Community Spotlight, the area's longest running local public affairs radio program, airs on all six Media One Radio Group stations each weekend and is also available to hear in our Podcast Section.  Each week we sit down with a community leader or another special guest to talk about issues within our community.  


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WJTN Headlines

Severe storms roar through Chautauqua County, Warren Co. reports two possible tornadoes.

There were some trees and power lines knocked down but, no serious damage was reported in Chautauqua County from severe storms that raced through the area yesterday afternoon and early evening.  Sheriff's Department dispatchers say most of the problems were in the Frewsburg and Ashville areas.  However no severe damage, nor injuries were reported. 

 

Several trees were reported down in the Frewsburg-area.  There were preliminary reports of a couple of possible twisters in Warren County, Pennsylvania between 4 and 5:30 p.m.Sunday, according to the Warren Times-Observer.

 



U-S Senator Charles Schumer is calling for federal help in the fight against opioid addiction in New York. 

 

Schumer is asking the Drug Enforcement Agency to provide the state with one of four special heroin enforcement teams being formed to combat the problem. 

 

The four teams are specifically dedicated to counteracting heroin trafficking and are sent to states that report heroin as the highest drug threat. 

 

The Democrat says New York's heroin overdose death rate increased by 30% in 2015.  New data show there was an average of four overdose deaths a day in New York City alone last year.  That was double the rate two years earlier.

 

New York City also is a major distribution hub.  Overall 24 New York counties are considered High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas.


With the necessary funding now in place it's full-speed ahead on completing the new National Comedy Center on Jamestown's westside by Spring of 2018. 

 

Comedy Center Director Journey Gunderson says the approximately $30-million project is is "a good spot" right now as the outside work on the new entryway and, a connecting structure between the former Board of Public Utilities' Storage Building, and Gateway Train Station is being completed. 

 

He says they "finished up" the funding with a $5-million grant from Empire State Development Corporation, and $3-million from the Ralph Wilson Foundation.  Gunderson says she and the Comedy Center Board of Directors are especially grateful to the foundation community in Jamestown which really stepped up and has supported the project which began with an August 2015 ground-breaking. 

 

She says the indoor work will involve a lot of coordination between firms that will put up the exhibits including Cortina Productiions which is a major exhibit producer.  Gunderson says they have done work in such places at the College Football Hall of Fame. 

 

Gunderson says she and Board President Tom Benson who is also chairman of the project "couldn't be happier" with the progress they have made.  She made her comments for this past weekend's "Community Spotlight" program on the five Media One Group stations.


In state government news New York lawmakers are entering their final week of work in Albany and control of New York City schools remains the top issue. 

 

Meanwhile, bills to protect the environment, crack down on heroin- and opioid-dealing and bar alcohol in movie theaters hang in the balance.  Another piece of high-profile legislation would extend the statute of limitations to allow molestation victims to sue for potentially decades-old abuse.  The session is scheduled to end Wednesday

 

The state law giving Mayor Bill de Blasio control of his city's schools expires at the end of the month unless lawmakers vote to renew it.  Last year, they extended the policy by a single year. De Blasio and other Democrats want a longer extension this year, but Senate Republicans are skeptical.


The headquarters of 'Filling the Gap' a group of corporations associated with the Resource Center has been named in honor of Mike Felice. 

 

The Felice Corporate Center on Fairmount Ave near the 6th Street Bridge was officially dedicated on Friday afternoon.  Mike Felice spent more that 30 years volunteering for The Resouce Center and the corporations, right up 'til the time of his death in the fall of 2016. 

 

The Resource Center's Chief Executive Officer, Denise Jones, says Mike Felice always "led with his heart" in everything that he did.  Mike's widow, Laura, says the family became committed to the Resource Center when Jennifer, their youngest daughter, began to receive services from the agency, and he loved what TRC did for his daughter. 

 

Professionally, Mike Felice was the manager of radio stations WKSN and WHUG for many years.


The summer festival season was fully underway over the weekend with two major events in the Jamestown area. 

 

At St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, hundreds of people flocked to the 35th annual 'Yassou' Festival.  The church's Parish Council President, Tim Anderson,  says the festival is about more than Greek food, music and dancing it's about community, and showing what the church is all about. 

 

Anderson adds 'Yassou' is a major fundraiser for the church.  Meanwhile, the Fluvanna Community Historical Society held its second annual 'Fluvanna Fest'.  Spokesman Richard Keefer says they are all about a community 'coming together' as well.  More than 80 people ran or walked in the Fluvanna Fest 5K a large increase from last year.