Air Quality Alert continues through Midnight tonight... Air Quality Advisory in effect for Thursday...
Our current Air Quality Alert for Western and Central New York remains in effect until Midnight tonight... but, poor air quality will remain with us for at least another day.  That from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation... and, the state Health Department... which has now issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for tonight at Midnight until Midnight Thursday.  Again... the Canadian wildfires and "fine particulate matter" at leading to today's alert... and, tomorrow's advisory.  Thursday's advisory is for the entire state of New York.  Today's alert was for Western and Central New York and the Eastern Lake Ontario region.  The DEC says tomorrow's air quality is expected to be "unhealthy for sensitive groups."  The general public will not likely be affected.

City Council approves outside counsel to negotiate final deal with firefighters to accept SAFER Grant and hire eight new firefighters...
Another step has been taken toward the Jamestown fire department being able to hire eight new firefighters to bring the department up to full-staffing and to take on a second ambulance.  The City Council Monday night approved the hiring of an outside, third-party law firm to review, and approve the final agreement with the firefighter's union.  City Council President Tony Dolce says the firm of Bond, Schoeneck, and King of Garden City, New York has experience in such negotiations.  Dolce says they are familiar with both the SAFER Grant program, and working with the city's fire and police unions.  The need for outside counsel to sign off on the agreement that allows the city to move ahead with accepting a $1.8-million federal SAFER Grant is one of five stipulations lawmakers and members of Jamestown Professional Firefighters Local-137 agreed to last month.  Dolce says council members hope to have the final agreement in place by early August at the latest.  Other key stipulations in the tentative agreement include the union agreeing that the additional eight firefighters will not mean a new "minimum staffing requirement."  That current number was set in October of 2002. 

Two significant primary results reported in Chautauqua County... 
A couple of primary results of interest from last night in Chautauqua County.  The Board of Elections reports that Benny Karlson won the North Harmony Highway Superintendent's Republican primary over Kory Stevens... 126-to-62.  For the Mina Town Council... Richard Cooper and Christine Craffey won GOP primaries to run for those seats in November with 119 and 81 votes respectively.  However... there may be a recount on the second seat... as Stephen Burmaster received 74 votes.

Ribbon cut on Grandview Stormwater Project in Lakewood...
The Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance has announced the newest project to slow stormwater and sediment from getting directly into the lake.  Members of the Alliance, along with county and Lakewood village leaders, this morning outlined the $310,000 Grandview Stormwater Project.  The location will be off Davidson Lane -- behind the Grandview Estates -- in Lakewood.  Alliance Project Manager Taylor West explained the project... noting it will create about 100,000 cubic feet of stormwater storage through detention ditches and other structures, along with wildlife habitat... and, a stormwater nature park.  In recent times... there have been significant run-off and flooding issues downhill from the Grandview area.  That's especially the case in the low-lying Conrail viaduct on Fairmount Avenue -- just east of the Sav-A-Lot Plaza.  Lakewood Mayor Randy Holcomb says he's pleased to see the project starting soon.  Environmental Engineer Andy Johnson with Ecostrategies is working with the Alliance on designing the project.  He says they have four goals... improve the quality of the water getting into the lake... reduce downstream flooding... create new wetland and wildlife habitat... and, create a nature park for village residents to enjoy.  

Domestic incident leads to arrest of man and woman in Jamestown...
A man and woman have been arrested on outstanding warrants... and, for violating an order of protection following a traffic stop in Jamestown last weekend.  City police say they stopped a vehicle for numerous traffic violations in the area of 21 South Main St. shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday.  Officers say they found 25 year-old Darius Franklin and the unidentified 27 year-old woman inside... and, that there was a valid order for Franklin to stay away from the victim.  They also found the woman was sought on a City Court warrant... and, both were arrested without incident.  Franklin is charged with second-degree criminal contempt... and, the woman was issued traffic tickets and arraigned on the arrest warrant.

Gasoline prices in Jamestown-area remain stable heading into July 4th holiday...
Gas prices in the Jamestown-area remain unchanged ahead of the Fourth of July holiday... as does the national average price.  That from the AAA East Central Gas Price Report for this week... which shows the local average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded remains just over $3.69 a gallon.  AAA says the national average... with oil prices remaining low... remains $3.57 a gallon.  That's $1.32 less than last year's $4.90.  AAA says gas demand increased slightly the past week from about 9.2-million barrels a day to 9.3-million.  However... gas stocks increased by 500,000 barrels.  The price for a barrel of oil was just below $70 to begin the new week.