Heat Advisory in effect for Chautauqua Co., and much of WNY with temperatures reaching into the 90s through Friday...
A Heat Advisory is in effect for Chautauqua County through the day today... with the mercury rising to at least 90 in many locations.  Heat Warnings are in effect for much of the area along the Lake Ontario shoreline... and, east of Allegany County.  A hot-air dome is over most of the northeastern U.S., and, it's making conditions very uncomfortable for many.  In addition... Forecasater Shane Kearns with the National Weather Service in Buffalo says the heat indexes will hit triple digits tomorrow and Thursday... with air temperatures around 90... but, heat indexes will be at 97 to as high as 105 by Thursday.  
---

With many residents planning to attend parades... cookouts... sporting events...  festivals, and fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday, county officials urge everyone to plan ahead and take steps to prevent heat-related illnesses.  Extreme heat is one of the deadliest weather-related hazards in the U-S with more than 1,200 deaths each year.  Fortunately, heat-related illnesses and deaths are preventable.  County Executive P.J. Wendel says -- "as families spend time outside this week and while celebrating the Fourth of July... I encourage everyone to take the heat seriously, check on family members and neighbors, and remember that children and pets should never be left in a parked vehicle.  Taking a few simple precautions can help everyone enjoy a safe holiday weekend."
----

If you don't have access to air conditioning during this period... Wendel says there are a number of "cooling stations" across the county.  They include: the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood... the Ashville Free Library... Chautauqua Opportunities, Incorporated in both Jamestown and Dunkirk... the Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services in both Jamestown and Dunkirk... the Prendergast Library in Jamestown... the Lakewood Memorial Library in Lakewood... and, the Hazeltine Library in Busti.  For a complete list... go on-line to www.HealthyCHQ.com.

Man from Westfield arrested for allegedly menacing another person with a knife...
A Westfield man faces a menacing charge after allegedly brandishing a knife... and, threatening another person with it.  Westfield police say they were called to the Holiday Thruway Motel at 223 Portage St. shortly before 11 p.m. last Tuesday for a person with a weapon.  Village police say they spoke with a resident of the motel... who reported that 35 year-old Kyle Shaw... had allegedly displayed the knife while walking past the victim.  Shaw is then accused of making a stabbing motion towards them while their back was turned.  Officers say Shaw had left the scene... but, he was later found a short distance away from the motel.  He was arrested for second-degree menacing... and, issued an appearance ticket for Westfield Town Court.

City Council approves "Pearl City 2045" Comprehensive Plan...
For the most part... the city of Jamestown has it's first new, Comprehensive Plan in some 28 years.  That after the City Council Monday night unanimously approved the proposed "Pearl City 2045" draft plan.  City Development Director Crystal Surdyk says... having the plan approved was a major milestone for her.  Getting a new plan in place was her goal after first being hired as the city's Principal Planner in 2018.  Surdyk says she's "very happy to be in this place now."  She says there are some language and other verbage to be cleaned up, and, late arriving public comment also needs to be added.  Mayor Kim Ecklund says the city's consultant on the plan will incorporate final comments received through the close of business Monday before issuing the final plan.  Ecklund says she feels the plan has "a real good grasp of where the city is right now..." but, looks ahead while honoring it's history.  She feels it will be something used for "years to come."
---

City lawmakers also approved issuing a negative declaration for environmental impacts from the Comprehensive Plan.  Surdyk says her department followed the State Department of Environmental Conservation's framework for needing an EIS... and, she says there were no significant impacts identified.  One resident was critical... and, felt there should have been a general EIS done.

Week-One at Chautauqua Inst. focusing on women who have helped "change the world..."
Week-One of the new season at Chautauqua Institution is spotlighting women whose courage, vision and defiance have rewritten and rerouted history and continue to shape the future.  The week, themed "Icons and Instigators: Women Who Change the World," kicked off Monday morning lecture featuring two longtime television journalists.  Chautauqua spokesperson Jill McCormick says Norah O'Donnell and Deborah Roberts took to the amphitheater stage.  Wednesday's lecture will be a conversation about the state of women's sports... and, McCormick says that morning will feature five-time Olympic beach volleyball player and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh-Jennings... and, longtime Stanford women's basketball coach and Chautauqua Sports Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer.  Another highlight of the week will be Tony Award-winning performers Sutton Foster and Kelli O'Hara. The two will discuss their lives and careers during the Thursday morning lecture, which will also serve as a preview of their performance with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra that evening.  The week will also include lectures from Alyse Nelson, CEO of Vital Voices; as well as legendary marine biologist Sylvia Earle.

 

(And... from last Friday, inadvertantly left out) 

Project Coordinator updates County Legislature on feasibility study, and more of a merger of the Clymer, Sherman and Panama school districts...
A full study of a possible merger of three Chautauqua County school districts has shown that the proposal is "highly-feasible."  That from Project Coordinator Shelly O'Boyle... a retired administrator who has led the merger investigation.  O'Boyle updated the County Legislature Wednesday night on the effort... which involves the Clymer, Sherman and Panama districts.  She says the findings show that it "has significant potential benefits to student programming, and would enhance the financial outlook and stability of the district."  O'Boyle began by thanking county lawmakers for recently approving a $100,000 Government Reduction Initiative grant towards the effort... which allowed the hiring of a consultant... and, boosted communications with officials and residents in all three districts.  She says the funding has helped in getting information to everyone in all three districts, and has provided "transparent communications."  O'Boyle says the county has a copy of the 149-page feasibility study.  The possible merger is being driven by declining enrollments and increasing costs for all three districts.  The goal is to expand student programming... and, lower the tax burden on those districts.

City of Jamestown awarded $1-million for Brownfield clean-up that could include former Crawford Furniture Manufacturing site...       
The city of Jamestown is one of 13 communities in New York state receiving some of $14.3-million in federal funding to help clean-up brownfield sites.  U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have announced that Jamestown will be receiving $1-million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Law that Schumer led to passage in the Senate.  The Senators say the money will be used to "support clean-up and reuse planning for at least one of the city's priority sites" in the Chadakoin River Corridor.  They add that priority sites include the 2.3-acre former Crawford Furniture Industrial site that was destroyed by fire several years ago... two former industrial complexes that historically housed a textile mill, chemical company, and multiple metalworking operations... and, a 2-acre industrial site that formerly housed a lumber yard and manufacturing company.