With 11 teachers and staff at the Bemus Point Elementary School in "precautionary quarantine" after being in close contact with positive COVID-19 cases... the school is on a "virtual learing" schedule for two weeks. That from Bemus Point School Superintendent Joe Reyda... who says there will be no in-person classes at the school through November 6th. However... during a Zoom Conference session with parents and staff... Reyda said those teachers will be teaching from home... and all instructional materials have been delivered to the teachers involved so they can teach from home.
Reyda says there was one positive case was found late last week at Bemus Point Elementary... and, another at Maple Grove Middle and High Schools. He says there were no students who tested positive for COVID-19. Reyda adds they were prepared for such a situation. He says the current hybrid learning program in place for the middle and high school will continue as is.
Chautauqua County is reporting another six new confirmed cases of the COVID-19 Virus Monday... bring the total number to 961. The county's Health Department reports the 25 new cases from Saturday through yesterday include eight in Dunkirk... eight others in Fredonia... and, four in Jamestown. Interim County Executive P-J Wendel says there are now 111 active cases, and they continue to recover. Wendel adds that there are now three active cases among employees... and, 41 among residents at Tanglewood Manor. He adds that 62 people associated with that outbreak have recovered. Wendel says the Health Department is continuing to investigate a cluster of cases in the north county, which were the result of a private event. He says at least 14 cases over the last week are linked to that event. He says 837 cases have now recovered.
The Jamestown City Council has unanimously approved a new, four-year agreement with WCA Services to provide basic and advanced ambulance services from Alstar EMS. Lawmakers approved the new contract at last night's voting session, 9-to-0 in a move that will enhance services provided to the city and it's residents. Mayor Eddie Sundquist recently said it will allow use of the Alstar Medical Director's expertise, and help with billing for city fire ambulance runs.
Sundquist said the new agreement came about after the city had sent out a Request for Proposals for new ambulance service in the city. That process had been stalled for a while due to the COVID-19 Shut-down. Officials say the city's last formal agreement with WCA Services for ambulance service ended in 1999... but, carried over until last year when WCA Services announced they were going to be cutting back on service in the city.
Two resolutions regarding metered parking in downtown Jamestown were pulled from last night's City Council agenda. However... the matter of putting meters back into the current "free parking" areas, and increasing the one-hour meter fee by 50-cents... was brought up during public comments in a letter about the possible impacts on lower-income, elderly and disabled residents. Council Finance Committee Chairwoman Kim Ecklund echoed those sentiments... saying it's a concern they may have not immediately thought of. City lawmakers discussed the two proposals last week... but, some said they wanted more discussion and public input on them. Mayor Eddie Sundquist made the proposal to help provide some additional revenues in the 2021 budget. However... council members generally felt it needed to be discussed as part of deliberations on the new spending plan.
A Jamestown man faces robbery charges after allegedly threatening another man with what appeared to be a gun, then assaulted and robbed him. City Police were called to the scene on Willard Street about 6:40 Sunday night... and spoke with the victim. Officers say they found the suspect, 34 year-old Jordan Adams, a short distance away, and he was arrested on two counts of second-degree robbery, third-degree assault, and second-degree menacing. He was jailed pending arraignment.
More than 2,500 eligible voters in Chautauqua County took advantage of early voting last weekend at three different locations in the county. That from Democratic Elections Commissioner Norm Green... who says the longer waits on Saturday and Sunday were at the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood and the county Fairgrounds in Dunkirk.
Green says the lines were a little "calmer" at the Board of Elections site in Mayville. About 500 people voted over a five hour period at the Mall Saturday. Green says early voting continues through next Sunday. Polling is taking place again today from Noon to 8 PM... and, on Wednesday through Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM. On Saturday and Sunday... hours will again be Noon to 5 PM. Green adds voting ends Sunday so the Board of Elections can prepare all their polling sites for Election Day on November 3rd. For more information... go to the board's website.
A Jamestown man has been arrested for driving the case involved in a hit-and-run accident last Thursday that sent a two-year child to the hospital with minor injuries. City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says Police Patrols responded to the area of 336 East 5th Street at 9:30 PM. Samuelson says the toddler was hit as they were walking along the side of the road with their family. He says 27 year-old Nicholas Evans was taken into custody last Friday for leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, and multiple vehicle and traffic charges in the investigation. The child was treated at UPMC Chautauqua Hospital for a broken leg and has since been released. Evans is to appear in Jamestown City Court at a later date.
