A Warren man is dead following a one vehicle accident Saturday night in Mckean County. The Warren Times Observer reports that 38 year old Kevin Earl Pire II was driving west on Route 59 just before Midnight when for unknown reasons he lost control of his vehicle. The vehicle left the road, hit a tree and rolled several times, ending up on it's roof. Kane based State Police said that pire was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.
A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting his wife during a domestic violence incident on the city's eastside. City police were called to the scene at 235 Buffalo Street just after 5 AM yesterday... and, learned that 45 year-old Jason Smith had allegedly grabbed his wife... and, held her by the throat against a wall. Officers say Smith then allegedly slapped her in the face... punched her in the back of the head... and, pushed her against a kitchen stove. Smith is also accused of refusing to allow his wife to leave the room after she tried to do so several times. Police arrested Smith for second-degree harassment and unlawful imprisonment... and, criminal obstruction of breathing and blood circulation. He's being held pending arraignment.
A Bemus Point man faces charges after allegedly leaving the scene of a two-car accident in the town of Sherman... and, for being drunk at the time. Sheriff's officers were called to the scene of the crash on East Main Street in Sherman shortly before 11 PM last Saturday. Deputies say they found the passenger in the second vehicle involved... 23 year-old Ronald Lutgen, Junior... had left the scene in his own vehicle and returned shortly after that. They say Lutgen was found to be in an intoxicated state while operating the vehicle, and he was arrested for driving while intoxicated... and DWI Per Se. Lutgen was released to a sober party... and will appear back in Sherman Town Court at a later date.
A new panel created by Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan will begin meeting shortly to start looking at consolidating services. Horrigan says his Regional Solutions Commission will be headed up by Silver Creek Legislator George Borrello. He says Borrello offered to head up the panel after having success with his involvement in the vote to dissolve the village of Forestville into the town of Hanover. Horrigan says the panel will include people from the public and private sectors. Few specifics have been discussed regarding what services may be consolidated. However... Horrigan did point out ongoing talks with Jamestown about the Sheriff's Department joining forces with the city's police department. He says there's also a study taking place around consolidating, or centralizing fire and other emergency services. Horrigan announced formation of the Regional Solutions Commission during his recent State of the County Address. He made his comments during this past weekend's "Community Spotlight" program on the five Media One Group stations.
New York's Conservative Party has chosen Wendy Long as its challenger to Democratic U-S Senator Charles Schumer. The Conservatives chose Long at their meeting in Brooklyn on Saturday... one day after state Republicans designated her as their candidate. Long ran for Senate on the Republican and Conservative lines in 2012. She was beaten decisively by Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Long is a New York City attorney who once clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and was a press secretary to two senators. New York Democrats nominated Schumer to run for a fourth term this past Monday. Schumer has $24 million in his campaign account and is a heavy favorite in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2 to 1.
The New York state Senate has passed a bill to amend a law that exempts some agricultural buildings from taxes. Republican Senator Patricia Ritchie proposed the revision to add equestrian facilities with commercial operations, like boarding stables, to the list of exempt buildings and structures. This wouldn't include riding academies or dude ranches that didn't also qualify as commercial equine operations. A companion bill has been introduced in the Assembly.
A grass-roots effort is underway to make solar energy available at a lower cost for residents and small businesses in Chautauqua County. Solarize Chautauqua, a locally-organized volunteer outreach effort, will hold it's campaign launch a week from Saturday, March 12th... from 10 AM to 12 Noon at Jamestown Community College's North Training Center on Bennett Road. Minda Rae Amiran of the Chautauqua County League of Women Voters says a similar effort was undertaken in Tompkins County. The group is working with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority which will be vetting proposals from installers through a Request for Proposals. Mary Croxton of the coalition is encouraging the public to attend the launch... saying you can hear from people who already use solar in the county. The campaign is being run by a coalition of local organizations dedicated to promoting the benefits of renewable energy. They do not represent any commercial or for-profit enterprise. For more information... go on-line to solarchautauqua-dot-ORG.
U-S Senator Charles Schumer is calling on phone carriers to make robocall blocking technology available to landline and cellphone customers. Schumer says blocking technology can send an automated telemarketing call to a spam box, much like email spam-blockers do. The New York Democrat says the technology is needed because despite federal ``Do Not Call'' rules, hundreds of thousands of people continue to receive unwanted telemarketing calls. The Consumers Union says there were 305,000 complaints about Do Not Call violations in September 2014. In addition to annoying calls from mortgage companies and credit card firms, robocalls can subject phone customers to scams. Schumer noted the recent robocall tax scam that told victims they owed money to the IRS. Time Warner Cable has announced it will provide its phone customers with access to Nomorobo, a robocall-blocking service.
