Olean Star

09/02/2026

New traffic pattern around Olean High School big change as schools open for 2027-28 year

By RICK MILLER

Olean Star

Parents bringing their children to Olean High School on opening day of the 2026-27 school year found a new traffic pattern around the school.

North Third Street will be a ‘One Way’ street south from Reed Street to West Sullivan Street. North Fourth Street will be a ‘One Way’ street north from West Sullivan Street to Reed Street, which is a two-way street.

However, drivers can turn onto North Third Street, but can no longer turn onto North Fourth Street.

The new traffic pattern was approved earlier this summer by the Olean Common Council and went into effect on Monday. The objective was to remove bottlenecks so traffic can move more safely and smoothly.

There are also new parking restrictions in effect. No parking on the east side of North Fourth Street (the side toward the school) from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday except holidays. Full story in the comments.

09/02/2026

New Olean, Salamanca firefighter recruits get badges in Cutco Theater graduation ceremony

By RICK MILLER

Olean Star

Seven new recruit firefighters graduated Friday at the City of Olean Fire Department’s Recruit Firefighter Graduation Ceremony at Jamestown Community College’s Cutco Theater.

It was the largest number of firefighter recruits in a training program in many years. Six of the recruits are from the Olean Fire Department and one was from the Salamanca Fire Department.

They are: Jeff Maybee from the Salamanca Fire Department, and City of Olean Fire Department recruit firefighters Benjamin Roosa, Noah Bartholomew, Jesse Hamed, Micah Jordan, Drew Langdon and Aiden Gregorio.

Maybee sang the National Anthem at the beginning of the ceremony.

Olean Mayor Amy B. Sherburne congratulated the recruits and welcomed them to the City of Olean Fire Department and Maybee from Salamanca. More in the comments.

09/01/2026

Congressional candidates Langworthy, Gies get boosts from Teamsters, AFL-CIO endorsements

By RICK MILLER

Olean Star

Both candidates in the 23rd Congressional District race have announced endorsements by powerful statewide unions.

Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-Pendleton, has received the endorsement of the New York Teamsters. Langworthy’s campaign said the support of one of the nation’s largest labor organizations recognized his record of standing up for working people and strengthening the American middle class.

Democratic challenger Aaron Gies of Olean announced he has received the support of the New York State AFL-CIO. The largest state federation of labor in the country said it is backing Gies as a champion for working people in NY-23.

The Teamsters represent more than 1.3 million working men and women across various industries, including transportation, logistics, manufacturing, construction, public services, and more. They issued their endorsements to a bipartisan slate of congressional candidates across New York State, citing Congressman Langworthy’s commitment to championing policies that expand economic opportunity, protect good-paying jobs, and ensure workers have a fair shot at building a better future for their families.

“This endorsement is incredibly meaningful to me because it’s from the hardworking men and women who keep our country moving, build our communities, manufacture our products, deliver our goods, and keep our economy running,” said Langworthy.

“They are who I’m fighting for every day in Washington because they are at the heart of America’s strength. I have always believed in the power of a good-paying career and a strong middle class, but we need leaders who do more than talk– but actually get results– and I’m so proud to have the Teamsters’ endorsement in my reelection,” Langworthy said. Full story in the comments.

08/31/2026

Mayor Sherburne responds:

CITY OF OLEAN MAYORAL TEMPORARY PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY DIRECTIVE TEMPORARY RESTRICTION OF ACCESS ...

08/29/2026

Hubbers drop 72 in season-opening rout over Otto-Eldred.

Kisko, Dickerson lead charge for Smethport’s highest scoring affair in over 20 years

By HUNTER O. LYLE

[email protected]

SMETHPORT, PA – Head coach Ryan Yingling’s main goal for the Smethport football this season was to develop as a team. Playing together would lead to success.

In Week One of the newly-christened high school football season, the Hubbers did just that. Executing both on defense and offense, both up front and behind, on the ground in the air, Smethport willed their way to a lopsided 72-29 victory over Otto-Eldred.

“I did not want to put 70 points on, but if anything, that’s more out of respect for Otto-Eldred because we know for a fact that they could have put 30 points on us in a quarter,” said Yingling. “I’m never one to spike the ball in someone’s face, but we had to stay ahead of them because they’re a threat and they could hit us.”

The Hubbers wasted no time setting the tone: make a mistake and they would make you pay. When the Terrors very first snap of the game went awry, leaving quarterback Ryan Schenfield no choice but to scramble and get rid of the ball, Smethport’s Jude Kisko picked off the errant pass. Two plays later, the Hubbers were in the endzone, with Mason Swanson finding Aiden Tanner in a wide-open secondary, leading to a 32-yard touchdown just a minute and a half into the game.

Full story in the comments.

08/28/2026

Mrs. Sherburne: Tear Down Those Chains

-Letter to the Editor-

By: Al Bernstein, Olean, New York

Earlier this week the Common Council voted to prohibit camping or sleeping in public places. There are arguments for and against it and I understand both sides. Dealing with homelessness is a difficult problem. Whether we are for or against the new law, at least we can appreciate that the City Council passed a resolution through the democratic process.

Conversely, last week Mayor Sherburne had the Farmer’s Market Pavillion and the Rotary Gazebo chained off in Lincoln Park with signs that say “Restricted Area: Authorized Personnel Only.” She had no authority to do so. There is no ordinance or local law permitting her to chain off these public spaces. (Interestingly, the City Council did pass a resolution that the rest rooms in Lincoln Park were to remain unlocked from dusk until dawn. The Mayor disregards the Council’s resolution and locks them anyway.)

On Wednesday, I went to the city building to determine how someone could become “authorized personnel” to enter the pavilion and gazebo. First, I went to the City Clerk’s office. The Clerk had no information on how to become authorized personnel. Lens sent me to the Auditor. The Auditor also had no information and directed me to the Mayor’s Secretary, Jennifer Fairbanks-Black.

Ms. Fairbanks-Black did give me an answer. There was no application or permit process required to become “authorized personnel.” I did not have to speak to the Mayor, pass any background check, pay any fee, or speak to the police. I merely had to ask the Mayor’s Secretary nicely and give her my name and phone number to become “authorized personnel” for a day. She said I could take down the signs and chains as long as I put them back up when I left.

When I asked, “can I come tomorrow?” She responded, “what time?” I was not sure what time and without that crucial bit of information, she couldn’t make that decision on the spot. I dropped the issue and enjoyed a nice lunch break in the gazebo.

Wednesday night, I checked the City Charter and local ordinances and realized that there is no law or ordinance preventing me from going to the gazebo. I decided as a member of the public, and as a taxpayer who paid for that park, that I could go there without asking the Secretary for a daily permission slip.

On Thursday, I went to the gazebo around lunch, I was minding my own business when the police arrived. Two officers questioned me and threatened me with Criminal Trespass. When I told them that the signs did not say “no trespassing” they actually read the sign and told me I was not ‘authorized personnel.’ When I asked them which law they were relying upon to threaten me, they said look at the sign.

The Mayor cannot make up signs and call them laws.

Halfway through our conversation one of the officers on the scene.... full story in the comments.

08/28/2026

Victoria Guite, Democratic challenger of Sen. Borrello, hold first town hall in Olean Thursday
Facebook

By RICK MILLER

Olean Star

Victoria Guite, a Genesee County Democrat running in the 57th Senate District, held her first town hall Thursday at the John Ash Center.

Guite, an Afro-Native living on the Tonawanda Seneca Indigenous Reservation, is running for the seat held by Sen. George Borrello of Sunset Bay in Chautauqua County.

Guite, a medical coder in Buffalo, spoke to a group of about 15 people who attended the town hall. Up until now, her campaign has been low-key. She visited the Cattaraugus County Fair earlier this month.

She told the audience that she developed an interest in politics as an intern to former Rep. Brian Higgins of Buffalo and as a volunteer on Democrat campaigns in Buffalo.

She realizes any Democrat faces an uphill battle in the heavily Republican 57th Senate District where Republicans outnumber Democrats by 90,859 to 52,466. There are also 5,621 registered conservatives and 57,654 independents or unaffiliated voters.

The district includes Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Wyoming and Genesee counties and the western portion of Allegany County.

Guite has a background in community work, including refugee resettlement and work in a methadone clinic.

She talked about the need for more local hospitals in the district, noting it has been almost 20 years since Olean General Hospital became the only hospital in Cattaraugus County. At one time there were four. She’s also concerned with affordability as costs for groceries, health care, housing and transportation keep going up. She also called to reign in giant data centers which consume vast amounts of electricity and water. A proposed data center in Genesee County spurred her Senate candidacy, she added. More in the comments.