Edwards supports vote on making sale of county-owned property being made to need Simple Majority of legislators...

A proposed local law that would allow a simple majority vote of the Chautauqua County Legislature to sell county property has the support of County Executive Greg Edwards. Lawmakers are looking at the measure as a possible way to sell the County Home if a 17 vote "supermajority" cannot be attained. Edwards said Thursday that the county has sold real property before... although it has required that "supermajority" vote. He says it's an "unusual scenario..." but, he says in the past year the county sold a building in Ashville to the local fire department. Edwards is also pleased that the County Legislature will once again be taking up the sale of the County Home to Altitude Health Care of Evanston, Ill. when it meets in Mayville later this month. He is still hopeful they can find a 17th vote needed to pass it. Edwards says a follow-up vote on just selling the home last month garnered 18 votes... so he found that encouraging. If the sale of the County Home is not approved... Edwards feels there should be enough support for the proposed local law to pass since only 13 votes would be needed for passage.

County officials present $930,500 loan to Rand Machine for major expansion project...

The first part of what is expected to be a multi-year expansion project at a Jamestown-area machine company has been completed... and, the county played a role. County Executive Greg Edwards and Industrial Development Agency Director Bill Daly recently presented a $930,500 check to officials with Rand Machine Products on Allen Street Extension in Falconer. Daly says the Ruhlman family... which owns Rand... has completed a $4.6-million structure between their two main buildings. Daly adds the $10,000 square foot structure includes a huge machine... a Mori-Seiki CNC Mill Turn Center. He says that will allow them to machine several kinds of large parts... and, they also have a new measuring machine. Daly says the machine... which is 40-feet long and 15 feet wide... and, 15-feet high... will hopefully bring them more business from other machine shops that can't do the measuring part. He says there will reportedly be a Phase-Two and Three over the next 5 to 10 years. Daly says if all goes well... Phase-two should happen within a few years. Daly says the county loan came from the Al Tech Trust Fund... and, the new project will create 10 new hires at Rand Machine.

Upstate NY Cities say Cuomo's budget includes measure that could bankrupt them...

The co-chairwoman of the state Democratic Party says Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposed budget should be rejected because it doesn't include measures to save upstate cities from insolvency. Stephanie Miner, who's also the mayor of Syracuse, says Cuomo needs to show leadership by holding a meeting with legislators and local government officials to find ways to ease the burden on local taxpayers. Miner's strongest criticism yet came in an opinion piece in Thursday's New York Times. Cuomo has offered a plan that would allow governments to bank on projected future savings, but Miner and others have said that's risky. Cuomo has held what he called ``summits'' to boost the Greek yogurt and the beer and wine industries, but has so far not called for one on the local government crisis.

DiNapoli says there are some big question marks in Cuomo's Budget plan...

New York state's comptroller says there are some big question marks in Governor Cuomo's budget proposal. Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says it would increase debt, rely on one-shot revenues, and includes overly optimistic projections of tax revenues. DiNapoli did credit the budget as a move toward long-term fiscal balance. Cuomo's $143-billion proposal is boosted by anticipated federal disaster aid. The current budget is $134-billion. DiNapoli criticized the 2013-14 spending plan for relying on $1.4 billion in temporary revenue. DiNapoli also says Wednesday it increases so-called ``back-door borrowing'' that isn't subject to voter approval. The Cuomo administration says DiNapoli's review was based on misunderstandings and misrepresentations of a balanced budget that controls spending and borrowing. Senate Republicans have criticized Cuomo's plan to renew a business tax due to expire.

President's Day Weekend Winter Festival set to begin Friday night; runs through Sunday...

There won't be an Ice Castle again this year for the annual President's Day Weekend Winter Festival... which begins tonight at Mayville's Lakeside Park. However... there will be a snow castle that'll be the centerpiece of activity. That from Festival Chairman Ken Shearer with the Chautauqua/Mayville Chamber of Commerce. Shearer said late Thursday that they've gotten a number of volunteers from across the area... and, are trying to make a "similar structure" out of snow. He says their volunteers have been hard at work on the snow structure... as well as a slide for the kids they can sled or tube down behind it. Shearer says the three-day event kicks off with the castle lighting at 6 p.m. tonight... and, they'll present a $500 savings bond to the winner of the ICE Medallion Contest. He says a full slate of events begins at the park at 7 tonight with the annual Snow Ball Dance at the "big tent" in Lakeside Park. Then.. they'll have a first-ever "Toga Party" at the Lakeview Hotel across from the park following the Snowball Dance at 9 p.m. Events Saturday begin at 8 a.m., and, for more information... call 753-3113... or go on-line to www.mayvillechautauqua.org.

ICE Medallion found in Jamestown...

As mentioned... after about a week of clues and hunting around the county... the President's Day Weekend Winter Festival's ICE Medallion has been found. Ken Shearer... who is also President of the Mayille/Chautauqua Chamber... says the people putting the clues together did a really good job in making people have to work to find it. Shearer says the Medallion had been hidden away in an urn at Russell E. Diethrick Park in Jamestown. The winner will be announced at tonight's start to the festival. The Medallion has become a tradition at the Winter Festival... with residents having to register... then hunt for the specially made medallion to win the $100 cash prize and weekend stay at the Maple Inn at Chautauqua Institution.

PA A.G. rejects Lottery Contract...

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane is rejecting Governor Tom Corbett's contract to hire a British firm to manage the $3.5-billion Pennsylvania Lottery. Kane said Thursday that she won't approve the 20-to 30-year contract with Camelot Global Services because parts of it contravene the state constitution and other parts aren't allowed by law. Corbett and Camelot both say they're disappointed with the decision, and Corbett says he's reviewing his legal options.