Two new COVID-19-related deaths reported in Chautauqua Co. Tuesday, along with 29 new cases...
The Chautauqua County Health Department is reporting two new COVID-19 related-deaths today... along with 29 new cases of the virus. Officials say the two deaths were residents in their 70s... and, Public Health Director Christine Schuyler expressed their condolences to the victim's families. Schuyler says this brings the local number of deaths to 18... and there are now 168 active COVID cases in the county. There are six new cases reported in Silver Creek... and five in the city of Jamestown. Schuyler says there have now been 1,539 total cases... and, 13 are now hospitalized. She says 1,353 cases that have now recovered.
Cuomo again urges New Yorkers to enjoy Thanksgiving -- safely -- with immediate family...
Governor Andrew Cuomo again urged New Yorkers Tuesday to celebrate Thanksgiving with their immediate family. He also indicated during a news briefing held on Long Island that it's not a political issue... because advisors for both the president and the president-elect are in agreement... which he called the only thing "they agree on." Cuomo says the state rule is no more than 10 people per household.
Gillibrand outlines proposal for Health Force and Resilience Force" to distribute and administer COVID-19 vaccine...
New York's junior U-S Senator is calling on Congress to support funding for creation of an army of people that would be recruited and trained to help administer and distribute COVID-19 vaccines. Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand says she is asking lawmakers to include her "Health Force and Resilience Force" proposal in the next COVID Relief package. Gillibrand says the proposal, championed by herself and five other senators earlier this year, would invest billions of dollars to get the vaccine to people... especially in underserved communities. Gillibrand says the proposal would cost up to $40-billion... and, could also be a stand-alone bill. She says the program would be federally supported... but, locally managed to also help with education efforts, and getting people to get vaccinated. Gillibrand says there would be an infrastructure component to help keep the vaccines cold.
2020 has been a "Good Crop Year" in Chautauqua County...
2020 has been tough for many segments of the economy. But, crop growers may be one of the few groups who could say they had a 'good year.' That from Consultant Dan Steward with the Western New York Crop Management Association... a group that advises farmers thoughout the region. He says it was the best crop year in the past 5 to 6 years. Steward says timely rain and a lot of sun led to excellent yields and high quality for corn silage. He says the news was equally good for hay, with many farmers getting four... even five... good cuttings. Growers of soybeans also did pretty well. Steward adds the positive results in the field are particularly beneficial in a time when returns for milk have been erratic as a result of the pandemic shutdown.
Jamestown schools announce plans for return to in-person classes for 10th through 12th grades in early December...
Jamestown High School students in grades 10-through-12 will return to in-person learning beginning on Monday, Dec. 7. District Spokeswoman Cathy Panebianco says the students will be split into two cohorts. During the week of Dec. 7, the Red Cohort will attend Monday morning only. She says the Green Cohort will attend the morning only of Tuesday, Dec. 8. Wednesday through Friday will be virtual only for the returning grades. The following week, Panebianco says the Red Cohort will have in-person instruction Monday and Wednesday mornings... and, Green Cohort will attend Tuesday and Thursday mornings. All afternoons and Fridays will continue as remote learning. Students who chose full-time distance learning in September will continue learning at home. Panebianco says families will get more information, including cohorts, directly from Jamestown High School officials. As a reminder, Panebianco says the week following Thanksgiving Break, Nov. 30 through Dec. 4, will be fully remote learning for all students in the district.
BPU announces no changes to Energy Efficiency Programs in 2021...
There will be no changes to the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities' Energy Efficiency Rebate Programs for electric customers in 2021. That from BPU General Manager Dave Leathers... who says the ENERGY STAR Rebate Program includes rebates for the purchase and installation of certain, new ENERGY STAR products. They include: $35 for residential windows, $25 for skylights; $50 for residential entry doors, $500 for Heat Pump Water Heaters; $500 per ton of capacity for HVAC Heat Pumps; $100 per ton of cooling capacity for central air conditioning units; and $1,000 per ton of capacity for geothermal heat pumps. BPU Energy Efficiency Coordinator Dan Reynolds says the rebates will be available for the purchase of new products made between Jan. 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2021. For further information about the energy efficiency programs... call Reynolds at 661-1646 or email him at: dreynolds@jamestownbpu.com.
Pennsylvania Gov. says bars must close at 5 p.m. today...
Last call for Pennsylvania bars will be at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving eve to cut COVID-19 transmission during what is normally a night of heavy public drinking. Democratic Governor Tom Wolf made the announcement Monday and imposed new crowd size limits of 500 indoors and 2,500 outdoors. He says there will be heightened enforcement of mask wearing requirements and other infection control tools. Wolf said he isn't closing schools statewide, but is directing schools in most counties to either sign onto aggressive mitigation measures or make all learning remote and cease all extracurricular activities.
