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WJTN News Headlines for Oct 26, 2020

The Dunkirk City School District has announced that School 7 will be going to remote learning for the next three days after a member of the school's staff tested positive for COVID-19. The district was notified by the Chautauqua County Health Department of the positive test result on Sunday and has worked closely with the department to identify close contacts to the staff member.  Regular in person learning will resume on Thursday, October 29.

A pair of positive COVID-19 Virus tests in the Bemus Point Central School District has led officials to go to 'all virtual' instruction at Bemus Point Elementary... starting today for the next two weeks.  In an on-line message to district parents and staff... Superintendent Joe Reyda said -- quote - "because of the nature of the elementary situation, we are unable to adequately staff the elementary school.  As a result, Bemus Point Elementary will go to a virtual instruction model starting (today)... and, lasting until Friday, November 6th.  Please be aware that this is currently a staffing issue, and not an outbreak."  He adds Maple Grove Middle/High school will continue its current hybrid model.  There will also be a parent -- community Zoom meeting for all elementary parents today at 1 and 4 PM.

Chautauqua County's financial situation may remain "fluid" in 2021, after a rocky 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and shut-down.  With that... the head of the legislature's main financial committee says they'll be keeping a close eye on next year's budget.  Audit and Control Committee Chairman Chuck Nazzaro says that's why the majority of panel members approved a 4.6-percent tax increase in 2021.

Nazzaro says the big worry in 2021 is the fact there will be not one... but, two property auctions for foreclosed properties.  He says this year's auction had to be postponed due to the pandemic. The Audit and Control Committee approved the new, amended budget at last week's meeting.  The 4.6-percent levy increase totals just over $2.9-million. The legislature has already voted to allow the county to exceed the state's 2-percent property tax cap... which will be 1.56-percent in 2021.  The tax rate would increase 5-cents per thousand under the revised plan... which gets voted on Wednesday night.


Local Congressman Tom Reed says he and his family were threatened with a dead animal and a brick bearing a family member's name at his home in Corning.  Police say the brick and the animal were found at the Republican House member's house Friday morning.  The Corning Police Department said it was working with state police and federal agencies to investigate.  Neither Reed nor police specified what kind of animal it was... nor whose name was in the brick.  Reed represents New York's 23rd Congressional District... which includes Chautauqua County... and, covers a large swath of the state north of the Pennsylvania border. 

The city of Dunkirk will be receiving $772,000 in federal funding to help rebuild the Lakefront Boulevard Seawall... which was severely damaged during last year's Halloween storms.  U-S Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York jointly announced the funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency early last weekend.  They say the restoration of the seawall would not only protect Lakefront Boulevard and the waterfront, but also jumpstart the process of economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic ground Dunkirk and the rest of New York to a halt.  Schumer says "the reconstruction of Dunkirk’s seawall will increase investment in the lakefront and the entire community, shoring up the region’s economic future."  Gillibrand adds that "communities across Upstate New York are still dealing with the extensive damage caused by the 2019 Halloween storms, and it is our responsibility to assist in the recovery efforts to protect shoreline communities."  


An Ohio man was arrested in Stown for allegedly driving drunk over twice the legal limit with two children in the vehicle. State Police say 52 year-old James Deflorville-- of Strongsville -- was pulled over on Interstate-86 yesterrday for driving erratically.  Troopers say Deflorville failed several sobriety tests and was taken into custody where he provide a breath sample of point-17. He was issued tickets for DWI-Leandra's Law and released with an appearance ticket for North Harmony Town Court next month. Police say the two minor children were turned over to an uninvolved third party. 


A Sinclairville woman busted for speeding, also faces two-counts of driving while ability impaired by drugs with a child in the vehicle following a traffic stop in Stockton. Sheriff's Deputies say they stopped a vehicle on Route 380 last Saturday evening... and, identified the operator as 23 year-old Logan Couse.  Through investigation, Officers allegedly found Couse impaired by a combination of drugs with two young children as passengers in the vehicle. She was released with appearance tickets for Stockton Town Court at a later date. 


There are nearly 20 more confirmed cases of the COVIDk-19 Virus being reported in Chautauqua County from the past weekend.  The county Health Department reports there were 11 more on Saturday... and, eight more yesterday.  With that... Interim County Executive P-J Wendel's office reports there have now been 955 total cases during the course of the pandemic.  More details will be released later today.

The National Comedy Center is taking a lead role in preserving the historic archives of late-night Tonight Show legend, the late Johnny Carson.  Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson says they are working with the Elkhorn Valley Museum in Carson’s hometown of Norfolk, Nebraska on the effort.  She says the rich archive includes screen-used artifacts, wardrobe, creative documents and awards that will be jointly exhibited by the center and the Elkhorn Valley Museum.  Gunderson says the Comedy Center will oversee the digital preservation and conservation of this historic collection, which chronicles Carson’s early life, career and legendary 32-year reign as the king of late night television and one of the most beloved personalities in comedy history.