County Health Department closes two beaches on Chautauqua Lake after Algal Blooms are found in those areas...
Harmful Algal Blooms have now been seen in the south basin of Chautauqua Lake... as well as near Long Point State Park. With that... the Chautauqua County Health and Human Services Department has announced that the beaches in Lakewood and at Long Point have been closed. The department's Public Health Division is urging all residents and visitors to "be cautious" when swimming or boating on the lake -- especially if HABs are presented. Health and Human Services Director Christine Schuyler says "nutrient rich run-off from surrounding land, warm water temperature, and sunshine encourages blue-green algae growth." Under the right conditions... she says blue-green algae form floating mats which may resemble “pea soup” or have a paint-like appearance with strong colors including blue-green, green, yellow, white, brown, purple, or red. Schuyler says not all blooms are hazardous... but the public should use common sense and take the following precautions:
- When swimming, wading, or boating, avoid areas with blooms or surface scums, or water that is noticeably discolored.
- Do not allow young children or pets to play in water where an algal bloom is present.
- Don’t fish or eat fish caught from areas with blooms or surface scums, or water that is noticeably discolored.
- Pay attention to beach closures, advisory signs, press releases, and websites. Never swim at beaches that have been closed.
- Never drink, prepare food, cook, or make ice with untreated surface water, bloom or no bloom.
Reed votes against two-year budget deal and increasing debt ceiling...
The Democrat-led House of Representatives approved the two-year budget and debt compromise worked out with President Donald Trump. However... Chautauqua County's representative voted again the measure. Congressman Tom Reed was in the minority that voted against the bill... which is designed to head-off another government shutdown, allow the Treasury to borrow freely to pay the government's bills, and lock recent budget gains in place for both defense and domestic agencies. Reed says lawmakers are just delaying action on the debt crisis... because we'll have to deal with this problem "sooner rather than later." The budget deal does include some cuts. They include 3-million people being lopped off the Supplimental Nutrition Assistance Program -- otherwise known as SNAP. Reed says this mainly involves the "auto enrollment" for the program... and, is to reduce duplication. He says it forces all the agencies involved in public assistance to communicate with each other. Reed made his comments during his weekly telephone news call with Southern Tier Media.
Three Jamestown residents arrested on drug charges during domestic incident -- traffic stop...
Three people have been jailed in Jamestown on drug-related charges following a reported domestic incident inside a vehicle on the city's eastside late Thursday night. Jamestown Police say they were called to the scene at East Second Street -- near Kipp Street -- just before 11:30 p.m., and, found that Allan Broadwater had violated an order of protection. Officers say they found a container with quantities of hydrocodone and marijuana in it. Police say they later found a large quantity of pot and digital scales that belonged to the man driving the car, Robert McLoud. The third person in the vehicle.. Lacey Barker was found with a hydrocodone pill... and, resisted arrest. All three are being held on charges including criminal possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of marijuana charges. All three were held pending arraignment.
Borrello says Athenex project remains on track as construction work continues at town of Dunkirk site...
Chautauqua County's top-elected official say the Athenex plant on Route 5 in the town of Dunkirk is still on target to open next summer. That from County Executive George Borrello... who remains in touch with company officials... and says work continues on completing the 320,000 square foot plant. Borrello says the goal is July of 2020, and he says this project is a "little more complicated" than building a typical manufacturing warehouse. Borrello says among the top challenges, finding enough skilled workers to get the plant running. He adds that may be the main challenge because there appears to be a shortage right now. Athenex is working with Jamestown Community College, and the SUNY College at Fredonia to help provide training for the company. Athenex is investing about $1.6-billion in the plant, with New York State providing $225-million in funding for the bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
Pennsylvania official says former Corry judge misclassified unpaid bills as thefts...
A Pennsylvania state official says a judge for years misclassified civil complaints about unpaid bills as theft. As a result, hundreds of people have undeserved criminal records. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said Thursday a review of the district judge office in Corry, Pennsylvania, found over 800 theft-of-services convictions for offenses that are not crimes under state law. They include failure to pay fines on overdue library books, bills for plumbing repairs and credit union fees. The auditor general says then-District Judge Brenda Williams Nichols misclassified cases from 2014 through 2017. She lost a bid for re-election in 2017. DePasquale is urging the court system to expunge the records at no cost to those involved. No phone listing could be found for Nichols, and a message left at a relative's home seeking her comment was not returned.
