jward@observertoday.com
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of articles in honor of Black History Month.
Evon Hernandez remembers basking in the spotlight with the Dunkirk High School football team during its run to the state Final Four. It left a major impression.
“I saw how the community came together when we did our football run in 2017,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed the support and how the community rallies when something good happens.”
A lifelong city resident, he was born in 1999 and graduated in 2017. He then went on to Jamestown Business College for two years and earned an associate’s degree in marketing and management.
adolce@observertoday.com
OBSERVER Photo by Anthony Dolce
Tristen Larson stands behind the counter of her store, Critical Gaming, in Fredonia. Larson, along with Dennis Thomas and Chris Shoemaker, all operate the business, which opened near the begging of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fredonia has always had a good scene for gaming. Being a college town lends itself to the proper demographic of games.
This isn’t just limited to video games either, Fredonia and the surrounding area have a large population of those who enjoy tabletop games, from traditional board games like Settlers of Catan to the more niche games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: the Gathering.
2021 Rising Stars: Nichole Freeman
Corporate Marketing Manager, The Plastek Group
After joining Prischak family-owned Lake Erie Speedway in 2004 and working her way up through positions like food and beverage manager and officer manager/executive assistant, Nichole Freeman said she experienced support and consideration that was provided to not only their business and decisions, but to the place that I considered my dream job.
When the opportunity arose to continue to work for the family, Freeman stayed and transitioned to Erie, Pa.-based injection molder and toolmaker Plastek Group. She joined human resources and safety in 2015 and is now corporate marketing manager.
Jan 25, 2021
June Marie (Ressler) Beers, 71, of 61 Union St., Westfield, N.Y., passed away Sunday morning, Jan. 24, 2021, at her home after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer surrounded by her loving family.
June was born Nov. 26, 1949 in Mayville, N.Y., the daughter of the late Richard and Eleanor Gervasi Ressler.
She attended Mayville High School, where she graduated in 1967. She continued her studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. After graduating from FIT she returned to the area where she married Sheron David (Crow) Beers in 1969.
June and Crow raised three boys in Westfield and were extremely active in many local sports, civic and church events. After her boys had grown and were in school, June returned to school going to Jamestown Business College where she attained a degree in business. June then took a job as a teller at Goldome Bank on Main Street in Westfield. After Goldome was absorbed by Key Bank of New York she worked there for many