Employees of the 23 Friendly's ice cream and restaurant chain stores across the Northeast that closed early Monday will be offered jobs at other locations, or offered severance pay.......
That from Chief Executive Officer George Michel late Tuesday after 14 franchises in the upstate region -- including Jamestown -- shut-down with no prior notice. The Wilbraham, Massachusetts-based company cited dramatic changes in the areas where some restaurants are located for the closures of the corporate-owned shops. In addition to the 14 upstate restaurants, three more in Massachusetts, three in Connecticut, two in New Hampshire, and one in Maine also closed. Michel says the closures "will best position the brand for a bright future." Friendly's now has 174 restaurants - 77 corporate-owned and 97 franchisee-owned - down from 254 when the company emerged from bankruptcy in 2012.
Local Congressman Tom Reed says it's "not net neutrality..." it's basically a government take-over of the Internet.....
That's how the Corning Republican is charactorizing a Democratic bill slated for a vote later this week in the House of Representatives. Reed was highly-critical Tuesday of the Democratic Majority's proposed "Save the Internet Act of 2019." He says it's heavy-handed, and would regulate the net like a utility under the Communication's Act of 1934.
Under the Democratic proposal... the three "bright line" rules of the Open Internet Order are restored... No blocking of access to lawful content... no throttling of Internet speeds, exclusive of reasonable network management practices and, thirdly, no paid prioritization. Reed says he is supporting the Republican-backed Promoting Internet Freedom and Innovation Act of 2019, proposed by Washington State Representative Cathy McMorris-Rogers, which also includes those three rules and, not as many regulations to provide a "competitive marketplace" he says will provide Internet access in rural areas. Reed says the Democratic bill would block future innovation, such as "5G" by requiring federal lawmakers to approve each new technology.
Chautauqua County's Congressman says he is willing to wait for Attorney General William Barr's expected release of a redacted version of the special counsel's Russia investigation report.....
Barr yesterday told members of a House Committee that the report would be out "within a week." Local Congressman Tom Reed says he expects Barr to be true to his word.
Reed is not on the appropriations committee that hosted the hearing, which was mainly to review the Department of Justice's proposed budget to 2019-2020. Barr told members of Congress at his first public appearance since receiving special counsel Robert Mueller's report that his earlier projection of releasing a version of the document by mid-April still stood.
A Jamestown woman has pleaded guilty to possessing and trafficking significant amounts of methamphetimine in the city from late 2017 through mid-2018....
U-S Attorney James Kennedy, Junior says 39 year-old Stacie Yancer entered the plea before U-S District Court Judge Lawrence Vilardo Monday. Prosecutors say that between November 2017 and mid-June of last year, Yancer conspired with others to operate a drug trafficking organization -- primarily involving methamphetamine -- in the Jamestown-area. She was accused of selling meth to an undercover agent with the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force in January of 2018 and, she was arrested during a raid at 22 Bassett Street on March 12th of 2018. Yancer was one of 14 people arrested, and the second to be convicted. She faces 5-years to life in prison, and up to a 10-million dollar fine when she's sentenced on August 16th.
Chautauqua County is now trying to move forward on a more united front when it comes to economic development....
That from County Executive George Borrello, who has unveiled his new economic development strategy that pushes collaboration among several entities that are involved in the effort across the county. Borrello calls it a new "alliance" for now... but, adds he wants it to eventually become a county agency.
Borrello says Chautauqua County has had it's successes with economic development but, he hopes bringing these groups and organizations together will help the county "hit home-runs... " as opposed to singles and doubles." He says the county will also use this to help businesses already here to expand, if that's what they are looking to do. Borrello made his comments for this past weekend's "Community Spotlight" program on the six Media One Radio Group stations.
Police in Dunkirk are investigating a shooting that occurred earlier Tuesday morning in the city's First Ward......
Dunkirk Police investigators say a city man was shot while in the area of South Beaver and East Second Streets around 1:55 AM. The man was transported to the hospital for gunshot wounds to his leg. Police are encouraging anyone with information on the shooting to call Dunkirk Police Headquarters at 366-2266.
-------
Dunkirk Police are also looking for the public's assistance in locating a 39-year-old man who is wanted on a felony arrest warrant stemming from a shooting at 92 East Second Street on March 22nd. Police say that Jeremiah Toliver is wanted for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Anyone with information can call Dunkirk Police or the department's confidential tip line at 363-0313.
An Arizona truck driver was arrested by state police following a traveling domestic dispute last weekend....
State police say they pulled over the tractor trailer on Interstate 88 in Colesville and interviewed the couple inside. Investigation revealed that while stopped at the town of Randolph Rest Area, 39 year-old Christopher Raymond allegedly grabbed the victim and struck her head against the interior of the rig, causing a laceration. Troopers say the victim was treated at a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and Raymond was taken into custody. He was arraigned and sent to the Cattaraugus County Jail for third-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree harrassment.
