Randall Rolison

The Jamestown man charged in two fatal crashes has pleaded guilty in Chautauqua County Court.

District Attorney Jason Schmidt announced that 60-year old Randall Rolison pled guilty to Second Degree Manslaughter for the vehicular fatality that took the life of 15-year old Lexy Hughan on December 31, 2021 in Jamestown. He also pled guilty to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide for the vehicular fatality in Arkwright that resulted in the death of 71-year old Linda Kraemer of South Dayton.

Rolison will be sentenced on August 28 and faces a total of 13 1/3 to 40 years in prison.

Schmidt said the pending weapons possesion charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal.

He said the plea came following consultation with the Hughan and Kraemer families.

Lexy Hughan’s mother, Sara Rafaloski, expressed her relief that the court case is over, “And I’m really glad that it’s over. I’m glad that I don’t have to sit through any grueling details of any case stuff that nobody needs to hear. No fighting over something that obviously happened that’s obviously his fault. It’s all done and over. I’m much happier about that.”

A bench and picnic table dedication was held Saturday morning at Dow Park in Jamestown that memorializes Lexy Hughan.

Melissa Paterniti, who fundraised the money for the bench and table, said a roadside memorial had initially gone up near the site where Lexy had died, “And things on the side of the road had kind of started to get dusty and dirty. And people were saying stuff about it and I thought, ‘How can I help? How can I help this little girl have a beautiful memorial somewhere in the city of Jamestown to come and visit and celebrate her life?'”

Friends and Family cut the ribbon on a bench installed in memory of Lexy Hughan in Dow Park (June 10, 2023)

Rafaloski said it was amazing to have the community to come together to create the memorial. The dedication coincided with the start of the Jamestown Pride Festival, something she said Lexy would have been really happy about.

Jamestown Public Schools vote results for May 16, 2023

Voters have approved the Jamestown Public Schools’ 2023-24 Budget.

The $101 million proposal passed by a vote of 555 to 127.

Voters also approved the creation of a $5 million Capital Reserve Fund by a vote of 575 to 106.

The three school board seats that were open were won by John Panebianco with 576 votes, Christine Schnars with 514 votes, and Paul Abbott with 512 votes. The fourth candidate, who did not win a seat, Melissa Paterniti, received 240 votes.

Panebianco, who is replacing current board member Shelly Leathers who declined to run again, said he’s excited to join the board, “It’s a new chapter in my life. I’m excited to be part of this wonderful team and continuing to help students in the Jamestown School District.”

The results remain unofficial until the JPS Board of Education’s Canvass Vote Meeting tonight at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Board Room of the Administration Building at 197 Martin Road.

School budgets

Polls open at noon today in the Jamestown Public Schools District with voting open until 9:00 p.m.

People may go to Jefferson or Washington Middle Schools; or Lincoln Elementary School to vote.

The $101 million 2023-24 school budget has no tax levy increase.

The budget does include the hiring of 18 new teachers, most of whom will staff new Student Support Centers.

Besides the budget, a proposition will also be on the ballot to fund a new Capital Improvement Reserve Fund with up to $5 million.

Four candidates are also on the ballot for three seats on the Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education. In order of appearance on the ballot, they are: Paul Abbott, Christine Schnars, John Panebianco, and Melissa Paterniti.

For more information on the budget and school board candidates, visit jpsny.org

The Jamestown Parent-Teacher Organization held a “Meet The Candidates” forum on May 11, 2023 so the public could learn more about the four candidates running for three open seats on the Jamestown School Board. The candidates include Paul Abbott, John Panebianco, Melissa Paterniti, and Christine Schnars.

Jamestown School Board candidates
Top Row: Paul Abbott, John Panebianco
Bottom Row: Missy Paterniti, Christine Schnars

Jamestown School Board Meet the Candidates Forum.
Left to Right, Top to Bottom: John Panebianco, Paul Abbott, Christine Schnars, Melissa Paterniti (May 11, 2023)

Candidates for Jamestown School Board shared their experience and why they’re running for the board at a “Meet The Candidates” forum held Thursday night.

There are four candidates running for three open seats.

Parent-Teacher Organization President Joanne Dean and Treasurer Melissa Rhodes presented a series of questions submitted by the public to candidates.

New candidate John Panebianco said he’s running because of he believes his experience can help the district, “I started out teaching at the kindergarten and sixth grade level. I went from that to Dean of Students and a principalship. And I also was the Director of Pupil Services at Chautauqua Lake Schools and middle grade’s Principal. And then in Jamestown, I was also the Director of Pupil Services and then the Director of Human Resources.”

Current Board President Paul Abbott said he found while serving on the board that the problem solving involved is not too dissimilar from his career with Jamestown Police Department, “You have more time to think about stuff on the school board, but I’m used to dealing with conflict and problems and working through things. I’m from Jamestown and I’ve always been passionate about our district. And in my position as Commander of the Police Department, I was used to dealing with a lot of labor issues.”

Current Board Member Christine Schnars has been on the board for over 30 years and currently serves as second vice president and Area 3 Director for the New York State School Board Association.

She said she also is currently a member of the Erie 2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES Board, “The reason I decided to run again is that the last few years we’ve been through a lot here in Jamestown. A lot in this state and a lot in this country. We went through COVID and now we’re going through recovery and the recovery isn’t done. We made a lot of moves to help the students adjust and get back to where they ought to be. We’re not there yet. So, there’s a lot more work to be done and a lot more we need to do and I feel I have a lot to contribute to that work.”

New candidate Melissa Paterniti said she chose to run so her voice could be heard and be that avenue for parents who don’t know how the school board works, “So I can be that avenue for parents that don’t understand how the board works or try to teach people in the community how to get things to the board.”

Paterniti is Jamestown Community College graduate. She previously drove for Uber and Lyft; and is now employed by Ballgame Heroes.

The full Candidates Forum will be available on wrfalp.net and our Soundcloud by late Friday morning.

Jamestown School Board candidates
Top Row: Paul Abbott, John Panebianco
Bottom Row: Missy Paterniti, Christine Schnars

Voters can learn more about candidates running for Jamestown School Board at a “Meet the Candidates Night” tonight.

The event will take place at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Administration Building at 197 Martin Road. It is open to the public.

The four candidates running for three seats on the school board include incumbents Paul Abbott and Christine Schnars with John Panebianco and Melissa Paterniti running for the first time. Shelly Leathers is not seeking re-election to the board.

District voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, May 16 to vote on the school budget and school board candidates.

For more information on each candidate, visit jpsny.org/boeelections.

Jamestown School Board candidates
Top Row: Paul Abbott, John Panebianco
Bottom Row: Missy Paterniti, Christine Schnars

A “Meet the Candidates Night” will be held May 11 for the four candidates running for Jamestown School Board.

The event will take place at 6:00 p.m., Thursday May 11 in the Board Room of the Administration Building at 197 Martin Road.

The four candidates running for three seats on the school board include incumbents Paul Abbott and Christine Schnars with John Panebianco and Melissa Paterniti running for the first time. Shelly Leathers is not seeking re-election to the board.

The forum is free and open to the public.

Questions for the candidates can be sent to moderators, Parent Teacher Organization President Joanne Dean at deans@stny.rr.com, or PTO Treasurer Melissa Rhodes at msrhodes1984@gmail.com.

The deadline for question submission is May 10.

District voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, May 16 to vote on the school budget and school board candidates.

For more information on each candidate, visit jpsny.org/boeelections.

Alexis “Lexy” Hughan

A fundraising event for a memorial for Lexy Hughan is taking place this Saturday.

Citizen Melissa Paterniti is hosting the event from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the YWCA Lake Lodge in Lakewood. The event will feature refreshments and a basket raffle.

Paterniti is trying to raise $3,000 to purchase a bench and picnic table that will be placed in Dow Park in the City of Jamestown in memory of the 15-year old who died in a hit-and-run accident on December 31, 2021.