Kiantone man flown to area hospital after his motorcycle is struck by a car...
A Kiantone man escaped serious injury... but, had to be flown to a nearby hospital after his motorcycle was struck by a car in the town of Kiantone last night. Sheriff's officers say 68 year-old James Magee was riding southbound on Kiantone Road on his bike about 7:30 p.m. when a southbound car came up from behind. However... deputies say the driver of the vehicle, 34 year-old Amy Mahaffey of Russell, Pennsylvania... failed to slow and struck the motorcycle. Magee crashed... and, was flown via medivac helicopter to a unnamed hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Officers say Mahaffey was also transported from the scene for non-life threatening injuries. Mahaffey was issued a traffic ticket for following too closely.
Two family home destroyed in Jamestown fire still under investigation...
Jamestown fire investigators are continuing to look for the cause of an overnight fire Friday that's destroryed a three-story, two family home on the city's northside. Acting Deputy Fire Chief Matt Coon says crews were called to the scene at 718 Cherry Street just after 12:30 a.m., and, says there was heavy-fire in the back of the structure when firefighters arrived. Coon says most of the outside of the home was ablaze shortly after they got there. He says crews attempted an initial interior attack... but, were unsuccessful. Coon says they went back to an exterior attack before finally getting inside. He says the home was gutted... but, fortunately, the lone occupant wasn't home. He says fire damage was extensive to the second and third floors... while there was water and smoke damage on the first-floor. Coon says the upper floor apartment was not occupied at the time. He says an off-duty shift was called in to assist with extinguishing flames. Cherry Street between 7th and 8th Streets was closed for several hours Friday morning. crews were at the scene about seven hours. No injuries were reported.
Chautauqua County DMV's to close this week to allow on-line appointment system to be put in...
After much thought... Chautauqua County Clerk Larry Barmore says the county's three Department of Motor Vehicles offices will be closed all next week. In a press release late this afternoon... Barmore says the decision was not made lightly... but, adds Gov. Andrew Cuomo has ordered all DMVs to put an on-line appointment system in place. In order to do that... he says they need to catch up on all back-logged work and get an online system for booking appointments in place. He adds they will be doing that this coming week. That also means they will not be accepting work via drop box for this week ONLY. He says they understand people's frustration... but, they are working with the customer's best interests in mind. He says there will be additional information about the new on-line appointment system at the beginning of next week. They ask that everyone keep an eye on their website for updated information. It's at chqgov.com/county-clerk/Department-of-Motor-Vehicles.
Wendel says county sees two new COVID-19 Cases Friday...
There have been two new cases of the COVID-19 Virus reported in Chautauqua County over the past day. County Executive P-J Wendel says a teenaged girl, and a man in his 20s are the newest cases... bringing the total now to 127 since the outbreak began. Wendel adds there are currently 10 active cases, and those people continue to recover. He says there are 110 cases that have now recovered... while 137 others are under quaratine or isolation orders. Wendel says there have been 13,425 negative test results to date.
Judge blocks NYS order on limiting religous gatherings...
A federal judge has blocked New York state from enforcing coronavirus restrictions limiting indoor religious gatherings to 25-percent capacity when other types of gatherings are limited to 50-percent. Judge Gary Sharpe acted Friday to enjoin Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Attorney General Letitia James from enforcing some of the capacity restrictions put in place by executive order to contain the spread of the virus. A spokesperson for Cuomo said the governor's office will review the decision. A spokesperson for the New York City law department said city lawyers would review the ruling as well. Some religious leaders from New York City and the upstate region brought the action.
Dolce says Bellitto will be sorely missed as Jamestown's city comptroller...
This is the final week of a more than three decade long career for Jamestown City Comptroller Joe Bellitto. Bellitto's final council meeting was this past Monday night... after he was first hired to replace the retiring Joe Bzdak by late Mayor Don Ahlstrom in the early 1990s. City Council President Tony Dolce has worked with Bellitto a lot during that time... and, he says Bellitto has been a fixture at City Hall. Dolce called Bellitto a "valuable asset" to all the mayor's he served, and he always stayed away from the politics, and just "gave the facts." Bellitto's replacement was actually hired at the beginning of the year... and, Ryan Thompson has been training under Bellitto's direction for the first six months of the year. Dolce says, though, Bellitto -- and his experience -- will be "sorely missed." Dolce says the city created the Deputy Comptroller's position to run through mid-year so Thompson could work with Bellitto. He says the deputy's position will either be abolished, or left vacant.
