Local News Headlines 4/1/13 5:21am
A building housing an antique business in downtown Frewsburg has been heavily damaged by fire. Chautauqua County Fire Dispatchers say Frewsburg firefighters were called to the scene at Holenbeck's Antiques at the corner of West Main and Center Streets just after 10 AM Sunday. Sources say there was heavy fire... and, five mutual companies were called to provide water and manpower. Dispatchers say they were Kiantone... Falconer... Kennedy... Busti... and, Lakewood. However... they were reportedly unable to save the building. Dispatchers say fire crews were at the scene about 1:30 PM. No injuries were reported. We were unable to reach Fire Chief John Lindsey for comment or details. The Post Jounal reports that fire investigator Rich Telford believes the blaze may have been caused by a space heater that either malfunctioned or was to close to combustible materials. The fire has been ruled accidental.
A Bemus Point man escaped injury... but, faces a drunk driving charge... after he lost control of his car, and it crashed early last weekend in the town of Ellery. Sheriff's Deputies say 21 year-old Charles Glenn was westbound on Salisbury Road just after 3:30 AM Saturday when he lost control of the vehicle on a curve. Officers say Glenn was going too fast... and, his car went out of control... and, crossed over the on-coming lane. His vehicle then rolled onto it's side... and, and came to rest against a street sign post. Glenn was checked by EMTs at the scene... but, refused treatment because he said he wasn't hurt. However... deputies say Glenn failed sobriety tests and refused a pre-screen breath test at the scene. He was arrested for driving while intoxicated... as well as refusing a pre-screen breath test... failure to reduce speed on a curve, and failure to keep right. He was arrigned in Ellery Town Court... and, issued appearance tickets.
Governor Andrew Cuomo is praising the state legislature for working with him to pass the third straight on-time budget. Cuomo says in a video address that the Assembly's final legislative approval of the budget just before midnight Thursday night is the result of a working partnership with the Assembly and Senate. Lawmakers easily avoided the annual April 1st deadline to pass a budget. The streak of on-time budgets began after former Governor David Paterson uncovered a new power for governors to impose their budget if the April 1st deadline is missed. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says the passage shows ``an improved, more efficient process between the governor and the Legislature.''
A local man has been arrested for allegedly being found in possession of a switchblade knife during a routine traffic stop in Jamestown last Saturday night. City police say a patrol had stopped a vehicle for a brake light being out about 9 PM in front of 337 East Fifth Street. Officers say... upon further investigation... they spotted a knife in the possession of one of the passengers. Police say they found 22 year-old David E.A. Brown with an illegal, springloaded switchblade. Brown was arrested... and, charged with criminal possession of a weapon... and, jailed pending arraignment.
Health officials say at least 24 people have become sick from an outbreak of E. coli infections linked to frozen snack foods marketed to children. No one has died, but eight people, mostly kids or teens, were hospitalized. An investigation detected E. coli in an open package of Farm Rich brand frozen chicken quesadillas at an ill person's home. On Friday... the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported illnesses in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The Buffalo, N.Y.-based Rich Products Corp. has recalled quesadillas, mozzarella bites and other frozen products made in November.
Local Congressman Tom Reed would rather have a budget in place... but, says the latest continuing resolution to keep the government operating until September is a "good start." During a visit to Jamestown late this past week... Reed said he's pleased with three key aspects of the 984-billion dollar appropriation. The Corning Republican says the first is there was actually agreement by House Republicans... and, Senate Democrats on reducing the size of the appropriation to 984-billion dollars. That may still be a lot of money... but, Reed says it is... and, it keeps the government operating. In fact... Reed says continuing resolutions have been at least over one-trillion dollars... all the way back to the pre-George W. Bush administration. He says the fact all sides saw the need to get spending below that level is a "positive step in the direction of getting this debt crisis under control." He says a third positive is the measure makes more of the "Sequestration cuts" from March 1st "discretionary."
