Comedy icon Ron White returning to Seneca Allegany Casino in November
BY KELLEN M. QUIGLEY
SALAMANCA —
Comedy icon Ron White returning to Seneca Allegany Casino in November
Three years after he stopped in Salamanca on what was then his final tour before an announced retirement, legendary comedian Ron White will return to the Seneca Allegany Event Center stage at 8 p.m. Nov. 7.
Tickets start at $50. This is an adult show only for audiences 21 and older.
White, affectionately known as “Tater Salad,” is a cigar-wielding comedic icon who first skyrocketed to fame as part of the legendary Blue Collar
Comedy Tour alongside Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall. His sharp wit, laid-back demeanor and no-holds-barred humor quickly made White a standout, earning him a dedicated following.
In 1986, White began performing comedy and was quickly opening for legendary comedians, such as Sam Kinison and Foxworthy. In 2000 as a comedy club headliner, he joined the Blue Collar Comedy Tour as a founding member.
Since then, White has amassed multiple Grammy
nominations and No. 1 comedy albums, along with a reputation as one of America’s most celebrated and enduring comedians. His hit specials, including “They Call Me Tater Salad” and “You Can’t Fix Stupid,” shattered Comedy Central records, cementing White’s place in comedy history.
White, who lived in metro Atlanta for several years, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in early 2022 that he was retiring from the stage by the end of that year.
“I don’t think it really makes sense to anybody but me,” said White, 66 at the time. “I’ve been doing this 37 years. I’ve loved the whole ride. I just feel like it’s time to put it down. I have a big year coming and that’ll be it.”
But in late 2023, White announced he was going back on the road. In addition to his stand-up success, White is also a bestselling author. His book, “I Had the Right
to Remain Silent… But I Didn’t Have the Ability,” offers a glimpse into his signature humor in print, showcasing his sharp observational style and candid storytelling.
White has also had notable roles in several films, including “Horrible Bosses,” “Sex and the City 2” and “Jayne Mansfield’s Car” as well as a standout performance in Cameron Crowe’s Showtime series “Roadies.”
In addition to Ron White, other upcoming performances at Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino include:
• April 12 – Dwight Yoakam & The Mavericks. Tickets start at $55.
• May 16 – Brothers Osborne. Tickets start at $45.
• Aug. 29 – Lonestar & Montgomery Gentry. Tickets start at $20.
• Aug. 30 – Steve Miller Band. Tickets start at $55.
To purchase tickets, Seneca Resorts & Casinos uses all paperless ticketing
for all events at all of its properties. Tickets may be purchased online at senecaalleganycasino. com or ticketmaster. com. Tickets may also be purchased in person at The Logo Shop inside Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino. A secure link, sent by either email or text, allows guests to save tickets to their phone or mobile device.
are another undertaking to consider before moving in. Whether you’re tearing up old carpet and replacing it with new carpet, refinishing wood floors, or installing a wholly new floor, each task is considerably easier if there is nothing on the floor. Flooring projects are best left to the professionals, and labor costs may drop considerably if contractors don’t have to pause to move furnishings or work around other items.
Deep cleaning A professional cleaning service should be among the first calls homeowners make after closing on a new home. A deep cleaning when the home is empty and all lingering dust and debris is visible to the naked eye can ensure no spots are missed before move-in day. Request that the cleaning service clean the interior of kitchen drawers and cabinets, which have a tendency to accumulate grime over the years.
Ceilings Replacing ceilings prior to moving in is another savvy move. If the ceilings are dated or unsightly, removing, repainting or replacing them before anything is beneath them is a great way to protect valuables from damage. And contractors may not need as much time to complete such a project in empty rooms as they would in spaces where they need to negotiate their way around furniture and other valuables.
Various renovation projects can be conducted prior to moving into a new home. Such an approach can save both money and effort.
Electrical work Modern homes are plugged in, so addressing electrical issues prior to move-in day can ensure there are no interruptions to internet connectivity when everyone begins to settle into the home. This is also a great time to install additional electrical outlets, and homeowners are urged to take the time to draw up plans for how each room will look once all of their furniture is in the house. Doing so can identify where additional outlets should be installed. Homeowners also can visit their new home at night and turn on the lights to see if existing fixtures provide ample illumination. If not, installing new fixtures prior to moving in makes cleanup easier and ensures there are no dark nights once everyone is in the home.
File photo
Legendary comedian Ron White is returning to the Seneca Allegany Event Center three years after his last stop in Salamanca
Villages in Cattaraugus County report election winners
BY KELLEN M. QUIGLEY
A relatively quiet year for village elections across the region saw few contested races on Tuesday, March 18 with many incumbents expected to continue serving their communities.
Only three competitive races were reported, all for trustee seats in Allegany, Portville and Ellicottville. The Cattaraugus County Board of Elections operates all village races. All election results are unofficial and require certification.
• Allegany — Lance Brennan received 103 votes in an unopposed bid for a four-year term as village justice. John Kolkowski received 92 votes and Shannon L. Barie received 75 votes in bids for a pair of four-year village trustee posts. Also running, Jerry L. Cummins received 62 votes.
• Cattaraugus — Anthony Nagel received 12 votes in an unopposed bid for a two-year term as mayor. Tara Beth Perkins received 12 votes and Todd Wulf, Jr. received 11 votes for a pair of two-year village trustee positions.
• Ellicottville — Sean Lowes received 63 votes and Chad Neal received 57 votes for two four-year trustee positions. Also running, Caitlin Croft received 24 votes.
• Franklinville — Sherrill Sciortino received 23 votes in an unopposed bid to fill a one-year vacancy in a village trustee seat.
• Gowanda — Mark D. Nephew received 57 votes in an uncontested race for a twoyear term as mayor. Carol A. Sheibley received 62 votes and Paul M. Zimmermann received 57 votes for a pair of two-year trustee terms. Additionally, Peter A. Sisti received 59 votes in an unopposed bid to fill a one-year
vacancy in a village trustee seat.
• Portville — Judy McClain received 32 votes for a fouryear term as village justice. Joseph McLarney received 33 votes and Michael J. DeBarbieri received 32 votes for a pair of four-year terms as trustees. Also on the ballot, Mike Randolph received nine votes.
• South Dayton — Robert Killock received 29 votes for a two-year term as mayor. Melinda K. Frederickson received 30 votes and Jenna Elizabeth Tabak received 26 votes for a pair of two-year terms as village trustees.
Fun Facts About
April
April is known for being the beginning of the warmer seasons, April Fool’s Day and of course the time of year the Easter Bunny makes an appearance! Here’s some more fun and interesting facts about the month of April.
1. The etymology behind the word “April” comes from the verb “aperire,” which means “to open.” It’s commonly believed that the word refers to the season of trees and flowers begin to “open” or bloom.
2. The etymology behind the word “April” comes from the verb “aperire,” which means “to open.” It’s commonly believed that the word refers to the season of trees and flowers begin to “open” or bloom.
3. One of the most well-known dates of the month is April Fools’ Day on the 1st of the month. No one is sure where this originated from, but some believe it to be inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer’s story in “Canterbury Tales” called “Nun’s Priest’s Tale.”
4. We know it is the fourth month of the year, but that’s only by the Gregorian calendar that we adhere to now. Before the introduction of the Julian calendar in 46 BC, it was the second month, and for one year in 45 BC, April was the fifth month!
5. Some of the famous people with an April birthday are Queen Elizabeth II, Leonardo da Vinci, Charlie Chaplin, William Shakespeare, Thomas Jefferson, and Jackie Chan.
6. The phrase “April Showers bring May Flowers” comes from a poem from the 1500s by Thomas Tusser.
7. April has two birth flowers. Both the daisy and the sweet pea are considered birth flowers for the month of April. The sweet pea signifies blissful pleasure, while daisies represent childhood innocence, loyalty, and purity.
8. On 15 April 1912 the Titanic, believed to be unsinkable, hit an iceberg and sank 2 hours and 40 minutes later. Unfortunately, there we too few lifeboats to save everyone and only about 700 of the 2,224 passengers were rescued.
9. Some “just for fun” April celebrations include: National Pillow Fight Day (6th), National Library Worker Day (9th), national siblings day (10th) and World Penguin Day (25th).
10. Many festivals occur in April. In Washington DC, there is the beautiful cherry blossom festival. New Orleans hosts its Jazz and Heritage Festival and Atlanta celebrates its annual Dogwood Festival. Here in St. Louis, thousands come out to participate in the annual Earth Day festival. Make sure you mark your calendars for the 27th or 28th.
Tracy Byrd to headline Cattaraugus County Fair July 29
BY KELLEN M. QUIGLEY
LITTLE VALLEY — Star
country singer-songwriter
Tracy Byrd — the Texas native with three decades in the music industry — will perform in concert during this summer’s Cattaraugus County Fair.
Byrd, with special guest Alex Miller, will perform in front of the grandstand on Tuesday, July 29.
This year’s county fair runs July 26 through Aug. 2.
Byrd became a household name on the country music scene in 1993 when his third single, “Holdin’ Heaven,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chats. Since then, he’s recorded a number of Top 10 hits that fans are sure to know, including “Keeper of the Stars,” “Watermelon Crawl,” “10 Rounds with Jose Cuervo” and “I’m From The Country.”
Through the years Byrd, became a promoter favorite on the road, performing over 4,000 shows across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Australia from 1992 until 2009.
He then said he needed a break to take care of himself and his most precious thing — his family, wife
Michelle, daughter Evee and sons Logan and Jared, who had taken a backseat to his career for years.
Not performing from 2010–13, Byrd got back to music in 2014 with a new band and newfound sobriety and love of the thing he enjoys so much.
“These days, my life has great balance, with my music being a part of it, not all of it,” he said on his website. “I can honestly say I have never enjoyed it more.”
Byrd went back to the studio in June 2016 and started work on his first project in 10 years. Recorded completely in Tyler, Texas, at Rosewood Studios, that album is appropriately titled, “All American Texan,” which is exactly what Byrd is and has always been.
This album, released that October, features eight tracks written by Byrd — a fact he’s proud of. Meanwhile, up-and-coming artist Alex Miller may look familiar from his days on “American Idol” in 2021, but he’s quickly forging a path in the country music world. The 6-foot-6 singer/songwriter from rural Lancaster, Ky., is a natural fan favorite whose career has moved at warp speed.
Miller’s debut album, “Miller Time,” generated three highimpact singles in 2022: “I’m Over You, So Get Over Me,” “Don’t Let The Barn Door Hit Ya” and “Through With You.”
Miller’s second project for Billy Jam Records, the EP “Country,” featured additional hits “When God Made The South,” “Girl, I Know A Guy” and the smash single, “Puttin’ Up Hay.”
In June 2024, Miller made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. “It was incredible,” he said on his website. “I had fans drive in from several different states to see the show and share that experience with me. It was amazing.”
Modern cars have longer life expectancies than their predecessors. Consumer Reports indicates it’s not unheard of for modern vehicles to endure for 200,000 miles or more. For many, that equates to 12 to 15 years of usage. Even though many vehicles are built to have increased longevity, it often is up to the driver to do his or her part to ensure cars and trucks can last for years and years. Here are some daily steps vehicle owners can take to achieve longer life spans for their cars or trucks.
• Take it slow and steady. Athletes do not hit the ground running at top speed, and neither should a vehicle. Let the car gradually acclimate to being on the move each day after sitting overnight. Gently accelerate and afford the engine time to warm up and all of the components to get the fluids they require before you jump on the highway or require the vehicle to go all out. Most automotive experts warn against idling a car
Tickets for Byrd and Miller’s county fair performance are on sale now. All tickets are sold only through etix.com.
Tickets are $40 for track seats or $30 for the grandstand plus $12 gate admission. All seating is assigned for this show.
Other main grandstand events announced by the fair so far include the Big Rig Truck Bull on July 26; the Broken B Rodeo on July 27; the Demolition Derby on July 28; the WNY Pro Pulling Series on July 31; the Monster Truck Rally on Aug. 1 and 2; and the Demolition Derby and Bus Demo on Aug. 2. For more information, visit cattarauguscofair.com or call (716) 938-9146.
in the driveway to warm it up, but starting out at a slow and steady pace is key.
• Don’t be extreme. Jerky turns, gunning the gas and braking hard lead to unnecessary wear and tear on a vehicle. By smoothing out your driving, you’ll put less stress on mechanical components and help prevent them from wearing out prematurely.
• Clean it out daily. Accumulated debris often builds up inside a vehicle that is used all of the time. Taking a few minutes to clear out trash or to wipe down the interior each day will prolong the interior components, not to mention make it easier to do a more thorough detailing when the time comes.
• Find a trusty fuel station. Bad gas can wreak havoc on a vehicle. Find a station that you trust, particularly one that takes care of their pumps and regularly changes their pump filters. It’s worth it to spend a little more overall for good gas.
• Read your oil level. Oil is essential to maintain a properly operating engine and vehicle. AARP suggests routine reading of a car’s oil level so that you can add
lubricant as necessary. While this might not be a daily task, doing it regularly enough means you will keep on top of this important step.
• Park in the shade or a garage. The sun may feel good on a warm day, but the UV rays from the sun can take their toll on a vehicle’s paint. Whenever possible, park out of direct sunlight so that the paint will not fade and the interior upholstery will not bleach. Those who need to park their vehicles for an extended period of time should choose a clean, dry, well-ventilated location, advises Wawanesa Insurance.
• Be attentive. Listen to the sounds your vehicle is making and give it a visual inspection each time you get in or out of the car. The sooner you catch something that is out of the ordinary, the easier it becomes to fix problems before they become costly and damaging.
Photo courtesy Tracy Byrd Music Country singer-songwriter Tracy Byrd will headline the July 29 concert at the Cattaraugus County Fair.