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.  


Weather Forecasts are available across our radio stations each day and also as your fingertips! 

Connect with The National Weather Service's Buffalo Office or with WGRZ-TV for accurate weather information!

 

 

 


 

WJTN Headlines for Mon., Aug. 3, 2020

Connecticut man arrested on gun and drug charges after being clocked at nearly 90 mph on I-86...
A Connecticut man was arrested on drug and weapons charges last weekend after his car was stopped for traveling nearly 90 miles an hour in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 86 in the Kennedy-area.  State Police in Jamestown say they clocked 23 year-old Don Harris of New Haven going 89 miles an hour last Saturday.  While speaking with Harris... troopers say they smelled marijuana inside the vehicle... and, a search revealed a loaded, 9-millimeter handgun, which Harris did not have a New York State Permit for.  He also had bags containing more than two ounces of marijuana.  Harris was arrested... and, taken to the Chautauqua County Jail, pending arraignment.


Man from Ohio arrested during I-86 traffic stop as a fugitive... 
An Ohio man wanted for burglary has been arrested during a traffic stop on Interstate 86 near Stow.  State Police in Jamestown say they pulled over 22 year-old Carlos DeJesus-Godineaux of Akron, Ohio late last week for allegedly using his cell phone while driving... and, a license check turned up a warrant from the Medina County Ohio Sheriff's Office.  Troopers say DeJesus-Godineaux was arrested as a Fugitive From Justice... and, taken to the County Jail pending arraignment.


Jamestown's Development Director says CDBG grants for businesses and renters being scooped up quickly...
The COVID-19 grants available to both small business and renters in the city of Jamestown have proven so popular... the fund is pretty much depleted now.  That from City Development Director Crystal Surdyk... who says her department had already allocated nearly 470-thousand dollars... with most going to nearly 20 businesses.  By Friday... she said they still had several other applications being reviewed.  Surdyk says a number are "in the queue" and pending approval once their documentation is finalized.  He says those 18 businesses include The Pub, The Landmark restaurant, Escape Rooms Jamestown, Mouveau and Panache Salon and Day Spas, The Cherry Lounge, and the Tarp Skunks baseball team.  She says a total of $417,000 had been allocated to them... while $52,000 had been allocated to more than two-dozen renters in the city.  Jamestown received an additional $704,000 Community Development Block Grant allocations from the federal CARES Act, which was approved by Congress last Spring.


Hochul says schools in the region will reopen in the Fall is COVID Numbers remain low...
School districts across the state had their re-opening plans submitted on-line to Albany by the end of the day last Friday.  Governor Andrew Cuomo is expected to make a decision sometime this week on the reopening of schools... and, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul says she is encouraged by the covid-19 numbers in Western New York... because the state's infection rate -- and, Western New York's -- is well below 5-percent.  Earlier in July... Cuomo said there were two basic criteria for reopening schools.  One was the infection rate had to be 5-percent or less in that particular region... and, that region had to be in Phase-Four of the reopening.


Dunkirk's full school reopening plan to be released in about two weeks...
Friday was the last day for school districts across New York state to submit their reopening plans to Albany.  But... not all districts announced their plans last week.  In Dunkirk... School Superintendent Mike Mansfield says his district has been busy working on the plan for the past two weeks.  That’s when the New York State Department of Education first issued it's guidance... and, Mansfield says the state only wanted assurances that what needed to be in place would be.  He expects the district to release details by mid-August on the "hybrid" plan they'll use for both in-person, and remote learning.  He says their final plan is about two weeks away.  Meanwhile, some districts have already released their plans, including neighboring Fredonia Central, which has posted its plan on the district's website.


Other Jamestown-area districts also release reopening plans...
For the most part... school district's in the Jamestown-area will be using some kind of hybrid model with some in-person classroom teaching... and, some distance learning.  The Southwestern Central School District developed three scenarios for instruction in 2020-21... but, the district's website says "due to social distancing requirements, the district has determined the use of a hybrid model (partial in-person learning, partial remote learning) is the best option for the start of the school year, with a hope to increase student capacity at a future date by utilizing physical barriers."

In Falconer... the district says students in all grade levels have been split into two cohorts... Blue and Gold, and will attend on alternating days during the Hybrid Learning Plan.  While in school, students will attend their classes in their eight-period schedule. Throughout the school day, students will remain in groups for the majority of the day to reduce mixing of student populations when feasible.

At Pine Valley... All students in elementary and junior and senior high school will attend school Monday-through-Thursday of each week.  Officials say Friday will be a day to deep clean the buildings and allow teachers time to prepare more effective remote models should the need arise.


Cuomo sounds opposition to raising taxes on wealthy to deal with budget woes...
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he opposes raising taxes on the wealthy to help the state weather the coronavirus economic crisis, though its clear federal aid alone won't solve the state's fiscal woes.  COVID-19 shutdowns have decimated consumer spending and tourism in New York and observers warn of a slow recovery. Cuomo's administration is projecting a $13-billion drop in tax revenues through next April.