North county man killed when pick-up truck hits farm tractor from behind...
A 76 year-old north county man has died from injuries suffered after his farm tractor was struck from behind by a pick-up truck in the town of Hanover.  Sheriff's officers were called to the scene on Alleghany Road just after 3:30 p.m. Sunday, and, found that the pick-up truck was southbound when it struck the tractor from behind -- and the victim was thrown from the tractor.  Deputies say the man was rushed to Brook's Hospital in Dunkirk... where he later died.  The 75 year-old operator of the pickup truck suffered minor injuries and was released by medical personnel on scene.  The Sheriff's Department Accident Reconstruction Team was called into to evaluate the scene.  No charges have been filed... but, deputies say the investigation is still on going.

Forestville man arrested for damaging property with a backhoe...
A north county man is accused of driving a backhoe to another person's home on Hanover Street in the north county village... and, damaging property late last month.  Sheriff's officers were called to the scene shortly before 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 26... on a criminal mischief complaint.  Deputies say their investigation showed that 37 year-old Jason Dolce took the backhoe to the victim's home... and, damaged the property.  Dolce was arrested on a warrant from Hanover Town Court for third-degree criminal mischief... third-degree criminal tampering... and, reckless endangerment of property.  He was taken into custody on the warrant and taken to the county jail pending centralized arraignment.

Investigation continues into horrific Buffalo supermarket shooting...
Law enforcement officials tell the Associated Press that federal agents have interviewed the parents of the white, 18-year-old accused of shooting and killing 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket and served multiple search warrants.  Officials who spoke to the A-P on the condition of anonymity said Payton Gendron's parents were cooperating with investigators.  Federal authorities were still working to confirm the authenticity of a 180-page manifesto that was posted online, which detailed the plot and identified Gendron by name as the gunman, the official said.  Authorities say the shooting was motivated by racial hatred.  Gendron was arraigned late Saturday.

Scaled-down JCC Commencement takes place Sunday with a more "personal" touch...
It was the perfect day for an atypical commencement Sunday at Jamestown Community College.  That from JCC Vice-President of Student Affairs, Kirk Young.  For the second year in a row, students walked one at a time across a small outdoor stage and received their degree directly from college president, Dr. Daniel DeMarte.  Dr. Young says it’s much more personal that a ‘mass commencement' because they're with their family the entire time.  Candice Mozes of Cattaraugus got a nursing degree Sunday, her second from JCC.  She got a degree in December 2019 in psychology... but, was very involved on campus, and decided to get the nursing degree later.  Mozes says many of the nursing grads already have jobs.  She’ll be working at UPMC Chautauqua Hospital in Jamestown.  The scrapping of the usual JCC commencement was a result of COVID-19.  Dr. Young says they’ll carefully weigh what post-pandemic graduations will be like.

Proposed Falconer school budget includes no tax increase for 2022-23...
Residents of the Falconer Central School District are being asked to approve a budget of just over $27-million Tuesday for the upcoming school year.  School Superintendent, Steve Penhollow, says while spending is up around 7%, taxes won’t be affected.  Penhollow says there is no increase in the tax levy.  Penhollow says much of the increased spending is going to fund a handful of new staff members in the area of ‘social-emotional health.'  He says the pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, and in many cases their students.  An injection of state and federal aid has allowed for the additional personnel.  Penhollow says the school board has worked to insure the positions can remain when the extra aid goes away.  A separate proposition to create a ‘capital reserve fund’ is also on the ballot.  And two current school board members... Tom Frederes and Bob Carpenter... are running unopposed.  Voting will be at the Falconer Middle/High School gym foyer from 2 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

Annual "Cents For St. Susan's" fund drive underway...
Rising food prices in recent months are making it more difficult for the poor to buy the groceries they need.  That's part of the urgency that this year's 23rd annual "Cents for St. Susan's" fund drive for the Jamestown-areas largest soup kitchen.  The drive is put on by the Board of Public Utilities... and, Communications Coordinator Becky Robbins says St. Susan's dining area at 31 Water St. is again up and operating since COVID-19 is fading.  Robbins says there are a number of ways you can give... including putting loose change into the bright yellow canisters around the city.  She adds that BPU on-line customers can make donations that way... and, their annual hot dog sale to benefit St. Susan's will be held in front of the BPU Customer Service office on June 3.  Robbins adds that the St. Susan's Center is now expecting to help as many people as they were pre-COVID-19.  She says the numbers of people using St. Susan's "drive-thru" window went down during COVID... due at least in part to additional government help with getting food to people.