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News Headlines for Sat., Apr. 30, 2016

Jamestown man additionally charged with vehicular manslaughter for alleged DWI accident that killed area woman...

Two more charges have been placed against a Jamestown who was arrested Thursday for criminally negligent homicide in connection with a fatal car crash in the town of Carroll late last year.  Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson said late Friday that a county Grand Jury has also handed up two counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter against 37 year-old John Hillman of Baker Street.  Hillman was arrested on a warrant at his home Thursday night.  Sheriff Joe Gerace says Hillman was the driver in the accident... last December 6th... which took the life of 39 year-old Chelsea Hebner.  The crash occured on Ivory Road after Hillman lost control of the vehicle... and, it struck a sign before striking a ditch.  Hebner was ejected from the vehicle.  Hillman was initially charged with driving while intoxicated.  He's now jailed on $25,000 bail.


Superintendent Kelly leaving Sherman Central School District for Randolph at end of current school year...

Another local school district will soon begin the search for a new superintendent.  Current Superintendent Caine Kelly recently informed the Sherman School Board that he will be leaving to take the soon-to-be open Superintendent's post in Randolph.  Their Superintendent will be leaving at the end of the school year.  Kelly says it was a conversation with school officials in Randolph a few months ago that got the ball rolling.  He says he met with school board leaders, and out-going superintendent Kim Moritz at that time.  Kelly says leaving Sherman is bittersweet because he's enjoyed working in the district for the past 10 years -- the past four as superintendent.  He says Randolph is a step up... adding it's at least double the size of Sherman.  However... he says there are similarities between the two.  Kelly says they're both proud of their academic and athletic programs.  He says the Sherman School Board is in the process of setting up a seach committee to find a new superintendent.  Kelly will begin his new duties at Randolph on July 1.


STAR Property Tax Exemption Program to soon become a tax credit program...

The state's long-successful School Tax Relief... or STAR Program... is being transitioned from a property tax exemption program... to a tax credit one -- starting this year.  Chautauqua County Real Property Tax Director Jim Caflisch says it's an under-publicized part of New York's new, 2016-17 budget.  Caflisch says, though, if you were in the STAR program before March 1 of last year... there will be no change for the coming year.  However... if you became part of the Basic or Enhanced STAR Program after that time... you will begin getting a tax rebate check instead.  Caflisch says that check will come in September of this year.  He adds that -- if you apply after July 1 -- you won't be getting that check until the end of September.  He says that if you still own the home, or property that you had the STAR exemption before March 1 of last year... you will remain in the program until you sell that property.  Otherwise... Caflisch says there's been little more released about the change.  He says local assessors will be it given more information soon.


Hochul in Dunkirk-Fredonia-area Friday to help kick off latest round of REDC Meetings...

The state's second in command made a quick visit to the Dunkirk-Fredonia area Friday morning and her focus was on economic development.  Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul appeared at the State University of New York at Fredonia to help kick-off the next round of meetings of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council.  Hochul says the 10 regional councils will once again be competing for a share of $750-million in state funding.  She says Governor Cuomo was able to convince the State Legislature to include the funding in the new state budget that was passed earlier this month.  Hochul says -- one of the major items included this year -- is $10-million dollars in each region that will be awarded to one community to help stem the loss of major business, or on-going "distress" issues. 


Presciption Pill Take Back Day is today across region...

The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office and other local police will be taking part in the annual Nationwide Prescription Drug Take-Back Day tomorrow.  That from Sheriff Joe Gerace... who says the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration puts on the program to prevent increased pill abuse, overdose and theft.  Officials will be collecting unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at four locations in the county from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  They are at the Chautauqua Mall parking lot -- in front of JC Penney... the Foote Avenue Plaza in Jamestown... Alstar Ambulance on Monroe Street in Dunkirk... and, Westfield Family Physicians on Main Street in Westfield.  The service is free of charge, anonymous and no questions asked.