A Grand Valley, Pennsylvania teenager was killed yesterday afternoon when his all-terrain vehicle struck a deer in Warren County's Eldred Township. The Warren Times Observer reports that State Police in Warren say 17 year-old Logan Brown was southbound on Flat Road -- near the intersection with Chapel Hill Road -- when the deer entered the ATV's path about 2:45 PM. Troopers say the rider lost control of the vehicle... and, was thrown from the ATV. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene. Brown was wearing a motorcycle helmet. Brown was a senior at Youngsville High School. The investigation is continuing.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he has directed state law enforcement officers to remain vigilant after several dozen people were killed in shootings and explosions at multiple sites in Paris. Cuomo said Friday the attacks were tragic and senseless. He says New York law enforcement officers are in constant contact with federal officials. French officials say at least 132 people died Friday's attack, many of them in a popular concert hall where patrons were taken hostage. Cuomo says the state police and homeland security officials are actively monitoring the situation for any implications in New York. New York City police say officers have been deployed to sites across the city, including French government buildings. They say there is no indication the attack has any link to New York City.
The public gets a chance to let it's voice be heard on the proposed 35.1-million dollar budget proposed for Jamestown next year. Mayor Sam Teresi says the public hearing on his executive budget plan will be held in City Council Chambers tonight at 6 PM. Teresi says it's the next step in the process. He says he and lawmakers would like to hear constructive ideas on ways to improve the spending plan... which increases taxes by 5.6-percent. Teresi says the process has been ongoing since he presented the budget in early October.
Teresi has presented what lawmakers and department heads call a "tight budget" that some believe doesn't include enough money to cover items like equipment and overtime costs. However... the tax increase totals about 884-thousand dollars... and, would take the city to 99-percent of it's constitutional taxing limit. City Council will continue it's review of the budget following the hearing at about 6:30 PM. City lawmakers are slated to vote on the proposal at their November 30th voting session.
A Jamestown man has pled guilty to making false statements and representations to the FBI... and, faces up to five years in federal prison. U-S Attorney William Hochul, Junior says 38 year-old Tyrell Fuqua-Hayes entered the plea before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank Geraci, Junior. In addition to the prison time... Fuqua-Hayes faces a 250-thousand dollar fine when he's sentenced next Feburary 16th. Prosecutors say the suspect alleged that he met a man last January who was arrested in another federal case while they were in custody together at the same jail. They say Fuqua-Hayes claimed the man gave him with contact information... and, told Hayes he would get back to him. This past May... Fuqua-Hayes advised the FBI that he was getting text messages from the man he met in jail indicating that the man wanted to pay him 5-thousand dollars to kill witnesses in that man’s case. The defendant later admitted he created the text messages himself and that lied about the recent conversations between the man and himself.
Seven fire companies were at the scene for more than four-hours last Saturday night as fire heavily-damaged a single-family home in DeWittville. Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department dispatchers say DeWittville crews were initially called to the scene at 68-55 Beech Hill Road about 7:15 PM. The Jamestown Post-Journal reports that crews found flames shooting from the building. But, fortunately... no fatalities nor injuries were reported. The cause remains under investigation. Firefighters were at the scene until about 11:45 PM.
Local Congressman Tom Reed believes the House and Senate will be able to iron out differences in their versions of an approximately 325-billion dollar federal highway bill. The Corning Republican says he is encouraged by Senate reaction to the House bill that would provide funding for roads and bridges for the next three years... with the framework in place for another three years of funding. Reed says Western New York should receives its fair share for local highway and bridge projects. He says the House bill includes 4.5-million dollars for freight and highway projects that cost at least 100-million dollars. Reed feels that could be a big help to the Route 219 project in Cattaraugus County... which is expected to cost 700-million dollars. He feels an agreement can be worked out before November 20th... when the current highway funding arrangement will expire.
A guest house and special events venue for Jamestown Community College the past 40 years is up for sale. JCC President Cory Duckworth has announced that the Sheldon House, and the adjacent the carriage house and garage on Falconer Street, are on the market. Late this past week... Duckworth said the college's Board of Trustees, citing increased maintenance costs and fewer funds to support Sheldon House, determined the facility no longer advances the college’s central mission. He says a task force established by the board in 2014... recommended a study be commissioned to explore alternative uses for the property. The firm "In-Site Architecture" of Perry, New York was selected to do an analysis of the property and recommend new possible uses as well as opportunities for responsibly marketing the property to the general public. After accepting the consulting firm’s recommendations earlier this fall... the board asked JCC administrators to market the facility and identify potential buyers. Until a buyer is found and a sale is negotiated... Duckworth says Sheldon House will continue to be available for light receptions and business meetings.
New York state authorities say three other insurers have agreed to automatically enroll individuals covered by Health Republic Insurance of New York as it shuts down. The Department of Financial Services and Department of Health say about 100-thousand individual members in the cooperative can select a new insurance plan for the rest of this year through the state Health Exchange by November 30th. After that... state officials say those individuals who haven't done so will be automatically enrolled with another insurer, and the three collectively cover the whole state. Authorities say that the three insurers have agreed to credit any deductible and out-of-pocket amounts that consumers have already paid through their Health Republic coverage during 2015. Health Republic's small group plans also covered 101,500 people.
The leader of the Republican minority in the New York state Assembly says a new state law granting critically ill individuals expedited access to medical marijuana is an example of bipartisanship and good government. Minority Leader Brian Kolb says that the bill signed into law this week by Governor Andrew Cuomo was ``worth fighting for.'' The law will give individuals with degenerative illnesses or who face grave health risks to faster access to medical marijuana as the state works out the details of its full medical cannabis program before its expected launch in January. Kolb said the emergency marijuana law is the result of lawmakers from both parties working together to improve the lives of New Yorkers struggling with serious illness.
New York's police commissioner says his city has the best anti-terrorism forces in the United States, with thousands of well-armed security personnel at the ready. But... William Bratton says that to protect the type of ``soft'' targets attacked in Paris, intelligence is essential. The commissioner spoke Sunday on CBS's ``Face the Nation'' and ABC's ``This Week.'' Bratton says targets like restaurants and entertainment venues are especially vulnerable because they cannot be constantly protected. Authorities must pick up clues of impending danger through intelligence. The police commissioner says another challenge has emerged from Friday's attacks on multiple sites in Paris that claimed at least 129 lives -- The attackers may have communicated through encrypted messages that cannot be monitored. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Paris bloodshed.
A convicted killer serving life behind bars when he staged a daring escape from a maximum-security prison has pleaded guilty to criminal charges for the breakout. In 35-year-old David Sweat's second court appearance since his capture in June... he no longer wore a sling from his gunshot injuries, his head was shaved and he politely answered a series of questions from the judge. Sweat has been in solitary confinement at Five Points prison. He pleaded guilty to two felony counts of first-degree escape... and, a felony count of promoting prison contraband for possessing hacksaw blades used to cut his way out. He escaped June 6th from Clinton Correctional Facility with Richard Matt, another convicted killer. Matt was shot dead June 26th... while Sweat was shot and captured two days later.
