There is officially a buyer for the former AFA Foods Company building off Route 474 in the town of Harmony. County Economic Development officials... and, the owners of Empire Specialty Cheese Company... were on hand at the AFA property yesterday morning to announce the Cattaraugus County company has purchased the 80-thousand square foot building... and, adjacent property. County Executive Greg Edwards... who has been criticized for no sealing an earlier deal for a pet food maker to move in... said he was "thrilled" to announce the news. County Economic Development... and, Industrial Development Agency Director Bill Daly... says they received help from the Empire State Development agency.... and, state Office of Community Renewal to get the deal in place. Daly says the project to convert the building to a cheese factory will cost about 6.37-million dollars. He says costs include relocating the business... and, renovation upgrades to the building. Empire Specialty Cheese owners Jerry and Tony Matese say they're excited over the larger location... and, being able to expand their current line of two cheeses. Tony Matese says they hope to employ 200 at the end of their first five years.
The last prosecution witness in the second-degree murder trial of Anthony Taglianetti has taken the stand... and, more evidence of Taglianetti's presence in Chautauqua County was presented. A 37-year postal worker from Virginia... Jim Hickey... testified that Taglianetti came in and applied for a Passport. In addition... Hickey says the defendant said he was leaving on a trip to the "Holy Land" on October 12th, 2012. Earlier... evidence from Taglianetti's lap-top showed that he had shopped for airline tickets to the Middle East. Prosecutors also laid more groundwork showing that Taglianetti was in Chautauqua County at the time victim Keith Reed, Junior was shot and killed.
A Jamestown man is jailed on Felony assault charges for allegedly injuring a one-year-old child that was left in his care. City police say 35 year-old Michael Olay, Junior was arrested on a warrant following an investigation into the October 13th incident. Police declined to release what kind of injuries the child suffered... but, did say they were non-life threatening. Officers say Olay was arraigned on charges of second-degree assault... and, endangering the welfare of a child... and, sent to the county jail without bail. Chautauqua County Child Protective Services assisted in the investigation.
Forecasters are telling residents to get ready for some strong winds starting late Halloween night... and continuing through Friday. The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Watch for most of Western New York -- including Chautauqua County -- from late Thursday night through Friday evening. Meteorologist Shawn Smith in Buffalo says southwest winds will be 30 to 40 MPH with gusts up to 60 possible. Smith said Wednesday the winds will start to pick up on Thursday. Smith says the winds will be produced by a storm system from out of the Central Plains... and, will shift to out of the Great Lakes... may result in some downed tree limbs and power lines. They will also make for difficult travel in high profile vehicles.
A Ripley man has been charged with driving while intoxicated following a May motorcycle accident in which his speeding bike went out of control... and, crashed into a guard rail. Sheriff's Deputies say they recently received toxicology reports back on 25 year-old David Baum... and, concluded their investigation. Officers say Baum was southbound on Route 76 shortly after Midnight last May 16th... when he failed to negotiate a curve... and, his Harley Davidson struck a guard rail. He was treated for his injuries... and, is now charged with DWI, failure to keep right... and, speed not reasonable. Baum was issued appearance tickets for Ripley Town Court at a later date.
Luke Williams and his cousin made quite a splash on the scene in the late 1980s when they hit the World Wrestling Federation as "The Bushwackers." Williams will be in Jamestown this Friday night... without cousin Butch... as part of the Legends of Wrestling night at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena. Williams and Butch Miller began their wrestling careers in the mid-1960s as the Kiwi Sheepherders in New Zealand. They were an immediate favorite in Promoter Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation... now known as the World Wrestling Entertainment. Williams says he's looking forward to being on the ticket with a number of other legends from that era. That's not all... Williams says a wrestler very familiar to Jamestown-area wrestling fans... Brutis the Barber Beefcake... will also be in action. Williams had been retired... but, says he got a call after "The Honky Tonk" man suffered an injury... and, was asked to fill in on a card in Denver. He admits the first night was rough... but, adds he's got his "rythmn back." The "Legends of Wrestling" program at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena begins at 7 PM Friday. There are still tickets available... and, for more information... call the arena box office.
The health system that owns Lake Shore Health Care center says it will continue the process of trying to sell the facility in Irving... and, will follow up on several leads. That from a printed statement released about Noon Wednesday from the Lake Erie Regional Health System. In the statement... health system officials say the Board of Directors voted Tuesday night to continue the process of trying to sell Lake Shore because offers received to date "are insufficient."
