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WJTN News Headlines

State police are investigating a possible sighting of two convicted killers here in tge southern tier, about 350 miles from the prison where they escaped two weeks ago.  State police spokesman Beau Duffy says that officers are investigating a possible sighting of the prisoners near the Allegany County hamlet of Friendship, near the Pennsylvania border.  He gave no other details.  David Sweat and Richard Matt escaped June 6th from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora... near the Canadian border.  Authorities said in a news release Friday that two men fitting the description of Sweat and Matt had been seen a week ago in Steuben County.  Allegany County is west of Steuben County.  A prison worker has been charged in the escape and a corrections officer has been placed on administrative leave.

 

New York state is receiving nearly 17-million dollars to support AmeriCorps programs throughout the state.  Governor Andrew Cuomo says the money will flow to 14 non-profit organizations to enlist some 1,440 AmeriCorps members.  The organizations are involved in promoting education and children's health, disaster preparedness and other public services.  Cuomo says New York state's AmeriCorps members do ``critically important work'' around the state by stepping up to serve their communities.  City Year, Incorporated will receive the single largest portion of the funds, getting more than 3-million dollars for academic tutoring and mentoring programs in New York City.

 

Three local youth choirs took part in yesterday's finale for the annual Juneteenth Festival at Jamestown's Chadakoin Park. The Carolyn Pennamon-Faison Gospel Fest concluded the 15th Annual Juneteenth Celebration... and, the head of the event was excited with how it went.  Chairwoman Vikeye James says they took last year off to re-focus and re-energize... and, it did the trick.  There were several highlights... but, James says the big one was Saturday night's showing of the documentary "Old South" in the park pavillion. James says that community came together in the face of racism and prejudice... but, she adds the residents involved found they had more in common than they had different.  Thanks to a break in the weather... James says they were happy to show the film in the park.  She says more than 50 people were on hand.

 

A Rochester-area school has again been named the top school district in the entire, 48-county Upstate New York Region... while three Chautauqua County schools are in the top-100.  Business First of Buffalo has named the Pittsford Central District the top one in the Upstate region for the fourth-straight year.  In addition... Fayetteville-Manlius of the Syracuse-area was number-two.  Business First says each district’s rank reflects the collective performance of its elementary, middle and high schools from 2011 to 2014.  That's the most recent four-year period for which comprehensive statistics are available from the New York State Education Department. The rating formula has 200 components, ranging from English and math tests for third graders up to the full complement of Regents exams for high schoolers.  The top Chautauqua County School district is Bemus Point... which was 34th.  Fredonia was 56th in the rankings... while Southwestern was 65th.

 

A public "visioning session" will be held later his week to begin the process of developing a new, Comprehensive Plan for the village of Lakewood.  That from Mayor David Wordelmann... who says the public is invited to attend the meeting at 7 PM Wednesday at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Fairmount Avenue.  Wordelmann says the current Comprehensive Plan is 45 years-old... meaning it was about the time the Chautauqua Mall was first built... and, Fairmount Avenue was still a two-lane highway. Wordelmann says the village has done a lot of pre-planning work with the village code in a number of areas... including new and used car lots... and, storage facilities.  He says there is still one area they still need to wrap up... and, that's business and commercial signage.  Wordelmann says the plan will guide both growth and change in the village heading into the 21st Century... and, consider all facets of community life.  The consultant helping to draw up the plan is Peter J. Smith and Company of Buffalo.

 

New York lawmakers have largely stayed true to Albany's reputation for procrastination and back-room dealing despite corruption scandals that highlighted its insider culture.  The Legislature planned to adjourn last week but is still working out a deal on one of the year's biggest issues, the renewal of New York City's rent regulations.  They briefly expired last week when lawmakers couldn't agree on an extension.  The six-month session was especially challenging to its new leaders, Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Leader John Flanagan.  Both took over after the arrests of their predecessors threw the Legislature into turmoil.  Despite the turmoil, Albany's way of doing business remains intact.  Lawmakers largely ignored calls to overhaul campaign finance and ethics rules, while negotiations on the year's biggest issues are still held behind closed doors.

 

State lawmakers have voted to allow parents to get paid for providing personal care for their chronically ill or disabled adult children.  Sponsors say many special needs children continue to live with their parents, who face the dilemma of having to work outside the home to pay for someone else to care for their son or daughter.  The bill would revise the state-administered Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, which already allows that caregiver to be another family member.  It would still prohibit spouses or the person legally responsible for the care and support of the individual be eligible for the program.  It also requires that the parent's services are consistent with the disabled or chronically ill person's care plan and at no higher cost than an outside personal assistant.