Memorial Day weekend highlights in Little ValleyLittle Valley Speedway resultsVideo: Little Valley Memorial Day Parade Little Valley Memorial Day Service - Part 1 Little Valley Memorial Day Service - Part 2 5/31 |
Seneca nation involved in tax scamMichael Kent Klee admitted to a scheme where he illegally bought cigarettes directly from Kentucky manufacturers to supply to an Internet sales operation on the Seneca Indian Reservation in Salamanca. He pled guilty to the crime and faces up to 23 years in jail. (WBYB) 5/31 |
I-86 closed between Salamanca and SteamburgThe only route directly from Salamanca to Steamburg that is open to traffic has been closed due to a slope failure. Traffic is being detoured through Ellicottville (due to the continuing closure of the Route 353 bridge in Salamanca) and Little Valley. 5/31 |
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Weather 5.28: A mostly dry pattern takes shapeThe end is near! (For the rainy pattern, that is.) This weekend is looking like it'll be OK, with the only threat being some possible showers on Sunday night, but Monday will be downright sunny and summerlike. More in this week's forecast. 5/28 |
Little Valley underwater: Flash flood
strikes center of village
LITTLE VALLEY, NY (FV Exclusive) — The village of Little Valley was
inundated with a flash flood that caused severe damage to several roads
in the village, closed off traffic to the village, and caused some
flood damage to homes. The flood originated with a slow-moving
thunderstorm that began at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time and lasted
approximately 90 minutes. According to reports, the floodwaters were
originating from Eagle Street, not far from the village's water tank.
From there, the waters ran down Fourth Street (which sustained severe
damage in the flood) and into the center of
town. Over a foot of water was present in places. The resulting stream
spilled down Rock City Street and downhill toward the fire hall (no
damage to the building was reported; the waters ran around the building
and into the parking lot) and to the eastern side of town, where
numerous residences experienced flood damage. The Mountain View trailer
park was evacuated as a result of the flooding, and Route 353 was
closed heading into the village until 10:30 p.m., forcing detours on
the much hillier and lesser-used roads such as Bucktooth Run. Most
roads are open as
of 10:30, and no damage estimates have been given. Mayor Norman Marsh,
who issued a state of emergency, estimated four to five inches of rain
fell in the event, a number that has not been verified. The northern
side of town was relatively unscathed, although an apartment complex on
First Street reported some flooding as well which did not appear to be
connected to the flooding on the south side of town. 5/19 (Permalink) |
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CLV budget passes-- but yours truly was turned awayThe Cattaraugus-Little Valley C.S. budget passed by a 10-vote margin, 215 to 205. However, the most disturbing fact about yesterday's vote was that the election commissioners had the gall to actually turn me away because they were having problems with the voting machine (a pull-lever device that they were supposed to be getting rid of, anyway) and they told me to come back later (which wasn't an option for me because of my work schedule). Now, if I recall correctly, when that happens, they're supposed to issue a provisional paper ballot, but they didn't give me that option. (Fullervision Exclusive) 5/18 |
Trump outThere will not be a presidential contender from the state of New York in 2012. Donald Trump, who briefly shot to the top of the polls after questioning the authenticity of the president's birth certificate, announced that he would continue focusing on his business and television ventures and not seek the presidency. 5/16 |
Weather forecast: Raindrops keep falling
From Saturday afternoon all the way through Thursday, we should see a
prolonged pattern of unsettled weather and rain showers.
More in
this week's weather forecast. 5/14 |
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A few tidbits I glossed over this weekSenator Young spearheads a rent-control law for New York City that has almost no effect on us here (NY Daily News)... senate leader responds for her (NY Daily News)Marist poll: 1 in 3 New York residents under 30 plan to leave the state (AP) Meanwhile, just to our north, one of the lousiest and cheesiest attempts at a political ambush. Keep in mind, the man behind the camera, originally described as a member of the "Young Republicans," is actually the chief of staff of the Republican candidate-- for her existing job as a state assemblywoman! (YouTube) |
Gravy train over: judge authorizes Indian cig taxesThe Second Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a ruling that affirms the authority of the State of New York to collect taxes on tobacco products sold on Indian reservations. The Seneca Nation continues to refuse to comply. (AP) 5/9UPDATE 5/10: STATE JUDGE SUBVERTS FEDERAL RULING, REINSTATES INJUNCTION UNTIL JUNE 1... WHILE ONLY LISTENING TO ONE SIDE... CAN THEY EVEN LEGALLY DO THAT??? Further details: Wholesalers halt shipments to Iroquois smoke shops (Buffalo News)... 5/10 |
County releases tax auction property list125 county properties will be placed up for auction three weeks from tomorrow, Saturday, May 21, 2011. The number is up over 50% from the 82 sold last year and includes properties in towns (Otto, East Otto, Conewango, South Valley) that did not have property available last year. (County news release) 4/29Update 5/11: The County has, for some odd reason, decided to start bundling together nonadjacent lower-valued properties. While some of the connections are adjacent and thus make sense, most aren't-- in order to buy one lot you'd have to buy both, even if you don't want the other. I think it's a dirty trick if you ask me. |
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Threshold: Gas prices bump the $4/gallon mark in LVGasoline was spotted reaching $3.999 per gallon at Crosby's in the center of the village of Little Valley, only 0.1¢ lower than the $4 per gallon threshold. Brooks Market's regular gas reached the threshold Tuesday.UPDATE: Crosby's reached $4.019/gallon on Friday morning. |
And so it ends: Sabres drop last two games in ECQ'sThe Buffalo Sabres have been eliminated from Stanley Cup contention with a 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. 4/27 |
No surprise here: State welfare spending tops in USNew York's social security spending is in the middle of the pack per capita (28th), but Medicare spending is in the upper quartile (9th) and Medicaid is tops in the nation, pushing overall prices to the highest in the nation. (Gannett) 4/27 |
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Weather: Rain Sat., a brief respite, then more rainSaturday 4/23: Rain, warmer. Highs in upper 50s. Easter Sunday: Mostly dry, with some rain possible in the AM. Highs in the low 60s. Dyngus Day (Monday): Rain. Highs in the low 60s. Tuesday: Warmer, with a mixed bag. Highs in the low 70s. Abbreviated weather forecast because of the Easter weekend holiday. |
Your tax $$ at work: corporate welfare edition
$5.3 million of your tax dollars will be used to install a new ski
lift, a hot tub, and an aerial park at the Ellicottville ski resort. (Business
First) 4/23 |
Is Governor Cuomo lying about his address?Andrew Cuomo claims to live in Mount Kisco, New York... a working-class enclave in the midst of affluent Westchester County. Well, it turns out, that's just his mailing address. He actually lives in New Castle, a much wealthier township just outside of Mount Kisco. (AP) 4/23 |
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Easter weekend television viewing tipsABC: The Ten Commandments. Saturday, 7pm in most areas, 8pm in WNY (thanks, infomercials)NBC: NHL playoff hockey, Philadelphia Flyers @ Buffalo Sabres, Sunday, 3pm. HISTORY: Religious-themed documentaries, all weekend Really, I'm finding there isn't nearly as much to watch on Easter as there was in years past. It's a shame, it seems like it's becoming a forgotten holiday. 4/23 |
The three games I missed: Sabres now up 3-2The Buffalo Sabres dropped Game 3 in Buffalo Monday night, but came back and won Games 4 and 5 to propel to a 3-2 lead in the series. In Game 4, Ryan Miller held the team to a 1-0 shutout, while in Game 5, after surrendering a 3-goal lead, Tyler Ennis scored off a rebound in overtime to win the game 4-3. Buffalo can clinch the series on Easter Sunday. 4/23 |
State targets summer camp games as ca$h cowA little-noticed state law was passed in 2009 that prompted the state health department to propose a list of outdoor games that pose a "significant risk of injury." The list includes virtually every game you can possibly think of. Why, pray tell, do they do this? Easy: so the state can slap a $200 registration fee and regulations on any summer camp that tries to play them. (New York Daily News) 4/19UPDATE: The state has, as a result of the firestorm, dropped these plans. 4/23 |
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Cuomo for Vice President? Is this even plausible?A San Francisco columnist is predicting that secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton is going to resign from her post as Secretary of State and that Joe Biden, the current sitting vice president, will move to the State Dept. to replace him. The rumor is that current New York governor Andrew Cuomo will take Biden's place on the VP ballot in 2012. (Fred Dicker) (Side note: While I certainly wouldn't mind seeing an upstate governor for once... it's still extremely rare for incumbent Presidents to change VPs between terms. So don't count on this happening.) |
Village of Little Valley to begin yard waste pickupBeginning Monday, April 18, the village of Little Valley will begin the roadside pickup of yard waste. There is no charge for the service, and pickup will continue to be available until May. 4/18 |
Sabres drop game 2 to Flyers 5-4, return to BuffaloBuffalo drops to 1-1 on the series as it returns to Buffalo for games 3 and 4 of the series against the Philadelphia Flyers. 4/18 |
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A rainy, windy weekend awaits Little ValleyIn this week's 10-day forecast, a rainy and windy low-pressure system is set to overtake the region for the weekend; weather should marginally improve for Sunday and Monday. 4/16 |
Former comptroller Hevesi gets 1-4 years in prison
Amazingly, in 2006, despite knowing that this man had abated in corrupt
activity, New York voters re-elected Alan Hevesi to the post of state
comptroller. He resigned the day after, eventually facing trial for
selling out the state pension fund and being convicted. Today, Hevesi
received his sentence: one to four years in prison. That says a lot
about New York voters. (AP)
4/15 |
Kaleta scores in defensive duel as Sabres win 1-0Patrick Kaleta scored the lone goal as the third and fourth lines shined, helping Ryan Miller earn only his second career playoff shutout (with 33 saves of his own) as the Buffalo Sabres won a defensive battle over the Philadelphia Flyers, 1-0, in Philadelphia. The win puts Buffalo up 1-0 in the playoff series against the Flyers; the next game is Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in Philly. 4/14 |
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Sheldon Silver wants to stick around until 2022
Sheldon Silver, the Manhattan-based Speaker of the New York Assembly
and the longest tenured of the infamous "three men in a room,"
reaffirmed today that he had no intention of resigning his post and
intended to stay until at least 2022, when he would be 78. He will set
a record for longest-tenured Assembly speaker in 2018 when he surpasses
Oswald Heck. (New
York
Daily
News) 4/12 |
School expects voters to pass budget, hides details
File this under the "You cannot be serious!" department: a Northern New
York school district has approved their ballot for referendum without
any indication of how much the school is spending or taking in. Much of
the material was closed off from the public in "executive session." (Watertown
Daily
Times) 4/12 |
State's new top cop isn't a cop, he's a lawyerAnd, of course, Fred Dicker is still Cuomo's lap dog, spinning this as a good thing since he'll supposedly fight corruption. Fred are you telling me there isn't one honest cop in this state that is fit for the position? Not buying it. 4/11 |
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Call 'em the Cardiac Kids: Sabres clinch playoffs in OTThomas Vanek scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the Buffalo Sabres over the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-3, in overtime. Nathan Gerbe scored two goals in the game. Ryan Miller made his return during the game, relieving Jhonas Enroth. Buffalo finished off the weekend and the season with a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. (NHL.com) 4/8 |
CUOMO WANTS TO LURE ILLEGAL ALIENS TO NY
Governor Andrew Cuomo, in a speech to a Hispanic conference, stated
"While other parts of the country are building walls and fences, we're
pointing to the Lady in the Harbor who holds the torch and says, 'We
are the beacon of liberty and the beacon of opportunity.' And we say if
you want to make New York your home, we want you." (Ken
Lovett) (Side note: Gov. Cuomo, the reason we have had to build
walls is because illegal aliens have been abusing the U.S.-Mexican
border and, because most of them are flat-broke, taking advantage of
our generous health care and welfare systems, at great expense to us. I
would think a person committed to fiscal responsibility would be more
responsible than to make statements like this.) 4/7 |
Legal battle looms over prison population countThe New York State Senate's Republican caucus will be challenging a state law that counts prisoners in the residence they called home before being sent to prison. The lawsuit alleges that the bill, which was passed in a budget extender, did not belong there and should not have been included. New York City, which houses its prisoners in upstate prisons, stands to disproportionately benefit from the bill. (Gannett) 4/6 |
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Vanek's hat trick lifts Sabres past Tampa Bay, 4-2Thomas Vanek scored a hat trick to give the Buffalo Sabres a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Buffalo remains in 7th place in the NHL Eastern Conference standings; they can clinch a playoff seed with a win over the Flyers on Friday, 4/8. (NHL.com) 4/6 |
Allegheny River brushes up near flood stageThe Allegheny River, at both its gauges in Salamanca and Olean, came very close to reaching minor flood stage yesterday. Forecasters expect the river to hold steady today and slowly subside over the next several days; it is not expected to flood. (NWS) 4/6 |
Teachers' unions getting personal in Cuomo fightThe New York State United Teachers announced it would be awarding its award for "distinguished service" to Kerry Kennedy, who (according to the official story) was married to current Governor Andrew Cuomo before she cheated on him and the couple divorced. (Liz Benjamin) 4/6 |
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Local developer Louis Magnano dead at 79Louis Magnano, an Olean-area property developer, died at the age of 79. Magnano operated Park Centre Development from 1960 until his death, which owned and leased property primarily in the Olean area. He also collaborated with Buffalo developer Carl Paladino on some projects as well. (Gary Nease, WPIG) 4/5 |
Game-winning OT goal by Gragnani caps 3pt weekend
The Buffalo Sabres went 1-1 and picked up three points in the standings
over the weekend, losing in OT 5-4 to the
Washington Capitals on a goal by Alexander Ovechkin on Saturday, but
following it with a 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Rookie
Marc-Andre Gragnani, with his first NHL goal, scored the game-winner.
Buffalo remains in seventh place in the Eastern Conference and next
faces the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, 4/5. (NHL.com) 4/2 |
Weather: A nice weekend, but a rainy MondayA seasonably cool but partly sunny Saturday and Sunday awaits Cattaraugus County and the Twin Tiers, but Monday will bring heavy rain. This, and the entire ten-day forecast (including next weekend's not-so-nice weather) in this week's Little Valley weather forecast. 4/2 |
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Fullervision.net debuts new, more modern layoutThis new layout replaces the classic "2004 layout" I had been using continuously since the fourth anniversary in 2007. The "box layout" is an effort to give the page a more modern feel. It still allows for "continuing coverage" of one story to be placed in the same box; it also allows for me to "color code" the boxes by story type if I decide to place an off-topic story here or emphasize a big story. The familiar list of links has moved to the bottom of the page. Weather info will return tomorrow when I do my ten-day forecast. 4/1 |
Construction to commence on I-86 near RandolphInterstate 86 will be reduced to one lane of traffic between Exit 16 (West Main St., Randolph) and Exit 17 (Steamburg), and the exit 16 overpass will also be closed for most of the summer. (Buffalo News) 4/1 |
State passes on-time budget, most cuts remainThe New York State legislature approved a $132 billion budget that has a net reduction in spending of $2 billion. (AP) 4/1Local reactions: Young and Goodell praise, Giglio not yet satisfied (Post-Journal) |
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County fair announces Rodney Atkins as headlinerThe Cattaraugus County Fair has announced its country concert headliner for the 2011 fair to be held August 1-7, 2011. Rodney Atkins, best known for his string of five #1 country hits between 2006 and 2008, will perform Thursday, August 4. Atkins's most recent hit, "Farmer's Daughter," charted at #5 on the country charts last year. Tickets go on sale April 11. (Fair press release) 4/1 |
Enroth nets first shutout as Sabres blank Rangers, 1-0
Rookie goaltender Jhonas Enroth netted the first shutout of his NHL
career
as the Sabres defeated the New York Rangers by a 1-0 score. Tim
Connolly netted the lone goal. Buffalo, as of April 1, is tied for 7th
in the Eastern Conference standings with one game on hand over the New
York Rangers. They next play the Washington Capitals on Saturday, 4/2. (NHL.com)
3/30 |
Albany protestors demand taxes on rich-- and pizzaUnion mobs descended on the state capital today to protest the first state budget in over a decade to contain real cuts and demanded the continuation of a surcharge on higher income earners... then ordered 70 pizzas to be delivered to the Capitol. (Albany Times-Union) 3/30 |
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