Wintry mix of snow and rain cause slushy driving conditions in Jamestown area...
Roads across the Jamestown-area are slush-covered and slippery as wet snow has fallen in Chautauqua County over the past couple of hours. There remain no watches or warnings... but, a combination of rain and wet snow began falling overnight across the region... with more snow and sleet to the south and east. The National Weather Service in Buffalo is calling for the snow to combine with rain from late this morning on... with accumulations of up to 2 inches. Temperatures will be in about the mid-30s. Main roads have some slush on them... but, the real problems are on secondary and tertiary roads where driving conditions are difficult.
Two weather-related accidents reported due to slippery road conditions...
Tuesday night's slushy conditions are being blamed for at least two accidents in Chautauqua County. Sheriff's officers were called to Buttermilk Rd. in the town of Villanova just before 10 p.m. Deputies say 21 year-old Courtney Ellis was southbound... and, lost control of her car on the slippery pavement. Ellis’s vehicle veered of the road into a ditch and wound up on its roof. She was able to free herself and seek help... but, she was later taken to Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk for treatment of apparent minor Injuries. Meantime... the Post-Journal is also reporting another weather-related accident near the intersection of South Main Street and Garfield Rd. Tuesday night. According to the paper... the driver lost control of his or her vehicle and it rolled into a roadside ditch. The driver was not injured.
Warren, PA woman killed in accident in Pine Grove Township...
A Warren County, PA woman seriously hurt in a single-car accident in Pine Grove Township has died of her injuries. State Police in Warren say 54 year-old Cheryl Nuhfer of Warren was southbound on Conewango Avenue Extension about 3 p.m. Monday when she missed a curve in the road... and, struck a ditch. Troopers say the vehicle traveled about 15-feet along the ditch before rolling onto the passenger side. Nuhfer was rushed to Warren General Hospital where she later died. State Police say Nuhfer was wearing a lap and shoulder belt at the time of the crash.
County Chamber says look at the facts, and you find that perspective buyer of county home has a good track record...
The county's leading business group says data shows the perspective buyer of the Chautauqua County Home is reputable... and, has nursing homes that are highly-rated. County Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Tranum says their motivation is to keep the county home open, and a viable operation. However... Tranum says they feel the time has come for a private entity to take it over. He says the chamber has checked sources such as Medicare.gov to see how well Altitude Health Services' nursing homes are run. Tranum says the information is pulled together by the government, and shows "this purchaser has a sound track record of managing and operating a nursing homes... equal to, or even greater than our current County Home." He says they've been working to get the information they've found "out there..." because they feel there's been a lot of "misinformation" provided by opponents to the sale. The information provided shows four of Altitude's five nursing homes have better "overall ratings" than the county home does now. He adds that many of the home's Altitude's Principle Owner "Avi" Rothner is involved with as an associate with his father are also highly-rated. Tranum says private investment should be given a "fair shot" in Chautauqua County.
CSEA official surprised that sale of County Home to Altitude is coming up again...
The president of the union that represents workers at the Chautauqua County Home says he was surprised by the move to hold a second vote on selling the Dunkirk-area facility. County lawmakers are preparing to hold a second vote on selling the home again Wednesday night in Mayville. Civil Service Employees Association Local Unit-6300 President David Fagerstrom says they had thought County Executive Greg Edwards would look at other alternatives to selling the facility to Altitude Health Services. Fagerstrom says Edwards said he was going to "going back to the drawing board" with Marcus and Millichap to find a new buyer. In the meantime... they want to the county to begin implementing the cost-saving recommendations of the report by the Center for Governmental Research. Fagerstrom is also concerned about a proposed local law that would allow the county to sell real property with a simple majority vote. Currently... the County Legislature must have a two-thirds... or "super" majority vote... to sell property. Fagerstrom says he's "outraged... " and, feels it would open the door to "political favoritism." He says he won't speculate as to whether any legal action would result should the proposed local law get the 13 needed votes to pass.
Two men arrested for allegedly selling heroin in downtown Jamestown...
Two street-level drug dealers in Jamestown are jailed following their arrests for allegedly dealing heroin in the city. Police Captain Bob Samuelson says 28 year-old Luis DeJesus-Colon... and, 49 year-old Neftali Cintron were taken into custody during a raid on their residence at 31 Barrett Ave. Samuelson says Monday afternoon's arrests followed a several-month long investigation by city police... and, state and federal agencies. He says they received information that sales were taking place at the residences, and found that to be the case. Samuelson says the residence was being used to sell and package heroin... and, a significant amount of the packaged narcotic was found. Cash was also seized. Samuelson says both DeJesus-Colon... and, Cintron were charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Both were still awaiting arraignment this morning... and, will then be taken to the county jail without bail. Samuelson says the investigation is ongoing... and, anyone with information on the illegal sale of narcotics in the city is asked to call the JPD Tip-Line at 483-TIPS... or 483-8477.
Three people file lawsuit against Olean General Hospital over alleged misuse of Insulin Pens...
Three former patients of a western New York hospital say they contracted hepatitis because the hospital misused multi-dose insulin pens. A lawsuit announced Tuesday against Olean General Hospital and several insulin pen manufacturers comes after authorities say at least 12 people tested positive for hepatitis C after being screened by the Cattaraugus County hospital. The hospital last month notified 1,915 former patients that they may have been exposed to HIV or hepatitis B or C through the sharing of multi-dose insulin pens from November 2009 through January this year. Hospital spokesman Dennis McCarthy says the hospital hasn't yet seen the lawsuit.
Indian Casino Revenues down in NYS in 2011...
A new report shows the eight gambling facilities run by Indian nations in New York saw falling revenues in 2011. Casino City's Indian Gaming Industry Report to be released Wednesday says the gambling halls run by three tribes -- the Oneidas, Senecas and Mohawks -- had 2011 revenue of $921 million. That's down about 3 percent from 2010.
