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WJTN News Headlines for Feb. 8, 2018

A former Falconer resident accused of trying to kill a Chautauqua County Sheriff's officer during a traffic stop in September of 2016 in the town of Pomfret has been acquitted on three of the four charges against him...  
 
The jury in the trial of 20 year-old Justin Haffa, most recently of Cheektowaga in Erie County, New York, found him guilty of third-degree robbery in the case.  District Attorney Patrick Swanson was disappointed in the outcome because he felt the evidence was there.
 
The most serious charge was first-degree attempted murder.  Swanson acknowledged that this has become on on-going issue for his office.  He says they did have a chance to talk with the jury afterwards, and he says it seems that some jurors now have unrealistic expectations of prosecutors. 
 
Swanson says the jury did indicate that they couldn't convict Haffa on the first-degree robbery charge because they weren't able to recover the knife he allegedly used in the attack on Deputy Sara Cunningham.  Haffa did admit to police that he was high on drugs when the incident occured, but said he never intendend to kill Cunningham.  He faces 2.6 to seven years in State Prison when he's sentenced sometime in April.
 
 
 
It was a packed house during last night's legislative public hearing regarding the Jones-Carroll Landfill held by the state Department of Environmental Conservation in Frewsburg High School's auditorium... 
 
Local residents and elected officials took to the podium to share their feelings about the latest proposal by Sealand Waste. Chairman of the Chautauqua County Legislature P.J. Wendel noted that the construction of a new landfill is not necessary. 
 
In a similar fashion, County Executive George Borrello spoke his opposition to the landfill on behalf of the executive branch. Local residents expressed their exhaustion in fighting against the landfill. Others spoke of safety concerns regarding traffic and water quality. The permit-proposal by Sealand Waste for the landfill has been in dispute for almost 14 years. 
 
 
 
Congressional members have been working together on a plan to at least fund the federal government through March 23 and possibly two years...  
 
That from local Congressman Tom Reed, who say's he's confident that a government shutdown will be averted this time around.  The Corning Republican says he feels the Senate has given serious consideration to the funding bill that passed the House Tuesday night and they were included in the two-year plan.
 
The Senate approved the plan Wednesday afternoon, and he feels they'll avoid the possibility of a shut-down at Midnight tonight.  Reed says there was bi-partisan support for many of the provisions contained the House bill.  At this point, Congress will have to rush to pass a budget measure in both chambers before the Midnight deadline.
 
 
 
The state's high school graduation rate edged above 80 percent in 2017, but black and Hispanic students graduated at much lower rates than white students...  
 
New York state education officials say black, Hispanic and white students all made small gains in the four-year graduation rate, but a 20-point gap exists between white students and their minority peers.  Data released Wednesday shows the overall June graduation rate was 80.2 percent.  That's up from 79.7 percent in 2016.  Students in poorer urban districts also continue to lag behind. 
 
 
 
Officials at Jamestown Community College plan to sell more excess property the college has near it's main campus on Falconer Street on the city's eastside...  
 
The college is asking the city council for permission to sell eight acres of the approximately 50 acres it acquired from the Coan Family five years ago at 2835 Curtis Street Extension.  Council Finance Committee Chairman Tony Dolce says JCC had planned to use the home on the land for an Alumni House and reception location; however, he says the plans changed.
 
Dolce says there's also a single pole-barn also located on the property, which JCC officials are asking $300,000 for.  Council President Marie Carrubba is also a member of the JCC Board of Trustees... and, says -- though -- that using it for college activities didn't work out.  She says the facility would require some work first because it doesn't have a sewer hook-up.  The property, which is located in the town of Ellicott, has a septic system.  Both the city council, and the Chautauqua County Legislature must approve the sale because both are sponsors of the college.
 
 
 
A defense lawyer is attacking the credibility of the government's star witness in the trial of a former top aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo...  
 
Attorney Barry Bohrer on Wednesday defended longtime Cuomo confidante Joseph Percoco by highlighting lies and crimes committed by the government's key witness, Todd Howe.  Howe and Percoco were close friends for three decades before Howe pleaded guilty to multiple crimes and began cooperating with prosecutors against Percoco.  Percoco has pleaded not guilty to charges he accepted over $300,000 in bribes from an energy consultant and two real estate developers.  Bohrer began his cross examination by asking Howe if he is an honest man.  Howe said he is today.  But, he admitted to years of dishonesty and crimes.
 
 
 
A Cattaraugus County woman faces several charges -- including a couple of Felonies -- for alleged Welfare Fraud...  
 
Sheriff's officers in Little Valley say 42 year-old Linda Tally is accused of falsely claiming another person was living in her household, which resulted in her fraudulently receiving just over $3,411.  Tally, who turned herself in last Monday, faces felony charges of third-degree welfare fraud and grand larceny and four counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing.  She is to appear in Olean City Court next Tuesday morning.