Allegany County Hibernians’ road bowling tourney back on course
BY KATHRYN ROSS
ANDOVER — At the top of Davis Hill the Allegany County Ancient Order of Hibernians are back on course as they get ready for their annual Irish Road Bowling Tournament on Kilbane Road.
In “Origins of Irish Road Bowling” by Fintan Lane, the author states, “Some argue that it (Road Bowling) is an ancient Irish sport, others suggest that it came over (to Ireland) with Dutch soldiers in 1689, while another theory is that it was introduced by English and Scottish migrants. Road Bowling was certainly
BY KATHRYN ROSS
ANGELICA — Res-
idents didn’t get much satisfaction when they crowded into the town’s small boardroom the evening of June 8 to oppose construction of a battery energy storage system facility.
The BESS facility for lithium-ion batteries is proposed by SeaTac, a subsidiary of Next ERA Energy Resources, for Hess Road in the southwestern corner of the town. SeaTac is based in the Seattle-Tacoma region of Washington state.
Linda Cash, a former village of Angelica
played in Ireland by the beginning of the 18th century.”
The sport is “played” by pitching a 28-ounce iron bowl along country roads with the objective of covering a set distance in fewer throws than one’s opponent.
“Long bullets (Irish terminology) also crossed the Atlantic,” Lane writes. “By the 1720s it was widely played in the American colonies, primarily by Scottish and Scots-Irish settlers, and was often accompanied by heavy gambling. By the end of the 19th century, however, it had disappeared from the American sporting landscape.
trustee and Hess Road homeowner, and Emily Zimmer of Buffalo, who owns a cabin on Hess Road, had encouraged townspeople to attend the town board meeting. There was standing room only in the board room, with between 50 or 60 crowded in and more standing outside.
Some were Hess Road property owners from Buffalo, Orchard Park and Kenmore who own cabins on Hess Road.
Cash said the battery warehouse is a precursor for the construction of a data center and that there is an environmental hazard and
In recent decades it has made a minor comeback in the United States, promoted by admirers of the Irish game.”
The 13th annual Irish Road Bowling Tournament, sponsored by the Allegany County AOH, will take place starting at 10 a.m. June 13 at the intersection of Route 417 and Davis Hill Road on Kilbane Road east of the village of Andover.
Founder and organizer Brian Cannon, a Hibernian, said the original 1.2-mile course on Kilbane Road will be used once again.
“We are able this year to go back to our original and longer 1.2-mile course as the
culvert washout past the Rod and Gun Club has been repaired and Kilbane Road is totally opened,” he said. “Last year’s tournament course was shortened to approximately 1 mile due to heavy rain that washed out a culvert on Kilbane.”
The first tournament was in 2013. During the COVID pandemic there was a pause in 2020. Rain or shine, the Road Bowling Tournament will open with registration at 9 a.m. at the registration tent in the parking area on the southeast corner of the crossroads — across
health danger associated with the facility. Such a facility could catch on fire, releasing hazardous toxins into the environment, or it could leak, endangering not only nearby water wells and the watershed but
also the nearby Genesee River leading to Lake Ontario, she said.
“The danger offsets the fact that the electrical energy can be sold to the electrical grid,” she said.
Between 10 and 15
people had the opportunity to question the board for three minutes each. “The townspeople are upset and questioning the integrity and honesty of their elected officials,” Cash said.
However, their questions concerning the recent lapse of the town’s 180-day moratorium on environmentally sensitive developments, the continued lack of a planning board (NYS does not require towns to have planning boards, but they are authorized to form them), a study on environmental hazards and the board’s lack of transparency were not met with satisfactory answers, Cash said. She noted board members and the town attorney replied with answers that included,
Photo provided Women
Photo provided
A Stop the BESS Project bus brought people to the Angelica Town Board meeting on June 8.
Eight men from Allegany, Cattaraugus counties in one engineer unit killed on D-Day
More than 170,000 Allied men participated in Operation Overlord 82 years ago on June 6. Of those, many were area men from the first bat-
talion to land on deadly Omaha Beach. The 299th Engineer Combat Battalion had one of the hardest jobs on D-Day — go ashore at
Omaha Beach and clear the way for the infantry and tanks. The battalion’s A and C companies landed at Omaha Beach in the early morning hours that day, along with the headquarters and service company. Company B landed at Utah Beach. According to the 1950 book, “The Famous 299th,” by 7:15 a.m. five of the gaps had been established despite heavy mortar and artillery fire. By 10 a.m., the beach had been cleared and the unit began clearing the remaining obstacles from the beach. Artillery and air attacks continued through the next day. For several days after, artillery and sniper fire
harassed the troops as they worked with little food or rest.
Despite the fiercest fighting along the Normandy front that day, the unit paved the way for the liberation of France. The unit received the Presidential Unit Citation for its efforts at Normandy.
But the price was high — at least 65 men were killed that day, with even more wounded in the heavy fire from defenders. The unit suffered approximately 33% casualties. Among the dead were eight men from Cattaraugus and Allegany counties.
Not since Sept. 29, 1918 — when Olean’s Company I was part of a broad front assault on the German Hindenburg Line a generation earlier — had so many area men from a single unit been killed in a single day’s fighting.
In total, Company A saw 19 killed, including Pvt. Raymond Cartwright of Andover; Pvt. Kenneth Fatty of Coldspring; Pfc. Joseph
Michael O’Connor of Ellicottville; and Sgt. Howard R. Morris of Machias. Company C lost 33 men, including Pfc. Albert Richard Boehmer of Machias, Pfc. Charles L. Burt of Cuba, Sgt. Edward L. Dorney Jr. of Wellsville, and Sgt. Robert James Moritz of West Valley.
Reports indicate that several never even set foot in France before making the ultimate sacrifice.
“The mission of the battalion was completed under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions, which required extraordinary heroism and determination on the part of each individual,” the Presidential Unit Citation stated.
“The esprit de corps of the 299th Engineer Combat Battalion exhibited in this action is worthy of the highest praise.”
O’Conner was reportedly killed at 6:30 a.m. — the very beginning of the invasion — according to the obituary published in the Times Herald upon the return of his body to the area in 1947. His body was originally interred at Saint Laurentsur-Mer Cemetery, but under a worldwide effort by the War Department, hundreds of thousands of deceased servicemen were repatriated to the U.S. after the war ended. O’Connor was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery. Several others were returned, including Cartwright, who was laid to rest in Hillside Cemetery in Andover. Burt’s family told the Times Herald that he was also originally interred in France before being brought home to Cuba.
File photo
Sgt. Edward L. Dorney Jr. of Wellsville (left), shown with a fellow sergeant, was killed in the first wave on Omaha Beach with his company in the 299th Engineer Combat Battalion. Eight men in the unit from Allegany and Cattaraugus counties were killed on D-Day.
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FRIENDSHIP —
Flutes and a tuba will bring different characters to life for all ages, from children to older adults, as the What God is Doing in Friendship ny alliance of participating churches hosts its first free Desserts Concert for the public on June 13.
Jason and Rachel Decker will present “Caricatures,” a musical performance that reflects a little girl and a clown, and a hippo, giraffe and bear, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Friendship, 21 W. Main St.
dining & Entertainment
Pieces by composers Telemann, Hartley, Mancini and more will be featured, followed by Meet the Musicians and delicious desserts by Followers of the
from Kilbane Road. It’s $30 for a two-person team plus a $20 refundable fee for the bowls (or balls).
There are six divisions: men, women, mixed, 11 and under, 16 and under and 60-plus. Medals will be presented for each division.
“We expect to have 60 or more two-person teams competing in this year’s tournament,” Cannon said.
“Andover’s Mark Joyce and Wellsville’s Shane
Way-Nile Community Church, Bible Baptist, and the Methodist church congregational bakers.
Azmat Ayub, a Houghton Academy teacher, also will be on
Dunbar will again be defending their men’s open championship title.”
Food and refreshments will be for sale at the Andover Rod and Gun Club, which is just over halfway through the course, where AOH member Sean Haggerty will serve Irish barbecue.
Profits from the tournament are used by AOH for donations to assist Allegany County organizations and char-
Friendship churches to host Desserts Concert
hand to discuss a special science series which will be offered by the alliance for young people during the summer.
The Deckers have been collaborating as a musical duo for more than a decade.
Jason Decker is tuba instructor at the Houghton University Greatbatch School of Music and has taught band in public school at all levels from very beginning through high school, and classroom music for sixth through 12th grades.
He currently teaches beginning, intermediate and junior high band at Letchworth Central School where he has been a music educator
itable causes including the Joyce Family Catholic Charities Food Pantry Outreach Center in Wellsville; Alfred, Cuba and Fillmore food pantries; the Salvation Army Food Drive; Hart Comfort House of Allegany County; Wellsville Little League; Allegany Cancer Services; and annual AOH scholarships for graduating seniors.
“The AOH Irish Road Bowling Tournament is a family-oriented event to get adults
for some 20 years.
During the summers, he performs with Full Swing, an 18-piece group based in Warsaw, which plays traditional big band jazz music.
His wife, Rachel, a flutist and conductor of the Rushford Town Band, performed her Carnegie Hall debut in 2016 and has been the finalist or award winner in many national and regional flute competitions.
Having attended Houghton as both an undergraduate and graduate student, she currently is its School of Music academic department coordinator.
She has performed in the Southern Tier Sym-
and kids away from their computers, and to get them outside for some great walking while experiencing the late spring landscape in the Allegany Wilds in the Town of Andover,”
phony, the Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra, and the Penfield Symphony Orchestra.
The Desserts Concert is part of the growing, year-around community outreach initiatives being provided for individuals, children and families in the Friendship area and beyond by the alliance of participating churches.
Further information about the expanding number of joint activities is available at WhatGodisDoing@outlook. com, (585) 664-9989 or by Joining and Following the What God is DoingTM in Friendship ny group Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/ God-in-Friendship-FB.
Cannon said. For more information, contact Cannon at aohcannon@gmail. com or go the local AOH Facebook page at facebook.com/WellsvilleAOH/
➡Angelica Meeting
“We don’t want it, either. ... We’re working to protect the taxpayers. ... We’re structuring a law, but it has to go before the county planning board” and, “We could get sued.”
Town Supervisor Girard Kelly said, “In my opinion, once again, New York state is pushing something on rural areas. We’re listening to people’s concerns. There were about 70 people at the meeting and we heard their concerns.
“We’re against this, too,” he added. “Our new law will be tight and strict to protect the people of Angelica and the surrounding area. No one knows if we can stop it, but the board is working hard and
diligently to protect the town and the surrounding area.”
A recording of the meeting is archived on WQRA and can be accessed online.
“They think we’re stupid.” Cash said. “Why do they need a law or why would they get sued, if an agreement hasn’t already been made? This is looking like the Bump the Dump fight all over again and we’re not going to take it.
“These facilities are being proposed in rural communities all across the state and they’re being defeated,” she added. “We’re looking at these communities to see how they did it.”
The next step for the
Stop the BESS Project is to start petition drives to demand a public hearing and a public vote, to take their grievances to the Allegany County Board of Legislators, push for an environmental study and enlist support from all other communities across the county. The towns of Belmont and Friendship are adjacent to Angelica and communities along the Genesee River will be impacted if there is an environmental leak from the facility, Cash pointed out.
hearing and that the hearing will be on the local law once it is approved by the county planning board. Zimmer, the Hess Road property owner and founding member of the Stop the BESS Project, raised a question about the use of home rule to stop the facility.
“This is not a state or governor’s project,” she said. “The town has the ultimate say using home rule. Why are they not banning the BESS project entirely under home rule?”
Deputy Town Supervisor William Weaver confirmed when asked about stopping the construction of the BESS facility, “We can’t do anything until we get a local law.” He added that a local law will put restrictions on the BESS facility.
Weaver also confirmed that no date has been set for a public
Cash added, “The fight is just getting started and we’re not backing down. People across the county have to get involved because this is a threat every community faces. We’re going to use all the resources we have, because this is another Bump the Dump fight.”
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Town of Wellsville residents ask for more recreational development
BY KATHRYN ROSS
WELLSVILLE —
Recreational activities were on the minds of the dozen or so people who attended a public meeting hosted by two members of the town board pertaining to future developments.
Town council members Justine Dodara and Nic Gunning hosted the meeting at the Moose Club, and the public was urged to attend. Village residents are part of the town but town residents are not part of the village.
“What would people like to see here?” asked Gunning in describing the purpose of the meeting. He explained that both he and Dodara lead the town committee that explores grant opportunities. They said that at town board meetings trail connections, pickleball courts and upgrades to Island Park with the addition of a splash pad have been brought up by people attending recent meetings.
Island Park maintenance, development,
upgrades and use are under the direction of the town of Wellsville and includes the Lagoon Field area where the Great Wellsville Balloon Rally is launched. The town owns the land from the tip of the park at the confluence of Dyke Creek and the Genesee River to the small falls to the south on the river.
The town land butts up to land under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
The first person to speak, was former
Immaculate Conception School principal Nora Burdick. She took the opportunity to promote the upcoming Fly-In Breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon, June 21, at the airport to support the David A. Howe Library.
She added that public activities at the airport should be expanded. She suggested such events as concerts, picnics and family activities like hiking and walking could take place there.
“It’s a lovely area and is such an asset to the area,” she said.
During COVID the airport was the site of the high school graduation ceremony and several walks for various causes have been held there.
A splash pad located in Island Park, instead of constructing, maintaining and manning a public pool, is a real possibility, Gunning told the crowd, because grant funding is available and there is already water at the site.
After it was suggested that better seating for seniors at the Little League field is needed, another visitor suggested
that a large screen could be installed for advertising purposes that would allow for the opening up of viewing areas from behind the diamond fence.
People also asked about the possibility of building pickleball courts in the park and to install distance markers along the pathways.
Dodara said there have also been inquiries to establish a dog park at the park.
One member of the
Town of Wellsville continued on PAGE 7
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Kya
audience confirmed that the park is well-used by dog walkers throughout the day.
Several others were concerned about the walkability of Wellsville and expressed concern about the deterioration of sidewalks. It was suggested that way stations featuring information concerning distances and suggesting exercises and basically increasing signage promoting the walkability need to be installed.
One person suggested a walking trail stretching along the west side of the Arterial (behind the fence) from the Arterial and Madison Street intersection to the Route 417 and the Arterial intersection would increase walkability.
At that suggestion, the plan introduced by former county legislator and current president of Allegany Trails Bill Dibble to build a walkway over the Arterial from behind the library was also discussed. Gunning suggested that it would be feasible with available
grant funding. That prompted others to suggest that there needs to be more sidewalks and protection for pedestrians visiting the stores on Bolivar Road.
Many noted that there is increased use by pedestrians in that area.
Another suggested that there be more outside activities sponsored during the winter months, since winter is
so long. A sledding area and ice rink were suggested and keeping the park open in the winter months for cross-country skiing was also encouraged. The reestablishment of a community center for both young and old was also suggested.
Older members of the audience discussed the use and history of the community centers in
Wellsville. One audience member suggested that a community center could be established in a vacant home with rooms designated for specific activities.
Near the end of the meeting, it was suggested that a housing
development featuring tiny homes should be constructed in the town to help with the local housing shortage. A location dedicated to former town Superintendent Max Allen off the road from Bolivar Road to the airport was suggested as
a prime location. Before the meeting ended, Gunning said suggestions would be compiled and the intention is to create a survey to determine the needs and wants of the public in relation to future developments.
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Rachel Merriam Abby Morton Carly Moultrup
home improvement
Tips to incorporate nature into an outdoor living space
Outdoor living spaces provide a great way for people to spend more time outside. The chance to do just that is one of the variables that has driven the boom in outdoor living, which a recent survey from COGNITION Smart
Data found is the most desired feature among nearly 23 percent of home buyers surveyed. Indeed, outdoor living spaces outranked smart home technology, modern finishes and even climate-resilient designs in terms of desirability
among home buyers surveyed in 2026.
The outdoor living boom is a testament to the allure of nature, and homeowners can incorporate the beauty of the great outdoors when designing outdoor living spaces.
Consider the sightlines when laying out new spaces. When determining where to position an outdoor kitchen, an outdoor living room and additional
features of an exterior living space, consider existing landscape features. A vibrant and colorful garden that’s visible to residents and guests when they’re relaxing in the space can remind all of the beauty of nature. Home cooks routinely tasked with manning the grill would undoubtedly appreciate looking out onto a lush, green lawn while flipping burgers, so position the grill to facilitate such a view. When setting up an outdoor living room where you intend to gather for outdoor movie nights and game watches, plant some colorful accent trees or plants
around the perimeter of the space so viewers are reminded of the beautiful setting at all times.
Utilize nature to create privacy. Fencing is many homeowners’ first thought when seeking to create privacy in an outdoor living space. While fencing is undeniably effective as a privacy screen, it may not accommodate homeowners who desire an outdoor living space that reminds residents and guests of the beauty of nature. Consider privacy trees when designing an outdoor living
space. The right choice of tree depends on local climate and additional variables unique to a property, so work with a landscaping professional to identify the best options for your space. Trees can even be planted in front of existing or newly installed fencing
to create a more natural-looking perimeter. Prioritize yard space. It’s tempting to go big on hardscaping when designing an outdoor living space. However, the cost of hardscaping is among the expensive components of a deck or patio renovation project.
Eliminating yard space also can make it hard to establish a nature-first vibe. When planning the space, resist any temptation to expand the deck or patio space at the expense of natural components like grass, plants, gardens, and trees. Some grasse may need to be sacrificed, but be sure there’s a balance throughout the space.
Incorporating nature into an outdoor living space can help establish such areas as sanctuaries where residents and guests can relax in the great outdoors.
the outfield with fielders colliding and a ball missing turned into a forceout. With the score 6-5, Bath made a final play in the field to hold on for the win.
“Winning sectionals was not an ‘icing on the cake’ moment, we talked on the bus about leaving it all out on the field and having no regrets when it was over,” said Wellsville coach John Anderson. “That’s exactly what happened. We followed a game plan to perfection, it’s
just things did not turn out our way. This is a tremendous Bath team with great hitters and pitching that has a chance to make a run in the state tournament.”
Wellsville left seven runners on base and Bath took advantage of a few errors and walks.
For Wellsville, the Class B2 champs and winners of three straight Section V titles, Ritter went 3-for-3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Senior Trenton Green went 2-for-3 with
Outdoors
a RBI and two runs scored. Senior Brennen Geffers was 2-for-3 with a triple and scored a run. The other senior, Andrew Ordiway, had a single and turned a double play.
Cowburn was 2-for 3 with a stolen base and freshman Ben Helveston had a double. Sophomore Karter Grover had
a single and drove in three runs while sophomore Paul Giovanniello had a single.
Cowburn struck out two over five innings with three hits without giving up an earned run and Ritter struck out three giving up two hits and no earned runs.
Wellsville ends the season 14-8.
FILLMORE 8, SCHENEVUS/ CHARLOTTE VALLEY 3
Isaac Wilcox and Jared Boon combined to throw four shutout innings to close the game. James Hillman and Avery Potter drove in two runs apiece as Fillmore clinched a spot in the NYSPHSAA Class
D semifinals with an 8-3 win over Schenevus/ Charlotte Valley (IV).
Fillmore scored three times in the third to take a 4-3 lead and pulled away with four more runs in the fourth.
Fillmore plays in the state semifinals on June 12 at at Union-Endicott High School near Binghamton.
Cuba Dairy Days
June 12–14, 2026 • East & West Main
For more information contact the Cuba Chamber of Commerce
