Open Sew Nights will offer four different workshops from February to May. Two will focus on sewing machine maintenance and proper seam finishing, while others will allow participants to get inspired to tap into their creative sides
• Feb. 19 – Sewing Machine Maintenance – Bring your own machine with a small brush and get it in tip-top shape for your projects ahead. This workshop will focus on proper threading techniques, tension correction and tools needed for basic machine maintenance.
• March 25 – Needle Felting 101 – Learn the ins
and outs of needle felting. All materials will be provided, and participants will leave the workshop with their very own needle-felted bookmark.
• April 28 – Seam Finishing – Now that your sewing machine is in working order and you’ve had some practice, it’s time to finetune those seams. Bring your sewing machine, colored thread and a pair of small sewing scissors to perfect your seam stitching.
• May 6 – Visible Mending – A creative textile repair method that intentionally leaves mends visible and decorative. Learn how to repair worn textiles by
layering fabric scraps and stitching them up to prolong their life. All you need is a basic understanding of using a needle and thread.
Register for one or all of these workshops by
visiting reg.cce.cornell.edu/ cattaraugusopensew_258 or calling (716) 699-2377. All workshops will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. at CCE Cattaraugus, 28 Parkside Drive, Ellicottville.
Farm Credit East donates $5,000 to McCarthy Foundation
ELLICOTTVILLE — The
Bob McCarthy Foundation, a 501c3 charitable foundation dedicated to being a bridge between families and supportive assistance, received a New Year’s surprise — a donation of $5,000 from Farm Credit East.
Farm Credit has been a partner to Northeast agriculture, commercial, fishing and forest products for more than 100 years. As a true partner, Farm Credit provides more than just reliable credit and financial services by supporting their customers, the industries they are part of and the rural communities they call home.
In determining a recipient for this grant, Farm Credit East, a cooperative owned by the customers it serves, asked customer members of their Regional Advisory Committee to recommend local organizations to receive this year-end donation.
Sam Sheehy, who owns The Winery of Ellicottville with his wife, Beth, is a member of this committee in the Western Region and
recommended the McCarthy Foundation. The Sheehys have been strong partners of the foundation for years in many ways. Foundation officials expressed their thanks to the Sheehys for this acknowledgement and support.
“Providing a quiet helping hand” in the greater Ellicottville community, the McCarthy Foundation continues to focus precisely on its mandate while maintaining confidentiality in these endeavors. “Being able to react quickly to an identified need within the community brings solutions that other agencies cannot do in real time,” foundation officials stated in a press release. “With this generous donation, we plan to expand and enhance our help programs further in the community.”
For more information, visit bobmccarthyfoundation. com or contact a member of the Board of Directors for information on any of its programs or how to get involved.
enough to accommodate one or two armchairs, such an addition can immediately contribute to a welcoming and comfortable ambiance. Upholstered chairs can offer some color and provide a space for residents and guests to put on and remove their footwear.
· Make a statement with lighting. Foyer lighting is meant to make an entryway warm and welcoming, but it also can be used to make a statement. An impressive pendant light fixture in the foyer can make a strong first impression on guests and establish a vibe residents can keep in mind when addressing other interior spaces throughout the home.
· Conquer clutter. Foyers big and small can feel a little claustrophobic if there’s too much going on. Though furnishings like seating and console tables can dress up a space, make a concerted effort to ensure they don’t become dumping grounds for outerwear and unread mail. In addition, designate an ideally concealed space to store footwear if the foyer will serve as residents’ primary entryway.
Homeowners can even utilize artwork to change the vibe in the entryway so it reflects the seasons, hanging a picturesque winter landscape painting or print when the weather is cold and some bright and breezy beach art come the summertime.
· Add some artwork. If an existing foyer lacks personality, some simple artwork can add a pop of color without overstimulating residents and guests. Artwork can be hung above a console table to create a calm and welcoming vibe.
· Incorporate plants into the entryway. Plants can add vibrancy and a pop of color to an entryway. Plants also can brighten up the space. If the foyer tends to be a bit dark throughout the day, consider
faux plants so residents and guests are not greeted with withered, sun-starved greenery upon entering the home.
A foyer is easily overlooked when designing a home’s interior. But an inviting entryway can set the tone for other interior spaces in a home.
County legislature urges Hochul to continue nation-state gaming compact negotiations
See Page 4
BY DEB EVERTS
RANDOLPH — Patient’s
Pharmacy is finally opening a branch at 117 Main St. early this month, and the Randolph area residents who have waited with anticipation couldn’t be happier.
Patient’s Pharmacy Randolph will provide convenient, much-needed pharmaceutical services that locals have been seeking since Inkley’s Pharmacy permanently closed its doors in March 2022.
The leased facility has been remodeled to meet the business’s needs and will feature a small storefront offering health-related essentials.
Owned by Diane Mathews of Lakewood, Patient’s Pharmacy is not part of a big corporate chain — it’s a family-owned and operated business focused on one-on-one customer service. She started on the path as a teenager in 1974 when she worked with her brother, a pharmacist, in a medicine shop at the Hotel Jamestown. The new branch will provide Randolph with the same friendly, hometown service.
As their slogan states, “Patient’s Pharmacy Randolph is your hometown drugstore and so much more.
The public will be greeted by pharmacy technician Cassie Taber. Everybody in town knows Taber from her many years working at the former Inkley’s Pharmacy, which was located in the building across the parking
Patient’s Pharmacy Randolph to open this month
lot. Currently residing in Falconer, she was employed by Inkley’s for nearly 16 years until its closing.
Her experience continued at the South Dayton Pharmacy, where she worked for over a year, before moving to Ohio and taking a position at University Hospital in Conneaut as a patient services representative.
Pharmacist Dan Venable of Jamestown has been a pharmacist at the Jamestown location for about 16 years. He graduated from Butler University’s College of Pharmacy and Health in Indianapolis, Ind., in 1985.
“I worked for CVS Pharmacy in Brooklyn Square (Jamestown) for about four years when they first opened. When Diane opened Patient’s Pharmacy, I transferred to work for her,” he said. “I’ve been with her since the beginning, and I like the opportunity to work at the second location to help grow her business.”
Venable said he is happy to be assigned to the Randolph branch because it has a very different setting compared to the main pharmacy, which is more closed-door.
“This is a nice opportunity to actually get out and see people and talk to them. It’s more of a personable, hands-on kind of an operation,” he said.
THE OPENING OF the Randolph branch has been stalled for endless months due to extensive regulations set by New York
care facilities. From her main pharmacy, Mathews has been offering delivery services for prescription medications to Randolph, Conewango Valley and the Amish community, as well as to customers in Jamestown — a service which she intends to continue and expand.
“This expansion allows us to do what we care about most, serving our neighbors with personal attention, clear answers and friendly support you can count on. Whether you visit us in Jamestown or Randolph, you can expect the same trusted care from a local, familyowned pharmacy that puts people first,” she said. Mathews said she is hoping to open Patient’s Pharmacy Randolph very soon, once the last of the major insurances come onboard.
state. Mathews signed the contracts last summer with the anticipation of opening the facility this past October, but they have hit roadblock after roadblock, she said.
With so many state hoops to jump through, it’s been frustrating. Mathews knew the licensing process could take a lot of time, but she worked with state officials to get the main location in Jamestown opened within a month.
“When I first opened 19 years ago, all these requirements were not in place,” she recalled.
“Everything changed.”
Under the state’s current process, according to Mathews, a pharmacy owner must first apply for a pharmacy license with the Board of Pharmacy. After that license is obtained, they can apply for a license from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Once the applicant obtains both licenses, they can apply to a wholesaler and a Pharmacy Services Administrative Organization (PSAO).
However, until the applicant has an NCPCP/ NABP number, the PSAO
cannot process insurance requests and that number can’t be applied for until the DEA license is obtained.
After completing all these steps, the pharmacy owner can apply for a Medicare/ Medicaid account.
Although these licenses were already in place for Mathews’ existing pharmacy in Jamestown, each local branch is required to go through this long, complicated process.
Located at 707 Fairmount Ave., the Jamestown pharmacy mainly serves long-term care and assistive
“We still don’t have all the insurances in place, but we’re going to open up anyway. Hopefully, it will fall into place,” she said. “If not, we can always fill scripts out of the retail pharmacy in Jamestown and deliver to the customers. Out here, there is such a need that we’re just going to do it.”
Anyone interested in registering to use the pharmacy may stop in to provide their insurance information, as well as a list of medications and allergies. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To contact Patient’s Pharmacy Randolph, call (716) 358-0302.
Cattaraugus County DA’s office announces January indictments
BY KELLEN M. QUIGLEY
LITTLE VALLEY —
Several indictments were issued during January, formally charging individuals for alleged criminal activities that took place throughout the latter half of 2025, the District Attorney’s office announced Feb. 2.
John D. Newark, a.k.a.
J.D. Newark, was indicted on Jan. 15 for two counts of firstdegree criminal contempt, a Class E felony; two counts of aggravated family offense, a Class E felony; first-degree burglary, a Class B felony; second-degree menacing in, a Class A misdemeanor; and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor.
The indictment states that on or about Nov. 16 and Dec. 2, 2025, in Little Valley, Newark did violate a duly served order of protection and entered a residence with the intent to commit a crime by use or threats of a dangerous instrument.
Thomas E. Hensley and William R. Schoonover were indicted on Jan. 15 for thirddegree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony; criminal possession of a controlled substance (narcotic), a Class B felony; third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class D felony; seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor; and second-
degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.
On or about July 24, 2025, in Carrollton, Hensley and Schoonover were found to be in possession of narcotics with intent to sell, possession of a weapon and both had a previous conviction of another crime and were in possession of drug paraphernalia.
Jessie J. Fuller and Jesse C. Bartlett, Sr. were indicted on Jan. 15 for second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class A-II felony. Bartlett, Sr. was also indicated on violations of vehicle and traffic law for inadequate plate lamp, traffic device violation and driving on the shoulders.
On or about July 30, 2025, in Ashford, Bartlett, Sr. unlawfully operated a motor vehicle over the shoulder of the roadway, and failed to stop at a stop sign, and wherein Bartlett, Sr. and Fuller knowingly and unlawfully possessed compounds, mixtures or substances containing methamphetamine.
Derrek J. Bates was indicted on Jan. 15 for driving while intoxicated, a Class E felony; first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a Class E felony; and operating a motor vehicle without an interlock device, a Class A misdemeanor.
On or about July 30, 2025, in the City of Salamanca, Bates unlawfully operated a motor vehicle on a
public highway while he was in an intoxicated condition, without a valid license, which was suspended as a result of a previous alcohol related offense, and while subject to a court order ignition interlock, operated a motor vehicle without said device.
Gary L. Houghtaling was indicted on Jan. 29, 2026, for second-degree unlawful surveillance, a Class E felony.
On or about and between April 21 and July 31, 2025, in the town of Olean, Houghtaling unlawfully and intentionally installed the utilization or installation of an imaging device to surreptitiously view or record a person without such person’s knowledge or consent.
Jerry M. Harris was indicted on Jan. 29 for criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class A-II felony; third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony; and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class D felony.
On or about Aug. 21,
2025, in the city of Olean, Harris was found to be in possession of two ounces or more of methamphetamine and one-half ounce or more of cocaine and was in possession of a weapon, having previously been convicted of another crime.
Shane F. Easton was indicted on Jan. 29 for thirddegree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B Felony, and for second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.
On or about Aug. 15, 2025, in the City of Olean, Easton unlawfully possessed five grams or more of methamphetamine and a scale for the purpose of weighing or measuring controlled substances.
Corey J. Austin was indicted on Jan. 29 for driving while intoxicated, a Class E felony; first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a Class E felony; and operating a motor vehicle without an interlock device, a Class A misdemeanor.
On or about June 22, 2025, in the village of
Gowanda, Austin unlawfully operated a motor vehicle on a public highway while he was in an intoxicated condition, without a valid license, which was suspended as a result of a previous alcohol related offense, and while subject to a court order ignition interlock, operated a motor vehicle without said device.
Benjamin J. Minervino was indicted on Jan. 29 for third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony, and second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.
On or about Aug. 7, 2025, in the town of Hinsdale, Minervino unlawfully possessed a narcotic drug with the intent to sell it and unlawfully possessed glassine envelopes and other material suitable for packaging individual quantities of narcotic drugs.
Manny F. Patterson was indicted on Jan. 29, 2026, for aggravated driving while intoxicated, a Class E felony; driving while intoxicated, a Class E felony; and firstdegree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a Class E felony.
On or about Aug. 10, 2025, in the City of Salamanca, Patterson unlawfully operated a motor vehicle in an intoxicated condition and at a time when he had 0.18 or more BAC, and operated said motor vehicle without a valid license, which was suspended as a result of a previous alcohol related offense.
Jacob J. See was indicted on Jan. 29 for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class C felony; second-degree assault, a Class D felony; thirddegree assault, a Class A misdemeanor; endangering the welfare of a child, a Class A Misdemeanor; four counts of second-degree menacing, a Class A misdemeanor; and second-degree harassment, a violation.
On or about Aug. 2, 2025, in the town of Hinsdale, See unlawfully possessed a loaded firearm and did cause physical injury to another person, did place or attempted to place another in reasonable fear of injury and did act in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than 17 years old.
Randy A. Taylor was indicted on Jan. 29, 2026, for aggravated driving while intoxicated, a Class E felony; driving while intoxicated, a Class E felony; and firstdegree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a Class E felony.
On or about Aug. 10, 2025, in the town of Persia, Taylor unlawfully operated a motor vehicle in an intoxicated condition and at a time when he had 0.18 or more BAC, and operated said motor vehicle without a valid license, which was suspended as a result of a previous alcohol related offense.
Photo by Deb Everts
Patient’s Pharmacy of Jamestown is opening a new branch, Patient’s Pharmacy Randolph, in early February. The new pharmaceutical facility will be providing a much-needed service to town residents and those in neighboring communities. Pictured (from left) are owner Diane Mathews, pharmacist Dan Venable and pharmacy technician Cassie Taber.
County legislature urges Hochul to continue nation-state gaming compact negotiations
LITTLE VALLEY — In
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address Jan. 13, nothing was mentioned about the expired gaming compact between New York state and the Seneca Nation of Indians.
On Jan. 28, the Cattaraugus County Legislature urged the governor and state Legislature to exercise their due diligence and immediately resume negotiations in good faith to bring about a resolution acceptable to all stakeholders.
“I think it’s a terrible shame that we have a state legislature and government, in particular a governor, who are ignoring their obligations to the Seneca Nation,” said Vice Chair Ginger Schroder.
“It’s particularly concerning when we have a governor who thinks it’s more important to spend time, energy and resources making instructional videos for New Yorkers on how to shovel snow rather than the job we hired her and elected her to do.”
The gaming compact expired more than two years ago on Dec. 31, 2023, and has not been renewed. Although the Nation and state have signed a series of extensions to keep operations running while negotiations are ongoing, no official renewal of the compact has been signed. Through more than $2 billion in economic activity generated by the gaming operations in Salamanca, Buffalo and Niagara Falls, the Nation has contributed significant benefits and economic drivers to Western
New York, critical to the health, welfare and safety of its members.
Earlier this month, Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski, R-Canisteo, honed in on Hochul not mentioning the expired gaming compact.
“Negotiating a new gaming compact with the Seneca Nation is critical for the Western New York economy,” Sempolinski stated, citing that the Nation employs more than 4,000 people, most of them nonnative.
Sempolinski noted that municipalities in the region, including Salamanca, depend on fees supported by the agreement to fund essential services like police and fire protection.
“A new gaming compact is essential to the economic well-being of the 148th District and all of Western New York,” he added.
The county legislature’s resolution also states that New York is a major beneficiary of the collective economic outcomes from a healthy and vibrant Seneca Nation and needs to ensure a continuing, beneficial agreement is reached. Local municipalities, including the county and City of Salamanca as well as the Salamanca City Central School District, are reliant on the fees supported by the compact to fund essential public services, such as police and fire protection.
“The governor has the authority to enter into good faith negotiations with the Seneca Nation to renew and restore the centuries-old
relationship between our governments through the execution of a new, fair and equitable gaming compact,” the resolution states.
Meanwhile, the county lawmakers also passed a resolution strongly opposing the increase in rates suggested by New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) and ask the Public Service Commission deny the requested rate increases following the 22% increase over the previous three years.
NYSEG is seeking an electric rate increase of 18.4%, which is an increase of 35% in delivery charges alone, to take effect May 1, as well as a gas rate increase of 22% with a 39% increase in delivery charges.
Chairman M. Andrew Burr called the rate increase request another piece of evidence as to why the state’s current energy policy is embarrassing and a failure. He noted that NYSEG claims to be facing $19 billion in costs related ot updating infrastructure, and that the state’s clean energy initiatives have been irresponsible and the exorbitant costs associated with them are what’s driving the crippling rate increases.
Many residents in rural Cattaraugus County have power supplied to them by NYSEG either through electric or gas, or in some cases both, while across the state, hilltops and open fields filled with windmills and solar panels were anticipated to produce clean power and reduce energy costs.
RANDOLPH
— Randolph JuniorSenior High School has announced its honor and merit rolls for the second marking period of the 2025-26 school year.
“These reckless initiatives bear significant risks of grid instability and unrealistic timelines, in addition to the soaring costs being passed on to our resident taxpayers,” the county resolution states.
Grade 11: Grace Arnold-Hill, Evelyn Bailey, Ty Barron, Lilly Beaver, Matthew Beaver, Nicholas Beaver, Carter Conley, Lucy Conley, Kierra Dexter, Morgan Eccles, Hailey Farmer, Alexander Garland, Christian Hayes, Rileigh Jensen, Lilly John, Ashton Johnson, Davion Johnson, Kendra Ling, Kennedy Lynn, Tenley Marshall, Layla McAllister,
