Alfred State western equestrians PAGE 2
Based on Allegany County:
Bills’ new stadium built on blocks produced in Alfred Station
BY KATHRYN ROSS
ALFRED STATION
— When fans sit in the 62,000 seats in the new home of the Buffalo Bills — the new Highmark Stadium — they’ll be cheering their beloved on a part of Allegany County.
At the beginning of the stadium building project three years ago, Southern Tier Concrete Products Inc. of Alfred Station was contracted to supply more than 1 million concrete blocks for the build. The company makes its concrete products from locally
BY KATHRYN ROSS
SHONGO — Gold,
Pa. is 150 miles from Lebanon, Pa., but that didn’t stop a tradition nurtured there to make the journey nothwest to become a happy holiday that ended up in Allegany County.
In 1986, Tom and Ruth Roy of North Lebanon Township, Pa. invented Hoodie Hoo Day, a holiday to banish winter — and the winter blues — and encourage spring by going outside, raising your hands over your head and shouting “Hoodie Hoo!” twice, at noon on Feb. 20.
Hoodie Hoo Day was
sourced materials, hence the new stadium sits on blocks that were produced in Allegany County and made from materials resourced from Allegany County. Owned by CEO Ben Palmer of Alfred, the family-owned business located on Route 244 in Alfred Station is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. Southern Tier Concrete Products, Inc. has also long been involved in the masonry program at Alfred State College, contributing technical support, materials, tools and training aids as well as annual
scholarships to help produce graduates with skills needed to succeed in the construction trades.
Southern Tier Concrete Products has supplied bricks and blocks for many of the schools and other buildings throughout the Southern Tier.
When the material contracts went out for the Bills’ stadium, contractor Thomas Johnson contacted the offices of Southern Tier Concrete Products. Having worked with them in
created and copyrighted by the Roys, founders of the website Wellcat. com, which is noted for inventing dozens of
unique and fun holidays.
In 1986, Tom Roy was the morning man on radio WIOV in
West Lebanon when he was glancing through Chase’s Calendar of Events, an annual almanac he used to find interesting dates to mention on his radio show. He saw in the back there was a form where people could submit their own holidays. He submitted Hoodie Hoo Day to take place a month before the arrival of spring. It was included in the next year’s calendar with the description: “a lighthearted ritual meant to lift spirits and help everyone shake off the seasonal gloom of late winter.”
Hoodie Hoo is an
entirely invented phrase and does not belong to any real language.
USA Today picked up the story and radio host Paul Harvey followed through with it.
Some 150 miles away from Lebanon, Betty Tomack, who operated a general store at the crossroads in Gold, Potter County, Pa., was looking at Chase’s Calendar in 1987 when she came across Hoodie Hoo Day. In such a rural area, The General Store was a popular gathering place where people socialized and generally had fun. Tomack was looking for an event that would brighten up the
winter-weary folk who came into the store.
Hoodie Hoo Day was exactly what she was looking for, so she made it a celebration filled with chili and live music and a whole crew of people stepping outside at noon, to stand in the crossroads and shout “Hoodie Hoo.”
After The General Store closed it looked like the tradition would be lost, until then-Allegany County Legislator Bill Dibble, president of Allegany County Trails, got wind of it. Combining the trail concept with the Hoodie
File photo
The new Highmark Stadium, under construction in Orchard Park and set to open later this year, is built with hundreds of thousands of concrete blocks from an Allegany County manufacturer.
Big performances highlight 2026 opener for Alfred State western equestrians
ALFRED
— The Alfred State western equestrian team opened the 2026 portion of their season with a strong showing at Alfred University. The team finished as the HighPoint team on Sunday with Paige Sims riding to High-Point Rider honors.
Paige Sims earned top honors in both Level 2 Horsemanship and Level 2 Ranch riding on Sunday. She was fifth and sixth in the same divisions on the Saturday show.
Maddie Casnova (Level 1), Mikey Lewis
(Rookie B), Ashley Wolfe (Open Horsemanship), and Alison Wojtkowiak (Rookie B) all earned top spots in Sunday’s competition. Hadley Amyot (Rookie A), Jacklynn Crow (Rookie B), and Morgan Stone (Rookie B) rode to second place. On Saturday, the Pioneers were the Reserve High-Point team. They were led by Crow (Rookie B) and Wojtkowiak (Rookie B) riding to first place. Laura Mills (Rookie A) and Wolfe (Open Reining) picked up second place finishes. Western Equestri-
an Head Coach Rose Stayer-Ruffner was extremely pleased with her team’s performance.
“We had a great weekend. I have seen great growth in the skill level of our riders. I am excited to continue practicing for the postseason,” she said.
Amyot (Beginner), Casanova (Rookie B), Keira Sulkey (Level 1), Wolfe (Open Horsemanship and Reining), and Wojtkowiak (Rookie B) have all qualified for Regionals that will be held March 7 at Alfred University.
NY proposes change to seasons for walleye, other coolwater species
New York state plans to move up the annual closing dates for coolwater sportfish — walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger musky — to help protect fish while spawning and increase the reproductive capacity of walleye in Lake Ontario’s eastern basin.
The plans were announced Friday by Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton.
“The proposed regulation changes for
walleye, pike, pickerel, and tiger musky reflect DEC’s commitment to adaptively manage New York’s fisheries resources and to simplify regulations wherever possible,” she said. “We encourage the public to review the proposal and provide feedback.”
Highlights of the proposed regulations include:
Changing the closing date for walleye, northern pike, pickerel and musky from March 15 to March
1 for both statewide and special regulations.
• Changing the start date of fishing-prohibited regulations to protect spawning walleye on sections of select streams from March 16 to March 2.
• Eliminating unnecessary special harvest regulations for walleye in 33 waters.
• Changing the size limit and daily creel limit for walleye in Jefferson County wa-
ters of Lake Ontario to two fish per day with no more than one longer than 24 inches.
Lefton said the proposed regulations are responsive to fisheries managers’ and anglers’ concerns that the current fishing season closing date may not adequately protect spawning walleye and northern pike into the future, as a warming climate changes water temperatures and shifts spawning times.
DETWEILER FARM AUCTION
LOCATION: 8279 CR 41, Black Creek, NY 14714
DIRECTIONS: From I 86 (Cuba) take Rt. 305 north 4 miles to Black Creek & turn right on Tibbitts Hill Road 1 mile to farm.
SATURDAY, FEB. 28, 2026 @ 9:30 AM
13 PULLING BRED BELGIANS: Brock & Floss-
ie a team of 6 year olds- Brock is a sorrel Y Lane Bucks Barney gelding & Flossie is a sorrel mare should have a Jan. foal, Lynn & Molley a team- Lynn is a 14 yr. old Blond mare & Mollie a 13 yr. old Blond mare in foal, Babe a 13 yr. old Blond mare in foal, Bonnie a 4 yr. old roan mare sired by Cap & in foal, these are all well broke to all farm machinery. Queen a 3-yearold Blond mare by Duke’s Tony & broke, Doc a 3 yr. old gelding that is broke & Flash a 2 yr. old stud are full brothers, Prince a 2 yr. old stud & Albert a yearling stud are full brothers, both pairs are well matched, Duke a 2 yr. old sorrel stud, Kate a yearling sorrel filly, NOTE: all young stock sired by Brock. 90 SHEEP: (70) 2 yr. old & older Dorper/Katahdin ewes- 35 head are due to lamb in May / June. 35 head should have lambs just weaned off, 20 head fall born ewe lambs, yearling White Dorper ram. A good flock for out of season breeding.
33 PCS. FARM EQUIPMENT: John Deere 720 diesel tractor on steel w/ pony motor, JD. 24 T baler w/ 22 HP. Motor, NH. 310 baler, 2 NH. 256 roll-a-bar rakes, 12’ Hoover kicker tedder, (2) Mc. D. #9 – (1) 7’ & (1) 8’ trailer gear mowers, hay wagon w/ short tong, Pioneer 6 ton wagon w/ brake, Mc. D. 2 row corn planter, Mc. D.
corn binder, JD. 7’ grain binder, Rosenthal corn husker/shredder w/ feeder, JD. corn sheller, 40’ hay elevator, bale carrier, JD. Vanbrunt 17hole grain drill, 3 rebuilt NI. #8 & #10 & #12 manure spreaders, box wagon, spring wagon, bob sled, 2 fore carts, Pioneer back blade, Shetler box blade, Pioneer log cart, TILLING EQUIP. Oliver 2-bottom trailer plow, Hostetler single bottom RH. Plow, 8’ zero turn cultimulcher was new in 2025, Pioneer 9’ spring tooth harrow, Mc. D. 1-row cultivator.
FARM MISC.: Burr mill, oats crimper, concrete mixer, shoeing stocks,bolt on bob sled runners, 3 sets of work harnesses, single work harness, collars & pads, eveners, yokes, wagon load small farm misc.
SHOP TOOLS & MISC.: Horizontal metal band saw, buggy tire roller, 40’ & 20’ ext. ladders, lawn mowers, 300 gal. SS. sap tank, plastic water tank.
CASHIERS & TERMS BY VINE COUNTRY AUCTIONS: Cash or check w/ ID.
LUNCH STAND: By Amish ladies.
SALE ORDER: Starting wagon load misc. –farm equip. approx. 11:00 & finishing w/ livestock.
OWNERS:
Mr. & Mrs. Joe Detweiler 8279 CR 41 BLACK CREEK, NY 14714
Establishing an earlier fishing season closure will help ensure that spawning aggregations of these species are protected, she said. There are also several walleye waters currently managed under special harvest regulation (18inch minimum size limit, three-per-day possession limit) to help establish, restore or improve walleye fisheries. A subset of those waters does not meet that objective and the draft regulations propose to convert back to statewide regulations and a 15-inch minimum size, five-per-day possession limit, DEC said. In addition, the walleye fishery in Lake Ontario’s eastern basin (Jefferson County) has declined and DEC is
proposing a more protective harvest regulation intended to increase spawning stock biomass and increase the capacity for natural reproduction. The full text and a summary of the proposed regulatory changes are available on DEC’s website, dec. ny.gov/. DEC said it wants anglers’ viewpoints and encourages public feedback on the proposed changes. Comments will be accepted through April 13 and should be emailed to regulations. fish@dec.ny.gov with the subject line “Coolwater Sportfish Regulations,” or sent by standard mail to Inland Fisheries Section, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, N.Y., 12233-4753.
Photo provided by New York DEC
The New York DEC is proposing changes to walleye fishing regulations to improve spawning outcomes for the popular gamefish, as well as other game species.
Photo provided by Alfred State College
The Alfred State western equestrian team displays the awards they earned in the first competition 2026 portion of their season.
BY JIM ECKSTROM
State Sen. George Borrello officially announced he is seeking re-election to represent the 57th District in the New York State Senate for a fourth full term.
“Representing the people of Western New York is the honor of my life, and it’s a responsibility I work to earn every day,” Borrello said in a press statement.
“Albany continues to be dominated by New York City politicians whose priorities are far removed from the realities and values of rural communities like ours.
“I go there with one mission: to be a strong, unapologetic voice for our residents.”
Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, pointed to a record defined by constituent service and outreach as well as high-profile policy fights. He said in 2025 alone his office helped nearly 3,000 constituents cut through red tape and get answers from state government.
“Behind those numbers are real families, seniors and small business owners who needed help navigating an often-unresponsive bureaucracy,” he said.
“That kind of hands-on service will always be a top priority.”
The senator added that he’s also made it a point to stay accessible, hosting town halls in every county across the
district and attending as many community events as possible, “because the best way to represent people is to listen to them.”
Borrello, age 58, has represented the 57th District since winning a special election in 2019. He won re-election in races in 2020 and 2022, while he was unopposed in 2024 for his latest term.
No Democrat has publicly announced a run to challenge the senator.
The Senate district, one of the largest geographically in the state, encompasses Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Genesee and Wyoming counties, as well as a western portion of Allegany County.
CLIMATE ACT A DEFINING ISSUE
Looking ahead, Borrello, who also has been endorsed by the Conservative Party, said the defining issue in the 2026 legislative session and the years ahead will be New York Democrats’ Climate Act and its impact on affordability and economic growth.
“The Climate Act and the mandates that have followed may be our biggest fight yet,” he said. “Since its passage, energy prices are up more than 50% and New York now has among the highest electric rates in the nation. This isn’t coincidence; it’s the
result of Albany trying to overhaul our entire energy economy without a serious feasibility study or cost analysis.”
Borrello also noted he has been a leading voice against industrial wind turbines in Lake Erie and the unchecked expansion of large solar projects on prime farmland across Western New York.
“We can pursue environmental goals without sacrificing our shoreline, our farms and local control,” he said. “Covering productive farmland with solar arrays and pushing offshore wind projects that threaten local industries is not balanced policy; it’s ideology overriding common sense.”
He said ratepayers have already absorbed billions in Climate Act-related costs, with projected totals reaching into the hundreds of billions of dollars.
“Our strong advocacy against the All-Electric Buildings Act, which would have effectively banned natural gas in new construction and driven housing costs even higher, led to the governor ‘pausing’ this disastrous law,” Borrello said. “But a pause is not a repeal. The economy and the future of New
York hinge on whether we restore balance, transparency and common sense to this agenda.”
ADVOCACY FOR FARMING
Borrello, ranking member of the Senate’s Agriculture Committee, also emphasized his commitment to protecting New York’s farmers and agricultural economy, a cornerstone of the 57th District.
“Agriculture isn’t just an industry here, it’s a way of life,” Borrello said. “I’ve worked across the aisle to support programs like Nourish NY, which connects our farmers with food banks and hunger relief organizations, a true winwin that supports both food-insecure families and local producers.”
He also noted that he has consistently pushed back against legislation and labor mandates that he said increase food prices and place added strain on family farms.
When Democrats lowered the overtime threshold for farm workers, Borrello was among the most vocal opponents of the change. While the mandate ultimately passed, he said sustained advocacy helped pressure the Hochul admin-
Borrello announces bid for fourth full term in New York Senate
istration to establish a tax credit to help farmers offset the significant new labor costs it imposed.
Public safety remains a core priority for the senator as well.
“When our corrections officers stood up during the 2025 strike to demand safer working conditions and accountability for policies like the HALT Act, I stood shoulder to shoulder with them,” Borrello said. “We must repeal HALT as well as the failed bail and discovery laws and restore balance to a system that has tilted too far toward criminals at the expense of victims and law-abiding citizens.”
MINORITY PARTY INFLUENCE
Despite serving in the minority, Borrello noted that “results matter” while pointing to his recent ranking as the most effective Republican legislator in the state Senate by the Center for Effective Lawmaking.
“Even in the minority, you can fight, deliver results and make a dif-
ference,” he said.
A former Chautauqua County executive, Borrello won a 2019 special election following the resignation of Catharine Young — he defeated Democrat Austin Morgan with 71.1% of the vote. In 2020, he won his first full term by defeating Frank Puglisi with 71.7% of the vote, while in 2022 he defeated Democratic challenger Daniel Brown with 73.1% of the vote.
Mark Heberling, chairman of the Cattaraugus County Republican Party, said Borrello is one of the most influential voices for Western and Upstate New York in Albany and stated, “We’re fortunate to have him.”
“He’s a former small businessman and county official who really understands our needs in the Senate district,” Heberling added. “And he’s everywhere, he really does the work, attending county fairs, showing up at firehalls across the district. ... I don’t know how his does it.”
the past, he was aware of their expertise and a contract was signed. So far, a little over 800,000 blocks have been delivered to the site where parts of the stadium are still under construction, according to a spokesperson.
He confirmed that
the 10 to 15 employees working on the Highmark project are very proud of their work.
Another company with a manufacturing site in the Southern Tier, Cimolai-HY of Olean, has fabricated many of the steel girders used in the new stadium’s con-
struction, also a point of pride for its employees.
Southern Tier Concrete Products supplies blocks for both small and huge projects. It offers seven different sizes of concrete bricks and blocks in 14 different colors. It produces energy-efficient, neutral grounding resistor (NGR) blocks, which are a type of insulated block, in 19 colors. It also produces decorative blocks for fire pits in five colors and retaining wall bricks.
It sells blocks for all projects from fire pits to the “The Pit”-sized Highmark Stadium, channeling its nickname.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Bill’s new home was June 5, 2023. The opening day for the stadium is scheduled for a date in July. There will be 62,000 seats in the $2.2 billion stadium, which has a footprint of 1.35 million square feet. According to the most recent census, the current population of Allegany County is around 47,159, so every man, woman and child could be seated in the new stadium — with plenty of room to spare.
The playing field surface is Kentucky bluegrass with artificial turf on the sidelines. There is a heating system underneath the playing field to prevent it from freezing and to melt
snow. It is an open roof building with a canopy designed to shelter 65% of the seating area.
Planners and designers, noting that the NFL’s Super Bowl is only played in covered stadiums, designed the new stadium knowing that the greater Buffalo area does not have the infrastructure to accommodate the masses that come for SB week, according to the architects. Instead, they kept in mind the cold and snowy homefield advantage associated with Western New York and the Bills — and designed accordingly.
The 2026 Buffalo Bills schedule features eight home games to take place in the new stadi-
um with the first regular season game scheduled for Sept. 7 versus the New York Jets. While the Bills are scheduled to play the 2026 season in the new
stadium, the venue will also be used for other events, such as concerts — all taking place in front of stands built with an Allegany County base.
➡Hoodie Hoo Day
continued from PAGE 1
Hoo tradition, he first attempted to move the event to Wellsville near the start of the WAG Trail, but it didn’t take. So, he found a better location: Shongo, where the tradition was reborn at Mama’s Smokin’ BBQ near the WAG Trail as it winds its way to Genesee, Pa. In 2024, sisters Robin Gach and Shelly Brown purchased Mama’s Smokin’ BBQ. They continued, at Dibbles’ urging, the Hoodie Hoo tradition offering free chili and
cornbread and live music to the hundreds of people who started showing up. This year the event will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Two Sisters and a Smoker, 605 Route 19. At noon the crowd will gather outside to shout “Hoodie Hoo” and drive winter away — under a partly cloudy sky with a chance of snow and at a temperature significantly warmer than has been this winter’s norm.
Photo provided
Concrete blocks are ready for shipment from Southern Tier Concrete Products Inc. of Alfred Station.
home improvement
Popular kitchen flooring materials
It’s well-documented that kitchens are popular gathering spaces in homes. Perhaps that’s one reason why homeowners looking to sell their homes direct so much attention to the kitchen before listing their properties. The real estate experts at Trulia note that emphasis is well worth it, as buyers inspect kitchens and primary bathrooms more than any other spaces in a home.
Cabinets and countertops garner consid-
erable attention when pondering kitchen renovations, but it’s equally important that homeowners pay attention to flooring when planning a remodel. The following are some notable flooring materials homeowners may want to consider as they plan to remodel their kitchens.
• Ceramic tile: Ceramic tile is a popular kitchen flooring material. The flooring experts at Avalon
Flooring note that ceramic tile boasts an elegant and clean feel. Ceramic tile also is durable and easy to maintain. That simple maintenance includes ease of cleaning, as ceramic tile can be quickly cleared of spills and dirt tracked into a kitchen from outside. Ceramic tile also comes in a wide variety of colors, a versatility that undoubtedly adds to its popularity.
• Porcelain tile: Porcelain tile is another versatile option that can add instant aesthetic appeal to a kitchen. Porcelain tile is waterproof, which appeals to many homeowners looking to renovate their kitchens. Porcelain also is easily cleaned and durable, as floor-
ing experts estimate that porcelain tiles can last anywhere from 15 to 50 years. Porcelain tile also requires minimal maintenance, which appeals to busy homeowners.
• Engineered hardwood: Engineered hardwood is a popular choice that many homeowners appreciate due to its strength and aesthetic appeal. This flooring material is made with
even more
and water-resistant. The result is an easily maintained product that also can
The
has the potential to positively impact heart health. The Cleveland Clinic points to research that brushing one’s
Office
the
health & Wellness
teeth may promote a healthier heart as well as healthier teeth. Although taking care of oral health will not eliminate the risk for heart issues down the line, some studies have found that people with gum disease may be twice as likely to have a heart attack or a stroke. But why? Gum disease is linked to increased inflammation in the entire body, according to the experts. When combined with factors like high cholesterol and diabetes, gum-related inflammation can contribute to the development of blockages in the arteries. Gum disease also serves as a
long as solid wood flooring so long as it’s well-maintained. Various shades, designs and textures are available, which makes this a versatile option.
another characteristic that appeals to homeowners. But spills on laminate floors are best cleaned up quickly, and the material is vulnerable to warping and staining if exposed to moisture for extended periods of time.
• Laminate flooring: Laminate flooring is a budget-friendly option that’s available in a wide range of styles, colors and patterns. The smooth surface of laminate flooring makes it easy to clean, and it’s resistance to water is
These are some of the options homeowners can consider as they ponder which material to install on their kitchen floors as they remodel these popular rooms.
Clean teeth could translate to clean arteries
portal to where bacteria can enter the bloodstream. Research has found the same bacteria from common oral infections in plaques and blockages in the heart arteries. Bacteria from the mouth also may enter and attack artificial heart valves. Brushing and flossing teeth at least twice a day and visiting the dentist for regular cleanings and checkups can safeguard teeth and the heart.
