Community Spotlight, the area's longest running local public affairs radio program, airs on all six Media One Radio Group stations each weekend and is also available to hear in our Podcast Section.  Each week we sit down with a community leader or another special guest to talk about issues within our community.  


Weather Forecasts are available across our radio stations each day and also as your fingertips! 

Connect with The National Weather Service's Buffalo Office or with WGRZ-TV for accurate weather information!

 

 

 


 

WJTN News Headlines

Three people on Jamestown's westside were arrested during a raid later Wednesday morning for allegedly trafficking Crystal Methamphetime in the presence of young children.  
 
City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says members of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force and, members of the state Police C-NET Team executed a search warrant at 510 West Sixth Street with the help of the JPD SWAT Team.  
 
Inside, Samuelson says they found drugsm, three adults and two children, ages 3 and 10.
 
Samuelson says task force members arrested 27 year-old James Blue, 31 year-old Lakeia Boyd, and, 23 year-old Sheldon Harper.  Police say all three are charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a Controlled Substance and, criminally using drug paraphernalia.  
 
They add that Boyd was also charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child as she is the mother of the two children found inside.  Anyone who may have information on the illegal trafficking of drugs can contact the Task Force's  Anonymous Tip Line at 483-Tips, that's 483-8477.  
 
The two small children are safe and are staying with a relative. 
 
A Jamestown man has been arrested after police found a large amount of marihuana and cash inside an attic apartment on the city's northside in the neighborhood of another recent pot bust.  
 
City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says agents with the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force and, state Police C-NET Team executed a search warrant in the apartment at 839 Prendergast Avenue shortly after 5 Wednesday morning.  Samuelson says they were able to enter the apartment with the help of the JPD SWAT Team.
 
Samuelson says they also arrested the man inside the apartment identified as 19 year-old Armando Jenks.  He says Jenks was taken to the city jail where he currently is awaiting arraignment.  Investigators were also assisted by K-9 Units from Jamestown Police, state Police, and Lakewood-Busti Police.  
 
Another major marihauna bust recently took place at 853 Prendergast Avenue where another man was shot and killed earlier this year.  
 
Anyone who may have information on the illegal sales and trafficking of drugs can call the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force Anonymous Tip Line at 483-Tips that's 483-8477.  You can also leave a tip on the JPD Tips 411 App.
 
New York state lawmakers are gaining momentum in a measure to expand medical marijuana coverage to those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.  
 
Currently medical marijuana in New York can only be used to treat serious illnesses such as cancer and Lou Gehrig's disease.  The New York Daily News reports  the Democrat-controlled Assembly approved a measure that adds PTSD to the list of state-approved ailments that doctors can prescribe medical marijuana as treatment.  
 
The bill will now move to the Republican-controlled Senate.  The bill's sponsor, Assemblyman Richard Gottfried of Manhattan, says there's evidence that medical marijuana is effective in treating PTSD.  New York launched its medicinal marijuana program last year. 
 
Local non-profit leaders, professionals, and people who deal with poverty every day met last night to brainstorm ideas on how to deal with poverty in the city of Jamestown.  
 
The United Way of Southern Chautauqua County was selected to administer the Empire State Poverty Reducation Initiative a state program that Jamestown and 15 other communities are taking part in.  One of the people heading up the local effort is United Way Community Impact Coordinator Krista Cammerata.
 
Cammerata was the leader of a group dealing with Jobs and Job Training.  Other groups dealt with Public Assistance, Early Education and, Transportation.  Cammerata says better connecting young with potential or actual job opportunities is key adding she heard a lot about the need for more internship opportunities.  
 
She says another key is getting people trained for the right job that might be or will be available is also important.  The Center for Regional Governance in Rochester is helping to develop a program that will be implimented using one-million dollars from the state.  Cammerata says CRG will help produce a report on last night's session.
 
 
New York public school students are sitting this week for the second round of Common Core tests.  
 
Students in grades three through eight across the state's 700 school districts began the first of three days of math testing on Tuesday. The students took English language arts assessments in March.  For the past two years, at least 20% of eligible students have opted out in protest of the annual assessments that are required by the federal government but, opposed by many parents and teachers as unfair and unnecessary.  
 
State education leaders have responded by including fewer questions and giving students more time to complete them.  About 39% of students who took the math assessments last year scored in the proficient range.  About 38% scored proficient in English.

 

Congress is "very close" to having the votes needed to pass new health care legislation, and there could be a vote today.  
 
That from House Republican leaders last night.  Local Congressman Tom Reed said Tuesday that the GOP was one or two votes shy of the 218 needed to pass the measure.  However the GOP lost an influencial moderate Tuesday when Michigan's Fred Upton announced he was opposed to the way the new proposal deals with pre-existing conditions.  
 
In New York, though, Reed says the pre-existing issues are not as much in play as elsewhere. Reed says, if the votes are there, the new American Health Care Act will be voted on.  Upton worked with with the Congressional Republican Leadership on an amendment that would provide 8-billion dollars over five years to help people with those conditions pay premiums.  
 
With that now settled he is on board.  Reed made his comments for his weekly telephone conference call with Southern Tier Media.
 
Local Congressman Tom Reed will be holding three town hall meetings this Saturday, May 6th and, two of them will be held in Chautauqua County.  
 
Reed's Communications Director Samantha Cotten says the first will be held at 9 AM the West Dunkirk Fire Department in Dunkirk.  The fire hall is located on Willow Road.  
 
Cotten says the second wil be held at the Busti Fire Department located on Mill Street at the five-corners beginning at 11:30 AM.  
 
Congressman Reed's final town hall meeting will be held at the Hinsdale Fire Department in Hinsdale in Cattaraugus County beginning at 2 PM.  
 
All town halls are open to the public and, were heavily-attended earlier this year.  Reed says "we choose to hold town halls because we believe in responsive and accessible government.  I look forward to a respectful conversation and finding common ground so that we implement fair changes to benefit all of those in our region."