Lucille Ball Memorial Park. Celoron, NY (Google Maps)

The Village of Celoron has received $165,000 from the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative toward a new playground at Lucille Ball Memorial Park.

The grants from the Environmental Protection Fund are administered by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Mayor Scott Schrencengost said the current play structure at the park is 25 years old and is unsafe.
He said at a public meeting in July that Consolidated Funding Grant from the state requires the village to come up with a 25% match.

The village will use the funding from the state to building an accessible playground with inclusive equipment. They also will use the monies to further improve the park with site work and plantings, including new trees and benches

The town of Sheridan also is receiving EDC funds in the amount o $421,725 to upgrade the Sheridan Bay Campground located on Lake Erie. A new accessible bathhouse will be constructed, campsite electrical hook-ups upgraded, and the pavilion and check-in office will be replaced.

In addition to those upgrades, the town will be preserving lakefront green space while ensuring the continued use of needed campsites.

The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office said a van traveling on Route 20 lost its wheel, which struck a fuel truck being driven by 30-year old Jean Esquilin-Melendez of Dunkirk.

The impact caused Esquilin-Melendez to drive into the oncoming lane, striking a pick-up truck head-on being driven by 40-year old Herbert Overbeck of Silver Creek.

The crash sent the fuel truck partially over the Thruway bridge and caused both the pick-up truck and fuel truck to catch on fire.

Overbeck was able to escape his truck and he went to Brooks Memorial Hospital for care. Esquilin-Melendez was also able to escape from the fuel track and was flown to ECMC for treatment of burns and injuries he suffered.

The driver of the van involved left the scene and attempt to hide his van from deputies, which was located by a distance from the accident scene. The driver ran away and is still being sought by deputies.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

JAMESTOWN – A lit candle that fell from a wall-mounted candleholder touched off a fire that destroyed a home in the town of Ellicott last Friday evening. Sheriff deputies say crews from the Falconer Fire Dept. responded to the scene at 2014 Buffalo St. Ext. at about 6:45 p.m. Firefighters were assisted by crews from Gerry, Frewsburg, Kiantone and Kenny fire departments. Investigators said the candle fell from the wall onto a couch. The house was considered a total loss and no injuries were reported.

CITY MAN FACES CHARGES AFTER CHRISTMAS EVE INCIDENT

JAMESTOWN – A city man is awaiting arraignment in the city jail this morning after being arrested in downtown Jamestown during the holiday weekend. Jamestown police say 23 year-old Cory Saullo was seen driving the wrong way on W. 2^nd St. shortly after 2 a.m. on Dec. 24. Officers say the vehicle pulled into a parking lot near the intersection with Washington St. with the car stereo allegedly playing very loudly. When officers approached Saullo and asked him to turn down the music, he became uncooperative with officers and resisted arrested. He was later found to be allegedly intoxicated and driving with a suspended license. 

Saullo was given a total of 11charges, including three counts of 2^nd degree harassment, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, and driving while intoxicated. Police from Lakewood-Busti, Ellicott and the Sheriff’s office assisted at the scene after the incident attracted a large crowd.

BUFFALO MAN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING CRACK-COCAINE INTO JAMESTOWN

SHERIDAN – A Buffalo man who allegedly sold crack cocaine in Jamestown to members of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force was nabbed Thursday night with a large amount of cash on the state Thruway.  Authorities say Joshua Mack, 29 was spotted driving eastbound in the town of Sheridan at about 9:45 p.m. and was taken into custody.  He was arrested on a warrant obtained earlier Thursday charging him with criminal possession and criminal sale of a controlled substance. The cash, task force member said, was confiscated. Mack, meanwhile, remains incarcerated pending his arraignment in Jamestown City Court.

COMMITTEE NARROWS DOWN CANDIDATES FOR SUNY FREDONIA PRESIDENT

FREDONIA – The SUNY Fredonia Presidential Search Committee has selected its semi-finalists from an initial pool of more than 50 applicants. The 15-member committee met on Monday, Dec. 19 and reviewed all the applications, which Committee Chair Frank Pagano described as very strong. He said the committee has been thorough in its review and it looks forward to continuing the process until finally selecting its candidate.  The semi-finalists, whose identity will be kept confidential, will be interviewed sometime in January at a date and location to be determined.  The committee remains on target to reach its initial goal of providing the SUNY Chancellor with their recommendations by mid February.

FLOWERS RECEIVES 2011 JOHN D. HAMILTON AWARD

JAMESTOWN – A partner in the law firm of Price, Flowers, Malin and Westerberg is the 2011 recipient of the John D. Hamilton Award. Thomas Flowers was named the award winner during the Jamestown Community College Foundation’s annual recognition event in November. The John D. Hamilton Award, established by the JCC Foundation in 1995, recognizes individuals whose contributions exemplify those of Hamilton, a trustee emeritus of JCC.

Flowers served as president of the JCC Foundation board from 2000 to 2003, and as a board member from 1991 to 2003. He is a past president and former board member of the Chautauqua County Humane Society, the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System, and the Estate Planning Council of Jamestown.

Also during the evening, the Community Partner Award was given to the Hultquist Foundation and Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation. That award recognizes organizations that work collaboratively with JCC to provide educational, social, cultural, and civic enrichment for the area.

AUDUBON TO HOST TWO HOLIDAY EVENTS ON WEDNESDAY

JAMESTOWN – The Audubon Center and Sanctuary is providing two giving opportunities on Wednesday, December 28.  From 10 am to noon, Christmas for the Critters will be an opportunity to give gifts for Audubon’s resident animals. From 1-3 that afternoon, Wishing Day will provide for Audubon’s educational programs and general needs.

For more information, call (716) 569-2345 or visit www.jamestownaudubon.org. The Nature Center building will be open 10am-4:30pm now through New Year’s Day.