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WJTN Headlines for Tuesday Oct. 31, 2017

City lawmakers have approved receiving a $1.5-million state grant to put an "alternative" private health insurance plan in place for the city of Jamestown's Medicare-eligible retirees. 
 
However, a representative from one of the two firms okayed to provide plans says there could be more savings on ALL retirees if officials wanted to discuss them.  Tim DeAngelo with Arcade Senior Services urged lawmakers last night to hold off on a final vote because he had new information that he believes would save everyone money.
 
While they appreciated the offer, Council President Greg Rabb said lawmakers had to act by last night to be able to get the $1.5-million from the state's Financial Restructuring Board. 
 
Mayor Sam Teresi says he also has no problem talking with Arcade about different options.  However, he says to go outside the perameters of what the state approved runs the risk of violating current union contracts. 
 
The city started it's "self-insurance" program for it's employees in 1986.  Teresi says the city hopes to save about $600,000 through the alternative plan through Arcade and, Northwest Financial Services.
 
 
Jamestown School District residents Monday overwhelmingly approved the sale of the Crescent Street Warehouse in the city to a local business that puts the property on the tax roles. 
 
In a small turn-out, voters approved the sale to Henry James Properties, LLC 179-16  The School Board approved the sale at last week's meeting for one-dollar.  However, officials say the move also required a public vote to be taken.  
 
 
A teenager from Jamestown is jailed for allegedly threatening his brother with a knife during a domestic incident on the city's eastside Monday afternoon. 
 
City Police were called to the scene at 14 Franklin Street, not far from the high school just after 12:30 p.m.  They found the 16 year-old had fled the scene. 
 
Officers say they talked with the brother about the incident and, added that the teen also damaged his vehicle.  Police say they found the suspect a short distance away and, he was arrested for second-degree menacing, and fourth-degree criminal mischief.  He was taken to the city jail pending further court action.
 
 
The Chautauqua County Legislature has cleared the way to extending the South and Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer District to the Stow-area. 
 
The project's goal is to improve Chautauqua Lake's water quality by helping reduce the amount of phosphorus entering the lake. 
 
Former State Assemblyman Rolland Kidder was among several speakers at last Wednesday night's legislature meeting who supported the move.  Kidder says his family won't benefit by this move but, may in the future.  He adds that the lake needs the help a closed-system will provide.
 
The extension will take place in Coutny Legislator Pierre Chagnon's legislative district and, he is pleased with the approval of what he called a "major step" in the project. 
 
Chagnon says they can now aggressively pursue more grant funding to help reduce user fees.  He says they've been able to do that for the new North County Water District and, in the town of Chautauqua. 
 
 
Despite the vetoing of legislation that would forgive the Panama Central School District of the remaining $2.4-million, five-year-old state fine, the district will move ahead with a merger vote. 
 
That from Panama and Clymer School District Superintendent Bert Lictus who says he's "disappointed" by Governor Andrew Cuomo's veto that came late last week. 
 
State Senator Cathy Young, who helped Panama by getting the legislation drafted, says she's "very disappointed" by the move.  But, at this point, Lictus says he's unaware of any effort to try to override the veto. 
 
Lictus says "they" because State Assemblyman Andy Goodell was also involved in the passing of the legislation in the legislature's lower chamber. 
 
While the veto doesn't forgive the rest of the fine, Lictus says both school board's recently approved moving forward with a public, "straw vote" on November 13th in both districts. 
 
If it's approved in both locations, there will be a binding vote in January.  The $5-million fine resulted from "mismanaging paperwork" after a capital project undertaken by a previous Panama school administration.
 
 
Federal prosecutors in western New York say a 28-year-old man has been fined 5-thousand dollars for mailing live snakes to China. 
 
The U.S. attorney's office in Buffalo says Chaoyi Le, of Shanghai, China, sent seven ball pythons from Amherst, New York to China in 2014 using a fake name and labeling the package "belts, candy and chocolate."  The package was intercepted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Le was convicted of federal Lacey Act false labeling. 
 
In addition to the fine, U.S. District Judge Frank Geraci on Monday ordered Le to pay $3500 in restitution to the Fish and Wildlife Service.  His lawyer, Victor Sherman of Los Angeles, said Le will return to China on Tuesday and "wishes to apologize to the American people for his actions."
 
 
The annual championships for high school marching bands in New York state was held Sunday at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. 
 
The brand new, F2CS Blue and Gold Vanguard, with students from Falconer and Frewsburg competed for the first time, finishing 8th out of 11 bands.  Director Alicia Laska says she's thrilled with how their show 'Time and Space' went over.
 
The F2CS band competes in 'Small Schools 3', the smallest division of the New York State Field Band Conference.  The Jamestown High School Red Raider Marching Band is in the 'National Class', the largest in the state conference. 
 
Their show, 'Big Top', finished 8th out of 8 bands.  Marc Lentsch, one of the JHS directors, says they aren't disappointed, as they are still new to the class.
 
Jamestown was bumped up to 'National Class' after winning a couple of consecutive state championships in a lower division of the competition.