Our Spring like conditions the past two days did produce some record warmth across western New York yesterday. The National Weather Service late Thursday reported that both Buffalo and Rochester tied or set records. That from Forecaster Aaron Reynolds... who says -- overall -- it was a record or near record day across much of the northeastern U-S. Here in the immediate Jamestown-area... the mercury reached about 71-degrees early Wednesday afternoon at the Media One studios before a heavy cloud cover... in advance of a frontal system... moved in. Both New York City and Philadephia also reached the 70-degree mark Wednesday. It'll be rainy... and, we'll be hard pressed to reach 60 today. However... temperatures will remain above normall for the next few days.
Our unseasonably warm weather has further thinned and weakened the ice on Chautauqua Lake... leading to two ice fishermen falling into the water Tuesday afternoon. With that... Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace is urging people to stay off the lake. However... Gerace is also reiterating that he will never say the ice is safe. He says -- even in ideal conditions -- you can never guarantee the ice is stable. Sheriff's officers were called to the scene -- near Chautauqua Institution -- just after 3:30 PM on a report of two people in the water. Deputies say 57 year-old Mike Cooney of Austin, Pennsylvania was able to pull himself out of the water, and back onto the ice. Officers say the other man, 79 year-old Jim Moore of Emporium, Pennsylvania was wearing a life jacket... and, with Cooney's help... was able to hang onto the ice until he was rescued by fire rescuers. At the same time... Gerace says it's "selfish" to put first-responder's lives at risk also. Both Moore and Cooney were taken to Westfield Hospital for treatment of hypothermia.
A Jamestown man accused of being part of a drive-by shooting in the Tops Market parking lot on Washington Street last Summer has pled guilty to first-degree assault. Acting Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson tells the Jamestown Post-Journal that 23 year-old Alexander Jewell entered the plea last week in County Court. Jewell is accused -- along with 31 year-old Michael Robinson -- of driving by the unidentified victim -- and shooting the person twice. The victim was in critical condition for several days following the incident last July 24th. Swanson says a first-degree attempted murder charge was dropped as part of a plea deal. However... he says Jewell faces up to 10 years in state prison... and, five years post-release supervision. He's to be sentenced next April 18th. We were unable to reach Swanson for comment.
A city man has been arrested for allegedly being drunk when he lost control of his car early yesterday morning... and, it struck a utility pole on Jamestown's eastside. City Police were called to the scene at the corner of Willard Street and Willow Avenue shortly before 5 AM for an accident. Officers say they learned that 53 year-old Donald Hatch was driving the vehicle... and, had been taken to WCA Hospital for treatment. Police say they spoke with Hatch... and, determined that he was intoxicated at the time. He's charged with driving while intoxicated, and moving from lane unsafely. Officers say he was issued appearance tickets... and, released.
Dunkirk Police say they arrested three men this past Tuesday morning on a number of drug and weapon possession charges in the north county city. Dunkirk Police Chief Dave Ortolano says officers saw a vehicle occupied by several males acting suspiciously on Lake Shore Drive West shortly after midnight. An investigation led to the seizure of a large rock of cocaine, a small amount of marijuana, and a set of metal knuckles. Officers also confiscated a large dagger, a realistic looking semi-automatic BB gun, a crack pipe, and other assorted drug paraphernalia. Ortolano says the suspects -- 19-year-old Joshua Heimerl of Angola, 21-year-old Jesse Nahrebeski of Silver Creek, and 20-year-old Jesse Silvagnia of Silver Creek -- are facing a number of charges. That includes unlawful possession of drugs. One also faces a charge of criminal possession of a weapon. Ortolano say all three were arraigned in Dunkirk City Court... and, sent to the county jail on 10-thousand dollars cash bail.
A proposal to set aside 30-million dollars to fight the heroin epidemic in New York state has been announced by the state Assembly. The measure would expand prevention, treatment and recovery efforts around the state, with a special focus on areas and populations that are considered underserved by current programs. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Bronx Democrat, says it has become clear that state leaders must ``step up our game'' in response to the scourge of heroin and opiate addiction. The proposal unveiled Tuesday will be included in the Assembly's budget proposal. A final state budget is expected to be negotiated in the coming weeks by Heastie, Republican Senate Leader John Flanagan and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat.
A Grand Valley, PA man faces a number of charges after he ran his car into a garage in Eldred Township. Pennsylvania State Police were called to the scene at State Route 27 and Eldred Center Road Just before 9:30pm Monday in reference to someone driving erraticaly. When officers arrived they allegedly found 19 year old Kyle Bedow had intentionally drove his vehicle off the road and struck a garage. Damage is estimated at 50 thousand dollars. Bedow faces a number of charges including Criminal Mischief, and recklessly endangering another person.
The Republican leaders of the New York Senate want to cut middle-class income taxes by 3.5-billion dollars as part of a larger tax relief proposal they say would also help seniors and small businesses. The proposal unveiled Wednesday faces challenges in the Assembly, where Democratic leaders support raising taxes on millionaires while giving middle- and lower-class taxpayers more modest relief. When fully phased-in the Senate plan would reduce income taxes for 5-million middle-class taxpayers by 25 percent. Seniors would receive $275-million in relief... and, small businesses would get another $494-million in new exemptions. Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan of Long Island says lower taxes would benefit average New Yorkers and the state's entire economy. The proposal now becomes a part of ongoing negotiations over Governor Andrew Cuomo's $145 billion budget plan.
Americans on both sides of the political aisle are remembering former First Lady Nancy Reagan... who passed away last Sunday at the age of 94. Mrs. Reagan's body is lying in repose at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California for the next two days. One of the area's leaders... current Congressman Tom Reed -- says Mrs. Reagan -- and, her late husband and former President Ronald Reagan -- were "icons" in American. Reed made his comments during his weekly Media conference call. He expressed his condolences to the Cornell University family on the death of President Elizabeth Garrett... who died this past weekend from Colon Cancer. Garrett was 52... and, had just become Cornell's first woman president last July 1st. Reed calls her death "tragic."
