Bank officer says it’s time to get tough on AM&A’s site

Link to April 30 Buffalo News article.

Excerpt: People walking down Washington Street find pieces of falling brick, a broken display window, trash and scaffolding that hinders pedestrians, Larry Colling, another M&T vice president, says in a letter to city officials.

In addition, the building’s chimneys are crumbling, duct work is loose, and doors are falling off their hinges on the roofs, he said.

Elimination of Eyesores

Link to April 27 Jamestown Post Journal article.

Excerpt: The building's deterioration poses a major problem for the city. One part of it, a large four-story building that encompasses more than 370,000 square feet, was constructed directly over the Chadakoin River. It has deteriorated to the point that one steel beam over the river is bent and bricks on top of one of the concrete pylons are cracked and beginning to work their way loose. The building's shift is noticeable from Buffalo Street - its roofline is warped where the building goes over the river, some windows are badly tilted downward and large cracks in the building's foundation and bricks are evident.

Obituary

Robert J. "Bob" Rice, age 62, of Erie, Pa. died Sunday, April 19, 2009 at Hamot Medical Center, following a lengthy illness.

He was born May 5, 1946 in Warren, son of the late William and Elizabeth Stubbs Rice. He resided in Warren for most of his life, having moved to Erie in 1994.

Bob was a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his twin brother, William E. Rice Jr. Survivors include his two children, Jason R. Rice, of Erie and Elizabeth Sepulveda (Jose), of Killeen, Texas; one sister, Joan Fredericks (Roger), of Warren; and one grandson, Lucas Jose Sepulveda.

No calling hours will be observed. A private funeral service will be held by the family.

Downtown pedestrian mall’s removal delayed

Link to April 13 Rockford Register Star article.

Excerpt: A project to remove a downtown pedestrian mall and reconstruct two blocks of Main Street will be delayed after bids came in over budget.

The low bid for the project was more than $2.7 million. The project was budgeted for about $2 million in the city’s 2009 Capital Improvement Program.

Obituary

James B. Connolly, 89, of 17 Jackson Avenue, Warren, Pa. died Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at St. Vincent Health Care Center, Erie, after a brief illness.

He was born June 17, 1919 in Warren, to the late Michael and Anna Reinsel Connolly. He resided in Warren his entire life and was a 1937 graduate of Warren High School and a graduate of the former Hoff Business School.

James served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a staff sergeant, serving with the AsiaticPacific Theatre. He was owner and operator of the James B. Connolly Beer Distributor for over 50 years.

He was a life member of the former Warren V.F.W. and a former member of the Warren Elks Lodge, American Legion Post 135. He enjoyed playing poker with his retired school teachers poker club. He was known to be an avid hunter, outdoorsman, who enjoyed his rose and vegetable gardens.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Helen Gronick Connolly, whom he married in May of 1941 in Clarendon, Pa.; six children, Cynthia Rock and her husband Steven, Kathleen Teconchuk and her husband Robert, all of Erie, Suzanne Sillato and her husband Albert, of Lancaster, N.Y., Eileen Ressler and her husband Timothy, of Madison, Fla., James M. Connolly and his wife Margaret, of N. Warren, Amy Swanson and her husband, James of Warren; one sister, Julia Ziki and her husband George, of N. Warren; 22 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Geneva Strittmatter.

Foote Avenue Makeover

Link to April 8 Jamestown Post Journal article.

Excerpt: Now that the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency has approved benefits for a massive project that will bring a new, updated urologist's office to Jamestown, the stretch of Foote Avenue near WCA Hospital is well on its way to becoming a major medical corridor.