Burham sentenced to 25-50 years in prison in Warren Co., Pa, on kidnap and escape charges...
The man accused of shooting and killing a Jamestown woman last May... and convicted of kidnapping and escape in Warren County, Pennsylvania... will spend at least 25 years in a Pennsylvania prison. The Warren County District Attorney's office this afternoon confirmed that 35 year-old Michael Burham was given 25 years, 2-months... to 50 years, four-months in State Prison. After the alleged murder of Kala Hodgkin in Jamestown last May 11th... Burham is accused of kidnapping a Sheffield couple and forcing them to accompany him in their car to South Carolina. He was later captured there. However... he later escaped from the Warren County Jail... which led to a more than one-week manhunt. Once recaptured... Burham was held in the prison in Erie, Pennsylvania... where he's been returned until he is transferred to a State Prison there. Charges here in Chautauqua County have been deferred until the Pennsylvania court case was resolved.
Schumer announces start of "out-of-pocket cap" on Part D Medicare costs...
For the first-time ever... seniors in New York State on Medicare have a cap on their total out-of-pocket prescription drug costs. That from U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer... who says more than 3-million New York seniors are eligible for the cap... which has been set at $3,300 a year in Medicare Part-D. Schumer says the cap was part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act... which lawmakers passed in 2022... and, was signed by President Joe Biden in August of that year. The New York Democrat says this new drug cost "capping" will work in with other major healthcare provisions he secured... including making vaccines free for seniors... and, a $35 insulin cap for those on Medicare, to help make healthcare more affordable for all seniors. Schumer says this should be a "major shot in the arm" for New York's seniors... because many of them spend far more than $3,000 a year. Schumer adds that the cap will go even lower the following year in 2025 to a $2,000, out-of-pocket cap on prescription drugs.
Ecklund finishes first week on job as Jamestown mayor...
It's been a busy first week on the job for new Jamestown Mayor Kim Ecklund. The Republican was sworn into office on New Year's Day... and is only the second woman in the city's history to hold that office. Ecklund says... admittedly... she has a lot to learn. However... she says she's ready for the challenge. Ecklund plans on meeting with several managers and employees this week to make sure everyone is on the same page. She already has most of her people in place for the new term... including Comptroller Ericka Thomas... who worked with her at eSolutions-Bush Industries for more than three decades. City Clerk-Treasurer Jennifer Williams was also sworn-in for a new term. Ecklund says the current Acting Public Works Director Mark Roetzer will also be staying on. Among the holdovers from former Mayor Eddie Sundquist's administration are Corporation Councel Eliot Raimando... and, Department of Development Director Crystal Surdyk.
As new legislature majority leader, Wilfong hopes to improve communications with city government...
The Chautauqua County Legislature's new majority leader says improved communications between the city of Jamestown, and the county, will be a high priority in this year. Jamestown Republican Dave Wilfong says that communication was, unfortunately, not available the past four years. Wilfong says... prior to that... the city and the city council would welcome local legislators at least quarterly to discuss matters impacting both governments. He says that was the case for the Teresi administration... but, it ended after that. Wilfong says the past administration would have been given a heads-up on a couple of matters if they had met. Those involved changes in the tipping fees at the county landfill, and workers compensation. Wilfong spoke candidly about the impact that lack of communication may have had on both Jamestown and Dunkirk. Both Mayor Sundquist and Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas sent a letter to the county saying they were surprised about the worker's comp matter.
County PEG awards 14 grants to various economic development projects...
The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth has announced the 14 recipients of its 2024 round of grant funding, used to support economic development projects that focus on revitalization and long-term strategic investment. Deputy County Executive for Economic Development, Mark Geise says those 14 different projects will receive $242,000, towards nearly $1.9-million in total project costs. Geise says projects receiving funding come from across the county... including Bemus Point, Dunkirk, Findley Lake, Jamestown, and Lakewood. The applicant receiving the largest amount funding was the village of Lakewood, which was awarded $30,000 for the Hartley Park Waterfront Revitalization and, Improvement Project. Four other projects each received $25,000 including: the Chautauqua County Fair Conceptual Planning and Enhancement Project... Dream It Do It Advance Manufacturing Program... and, the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts’ Theater Seats and Auditorium Improvement project.
Erie, Pa. man arrested on drug and weapons charges in Jamestown...
A call for a suspicious situation on Jamestown's southside early Wednesday morning led to the arrest of an Erie, Pennsylvania man for having a loaded handgun and drugs in his possession. City police say officers responded to the area of Prospect St. and Newland Ave. shortly before 5 a.m. on a report of the vehicle in that area. Police made contact with a man driving the vehicle... identified as 41 year-old John Cuneo IV. Their investigation found that Cuneo had the handgun... and, a quantity of Fentanyl in his possesion. He was arrested without incident for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon... and, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
