A city man has died of his injuries suffered when he was struck by a Sports Utility Vehicle while walking across an intersection on Jamestown's eastside early Monday morning.....
City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says 59 year-old Kent Norgren had entered the intersection of East Fifth Street and Prendergast Avenue shortly before 6 AM when he was struck. Samuelson says they are still investigating what led to the accident. Witnesses say Chautauqua County Sheriff's officers offered assistance and, helped close the streets around the intersection. The Sheriff's Departments Accident Reconstruction Team was also brought in. Norgren was intially taken to UPMC Chautauqua Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, and was taken to UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he later died. The unidentified driver has not been charged at this time.
The city of Jamestown is closing out fiscal year 2018 with a slight budget surplus.....
That from Comptroller Joe Bellitto, who told the City Council at last night's work session, that his unaudited spending plan shows the city finished in the black by just-over $400,000.
Those revenues now include the one-million dollars in special, additional aid the city has secured from New York state the past two years. With that money just coming in, the city beat it's total, budgeted aid figure by $356,000. Bellitto adds that the city was really helped by their health and dental insurance being $1.1-million UNDER budget. He says the city was just plain lucky in many respects, but, he adds they believe their new wellness program is working. Bellitto says the other big positive from the 2018 close-out was the fact the city didn't have to touch it's undesignated fund balance, which was about $1.85-million to begin the year. That total has increased to $2.2-million. The city's third-party auditor will present the final 2018 audit later in the year.
A reminder of the city of Jamestown's past when steamships went up and down Chautauqua Lake, and the Chadakoin River, will be returning, starting this Summer....
The city has reached a five-year agreement with the owner of the Chautauqua Belle, allowing the replica steamer to dock at the McCrea Point Boat Landing this Spring through mid-Fall. That from City Council Finance Committee Chairman Tony Dolce, who says the steamship will be making round-trip excursions from the landing to the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel in Celoron.
Dolce and Mayor Sam Teresi say the agreement also calls for the Belle's owner -- U-S Steam Lines -- to maintain the dock within the boat slip. Dolce says the lease will cost $250 the first year and, increase by $25 each year after that. Teresi says the city will install electric service at the dock and, the Belle's operator will pay all electric charges. The Chautauqua Belle is captained by Matt Stage from the Mayville-area, who started working on boats on Chautauqua Lake when he was about 9 years old. For more information, go on-line to 269belle.com.
The loss of about 250 farms between 2012 and 2017 in Chautauqua County is a concern to state lawmakers from the region but, hopefully better days should be coming....
Those are the feelings of retired State Senator Cathy Young, and Assemblyman Andy Goodell during last Friday's State Legislative Breakfast hosted in Lakewood by the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce. Young, who is now director of the state Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell, says a new trade deal for milk is in the offing.
Young says, Cornell is working on milk and grape "alternatives" that capitalize on new fresh and natural products because those are most in demand now. On the legislative side, Assemblyman Goodell says new farm labor bills make it very difficult on local farmers to meet the bottom line, and, get their crops in. The latest Farm Census from Cornell shows the number of farms in Chautauqua County fell from 1,500 in 2012 to about 1,250 in 2017, a 19-percent drop.
An EF-2 Tornado packing winds of up to 130 miles an hour tore the roof off a Warren, Pennsylvania business and, left a path of damage 16 miles long....
Forecasters with the National Weather Service in State College say the twister first touched down in Pleasant Township and tracked northeast into the Starbrick-area, where it ripped the roof off and did other damage the Carter Lumber company. Meteorologist Kevin Fitzgerald says they sent a team to investigate this morning.
Forecaster Joe Ceru says the team found the tornado was about 400 yards wide and, first hit the area about 8:30 Sunday night in Pleasant Township. He says it then moved into the area where the roof was torn off Carter Lumber. Ceru says it then moved into Conewango Township and knocked down several trees, and damaged a few homes. However, no injuries were reported. The twister then knocked down a communications tower in the Scandia area and, then caused some damage to the Blueberry Hills Golf Course in Elk Township.
Strong to severe storms that caused some wind damage and downed trees rolled across portions of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Erie counties Sunday evening....
The National Weather Service in Buffalo reports no confirmed sightings of tornadoes. That from Weather Service forecaster Heather Kenyon.
A possible "downburst cloud" was reportedly seen over Lake Erie. The storms did deposit hail of up to 1.75 inches in such locations as Mayville, Sherman and Westfield. Today, the colder air is changing rain showers to snow showers, especially over the hilltops.
A Jamestown woman was arrested for allegedly providing insufficient living conditions for her children early Monday morning....
City police were sent to 21 Price Street to check on the welfare of two-and-four year-old toddlers, who they found living in filth, poor hygiene and without food or water. Officers took 27 year-old Crystal Depew into custody for two counts of endangering the welfare of child. Child Protective Services were called to the scene to take custody of the children. Depew is in the city jail awaiting arraignment.
