Brew Witches share their magic with Hart Comfort House in Wellsville
BY KATHRYN ROSS
WELLSVILLE — The Brew Witches of Allegany County conjured up a little holiday magic for Hart Comfort House.
Late Friday afternoon, four of the Brew Witches landed at Hart Comfort House where they presented a check for $6,000 to director Melissa Grantier. While there is a certain kind of magic involved in the donation in the first place, there are two additional ingredients in the potion. The Brew
Witches first contributed more than $600 to the non-profit three years ago. Last year they raised $3,000 for the House.
This year’s contribution doubled that amount and Kent Brewery, where the witches performed, added another $100 to the pot, on their behalf, bringing 2025’s contribution to a total of $6,100 from the group.
Grantier, along with Dave and Janet Porter, who started the Hart Comfort House idea
over a dozen years ago, and happened to be volunteering for the evening shift, all thanked the Brew Witches for their contribution,
Grantier said as a non-profit they are continually raising funds and the $6,100 “will go a long way.” Janet Porter noted that the community has always been supportive of Hart Comfort House.
Hart Comfort House of Allegany County, Inc. opened in January 2012
CUBA — Plans are in place to redevelop the former Great Lakes Cheese site into a business park.
The Allegany County Industrial Development Agency reported that the site on Haskell Road is set to be transformed into the Cuba Business Park by the same developer who redeveloped the former Dresser-Rand site in Wellsville along similar lines.
“Redeveloping the former Great Lakes Cheese plant is a prime example of our strategic approach: Taking a high-value, underutilized industrial asset
and putting it back to work,” said ACIDA Executive Director Craig Clark. “This site has the scale and location to attract significant new investment and create sustainable employment opportunities for our residents.”
“We are excited about the investment into the former GLC site in South Cuba, that will bring new economic development opportunities and growth to Cuba and the County,” said Cuba town Supervisor Lee James. “The Cuba Business Park will be developed as a multi-purpose facility, and initial indications show the potential of 30
manufacturing jobs, as well as other development investments. We look forward to working with owners Joseph Meindl and Alan Knauf, who have a proven track record for redevelopment in Allegany County.”
The site comprises 34 acres and four existing buildings totaling approximately 190,292 square feet along County Road 6. IDA officials reported Meindl and Knauf are the owners of Wellsville Business Park, the
former Dresser-Rand facility on Coats Street in Wellsville, which was redeveloped with the help of the IDA. The new owners will invest more than $1 million into the Cuba facility to prepare it for prospective warehousing, light manufacturing, and commercial tenants.
“Working with the ACIDA has been essential in moving these projects forward,” said Meindl. “In partnership, we’re transforming two underutilized sites into productive business parks that can support new tenants, new jobs, and long-term economic growth in Allegany County.”
The IDA benefits for the Cuba site include an estimated $2.09 million in property tax abatement, $42,500 in sales tax exemptions and $5,000 in mortgage tax exemptions. The 15-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement calls for a 100% exemption for 10 years, with the exemption reducing until the site is fully taxed in year 15. Compared to a full tax valuation, the application estimated total company savings from the deal at around $273,000.
Great Lakes Cheese
Photo by Kathryn Ross
Preferring to remain anonymous, some of the Brew Witches donate funds the group raised over the last season to Hart Comfort House director Melissa Grantier (middle) and Hart House
volunteers Jean Melasi (at left) and Vicki Noll (right).
Fountain Arts Center to present Christmas concert
BELMONT — The
Fountain Arts Center Community Orchestra, Concert Band and Youth Choir invite you to “Come and Behold Him” at their Christmas
concert, set for 6 p.m. Dec. 14 at Genesee Valley Central School. The orchestra and concert band are comprised of students, teachers and profession-
who range in age from 5 to 18.
DINNER FROM SANTA
al musicians who reside throughout Allegany County and beyond. Both ensembles will be conducted by Alva Robbins, music teacher at GVCS and president of the Allegany County Music Teachers Association. The youth choir, continuing under the direction of Amanda Robbins and Shelley McGraw, is made up of many students from across Allegany County
➡Cuba Business Park
continued from PAGE 1
All Fountain Arts Center concerts are free and open to the public. These music programs are supported in part by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Arts & Culture Initiative, Arts Services Inc., Knights Creek Evangelical Methodist Church, Signs and Wonders Studio, sponsors, friends, and funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a program of the New York State Council for the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered in Allegany and Wyoming Counties by the Arts Council for Wyoming County.
Santa wants everyone to have a Christmas Dinner!
If you are, or know of someone who is in need, elderly, or disabled that is unable to prepare a meal for Christmas Day, call the number below to get a hot turkey dinner delivered on the 25th between the hours of 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Santa’s elves will be preparing the meals at the Trinity Lutheran Church and names will be collected by Immaculate Conception Church. Please call 585-593-4834 ext. #1
Mon-Fri from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm and leave your name, address, number of meals you’d like and a phone number.
To learn more about the “Come and Behold Him” concert, visit the Fountain Arts Center on Facebook or watch a trailer video at this link: http://bit.ly/4pKCNRO.
The deadline to call is DECEMBER 18th Please call early as we can only take 250 dinner requests. We deliver to the towns of Allentown, Andover, Belmont, Bolivar, Friendship, Scio, Wellsville, Whitesville and Willing.
purchased the former Empire Cheese plant in Cuba in 1993, expanding it in 2003. However, a lack of room to expand as much as company officials planned led to an 18-month search for alternative sites in Allegany County. A public announcement was made in February 2021 that the company had selected a site in Belvidere. However, due to land acquisition issues — including the proposed use of eminent domain for a corn field — the company announced it was suspending its efforts there. Shortly thereafter, a new site was identified along the Franklinville-Farmersville town line in Cattaraugus County, and construction is now nearing completion on that site. With construction costs of around $800 million, the new facility opened for production in late 2024. After a new owner for the site was not found, GLC donated the property to the IDA.
“The Cuba community has graciously hosted us since 1993, and we are proud that many of our employees continue to call the town home,” said GLC Vice President Matt Wilkinson. “It was important to us that this land be a tangible part of the community’s future. We appreciate the partnership of the ACIDA and the town of Cuba in facilitating this transition and hope Cuba Business Park will facilitate growth to benefit the community and its residents.”
Photo provided
The Fountain Arts Center will present a Christmas concert at 6 p.m. Dec. 14 at Genesee Valley Central School.
home improvement
Even though no two homes are the same, rooms have a tendency to take on similar characteristics regardless of which property they’re a part of. Kitchens tend to be popular gathering
spaces, while basements have become go-to spots for game rooms and watch parties. Garages also tend to share certain characteristics between homes, and one notable attri-
bute is the tendency to become difficult-to-navigate dumping grounds for a wide range of items, including lawn and garden tools, children’s toys, sporting goods, and seasonal home decor. Though there’s nothing wrong with utilizing a garage as a storage space, the following are three simple ways homeowners can get more out of these spaces.
1. Utilize the wall space. The walls in a garage have lots of potential. Effective use of walls
3 ways to get more use out of a garage
tool batteries and other items.
within a garage can ensure garden tools, small toys and other items do not accumulate on the floor. Such accumulations contribute much to the reputation of garages as dumping grounds for miscellaneous items. By clearing the floors of clutter, and utilizing wall spaces to store items, homeowners can open up
the spaces to serve any number of functions, including home gyms, art studios or even parking spaces to protect vehicles from the elements. A storage organizer system with various hooks can be mounted on a garage wall to free up floor space, while shelving can be hung to store paint cans, power
2. Look upward. If garage ceilings extend several feet above the height of homeowners’ vehicles, then the spaces above where cars might be parked can be converted into storage space for large recreational
to the west side of the village, enhance access to the business district and provide a much safer route to the west side of the village. Currently, walking access is via timed crosswalks at the juncture of Madison, West Pearl, Park Avenue and the Arterial near the Welcome to Wellsville signs. The pedestrian bridge would be the property of the village, unlike the pedestrian bridge south of State Street, which was constructed and is owned by the New York State Department of Transportation.
Dibble volunteered Allegany Trails to assist in pursuit of funding for the project.
Liz Volk discussed building a splash pad in Island Park. She said she contacted Denzah Recreation company of Syracuse, the company that is building a splash pad
in Olean. They estimated the cost of construction, plumbing and electrical work for a splash pad in Island Park to be approximately $227,000.
Volk’s visit to the village board was a courtesy, and informational. She plans to address the proposal to the town board at its next meeting. The town owns the park, which is located in the village.
Fahs also referenced a letter from Paige Lounsbury, who asked the board to consider installing a lighted crosswalk on Main Street between the current dance studio and Brand Name Appliances for safety reasons. She proposed a crosswalk similar to the one between Jones Memorial Hospital and Genesee Street.
Dean Arnold, head
of the Public Works Department, said it cost the hospital $4,700 to purchase the equipment needed for the pedestrian activated crosswalk.
Village employees installed it.
The only other business addressed by the board was a proposal from Marshall Green, who requested that the board look into a temporary alternative for overnight parking on Main Street during the winter season. Green is a landlord for several
apartments located on Main Street.
In answers to all the proposals, Fahs and Trustee Mike Roeske, who is the liaison to the planning board, said they will be looking into them and discussing them with village planners.
The meeting was adjourned with the acceptance of Seeley’s resignation with regret.
The next meeting of the village board is set for 6 p.m. Dec.22 in the village hall.
Gednesee Valley Chorus to present concert
WELLSVILLE — The Genesee Valley Chorus will present its “Christmas Is” concert at Grace United Church at 7 p.m. Dec. 13. The church is located on North Main Street.
Photo by Kathryn Ross
After Monday’s village board meeting, Mayor Ed Fahs shakes hands with outgoing Village Clerk Wendy Seeley (left) and welcomes her replacement, Meghan Gonzales (right).