Fire involving trailer containing old fires sends billowing, black smoke into air in and around Celoron...
A semi-trailer being used for storage in the back of a partly-wooded property in the village of Celoron pushed heavy, black smoke into the air around the Jamestown-area during the Noon hour today. Celoron fire crews were called to the scene on East Livingston Avenue about 11:40 a.m., and, Public Information Officer Jordan Smith says the trailer was fully-ablaze when they arrived... and, says they pulled hand lines and extinguished the flames before pouring foam on it to keep the rubble from re-igniting. Smith says it took about an hour for firefighters to bring the flames under control... due partly to the fact several old tires were stored inside the trailer. Fortunately... Smith says crews were able to contain the flames... and, the melted rubber from the tires inside the trailer. At this point... Smith says there's been no need to call in the county's HazMat Team... or the State DEC. He tells us that a passer-by first spotted the fire... which remains under investigation. Celoron firefighters were joined at the scene by Lakewood fire crews. Smith says Busti was called in as well... but, were soon after sent back to their station as the fire was brought under control.
Jamestown man arrested for allegedly threatening multiple students in from of JHS...
City police have arrested a Jamestown man who allegedly threatening several students outside Jamestown High School with a knife on Wednesday morning. City police say they were called to the scene on East Second St. about 8:15 a.m. on a report of the man displaying the knife and threatening multiple students. Officers say the suspect... identified as 20 year-old Devon Diers... then left the area... but, he was located a short time later with the help of a school safety officer. Police say Diers was found with a knife in his possession... and, he was arrested for fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon... and, five counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He was jailed pending arraignment.
Man accused of leading police on vehicle chase Wednesday night into Ellicott...
A 39 year-old man wanted on multiple Felony warrants in the town of Ellicott is accused of leading police on a vehicle chase through Jamestown and into the town Wednesday night. City police say members of their Violent Crime Unit conducted a traffic stop shortly after 9 p.m. in the area of Delaware and Cole Avenues after spotting a traffic infraction. Officers say they turned on their emergency lights... but, the driver -- identified as Dustin Reagan -- failed to comply and led police on the pursuit. Police identified the driver as Reagan... who then finally stopped the car in the town. City police then made verbal contact with Reagan... who soon after got out of the car... and, was arrested without further incident. He was later found with a small quantity of methamphetamine... and, was charged with third-degree unlawfully fleeing in a motor vehicle... seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... as well as numerous traffic violations. Reagan was jailed pending arraignment.
BPU Manager pleased to see city and utility receive $17-million-plus for Microgrid project...
The new microgrid project for the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities will be the major part of a more than $17-million project to upgrade the system against extreme weather events. That from BPU Transmission and Distribution Manager Kris Sellstrom... who developed the idea of a microgrid for the public utility. Sellstorm tells us the $17.3-million grant will not only help get the microgrid up and running...but, upgrade the entire underground system if there's a lot of damage to infrastructure that's above ground. He says the underground cables connect to much of the core of the downtown area. The grant money is coming from the federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act... through the U.S. Department of Energy. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced the award Wednesday... and, says the project will also add and create, good-paying union jobs. Sellstrom says the BPU will negotiate a final grant contract with the Department of Energy over the next four months... then begin final design work. He says the project would be completed in about five years. Between their gas turbine and steam generators... he says the BPU can produce just over 80 megawatts of power. However... if their interconnect with the Dow Street Substation goes down... they can't run those systems right now. He says the planned upgrades would allow them to do that.
Jamestown part of NYS Action Plan for broadband monies...
The city of Jamestown has been included in New York state's action plan to receive federal funding for the potential creation of a municipally-owned broadband program. That from Mayor Eddie Sundquist... who says Empire State Development last week included the city's plan for creating the local system in it's five-year action plan. Sundquist says the plan... which lays out a framework for implementing $664-million of state-funding from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program... describes how to most effectively invest New York’s allocation in ways that will attract private investment and reach unserved and underserved areas. He says that would be done with a mix of fiber optic and wireless internet technologies. It's estimated that a municipally-owned broadband network in Jamestown would cost $25-million to build and operate. However... the monthly cost for users would remain fixed while providing a faster service.
