Olean Star

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Portville's Kingston Loucks sprints up field during the Panthers' 34-0 loss to Southwestern/Frewsburg on Thursday. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle

Portville drops second straight as offense, defense misfires against Trojans

September 18, 2025

By HUNTER O. LYLE lyleoleanstar@gmail.com SOUTHWESTERN, NY – Playing through growing pains that materialized in worries and woes on both sides of the ball, the Portville football team suffered their

(DEC graphic) This DEC map of the Great Lakes Cheese plant in Franklinville and Ischua Creek was shown at the Cattaraugus County Board of Health on Wednesday. Organic waste in treated water from the plant has been bland for a significant fish kill in the creek.

Watkins says local wells tested near Olean Creek not found contaminated

September 18, 2025

By RICK MILLER Olean Star FRANKLINVILLE — While the discharge of organic material into Ischua Creek from the Great Lakes Cheese plant resulted in a significant die-off of fish and other aquatic

(Rick Miller/Olean Star) Demonstrators outside the Great Lakes Cheese plant in Franklinville Friday protest the company’s contamination of Ischua Creek, which killed tens of thousands of fish and other aquatic wildlife.

Two protests last Friday outside Great Lakes Cheese plant

September 18, 2025

By RICK MILLER Olean Star FRANKLINVILLE — Two groups of people demonstrated Friday outside the Great Lakes Cheese plant on Route 16 north of Franklinville, protesting discharges from the plant into Ischua

(Rick Miller/Olean Star) The state Department of Environmental Conservation on Monday announced a $475,000 fine against Great Lakes Cheese for its August discharge of contamnants into Ischua Creek, which killed tews of thousnads of fish and othe aquatic life.

DEC will require cheese plant to pay to restore Ischua Creek

September 18, 2025

By RICK MILLER Olean Star FRANKLINVILLE — Great Lakes Cheese will be required to restore Ischua Creek as part of any state enforcement action against the Franklinville cheese plant. State

Man in the Middle: On a new team, Sherry leads thriving ‘Next Chapter’ Terrors

January 14, 2026

By HUNTER O. LYLE lyleoleanstar@gmail.com DUKE CENTER, PA – In just one year, a lot has changed for Jack Sherry. At the start of December in 2024, Sherry was suiting

(Rick Miller/Olean Star) Allison Fiut, an attorney for Harris Beach working for the City of Olean on the redevelopment of the Oleran Center Mall speaks to the Common Council Tuesday. The council later voted to use eminent domain to lift lease restrictions on mall stores to facilitate redevelopment.

Aldermen approve eminent domain resolution for mall to drop anchor stores’ lease restrictions

January 14, 2026

By RICK MILLER Olean Star OLEAN — The Olean Common Council voted unanimously Tuesday to help the Olean Center Mall owner to more quickly redevelop it into a multi-purpose, mixed-use

(Assembly photo) Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski thought Gov,. Hochul should have mentioned the Seneca Gaming Compact issue in her State of the State Address Tuesday.

Sempolinski criticizes Hochul for not mentioning Seneca Gaming Compact in State of State Address

January 14, 2026

By RICK MILLER Olean Star ALBANY — As Gov. Kathy Hochul was winding down her State of the State Address Tuesday Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski, R-Canisteo, realized she hadn’t mentioned a

TUESDAY ROUNDUP: Neff’s 24 falls in vain; Portville boys outgunned by Gowanda

January 13, 2026

KANE, PA — Despite Peyton Neff’s shooting showcase and 24 points, the Smethport girl’s basketball team was unable to steal a win on the road, losing to Kane 60-43. Throughout