NWS issues Flood Watch for Chautauqua County for Thursday night through Friday afternoon...
Forecasters in Western New York will be keeping an eye on possible flooding later this week. The National Weather Service is continuing a Flood Watch from Thursday evening to Friday afternoon. Meteorologist Jeff Wood in Buffalo says flooding is possible from the snow melt. There may also be some ice jam related flooding... especially Cattaraugus and Silver Creeks in the north county. Wood says temperatures are expected reach the mid-40s on Thursday and near 40 on Friday along with some rain showers.
BPU Water Div. crews working on another Water Main break today...
The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities is dealing with another Water Main break today. BPU Communications Coordinator Becky Robbins says the break occured this morning on West 13th Street. A crew is at the scene. Water service disruptions should be expected. Robbins also says that with the wind blowing this morning... some of the new, Orange recycling bins have been blown around neighborhoods... and, she's urging resident to put their name and address on the bins once they get them.
Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame inducts eight new members...
"It's a thrill..." "it's mind-boggling." Those are some of the reactions by the eight newest members of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame after Monday night's induction dinner in Lakewood. The eight-member class of 2014 is one of the largest in recent years. Jamestown-native Dan Lunetta is now the Director of Minor League Operations with the Detroit Tigers. Lunetta began his baseball management careers as grounds-keeper for the old Jamestown Expos of the New York-Penn League. Lunetta won the World Series while a member of management with the old Florida -- now Miami - Marlins. North County native Cindy Miller is a golf teacher... and, a member of the professional Legends Tour. Miller says she's "absolutely thrilled, and, glad to be part of the hall." In addition to Miller and Lunetta... this year's class included retired local officials Vince Calarco... USA Track and Field Official and retired teacher Tom Priester... Al Muck... late Olympic Gymnast, and, Gymnastics instructor Gaza Farkus... Tom Prechtl... and, Jack Wigley.
Jackie Robinson's daughter speaks at Hall of Fame Induction Dinner...
Author Sharon Robinson has written several books on her father as a way -- she says -- to find out who she is. That's the message the daughter of Jackie Robinson wants to leave with people she speaks to publicly... and, the students she talks to in the classroom. Sharon Robinson was the keynote speaker at last night's 33rd annual induction dinner for the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame. Prior to the banquet in Lakewood... Robinson talked about the on-going struggle for racial equality... and, the impact her father had on it. "Jackie's 9" was the first book she wrote about her father... and, deals mainly with a person's charactor. She wanted to use the number 9 because it's "such an important number in baseball." Sharon Robinson published "Jackie's 9" in 2001. She says her parents really never talked about what he went through as a baseball player. But... she found out when she went to a day-camp as a child in Connecticut... and, they showed the movie, "The Jackie Robinson Story." She says it was in that movie that she first got a look at racism, and the backlash against her father. Robinson says it turned her "world upside down." However... she and her mother, Rachael, would later work together to preserve the legacy of her father. Sharon Robinson wrote four other books... including "Jackie Robinson: American Hero." The book wound up being tied-into the April 2013 release of the movie "42..." which told the life story of her father.
Schumer pushes for USDA help for grape growers in light of crops ruined by sub-zero cold...
The "Polar Vortex" that has brought masses of sub-zero air to much of upstate New York this winter is wreaking havoc on local vineyards, especially those with wine grapes that can't tolerate the extended chill. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer visited a town of Portland winery on President's Day to meet with area wine makers and grape producers... and, put the U-S Department of Agriculture on alert. Schumer says he wants the federal agency to be ready to assist growers who are expecting major damage to their vineyards. He says his priority is to get federal agencies ready to process assistance to growers who have suffered bud and vine damage. Schumer says he's taking a two-pronged approach. He wants the USDA to use the Tree Assistance Program in the Farm Bill to assist growers that experience vine damage. Schumer says growers would be reimbursed 65-percent of their costs for replanting due to a "natural disaster..." which he called "huge." He also wants the USDA to be ready to consider a disaster declaration so emergency loans can be made available to growers that experience bud damage. Schumer made the announcement at 21 BRIX Winery on Route 20.
