A Salamanca man is dead following a single-car accident on Old Route 17 in the Cattaraugus County town of Salamanca. Sheriff's Deputies in Little Valley say 32 year-old Joseph Carboni was westbound just after 5 PM Friday when his car left the roadway for some reason... and, struck a tree. Officers say Carboni was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner. There were no passengers... and, the accident remains under investigation. The Salamanca City fire department, and Allegany Indian Reservation Volunteer Fire Department assisted at the scene.
No one was seriously hurt... but, local police agencies are looking for the driver of an older model, white work truck that was involved in a five-car crash last Saturday on the Chautauqua Lake Bridge. Sheriff's Deputies say their investigation shows the driver of the white, late model work truck, had stopped in the eastbound driving lane of Interstate 86 about 3:30 PM. Officers say a second vehicle... driven by Ryan Houser of Erie, Pennsylvania... then collided into the truck's rear-end. Houser's vehicle sat in the driving lane... awaiting assistance when a third vehicle stopped behind it. However... that car, driven by Sharon Hilyer of Clarendon, Pennsylvania... was struck by a fourth vehicle. Police say a fifth car then sidewiped one of the stopped vehicles. Hilyer had to be treated for minor injuries at WCA Hospital. Officers have been unable to locate the work truck... and, the investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office.
A Jamestown man is jailed without bail for allegedly assaulting another man with a hamer during an alleged fight Friday afternoon. City police were called to the area of 511 North Main Street about 3:45 PM on a report of a fight-in-progress. Officers say they spoke with the male victim on arrival... and, several witnesses. They learned that 51 year-old John Lisciandro had struck the man several times with a hammer. Lisciandro was located... and, arrested. He was arraigned on charges of second-degree assault... and, menacing... and, sent to the county lock-up.
Habitat for Humanity has been given a house in Jamestown, and is looking for volunteers to fix it up... as well as a family to live there. Jean Mc Gowan, site manager for Habitat in Southern Chautauqua County, says the home is at 23 Tew Street and they'd like to start working on it in October. Anyone interested in volunteering to work on the home is asked to attend a meeting at the James Prendergast Library on Thursday, October 3rd at 7 PM. Habitat for Humanity believes everyone should have an affordable home. Jean Mc Gowan adds, they want to find a family that could work on the new project, and eventually live there. Those interested in applying to live in the Tew Street residence are also welcome at the October 3rd meeting, or they can call Jean Mc Gowan at 673-5991. Mc Gowan says Habitat for Humanity has not done a project in the immediate Jamestown area in recent years, and they are very excited to be starting up again, as "Jamestown is screaming for this type of activity".
The Jamestown School Board has announced the three candidates who have submitted letters of interest to fill the open board seat vacated earlier this Summer by former member Tim Thomas. Board officials say the three are Shelly Leathers... Todd Rushforth... and, Laurie Whitermore. Leathers has experience in both the education and financial fields... and, currently works at L.J. Stein Insurance Company as an accounting manager. Her children are Jamestown High School graduates. Todd Rushforth is Distribution Manager at Tilaro's Bakery, and was employed at Quality Markets warehouse. His children currently attend the Jamestown school system. Laurie Whitermore has experience in both the private and public sectors and is currently a school counselor at Dunkirk High School. Her children are Jamestown High School graduates. The board has set-up an interview process to select which candidate will be the best fit for the needs of the Board. The panel will appoint one candidate to fill the open seat until the May 2014 Board of Education election. At that time, the seat will be put to a public vote for a three-year term.
It's not just in Jamestown... New York State Police say they have been responding to more reports of clandestine methamphetamine labs. State police say they found more than 100 meth labs last year, double the number the year before. So far in 2013... troopers have been called to 93 clandestine labs or incidents and they're looking for the public's help in dealing with the growing problem. Trooper Jennifer Fleishman, a state police spokeswoman, says police are typically finding ``one-pot meth labs,'' unlike the larger-scale operations depicted on the cable television show ``Breaking Bad.''
A national shortage of firearms ammunition is starting to be felt at some sporting-goods stores in Pennsylvania as hunters begin loading up for deer and other fall hunting seasons. The Erie Times-News reports that retailers are worrying about whether their supplies of ammunition will hold up. A few store owners say the ammunition shortage is caught in a vicious cycle as people scramble to stock up, and warn that prices could rise.
State tourism officials say leaves are starting to change color over large stretches of New York. Foliage is approaching the mid-point of color change in several areas of the Adirondacks, which is ahead of the rest of the state. Color is just starting to show on trees in other parts of northern New York as well as areas east of the Hudson River and in the westernmost corner of the state. Trees in some other parts of New York have yet to change. State economic development officials update their fall color report weekly based on field reports.
