An Amish man is being treated for a serious injury at an Erie, Pennsylvania hospital after his horse-and-buggy was struck from behind by a car in the town of Harmony. Sheriff's officers say the buggy... operated by 52 year-old Amos Shetler of Panama... was traveling on Cherry Hill Road about 3:30 PM yesterday when the accident occured. The driver of the car, 89-year-old Adrian Thomas of Panama, apparently came up the Amish buggy suddenly... and hit it from the back. Shetler was flown by Starflight Helicopter to the UPMC Hamot Medical Center in Erie for treatment. A veterinarian responded to treat the horse pulling the buggy for apparent minor injuries. Thomas was not hurt. No charges are expected.
A former Jamestown Police officer has pleaded guilty to threatening to hurt another person on a social media website twice last Winter. U-S Attorney William Hochul, Junior says 45 year-old Michael Bush of Jamestown was accused of posting the threats on "Topix-dot-COM" back on January 2nd... and, February 26th of this year. An Assistant U-S Attorney says Bush made the threats against Jamestown-area law enforcement officers. Hochul says the plea is the culmination of an investigation by JPD -- under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings -- and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Bush was formally charged with 'transmitting communications containing threats to injure the person of another.' He faces up to five-years in prision... and, a fine of 250-thousand dollars... or both. He's to be sentenced next September 29th, at 2:30 PM in U-S District Court.
The head of the Falconer Central School system is defending the district for it's handling of finances in the wake of a state audit critical of their budgeting the past three years. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's Office has issued a report... saying the district had "overestimated" spending by an average of 2.5-million dollars a year from July 1st of 2012 to this past February. In response... Falconer Superintendent Steve Penhollow says the state forced their hand by "drastically underfunded" the district on state aid. Penhollow says the district was cut by 30-million dollars by a Foundation Aid "Freeze..." and, lost 7-million through the now-eliminated Gap Elimination Adjustment. He adds that the district has not been "hoarding" tax money... noting that property taxes have only gone up an average of about point-5 percent over the past 10 years. Penhollow says the district is being criticized for "trying to save money..." and maintaining staffing, and funding for upcoming projects. As for the fact they have a larger undesignated fund balance... he says the state's 4-percent recommendation is "unrealistic" in these days and times.
Oneonta has won 10-million dollars to invigorate its downtown as part of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's downtown revitalization contest. The Otsego County community was announced as the winner form the Mohawk Valley economic region on Tuesday... and, is the seventh winner overall. The $100 million competition will award $10-million to one town, or city from each of the state's 10 ecomomic regions. The money is intended to support efforts to attract new businesses, housing or community services to downtown areas. Westbury, Elmira, Plattsburgh, Middletown, Geneva and Oswego have already been announced as winners. Cuomo has said he wants the competition to help local communities turn their downtowns into ``vibrant'' places to live, work and raise families.
The annual Cents for St. Susan's campaign to help Jamestown's largest soup kitchen has set another record. Campaign organizers announced Wednesday morning that the effort raised just over 18-thousand dollars for the first-time ever. Jamestown Board of Public Utilities Spokeswoman Becky Robbins is one of the organizers... and, say's it's a "great feeling" to set a new record... adding that two parts of the campaign helped drive that new record. The redeemable bottles and cans brought in 945 dollars... while the 70 or so canisters brought in just over 2-thousand-450 dollars. St. Susan's Center Director Jeff Smith expressed his appreciation to the people who donated money... and, helped drive the campaign. Smith and Robbins both thanked the many major campaign sponsors who helped out this year. Smith and Robbins both thanked the many major campaign sponsors who helped out this year... including Key Bank... Alfie's Restaurant... and, Falconer Printing and design. The Media One Group of radio stations, The Post-Journal... and, the Jamestown Gazette were media sponsors for the campaign.
The record "Cents for St. Susan's" campaign is much needed by the local soup kitchen. That from Director Jeff Smith... who says they are on a new record pace for the number of meals served in 2016. Smith says... as of Tuesday night... they had served roughly 64-thousand meals so far this year. He says the numbers have been up dramatically since the end of school in late June.During the school year... St. Susan's officials say the children are able to get breakfast and lunch in the Jamestown public schools because their eligible for the federal "Free Lunch" program. Smith says, overall, they're up about 6-thousand meals over last year... and on pace for a record, 125-thousand meals served for the year. For more information on the St. Susan's Center... call them at 664-2253.
New York state is launching an investigation into the working conditions of employees in the dry cleaning industry. Governor Andrew Cuomo says the effort will include study of chemicals commonly used by dry cleaners that pose a health risk to workers. The effort will involve consideration of proposals to ban some chemicals deemed especially harmful. The Democratic governor announced the investigation on Wednesday in New York City. He also detailed several other steps taken by the state to protect workers, including new ventilation rules for nail salons. Cuomo also says that a state task force created last year to examine worker exploitation has so far ordered more than 15-hundred businesses to pay nearly $4 million in back wages and damages.
