious autumn in these parts, we would, as we said, like to be able to hang onto summer just a little longer. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Lake Commission Showcasing Action Plan To Public

Lake Commission Showcasing Action Plan To Public

By PATRICK L. FANELLI

CLMC Action Plan Public Meetings ¯ Chautauqua Institution, Lenna Hall — 7 p.m. Thursday. ¯ Bemus Point, Village Casino — 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7 ¯ Fredonia, BOCES school — 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14 ¯ Jamestown, Robert H. Jackson Center — 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21 ¯ Southwestern Central School — 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28

8/30/2006 - Lake experts’ 14-point plan to fix Chautauqua Lake’s problems is finally in the hands of county legislators, and lake advocates are banking on public support to see the plan adopted.

To illustrate the importance of the Chautauqua Lake Management Commission’s 2007 action plan, CLMC officials will host five public meetings across the county to showcase it to the public, answer their questions and seek their support before its fate is sealed at the Sept. 27 County Legislature meeting.

‘‘I think it’s a historic first step — a unified way of addressing the problems of the lake,’’ said Bill Evans, CLMC chairman and a resident of West Summit Street, whose own yard faces the weed-choked waters of Chautauqua Lake’s shallow south basin. ‘‘I’ve lived here for 30 years and I’ve never seen something like it before.’’

If passed, the 14-point 2007 action plan would cost $567,360 and address numerous problems faced in both the lake and the watershed.

For instance, one point in the plan would provide the Chautauqua Lake Association — which physically maintains the shoreline, most notably by cutting and collecting lake weeds — with almost $90,000 for additional workers.

The plan would also allocate $60,000 to control the buildup of debris in the lake that is carried down streams and canals, and $15,000 to evaluate additional sites in the watershed that could be set aside as conservation land.

‘‘It’s a major step for addressing the problems and challenges in both the lake itself and the watershed around the lake,’’ Evans said.

According to Karen Rine — CLMC member and president of the Chautauqua Lake Partnership, which advocates the use of herbicides to control invasive weeds in certain parts of the lake — the decision ultimately rests with the County Legislature. That’s why commission members hope residents will support the plan.

‘‘We’re looking for support from the public to help us convince the county,’’ Mrs. Rine said.

That’s the purpose of the meetings, according to Evans — but especially important is the Sept. 27 meeting of the County Legislature.

‘‘That’s the most important of all six meetings,’’ Evans said. ‘‘It’s important to have an opportunity to understand what we’re doing, and you need to be at that meeting so the 25 members of the legislature understand it’s important to the public.’’

The CLMC was formed a couple years ago to combine the separate lake organizations and develop a comprehensive plan for Chautauqua Lake.

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Mazza Wine Cellars

Distillery is Latest Innovation from Mazza in Upstate New York

The new distillery at Mazza Chautauqua Cellars, which opened this summer in Mayville, NY, will release its first, distilled fruit beverages over Labor Day weekend. Picked at the moment of peak ripeness, the regionally grown fruits have been gently crushed and distilled in Mazza’s two-story, hand-crafted, copper pot still imported from Germany, then bottled as “eau de vie,” a French term for a distinct class of spirits that, translated, means “the water (literally) or essence of life.” Plum, cherry and apple varieties will be available.

Popular in Europe since the 17th century, eau de vie has only in recent years been introduced in the United States. Unlike brandy, which is distilled and aged for years, often in oak barrels, eau de vie is meant to be sipped while it is still “young” so that you can enjoy its lively, fresh-fruit aroma.

Visitors to Mazza Chautauqua Cellars can sample the three different varieties of eau de vie for a nominal fee, refundable upon purchase of one bottle or more. Tempting slices of cheesecake and other sweets are available in a café that adjoins the tasting room.

Mazza Chautauqua Cellars, distillery and café is the latest in a long line of innovations by North East vintner Bob Mazza and his family. Located on a five-acre property that includes an outdoor terrace, pond, and beautifully landscaped grounds, Mazza Chautauqua Cellars evokes the European countryside.
“Expanding into New York was a natural,” says Bob Mazza, who established Mazza Vineyards with his wife Kathie in North East, Pa., in 1972 and has longstanding relationships with area fruit growers.
Mazza Vineyards was the first Pennsylvania winery to pioneer ice wine, a rare and distinct wine that results from pressing grapes while they are still frozen. The winery also broke new ground with its line of sherry and port, opening new markets for Mazza and other Pennsylvania wineries interested in producing fortified after dinner wines.
Now the Mazzas’ son Mario is infusing the business with fresh, new ideas like eau de vie.
Mario returned to the family business in December 2005 after earning a master’s degree in enology and viticulture at the University of Adelaide in Australia and an engineering degree at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. For two years he worked alongside some of
Australia’s most innovative winegrowers in the Barossa Valley, where distilling is an important part of an expanding wine and grape industry.
Mazza Chautauqua Cellars will also be importing wine from Australia and producing an additional line of distilled beverages, including liqueurs, to be released in 2007.
Mazza Chautauqua Cellars, distillery and café is located less than half a mile from the entrance to Chautauqua Institution and is open seven days a week for tastings, lunch and desserts. A private meeting room and upstairs deck are available for bridal showers, small family gatherings and business meetings of up to 25 people.

Mazza Chautauqua Cellars
4717 Chautauqua Stedman Road
Mayville, New York
716-269-3000
mcc.mazzawines.com


For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Chautauqua October Getaway

PLEIN AIR PAINTING WORKSHOP AT THE SPENCER OFFERS ARTISTIC WEEKEND GETAWAY IN BEAUTIFUL CHAUTAUQUA-LAKE ERIE REGION

This fall, The Spencer is offering a very special weekend getaway for painters and would-be painters who are interested in learning the art of plein air painting. From October 6-8th, The Spencer, a literary-themed hotel located on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution, is hosting a Plein Air Workshop to be conducted with Carol L. Douglas, a well-known regional artist and instructor with work in public and private collections, as well as the Chair of New York Plein Air Painters, the area’s chapter of the premier society of plein air painters.

Douglas studied with Cornelia Foss, Joseph Peller and others at the Art Students League in New York, and with Stephen Carpenter in Rochester. She teaches from her Rochester studio as well as en plein air. Her work has been shown in solo and group shows, including in two Chautauqua National Exhibitions.

During the Plein Air Workshop at The Spencer, participants will enjoy a walking tour of the Chautauqua grounds on the evening of Friday, October 6th with Carol L. Douglas, followed by a wine and cheese reception. On Saturday, October 7th, guests will participate in two three-hour instructional sessions, completing the day’s workshop with a group critique of participants’ work. In the evening, an elegant off-site group dinner will be hosted for the guests. On Sunday, participants will finish with a three-hour painting session, followed by a short group debriefing, with painters invited to stay on the grounds to paint uninstructed following the completion of the workshop. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to participants on both Saturday and Sunday. The cost of the Plein Air Workshop at The Spencer is $599 per person.

For more information and reservations, contact 1-800-398-1306 or visit http://www.thespencer.com/

The Spencer is celebrating 100 years of history in 2006. Each room at The Spencer pays homage to a renowned author, depicting scenes from their most famous works. For instance, in the C.S. Lewis (Room 302), a mural dedicated to “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” depicts the image of stepping into Narnia, complete with the famed wardrobe. In the Isak Dinesen (Room 203), a play on the “Out of Africa” theme allows guests to slumber under their very own dream-like safari tent, while the Jules Verne (Room 306) gives the playful feel of sleeping up in a balloon traveling “Around the World in Eighty Days.

In addition to the imaginative murals, each room at The Spencer is beautifully furnished with English lace, Strauss crystal, oriental carpets and Victorian antiques. Custom upholstery and drapes add to the sophisticated stylishness of this premier property.

In 1997, The Spencer underwent a $3 million renovation to modernize the 26-room property while restoring many architecturally-significant features of the hotel to provide guests with an unparalleled getaway experience. Today guests at The Spencer can enjoy distinctive and imaginative small hotel surroundings while taking advantage of one of the most renowned cultural and learning centers for the arts and humanities in the Americas.

The Spencer is close to many other interesting attractions including the Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz Museum, the 1891 Fredonia Opera House, the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center, the Audubon Nature Center & Sanctuary, and The Summer Wind Steamboat. Visitors to The Spencer can also enjoy area activities such as golfing at the nearby course designed by Donald Ross, tennis, winery tours along the Erie wine trail; hiking and biking the Chautauqua Rails-to-Trails, hot-air ballooning, fishing, boating, canoeing and horseback riding. The Spencer staff can assist with arrangements.
The Spencer is located in the heart of the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution, a not-for-profit, 750-acre educational center located on Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, where approximately 7,500 persons are in residence during a nine-week summer season, which runs from June 24 – August 27, 2006, enjoying courses in art, music, dance, theater, writing skills and a wide variety of special interests. The Spencer is located off I-90 at exit 60 for the Chautauqua Institution, and is just 9 miles west of Jamestown, NY; and a one-hour drive from Buffalo, NY and Erie, PA.

For more information or reservations, please dial The Spencer at 1-800-398-1306 or visit www.thespencer.com

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Stow Ferry Up And Running

Stow Ferry Up And Running

By PATRICK L. FANELLI

‘‘Finally, something everyone didn’t think could be done is done.’’ — John Cheney, Ellery resident

8/28/2006 - After weeks of delays, setbacks and work, the Bemus Point-Stow Ferry is finally up and running — this time for good.

Ferry officials even have a schedule set for the last few weeks of the summer so residents and vacationers will know when to make a stop at one of the vessel’s landings on either side of Chautauqua Lake.

‘‘I’m happy to report that the ferry will run, and we’ll not only be selling tickets, but we’ll also be gratefully accepting donations,’’ said county Legislator Fred Croscut, R-Sherman, who helped get the ferry up and running again.

According to Croscut, tickets will be $3.50 a person and vehicle. Hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends and noon to 6 p.m. weekdays. Regular hours began Saturday.

Ellery resident John Cheney was instrumental in getting the ferry running again and was relieved all the hurdles had finally been cleared.

‘‘Finally, something everyone didn’t think could be done is done,’’ Cheney said.

He also said the ferry might run later than 6 p.m. each day if there is a demand for it, but added it would depend on ridership.

The Bemus Point-Stow Ferry used to be run by the non-profit Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels Company. Mismanagement led Cheney and a handful of public officials to lead an effort to get the ferry up and running again — an effort that spanned the entire summer.

They initially hoped to have it running by July 4, but the difficulty of acquiring the necessary insurance resulted in delays.

The ferry operated for a day or two in mid-July until one of the cables that guides it across the lake snapped — and it took some time before a replacement could be purchased.

Finally, though, the insurance is in place, the cables have been replaced, and Cheney has made every upgrade to the ferry that was possible — making public officials confident it will run daily until the end of the season.

‘‘I don’t know what else we can do with this ferry,’’ Croscut said. ‘‘It’s in the best shape I can say it’s been for years.’’

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Cables, insurance put ferry back in business

BEMUS POINT -- After being dry-docked for several weeks, the Bemus Point-Stow Ferry will be back in operation this weekend.

Volunteers and local officials, led by Ellery resident John Cheney, were able to obtain new cables and insurance for the ferry. Chautauqua County Legislator Fred Croscut said the more than century- old vessel will be running today and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"The new cables have been installed and . . . workers compensation insurance is in place," he said.

Croscut said the ferry, which crosses Chautauqua Lake at its narrowest point, will operate at least the next two weekends.

Plans are under way to operate it later into September, with a Sept. 16 fundraiser being organized to pay operating costs. Details will be announced later.

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Horsin� around

Invading the new clothing store at Red Brick Farm in Mayville, these horses are among many to be auctioned off Saturday, Sept. 16 as part of Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation’s 2006 campaign.

A herd of horses, stylized and interpreted by 36 regional artists, is stampeding into Chautauqua County this summer. The decorated rocking horses will be auctioned off at this year’s Horsin’ Around for Westfield Memorial Hospital — all proceeds to benefit the hospital.

‘‘These works of art are children’s wooden rocking horses and they can be seen in sponsors’ businesses throughout the county this month,’’ Ann E Weidman, foundation president, said, adding that sponsors are those who have contributed to the purchase of the horses.

From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Miller Bell Tower on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, the horses will line up at the starting gate to be auctioned off in the first Horsin’ Around for WMH Derby. Participating sponsors, listed on the left of this page, also may be found on the official Web site: http://www.morganshorse.com./

In the meantime, however, each is available for pre-sale, the price is clearly marked at the display sites.

The original rocking horses was crafted by Roland Gebhardt, a New York City artist, for his two-year-old son, Morgan, more than 30 years ago. Since then, the horses have become well known to collectors and artists. His granddaughter now has great fun riding the original.

Creator Gephardt donated a second original rocking horse signed by him, which is on display in the Westfield Memorial Hospital lobby.

‘‘Those who attend the auction won’t be disappointed,’’ according to Penny Newman, foundation board member and chair for the Horsin’ committee. ‘‘It’s going to be a fabulous evening with great auction items and extraordinary cuisine. I encourage everyone to make a reservation for this great event to benefit Westfield Memorial Hospital.’’

The first hour will be devoted to the buyers being treated to a fun-filled reception with a variety of exceptional foods and music to give them time to scrutinize each horse and decide which to bid on at the auction, which also will offer fine works of art, extraordinary antiques and exceptional pieces of furniture.

In partnership with Food is Good, Inc., the foundation has organized the event to benefit all health services, particularly children’s, provided by the hospital.

‘‘Caring for children is a top priority at Westfield Memorial Hospital, from the moment they’re born to the treatment of any life-threatening injuries or illness,’’ according to Stuart W. Williams, hospital president/CEO. ‘‘We provide excellent primary care locally and advanced healthcare for them through our affiliation with Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie and Women and Children’s Hospital in Buffalo.’’

As for the ‘‘Horsin’ Around for WMH’’ theme, ‘‘The auction event will definitely be a time to kick back and bid on your favorite auction items,’’ Mrs. Weidman said. ‘‘The Chautauqua Lake setting on Sept. 16 certainly will lend itself to a fun-filled evening with great food, spirits and music. Besides, it’s for a good cause — our community hospital,’’ she said.

For more information about the auction and to make reservations to attend, call the foundation at 793-2328.

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

Chautauqua Institution Fee Raises Questions

Many Residents See Payment As Unjust Tax

By PATRICK L. FANELLI

CHAUTAUQUA — This is JoAnn Vedder Rogers’ 66th summer at the Chautauqua Institution.

She has spent summers there ever since her family bought the home in 1945.

It saddens her this will be her last summer on South Terrace Avenue, since it has become too difficult to maintain a seasonal residence, especially at the Chautauqua Institution.

But, it angers her that the corporation is now entitled to 2 percent of the value of her home.

‘‘If it isn’t a tax, it certainly walks like a tax and quacks like a tax, and they aren’t a taxing authority,’’ Rogers said. ‘‘It’s a matter of principle.’’

The new fee amounts to 2 percent of the purchase price of a home, half to be paid by the buyer and half to be paid by the seller. It was adopted by the 24-member Chautauqua Institution board of trustees in May and notice went out to property owners soon after.

‘‘People were absolutely flabbergasted,’’ Rogers said. ‘‘I thought it was the most outrageous thing I ever heard.’’

According to Mike Sullivan, Chautauqua Institution spokesman, it’s definitely not a tax since the corporation is not a taxing authority. It is simply a fee aimed at paying for capital improvements and is ultimately meant to better the Chautauqua Institution.

‘‘We are not funded by the county or the state, and there are a lot of improvements we don’t get to,’’ Sullivan said. ‘‘It seems fair to do that instead of a huge yearly fee. This only effects them when the property is sold.’’

According to Sullivan, any money generated by the fee will only be used for capital improvements, especially road replacement.

‘‘We repair and re-pave roads, but after a while you need to dig a road out and start from scratch,’’ Sullivan said. ‘‘The quick fix is to patch it, and we keep doing that.’’

Sullivan added the fee will generate an estimated $380,000 a year. In contrast, the 2005 capital budget was $1.5 million with deferred needs amounting to $3 million.

That means $3 million in needed capital improvements to the Chautauqua Institution were not made in 2005 because there wasn’t enough money to go around, according to Sullivan.

That’s why Trustee Larry Davis — one of four popularly elected trustees — voted in favor of the fee.

‘‘From my standpoint, there is no question of the need for additional revenue,’’ Davis said. ‘‘The Institution has lost money for the last three years. The financial gap is one that will increase each year, so there is real need.’’

Despite that, Davis hopes the board of trustees will take a new look at the fee and consider some suggestions property owners are providing them. They range from acquiring the additional revenue through an increase in the service fee; exempting property owners who put their homes up for sale before the fee goes into effect Jan. 1; charging the fee to real estate agents; and eliminating a stipulation that exempts property transactions where no money changes hands.

This stipulation predominantly includes inheritances and gifts, and is unpopular with property owners.

‘‘So basically, what this says is anyone who is wealthy enough to give their property to an heir who is wealthy enough to maintain it is exempt from this charge,’’ Rogers said. ‘‘Those who have the least amount of money will be the most affected.’’

Sullivan thinks most residents understand the need for additional revenue to cover capital improvements and the benefit of a fee that is only charged when one receives a large sum of money from selling their home.

‘‘I think people realize this is something that will help their overall property value,’’ Sullivan said. ‘‘Will there be some people disappointed? Absolutely.’’

Some property owners — such as Lois Raynow, former CPOA president, are in favor of the fee.

‘‘There have been a few people who are quite adamant against it, and I can see where they might be coming from,’’ she said. ‘‘Personally, I feel it was discussed quite a lot last year and many different opinions were listened to. Capital improvements need to be made.’’

Rogers, on the other hand, remains adamantly opposed to it.

It’s extremely unfair and it segregates out a small percentage of property owners,’’ she said. ‘‘I believe this could be successfully challenged in court.’’

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Fruit in a Glass: Distillery at Mazza Chautauqua Cellars to Release "Eau de Vie" Labor Day Weekend

Fruit in a Glass: Distillery at Mazza Chautauqua Cellars to Release "Eau de Vie" Labor Day Weekend The new distillery at Mazza Chautauqua Cellars in Mayville, NY, will release its first fruit beverages, called "Eau de Vie," over Labor Day Weekend. Popular in Europe but new to the United States, "eau de vie" or "water of life" is made from regionally grown fresh fruits in a hand-crafted, copper pot still. Mazza will introduce plum, cherry and apple varieties. Mayville, NY (PRWEB) August 26, 2006 -- The distillery at Mazza Chautauqua Cellars, which opened this summer in Mayville, NY, will release its first, distilled fruit beverages over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1-4. Picked at the moment of peak ripeness, the regionally grown fruits have been gently crushed and distilled in Mazza’s two-story, hand-crafted, copper pot still imported from Germany, then bottled as “eau de vie,” a French term for a distinct class of spirits that, loosely translated, means “essence of life.” Plum, cherry and apple varieties will be available. Popular in Europe since the 17th century, eau de vie has only in recent years been introduced in the United States. Unlike brandy, which is distilled and aged for years, often in oak barrels, eau de vie is meant to be sipped while it is still “young” so that you can enjoy its lively, fresh-fruit aroma. Visitors to Mazza Chautauqua Cellars can sample three different varieties of eau de vie for a nominal fee, refundable upon purchase of one bottle or more. Tempting slices of cheesecake and other sweets are available in a café that adjoins the tasting room. Eau de vie is often paired with desserts. Mazza Chautauqua Cellars, distillery and café is the latest in a long line of innovations by North East, Pa., vintner Bob Mazza and his family. Located on a five-acre property that includes an outdoor terrace, pond, and beautifully landscaped grounds, Mazza Chautauqua Cellars evokes the European countryside. “Expanding into New York was a natural,” says Bob Mazza, who established Mazza Vineyards with his wife Kathie in nearby North East, Pa., in 1972 and has longstanding relationships with area fruit growers. Mazza Vineyards was the first Pennsylvania winery to pioneer ice wine, a rare and distinct wine that results from pressing grapes while they are still frozen. The winery also broke new ground with its line of sherry and port, opening new markets for Mazza and other Pennsylvania wineries interested in producing fortified after dinner wines. Now the Mazzas’ son Mario is infusing the business with fresh, new ideas like making eau de vie. Mario returned to the family business in December 2005 after earning a master’s degree in enology and viticulture at the University of Adelaide in Australia and an engineering degree at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. For two years he worked alongside some of Australia’s most experienced winegrowers in the Barossa Valley, where distilling is an important part of an expanding wine and grape industry. After being open only three months, Mazza Chautauqua Cellars' 2005 Reisling was voted the best semidry riesling in a competition sponsored by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation. In addition to its own wines, Mazza Chautauqua Cellars will also be importing wine from Australia and producing an additional line of distilled beverages, including liqueurs, to be released in 2007. Mazza Chautauqua Cellars, distillery and café is located less than half a mile from the entrance to Chautauqua Institution and is open seven days a week for tastings, lunch and desserts. A private meeting room and upstairs deck are available for bridal showers, small family gatherings and business meetings of up to 25 people. For more information, call or visit Mazza Chautauqua Cellars, 4717 Chautauqua Stedman Road, Mayville, New York, 716-269-3000. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Looking for a new home? Visit our website: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

C. Rick & Julia McMahon

Broker/partners

Real Estate Advantage Realty

716-483-3300 or 484-2020

Spending Now Pays Dividends Later

8/20/2006 - The $567,000 that the newly constituted Chautauqua Lake Management Commission recommends spending will seem pretty cheap later if we do not appropriate it now to begin improving the quality of the lake.

Many lakeside property owners have already reacted with dismay to the news that the commission’s recommended plan for next year includes mostly detailed studies and stepping up weed harvesting. There likely will be no other efforts — no use of chemicals — to control weed growth next summer.

Their disappointment is understandable since Chautauqua Lake has produced such a prodigious crop of weeds this year. We would guess it is because Mother Nature dealt us days upon days of abundant sunshine early in the spring and continuing pretty much all summer, and because zebra mussels and the sewer districts have increased clarity of the water. The weeds thrived in this environment and have rendered parts of the lake unusable.

There is no question, though, that Chautauqua Lake Management Commission must, as indeed it hopes to, thoroughly analyze things such as herbicide and water dispersion, the fishery, plant diversity, water quality and nutrients and sediments. Without this detailed information, it would be impossible to formulate a comprehensive and informed plan that includes dealing with the choking level of weed growth. Whatever the final plan may be, the state Department of Environmental Conservation, if approached for permits, will require this degree of thoroughness, and so should we.

While we know the commission members want to move as quickly as possible we applaud their determination to do things right and to take the long view in resolving issues involving the lake itself as well as the all-important watershed that surrounds it. Frankly, a management plan for Chautauqua Lake is a pocketbook issue that affects every property owner in the county, from Lakeshore Drive in Dunkirk to Riverside Road in Busti and from Pekin Hill Road in French Creek to Waterboro Hill Road in Ellington. Those of us who own property away from the lake should champion the commission’s cause and support its need for $567,000 next year for the simple reason that as long as property values around the lake continue to climb, those who own it will continue to pay a larger and larger share of school and county taxes.

If we have too many summers in a row when the weeds are as bad as they are this year, lakeside property values inevitably will fall and the tax burden will shift onto the rest of us.

As you know, tourism is the only industry in the county that has tax-driven revenue to spend — money allocated from the bed tax. Since Chautauqua Lake is a huge tourist draw, it is appropriate that bed tax money be used to pay for the extra studies and work that must be done up front to establish a solid lake management plan.

Yes, the commission’s need for $567,360 to complete this work is a huge sum to add to the county budget — but it is a piddling amount when compared with the taxes the county collects from lakeside property owners year after year after year.Let’s resolve the continuing issue of lake management once and for all and, in so doing, secure the future of what is for everyone an extremely valuable swath of real estate.

For more information on Cahutauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

For churches, outdoor services provide a breath of fresh air

Inviting settings act as an antidote to summer slump in attendance
By JAY TOKASZ News Staff Reporter

8/21/2006
BEMUS POINT - It was hardly a dog day of summer. Scattered dark clouds threatened to drop rain, and a steady wind across Chautauqua Lake brought a chill.
Yet the lake setting served as an ideal sanctuary Sunday morning for several hundred Christians.
Lawn chairs replaced pews. A floating stage with a tent overhead took the part of a chancel, from which the Rev. Dan McBride preached on a headset microphone, and a seven-piece band belted out praise tunes.
In addition to about 650 people on shore, several dozen boaters participated, anchoring nearby and waving their arms to the music.
"It's a beautiful way to start the day. To be outside seems to bring you closer to God," said Sue Hover, a church member and Ellery resident.
Pastors have long bemoaned the waning church attendance that typically accompanies the summer months. But congregations like Bemus Point United Methodist Church, which hosts "Praise on the Lake" three times each summer, are developing new strategies for attracting churchgoers during a season often crowded with other activities.
Rather than fight the warm weather, some congregations try to take advantage of it, regularly moving worship outside. Others cut down the length of their services. And some churches are offering more special events, such as organizing groups for "Faith Nights" with the Buffalo Bisons at Dunn Tire Park.
In Amherst, parishioners of the Catholic Newman Center of Erie Community College's North Campus attend an outdoor Mass on Sunday mornings under a large tent during July and August.
The Mass, celebrated on the lawn at the center on Main Street, has been a tradition for years and typically draws about 100 people - as well as a few deer sometimes.
"Once it quiets down, they come right up close to us," said Sister Fran Gangloff, director of the Newman Center for the ECC North and South campuses.
St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Lancaster last summer began offering an outdoor Mass on Saturday evenings in July and August. The church gets about 150 people for the Mass, a handful more than when the service was celebrated indoors, according to the pastor, the Rev. Paul W. Steller.
The allure of it is simple: "People like the Western New York weather and they like outdoor events," he said.
St. Mary's doesn't use a tent, but the parish has been lucky so far. Only twice has rain forced the congregation to head inside.
"The iffy weather is what you have to worry about," Steller said.
That, and the rail cars that sometimes thunder past, drowning out the prayers.
Pastors have complained for years of decreased church attendance during the summer, when many people vacation or avoid church because it's too hot or they're too busy with other events.
The Rev. Darius Pridgen, pastor of True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo, said he worried he was doing something wrong as a preacher the first time he experienced what he calls "the summer slump."
He refused to throw up his arms, however.
"When a person gets in a habit of not attending, they decide when they're going to come back or if they're going to come back," he said. "I don't think it's acceptable to accept that people just won't come. It's important for people to be excited about the place where they worship - all year round."
Pridgen decided to cut services from 21/2 hours to an hour during the summer - and advertise it regularly on billboards and in radio spots.
The slump, he said, has since gone away.
True Bethel also began offering a "drive-in" Bible study program this summer, allowing people to study Scripture in the church's East Ferry Street parking lot simply by pulling up in their cars and following along over their radios.
"We can either force people and make them feel guilty," said Pridgen, "or we can meet their needs."
When attendance began slipping at St. Peter's United Church of Christ in West Seneca, Pastor Hope Harle-Mould decided to organize an offbeat service for Aug. 13 that he termed "Everybody Sunday," asking the question of his members: What if everyone showed up at the same time for one church service?
From October to May, the church gets attendance of about 150 people.
"During the summer, 100 is a good number. It's really quite a drop-off," said Harle-Mould.
While "Everybody Sunday" was open to anyone in the community, "It was mostly getting our own people and our friends to be present," he said.
How did it turn out?
"The church was nearly full. We don't usually have a full church," said Harle-Mould. "There was a lot more energy. It really was very uplifting."
Bemus Point United Methodist Church is in its third year of offering services on the floating stage, which is owned and operated by Bemus Bay Pops, a nonprofit organization that provides free entertainment.
The services have drawn as many as 1,000 people, including tourists.
"They're here to say, "While you're vacationing, don't forget the Lord,' " said Chuck Waddell of Westerville, Ohio, who spends the summer at Chautauqua Institution.
"This is always kind of a high point for us," added Waddell's wife, Joyce. "It's the perfect setting."
McBride, the pastor, sees the services as an evangelical tool - a way to reach people who might not otherwise attend a service.
"Oftentimes, people are kind of reluctant to step into a church building," he said.
Here, instead, visitors sit under elm trees on a gently sloped stretch of lawn. They wear sunglasses and sip coffee, savoring the scenery while praying and singing.
"It's the way I think the Lord meant church to be. It should be fun," said Margie Johnson, keyboardist with the praise band. "We're floating on the lake. That's part of the attraction. You're right on God's creation."

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Area Artists To Hold Exhibit, Music Festival At JCC This Weekend
By NICHOLAS L. DEAN

8/21/2006 - Rather than go it alone, Jamestown artists have found it’s easier to get by with a little help from their friends.Formed in the fall of 2004, the Active Artist Alliance started with 20 area residents and college students who were honing their craft locally. Since going online in 2005, the group has grown to 200 members with artists in five different countries and across the United States.‘‘I would say that about half of our membership is within New York state,’’ said Bill Thomas, AAAlliance founder, from his home in Saranac Lake. ‘‘The correct term to describe the AAAlliance’s function is ‘international artists’ collective and online community.’ Membership is free through the Web site, www.activeartist.org.’’

Started by like-minded artists looking to express themselves and put on art-centric events, Thomas said the first members all originally hailed from or had lived in Jamestown. As such, most of the AAAlliance’s events have so far stayed within Chautauqua County.Still winding down from an ambitious weekend-long festival they organized in Forestville earlier this month, the group will hold its Summer Showcase at Jamestown Community College Saturday afternoon. Unlike the Fleshpot Festival, which featured camping, music, artwork, films and more for a fee — the Summer Showcase will be free and open to the public.‘‘After our first group show that spring 2005 in St. Petersburg, Fla., it became obvious that we needed to actually organize ourselves a little better before we started having shows and requesting work from people,’’ Thomas said. ‘‘This past April we had our first Western New York event at the Ellicottville Brew Co. in Fredonia, which was a huge success.’’

Having recently acquired a large white tent, the AAAlliance debuted its mobile gallery at the Fleshpot Festival in Forestville. Providing a venue for area artists to display their work, the AAAlliance will set up the mobile gallery at upcoming events such as the Local Music Showcase on Sept. 9 in Jamestown and other events in the fall.According to Thomas, the collective is working on organizing events for Halloween and Thanksgiving.‘‘Starting in spring 2007 we will be looking to organize some events beyond Western New York,’’ Thomas said. ‘‘However, we’re still staying focused on New York state and the northeastern U.S. for now because that is where the majority of our membership is located.’’Involved since the beginning, Jamestown resident Nathan Long jokes that he definitely did not join the AAAlliance for money or fame — of which there are none to speak of so far. After moving back to the area, Long helped form the organization because he was interested in creating an art coalition and because he one day hopes to own a gallery.‘‘I’m just here to help people spread their beautiful art,’’ Long said about why he has remained in the collective. ‘‘It’s important because without art, there is no diversity in life. We create to inspire.’’Though it has been hard with the group’s leadership spread across New York state, Long said this year has been quite good because of the events and how many people have become interested in the AAAlliance.‘‘The lack of leadership really did almost make me leave the AAAlliance. It was just to the point where things were not getting accomplished,’’ Long said. ‘‘So that made me get more heavily involved. I started the MySpace account and started spreading the word. I knew we could hit more people over MySpace. This in turn sparked interest from many people who probably would never have heard of our organization.’’Bringing together the visual, aural and edible, the Active Artists Alliance will hold its Summer Showcase Saturday at Jamestown Community College.

A free event, the daylong festival will have the works of Jamestown artists on display and feature performances by Knife Crazy, Origin Muse, Global Village Idiots and The Audience. Scheduled to run from 2 to 9 p.m., the event will also have hotdogs, hamburgers and beverages for sale.

For more information on Cahutauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Skate Chautauqua Heats Up

By STEVEN M. SWEENEY

Skaters prepare for Skate Chautauqua at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena on Thursday.P-J photo by Steven M. Sweeney

8/18/2006 - Skate Chautauqua, Jamestown’s original figure skating showcase, is quickly becoming one of the must-stops on skating coaches’ itineraries.Mary Handley, Skate Chautauqua event chairwoman, said Jamestown has earned its place with similar events in New York, Los Angeles and Detroit.‘‘We have the appearance of professionalism,’’ Ms. Handley said. ‘‘We get letters, e-mails from many coaches. They went out of their way to compliment us and I think that’s wonderful.’’The Jamestown Skating event has been in existence for 11 years — first at the former Allen Park Ice Rink on the city’s south side, and now at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena on Third Street. This year, Jamestown will also play host to the newest in scoring and judging system.The new system requires computer databases, accountants and video equipment fully integrated to avoid a repeat of the 2002 Winter Olympic controversy, where two ice-dancing couples were awarded a gold medal after one judge rigged her vote.‘‘In all other sports, there is ‘instant replay.’ The video and camera equipment is used for figure skating’s ‘instant replay’,’’ Ms. Handley said. Skate Chautauqua is among the first events to be deploying this system in the U.S. Figure Skating Association. The system’s use this weekend is another testament to the level of confidence the skating community has in Jamestown. ‘‘There’s nothing like producing an event here,’’ Ms. Handley said. ‘‘All I got today were smiles. Everybody is just doing their thing. Jamestown knows how to produce these kinds of high caliber events.’’Quality Markets, Hagan Business Machines, The Post-Journal and Media One Group are among several sponsors of the 2006 event. The Jamestown Skating Club, under the direction of Kirk Wyse and Lenel VanDeBerg, is hosting the event


For mor information on Cahutauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

International hit comedy coming to Fredonia Opera House

8/10/2006 - Catechism classes are never as much fun — or as hilarious — as when they are led by Sister in the international hit comedy “Late Nite Catechism” by Vicki Quade and Maripat Donovan.

“Late Nite Catechism” will be presented at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House Saturday at 8 p.m. It is the show’s first presentation in Western New York. “Late Nite Catechism” is a hysterical piece of theater that takes audience members back — sometimes nostalgically, sometimes fearfully — to the children they once were. The irrepressible “Sister” teaches an adult catechism class to a roomful of “students” (the audience). Over the course of the play, Sister goes from benevolent instructor, rewarding students for correct answers with glow-in-the-dark rosaries and laminated saint cards, to authoritarian drill sergeant. The New York Times calls “Late Nite Catechism” “uproarious interactive theater (that) speaks to an audience much broader than the membership of any one church.” “Late Nite Catechism” was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award in New York and won the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Lead Performance for Maripat Donovan, who originated the role of Sister.

It since has played to sold-out audiences in New York, Seattle, San Francisco, St. Louis, Vancouver, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Chicago and recently played for two years in Boston and in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. New York actress Lela Frechette will portray Sister in the Opera House production. Frechette recently completed a five-week run as Sister in “Sister’s Christmas Catechism” at The Baltimore Theatre Project. This past summer, she reprised the role of Mrs. McGillicudy in “The Dentist,” a role she originated when the show premiered in the 2002 NY Fringe Festival in New York. Prior to that, she played The Volunteer in the long-running Off-Broadway musical “A Stoop On Orchard Street.” In 2004, Frechette received an award for Best Actress in a Full Length Production for her portrayal of The Rebbetsin in “Golem Stories” as part of the 2003 Spotlight On! Halloween Festival. Her numerous other Off-Off-Broadway credits include Babe in “The Queen of Bingo” at the Sanford Meisner Theatre and Mair in “Northeast Local.” She also originated the role of Duke Senior in the gender-bending musical “All the World’s a Stage,” a Best-in-Fest winner at the 2002 Midtown International Theatre Festival. She has performed in New York with The Naked Pigeons, an improvisation and sketch comedy group. An accomplished singer, Frechette also has produced and performed her own cabaret act of songs and original characters in various New York area cabaret venues.

Tickets are $22 reserved seating ($20 for Opera House members). Purchase them at the Opera House Box Office or by calling 679-1891, Tuesday to Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 2 to 5 p.m.

The event is made possible with public funds from NYSCA, a state agency, and the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County.

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Peek’n Peak Planning $280 Million Expansion

By DENNIS PHILLIPS

Growing By Shops And Slopes A snapshot of the resort village Peek’n Peak has planned to build that will include shops and restaurants. Photo courtesy of Peek’n Peak Resort and Conference Center

8/17/2006 - FINDLEY LAKE — The Peek’n Peak Resort and Conference Center has seen $8 million in renovations since new ownership took over in February.

$8 million is a lot of money.

However, according to Chip Day, Peek’n Peak vice president of brand management, $8 million is a small fraction compared to what new owner Paul Kebbler is planning to spend on his new acquisition.

Day said during a county Planning and Economic Development meeting Wednesday that Kebbler, a real estate developer from Cleveland, is planning a $280 million expansion of Peek’n Peak during the next decade.

‘‘We mean business. We want this area to grow,’’ Day said.

Day said some of the money that has already been spent includes placing GPS systems in golf carts so golfers know how far they are from the hole to help club selection.

Future expansion includes a resort village filled with shops and restaurants, a $2 million state-of-the-art snow making system to go with 11 new ski slopes, new luxury club houses at both golf courses, an indoor water park, remodeling of resort rooms and conference centers, and new condos.

Day said other advancements include a new Web site and an increase in the resort’s advertising budget by $250,000 to do more promotional work in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Day said the resort will also add 1,000 employees in the years ahead.

Day said Peek’n Peak is also planning to work with other businesses and organizations to attract more tourists to the county.

‘‘Through corporation, working together, there will be benefits for us all,’’ he said.

Another main source of business for Peek’n Peak and the county is the Nationwide Tour golf tournament held the past three years. Linda Warnshuis, Peek’n Peak Classic tournament director, talked about how far the tournament has come the past few years in attracting local sponsorship for the event.

‘‘I don’t think people realize how much the tournament can help everyone,’’ she said after given an example of calling a potential local sponsor who didn’t even know the tournament existed.

Ms. Warnshuis said the tournament was started to give exposure, naturally, to Peek’n Peak, but also to the region when televised nationally on the Golf Channel. The tournament director said the resort is currently working to finalize a contract extension with the PGA for the tournament to continue through 2011

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Customers Come First

8/13/2006 - Jamestown Woman Starts Errand Service By MANLEY J. ANDERSON

A visit to a friend’s grandmother was the genesis for a small but growing business founded more than a year ago by an energetic Jamestown entrepreneur. It was on July 7, 2005, that Bonny Cowen of 142 Park St. received her business certificate for Bonny’s Errand Service & More.

Ms. Cowen said she was employed when she first cared briefly for her friend’s grandmother in the older lady’s home and continued to assist her part-time as her first venture in what turned into a business.‘‘I felt there were many others unable to get out of their homes or who did not want to get away from their homes,’’ the entrepreneur said. ‘‘With me doing their errands for them, they didn’t have to leave their homes.’’Ms. Cowen went on to relate that she continues to see the grandmother as her first customer on a regular basis every other week, or more often as needed. She noted some clients are seen once a week, some twice a week and others at different intervals as needed.The service provider said she has never had a one-visit customer, explaining, ‘‘This built up my client base, but I want to do more.’’Ms. Cowen said her service business has taken her past East Randolph into Cattaraugus County, noting ‘‘Most of my customers are in Chautauqua County, but I would like to expand it to Chautauqua Institution, especially winters.’’She explained, ‘‘My service is not only for seniors but for two-income families too busy to get everything needed done,’’ noting she has shopped for people and dropped the purchases of at their workplace.

Ms. Cowen said that while her logo is ‘‘from gifts to groceries,’’ she also does light housekeeping for people using her own equipment or theirs.‘‘I sit with people too,’’ she said, ‘‘giving other family members an opportunity to get out. I take them for walks also.‘I’m not a nurse,’’ Ms. Cowen said,‘‘but I would do anything else to help them.’’ She went on to relate, ‘‘I’m also bonded (as protection for her clients) and I’m also a notary so you can have one come to your home.’’Ms. Cowen continued with, ‘‘My schedule is very, very full but there’s room for more,’’ while noting she presently handles the busy load by herself.She noted that errand services are said to be one of the fastest growing industries in the country, explaining, ‘‘You don’t have to ask a family member or a neighbor who doesn’t have time (to do it). What I do is so rewarding. I love so much of what I’m doing.’’Ms. Cowen said clients always are telling her they’re so thankful for what she does, commenting, ‘‘A lot of people just do not want to get out and drive in the winter.’’The service provider said of her experience, ‘‘Everyone’s been very happy and so am I. It’s my own business and it’s wonderful.’’ Her concern is, ‘‘When gas goes up, it makes me nervous.’’At home, Ms. Cowen finds time to take care of a flower garden, noting ‘‘I enjoy that’’ and adding ‘‘I’d like to keep my business expanding.’’She noted, ‘‘People comment, saying ‘I know there’s a need for that.’ People appreciate it. That’s what makes it so fulfilling for me.’’Ms. Cowen summed her job up succinctly, saying, Whatever people need, that’s what I do.’’She was aided initially by Beth Reed, business adviser with the Small Business Development Center at Jamestown Community College.Ms. Reed said of her own involvement, ‘‘I worked with her some last spring when she was kind of getting started in her project.’’The Development Center employee went on to state, ‘‘We did work with her on the basics she needed to get started and we got some market research for her.’’Ms. Cowen appears to have benefited from it and would like to expand her business further.

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Perfect Start


8/10/2006 - Ideal Weather Welcomes Contestants, Fans On Opening NightGERRY — Perfect weather, a record number of contestants, and a near capacity crowd got the Gerry Fire Department’s 62nd annual PRCA Rodeo off to a great start Wednesday night. The Barnes Rodeo bucking horses proved too tough for the cowboys as the bareback bronc event had only one qualified ride, an 81-point performance by Jake Gee of Pardeeville, Wis. Again only one saddle bronc was ridden with Bill Lewis from Elizabeth, Colo., scoring 73 points to take the lead in that event. The tie-down roping competition found Shawn Quinn, Schuylerville taking first place with a time of 11.3 seconds while Carmine Nostri from Ballston Spa, Pa., was close behind at 11.5. Seven-time First Frontier Circuit champion Troy Reynolds, Hudson Falls placed third at 12.4 The new event in this year’s rodeo, team roping, found two New Jersey cowboys, Brian Fratteroti from Newfield and Steve Dyer of Franklinville, taking the opening-night lead with a time of 10.3. Rodney Hayes, ‘‘The Texas Kid,’’ provided the fans with one of the most outstanding special acts ever presented in Gerry with his 2,000-pound Brazilian Gir bull named ‘‘Billy The Kid.’’ Hayes has trained the bull to be ridden like a horse while it performs numerous tricks such as bowing, rolling over and jumping through a fiery hoop. Hayes is assisted by two young riders, 9 and 11 years old, who are mounted on ponies and balance on the end of a teeter-totter with the bull on the other end. The girls’ barrel racing provided the closest competition of the night as 10 participants fought for first place with only six-10ths of a second separating the first three places. Laura Bernardo, Clearspring, Md., was first at 16.21, Sarah Rowe from Salem, Ohio, was timed at 16.22 while Beth Ann Borowy of Upperco, Md., was third at 16.27.The steers had the upper hand in the steer wrestling as seven cowboys competed with only one having a successful outing. Bob Sklodowsky from Washington, N.J., threw his steer in a slow 14.2, leaving a big opening for the other cowboys later in the week. In the ever-dangerous bull riding, six cowboys bit the dust with only Sean Kampmeier from Woodbury, N.J., making a successful ride for 71 points on a bull named Purple Rain. The popular calf scramble and mutton bustin’ for the kids was again a crowd pleaser. A small Jamestown girl, Phoenix Carvella, rode her sheep to a win in the mutton bustin’. The Gerry Rodeo, the longest running rodeo east of the Mississippi, continues each night at 8 through Saturday with afternoon performances at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Barbeque beef dinners are served nightly starting at 5 p.m. and at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Additional information is available at the rodeo website http://www.gerryrodeo.org/ or by calling 985-4847 or 985-5754.


For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Chautauqua Lake Idol Bemus Point

If you like to watch the area's best undiscovered talent, come down to Bemus Point on Monday evening for the weekly competition between singers on the floating stage. Cheer as loud as you can for your favorite local singer as they perform their heart out to impress the judges and win the coveted Chautauqua Lake Idol award.

www.chautauqualakeidol.com/

Partnership Teams Up To Build Morningside Estates
By SHARON TURANO

An artist’s rendition of the entrance to Morningside Estates in Ellicottville.


7/23/2006 - SALAMANCA — A small company from a small town is planning to build one of the richest residential projects in Ellicottville.The city’s JCS and Associates LLC of Main Street, Salamanca, has teamed up with five other partners including the Ross Wilson Agency of Williamsville to form AWSC LLC. It is that partnership that is getting final municipal and state approvals to build Morningside Estates near Route 219 at Route 242.The 54 3,000-square-foot homes will cost between $650,000 to $1.2 million, said Mike Krysick of JCS.JCS, whose executive vice president, Joseph Caruso, is from Lakewood, does residential and commercial development, home sales, pro-electric and sound track technologies, including electrical services, sight and sound communications, lighting and security.It has worked on the Seneca Gaming Corp.’s casinos in Niagara Falls and Salamanca and is continuing audio and digital services there.Despite the busy schedules, Krysick said he is excited to get final approvals and ‘‘start moving dirt’’ on the Ellicottville townhouses, which, he’d rather call ‘‘estates.’’‘‘It’s been a long process,’’ Krysick said. He said the company felt the less expensive municipal electric in Salamanca, along with a deal the city’s Industrial Development Agency was able to work on for the company made Salamanca the area in which the firm wanted to locate.‘‘We took a chance — we’ve done quite well,’’ said Krysick.‘‘We’re a small company from a small town,’’ he said. It is one that is building one of the richest residential projects in Ellicottville’s history.


For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Gerry Volunteer Fire Department Rodeo

8/11/2006 - Rain Threat Doesn’t Keep Crowds Away From Event
By PAUL COOLEY

The threat of showers failed to keep a near-capacity crowd from enjoying the spills and thrills and comedy of rodeo for the second consecutive night at the 62nd annual Gerry Rodeo.The opening festivities featured a special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces as current and past members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines were asked to stand and were honored as ‘‘true heroesî. The traditional Grand Entry, featuring the serpentine ride of the more than 150 contestants and performers, saw Bob Barnes, who has been producing rodeos across the country for more than 57 years, ride into the arena in a horse-drawn sulky. He is a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Hall of Fame.

The opening event, the bareback bronc riding, had Jake Gee of Pardeeville, Wis., take a wild ride on MJM Ridley Roundup for a 70-point win. He also won Wednesday’s event with a 73- point ride. In the tie-down roping event four ropers beat the winning time from the first performance, with all of them tying their calves in less than eleven seconds. Shane Wesley from Silex, Miss., had the fastest time at 10.5 with Matt McGee of St. Genevieve, Miss., taking second with a 10.8 time. In the team roping, Smokey Smith, Jr., Townsend, Del., and Jason Lyfield, a veterinarian from Chesapeake City, Md., posted the fastest time at 15.5 but failed to beat the winning time of 10.3 from Wednesday night. Bill Lewis of Elizabeth, Colo., who won the first go-round on Wednesday in the saddle bronc event, posted a 71-point ride on Wall Paint but was beaten on Thursday night by Byron Gilliland of Trempealeau, Wis. Gilliland posted a 75 point outing on MJM Valpo Johnny, a bronc who was chosen to perform at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas last December.

The steer wrestling was tough on the cowboys as only three were able to throw their steers. Bill Pfeifer, Franklinville, N.J., had the fastest time at 7.5 seconds with Junior Allo of Monroe, N.J., placing second with an 8.7 time. Both beat Wednesday’s winning time of 14.2.

Seven ladies broke 17 seconds in the girls’ barrel racing with Lisa Barone from York Springs, Pa., posting the fastest time of 16.33 seconds. The Barnes Rodeo Company’s bulls again proved too tough for all of the riders as no cowboy was able to hang on for the required eight seconds.

The bull fighters saw plenty of action in protecting the thrown cowboys, giving the fans numerous thrills Rodeo clown Jay Stout kept the crowd laughing throughout the evening with his comedy skits, including a live skunk, a lime green Volkswagen truck, and his Dr. Stout imitation where he attempts to cure a ‘‘patient’’ by dousing him with milk and breaking eggs over his head. His ten-year-old son Daltyn thrilled the spectators with a traditional Indian hoop dance performed inside a ring of fire. Again ‘‘The Texas Kidî Rodney Hays put his 2000 pound Brazilian Gir bull through its paces, including a climb to the top of his 13 foot high camper. Hayes, who has trained more than a dozen young kids to ride and perform, uses two of his young proteges mounted on miniature ponies to perform numerous tricks with his bull, Billy The Kid.

The rodeo continues through the weekend with shows Friday and Saturday nights at 8p.m. and afternoon performances at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The beef barbeque dinners are served at 5 p.m. prior to the evening shows and at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Additional information is available at the rodeo web site http://www.gerryrodeo.org/ or by phoning 985-4847 or 985-5857.

The weekend’s events also include a Sunday morning worship service in the rodeo arena at 9 a.m. with a concert by The Keelingsî, a family Southern gospel group featuring both vocals and instrumentals. In case of rain, the service will be held in the rodeo dining hall. The public is invited. There is no charge but an offering will be taken.


For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Chautauqua Belle May Be Sold
By PATRICK L. FANELLI

‘‘Everyone looked forward to hearing that throaty whistle and the mesmerizing sound of the paddles.’’— Chuck Spinner, Ashville resident

8/10/2006 - MAYVILLE — Nearly three years after the Chautauqua Belle last traveled the waters of Chautauqua Lake, its operators are considering selling the steamship to an unidentified bidder.

According to a letter obtained by The Post-Journal, board members who own and operate the Belle will be meeting Saturday to discuss the potential sale.‘‘We have an offer from an individual who wants to buy the Chautauqua Belle,’’ the letter stated.It was signed by James Loutzenhiser — president of the Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels Company, which oversees the attraction — and was addressed to all board members and ‘‘known Honorary members.’’ The letter included a proxy ballot for those who couldn’t attend Saturday’s meeting — one option in favor of the sale, one option opposed to the sale.

In a phone call with The Post-Journal, Loutzenhiser declined to comment on the matter, nor would he provide the names of other individuals on the Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels Company board of directors.The Chautauqua Belle — the steamship that allowed passengers a scenic voyage around the north basin of Chautauqua Lake — used to operate every summer until the 2004 season.‘‘Everyone looked forward to hearing that throaty whistle and the mesmerizing sound of the paddles,’’ said Ashville resident Chuck Spinner, recalling when the steamship would sometimes dock at Bemus Point. ‘‘Everyone would come out to watch the Belle go by.’’Loutzenhiser and other board members decided not to launch the Belle for the 2004 season, reportedly because it was badly in need of repairs and the organization was experiencing financial hardships. That’s what prompted Loutzenhiser to ask for donations from the general public to help keep the Belle afloat.‘‘It’s just an unfortunate situation,’’ Loutzenhiser told The Post-Journal in May 2004. ‘‘It’s the only time we’ve gone to the public for support.’’

The Chautauqua Belle remained drydocked through the 2005 season. At the time, Loutzenhiser said board members hoped it would be ready for launch ‘‘by mid-May 2006,’’ but that never came to pass.

The Belle’s 40th anniversary came and went Aug. 4 with no fanfare, the steamship still drydocked at Mayville Lakeside Park off Route 394.Now, those with fond memories of the Belle worry about its fate and what would happen to it if it were sold.‘‘The thing we’re concerned about is what he’s going to do with the Belle,’’ said Ellery resident John Cheney, referring to the bidder. ‘‘Is he going to scrap it? Is he going to put it up in drydock and make a restaurant out of it? Or is he going to run it as it has been?’’Cheney was very active with the Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels Company when the organization was still active and has been instrumental in getting it’s other attraction up and running — the Bemus Point-Stow Ferry.

A third attraction of the organization was the Sea Lion — a working replica of a 16th-century, three-masted, square-rigged British sailing vessel. The popular Sea Lion was sold to the Buffalo Maritime Society in 1992 and only returned to Chautauqua County after it sunk in Buffalo harbor in 1999 and was later recovered.

For those keeping a close eye on the Chautauqua Belle, the potential sale raises a number of questions. Where will the money go if the Belle is sold? What about all those who donated money for repairs? Who are the board members and the ‘‘known Honorary members’’ that will decide the Belle’s fate? Will it follow in the footsteps of the Sea Lion?‘‘I’m glad people are questioning this before the fact,’’ Spinner said. ‘‘There’s not a whole lot left that reminds us of those old days.‘‘We hope that a solid board can be established that will mirror the wishes of the community as to the future of this lake treasure,’’ he added.


For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

The Gerry Rodeo

Presented by the Gerry Volunteer Fire Department, get ready for five days of fun and excitement. Get your fill of a Western beef BBQ dinner. Then sit back for bareback bronc riding, calf roping, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wresting, barrel racing, and so much more.

www.gerryrodeo.org



For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living Visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Renowned Singer To Release Six CDs At Village Casino
By NICHOLAS L. DEAN

Basil ‘‘Bazz’’ Bankston

8/9/2006 - BEMUS POINT — Performing the songs of Sinatra, Nat King Cole and countless others is less a passion or profession than it is a mission for Basil ‘‘Bazz’’ Bankston — as he fears that without a little help, we may forget the greatest music ever made.A born entertainer, Bankston remembers singing as early as age 4 and says with a laugh that the songs won’t stop until he dies.With a repertoire which runs through the 1970s, Bankston has spent his life celebrating Motown’s classics and all the favorite American standards. A renowned singer and trumpet player, he has toured the world with K.C. & The Sunshine Band, The Platters and The 4 Tops and will release six CDs tonight at the Village Casino in Bemus Point.Since moving to Chautauqua County, the man known to many as Bazz has been playing area clubs, bars and American Legions and was recently told he will be inducted into the Rock ’n Roll Hall of Fame in September. Still as energetic about and eager to share his generation’s songs as ever, Bankston took his 40 years experience and entered a recording studio to Bazzamatazz some of his favorites for people to own.‘‘I’m putting these out for the public because I feel this is really what people should get a handful of,’’ Bankston said of the CDs. ‘‘It’s only the greatest chart-busters to have ever emerged on the face of this planet.’’Citing influences such as David ‘‘Meat’’ Ramsey and Teddie Williams,’’ Bankston said releasing CDs has been something he has always wanted to do in order to pay tribute to Motown and the many artists who inspired him.One collection in four parts, he will be releasing Remember When? tonight as well as Martinis and Memories — which spans two CDs. An inspiration to him and many others, Bankston says the songs of the 1960s and 1970s were so special because they were written by and about real people and based on true life situations.‘‘They took real life, real true blue situations and turned them into directions for your life,’’ he said. ‘‘It was clean, there was no garbage in there. It was just average, every day, normal life that inspires ... It was more of a spiritual thing. They passed it down from generation to generation and it all came from the blues and jazz and it came out as contemporary pop.’’Not to be forgotten, Bazz has made it his mission to keep the songs of The Spinners, The Delfonics and The Originals at the forefront of people’s minds. ‘‘I want to get back the greatest memories that those people ever had and to make them fall in love again,’’ Bankston said. ‘‘I’ve seen people in my shows get together and just start kissing because of a song they remember. I just thank God that I can be there to do that for them. That’s what really makes me sleep good at night, knowing that what I’m doing is touching people. I like to touch every single one of those people if I can possibly help it. That’s really my mission. My mission on Earth is to perform, to entertain people, to make them happy and in love and put them together.’’As much a man of faith as he is of music, he cited God and Jesus as having helped him turn his passion into a career and advised that anyone in need should look to them for help. Though a skilled entertainer and renowned singer, Bankston admits he is not without his flaws and mistakes and wants people to know his success came from hard work as well as belief in purpose.Bankston performs weekly at The Village Casino in Bemus Point as well as at other locations in Chautauqua County. In September, he will leave to tour with The Valores — a group which was big in the Doo Wop era.

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Swan on mend after rescue from Cassadaga Lakes
By JOAN JOSEPHSON OBSERVER Staff Writer

OBSERVER Photo by Joan JosephsonChautauqua County Humane Society Investigator Ted Blanchard holds “Buddy,” a swan he helped rescue from Cassadaga Lakes.

8/7/2006 - CASSADAGA — Chautauqua County Humane Society Investigator Ted Blanchard’s contacts are generally with domestic animals.This, however, was not the case with a swan seen on Cassadaga Lakes with a large growth near its eye.“It was about the size of a baseball and was obviously affecting the bird,” said Carol Mead, owner of Lakes End Marina on lower Cassadaga Lakes.After several tries to get the swan help, Blanchard was contacted and responded by climbing aboard Mead’s patio boat and going after the bird with a musky net.“It was storming when we had him cornered near the shoreline and Ted jumped into the lake and netted him,” Mead said.The full-size bird was transported to the Jamestown Animal Clinic where veterinarian Dr. William Seleen Jr. removed the growth.The swan, nicknamed Buddy, was full of spunk when Blanchard brought it back to Cassadaga Lakes to set it loose.Buddy tried several times to bite its rescuer as it was removed from the cage.“I’ve been involved in rescuing any number of animals and birds, but this is the first time for a swan,” Blanchard said as he released Buddy into the water.He also noted that as yet, he hasn’t had occasion to deal with a bear.But, given the appearance of this animal in the local area, it may be just a matter of time before he can add one to his list of rescues

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

The Gift Shop With Two Lives
By MANLEY J. ANDERSON


The Country Ladies Gift Shop interior is seen.P-J photos by Manley J. Anderson

8/6/2006 - STOW — An easily found big red building on Hadley Bay Road just off Route 394 leads a double life.It usually opens Memorial Day weekend and closes Labor Day weekend, operating during that period as Country Ladies Gift Shop with owner Vicki Kanouff assisted by her mother Gloria Britton.As summer’s end nears, its vast assortment of goods is removed and a big overhead door at the south end of the building becomes available as an entrance way for boats to be stored there during the offseason.This phase of the business is operated by Jim Kanouff, Vicki’s husband and owner of the spacious all-steel structure. The family lives in Falconer where Jim is a Falconer Central School bus driver.This is the fifth season the gift shop has been operated at the location by the mother/daughter team.‘‘We have something for everybody,’’ Mrs. Britton said, noting the shop offers all hand-made products from 30 to 35 crafters located in Jamestown, Falconer, Frewsburg, Buffalo and extending to Pennsylvania and Ohio.‘‘We have some consignors who have been with us since we opened in May of 2001,’’ Mrs. Britton said. ‘‘Recently we began getting rugs and woodwork from an Amish man and wife in Jasper, N.Y. All we’re doing is displaying their wares.’’She went on to relate, ‘‘We try to fill special orders if and when received. Right now I’m looking for someone to make bird houses out of barn boards. Everything is unusual because its homemade.’’Mrs. Britton said, ‘‘Quite often we will get an item, take it home, analyze it and create our own. But I’m thinking a lot in this business do that. That’s how we came up with our necktie angels.’’A toy corner is filled with dolls, doll clothing and a wide assortment of wooden toys.Hand-crocheted dish towels and scrubbies, ‘‘anything like that,’’ were cited as among the shop’s best sellers. Mrs. Britton noted that during the summer season a lot of customers come from Chautauqua and around Chautauqua Lake.Open hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday from May 24 through Sept. 9, but with flexible closing hours depending on business.Mrs. Kanouff explained that the shop is divided into four sections — Christmas, Halloween/Fall, Animal/Easter, and Spring/Everyday.Amish-made rugs and baskets that fold flat also are available, with the comment reported as often heard, ‘‘That was a nice idea.’’Mrs. Britton said customers have bought items to be taken to such far away places as Italy and Australia and which have been shipped to any desired destination.‘‘It’s just interesting to talk to people because they’re from all over and all walks of life,’’ she said.Most of the jewelry selection is made by a local woman, with jewelry for autos also available.The gift shop’s Christmas corner has ‘‘tons of snowmen — guaranteed not to melt unless they melt our heart.’’A wide range of baby accessories includes shirts, blankets and other items needed by the younger set and extending to a variety of other home made blankets in all colors and sizes.Reported as very popular with the younger set is a broad assortment of clothing for the American Girl dolls, with other country and traditional dolls also available along with the Raggedy Ann as a longtime favorite.Despite mid-July’s heat, a large number of mittens from a wide selection was reported as sold during the month to be given away later as Christmas presents.The spacious gift shop offerings extend to wall hangings, scrap booking needs, hats for all ages, sweatshirts, regular shirts, Red Hats and jean purses.Mrs. Kanouff said the shop’s objective is to offer a wide range of goods at different prices with all as new and handmade. Digital photography pictures and hand paintings are among the offerings.Among the many items observed during a leisurelywalk around the building were turtle, frog and vegetable garden pokes, pin cushion ladies, paintings on glass, knickknacks, cards, patriotic wall hangings and towels, kitchen hand towels, old-fashioned clothes pin holders, pot holders, wooden shelves, knitted purses, children’s sweaters in many sizes and special orders along with gift baskets. The list extended to knitted dishclothes and pot scrubbers as well as towels in different sizes and materials, candles from Escents as well as soy candles.Also present were scarfs of different sizes, afghans, baby blankets, sweaters in many sizes and Christmas ornaments.‘‘We have a wide variety of stuff,’’ Mrs. Kanouff said, without fear of contradiction. ‘‘This is our fifth year of being open and it’s all new merchandise. A feature at Country Ladies Gift Shop is a weekly giveaway of one of their consignees products.Mrs. Kanouff said, ‘‘Consignees take their own goods back after Labor Day. Then the boats come in about in October.’’That’s when the building makes the transition from Country Ladies Gift Shop to a boat storage facility until the next spring.

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

LITERARY-THEMED SPENCER HOTEL OFFERS “WINE TOUR EXPERIENCE” OF THE CHAUTAUQUA-LAKE ERIE WINE REGION

CHAUTAUQUA, NEW YORK– The Spencer, a small, literary-themed hotel located on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution and in the heart of the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail is offering a special hotel package for guests who want to explore the more than a dozen chateau-style wineries that offer unique, expertly-crafted wines produced in the region.
The “Spencer Wine Tour Experience” package includes a full-day, six-hour wine tour of area wineries for two, escorted in a private limousine with other Spencer guests and escorted by a private driver. In addition, during the full-day tour guests will enjoy a bistro-style lunch hosted at the popular Mazza Chautauqua Cellars. Two-nights’ accommodations in one of 26 literary fantasy rooms at The Spencer and complimentary breakfast completes the package.

Rates are $255 per person, based on double occupancy, including tax. For more information and reservations, contact 1-800-398-1306 or visit www.thespencer.com

The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail offers a picturesque combination of small historic villages, lakes, unspoiled woods and farmlands, and unique shops and restaurants to enjoy. The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail is located along the southern shore of Lake Erie from Western New York to Northeastern Pennsylvania. Over the past four decades, a significant number of small vineyards and wineries have begun growing and crafting premium quality wines in the region, producing wines for all tastes ranging from native Labruscas and French-American wines, to European-style Chardonnays and Rieslings.

The Spencer is celebrating 100 years of history in 2006. Each room at The Spencer pays homage to a renowned author, depicting scenes from their most famous works. For instance, in the C.S. Lewis (Room 302), a mural dedicated to “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” depicts the image of stepping into Narnia, complete with the famed wardrobe. In the Isak Dinesen (Room 203), a play on the “Out of Africa” theme allows guests to slumber under their very own dream-like safari tent, while the Jules Verne (Room 306) gives the playful feel of sleeping up in a balloon traveling “Around the World in Eighty Days.

In 1997, The Spencer underwent a $3 million renovation to modernize the 26-room property while restoring many architecturally-significant features of the hotel to provide guests with an unparalleled getaway experience. Today guests at The Spencer can enjoy distinctive and imaginative small hotel surroundings while taking advantage of one of the most renowned cultural and learning centers for the arts and humanities in the Americas.The Spencer is close to many other interesting attractions including the Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz Museum, the 1891 Fredonia Opera House, the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center, the Audubon Nature Center & Sanctuary, and The Summer Wind Steamboat. Visitors to The Spencer can also enjoy area activities such as golfing at the nearby course designed by Donald Ross, tennis, winery tours along the Erie wine trail; hiking and biking the Chautauqua Rails-to-Trails, hot-airballooning, fishing, boating, canoeing and horseback riding.

The Spencer staff can assist with arrangements.The Spencer is located in the heart of the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution, a not-for-profit, 750-acre educational center located on Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, where approximately 7,500 persons are in residence during a nine-week summer season, which runs from June 24 – August 27, 2006, enjoying courses in art, music, dance, theater, writing skills and a wide variety of special interests.

The Spencer is located off I-90 at exit 60 for the Chautauqua Institution, and is just 9 miles west of Jamestown, NY; and a one-hour drive from Buffalo, NY and Erie, PA. For more information or reservations, please dial The Spencer at 1-800-398-1306 or visit www.thespencer.com

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Nobel Peace Prize nominee speaking in area Saturday

8/4/2006 - Area residents are invited to attend two events featuring Nobel Peace Prize nominee and international law expert Michael Scharf Saturday, presented by the Robert H. Jackson Center.

The first event will be held free of charge at 11 a.m. in the Carl Cappa Auditorium of the Jackson Center, 305 East Fourth St., Jamestown. The program will feature Jackson Center Chairman Greg Peterson interviewing Scharf in a relaxed, living room-type setting. The event is co-sponsored by the Artone Manufacturing Company Inc., Jamestown Awning Inc., Caprino Management Services, Loyalton of Lakewood, Merrill Lynch-Cynthia Peterson and Safety Compliance Inc. He will later appear at 3 p.m. at the Hall of Philosophy at Chautauqua Institution, co-sponsored by the Jackson Center and the Chautauqua Women’s Club.

Scharf is a professor at Case School of Law, Cleveland, and heads the Frederick K. Cox International Law Center. He is one of the nation’s leading experts in international criminal law. He and the Public International Law and Policy Group — a non-governmental organization Scharf co-founded — were nominated for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize by six governments and the Chief Prosecutor of an International Criminal Tribunal for the work they have done to help in the prosecution of major war criminals, such as Slobodan Milosevic, Charles Taylor and Saddam Hussein. During the first Bush and Clinton administrations, Scharf served in the Office of the Legal Adviser of the U.S. Department of State, where he held positions of counsel to the Counter-Terrorism Bureau, attorney-adviser for Law Enforcement and Intelligence, attorney-adviser for United Nations Affairs and delegate to the United Nations General Assembly and United Nations Human Rights Commission. Scharf is the author of more than 50 scholarly articles and eight books, including “Balkan Justice,” nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1998. “The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda” was awarded the American Society of International Law’s Certificate of Merit for the Outstanding Book in International Law in 1999. Several other books also won awards.

Scharf has testified as an expert before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and in July testified before the House Armed Services Committee hearing on Standards of Military Commissions and Tribunals. His opinion editorials have been published by the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor and International Herald Tribune. He has appeared as an expert commentator on ABC News, “Nightline” with Ted Koppel, “The O’Reilly Factor,” “The Charlie Rose Show” and “Newshour with Jim Lehrer,” as well as CNN, the BBC, Court TV and National Public Radio.

Greg Peterson is known as a local historical interviewer who now has spoken with all living Jackson-related Supreme Court law clerks (including the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist), Jackson’s fellow Nuremberg prosecutors and anyone living who may have known or worked with Jackson. These interviews comprise a large video archive which will one day be made available to the public in the Jackson Center archives and on www.roberthjackson.org.
Peterson’s interview with Scharf will be added to the center’s archives.

The second appearance of Scharf at Chautauqua Institution requires a Chautauqua gate ticket. Scharf will speak and Peterson will serve as moderator.

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com