New York state Police are investigating the discovery of two dead bodies found Saturday afternoon and evening...
Troopers in Jamestown say the first was located off State Route 20 in the Town of Portland. Members of their Bureau of Criminal Investigation responded to a report of an unidentified male body located near the highway just after 3:00. Police say the operator of a car traveling on the road found the deceased. About two hours later, a second body was found in the Town of Randolph. Investigators responded to a report of a found unidentified male body located off Swanson Hill Road at 5:15. Local residents there located the deceased and advised law enforcement. Autopsies were scheduled for both bodies to determine the identity and the cause of death. Troopers say no additional information will be released at this time.
A Corry, Pennsylvania man has been arrested for allegedly being found in possession of marihuana with intent to selll during a traffic stop early yesterday morning in the town of Mina...
Chautauqua County Sheriff's officers say they pulled over a vehicle, driven by 24 year-old Dakota Lindstrom, for a violation on Route 426 shortly after 1:00. Further investigation led to a vehicle search by Sheriff's K-9 Link who found the passenger, 26 year-old Patrick Thompson, in possession of eight ounces of pot, and drug paraphernalia. Thompson is charged with third-degree criminal possession of marijuana, while deputies also arrested Lindstrom for having an inadequate muffler, and no stop lights. Both men were issued appearance tickets for Mina Town Court at a later date.
A city man was arrested on a felony court warrant following a foot chase yesterday evening...
Just before 4 p.m., Jamestown Police say they attempted to make contact with 23 year-old Claude Wine-junior at the intersection of Winsor and Willard Streets. Upon officers stopping, Wine allegedly ran off leading them on a foot pursuit before being caught behind a residence on Allen Street. Once in custody, officers found him to be in possession of a small amount of cannabis. Wine faces additional charges of obstruction and unlawful possession of marijuana. He's being held in city jail pending arraignment.
Chautauqua County's Assemblyman says he voted against some of the key bills in a package of measures to help make it easier for voters to take part in elections...
The state legislature's lower house again approved the measures last week, including one that would allow advanced voting up to seven days before an election. Jamestown-area Republican Andy Goodell says he voted against that measure, largely because studies have shown that early voting does not result in more people participating.
Goodell adds there's also a fairness issue with early voting, which he says favors incumbants. He adds that there would be fewer poll sites open, which would favor the party with the largest majority in those areas. However, he does say that he supports the idea of on-line registration because there are now safeguards in place to make sure signatures are accurate. Goodell says while he doesn't support early voting, he does support a proposal to make absentee voting more flexible. However, he says that could add to the time needed to decide some elections. Similar bills have so far been blocked by the GOP-led state Senate.
In New York state government news, two upcoming special elections in the Bronx and Westchester County could decide which party controls the state Senate...
Republicans now have a one-seat majority in the chamber, meaning Democrats could take over the Senate if they win both of Tuesday's special elections. But, the math is complicated by Democratic Senator Simcha Felder, of Brooklyn, who currently sits with the Republicans. Democrats hope he returns if they can win both seats. In Westchester, Democrat Shelley Mayer faces Republican Julie Killian, while in the Bronx, Democrat Luis Sepulveda faces Republican Patrick Delices. Meanwhile, Cynthia Nixon says she'll release her tax returns as soon as they're done. The "Sex and the City" star-turned gubernatorial candidate filed an extension this year. Cuomo released his taxes on Tax Day.
A new report says high rents are threatening families' financial security and putting home ownership out of reach for many...
The analysis from the Pew Charitable Trusts says since the Great Recession, the number of households paying more than 30-percent of their pre-tax income in rent has grown. Director Erin Currier with Pew's Family Financial Security and Mobility Project, says 43-million American families now rent their homes, a number that has been growing in recent years.
Currier says in 2015, 38-percent of all renter households were "rent burdened." That's an increase of about 19-percent since 2001. Rent-burdened households often suffer other forms of financial insecurity. Currier says almost two-thirds have less then $400 cash in the bank, and half have less than $10 in savings, while the typical homeowner has more than 7-thousand dollars in the bank. The Pew report says policy makers should consider ways to make renting a home affordable for the 17-million rent-burdened American families.
State lawmakers in New York are examining a legislative proposal to give terminally ill people the right to seek life-ending medication from their physician...
The Assembly's Health Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the measure Monday in Albany. A second hearing is planned for May 3 in New York City. A proposal now before lawmakers would require two doctors to sign off on the use of life-ending medication. It has been proposed for years but has yet to receive a vote in the Legislature. Colorado, Washington, Vermont, California, Oregon and Washington, D.C., have laws allowing people to seek a doctor's help in ending their life.
