The heat wave that has been roasting much of the United States in recent days is just getting warmed up, with temperatures expected to soar to dangerous levels through the weekend.....
Communities are preparing by offering buildings as cooling centers and asking residents to check in on family members and neighbors. Officials are also concerned about smog, which is exacerbated by the heat and makes it harder for certain people to breathe, including the very young, and the elderly. The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a Heat Advisory for much of western New York -- including Chautauqua County -- from Noon to 6PM Saturday. Nationally, the Weather Service estimates that more than 100 local heat records will fall on Saturday, though most won't be daily highs -- but record-high nightly lows.
It’s ‘so far, so good’ for all the animals at the Chautauqua County Fair in Dunkirk as a heatwave builds across Western New York. Dr. Shannon Carpenter is the State Veterinarian for this part of New York....
The vet says they’ll be watching the livestock and other animals through the weekend, and the owners are already taking appropriate precautions. Shannon Carpenter says if any animals appear to be ill from the heat they’ll be sent home right away. Just this year, the fair increased the power available in a number of animal barns to support more electricity use, and wired the open class dairy barn so every cow could have a fan.
One person was injured after a tractor-trailer struck a State Thruway maintenance pickup truck Wednesday morning on Interstate 90 in the Town of Westfield. .....
According to State Police Troop T, the tractor-trailer drifted off the roadway in the westbound lanes shortly before 9 AM and, struck the truck from behind. The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to Westfield Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Chautauqua County's top-elected official says he spent two "intense" days in Washington, D-C this week, taking part in the Northeast Leadership Conference held at the White House Tuesday........
Borrello says a number of issues were covered and he got to meet President Donald Trump's Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow. He says the main emphasis was helping local governments communicate better with federal officials.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was also part of the conference. On Wednesday, Borrello met with local Congressman Tom Reed to discussed a number local projects. Borrello also spoke with Congressman Reed about water resources, namely Lake Erie harbors and, a major feasibility study about issues facing Chautauqua Lake.
Local Congressman Tom Reed says a bi-partsian Social Security Subcomittee he co-leads may have a way to keep Social Security solvent beyond 2035 without increasing taxes on low and moderate-income Americans....
Reed laid out his principals this wek for reform under the acronym -- “LEAP” - in preparation for an upcoming Ways and Means hearing on Social Security solvency. The Corning Republican says he's committed to protecting the Social Security Trust fund.
Reed says that, as the youngest of 12 children, he was raised by a single mother on a Social Security check and a military death benefit after his father passed away when he was two. With that, he says he understands what it means to rely on the program. He says he and Democratic co-leader John Larson are looking at various ways to help the fund. Reed says dealing with the solvency issue without raising taxes on low and middle-income Americans "intreging."
Four people have been arrested for allegedly bilking public assistance in Chautauqua County out of more than $7,000 in benefits....
The Sheriff's Office and Department of Health and Human Services say they found that 66 year-old Louann Vincent of Jamestown had received unreported income from last September through part of October and, received $2,686 in benefits she was not entitled to. In addition, deputies say 44 year-old Melissa Williams of Jamestown received $1,180 worth of benefits she was not entitled to from Social Services between June and November of 2016. Officers add that 48 year-old Shawn Brewer of Westfield received welfare benefits totaling one-thousand-765 dollars in March of 2017. A Cattaraugus County man, 34 year-old James Gleason of Little Valley, was arrested for allegedly receiving just over $1,400 in benefits while employed at Maplevale Rams from July 1st to October 31st of 2015.
The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities reports a contractor finished work earlier this morning on replacing water valves on Harrison Street between South Main Street and Foote Avenue....
BPU Spokeswoman Becky Robbins says the work began late last night and, continued through the early overnight. Once completed, Robbins says water in Downtown Jamestown may be discolored through late this evening and, residents should not do laundry until water appears clear.
Woodstock 50 organizers have applied again for a permit to hold their festival an upstate New York horse track, a day after losing an appeal for a previous denial.............
Town of Vernon officials say the application was submitted Wednesday. Woodstock 50 was previously denied a permit twice last week by the town. An appeal of the denial was upheld Tuesday night by the central New York town's planning board. The Vernon Downs racetrack and casino became a possible alternative site for Woodstock 50 after the original venue, Watkins Glen International, pulled out.
