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WJTN News Headlines for Mar. 21, 2019

Local Congressman Tom Reed is calling for the House to take a final vote on the new U-S -- Mexico -- Canada Trade Agreement as soon as possible....  

The Corning Republican says he is part of a bi-partisan effort to get the trade deal acted on for a number of reasons, but the biggest is to open up new and expanded markets for U-S Farm products.  Reed says many small and medium-sized farms are struggling and need the help.

Last week... Reed says he and other Congressional members met for just over an hour with the U-S Trade Ambassador, who said the USMC needs to be adopted.  In addition, Reed says lawmakers need to press forward with a new Farm Bill, especially the "revised insurance program" that should help smaller farm operations.  The USMC Trade Agreement was announced with fanfare by the leaders of all three countries last September after months of on-again, off-again negotiations.  It will replace the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement.  That agreement, known as NAFTA, essentially eliminated tariffs on most goods traded among the three countries.


Leaders of the New York state Legislature say they're optimistic a new state budget can be passed before the new fiscal year begins April 1st....  

Emerging from a closed-door meeting with Governor Andrew Cuomo Wednesday afternoon, Democratic Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said she's committed to passing the budget on time, and that negotiations with Cuomo are making progress.  Key issues in the proposed spending plan include proposals to eliminate cash bail for criminal defendants and calls for new tolls in Manhattan as a way to raise money for the city's subways.  Cuomo, a Democrat, has said he won't sign a budget that doesn't also contain a provision making the 2 percent local property tax cap permanent.  Cuomo says he doesn't expect proposals to legalize recreational marijuana to be included in the state budget.


The National Comedy Center is collaborating with comedic legend Carl Reiner to digitally preserve his "production-used scripts" from the iconic "Dick Van Dyke Show."  
The Comedy Center made the announcement Wednesday -- on Reiner's 97th birthday.  Center Director Journey Gunderson says the scripts have been stored away since the series wrapped production in 1966 and, "have never before been made available to a cultural institution for conservation or exhibition."  She says scripts for all 158 episodes and, total more than 7,500 pages are included, but adds they also include many hand-written "detailed edits and additions made in real-time during the writing, read-throughs and rehearsals for each episode."  Of all his works, Reiner himself says he was most proud of creating and producing the "Dick Van Dyke Show."


A Jamestown man was hurt when the truck he was driving went off the road and rolled over into a ditch culvert Tuesday afternoon.... 

Sheriff's officers were called to the crash near South Stockton-Cassadaga Road in the Town of Stockton and, identified the driver as 46 year-old Michael Myles.  Deputies say their investigation revealed Myles reportedly fell asleep behind the wheel, which caused him the exit the roadway.  He was taken to UPMC Chautauqua Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.  Fire crews from Cassadaga and Stockton assisted at the scene. 


Education advocates are urging New York lawmakers to leave the discussion of recreational marijuana out of the state budget process....  

Several groups sent representatives to Albany Tuesday, including the PTA, Rural Schools Association and Association of School Business Officials.  The rally came a day after the New York State School Boards Association issued a similar call.  Association Executive Director Timothy Kreamer says that rather than consider whether to legalize pot in the context of budget negotiations over the next two weeks, state leaders should take time to weigh the social, legal and public health implications.  Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo had wanted the budget to include a provision legalizing recreational marijuana, but recently acknowledged the issue likely won't be handled that way.


The local music community is mourning the loss of a legendary player....  

Clarinetist Jim Beatty died last week in Portland, Oregon.  He was 84.  Beatty was born in Jamestown in 1934, and formed the 'Dixielads' here in the mid 1960's.  He subsequently took his talents across the country and the world, but would periodically come home to the Jamestown-Warren area to perform.  Another clarinetist, John Cross, says Jim Beatty was one of the finest players, ever, because he could tell a story on his instrument, communicating a 'certain soulfulness.'  In addition to clarinet, Cross says Jim Beatty was also a virtuoso on the soprano saxophone.  A funeral service for Jim Beatty, with a special jazz party to follow, will occur Saturday in Lake Oswego, Oregon.


Jay-Z, Dead & Company and the Killers will headline one of the 50th anniversary shows commemorating the groundbreaking Woodstock festival this summer... 


Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang announced late Tuesday that Miley Cyrus, Santana, Imagine Dragons, Robert Plant, the Black Keys and Chance the Rapper will also perform at Woodstock 50, which will take place August 16th through the 18th in Watkins Glen, New York, about 115 miles northwest of the original site.  The event is separate from an anniversary concert planned at the site of the original festival in 1969.  Lang made the announcement at a press conference at Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios in New York City alongside Common and John Fogerty, who performed at the original Woodstock. Both Fogerty and Common will perform this summer.