The Jamestown Police Department has received numerous tips from the public since last last week when they released video survillance of a man they believe may be connected to a recent rash of arson fires.  

 

That from Police Chief Harry Snellings who says they released the video with the hopes of getting more people to come forth with information on 11 fires in vacant and condemned homes since early last January. Nine of those occured within a four-day period from March 22nd through 25th....

 

JPD released the video from the first of five arson fires on Friday, March 24th just after 11 PM at 650 East Sixth Street.  The video shows a person walking out from the rear of the home and then proceeding to walk down the street towards Winsor Street and then to walk up Winsor Street.  The person appears to be of thin build and is wearing a hooded sweatshirt.  

 

Snellings says they're moving quickly with the investigation because they don't want any leads to dry up.

 

Snellings says anyone who may recognize or know who the suspect is in the video is asked to contact the JPD Tip Line at 483-TIPS, that's 483-8477.  He says you can also leave a tip on the Tips 411 App.  

 

This information will also be forwarded to Crime Stoppers at 867-6161, where tipsters can be eligible to receive a reward.

 

City police are still not releasing the name of the Jamestown man who died in an apartment fire early Sunday morning on the city's southside.  

 

Jamestown Police Chief Harry Snellings says they have officially ruled the blaze accidental.  

 

Snellings says they are not yet identifying the 39 year-old man who lived in the upstairs apartment at 119 Myrtle Street because they have not been able to reach everyone in his immediate family yet.

 

City Battalion Chief Sam Salemme says a neighbor called in the alarm after smelling smoke in the area.  Salemme says crews were called to the scene shortly after 1 AM Sunday and, found light smoke coming from the apartment.

 

 A neighor said they believed someone was still inside the apartment, and firefighters soon after found the man inside.  The victim later died at UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital.

 

New York state will avoid a government shutdown after lawmakers approved a two-month stopgap spending plan.  

 

The short-term budget passed late Monday was introduced by Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo after he and lawmakers failed to reach agreement on a one-year budget.  The budget was supposed to be approved by Midnight last Friday but negotiations over the more than $150 billion spending plan bogged down over juvenile justice reform, education spending and an affordable housing tax credit for New York City.  

 

Lawmakers won't get paid until they pass a budget.  Cuomo's short-term spending plan runs through May 31st..

 

State Assemblyman Andy Goodell says he's frustrated by the lack of action over a final budget which is now four-days late.  

 

Goodell, and other state lawmakers spent the weekend in Albany but, were not able to take any action on spending bills. The Jamestown-area Republican told us yesterday that three-way agreements were apparently reached on several bills but, they never made it to legislators' desks.

 

Governor Cuomo announced late Sunday that due of the inability of both houses to reach agreement, he would offer up an extender bill to keep state government functioning until May 31st. 

 

New York is expanding its non-traditional addiction treatment support services throughout the state.  

 

Governor Cuomo has announced that $2.65-million-dollars will go toward establishing community coalitions and peer engagement programs in each of the state's 10 economic development regions. The primary goal is to help individuals and families in crisis navigate the treatment system.  

 

The initiative ensures there are at least two peer engagement specialists available in each region.  These specialists will be either in recovery from a substance use disorder, have a loved one in recovery, or have lost a loved one to addiction.

 

The Jamestown City Council has approved an agreement with a Buffalo-area construction firm to build two pre-fabricated pedestrian bridges to be part of the Greater Jamestown Riverwalk.  

 

Lawmakers approved the measure at last week's voting session with Union Concrete and Construction for just under $1.6-million. One will run under the Washington Street Bridge while the other will connect the area behind the Gateway Train Station to Panzarella Park.

 

The city is also seeking about $400,000 in Urban Development Acton Grant funding to pay the matching cost for the project which will cost about $2-million.