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WJTN News Headlines for May 8, 2018

A spokeswoman for the New York Attorney General's office says a temporary replacement has been chosen after Eric Schneiderman resigned following accusations of physical abuse...  
 
Barbara Underwood will step in as acting attorney general.  She has been the state's Solitictor General since 2007.  Before that she served as Chief Assistant to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.  She has also worked in the Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn district attorney offices.  She got an undergraduate degree from Harvard and law degree from Georgetown.  Schneiderman says he'll resign at the close of business Tuesday.  The announcement came hours after The New Yorker published the accounts of four women, who accused the Democrat of physical violence.  Two of the women went on the record, saying Schneiderman repeatedly hit them, often after drinking, and without their consent.
 
 
There is no doubt that there is an overpopulation of deer in upstate New York's urban and suburban areas.  However, there are no "easy solutions" to the matter...  
 
That from state Department of Enviromental Conservation Wildlife Biologist Sue Binczik of Albany, who made a public presentation to city lawmakers about deer issues across New York state and, ways to deal with them to the city council and public last night.  Binczik says the overpopulation is due in part the loss of predators over the years.
 
Binczik says the deer's natural predators: wolves and mountain lions, were hunted out of New York about five decades ago.  She adds that they have adapted well to their current situation and, urban -- suburban settings are ideal because there is no hunting and, the vegetation and woodland density is about ideal for them.  Neither Binczik nor Region-9 Biologist Ryan Rockefeller made an recommendations, but they did suggest committing to a process, and being respectful of all points of view.  Council members later talked about that during their work session.
 
 
Last Friday night's fire that destroyed a church's historic clock tower in Fredonia has been ruled accidental after part of a roof gutter blew onto a live electric transformer, eventually starting the blaze...  
 
That from County fire investigators, who this afternoon released the cause.  National Grid workers inspectedand, say when the gutter came in contact with the transformer, the entire gutter system became energized.  Electricity then came in through the roof soffet.  Family Church of Fredonia purchased the building from Fredonia Baptist Church in 2015 and, Pastor Scott Wise says they have always regarded the clock tower as a symbol of Fredonia and the community.  Wise says Friday's blaze will not deter their goal of renovating the clock tower.  Family Church says the building is structurally sound. 
 
 
A Westfield area woman intends to run for the state Assembly as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Andy Goodell...  
 
Judith Einach made it official yesterday that she is a candidate for the 150th assembly district which includes all of Chautauqua County.  Einach holds a Masters degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education and, says she looks forward to challenging Goodell.
 
Einach has a background in both rural and urban economic development and, says she has a unique background for the position.  She says she's been a "community builder" in Buffalo, and has been director of New York's "Sustainable Agricultural Working Group."  Goodell has held the seat since 2010.  Einach is seeking the Democratic nomination and, is also hoping to get the Working Families Party and the Women's Equality Party lines as well.
 
 
Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello hopes to soon have a website up and running that will better market the county to perspective employees, and people looking for better job opportunities...  
 
Borrello talked this past weekend about the difficulty local companies have expressed to him about finding workers locally who have the necessary skills, and who can pass a drug test.  He says the website will be at ChautauquaJobs.org.
 
Borrello says he's working with other county planning and economic development officials to get the site up and running.  He says the county has a number of good organizations working on the employment situation, like Chautauqua Works and, the Workforce Investment Board.  However, he says they need to tie it all together... and, he says they need to work on a more "cohesive message."  Borrello mentioned creation of the website during his "State of the County Address" to help fill at least 767 jobs at local businesses that he's visited.  He made his comments for last weekend's "Community Spotlight" program on the five Media One Group stations.
 
 
A Jamestown-area woman who has a lot of experience in marketing and public relations is the new Resource Development and Marketing Coordinator for the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County...  
 
United Way Executive Director Amy Rohler says they've hired Cynde Johnson to be part of their team at the local human service agency.  Johnson was previously Director of Marketing and Business Development at the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood, and has a passion for connecting the community.  Rohler says they are "thrilled to announce that Cynde has joined our team here at the United Way.  We look forward to making more things possible and building a stronger community with her expertise and experience."  Johnsons says she's both "honored and excited" to have this opportunity and looks forward to continuing the mission of hope here in our community with the United Way.  She is a graduate of Southwestern Central High School, and Jamestown Business College.
 
 
A Cherry Creek man faces criminal contempt charges for violating a stay-away order last Saturday...  
 
Troopers out of Fredonia with the assistance of Chautauqua County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a residence in the town for the report of burglary in progress.  On arrival, officers located 32 year-old Terrence Musall and another indentified person inside.  Police say the home-owner was contacted and declined to press charges.  However, after confirmining Musall's identity, he was placed in custody because there was an active stay-away order of protection to avoid contact with his accomplice.  He was arraigned and sent to county jail, and will appear in Cherry Court at a later date to answer the charge. 
 
 
Governor Andrew Cuomo is advancing legislation designed to discourage oil and gas development in New York's coastal waters...  
 
The Trump administration wants to open up the Atlantic coast from Georgia to Maine to offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling.  The governor's proposed bill would prohibit oil and gas exploration in New York waters, prohibit offshore oil and gas infrastructure on state land, and prohibit the transportation of North Atlantic crude oil from offshore wells on the state's navigable waters.  Citizens Campaign for the Environment's Adrienne Esposito says New York may not be able to ban drilling in federal waters, but it can make it less profitable.  The Trump administration wants to expand the oil and gas production but opponents argue that fossil fuels accelerate climate change, and the environmental consequences of an oil spill would be disastrous.  Esposite adds that offshore drilling also runs counter to the state's aggressive moves toward clean energy.