Local News Headlines 4:51AM
The investigation is continuing into the cause of yesterday morning's fire that destroyed a barn and damaged a nearby house in the town of Westfield. Westfield fire crews were called to the scene at 77-21 Martin Wright Road about 4:45 AM Tuesday... and, Battalion Chief Rick Cole says they called for mutual aid from four other departments. Cole says the blaze had a big head start... adding the barn was pretty much destroyed when he go there. Cole says the homeowner may have suffered some minor facial burns... but, the two occupants of the house were able to escape to safety because of smoke detectors. The fire also damaged some nearby trees. Cole says the house was probably about 25 feet away from the house... and, both building were about 125 yards off the road. Westfield had help from Brocton, Portland, Ripley and Mayville firefighters. They were at the scene until late Tuesday morning.
New York's junior U-S Senator has proposed what she calls a "comprehensive plan" to strengthen the state's Dairy Farms... especially smaller farms. Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand says the proposal is mainly in response to the loss of 65-thousand dairy cows state-wide from 2002 to 2012. Gillibrand says debate on a new farm bill will begin once the Senate returns to session. During a state-wide conference call with the media Tuesday afternoon... she said the measures include a new, bi-partisan bill. Gillibrand says she introduced the other three measures last year when the Senate approved a five-year Farm Bill that was not taken up in the House. One of the key items was the Dairy Income Fairness Act... which helps those smaller farms. Gillibrand says the U-S Department of Agriculture would have that time to establish a new... and, more sustainable program for dairy farms. She also said she would like to see the 200 cow limit increased to give farms more flexibility to grow. She says she is concerned about "supply management" because New York currently can't meet all the needs of the state's burgeoning yogurt industry. As for dairy herd losses... Gillibrand says Chautauqua County lost 24-hundred head of cows lost between 2002 and 2012. Cattaraugus County lost 28-hundred during that time. The biggest loss was in Otsego County... which saw a loss of 66-hundred. The biggest gain was 5-thousand in Ontario.
A New York state lawmaker says he'll be vindicated of charges that he plotted to bribe his way into the race for mayor of New York City. Democratic state Senator Malcolm Smith said in a statement Monday that his record reflects 13 years of dedication, hard work and integrity. A city councilman and four other political figures also are charged in the corruption probe. The charges in the case include bribery, extortion, and wire and mail fraud.
The first public hearing on what should be included in Jamestown's 2013 Community Development Block Grant and HOME Program will be held tonight at city hall. New Development Director Vince DeJoy is urging residents to bring their ideas to the session... which begins at 6:30 PM in City Council Chambers. DeJoy says the first session is to get input on potential low-to-moderate income projects his department can undertake... or should continue. He says there are several of those... especially regarding housing. DeJoy says they've also made infrastructure improvements to the Allen Street-area. He adds they've also used funds to help with making public places compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. DeJoy says those projects have to meet certain requirements... including 80-percent of them being in low to moderate income areas. He says the city hasn't received word on the exact amount of funding they'll get for 2013... but, he knows it's going to be 5-percent less than last year.
A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly shoving a 12 year-old girl who tried to intervene in a domestic dispute late Monday night. City police were called to the scene at 193 Barrett Avenue about 11:30 PM... and, spoke with the victim who made the initial complaint. The victim said 51 year-old Joseph Troutman was disorderly and drunk... and, allegedly pushed the girl during the incident. Officers arrested Troutman for criminal mischief... and, endangering the welfare of a child. He was taken to the city jail pending arraignment.
Thousands of dead fish are washing up on the Lake Erie shoreline in the Buffalo area... but, state Department of Environmental Conservation officials say it's nothing to be alarmed about. Residents living along a stretch of shoreline in the Angola area of the town of Evans tell YNN cable TV news that the fish jump out of the water and die by the thousands along the beaches lining the southern Erie County shoreline. Dead fish are also being found farther north to where the lake empties into the Niagara River at Buffalo. DEC officials say the gizzard shad typically die in large numbers each winter and don't surface until the lake temperature begins warming up in the early spring. Another large gizzard shad die off occurred on Lake Erie during the winter of 2011.
