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News Update for Mon., Sept. 29, 2014

Some 200 union workers at RHI Monofrax on strike after current contract expires...

Roughly 200 unionized workers at RHI Monofrax in Jamestown have gone on strike... saying the maker of ceramic refectories has not make solid offer on wages and benefits.  One worker we talked with adds the company has also frozen pensions... arguing the company has had it's ups and downs regarding business.  However... workers are questioning that in light of a another U-S Department of Energy contract -- worth $2.8-million -- to make refractories for the nuclear energy industry.  The worker also says Monofrax has laid-off 20 workers "here and there" during various times in recent months due to "lack of work."  We have calls into Monofrax management officials... and, officials with the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers- Local-#266 for comment... but, have not heard back from them yet.  Local-#266 represents most of the workers at Monofrax... and, a smaller union represents abotu 10 employees.


County jobless rate down, but, number of workers also down in August...

Chautauqua County's jobless rate fell last August to 6.1-percent from 6.5-percent in July.  While the workforce numbers have dropped... State Labor Department Analyst John Slenker tells us the number of people who have reached 62 years of age... and, have retired... is also up.  Overall... Slenker says the job count dropped 400 from July to 53,700 last month.  He adds the number of people working in the county is down by 100 over the year.  Slenker says there were no increase in two major job areas in August... one was construction, the other was manufacturing.  Generally... Slenker says there will be some ongoing weakness through the end of 2014 due to pending lay-offs at ConAgra's two Carriage House plants in Dunkirk and Fredonia.  Both plants are closing by the end of the year.   Slenker says the unemployment rate is down -- even though the workforce numbes are also down.  He says that's due in part to workers dropping out of the job market.  But... he says the biggest factor recently has been retirements as "Baby Boomers" reach the ages of 62 and 65.  Slenker says the jobless rate in August of last year was 7.3-percent.


Ripley woman killed in French Creek car accident...

A Ripley woman was killed early yesterday morning when her car went out of control and crashed into a tree off Brownell Road in the town of French Creek.  Sheriff's Deputies say 52 year-old Brenda McClelland of Route 20 was eastbound just after 12:30 a.m. when her vehicle went off the south side of the road.  Officers say McClelland's car then went back onto the road... but... was overcorrected, and crossed over the westbound lane before slamming into a tree on the north side of the road.  Deputies say McClelland was rushed to Corry Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania where she later died.


Jamestown police still investigating attempted robbery at Brooklyn Square Rite Aid...

City police in Jamestown are still searching for a man who allegedly tried to steal a number of items from Rite Aid store in Brooklyn Square early last Saturday morning.  Officers were called to the scene at 50 South Main St. just before 7:30 a.m. on a report of an attempted robbery.  Police say the man, who is described as being a white male, between the ages of 25 and 30, tried to climb over the pharmacy counter.  Employees add the man was about 6-foot-2 inches tall with a thin build... and, was wearing a dark-green colored hooded sweatshirt, or winter-type coat, black pants, and black and white sneakers.  He was also reportedly carrying a black back-pack-type of bag.  Officers say store employees were able to keep the man from taking any merchandise... or money... and, he fled the store before officers arrived.  If you have any information on the incident, or the suspect, call city police at 483-7537... or the Tips-line at 483-TIPS... that's 483-8477.