A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly walking into... and, robbing the Greater Chautauqua Federal Credit Union on East Main Street in Falconer Monday morning. Ellicott Police Chief Bill Ohmneiss says this afternoon that they have arrested 22 year-old Kyle Senear following an investigation into the hold-up... which occured around 9:30 AM. Ohmneiss says Senear allegedly walked in to the credit union... and, demanded money. He adds the suspect had one distinguishing feature. Ohmneiss says Senear did get a "small amount" of money before fleeing the credit union on foot. He says they got a lot fo help with the investigation.. and Senear was found in Jamestown with the help of city Police... State Police and the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office. Senear was arraigned on one count of second-degree robbery... and,sent to the county jail without bail. Ohnmeiss adds that... as a pre-caution... the Falconer Central Schools were locked down during the hold-up period. If you have any information on the robbery... you are still asked to contact Ellicott Police at 665-7083.
New York state is advising school employees to call the superintendent and school attorney if faced with an immigration agent's request for access to students or their records. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia issued guidance Monday to the state's 700 school districts after getting questions about schools' obligation to federal immigration officers. Other states and cities have issued similar guidance in the wake of stricter immigration enforcement policies outlined by President Donald Trump's administration last week. The New York officials reminded districts that state law entitles students ages 5 to 21 to a free public education, regardless of immigration status. They said state and federal laws protect the privacy of student records. They advise employees to check with district officials before honoring any immigration requests.
President Donald Trump is expected to talk about health care tonight during a joint address to Congress. Local Congressman Tom Reed says it’s the number-one issue facing Congress right... and, adds it came up during a meeting that Reed attended at the White House nearly two weeks ago. Public safety and national security are other areas that President Trump is expected to focus on during his address. White House officials say the President's first budget blueprint includes an increase in defense spending, something that Reed says he's in favor of. Reed says defense spending has been cut drastically in recent years... and, some money needs to be allocated back for that. He made his remarks during a conference call with Southern Tier Media Monday afternoon.
Ground has been broken on the new, Celoron Harborfront Hotel project along Chautauqua Lake... just north of the Celoron Moose Club. Officials with the Krog Corporation... which is the project developer, along with the hotel operator... joined county and Celoron Village officials for the Noon-time event. County Executive Vince Horrigan says it's exciting to see the approximately 30-million dollar project getting underway. Krog Corporation's Chief Executive Officer, Peter Krog, says they're looking to have the project completed by mid-2018... with 136 "upsale" rooms, a full banquet facility... and, other amenities. Horrigan says the county's Industrial Development Agency... and, Empire State Development Corporation are helping to support the project... which will provide more than 100 construction jobs... about about 75 at the hotel once it's up and running.
For the second-time... Jamestown city lawmakers have tabled a resolution to abandon a 100-foot long stretch of an unnamed alley on the city's eastside, and allowing two adjacent property owners to have the land. The City Council tabled the measure after receiving a preliminary offer from a resident for the property prior to last night's voting session. That from Council President Greg Rabb... who says they are giving the person making the offer until the end of the week to make a written offer.
Rabb says the property is zoned residential... and is located between Woodlawn and Lindsey Avenues -- next to 598 Falconer Street. He says if an offer is made... the city will have to decide whether to make a direct sale... or put the land up for big. Rabb says there was no way that lawmakers could make a decision on the matter last night.
J-C Penny has announced it will be closing between 130-and 140 stores nationwide. However... it's not yet known which stores will be shuttered. There are six stores in Western New York... including local stores in the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood... and, D-and-F Plaza in Dunkirk. The other four are in the Boulevard Mall... Walden Galleria... and, McKinley Mall in the Buffalo arera... and, in the Batavia City Center. It's unclear which, if any, of these stores will close. In a press release... a spokesperson says "the company plans to release a full list of planned closures in mid-March pending notification of all affected personnel."
A boost is in store for the New York economy. Empire State Development says 43 businesses are expanding or coming to New York state to partner with colleges and universities. The businesses have committed to creating more than 640 new jobs and investing more than 15-million dollars statewide. The higher education institutions involved include: New York University; Mount Saint Mary College; state universities at Albany, Cobleskill, and Plattsburgh; SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn; the University at Buffalo; the University of Rochester; and six community colleges in the upstate area. New jobs will be created in such fields as: biotechnology; computer and information technology; data processing; industrial electronic engineering; manufacturing; research and development; agribusiness; and food processing. The University at Buffalo tops the list with 238 new positions.
