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News Headlines for Sat., June 3, 2017

Horrigan updates State of County, talks about accomplishments during county Chamber appearance...
He still has seven months left in office... but, Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan tell county business leaders that indicators show "all the arrows are pointed in the right direction" for the county.  Horrigan addressed the county's Chamber of Commerce at the Chautauqua Golf Club for the final time as executive yesterday morning.  Horrigan presented an updated version of his State of the County Address... then fielded a series of questions.  He was asked what he felt was his biggest accomplishment.  Horrigan says it was forming "consensus" on a number of issues facing the county... adding we're not arguing about "silly things..." and are getting things done.  Horrigan says "everyone has good ideas..." and, the key was to listen... compromise and move forward.  As for his biggest challenge... the Bemus Point Republican pointed quickly to the local Heroin and Opioid Drug Crisis.  He says strides have been made in law enforcement and the judicial system... but, adds the addiction part has been difficult.  Horrigan did point to the fact that UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital has been able to get the funding in place to start long-term treatment in the Jamestown-area... and, improvements have also been made in the north county.
 
 
Horrigan says former Chautauqua County Home is doing well...
Perhaps the most controversial issue faced during County Executive Vince Horrigan's lone-term as executive was the February 2014 sale of the Chautauqua County Home in Dunkirk.  After several months of discussion and debate... the county legislature voted to sell the Dunkirk facility to VestraCare for $16-million by a 13-to-5 vote.  Horrigan says it was a "very difficult" process... especially having to face the fears of residents, and their families.  He says care for the elderly is  "deeply personnal..." but, he says it's "doing well," and their rates have not increased.  Horrigan... adds though... that owning a nursing home was not a primary function of government... and, says the home was a drag on the county's finances.  He says the combination of the sale... and, boosting the county's sales tax an extra half-a-percent to 8-percent has helped the county bring the tax rate to 41-cents per $1,000 below the average in Western New York.  
 
 
Dunkirk man arrested as part of major bust in late April...
A Dunkirk man wanted in connection with a major drug bust in the city back in April has been located and arrested by police in the north county.  Dunkirk Police arrested 27-year-old Christian Maestre at 172 King Street around 7 p.m. last Thursday.  Officers say Maestre was wanted on a warrant charging him with one count each of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and, second-degree criminal sale.  The charges stem from an investigation by the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force and Dunkirk Police that led to a raid at 51 East 2nd Street on April 28th.  Task Force members seized a large quantity of cocaine and more than $171-thousand dollars in cash from alleged drug sales.  Maestre was arraigned in City Court and remanded to the Chautauqua County Jail without bail.
 
 
Lakewood mayor explosing possible community chamber in village...
An effort is underway to create a new "community" chamber of commerce in southern Chautauqua County.  Lakewood Mayor Cara Birritierri has been discussing the possibility of a new chamber specifically for merchants in the village.  Birritierri recently discussed the idea with Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Tranum and other chamber leaders.  She says she first thought about creating a local Merchants group because retail is such a big part of the village's economy... including the only mall in the Jamestown-area.  Birritierri says it made sense because there are about 50 members of the county Chamber of Commerce from Lakewood.  However... she says there is a slight obstacle in that Lakewood does not currently have it's own community chamber.  She says Tranum and other Chamber officials met with Birritierri during the recent ribbon cutting for the new Lakewood Diner on Chautauqua Avenue.