The Jamestown Board of Education unanimously approved an $86-million budget proposal for the 2018-19 school year...
The proposed budget is made up of nearly 79-percent of state aid and maintains a flax tax levy similar to previous budgets. During Tuesday night's presentation at a board meeting, Superintendent Bret Apthorpe noted some fiscal tools to help save money and the long-term goals for the district. He says one of those goals is to reduce debt in what he calls "the big ugly." Apthorpe pushed to keep the current tax figure of just over $14.6-million in place because of how heavily the district relies on state aid. Apthorpe dicussed setting up a capital reserves fund to provide additional money for the district to do capital projects as they come up. If approved by voters on May 15---the fund will include $2-million. Additionally, residents will vote on the purchase of five new school buses and an ex-officio student school board member.
The April snowstorm that brought some accumulations to the higher elevations of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Southern Erie counties early yesterday morning wound down late last night...
However, forecasters say we should start to see temperatures trending closer to normal later this week. The National Weather Service reports a location in Frewsburg reported 2.8-inches of snow since late Tuesday. Forecaster Dave Thomas in Buffalo says blame this snowfall on an upper level weather system. Snowfall amounts Tueday afternoon also included four inches in Humphrey in Cattaraugus County. By late morning, there was 8.5 inches in Colden, and 2.3-inches in Little Valley. There was nearly half-an-inch in the Jamestown-area. Thomas says temperatures will begin to moderate starting later in the week.
Four people were hurt, but not seriously, after the car they were riding in went out of control on slippery road conditions early Tuesday morning and crashed into a guard-rail in Cassadaga...
Sheriff's officers say the vehicle was traveling on Route 60 about 6:00 and, was in front of the Pine Acres Mobile Home Park when the driver lost control. Deputies say the operator-- who was not identified-- was allegedly speeding at the time. Officers say the four occupants inside were taken to UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital for various injuries sustained in the accident. The crash remains under investigation.
One person was injured during a three-vehicle accident in the Town of Sheridan yesterday morning...
Sheriff's deputies say the crash occurred on Route-20 at New Road just before 9:30 a.m., and they found that an eastbound dump truck collided with a vehicle stopped in traffic operated by 55 year-old Richard Lantz of Jamestown. Officers say a third vehicle was unable to avoid the collision and struck the dump truck. Lantz was taken to Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk for minor injuries.
There is some short-term help available for dairy farmers in the tax reform bill approved in Congress late last year that should provide some relief until a new Farm Bill is in place...
That from local Congressman Tom Reed, who says the issue was among the main ones brought up during last weekend's town hall meetings he held in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties. Reed says there are three measures, the first is expanding help for small and mid-sized farmers from the Margin Insurance Protection program.
Reed adds that Congress also included reforms for feed costs to be calculated monthly instead of bi-monthly. He says that should allow farmers to handle those costs better. The Corning Republican says he has been working with the leadership on trade agreements to open up markets for dairy and wine in Canada and, he says they hope to expand that to other products. Reed says they've been able to reach agreements with South Korea to import more American dairy products there. He made his comments during his weekly conference call with Southern Tier Media.
A noted biographer of Muhammad Ali spoke at the Robert H. Jackson Center Tuesday about the boxer's conviction as a Vietnam War 'draft dodger' and his fight to get back in the ring...
Jonathan Eig says that part of Ali's career should not be forgotten because he didn't know it was going to be just 3.5-years versus a much longer period. Ali's conviction was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Speaking at a Continuing Legal Education seminar, Eig believes boxing was only one aspect of the legacy of the man known as "the greatest." Jonathan Eig is currently working with movie maker Ken Burns on a film version of Ali's life. He expects it to be done around the year 2020.
A city woman is jailed for allegedly using illegal drugs inside her car as it was parked in the CVS Pharmacy lot in Jamestown's Brooklyn Square...
City police were called to the scene last Wednesday night and officers say they found 23 year-old Teale DiDomenico with two controlled substances, along with a hypodermic instrument. Officers say DiDomenico was arrested on two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminally possessing a hypodermic instrument. She was jailed pending arraignment.
Gas prices in the Jamestown area held steady at $2.79 this week for a gallon of regular, unleaded fuel...
Gasoline inventories in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast region added 3-million barrels according to AAA officials, who say this was the only build in inventories across the country this week. On the national front, AAA reports gas prices have sky-rocketed to their most-expensive point in nearly three years. At $2.71, the national price per gallon is up a nickel on the week and is $0.18 more than last month. Expensive crude oil prices, tension in the Middle East and strong domestic demand are some of the driving forces behind the steep price at the pump this Spring. However, officials report that the United States added seven oil rigs last week, bringing the total to 815, as crude production is likely to continue growing. Find current gas prices along your route at GasPrices.AAA.com.
