A well-known school administrator from the Jamestown-area who is retired is now the interim Superintendent for the Cassadaga Valley Central School District. Former Sherman Superintendent Tom Schmidt has taken over following the sudden resignation of Scott Smith... who resigned effective Monday. Following a lengthy closed-door session... the school board last (Tuesday) night announced Smith's resignation due to his "interactions" with another district employee. Schmidt will run the district through the end of the school year. On WJTN's "Dennis Webster Show..." Schmidt said it's going to be a challenge. Schmidt adds there's also the added pressure of having to deal with the full roll-out of the "Common Core Curriculum..." which has been controversial both locally and state-wide. He was named after the board had worked with Erie-2, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus BOCES Superintendent David O'Rourke on the matter. Also during Tuesday's meeting... the board approved an agreement between the district and High School Principal Tara DiDomenico granting "a request of leave." School officials say current staff will be picking up DiDomenico's duties during the interim.
There's been a big shake up for the Buffalo Sabres. Team officials announced Wednesday the firing of General Manager Darcy Regier... and, Head Coach Ron Rolston. Two former Sabres -- one a coach -- now hope to turn the team's fortunes around. They are Pat LaFontaine and Ted Nolan. Team Owner Terry Pegula announced that LaFontaine will assume a new job with the organization. And... Nolan will take over as interim head coach. He was very emotional about his return to the Sabres organization... saying he didn't know if he would ever have a shot at coaching again. However... this was the place he wanted to do it. Among LaFontaine's top goals is to find a new GM. Regier and Rolston were relieved of their duties following Tuesday's home game with the L-A Kings. The Sabres are trying to turn around a 4-15-1 record.
A city man has been turned over to county Probation officials following a domestic incident in which he threatened his ex-girlfriend... and, threw a brick through her living room window. Jamestown police were called to the scene at 400 West Seventh Street late Tuesday morning. Officers say the 32 year-old female victim said the ex-boyfriend -- 34 year-old Damian Rosado -- was on her porch and refused to leave. Police say they found Rosado shortly after they arrived... but, found he had committed no crime, and he left. However... as police were clearing the scene... they were again called by the victim. She said a neighbor told her Rosado was in the back of the home... and, had slashed the tires on her car. Officers were unable to find him... but, he later approached the woman as she was waiting for her child to get out of school. Rosado then allegedly made the threat... and, she called police. A policeman took the report... but, at the same time... Rosado when to police headquarters -- where he was arrested. He was charged with third-degree menacing.
Taxes will be going up just over 4-percent in the town of Ellicott next year after lawmakers recently approved a 3.9-million dollar budget. Town Supervisor Cecil Miller says the tax increase is "unfortunate..." but, also unavoidable. Miller says spending is up about 118-thousand dollars in three areas is up due to state mandates... and, contractual obligations. In the final... approved budget... Miller says the tax levy wound up being 2.33-million dollars. That's up slightly from the initial proposal of 2.29-million. However... there were some decreases in spending... namely due to the retirements of some long-time police officers. Miller says there was also one resignation... and, only a couple of full-timers... and, some part-timers were hired at a lower wage. While there are some exclusions that can bring municipalities UNDER the state's 2-percent property tax cap... he says they're over it. Miller says the final budget includes a 20-cent per thousand tax rate increase outside the villages to 4-dollars-98 cents per thousand assessed value. In the villages of Falconer and Celoron... he says the rate is up 16-cents to 4-dollars-41 cents per thousand.
New York's Department of State is giving 4-million dollars in grants to 68 local governments to study and implement projects to streamline operations and save taxpayer dollars. The Local Government Efficiency grants will be distributed across 18 projects that localities are collaborating on. This round of grants will fund seven water projects, including the transfer of management services to county systems in Erie, Orange and Columbia counties. In addition... four schools will be assessing reorganization, including Elmira and Horseheads, and Seneca Falls and Waterloo. Other projects involve fuel facilities, wastewater treatment, communications, fire services and redevelopment.
Gas prices in the Jamestown-area are down again this week. That from the Triple-A's Fuel Gauge Report... which says the current price is down 4-cents to 3-dollars-60 cents per gallon. The Triple-A says today's average, national price is down 6-cents a gallon to 3-dollars-18 cents. That's the lowest it's been since February 22nd of 2011. The Fuel Gauge says less expensive gas prices are providing welcome relief to motorists in every state... and Washington, D.C.
