A woman has died from injuries suffered when she was struck by a car at the intersection of West Third Street and Lakin Avenue in Jamestown yesterday afternoon. City police were called to the scene about 2:20 PM Wednesday... and, the investigation showed the eastbound vehicle struck the unidentified person as they were crossing West Third. Officers say the woman was taken to WCA Hospital... where she later died of her injuries. City police are being assisted in the investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department Accident Reconstruction Team. No charges have been filed. More when it becomes available.
There's still no deal on a new state budget as New York lawmakers and Governor Cuomo continue to negotiate behind closed doors one day before a key deadline. Top lawmakers and Cuomo huddled in the Democratic governor's office Wednesday morning continuing to discuss the details of the roughly $150 billion spending plan. The major obstacles are Cuomo's plan to gradually raise the minimum wage from $9 to $15. Republicans have suggested a smaller, more gradual increase to $12.50 in the upstate. Another sticking point is Cuomo's proposal to shift $250 million in Medicaid costs to New York City, a plan opposed by Assembly Democrats. Top lawmakers hope to strike in time for the full Legislature to pass the budget before Friday, the start of a new fiscal year.
There may be slight bump up in state aid to cities and other local governments in the new state budget... but, Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi says he's not getting his hopes up. Teresi says Governor Andrew Cuomo did not include an increase in aid. However... Teresi says the Democrat-led Assembly is proposing an across-the-board, 10-percent hike in 2016-17. He says that would have given the city a 460-thousand dollar aid increase if it would have been done this past year. Teresi says the state Senate has made a curious proposal. There would be no increase in aid to cities. However... he says some villages could see an increase... and, five new villages are also getting aid for the first time. He says that flies in the face of state government policy of pushing to reduce the number of smaller villages and governments in the state. Teresi says local municipalities haven't seen an increase in state aid since 2008... and, he adds they actually saw a decrease in the 2009-2010 budget.
The top official in the Jamestown school district says he's heard little more about whether there will be a final budget by the end of the day today or not. However... Superintendent Tim Mains says sources in Albany have told him the final spending plan will at least include the governor's original plan to increase school aid by 1.1-billion dollars. Mains says it's also appearing likely that the so-called "Gap Elimination Adjustment" will be gone in the new budget. However... he says there are between 14 and 15 catagories. Mains says those catagories include Foundation -- or base aid... BOCE Aid... and, Computer Aid. Under the governor's proposal... the Jamestown district is receiving an additional 1.7-million dollars in aid... but, it's not known where that will fall exactly. The State Assembly's proposal includes a 2.1-billion dollar increase in school aid... while the state Senate included a 1.7-billion dollar hike.
Gas prices in Chautauqua County are up another 9-cents this week to just under 2-dollars-18 cents a gallon. The Triple-A's Fuel Gauge Report says the average price of regular, unleaded gasoline is based on reports from 19 local service stations. The price last week was just under 2--09 a gallon. Last year at this time... Triple-A says the price was 2-dollars-60 cents. The national average has now climbed above the 2-dollar level for the first time this year. It's now 2--04 a gallon. The Fuel Gauge Report says the national average has now increased for 21 consecutive days. But, despite the recent increase, the average prices remain 39 cents per gallon less than a year ago. Triple-A says many refineries are conducting seasonal maintenance, which has led to a decline in fuel production. In addition, refineries are preparing to produce summer-blend gasoline. Retailers in many parts of the country are required to sell this summer-blend of gasoline by June 1st.
Police say a report of a suspicious vehicle in a city of Dunkirk neighborhood early this morning led to drug and child related charges being placed against a man from the north county city. Police received the call from citizen around 1 AM. That from Police Chief David Ortolano... who says officers able to locate the vehicle and the driver.
Ortolano says the those items turned out to include bags containing marijuana packaged for street sale, several large chunks of crack cocaine and a small amount of cocaine powder. Police also found several open containers of alcoholic beverages in the vehicle along with a 16-year-old female passenger who police say admitted to consuming alcohol provided by Chambers. Ortolano praises the citizen who got involved and his department. He says it's very important to their efforts. Chambers faces several charges including fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance -- a felony -- and unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawfully dealing with a child.
A Cattaraugus County man is jailed on 25-thousand dollars bail for allegedly selling narcotics in the city of Salamanca. Agents with the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force say they arrested 44 year-old John Lee of 270 East State Street, Salamanca just after 10:30 PM Tuesday. Task Force members did not specify what drugs they allegedly found Lee in possession of. However... he's been charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell... and, one count of third-degree criminal sale of drugs. Lee was arraigned in Salamanca town Court... and, sent to the Little Valley lock-up.
An orthopedic surgeon who's been on staff for nearly four decades at WCA Hospital has been named the Medical Staff's "Physician of the Year." Dr. Peter Robinson was announced as this year's choice by Staff President Dr. Timothy Brown during the hospital's 11th annual "Doctor's Day Luncheon." WCA President and Chief Executive Officer Betsy Wright calls Robinson a "great choice..." Wright says a group of previous presidents of the Medical Staff make up the selection committee for the award. She says the criteria for Physician of the Year include: Quality of care they provide... interaction with staff and patients at the hospital... is a positive force within the staff... and, someone who gives back to the community. The head of Marketing at Chautauqua Institution, George Murphy, provided the program for the annual luncheon... and, talked about the institution... and, future plans for Chautauqua.
