FREE! TAKE ONE! VOLUME 5 ISSUE 14
APRIL 8 - 14, 2016
The Official Newspaper
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of the Village of Ellicottville, the Town of Ellicottville, Ellicottville Central Schools and the Towns of East Otto, Great Valley and Mansfield, New York
Your Hometown Newspaper Serving Ellicottville, East Otto, Great Valley, Little Valley, Mansfield, Olean, Randolph, Salamanca, Springville and Beyond
Home Improvement Time!
Upcoming Events
Olean Home Show April 8-10
April 8-10 Greaters Olean Home Show
By Alicia Dziak
Are home improvement projects on your to-do list this spring? If so, you won’t want to miss the The Greater Olean Area Home Show, sponsored by Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce (GOACC), happening this weekend, April 8-10. “The Greater Olean Area Home Show is an excellent opportunity for home consumers to view the latest innovations, compare products and visit with experts,” said Meme Yanetsko, Chief Operating Officer of the GOACC. “At this year’s show, you’ll find a wide variety of products and ideas for the do-ityourselfers, interior decorating trends, contractor services, energy-saving products, lawn and garden equipment, room additions, replacement and new windows, doors, siding, roofing, fireplaces, bathrooms, kitchens and much more. Get in the know with a selection of demonstrations and seminars all weekend long. Friday’s schedule includes “Creating a Pollinator Friendly Habitat” with Maggie Smith of the Enchanted Mountains Garden Club, and “Grow It, Cook It, Eat It,” with Shanna Miller of Miller’s Farm Market in Olean, who will speak and discuss a few easy dishes with garden veggies and also talk about a fw herbs. On Saturday, guests can attend “Home Tweet Home” Bluebird Nest Box Building, “Think Spring, Think Pruning,” in which Joe Schueckler, master forest owner and personal groundskeeper of his own estate, will guide us through the pruning techniques you need to create your home’s perfect
May 6 Sky High opens
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May 7 Happy Half & 5K Holiday Valley
June 3-5 WNY Dairy/Ag Fest Springville June 18 Mudslide Obstacle Run Holiday Valley June 18-19 Raccoon Rally Allegany State Park
July 1-3 Summer Music Festival Holiday Valley
Winter 2016 -- A Little Snow, A Lotta Fun
ECS Testing Opt-Out Rate Remains Low 1 Percent Budget Increase Proposed By Jann Wiswall
At its board meeting on Tuesday, April 5, the Ellicottville School Board’s first question was: how many students opted out of state testing? Tuesday was the first day of English Language Arts World’s Largest Ski and Snowboard Lesson at Holiday Valley • Photo by Owen Brodhead
“Did we have a good season? Heck yeah!” So said Holiday Valley Marketing Director Jane Eshbaugh, and we have to
June 3-5 Cycling Weekend Holiday Valley
June 18 EVL Paddlefest
See Home Show page 9
By Jann Wiswall
May 7 Allegany Adventure Run Allegany State Park
agree. The winter season may have been a bit abbreviated for snowsports lovers in Ellicottville (and most of the eastern United States) this year,
but that didn’t keep folks from coming to enjoy the beauty, activities and adventure of the region. Even when there was mediocre snow, visitors came See Winter in Review page 5
Mayor Burrell Takes Office
DiPasquale Sworn in as Trustee John Burrell (right) was sworn in to a four-year term as Mayor of the Village of Ellicottville on April 1. He was elected to the post on Tuesday, March 15, when Joseph DiPasquale (left) was elected to a four-year term on the Village’s board of trustees. Patra Lowes (not pictured), who ran as an incumbent, won another term on the board. Upon his election, Burrell said he hopes “to be able to represent every single voter and taxpayer in the village. I am looking forward to being one of the five members of the Board of Trustees and working together for the good of our village and community.”
testing for New York public school students in grades 3-8. While data could change over the course of both ELA and Math testing, and precise numbers are not yet available, Superintendent Mark Ward said that preliminary estimates indicate a 7 percent overall opt-out rate this year – which is about the same as last year.
Elementary School Principal Connie Poulin noted that, for grades 3-6, the rate is much lower than for grades 7-8. In eighth grade, nine students out of the class of 44 opted out of testing (about 20 percent) with their parents’ permission. Figures were not yet available for seventh grade. See ECS Board page 7
Trout Season is Here! By Alicia Dziak
Fishing lovers rejoice! Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, there’s lots of fun to be had on the area’s waterways this spring, starting with some amazing fishing opportunities. Don’t know where to begin? First and foremost, you must obtain your fishing license. If you live in New York State, a one-year license is only $25 for ages 16-69, or $5 if you’re 70 or older. A 7-day license can be purchased for $12, and a 1-day license is $5. (Non-resident fees vary.) Get your license at www.decals.dec. See Fishing page 5
2016 Odyssey Ends at States Lessons Learned for Life By Mary Heyl
On Saturday, April 2, Ellicottville Central School (ECS) sent four teams to compete in the Odyssey of the Mind State Competition at SUNY Binghamton. Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program for teams of elementary through college students to solve problems using creative thinking, See Odyssey of the Mind page 4