Tops, Price Chopper/Market 32 announce merger...
A supermarket chain with several stores in the Jamestown-area has announced it is merging with Price Chopper/Market 32... nearly doubling their "collective footprint" in the northeast. Price Chopper President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Grimmett will be CEO and serve on the new Board of Directors for the new parent company. Tops Markets Chairman and CEO Frank Curci will serve on the Board of Directors of the new parent company... and, as a consultant to assist in the transition. The new parent company will be headquartered in Schenectady. The Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets businesses will retain main offices in Schenectady and Williamsville and will continue to be managed locally by their respective leaders. Tops Markets in Chautauqua County include two in Jamestown, Dunkirk-Fredonia, Falconer, Frewsburg, Westfield, Mayville and Silver Creek.
Ripley man arrested for firing shot-gun towards multiple people...
A Ripley man has been arrested for allegedly firing shots from a long-gun at multiple individuals on Brockway Road in the town of Ripley last Friday night. Sheriff's officers were called to the scene about 9 p.m., and, learned that 31 year-old Patrick Bowman fired two round from a shotgun within close vicinity of multiple victims during a confrontation. Sheriff's K-9 "Bentley" located a spent ammunition round in the snow where the alleged incident occurred. Bowman was taken into custody a short time later and charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree reckless endangerment... and, second-degree menacing. A search warrant was issued... which led to deputies recovering multiple firearms at Bowman's home. He was jailed pending arraignment.
Woman from Falconer charged after one-car crash in Poland...
A Falconer woman faces a charge of driving without a license following a single-car crash on Sprague Hill Road in the town of Poland late last week. Sheriff's officers say 56 year-old Patricia Bloomgren was northbound just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday when she abruptly swerved to miss something on the road... and, her vehicle went down an embankment on the westside of the roadway. Deputies say they found Bloomgren had been driving with a suspended drivers license. She was taken to UPMC Chautauqua Hospital in Jamestown for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Bloomgren was ticketed for second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, and failure to keep right.
Man from Mayville arrested for attacking woman in Westfield with table leg...
A Mayville man has been arrested for allegedly hitting a woman with a wooden table leg during a fight early last weekend. Sheriff's officers were called to the scene on Barber Road in the town of Westfield just after 9 o'clock last Friday night... and, their investigation found that 32 year-old Tyler Stakelum hit the other person in the head with the table leg... causing a large laceration. Stakelum resisted arrest initially... but, was later arrested on charges of second-degree assault, and resisting arrest. He was taken to the county jail pending arraignment. Officers say the victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries.
Reg Lenna Center for the Arts could reopen this Spring...
After being closed for nearly a year, the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown could begin opening its doors again this spring. The Reg's Director of Marketing and Communication, Len Barry, is watching the situation closely. Barry says they anticipate opening in the second-quarter if the positivity rate continues to fall... and show some classic films at 25-percent capacity unless the capacity rate changes. He believes the center will make it through, even though the pandemic shutdown took away over 80-percent of what they anticipated would come in during 2020. He says government programs have helped, and significant assistance has come locally Barry says they've received some grant funding from the Lenna and Sheldon Foundations... and, loan monies from the county's Industrial Development Agency to offset their losses. Renowned pianist and singer Jim Brickman will be presenting a series of virtual concerts over Valentine’s Day weekend. If you sign up at reglenna.com and use the code ‘LoverL’, the center will receive some of the proceeds.
Chautauqua County one of few in NYS that exceeded projected Sales Tax revenues in 2020...
Chautauqua County is one of a small number of counties in New York state that exceeded it's previous year's sales tax collections in 2020 -- inspite of the COVID-19 Pandemic. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli issued a report on New York's sales tax collections for 2020... and, found that -- overall -- sales tax receipts were down about 10-percent... or $1.8-billion compared to 2019. In Chautauqua County... DiNapoli's office found Chautauqua County collected $72.2-million in 2020... $1.2-million more than in 2019. The county got off to a good start in the first-quarter with a 10.6-percent increase. Chautauqua County saw receipts fall by 12.1-percent in the second quarter -- when there was a full shut-down from COVID-19. There were then modest increases in the third and fourth-quarters of last year... due mainly to increases in on-line shopping.
WCA Home turning corner on COVID1-9 issues...
An adult home in northern Chautauqua County is turning the corner after getting socked by COVID-19 about three weeks ago. WCA Home Administrator Tammy McCool says the facility on Temple Street in Fredonia managed to avoid the virus for nearly 10 months. However... McCool says that changed when a resident became ill about three weeks ago, and it went through the facility. She says some residents required hospitalization, but the situation is starting to improve. She says some of the residents are expected to return from the hospital and vaccinations are starting to take place. McCool believes they'll be able to "breath a sigh of relief" by the end of February.
