The man convicted of murdering late Clymer School Superintendent Keith Reed, Junior in September of 2012 has been sentenced to the maximum in Chautauqua County Court. District Attorney David Foley says 43 year-old Anthony Taglianetti-the-second received 25 years-to-life in prison in County Court Monday morning. Taglianetti was convicted early last November of second-degree murder for shooting the 51 year-old Reed to death. Foley says Reed's daughter gave an "impact statement" to the court prior to sentencing. Taglianetti was accused of intercepting e-mail communications between his estranged wife, Mary and Reed... who both met on-line... then at a professional conference in upstate New York in 2010. After the brief tryst... they rekindled their relationship in the months leading up to the 2012 shooting. After killing Reed... Taglianetti fled the area back to his home-area of Virginia. He was on the run for about a week before federal authorities caught him.
A trial gets underway next week for the first person charged with violating New York's new gun-control law. Authorities say 33-year-old Benjamin Wassell of Silver Creek was accused of selling illegally modified semi-automatic rifles. The transactions in January and February 2013 involved an undercover officer in the Chautauqua County town of Hanover. Wassell was charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor under the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, passed in January 2013. The Dunkirk Observer reports that jury selection begins March 4th in Chautauqua County Court. The state attorney general's office is handling the prosecution. Two Chautauqua County judges recused themselves because they're members of the National Rifle Association. An Erie County judge will preside.
Local Congressman Tom Reed says he did nothing wrong in the way he handled the dissolving of his former law firm in Corning... and, he feels that Democrats are using it to "attack" him personally. During his weekly conference call... the Corning Republican defended the fact his former law firm still had his name attached to it more than a year after he was elected to Congress. A report by The Buffalo News indicates court documents showed the firm "The Law Office of Thomas W. Reed-the second" remained in Reed's name through at least 2011. He was initially elected in 2010. Reed says the outside legal counsel, Joe Rizzo, was hired because he knew cutting ties with the firm would be problematic. However... House Ethics and American Bar Association rules appear to bar the practice of keeping the name -- even though Reed had given up his law license. An official with the Bar Association says it's still "misleading" to include the name -- even if the member of Congress isn't actually practicing with that firm. However... Reed says it's not that simple. He says since he was the sole partner in the firm... he would have to shut it down entirely to effect a name change. That means his approximately 30 employees would have to have been let go.
The campaign for Congressman Tom Reed's likely Democratic opponent in this year's election says "it's disappointing" to learn of yet another 'questionable' situation involving the Corning Republican. Campaign Manager Jordanna Zeigler with the Committee to Elect Martha Robertson says -- "First, Tom Reed did not pay his taxes on time 39 times. Now, we find out he may have operated his law firm under his own name as a sitting Congressman." Zeigler says that's a possible violation of House Ethics rules. She adds that an on-line search of cases reveals that the law firm using Reed's name filed 194 case in Corning City Court in 2011... and, 9 more in 2012. Most were medical debt collection cases Reed's firm filed on behalf of Corning Hospital or the Guthrie Clinic. Reed says it's clear that Robertson's campaign is going to be all about "personal attacks."
A Wanted Man is in the county jail facing a number of drug related charges. Chautauqua County Sheriff Deputies spotted 23 year old John Gibbs the second in a parked vehicle on Wisner Street in the Town of Ripley at 8:30pm Friday. Deputies were speaking with Gibbs when he attempted to hit one of them and fled on foot. After a short chase Gibbs was tasered and taken into custody. After a search of Gibbs car sheriffs found a small amount of powdered Methamphetamine, Marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Upon further investigation a portable Methamphetamine lab was found. Gibbs was taken to Lakeshore Hospital for treatment of minor injuries then to the Chautauqua County Jail. Gibbs faces a slew of charges including Felony unlawful manufacture of Mathamphetamine, Resisting Arrest and Obstruction of Justice. Gibbs was wanted in Pennsylvania for absconding from probation. He is being held without bail as a fugitive from Justice and on 17 thousand dollars bail for the new charges.
It was a night to celebrate Jamestown's "finest." The Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce held it's 12th annual Recognition Reception and Dinner at Shawbuck's Press Room last night to acknowledge the special efforts of both individuals and businesses for what they did in 2013. Chamber Coordinator Justin Hanft tells our Terry Frank it was a "fantastic night" in which they handed out seven awards. News Director Terry Frank and WJTN Morning Show host Dennis Webster were presented with Community Service Awards for their effort "above and beyond the call of duty." The "Pride of Jamestown" Award was presented to the Chautauqua Striders organization... and, the "Service to Humanity" Award went to the Chautauqua County Health Network. Hanft says the "Manufacturer of the Year" was Artone Manufacturing Company... which is celebrating it's 40th anniversary this year. The New Business of the Year Award was given to "Vie for Fitness..." a ladies' gym located on West Third Street. The "Business of the Year" Award was presented to Jamestown Business College... while the "Retailer of the Year" went to Everyday's True Value.
