A Middlefield, Ohio man died after a tree fell on him during a logging accident in the Town of Ripley last Saturday. Sheriff's deputies were called to assist the Ripley Fire Department on Klondike Road shortly before 9:30 AM. Officers say 46 year-old David Byler was about half-a-mile back in a wooded area when the accident occurred. South Ripley and Chautauqua County EMS were also called in to assist at the scene. Byler was transported to Westfield Memorial Hospital and later flown to UPMC Hamot Medical Center for treatment. Deputies say Byler died Sunday afternoon from his injuries.
Fire has destroyed the back third of a two-story apartment house on Jamestown's southside. City Fire Battalion Chief Brian Acterberg says crews were called to the scene at 114 King Street about 12:15 yesterday afternoon... and, found the back of the house fully-engulfed in flames.
Acterberg says firefighters made a quick stop on the flames... bringing the blaze under control in about 30 minutes. He says they did find three pets, but, could only save a dog that had to be resuscitated. A cat perished. Acterberg says an off-duty shift was called in to assist... and, crews were at the scene just over five hours. He says no residents nor firefighters were hurt. The first-floor tenant was home at the time. Acterberg says the Fire Investigation Team is looking for the cause of the fire.
An electrical fire caused only minor damage late Saturday afternoon at the Athenex plant in the Town of Dunkirk. Firefighters from East Dunkirk responded to the scene on East Lake Road just after 4:15 PM and were assisted by crews from Dunkirk and Sheridan, along with Alstar Ambulance and County Emergency Services. Dunkirk Fire Captain Gary Katta says the fire was located on the third floor of the facility and confined to one room. There were no injuries reported. Firefighters were on scene for approximately two hours.
The Jamestown City Council will hold it's monthly voting session tonight via Zoom Conferencing due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Mayor Eddie Sundquist will also present his second State of the City Address at the beginning... and, what a difference a year makes. Sundquist gave a short address last January highlighting what he would like to achieve... but, that was a couple of months before the COVID-19 shut-down. He recently told us it was a year of change in many regards.
Over the course of 2020... Sundquist had to find a new police chief, and deputy fire chief. Among the main agenda items tonight is the city's four-year Community Development Block Grant action plan. The meeting begins at 7:30 PM.
The Winifred Crawford Diebert Boys and Girls Club of Jamestown has ‘reinvented itself’ in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to better serve its members and their families. Instead of afternoons and evenings, the club is now open Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:15 PM. Executive Director Jeff Kroon says young people come to the club and ‘Zoom’ to school.
The Jamestown Public Schools, Chautauqua Striders, the United Way, all the local foundations and many other community partners have contributed money and/or expertise to support the changes. Assistant Director Diane Woleen says it’s paid off because some parents have told them they would have had to quit jobs to take care of their kids. The new structure also includes full COVID-19 protocols and a focus on safety… so they can properly serve up to 75 young people a day. Additional financial support would be welcome… through their website, or mailed directly to the club at 62 Allen Street in Jamestown.
The top-elected official in Chautauqua County says local health officials are not undercounting the number of county residents who have died from the coronavirus. County Executive P-J Wendel says nursing homes and hospitals are required to file such death notices with New York state, but are not required to file them with the county. Wendel spoke late Friday after the Health Department reported 23 additional COVID-19 deaths that occurred in long-term care facilities over the last few weeks.
The county's death toll from the pandemic is now at 75.
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Also from late Friday... local health officials say there were 80 new confirmed cases reported... bringing the total number to 6,018. There are now 475 active cases, and 43 people are hospitalized. Officials say 27 of the new cases are from Jamestown... and, 18 are from Dunkirk. Overall, 5,468 cases have now recovered.
