FORESTVILLE – In light of an unprecedented proposal to raise taxes by 445 percent in Forestville, the Audit and Control Committee of the Chautauqua County Legislature voted Thursday to offer financial aid to the struggling village.

Although the full board will need to vote on the resolution next week, the committee recommended offering a $150,000 loan and other financial incentives to the Village of Forestville, which faces a $400,000 debt. The county would only offer the money under the conditions that the village partake in an audit and examine the possibility of dissolving into the Town of Hanover.

The laws of the Constitution grant rights to both citizens and non-citizens who reside within the United States. However, becoming a U.S. citizen carries with it several benefits unavailable to non-citizens. According to the United States Custom and Immigration Services’ Guide to Naturalization, the following are some of the advantages of becoming a citizen:  

Voting and Participation in the Electoral Process

Jamestown, NY – Boy Scouts have the opportunity to earn some of the requirements for the Bird Study Merit Badge at the Audubon Center & Sanctuary on Saturday morning, May 3, 2014.

From 8 a.m. till noon, Boy Scout leader and longtime birder Bob Ungerer will cover topics including the use and care of binoculars, how to use a field guide, and the identification of common birds by sight and sound.

Weather permitting, the program will include a visit to Audubon’s bird banding station where Scouts will meet career ornithologists who are gathering data for research studies. They can watch the scientists capture birds using mist nets, then band, weigh, and measure before releasing them back into the wild.  The hike will also include a peek into at least one of Audubon’s nest boxes.