Jamestown man found not guilty in connection with 2014 death of city toddler...
A Chautauqua County Court jury has acquitted a Jamestown man of second-degree murder in the 2014 beating death of a toddler in the city. The Post-Journal reports the 12-person panel found 35 year-old Tyler Perez not guilty Monday of murder and first-degree manslaughter in the death of 16-month old Nayla Hodnett. The verdict was announced less than an hour after the jury began deliberations... following closing arguments in the case. Public Defender Ned Barone did not call any witnessess. He later said the Perez family is "elated" over the not guilty verdicts. Nayla Hodnett did from blunt force trauma in April of 2014. Perez was indicted in the case this past March.
City police still looking for Kwik Fill robbery suspect...
City police are looking for a fairly large robbery suspect who allegedly held up a Kwik Fill station on Jamestown's westside early Monday morning. JPD Captain Bob Samuelson says the man entered the store at 16-17 West Third Street just before 1:30 AM... and pulled a knife on the clerk and demanded money. Samuelson says the man was 6' to 6' 2" tall, weighing between 275 and 300 pounds, and was wearing a bright yellow T-shirt, with a dark undershirt. He says the man also wore dark-colored jogging pants with white shoes. Samuelson says anyone with information can contract JPD confidentially at 483-TIPS... that's 483-8477. He says the man pulled the knife, demanded cash from the register, and ran off. Samuelson says police have released a photograph of the suspect from store surveillance video that's on their Facebook page. If you have any information... call the Tips line... or contact their Tips 4-1-1 app.
JPD Still searching for missing hand-guns...
Jamestown police are still looking for more than two-dozen hand-guns that a city teen allegedly stole from a Columbus Township, Pennsylvania store a week ago last Saturday. JPD Captain Bob Samuelson says that only three of the 32 guns taken from C-&-H Sports on Route 6 have been accounted for... and, adds they are still working with State Police in Corry, and the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on trying to track down those weapons. State Police say Jamestown Police arrested the 17 year-old boy last week after the overnight break in occured. The teen has not been identified because of his age. One of the guns he allegedly stole wound up being found during an investigation into a late week shooting incident in Jamestown last week.
Borrello says his proposed 2020 budget will hold the line on taxes...
The issue of unfunded mandates being handed down by New York state is having an impact on budgeting for Chautauqua County for next year. That from Executive George Borrello... who is putting the final touches on his 2020 budget presentation during Wednesday night's county legislature meeting. Borrello says it appears he will be able to hold the line on taxes, though the state makes it difficult. He says the "new reality" in Albany is increasing mandates, but, he says they will "hold the line on taxes." Borrello joked that this year... instead of trying to save a "bushel full of pennies..." he's asked department heads to find a "barrel full of pennies." Among the unfunded state mandates that Borrello feels will impact the county is the new bail reform law that takes effect on Jan. 1 of next year. The legislature meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the third floor legislature chambers at the Gerace Office Building in Mayville.
State, and business executives announce new Semi-conductor Plant to be built near Utica...
Cree -- a Durham, North Carolina-based semiconductor manufacturer -- will invest $1 billion in a new factory in upstate New York. The move was announced Monday by company executives and state officials, who said the state will chip in $500 million in incentives. Officials say that when completed in 2022, the nearly 500,000-square-foot facility in Marcy, near Utica, will be the world's largest silicon carbide fabrication facility. Governor Andrew Cuomo called Cree's decision to invest in New York an economic "game changer" and a big victory for the state's efforts to attract high-tech investment upstate. The plant is expected to employ 600 workers.
City men arrested for trespassing, and on warrants...
Two men sought by Jamestown Police on active bench warrants were arrested last weekend for allegedly trespassing on a front porch on the city's westside. City officers were called to the scene at 308 West Fifth St. just before 5 p.m. Saturday on a report of 28 year-old Theodore Francisco and 21 year-old Bryan Livingston, Jr. being on the porch... and, not welcome. Police say Livingston was also allegedly found in possession of a small amount of Methamphetamine, and was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
North Harmony Centennial observed at Harmony Historical Harvest Festival...
One of the most friendly divorces in the history of Chautauqua County was celebrated as part of this year's Harmony Historical Society Harvest Festival. It was 100 years ago that North Harmony split off from the Town of Harmony. Dan Thomas, the historian for North Harmony, outlined why the breakup occurred... saying it had to do with maintaining the growing number of roads in the town. Before the split, Harmony had the most square miles of any town in the county. Pam Brown, Historian for Harmony and Panama, says, a century later, the towns are cooperative... working together and often sharing services. Thomas adds... in the case of the Historical Society... they are friendly, and very close neighbors. The story of the North Harmony centennial is on display at the Harmony Historical Society Library in Blockville.
