City "Crack" Cocaine dealer arrested...
A Jamestown man is jailed without bail for allegedly being a mid-level "street dealer" of "crack" cocaine following a drug raid Thursday on the city's northside. City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says members of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force executed a search warrant about 1:15 PM at 115 Crossman Street. Samuelson says the JPD SWAT Team helped with entry, and they arrested 25 year-old David Brown at the scene. He says investigators also found just 35 grams of "crack," and more than $1,000 in cash. Samuelson says Brown was arraigned on the two charges, and then sent to the county lock-up. Anyone with information about the sale and trafficking of illegal narcotics in the immediate Jamestown-area is asked to call the Metro Task Force at the confidential tip line at 483-TIPS... that's 483-8477.
Jamestown men one of two arrested on federal charges for allegedly trafficking synthetic drugs...
Two men... one from Jamestown... have been arrested for allegedly conspiring to traffic quantities of synthetic drugs... including ecstacy and "molly." U-S Attorney William Hochul, Junior announced the arrests of both 47 year-old Richard Clarke, a Canadian citizen living in Buffalo... and, 32 year-old Barrett Johnson of Jamestown.
Assistant U-S Attorney Michael Adler... who is handling the case... says federal authorities identified Clarke through surveillance during an investigation that began last March. He was allegedly supplying the two drugs to Johnson at his Buffalo business... Iconz Barbershop on Hertel Avenue. The two were then caught on Elmwood Avenue, where police observed Johnson approaching Clarke’s vehicle, and the two exchanged what appeared to be a blue-colored bottle. During a later raid on Clarke’s Nottingham Terrance residence... officers seized specific amounts of powder molly and ecstasy pills as well as about $13,000 cash. If convicted... both men face up to 20 years in federal prison, and a $1-million fine.
Teresi discusses need for long-term drug rehabilitation facililty in State of City...
The city of Jamestown will continue efforts to root drug dealers out of the city... but, officials are also working with other entities to get more drug rehabilitation services in the community. That from Mayor Sam Teresi in his State of the City Message to the City Council this week. Teresi says he made it clear in last year's address that turning up the heat on drug dealers was a priority for the Jamestown Police Department. He says that hasn't changed... but, he adds they also need to deal better with the "demand side" of the problem. Teresi also adds Jamestown and other communities with the same problem realize they "can't simply arrest their way out" of the drug problem. He says helping those addicts who want and need help needs to be a priority as well. Teresi says they're part of a coalition including county officials, health care providers, and religious organizations working to get much-needed out and in-patient rehabiliation facilities here. City Council President Greg Rabb also outlined some basic goals for rehab faclities in 2016 back on New Year's Day.
Teen snowmobiler killed in accident in Cattaraugus County...
Authorities are investigating the cause of a snowmobiling accident in Cattaraugus County that claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy who was riding with family members earlier this week. State park police say Gabriel Brzezinski of Buffalo was riding a snowmobile in Allegany State Park last Sunday when he lost control and hit a tree in the town of Red House... located on the Pennsylvania state line. A state parks office spokesman says a medical helicopter flew the teen to nearby Olean General Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
JPS District among those in State Comptroller's report in "Moderate" Fiscal Stress...
The head of the Jamestown Public School system says he's not surprised that the district one of 82 in New York state that's in fiscal "stress." State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office reports the city School District is in "Moderate Stress" as of the end of the 2014-2015 Fiscal Year. DiNapoli's office used several financial indicators in ranking the districts. Mains says they're on the list for the second-year in a row... and, it "shouldn't surprise anyone in the community." He says that's because they're trying to do a "whole lot" without enough resources. Mains says those resources are basically not enough State school aid for Jamestown... which is classified by New York as a "high-needs" district. The State Comptroller's office says the financial indicators the use include year-end fund balance, short-term borrowing and patterns of operating deficits. Mains says they've had to make numerous cuts in recent years to balance their budget. However... he says it does validate what they've been telling state officials. Eight districts... including West Seneca in the Buffalo-area... were listed as "Significantly Stressed." Jamestown had a 55-percent score... which listed it as 11th among distircts that were "Moderately Stressed."
