Chautauqua Mall among retailers to open early Thanksgiving Day Thursday...
The Greater Jamestown-area's largest retail shopping center will be part of the national trend with many outlets opening early Thanksgiving evening to allow shoppers an early shot at "Black Friday" bargains. Marketing Director Cynde Brenneman with the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood says they'll be open at 6 this evening... and, she says most of their 45-plus stores will be open at that time. Brenneman says the "majority" of their stores will be open at that time. She adds most will be open straight through to 10 p.m. Friday. That means those stores will be open 28 consecutive hours. Their anchors, Sears... the Bon-Ton... and, J-C Penny, will be open during that time. Brenneman says some stores will be closing for a few hours from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. Friday morning. She says some of the early Holiday Shopping Season "hot items" are cold weather clothing... such as boots, jackets, and scarfs. One of the highlights of Black Friday will again be the arrival of Santa Claus at 12 Noon.
Jamestown man hurt in Clymer Rollover Accident...
A Jamestown man was seriously hurt yesterday afternoon when his car slid off an ice-slicked road in the town of Clymer and rolled-over in a ditch. Sheriff's officers say 50 year-old Jeffrey Thiem was eastbound on Raspas Hill Road just after 4:30 p.m. when he lost control of his vehicle. Deputies say Thiem's car went off the road and into a ditch... and it overturned onto the passenger side. Officers say they had to free Thiem from the vehicle... and, he was taken to the Hamot Medical Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. Deputies say he's being treated for non-life threatening injuries. No charges have been filed.
Gerace urges motorists to drive carefully on this Thanksgiving Holiday weekend...
Today is a major travel day... and, area police agencies are encouraging drivers to play it safe. Some 44-million Americans will be traveling at least 50-miles over the long, Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend. Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace says it's a good idea to have a travel plan before heading out, and, make sure your car is equiped with an emergency kit, and, ready for Winter. Gerace also urges motorists to wear their seat belts. He says there will be a crack down on impaired driving including the use of alcohol. He says the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving is usually a big party night. Gerace urges people to get a designated driver... or call a cab... if they intend on drinking alcoholic beverages.
State Police also ready for Holiday Weekend...
Meantime... State Police are boosting traffic enforcement efforts through the holiday weekend, with special patrols focusing on speeding, distracted driving and sobriety checkpoints. The heightened patrols will be out Wednesday through Sunday statewide. The effort will also include ``Operation Hang Up,'' which targets distracted drivers by using Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement patrol vehicles to locate drivers talking or texting on hand held devices. During the 2013 Thanksgiving holiday period, troopers arrested 181 drivers for DWI, issued 4,459 speeding tickets and 854 tickets for distracted driving.
