Flames have extensively damaged an older home on Jamestown's southside that left an occupant and one firefighter hurt...
City Fire Battalion Chief Chris Dahlgren says firefighters were called to 52 McKinley Avenue about 9 PM Friday. Dahlgren says a passerby called in the alarm and, crews found a lot of fire on arrival.
Dahlgren says the lone occupant at the time was already outside when crews arrived but, that person was taken to UPMC Chautauqua Hospital for evaluation. He says, due to the duplex's older construction, fire got into the walls, and it took a while to get the flames out. He says there was fire damage through-out the home on the first and second floors, as well as the attic,so the damage was "pretty significant." Dahlgren says one firefighter was taken to UPMC Chautauqua for treatment and evaluation. Two pets perished in the blaze. He says an off-duty shift was called into assist. Dahlgren says the cause remains under investigation.
Today is the day the Chautauqua County Board of Elections will begin counting absentee and affidavit ballots for the November 5th Election....
We have learned that the count in the Jamestown City Council Ward-One race will begin at 2:30 this afternoon. Right now, incumbant Republican Brent Sheldon has a seven-vote lead over Democrat Tim Smeal. There are 70 outstanding absentee ballots and, if they are all returned, Republicans would have an 11 vote edge in those ballots. The race will decide the balance of power on the council, which would be 5-to-4 Republican -- if Sheldon holds on to win. In the north county, there are 123 absentee ballots in the Dunkirk Mayor's race, where incumbant Democrat Willie Rosas leads Republican Shawn Heenan by 48 votes.
Nearly 90-percent of Jamestown High School faculty and staff have supported a "no confidence" vote on JHS Principal Rosemary Bradley.....
The secret vote, taken last Thursday, was approved by 86-percent of the Jamestown Teachers Association members at the High School. In a printed release from the JTA, President Stephanie Sardi called the November 6th fight involving five students a "tipping point" that led to the vote. Sardi also noted "a lack of trust and support for teachers, as well as poor interpersonal relationships between Dr. Bradley and her staff." She says staff also noted several other concerns during the meeting, including a "lack of consistancy in dealing with student behavior and lack of proper consequences for poor student behaviors." The association notes that the vote is "non-binding and is meant to express discontent with administration to the school board." Additional concerns will be presented at the next Jamestown School Board Meeting on Tuesday, December 3rd at 6 PM at Jefferson Middle School.
A north county man has been arrested for alleged trafficking narcotics following a lengthy investigation by Dunkirk Police and agents with the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force....
Task Force members say they executed a search warrant at 47 East Second Street in Dunkirk last Friday night and, arrested 32 year-old Alex Diaz Torres. Police say Torres was taken into custody without incident and, was being held pending arraignment on charges of third-degree criminal possession and, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. Anyone with information on any illegal drug activity is asked to contract the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force at 664-2420 or the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force at 483-8477.
Plans are moving ahead for about $1.3-million in improvements for the Fredonia Opera House....
That from Opera House Executive Director Rick Davis, who says the village board recently hired a Buffalo architectural firm to begin planning work for the project. Among the items -- says Davis -- is a new marquee, something that hasn't been a part of the building in over 60 years.
Other improvements include new windows and remodeling the restrooms. Davis says the funding for the project is part of a $2.5-million grant from New York state that was announced in October 2018. He expects work on the project to begin sometime in 2020.
The joy and power of a handwritten letter were the focus of a Saturday program at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown....
The guest speaker was Clay Bizindine, a Cincinnati based author and consultant who advocates for pen and paper. The event included the reading of some historic letters and a 'writing time' for those in attendance to write to men and women serving in the military overseas. Susan Rowley of the Blue Star Mothers will include those notes in this year's Christmas care packages. Saturday's program was presented by the Jackson Center, in conjunction with the Joseph Dwyer Veterans Peer to Peer Program and Heritage Ministies.
