November brought news from Cummins Inc. that its Jamestown Engine Plant in neighboring Chautauqua County was at full production of the company’s X15N engine after a $452 million line upgrade that had taken place over the course of about a year.

Jennifer Rumsey, Cummins chairwoman and CEO, led off the company’s third quarter conference call with investor analysts discussing the launch of the engine, which was the impetus for a $452 million line upgrade at the Busti engine plant over the past year.

“Before getting into the details on our financial performance, I want to take a moment to highlight a few major accomplishments from the third quarter,” Rumsey said. “In September, we started full production of our X15N natural gas engine at our Jamestown Engine Plant, which is the first version of our 15-liter HELM platform to launch in the U.S. The X15N delivers performance, durability and power required in a variety of applications and is an excellent alternative for fleets looking to significantly reduce their carbon footprint. This is an important milestone in the execution of our Destination Zero strategy as we work to reduce the impact of our products today while investing in clean power solutions for the future.”

Cummins officials touted the engine’s importance to the company during a visit to the Jamestown Engine Plant last year. More than half of medium- and heavy-duty trucks on the road in the United States use Cummins engines, with company officials hopeful the X15N takes on prominence in the company’s fuel-agnostic 15-liter engine platform.

Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton Dunkin’ Donuts is taking shape in North Warren. The corner lot opposite Bob Evans and next to Sheetz is being converted to open a franchise there.

Cummins bills the X15N as the industry’s first fuel-agnostic internal combustion engine platform that leverages a range of lower carbon fuel types. The fuel-agnostic architecture of the 15-liter platform utilizes a common base engine with cylinder heads and fuel systems specifically tailored for it to use carbon-free hydrogen or biogas with up to a 90% carbon reduction.

Rumsey said reactions to the full production of the X15N are already promising. Rumsey said during her remarks that several of North America’s largest heavy-duty fleets are actively engaged with Cummins following their own tests of the natural gas engine in the field. UPS has purchased 250 Kenworth X15N powered trucks.

“I mean we’ve said that we think we could get up to a potentially 8% share in the market with the natural gas product,” Rumsey said. “We had several big fleets that we’re testing it during development.And I noted the big order that UPS has placed. So how they start to ramp up volume, get increasing confidence in the strong performance and efficiency. Fundamentally, in most places, it can provide not only a reduction in CO2 for fleets that want to lower the CO2 footprint, but also reductions in operating costs because of the fuel price differential between natural gas and diesel.”

DUNKIN’ DONUTS TARGETING APRIL OPENING IN NORTH WARREN

The area’s newest franchise opened in April when Dunkin’ Donuts opened its 333 Jackson Run Road location.

Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton Silver Star Cinemas is taking over management of the theater at the Warren Mall. A grand opening is set for Friday night.

It is located on the corner lot opposite Bob Evans, next to Sheetz and at the intersection of Route 62, Jackson Run Road in North Warren. Bapa Network LLC has “been planning and developing” their team for the last several months “and are ready to shine,” according to Dave Ayers, Bapa Network representative.

According to Ayers, the staff of the new Warren Dunkin’ Donuts location have a great support staff that will help in getting the new location up and running smoothly, while new staff can finish their training.

“We, here at Bapa Network, LLC. have a very well structured training program to ensure that our team is ready and set to run our restaurant,” said Ayers. “We are excited to celebrate our newest store opening, along with providing top notch customer service, with an emphasis on being very involved in the community. Our team has been training for a while and are ready to serve our guests.”

For more information about the franchise, or to inquiry about potential employment, visit www.dunkindonuts.com

COFFEE BREAK: STARBUCKS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD

A motion to accept the Starbucks subdivision, which has reportedly been through zoning, was unanimously approved in Conewango Township earlier this year. Construction on the shop has begun.

According to the township’s supervisors there are no issues or concerns with the building code reports, they are “all caught up.”

Starbucks first indicated an interest in the location at the Warren Commons in July 2022. The applicant for the special exception is Chicago-based KDP East LIberty LLC.

The parcel is zoned business and the designation required a hearing for drive-in/through restaurants to proceed.

“It’s a Starbucks,” Dave Weeber, representing KDP East Liberty LLC, told the board when asked to present on behalf of the applicant nearly two years ago. “They require a drive-through.”

He noted the restaurant would not be exclusively a drive-through and will be new construction rather than use of an existing facility.

DOLLAR GENERAL ONE OF 32 PROPERTIES TO MOVE AT TAX SALE

The Dollar General on Jackson Run Road outside Sugar Grove was one of 32 properties that sold at this week’s county upset tax sale.

The store, 12683 Jackson Run Road, sold at the tax sale auction for $230,000, according to information from the Warren County Tax Claim Bureau.

The new owner is identified as “Lucky Number Seven LLC” while the prior owner was “HLP Jackson Run Road LLC & MH Jackson Run Rd. LLC.”

The parcel is just over 1.8 acres.

The chain store also opened a new DG Market which is now open at 16030 Route 62, Tidioute, as the chain continues its expansion. The store is expected to employ between 10 and 15 people.

“We are excited to provide Tidioute residents with our new DG Market format and look forward to welcoming customers to our new location,” said Matthew Simonsen, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development. “At Dollar General, we believe the addition of our new Tidioute store provides positive economic growth for the community through the creation of new jobs and career growth opportunities; increased accessibility to affordable products; the generation of tax revenue and access to Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants. We strive to provide a pleasant shopping experience to customers and look forward to being a strong business partner and good neighbor.”

The Tidioute store is a DG Market, a variety of Dollar General stores that sells produce, meat and other food products. The expansion of DG Markets is part of Dollar General’s corporate push to expand its sales reach, according to its August SEC filing.

SILVER STAR CINEMAS TO MANAGE THEATER AT WARREN MALL. GRAND OPENING FRIDAY

There’s been a changing of the guard at the Warren Mall cinema, with Silver Star Cinemas taking over management of the former Dipson Theatres location at 4160 Market St.

“Silver Star Cinemas is dedicated to providing the community with a wide range of captivating films,” new owner Liam Cramer said. “Starting March 8, movie enthusiasts can look forward to a fantastic lineup of blockbusters including ‘Kung Fu Panda 4,’ ‘Cabrini,’ and ‘Dune.’ With multiple showtimes available, moviegoers can easily plan their visit and enjoy these highly anticipated films.”

The change in Warren comes after Dipson Theatres closed its Chautauqua Mall location in Lakewood, N.Y. in August. In its release, the company alluded to ongoing challenges and “circumstances beyond our control” as leading to the decision. Specifically, Dipson Theatres cited issues with a “leaky roof” within the theater at the Chautauqua Mall. Dipson also owns the Lakewood Cinema 8.

“Silver Star Cinemas is a locally owned company,” Cramer said, “dedicated to providing top-quality entertainment experiences to communities across the Warren, Pa. and Jamestown, N.Y. regions. With a commitment to customer satisfaction and a passion for film, Silver Star Cinemas aims to create unforgettable memories for every moviegoer.”