Two arrested in connection with high-speed car chase in north county...
Two men have been arrested for allegedly being involved in leading police in Chautauqua County in a high speed pursuit through the north county that ended in the town of Westfield. Sheriff's officers say they received a report late Friday morning about a speeding vehicle entering the county from the town of Brant in Erie County. Deputies located the vehicle on Route 60 in the town of Pomfret commit a traffic infraction... and, tried to stop the car. However... the driver -- later identified as 20 year-old Galen Steele, Junior of Toledo, Ohio -- sped off into the village of Fredonia. Police later stopped the pursuit because Steele was driving recklessly. Officers later spotted the vehicle on Route 5 in the town of Portland... and, it was pursued into Westfield... where they deployed spike strips, and the vehicle came to a stop. Three people -- including Steele -- ran off... and were later found with the help of Sheriff's K-9 Drake. In addition to Steele... officers arrested a passenger, 21 year-old Lorenzo Martinez of Buffalo for criminal possession of marijuana. Two other occupants of the vehicle were released without charges.
Electrical problem blamed for small fire that causes smoke damage at Sinclairville Dollar General...
A late night fire in the village of Sinclairville caused heavy smoke damage to the Dollar General Store on Jamestown Street. Chautauqua County Fire Investigators say Sinclairville fire crews were called to 5817 Jamestown Street shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday. The fire investigation team determined four coolers attatched to each other caught fire. Deputies say surveillance footage indicates one of the coolers had an electrical issue about 11 p.m. Wednesday. The fire wasn't discovered until employees came to work Thursday morning. The coolers were in an area of the store where the flames didn't spread to anything else. Police say -- fortunately -- the fire burned itself out and the Dollar General suffered minor fire damage.
Dunkirk woman found not guilty of manslaughter in stabbing case...
A Chautauqua County Court jury has found a Dunkirk woman not guilty of second degree manslaughter. 26 year-old Ashleyanne Lopez-Lopez was on trial for stabbing death of 15-year-old Jefreda Brown that occurred last May. The jury reached the verdict around 1 p.m. after spending much of the morning in deliberations.
Mitrano, local doctor, call for Universal Health Care to make sure people have insurance, and to reduce costs...
The decision by a small group of Southern Tier doctors to poll some of their own money to pay off medical debts for some low-income families has caught the eye of the area's Democratic Congressional candidate. Penn Yan's Tracy Mitrano hosted a press conference Friday at the Prendergast Library in Jamestown with retired local doctor Ralph Walton... who was one of the doctors who helped pay off half-a-million dollars in debt. Mitrano says, though, it's just an example of what many Americans are dealing with... because it's costing some $8,000 a year for each person to support the current system. Walton says most of these families who don't have insurance often have to decide between paying for food, or medication. He says $170,000 of the debt was held by 23rd District residents. Walton says the dilemna facing these families should not be happening in America. He says... of the 36 developed nations in the world... the U-S is the only one that doesn't have Universal health care. Mitrano says that's wrong... and, says incumbant Republican Tom Reed is part of the problem. She will host five Health Care town Halls next week... one in Jamestown at the Unitarian Church Tuesday night.
Doors Open Jamestown being held today...
The annual 'Doors Open Jamestown' is Saturday. Zach Agett, Marketing and Events Manager for the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, says 17 places are taking part this year, and it runs until 5 p.m. One of the added locations this year, the new Chamber of Commerce office at the corner of Third and Main. The other locations this year are: the Audubon, Busti Mill, the Harbor Hotel, Sports Hall of Fame, the Doubletree, Fenton History Center, Prendergast Library, the Lucy-Desi Museum, Martz-Kohl Observatory, Marvin House, the Reg, the Jackson Center, the Peterson Institute, DAR House, and the Children's Activity Center. Each location will have a raffle prize, and there'll be a chance to win some overnight stays at the Doubletree, as well.
Group of Jamestown residents pushing for city to be featured on HGTV's Home Town program...
A group of citizens and development leaders are pushing to have the city of Jamestown featured in an HGTV Special slated for production this year. Several dozen people gathered on Tracy Plaza Friday afternoon to shoot a quick video and pictures of the group to submit to HGTV's Home Town program. One of the organizers... Josie Monfort... says they're applying to be part of "Home Town Takeover." Monfort believes it would help in casting Jamestown in a more positive light. Details of what the city would have to do to make it onto Home Town Takeover are still being fleshed out... but, Monfort says they would likely work on ways to improve part of the downtown... and, possibly do some exterior home improvements in some areas of the city.
Fredonia leads Small Business Revolution voting heading into the weekend...
With five days left in the competition... the village of Fredonia is in first-place in the Final-5 of the 'Small Business Revolution.' That from Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Tranum... who adds, though, that "larger communities are close behind. We are up against communities three times larger than ours! We must maintain the momentum if we are going to win this." Fredonia was announced as making the Top 5 in the competition for a $500,000 first-prize. Tranum says people need to continue to vote on-line at www.smallbusinessrevolution.com.
