WELLSVILLE — At its annual awards ceremony and community celebration, the Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce recognized individuals, groups and businesses for their contribution to the community over the last year.
Reviewing the year’s events the evening of May 17, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bruce Thomas told the capacity crowd at the Wellsville Country Club that the Chamber is in great shape after a successful year.
Along with the review and Chamber report the purpose of the evening was to recognize service to the community.
Nominations were accepted by the Chamber board, earlier this year and then voted on the winners.
This year there were nine awards, with recipients receiving plaques. The winners are:
• Community Service: Ken Didion for his service as treasurer to the Chamber and his help with computer programming and the Chamber’s new website.
• Educator of the
Year: Dr. Kenneth Canfield, a long-time Wellsville teacher who developed speech therapy programs for the district and for school districts throughout the county.
allegany county
• Caregiver Service Award: Michele Henry for her years of working with adults struggling with mental health problems.
nies. He has served as captain for the last six years.
• Veteran Award: Jones Memorial Hospital President and CEO Jim Helms, who served in the U.S. Army for 25 years. He was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq and earned a Bronze Star and the National Defense Service Medal.
• New Business Award: Be Youtiful Nutrition owned by Susan Freeman, who in 2022 started serving healthy, nutritious drinks to the public.
of the business they had received the award. She added that business has grown by leaps and bounds this past year and opened up many new markets.
• Service Award: Patrick Sawyer for his service to the Chamber, who was unable to attend the event.
• Youth Service Award: Presented to the members of the Wellsville Junior Firefighters for their work in the community and with the fire department.
the Emerald Hook and Ladder Company at age 16 because he knew younger people were needed by the fire compa-
• Large Business of the Year: Northern Lights Candles. Accepting the award, Amy Bennett noted it was the first time in the 47-year history
• First Responder Award: Garrett Gardner, who joined
“You may be on vacation where you buy a candle, and that candle was probably made by us right here in beautiful Wellsville,” she said. At the end of the meeting, Thomas told the board that the Chamber is reaching out to the Cuba Chamber and the Houghton Chamber to work together and create more programs to benefit the area.
Photos by Kathryn Ross
Dr. Kenneth Canfield (center) received the Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Educator of the
(left) and Chamber president Bessie Davidson.
Flanked by Bruce Thomas and Bessie Davidson, Jones Memorial Hospital CEO Jim Helms receives the Veterans Award.
BY JIM ECKSTROM
Mercy Flight has begun a part-time, seasonal expansion of its service to Allegany County, covering a 12-hour service period based in Wellsville from Thursday through Sunday of each week.
“This is an exciting move for Mercy Flight as we look to enhance service during times of high demand,” said Mercy Flight’s president, Margaret Ferrentino. “Positioning an aircraft in Wellsville will not only reduce response time to the immediate area but will provide better access to emergency healthcare in the rural areas throughout the Southern Tier.
“Our team is looking forward to better serving those who live, work, and play in Allegany County and its surrounding area,” she added.
Town of Wellsville Supervisor Shad Allsworth said the town is grateful for the commitment from Mercy Flight to invest in the safety of the area.
“As recreational activities swing into action across the Southern Tier, adding another blanket of protection for our residents and visitors is critical in ensuring the continued growth of our tourism industry, while also providing further access to medical care to all full-time residents,” he said in a statement.
“A big shoutout to Chris Martelle, town of Wellsville emergency management coordinator, for helping to facilitate this opportunity,” Allsworth added.
He also thanked the Wellsville Town Board and the Wellsville Airport manager for their support in establishing the Mercy Flight coverage, as well as to the Allegany County Dispatch and Emergency Management teams that are working to coordinate dispatch, response, and training protocols with local EMS for safe and efficient utilization of Mercy Flight.
Mercy Flight of Western New York has had a helicopter based in Olean since June 1999 — the Louis A. Magnano Olean General Hospital Mercy Flight Center, 625 Main St., marked its
25th anniversary in June 2024.
Mercy Flight built the hangar adjacent to Olean General in 1998 — it was the first site built by Mercy Flight outside of the Buffalo area. The current helicopter based
in Olean, a Bell 429, joined the fleet in Olean in 2018, replacing the circa 1980 BK-117, which was the original helicopter for the site.
Martelle said, “We are excited about this project with Mercy
Flight. I would like to thank the entire team that put this plan in motion. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Mercy Flight and seeing where it will take us in the future.”
Scott Wooton, Mercy Flight’s executive vice president, called the development “a big step for us.” He indicated it is hoped Mercy Flight will someday establish a permanent base of operations in Wellsville, and this initiative is the first phase.
“When the weather cooperates, we’re going to be sending our Bell 429 and a dedicated crew Thursday through Sunday to support the Wellsville area’s EMS system wherever it’s needed most,” he said.
Mercy Flight completed its first mission on Sept. 19, 1981. Since that time, it has safely completed nearly 32,500 air patient missions, including on-scene emergencies and inter-facility hospital transfers throughout Western New York and beyond.
Mercy Flight starts seasonal coverage of Wellville area
File photo Mercy Flight, which has had a helicopter based in Olean since 1999, has expanded its coverage to include part-time, seasonal service for Wellsville and Allegany County.
home improvement
Signs an AC unit may need to be replaced
Summer is a season of relaxation. Warm air, longer hours of daylight and vacations from school and work make summer a laid back time of year.
Many people enjoy the warmer air of summer, but it’s important to have a cool place to retreat once temperatures become particularly warm. That means a well-cooled home with an air conditioning system operating at peak capacity. A new HVAC system can last between 15 and 25 years. Homeowners whose systems are at least a decade and a half old can keep an eye out for the following signs that an HVAC may need to be replaced.
• Higher energy bills: Energy costs can vary widely by location, but homeowners know that their energy bills
have been on the rise for years. FirstEnergy estimated that energy costs for New Jersey
residents in 2025 could increase by more than 19 percent by the middle of the year, a point in time when many Garden State residents begin using their air conditioning units every day. That can make it hard to gauge if higher energy bills are a reflection of market price increases or a unit that needs replacement. But higher energy bills could indicate a unit is not working efficiently, which is a telltale sign of an HVAC that may need to be
being performed.
chase of a new unit that could last as long as a quarter century.
replaced. Compare energy bills from a year ago to current bills, and then factor in the price increase. If energy consumption is on the rise compared to a year ago, that could indicate an HVAC unit is working less efficiently.
• A humid home: Humidity is a part of summer, but it’s typically felt outdoors, not inside. A home with a humid interior while the AC is running could indicate a problem with the HVAC unit. According to HVAC. com, a functioning HVAC unit utilizes an evaporator coil to pull excess water vapor from the air in a home and drain it away from the home. If the air inside a home is humid, the unit might be having a mechanical issue that’s preventing this important task from
• Frequent repairs: A telltale sign a unit needs to be replaced is the need for frequent repairs. Homeowners who are now on a firstname basis with their HVAC contractor may want to ask that professional if it’s time to replace the unit. Money being spent on frequent repairs may be better repurposed toward financing the pur-
• Poor air flow: An HVAC unit operating at peak capacity will produce a steady flow of cool air through the vents throughout a home. Poor air flow through those vents means it will take longer than normal to cool a home, and homeowners can put their hands near the
vents to see how well or how poorly air is flowing through them. If air is flowing poorly, the unit will have to work harder to cool the home, which will contribute to higher energy bills.
A fully functional air conditioning system is vital in summer. Some telltale signs any homeowner can spot may indicate an existing HVAC unit needs to be replaced.
Bolivar woman charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault for stabbing 2 NYSP troopers
A 31-year-old Bolivar woman faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and other counts for allegedly stabbing two state police
troopers — one near an eye and the other in the head — as they were arresting her for possessing a stolen vehicle May 17 in the village of Bolivar.
State police reported that Julia C. Groff was arraigned and remanded to the Allegany County Jail without bail. a preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 21 at the Town of Bolivar Court.
“Troopers approached the operator, later identified as Groff,” state police reported. “Groff violently resisted arrest and stabbed Trooper Jacob Klock, a nine-year veteran, just above the eye and Trooper Michael Rich, an 11-year veteran, in the head.
“In response to the assault, Trooper Rich discharged his issued firearm, but did not strike Groff,” the state police reported.
Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester with serious injuries, state police said. Groff was taken into custody with minor injuries. Groff was charged with two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, an A-2 felony; two counts of aggravated assault upon a police officer, a B felony; and two counts of menacing a police officer, a C felony, stemming from the incident.
Troopers based in Amity responded at approximately 3:25 p.m. May 17 to Crosby’s gas station at 500 Main St. in Bolivar on a stolen vehicle report. Troopers located a stolen 2000 black Chevrolet Silverado at the gas pump.
Both Klock and Rich were being treated at
She also was charged with once count of grand larceny in the fourth degree-motor vehicle, an E felony, and obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, resisting arrest and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, all A misdemeanors.
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation, NYSP Employee Assistance Program, Allegany County District Attorney’s Office and the Allegany County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the investigation.
Photo provided
This photo released by New York State Police on May 17 shows the scene at the Crosby’s gas station and convenience store at 500 Main St. in Bolivar, where two troopers were reportedly stabbed as they arrested a female suspect in a stolen vehicle. One trooper reportedly fired their service weapon at the suspect, who was not hit.
Julia C. Groff
Memorial Day activities planned in Allegany County
Memorial Day weekend events are set for communities throughout Allegany County.
• Belmont — The Belmont American Legion Post 808 will host its fourth annual
Summer Kick Off on May 24. Music includes DJ Yendor Snave from 2-10 p.m.
Activities include an Auxiliary vendors and artisans market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a bake sale and raffles.
A fireworks show by Young Fireworks will be viewable throughout the village at dusk. On May 25, there will be cornhole and music by the Dirt Turtles Band from noon to 4 p.m.
On Memorial Day, the community parade starts at 11:30 a.m., with services at Park Circle at noon. The Sons of the American Legion will host a chicken barbecue afterward.
• Bolivar — 10 a.m. parade followed by ceremony at Maple Lawn Cemetery.
• Cuba — 11 a.m. parade down Main Street to Veteran’s Park. Memorial service to follow at Genesee Park, followed by a barbecue for veterans and their families at the VFW Post 2721 at noon.
Friendship — Friendship American Legion Post 1168 members will begin services at area cemeteries at about 7:30 a.m. The parade in Friendship is set for 10 a.m., beginning at the United Church of Friendship and ending at the Friendship Library, where there will be a memorial service.
• Richburg — 9 a.m. parade along Main Street with a ceremony to follow at Richburg Cemetery.
• Wellsville — The Morrison Hayes Unit 702 American Legion Auxiliary will hold a memorial for deceased Unit 702 Auxiliary members at 11 a.m. Sunday in front of the post. On Monday, Veterans Memorial Park services will begin at 9:30 a.m. The American Legion is holding a parade on Main Street from Pearl Street to the Main Street fire hall at 10 a.m. Services will follow at Woodlawn and Sacred Heart cemeteries and at the post on Jefferson Street.
