The former head of Congressman Tom Reed's district office in Jamestown has been named as the new executive director of the YWCA of Jamestown...  

 

Jacqueline Chiarot-Phelps began her new job on May 1 and, says she's enjoying her new post.  Phelps also thanked Congressman Reed for the opportunity to work, and grow in her roles as Regional Director in Jamestown in 2012 and, most recently as Director of Constituent Services.

 

Phelps says she's "ecstatic" about joining an outstanding organization dedicated to truly serving our community."  She says says wants to help strengthen the YW, and it's programming.  The YWCA's mission is "eliminating racism and empowering women."  However, she says they also have programming for young people, including teen girls.  Phelps replaces Beth Oakes at the Y.  Oakes is now the executive director for the Child Advocacy Program.  Phelps is a graduate of Maple Grove High School... and, received her undergraduate degree from Canisius College in Buffalo. For more information on the YWCA, call 488-2237, or go online YWMCAOfJamestown.com

 

 

The move by Jacqueline Phelps to the Jamestown YWCA left an opening at Congressman Reed's Jamestown office and that has been filed by a former Post-Journal reporter...  

 

Katrina Fuller began her new duties heading up the congressman's district office in Jamestown this past Monday.  Fuller, who spent just over three-years with the newspaper, will work on constituent issues including Social Security and Medicare casework.

 

 

New York state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has announced that the state legislature is accepting applications for a new Attorney General...  

 

We reached Jamestown-area Assemblyman Andy Goodell to learn more about the process of finding a replacement for Eric Schneiderman. He says it's up to the state legislature to fill the vacany until the next general election (which is this fall). 

 

Once an agreement is reached on a replacement, Goodell says a vote is taken by both the Assembly and Senate-- together.  He says both chambers would meet in the Assembly chambers because it's big enough to hold both.  Goodell says there would be a "roll-call" vote on the matter.  He says of the 213 members, 107 votes are needed to appoint a replacement.  He expects the process to move "fairly quickly," but he adds, nothing is entirely predictable in the state legislature. The State's solicitor general is currently serving as the Acting AG.

 

 

The Republican-led New York Senate has approved a package of legislation aimed at Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo's economic development policies...  

 

The legislation approved Wednesday seeks to require more transparency and accountability for programs that amount to billions of dollars a year in tax breaks, business grants and loans.  One measure would require the state to create a searchable database of all state subsidies and economic development benefits.  Critics say the current system doesn't allow for clear comparisons of the various state programs involved in economic development projects.  The corporate subsidies have come under fire from lawmakers and government watchdog groups over how the funds are distributed, how many jobs are created and whether taxpayers are getting a good return on their investments.  The bills have been sent to the Democrat-controlled Assembly.

 

 

The annual STEM Wars took place Thursday morning at Jamestown Community College...  

 

Six-hundred-fifty middle and high school students competed in contests that emphasize science, technology, engineering and math.  Jamestown High School Sophomore Brianna Bommireddipalli had just finished her turn in the robotics competition and found STEM Wars valuable.

 

Looking on was Jamestown School Superintendent Bret Apthorpe.  He liked what he saw, saying it's "great" to see the students applying their math, technology and engineering knowlege.  STEM Wars is a project of 'Dream It, Do It', a program designed to get high school students interested in manufacturing careers.  The local Coordinator, Jehuu Caulcrick, says the enthusiasm for STEM Wars grows every year.  This year's event at the Phys Ed Center at JCC had to be postponed from its first scheduled day because of snow.  

 

 

New officers were elected, but otherwise, it was a routne annual meeting last weekend for the New York state Conference of Mayors....  

 

That from Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, who attended the conference in Saratoga Springs.  Teresi still serves on NYCOM's executive board, which also met. He says a new NYCOM President was elected by the several dozen mayors and others at the conference.  He says that's Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy.  Teresi says the First-Vice President will be Bob Kennedy of Freeport, Long Island.  He says there was a lot of good discussion as mayor's compare their issues to try and resolve them.  Teresi says they also held their awards ceremony for the winners of various competitions and other activities across the state.  Among those other elected officials was new Jamestown City Council member Andrew Liuzzo, who attended his first NYCOM meeting.  Teresi made his comments for this coming weekend's "Community Spotlight" program on the five Media One Group stations.

 

 

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of abuse by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman...  

 

Cuomo late Tuesday said Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas will investigate and possibly prosecute "any and all matters concerning the public allegations" against Schneiderman.  The state's top legal officer resigned after four women accused the Democrat of physical violence in a New Yorker article.

 

 

A defense lawyer says New York's former assembly speaker didn't do special legislative favors for those who paid him millions of dollars in fees...  

 

Attorney Michael Feldberg told jurors in closing arguments Thursday that money earned by Sheldon Silver outside of his legislative work was "perfectly legal."  The once-powerful Democrat was convicted at an earlier trial, but the verdict was overturned.  Prosecutors say Silver engineered bribery schemes that earned $4-million in legal fees.

 

 

There may be some unsettled and discolored water in the Lakewood and Ashville areas today after water main break occured shortly before 1 p.m. yesterday on Fairmount Avenue...  

 

Board of Public Utilities Spokeswoman Becky Robbins says it took about half-an-hour to repair the break, but adds there could be stirred up water from Southwestern Drive west into Lakewood and Ashville.  Robbins says the water was shut-off between Southwestern Drive and Fairdale while repairs were made.  She says customers should avoid doing laundry until the water clears.