The first major Summer event in Chautauqua County gets into full-swing today with the first-round of the annual LECOM Health Challenge Golf Tournament at Peek 'n Peak Golf Resort near Findley Lake...
Several past champions will be in the field for this year's title, and County Executive George Borrello says it should be a fun and exciting four-day tournament.
The county will be in the national -- and even international spotlight during the tournament through coverage by the Golf Channel. Borrello will also be part of that. He will be interviewed on the Golf Channel Friday at 2 p.m. and, is looking forward to it. Borrello says the county contributed about 40-thousand dollars in Bed Tax funding to put on the LECOM Health Challenge tournament. The tournament is part of the Professional Golf Association's Web.com tour. The tournament is expected to have about a $2-million impact on the county during the week. He made his comments for this coming weekend's "Community Spotlight" program on the five Media One Group stations.
Dunkirk city firefighters battled a blaze that destroyed two homes on Deer Street overnight...
The fire began at 434 Deer with firefighters responding to the two-story home shortly before 10:00. The fire then spread next door to 432 Deer. City firefighters received mutual aid from East Dunkirk and Fredonia. The house at 434 Deer Street was not occupied and vacant. An adult lived at 432 Deer, but was not home at the time of the blaze. Several other structures were threatened by the raging fire, but crews were able to contain the fire. Two firefighters were treated at the scene for heat related medical emergencies and transported to Brooks Memorial. Crews were at the scene until around 2:30 this morning. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
A former attorney from Bemus Point has been sentenced to seven-years in federal prison for mail fraud and, was ordered to pay $2-million in restitution...
U-S Attorney James Kennedy, Junior announced late Tuesday that 46 year-old James MacCallum received the sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth Wolford. Prosecutors say MacCallum ran a "Ponzi Scheme" from January of 2008 to December of 2010 while he was an attorney by encouraging some victims to liquidate other investments in order to benefit from his false and fraudulent higher rates of return. Kennedy says they proved that he was using victim investments to pay back earlier investors and to pay personal and other expenses such as personal travel and office expenses. MacCallum received just over $2-million from victim investors.
A city woman is jailed without bail for allegedly trying to smuggle Methamphetime into the Chautauqua County Jail in Mayville...
Sheriff's deputies were called to the scene late Tuesday and, investigated a report of a woman being in possession of a controlled substance. Officers allegedly found 27 year-old Amanda Spitale in possession of a quantity of meth. Deputies arrested her for seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and, second-degree introducing contraband into a corrections facility. She was arraigned and sent to the county lock-up.
The twin pedestrian bridges that are part of the Greater Jamestown Riverwalk will officially be opened this coming Saturday morning...
The two spans have been open a few weeks now. Mayor Sam Teresi says the ribbon will be cut at 10:30 a.m. Saturday between the bridges, which are located behind the National Comedy Center. During last week's ribbon cutting at the new bike path along the river, Teresi said the event will kick-off the city's first-ever "BridgeFest."
Teresi says that "BridgeFest" is being put on by the city's Riverfront Management Council, which he says has been working on the program for some time now. He says they'll also be celebrating the fact there are now seven bridges across the Chadakoin River in the city. Officials say Saturday's "BridgeFest" will feature bike rentals, a petting zoo, chainsaw carving and, music by the Kokomo Time band. The music begins at 11 a.m. and, activities will run until 3 p.m..
Results may be final later today, but it appears Ithaca's Tracy Mitrano will be the Democratic candidate facing incumbant Republican Tom Reed for Congress this Fall...
A count of the absentee ballots in the 23rd Congressional District Democratic primary show Mitrano overtaking Max Della Pia, who led after the Machine ballot count on Primary night. In Chautauqua County, Democratic Elections Commissioner Norm Green says Mitrano won the county with 1,064 votes after receiving 80 absentee tallies. Della Pia posted a concession on Facebook, saying "it has become clear that the absentee ballots did not break in our favor." Mitrano said on Facebook that she accepted Della Pia's gracious concession and, says she's ready to face Reed.
Dunkirk's five Common Council members and a county legislator have announced their opposition to a proposed methadone clinic on East Third Street in the north county city...
First-Ward Councilman Don Williams says the council, and Legislator Bob Bankoski, announced their position in a joint statement today. Williams says he is concerned about the impact of having a clinic so close to the Northern Chautauqua Catholic School.
Williams says they are not opposed to having a drug treatment clinic in the city and believe there are other viable alternatives, including leasing space at either the Save-A-Lot plaza or the D&F Plaza. The statement was released prior this week's Common Council meeting. United Hispanics of Buffalo is the organization that will run the clinic.
New York state has temporarily halted work on highway construction projects to ease traffic associated with the July 4th holiday period...
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the move late Tuesday. The work suspensions will run through Wednesday and Thursday, with work resuming on Friday. The work stoppage means construction-related lane closures will be temporarily eliminated on highways and bridges, reducing the risk of traffic bottlenecks during the busy holiday.
