City Council hears new salary proposals for all elected officials...
Jamestown city lawmakers are reviewing two proposals that could possibly increase the salaries for both city council members... and, the mayor... beginning next year. The city's Salary Review Commission met earlier this year... and, has recommended a $10,000 total increase for the nine council members. They also proposed about a $16,000 increase for the mayor -- starting in 2016. City Council Finance Committee Chairman Tony Dolce says they cannot raise salaries until the next term for elected officials... and, says they can accept, or modify the numbers the commission gave. They can also increase one salary, and not the other -- which is what happened in 2008. That was the last time the mayor's salary was increased. City Council has had no increase since 1983. A recent proposal by Councilman Brent Sheldon would increase council salaries $1,000 one-time... in 2016... and, $2,000 for the Mayor each year for four years. That's half of what was proposed by the commission. Sheldon is the only lawmaker that's made a proposal in response to the Salary Commission's recommendation. City Council members have decided to send Sheldon's proposal back to the Finance Committee for further review.
Gerace says man arrested in traffic stop, then drug raid, is a repeat from earlier this year...
Local police say they are very familiar with a Mayville man who was arrested earlier this week for allegedly running a Methamphetime Lab out of his residence. Chautauqua County Sheriff's deputies pulled over 43-year-old John Noel III for a traffic violation, charging him with 3rd-degree aggravated unlicensed operation. After being sent to the County Jail... officers and agents from the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force obtained a search warrant for Noel's home... and, located quantities of methamphetamine and a meth lab. Sheriff Joe Gerace says Noel was arrested last March for allegedly doing the same thing. Noel has been charged with third-degree unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine... and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was sent to the county jail on $50,000 bail.
Grand Jury indicts Lackawanna man for allegedly trying to support ISIS...
A federal grand jury has indicted a 44-year-old Buffalo-area man on charges that allege he attempted to support a foreign terrorist group. U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced Thursday that the jury returned a two-count indictment against Arafat Nagi of Lackawanna. Nagi's charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a terrorist organization, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria group. Nagi was arrested July 29th at his home outside Buffalo. He's being held without bail. Prosecutors say Nagi traveled overseas to try to join ISIS and declared his allegiance to the militant organization online. Officials say he went to Turkey twice in the past three years... and, had planned to travel there this month. Prosecutors say before one of the trips he purchased military combat items, including body armor, a hunting knife and night vision goggles.
Two arrested in Cattaraugus County for allegedly selling prescription drugs illegally...
A pair of Cattaraugus County residents have been arrested for allegedly selling prescription drugs illegally in two different cases. Members of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force say they first arrested 42 year-old David Dillie, Junior, of Salamanca last Tuesday morning. Agents accuse Dillie of selling the drugs to another person in the city. Dillie was arraigned in Salamanca City Court yesterday on several charges... including two counts each of criminal sale... and, possession of a controlled substance. He's jailed pending further court action. Later in the day... Task Force members arrested 18 year-old Autumn White of Steamburg for allegedly selling pills to another person in Little Valley. White was arraigned on similar charges in Little Valley Town Court... and sent to the Cattaraugus County Jail on $25,000 jail.
Attorney General Schneiderman in Jamestown to release report on effort to help New Yorkers keep their homes during mortgage crisis...
The state Attorney General came to Jamestown Wednesday afternoon to announce the state has helped 50,000 New Yorkers keep their homes... despite the mortgage crisis. A-G Eric Schneiderman says the Homeowner Protection Program has been a huge success. Schneiderman says HOPP has been an unprecidented program that provides funding for housing counseling and legal services. In addition to HOPP... the state also offers small loans to facilitate refinancing for homeowners in trouble, and a website to ferret out housing scams. Schneiderman says he came to Jamestown to make the announcement because the Chautauqua County Landbank has been such an extraordinary success. He says it's become an example that you don't need to be in a big city to have a successful landbank. Landbanks buy up abandoned properties, and work to get them on the tax rolls again. Landbanks and the HOPP program are funded by money the Attorney General's office secured from banks that contributed to the housing crisis earlier in the decade.
