Community Spotlight, the area's longest running local public affairs radio program, airs on all six Media One Radio Group stations each weekend and is also available to hear in our Podcast Section.  Each week we sit down with a community leader or another special guest to talk about issues within our community.  


Weather Forecasts are available across our radio stations each day and also as your fingertips! 

Connect with The National Weather Service's Buffalo Office or with WGRZ-TV for accurate weather information!

 

 

 


 

WJTN Headlines

Two Jamestown residents have been arreste for allegedly being found in possession of of a loaded assault rifle in their southside home. 

 

City police say during an investigation of 40 year-old Gabriel Harrison and 37 year-old Stacy Thayer

 

they determined both had the gun in their possession.  Members of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force and State Police C-NET Team raided the home at 103 McKinley Avenue late Tuesday afternoon. 

 

Police say they found the loaded, SKS 7.62 rifle, with ammunition inside the residence.  Both Harrison and Thayer were arraigned on one count each of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and, sent to the county jail without bail.

 

 

Representative Tom Reed met with local farmers Wednesday afternoon to update them on three issues yet to get through Congress: immigration, trade and tax reform. 

 

He believes all three will eventually get attention but, he says tax reform will get immediate attention.  The Corning Republican says the next item will be immigration and DACA because of the president's six-month deadline for legislation. 

 

Reed says recent bi-partisan efforts in Washington leave him 'more optimistic' that all three issues will be successfully dealt with.  Much of the hour long discussion at the Grape Discovery Center in Westfield focused on some of the technical issues in tax reform and immigration currently under debate. 

 

Chautauqua County Farm Bureau President Dick Kimball says action is needed but hard to come by for all the issues Reed discussed.  Kimball says it's "simple" when you just look at "your side" of the issue. 

 

Around 30 farmers and ag leaders attended the event along with Assemblyman Andy Goodell and County Executive Vince Horrigan.

 

 

Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan has finalized his proposed 2018 county budget but, we'll have to wait another week before we can find out the details. 

 

Horrigan will be unveiling his final budget as County Executive during the next County Legislature meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 27

 

Horrigan spoke yesterday about what he intends to include in the budget presentation to county lawmakers.  He says the budget will highlight investments, challenges they face, and revenues and taxes. 

 

We asked Horrigan whether the approval of an extension of the 8 percent sales has been helpful in putting together the budget plan.  He says it's "an important aspect" of the budget in being able to hold down property taxes. 

 

Horrigan, who is leaving public office at the end of the year, says he will also address issues such as infrastructure and the environment of the county's lakes. 

 

The Legislature has until December 1st to pass a 2018 budget.  County residents are invited to attend the presentation at the Gerace Office Building in Mayville.

 

 

The Jamestown Policeman's union has announced it's backing Republican candidate George Borrello for Chautauqua County Executive. 

 

The Kendall Club-Police Benevolent Association announced the endorsement this week for the town of Hanover legislator.  Borrello is finishing up his fourth-term on the panel. 

 

Kendall Club-PBA President Jason Donato says members "overwhelmingly passed" the endorsement at their Sept. 13 meeting.

 

 

After announcing a new venue for an event to raise money and awareness to aspects of the drug addiction epidemic in Chautauqua County the first-ever "Rally to Recover Jamestown" will be held this Saturday at the Sherwood Arts Complex. 

 

Co-organizer Chanda Lynn Germain says that not only local, but national support centers will be available for those struggling with addiction through scholarships to help them get into treatment. 

 

Centers on the roster for Rally to Recover Jamestown include "No More Heroin" from Flordia, "Hope" from Ohio, and the Addiction Response Ministry of Chautauqua; as well as several other non-profit organizations. 

 

Germain and her grandmother Adrian Smith-Madden add they are also trying "to bring hope" to those suffering because of addiction and knowledge to those who may unaware of the epidemic in the community. 

 

National speakers and musical artists are also scheduled to take the stage for the event which runs from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.  For more information, please visit the "Rally to Recover Jamestown" Facebook page.  The event is free and open to everyone.

 

 

The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation's Neighborhood Block Challenge program has been successful in improving several smaller neighborhood areas across the city. 

 

With that the JRC is looking to expand the program into four target areas starting in 2019.  Corporation leaders presented the findings of a study done by czb Consultants at Monday night's City Council meeting. 

 

Neighborhood Project Manager Mary Maxwell says these projects will be longer term taking up to five-years to complete. 

 

JRC Board Co-Chairman Len Faulk says that when they helped fix homes in specific areas of the city the effect spread to other homes in that area.  He adds that when they helped fix up properties that also had a positive impact on home values. 

 

Faulk says those properties have seen a 5-percent increase in what they sell for.  He says that's a "great trend." 

 

The four target areas are the northside along Lakeview Avenue the westside along Fairmount Avenue Hazeltine and Forest Avenues and, the area of Allen Park and UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital.  Applications will be available next year.  For more information go to the JRC website.

 

 

There is no change in prices at the gas pump this week for Chautauqua County motorists. 

 

That from the AAA's Gas Price report.  Gas prices in the Jamestown-area held steady at $2.69-cents per gallon.  As gas prices drop for the majority of the country, so does the nation's gasoline inventory, which can mostly be attributed to motorist filling their tanks by the droves in preparation for Hurricane Irma. 

 

Today's national gas price average is $2.60.  Motorists can find current gas prices along their route at Gasprices.aaa.com.