Gusty overnight winds early Sunday morning led to a number of scattered power outages and most people had their service restored by late morning....
The Chautauqua County Sheriff's office confirmed the biggest outage was in the village of Westfield, which has it's own power system. The outage there began about 3 AM Sunday and, power was finally restored shortly before Noon-time. The cause was not immediately known, but, it led to a number of business closings and other cancellations. Outages were scattered otherwise Sunday, with only two outages still reported about Noon-time in the Jamestown area, affecting about 44 National Grid customers.
A restaurant opened in Brooklyn Square last July by the city of Jamestown's Development Director has officially closed as of Sunday....
Jimmy's Hometown Restaurant -- primarily financed by Development Director Vince DeJoy -- opened to much fanfare after the former Friendly's Restaurant closed in early April. A sign on the front door thanked patrons for their business during the restaurant's brief run but, there was no explanation for the closing. Friendly's was closed with no prior notice. The move was reportedly part of a series of closings affecting up to two dozen Friendly's locations across upstate New York. DeJoy put up most of the money used to re-open the location but, also received a $55,000 loan from the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency's Community Revolving Loan Fund.
The state's first-ever early balloting period started Saturday... and more than 500 people cast ballots in Chautauqua County...
That from County Elections Commissioner Norm Green, who says the most voters -- 301 -- cast ballots Saturday at the County Fairgrounds in Dunkirk. Green says there 186 early voters at the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood and, 34 registered voters who cast ballots at the Board of Elections headquarters in Mayville. He says the total came to 501 early voters among the 76-thousand active, registered voters in the county. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio cast his early ballot in Brooklyn and hailed the ease of the process and lack of long lines. The Democrat said it was "a whole new world." Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul voted in Buffalo on Saturday. New York is a latecomer to early voting. All but 12 states already had it. Advocates hope expanded ballot box access will increase turnout. Early voting continues through next Sunday, November 3rd.
County lawmakers have unanimously approved a new, six-year contract with the union representing full and part-time corrections officers and dispatchers....
Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello says there are pay increases in the contract but, he adds that employees will be going onto a higher deductable health insurance plan. There are 128-members of the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Employees Association. Borrello ways the six-year agreement replaces one that expired at the end of 2017.
The Boil Water Order for portions of the town of Busti and, Orchard Road in West Ellicott has now been lifted....
The Chautauqua County Health and Human Services Department late this morning lifted the order, which first went into effect early last Thursday night. The affected area included portions of the town of Busti south of Hunt Road between Big Tree Road and Southwestern Drive; and Orchard Road in West Ellicott. Hunt Road itself was not affected. Water samples collected Friday and Saturday from the affected areas showed the water was safe to drink and be used for all purposes. A water main leak at the Board of Public Utilities' Shadyside Road Water Pump Station led to the Boil Water Order.
Two people were hurt -- one seriously -- in a one-car crash blamed on driving while under the influence of drugs in the town of Ellery late last week....
Sheriff's officers responded to the scene on Route 430 -- near Lin Avenue -- just after 1:30 PM Friday after reports of a car going off the road and hitting a tree. Deputies say the driver, 42 year-old Walter Whitfield of Celoron, went off the road and hit the tree head-on. Fire rescuers were able to pull Whitfield out of the vehicle, but a hurst tool had to be used to get his passenger, 33 year-old Barbara Houser of Stockton, out of the vehicle. Whitfield is in stable condition at UPMC Chautauqua Hospital, while Houser had to be flown to UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pennsylvania with serious injuries. Whitfield is charged with failure to keep right, second-degree Aggravated Unlicensed Operation after having 10 previous suspensions, and Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs. He and Houser were both charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a Controlled Substance. (**Further charges are pending further investigation of the crash. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office at 753-2131.)
Busti Town Supervisor Jesse Robbins is clarifying details about the town's recently approved 2020 budget in the wake of what he says is misleading information...
Robbins says the town board recently approved the spending plan, which includes a $1.19-million levy. However, he says his opponent in the November 5th election says he's been raising taxes. Robbins says that's not the truth and, pointed to the rate falling 21-cents after a new library taxing district was put into effect.
In addition, Robbins says his opponent, Democratic Town Board member Rudy Mueller, is adding in totals from the 19 special districts in the town. He says six of those are lighting districts but, he adds that a recent state Grant to replace street lights with LED lighting to help lower those costs by 40 to 50-percent. Robbins adds that other costs have also gone up. He says back when Dale Robbins was supervisor, the cost for a new truck chassis was $60,000 to $70,000. A bare chassis alone is now about $140,000.
A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly receiving illegal drugs from Puerto Rico through the mail to be distributed in the area....
U-S Attorney James Kennedy, Junior says 29 year-old Jeffrey Guzman-Suarez has been arrested and, was charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Prosecutors say a criminal complaint was filed after an ongoing review of mail at the Jamestown Post Office. Postal Inspectors were alerted to a suspicious Priority Mail parcel addressed to Guzman-Suarez and, after that, they got a search warrant, and discovered a small portable charcoal grill. Inside was an off-white, chunky substance in brick form that was wrapped in multiple layers of plastic, and cleaning wipes. The substance was determined to be cocaine. Back on October 11th, Guzman went into the Post Office and picked up another parcel and, then left the post office before being stopped by law enforcement officers and taken into custody.
