Many local and state government leaders are unhappy about Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposal to eliminate Aid and Incentives for Municipalities -- or AIM funding, for local towns and villages....
The plan is part of Cuomo's $178-billion budget proposal for 2019-2020. Under the plan, towns and villages still get AIM funding, but only if they rely on it for more than 2-percent of their budget. Local Assemblyman Andy Goodell says the aid is critical if the state makes the 2-percent property tax cap permanent.
Goodell does say that most local towns and villages would still be eligible for funding. However, he says this move would pull the "rug out from under municipalities, financially." Under the governor's proposal, all 61 cities outside New York City would continue to receive the aid under Cuomo's plan.
New York lawmakers have passed one of the nation's strongest protections for abortion rights, saying the women of the state need legal safeguards if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.....
The Democrat-led Senate and Assembly passed the bill Tuesday, the 46th anniversary of the Roe decision. Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo immediately signed it into law. Known as the Reproductive Health Act, the measure replaces a 1970 state abortion law that was passed three years before Roe legalized abortion nationwide. It codifies many abortion rights laid out in Roe and other court rulings, including a provision permitting late-term abortions when a woman's health is endangered. The new law also authorizes physician assistants to perform some abortions. Opponents predict the bill will lead to more late-term procedures.
A study done for the state School Boards Association shows many districts without enough school psychologists to deal with students social and mental health issues....
Association Executive Director Tim Kreamer says that's part of the reason they are pushing to increase Foundation -- or Base Aid -- for local districts. Budget discussions begin in earnest in Albany Tuesday and, Kreamer says the need for more help for students who are in poverty, or have other domestic issues they're dealing with.
Kreamer says local districts should be able to get the funding they need to help provide the psychological services their students need and, Foundation Aid would be the way to help fund that. He says many schools have what they need, but many others don't. Currently, he says the ratio of psychologists to students -- statewide -- is "adequate." But, he says there are big gaps in some places. The Jamestown School District is one that has begun focusing more on the psychological well-being of students -- especially those who are considered to be in poverty.
Actress and former candidate for New York governor Cynthia Nixon has returned to the state Capitol to push for more funding for the state's struggling schools....
The former star of "Sex and the City" joined education advocates and several Democratic state lawmakers in Albany Tuesday to criticize Governor Andrew Cuomo's education funding proposal in his state budget plan released last week. Cuomo wants to increase education aid by $956-million for a total of $27.7 billion, including another $338 million in Foundation Aid, the general operating funding for school districts. Nixon and others say more is needed for the state's poor school districts. They're calling on Cuomo to fully fund New York's schools equitably. Nixon, a longtime education advocate, was easily defeated in September's Democratic primary by Cuomo, the incumbent.
Today is the first day to register for the DEC's summer camps and the Seneca Trail Resource Conservation and Development Council is once again offering scholarships for a couple of students in each county they serve...
Council President, Al Ormond, says the one week camps are for young people 11-13 year-olds and 14-17 year-olds. The focus is on conservation, with opportunities to focus on hunting, trapping and archery. The DEC has seven camps around the state, the closest to our area is Camp Rushford in Allegany County. In Chautauqua County, students interested in the scholarships should contact Larry Rater at 769-7338 or Tom Ormond at 267-7855.
A Kennedy man faces charges after Ellicott Town Police allegedly found him in possession of a weapon and drugs early yesterday morning....
Town officers say they checked on a suspicious man in the village of Falconer and, he provided them with a false name, before learning his real name was Joshua Cook. Police say the 29 year-old gave them a false name because he had a valid arrest warrant. A search of his person revealed metal knuckles and a quantity of crystal methamphetamine. Cook was taken into custody for seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, false personation and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He's being held in the county jail pending arraignment.
A Jamestown man was arrested for drug possession after city police found him sleeping inside a vehicle on the city's southside Monday afternoon....
Officers were called to the area of Jewel Place and Cole Avenue shortly after 12 p.m. to check the well-being of a male in a car. Officers say when 37 year-old David Dean stepped out of the vehicle, contents from his person fell out, including methamphetamine and marijuana. He was transported to the city jail to await arraignment.
It was a total team effort that helped the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County meet -- and exceed -- it's 2018 General Campaign goal....
The human service agency held it's campaign celebration at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts and, announced they had raised just over $1.346-million or about $11,000 more than this year's goal. Campaign Chairman Kurt Eimiller thanked the community for it's generosity.
Generally, United Way officials say most of their divisions came in over their goals for the campaign. Eimiller says he was drawn to the organization because 75-percent of the campaign funds go towards youth programs in the Jamestown-area. He says kids often end up being "victims of their circumstance..." and he felt a "powerful urge" to do what he to help those in need. United Way Executive Director Amy Rohler, who just finished her first year with the organization, expressed her gratitude to the community, her staff, and all the volunteers who took part in making the campaign a success. The United Way funds 39 programs that are part of 26 human service agencies in the area.
