Ten people... five of them from Jamestown... have pleaded guilty to trafficking large amounts of methamphetaime in the area three years ago. U-S Attorney James Kennedy, Junior says the five from Jamestown are: 31 year-old Jacob Motherwell... 36 year-old Michael Davis... 29 year-old Jamell Trapp -- also known as "KS..." 42 year-old Henry Stovall, Junior... and, 47 year-old Danny Michael-the-third. Two people from Randolph also pled guilty to charges of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, five grams or more of methamphetamine. The three others were from outside the area. In addition... Davis and Trapp also pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Six others in the case pleaded guilty earlier in the case. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5-million fine.
City lawmakers in Jamestown have agreed to move forward with a Mobile Food Truck Pilot program and put a fee structure in place. The City Council voted 7-to-2 last night to move the program forward after two months of debate and discussion. Councilman Tom Nelson says he wanted to go forward with the program in hopes of bringing more business and people to the downtown area... and, the fact the city can control the situation.
Some councilmembers expressed some reluctance over moving foward. One of them was Council President Tony Dolce, who said -- this late in the Summer -- it was worth a try. Councilman Grant Olson liked charging outside vendors $300 to put a truck at least 125 feet from an existing restaurant. Currently... he says the situation can hurt those stores right now because they can pay a $500 peddlers fee, and set up whereever they want. For a downtown business... the cost to have a truck would be $150. While several residents called on council to approve the program... a long list of current restaurants called on lawmakers to hold off. Republican Councilmembers Kim Ecklund, and Jeff Russell voted against the measure.
There have been no new cases of the COVID-19 Virus reported in Chautauqua County today... and, only one person is hospitalized. Interim County Executive P-J Wendel says there are still 223 total cases so far... and, 203 of those have now recovered. Wendel says there are 11 active cases... and, there are 204 cases that are under local quarantine or isolation orders, and are being monitored. Wendel says 796 persons are under "domestic traveler quarantine" for having arrived here from a state listed on the New York travel advisory. There have now been 21,894 negative test results to date.
Interim Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel says he is encouraged by the latest sales tax collection figures... which show an increase in June of 13.2-percent over June of 2019. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office reported June's numbers late last week after rough numbers in April and May. Wendel says he has guarded optimism for the summer... but, the results have been mixed.
Hurting out-of-state travel to the area has been New York's travel advisory... which puts visitors from 31 states where infection rates have been growing... in quarantine for 14-days after arriving here. However... Wendel says, while the local economy is showing signs of rebounding, local governments are in need of some stimulus funding.
No people were hurt... but a horse was hurt in an Amish buggy roll-over crash in the Town of Harmony early Sunday morning. Sheriff's officers say they saw the buggy allegedly go through a stop sign at the corner of Goshen and Rock Hill Roads just after 1 AM... when the operator attempted to turn onto Rock Hill at an excessive speed causing the roll-over. Deputies say the passengers were thrown onto the street and the horse was hurt. They identified the operator as 18 year-old Adam Byler, and he was also found to be intoxicated. Further investigation found one of the passengers in the buggy was under the age of 17. Deputies say Byler was issued an appearance ticket for Harmony Town Court on four-counts of reckless endangerment... endangering the welfare of a child and over-driving/torturing an animal.
A Mayville man faces several charges for allegedly acting disorderly after being asked to put a face covering on in the Key Bank in the Village of Lakewood last Wendesday. Lakewood-Busti Police were called to the scene shortly before 2 PM... and on arrival, found Gerald Hewes-junior allegedly holding a bank employee up against a glass cubicle. Officers say Hewes continually interfered with their investigation and was placed into custody after resisting arrest. Futher investigation found the incident started when Hewes entered the building without a face mask. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, employees advised he would need to put one on or leave the building. Police say this led to Hewes screaming obscenities at the bankers and becoming physical with them. He was released with an appearance ticket for Busti Town Court on charges including obstruction, resisting arrest, second-degree harrassment and disorderly conduct.
Advocates for people with disabilities are both celebrating a landmark in the fight for civil rights... and, still waiting for its promise to be fully realized. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law 30 years ago -- on July 26th of 1990. It was the world's first declaration of equality for people with disabilities. The head of the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York, Susan Dooha says it opened new doors for people with disabilities in transportation, housing accessibility, employment, education and public accommodations.
Dooha notes that despite the protections enumerated in the law and years of litigation over its implementation, people with disabilities still face widespread discrimination. County Executive P-J Wendel was at a 30th Anniversary Celebration of the ADA Monday afternoon at the Southwestern Indepdenent Living Center in Jamestown.
The Lucille Ball Little Theater of Jamestown will take a bold step forward a week from today, over the internet.
That's the word from Adam Owens, who will, on Tuesday, August 4th, direct 'She Kills Monsters... Virtual Realm'. Owens directed the stage version of the play at Jamestown Community College in the spring of 2019. 'She Kills Monsters' is the story of a young woman who looks into her recently deceased sister's fascination with the game 'Dungeons and Dragons'. Alivia Roehrig and Alex Connor will return to their roles as the sisters, along with most of the rest of the original JCC cast. There will only be one on-line performance of 'She Kills Monsters... Virtual Edition', next Tuesday at 7 PM. Tickets are just $10... through the Little Theater website or Facebook page. The show will be free for Little Theater season ticket holders.
There'll be no Gerry Rodeo in early August... but, the fire department's rodeo chairman, Tom Atwell, says you can still get a roast beef dinner.
They'll be offering the full dinner for $15, cash or credit card... drive thru only from 4 to 7 PM on Saturday the 8th and Noon 'til sold out on Sunday the 9th. Anyone wanting more than 10 dinners should phone 985-4847 in advance. The rodeo was postponed because of issues related to COVID-19, but the work of the department goes on, and they need to offset their costs. Atwell reminds fans the 'postponed' 76th rodeo will take place in August 2021. More information is available at gerryrodeo.org.
