Obstacles define year in business | News, sports, jobs

Victories, such as the opening of Americold’s cold storage facility in Dunkirk, have been overshadowed by setbacks. In particular, changes to major jobs at nearby Wells Ice Cream and Atenex construction have affected workers in North County.

Among the smaller businesses, a longtime Silver Creek establishment has closed — but the shuttered Fredonia icon is being renovated.

Back to the balance of Wales

The company announced on July 21 “Retrograde” to five product lines by 2023 At the Dunkirk plant.

A Welsh ice cream factory in Dunkirk has announced hundreds of redundancies.

Wells was bought by the Ferrero Group in early December. Dunkirk Mayor Wilfred Rosas said he has. They have received assurances that there will be no further cuts.

However, those cuts were devastating. In September, through the state Department of Labor, Wells announced that 319 jobs would be eliminated on Jan. 1. Prior to the announcement, that plant had between 650 and 700 employees, he said.

Atenex released.

The troubled pharmaceutical company sold the lease on its new Dunkirk factory to Imuntibio.

That company continued to lose more than $308 million through September, and in October announced nearly 40 layoffs at its Dunkirk plant. ImmunityBio also stated that the plant will require up to a year and a half of renovations to meet its pharmaceutical manufacturing needs.

The White Inn has been sold to two entrepreneurs who are growing the Fredonia facility.

The valve closes

After 103 years, Valvo’s Candy and Gift Shop closed for good on September 12th.

Owner Elizabeth Valvo said the property will eventually be put up for sale. “I want to thank our wonderful customers, friends and family who have helped us along the way.” She said.

“I’m very grateful to everyone who helps us.”

she added. “My husband and I work in the candy factory until two in the morning and sometimes we hear a knock on the door. People from the community would come in and help.

White INN sells

In the year Local businessman Steve St. George partnered with restaurateur Devin Jones to purchase the historic building, which has been closed since 2017, for an undisclosed amount.

The duo plans to restore the structure as a hotel, restaurant, bar and event space. State grants, including one awarded just last week, are helping the effort.

“We’ve been working for a better room in the background to get a positive result for the guest house.” Mark Gesse, who heads Chautauqua County’s business development efforts, said when the sale was announced. “After repeated stalled attempts by other interested parties, I am confident that St. George’s efforts will succeed. Steve doesn’t do anything halfway.

“I’m happy to have the opportunity to return to Fredonia.” said Saint George.

A nursing home was fined.

In March, the state Department of Health fined Dunkirk Rehabilitation and Nursing Center $10,000 for failing to perform CPR on an unresponsive resident who later died.

According to the state citation, the licensed practical nurse who met the patient did not perform CPR, did not activate the code block for internal emergency assistance and never called 911 for help outside the building.

The LPN contacted the ill-fated director of nursing instead. The state’s report said the facility did not schedule nurses to register, nor did it appoint a full-time nurse director while the principal was on sick leave.

Corrective action has been taken by the nursing home, including the appointment of an interim director of nursing to ensure registered nurse coverage as needed and when the standard is issued.