Local News Headlines
The Jamestown Fire Department will soon be able to make the first major upgrade to it's vehicle fleet in several years. That after the city council okayed receiving a 464-thousand dollar federal grant... and, okayed another 51-thousand dollars in local money for a new pumper truck and ambulance. The Assistance to Firefighters grant comes from the the Federal Emergency Management Agency... and, will be used to replace a 33 year-old pumper truck. Harvey says now the real work begins because they have to draw up vehicle specifications. Harvey says that's the same situtation for the ambulance... which will replace a 20 year-old model. He says they still have a lot of research to do... and, they only have a year to put the vehicles out to bid... award the bid... and, get the vehicles. The just over 51-thousand dollars is the 10-percent match the city has to put up to receive the grant. The money will come from the city's contingency account. Both votes last night were unanimous.
The City Council also approved two resolutions last night that will move construction forward on part of the northside of the Chadakoin Riverwalk project. Council President Greg Rabb says one resolution was to accept a 25-foot wide strip of land from the Blackstone-Ney Ultrasonics building in Brooklyn Square to Panzarella Point... along with a 19-thousand dollar grant from the Gebbie Foundation. The foundation had recently puchased the property... and, the grant will be used to buy the materials needed. Rabb says it's a big step. City officials say once the northside walk-way is completed... both sides of the river will be connected by a pedestrian bridge near Panzarella Point -- which is in the river -- behind the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities. Rabb says the southside portion -- part of which is behind the former Evan's Skateland location -- is pretty much completed. The city... along with a number of civic groups... have been working the past few years on completing the Chadakoin Riverwalk project.
The search for Dan Wolboldt is over. The Warren Times Observer reports that A day after a volunteer search party recovered a body from the Conewango Creek, officials made a positive identification of the body on Monday through forensic dentistry. Warren County Coroner Jerry Borden confirmed the identity of the body as Wolboldt, 69, of North Warren, who had been reported missing March 23. Dr. Eric Vey, forensic pathologist in the Erie County coroner's office, conducted the forensic examination. "The forensic dentistry is a perfect match," Borden said Monday. He said drowning was the cause of death. Media One News tried to reach D-A Ross Mckiernan for comment but were unsuccessful.
U-S Senator Chuck Schumer is questioning why the FBI didn't re-interview the older brother suspected in the Boston Marathon bombing when he returned from Russia and posted ``inflammatory'' comments on the Internet. Schumer tells The Associated Press he's a big supporter of the FBI, which has foiled numerous terrorism attempts. But... he says something went wrong this time. Schumer says Monday he'll pursue an answer as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee oversees the FBI. He says the FBI should have talked again with 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev (TAM'-ehr-lun Sahr-NEYE'-ehv) when he returned from a six-month stay in Russia and then posted the remarks. Tsarnaev died in a gun fight. His younger brother, Dzhokhar (joh-HAHR') is in custody.
Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards' decision to NOT run for a third-term "caught a lot of people by surprise" -- including local Congressman Tom Reed. During his weekly telephone news conference Monday... Reed said he did not anticipate last Friday's announcement. The Corning Republican... whose only worked with Edwards for several months... says he's found the local leader to be a "top notch" and "quality" public servant. Edwards decision immediately touched off speculation that he may run for state-wide office. He was GOP Gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino's running mate nearly three years ago. However... while Reed says Edwards would do an excellent job at whatever he might do... it's the Busti Republican's choice. In recent week's... Edwards' name has come up as a possible Gubernatorial candidate next year. His name was mentioned by State GOP Chairman Edward Cox on a state-wide Cable TV program. Reed... though... emphasizes the choice to run is for Edwards... and, his family... to make. We tried to reach Chautauqua County Republican Committee Chairman Al Hendrickson yesterday morning for comment on Edwards' decision. However... Hendrickson is not available for comment Monday. We hope to reach him later today.
While public schools saw a significant increase in state aid in the new 2013-2014 budget... local community colleges saw a small increase. However... Jamestown Community College President Dr. Greg DeCinque says the lag in aid "was not as bad as it could have been." DeCinque says New York Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed no increase in what's called "base aid... " which is handed out per student. However... he says the state legislature did increase that... but, by nowhere near what they needed. DeCinque says community colleges needed 350-dollars per student to get back to where the state should be. However... he says JCC has been able to weather the storm through record enrollments in recent years. That's brought in more money -- per student -- then they had been getting. However... enrollment has declined the past couple of years because of a decline in enrollment from local high schools. With that... DeCinque says they've been working to recruit more out of state... and "out-of-area" students.... especially because there is room in their residence halls.
