They’re not lurking just in the deep woods anymore. That’s the wake-up call health officials across Western New York are sounding as tick season hits peak danger—and this year, it’s worse than it’s been in nearly a decade.

The CDC reports emergency room visits for tick bites have reached their highest weekly rate since 2017. But here’s what makes that statistic scarier than it sounds: these bloodsucking parasites aren’t confined to hiking trails or state forests. Rebecca Roll with Lyme Western New York puts it bluntly: “It’s an everywhere problem. It’s not an outdoor problem. It’s not a wooded problem. It’s an everywhere problem.” Your backyard, your neighborhood sidewalk, even your kid’s playground—they’re all potential tick territory.

The risk landscape in our region tells the story. The Southern Tier sits at medium risk for nymphal ticks, while the northern Buffalo area carries slightly lower risk for that particular stage. But adult ticks? That’s where the danger cranks up to high across the whole region. Don’t let that scare you into staying indoors, though. Roll reminds us that the payoff of getting outside still outweighs the risk—we’re lucky to live here, and that means using it.

So how do you actually stay safe? Start with the basics: light-colored clothing makes ticks easier to spot, and long sleeves and pants tucked into socks or boots create a barrier they can’t cross. The Western New York Public Health Alliance recommends insect repellent with 20-30% DEET, though the EPA also backs alternatives like picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. (If you’re using sunscreen, apply that first, repellent second.)

The critical move? A full-body check after you come inside. Don’t skip the weird spots—under your arms, behind your ears, inside the belly button, between your legs, around the waistline. If you find one, grab fine-tipped tweezers and pull straight up from the mouthparts without twisting. Speed matters: removing a tick within 36 hours of attachment can dramatically lower your risk of contracting Lyme disease. Watch the bite site for a rash over the next 3 to 30 days.

At home, you can also create a tick-safe zone: keep grass mowed, clear brush away from stone walls and wood piles, place a 3-foot barrier of wood chips between your lawn and any wooded areas, and keep playground equipment and patios in sunny spots away from tree edges. Fencing and keeping pets out of wooded areas both help too. The goal isn’t to eliminate every tick—that’s impossible—but to stack the odds in your favor. Summer’s here. Get outside, stay smart, and check yourself on the way back in.

School’s nearly out, the thermometer’s climbing into the 80s, and there’s only one way families in Warren and Jamestown are beating the heat this season: water. Lots of it.

The good news? Local officials across both counties are rolling out the welcome mat without making your wallet weep. In Warren, city manager Mike Holtz announced that the municipal pool is opening its gates with admission fees locked at last year’s prices—a rare move when operating costs keep climbing. “We realize that the pool is really important to the community and the kids, and with prices going up everywhere you look, we wanted to keep our fees the same as last year to give everybody an opportunity to come out and cool down,” Holtz explained. It’s the kind of move that reminds you affordable recreation isn’t dead; it just takes commitment.

Over at the Warren County YMCA’s C.A.R. Pool (short for Conewango, Allegheny River Community Pool), the waters are already open for business. Manager Dani Mumford reports the facility opened strong despite cooler-than-ideal temperatures, with a standout crew of newly trained lifeguards ready for the summer crush. They’ve even got special red, white and blue uniforms on deck to celebrate Pennsylvania’s upcoming 250th anniversary—a small touch that shows pride in what they’re running.

Cross the state line into Jamestown, and you’ll find splash pads firing up at no cost to families. Dan Stone, parks manager for the City of Jamestown Parks and Recreation Department, credits local leadership for prioritizing public recreation. “We are very fortunate at the Parks Department that our mayor and City Council realize the importance of the parks here in the city, and we try to offer as much as we can to the public at no expense to them,” Stone said. Rising costs have complicated preparations, but winter maintenance work ensured everything’s ready for the crowds.

As kids count down their final days of school, these communities are sending a clear message: staying cool shouldn’t be a luxury. Whether it’s a municipal pool keeping prices steady or splash pads throwing open their gates free, Warren and Jamestown are betting that access to summer fun strengthens the whole community.

New York's Junior U-S Senator says the Trump administration has finally released a long-delayed report on homeless data nationwide.  Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand... who is a member of a relevant Senate subcommittee, has announced that the U-S Department of Housing and Urban Development has finally responded to her call to release its long-overdue homelessness data.  Part-One of the 2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment report...  found that homelessness fell by 3-percent nationwide in the year ending in January 2025.  But, there were concerning increases for certain populations, particularly a 6.8-percent increase among people aged 65 and older. 

The annual "Hope & Healing Conference of Western New York" is taking place Thursday and Friday on the campus of SUNY Fredonia.  The day-one speakers include Joseph Green and Kym Laube... two nationally recognized voices who bring powerful perspectives on connection, recovery, and the impact of lived experience. Joseph Green brings more than 20 years of experience in helping people to make "meaningful change" in their lives. Kym Laube is the Executive Director of Human Understanding Growth Services -- or HUGS, Inc., based in Westhampton Beach, New York.   She has more than 35 years of experience in substance use prevention.   For more information... go on-line to hopeandhealingconference.com.

 

A Dunkirk man has been charged with four counts of 2nd degree rape after his arrest early Wednesday morning in Forestville.  The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office reports 44-year-old Vernal Carpenter was apprehended around 3:30 AM in a vehicle along with a 'juvenile subject.' A subsequent investigation determined there had been several instances of intimate contact between the pair on more than one occasion.  Carpenter was taken to the county jail pending arraignment.  

 

The Jamestown Farmer's Market will open for the season this Saturday, from 9 AM to 1 PM... at a new location.  Neith Weith (wythe), the Director of Food Access Programs says they are moving to East Third Street in the area in front of the Reg Lenna Civic Center.  The change came at the request of both vendors and customers who wanted a more 'park like' atmosphere with trees to fend off the mid-summer heat.  As in past years, customers can use SNAP and 'Fresh Connect' benefits when they shop. The Jamestown Farmer's Market is a program of St. Lukes Episcopal Church.  

 

I-86  Catt County Rebuild-Short (No Audio)  06-03-26
 

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that work is underway to repave a portion of Interstate 86 that runs through the Seneca Nation in Cattaraugus County.  It's a $5.6 million  project that will include milling and resurfacing of more than 25 'lane miles' of the road. Some lane closures will occur between now and the conclusion of the project later this year.  The governor called I-86 a 'vital corridor.' 

 

The largest steam locomotive operating anywhere in the world will make a whistle stop in Northern Chautauqua County next week.  Union Pacific’s Big Boy Number 40-14 is set to cross the state line and stop in Ripley at Noon on Tuesday, June 9th.  'Big Boy’  will remain at the State Street crossing in Ripley until around 12:30 PM, Tuesday. The locomotive is aptly named, as it weighs 1.2 million pounds, and with the attached ‘tender,’ is 133 feet long.  The powerful engine generates 7,000 horsepower. Union Pacific used a fleet of these engines to haul heavy equipment in World War II.  As the last remaining ‘big boy,’ 40-14 is on a major tour east in conjunction with the U.S. 250 celebration. 

Public's help being sought to locate city woman currently missing...
City police in Jamestown are asking for the public's help in locating a woman who recently went missing.  City police say they are trying to locate 23 year-old Jena Roppel whose whereabouts are unknown.  Police say Roppel is about 5'0 tall, and weighs 100 lbs., and, has brown hair and blue eyes.  If you have seen Jena, been in contact with her, or have any information regarding her location, please contact the Jamestown Police Department's Detective Bureau immediately at 490-4839 -- call or text.  Police say their "priority is to confirm Jena's safety."

City man arrested on drug and weapon's charges following drug raid last Friday afternoon...      A man from Jamestown faces multiple drug and weapons possession charges following a raid on an eastside residence.  Sheriff's officer say their narcotics investigators, along with members of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force... executed a search warrant at 33 Ellicott St. shortly before 3:30 p.m. last Friday.  Inside... they found 57-year-old Anthony Jordan... and, they searched the residence.  Police investigators say they found nearly 82-grams of methamphetamine... 7.1-grams of fentanyl... just over $1,400 cash... and, packaging used for sale and distribution of narcotics.  Jordan was arrested for second and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia... and, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.  He was taken to the city jail pending arraignment. 

Wendel says there's some good, and bad, in the new NYS budget...
There's some good... and, bad in the late New York State budget which was finally adopted last week -- nearly two months late.  That from Chautauqua County Executive P-J Wendel... who says there will be some benefits to the county... namely in three areas of the more than $268.5-billion spending plan.  The first is an increase in 911 funding, but, there's also additional benefits for Tier 6 employees.  There's also $50-million more funding to assist local counties... but, that's not even $1-million for each county.  Wendel says that money is reportedly going to be doled out by population.  He says county executives will be getting more information during Tuesday meeting with the New York State Association of Counties.  Wendel says he's also pleased to see the state's climate goals being pushed back... and, making some sensible changes.  He's also happy to see the electric school bus mandate pushed back also.  However... Wendel says there's also concern over what's in the new budget that may have been intentionally -- or unintentionally -- buried in the text that lawmakers don't know about yet.  

Wendel says some homeless have had to be taken to hotels in Erie, Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties in wake of local hotel closures or partial closures...
The recent closure of hotels in Chautauqua County that have been housing homeless people has forced the county to relocate some of those individuals outside the county.  That information was revealed during a recent meeting of the County Legislature's Human Services Committee. With remaining locations in Chautauqua County now full, some of the homeless population has been sent to hotels and other facilities in Erie and Allegany counties.  Chautauqua County Executive P.J. Wendel says the county has to make sure the individuals are housed somewhere, and at this time, they have to do some of that outside of the county.  Wendel says he and Mental Hygiene Director Carmelo Hernandez have been eyeing a county-run facility to provide more oversight.  He says there are a number of places are being considered, including a former nursing facility in Gerry that closed earlier this year... and, there are others where they should be able to provide wrap around services.  Wendel has been critical of two hotel owners for not maintaining their facilities. 

North County man arrested following vehicle pursuit with his motorcycle...
An Irving man faces several charges after allegedly leading Sheriff's deputies on a vehicle pursuit with his motorcycle in the north county.  Officers say a patrol tried to pull over 58 year-old Michael Jamison shortly after 6 p.m. last Saturday... but, he failed to comply... and, led deputies on a pursuit from the town of Arkwright into the town of Hanover.  Jamison eventually stopped at an address on  Allegany Road in Hanover... and, he and a female passenger were taken into custody after a brief struggle.  Jamison faces charges including: DWI... unlawful fleeing of a police officer... and, second-degree reckless endangerment.  The female passenger was not charged.

Man from Westfield arrested on assault and menacing charges...
A man from Westfield has been arrested for allegedly injuring another person... and, then threatening them with a knife.  Westfield Police were called to a reported assault shortly before 1 p.m. last Thursday on North Portage Street... and, investigated.  Officers say they found that 49 year-old Sean Mcilveen had caused serious -- intentional injury -- to the victim during an altercation.  Police also found that Mcilveen had also followed the victim with a knife, causing the victim to fear further physical harm.  Officers later arrested Mcilveen for second-degree assault... and, second-degree menacing.  He was taken to the county jail pending centralized arraignment.

City man arrested for allegedly choking person during domestic incident...
A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly trying to choke another person during a domestic incident late last week on the city's westside.  City police were called to the location about 6:15 a.m. last Wednesday for the reported dispute.  Officers say they made contact with 37 year-old David Lindsey when they arrived... and, investigated the incident.  They found Lindsey had allegedly put pressure on the victim's neck and throat with his hands.  He was arrested for criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and was jailed pending arraignment.