New York regulators have approved a settlement with Charter Communications resolving a dispute over rural broadband......
The state's Public Service Commission endorsed the deal Thursday. Under the terms, Charter must follow through on promises to provide broadband to 145,000 upstate customers -- an investment estimated to exceed $600 million--- and pay the state $12 million for other broadband projects. Regulators voted last year to rescind approval for Charter's 2016 merger with Time Warner Cable following concerns it wasn't meeting promises to expand high-speed internet. Charter has said the settlement would prevent the possibility of a costly legal battle. The Stamford, Connecticut-based Charter, which does business as Spectrum, agreed last year to give refunds and free services to settle allegations that Time-Warner hadn't delivered promised internet speeds.
Chautauqua County's Congressman says he'll get to see -- first-hand -- the conditions refugees are dealing with at the nation's southern border next week.....
Corning Republican Tom Reed says several members of the Problem Solver's Caucus he co-chairs will travel to Texas next Thursday and Friday. Reed says it's the largest group of lawmakers to tour those facilities.
Reed and the Problem Solver's group helped move the recently-approved Humanitatian aid package to the border to deal with overcrowding at the current facilities. Many Democrats have blasted the Department of Homeland Security for allowing the conditions to get worse along the border. Reed says it again points to the need for Congress to approve a new, border security package, that also addresses DACA, and others who have Temporary Protected Status. He says there is a bi-partisan bill in the U-S Senate that he believes deals with all those aspects of border security. Reed made his comments during his weekly media conference call.
Local Congressman Tom Reed says he's inspired to see through approval of legislation that will extend the Special Diabetes Program another five-years....
During his weekly conference call with Southern Tier Media, the Corning Republican said he enjoyed meeting with Bemus Point's Ben Cornell, and others from the New York Delegation, during the bi-annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Youth Congress in Washington, D-C.
The children were on Capitol Hill yesterday lobbying for an extension of the diabetes program after it was extended for another year in 2018. However, the $150-million program is slated to end this September 30th. Reed, though, says after Senate hearings held this week, he's very optimistic there'll be a vote soon. He says, with 374 members of Congress signing onto the measure he helped push through the Diabetes Caucus, he believes it will "be taken care of." Ben Cornell was one of eight delegates from New York to attend the Youth Congress. The 13 year-old said they at least want the program extended for another year.
A man from Georgia and another from Indiana were arrested for allegeldy possessing illegal drugs during a traffic stop near the site of last week's Great Blue Heron Festival in Sherman.....
State Police in Jamestown say they stopped 36 year-old Steven Bickies of Madison, Indiana for speeding on Route 76 on July 4th... and, Troopers say they smelled marijuana inside the vehicle. Police say they searched the car, Bickis, and his passenger, 29 year-old Derek Gramling of Cumming, Georgia, and found phychedelic mushrooms, hashish, liquid marijuana in an e-cigarette pen, LSD, multiple controlled pills for which neither occupant had a prescription. Troopers also allegedly found marijuana vegetation, and a pipe containing pot residue. Both were jailed pending arraignment. The Post-Journal reports they were two of just over 30 arrests made during last week's festival.
A Jamestown man faces assault charges after injuring a person during a fight on the city's eastside Wednesday....
City police responded to the area of East 5th Street and Potters Alley about 6:30 PM for the incident and, found that 35 year-old Patrick Roberts allegedly struck a male victim several times with a belt. Roberts was located a nearby residence and taken into custody without incident. He is being held in the city jail pending arraignment.
One the area's major ethnic festivals takes place this Saturday at St. James Church in downtown Jamestown....
It's the annual 'Festa di Giacomo', under the tent next to the church on Allen Street from 11 AM to 9:30 PM. Father Darrell Duffy, pastor at the church, says the festival is a time to celebrate life.
Chairpson Sally Donisi with the festival says they'll have all the traditional Italian foods and a couple of new foods, including a salad that includes eggplant. Donisi adds, Italian cookies and pastries will also be available for purchase. Proceeds from the St. James Festival benefit the various ministries of the church.
New York state has officially expanded a state law prohibiting gender pay discrimination, making it illegal to pay someone less based on factors such as their race, religion or gender identity....
The new law also changes a legal standard for pay equity to make it easier for employees to prove discrimination in court. Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the changes into law Wednesday in Manhattan, just before joining the U.S. women's soccer team for a parade honoring their World Cup victory. Cuomo says he supports female players in their quest for pay equal to that of male players. Democratic Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins says the women's team's lesser pay highlights a fundamental economic problem facing women throughout society. Cuomo also signed legislation Wednesday barring employers from demanding prospective workers' salary histories.
