The village of Westfield's Boil Water Order has been lifted by the county's Department of Health and Human Services. Water Resource Specialist Bill Boria says they notified all Westfield residents that they can now use tap water for drinking, cooking, and all other normal uses. Boria says the village's Water Treatment Plant is back in normal operation... and, producing water that meets state and federal turbidity standards. Last week's heavy rain storms caused 'highly turbid' conditions in the reservoir that created treatment problems at the system's water plant.
The federal EPA has approved a 200-thousand dollar grant for the city of Jamestown to help cleanup and re-develop two large brownfield sites. Both Congressman Tom Reed and U-S Senator Chuck Schumer say the funding will help the city revitalize the Chadakoin West... and Riverfront sites... and, put them to productive use. Reed says the support is crucial to protecting public health, cleaning up the environment and supporting economic development. Schumer says both sites are adjacent to the Gateway Train Station downtown... and, will be "excellent locations for re-development." Mayor Sam Teresi says the grant will "refocus the process of returning these sites to productive use once again."
A slight tax rate decrease for the first time in three years will be seen by property owners in the village of Lakewood... but, they won't be based on new and higher Busti town assessments. That from Mayor David Wordelmann... who says the village board recently approved the 3.35-million dollar spending plan... which includes at 5-cent per thousand assessed value cut in taxes. Wordelmann says the 244-dollar tax levy increase is mainly due to one mandated area not going up as much as expected. Wordelmann adds that a major reduction is due to the village making it's final 50-thousand dollar payment on borrowing for the new Lakewood Fire Hall. He says he also rejected a proposal to add the cost for a new comprehensive plan for the village to the budget. Wordelmann says taxes on the 2014-15 budget will be based on current assessments in the town of Busti... not what the new ones may be. Many Busti residents have complained about how big an increase they're seeing. Wordelmann says those would take effect in the Fall.
State lawmakers in Albany have introduced legislation to curb the rise of heroin in New York and bolster treatment of addicts. The Senate's Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction released 25 bills yesterday they hope will address the heroin scourge in the state. Members of the GOP conference and the Independent Democratic Conference, a faction of five Democrats who control the Senate with the Republicans, introduced the measures after conducting 18 forums statewide.
There's already been some dissent voiced over Governor Andrew Cuomo's decision to make former Buffalo-area Congresswoman Kathy Hochul (HOE-Kul) his running mate. But... the head of Chautauqua County's Democrat Committee says he's "very pleased" with the selection. Chairman Norm Green says Hochul's selection for Lieutenant Governor shows Cuomo's commitment to improving upstate New York's economy. Green says that commitment began with the announcement of the "Buffalo Billion..." to help jump-start the city of Buffalo's economy. Green says Cuomo understands "you're only as strong as your weakest link..." and, for sometime... Buffalo and western New York has been that weak link. However... he says anyone who's been to Buffalo recently has seen a great increase in economic activity. With Hochul on the ticket... Green says he expects to see her campaigning in Chautauqua County quite a bit. While some more-liberal members of the party are critical of the choice... Green says Hochul gives Cuomo some upstate balance to the ticket... and, she's a woman. It's the first time in at least a couple of decades that a woman has been at the top of a major party ticket.
A Lakewood man suffered a possible head injury and a minor laceration after taking a fall while walking down a path to the beach at Point Gratiot (Grah-Chit) in Dunkirk earlier this week. City fire and police crews responded to the call shortly before 6 PM Monday for a 65-year-old male who reportedly fell. Dunkirk Police Chief David Ortolano says first responders were able to carry the victim on a backboard from the pathway to an Alstar ambulance. We have learned the man, whose identity has not been released, was airlifted to an area hospital.
