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WJTN Headlines

A truck hitting a utility pole anchor, breaking the pole and shorting out the electric lines triggered a major outage Wednesday morning affecting several industrial and commercial locations in Falconer. 

 

Spokeswoman Becky Robbins with the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities says the truck hit the anchor, and broke the pole about 9:45 a.m. at the corner of Dow and Allen Streets. 

 

Robbins says the power outage impacted SKF Aerospace, Truck-Lite, Schwann, Jones-Carroll, Kingsview Paving and others.  She says electricity to South Dow Street customers was restored in about an hour.  All remaining customers had power back by about 11:30 a.m.

 

 

The New York Air National Guard is deploying more resources to Texas to help out with the response to Harvey's record-breaking flooding. 

 

New York officials say a search and rescue aircraft carrying 15 airmen from the 106th Rescue Wing was headed to Fort Hood in Texas on Tuesday. A regional medical plans officer will head to Texas on Thursday to help with the evacuation and transportation of patients from local hospitals. This is in addition to the 104 Airmen already dispatched to the area along with rescue helicopters and watercraft.

 

 

 

The city of Houston has set a new single-storm rainfall record for the continental U-S with more than 50 inches of rain due to Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey. 

 

That's a lot more than the heaviest rainfall amounts ever recorded in Western New York.  That from Forecaster Jon Hitchcock with the National Weather Service in Buffalo who says the wettest 5-day period in Western New York resulted from the remnants of Hurricane Agnes in 1972. 

 

Hitchcock says some locations including Olean and Wellsville had upwards of 13-inches of rain.  He says Wellsville had a record 13.9-inches from Agnes. 

 

Hitchcock says 50 inches of rainfall in such a short-time in Western New York is not likely because we are not in a tropical environment right off the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  Still, the remnants of Agnes caused some of the worst flooding in recorded history across parts of the Southern Tier including Olean, Elmira and Corning. 

 

We are expected to get some rain from the remnants of Harvey by late next weekend.

 

 

The price of gasoline in the Jamestown-area has risen sharply late yesterday at some gasoline stations with a number of refineries in southeastern Texas shut-down due to Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey. 

 

While the price had stayed steady the past few days it's gone up 9 to 10 cents a gallon since yesterday morning at some service stations. 

 

The AAA's Fuel Gauge Report said the average price yesterday was still about $2.44 cents a gallon.  During the lunch hour we had a chance to check some prices in the area and, some had already gone up to $2.53 and $2.54 a gallon while a few others were still at $2.44 a gallon for regular, unleaded. 

 

Nationally the price was up four-cents to $2.37 a gallon as of late Monday.

 

 

Local Congressman Tom Reed has signed-on as a co-sponsor of legislation proposed by another member of the House from western New Yorker he says would guarantee American's second-amendment rights. 

 

The Corning Republican adds that the Second Amendement Guarantee Act would also make New York's controverial SAFE Act null-and-void. 

 

The Corning Republican said Tuesday that he has signed onto the legislation authored by Clarence Republican Chris Collins. 

 

Reed says he believes the issue of gun violence can be addressed in other ways than restricting gun rights and, the focus needs to be on mental health and, violent criminal activity.  He has often discussed the need to deal with Mental Illness issues better as opposed to limiting access to guns.  He calls this a protective measure and feels that an attack against citizen's Second-Amendment is "not the right way" to go. 

 

The SAFE Act otherwise known as the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act was proposed by Governor Cuomo in 2013 in the wake of the mass shooting deaths of more than two-dozen people, mostly young children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.  So far it has withstood court challenges.

 

 

Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan has now held the first two of three public hearings on a county-wide shared services plan. 

 

Horrigan held the first hearing at the Fredonia Technology Incubator in Dunkirk and, the second was last night at the county's EMS Office in Mayville.  He says turnout was light for the first one but there was generally positive feedback about a proposal to look at the consolidation of the County's court system from those involved.  He says people want some more information though. 

 

Horrigan says he is outlining the current proposals they have and, the final hearing will be tonight in Jamestown at the BWB Building on West Third Street.  Horrigan says it'll begin in the second-floor conference room at 6:30 p.m.

WJTN Headlines

Local Congressman Tom Reed says he supports President Trump's decision to go to Texas while rescue and relief efforts are still on-going. 

 

The president was in both Austin and the Corpus Christi area yesterday where he called Hurricane, now Tropical Storm Harvey a storm of "epic proportion." 

 

Congressman Reed earlier Tuesday said his "thoughts, prayers, and support" go to the people of Houston and, surrounding area. 

 

Reed says he doesn't believe it's "too early" for the president to be in Texas adding that knowing the president, "he wants to be hands-on and, on the ground."  Preliminarily the recovery effort was expected to cost at least $3-billion.  However, the Corning Republican says this has been an "unprecidented storm" and, he believes Congress will provide the needed emergency funding once members return from their August break. 

 

The president received an update from Texas Governor Greg Abbott and others Tuesday.  Reed made his comments for his weekly telephone conference call with Southern Tier Media.

 

 

While prices shot up across parts of the country in the wake of Hurricane Harvey blasting the southeast Texas coast the cost for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline in the Jamestown-area is holding steady this week. 

 

The AAA's Fuel Gauge Report says today that the average, local price was down. slightly to $2.43.9 this week. 

 

AAA says it's the sixth-straight week that prices have held steady in the region.  The Fuel Gauge reports that prices are relatively stable throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. 

 

Nationally the price is up to $2.37 a gallon this week which is four-cents more than last week.

 

 

Sinclairville woman being treated for injuries following head-on accident in Kiantone.

 

A Sinclairville woman escaped serious injury yesterday morning when she swerved to avoid a deer in the town of Kiantone and, her car went off the road and struck a utility pole head-on. 

 

Sheriff's officers say 55 year-old Lori Swift was northbound on Peck-Settlement Road about 7:30 a.m. when her car went off the road, and hit the National Grid pole. 

 

Deputies say Swift was treated at the scene by an Allstar Ambulance crew and, was taken to UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.  No charges were filed.

 

 

A 21.5% increase in student enrollment at the State University of New York College at Fredonia has left college officials pleased with the results of new recruitment efforts. 

 

College Council Chair Frank Pagano says he is thrilled with the efforts and says they are picking up more students from the downstate area. 

 

Pagano says they hired a recruiter to get more students from the New York Metro-area as well as Long Island.  He says SUNY at Fredonia is also responding more quickly to student applications. 

 

At one point he says it was nearly two-weeks before university got back to prospective students.  He says that's now been cut to five-days from the time the college receives the application to the student being notified of acceptance. 

 

A former mayor of Fredonia, Pagano says the increase in enrollment is bringing new excitement to the campus.  The university is the largest employer in the Dunkirk-Fredonia and remains a key player in the region's economy.

 

 

Criticism of the city of Jamestown's plan to annex the Dow Street Substation continued during Monday night's privledge of the floor at the city council's voting session. 

 

City resident Chris Gardner continued to ask who pushed for the annexation in the beginning and, who supported it. Gardner says the move will have a significant tax impact on the village of Falconer town of Ellicott and Falconer School District.  

 

While the BPU voted to petition city council for the annexation he insisted that BPU staff he's talked to said they didn't "push for it."  Gardner adds that he feels it's "politically motivated." 

 

Another resident Ravin Mason of Lovell Avenue had a dozen questions she felt city council should answer in their own minds before voting one was what kind of financial straits would the loss of $7.5-milion in assessment have on these smaller municipalities? 

 

She adds that this would add to the loss of taxable property due to the major apartment, commercial building fire in downtown Falconer late last Winter.

 

 

Members of the Jamestown City Council and Mayor Sam Teresi celebrated the more than 30-year career of retiring Director of Finance and City Clerk James Olson at the end of Monday night's Council meeting. 

 

Teresi was joined by lawmakers in presenting a special plaque to Olson.  Olson returned to city government after a short hiatus when Teresi began his tenure as Mayor in 2000. 

 

However Teresi says their friendship dates back to when Teresi interned at City Hall with former Mayor Steven Carlson and, Olson was Carlson's Executive Assistant at the time. 

 

The mayor says he understood that Olson had a hard decision to make in retiring because his head was telling him he needed to take his new opportunity, but, his heart wanted to be with city government. 

 

That opportunity is the chance to work full-time with a local accounting and tax preparation firm.  Olson's final day will be Thursday, Aug. 31.  He'll be replaced by Jamestown-area attorney Todd Thomas who will become the city's new Director of Administrative Services and City Clerk on Sept. 1.

WJTN Headlines

City officials in Jamestown are pleased to see the state's Department of Environmental Conservation approve the city council as lead agency for the final process of annexing four-acres of land in the village of Falconer and, town of Ellicott. 

 

With that city council last night gave final approval to the annexation of land the Board of Public Utilities' Dow Street Substation is located on.  The DEC issued it's ruling late last week and, notified the city late last Friday. 

 

With that, lawmakers approved three measures accepting the DEC's approval as well as the final two phases of an Environmental Assessment Form stating that the annexation would have no "negative impact" on the environment. 

 

Mayor Sam Teresi says the DEC ruling can't be challenged but, he says the city's environmental assessment could be in the state's Appellate Division.  Teresi says once they got e-mail confirmation of the approval by the DEC last Friday they began drafting resolutions for last night's meeting. 

 

The city had been waiting for the DEC Commissioner to sign-off on the measure so lawmakers could vote on approving the annexation of land.  The annexation must now must be voted on by the Falconer village and, Ellicott town boards. 

 

Teresi says if either one rejects the annexation the matter will go to court.

 

 

Jamestown city leaders last night celebrated a more than 30-year career in the city and, said a fond farewell to retiring Director of Finance and City Clerk James Olson. 

 

Mayor Sam Teresi was joined by council members in presenting a special plaque to Olson at the end of last night's meeting. 

 

Olson returned to city government after a short hiatus when Teresi began his tenure as Mayor in 2000.  However Teresi says their friendship dates back to when Teresi interned at City Hall with former Mayor Steven Carlson and, Olson was Carlson's Executive Assistant at the time. 

 

Teresi adds that Olson will remain a member of two boards and commissions that he is a member of, as he becomes a full-time employee of a local accounting firm.  He also acknowledged that Olson was having a fight between his head and his heart over the decision to retire especially over the past month. 

 

Olson will be replaced by Jamestown-area attorney Todd Thomas who will become the city's new Director of Administrative Services and City Clerk on September 1st.

 

 

The New York State Department of Transportation has reportedly rescinded approvals for the massive roundabout project that's been planned for the Route 20 and Route 60 intersection in the town of Pomfret. 

 

That's the word from an area business that filed a lawsuit in State Supreme Court. 

 

McDonald's restaurant Owner/Operator Enrico Francani challenged the DOT's determination that the roundabout project is not subject to an environmental impact review in state law.  As a result the State DOT has agreed to undertake the required environmental review. 

 

Attorney Adam Walters represents Francani and believed more review is needed and that the initial decision was "a mistake."  With that, they filed the lawsuit, and the DOT rescinded all the approvals. 

 

Walters says the lawsuit also highlighted changes that would adversely impact the franchise.  He says both of their entrances would be cut off by medians for the roundabout which he says will have a "significant impact on the business." 

 

We have also reached out to the State DOT's Regional Office in Buffalo for comment but, have not received a response at this time. 

 

 

The American Red Cross is again on the scene of a major, national disaster this time the Houston, Texas region that's been devastated by Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey. 

 

That from Western and Central New York Red Cross Disaster Officer Ken Turner who says their hearts go out to the millions of victims in the region. 

 

Turner says the western part of the region alone has sent 33 volunteers to help staff shelters, and assist people with emergency provisions.  He says five are from Western New York and, one is Silver Creek's Ron Chwojdak. 

 

Turner says the Red Cross effort is truly "Americans helping Americans."  He says the number of volunteers is by no means final because the Red Cross is likely to be in the Houston area for the next several weeks providing assistance. 

 

Turner says if people would like to help the effort you can mail a check to the American Red Cross.  You can also text to "Harvey at #90999".  You can also call the Red Cross at 1800-RED CROSS.

 

 

Investigators in the north county are continuing to look into why a Dunkirk man was sitting between the rails of the CSX Rail line last Friday when he was struck by an eastbound train. 

 

That from City Police Chief David Ortolano who released the name of the victim late yesterday morning.  Ortolano says 27 year-old John Sharp was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident which occured about 8:30 p.m. above the South Roberts Road overpass. 

 

Ortolano says they didn't release Sharp's name immediately because they had difficulty reaching relatives and, notifying them.  The Chautauqua County Coroner's Office has also been involved in the investigation.

 

 

New York has 31 new environmental conservation officers and nine new forest rangers. 

 

The Department of Environmental Conservation says they all graduated from the agency's 21st Basic School for Uniformed Officers and received diplomas Friday in Pulaski. 

 

The academy ran for 28 weeks with training and coursework in environmental conservation law, physical conditioning, firearms, wildlife identification, search and rescue, wildfire suppression and other skills. 

 

Across the state in 2016, environmental conservation officers responded to over 26,000 calls and issued 22,000 tickets for crimes ranging from deer poaching to corporate toxic dumping and illegal mining.

WJTN Headlines

The investigation is continuing into a train/pedestrian accident that claimed a life in the city of Dunkirk Friday night. 

 

Dunkirk Police Chief David Ortolano says a Dunkirk man lost is life after being hit by a CSX freight train above the South Roberts Road overpass shortly before 8:30 p.m.  Ortolano says they have notified next of kin and can released the name. 

 

The man is identified as 27 year-old John Sharp of Dunkirk.  He says they are still trying to find out why Sharp was on the tracks. 

 

Ortolano was sitting between the rails when he was struck by the eastbound train.  He says Dunkirk Police are continuing the investigation with the Chautauqua County Coroner's Office and CSX Police.

 

 

The American Red Cross is again on the scene of a major, national disaster this time the Houston, Texas region that's been devastated by Hurricane Harvey. 

 

That from Regional Red Cross Disaster Office Ken Turner who says their hearts go out to the millions of victims in the region. 

 

Turner says the western and central New York Region alone has sent 33 volunteers to help staff shelters, and assist people with emergency provisions.  He says five are from the western part of the region including Ron Chwojdak of Silver Creek. 

 

Turner says they are helping in "mass care" sheltering.  He says the number of volunteers is by no means final because the Red Cross is likely to be in the Houston area for the next several weeks providing assistance. 

 

Turner says if people would like to help the effort you can mail a check to the American Red Cross.  You can also text to "Harvey at #90999".  You can also call the Red Cross at 1800-RED CROSS.

 

 

The American Red Cross and officials from Chautauqua County are urging people to know and understand the need to have working smoke detectors in your home as well as a disaster escape plan. 

 

Red Cross Regional Disaster Officer Ken Turner was at the Jamestown Chapter House Monday morning to announce their "Sound the Alarm" campaign begins on Sept. 23 and runs through Oct. 15

 

Turner says there have been 35 such instances in Western New York this past year and, he says the Red Cross is ready to help residents put in working smoke detectors and develop and evacuation plan.  He says if the alarms are not operable they will replace them at no cost to the homeowner.  He says they will also have people to help with creating home evacuation plans. 

 

Turner pointed out that the local Red Cross prevention efforts since 2014 have saved, directly and indirectly some 270 lives in Western New York.  That's included 19 over the past year. 

 

One was where a woman living in an apartment house was awakened by a working smoke detector in her apartment and, she managed to wake up her fellow tenants so they could get out safely.  For more information call 1-800-RED CROSS or go to their website.

 

 

A city man is jailed without bail for allegedly being a fugitive from justice and, for being in possession of illegal narcotics during a traffic stop early Sunday morning in Jamestown. 

 

City police say a patrol stopped the vehicle at the corner of North Main and First Streets about 1:30 a.m. for a violation.  However, officers say the front seat passenger, 29 year-old David Talyor, was found to be wanted on a warrant in Warren County, Pennsylvania. 

 

Police say they found a quantity of marijuana in Taylor's possession when he was taken into custody.  They say they also found some crushed prescription pills on the back seat and floor of the patrol car. 

 

Taylor faces charges including Felony fugitive from justice tampering with physical evidence and, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance.  He was arraigned... and, sent to the county lock-up pending extradiction.

 

 

Chautauqua Institution's new President, Michael Hill, brought his first season to a close Sunday night. 

 

Saying it was a 'remarkable' summer he charged Chautauquans to 'take it home.'  He says the power of Chautauqua is bringing all that's at Chautauqua "home with us." 

 

Hill also talked about his focus to make Chautauqua a more diverse place in the future including a new diversity program and officer... and, advisory council on diversity and inclusion.  He also promised more opportunity for local residents particularly young people in the off-season, and pledged to develop a 'business center' at Chautauqua by next summer. 

 

That center would assist people who need to bring their work with them when they come during Chautauqua's nine-week program. 

 

Hill made his 'three taps' closing address to around 700 people in attendance at the final Sacred Song Service of the summer Sunday night. 

 

 

A new study shows that the 25 million people who live among the Appalachian mountains have struggled to keep up with the health gains of the rest of the country, falling behind in nearly every major public health indicator. 

 

The report released late last week shows the 13-state region lags the rest of the country in 33 out of 41 public health indicators, including seven of the leading 10 causes of death in the United States. 

 

Deaths by poisoning, which include drug overdoses, were 37% higher than the rest of the country, a testament to the opioid addiction crisis.

News Headlines for Sun., Aug 27, 2017

Ortolano says person hit by train dies on CSX tracks in Dunkirk Friday night...
There's been another fatal train accident in along the Lake Erie Shoreline in Chautauqua County.  One person was killed after getting struck by a train in the city of Dunkirk Friday night.  Dunkirk Police Chief Dave Ortolano says Dunkirk Police and Fire responded to the CSX rail line above the South Roberts Road overpass a little before 8:30 p.m.  Ortolano says patrols and fire crews were called to the area above the CSX overpass.  He says the male victim was reportedly sitting between the rails and was struck by an eastbound CSX freight train... and, was pronounced dead at the scene.  Police are withholding the name of the victim pending notification of family.  This is the second time in as many days that a person died in a train accident in Chautauqua County.  State Police say 58-year-old Marilyn Triana died after her Sports Utility Vehicle got hit by a train in Ripley on Thursday.
 
 
Jamestown man arrested in West Ellicott for allegedly trafficking narcotics...
A city man is jailed without bail for allegedly being found in possession of a significant amount of illegal drugs, and a loaded hand-gun that was reported stolen, during a traffic stop this past Thursday night.  Sheriff's deputies say they and members of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force located and arrested 29 year-old Allen Yarbrough while he was driving in a parking lot at 945 Fairmount Ave. in West Ellicott.  Officers say Yarbrough was sought on one count of Felony criminal contempt.  During the investigation... Task Force members got a search warrant... and, found him with about 12 grams of uncut heroin... a half-an ounce of Methamphetamine... 100 hydrocodone tablets... and, 21 dosage units of Suboxone.  They also found the stolen hand-gun... and, packaging materials and scales.  With that... Yarbrough will be arraigned at a later date on charges including five counts of third-degree criminal possession of a Controlled Substance... fourth-degree criminal possession... and, second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon.  Yarbrough was sent to the county lock-up... and, deputies add additional charges are pending.
 
 
Reed announces reintroducting HELP Act to help prosecute those involved in dealing Heroin laced with other substances...
A law that would stiffen penalties for drug dealers who sell -- or cut Heroin and other drugs with other deadly substances -- has been re-introduced in Congress.  That from Local Representative Tom Reed... who has again filed the Help Ensure Lives are Protected -- or HELP -- Act in Washington, D-C.  The Corning Republican says the law would allow prosecutors to seek life in prison... or the death penalty... if someone knowingly sells Heroin laced with Fentanyl... and it results in an overdose death.  Reed has met the family of several people who died from overdose... including Kim Carlson of Jamestown, whose son, Alex Foulk, died of an overdose of Heroin laced with Fentanyl... nearly two years ago.   He says he wants to see the legislation taken up in September.  Reed says he is looking for someone to co-sponsor the Help Ensure Lives are Protected Act in the U-S Senate.  He made his comments during his weekly telephone conference call with Southern Tier Media.
 
 
Teresi appoints Todd Thomas to replace Olson in new position...
Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi has named a practicing attorney from Chautauqua County as his new Director of Administrative Services -- and City Clerk -- beginning September 1st.  Teresi says his appointment of Todd Thomas to replace the retiring Jim Olson will take place at next Monday night's City Council voting session.  Olson will step down as the current Director of Financial Services/City Clerk next Thursday, Aug. 31.  Teresi says he's looking forward to having Thomas joined their administrative team.  He says Thomas has "very large foot prints" to fill... but, adds he's confident that "given his background, skill set and past experience, Todd will be up to the challenge."  Thomas and his wife, Lana, live in Jamestown.  Due to the change in title to reflect the new bredth and scope of the position... Teresi says there will also have to be a charter change voted on by the city council.
 
 
City woman arrested for allegedly leaving 1-year-old alone to wander outside...
A Jamestown woman is jailed after her one-year-old child was found -- alone -- chasing a small dog on the city's eastside Friday afternoon.  City police were called to the scene at 86 Falconer Street shortly before 3 p.m., where they found an uninvolved person holding the child.  The woman told police the child was alone... and, was running towards the street.  Police began talking with neighbors... and, located the child's mother -- 20 year-old Katlin DiDomenico -- inside her house.  Officers learned DiDomenico hadn't noticed that the toddler had wandered off for at least 5-minutes.  Police went to arrested her for endangering the welfare of a child.  However... once handcuffed... DiDomenico tried to pull away... and, was additionally charged with resisting arrest.  The one-year-old child was turned over to a family member.
 
 
Young announces $5-Million in funding for new passing landes on Route 60 between Cassadaga and Gerry...
There will be new passing lanes along a busy and dangerous stretch of Route 60 between Gerry and Cassadaga... thanks to the efforts of State Senator Cathy Young.  Young was at the Chautauqua County Public Facilties headquarters in Falconer yesterday to announce that she was able to obtain $5-million in capital funding for the effort.  The Olean Republican says she's "very, very pleased" that the Senate could negotiate the funding to improve that important 12-mile stretch of roadway.  Young adds that Route 60 is "very, very important" to the local economy as well.  Young adds that the state Department of Transporation will do a study to find where the best places are to put in passing lanes.  State Assemblyman Andy Goodell the project will improve traffic flow. 
 

WJTN Headlines

A Ripley woman was killed late yesterday afternoon when her Sports Utility Vehicle was struck by a CSX train at the Goodrich Street crossing in the town of Ripley. 

 

State Police in Fredonia say the accident occured around 4 p.m. when the southbound SUV driven by 58 year-old Marillyn Triana, drove into the path of the train and, was struck. 

 

Troopers say the train was westbound at the time of the crash.  State Police say Triana was prounnced dead at the scene.  The cause of the collision is still under investigation.


A Jamestown man will spend 10 years in federal prison for trying to traffic 500 grams or more of cocaine from his residence in Ashville and, two vehicles he owned. 

 

Acting U.S. Attorney James Kennedy, Junior announced Thursday afternoon that 32 year-old Taylor Larson received the sentence from U-S District Court Judge Lawrence Vilardo. 

 

The Assisant U-S Attorney who prosecuted the case says Jamestown police and members of the U-S Drug Enforcement Administration raided Laron's residence on Keller Road in Ashville and, searched his 2015 Saab-sedan and Jeep Liberty.

 

During the search of the residence, officers found about 21 grams of cocaine in an upstairs bedroom, material to package the drug.  They say another 36 grams of cocaine was found inside the Saab, and approximately 286 grams of cocaine was found inside the Jeep.  They also found another 300 grams of cocaine inside and vacant apartment behind the home.


Two Jamestown-area high schools have merged programs to create a new and very unique marching band for the Fall Season.  Falconer and Frewsburg have combined to form the new F2CS the "Blue and Gold Vanguard" band. 

 

Former Frewsburg Band Director Alicia Laska says their band folded about 10 years ago due to lack of interest.  However, Laska says she was recently contacted by administrators about establishing a combined band.  She says it's been a lot of work and, the kids now seem to be forming bonds. 

 

Last week during band camp, one of the Frewsburg kids was doing "something dorky" and one of the student leaders from Falconer yelled at him.  With that she said to herself, "we're where we're supposed to be." 

 

It's not been unusual to see local high school football teams combine forces to put out a team.  However it may take some time for a cohesive team to form. 

 

Laska says their program this year is called "Time and Space"  and, includes music from the original "Star Trek" series and, the follow-up Star Trek: Next Generation."


Three public hearings will be held next week around Chautauqua County on a proposed shared services plan that was outlined by County Executive Vince Horrigan during Wednesday night's legislature meeting. 

 

Horrigan says the plan includes many of the projects included in the county's application for the 20-million dollar Municipal Consolidation and Government Efficiency Competition. 

 

After the meeting Horrigan spoke about the plan that contained a new proposal a study on the county's court system, and whether that can be better consolidated. 

 

Horrigan also spoke about the competition for the $20 million dollars in state assistance.  He doesn't believe that one winner will take all and, adds that state officials made a recent visit. 

 

Horrigan says they wanted to know more about the projects and, what level of funding is available for them.  As for the Shared Services Plan Horrigan says the hearings will be held at the University Incubator in Dunkirk on Tuesday evening, August 29th the county's EMS Building in Mayville on Wednesday, August 30th and, at the BWB Building in Jamestown on Thursday, August 31st. All three hearings will begin at 6:30 p.m.

 



A Chautauqua County man is under arrest in Warren County, Pennsylvania for allegedly stealing several items including credit cards that he used at local stores from a pick-up truck in Sheffield Township. 

 

State Police in Warren say they wrapped up a lengthy investigation with the arrest of 34 year-old Jacob Keys of Mayville. 

 

Keys is accused of stealing the credit cards cash and, a 40-calibur hand-gun during the overnight hours of May 29 of this year. 

 

Troopers say Keys is also accused of using the stolen credit cards at two stores in Warren County.  He's being held on theft charges pending further court action.


Final preparations are being made for the 38th annual Labor Day Festival at Jamestown's Bergman Park. 

 

The festival committee met for the final time Thursday afternoon at the park to go over details and, finalize plans for the city's annual "End of Summer" Bash. 

 

City Parks and Recreation Coordinator Julia Ciesla-Hanley says they're excited about the chance to provide a big celebration that starts shortly before Noon and, runs until 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 3.  She says it's a day of food, fun, activities, and fireworks. 

 

Ciesla-Hanley says the day will actually start with the annual Dan Feather 5K Run/Walk at 9:30 a.m. on Baker Street with registration beginning at 8 a.m.  She adds that more than 20 craft's vendors from across the area will take part along with several food vendors. 

 

Ciesla-Hanley says there will again be two music stages for the Labor Day Festival with Two for Flinching again closing out the day on the Main Stage from 7 to 8:30 when the fireworks show begins.

WJTN Headlines

Chautauqua County will be joining several others across New York state in a lawsuit against major drug manufacturers seeking the recovery of damages from the opioid epidemic.  

 

County legislators last night approved a resolution authorizing the litigation by a 19-nothing vote.  County Executive Vince Horrigan compares this legal action to the lawsuits that led to a settlement with tobacco companies in the 1990s especially when you look at the magnitude of the health issued caused and the number of people affected. 

 

Horrigan says that County Attorney Steve Abdella has selected a downstate law firm that is handling similar lawsuits with other counties.  He says they looked at three different law firms, and adds it won't cost anything for the county to join with 11 to 12 others who have filed suit. 

 

Information included in the resolution that cleared the County Legislature indicated that there were 21 confirmed overdose deaths in the county last year.


Five people are jailed for allegedly being in possession of small quantities of Crystal Methamphetime during a raid at an apartment on Jamestown's eastside Wednesday. 

 

JPD Captain Bob Samuelson says members of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force and state Police C-NET Team executed a search warrant on the basement apartment at 20 Bush Street about 1:45 p.m. 

 

Samuelson says police suspected the residence was being used for drug trafficking.  He says task force members spotted one person, 50 year-old Delbert Clark flee the scene. 

 

Samuelson says Clark was caught following a several-block long foot chase and found him with a small amount of Meth and, a CO2 Pistol.  He says police arrested four others inside the apartment, including Heather Diaz and Jeffrey Rigerman both 33, 24 year-old Cassandra Cole, and an unidentified 18 year-old. 

 

Samuelson says all five face charges including aeventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child because two small children were found inside the apartment.  Rigerman is jailed on $12,000 cash bail, Cole on $6,000, and Diaz on $2,500 bail.


About 60 people turned out for a community forum on poverty that was held in Dunkirk Wednesday afternoon. 

 

Local Congressman Tom Reed was among the panelists who took part during the forum held by Chautauqua Opportunities, Incorporated.  The Corning Republican believes there is a need to change the way the nation is fighting poverty, giving local organizations such as COI more flexibility. 

 

Reed says the U.S. has a history of spending trillions of dollars on the "War on Poverty" but, haven't gotten the results they should.  He says the added flexibility will help organizations, like COI, put resources towards what works. 

 

Reed spoke about legislation he reintroduced earlier this year, the Help Americans in Need Develop their Ultimate Potential or HAND-Up Act.  The proposal would give states the flexibility to change how agencies administer social welfare programs.  He also spoke about tax reform and the work of the Problem Solvers Caucus, which he co-chairs. 

 

COI Executive Roberta Keller believes the forum has an important purpose because "so many things are changing" and most have a big impact on people living in poverty.


A North East, Pennsylvania area man who allegedly broke into a Ripley home last weekend has been arrested in Franklin, Pennsylvania after police there found his abandoned vehicle nearby. 

 

Sheriff's deputies say a "Be on the Look-Out" alert was put out to all area agencies regarding the arrest warrant issued for 59 year-old Joseph Leone. 

 

Officers say Leone allegedly burglarized the localtion at 10-550 Route 20 last Saturday.  His vehicle was found along a road in Sugar Creek, Pennsylvania late Tuesday and, a short time later he was found in Franklin, and, arrested. 

 

Leone is currently awaiting extradition back to Chautauqua County on charges of third-degree grand larceny and, criminal mischief.


Gasoline prices in Chautauqua County are holding steady again for the fifth-consecutive week dropping 3/10ths a cent this week over last. 

 

That from the AAA's Fuel Gauge Report which says the price is still $2.44 a gallon for regular, unleaded fuel.  Gas prices are cheaper in all states in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on the week with the exception of New York, where gas prices remained stable. 

 

The price drop goes hand-in-hand with the region's latest gasoline inventory trend where there's been a 'sizeable' build.  Nationally AAA says the average price is down two cents to $2.33 a gallon.


There are several coffee shops across the Greater Jamestown-area but, one in the downtown area not only serves different kinds but, also roasts the bean right there on the premesis. 

 

City officials and leaders with the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation joined with owners Michael and Sarah Bigney to cut the ribbon Wednesday on the Crown Street Roasting Company at 16 West Third Street. 

 

New JRC Executive Director Lisa Hatch said she was "excited" about the official opening because coffee houses are usually good economic indicators. 

 

Sarah Bigney says Michael has roasted his own coffee for several years and, that led to opening the new business.  She says they've been open since August 1st and, adds they've been well-received by the community. 

 

Mayor Sam Teresi says having Crown Street open helps make downtown a "really, really cool place" to be with so many young, entrepreneurs coming into the downtown area.  The Bigney's say they are open Mondays through Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and, Saturday's 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.  They can be found on-line and, on Facebook and Instagram.

WJTN Headlines

The Jamestown man who admitted to killing his wife and step-son in early December of 2015 has been sentenced to 20 years in state prison on two counts of first-degree manslaughter. 

 

That from Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson who says 53 year-old Allen Witruke received the concurrent sentences from Acting County Court Judge James Bargnesi Tuesday morning. 

 

Swanson says Witruke pled guilty to both counts back on May 4th.  Swanson says "today, with the family of Eric Washburn and Catherine Witruke present, closure in the matter came in the form of concurrent 20 year sentences." 

 

In addition Swanson says the judge also sentenced Witruke to five-years of supervised released.  He also praised the police and investigators involved in the case. 

 

Swanson says Sheriff's Department deputies went to 235 Barrows St. in Jamestown the morning of Dec. 8, 2015 to perform an eviction and discovered the bodies of Catherine Witruke and her son. 

 

Allen Witruke had beaten and stabbed Eric Washburn to death and stabbed Catherine to death.  He then fled to Olean where other family members lived before being located by Olean Police.

 

 

Local Congressman Tom Reed is among those applauding President Donald Trump's speech Monday night focusing on needs and conditions instead of an arbitrary timeline in Afghanistan. 

 

Reed is reacting to the president's address in which he reassured the government in Afghanistan of U-S support in dealing with terrorism and the Taliban. 

 

The war and conflict in the Middle Eastern nation has been going on for 16 years now and, Reed says it's refreshing to see the president listening to his military advisors.  He says "we need to respect the advice of our generals and advisors" and, it's important to get us out of the "quagmire of the last 16 years." 

 

Reed says he knew what the president was going to say before Monday night's prime-time speech because the Corning Republican received a call from the White House telling him what the president was doing to address.  He believes that's important to keeping lawmakers unified on this policy.  Reed made his comments during his weekly telephone conference call with Southern Tier Media.

 

 

Prosecutors in western New York say they're investigating allegations that representatives of the Indian tribe that runs three casinos in the region eavesdropped on employees of the state Gaming Commission. 

 

The Erie County District Attorney's Office in Buffalo confirms Tuesday that it's investigating allegations by commission workers who say they were eavesdropped by the Seneca Gaming Authority. 

 

The Senecas operate casinos in downtown Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Salamanca. 

 

Spectrum News in Buffalo first reported Monday that a listening device was found last year by commission officials in an office the agency leases from the Senecas at the tribe's Buffalo casino. 

 

Seneca officials say the investigation involves a Seneca employee but provided no details. 

 

The allegations come amid testy relations between the Cuomo administration and the Senecas over the tribe's halting of payments of millions of dollars in casino revenue to the state.

 

 

City officials in Jamestown are still awaiting word from the state Department of Environmental Conservation on whether it will name the city as lead agency for the process of annexing about four-acres of land in the village of Falconer. 

 

The City Council was updated on the process of trying to obtain the property the Board of Public Utilities' Dow Street Substation is located on by Mayor Sam Teresi during Monday night's work session. 

 

Teresi says the Falconer Village and, Ellicott Town Boards have objected to the city being lead agency but, adds all three parties could hear back from the DEC "any day now."  He says the DEC's decision needs to be rendered shortly because all three boards have to vote on the proposed annexation within 90-days of the June 12 public hearing held at Falconer Middle-High School.  He says the city is already preparing for the second phase of an environmental assessment which he says should be fairly "straight-forward." 

 

The city began looking into the annexation after the BPU requested it back in January.  City officials say the move would save about $325,000 in taxes paid out. But the village, town and Falconer School District will lose significant tax payments.

 

 

Interim Jamestown School Superintendent Sylvia Root says she's enjoyed her work and, the people in the district but, it's time to turn the reigns over to the new, permanent superintendent. 

 

Root attended her final school board meeting last night at Washington Middle School and is wraping up a six-month stay in the district. 

 

New superintendent Bret Apthorpe begins work in the district a week from Friday, Sept. 1.  Root expressed her appreciation to the board and administrators for their help in doing what she needed to during her short tenure.  She did admit to one surprise during her time as interim superintendent that being the incredible support the district gets from the community at-large and, various organizations such as the Chautauqua Striders.  She says there are also individuals that provide a lot of help and support. 

 

Root says she has been working closely with Apthorpe to make sure he's up to date on what's happening in the district.  She says classes start in the Jamestown district on Wednesday, Sept. 6.

 

 

Authorities say a 4-year-old boy who plunged off a cliff into a western New York gorge with his parents has internal injuries, multiple fractures and a head injury. 

 

Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard said Monday that Alexander Green is listed in guarded condition in the intensive care unit at Women's and Children's Hospital in Buffalo. 

 

That's an improvement from the day before, when he was listed in critical condition.  His parents, William and Amanda Green, of Buffalo, were found dead Sunday in the Zoar Valley Gorge.

 

Alexander was found with them.  Rescuers discovered a discarded sneaker that was too big for the 4-year-old. 

 

A couple of hours later, they found the couple's 7-year-old Jacob wandering around.  The sheriff says Jacob has a broken right arm and ankle and is in good condition.

WJTN Headlines

Western New York was not in the direct path of yesterday's total solar eclipse that was viewed by millions of people from the west to the east coast yesterday. 

 

However, that didn't bother nearly 2,000 people who attended a viewing party held at the SUNY College at Fredonia Monday afternoon.  Those turning out saw about 73% of the sun covered. 

 

College Council Chairman Frank Pagano, a former mayor of Fredonia, was among those taking in the view and was pleased with the turnout.  SUNY at Fredonia President Virginia Horvath also attended the event and, called it "historic" for the college and the community. 

 

Dr. Michael Dunham, Assistant Professor with the University's Physics Department, says you don't see a partial solar eclipse every day.  He also had some good news about another viewing opportunity coming up in a few years. 

 

A total eclipse is expected in early April of 2024 that will pass over Western New York. 

 

The viewing party was held in the field behind the Science Center.  Mostly clear skies allowed attendees to get a good view of the eclipse.  

 

 

State leaders have now signed off on a local law that would allow the city of Jamestown to provide an 11-year property tax exemption on owner-occupied homes that have been rehabilitated or newly-built in the city. 

 

Mayor Sam Teresi announced the approval during last night's city council work session adding that the measure was originally developed by City Councilwoman Marie Carubba. 

 

Teresi says Carubba patterned the program after one in her hometown of Batavia and, would exempt rehabilitated one or two-family homes or new ones on existing building lots.  He emphasized this only applied to city taxes, not county nor school taxes. 

 

Teresi says that was done for those taxes several years ago for new owner-occupied properties.  He says the measure has been approved by both the state Senate and Assembly and, was recently signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo. 

 

Teresi says the local law would only be for small cities in New York state that have a population of 31,000 to 32,000 residents.  He says the program would exempt 100-percent of the taxes in each of the first three years... then 80-percent for the next two years.  Teresi says it would drop to 20-percent in years 10 and 11... and, the exemption would be gone by the 12th-year.

 

 

A preliminary hearing is set for this Friday morning for a Jamestown man accused of murdering a neighbor in their eastside apartment house early last Saturday morning. 

 

Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson says he was called to the scene at 508-to-512 East Sixth Street shortly before 5 AM Saturday in connection with the incident.  However while they were neighbors Swanson says the relationship between 51 year-old Michael Korzeniewski and victim Michael Bull is not yet fully known.  He also says Bull died at the scene from blunt-force trauma to the head. 

 

Otherwise Swanson declined to discuss many specifics about the murder case.  He did praise the work of city police for their quick arrest in the case.  Police say Bull was found laying face down in a driveway between two cars when they arrived.

 

 

A Brocton man is jailed on $2,000 cash bail for allegedly manufacturing Methamphetamine at a location where he was found on two active police warrants. 

 

Sheriff's deputies say they were looking for 26 year-old Steven Seavy when they found him at a home on East Main Street last weekend. 

 

Officers say during the course of Seavy's arrest they found precursors for making Methamphetamine as well as various drug paraphernalia. 

 

Seavy was detained on a new arrest warrant issued in Brocton Village Court.  He's been arraigned on charges of third-degree unlawful manufacture of Methamphetamine criminally using drug parapherenalia resisting arrest, and others.  He was sent to the county lock-up.

 

 

The first year president at Chautauqua Institution says his first Summer Season in the top post has been a "whirlwind" experience. 

 

Those are the feelings of Michael Hill who was installed as the institution's 18th President at the beginning of the year.  During our Chautauqua Now broadcast yesterday, Hill told our Dennis Webster it's "one of the most unique jobs in the world."  He talked about the high-lights to the season noting the institution had it's third-largest number of visitors on record during the week-six theme on "Comedy and the Human Condition" where they partnered with the National Comedy Center during the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. 

 

Hill spoke as Week-Nine on "our changing relationship with Food" began.  He says it's a job that is part-time small town mayor, part-time university president, preacher, and teacher.  Hill says it's great to have such a strong team in place at Chautauqua which helps the nine-week season go as smoothly as possible.

 

 

Chautauqua President Michael Hill's first season coincides with the first-season for the new Chautauqua Amphitheater and, so far there have been few if an problems with the new, larger facility. 

 

That from Hill Monday morning during our Chautauqua Now broadcast.  He says it's been an incredible transformation for the amp which was nothing more than a "dirt pit and organ chamber" when he first arrived last Fall. 

 

Hill praised the institution staff and, project manager Ciminelli Construction for all the work they did to get the project completed.  He adds they're still on site to conclude finishing work.

WJTN Headlines

A city man is jailed without bail for allegedly killing another man who was found laying face down in a driveway on Jamestown's eastside early last Saturday morning. 

 

City Police Lieutenant Fred DeGolier says officers were called to the area of 508 to 512 East Sixth Street about 4:45 a.m., and, found the victim, Michael Bull laying between two cars. 

 

DeGolier says their investigation found that Bull had died from blunt force trauma.  He says officers arrested 51 year-old Micheal Korzeniewski for second-degree murder. 

 

Korzeniewski was arraigned and, sent to the county jail without bail.  The Chautauqua County District Attorney's Office and the county's Forensic Investigation Team are also involved in the investigation.

 

 

One person has died, while two others were hurt in a one-car rollover crash on Route 242 in the Cattaraugus County Town of Little Valley early last weekend. 

 

Sheriff's deputies in Little Valley say they were called to the scene shortly before 1:30 a.m. Sunday and, found one person, who was pronounced dead at the scene. 

 

Officers say the county coroner was called to the scene and, the other two victims were taken to a local hospital for treatment.  No names are being released pending notification of relatives.  The accident remains under investigation.

 

 

Expect to see stepped up enforcement of the use of crosswalks in downtown Fredonia once the state Department of Transporation finishes work on the "Complete Streets" program in the village. 

 

Police Chief Brad Meyers says more cross-walks have been added after repaving Route 20 through the village and, he says the department will be stepping up enforcement. 

 

Meyers say bike lanes and the crosswalks have been added, and with that they will also be enforcing people crossing in the cross-walks as well.  He says that signs will be added to crosswalks that are not located at intersections where traffic lights are in operation, although drivers will have to keep an eye out for the signs once they are installed.  He says those without traffic lights will have signage leading up to them, then right at the crosswalk itself. 

 

Meyers expects the State DOT to complete the work within the next one to two weeks.  New York State law requires motorists to stop for pedestrians using crosswalks.

 

 

Police in western New York say two adult hikers from Buffalo died and one of their children was hurt after falling from a cliff. 

 

Authorities say the bodies of 35-year-old Amanda Green and 33-year-old William Green were discovered along with their injured 4-year-old son in Zoar Valley shortly before 1 PM Sunday

 

Rescuers found the couple's 7-year-old son unharmed. 

 

Erie County Sheriff's Department Spokesman Scott Zylka, the 4-year-old boy was airlifted to Women and Children's Hospital where he is listed in critical condition.  The 7-year-old boy is being evaluated.

 

 

There have been a few national media entities that have drawn the direct ire of President Donald Trump and his administration and, they include the Washington Post.  But covering the president of the United State is always challenging. 

 

At the same, the lead editor at the Post says Donald Trump has been especially challenging. 

 

Executive Editor Marty Baron of the Washington Post was featured lecturer at Chautauqua Insitution last Friday and, says they're part of what Trump calls "fake news." 

 

Baron admits it's a "little hard not to be upset about those kinds of comments" but, he adds they keep coming into do their work, the best they can.  He was interviewed on the Chautauqua Stage by University of Arizona Journalism and Mass Communication Department chief Eric Newton.  He spoke earlier with our Dennis Webster and Matt Warren on our "Chautauqua Now" program. 

 

Baron adds their editing work is always rigorous especally on their most "sensative stories."  Baron appeared to wrap up "Media and the News: Ethics in the Digital Age" week at Chautauqua.

 

 

In New York state government news, lawmakers are using the summer to connect with constituents back home, and a Senate task force takes aim at tick-borne illness in the face of what experts say is an especially bad year for the blood-sucking creatures. 

 

A Senate task force plans to meet Aug. 29 in Albany to hear from medical authorities, tick experts and others involved in trying to prevent infections and fight the illnesses. 

 

Republican Senator Sue Serino chairs the task force. The Hudson Valley lawmaker noted that while tick-borne illness is nothing new downstate, it's now clear illnesses like Lyme disease is a statewide concern. 

 

A 74-year-old man died this summer in Saratoga County after contracting Powassan virus.

WJTN News Headlines

A Cattaraugus County woman is being treated for serious injuries after the Sports Utility vehicle she was riding in crashed after the driver fell asleep on Route 219 in the town of Ashford Tuesday night. 

 

Sheriff's deputies in Little Valley say 29 year-old Rochelle Dunkleman of Little Valley was northbound shortly after 7 p.m. when she apparently fell asleep and, the SUV slammed into a culvert. 

 

Dunkleman was treated at the scene for abrasions and released.  However her passenger, 31 year-old Dana Lichy of Salamanca, was flown to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo for treatment of internal injuries.  Her condition was not released.  No charges have been filed.


One child leaving a door unsecured allowed a 4-year-old girl to get out of her house on Jamestown's eastside and, wander alone in in the street until police were called. 

 

City police say they responded to the 800-block of East Second Street about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.  On arrival officers found the child but, she was unable to say her name, or give any other information to them. 

 

Police say she was taken to JPD Headquarters for safety reasons and, a Reverse 9-1-1 call was put out and police conducted a neighborhood canvas in an attempt to find her parents. 

 

About Noon time police say the child's mother came to the police department.  Officers say an investigation revealed that there was miscommunication between the parents before the child ran off that resulted in both believing the child was with the other parent. 

 

With that no criminal charges are being filed.


Authorities say an 8-month-old girl who survived being abandoned in a plastic bag left in an upstate New York yard has been released from a hospital. 

 

Police in Elmira say Wednesday that the baby recently was released from Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.  Sergeant  William Solt says the infant has been placed in foster care. 

 

Official say the child's 17-year-old mother placed the girl in a white garbage bag and left her in bushes in the backyard of a home in Elmira on August 5th. 

 

The baby wasn't discovered until three days later when neighbors checking out animal-like sounds found her.  Authorities have charged the mother, Harriette Hoyt, of Sayre, Pennsylvania, with attempted murder.

 

She remains in the Chemung County Jail.  Her attorney, John Brennan, says he's not commenting.


Jamestown police arrested seven people on a number of charges including drug possesion following a raid early Tuesday night on the city's southside. 

 

Jamestown police say they responded to numerous neighbor complaints regarding 248 Forest Avenue and, executed a search warrant just before 6:30 p.m. 

 

Officers say they arrested 55 year-old Edgar Gregory for seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and, on a warrant for criminal possession of a weapon. 

 

Police say they also arrested 36 year-old Matthew Haskins of Kennedy for fifth and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.  Police also arrested 32 year-old Jacqueline Delo and 24 year-old Shawn Beardsley both of Jamestown, 37 year-old Brian Haskins of Kennedy and, 47 year-old Alisha Scinta of Fredonia.  All three were taken to the city jail pending arraignment. 

 

Police again urge residents who see any suspicous activity to call the JPD Tips line at 483-TIPS that's 483-8477.  You can also contact the JPD Tips 4-1-1 app.


Local Congressman Tom Reed is working on a bi-partisan measure that would make a provision of the U-S Tax Code added in 1996 permanent. 

 

Reed has announced that he and New York Democrat Joe Crowley are co-sponsoring the "Work Opportunity Tax Credit" act which would make the provision permanent after 2019. 

 

The Corning Republican says the measure would allow employers to hire people that otherwise would not be "employable."  They are lower-income people who are dealing with issues such as being a convicted Felon. 

 

Reed says it allows the private sector the change to partner with the federal government to get more people into the workforce. 

 

In addition to Felons he says the measure also helps unemployed veterans and "cash welfare" and food stamp recipients.  He made his comments during his weekly telephone conference call with Southern Tier Media.

JPD Alert for Wed., Aug. 16, 2017

From Jamestown Police...

 

...This is an ACTUAL REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE ALERT... Issued By: Chautauqua County Emergency Management
Jurisdictions: New York
Headline: JPD FOUND APPROX 2 YR OLD HISPANIC FEMALE CHILD WALKING IN THE 800 BLOCK OF E 2ND ST. CHILD IS CURRENTLY AT THE JPD


Description: 
JPD FOUND APPROX 2 YR OLD HISPANIC FEMALE CHILD WALKING IN THE 800 BLOCK OF E 2ND ST. CHILD IS NON VERBAL, WEARING A BLUE MINECRAFT TSHIRT, BLUE JEANS AND PINK CROCKS. CHILD IS CURRENTLY AT THE JAMESTOWN POLICE STATION. 
Instructions:  Contact Jamestown Police at 716-483-7522 if you have any information.

WJTN Headlines

The former New York State Police superintendent who headed up the agency during the massive manhunt for an escaped inmate who killed a trooper and wounded two others has died. 

 

Wayne Bennett was 71.  City officials in Schenectady, where Bennett was public safety commissioner, say he died Tuesday.  Local media report he had been undergoing cancer treatments. 

 

Bennett led the state police when career criminal Ralph "Bucky" Phillips escaped from a county jail just outside of Buffalo in 2006.  While on the loose Phillips shot and wounded two troopers and fatally shot a third.  He was captured in a field across the border in Warren County, Pennsylvania, ending what was up to then the largest manhunt in state history. 

 

Bennett retired in 2007 after 38 years with the state police and became Schenectady's fire and police commissioner.


New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is proposing changes to the state's hate crimes law following the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

 

The Democratic Governor announced Tuesday that he'll introduce legislation making it a hate crime to riot or incite a riot that targets a specific class of people protected by anti-discrimination laws. 

 

If approved by state lawmakers, Cuomo's proposal would enhance criminal penalties for rioting that targets people because of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation. 

 

Cuomo says that while peaceful protests must be allowed, New York will not tolerate violence and discrimination.


Local Assemblyman Andy Goodell says he believes current laws would cover any incident should they arise in New York State. 

 

That's the Ellery Republican's reaction to the proposed legislation who says there is a tradition in state government dating back to the beginning where First Amendment rights are recognized but, there is no tolerance for inciting violence, or engaging in violence against anyone else. 

 

Goodell says he doesn't think violence against one group should result in a higher penalty than another group.  He believes that all groups are entitled to protection under the same laws. 

 

There's no indication whether Cuomo will seek a special legislative session to take action on the proposed legislation.


Local Congressman Tom Reed says he believes it's "appropriate" to take a look at current Hate Crimes statutes to see if there needs to be more teeth when it comes to dealing with rioting and violence. 

 

The Corning Republican made his comments after Governor Cuomo released his proposal for the legislature to consider.  Reed says it's important to look at what's happened historically and, he says violence is "never the answer."  He says there needs to be "dialogue" and "tolerance." 

 

Reed says there are other examples of where rioting and violence took place during President Obama's presidency namely Ferguson, Missouri.  He feels that a meaningful dialogue is the best way to put away racial and other violence.  He says that could make racism and hate become more of a "footnote" in our history. 

 

Reed says he's always concerned about political grandstanding and, proposing legislation that's already on the books.  He says it the legislation will "substantively advance the ball to bring peace," he's all for it. 

 

Reed made his comments during his weekly telephone conference call with Southern Tier Media.


Many rural parts of New York state don't have the manpower or ability to seek grant funding for worthwhile projects that don't otherwise get done. 

 

However the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council is trying to remedy that through it's "Technical Assistance" program for an underdeveloped beach along Lake Erie.  Ripley Beach is one of the most scenic locations on the lake. 

 

However Council Co-Chairman Jeff Belt says what infrastructure is there is in disrepair it's hard to get to and, there are safety issues. 

 

Belt says the need for a project to upgrade the park has been there for a while it's just now getting the attention is needs to move it forward.  He says Empire State Development the state's economic development arm first brought these issues forward and, proposed the assistance program.  He says a plan is in the works to provide two new access points to the beach along with parking for cars, motorcycles and bicycles.  He says motorcycle and biking is popular in that area because it's part of the St. Lawrence Seaway Trail. 

 

In addition to Ripley Beach the Council is also looking at a program to help the village of Wellsville in Allegheny County.


Gas prices in the Jamestown-area are again steady and basically unchanged from last week. 

 

That from the AAA's Fuel Gauge Report which says the price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gas is just over $2.44 a gallon.  At the same time AAA says regional inventories are building at this point as the Summer driving season winds down. 

 

However AAA says the price is still about 15-cents a gallon more than the same time period last year.  The Fuel Gauge reports that, on average consumers in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states are paying $2.36 a gallon which is flat compared to last week.  Nationally the average price is now gasoline is $2.35 cents per gallon.

WJTN Headlines

A town of Chautauqua man has been arrested for allegedly trafficking cocaine and other narcotic drugs following a raid at his home on Nettle Hill Road. 

 

Members of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force say they executed a search warrant about 11:30 Mondaymorning and, found cocaine, opioids, a sawed-off 12 gauge shotgun and paraphernalia used to weigh and process controlled substances. 

 

They also arrested 60 year-old Dana Erhard on the warrant which charged him with several counts including third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. 

 

The FBI was also involved in the investigation.  Erhard was arraigned, and sent to the county jail without bail pending further court action.


Two Dunkirk residents were sent to the Chautauqua County Jail after being arraigned on drug charges after city police responded to a vehicle lockout that was anything but routine. 

 

Dunkirk Police were called to the area of the car wash behind the Crosby Mart on Central Avenue.  After opening the vehicle's door, Police Chief David Ortolano says the officers detected a strong odor of marijuana, and they called in their K-9 officer, and new K-9 "gunny to search the vehicle... and, they found heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and prescription drugs. 

 

Ortolano says 29-year-old Rafael Gonzalez-Rivera was allegedly in possession of a quantity of heroin and cocaine while 37-year-old Onix Lopez-Ortiz was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana, as well as prescription medication which was not properly packaged.


A regional panel met in Jamestown Monday for the first time and was updated on a number of projects they have funded and learned more about new projects proposed for the next round of state funding. 

 

The Western New York Regional Economic Development Council met at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts Monday afternoon and, Co-Chairman Jeff Belt from West Valley says the panel is very interested in Jamestown and several projects here led the by National Comedy Center. 

 

Belt says they believe that Jamestown can be a role model for turning around a small, upstate community and, they're very excited about further possibilities through the $10-million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award the city has received.  Belt says they also began looking at the many projects several western New York communities have submitted for funding in Round-Seven of the Consolidated Funding Application process. 

 

In their six-years of existance the Belt, who is Chief Executive Officer at SolEpoxy in Cattaraugus County says the Regional Councils have helped keep "consistancy" in the funding process.  Belt says their final ranking of projects will take place next month and, then the results will go to the state Oct. 2.  Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, who is honorary chair of the 10 regional councils, spoke to open the meeting. 

 

Co-Council Chairwoman, SUNY College at Fredonia President, Virginia Horvath was also on hand as were Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas, and County Executive Vince Horrigan.


The erosion of trust in the Mainstream Media has been developing for the past 48 years but, has become an even bigger issue with the advent of the digital age. 

 

That from Monday's featured lecturer at Chautauqua Institution.  New York University Journalism Professor Jay Rosen addressed the amphitheater audience to begin "Media and the News: Ethics in the Digital Age." 

 

On our "Chautauqua Now" program Rosen said that the media is in the "worst shape it's ever been" due mainly to what's called the "echo chamber" effect where people view or listen to news and opinion that "confirms" their beliefs. 

 

Rosen equated the problem with what's been happening in the medical profession, and the availability of "on-line" resources.  He says with all the sources of information now doctors have to adjust to that. 

 

Rosen says people have more information with which to question their doctors than ever before.  At the same time he says there is still very much a need for a free and independent press.


A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general has unleashed a torrent of litigation they argue is necessary to protect their citizens from a Trump administration that too often ignores the law. 

 

State attorneys from Massachusetts to California have brought more than 40 legal actions against the administration so far.  The pace, which both parties describe as unprecedented, has produced an average of one lawsuit or legal motion every five days since Trump's inauguration, not including many more letters, legal threats and formal comments to federal agencies. 

 

But the frequency and variety of the legal challenges from cases involving immigration and health care to gender reassignment surgeries at the Veteran's Administration have sparked criticism that Democrats may be playing politics with their states' legal resources.

WJTN Headlines

A leader with a local conservative organization that supported Donald Trump in his presidential campaign is "catagorically condemning" this past weekend's racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

 

Frewsburg's Mel McGinness has been a long-time leader and spokesman for the Southern Tier TEA Party Patriots, which meets monthly in Lakewood.  McGinness this morning specifically called out several "alt-right" and white supremicists who are condoning their actions.  He says they are "totally opposed" to any form of demonstrations like that. 

 

McGinness also rejected and renounced the KKK, neo-Nazi and White Supremicist groups.  McGinness who is also the pastor at the Kiantone Congregational Church, says the images of last Friday night's rally and, Saturday's violent confrontations were "horrifying."  He was especially troubled by the "torch-light" march the White Nationalists and Supremicists used in a march last Friday night. 

 

McGinness says he strongly supports the White House's most recent statement condemining the groups involved in last weekend's protests and violence.


Before specifically announcing that the FBI and other federal agencies would investigating federal crimes in the weekend incidents in Virginia, Governor Andrew Cuomo called on President Trump to denounce the white supremacist rally that spiraled into a deadly day of violence. 

 

The Democratic governor of Trump's home state launched the on-line petition Sunday, a day after a woman was killed when a car rammed into a crowd of people protesting the racist rally.  Cuomo is calling it "a terror attack by white supremacists." 

 

This afternoon Mr. Trump said that "racism is evil" as he condemed the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists as "criminals and thugs."  He is speaking at the White House after meeting with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI director Christopher Wray about the race-fueled violence Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

 

Trump has come under fire for his comments Saturday that "many sides" are to blame for the violence and did not single out white supremacist groups.


Local Congressman Tom Reed is condemning last week's violence in Charlottesville, Virgina. 

 

The Corning Republican issued a statement last weekend, saying that he's "outraged by the violence and senseless deaths that occurred in Charlottesville and condemn those who would abuse our freedoms and divide us with bigotry." 

 

Reed also said that "hatred will never have a place in the true American spirit."  He expressed his condolences to the families of the three victims in Saturday's violence.


New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law new penalties for those who make bomb threats. 

 

The Democratic governor approved the legislation on Monday.  It was passed by the state Legislature earlier this year in response to a string of bomb threats called into Jewish Community Centers in New York and elsewhere in the country. 

 

Citing those bomb threats and recent violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, Cuomo says that "now, more than ever" it's vital for New Yorkers to stand united against "bias and hate."  Specifically, the new law changes criminal statute to ensure that suspects accused of making bomb threats against a community center can, at minimum, face a sentence of up to a year in jail. 

 

Cuomo says the new law will help authorities prosecute those who seek to "spread fear and terror."


In New York state government news this week the first official candidate for a vacant Senate seat is promising to work to clean up Albany, and there's a renewed push to provide free feminine hygiene products in schools and emergency shelters. 

 

Democrat Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh announced his candidacy for the seat representing portions of Brooklyn and lower Manhattan shortly after Democrat Daniel Squadron announced his plans to resign to take a job working on national political reform.  Kavanagh pledged to work to support ethics and campaign finance reforms, one of Squadron's own long-time goals. 

 

Meanwhile, the state now requires local police detention facilities to provide free tampons to female prisoners.  Democratic Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal says the state should go further by requiring free tampons at schools and emergency shelters statewide.

News Headlines for Sun., Aug. 13, 2017

Schumer and Gillibrand announce $4.1-million dollars in Head Start funding in Chautauqua County...
Early childhood programs in Chautauqua County are getting a $4.1-million boost from the federal government to support child care services for low-income families in the area.  U-S Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand jointly announced Friday that Chautauqua Opportunities, Incorporated.. is getting $2.8-million for it's Head Start and Early Head Start programs... while it's Early Head Start Expansion-Child Care partrnership program is receiving $1.3-million.  Schumer says study after study shows that "the better we prepare our young children through programs like Head Start and Head Start the better they perform in school later in life."  Gillibrand says Head Start programs "help our children start out strong at critical early learning stages."  Schumer says he believes the funding will bring "real results" to the region.  
 
 
Man from Bemus Point arrested on Felony drug charges following traffic stop in Sherman...
A Bemus Point man is jailed without bail for allegedly being found in possession of a large amount of two illegal drugs after his motorcycle was stopped early early last Friday morning on Park Street in Sherman.  Sheriff Joe Gerace says one of his deputies spotted the motorcycle... operated by 41 year-old Gary Hannold II... about 1:30 a.m.  Gerace says the officer saw Hannold riding without a helmet and a loud exhaust... and, pulled him over.  At that point.. he says the suspect tossed a backpack into some weeds.  It was later found with a large amount of methamphetime and marijuana inside... and, he's been charged with second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... a Class-A-2 Felony.  Gerace commended the officer for making "good observations..." and adds that it's no longer a surprise to pulled over someone, and find drugs these days.  He says they're pleased with being able to get that amount of Meth off the street.  Gerace says the amounts being found everywhere these days is "troubling."  Gerace says Hannold was arrested on several other charges... including third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and, two counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia.  He was arraigned In Sherman Town Court and sent to the county jail.
 
 
Congressman Reed condemns violence, deaths in Charlottesville, Virginia...
Chautauqua County's Congressman today issued a statement condemning the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.  Corning Republican Tom Reed says he is "outraged by the violence and senseless deaths that occurred in Charlottesville and condemn those who would abuse our freedoms and divide us with bigotry.  Reed adds that "hatred will never have a place in the true American spirit.  Our condolences are with the families of all three of today's victims."
 
 
Horrigan pleased with first-half Sales Tax revenues...
County Executive Vince Horrigan says he is pleased that Chautauqua County's sales tax revenues are doing better than a lot of counties across New York State.  A new report from State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli shows that the county's sales tax revenues for the first half of 2017 are up by 5.1-percent compared to last year.  Horrigan says that's a result of work in economic development paying off... and, he adds the county is slightly ahead of the state's overall average.  Horrigan says the increase in the county sales tax rate from 7.5 to 8-percent is part of the strategy for local economic growth.  He says he's tried to work to take pressure off the property tax payers... and, grow the tax base and economy at the same time.  Horrigan... a Bemus Point Republican... adds that he's optimistic about seeing continued growth with a "strong summer" season.
 
 
Mayville man faces charges following high-speed pursuit...
A Mayville man is jailed without bail for allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase on Beajean Road in the town of Chautauqua Friday morning.  Sheriff's officers say a patrol spotted 41 year-old Michael Hannold operating the vehicle about 9:30 a.m., and, knew that he was wanted for parole violation and on a misdemeanor warrant from State Police.  Deputies say they tried to stop Hannold... but, he fled the scene and a pursuit ensued... with speeds reaching nearly 100 miles an hour.  Officers say he pulled the vehicle into a driveway... and, fled on foot.  However... deputies later found and arrested him.  Hannold was charged with third-degree unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle... reckless driving... second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation.. and, speed over 55 mph.  Hannold was arraigned in Chautauqua Town Court on the new charges... and, sent to the County Jail on the parole violation.
 
 
Jammer's Manager Anthony Barone named PGCBL Coach of Year...
Post-season honors are starting to roll in for the Jamestown Jammers... who just this past week were edged out in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League champioship series by Mohawk Valley.  Jamestown Manager and Coach Anthony Barone was named Friday afternoon as 2017 Perfect Game League Coach of the Year.  The Jammers announced the news on their Facebook Page. 

WJTN Headlines

A Bemus Point man has been arrested for allegedly being in possession of a large amount of methamphetime and marijuana after his motorcycle was stopped for a traffic infraction in the town of Sherman. 

 

Sheriff's officers say they spotted the westbound motorcycle, operated by 41 year-old Gary Hannold of 4933 Ellery-Centralia Road, about 1:30 a.m. Friday commit the infraction.  Deputies say Hannold got off the motorcycle and, allegedly threw a backpack into the weeds.   

 

Officers say they recovered the bag and found that Hannold had been in possession of the meth and marijuana and, they also allegedly found Hannold in possession of drug paraphernalia. 

 

Hannold was arrested on several charges including second-degree criminal possession of controlled substance third-degree criminal possession and, two counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia.  He was arraigned In Sherman Town Court and was remanded to the county jail without bail.


Several hundred police officers from many area agencies were in Dunkirk yesterday for the funeral of a police officer who died last Sunday following a lengthy illness. 

 

A Police procession went through the north county city for Dunkirk Police K-9 Officer Matthew Hazelton.  Dunkirk Police Chief Dave Ortolano says "it was an amazing sight" to see the "sea" of officers in blue come out in support of Hazelton, and his surviving family. 

 

Ortolano says Hazelton's wife is an "amazing young lady" and, they've been doing all they can to support her and their daughter during this difficult time.  Ortolano says police agencies involved in the procession included Dunkirk, Fredonia, Jamestown, New York State Police, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office, and others from Cattaraugus and Erie counties. 

 

The Jamestown Police Department provided the color guard for yesterday's service for Matt Hazelton.  The 39 year-old officer was with the Dunkirk Police Department for 14 years.


The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities is again warning of a scam involving someone calling a BPU customer and telling them they had to immediately pay a bill or have their service shut-off. 

 

BPU Communications Coordinator Becky Robbins says a customer contacted them Thursday and, told them they had received such a call and, that the caller told him that if he did not pay his bill by a certain time yesterday his service would be turned off. 

 

Robbins says the customer was given an 800 number to call for payment.  However she says such calls do NOT come from the Board of Public Utilities.  Robbins says anyone in danger of utility service shut-off receives notice from the BPU by mail and, well in advance of such an action. 

 

In addition she says BPU payments are accepted in their Customer Service Office, online and on our own phone payment system which requires customers to call the board's own number not an 800 number.


A Clymer man is being treated for serious injuries following an all-terrain vehicle accident on Potter Road in Mayville earlier this week. 

 

Sheriff's officers say 23 year-old Kyle Hannold was riding the ATV shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday when the vehicle struck a tree.  Deputies say Hannold was taken by Starflght Helicopter to UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pennsylvania for treatment. 

 

The investigation is continuing.


President Donald Trump yesterday clarified his stand on the need to deal with the national Heroin and Opioid Addiction Crisis in America two days after offering a simplistic view of the matter. 

 

Those are the feelings of Rick Huber with the Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County.  Huber has been on the front-lines of the local fight against addition.  He says it's great to make a push to prevent young people from getting hooked on drugs to begin with.  He says we're losing hundreds of people a week nationally but, adds there are other issues related to drug addiction including jobs. 

 

Huber says he was taking to a businessman who says he's having trouble filling positions because many looking can't pass a drug test.  Earlier in the week the president basically said that you need to tell youth not to start taking drugs and, beef up law enforcement and penalties for drug offenders. 

 

New York state has taken steps to limit the amount of Opioid medication that a person can receive and, there is federal legislation pending.  In many cases Huber adds that there are underlying Mental Health issues there as well as the overprescribing of pain killers.


The Jamestown Public Works Department has closed North Main Street between Second and Third Streets to begin a cold milling and repaving project today through next Wednesday

 

That from Public Works Director Jeff Lehman who says the project will involve reconstruction of the northbound lane which had been damaged from the nearly two-year-old water main leak in that area of the highway. 

 

The southbound lanes were closed for work last year.

WJTN Headlines

The former head of England's intelligence service says she has never see a more "difficult, dangerous and disturbing time" as there is now in the world. 

 

That from former Director General of MI-5, Stella Rimington, on the war of words between the United States and North Korea.  Rimington was Wednesday morning's featured lecturer at Chautauqua Institution and, makes her comments one day after the president warned North Korea it could face "fire and fury" if it theatens the United States or it's allies.  She says it was already disconcerting to learn that North Korea is now able to fix a small nuclear device to the end of one of it's ballistic missiles and, you have the leaders of North Korea and the U.S. effectively "threatening each other." 

 

Rimington says there is no "sure" way to deal with the possiblity of a Nuclear North Korea.  However she believed that the nation's top diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had previously done a good job of trying to ease some of that tension by saying the US was not trying for a "regime change."


A lack of trust will eventually erode the ability of intelligence services in the federal government no matter what country you're talking about.  

 

Wednesday's featured lecturer at Chautauqua Insitution warned of that danger as part of the week-seven theme of "The Nature of Fear."  Former MI-5 Director General Stella Rimington who says the intelligence business is already complicated by the new "digital age" where various forms of communication are used. 

 

At the beginning of the year President Trump got off to a rocky start with his intelligence agencies on the issue of possible Russian meddling in last November's US Presidential Election.  It has led to some distrust between those agencies, such as the FBI and CIA and the administration. 

 

On our "Chautauqua Now" program Rimington said that erodes the morale of those serving and, consequently lessens the ability to do their job.


A Jamestown woman faces a child endangerment charge after allegedly leaving her infant child inside her car unattended, on the city's eastside. 

 

Officers were called to the scene in front of the Taco Hut restaurant on East Third Street about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday on a report of a child locked inside a vehicle.  Police say witnesses allegedly saw 20 year-old Alexia Taylor placing a car seat with the child in it inside the vehicle locking it, and walking away. 

 

A Jamestown Parking Enforcement Officer the notified JPD who then found Taylor.  She unlocked the car so police could check on the child's well-being. 

 

The child was plased in protective custody, and Taylor was arrested and taken to the city lock-up pending arraignment.


Authorities say a 17-year-old Pennsylvania girl has been charged with attempted murder after a baby was found alive in a plastic bag outside an upstate New York home. 

 

Police in the city of Elmira say neighbors checking out a noise Tuesday found a 12- to 16-month-old girl whose feet were sticking out of the bag. They called 911 and tended to the child until police and emergency crews arrived. 

 

Officials tell WENY-TV  the baby was taken to a hospital, where she's in stable condition.  Later Tuesday, police charged Harriette Hoyt with attempted murder. 

 

Officials say she's from Sayre, Pennsylvania, on the New York border about 20 miles southeast of Elmira.  She's being held in the Chemung County Jail.


City officials say they hope to find other ways to fund the purchase of a new paving machine for Jamestown. 

 

Still, the City Council will vote later this month on issuing bonds to pay the $420,000 cost.  That from Mayor Sam Teresi while council members discussed the matter earlier this week. 

 

The Finance Committee agreed to issue a Bond Anticipation Note for the purchase from a Batavia firm on state contract.  City Comptroller Joe Bellitto explained the procedure saying they'll be issuing the bonds once the county approves the move, and, pay it back over a 5-year period. 

 

Bellitto says he expects no problems with moving ahead on the borrowing adding it's a relatively small amount of funding. 

 

Teresi says the new Paver has already been used for a number of jobs several to get downtown streets ready for last weekend's Lucille Ball Comedy Festival.  He says there is still another round of milling off old, crumbling pavement in spots and, repaving those streets before Winter weather sets in.


Thousands of migrants are fleeing the United States for Canada via a remote back road in upstate New York. 

 

The Canadians arrest the migrants as soon as they step across the border.  But the migrants prefer to take a chance by seeking asylum in Canada rather than risk being deported from the United States. 

 

Canadian police have set up a reception center on their side of the border.  It includes tents where migrants are processed before they are turned over to the government agency that handles their applications for refuge. 

 

Officials estimate that 400 people crossed the border at the site on Sunday alone.  Canada said last week it planned to house some migrants in Montreal's Olympic Stadium.  It could hold thousands, but current plans only call for only 450.

WJTN Headlines

The Jamestown Jammers lost the championship in the Perfect Game League Tuesday night, 8 to 4 to Mohawk Valley at Russell E. Diethrick Park. 

 

Mohawk Valley wins the series 2-games to 1.  You can hear the disappointment in Jammers Coach and Manager Anthony Barone's voice who says Mohawk Valley "played better than us, and a couple of things didn't go our way." 

 

Jamestown trailed Mohawk Valley by one run most of the game.  The Jammers got two runners on base in the bottom of the eighth, but a failed bunt and double play ended the chance for a rally.  As he walked off the field, Barone was disconsolate left to hope for next year. 

 

Barone says he'll start work shortly to replace the core of players he's had the past couple of years that produced this year's championship run.  The coach was grateful to the community for its broad support for the Jammers this year and to the fans for attending the games. 

 

Over 1,100 people watched last night's game at the stadium.  Mohawk Valley was presented the trophy at the conclusion of the game.


A Jamestown woman faces a child endangerment charge after allegedly leaving her infant child inside her car, unattended on the city's eastside. 

 

Officers were called to the scene in front of the Taco Hut restaurant on East Third Street about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday on a report of a child locked inside a vehicle.  Police say witnesses allegedly saw 20 year-old Alexia Taylor placing a car seat with the child in it inside the vehicle, locking it and walking away. 

 

A Jamestown Parking Enforcement Officer the notified JPD who then found Taylor.  She unlocked the car so police could check on the child's well-being. 

 

The child was plased in protective custody, and Taylor was arrested and taken to the city lock-up pending arraignment.


A regional panel that has made decisions that have helped drive several economic development projects in the Greater Jamestown Area will meet in Jamestown for the first time next Monday

 

Mayor Sam Teresi has announced that the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council will be here for a 1 PM meeting at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts but, will also be on hand to tour some of the projects they have supported at 11 a.m. 

 

Teresi says that'll take place weather permitting.  He says they want to see some of the projects that are being planned, as well as the projects receiving Downtown Revitalization Initiative or DRI funding. 

 

The city got word late last year that it was one of the 10 winners of $10-million in DRI funding to back about a dozen public-private projects to help revitalize the downtown area. 

 

Teresi says a luncheon will be provided through the county's Industrial Development Agency followed by the meeting on the Reg stage.  He says Council members are interested in seeing what's taking place in Jamestown and southern Chautauqua County.


A long-time Jamestown city official will be retiring at the end of August after about 30 years of service in the city in several capacities. 

 

Mayor Sam Teresi says his long-time Director of Financial Services, James Olson, will conclude his career on Thursday, Aug. 31.  Teresi says Olson, "has been and continues to be a close, trusted advisor and valued friend, "family member."  The Mayor adds that Olson "is the quintessential example of what public service can be and should be all about."  He wished Olson the best in his retirement.  

 

 

Olson began his career as Executive Assistant to former Mayor Steven Carlson in 1981 and, left city government in January of 1994 and, returned in 2000 to be Teresi's Director of Financial Services.


Chautauqua County officials are moving ahead with developing a county-wide plan for sharing services with local municipalties even as the county awaits word on its application for the $20-million Municipal Consolidation and Government Efficiency Competition grant. 

 

Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposal to have counties work with local governments to develop plans for shared services and, consolidation became part of the state budget in April. 

 

County Executive Vince Horrigan says they are making progress in developing a final plan and, adds that they have several elements of the application that are in the county-wide plan. 

 

Horrigan says more and more local governments are becoming involved in the process, especially with the momentum being made after successful dissolution votes in the villages of Forestville and Cherry Creek.  He says there needs to be more of a "regional focus" that allows services to continue. 

 

Horrigan says he expects to present an update on the plan during the next County Legislature meeting later this month with a vote on a final plan expected at the September meeting. 

 

As for the county's application for the $20 million competition, Horrigan expects to hear something in September.


Gas prices in the Jamestown area are holding steady while the price across the United States is continuing to rise. 

 

The AAA's Fuel Gauge Report says locally the price is just over $2.44 a gallon for regular, unleaded fuel.  AAA also says pump prices in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions moved higher on the week, with New York state now at $2.45 a gallon putting it in the top 15 of most expensive markets.  That price is about 10 cents more than a year ago. 

 

Nationally the average price is up 3-cents a gallon this week to $2.35 a gallon.

WJTN Headlines

A Jamestownn woman is jailed without bail for alleedly trafficking methamphetamine and suboxone on the city's southside. 

 

Jamestown police say members of the Metro Drug Task Force, and JPD SWAT Team raided an apartment at 248 Broadhead Avenue shortly after NoonMonday after receiving several neighborhood complaints. 

 

Officers say they found the suspect identified as 35 year-old Tracey Wynn inside and searched the apartment.  Police say they found just over 43-grams of Meth and, several doses of suboxone.  They add they also found several items of drug paraphernalia and, a quantity of cash. 

 

Task Force members say Wynn was arrested on charges including third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and, second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia.  She was arraigned and sent to the county jail. 

 

Anyone with information on illegal drug-activity in Jamestown is asked to call the JPD Tips-line at 483-TIPS, that's 483-8477.  You can also contact the department's Tips 4-1-1 app.


The city of Jamestown did well in one of it's key revenue lines during the second-quarter of the year and, is lending optimism to making budget for 2017. 

 

City Council members last night received sales tax figures for April through June of this year and, learned there was a more than 7-percent increase over the second-quarter of last year. 

 

City Comptroller Joe Bellitto reviewed the numbers with Finance Committee members first and, Committee Chairman Tony Dolce says the city received $1.54-million-dollars for the quarter. 

 

Dolce says that's about $111,000 more than was budgeted adding the city is now "in relatively good shape."  Bellitto says, for the first two quarters of the year the city has received just over 2.9-million dollars which is about 48.5% of budget.  He says the city needs to receive about 99.5% of what they budgeted in the third and fourth-quarters to make budget for the year. 

 

That total is $6-million dollars which is $10,000 more than last year.  Last year Bellitto says the city had received just over 5% LESS than the 2017 figure for the first two quarters.  He says the city budgeted conservatively in 2017 because they fell 1.38% under budget last year.


Ex-New York Senate leader Dean Skelos is asking an appeals court for a new trial, citing the precedent set when former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was granted a new trial. 

 

Attorney Alexandra Shapiro wrote in papers filed Monday with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the Republican Skelos, like the Democrat Silver, is entitled to a new trial because public corruption laws were recently freshly defined by the U.S. Supreme Court. 

 

Skelos was convicted in 2015 on extortion, bribery and conspiracy charges.  He was sentenced last year to five years in prison.  He has remained free on appeal. That's in part because it was unclear what effect, if any, a Supreme Court ruling reversing the conviction of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell would have on the Skelos case.


Prosecutors have asked a federal judge to set a spring retrial date for ex-New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. 

 

The government asked the judge in Manhattan to schedule a trial for March, April or May.  The request comes a day after an appeals court agreed to let Silver's lawyers ask the U.S. Supreme Court to look at the case.  The Supreme Court turns down most requests. 

 

Prosecutors have said a defense request of the Supreme Court should not delay any retrial, especially since a key witness is over age 80.  Silver, who's 73, was sentenced last year to 12 years in prison after he was convicted of public corruption charges.  The conviction was overturned last month by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.


Chautauqua County's top elected official was in Dunkirk early Monday afternoon for his latest announcement regarding his "100 Days of Summer Safety" Campaign. 

 

County Executive Vince Horrigan yesterday focused on sun safety at Wright Park Beach.  Horrigan says times have changed when it comes to sun safety and, Shelly Wells of the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services indicated that you have to think about it all year long. 

 

Well says the U-V rays are still getting to the ground, even with cloud cover, so you should apply sunscreen whenever you go outside for any length of time. 

 

Mike Porpiglia of the American Cancer Society says you can sum up the sun safety rules with four words: slip  slop slap and wrap.  He says slip on a shirt, Slop on the sunscreen, wrap on sunglasses and, slap on your "wide-brimed" hat. 

 

Horrigan was also joined by Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas who supports the message to practice sun safety tips.

WJTN Headlines

Quick work by Jamestown firefighters prevented serious fire damage to a two story apartment house on the city's southside late yesterday afternoon. 

 

City Fire Battalion Chief Sam Salemme says crews were called to the scene at 191 Barrett Avenue about 4:45 p.m., and, he says there was lots of fire on one side of the structure where downstairs and upstairs porches were located.  Salemme says it took about 10 minutes to bring the blaze under control.  He says the owner smelled the smoke, and was able to get out of the downstairs apartment quickly. 

 

Salemme says no one else was inside.  He says several windows were knocked out of the second-floor because of the heavy amout of smoke inside.  Fire crews were at the scene until about 6:30 p.m. 

 

Salemme says an off-duty shift of nine firefighters and a shift commander were called in.  No firefighters were hurt.  The cause has now been released as accidental with hot coals too close to combustables.


A Jamestown woman accused of pulling a knife on two people early last Friday morning and, robbing both is jailed on $100,000 bail on first and second-degree robbery charges. 

 

City police say they were flagged down by one of the victim's about 3 a.m., and, told that 21 year-old Jillian Matthews had put a knife to her throat, and robbed her.  Officers say they previously had talked to another victim who said they were robbed by Matthews inside a home on Clinton Street. 

 

Police say their investigation led them to 10 West Sixth Street where they found Matthews on the back stairwell.  She was arrested on the two robbery counts and, several others including second-degree robbery and, burglary.


A prosecutor says a shooting by a police officer near Warren, Pennsylvania in the parking lot of an ice cream stand that killed an armed driver following a traffic stop appears to have been justified. 

 

State police in Erie say 54-year-old Joseph Miller of Clarendon was killed in the confrontation at 7:15 p.m. last Friday in the Dairy Delite parking lot in Mead Township.  District Attorney Rob Greene said the shooting is under investigation but, adds it appears to have been justified.


A new, county-supported "Fly-Car" emergency medical services program begins operations today in Chautauqua County. 

 

The new service which will operate out of Ashville, Gerry, Arkwright and Mayville will be available to cover the gaps in local EMS fire service. 

 

County Emergency Services Director Julius Leone announced the start of the Medical Services Team made up of 11 people last Friday afternoon.  He says their hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays were determined through a study done a few years ago of where they had the least amount of manpower. 

 

Medical Services Team Project Coodinator Kevin Peebles and Senior Paramedic Mike Volpe will staff the car at the Emergency Services Office in Mayville. 

 

Volpe says they'll have the latest equipment and medications needed for any emergency including cardiac monitoring, air-way management equipment and, pharmacutials such as pain medications.  Medical Service Team members will also have Narcan available for opioid overdose victims. 

 

County officials say they are providing the program to suppliment what the fire services are able to perform along with professional services.  A state Department of Health officials says state officials will be watching what happens due to a lack of volunteers in the fire services.



Long-time Dunkirk City Judge Walter Drag has announced that he will be laying aside his gavel and hanging up his robe for the last time on December 31st. 

 

Judge Drag is retiring after nearly 32 years on the bench in the north city's courtroom.  He is also wrapping up a 40-year career as an attorney. 

 

In a statement released late last week Judge Drag said, "I have been very fortunate to have the trust and confidence of the people of Dunkirk who have elected me four times to be their judge and to preside over cases that personally touch them, their families and neighbors and this community."  He also commented that, "As judge, you also try to set a tone of dedication and concern for the community and reach out to try to help our neighbors as much as possible."


The Chautauqua County Board of Elections says many Dunkirk city voters will have the opportunity to participate in next month's primary. 

 

Five candidates will be in the running for City Court Judge according to County Elections Commissioner Norm Green... who says there's been "a lot of interest" by most people who have a legal background. 

 

Those in the running include James Scott Dimmer, John Kuzdale, Joseph Price, Rachel Roberts and former County Legislator Ronald Szot.  Voting during the Sept. 12 primary will run from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.


Nationally known comedians performed before sell-out crowds this past weekend at the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in Jamestown where the late comedy legend was born. 

 

Among this year's highlights were a celebration of what would have been her husband Desi Arnaz's 100th birthday, and performances by Jim Gaffigan, Kevin James, Robert Klein and Lisa Lampanelli. 

 

Visitors were also able to see late comedian George Carlin's handwritten notes and jokes.  They're showcased at the site of the future National Comedy Center, where they will have a permanent home when the museum opens next year.

News Update for Sat., Aug. 5, 2017

(**Update)State Police identify man killed in officer-involved shooting in Warren Co., PA...
 
A prosecutor says a shooting by a police officer just south of Warren, Pennsylvania in the parking lot of an ice cream stand that killed an armed driver following a traffic stop appears to have been justified.  State police in Erie say 54-year-old Joseph Miller of Clarendon was killed in the 7:15 p.m. Friday confrontation in Mead Township.  Officials said a Warren City officer pulled Miller over for erratic driving in the area of the Dairy Delite at the junction of Routes 6 and 59.  However... while he was talking to the officer in the parking lot... Miller became agitated and began loading an AK-47 rifle.  Authorities said the officer backed away and ordered him to stop, but Miller continued to load the weapon and was shot and killed as he exited the vehicle.  Warren County District Attorney Rob Greene said the shooting is under investigation... but, appears to have been justified.
 

News Headlines for Sat., Aug. 5, 2017

Man shot and killed during officer-involved shooting at drive-in ice cream shop near Warren, Pa...
A 54 year-old man was shot and killed early last evening during an officer-involved shooting that occured during a traffic stop just south of Warren, Pennsylania.  State Police in Erie say a Warren City Police Patrol pulled over a car in the parking lot of the Dairy Delight store at the intersection of Routes 6 and 59 in Mead Township about 7:15 p.m.  Officials say the unidentified man got out of his car with a firearm in his hand... and, that led to shots being fired.  State Police say there were several patrons at the drive-in ice cream shop at the time of the incident... but, none of them were hurt.  The man died from his wounds at the scene.  The Warren City officer was not hurt.  State Police are investigating the incident... along with Warren County District Attorney Rob Greene... Warren City Police and the Warren County Sheriff's office.
 
 
Cooler, breezy conditions in Jamestown-area today...
Much cooler... but, calmer weather is expected today after two waves of severe thunderstorms caused some scattered damage across Chautauqua County yesterday afternoon.  The Sheriff's office and Jamestown Police report some downed trees and some high water in spots... but, no major problems.  One of the downed trees in the immediate Jamestown-area was here on the driveway to our Media One Group stations.  Forecaster Dan Kelly with the National Weather Service in Buffalo says there were two waves of storms... the first one came with a cold front... and dropped the temperature by 15-degrees.  He says it'll remain cool today... with highs of only 65 to 68 degrees.  Kelly says we'll rebound into the 70s by Sunday afternoon.  
 
 
Chautauqua County rolls out new "Fly-Car" EMS Service to begin Monday...
A much-studied and heralded "Fly-Car" ambulance service will begin operating in Chautauqua County during the day-time hours starting next Monday morning.  That from county Emergency Services Director Julius Leone... who announced the new, Emergency Medical Services Team during a press conference this (Friday) afternoon.  Project Coodinator Kevin Peebles says there has been a decline in the number of firefighters, and EMTs across the county... and, he thanked county lawmakers for their support of the program because they had to develop their plans and budget fairly quickly.  Leone emphasized that program is not intended to replace EMT service provided by the county's fire departments... but, to augment them.  He says there will be three levels of service.  One will be provided by the fire services... the next will be their paramedic service.. and, then there'll be the professional service that will provide care on "a timely basis."  Peebles says there will be four stations for each of their fly-cars during the week.  One will be there in Mayville... while the others will be in Ashville... Gerry... and, Arkwright.  Again... the office will officially begin the new, Fly-car service in Chautauqua County at 6 a.m. Monday.
 
 
City man and woman face trespass and drug possession charges...
An alleged trespassing at an apartment house on Jamestown's eastside early last Thursday night has led to the arrest of two people -- one for alleged drug possession.  City police were called to the scene at 207 Spring Street shortly before 6 p.m., and, found the suspects... identified as 40 year-old Wilfredo Castrillo and 38 year-old Jennifer Aldrich.  Officers say the pair did not have permission to be inside the apartment.  In the course of identifying both... Aldrich allegedly gave a false name.  She was allegedly found in possession of a quantity of Methamphetime, cocaine and marijuana.  Police say both were charged with second-degree criminal trespassing... while Aldrich was also charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possesion of marijuana.
 
 
City man arrested for alleged possession of unregistered gun...
A Jamestown man has been jailed for allegedly being found in possession of an unregistered revolver.  City police say they pulled over a car operated by 26 year-old Andrew McFalls in the area of Chandler and Winsor Streets about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday for numerous alleged traffic violations.  During the investigation... officers say they found the gun.  Police say they arrested McFalls for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon... and, traffic violations including failure to signal a turn.  He was taken to the city jail pending arraignment.
 
 
Two men involved in "History of Comedy" Series on CNN speak at Chautauqua Amphitheater....
Two men involved in producing the CNN T-V Series "The History of Comedy" are also heavily-involved in the creation of the new National Comedy Center in Jamestown.  Executive Producer Steven Morrison, and Kliph Nesteroff were yesterday's featured lecturer's at Chautauqua Institution as part of the week on "Comedy and the Human Condition."  On our "Chautauqua Now" show... Morrison... who is now producing media for the center... says they first came to Jamestown last year for the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival because there were so many comedians here... including Lewis Black, Mark Russell, and Rain Pryor... daughter of the late Richard Pryor.  He says they were also introduced to Comedy Center Executive Director, Journey Gunderson.  Both men agree that the new Comedy Center has great potential.  Nesteroff... who will be curator for the National Comedy Center... says needs to be the most "unique" attraction possible -- one that people are willing to travel to.  He says the Comedy Center is starting to fullfil a lot of that with Kelly Carlin turning over her late father, George's, artifacts to the center for exhibits.  Kelly Carlin interviewed both Morrison and Nesteroff as the final 10:45 a.m. lecture of the week Friday at Chautauqua.
 
 
 

WJTN News Headlines

You'll want to keep an eye on the sky today.  
 
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has all of Western New York including Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties under a slight risk for severe weather.  Forecaster Dan Kelly with the weather service's Buffalo office says there are two rounds of storms on the way one is moving through during this time period, and the other will bring a cold front through the area around mid-afternoon.  
 
Thunderstorms late this afternoon and evening may become severe, with damaging winds and possible some hail being the primary severe weather threat.
 
 
An alleged trespassing at an apartment house on Jamestown's eastside early last evening has led to the arrest of two people one for alleged drug possession.  
 
City police were called to the scene at 207 Spring Street shortly before 6 p.m., and, found the suspects identified as 40 year-old Wilfredo Castrillo and 38 year-old Jennifer Aldrich.  Officers say the pair did not have permission to be inside the apartment.  
 
In the course of identifying both Aldrich allegedly gave a false name.  She was allegedly found in possession of a quantity of Methamphetime, cocaine and marijuana.  
 
Police say both were charged with second-degree criminal trespassing while Aldrich was also charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possesion of marijuana.
 
 
New York state has committed about $14-million towards building the new National Comedy Center in downtown Jamestown and, it will now also help spread the word about the new attraction through the state's tourism promotion arm.  
 
Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke before a standing-room only crowd early Thursday afternoon at the center to announce the $500,000 program which will be run through the "I Love NY" program.  
 
Cuomo says backing the National Comedy Center's construction has been part of his three-part strategy to get the entire state's economy going.  He says it's part of their program to create and boost "national attractions" in the upstate region that have been devastated by the loss of people and manufacturing jobs.  
 
Cuomo was introduced by Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi who praised the governor for making the upstate economy a priority of his administration.  Teresi says he's worked with five governors during his time in public service, and says none of them was more "zeroed in" on boosting the upstate economy than Andrew Cuomo.  
 
Cuomo was joined by the head of his economic development office Empire State Development Executive Director Howard Zemsky.  Zemsky says Cuomo turned economic development "180-degrees" a few years ago by having the state's 10 regions compete for funding for projects they develop.  
 
They were also joined by State Senator Cathy Young, Assemblyman Andy Goodell and, County Executive Vince Horrigan and, several dignitaries from the north county.  The comedy center is to open in the late Spring or Summer of 2018.
 
 
A nearly three-year old conservative business organization is blasting Governor Cuomo's pledge of half-a-million dollars more for the National Comedy Center.  
 
In a statement released late Thursday Reclaim New York's Doug Kellogg said the center would be "a better fit at the State Capitol, it’s the perfect punchline to Albany’s complete joke of an economic strategy."  
 
The group which claims to be non-partisan says Cuomo can't claim with a straight face this is "a good use of tax dollars" and a model for repairing the region's economy. 
 
 
The New York state Board of Elections says it will hand over some voter information to President Donald Trump's commission investigating voter fraud, becoming the first state to largely comply with the request after initially balking.  
 
The Board voted late Wednesday to provide data like voter names, birthdates, addresses and voting history after determining it had no lawful reason to deny the request.  
 
Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo said in June the state would not comply.  The commission then filed an open records request for voter data already available to members of the public who file such requests.  
 
The state will not provide voters' Social Security numbers because of state voter privacy laws.  Thirteen states and Washington, D.C., still say they won't comply with the information request. Three others are reconsidering their denials.
 
 
Ex-New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver can ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review his case rather than go straight to a retrial.  
 
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Thursday that the Democrat can ask the high court to review his case.  The Second-Circuit tossed out his public corruption conviction in July, citing a recent Supreme Court decision. But it also said there is sufficient evidence to conduct a retrial.  A government spokesman says prosecutors still plan to retry the case as soon as possible.  
 
Prosecutors had opposed Silver's request for the Second-Circuit to suspend the effect of its decision long enough for a Supreme Court review.  The 73 year-old Silver originally was convicted in a $5 million scheme and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

WJTN Headlines

Two days after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo joked that millions in additional funding would be available for struggling cities, the Democrat is set to appear at the future home of the National Comedy Center. 

 

The governor's office says he'll make an announcement Thursday afternoon at the National Comedy Center construction site in Jamestown.  Cuomo's appearance comes during the start of the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in Jamestown, where the late television and film actress was born in 1911. 

 

The governor's visit also comes two days after he said there would be second-, third- and fourth-place winners in a state program funneling millions of dollars to communities seeking to revitalize their downtowns.  Cuomo's office afterward said he was joking about rewarding the also-rans.


Local Congressman Tom Reed says he understands the point President Donald Trump was trying to make last week when Trump said in an interview that people living in upstate New York should move elsewhere to find jobs. 

 

Trump made the controversial statements in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that appeared on July 26th.  He said that people in New York and some other states are going to have to move to Wisconsin, Iowa and Colorado where many new manufacturing jobs are going. 

 

Reed, a Republican from Corning, says he loves the region and isn't going anywhere.  He says he's going to continue to fight for the region, and says it's recognition that the "rust belt" has had it's struggles.  Reed agrees that the upstate region needs a significant economic boost and, the loss of jobs and people can clearly be seen by the loss of 4 to 5 members of Congress over the past few decades. 

 

Trump said new plants in some parts of the country are going to need people to work and, places like "upper New York" are getting "very badly hurt."  An official with the Buffalo-Niagara Partnership told The Buffalo News that Trump's asserstion is wrong adding that Buffalo is "doing better than we've done in decades."


A Dunkirk woman accused of shooting and killing her boyfriend last month has been indicted by a Chautauqua County grand jury. 

 

Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson says 28-year-old Rebecca Ruiz was indicted Wednesday in county court on one count of second-degree murder as well as two other charges, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and tampering with evidence. 

 

Swanson says Ruiz was returned to the county jail in Mayville on $1-million cash bail, and $2-million property bond.  Ruiz is accused of shooting and killing 21-year-old Julian Duman at her home at 141 Lake Shore Drive East back on July 6th. 

 

Swanson says additional evidence was developed that allowed the grand jury to indict Ruiz on the two additional charges.  He says the case will continue in October for motions in front of Judge David Foley.  A trial date will then be set.


No one was hurt but, an apartment building in Dunkirk sustained extensive damage during a late morning fire Wednesday in the area of Maple Avenue, Route 60 and King Street. 

 

That from Dunkirk Fire Captain Gary Latta who says they were called to the scene of the large structure that housed several apartments about 10:30 a.m.  Latta says they checked twice to make sure that everyone was out of the burning structure and, then moved to knock down the fire and bring it under control before checking inside again. 

 

Katta says crews hussled to the scene after receiving reports of smoke in the area.  He says three of the apartments were occupied and, they checked those when they first arrived.  He says they received mutual aid from nearby Fredonia and an engine from East Dunkirk. 

 

The Chautauqua County Fire Investigation Team was called to the scene.  A portion of Route 60 was closed late Wednesday morning through early afternoon due to the fire, and subsequent clean-up.


Two witnesses report seeing shots fired yesterday morning on Jamestown's northside but, no one was hurt. 

 

City Police Chief Harry Snellings confirms that officers were called to the scene at Prendergast Avenue and Regent Street about 7:15 a.m.  Snellings says two people were allegedly involved in a disagreement and, wound up apparently firing shots at each other. 

 

However both ran off before police arrived.  He says police interviewed the two witnesses there.  Snellings says no shell casings have been found yet and, no buildings were hit.  The investigation is continuing.


Gas prices in the Jamestown-area are holding steady this week while on the national scene they have increased over the past week. 

 

The AAA's Fuel Gauge Report says the price locally is just over $2.44 a gallon this week.  It's actually about about 2-10ths of a penny higher than it was last week. 

 

AAA adds that the price across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions continue to join the pack of most expensive states in the country.  Nationally, the price is up to $2.32 a gallon this week and, is at its highest price since June 15th.

WJTN Headlines

Three people from Jamestown escaped serious injury after the driver of the car they were traveling in fell asleep at the wheel and crashed on Foote Avenue Extension in the town of Kiantone. 

 

Sheriff's officers were called to the scene shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday, and found that the northbound vehicle, driven by 42 year-old David Philbrick, left the roadway and struck a large billboard.  Deputies say Philbrick's car then overturned some 4 to 6 times before traveling about 150-yards through several fields before striking some trees and shrubs and, then hitting a play set in a business lot. 

 

Officers say Philbrick and his two passengers were sent to UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital for treatment.  He was charged with failure to keep right.


Jamestown police say they seized a quantity of marijuana from a woman who was stopped fo several traffic and vehicle violations on the city's southside Monday night. 

 

City police say officers spotted a vehicle in the area of McKinley Avenue and Park Street about 9:20 p.m., and, stopped 31 year-old Peggysue Reese Goldsmith in the mid-block of Linden Avenue. 

 

Following a short investigation officers found the marijuana in Goldsmith's possession.  She was arrested for fourth-degree criminal possesion of marijuana unnecessary noice failure to signal a turn and, having the driver's view obstructed.


There were more questions posed to Jamestown city lawmakers Monday night about the possible benefits of the proposed annexation by the city of property in Falconer owned by the Board of Public Utilities. 

 

However this time it was two city women asking about how the move would impact both the city and, the village.  If approved the four-acres of land where the Dow Street Substation sits in Falconer would become part of the city. 

 

Council President Greg Rabb says he was happy to have residents come and ask questions and make comments.  He says a vote by council should be taken in about a month once the state Department of Environmental Conservation makes a final determination of lead agency status. 

 

One of the women, Melinda Stoller asked if the annexation would provide any benefit to Falconer.  Rabb declined to comment on the impact on the village saying that Falconer officials are best able to speak to that and he should not speak for them. 

 

Lovell Avenue resident, Ravin Mason, also owns property in Falconer.  She asked how annexing the property will benefit the city.  Councilman Tony Dolce says the move would save the BPU thousands of dollars a year in taxes and provide payments in lieu of tax payments to the city and Jamestown School District.


New York state has announced a new round of funding for a program aimed at keeping students from dropping out of school. 

 

The state Education Department on Monday said 44 colleges and universities will receive a total of $17 million as part of the Liberty Partnerships Program. 

 

Under the program, colleges partner with struggling schools and community-based organizations to help middle and high school students who are at risk of dropping out complete school and go on to college. 

 

Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia says the program gives students access to skills assessment, tutoring, counseling and mentoring.  The program was started in 1988.


The week of Comedy at Chautauqua Institutiion is well-underway and, yesterday featured a comedic legend, and the daughter of a legend. 

 

Long-time comedian and T-V Director David Steinberg was on the amphitheater stage with Kelly Carlin daughter of George Carlin to discuss political satire and other comedy. 

 

Kelly Carlin spoke on our "Chautauqua Now" show with Dennis Webster prior to the appearance and, discussed her father's career.  She says her father's comedy actually came in three stages the first being individual relationships, then the langauge, and the final 25-years dealing with the culture in America. 

 

Carlin wrote a book about her father's career called, "A Carlin Home Companion" a take-off on the name of Garrison Keillor's radio program.  She says it's been part of the process of going through his artifacts including scrapbooks since Carlin passed away nine years ago. 

 

Kelly Carlin will also be on stage at the Amphitheater this Thursday morning with W. Kamau Bell host of CNN's "United Shades of America" at 10:45 a.m.


While the daughter of George Carlin says she enjoyed being able to have a relationship with her father's comedic artifacts... her father's "stuff" also belongs to his fans and, future generations. 

 

That's why Kelly Carlin has turned-over her father's materials to the new National Comedy Center in Jamestown.  Carlin says she's already talked with Director Journey Gunderson about the exhibit of her dad's artifacts including a lot of hand-written notes where patrons can "walk into my father's brain." 

 

She adds that scholars and students will also have a chance to study his work for years and decades to come.  Kelly Carlin says work on the exhibit is already underway at the Gateway Train Station which will be part of the new National Comedy Center on Jamestown's westside. 

 

Funding for the final parts of the comedy center is now in place and, a Spring or Summer 2018 opening is expected.

WJTN Headlines

A bi-partisan group of Congress members in Washington, DC including Chautauqua County's representative have reached consensus agreement on a proposal to stabilize the Affordable Care Act markets. 

 

That from Congressman Tom Reed who co-chairs the Problem Solvers Caucus that reached the agreement over the past weekend and, in the wake of the Health Care defeat in the U-S Senate. 

 

Reed says the move would take effect for heatlh insurance plans offered in 2018 and, would include three basic reforms:  Eliminating the employer mandate up to 500 employees, recognize a 40-hour work week for health insurance being provided versus a 30-hour week originally in the ACA, and eliminating the medical device tax. 

 

Reed says a stablization fund would be set up to help stabilize the markets in those areas of the county where the ACA also known as ObamaCare are collapsing.  The Corning Republican says they're also working on cost-sharing reductions. 

 

He says he's already been attacked by "the right" on the proposal and, adds that his co-chair New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer has also been attacked for the proposal.  Reed adds that he has not "abandoned his position" on Repeal and Replacing the ACA.  However he say this is a step in the right direction for the people.


A major bio-pharmacutical company planning to put a new anti-cancer drug production facility in the Dunkirk-area is now a publically-traded entity. 

 

With that, excitement is continuing to grow towards Athenex which celebrated it's Initial Public Offering or IPO Sunday during a dinner event in Buffalo. 

 

Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan was among the local officials involved and, he says company officials from Taiwan, Chicago and Buffalo all took part in the dinner and teleconference there.  He says they're now looking at a 2 to 3-week period to a ground-breaking. 

 

Horrigan says all the financing is in place for the project on Route 5 near the Dunkirk City line.  He says the final piece was a 20 year Payment in Lieu of Tax agreement with the county's Industrial Development Agency that was approved last week. 

 

In addition to the more than $1-billion investment Horrigan says they'll have an estimated payroll of $50-million.  He says Athenex's President and Chief Executive Officer is also talking about other opportunities once their western New York facilities are on-line.  Officials say they are hoping the intial offering of stock in the company will raise about $100-million at $11 a share.


The Jamestown City Council has tabled action on a proposal to abandon a portion of Osborne Street on the city's southside to look into drainage and tree issues. 

 

The decison was made during last night's Council voting session, following a public hearing in which several neighbors spoke.  One Steve Muscarella of Sampson Street, said he believed the neighbor's would like a letter from the city to clarify what they would be responsible for if the abandonment took place. 

 

Muscarella says they would hope the city would improve drainage there, as well as get rid of old and dying trees.  One of those people who didn't want to deal with the tree issue was Jim Fusco of Colfax Street.  He says he took down some pine trees that he thought he owned but, later learned they were on city property.  He says he gets high water in that part of the property now. 

 

Steve Atwater of Colfax Street says he's not opposed to the abandonment but, says he'd also like to have more clarity on drainage and, property tax issues. 

 

Public Works Committee Chairman George Spitale urged lawmakers to table the matter until his committee could look further into the matter.


New York state now considers an inmate's age at the time of the crime to ensure that offenders receiving long sentences as juveniles have a legitimate chance at release. 

 

Corrections officials say the Board of Parole made the change immediately after a 2016 ruling that juveniles must be granted a meaningful chance at release during parole proceedings. 

 

Though New York has never sentenced juveniles to life without parole, groups including the New York Civil Liberties Union had criticized officials for looking only at crimes, and not youth, in parole determinations.


The town of Gerry becomes "Rodeo City" later this week as the 73rd annual Gerry Fire Department's PRCA Rodeo gets underway Wednesday evening. 

 

Spokesman Paul Cooley with the rodeo says this year's event will have a record number of competitors for all four nights 256 cowboys and cowgirls from 34 states.  Cooley says they'll be vying for about $45,000 in prize money each night, Wednesdaythrough Saturday

 

He adds that word getting around about the success of the rodeo and the fact is drawing some top names in the sport.  He says one of the top saddle-bronc riders, Cody DiMass, who has won over $2-million in the professional ranks will be here again this year. 

 

Among the fan favorites at the rodeo is the delicious beef barbecue dinners which are served from 5 to 8 p.m. each day during the rodeo.  Cooley says you can get more information about this year's rodeo on-line at www.gerryrodeo.org.


The Trump administration says a Pennsylvania-based coal company has won a contract to supply coal used for heating to Ukraine's state-owned power company. 

 

The deal announced Monday calls for X-coal Energy and Resources to ship 700,000 tons of thermal coal to the Ukraine to heat homes and businesses.  The first shipment is expected to leave the Port of Baltimore next month at a cost of $113 per metric ton. 

 

Energy Secretary Rick Perry hailed the deal with state-owned Centrenergo, saying such partnerships "are crucial to the path forward to achieve energy dominance" for the U.S.  President Donald Trump has vowed to revive the struggling coal industry.

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