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WJTN News Headlines

Intense storms hit Warren County, Pennsylvania Thursday evening.
 
Kevin Fitzgerald with the National Weather Service in State College says there were multiple reports of a funnel cloud just before 8pm.
 
Fitzgeral says at this time there are no reports of damage.  Fitzgerald said that the investigation will begin today to determine if a tornado touched down.
 
Fitzgerald says that the Warren area was the hardest hit by last night's storm. The storm was less intense as it travelled east.  
 
Listen to the Full Interview with Kevin Fitzgerald on Facebook at Radiojamestown. 
 
In the next few days, the first candidate to enter the race for Chautauqua County Executive says he will be releasing details of a ten-point plan for "elevating Chautauqua County."  
 
Hanover Republican George Borrello announced his candidacy on Wednesday afternoon in Silver Creek. 
 
Borrello says there are jobs available in the county but, he says employers who need the workers are finding it difficult to fill the openings.  He says there are "hundreds of openings through-out the county" but, many don't have the skills or the understanding of how business places operate.  
 
Borrello is the first candidate to announce his entry into the race.  Incumbent Republican VInce Horrigan is not seeking a second term this fall.
 
Cellular One will again have a presence in the Greater Jamestown-area after a few years away and, the cell phone provider is officially opening it's two new local stores this weekend.  
 
CellOne District Manager Melody Madigan says the new stores are located on Foote Avenue in Jamestown and, Fairmount Avenue in Lakewood.  Madigan says they've had a very good reception to a recent "soft opening" and, adds they're excited about Saturday morning's Grand Opening.
 
Madigan says Cellular One has a number of optimal plans on their 4G LTE network, that include 50 gigabite capabilities which provides high-speed connectivity for music, information and movies.  
 
She says the Grand Opening will be held at the Jamestown store at 720 Foote Avenue on Saturday morning at 10:30 AM.  She says both stores have hours of 10 AM to 7 PM Mondays through Saturdays.  
 
Madigan says the event is free and open to the public and will include demonstrations, giveaways and refreshments.

 

New York State's second-in-command brought an update on the Athenex project with her when she appeared in Irving yesterday afternoon.  
 
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who spoke to the Hanover Chamber of Commerce about the state budget, was asked by after the presentation about the $200 million project and when construction will begin.  While no groundbreaking date has been set, Hochul confirmed that the funding has been released for the project.
 
Hochul says because the funding has been released, the company can begin the process of securing contractors for the project.  
 
Regarding the State Budget, the Lieutenant Governor says the new college tuition free program will benefit Western New York, including the SUNY College at Fredonia.  She says it's important to let residents know that's now available.  
 
Hochul says the budget also helps address such problems as aging infrastructure, rising prescription drug costs, and riding sharing in Western New York.
 
A city man is jailed after allegedly leading Jamestown police on a short foot pursuit when they tried to arrest him on a bench warrant on the city's eastside.  
 
Jamestown police say officers were called to a suspicious situation at Water and King Streets just after 2 AM Thursday and, checked on the two people there.  Police say one was identified as Shawn Beardsley who was wanted on a bench warrant out of City Court.  
 
However, when officers tried to arrest Beardsley he ran from them.  He was caught after a short foot chase and, charged with second-degree obstruction.  He was also held on the bench warrant.
 
New York state is devoting another $200 million to fight the scourge of heroin and opioid abuse.  
 
Budget legislation signed by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo will send $145 million to community providers for things like residential treatment beds and outpatient services.  Another $6 million will fund the use of the heroin antidote naloxone.  
 
Cuomo says the state is focused on prevention, treatment and recovery statewide. New York officials say the number of opioid deaths in 2015 doubled compared to the number in 2010.  
 
Meanwhile, the number of heroin-involved deaths in 2015 was five times the number in 2010.
 
New York is pouring new state funding into its public defense system, which is so beleaguered the poor have often had limited representation or none at all.  
 
Lawmakers this month approved the statewide caseload caps and money for counties to pay for legal services for defendants who cannot afford to hire their own.  The state will reimburse counties for the improvements in indigent defense coverage based on plans developed by the independent Indigent Legal Services office.  
 
State officials estimate 250-million dollars in costs when the funding is fully implemented in 2023.  Executive director of the New York State Defenders Association Jonathan Gradess says the state will also determine new caseload caps based on national recommendations.  
 
Public defenders say they are hopeful the changes will encourage broader reforms to the system.
 
When federal lawmakers return to Congress from their two-week Easter Recess next week, they'll have just days to approve a bill that would fund the federal budget and prevent a government shutdown.  
 
However, New York's senior US Senator says good progress has been made on a final, 2017 spending plan.  
 
Democratic Minority Leader Charles Schumer says he's one of the four leaders in both houses negotiating a final plan that includes critical funding for entities such as the carrier at the Chautauqua County Airport near Jamestown.
 
Another crucial funding item for 2017 is the Community Development Block Grant program which benefits both Jamestown and Dunkirk.  As for 2018, though, Schumer says everything is cut except for defense.  
 
He says it's most hard to believe that Cancer research would be cut by upwards of 5-billion dollars.  Schumer made his comments during a press conference at Southern Tier Distilling in the Stoneman Industrial Park in the town of Busti.  He says "if the president leaves it to the four leaders, I think we can avoid a government shut-down." 

 

The Buffalo Sabres have fired general manager Tim Murray and coach Dan Bylsma after the youthful team missed the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season.  

 

Owner Terry Pegula made the announcement Thursday after spending the past two days holding season-ending meetings with Murray.  Murray had completed his third full season as GM, and was responsible for overseeing a top-to-bottom rebuilding project in Buffalo.  

 

Bylsma just completed his second season.  After finishing 35-36-11 last season, the Sabres took a step back this past year.  They went 33-37-12 and finished last in the Atlantic Division standings.