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WJTN Headlines for Wednesday Dec. 13, 2017

The Lake Effect Snow machine cranked out a few inches of the white stuff by mid-evening last night and snowfall totals were getting near a foot in some places in western New York. 
 
By mid-evening last night, the National Weather Service reported about 10.5 inches in Perrysburg while Mayville was reporting seven to eight inches.  Forecasters are continuing a Lake Effect Snow Warning for Chautauqua County through 7:00 tonight. 
 
Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace says there were a number of crashes Tuesday morning due to the heavy snow in spots.
 
Gerace says they have the "procrastinators that wait until we get a storm like this to get their cars equiped with snow tires."  He says drivers have to slow down and, give themselves more time to stop at intersections.  He adds make sure to buckle-up and when the snow is falling, use your headlights.
 
Yesterday's tricky conditions led to a tractor-trailer accident on Route 394 in the town of North Harmony.  Sheriff's Department dispatchers say the crash occured shortly after 1 p.m. when the tractor slid off the road and into a ditch. 
 
Route 394 from Interstate 86 to Ramsey Road was closed a few hours while the scene was cleared.  The driver was taken to a local hospital for treatment. 
 
 
Voters in the Southwestern Central School District have approved a pair of propositions that will allow the next phase of renovations and upgrades to all district buildings. 
 
That from School Superintendent Maureen Donahue, who was pleased with the final vote on the $12.6-million  capital improvement project, which also includes a $1.3-million Energy Performance Project that will include outfitting all facilities with LED lighting.  She says work begins on the projects this morning. 
 
Donahue says there is also some infrastructure work that's part of the capital improvements, including electrical, heating and wastewater work.  She says there will be some outside improvements, such as a new roof for the elementary school building.  Vote totals were not available last night.
 
 
New York's junior U.S. Senator is pushing back against President Trump after calling on him to resign in the wake of renewed sexual misconduct allegations against him. 
 
White House Press secretary Sarah Sanders had promised to provide a list of eyewitnesses and evidence to exonerate Trump.  Trump Tuesday tweeted that Gillibrand would come to his office "begging" for campaign contributions and "do anything" to get them. 
 
Gillibrand said Trump's attack was a "sexist smear" to try and silence her.  During a conference call yesterday afternoon, the New York Democrat again called on Trump to resign over past allegations of sexual misconduct. 
 
Back to the rebuttals, nearly 24 hours after saying the White House would provide them to the media it released just two accounts.  One was about Trump allegedly groping a woman on a plane in the 1970s, the other that he behaved inappropriately in a beauty pageant dressing room.  However, they only cited news reports quoting eyewitnesses.
 
 
The joint conference committee on tax reform is quickly moving towards final reconcilation of a measure that can be voted on by both the House and Senate. 
 
However,  local Congressman Tom Reed says there is still a lot of misinformation out in the public about the measure, which he says will put $1,600 in the pockets of a typical family in his Southern Tier district. 
 
Reed says that's due to the doubling of the standard deduction on the basic tax form and he says that should save money for 99-percent of the residents in his district.  One of the biggest concerns in New York state is the future of the State and Local Property Tax deducton, which is taken out of the tax code. 
 
However, Reed says the provision he pushed for, to write-off property taxes up to $10,000, is in both the House and Senate versions.  He expects a vote shortly, possibly by the end of the week. 
 
 
A Jamestown woman faces second-degree assault for trying to stab a female victim Monday night. 
 
City police say they were called to UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital for a stab victim.  Investigation revealed at 38 year-old Rochelly Alvarez attempted to stab the victim with a knife, hitting and cutting the victim on her hands several times.
 
The victim sufferred minor lacerations. Alvarez was taken to city jail pending arraignment.
 
 
The Salvation Army of Jamestown is well on it's way to raising it's just over $100,000 goal for the annual Red Kettle Campaign this year. 
 
Captain Kim Merchant says the "kettle" drive seems to be holding its own and is at about the same place at last year at this time.  She says it's "wonderful" but, the Salvation Army still has 100 outstanding Angel Tree tags. 
 
The program ensures children in needy families get presents for Christmas.  Merchant adds there is still time to send in gifts, but the deadline is under a week away, December 18.
 
Merchant says there are 630 families receiving gifts through the program. Senior citizens participating receive food baskets with everything needed to make a Christmas meal, including Ham and Turkey, and all the trimmings.  She says the food baskets also include items to help people get through a few more days past the holiday season, such as soup and cereal. 
 
Merchant says you can drop gifts off at their front office between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m..  For more information, call 664-4108.
 
 
Upstate Republican state Assemblyman Brian Kolb says he will run for New York governor next year. 
 
The lawmaker from Canandaigua, has led the GOP minority in the Assembly for eight years and was first elected in 2000.  Kolb confirmed his plans Tuesday morning on Rochester's WHAM-1180 radio ahead of a formal announcement expected later in the day. 
 
Cuomo is considered a possible White House contender but says he plans to seek a third term in 2018.  Kolb has acknowledged that beating Cuomo will be a challenge. 
 
Cuomo is a prodigious fundraiser and his party has a big advantage in voter registration in New York.  Other potential candidates in 2018 include Democrat Stephanie Miner, the outgoing mayor of Syracuse; Republican businessman Harry Wilson; and Republican state Sen. John DeFrancisco of Syracuse.