Community Spotlight, the area's longest running local public affairs radio program, airs on all six Media One Radio Group stations each weekend and is also available to hear in our Podcast Section.  Each week we sit down with a community leader or another special guest to talk about issues within our community.  


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Connect with The National Weather Service's Buffalo Office or with WGRZ-TV for accurate weather information!

 

 

 


 

WJTN News Headlines

 

A mid-evening blast of Arctic air brought some additional lake effect snow to the Jamestown-area... but, the bitterly cold temperatures and wind continued through the overnight hours.  The frigid air will remain through today. That from Forecaster Dave Zaff with the National Weather Service... who said we would see about another 1 to-3 inches of the white stuff overnight... bringing the total to about 9 to 13 inches since the warning took effect. Zaff says the strong winds remain a concern for everyone... and, will cause blowing and drifting snow through mid-morning  He says temperatures will still be quite cold today... but, adds that we'll see a warm-up early Saturday.  The high Saturday will reach the low 40s to about 45 degrees.  Zaff there was a wide range of snowfall from overnight and early Thursday morning.  He says they had a report late yesterday morning of 10 inches of new snow near Jamestown... and, 7 inches in Randolph and Little Valley.

 

A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly entering an eastside apartment, and stealing jewelry and other items inside.  City police were called to the scene at 20 East Fifth Street about 4 PM Wednesday... and, found 19 year-old Charles Thomas, Junior inside.  Officers say the victim told officers that she was returning home when she saw Thomas leaving her apartment with the stolen items which belonged to her.  Police say they later found Thomas -- still inside the building -- with the stolen items.  He was arrested on charges of second-degree burglary, and petty larceny.  Thomas was arraigned and sent to the county jail without bail.

 

While Democratic lawmakers in other states are focused on presenting a united front against President-elect Donald Trump... those in New York have been mired in a debate over raising their own salaries.  State legislators in New York now make $79-thousand-500 dollars, the nation's third-highest legislative salary.  They haven't seen an increase in 17 years, and many say the salary hasn't kept up.  Top lawmakers may call a lame-duck session this month to authorize an increase, with figures of 100-thousand dollars or more under discussion.  Governor Andrew Cuomo says lawmakers should do more by addressing corruption or funding a new hate crimes task force.  Democrats elsewhere are focused on Trump.  California Democrats huddled to talk strategy a week after their party's big defeat, and lawmakers are crafting bills aimed at protecting immigrants from deportation.

 

Our frigid weather led to a slow-start for the fourth-annual Community Holiday Haul at the Jamestown Cycle Shop in Brooklyn Square.  Jamestown Community College Athletic Director Keith Martin is again holding his annual food and money drive for the Christmas Season to benefit the St. Susan's Center.  Martin tells us late yesterday that he'll be back in his tent at the Cycle Shop from 6 AM to 7 PM tonight... and, 7 to 3 on Saturday.  Despite the tough conditions... Martin is very optimistic about this year's effort. Martin says he'll be back in the tent at 6 AM tomorrow... and, be there until 7 PM.  He says the people stopping by to make donations helps the time go by... and, keep him warm.  Martin says he does this because the need is so great each year, and this year is no exception.  He says there are some items St. Susan's needs in particular... including 100-percent fruit juices, and healthy cereals for breakfast.  Martin adds that money is important because St. Susan's can buy seven-dollars worth of food with just a dollar.  In the first three-years of the Community Holiday Haul.... Martin says the effort has raised just over 30-thousand dollars... and, generated just over 11-tons of food.

 

Manufacturers in New York state expanded more quickly this month than in November, driven by a big jump in new orders.  The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says its Empire State index rose to a reading of 9 in December... that's up from 1.5 in the previous month.  Anything above zero signals that factories are doing more business.  The figures add to other evidence that manufacturing is rebounding after a rough 18 months.  Businesses have been clearing out their stockpiles of unsold goods and spending less on machinery and equipment, which have lowered factory output.  Yet nationwide surveys in the past two months suggest manufacturing is growing again, if slowly.  Still, a gauge of employment fell to minus-12.2, from minus-10.9, which means factories cut jobs last month.

 


The American Red cross is joining forces with the north county city of Dunkirk to install free smoke detectors.  Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas and Fire Chief Mike Edwards were joined by representatives of the Red Cross for an announcement of the free program at Dunkirk City Hall late this week.  Rosas says the program will save lives.
Edward says members of the fire department will help install the smoke detectors and provide important fire safety information to families.  He says the fire department will visit the families that want it... and, help install them in the home.  They'll also help in developing a fire escape plan.  It's part of an effort to reduce the number of fire-related deaths and injuries by 25 percent over five years.  City residents can sign up online at redcross.org.

 

A meeting between state and federal highway officials regarding New York's "I Love NY" highway signs ended with no resolution to the dispute.  Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau met with state Transportation Commissioner Matthew Driscoll in Washington on Tuesday to discuss New York's refusal to take down the 514 tourism signs.  Both parties opted to create a "working group" that will examine the issue at some undetermined point in the future.  FHA officials say the signs don't comply with federal regulations.  The agency wants New York state to remove the tourism promotion signs.  The state has also been asked to cease all over-the-counter sales at its new rest stop on the Long Island Expressway.  State Department of Transportation officials contend that both the signs and the store's sales are legal.

 

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation says 59 vehicles crashed in a snowy pileup along a western Pennsylvania super-highway, and three people were hurt.  PennDOT spokesman Jim Carroll says 22 tractor-trailers and 37 cars are involved in the crash on Interstate 80 near DuBois in Jefferson County.  The county's director of emergency services, Tracy Zents, says the three suffered minor to moderate injuries and were transported to hospitals.  The crash was one of three that shut down different stretches of I-80 in the western part of the state.  Lake effect snow bands were being blamed for slick roads and poor visibility.  A jack-knifed tractor-trailer caught fire in Mercer County near the Ohio border.  Another crash closed a separate stretch of the highway.