A drug bust last last week led to a second one in three days Sunday morning on Jamestown's northside. City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says members of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force had learned that 21 year-old Laquil Hilson had returned back to the 15 Stowe Street residence that he had allegedly been trafficking "crack" cocaine from for the past few months. Samuelson says they had already arrested 19 year-old Victoria Rosier for being in possession of several narcotic pills during a raid last Friday morning. Samuelson says Hilson was arrested about 11 AM without incident... and, charged with one count each of third-degree criminal possession... and, sale of a controlled substance. He says the two-month long investigation revealed that Hilson used the Stowe Street address to sell and possess "crack." Rosier was also found to have her 10-month old child present where the drugs were located. She also faces a child endangerment charge. Hilson is jailed without bail. Anyone with information on the illegal trafficking and sales of narcotics in the city should call the Metro Task Force at 483-TIPS... that's 483-8477.
The smaller departments in the city of Jamestown have gotten much smaller over the past 20 years... and, some even moreso in the past couiple of years. The City Council continued it's review of Mayor Sam Teresi's 2016 budget plan last night... and, reviewed several departments, including Finance, Clerk, Comptroller... and the Corporation Counsel. However... there wasn't much savings to be found. For example... the Comptoller's Office had eight people in 1991... but, now has just three. Corporation Counsel Fiore-Lehman says her budget's Judgements and Claims line is down "dramatically" to 50-thousand dollars in 2016. Rabb says that number has been in six-figures for sometime... and, he's concerned about the lower number... and, the potential need to hire outside counsel for cases where there may be a "conflict of interest." In addition... Rabb says lawmakers will likely have to apply to the state for another fee increase for copies of birth certificates because it wasn't approved for this year. Lawmakers will continue to review the 35.1-million dollar spending plan... which includes a 5.6-percent tax increase... next Monday night. During last night's Council voting session... lawmakers agreed to lift the city's on-going hiring freeze to replace a retiring Laborer in the Public Works Department. City officials say the item is already budgeted in the 2015 spending plan.
There will be a base rate decrease in one of two division budgets approved by the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities Monday afternoon. In addition... there will be no increase in the other. That from BPU General Manager Dave Leathers... who says the 4.8-percent rate cut is for the District Heat and Chilling Division. Leathers says the new rate will actually take effect on bills mailed after December 1st. Meantime... there will be no rate increase for the seventh-year in a row for the BPU's Wastewater Division. Leathers says the board is -- quote -- "gratified by our ability to control rates on behalf of our customers." The total Wastewater Budget for 2016 is 4.67-million dollars. Leathers says there are some increased expenses... including 68-thousand dollars at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. As for District Heating and Chilling... he says expenses are expected to be about 20-thousand dollars more than this year.
The remnants of what was Hurricane Patricia will be felt in Western New York... beginning late this evening through Wednesday afternoon. That from Forecaster Judy Levan with the National Weather Service in Buffalo. Levan says Chautauqua County -- and the rest of the region -- will see the rain, and, wind beginning late tonight. She says a High Wind Watch has been issued for Chautauqua County from late Tuesday through Wednesday afternoon. Levan says winds will start coming out of the southeast later today... and, the rain will start during the earlier evening hours as remnants of Patricia move into the area from the Ohio Valley. She says we'll see some significant rainfall as well. Levan says the rain will last up to 36 hours... and, the area could see an inch to inch-and-a-half of rain by Thursday morning. She says winds -- especially in the north county -- will reach 30 to 40 MPH during the day Wednesday... with gusts up to 60 MPH. Our complete forecast follows the news.
A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly harassing a woman in the town of Chautauqua earlier this month. Sheriff's officers were called to the scene on Davis Road in Mayville back on October 15th. Deputies say... on arrival... that 56 year-old Joseph Blachowski of Price Street, Jamestown, had allegedly verbally harassed a female victim. Officers adds that Blachowski had allegedly chased the woman with a glass mug and threw it at her. No one was hurt. Blachowski was issued an appearance ticket for Chautauqua Town Court for second-degree harassment at a later date.
The Resource Center has presented a 'lifetime achievement award' to Nancy Ingram. Nancy has served in a variety of roles over her 42 year career with the agency, most recently as an Assistant Executive Director. Nancy received the recognition Monday night at the annual Disability Awareness Awards. She will retire at the end of December, and admits to having mixed feelings. Among others honored at this year's Disability Awareness awards: Events Coordinator Vicki Bardo, and Support Options Adminstrator Beth Jermain. Two Resource Center Consumers, Jennifer Meyers and Bruce Hazelton, were honored for their personal achievements. A brand new award, Special Event Volunteer, went to Bill VanDyke... for his work as a referee for Street Jam Basketball. This year's Disability Awareness Awards were presented at Moonbrook Country Club.
A Jamestown man has been arrested as a fugitive from justice for alleged larcenies in Central New York and in Pennsylvania. State Police in Jamestown say they recently arrested 27 year-old Joseph Pratt... after he had earlier been taken into custody by U-S Marshalls at a home in the Town of Ellery. Troopers say Pratt has numerous warrants from other agencies including Felony warrants from the Watkins Glen Police Department... and, the Hermitage, Pennsylvania Police Department. Pratt was arraigned in Ellery Town Court... and, sent to the County Jail with bail to be set.
One of the Jamestown-area's largest employers has reached another milestone in production. Cummin's Engine Company's Jamestown Engine Plant in the town of Busti, earlier this month, shipped out it's one-million-750-thousanth heavy-duty engine. The local producer of engines -- for mainly large trucks -- reached the one-millionth mark several years ago. During a recent stop by Cummin's Engin's "Redefining Tour..." Plant Manager Mike Abbate credited the local plant's workers... and, the company's vision. Abbate says while a "good product sells..." it's everything they do at the local plant. He says it's the engine, after-treatment, service, and sales across the country and around the world. Cummins Engine's world-wide headquarters is in Columbus, Indiana... but, several years ago... the company consolidated it's heavy-duty engine production at the Jamestown-Engine Plant. Cummin's celebrated the local plant's 40th anniversary in August of 2014.
When it comes to pushing for gun control, it doesn't hurt to be Amy Schumer. The stage and screen star has more than 2-million Twitter followers, and about as many on Facebook and Instagram. Her cousin, U-S Senator Charles Schumer, knows that. This past Sunday... they stood together in front of New York's City Hall for what they call their ``crusade on guns.'' It started in August, when they teamed up days after a gunman fatally shot two women in a Louisiana theater showing ``Trainwreck,'' starring Amy Schumer. The Schumers urged lawmakers to back a gun control bill sponsored by the New York Democrat. Now, they're trying to create a national groundswell forcing a vote. They're asking people to call, write, tweet and post on Facebook to stop gun violence.
