Chautauqua Institution announces President Hill will be leaving for college presidency in late May...
After serving eight years as the head of Chautauqua Institution... President Michael Hill and the institution's board have announced that he'll be leaving the position at the end of May. In a joint announcement... Hill and Board Chairwoman Candace Maxwell said he would be stepping down next May 31 to accept a new position as president of Randolph-Macon College. Hill says -- quote -- "My eight-plus years in service to Chautauqua have been among the most rewarding and challenging of my career. It has been the honor of a lifetime to work alongside the talented Chautauqua team to advance our mission.” He says he will center his attention in his remaining months at Chautauqua on facilitating a smooth transition to a new president... and, supporting staff in preparations for the 2025 Summer Assembly. On behalf of the board, Maxwell expressed gratitude for Hill’s “…extraordinary leadership over the past 8 years.” Maxwell credited Hill for numerous accomplishments, including curating eight successful Summer Assembly's serving some 100,000 people annually and leading the most ambitious and successful fundraising campaign in the Institution’s history, which has generated more than $145-million to date toward a goal of $150-million by June of 2026.
North County man arrested in Sheridan on Felon drug and weapons charges...
A Forestville man faces drug and weapons possession charges following a warrant check on a home in the town of Sheridan. Sheriff's officers say they did the check at 2772 South Roberts Rd. shortly before 2 p.m. Monday... and, saw 34 year-old Jesse Erhard coming out of the basement with a 22-calibur rifle in his possession. Deputies say Erhard is prohibited from having a firearm due to a previous felony conviction. Officers say they then obtained a search warrant... and, brought in narcotics investigators from around the county to search the house. They allegedly seized 55.4 grams of methamphetamine, scales and packaging material for the distribution of narcotics, and the 22-calibur rifle. Deputies charged Erhard with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia... and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
City lawmakers looking at providing $640,000 in HOME funding to get Gateway Lofts project off the ground...
The Jamestown City Council will vote later this month on providing $640,000 in federal HOME funding to help kick-start the long-standing Gateway Loft's housing project. During last night's work session... lawmakers discussed the project... which is now projected to cost as much as $70-million at the current Gateway Center on Water Street. City Development Director Crystal Surdyk says the agencies involved in the project say the 110-units are needed in the community... starting with aging out Foster kids who are 18 to 24 years of age. She adds the units involved will include one to three bedrooms. Surdyk says Southern Tier Environments for Living... or STEL... and Community Helping Hands are spearheading the project... and, will be making presentations about it. She says there is also a $350,000 component to the effort to demolish nearly two-dozen dilapitated homes.. Surdyk says the funding should help tear down 20 to 22 homes. There was also a discussion about a 15-year Payment in Lieu of Tax agreement with STEL and Community Helping Hands... which would total $85,000 to the city. The $640,000 will come from reallocated HOME funds from 2020 through 2024.
State Corrections Officers strike over... but, 2,000 who remained out have been fired...
New York has fired more than 2,000 prison guards for failing to return to work after a weeks-long wildcat strike that crippled the state's correctional system. However... officials say enough officers had come back on the job to declare the illegal work stoppage over. Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said late Monday in a virtual press briefing that "after 22 days of an illegal strike, the governor and I are happy to report it is now ended." The state and the guards’ union struck a new deal to end the strike this weekend... but, it was contingent on at least 85% of staff returning to work by Monday morning. Although the number returning fell short of the 85% goal, Martuscello said the state would honor the deal's overtime and some other provisions. He said the National Guard would remain in place at prisons in a support position while the department undertakes an aggressive recruiting campaign to attract additional employees. About 10,000 security staff are available to work in prisons across the state, he said, down from about 13,500 before the wildcat strike.
Trio arrested in Jamestown for drug possession...
Three people -- two of them from Jamestown -- have been arrested on multiple drug-related charges following a traffic stop on the city's southside late last week. Jamestown police say they pulled over a vehicle in the area of Newland Avenue and Prospect Street just before 9 p.m. Thursday for observed traffic infractions. During the stop... a male passenger tried to lie about his identity... but, was eventually identified as Christopher Swanson... and, he was taken into custody for false personation without incident. Officers say they also found the other passenger... Brittney Washington of Jamestown... was in possession of Fentanyl and the driver... Jeffrey Shriver of Lakewood... was found in possession of a small quantity of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Officers say they also found another more than 30-grams of meth and digital scales inside the car. All three are charged with third-and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia... and, were jailed pending arraignment.
