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(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

Former Cattaraugus County Probation Director arrested on child pornography charges

September 11, 2025

OLEAN STAR UPDATED 11:42AM Michael R. Sharbaugh, 53, formerly of Limestone, New York was arrested

(NYS Comptroller's Office) This graph shows the ratio of family and general practice physicians in Cattaraugus County compared to New York State and other counties facing a shortage of healthcare professionals.

Cattaraugus County is facing a healthcare professionals shortage

September 4, 2025

By RICK MILLER Olean Star OLEAN — Cattaraugus County is facing a shortage of public health professionals

(Rick Miller/Olean Star) St.Bonaventure University announced Tuesday it had its first enrollment in excess of 3,000 students in its 167-year history. This photo is from the May 2025 university commencement.

Bonaventure exceeds 3,000 enrollment for the first time in its 167-year university history

September 4, 2025

ST. BONAVENTURE — For the first time in its 167-year history, St. Bonaventure University has

(Rick Miller/Olean Star) A few larger dead fish could be seen from the Five Mile Road bridge over Ischua Creek in the town of Franklinville on Tuesday. The state Department of Environmental Conservation said tens of thousands of fish and aquatic animals died in the creek recently and blamed it on organic material from the Great Lakes Cheese plant discharge of treated wastewater into the stream.

Great Lakes Cheese Co. plant pauses operations over Ischua Creek fish kill

September 4, 2025

By RICK MILLER Olean Star FRANKLINVILLE — Great Lakes Cheese issued a statement over the weekend that

(photo provided) A Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinic will be held Sept. 13-14 at the Olean YMCA. Volunteers are still needed.

BonaResponds, Warming House to help with medical clinic Sept. 11-14

September 4, 2025

ST. BONAVENTURE — A Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinic is returning to Olean this month

(Ricki Miller/Olean Star) Members of the striking Collins Correctional Facility corrections officers were at strike headquarters earlier this week outside the prison on Route 62 north of Gowanda.

Cattaraugus County lawmakers back striking corrections officers

March 3, 2025

EDITOR’S NOTE: The union representing striking New York State corrections officers and the Department of

(Rick Miller/Olean Star) Randy Sprague, owner of Sprague Maple Farms watches over a valve that releases sap from the plastic tubing into a tank behind Sprague’s Restaurant.

Flowing sap a sweet sound at Sprague’s Maple Farms

March 3, 2025

By RICK MILLER Olean Star PORTVILLE — Sprague’s Maple Farms has produced its first maple syrup of

(Photo provided) Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski held his first town meeting as the 148th Assembly District representative at the John J. Ash Center in Olean Thursday night.

Sempolinski holds first town meeting in Olean Thursday attended by 60

March 3, 2025

OLEAN – More than 60 people attended Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski’s first town hall meeting Thursday

(Corrin Potter photo) This is all that’s left of the Roosevelt-Higgins oak tree in Lincoln Park. The tree was planted in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt and his friend New York Gov. Frank W. Higgins of Olean.

Historical Society president laments loss of Roosevelt-Higgins tree logs

February 28, 2025

By RICK MILLER Olean Star OLEAN — The tree parts from the Roosevelt-Higgins Oak that