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WJTN News Headlines for Apr. 8, 2019

A popular Jamestown restaurant has abruptly closed.....  

Friendly's Restaurant in Brooklyn Square was shut down this morning.  The move is apparently part of a series of closings affecting up to two dozen Friendly's locations across upstate New York and not related to the number of customers at the Jamestown location.  WJTN's Saturday Breakfast Party has broadcast from Friendly's every Saturday since early 2002.  Broadcasts of that show will be temporarily suspended until a new location can be secured.   


A four-term Chautauqua County legislator from the Findley Lake-area has passed after due to health problems at the age of 72....  

Republican lawmaker David Himelein -- who was legislature chairman in 2017 -- passed away last Friday at his home.  Current Legislature Chairman P-J Wendel of Lakewood says lawmakers knew Himelein was having some issues, because he missed last month's legislature meeting.  Wendel says Himelein was always consciencious, and thorough in his work.

Wendel says Himelein and he both served as Majority Leader and Assistant Majority Leader respectively for several years, so they developed a close working relationship.  Himelein was first appointed to the legislature in 2011 when Jim Caflisch was appointed to be the county's new Director of Real Property Tax.  After redistricting, Himelein defeated another former chairman, Fred Croscut, in a primary to run for the new District 18 seat in 2012.  He later won the seat easily over the Democratic candidate. 


Two Jamestown-area men were arrested in the town of North Harmony last weekend for allegedly transporting a significant amount of methamphetimine to be sold to others..... 

Members of the Jamestown Metro, and Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Forces learned that 37 year-old Justin Meacham of Jamestown was traveling with another man on Interstate 86 and, he was wanted for criminal sale of a controlled substance.  State Police joined Sheriff's officers in finding the speeding vehicle, operated by 32 year-old Coty Schauers of Frewsburg, and pulled it over.  Police say their investigation uncovered just over 27-grams of Meth in their possession.  Both Meacham and Schauers were charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and taken to the county jail pending arraignment.  (**Anyone with information on illegal drug activity is asked to call the Southern Tier Task Force at 1-800 344-8702.  The Jamestown task force number is 483-8477.)


There is a sigh of relief coming from Chautauqua County law enforcement and others after the District Attorney's office found no reason to bring charges against Fredonia Police Officer involved in a fatal shooting last December....  

D-A Patrick Swanson announced that their four-month long investigation, that included more than 20 eyewitness interviews, and the officer's body camera video, showed Officer Nathan Scriven acted properly during the incident.  He says it also showed the man killed, 23 year-old George Penev, was under the influence of LSD and other narcotic drugs.

The fatal shooting incident began as a well-being check at the house at 76 Liberty Street.  The investigation also showed that Penev had several knife-wounds that were apparently self-inflicted at the time.  Swanson says it was clear this was not normal behavior for Penev, who was well-liked in the community.  Investigators believe Penev brandished a nine-inch long knife and, had chased Scrivin outside.  The officer fired all four shots from the driveway of a neighboring house and had gone more than 150 feet from where the incident first began.  The investigation also led to the arrest of SUNY college at Fredonia student Amanda Bridges, who is accused of selling LSD to Penev.  The 21 year-old was taken to the County Jail for arraignment. 


The chief of the Fredonia Police Department says the conclusion of the investigation into the police-involved shooting last December will help bring some closure to them....  

Chief Brad Meyers also took part in last Friday afternoon's news conference at the Opera House.  Meyers says it’s been a difficult ordeal for everyone involved, he adds that officers did not expect what they found at 76 Liberty Street that day. 

Meyers and D-A Swanson both indicated that the use of a body cam video played an important role in the case.   It captured nearly all of the incident, including when the four shots were fired.


A Jamestown man has been arrested following a routine traffic stop in Lakewood and, being found in possession of alcohol, marijuana and cocaine.... 

Sheriff's officers say a patrol pulled over the car, operated by 22 year-old Wyatt Mann, on Sessions Avenue just before 2 AM Saturday for a traffic violation.  Deputies found Mann had a suspended license and, was drinking alcohol while driving.  They later allegedly found him in possession of a quantity of cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.  Officers say he faces a number of charges, including driving while intoxicated, seventh-degree criminal possession controlled substance and, unlawful possession of marijuana.  Mann was issued appearance tickets for Busti Town Court at a later date.


It appears the Chautauqua County Office for the Aging will see a significant increase in funding under the State Budget approved in Albany earlier this week.....  

That's the word from the County's OFA Director Dr. Mary Ann Spanos, who tells us today that the budget contained a boost in funding for the State Office for the Aging and the increased funding is targeted for high need counties.

Dr. Spanos says at one point, the wait list for services had reached 450 people.  She says county seniors were a big help in getting Albany's attention through their letters that told Albany officials what the local office does.  Spanos says that brought another $15-million in funding to the state Office for the Aging.  The Chautauqua County Office s OFA  hasn't seen an increase in funding from the state since 2010. 


A state audit says food safety inspectors in New York state failed to take action in response to hundreds of serious health violations.....  

The audit published Friday by Democratic Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli analyzed records of more than 400,000 inspections between 2014 and September 2017.  Inspectors identified 984 Class I violations, the most serious type.  Yet 73 percent of the violations resulted in no enforcement action.  Enforcement actions can include fines or even closure.  Auditors also found problems in how the data is reported.  Inspections are carried out by a mix of state and local health agencies.  Auditors recommended tougher responses to serious violations and improvements in record keeping.  In their response, state health officials agreed to review inspection policies but noted violations are often remedied at the time of the inspection.


Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf says he'll allow his administration to formally study a petition that calls for the state to impose a cap-and-trade program to make Pennsylvania carbon neutral by 2052.... 

Friday's statement by Wolf's office, however, says the Democrat isn't taking a position on the petition itself.  The roughly 400-page petition is scheduled for a preliminary vote April 16th before a 20-member environmental rulemaking board that includes several Wolf appointees.  A positive vote would allow Wolf's Department of Environmental Protection to study it and decide whether to recommend it for a rulemaking process, which requires another vote.  A coalition of business associations is urging board members to take no action until they've studied its implications for Pennsylvania's economy.  The petition seeks to require polluters to buy permits for each ton of carbon they release.