Co. Legislature approves partial tax exemption for volunteer firefighters, and ambulance workers...
Chautauqua County lawmakers have passed two local laws that will grant volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers an exemption for county property taxes.  Legislators approved both local laws by unanimous votes Wednesday evening.  Legislators heard from Jeff Molnar of County's Fire Advisory Board who urged approval... who reminded lawmakers about the recruitment and retention issues -- both locally and nationwide.  Sheridan Republican Terry Niebel backed the legislation... saying that without their services... people in the area would be spending "millions of dollars" on those services.  Meanwhile, after much discussion, county legislators also passed two resolutions pertaining to Chautauqua Lake.  Lawmakers passed a measure using federal ARPA funding to acquire lake maintenance equipment by a 17-2 vote. A resolution to use $1-million in ARPA funding for the Jefferson Project was also passed 17-2.  Legislators rejected efforts to table both resolutions.  

Legislature also approves ARPA funding for Chautauqua Lake, and new Jamestown Airport study...
Chautauqua County legislators have approved two resolutions that deal with the problems of weeds and alga blooms in Chautauqua Lake... but, not until after considerable debate and discussion.  Fredonia Democrat Susan Parker was among a handful of legislators who wanted to table action on a measure... using $1-million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to acquire lake maintenance equipment.  She proposed using the next month to make sure everyone knows what the funding is going to be used for.  Parker was also among the lawmakers who wanted to table action the $1-million in ARPA funding for the Jefferson Project... an on-going study of Chautauqua Lake.  Dunkirk Democrat Bob Bankoski, who also favored the motion to table, in the end voted for the study... and, hopes this will be the end of the lake studies.  Both resolutions were approved 17-2.  Lawmakers also approved a resolution to spend $50,000 in ARPA funding to help pay for the Air Service Development Project at the Jamestown Airport.

Convicted Felon arrested for allegedly shooting off gun in Jamestown...
A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly firing a gun towards another person early last Saturday morning on the city's northside.  City police say they were called to the area of Lafayette Street and Isabella Avenue on a gunshot complaint just after 4:30 a.m.  Officers say they arrested 32 year-old Raheem Butts for firing off the gun... which was also found during the investigation.  Police took Butts into custody on one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon because he's a convicted Felon... and not allowed to possess a firearm.  He was also charged with first-degree reckless endangerment... and, taken to the city jail pending arraignment.

Schumer blasts House GOP debt ceiling bill...
New York's senior U.S. Senator says the House Republican proposal to raise the debt ceiling... but, also make major spending cuts... will be a 'wasted effort.'  Earlier in the day... Democrat Charles Schumer told reporters during a video conference the measure would have devastating consequences to the Upstate region... and, will be a "gut punch" to upstate families, and jobs.  The Senate Majority Leader says that's because if no action is taken soon... the U.S. will default on it's current debt.  However... Schumer says the House plan would "default on upstate families."  He says the legislation means fewer jobs, higher costs to families, and would lead to cuts to police, and firefighters.  Schumer says there would be "real cuts" to Medicaid... and, home heating assistance.  He adds it would also slash job training programs that are critical to landing good paying tech jobs.  He says a major financial firm, Moody's, is also sounding the alarm on the GOP bill.  The GOP bill coming up for a vote in the House would suspend the federal debt limit through next Mar. 31, and allow the government to issue up to $1.5 trillion in debt.

Rep. Langworthy votes in favor of GOP Plan, dubbed the "Limit, Save, Grow Act..."
Chautauqua County's representative in Congress was among the slim majority of House members who voted for the debt ceiling legislation... dubbed the "Limit Save Grow Act of 2023."  Buffalo-area Repubican Nick Langworthy says he was "proud" to vote for the plan... which he calls "the first step to breaking Washington’s addiction to spending and getting our nation’s finances back on track.  This plan is a responsible, reasonable framework for spending reforms that the American people are demanding."  He also called on President Biden "come to the table to negotiate.”

Gillibrand proposes measure to expedite FDA approval of drug treatments for life-threatening illnesses...
New York's Junior U-S Senator has introduced bi-partisan legislation she says will expedite provisional FDA approval of drugs intended to treat a number of life-threatening illnesses.  Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand held a video press conference Wednesday to announce the "Promising Pathway Act..." which would accelerate provisional approval by the Food and Drug Administration for drugs to treat people with ALS... Parkinson’s Disease... Alzheimer’s and others.  She says they don't need to sacrifice the FDA's final approvals... and, this would give ability to use new drugs while research continues.  Gillibrand says the standard FDA approval process takes many years to get drugs to market, but patients with rapidly progressing illnesses often don’t have many years to wait.  She says the Promising Pathway Act would accelerate the FDA’s approval process and help get promising treatments to those who need them.