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WJTN Headlines for Mar. 18, 2019

A young, Cattaraugus County native has the endorsement of the four counties that make up the 57th Senate district, to run for the seat recently vacated by Senator Cathy Young..... 

Chautauqua County Party Chairman Norm Green says 22 year-old Austin Morgan is a Cornell University Spring 2019 candidate for graduation -- with a degree in Human Development. Morgan resides in Freedom and, is currently the co-president and former client manager of a student-run company at Cornell. In a printed release, Cattaraugus County Democratic Chair Frank Puglisi says Austin is "One of those rare people who walks into a room  and instantly gets your attention". It's unclear whether a special election will be held, however, the four county chairs are working to circulate a qualifying designating petition to get Austin Morgan on the ballot. Allegeny Chairman Mike McCormick says "His command of the issues facing the 57th Senate district amazes me. He is extremely intelligent and articulate. Morgan represents the future of our party.  We are proud to back him for this office."

 

 

Quick work by nine south county area fire departments prevented serious damage to a large storage barn on Forest Avenue Extention, just south of Jamestown.... 

Busti Fire Chief Matt Stafford says his crews were called to the scene -- near the intersection of Garfield Road -- about 4 PM Sunday.  He says a neighbor called in the alarm and, says firefighters found smoke coming out of the front of the structure.

Stafford says they called in about eight mutual aid companies, mainly to bring water to the scene due to lack of hydrants in the area.  He says they were able to save the building, and many of the items stored inside.  Stafford says two cars sustained heavy fire damage in the blaze, which was contained inside the building.  No one was hurt.  Busti was joined at the scene by Lakewood, Kiantone, Gerry, Kennedy, Fluvanna, Frewsburg, Celoron and, Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania fire crews.  County emergency services was also on hand.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

 

   

A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly operating his motorcycle drunk and, then throwing his helmet into traffic after it crashed in the town of Stockton.... 

Sheriff's officers say they were called to the scene on Route 60 about 7:20 AM Saturday on a report of a man walking south on the highway, and suspected of being involved in the crash.  Deputies accuse 42 year-old Grant Monroe of hitting a passing vehicle with the bike.... then abandoning it.  Monroe is charged with driving while intoxicated, criminal mischief and parking on pavement.  He was jailed pending arraignment.

 

 

The city of Jamestown's appeal of an arbitration panel's ruling in it's case against the Jamestown Policeman's union should be heard in court this week..... 

That from Mayor Sam Teresi... who says the city is certainly within it's rights to appeal the three-member panel's ruling in favor of the Kendall Club-Police Benevolent Association.  Teresi also tried to clear up confusion over the matter, emphasizing that this is NOT binding arbitration and, either they -- or the union -- could appeal.

Teresi says arbitration is part of state law for municipalities that have professional fire or police departments.  He says the appeal may be heard in State Supreme Court as early as today.  Teresi says that arbitration is allowed under state law and, is not in the City Charter.  He made his comments for this past weekend's "Community Spotlight" program on the six Media One Radio Group stations.

 

 

One of Jamestown's long-standing traditions took place late last Saturday morning in Brooklyn Square...

The sounds of Irish bagpipes could be heard along the Chadakoin River just prior to the annual "Turning of the River green" for St. Patrick's Day. The event was organized again this year by the Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce. 

The chamber turned the river green, with the help of the Board of Public Utilities, much to the delights of dozens of people on the Main Street Bridge, and along the city's Riverwalk.  Jamestown is one of only four communities in the U-S that turns it's river green.  The most well-known, of course, is in Chicago.  Elegant Edibles sold hot chocolate and green-colored cookies and, several merchants offered specials as part of a Leprechaun Crossing program put on by the Chamber.  

 

 

A federal appeals court says former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver can remain free while it decides the merits of his appeal of his public corruption conviction.  The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a one-page order extending bail late Thursday, a day after a three-judge panel heard oral arguments.  Without the order, Silver would have been required to report to prison next week to begin serving his seven-year prison sentence.  The 75-year-old Democrat was sentenced last year after he was charged with collecting nearly $4 million in fees to help a cancer researcher and real estate developers.  Prosecutors said it was understood that Silver would take official actions politically to benefit the researcher and developers.  Two judges, though, seemed skeptical of the evidence during oral arguments.

 

 

Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand has spent more than a month traveling around the country to gauge support for a 2020 presidential campaign, and the New York senator says she's now in the race... 

Gillibrand is joining the dozen-plus contenders, saying in a campaign video that the nation needs "a leader who makes big, bold, brave choices.  Someone who isn't afraid of progress.  That's why I'm running for president."  She says her debut speech as a candidate will come next Sunday in front of the Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York.  Gillibrand has been one of the most forceful critics of the Trump administration.  Using the backdrop of one of President Donald Trump's marquee properties is the latest example of that.

 

 

A long-missing peace pipe tomahawk President George Washington gave to a Seneca leader in the late 18th century has been returned to the tribe in western New York.... 

Washington gave the combination tobacco-smoking pipe and weapon to Cornplanter as the United States negotiated a peace treaty with the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy.  The artifact eventually wound up at the State Museum in Albany, where it remained until being stolen in the late 1940s.  Last year, an anonymous collector returned the artifact to the museum.  Officials there decided to loan it to the Senecas.  Cornplanter's pipe tomahawk was presented Thursday to the Seneca Nation of Indians, who have put the artifact on display in the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum in Salamanca.