The Jamestown City Council is being asked for it's support of a proposal to apply for state funding for a new distillery business in the former Marine Midland Bank building....
Jamestown Renaissance Corporation Interim Director Peter Miraglia outlined the proposal by developer Nick O'Neill of Enchanted Mountain Spirits during last night's work session. Miraglia says they are seeking 200-thousand dollars in Consolidated Funding Application money for the $450,000 project.
Miraglia noted that O'Neill plans to employ at least 40 people in the business by the end of their third-year of operations. O'Neill says they'll start out with eight people in the beginning so that can get trained. He says they plan to hire up to 43 people by the end of their third year. Those involved in distilling will be trained at a location in Kentucky. The former Marine Midland, and Key Bank is also being eyed for some commercial, and residential development.
The 4th Lecom Health Challenge Golf Tournament will be played July 4th through the 7th at Peek'n Peak, and there will be some changes this year.....
Tournament Director, Mark Guise, from the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation says no one will pay admission to watch the golf this year. It'll be free and there'll be no registration fee for volunteers, either. At the Media Day preview Monday at the Peak, Guise also announced several other free events including a Caddyshack party and fireworks on July 5th. But, those who want to see the tournament will have to go to the course. Bo DeHuff of the Web.com tour says there'll be 'no Golf Channel this year'. The organizers decided to put their resources elsewhere, including the free admission. This is the final year for the Lake Erie College of Medicine's support of the Peek'n Peak tournament, and they won't be back. The Erie college is going to sponsor a web.com event near Sarasota, Florida, where they have another major campus. Tom Wedzik of the Lecom Board of Trustees says they've achieved their goals with the local event and are particularly happy with how much has been raised for various charities... over $400,000 by the end of this year's tournament. Mark Guise says they are looking for another sponsor, or sponsors to keep the tournament at Peek'n Peak. Web.com would like to have that nailed down by Labor Day. Guise also make it clear the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation would like to share the management of the tournament with 'others' in the future.
A pared-down, $11.5-million school budget for next year willl be decided on by voters in the Clymer Central School District today.....
Residents will vote from 12 Noon to 8 PM on the spending plan... which includes an 8.8-percent tax levy increase. That's down from the 13-percent increase voters rejected last month. However, the majority of voters then -- 580 of them -- voted for the budget, while 459 voted no. It was defeated because the proposal exceeded the state's property tax cap, and required a 60-percent supermajority to pass. School Superintendent Ed Bailey says he feels good about this budget's chances.
Bailey says he and the school board cut about $171,000 from the spending plan, and eliminated a teacher support position, and may cut one instructional position. However, he says that's not etched in stone. He says voters will also have a chance to sound-off on the district's future through four non-binding propositions on the ballot. Bailey says voting today runs from 12 Noon to 8 PM.
The Dunkirk City School District will hold a run-off election today for two board candidates....
During school board elections on May 21st, Julie Smith received 177 votes and will hold a three-year term seat. But, Robert Bankoski and Betsy Ramos each had 171 votes, and today's election will determine which candidate will receive the second, three-year term seat, as well as a one-year term seat. Voting will be from 12 to 9 PM in the Auxiliary Gym area.
A man from the Buffalo-area faces several charges after he allegedly fled from state troopers during a traffic stop on Interstate 90 in the town of Sheridan and, was located and arrested on Friday on a warrant from Sheridan town court.....
During the traffic stop on June 5th, troopers found that 26-year-old Joseph Nelson of Williamsville was driving with a suspended license and was wanted on multiple warrants out of Amherst. Nelson sped off after police requested he exit his vehicle, and the pursuit covered about 7 miles before troopers broke it off after Nelson drove through a closed toll lane at the Dunkirk exit, and left the Thruway. Nelson faces several charges, including first-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer and, aggravated unlicensed operation.
Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello, who has been endorsed by most county Republican Committees in his run for the 57th State Senate District, is proposing legislation to help sole proprietorships expand.....
Borrello Monday announced his First Employee Tax Credit Plan. He says the legislation, which would be one of the first bills he’d sponsor in the Senate, would assist single-owner start-ups to expand their operations and bring in their first employee.
Borrello says about half of the small businesses in New York State are sole proprietorships. Once a sole proprietorship moves to having paid employees, owners are responsible for workers compensation insurance and added business costs. Borrello says his plan would give a state income tax credit to any business when it adds its first, permanent payroll employee. He says the credit the first year would be 25 percent of the cost to employ that person for the first year. It would then drop to 20 percent the second year and 10 percent in the third year.
