Three people were arrested early last weekend in Jamestown during a traffic stop for allegedly being in possession of methamphetime and marijuana...
City Police say a patrol stopped a car, driven by 33 year-old Maranda Lopez of Jametown, in the area of Newland Avenue and Charles Street for not signaling a turn. Officers say they found Lopez had a suspended license, and were given permission to search the vehicle. They found drug paraphernalia, and several small baggies of meth and pot. Lopez and her passengers, 28 year-old Corey Keeler of Jamestown and 26 year-old Jennifer Wozniack of Kennedy, were all arrested on several charges, including three counts each of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of unlawful possession of marijuana and, tampering with physical evidence. They were all jailed pending arraignment.
One person had to be hospitalized after they were hurt in an apartment house fire early last Saturday morning on Jamestown's southside...
City Fire Lieutenant Don Mowery says crews were called to the scene at 39 Prospect Street -- near the corner of Prather -- about 12:30 AM. Mowery says they found a lot of fire and smoke coming from parts of the structure.
Mowery says first-arriving crews and city police helped several people out of the home and, one male was hurt, and suffered some burns. He was taken to UPMC Chautauqua Hospital, where he's being treated for his injuries. Mowery says an off-duty shift was called in to assist at the scene. He says it some some time to bring the blaze under control, and crews were there until about 9:00 Saturday morning. No other injuries were reported and one person is being helped by the local Red Cross. Mowery says the cause is under investigation.
The Resource Center's annual Toys for Tots campaign is underway...
Anyone who'd like to help is encouraged to place a new, unused toy in any of the many boxes throughout the county. For those who want to receive toys for their children this year, Terri Johnson, one of the coordinators, says there's something new this year-- signups will be taken on-line at ToysForTots.org by following the links to Chautauqua County. In person applications will be accepted at the Resource Center's Administrative Offices outside Celoron on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Terri Johnson expects the need will meet, and possibly exceed the 2017 record of 2600 children served. Volunteers are needed at 'Toy Central' at Allied Alarm on Allen Street Extension in Falconer on Saturdays, December 1st, 8th and 15th. More information on Facebook, or call 661-1042. Toys for Tots is coordinated nationally by the Marine Corps Reserves.
In New York state government news, talk of legalizing recreational marijuana is heating up ahead of the 2019 session....
Lawmakers last week held hearings on the topic in Buffalo and Binghamton and advocates are planning for a big conference on legal pot next month. Proposals to legalize, regulate and tax recreational marijuana are expected to loom large over next year's legislative session. Meanwhile, Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo is dismissing a report that he has contacted Iowa Democrats about a potential run for president. Cuomo was elected to a third term this month and has said he intends to serve a full four years. Cuomo told reporters this week that he intends to "stick with New York state."
A group of graduate students at the University of Buffalo have now issued a report that offers strategies for how Chautauqua County can harness the food system for economic development and health...
County Executive George Borrello says the study analyzed the county's food supply and, how it can better utilize it's agriculture to create a better supply. Borrello says the report was funded by federal grants for the partnership, called "Growing Food Connections."
Borrello says the study led county officials to seek funding to create a Food Policy Council, which the legislature recently passed. He says they will now try to identify the gaps found in the county, and better utilize local food producers to help. Borrello says having a strategy to strengthen the local food system will benefit everyone in the county and the region. Community partners are working with county government to implement the ideas in the report.
Wegmans Food Markets and five liquor stores affiliated with the Rochester-based company have been fined a total of more than $1-million dollars by the New York State Liquor Authority...
The SLA says Wegmans was fined $750,000 for "availing their license to five affiliated liquor stores." The Albany-based agency says the supermarket chain was managing five liquor stores without a proper license. Those stores include two in the Rochester area and one each in the Buffalo, Binghamton and Syracuse areas. Each store was fined $75,000 by the SLA for availing their license to Wegmans and accepting illegal gifts and services from a liquor wholesaler.
Wegmans denied any wrongdoing. The company said each store is individually owned by a member of the Wegman family trying to offer "low prices, great selection and great service."
Budget-busting road salt prices are leaving municipal officials in the Snow Belt areas hoping for a mild winter...
Salt supplies are tight on the heels of a harsh winter last year that depleted reserves, leaving many localities in the Northeast and Great Lakes to pay prices ranging from five-percent higher to almost double. The increases are frustrating to local officials who are locked into tight budgets. Some highway superintendents say they could choose to make their salt supplies last by mixing in cheaper materials, such as sand. And others say it could force them to defer other road projects. Production issues at two major North American salt mines have contributed to the tight supplies.
The city of Jamestown's Historical Marker Committee recently dedicated the City's 76th historical marker in recognition of the over 100-year-old Hundred Acre Lot, now known as Jamestown Community College's College Park....
The ceremony was held at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, just across Curtis Street from the marker location, with JCC and RTPI officials on hand. City Historian B. Delores Thompson says the "Hundred Acre Lot" owes its existence to Jamestown public school teachers, students, and alumni who worked for between 1913 and 1916 to raise the necessary money to buy the land. Through their efforts, Thompson says the beloved patch of forest became one of the first school parks in the United States in 1916. The Fenton History Center's Jennifer Champ says Jamestown school teachers played a key role in helping to save the land from timbering.
