Some back roads and side streets in the Jamestown-area may still be very slick this morning after the area received a few inches of snow overnight....
Snow started falling more steadily early last night and continued through late evening. Most roads were snowcovered and very slippery but, just a few minor accidents and cars off the road were reported. The Jamestown-area remains under a Winter Weather Advisory through 10 this morning.
Cold temperatures and frigid wind chills projected through today has prompted the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services to issue a Code Blue Warning for the entire county....
Officials say the warning is triggered when temperatures reach 32 degrees or lower and requires shelter access to anyone in need of assistance. During normal business hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday,people seeking emergency shelter should report to the Department of Health and Human Services offices in Dunkirk or Jamestown where sheltering will be arranged. After normal business hours and on weekends and holidays, persons needing emergency shelter should call local police, or 9-1-1. In addition, several Chautauqua County library warming centers may be open during this time period.
With some 10,000 people expected in downtown Jamestown for this Friday night's annual Christmas Parade and Holiday Celebration, city police will have a new "eye in the sky."
Police Chief Harry Snellings and Mayor Sam Teresi helped to unveil JPD's new surveillance trailer, that has a pair of cameras on top of it to survey the crowd in multiple directions for any suspicious or criminal activities.
Snellings says they have done a couple of "test runs" with the surveillance cameras in the city's parks and elsewhere. The city obtained the equipment back in September. Teresi and Snellings noted it will be located at the intersection of Third and Spring Streets Friday night. Snellings says the trailer has two side-by-side cameras and, they can be raised on it's telescopic arm to 20-feet high. He says the suveillance camera cost $27,000 total, with $22,000 from the city's contingency account, and the remaining $5,000 coming from asset forefeiture monies. Friday night's parade along Third Street begins at 6:30 PM.
A bill authorizing $75-million a year for the West Valley Demonstration Project through 2026 to clean-up and remove nuclear waste from the site has now passed the Senate....
Local Congressman Tom Reed, who sheparded the bill through the House of Representatives, says it's now headed to President Trump for his signature. Reed says it's the first time in more than 35 years that lawmakers have actually approved a West Valley bill.
Reed says he pushed for fair funding for the complete and total cleanup of this nuclear site. He also thanked fellow Western New York lawmaker -- and former Chautauqua County Congressional Representative Brian Higgins -- for his support. Reed's initial funding bill was approved by the House back in March and, he says the Senate's approval now gives the project full credibility. The Corning Republican also thanked the House Energy and Commerce Committee for it's work, along with U-S Senator's John Thune, and Lisa Murkowski. Reed made his comments during his weekly telephone conference call with area media.
The decision by Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone to resign in the wake of how he handled allegations of clergy sexual misconduct will hopefully allow the diocese to move forward......
Those are the feelings of local Congressman Tom Reed,a Catholic himself, after the Vatican accepted Malone's resignation two years before he reached the manditory retirement age of 75. The Vatican didn't say why Malone was resigning but, Reed hopes some good will come from this.
The Vatican conducted a recent investigation into the western New York diocese and Malone's handling of abuse cases. Pope Francis accepted Bishop Malone's resignation and named the bishop of Albany, New York, to run the Buffalo diocese temporarily until a permanent replacement is found.
The Dunkirk Common Council has approved the north county city's 2020 budget that totals just over $24.6-million.
During Tuesday's Council meeting, panel members passed Mayor Willie Rosas' proposed spending plan by a 4-1 vote, with 3rd Ward Councilman Shaun Heenan casting the only "no" vote. Councilman at-Large Andy Woloszyn says there were no changes made to the spending plan after several budget review meetings. He says their biggest concern regards the city's low contingency account.
Dunkirk's property tax rate in 2020 will remain unchanged at $17.25 per thousand. Councilman Heenan later issued a formal statement about his "no" vote on the 2020 budget, saying he can't vote for it because "it does not address the long-term, structural, impending budget challenges this city is facing. The city is again just kicking the can down the road. I campaigned on this issue not because it was politically a good thing, but because it is the right thing and I believe it to vote for this budget would be disingenuous on my part. "
The Jamestown High School A'Cappella Choir will present the first of its 95th Vespers Services on Sunday at 4 PM, at First Lutheran Church in Jamestown.....
The 88 member choir had a preview prerformance at First Lutheran on Monday for the Noon Rotary Club. Conductor, Norm Lydell, says the group is working hard to learn over 30 pieces of music, not just for Vespers. The choir, and the JHS band will be performing in Disneyworld between Christmas and New Year's. Lydell says the choir is up to the challenge, with tremendous character and good leadership. The second of this year's Vespers Services will be Sunday, December 15th at First Lutheran. As it is the 95th year, over 150 choir alumni will join the A'Cappella to sing parts of that program.
