Near blizzard-like conditions yesterday afternoon on Interstate 86 north of Jamestown played a part in a multi-vehicle crash involving two tractor-trailers.
State Police in Jamestown tell the Post-Journal the accident occured about 2:30 PM when one big rig jack-knifed... blocking both lanes of I-86 between Exits 9 and 10. Another westbound semi then struck the jack-knifed truck... causing the trailer to disconnect, and spilling part of it's load of 40-thousand pounds of yogurt on the road. The paper reports the trailer continued over a guardrail... and, fell onto a westbound access ramp below. One person was taken to Westfield Memorial Hospital for treatment. The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Dispatch confirms the westbound lanes of I-86 between Exits 9 and 10 were closed several hours, only re-opening to motorists about 6:30 this morning.
Cold temperatures and frigid wind chills have prompted the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services to issue a Code Blue Warning through tomorrow.
Director Christine Schuyler says the warning is triggered when temperatures reach 32 degrees or lower... and, requires shelter access to anyone in need of assistance. During normal business hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday, people seeking emergency shelter should report to the Department of Health and Human Services offices in Dunkirk or Jamestown, where shelter will be arranged. After business hours and on weekends, persons seeking emergency shelter or knowing people who need's it should contact the Sheriff’s Office by dialing 9-1-1 and shelter will be provided. In addition to law enforcement... UPMC Chautauqua Hospital... the county's Department of Mental Hygiene... and, the UCAN City Mission in Jamestown can be utilized. The mission is for adult males.
Drivers are being asked to stay off of roads and schools are closed in areas of upstate New York bracing for continued high winds and up to four feet of snow.
Gusty winds and blowing snow are reducing visibility Thursday in western and northern New York. Law enforcement agencies are fielding numerous reports of vehicles off of roadways. Police and emergency officials in some areas east of Lake Ontario issued travel advisories because of snow-covered roads and blowing snow. Winds as fast as 55 mph are expected in some areas. Dozens of school districts closed ahead of the storm.
Federal lawmakers should move ahead with allocating $2.5-billion to the Trump Adminstration to fight the current and potential impacts of the Coronavirus.
If more is needed later... it can be allocated at that time. Those are the feelings of local Congressman Tom Reed... who took part in a House Ways and Means Committee briefing with Health and Human Services Director Alex Azar. Reed was pleased to hear Azar say they are taking "aggressive measures" to contain the virus.
There is now word that a person in California has contracted the COVID-19 Virus who has not traveled abroad... nor had contact with anyone believed to have Coronavirus. Reed says while there are very real concerns... Congress should not give the administration a "blank check." The A-P reports that House and Senate Leaders are negotiating for between $6-billion and $8-billion to fight Coronavirus... but, Reed says it's important to get the $2.5-billion to officials so they can do their work. The Corning Republican made his comments during his weekly telephone conference call with regional media.
President Trump needs to take issues of national security matters more seriously... such as cyber security, and potential spread of the Coronavirus.
Those are the feelings of Democratic Congressional candidate Tracy Mitrano... who considered is a cybersecurity policy expert. Mitrano says she's disappointed that incumbant Republican Representative Tom Reed is standing with a president who has politicized Russian interferance in the 2016 Election.
Mitrano says she is very concerned that the president has replaced the head of national security with the former Ambassador to Germany. However... she says Rick Grennel has no security experience. The Penn Yan Democrat says that doesn't promote confidence when your talking about the security, or health of the nation. The A-P is reporting today that... while the president has proposed 2.5-billion dollars in federal funding to battle Coronavirus... House and Senate Leaders are negotiating for larger amounts.
