"Save the Amp" groups filed Article 78 lawsuit against Chautauqua Institution to stop Amp. project...
A hearing will be held Monday afternoon on whether the preservation group "Save the Amp" and five residents at Chautauqua Institution can get a temporary restraining order on the project. The group and residents filed suit late last Friday in State Supreme Court to stop the effort to "raze" the current amphitheater, and construct a new one at the current site. In a press release issued last weekend... "Save the Amp" attorney, Arthur Giaclone of Buffalo, noted that the legal action was started once the town of Chautauqua issued demolition and building permits for the project... which the institution has called a "renewal" of the amphitheater. "Save the Amp" Co-Founder Brian Berg recently told us momentum was building for the lawsuit... with residents expressing their feelings about their displeasure with the $41.5-million project. Giacalone says "Save the Amp" wants the institution and town to fully comply with two laws... the first being the town's own Waterfront Consistancy Law... and, the other is the State Environmental Quality Review -- or SEQR - Act. In response... the Institution says it's "disappointed" about the lawsuit. Officials add that in developing the project, "we have taken care to study the issues carefully and and thoroughly, to proactively seek outside input and to make sure that all of our actions and filings comply with any and all requirements." Giacalone says their Article 78 Proceeding was filed late Friday.
Head of COI applauds Cuomo on State of the State's way it is addressing poverty...
The head of a human service agency in the county is praising Governor Cuomo for making the fight against poverty one of the "centerpieces" of his State of the State Address. Chautauqua Opportunities, Incorporated Executive Director Roberta Keller says the governor proposed record funding levels to combat homelessness... bolster early education intervention... and a minimum wage that meets "modern-day indexing standards." Cuomo is targeting 10 small cities in particular for help... and, one is Jamestown. Keller says she's hopeful that everyone will come together to help people get to "a better economic position." Keller says the poverty rate in Chautauqua County is about 28-percent... but, she adds there are a "significant" number of other people in hard times who don't meet the "arbitrary" figures that poverty is based on. She also praised Cuomo for wanting to tackle the issue of homelessness in New York state... which has become a major issue in the state. She says -- at this time -- Chautauqua County does not have a homeless shelter, and is in need of one.
Olean man convicted of murder in death of man at scenic outlook in 2014...
A Cattaraugus County man has been found guilty of second-degree murder for fatally shooting a man and leaving the victim's body at a scenic overlook in 2014. The Olean Times-Herald reports the jury in the case of 29 year-old Gary Maull of Olean came back with a guilty verdict after about 4-hours of deliberations. The Cattaraugus County Jury got the case late Thursday afternoon... and, resumed Friday morning. Prosecution witness testimony concluded that Maull shot 54-year-old Otis Lamont Parks of Olean to death for a report "drug debt..." and, because Parks was to testify against him in another case. Maull is to be sentenced in March.
Randolph man being treated for serious injuries after single-car crash...
A Randolph man is being treated for serious head and leg injuries following a one car crash after he failed to stop at a stop sign in the town of Randolph... and, his car struck an earth embankment. Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Deputies say 27 year-old Adam Chandler was southbound on Sample Road about 3:30 a.m. last Sunday... when he drove through the intersection an struck the embankment head-on. Officers say Chandler was knocked out... and, was initially taken to WCA Hospital... then flown to the Hamot Medical center in Erie, Pennsylvania... where he's being treated. He was last listed in critical condition. Charges of failure to stop... DWI... and, not wearing a seat belt are pending.
