My Personal Blog: Jamestown NY

09/07/2026

I am Italian-American, and I am deeply proud of that heritage.I am concerned by the growing push in America, and right here in our city, to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day. I want to be entirely clear: Indigenous people absolutely deserve a day of recognition and celebration. But that celebration should be established on its own merits, on a day that is deeply meaningful to their history—not born out of conflict with another community's tradition.Columbus Day has evolved far beyond the man himself. It has become a day to honor the incredible contributions Italian-Americans made to build this country. To be completely honest, most Italian-Americans today don't care about Christopher Columbus the individual. He lived in a brutal, gruesome period of history during the Middle Ages, and he acted as colonizers did in the 1500s. We didn't choose him to represent us; that connection was made generations ago, long before our families ever arrived here.Change the name to Italian-American Heritage Day if you wish—we won't object. But please understand that when you try to eliminate this day, it feels like an attack on our history. You can criticize Columbus, but you cannot erase the contributions of the millions of Italian-Americans who helped build this nation from the ground up.Pitting two cultures against each other for a political agenda is wrong. It forces a false choice. Neither culture is better than the other, and both deserve to be celebrated equally on their own days. Taking away our time of cultural celebration to give it to another simply doesn't make sense.This matters deeply to us, especially here in Jamestown, where the Italian-American community has such deep, historic roots. When our ancestors arrived here—alongside Irish, Black, German, Asian, and Jewish immigrants—they were often treated cruelly and endured immense hardships. Yet, they persevered and built the foundation of this Country and even this City, Let’s find a way to honor Indigenous history fully, without erasing the history of the Italian-Americans who love this community.

I want to remind anyone who cares... I am a left of center Progressive Liberal

(for full transparency... i had written something before. I didn't like the way it sounded so I had AI make it more clear. I just didn't have the time today to do it. I don't usually use AI and will always say when I have. I DID write the original post and just asked AI to clean it up)

🇮🇹🇺🇸 WHAT HAVE ITALIANS CONTRIBUTED TO BUILDING AMERICA? 🇺🇸🇮🇹From the literal physical foundations of our greatest cities to the foundational ideas of American freedom, the impact of Italian immigrants and their descendants on the United States is absolutely massive.Here is a look at how Italians helped build America:🛠️

THE PHYSICAL FOUNDATIONS & INFRASTRUCTURE Building Modern Cities: Between 1880 and 1920, over 4 million Italians arrived in the U.S. They dug New York City’s subway tunnels by hand, laid transcontinental railroad tracks, and built iconic bridges, dams, and skyscrapers.Industrial Backbone: Italian laborers formed the backbone of the dangerous coal mines in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, textile factories, and quarries across the Northeast.

📜 THE FOUNDING IDEAS & NATION'S NAME The Declaration of Independence: Filippo Mazzei, a physician and close friend of Thomas Jefferson, famously wrote: "All men are by nature equally free and independent." Jefferson adapted this directly into the historic phrase: "All men are created equal."The Name Itself: The United States of America takes its name directly from the Florentine explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci.🏛️

ICONIC LANDMARKS & MASTERPIECES The U.S. Capitol: The breathtaking interior artwork of the U.S. Capitol building—including the massive dome painting The Apotheosis of Washington—was painted by Italian immigrant Constantino Brumidi.Mount Rushmore: Luigi Del Bianco was the chief carver of the monument, uniquely responsible for detailing the hyper-realistic facial expressions and eyes of the presidents.🏦

FINANCE & ECONOMICS Bank of America: In 1904, Amadeo Peter Giannini founded the Bank of Italy in San Francisco to give loans to working-class immigrants rejected by mainstream banks. After the 1906 earthquake, he funded the city's rebuild on the docks. His institution grew to become Bank of America.⚛️

SCIENCE, MEDICINE, & INNOVATION The Atomic Age: Nobel Prize-winning physicist Enrico Fermi fled fascist Italy in 1938 and led the team that created the world’s first controlled nuclear chain reaction, changing science forever.The Microprocessor: Italian-born physicist Federico Faggin co-designed the Intel 4004 in 1971—the world's first commercial microprocessor, which paved the way for the entire personal computer revolution.Medical Breakthroughs: Dr. Anthony Fauci served as a leading immunologist and advisor to seven U.S. presidents, guiding the nation through major public health crises from HIV/AIDS to COVID-19.🎬

POP CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT The Golden Age of Cinema: Italian Americans completely reshaped Hollywood storytelling, led by legendary directors like Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather) and Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas).Music Icons: From the timeless crooning of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett to modern pop titans like Lady Gaga and Madonna, Italian Americans have dominated the American soundtrack for decades.🎖️

MILITARY HEROISM John Basilone: A legendary Marine Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal during WWII, becoming one of the most celebrated heroes in American military history.🍕

CUISINE & CULTURE From pizza and pasta to espresso and artisanal cheeses, Italian immigrants transformed the American culinary landscape, creating a multi-billion-dollar food culture that defines modern American dining.Share this to celebrate the incredible legacy, grit, and brilliance of the Italian-American community! 👇

08/29/2026

This was on the front of the PJ today. I am always happy the PJ does not let up about the homeless problem.
I wrote about it, anecdotally, just yesterday. I saw more homeless people than ever Downtown.

The Mayor is saying the same thing she has said from the beginning. It's not her problem to solve. It’s the County’s and the non profits problem.

This is the way I look at it. She is the leader of this City. So that makes it her problem whether she wants it or not. I’m not saying this because Mayor Ecklund is Mayor. I would be saying it regardless of who was Mayor.

One thing that has been surprising to me having this page is this. Whenever we talk about the homeless in Jamestown, most people understand these people represent many different situations and mental states. Many are drug addicts. Most people who have posted here over the last three years understand all this and still don’t want a human being to go hungry or to be freezing in the street.

The Mayor always says that "all other towns have the same problem"... no…they do not. The homeless population is dropping in other Cities in the County and growing in Jamestown. It's the same when she says "there is poverty is every town".. Yes, there is but Jamestown has just about double the national average of people living under the poverty level. That is not the same.

She can keep saying it's not up to Jamestown to solve this problem, but it's Jamestown that is suffering. Her City. The City she is in charge of.

You cannot walk from Downtown to Brooklyn Square down Main Street. I wrote about this yesterday. I just did it. It's horrible. It's dangerous. The City is expecting people to come as tourists and walk down to the River. It's ok on Third. When you get to Second it becomes worse. You are walking IN THE ROAD to get around the decaying Arcade building full of garbage. Then you get to pass under the Viaduct which is a horror. Then you get out the other side and it's like Night of the Living Dead. There are homeless people all over the place by the river.

You cannot build a Downtown if you cannot connect the River to the Downtown. Isn't that the name of this grant? From the Core to the Shore. You can't GET TO THE SHORE from the Core unless you clean up the Viaduct and the entire Brooklyn Square Area.

I advocate one more time for all of the ten million to be used in Brooklyn Square. Concentrating all the money in one area is going to better than spreading it out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Ongoing challenge’
City officials give update on homeless situation after state of emergency
By Sara Holthouse
August 29, 2026
On July 25, 2024, a state of emergency was declared in the city of Jamestown in an effort to help with the city's growing homeless population. In the two years since then, Mayor Kim Ecklund and other homeless related officials are reporting that work has continued, with one of the most important aspects of that work being collaboration between respective parties as they continue to tackle the issue.

"Homelessness is a complex issue with no single or easy solution," Ecklund said. "It remains an ongoing challenge that we continue to address every day, and Jamestown is one of many communities across New York State and throughout the country working through challenges related to homelessness, housing, mental health, and substance use. Over the past two years, I believe some of our most meaningful progress has come through collaboration."

Ecklund said that the relationships, partnerships and communication among city, county and service providers along with law enforcement and community organizations have continued to strengthen over the last two years. She also reported that the involved organizations are communicating more consistently, coordinating efforts, and working together to better understand the needs within the community and the resources available.

"Each of our community partners has an important role in this work," Ecklund said. "Direct funding for social services and homelessness programs flows through the county, service agencies, and community organizations that provide these critical services. At the city level, our role is to bring people together, support the work of our partners wherever we can, and advocate for the additional resources our community needs. We will continue strengthening these partnerships and working collectively to address this complex issue."

One such organization is the Chautauqua County Homeless Coalition. Chautauqua Opportunities was designated by HUD as the continuum of care provider to help with the homelessness situation a few years ago, and is tasked with addressing homelessness throughout Chautauqua County. Director of Housing and Community Development with Chautauqua Opportunities, Amanda Straight, said a continuum of care is a regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals. Additionally, she said the Chautauqua County Homeless Coalition is a comprehensive network of diverse organizations that work to address the needs of the community and provide intervention and prevention services for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness. Recently, work has continued in regards to the continuum of care.

"NY-514 was created in 2014," Straight said. "In 2026, we voted to merge with the Balance of State, NY-525. The Balance of State is a HUD-designated body that is responsible for coordinating and planning resources to address and end homelessness in a state's rural and less populated areas. Currently, it includes Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Clinton, Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Otsego, Putnam, Schoharie and Sullivan Counties. We continue to bring local community partners together through coalition meetings to coordinate efforts and advance the goals of the Chautauqua County Homeless Coalition Action Plan. As part of the Balance of State Continuum of Care, our community also has access to funding through the collaborative application process."

This regional collaboration, Straight said, strengthens the community's response to homelessness by providing: Improved coordination and planning, including coordinated entry and meaningful involvement of people with lived experience; Technical assistance and support to strengthen local programs and services; Improved data collection and performance measurement, helping communities better understand needs and make informed decisions about resource allocation; More tailored programs and services through collaboration and networking with neighboring counties; Greater support for Permanent Supportive Housing, which has been identified as a critical need in the community; and Stronger advocacy and policy influence by giving local partners a greater voice in addressing homelessness and housing needs.

"Through continued collaboration, local organizations and community partners can work together to identify gaps, maximize available resources, and develop solutions that more effectively meet the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness," Straight said.

Anyone that may be interested in learning more or joining the Coalition can reach out to Straight and Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc.

Looking ahead towards the upcoming winter months, Ecklund said preparedness continues to be an important part of the city and community's response, noting that during her first year in office Code Blue shelter services were not immediately available when temperatures dropped to qualifying levels.

"Since then, we have seen improved preparedness, with Recovery Options Made Easy ready to activate Code Blue services when qualifying temperatures are reached," Ecklund said. "We appreciate their continued partnership and commitment to providing this important resource to our community throughout the winter."

Both Ecklund and Chautauqua County Social Services Coordinator Carmelo Hernandez noted that the Code Blue shelter is an important resource for the city, and one part in continuing to address the complex homelessness issue. Hernandez said in this coming winter an increase in the usage of Code Blue is just one thing he expects to see.

"I see individuals utilizing Code Blue a lot more," Hernandez said. "I could see more individuals applying for emergency housing, so I could see that happening and the numbers possibly going up for emergency housing. Those are the two things I could see happening for sure heading towards winter."

In the long term, Hernandez said there is a need for more licensed emergency housing, adding that if a licensed shelter, specifically for single males, could be put in place, he believes that could help aim the area in the right direction to keep people out of hotels and to help get some individuals off of the street as well.

"I think the other piece we need to look at as a whole is helping the housing stock in reference to safe, affordable housing stock," Hernandez said. "That's one thing that we have seen come up over and over. It's very complex most definitely, and multi-faceted, however, I will say there's many pieces that need to fall in place. Every day it's a new challenge, but the team and the county are up for the challenge."

Similarly, Ecklund said broader efforts to address the homelessness issue need to remain focused on the long term, including greater access to mental health and substance use services, housing stability, case management, and other supportive resources.

"The city will continue to be an engaged partner, support the organizations doing this work wherever we can, and advocate at the State and Federal levels for the additional resources Jamestown needs," Ecklund said. "Addressing homelessness requires a collaborative effort, and we remain committed to doing our part."

08/29/2026

Here are a bunch of photos I took from my trip Downtown. It’s a beautiful day out! Go outside!

08/29/2026

I’m Downtown making purchases at The Farmers Market. I go to the market probably every other week.

08/28/2026

Another reminder this is happening tomorrow!

08/28/2026

Everyone is sitting there looking very official. They don't show if any residents actually showed up.

This is a blog. I write about what I do sometimes. I’m observing what is around me. I’m not trying to be negative.

I walked from my house near Love School to CVS in Brooklyn Square and back to this morning.

It was a beautiful day. Downtown looked good. I think they were getting ready for the Whirlybird which starts tonight. I’ve never said Downtown was unattractive. It’s very charming in many parts. It just doesn’t have the feel of much energy. There was a bus at the Lucy Museum. There weren’t many people on the street.

I have never seen so many homeless people in this town before. From my house, where I daily see the homeless wandering around, where I see daily see the homeless dragging metal (anyway they can) down the street to cash in at Weitzman. Wagons. Shopping carts.

From my house walking up Main the homeless were everywhere. Behind my house between 8th St and 7th Street there were at least two tents set up where people are living. There is a plot of land between the two streets and it is slowly attracting more and more homeless. There was an actual street that led back there. There were about four houses in there. Anyone remember that?

Walking up past 7-11 more homeless.
Third and Main Homeless walking around.

It gets worse when you hit the Arcade Building. If you are walking down Main to get to the river you would have to walk under the viaduct and that is not a place for tourists or anyone really. From the viaduct to CVS was dicey.

Under the Viaduct. Homeless
On the bridge. Homeless walking.
Around the Chinese Restaurant MORE homeless.
Around the statue of the Indian Boat. Homeless
Around the River Walk Homeless. On both sides.
Inside CVS Homeless.

How do you have a City of Homeless people walking around and make the Downtown work?

These people at this table are MOSTLY in non profits. Why pick them? They want me to walk around with them and tell them if we prefer Shawbucks get another balcony or The B**r Snob place get more money. It's ludicrous to me. And watch when the "new" ideas come up.. they are going to be lined up with proposals. The non profits.

This is not a reflection on the DOD who are just doing their difficult jobs.

This is why I am not supporting anything to do with this money. I also promise everyone I have zero impact on what other people do. No one is going to choose not to participate because of me.
I don’t have power over anyone.

The non profits Downtown do not like me because what I write here. I don't care.

Now that the city of Jamestown has been awarded $10 million from the state in Downtown Revitalization Initiative funding, the city is hard at work on the next steps, including a now open call for projects and the second meeting of the local planning committee.

https://www.post-journal.com/news/top-stories/2026/08/mapping-out-the-plan/

08/27/2026

Go to this place today. Or soon. Look at these delicious pastries. Sometimes you have to make an effort. This place is worthy of your support and worthy of the effort. Go get lunch. Go get some pastries! Go!