Jan 25, 2021
At a community forum held last week by the Dunkirk City School District, there was a glimmer of hope that students could return. The panel included Lisa Barone, director of infection control and employee health at Brooks Memorial Hospital; Nichole Dispense, School 7 nurse; and Julie Lawrie, a nurse at Dunkirk Middle School.
Unsurprisingly, Barone gave the best insight. She’s on the front lines and is well respected in the community.
“Have you been out to dinner?” Barone asked at one point. “Have you gotten gas and not washed your hands after? Do you clean your cell phones? If you think about it, every time you pick up your phone, these are some of the reasons COVID spreads and spreads so quickly. So unless you never leave your house, no one ever comes in, you will always have a risk of getting COVID. … If you take your kid to Walmart, you should have no problem taking them to school.”
Jan 23, 2021
Families in the Dunkirk City School District no longer have to worry about their children going hungry throughout the day.
All students in the district are eligible to receive free, nutritious breakfast and lunch meals each day, including Saturday and Sunday, as long as school is in session.
“A healthy diet is very important to our students’ success in the classroom,” said Michael Mansfield, Dunkirk City School District superintendent. “When students are hungry, their focus isn’t on learning. I am so pleased that on a daily basis the district is able to provide healthy meals that allow students to be fed, focused, and ready to make the most of their day.”
Born on April 20, 1937, he was the son of Leon and Beatrice (Parlato) Price.
He graduated from Dun-kirk High School in 1955 and entered active duty in the United States Navy, serving in the Pacific zone for two years. Leon re-ceived his degree from Fre-donia State Teachers Col-lege in May, 1961. He ac-cepted a position teaching 6th grade teaching in the Norwalk-LaMirada City School District in Norwalk, C.A., and attended UCLA and L.A. State College part time. During summers, he attended the University of Oregon and received his Master’s Degree in August 1964. While enrolled in doctoral studies at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Leon taught read-ing in the Albany County School District until 1969, when he accepted a position in the Dunkirk City School District as Principal of School #3. In 1975, he transferred to School #7, which he, his brothers and sister, his four daughters, and two granddaughters also attended. He served there until his retirement in 1995, after suffer
Special to the OBSERVER Emily VanDette, left, and daughter Ellie with a few of the gift bags they created for the meal recipients on their route. A young crafter at School 7 puts the finishing touches on a holiday ornament he created for Meals on Wheels
Emily VanDette, left, and daughter Ellie with a few of the gift bags they created for the meal recipients on their route.
Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels is blessed to operate in a community where sharing is a way of life. During Subaru’s Share the Love Event, which runs through Monday. The agency invites everyone to Share the Love with our homebound neighbors during what might otherwise be a lonely time of year for them.
churst@post-journal.com
After peaking at 9% on Wednesday, Chautauqua County saw a slight drop in COVID-19 positivity rate on Thursday even as it reported 71 new cases and a 25th virus-related fatality.
In addition to the cases, The county Department of Health reported a seven-day positivity rate of 8.8% on Thursday. Meanwhile, 34 people are hospitalized with the virus a drop of two from information released on Wednesday.
The fatality, the second recorded in as many days, appears to be an individual in their 80s, according to a breakdown of deaths by age demographic released by the county. Of the 90 residents between the ages of 80 and 89 to have been diagnosed with the virus, nine have passed away a 10% fatality rate and the largest of any age demographic in the county.