Fire has destroyed the Trillium Lodge in Cherry Creek.
The Jamestown Post Journal reports that around 100 firefighters from 14 companies battled the blaze Monday afternoon. The initial call was sent out at 5:45pm for the report of "smoke with flames showing".
Firefighters faced some unique challenges including the possibility of electric lines coming down across Main Street in Cherry Creek and nearby propane and gasoline tanks at Noco Energy. The Trillium Lodge was closed on Mondays.
No major problems have been reported due to yesterday's severe thunderstorms that passed through the Jamestown-area.
However there were some downed trees and power lines. At one point late Monday afternoon National Grid reported about 700 customers in Chautauqua County were without power.
Forecaster Jim Mitchell with the National Weather Service says it was a fast-moving storm with gusty winds. With a cold front having passed through the region Mitchell says cooler air from Canada is moving in and, we'll be cold and damp for the next several days.
After a wetter than normal March and April Mitchell says that trend is continuing into the month of May. So far he says we've seen the rainfall deficits from last year "completely erased."
Mitchell says it appears that Thursday and Friday will be the days where the rainstorms will be more likely and, we won't see much in the way of drier weather until the middle of next week.
Two Jamestown brothers have been indicted on federal drug charges for allegedly trying to traffic a large amount of Methamphetime and, maintaining a "drug-involved" premises.
Acting U-S Attorney James Kennedy, Junior announced late Monday that a federal grand jury had returned a three-count indictment against 32 year-old Beau Jones and, his 30 year-old brother, Matthew. Kennedy says both are charged with one count each of narcotics conspiracy possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of Meth, and maintaining a drug-involved premises.
Assistant U-S Attorney Laura Higgins, who is handling the case, says both men were arrested last December 1st after a shipment of more than 360 grams of methamphetamine was mailed to Beau Jones’ home at 70 Colfax Street. Shortly after the delivery Higgins says Beau Jones was arrested during a vehicle stop and, the parcel containing the meth was discovered in the backseat of his vehicle.
She says Matthew Jones was arrested later that day during a separate car stop. A safe was found in the trunk of his car containing another approximately 80 grams of Meth. Higgins says the charges carry a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 10-million dollars. Both men were arraigned Monday and are being held without bail.
A Westfield man is being treated for serious injuries after his motorcycle crashed about mid-evening Sunday on Route 20 in the town of Ripley.
State Police in Fredonia say a trooper's marked patrol car was passed by the motorcycle which was traveling at a high rate of speed just after 9 PM on a double-solid line. Trooper's say the 45 year-old operator then failed to negotiate a slight curve in the road and ,struck a guiderail.
The unidentified man was then ejected from his motorcycle and came to rest in a field adjacent to the roadway. He was flown to a Youngstown, Ohio hospital where he is listed in critical condition. The State Police investigation into this accident is continuing.
Five people including two incumbants are running for three seats on the Jamestown School Board in the May 16th school board elections.
The district has announced the candidates, who received at least 100 valid signatures on petitions they've circulated. The incumbants include current Board President Paul Abbott, and Shelly Leathers.
Current Board member Thomas Pope has decided not to run for re-election. Abbott says he "enjoys the opportunity to be involved in decision-making" that has a positive impact on the district, and it's students.
In addition to Abbott and Leathers a former board member and president Christine Schnars is running for the board again. Schnars served on the panel for 25 years until she ran unsuccessfully for re-election a few years ago.
There are also two newcomers running for the school board May 16th. They are Fannell Leeper who along with her daughters are JHS alumni. She is retired from The Resource Center. The fifth candidate is Frank Galeazzo who is currently Information Services Manager at the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities. He is also a member of the Jamestown City Council P-T-S-A.
The Excelsior Scholarship, New York's new, free tuition program could be a real boon for students at Jamestown Community College.
JCC's Vice-President for Enrollment Management and Institutional Advancement, Kirk Young, says a significant number of current students fall under the $100,000 income cap. Young is quick to add that JCC's popular USA scholarship will still be needed.
The USA program offers free tuition to the top 20% of area high school graduates who choose JCC. Given a choice between USA and Excelsior, Kirk Young says some students might take the USA scholarhip, which, unlike Excelsior has no residency requirement.
This is the time that many high school seniors are making college decisions, but he says full detail on the new state scholarship won't be available until sometime later in the month. The Higher Education Services Corporation is handling the new Excelsior Scholarship. Links to their website are available at SunyJCC.edu.
Increased recycling, greater reliance on renewable energy and less use of copy paper have saved New York state government nearly 20-million over five years.
Governor Andrew Cuomo's office released a list of savings Friday that it says are the result of efforts to reduce the state's environmental impact. Since 2011 the state has reduced its use of copy paper by 35%.
It's also increased the recycling of debris from transportation projects, invested in greater renewable energy and expanded its use of recycled products. Cuomo says the state is "leading the nation" by reducing state government waste and saving tax dollars while it protects the environment.
A hunting accident early yesterday morning in the town of Cherry Creek sent a teenager to the hospital for treatment of a birdshot wound.
State Police in Jamestown say they wre called to the scene on Pickup Hill Road about 6:30 AM. Troopers say two parties were turkey hunting in the vicinity of each other on private property at which time one party allegedly fired at a turkey. Police say part of the discharged round struck a member of the other hunting party in the torso.
Troopers say the 17 year-old victim was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released. The shooter has been identified and the investigation is ongoing.
New York is giving more than one-million dollars to a group of farms in an effort to boost the state's Grown & Certified program.
The money is available through the Environmental Protection Fund and will be split among 29 farms. The state program assures consumers the food they're buying is local and produced by farms enrolled in an environmental management program.
Orleans County in the Finger Lakes region is getting the lion's share of the funding. Ten farms will split nearly $415,000, while six farms in Saratoga County will divvy up $223,000.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the funding on Friday to coincide with Earth Week. The hope is to help more farmers adopt green practices.
