Rolison indicted on three additional charges of Felony weapons possession...
The investigation into the fatal, New Year's Eve hit and run accident on Jamestown's northside has resulted in additional charges against the driver. City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says 58 year-old Randal Rolison of Jamestown has been additionally charged with three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon after he was found to have three unregistered handguns in a storage unit in the town of Busti. A Chautauqua County Grand Jury handed up the indictments... and, Rolison was arraigned this morning in county court. With the help of the District Attorney's office... JPD investigators got a search warrant for the storage unit on Jan. 7, and, executed that warrant later that day with the assistance of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, the county Sheriff’s Department, Lakewood-Busti Police, and the FBI. During the search, the three handguns were found. The investigation is continuing and additional charges are possible pending additional follow-up. Rolison is accused of hitting and killing 15 year-old Alexis Hughan with his 18 wheel car carrier... at West Sixth and Washington Streets -- and, driving off from the scene.
Jamestown area receives about a foot of snow from nor'easter; northern parts of WNY get the most...
The National Weather Service kept a Winter Weather Advisory in effect for much of Western New York -- including Chautauqua County -- until late this morning. That after parts of the region reported upwards of two-feet of snow since late Sunday night. The highest totals were to the north of Buffalo... with a report of 22 inches in Lockport. However... there were some pretty impressive amounts in the Jamestown-area as of 5 p.m. last night. Jamestown reported 10 inches of snow... while Falconer had 10.3-inches. Ashville reported 11-and-a-half inches. The highest total in the county was in Silver Creek... which reported 15.5-inches of the white stuff.
Wendel takes part in Lakewood Polar Plunge to raise money for veteran's Dwyer program...
On the coldest day of the season so far... several community leaders were among those who took page in a polar plunge held at Lakewood Beach on Chautauqua Lake last Saturday. County Executive P.J. Wendel was among those who participated in the fundraiser for the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program. Wendel says it was the first time he took part in such an event. But, he says organizer Brad Barmore encouraged him to take part and he says it was a "great event." More than $6,000 was raised by the effort. About 300 jackets and other winter gear were collected for Community Helping Hands.
Whitaker says JPS in "pretty good shape" right now for COVID testing kits...
The Jamestown Public Schools are in "pretty good shape" right now with COVID-19 test kits for students and others in the district who may need one to stay in school, or be put into quarantine. That from School Superintendent Kevin Whitaker... who recently told our Dennis Webster that the district recently received it's first shipment of those tests from New York state. Whitaker urges parents who need those "at-home" tests to get them at your child's school, and the other is to be able to continue in school testing, they need the parents to grant them consent. Whitaker says there is a written consent form that parents can fill out... and, then return to school for officials to sign-off on. He says that allows what's called "bi-nax to stay..." where a student may have COVID like syptoms, and needs to be tested to stay. Whitaker says that's not what's been called "test to stay." In that case... the student would have to have been a "close contact" to someone with COVID in school... but, is asymptomatic. Under "test to stay..." if the student tests positive for COVID... they would then have to stay away from school for five days. They would then have to have a negative COVID test on the fifth-day in order to return to class. For more information... contact your child's school.
Two men arrested for alleged break-in at Cassadaga business last Sunday...
Two Buffalo-area men have been arrested for allegedly breaking into a Cassadaga business early last Sunday morning. Sheriff's officers say they responded to an alarm at the 8038 Rt. 60 location just before 1 a.m., and, found the business had been broken into on arrival. A storm time later... deputies say Fredonia police made a traffic stop on a vehicle... and, their investigation showed those inside the vehicle were involved in the burglary. Officers charged 22 year-old Damion Hill of Buffalo... and, 24 year-old Mackenzie Briggs of Tonawanda with third-degree burglary... second-degree criminal mischief... and, petty larceny. Both men were taken to the Chautauqua County Jail for Centralized Arraignment.
Ewer announces she's leaving Chautauqua County 4-H at end of the month...
Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauqua County will soon be looking for a new Four-H educator. Kate Ewer, who's held that position for the last six years, will leave at the end of January. Ewer is recently married, and has relocated to Pittsfield, Pa., and the commute makes the job difficult. She adds that it's also time for a change for the organization. Having grown up in Four-H, Ewer says it's not an easy organization to leave with all the friendships and other relationships she's had through the job. She'll be taking a job with Northern Pennsylvania Regional College. The search for a new Four-H Educator for Chautauqua County will begin soon. Extension's Executive Director, Emily Reynolds, a former Four-H educator, will fill in in the meantime.
