Julie Rockcastle, owner of The Heron Farm & Event Center (Home to the Blue Heron Music Festival) stopped by WRFA to talk with Anthony Merchant about this years new Beyond the Blue Summer Music Series, how this year Great Blue Heron Festival went, the year long work it takes for a weekend of music, upcoming events at The Heron and more

https://theheron.org

Arts on Fire - Julie Rockcastle of the Great Blue Heron Festival - July 15, 2022

(©1978 words by Dick Gilman, music by Dan Berggren)

January 26, 1978: Dunkirk, NY

On an unseasonably warm morning two young men were fishing in the open waters of Dunkirk Harbor. As a storm threatened their boat was blown out of the harbor by rising winds. While one youth managed to reach shore and go for help, the other remained with the boat and was soon stranded in drifting ice. Thus began the largest search and rescue operation in Chautauqua County history.

After reaching the youth, a first rescue boat became disabled in the ice, and a second boat was launched. It also became disabled, leaving five people trapped on the second boat with winds blowing them farther out into Lake Erie.

With temperatures having dropped 68 degrees over a 4-hour period, blizzard conditions and zero visibility, two fishing tugs, the “Gloria Mae” and the “Mary S” were hastily prepared to join the rescue.

After an initial fruitless attempt at locating the trapped fisherman and would-be-rescuers, the boats returned to the harbor for more equipment and to have ice chopped from the hulls. They then resumed the search.

Though the five seemed hopelessly lost in the lake’s wind-swept ice- jammed waters, FCC technicians found the position of the lost boat by radio signals, allowing the crew of the “Gloria Mae” to sight a blue light on the stranded boat. Late that Thursday night through blinding snow, all returned. No lives were lost. What was almost a disaster became the Lake Erie Rescue.

The song “Lake Erie Rescue” was first performed at the Lake Erie Heroes Day banquet on April 16, 1978 by Dan Berggren, Dick and Carmen Gilman.  Recorded at Tonmeister Studio, SUNY Fredonia; Noel de la Motte, producer; Larry Swist, engineer.

Lake Erie Rescue

Julie Rockcastle of The Heron returns to Arts on Fire to speak with WRFA's Anthony Merchant all about the fourth and final Beyond the Blue for 2022, what you can find at The Heron in the fall, a recap of the first year of the Beyond the Blue music series, the dates for the 2023 Great Blue Heron Festival and much more

https://theheron.org/
https://soundcloud.com/wrfaradio/arts-on-fire-julie-rockcastle-of-the-great-blue-heron-festival-july-15-2022

Arts on Fire - Julie Rockcastle of The Heron and Great Blue Heron Festival - August 26, 2022

WRFA founder and 10,000 Maniacs co-founder Dennis Drew joined AOF host Anthony Merchant to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of 107.9 WRFA and for an in-depth look back through the history of the station and what it took to the WRFA up and running

https://maniacs.com/

Arts on Fire - Dennis Drew - September 13, 2024

CHQ Chamber Chats is a monthly podcast presented by the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, featuring business owners and Entrepreneurs from throughout the Chautauqua Region to introduce who they area and help to offer insight into their particular business sector. It is hosted by Chamber president Dan Heitzenrater and broadcast the first Sunday of every month at 10:30 a.m. on WRFA-LP.

https://www.facebook.com/southernsailsny

www.chautauquachamber.org

CHQ Chamber Chats: Russ Spunaugle (Southern Sails Junk Removal) - November 2024

CHQ Chamber Chats is a monthly podcast presented by the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, featuring business owners and Entrepreneurs from throughout the Chautauqua Region to introduce who they area and help to offer insight into their particular business sector. It is hosted by Chamber president Dan Heitzenrater and broadcast the first Sunday of every month at 10:30 a.m. on WRFA-LP.

www.chautauquachamber.org

CHQ Chamber Chats: Sheila Webster & Staunzie Grady (CHQ Chamber) - December 2024

WRFA public affairs director Jason Sample gives an election night news update for the 11 p.m. hour. Featuring comments from Chautauqua County Sheriff Joseph Gerace, who lost reelection, and BOE commissioner Norman Green.

WRFA Election Night News Update - Final

Originally airing on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. 

WRFA public affairs director Jason Sample talks with Chautauqua County executive George Borrello to review his first year in office as well as discuss some items on his agenda for 2019, including Chautauqua Lake, economic development, the battle against opioid addiction, and more.

Community Matters - Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello - January 2019

WRFA's Jason Sample talks with Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel to get an update on COVID-19 in the county, as well as discuss several news items on the economic development front.

Community Matters - Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel: Aug 20, 2020

Ashley, Jason and Noah talk about three separate murders that took place in WNY: The Joseph Damon murder of his wife in the Town of Pomfret(1834), the Jamestown Brewery Murder in Jamestown(1871), and the Torso Murder case from Kenmore(1948). 

About: WNY History Podcast is a podcast / radio show based out of the WRFA studios in Jamestown, NY and focusing on the local history of the Chautauqua Region.

Hosted by:
Noah Goodling - Executive Director, Fenton History Center
Jason Sample - Chautauqua County Historical Society Trustee, WRFA Radio
Ashley Senske - Jamestown City Historian, Trustee of Fenton History Center

WNY History Podcast Ep. 04 - High Profile Murder Cases in Western New York

Tradition-based, writing with honesty, humor and a strong sense of place.  Exploring the many dimensions of home, hard working folks, taking care of our planet and each other.

WRFA is a listener-supported, low power community radio station in Jamestown, NY. We provide coverage of local arts and entertainment as well as local news. In addition to broadcasting at 107.9 FM in Jamestown, we also have a live stream at our website, www.wrfalp.com. WRFA is owned and operated by the Reg Lenna Center For The Arts.

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