It's not easy to keep a county fair going these days. 'Moonie Harrington' of Fredonia is currently the President of the Chautauqua County Fair Board of Directors. Harrington says they face many challenges in presenting the weeklong event each year. The fair opened Monday morning at the fairgrounds on Central Avenue in Dunkirk. In addition to being President... Harrington has managed the grounds for the last seven seasons. Despite the challengtes, he loves the fair's history and tradition. Harrington saluted the members of 4-H who have once again filled the barns with their animal projects. He says they work hard to "put on a show with their animals." The fair continues through Sunday. The annual Four-H Market Animal Sale will be Friday at Noon, at the Warren K Brown Show Arena.
Both eastbound lanes of the state Thruway in the town of Hanover reopened Monday afternoon after they were shut down for more than two-and-a-half hours by a tractor-trailer fire. State Police for the Thruway says the fire was reported just after 8:30 AM between Exits 59 at Dunkirk... and, Exit 58 at Silver Creek. A 12-mile stretch of Interstate 90 was closed between the two exits until one lane was reopened about 11:15 AM. State Police say the other lane re-opened about 1:45 PM... though there was still debris clean-up taking place. Irving fire crews were called to the scene... and, were assisted by Hanover and Fredonia crews. Troopers say the fire caused a 3-mile traffic backup before the one lane reopened. Troopers say the truck was hauling food. No injuries are reported. The cause of the fire isn't known yet.
The Lakewood Village Board got it's first report last night from the new, Zoning and Law Review Committee. The standing committee was added recently to help look over the village's zoning laws regarding a number of issues that have come up in the past several months. Mayor David Wordelmann says it's been many years since the municipality's zoning laws have been updated. Wordelmann says there are some kinds of businesses that -- due to technology -- they have to account for. Wordelmann says the village has a moratorium on businesses using such signs right now. There are three other moratoriums... including on used car lots. That came up after a legal battle over allowing the Spacc dealerships to put in a lot at the former Carnahan Clothing Store on Fairmount Avenue. Wordelmann says Spacc is now in violation of his Special Use Permit because he's taken 5-and-a-half feet of green space away when the lot was repaved... and, new lighting was put in. The other two moratoriums are on adult novelty -- or bookstores... and, storage facilities -- including self-storage.
Chautauqua County's Congressman is calling on the U-S Senate to act on a measure to prevent student loan rates from at least doubling before the start of college in August. Corning Republican Tom Reed says he's heard the Senate has reached a compromise agreement on a new bill... but, that's not official yet. During his weekly Conference Call with Southern Tier Media... Reed says the Senate returns to session this week... and, the student loan measure should be among the top items they deal with immediately. The House measure returns rates... namely Stafford Loans... to 3.4-percent. They doubled to 6.8-percent as of July 1st because both the House and Senate need to act. The House Republican bill... though... would have rates on other be variable, based on the markets. Reed says the Senate compromise sounds similar to what President Obama wants in the legislation. Obama has already threatened to veto the House Republicans bill... if it passes and is sent to him.
Former Governor David Paterson says he may run for Congress if Representative Charles Rangel retires. But... Paterson also made a case for recruiting a younger candidate if his fellow Democrat chooses not to run after more than 40 years in Congress. Paterson would be 60 if he was elected next year.
New York's junior U-S Senator is endorsing Scott Stringer for New York City comptroller. Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand's choice means she is not backing former Governor Eliot Spitzer. Spitzer resigned his office in 2008 after admitting he paid for sex with prostitutes. He's now attempting a political comeback.
Authorities say four Hudson Valley motorcyclists have been issued speeding tickets after being clocked driving nearly 140 miles per hour on an upstate New York interstate highway. State police say a group of four men on motorcycles registered 138 MPH on a trooper's radar gun in a 65-mph zone on Interstate 84 Sunday morning in the Orange County town of Greenville, on the New Jersey border 60 miles northwest of New York City. Other troopers farther east on I-84 were alerted and stopped the bikers in the neighboring town of Wawayanda. Police say the four men ranging in age from 32 to 45 were ticketed for speeding and ordered to return to Greenville Town Court on August 14th.
