Wellsville Supervisor endorses ambulance plan to have limited paid staff

On Tuesday, Wellsville Ambulance announced it planned to begin a program that included some paid staff. WRN reached out to Wellsville Town Supervisor Shad Alsworth for his thoughts. This is his response:
It appears that a lot of thought and careful planning has taking place to reach this conclusion.  I have no reason to question this decision, and am confident that WVAC will provide the highest level of service possible in our community.  I applaud this organization for taking these measures to protect the community they serve.  With governmental regulations constantly increasing along with new requirements for training and certifications (many of which are funded directly from the same volunteers that serve us), it was only a matter of time before paid personnel would have to be part of the equation.

I can’t thank this organization enough for their countless hours of volunteering to ensure the welfare of their community.  This community is so fortunate to have such a dedicated, well trained group of individuals willing to put so much time and effort into ensuring public safety.
Original story HERE.

Allegany County Sheriff's Blotter

Allegany County Sheriff Rick Whitney reports that on February 27, 2018, with the assistance of the Hornell City Police Department, Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office arrested Bradley M. Crandall, age 50 of Hornell, on a Violation of Probation Warrant issued by the Village of Wellsville Court. Crandall was located by the Hornell Police Department and turned over to Deputies then processed and transported to the Village of Wellsville court where he was arraigned and remanded to the Allegany County Jail with bail set at $1,500.00 cash or $3,000.00 insurance bond. Crandall is scheduled to reappear in the Village of Wellsville Court on March 20, 2018 at 4:30 p.m.for additional court action.

Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office arrested Bryent A.K. Scotchmer, age 23 of Wellsville, charging him with Tampering with Physical Evidence and Violation of Parole following an incident that occurred at the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office. Scotchmer was processed and issued an appearance ticket directing him to the Town of Amity Court on March 7, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. and transported to the Allegany County Jail to be held without bail for New York State Parole.

Wellsville police confirm 'bird games' -Wellsville Historical Society

From the Wellsville Historical Society -
If you are a bird....DO NOT READ THIS! The cell tower behind the Wellsville Police station chirps with bird sounds every few minutes. I have craned my neck several times looking for any birds up there and never see them...Finally stopped in to the station to ask if its a recording...YES they confirmed the recording was installed by the cell folks because birds CAN be messy. OK I will not fall for fake birds again...

Wellsville Ambulance announces shift to limited paid staffing

Like any volunteer agency, the Wellsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps (WVAC) has faced challenges in recent years. Anyone who listens to a radio scanner knows this - it's no secret. However, the ambulance corps, which was founded in 1967, has announced a bold new policy initiative that it hopes will result in better service and care for the people it serves.
Beginning April 2, the ambulance service will have a paid paramedic or critical care technician stationed at the ambulance bay Monday-Friday from 4 a.m. until 4 p.m. On Tuesday, Wellsville Regional News (WRN) was invited to meet one on one with some of the members of the WVAC's Research and Planning committee. EMS Chief Erik Potter openly admitted "we've had difficulties securing crews." In 2017, the ambulance service couldn't field a crew for more than 126 calls. Those calls, which included a delayed response, were turned over to other agencies. In total, the WVAC did answer a staggering 1,541 calls last year. Committee Chair Andrew Sweezy said "taxpayers and residents deserve to receive a Wellsville ambulance in a timely manner." He said the goal is to cover 100% of calls. Committee member Bob Prior said that during the daytime, "we want an ambulance to respond within three minutes."
The ambulance corps has contracted with E5 Support Services based in Queensbury, NY. The agency will conduct the job interviews, expected to occur March 20th and 21st. The paid medics will become employees of E5. They'll be paid $18/hour. Full time opportunities are likely. The committee wanted to be clear, the policy is not designed to shun current volunteers. Committee member John Fleischman said if a volunteer EMT or medic shows up weekdays, the paid staff will stand down and remain available for additional calls.
Sweezy admitted, "we've been blasted on response times, especially on social media." Prior said the move was necessary. He said jobs are disappearing, volunteerism is at an all-time low...but the ambulance calls keep pouring in. He noted the opioid crisis has resulted in a surge of advanced life support calls. Chairman Sweezy said New York is 49th of 50 states in volunteerism. Since 2012, 79 EMS agencies have closed...including two so far this year. He said "we're trying to better the situation."
Another committee member, Jan Reisman, said she has spent countless hours researching ways to reduce costs and bolster service. She believes contracting with E5 will keep the WVAC "moving forward."
The notion of having a limited paid staff has been discussed for a "few years," but talks grew more serious within the last five months.
The committee members said the medic will be paid from revenue generated from the increased number of calls answered. The WVAC currently bills insurance companies for transports. A missed call means a loss of money.
The ambulance corps has signed a contract with E5 to provide staffing for the remainder of 2018. The WVAC will hold quarterly meetings with the staffing company to review response times and iron out issues. The team said E5 will handle payroll, paperwork and training for both paid staff and volunteers. Chief Potter said the agency has attempted multiple recruitment and retention strategies will little success. Mr. Sweezy said he "hopes the community reaction will be positive."
The committee readily admits this plan is no silver bullet. There will still be multiple calls at once and gaps, but the members were passionate that the organization "had to do something." Members stopped short of calling the current situation a crisis, but serious concern was readily evident on their faces.
The proud agency, once known for having 60 second responses times and waiting lists for duty shifts, has fallen victim to modern times - as most have.
One member said that work lives and family lives have become more busy over time and the training requirements leveled for even basic EMT's have jumped. Potter said the WVAC is aggressively working on incentives for members..."anything to keep people interested."
The committee said it is reviewing public outreach opportunities...to explain the dire circumstances to community members face to face.
The decline in membership has been festering for years. Veteran members, who remember the 'easier days' seemingly are in full support of this change in direction. One seasoned member told WRN, "hey, we gotta do something...I have only so much time I can give personally."
Fleischman said "I hopes this moves us forward."
---
Wellsville Ambulance provides service to the towns of Wellsville, Willing, Alma, Scio and a portion of Ward. The district includes two nursing homes and one major adult care facility as well as an airport. The Corps also provides medical services and coverage for major events to include the Wellsville hot Air Balloon Rally and the Ridge Walk and Run. The initiative will not result in a tax increase for its contracted towns.

Allegany County Sheriff's Blotter

Allegany County Sheriff Rick Whitney reports that on February 23, 2018, Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office arrested Glenn E. Burdick, age 51 of Alfred, on an Allegany County Violation of Probation Warrant. Burdick was located at his address where he was arrested without incident, processed, and transported to the Village of Wellsville Court where he was arraigned and remanded to the Allegany County Jail with bail set at $1,000.00 cash or $2000.00 insurance bond.  Burdick will reappear in Allegany County Court at a later date for additional court action.

Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office arrested Ronnie L. Farrow Sr., age 58 of Andover, charging him with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 4th Degree. Farrow who was currently incarcerated at the Allegany County Jail was processed and transported to the Town of Wellsville Court where he was arraigned and released on his own recognizance. Farrow is to reappear in the Town of Andover Court on March 5, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. for additional court action.

NY Senate passes measures to reduce regulatory burdens on business

The New York State Senate Tuesday passed two bills designed to help improve New York’s business climate by removing some of the regulatory hurdles that hurt businesses and slow the state’s economy. The measures are among several legislative initiatives being spearheaded with the Senate Majority Conference’s Opportunity Agenda – a multipronged plan to save small businesses more than $1.1 billion in taxes, cut red tape, reduce regulatory burdens, invest in workforce development, and strengthen New York’s existing economic development programs.
One bill (S3751A), sponsored by Senator Terrence Murphy (R-C-I, Yorktown), would make improvements to the process for evaluating the potential impact of proposed rules on jobs and employment opportunities. The current process, while useful, does not provide sufficient information on the quality of jobs that could be gained or lost by pursuing various policy choices, and does not guarantee that the most appropriate data and methodologies are used.
 

Senator Murphy said, “It is no secret that New York’s economy continues to sputter. We continue to rank among the worst in the nation when it comes to our business tax climate. New Yorkers need real reforms that will nurture, not suppress, job growth in our state and we can start by making Albany bureaucrats understand the impact their red tape will have on local jobs.”

The second bill (S244), sponsored by Senator Rob Ortt (R-C-I, North Tonawanda) addresses concerns about giving insufficient time to businesses or other regulated entities required to comply with a new state rule. The lack of an additional public hearing or implementation period prior to the initiation of new rule changes can lead to significant hardships in efficiently and effectively operating, providing services, or conducting business. There are also concerns that without an implementation period prior to the effective date of a new regulation, public comments made later in the comment period are less likely to be taken into account due to time constraints. This bill adds a 90-day implementation period to alleviate this situation and increase the efficient and effective implementation of new rules.
 

Senator Ortt said, “New York State was once a shining example of economic prosperity and the fostering of a positive business climate. Unfortunately, our state became known more for driving away its successful corporations than growing them, and unfortunately, our rank of 49th in business friendliness illustrates the climate that currently exists. This legislative package will help eliminate burdensome ‘red tape’ and more policies like these will be an integral in restoring entrepreneurship, innovation, and job creation in our state. This was a good first step and we must continue to focus on the significant reforms to address and change New York’s business climate.” 

In addition to these measures, the Senate will be taking up other legislation and preparing a budget proposal in the coming weeks to help achieve the goals of the Opportunity Agenda. In recent years, the Senate has passed numerous bills – including several that have become law - to help reform the decision-making processes and practices that are putting New York’s businesses at a competitive disadvantage. The Senate has taken the lead in cutting bureaucratic red tape, including holding a series of hearings in 2013 to identify the rules, regulations, and mandates that are the most cumbersome and costly. From 2006 to 2015, approximately 2,750 new rules were proposed by state agencies – an average of 275 each year – and these add to the more than 140,000 pages of state regulations currently in place.
The bills have been sent to the Assembly.

Winter Storm Watch for Allegany County

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
353 AM EST Wed Feb 28 2018

Niagara-Orleans-Northern Erie-Genesee-Wyoming-Chautauqua-
Cattaraugus-Allegany-Southern Erie-
Including the cities of Niagara Falls, Medina, Buffalo, Batavia,
Warsaw, Jamestown, Olean, Wellsville, Orchard Park,
and Springville
353 AM EST Wed Feb 28 2018

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 5 to
  10 inches are possible.

* WHERE...All of western New York.

* WHEN...From Thursday evening through Friday evening.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Difficult travel conditions are possible,
  including during the morning commute on Friday. Gusty winds and
  wet heavy snow could cause tree branches to fall. Significant
  reductions in visibility are possible. Forecast confidence is
  lower than normal as temperatures will be near the freezing mark
  and a wide range of snowfall totals remains possible. Continue
  to follow the latest forecast as this storm approaches.

Wellsville VFW to hold craft show March 3

Obituary: Julia V. Bean, 87, Shinglehouse

Julia V. Bean  “beloved wife, mother, and grandmother”

SHINGLEHOUSE, Pa.- Julia V. Bean, 87, of Shinglehouse, formerly of Olean, N.Y., entered into eternal rest on Monday, February 26, 2018.

Born on September 30, 1930 in Olean, she was a daughter of John and Helen Murowski Mazur.  In 1960 in Olean, she married Kenneth V. Nellis, who passed away in 1968.  On July 15, 1970 in Westons Mills, she married Lyle A. Bean, who survives.

Julia was a graduate of Olean High School, Class of 1949.  She was employed by Alcas Cutlery in Olean as an assistant supervisor, retiring in 1996 after 44 years of service.

Julia loved tending to her flower gardens.  After her retirement, she was a volunteer for local schools reading and writing programs.  Julia will be remembered for her warm personality and love for her family and friends.  She will be sadly missed by all whose lives she touched.

Surviving besides her husband are a daughter, Rosemarie (Joseph) Kaluza; seven stepchildren, Mark (Rosemary) Hathaway, Luther (Crystal) Hathaway, Marcella (Harris) Steele, Melda Justice, Marlene Yeaples, Monalisa (Randy) Miles, and Marcia (Rich) Green; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; two sisters, Annie Freelove and Rosemarie Mazur; and several nieces and nephews.

Julia was predeceased by her parents; her first husband; and a brother, Theodore “Teddy” Mazur, who died in 2015.

Friends may call from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home, 118 South Union Street, Shinglehouse, where funeral services will follow at 11:30 a.m. with the Rev. Edward L. Bean, Julia’s brother-in-law, officiating.  Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Julia’s name may be made to local libraries or schools, as well as online to Donorschoose.org for teachers needing school supplies.

Julia’s family is being served by Kevin J. Dusenbury, funeral director/owner of the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home.

To express condolences or share a fond memory of Julia, please visit www.virgillhowardfuneralhome.com.

Asbestos cleanup continues - Whitesville school to remain closed on Wednesday

School will remain closed on Wednesday, February 28th due to the contained disturbance of asbestos on the east end of the building.  Clean-up crews have been working since Monday to make certain that air quality exceeds that which is required by state and federal regulations.  Normally rooms could be sealed off and school could go on as usual but this disturbance affected a main hallway. Closing school for the cleanup was our only option.

Please rest assured that at no time, were students or staff exposed since this disturbance happened during the break and was contained immediately to one small area of the building.  Your help in sharing this accurate information is appreciated. Please feel free to contact me or Tammy Emery with any questions or concerns.

Thank you,

Laurie Sanders, Superintendent

Allegany County Law Day is coming - and students could earn some cash

The Allegany County Bar Association is sponsoring an essay contest for Law Day (May 1st) 2018. The contest is open to any Allegany County high school student in grades 9 – 12. The 2018 Law Day theme is Separation of Powers : Framework for Freedom. The U.S. Constitution sets out a system of government with distinct and independent branches – Legislative, Executive and Judicial. It also defines the powers of Congress, the Presidency and the Supreme Court and outlines how they interact. These three separate branches share power, and each branch serves as a check on the power of the others.
Interested students should submit a 500 – 700 word essay addressing the following:

ESSAY QUESTION: Explain how the three branches of government share power and how each branch serves as a check on the others. Why was this system important to the framers? Discuss some modern day examples that illustrate the concepts of checks and balances, and separation of powers.

Cash prizes will be awarded in the amount of $300 for the first prize and $200 for second prize. Judging will be done by the current officers of the Allegany County Bar Association and essays will be judged anonymously.
Essays should be submitted with an attached cover sheet containing the student’s name, address, phone number, school and school sponsor or teacher. No name or identifying information should be on the essay itself because the judging will be done anonymously. All essays will be assigned a number before submission to the judges.

All entries must be submitted by Thursday, April 12, 2018 to:

Barbara J. Kelley
President of the Allegany County Bar Association
C/O ALLEGANY COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE
Attention: Secretary
7 Court Street
Belmont, New York 14813

Pitt-Bradford professor invents process to capture greenhouse gas

BRADFORD, Pa. - Dr. Matthew Kropf from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has invented a process that could capture the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide that is produced when natural gas is burned and trap it underground.

 Kropf is assistant professor of energy science and director of the American Refining Group/Harry R. Halloran Jr. Energy Institute. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted him a patent recently that could reduce the impact of burning fossil fuels on the environment.

One of the classes Kropf teaches in the university’s petroleum technology program is about oil and gas drilling techniques, including hydraulic fracturing. While teaching that class one semester, he began to think about one of the largest problems with burning natural gas in order to create electricity -- the large amounts of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

In Kropf’s process, the carbon dioxide created when natural gas is burned for energy would pass through special filters that would not only remove the gas, but also trap it.

When the filters had absorbed as much carbon dioxide as possible, they will be ready to serve a new purpose in oil and gas drilling.

The United States is in the middle of an energy boom due to a new drilling process called fracking, or hydraulic fracturing. In fracking, liquid and a sand-like material called a proppant are pumped down a well and create and hold open fissures in rock that allow oil or gas to be released. When the oil or gas begins to flow, most of the liquid is forced back up along with the oil or gas, but the proppant is left behind.

Kropf worked to develop a proppant that could also be used as a carbon dioxide-absorbing filter when fossil fuels are burned. With the carbon dioxide trapped inside, the proppant can then be pumped underground during the fracking process, sequestering the carbon dioxide underground.

It took Kropf four or five years to develop the perfect proppant. He began by speaking with local and national drilling companies to see if his idea was feasible.

Then he began studying materials that had not been considered before for use as proppants. It had to be something like sand, but that would chemically attract and bond to carbon dioxide. It had to have grains small enough to wedge themselves into rock and strong enough to keep it propped open. It could not dissolve in acid or water.

Kropf would have small batches developed and tested in labs. The money for the development came through a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps Site at the University of Pittsburgh Innovation Institute.  The Pitt Innovation Institute also helped him secure the patent for the eventual winner. With the proppant developed, it could be licensed to companies for use, but currently, there is no financial incentive for U.S. energy companies to substantially reduce the amount of carbon dioxide they are producing. Should the federal government begin regulating or limiting carbon dioxide emissions – something many people think is a matter of when, not if -- Kropf’s product is ready to go.

PA: Genesee Fire & EMS selects new slate of leaders

Officer's for 2018:
President- Mike Adams
Vice President - Chris Inzana
Treasure- Roy Ward
Ambulances Treasure - Lila Curry...
Secretary -Kim Inzana

Fire/Ems Chiefs-
Fire Chief 37 John Kuhn
1 Assistant Chief 37-10 Chuck Inzana
2 Assistant Chief 37-20 Duan Adams
Ambulates Chief 37-60 Scott Luse
Fire Captains/Lieutenant-
Engine.Captain 37-1 Aj Kuhn
Engine Captain 37-2 Chris Inzana
Min Pumper Captainn 37-4 Dale Rennells
Tanker Captain 37-5 Steve Baker
Rescue Captain 37-8 Mike Adams
Ladder Caption 37-9 AL Kibble
Rescue UTV Lieutenant 37-18 Tyler Mattison
Board Members-
Chairman AJ Kuhn
Vice Chairman Aaron Kuhn
Bored Member Al Kibble
Fire Police-
Fire-police Caption 37-90 Aaron Kuhn
Fire-police 37-91 Junior Baker
Fire-police 37-92 Ken Collins
Fire Police 37-93 Chuck Smith

Obituary: Carol Ann (Stevens) Fanton, 44, Wellsville

WELLSVILLE - Carol Ann (Stevens) Fanton went to the Lord Saturday (Feb. 17, 2018) after battling a lengthy illness at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa.

She was the daughter of Marilyn (Thorton) Osgood and Donald Stevens. She was born on September 2, 1973.

Carol was a cheerleader, played gymnastics and did swimming at Immaculate Conception School. In high school she taught young children to swim and was a lifeguard at the Wellsville pool. She played softball, tennis and dived on the swim team. After high school she attended Alfred State College and obtained a degree in Medical Records and Business Administration. She worked at Jones Memorial Hospital, in Dr. Crandall's office, and at Otis Eastern Services, Inc. She substitute taught in Wellsville where she also worked as a teacher assistant. She was so proud to coach the diving team.

Carol loved riding horses, Kate and Jack; loved her labs, Bailey and Sidney, hunting pheasants with her dad in the fall, and spending many hours at Keuka Lake at the family cottage (Aunt Ruth's Place). She spent many hours helping with the Balloon Rally Fundraiser (setting up, selling tickets, etc.) and in July she helped her special friends chase the balloon Child's Play.

She is survived by her parents, loving best friend, Jeremy Burrell, and her daughter, Allison Ann, whom she loved more than life itself. She is also survived by her family in Arizona, Aunt Carolyn Searls, Aunt Jerilynn and Uncle Mike Pfeilsticker, and their sons Mike Jr. and Kevin. She is also survived by cousins, Gretchen Fortner and her sons, Josh, Clayton, Brian and Tim, and cousins Hans and Doreen Arnold and their children, Matt, Anna and Ellen.

There will be a memorial service at 1 p.m. March 10, 2018 at First Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church at 470 North Main Street, Wellsville with the Rev. Patrick J. Cox presiding. There will be visitation from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. prior to the service with a luncheon following the service.

Allegany County Sheriff's Office

Allegany County Sheriff Rick Whitney reports that on February 22, 2018, Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office arrested Ricky A. Calhoun, age 37 of Cuba, on an Allegany County Family Court Warrant. Calhoun was located at an address in Wellsville where he was arrested without incident, processed, and transported to the Town of Angelica Court where he was arraigned and remanded to the Allegany County Jail with bail set at $3,000.00 cash.  Calhoun will reappear in Allegany County Court at a later date for additional court action.

On February 22, 2018, Deputies arrested Donald G. Williams Jr., age 29 of Bolivar, on an Allegany County Superior Court Warrant. Williams was located by Deputies, processed, and transported to Allegany County Court where he was arraigned and released on his own recognizance. Williams will reappear in Allegany County Court at a later date for additional court action.

Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office arrested Ronnie L. Farrow Sr., age 58 of Andover, on a Violation of Parole Warrant issued by the New York State Department of Parole. Farrow was processed and transported to the Allegany County Jail to be held without bail.

Obituary: Marian E. Barney, 96, Hallsport

Marian E. Barney, 96, of Hallsport, NY, died Monday, February 26, 2018 in Wellsville Manor Care Center, Wellsville, NY.  Born October 28, 1921, in Wellsville, she was the daughter of Frank A. and Myrtle Dickinson Foster.  On June 26, 1940, in Wellsville, she married Harold C. Barney, who predeceased on May 4, 2001.  Mrs. Barney and her husband owned and operated a dairy farm for many years.  Marian was a member of the Hallsport Grange.  Surviving are:  five sons, David Barney of Hallsport, Walter Barney of Hallsport, Wallace (Connie) Barney of Andover, William (Cheryl) Barney and Lavant (Carol) Barney, both of Wellsville;  six grandchildren;  20 great-grandchildren;  two great-great-grandchildren;  nieces and nephews.  In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by a daughter, Janet Ruth Barney; and a sister, Dorotha Davis.  Private services will be held at the Mulholland-Crowell Funeral Home, Wellsville, NY.  Pastor Rich Bendelewski will officiate.  Burial will be in Hallsport Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.wellsvillefuneralhome.com.

Eldred man accused of operating a meth lab

An Eldred man is in jail facing several drug and other counts. Police Monday night arrested 22-year-old James Baker. He faces six felony counts to include operating a meth lab and risking catastrophe. Arraigned in court, Baker was remanded to McKean County Jail. Bail was set at $75,000. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 8th. 

Allegany County Special District Attorney Investigator arrested

PRESS RELEASE

On Saturday, Troopers arrested Paul J. Wright, 60, of Wellsville for Driving While Intoxicated.
On February 24 Troopers responded to Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville for an investigation to another collision.  While at Jones Memorial, Troopers interacted with Wright who followed an ambulance to Jones.  Further investigation allegedly revealed that Wright was  intoxicated and failed standard field sobriety tests. Wright was placed under arrest and taken to SP Amity for processing.  Wright’s .45 Kimber pistol that he had on his person was secured at SP Amity.  Wright was administered a breath test with a result of .15% BAC.
Wright was issued an appearance ticket for the village of Wellsville Court for February 2018.

The District Attorney's Office confirmed that Wright was a Special Investigator K-9 Handler. DA Keith Slep said via an Assistant that Wright's employment was terminated at 9 a.m. today.