Catt. County 4-20-23

Little Valley mail carrier marks 35 years of deliveries

By Deb Everts LITTLE VALLEY

— The dedication of longtime Little Valley mail carrier Kevin Andrew has been recognized once again.

June 2022 marked Andrew’s 35th year of employment with the United States Postal Service, who sent Andrew a Certificate of Appreciation along with a service pin.

But the award was overlooked for nearly a year in the shuffle of three postmasters at the Little Valley post office.

Now, with current Postmaster Nick Barlow at the helm, Andrew was recently presented with his certificate, recognizing his continuing loyalty and contributions.

Well into his 36th year, Andrew said he has loved practically every minute of delivering the mail.

Primarily a mail carrier, he has been a familiar face to many in the small community of Little Valley as well as other parts of Cattaraugus County.

Although most of his time has been spent in Little Valley, he’s also worked in Salamanca,

Kill Buck, South Dayton, Cattaraugus and Olean when needed. But, he said, nothing beats working in his own hometown.

Andrew admits he has done practically everything at the post office, including mowing lawns, shoveling snow and working behind the counter. About 80% of his time has been spent as a mail carrier, and the majority of those years have been in Little Valley.

“Whenever I helped out at the other post offices, I was still an employee of Little Valley,” he explained. “They just borrowed me.”

One of Andrew’s favorite stories is one only possible in a small town — he delivered to the funeral home the ashes of the doctor who delivered him when he was born. That’s back when the names of the deceased were printed on the packaging, he said, which has since changed.

“He delivered me, and then I delivered him,” he said with a laugh.

Then there’s the weather. Andrew

said probably the worst weather he ever delivered mail in was the spell in February 2015 when the temperatures were hovering around 0 and the wind chill was brutal. He said that was tough.

Hometown Ambitions

After graduating from Little Valley High School, he worked for the village of Little Valley’s Department of Public Works for 12 years. He became interested in a career with the postal service through a man who, at the time, was working at the Little Valley post office.

He took the postal test right after high school and repeatedly took the exam, getting a higher score each time in the late 1970s and early ’80s in an attempt to do what he does today. After scoring well on a civil service test and already employed full-time with the public works department in the village, he waited until the perfect opportunity with the postal service presented itself.

When one came up in Little Valley, where he was born and

raised, he accepted it.

“They were shorthanded because they had only two people left,” he recalled. “The postmaster said I had to start on Saturday, and it was already Tuesday. It was real short notice.”

Andrew said growing up in Little Valley made a difference because he knows so many people. When he started doing his mail route, he already knew it from working for the village.

“I’ve lived here all but eight years, and you get to know everybody,” he said. “That’s what makes it great to have this job here — it’s right in my hometown.”

Community Involvement

Andrew attributes his longevity as a mail carrier to very good health. He thinks the eight-mile walking route in Little Valley over the years, plus the physically demanding DPW job he had prior, has kept him fit. He has called in sick to work only five times over those 35 years — with only three of them being for himself.

He has been a member of the Little Valley Alumni

Association, of which he has been president for 28 years, and the Lion’s Club for 31 years.

Andrew’s dedication to public service is practically in his blood. As is the case with many small towns, he has a family history in the community where he grew up. His grandfather, William F. Andrew, served as mayor of Little Valley and was actively involved in the fire department, including serving as chief for a number of years. His aunt was a town clerk and her daughter became the town clerk after her.

His dad, Albert Andrew, served as village clerk for 41 years.

“He was also involved in the fire department and was big in the American Legion and in our church,” he said. “I learned community service from him.”

Andrew said he’s not getting ready to retire. He’s just kind of playing it by ear.

“I thought I’d be retired by now, but it just doesn’t feel like the right time yet,” he said. “It’s been a good job — not every minute — but it’s been good. You gotta’ have good people to work with, too.”

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATHS. (PROVERBS 3:5-6)

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LITTLE VALLEY

— Along with Earth Day in about a week, residents are encouraged to participate in another type of cleanup — of the medicine cabinet.

On April 22, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the US Drug Enforcement Agency, will be holding

its semiannual National Pill Take Back Day. The public can drop off prescription and non-prescription medication for proper disposal. Sharps will not be taken during this take back. Vape pens or other e-cigarette devices can be collected only after the batteries are removed. Sheriff’s office personnel are not

No Democratic petitions filed for Cattaraugus County Legislature

By Rick Miller LITTLE VALLEY

— Democrats did not file nominating petitions for any of the 15 seats on the Cattaraugus County Legislature by the April 10 deadline.

Meanwhile, five Republicans filed petitions for four seats in District 5, setting up a primary in the city and town of Olean and towns of Hinsdale and Portville.

Three incumbent Republican legislators from Olean, Frank Higgins, Kelly Andreano and Richard Smith; a former Republican county legislator, Steven Teachman, and former Olean alderman Kevin Dougherty have all filed Republican nominating petitions in District 5.

Higgins, Andreano, Smith and Teachman — along with all other Republican candidates — were also endorsed by the Conservative Party.

Cattaraugus County Republican

Party Chairman Mark Heberling said he was surprised that no Democrats had filed for county legislature.

“They knew what the redistricting lines were,” he said. “They had plenty of time to come up with a game plan. Maybe it’s because our Republican legislators are doing such a good job.”

Legislator David Koch of Salamanca is the only Democrat on the current 17-member county legislature.

Koch, who was among four legislators who were not eligible to run again because they had served three four-year terms, blamed the redistricting plan for stifling competition. Other term-limited legislators are Chairman Howard VanRensselaer, R-Randolph; Joseph Snyder, R-Ischua; Richard Klancer, R-Gowanda.

Another Republican, Kip Morrow of Portville, announced he would not seek re-election.

Last week, county Democratic Chairman Frank Puglisi said plans were to file petitions for the four seats in District 5 and two seats in District 4 which includes the towns of Allegany Carrollton, Coldspring, Humphrey and Red House.

Republican incumbents Donald Benson and Robert Parker, both of Allegany, are seeking re-election on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Puglisi said last week that redistricting had hurt Democratic chances because of overwhelming Republican enrollment in each of the five districts

As of 5 p.m. April 10, no Democratic petitions had been filed for county legislature, according to Democratic Election Commissioner Kevin Burleson. Any petitions postmarked by April 10 and received by April 12 by the Board of Elections would

be considered. Burleson referred questions to Puglisi, who did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Heberling said the incumbent Republicans “have put together a great track record. We’ve got solid candidates, good values and a great track record.” Heberling places economic development at the top of the legislature’s successes including the new $621 million Great Lakes Cheese Co. plant in Franklinville.

“There could be a primary in District 5,” Heberling said. “Redistricting is the reason that it is hard to recruit Democratic candidates,” Puglisi said. “It‘s a big deterrent.”

Countywide, enrolled Republicans outnumber Democrats 19,749 to 13,127. There are also 1,182 Conservatives, 230 members of the Working Families Party and 10,893 who are registered, but

not affiliated with any political party.

Candidates in the other districts are:

District 1 —

Towns of Dayton, Leon, New Albion, Otto, Perrysburg and Persia and the Seneca Nation’s Cattaraugus Territory. Incumbent Legislator Andrew Burr, R-Gowanda, is seeking reelection and the other Republican candidate is Jeff Stoltenberg.

District 2 — Towns of Ellicottville, Franklinville, Ashford, East Otto, Farmersville, Freedom, Great Valley, Ischua, Lyndon, Machias and Yorkshire and the Oil Springs Reservation.

Four incumbent Republicans: Majority Leader Michael Brisky of Franklinville, Ginger Schroder of Farmersville, and Richard Helmich and Joseph Boberg of Delevan are seeking re-election here.

District 3 — City of Salamanca and towns of Little Valley, Salamanca, Conewango,

Mansfield, Napoli, Randolph, South Valley and the Allegany Territory. Incumbent Republican legislators Laurie Hunt of Salamanca and Norman Marsh of Little Valley are seeking re-election retired state trooper Timothy Nagle of Randolph is on the GOP ticket. Filing of independent nominating petitions is May 23-30.

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RANDOLPH

The New York Duathlon Series is returning to Weeden Park for May 6 and 20 multi-sport events featuring a two-mile run, a 10-mile bike and a two-mile run.

Coach Mark Wilson, race director, said the New York Duathlon Series is the perfect spring

New York Duathlon series back in Randolph, now with E-bikes

are the athletes that register.

“It is important to us to always give back to the communities where we race,” he said. “Iit’s a feeling of goodwill all the way around.”

New to the competition this year will be an E-Bike category. E-Bike sales are soaring as a great way to stay moving and explore beautiful surroundings. Electric bikes can help riders climb hills easier, ride at faster speeds or ride further distances without tiring quickly due to pedal assist. E-bikes offer users the same exercise benefits as traditional bikes.

across New York state and one race in Connecticut.

These events are open to beginners and experienced athletes of all ages and levels. The duathlon can be entered by one individual that would complete all three legs of the race, or by a relay team of two individuals.

spectators are always welcome and appreciated.”

Registration includes a race t-shirt, finisher medal, pancakes and sausage and a Southern Tier Brewing Company beverage or two.

race, and the events in Randolph are the most perfect venue to become a multisport athlete for just about anyone.

“The run is flat, and the bike only has a couple of ‘bumps,’” he said. “Not to mention the expansive parking, beautiful pavilions and state-ofthe-art bath house.”

Wilson said he is also excited it is their fifth year in town for the event, adding that they are proud to give to the Randolph Community Cupboard, and so

The races are produced by Wilson Endurance Sports, LLC, based out of Cassadaga. Formed in 2017 by husbandand-wife team, Mark and Tonia Wilson, they now produce 19 running and multi-sport events

With the relay team option and now the E-Bike category, Tonia Wilson said these races are truly for anyone that just wants to get outside, perhaps challenge themselves and have a lot of fun. “With no cut-off times, it keeps it relaxed and enjoyable knowing that you go at your own pace and the finish line will be there waiting for you,” she said. “We invite everyone to participate or volunteer and

This event is sponsored locally by Southern Tier Brewing Company, Tom’s Pro Bike, PEL Industrial Supply, LOUD Performance, Mike Frame Images and Computer Consulting, Register Graphics, Tops Friendly Markets, Alumidock and Erika Connor, MD.

Coach Wilson has been a fulltime triathlon and endurance sports coach for over 25 years. To learn more about these and other events, visit coachmarkwilson.com or call (716) 353-1288.

AUTO CORNER

Road trips are great ways to get away from home and see the country. Such excursions enable travelers to get up close and personal with various attractions and a ord them a chance to travel at their own pace.

No matter where the road may take you, safety should always be a priority. e home and travel safety resource

Safewise reports that car accidents are the No. 1 cause of death in America among people between the ages of one and 54. e Canadian Transportation Safety Board estimates that there are 160,000 car accidents each year in Canada.

When planning your next road trip, these tips can ensure everyone stays safe.

Plan where to get gas

Even the most fuel-e cient vehicle will need to be lled up during long road trips. To ensure you’re not running on “E” with no fuel station on the horizon, plan in advance where you will take breaks to get gas. Try not to run under one-quarter tank of gas, and coordinate gas stops with opportunities to recharge and visit restrooms.

Stock the car

Road trip safety tips

Breakdowns happen, even with well-maintained vehicles. Stock an emergency roadside kit and keep it in the car at all times. Kits should include:

· mobile phone and charger · ashlight

· rst aid kid · jumper cables

· jack and tire-changing tools · ares

· water and nonperishable foods · paper maps

· emergency blankets, towels and changes of clothes

Keep the number of a roadside service, and phone numbers for emergency contacts in the glove compartment just in case cell phone service is spotty.

Take frequent breaks

Driving while tired is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a er being awake for 18 hours, the human body functions like someone with a blood alcohol content of 0.05 percent. A er being awake for 24 hours, it’s equal to 0.10 percent, or the equivalent of a 160 pound man drinking ve beers in an hour.

Don’t wait to feel tired to pull over. Make frequent stops or switch drivers to give everyone breaks.

Keep weather in mind

Let the season and the forecast dictate your route. Ensure windshield wipers are working and blades are e ective. Consult weather forecasts to determine if thunderstorms will be in the area or if it will be especially windy. Never drive through ooded roadways.

Road trips are an exciting way to travel. Safety should be part of the planning process

By Deb Everts

NAPOLI — As the town of Napoli turns 200 years old, it’s a good time to look back and recognize a unique structure that once stood on a farm along Pigeon Valley Road — the Gladden Windmill.

Built by George Gladden in 1890, the historic Gladden Windmill was a rare example of wind power technology in the United States and believed to be a variation of one patented by Bernard Koeppe in 1888.

In Koeppe’s design, the shutters were flat and the vanes were V-shaped, but in Gladden’s the opposite was true. The design greatly improved the efficiency of the unit. It was a cylindrical shape attached to a vertical shaft — instead of the conventional circular type — and attached to the end of a horizontal shaft. His attempt produced a significant piece of industrial architecture, a vertical windmill, uncommon in its design in the United States.

A quote from Gladden’s son, Charles, described the vertical windmill as “a four-story, wood frame structure built

Gladden Windmill a former

on a stone foundation. The mill had three lower stories housing the machinery of the mill, while a fourth story contained the revolving wind wheel.

The square portion of the structure below the wind wheel had a four-foot easterly extension which provided additional storage space. A rectangular, one-story porch extended from this addition. Both the porch and the wind wheel were covered by gable roofs.

The exterior walls were partly covered with board siding and asphalt shingles.”

AN ARTICLE in “Society for Industrial Archeology” said the Gladden Mill, or turbine, was originally equipped with machinery for elevating and grinding grain, an apple grater and cider press, wood lathe and shop for general repair work.

The windmill operated for nearly 40 years until 1930 when the thrust bearing at the bottom of the wheel shaft cracked and mill operations ceased. After the mill stopped operating, it was used for storage for the farm. It was believed to be the only one of its kind remaining in the country.

According to the book “Cattaraugus

County Bicentennial History,” Stephen Gladden came to Napoli from Onondaga County in 1827 and purchased his farm from the Holland Land Company.

After the Civil War, his son, George Gladden, bought several thousand young apple trees from a bankrupt nursery in Dansville. He traveled throughout the county selling the trees. Many of the apple orchards in the area began from his unique little business.

Through this profitable venture, Gladden gained enough capital to build and develop his farm. He built the expansive 14-room house on Pigeon Valley Road between 1874 and ’76, which was one of the first homes in the area to have central heating.

In an effort to avoid the long journey to the gristmill, he wondered whether a mill powered by wind would be feasible on his farm. In 1890, Gladden, his son Charles and Melzer Bushnell began building the unique windmill behind the house.

Gladden had initially seen the prototype for his windmill near Lincoln, Neb., in 1888 while visiting

relatives, according to the National Park Service. He immediately acquired the rights to build the mill and purchased the necessary iron parts and gears. The basement for the structure was excavated and the foundation laid in the fall of 1890. The mill was completed a year later.

THE WINDMILL achieved a spot on the list in the National Register of Historical Places in 1973. The National Park Service team made a graphic and detailed record of the mill in 1975 and placed their report in the Historic American Engineering Record in the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

The property was owned by John Milks when the windmill

was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places, according to the National Park Service.

The National Register application said, “Gladden’s vertical windmill, while no longer operational, is largely intact with the exception of the vanes which have been removed. It remains as a unique structure and as the ingenious answer to one farmer’s search for convenience and increased productivity.”

As the mill sat idle for many years, it began to fall into ruin. Due to the advanced deterioration of the structure and its imminent collapse, the then-owners threatened to have the structure demolished.

The former Glover’s Mill Energy Center, a conservation

and alternative-energy information center headquartered in an 1833 gristmill in East Randolph, adopted preservation of the Gladden turbine in an effort to save it. The group hoped to buy the turbine and move it to safety. General Mills generously donated $1,000 to the campaign, but additional donations were urgently needed to help save the mill. In very poor condition, with rotting timbers and leaning toward the farmhouse, the windmill had to be dismantled and moved to a proposed site in the town of Conewango where it was stored around 1978. Planned for future use, total reconstruction of the windmill has never happened.