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Gowanda gets update on return to schools

GOWANDA — Following months of discussion and precautions by the Gowanda Central Schools, Superintendent Dr. Robert Anderson outlined a plan for the Gowanda students to return to school. On Monday, eighth-graders will return to in-person instruction while seniors, prekindergarten, and tier three students in kindergarten through fourth grade will all return on March 29. The rest of the grade timelines for returning are still up in the air. Tier three students, as outlined in Dr. Anderson’s presentation, are “students identified for intensive instructional interventions by an ...

COVID RELIEF Package takes long-term toll

Forget about the Green New Deal. In recent weeks, President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress have paved the way for a revamping of former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s original New Deal. Action taken as part of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package might mean the federal government is expanding what advocates call the social safety net. For millions of families who will experience financial relief and a little peace of mind because of those changes, it seems like a wonderful thing. Food and housing help, even more avenues for getting government health coverage, rental ...

County colleges receiving $22 million

More than $22 million is coming to three county colleges and universities through the COVID-19 relief plan that was recently approved. Overall, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced that the recently-signed American Rescue Plan includes an estimated $2.6 billion for New York’s public, private, and proprietary institutions of higher education. Locally, the State University of New York at Fredonia will receive $14.42 million; Jamestown Community College will receive close to $8.1 million; and Jamestown Business College will get $163,000. Schumer said that public ...

Memorial Day parade most likely canceled

It is not looking as through there will be a Memorial Day parade this year in the city of Dunkirk. However, city Mayor Wilfred Rosas is more hopeful when it comes to the largest summer celebration in the north county. “I’m not too optimistic about the Memorial Day Parade, that is one of ...

Legislator upset about inmates getting the coronavirus vaccine

One Chautauqua County legislator is upset that inmates at the county jail were able to get the COVID-19 vaccine before some older eligible residents. During the legislature’s Public Safety Committee meeting, Chairman Terry Niebel, R-Sheridan, expressed his displeasure that earlier this month about 110 inmates received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, even though there’s a waiting list of seniors at the Office of the Aging. Sheriff James Quattrone spoke at the virtual meeting and noted that the state required the vaccine be used up within seven days and had to be used on ...

CDC changes school guidance, allowing desks to be closer

NEW YORK (AP) — Students can safely sit just 3 feet apart in the classroom as long as they wear masks but should be kept the usual 6 feet away from one another at sporting events, assemblies, lunch or chorus practice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in relaxing its ...