Warren man arrested for alleged rape of juvenile in Ashville...
A Warren, Pennsylvania man has been arrested in Ashville for allegedly raping a juvenile victims between August and December of 2017. Sheriff's officers responded to a call on Kortwright Road late last week for a "suspicious situation..." and arrested 24 year-old Steven Jackson of South State Street. Deputies say Jackson allegedly engaged in sex acts with the victim, and a warrant was issued. He was arraigned on one count each of first-degree rape and sexual abuse... and, sent to the county jail without bail.
Eades entering final week as director of Reg Lenna Center for the Arts...
The opportunity to go back into working in theater in a university-setting was too strong of a draw for the outgoing director at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts. That's why Kathleen Eades, who had headed up the Reg for the past five years, has accepted a new post at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. Eades is into her final week at the Jamestown theater organization... and, says she will miss center... but, is excited about the future. She says she has "always enjoyed" working with students in theater in a "university setting." Eades was hired in 2014 when the Reg Lenna Civic Center was combined with the Arts Council of Chautauqua County... and, became the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts. She says she's really enjoyed her tenure... and, moving the program forward. That's included a $4.5-million renovation project that was completed at the end of last year that has allowed them to host more events. Eades says the center itself hosts about 150 to 160 events a year. Her final day is this Friday... and, the Reg Lenna board has begun the search for a new director.
Weekend events in Chautauqua County "Step Up" and "Harmony Harvest Festival" enjoy Summer like weather...
The Jamestown area saw a superb end to summer, and several organizations and events benefitted. Among them, the Harvest Festival put on by the Harmony Historical Society at Blockville. President Lyn Nagel spoke with our Dennis Webster on Sunday, and says you couldn't have asked for better weather and they had a "great crowd." The new scavenger hunt and the horsedrawn rides were some of the popular parts of the Harvest Testival. Meantime... the Step Up for Autism walk at the Resource Center had great participation. That from Community Relations Director Steve Waterson, who says well over 100 people attended the event. The money raised by Step Up benefits persons on the autism spectrum and others with disabilities.
In Albany... Cuomo -- for the moment -- drops plan for replacing License Plates...
In New York state government news, Governor Andrew Cuomo has dropped -- for now -- a plan to force motorists to replace all license plates that are more than 10 years old. The proposal ran into immediate opposition from lawmakers, many of them upstate Republicans, who called it a money grab. It costs $25 to replace a license plate in New York. Cuomo had said old plates needed to be replaced because they get damaged and can't by read by police or the highway cameras the state now uses in many places to collect tolls. Cuomo now says he'll work with lawmakers to find a solution. Meanwhile, Cuomo has signed legislation setting the state's presidential primary on April 28th.
Cuomo signs Rape statute extension for second and third-degree rape...
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill extending the statute of limitations for second and third-degree rape. The Democratic governor was joined by actresses Mira Sorvino and Julianne Moore as well as activists from the group Time's Up as he signed the measure at his Manhattan office Wednesday. The new law extends the statute of limitations from five years to 20 years for second-degree rape and from five years to 10 years for third-degree rape. Second and third-degree rape can be charged under New York law when a victim cannot consent to sex either because of age or incapacity. Sorvino has spoken before about being a survivor of date rape. She said every time someone stands up to "rape culture" it means "we stand up for all of us."
Rochester may not be only Catholic Diocese in New York to seek bankruptcy protection...
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester was the first in New York to seek bankruptcy protection under the weight of new sexual misconduct lawsuits, but lawyers and church leaders say it may not be the last. All eight of the state's dioceses face financial pressures under the state Child Victims Act. The law gives victims of child sex abuse a year to pursue even decades-old claims. More than 400 cases have been brought against dioceses in the first month. Representatives from the dioceses of Buffalo, Rockville Centre, Albany and Ogdensburg tell The Associated Press they haven't decided. The Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Syracuse say they don't anticipate filing. The Diocese of Brooklyn says it's not considering bankruptcy.
