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COVID-19 Coverage

Masks Again Required In Erie County As Virus Spreads

ALBANY (AP) — People will soon have to wear masks indoors again in western New York's most populous county because of a spike in COVID-19 positives and hospitalizations in the region, officials said Monday. Starting Tuesday, anyone 2 and older must wear masks at all indoor public locations in Erie County, including bars and restaurants, grocery stores, gyms and fitness centers, hotels and banks, and hair salons. County Executive Mark Poloncarz said if the mask mandate doesn't work by mid-December, the county will require vaccine mandates for indoor dining. Erie County, home to ...

Supply Shortages Impact School Districts’ Food Service

School lunches are an important part of every school districts’ everyday operations - however, recent supply shortages have impacted food service programs across the area. The U.S. supply chain has been disrupted for quite some time, impacting every industry and facet of the economy ...

Health Board Wants More Mask Wearing

Health officials are discouraged with the rising COVID cases in Chautauqua County and want to see more people wearing masks. During the county Board of Health meeting, Christine Schuyler, public health director and commissioner of Social Services, said cases right now haven’t been this high since January and she envisions it getting worse. “It seems to me like we’re facing a perfect COVID-19 storm. The delta strain is much more contagious than last year’s original strain. Vaccine immunity seems to be waning for those vaccinated six months ago. Fewer people are wearing masks. ...

Little Theatre To Open For First Show Since Pandemic

The lights were glowing and the mics were hot this week at the Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown as a rehearsal for the upcoming show “All Together Now” got underway. It has been a long time since the stage at the Little Theatre on East Second Street had any performers upon it ...

Americans Quit Their Jobs At Record Pace For 2nd Month

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans quit their jobs at a record pace for the second straight month in September, while businesses and other employers posted a near-record number of available jobs. The Labor Department said Friday that 4.4 million people quit their jobs that month, or about 3% of ...

SUNY Takes Aim At Statewide Nurse Shortage With $3M Training Fund

Although resistance to mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations has highlighted New York's shortage of skilled medical workers, hospital administrators say the deficit has been an issue for years, particularly when it comes to nurses. According to the American Journal of Medical Quality, there will be a shortage of more than 39,000 registered nurses across the state by 2030. In an attempt to get ahead of the problem, the State University of New York system is launching a new initiative to help communities train new talent in the healthcare field. A fund endowed with $3 million has been created ...