Steamship Sound Back On Chautauqua Belle

By Dave Emke http://us.mc508.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=demke@post-journal.com MAYVILLE - A rare and intricate musical instrument is aboard the Chautauqua Belle, and local residents have a unique opportunity to hear it played both on shore and at sea. A steam calliope has been placed temporarily on the steamship's deck, and Mat Stage - president of U.S. Steam Lines LTD, which operates the Belle - said that the response has been overwhelming in the week the intoxicating music has been playing from its pipes. ''It's absolutely amazing when we play it going into Chautauqua Institution or into Mayville - everyone gives the biggest round of applause we've ever received in the boat here,'' Stage said. ''They just are awestruck listening to this beautiful music.'' Steam calliopes were regular entities on riverboats in the age of steam. The ship's propulsion boiler provides the steam that is piped through the organ, with a keyboard player controlling the release of steam from whistles to create the music. Today, the Chautauqua Belle is one of only four steamships in the United States that is 100 percent steam-powered, and the only one without its own calliope. Stage said the ship did feature its own calliope when it was built, but that the not-for-profit Chautauqua Belle eventually lost the instrument as a donation to a museum. It now resides in Kingston, Ontario. However, the original calliope on the Chautauqua Belle was one of the largest ever built and used up too much of the ship's steam anyway - meaning that it could not be operated while the ship was on Chautauqua Lake, only while it was docked. ''They wouldn't be able to play it and run the boat at the same time,'' Stage said. ''This is a much better situation for the boat here. It's a little bit smaller, but it sounds beautiful.'' Dave Morecraft, the Indiana-based calliope enthusiast who brought the instrument to the Chautauqua Belle, said that he travels around the country with his Morecraft Mfg. Steam Calliope 44 in the back of his circus wagon. He reverse-engineered calliope whistles after getting his hands on a set in 1979, he said, and began building the instruments. He has built seven fully functioning calliopes to date, he said, including the one that plays on the Belle of Louisville - the oldest operating steamboat in the United States - and the American Queen on the Mississippi River. ''The first instrument I ever heard was the Delta Queen's, which I heard in Cincinnati when I was a little kid in probably 1964-65,'' Morecraft said. ''The sound just kind of stuck with me, how it filled the Ohio River Valley.'' Each of the whistles on the calliope has a rolled copper sheet bell, Morecraft said, which he personally rolls and cuts to size individually to tune. Morecraft plays a variety of songs on the instrument, from has been entertaining visitors to the Belle - as well as neighbors from around the lake - throughout the week with performances. ''We had one gentleman today who lives across the lake, near Maple Springs, who said he's just loved listening to it,'' Morecraft said. PUBLIC PERFORMANCES FOR HOLIDAY WEEKEND During the county Independence Day celebration in Mayville on Saturday, Stage said the Chautauqua Belle will cancel its normal 11 a.m. run so that the calliope can be played for interested people on shore. ''We'll play for about a half an hour up here in Mayville Park,'' Stage said. ''People will be able to come on board and look at it - most people have no idea what it is. It's really neat just to watch it play.'' The next night, those who take part in the Chautauqua Belle's July 4 fireworks cruise to Bemus Point will receive a special treat, Stage said. ''One of the things I'm excited about is that we're going to go down to the bridge so that we can play it and hear the reverb off the bridge,'' he said. ''We're going to play it after the fireworks, play all the patriotic songs. It's really going to top everything off.'' And while the Morecraft Mfg. Steam Calliope 44 will only be on the Chautauqua Belle for about another week, Stage said there are plans in the works to get a permanent calliope producing music on the steamship in the near future. ''In the long run, we're looking to have one built for the boat, that's what we're hoping for,'' Stage said. ''We have everything piped in for a calliope to be installed - we ran all the new steamlines and all that. It's the next project we have for the boat here, to have an authentic calliope just like all the other steamers that are left in our country.'' Subscribe to Post-Journal For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & living visit: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

Cornell Scientist to discuss ‘What Lies Beneath’ Chautauqua Lake

POSTED: July 1, 2010 LAKEWOOD The Chautauqua Lake Association is sponsoring a symposium entitled "What Lies beneath Chautauqua Lake" led by aquatic scientist Robert L. Johnson, manager of Cornell University's Research Pond Facility, on July 12 at 7 p.m. at the Casino in Bemus Point. A second workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, July 13 at 7 p.m. at the Chautauqua Suites in Mayville. The events are free to the public. The workshops will give the community an opportunity to see, identify and learn about the different plant and insect species residing underneath aquatic vegetation in the lake. Topics include how certain species of insects help control the weed population naturally. Participants can become familiar with the insects and plant species that play an important role in the delicate balance of the ecosystem of the lake. The CLA, an organization that maintains the health and beauty of the lake, supports a "green" approach to controlling nuisance vegetation like Eurasian milfoil. For more information about the workshops contact the Chautauqua Lake Association at 763-8602. Subscribe to The OBSERVER For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

7 Things All Borrowers Should Know About FHA Loans

RISMEDIA, July 1, 2010--FHA Pros, LLC, a national FHA condo approval service, has developed a list of facts speaking to the top misconceptions associated with FHA loans in order to help home buyers better navigate an already confusing market. FHA loans are mortgages issued by qualified lenders and insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). "We have seen home buyer interest in FHA loans go from practically zero three years ago to upwards of 87 percent today," said Christopher Gardner, founder and president of FHA Pros, LLC. "Despite this rapid rise in popularity, many buyers still do not fully understand the benefits of these loans, and we believe it's time to change that." 1. FHA Loans Are Not Only For Lower-Income Borrowers. FHA loans are available to everyone. In fact, even Bill Gates can get one. There is no maximum income restriction associated with FHA loans. Borrowers do need to substantiate income and assets by submitting proper documentation. This requirement ensures that borrowers are well-vetted and truly able to afford their future homes. 2. FHA Loans Are Not Only For First-Time Buyers. Many people believe FHA loans are available only to first-time homebuyers. This is not the case. Whether borrowers are making their first home purchase or their fifth, they can look to FHA loans as a home financing option. 3. FHA Loans Are Not Just Small Loans; In Fact, Loan Amounts Can Be As High As Almost $800,000. The government recently raised the maximum loan amount from its original cap of $362,790 to $793,750 as a way to help stabilize the housing market. The amount a buyer can borrow varies from county to county. Later this summer, condo buyers interested in FHA loans can visit www.checkfhaapproval.com to instantly identify FHA-approved condo associations and review maximum loan amounts for a given location. 4. FHA Loans Are Not Affiliated With The Section 8 Housing Program. While both programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FHA loans have nothing to do with low-income subsidized housing. FHA loans are simply mortgages insured by FHA. This insurance provided by the federal government allows lenders to lend more freely by assuring them that they will be repaid in the event of default. Most traditional lenders, including Wells Fargo & Co., JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup are able to provide FHA loans to their customers. 5. FHA Loans Are Often More Affordable Than Conventional Loans. While FHA loans typically offer the same interest rates as other loans, borrowers benefit from a much lower down payment of as low as 3.5 percent. 6. FHA-Approved Condo Developments Are More Desirable To Buyers. With 87 percent of home buyers indicating that they plan to use FHA loans, condo associations that are not FHA approved are missing out on a significant pool of prospective buyers. Under rules in place since February 2010, an entire condominium development must now apply to HUD and be granted FHA approval before a buyer can purchase a unit in an association with an FHA loan or before an existing unit owner can refinance into an FHA loan. Due to the general unwillingness of today's lenders to extend credit with respect to conventional loans, many borrowers find that FHA is their best bet. Lenders don't mind lending when the federal government (FHA) assures them of repayment. Homeowners associations (HOAs) should note that although FHA-insured mortgages might be easier to obtain, they are not "risky" loans, due in large part to the strict "full documentation" requirements placed on borrowers. Individual buyers or sellers can initiate the approval process or current owners can encourage their HOA to apply. More information about the FHA- approval process is available at www.getfhaapproval.com. 7. FHA Loans Are Assumable. In addition to lower down-payment and credit-qualifying requirements as compared to conventional loans, FHA loans are assumable. This means that when a seller with an FHA loan sells his or her property, the loan and its financing terms (interest rate) can be transferred to the new buyer. This unique feature will certainly make a property more valuable in times of rising interest rates. "Now, more than ever, buyers and sellers need to understand the options available to them when it comes time to buy a home," continued Gardner. "At FHA Pros we have worked with countless HOAs, attorneys and individuals to easily and efficiently navigate the historically tricky FHA-approval process." For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living Visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

2010 Chautauqua Institution season

2010 Chautauqua Institution season will be held from June 26 to Aug. 29 at the institution in Chautauqua, N.Y. Tickets are available at the box office, (716) 357-6250, and online at chautauquatickets.ciweb.org. For a complete Chautauqua Institution 2010 season calendar of events, call (800) 836-ARTS or visit http://www.ciweb.org/. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

Fishing is free for all Saturday, Sunday

By GENE PAUSZEK, OBSERVER Outdoors Columnist POSTED: June 24, 2010 New York State is offering FREE Fishing Days Saturday and Sunday. That means a fishing license is not required to try your luck fishing on New York State waters. All other rules and restrictions apply, including size and creel limits as well as slot limits in restricted areas, so pick up a free rules and regulations booklet for additional information. These regulation books are available wherever licenses are sold (Bait and tackle stores, Wal-Mart, Bill's Hook's etc.). For those of you who already have a license, now is the time to invite a friend out or "Take-a-Kid Fishing!" If the weather holds out, we should have a lot of opportunities to catch a few. Note the calendar of events lists several events going on this weekend geared for the kids (Cassadaga Lake and Perrysburg). Walleye fishing on Lake Erie has been pretty good when anglers can get out into deep water. Barcelona was the hot spot with fish reported in the 75 to 85 foot depths. William Culligan from the Dunkirk based Department of Environmental Conservation Fisheries station noted anglers have also started picking up lake trout, while trolling spoons near the bottom in the same depths and area. Successful Walleye presentations have been numerous with anglers reporting using down riggers, dipsey divers, jet divers off the planner boards, lead core line (3 to 7 colors) to name a few. Worm harnesses, and stick baits are the best baits to be used for trolling. This columnist finally got a shake down cruise for walleye last Friday and noticed the jets divers were still at home. Fishing with my son Steve, we also noticed numerous fish in the top 15 to 20 feet of water at depths from 35-feet out to 85 feet of water. Yellow perch continue to be hit and miss. Finding fish and being able to stay with them when the wind picks up can be a challenge. This angler tried out his new Frabil insulated minnow bucket with aerator and was amazed at how long the minnows lasted as well as the aerator on 2-D cell Energizer batteries. Black bass have turned on again with anglers reporting good activity in the 25-foot mark, up and down the lake. Catfishing in the Cattaraugus Creek has also been pretty good when the levels subside and the water clears. Go Fish! Calendar: The Lakeshore Longbeards, our local chapter of the NWTF will meet next on July 12 at Liberty Vineyards located on Route 20 in Sheridan at 7:30 p.m. The agenda will finalize preperation for JAKES Day, their annual Youth Day event scheduled for July 24 at the Westfield Fish and Game Club. Registration for JAKES Day will be at 9 a.m., the day of the event which will include a number of learning/activity stations throughout the day. Note the event costs $10 per youth (16 years of age and under.) You can also register at the July 12 meeting. For more information, call Bob and Judi Turk at 934-4538. The Cassadaga Lakes Association will host their 17th annual Lew Mead Youth Fishing Tournament on Saturday. The event is held at the DEC boat launch on Dale Drive from 7 a.m., until 11:30 a.m. The event is FREE and open to all youths aged 16 and under. The Bear Lake Rod & Gun Club will host their Summer 3-D archery league shoots from 8 a.m., to 2 p.m. The events are open to the public. The Bear Lake Club will host shoots on July 11 and July 25 and host a Hunter Safety education course July 16 from 5:30 to 10 p.m., returning on July 17 from 8:30 a.m., until 2:30 p.m. Two-day attendance is mandatory for certification. They will host a Bow Hunter education course Aug. 7 from 8 a.m., to 5 p.m. The Perrysburg Conservation Club announced their Third Annual Children's Fishing Derby will be held June 26 from 8 a.m., until 2 p.m., at Peck Hill Road in Perrysburg. Children 15 years of age and younger, accompanied by an adult, can fish the club pond and compete in various categories for prizes. Pre-register by calling Jen at 244-0275. Bring your fishing gear and have some fun. There will be a pistol course offered at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club on June 24 from 9:30 a.m., until 2:30 p.m. For more information, call 366-3397. Free Fishing Weekend (no license required) set for June 27-28. There will be a one-day Safe Boating Class on Sunday at Chautauqua Marina located at 104 West Lake Road, Mayville. The class will start at 9:30 a.m. For more information, call Debi Clementi at 753-0409 or e-mail boatsafety@aol.com. Note the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will conduct a free boat safety check at Chautauqua Marina on Aug. 7. There will be a Sporting Clays NSCA registered shoot July 3 at the Hanover Fish and Game Club located on Overheiser Road, Forestville. The event will be a 100-target event. For more information, visit hanover.clays.org, or call 353-3781. The 17th Annual AMARA-CAN Walleye Classic will take place July 10-11. For information, call Dayton Kane at 875-8872 or Robert Zoeller at 875-8148. The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club will present their 6th annual Walleye Derby on July 30-31 and Aug. 1. A maximum of 100 teams will be accepted. For more information, call 366-3639 or 366-8836. If your club is having an outdoors related event, call the OBSERVER at 366-3000, ext. 5 after 5 p.m. Gene Pauszek is an OBSERVER Outdoors columnist. Send comments to sports@observertoday.com. Subscribe to The OBSERVER For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Wing City Grille Coming To Lakewood

By Dennis Phillips dphillips@post-journal.com LAKEWOOD - If you live in the Lakewood area, wishing there was a new restaurant to try, wait just one more month and your wish will come true. In July, the Wing City Grille restaurant will open at 273 E. Fairmount Ave., the former location of Ponderosa. The Wing City Grille is already known in the Fredonia area, where it has been in operation for more than five years. Andrew Carlson, owner, said Lakewood was an ideal community for a second location. ''We're excited to come to Lakewood. I think the village needs something new,'' he said. ''I'm from Bemus (Point). I grew up in the area and it is nice to stay local.'' Carlson, along with his partner in the business David Jett, hopes to open the new restaurant in July, with no date set yet for a grand opening. He said the new spot will be very similar to the restaurant in Fredonia, but a little more modern. ''It is a place for family fun, affordable meals,'' he said. ''You can find most meals priced between $8 to $9. If you serve good food, provide a good atmosphere, people will come back.'' Carlson said there is a 14-page menu, with everything homemade from entrees to Buffalo wings to burgers. ''Everything is made from scratch and you can tell when you eat it,'' he said. ''I like to see people leaving full and happy.'' Carlson said the restaurant will open around 11 a.m. for lunch and then stay open through the dinner time hours into the night. At night, though, there will be entertainment aimed for an older audience with jazz and blues band nights planned to go along with trivia and karaoke nights. ''It's a family, but also a casual place. We have video games for kids during the day and at night will have entertainment for the adults. Not a lot of places around here that do a jazz or blues night, and do it right.'' Carlson said the restaurant has been renovated, which took more than four months. He said everything is new from its roof to electrical work to plumbing. ''It's a brand-new building,'' he said. Subscribe to Post-Journal For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

Chautauqua Lake Yacht Club Hosts Dinghy Championships

Participants arrived from all directions with many hoping to make the grade as a qualifier from their region. Others traveled from distant home ports in Canada or the west coast, simply to test their skills in the waters of Lake Chautauqua. This weekend the Chautauqua Lake Yacht Club in Lakewood is hosting the Great Lakes Optimist Dinghy Championship. "This is the first event of the qualifying season," said Rob Rowlands on Friday, while some parents helped young competitors wheel their boats onto the grass beside the launch. Rowlands is the Executive Director of the U.S. Optimist Dinghy Association, and this is his second trip to Lakewood. Upcoming events sponsored by the USODA will be held in Pensacola, Houston and other locations around the country, he said. While the calm, sparkling waters of Chautauqua don't typify the conditions found in the Great Lakes region, Rowlands said this venue "hosts its own set of challenges." He said events for the Optimist class can be found in any type of surf, requiring skills among inland lake, bay and ocean sailing. After a series of races Saturday and Sunday, the top 25 percent of eligible contestants will be recognized as "qualifiers" who advance to a USODA team trial event. The results of team trials go toward the selection of which sailors represent the U.S. at the international regatta to be held in the summer of 2011. Though they might be young- the cutoff age for competition with the Optimist is fifteen- the appropriate term is "sailor," said Rowlands. They could be eight years old or in high school, he said. Advancing beyond this small dinghy, called an "Opti" by instructors and young racers alike, Rowlands said the sailors can continue on a larger boat for one person, or move to a watercraft which requires two or three people. A DAY FOR PRACTICE During the day Friday, Lauren Turner from the Yacht Club hosted sailing exercises on the lake for the competition's early arrivals. Gage McLennan, a young member of the San Francisco Yacht Club, was assisted by his grandfather as he pulled his watercraft ashore. McLennan spends a week of his summer on Chautauqua Lake with his family, and has taken lessons in Lakewood for the past three years. He described the unpredictable condition of the day's breeze, which is common for the lake. "The wind sometime dies, and then it has a puff," he said. While some sailors were headed back to the docks, others were still on land unfurling their sail. Lakewood native Ellie Kreinheder prepared to launch for the practice races held later in the afternoon. She is currently eight years old, with three years of experience sailing in an Opti. Her mother said she is a veteran of multiple races, both on Chautauqua and at the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club in Ontario. Information for the event can be found at the website of the Chautauqua Lake Yacht Club, http://www.sailclyc.org/ Subscribe to Post-Journal For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

Celoron Ribfest

http://www.celoronribfest.com/images/stories/2010/brochure.pdf For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

Surf Club Has New Owners

BEMUS POINT - The new owners of the Bemus Point Surf Club have appointed Jeff Taylor as general manager of operations and Bill Thomas as director of food operations and head chef. In addition, Jaime Fish Wieczorek has been appointed manager of beverage and front end operations. Jeff Taylor, co-owner, brings 30 years of restaurant and food service experience. He has been self-employed since 1994. Taylor and his wife, Tami, and their two sons, own Justin Tyme on the River in Niagara Falls, a full-service family restaurant. Taylor is a graduate of Niagara County Community College Culinary Professional Chef Program. The Taylor family are lifelong residents of Niagara Falls and summer residents of Randolph. Thomas joins the Surf Club after 30 years experience at Moon Brook Country Club, with the last 17 as executive chef. The restaurant is now open. Subscribe to Post-Journal For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

MANAGING THE STRESSES OF BUYING AND SELLING A HOME A CHAUTAUQUA HOME

By Stanley Popovich Many people deal with the anxieties of buying or selling a home. This process can be confusing to many people. As a result, here is a list of ways that a person can use to manage the anxiety of purchasing or selling a home. The first step is to determine your goals in purchasing or selling a home. Determine what you want to accomplish. It will save you a lot of time and money in the long run if you know what you are looking for. Sit down and think about the overall goal of what you are looking for and convey this to your real estate agent. Some people like to write down their goals on a piece of paper so they have something to go back to when they get stressed. Educate yourself on the steps of purchasing or buying a home. Go to your local bookstore and find some books that will explain the process of buying or selling a home. There are many books available that can inform you of the process and will help reduce the anxiety of the situation. Most importantly, you will be able to make smarter choices that will save you time and money. Find a reputable real estate agent that can help you accomplish your goals. Ask some of your friends on who they recommend and get in touch with them. Referrals from people you know are a great way in finding a good real estate agent. Get your finances organized. Make sure you have an idea on what you can afford and also make sure that your credit is good. The financial aspect of buying or selling a home does not have to be scary if you have a sound business plan and a realistic budget. Some people may buy a home that they can't afford and this can cause problems down the road. Determine what you can afford and develop a budget where you will be able to keep up with your bills. In addition to using the services of a good real estate agent, try to get a friend who is more experienced to help you. Chances are good that you know someone who has purchased or sold a home. You could ask them for their assistance and ask them questions on what to do and what not do. Having a friend who can assist you along the way can really help reduce the anxiety of the process. Read the fine print on everything before signing and do not assume anything. Ask questions if you are uncertain on some aspects of buying or selling a home. A good real estate agent will not mind if you ask questions, however you should do your part and try to educate yourself on the entire process. There will be times when everything happens all at once. When this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the current situation. A person could take a walk, listen to some music, read the newspaper or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things. Once you calm down, you will better able to make the right decisions. Purchasing or selling a home does not have to be a bigger deal than it has to if you take the proper steps. There is help out there if you get stuck or confused. The most important thing is to do your homework. Determine your goals, educate yourself on the steps to reach your goals, ask questions, and take it one step at a time. If you follow this advice you will be better able to reduce the stresses of purchasing or selling a home. BIOGRAPHY: Stan Popovich is the author of "A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods" - an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/ For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com