The investigation continues after a bomb threat was called into Chautauqua Mall, forcing evacutation procedures Tuesday evening....

 

Lakewood-Busti Police say the "Game Stop" store, received a phone call stating, "a man with a camera was coming to the store and he has a bomb," then hung up. Lakewood-Busti K-9 and Sheriff Deputies's K-9 units did a sweep inside and outside the shopping center. The Chautauqua County bomb team was also called in to assist and, further investigation found that the call came from an unidentified juvenile in Ohio. Police say the child admitted to the local police that the phone call was a joke. Ohio State Police and Tallmadge Police assisted with the incident. No charges have been announced at this time. 

 

 

Four Jamestown residents are accused of stealing property from several parked and unlocked cars in the village of Celoron late last week....  

 

Ellicott Police officers were called to a report of suspicious people going through a vehicle late last Friday and, spoke with a witness and several victims.  Police say they determined that four males had been going through the vehicles, and they were arrested on several charges.  They include 34 year-old Gregory Skinner, 17 year-old Robert Gilbert, 21 year-old Michael Johnson and, an unidentified 16 year-old face six counts each of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and one count each of petty larceny and conspiracy.  Johnson and the teen also face minor drug charges.  All four were arraigned and, sent to the county jail with bail to be set.  Police say residents should lock their cars when they're left unattended.

 

 

A Gerry man has been arrested for allegedly being in possession and, trafficking marihuana in the area....  

 

Members of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force have formally arrested 47 year-old Jonathan Barmore in connection with an operation that began in late June.  Task Force members, Chautauqua County Sheriff's officers, and members of the department's SWAT Team, raided Barmore's home at 2638 Elwell Road and arrested the suspect.  Once inside, police say they found a marihuana growing operation, as well as a quantity of drying marihuana.  As a result, Barmore was charged with second-degree criminal possession of Marihuana, and, Unlawfully Growing Cannabis.  Barmore will answer to the charges in the Town of Gerry Court at a later date.  If you see or hear of any suspicious or narcotics related activity, you're asked to call 1-800-344-8702.

 

 

Governor Andrew Cuomo's decision to give conditional pardons to about 24-thousand convicted felons -- now on supervised parole -- is drawing outrage from Republicans -- including local Congressman Tom Reed...  

 

Reed says Cuomo is engaging in an "extremist policy" that will allow those men and women to regain their voting rights.  The Corning Republican says it's especially troubling that nearly 80 sex offenders released in his 23rd District will be allowed to vote in school elections.

 

Reed says convicted sex offender should never be allowed near a school or school setting.  He says he's drafting legislation in an effort to prevent those 24,000 from regaining voting rights.  Cuomo's conditional pardons have been controversial  but, no one moreso than the one for 70-year-old Herman Bell.  Bell was recently approved for parole after serving 40 years for murdering two New York City Police officers when he was a member of the Black Liberation Army.  Bell never expressed any remorse for the deaths.   

 

 

A public roundtable will be held in Jamestown this Thursday, August 9th, at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, beginning at 3 p.m......

 

Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Sam Teresi have jointly announced the session to discuss the upcoming 2020 Census and steps to ensure a full count of all New Yorkers.  Officials says this will be the first in a series of Census-specific regional events to take place across the state in coming months, which will include local stakeholders and U.S. Census Bureau representatives.  The discussion, which will be led by Mayor Teresi and Cuomo's Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Tobe  is open to the public.  Teresi says that prior to the Complete Count effort in 2010, "Census Bureau estimates had the population of Jamestown in the 27,000 to 28,000 range.  When all was said and done, as the results of the Complete Count Committee's work and our enumerators here on the ground, our final 'official' count was just over 31,000."  He adds that having a strong, organized local effort is important for getting as accurate a count as possible."

 

 

City lawmakers will have a special, informal public gathering with Jamestown, Chautauqua County and state representatives taking part at Jamestown's Love Elementary School later this month....  

 

City Councilman Andrew Liuzzo has headed up the effort to bring leaders together to meet with the public outside of city hall and, their offices.  Liuzzo says he's spoken with Jamestown School Superintendent Bret Apthorpe and, has secured the building from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 28.

 

Liuzzo says he has has also spoken with several department heads at city hall, and invited them to attend the "Ask Us" meeting.  He also has invited School Superintendent Apthorpe and other district officials to attend if they can.  Liuzzo says the plan is to hold the meeting outside of Love School if possible.  However, if the weather does not cooperate, it'll be held inside.

 

 

An experienced athletic's executive has been named as the new Executive Director of the Northwest Arena in downtown Jamestown....  

 

Co-President's Kristy Zabrodsky and Dave Leathers with the arena's Board of Directors have announced that former Jamestown Community College Athletic Director and Women's Basketball Coach, Keith Martin, will begin his new duties on August 13th.  Martin just recently retired as JCC's athletic director.  In a joint announcement, Zabrodsky and Leathers say they are "very happy" to reintroduce the director's position at the arena, "especially with all the growth and development occuring in the city and surrounding area."  The Jamestown Rebels will kick-off their inaugural season soon and, a building expansion is planned.  In addition... they add that long-term management employees, Craig Hinderleider and Sue Schiavone, will remain in their respective positions.  Martin has been a six-year member of the arena's board of directors.

 

 

Four people were hurt -- but not seriously -- in a two-vehicle crash in the town of Ellery late Monday afternoon....  

 

Sheriff's officers say the accident occured on Pickard Road as a 16 year-old Cherry Creek teen attempted a U-Turn, which caused a dump truck to strike the driver's side of the vehicle.  Deputies say the collision sent 4 of the 5 occupants in the Sports Utilitiy Vehicle to Westfield Memorial Hospital.  The dump truck driver was not hurt, but the teen was ticketed for moving from lane unsafely and having more than one passenger on a 'DJ' class license.