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WJTN News Headlines for Mar. 14, 2018

A Winter Storm Warnings remains in effect through 2 a.m. tomorrow for Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Southern Erie counties... 
 
That from Meteorologist Tony Ansuini with the National Weather Service in Buffalo, who says the snowfall amounts will start to add up through the early morning... and, this morning's commute could be very challenging.  The greatest amounts will occur over the higher elevations, but Ansuini says everyone will be getting more than a half-foot from the storm.
 
Winds gusting as high as 45 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow and could help to bring down snow covered tree limbs.  Ansuini adds that we won't see any quick change in the weather pattern because a fourth coastal storm is taking shape for the middle of next week.  So -- he says -- keep that snow shovel handy... and the snow blower filled with gas!
 
 
An alarming Facebook post about a person threatening to do "terrible violence" in the village of Falconer has led to a convicted Felon's arrest in Falconer, and the discovery of a huge cache of weapons...  
 
Ellicott Town Police Detective Kevin Pierce says a resident alerted them to the Facebook post on February 28, which led them to a storage unit rented by 36 year-old James Caloren in the town. Pierce says a search warrant issued by Ellicott Town Court led to the seizure weapons, including AK-47 assault rifle, a 308-calibur rifle, a sawed-off 16-gauge shotgun and, a 12-gauge shotgun, as well as a large amount of ammunition. 
 
An arrest warrant was obtained for Caloren, who faces five Felony counts of criminal possession of a weapon. Pierce says Caloren was arraigned in Ellicott Town Court and sent to the Chautauqua County Jail without bail on the five charges.  He adds the FBI and ATF are assisting and federal charges are pending.  If you any information on suspicious activity in the town, call Ellicott Police at 665-7083; the Sheriff's Department at 661-7232; or the JPD tips-line at 483-TIPS (8477).
 
 
One of three Erie, Pennsylvania-area men convicted of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in the city of Dunkirk has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison...  
 
U.S. Attorney James Kennedy says 37 year-old Dimas Colon-Cruz received the 154 month-long term late Monday in federal court in Buffalo.  Prosecutors say Colon-Cruz and his co-defendants, Michael Gonzalez-Colon and Denis Cruz, fled to Dunkirk on stolen All-terrain vehicles. Shortly after arriving in Dunkirk, the stolen ATV's were seized by Dunkirk Police.  At that point, Kennedy says all three assaulted two people... and, stole a car and pick-up truck and other items before fleeing again.  Both vehicles were later recovered in Erie.  Kennedy says Michael Gonzalez-Colon has been convicted and sentenced. Charges are still pending against Denis Cruz. 
 
 
A former top aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been convicted of accepting bribes...  
 
A jury delivered a verdict Tuesday in the trial of Joseph Percoco after deliberating for parts of three weeks.  It convicted Percoco on two counts of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of soliciting bribes.  Percoco was a longtime friend of the governor and the manager of his 2014 re-election campaign.  Defense lawyers said the payments were legitimate fees for consulting work performed when Percoco was out of state government.
 
 
The Jamestown School District presented it's first budget proposal for the 2018-19 school year at a regular School Board Meeting Tuesday evening... 
 
At first glance, Director of Finance and Business Affairs-- Vern Connors, says the current revenue budget proposal for next school year is a million-dollar increase to $84.8-million. Board President Paul Abbott says despite a number of difficult years, he sees a "number of opportunities" in order to shield the district from unexpected expenses in the infrastructure of the budget. 
 
Additionally, Abbott says that any improvements the district makes or programs they add, would be sustainable and able to "weather the ebbs and flows of the budget". There's also no change in the tax levy. A public hearing regarding the 2018-19 Budget will be held on May 8, 2018 at 6 p.m. at Persell Middle School.
 
 
New York's junior U-S Senator, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, is not comfortable with Mike Pompeo as the next Secretary of State...  
 
Speaking at the end of a news conference call Tuesday about dairy policy, the senator said something she sees in Pompeo's past jumps out right away and that's the fact he has a record that supports torture.  She says that don't project well out into the world.  Gillibrand concluded her remarks by saying the U.S. needs strong foreign policy and diplomacy right now, and Pompeo might not be the right choice.  New York's senior senator, Chuck Schumer issued a statement saying he hopes Pompeo would 'turn over a new leaf' as Secretary of State and toughen policies toward Russia, and its leader Vladimir Putin.
 
 
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand says it's time for the federal government to get back in the dairy price support business.  She's a member of the Agriculture Committee, and is introducing the "Price Loss Contract" program that would pay dairy farmers when returns drop below a certain level...
 
The money would come straight out of the federal treasury, and would not involve the purchase of any dairy products by the government.  The old price support program has been inactive for about a decade, and was repealed in the 2014 farm bill.  A new farm bill is about to be written, and Gillibrand hopes dairy farmers will speak loudly in support of her idea.  The price of milk has been hovering around $15 to $16 per 100 pounds for over a year, straining the mental health and financial stability of many in the business.  (The new "Price Loss Contract" would be in addition to "Margin Protection Program".) 
 
 
A Jamestown man was arrested for allegedly driving drunk close to three-times the legal limit last weekend...  
 
State Police in Jamestown responded to the four-corners area of Falconer for a report of an erratic driver that had nearly been involved in multiple accidents on Saturday.  Troopers initated a traffic stop on the suspected vehicle at Homestead and Falconer Streets and identified the driver as 34 year-old Joshua Nuse.  He was arrested after failing several sobriety tests and provided a breath sample of 0.22 while in custody.  He was charged with aggravated-DWI. Troopers say his license was suspended and was additionally charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation. Nuse is scheduled to appear in Ellicott Town Court at a later date. 
 
 
New York wildlife researchers are taking a new approach to gathering citizen input to guide deer management objectives...  
 
The Department of Environmental Conservation and researchers at Cornell University have developed a survey asking people about deer-related interests and concerns.  The survey also asks how they would like to see the deer population in their area change over the next few years.  The survey is currently being mailed to people in a third of the state.  The rest of the state will be surveyed next year.