Community Spotlight, the area's longest running local public affairs radio program, airs on all six Media One Radio Group stations each weekend and is also available to hear in our Podcast Section.  Each week we sit down with a community leader or another special guest to talk about issues within our community.  


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Governor Andrew Cuomo is calling New York lawmakers back to Albany today to extend Mayor Bill de Blasio's control of New York City schools, with some lawmakers also calling for immediate action on the city's beleaguered subway system. 

 

Lawmakers ended their regular session last week without a deal to extend the state law giving the mayor oversight of city schools.  The 15-year-old policy expires Friday if lawmakers don't act, threatening to undermine the governance of the nation's largest school system.  Local leaders are also urging lawmakers to take up soon to expire sales tax extenders.


Jamestown Community College has announced that President Cory Duckworth is retiring at the end of the 2017-18 academic year. 

 

Dr. Duckworth informed JCC’s board of trustees of his decision earlier this week saying that he's enjoyed his tenure at JCC where he's served as the college’s eighth president.  Duckworth says, as part of his original agreement he would sit down with the board to determine where they were going at the end of his fourth year. 

 

However he and his wife decided the time was right to retire and, he says it gives the college plenty of time, better than a year to find a replacement.  Duckworth says he was to begin new discussions with the board about his future at the end of his fourth year.  He says next year will be the final year of his five-year contract. 

 

He says professionally his tenure at JCC will "forever be considered one of the most exceptional experiences of my life."  Duckworth's 33-year career in higher education has included leadership positions at several other colleges and universities.  He says he and his wife will retire in 2018 back to Utah.


A 15 year-old from Brocton is being treated for serious injuries at an Erie, Pennsylvania hospital after his bicycle was struck by a car on Route 20 in the town of Pomfret Tuesday afternoon. 

 

Sheriff's deputies say the teen was eastbound on the side of the road about 1:30 PMwhen his bike entered the roadway.  Officers say the driver of the car, 27 year-old Nicholas Galardo of Fredonia, was unable to avoid hitting the youth and, the bicycle. 

 

The teen rider was flow to UPMC Hamot Medical Center for treatment.  No charges have been filed in the accident.


A Jamestown woman has been ticketed for driving while on an electronic device after her car crashed in the town of Carroll early Tuesdayafternoon injuring her 3 year-old child. 

 

Sheriff's officers say 23 year-old Brittany Smith was driving on the Falconer-Frewsburg Road shortly before 2 PM when she was distracted and, her car left the road and rolled onto it's roof. 

 

Deputies say Smith was not hurt but, her daughter, Amaria Rose, was taken to UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital where she was treated for non-life threatening injuries.  Officers say Smith was also charged with driving with a suspended driver's license.


Even before yesterday's decision to delay a vote on the Senate version of health care legislation, local Congressman Tom Reed wasn't sure the support was there for the measure. 

 

Reed supported the House version of the bill which passed but, adds that the current Affordable Care Act is collapsing and, lawmakers are running out of time.  The Congressional Budget Office estimates some 22-million people would lose coverage under the Senate Plan. 

 

Reed doesn't believe those will be the final numbers but, adds lawmakers have to be "sensitive" to that.  He says the current "one size fits all" system doesn't work.  New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul has stated that the Senate bill would provide an average $37,000 a year tax cut to the wealthy. 

 

Reed disputes that saying that he's pushing a program that will cut costs for everyone.  The Corning Republican says he's not sure where Hochul's numbers come from but, adds he believes she's being at least somewhat "disengenuous."  He made his comments for his weekly telephone conference call with local media.


Despite a surge in the demand for gasoline nationwide the average price for regular, unleaded fuel continues to near all-time lows for the year. 

 

That from the AAA's Fuel Gauge Report which says in the Jamestown-area the price has fallen about 4.5-cents from last week's $2.50.  AAA says the average price in Chautauqua County is just over $2.45 a gallon. 

 

The Fuel Gauge reports that gas prices have declined in every Mid-Atlantic and Northeast state on average by three cents on the week, and in-line with the national trend.  However, the price drop is an outlier given that the region made the country’s largest gasoline inventory draw on the week.