Lake Effect Snow Warning remains in effect for Chautauqua Co. -- mainly no. county -- through 1 p.m. Saturday...
It appears the immediate Jamestown-area has missed the worst of the big Lake Effect Snowfall from a storm system that's been hitting western New York over the past couple of days. That from Forecaster John Hitchcock with the National Weather Service in Buffalo... who says the North County was getting hit hard with Lake Effect last night. Hitchcock says the heaviest snow was being seen in the town of Hanover... into Perrysburg. Hitchcock says about 3-inches per hour were falling in Forestville. There was also a report of about 16-inches of snow in Perrysburg since the storm began. That's on top of what's already fallen in those areas. The Lake Erie shoreline... and, western parts of Chautauqua County were hit hardest early yesterday morning. The lake effect snows left about 2 to 3 inches of new snow in the Jamestown-area later in the morning.
Several minor accidents reported around the county due to snow-slicked roads Friday...
A few accidents were reported yesterday... but, no serious injuries were reported. Jamestown police report a couple of fender-bender type crashes in the slippery conditions Friday afternoon. We also have a report of a two-car accident at the intersection of Hunt Road and Avalon Boulevard in West Ellicott about 3 p.m. However... no injuries were reported from that accident. County-wide... dispatchers say they have reports of several cars off the road.
Supporters of minimum wage boost for tipped workers ask Cuomo to intervene...
Supporters of a pay increase for restaurant servers want Governor Andrew Cuomo to overrule a state board opposed to giving tipped workers the standard minimum wage. Groups including the Hunger Action Network called on the governor Friday to require servers, hotel housekeepers and busboys to make the $8.75 minimum wage that applies to all other workers. Currently... state law allows restaurants and hotels to pay tipped workers a lower wage of about $5 as long as tips make up the difference. On Thursday... a state Wage Board studying the tipped wage defeated a proposal to raise it to match the minimum wage. Instead, the board plans to consider a proposal to increase it to $7 an hour. Cuomo's labor commissioner will make a final decision this winter.
Reed in majority in Congress voting to authorize construction of Keystone-XL pipeline...
Local Congressman Tom Reed was among the majority of members of the House of Representatives that voted Friday to authorize construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline despite a veto threat from the White House. The bill passed in a bi-partisan, 266-to-153 vote. It was the tenth vote the House had taken since July of 2011 to advance the $7-billion project, which would carry oil from Canada to Gulf Coast refineries. Reed calls the bill a "win for all Americans." The Co-Chairman of the House Manufacturing Caucus says the pipeline "not only creates countless infrastructure construction jobs, but it will also lower energy costs and put us another step closer to reducing our dependence on Middle East crude." A test vote is set for next Monday in the Senate... but, it should have enough votes for passage. If approved there... the bill would have to be signed by President Obama.
Casino board to consider Cuomo's request for fourth casino in So. Tier...
The board tasked with picking locations for casinos in upstate New York will consider Governor Andrew Cuomo's request to reopen the bidding process for a license in the Southern Tier. The Gaming Facility Location board last month approved three casinos, with one each in the Catskills, the Finger Lakes and Schenectady. The board withheld a fourth license and rejected two Southern Tier proposals. After leaders in the struggling area along the Pennsylvania border complained... Cuomo asked the board to reconsider. On Friday... board Chairman Kevin Law defended the board's decision, saying it would have been inappropriate to recommend either of the two Southern Tier proposals. Still, he says new applicants may step forward if bidding is reopened and that the board will ``entertain'' Cuomo's request. The board meets next Tuesday.
