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WJTN News Headlines for Mar. 21, 2018

Local Congressman Tom Reed supports President Trump's call to strengthen criminal penalties for the trafficking of deadly opioids such as Heroin and Fentanyl -- including possible use of the death penalty...  
 
Reed also agrees with the idea of using some drug asset forefeiture monies to help pay for treating those with addiction.  The Corning Republican says it's part of the Help Ensure Lives are Protected -- or HELP Act -- that he has proposed. Reed additionally agrees that it's time to go after major pharmacutial makers who are found guilty of "super-saturating" certain areas of the country with opioid pain-killers.  He says he likes the idea of taking at least some of the drug forefeiture assets seized during raids to help treat the addicts left in the wake of the Opioid epidemic.  He agrees law enforcement should have some of that money, but he feels using some to pay for treatment is a "very sound idea."  Reed made his comments during his weekly telephone conference call with Southern Tier Media.
 
 
New York State Police are investigating a tractor-trailer collision that left one person dead on Interstate-86 early Tuesday morning...  
 
Troopers say the collision occurred in the eastbound lane in the Allegany County town of Cuba just before 5:30.  Police say their investigation shows that a 1987 tractor-trailer was disabled partially in the roadway.  The operator, 41 year-old Kyle Willis of Dorset, Ohio, was outside the rig trying to make repairs when both he and the rig were struck by another eastbound tractor-trailer.  Troopers say Willis was transported to Olean General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. 
 
 
The nearly 20 people on hand at Monday's Jamestown City Council meeting to press for using half of drug forefeiture monies for local drug addiction treatment programs found a sympathetic ear.  However, the fact remains that there isn't enough local money to put towards such programs...  
 
Following the meeting, City Council President Marie Carrubba addressed the issue.  Carrubba has worked with the local Health Action Team dealing with the issue and says probably the place to start is Chautauqua County, because it puts funding towards a number of mental health issues.  Carrubba says New York state is "really where the money gets allocated" for drug treatment.  With that, she urged members of the "Fight for Recovery" movement to contact State Senator Cathy Young and Assemblyman Andy Goodell about the issue.  She says part of the problem is people sometimes have to go through recovery two or three times before it takes hold and, that costs more money.  Carrubba echoed the sentiments of at-large Councilwoman Vanessa Weinert, who says it's part of the health insurance coverage debate because some insurances cover treatment, and others don't as well.
 
 
Fredonia Mayor Athenesia Landis has delivered a no tax increase budget to the village board that adds seven new employees...  
 
The tentative, $10.4-million spending plan, was presented during Monday night's board meeting.  Landis is proposing the hiring of three full-time and four part-time employees to help with reducing overtime costs. The mayor is also seeking an increase in state aid from Albany.  As a comparison, Dr. Landis says Fredonia and other villages receive much less funding from Albany than cities such as Dunkirk.  She says they only get $7.90-a person.  However, if they got $100 (still lower than cities get) she could lower taxes by 15-20%.  The budget calls for a 3.9% increase in spending.  Trustees will now review the proposal with a final budget due by early May.  
 
 
It was Jamestown Raider State Champions Day in the city Tuesday...  
 
Mayor Sam Teresi issued the proclamation at Monday night's City Council meeting while honoring the Jamestown Raiders AAU State Championship hockey team.  The Raiders recently won the state High School Championships played at the Northwest Arena.  Teresi not only honored the players, but the people who supported them through-out an outstanding season.
 
The Raiders went undefeated -- winning five games during championship weekend -- and team members were praised for their hard-work and sacrifice during the entire season.  Head Coach Joe Gerace echoed the mayor's sentiments, and especially singled out the parents who stood behind their sons, and the team through "thick and thin."  Teresi gave the team a copy of the proclamation, as well as a framed copy of the front page story in the Jamestown Post-Journal.  They also received a pin and pen from the city.  The Raiders hockey team finished it's season 23-4-1.
 
 
Former "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon says she'll challenge Governor Cuomo in New York's Democratic primary in September...  
 
Her announcement sets up a race pitting an openly gay liberal activist against a two-term incumbent with a $30-million dollar war chest and possible presidential ambitions.  In a video on Twitter, the public education advocate says "We want our government to work again."  Nixon in recent speeches has called on Democrats nationally to carve out a strong liberal identity instead of being merely the "anti-Trump party."  The 60 year-old Cuomo was favored 66% to 19% over Nixon in a recent Siena College poll.
 
 
New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon says one of the reasons she's running in the Democratic primary against Governor Andrew Cuomo is because of the poor condition of New York City's subway system...  
 
She experienced that firsthand on Tuesday as she was on her way to her first official campaign event in Brooklyn after announcing her candidacy the day before.  The liberal activist and "Sex and the City" actress told the crowd at the Bethesda Healing Center that she just made it to the event.  She said a ride which should have been 30 minutes took vastly longer. 
 
 
Jamestown residents are seeing a price decrease at the pump this week for the first time in nearly two months, according to AAA's weekly gas price report... 
 
Even though New York gas prices's are among the most expensive in the region (and land on list of the top-10 most expensive in the country this week), the cost for a gallon of regular, unleaded fuel dropped to $2.71.  Nationally, AAA says gasoline demand is at the highest level on record for March. The national gas price average is $0.26 higher than this time last year, at $2.55.