Two city men face several drug related charges following a weekend traffic stop on Jamestown's southside. City police say they pulled over the car, driven by 27 year-old Michael Krause, around 2 AM Saturday in the area of Forest and Prather Avenues. Officers say they found drug paraphernalia, and open containers of alcohol in plain view. Police say they then searched Krause, and his passenger, 29 year-old Kyle Lewis... and, found more paraphernalia. They also allegedly found quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl inside the vehicle, along with scales and packaging material. Both were taken to the city jail, where Lewis was found with more drugs in his possession. Krause is charged with two counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia... and numerous traffic violations. Lewis also faces the possession of drug paraphernalia charges... as well as multiple counts of third, fifth and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
The federal government has cut the number of weekly dosages New York state is receiving at the very time that millions more New Yorkers are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Governor Andrew Cuomo highlighted the issues during his most recent COVID-19 press briefing... where he said the state was to receive 300,000 dosages last week. However... Cuomo says that was cut by 50,000 because state had already received it's second-dosages.
Cuomo says the administration said New York had already received all the second doses they were getting at this time. He says... with 7-million New Yorkers now eligible for the first shot...getting fewer dosages is not going to speed up the process. The newer group of residents eligible for the vaccine is now age 65 and older.
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In addition... there are fewer places to get a vaccination in Western New York. Chautauqua County Public Health Director Christine Schuyler announced late last week that eligible residents can only use the state's "Am I Eligible?" tool right now to connect with a state vaccination clinic. Schuyler says the nearest one to us is the south campus at the University at Buffalo. She says "this change came as a surprise to us." In addition to the state Health Department's website, she urged seniors 65 and older to contact the Office for the Aging's New York-Connects Helpline at 753-4582... or 661-7582.
New York state reports it is getting closer to reaching a vital early goal of its coronavirus vaccine campaign: getting a first dose to every nursing home resident. But... the effort to protect them has unfolded more slowly than some administrators and residents' relatives hoped. Governor Andrew Cuomo said late last week that 96-percent of the state's nursing homes have been visited by a vaccination team. Vaccination teams were due to reach the rest by Sunday. However... the president of a statewide nursing home association says some initially struggled to schedule their first visits with partner pharmacies.
There are six new cases of the COVID-19 virus being reported by the Jamestown Public School district... including four students. JPS Spokeswoman Cathy Panebianco says the Chautauqua County Health Department reports they include a district employee last at work on January 5th... along with an employee at Bush Elementary School last present on January 11th. The students include a Lincoln Elementary School student last present January 13th... a Persell Middle School student, and a Jamestown High School student -- both last present in late December... and, a distance-learning only student. The health department reports there were no in-school close contacts.
With Joe Biden set to be inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States this coming Wedneday... Chautauqua County's representative in Congress says he is trying to do his part to ensure a peaceful transition of power. In the wake of what he calls the "snap impeachment" of President Donald Trump... Tom Reed says there is a lot of anger and frustration across the country.
Reed... a Republican from Corning... is urging people to "stay calm and be reasoned" in the days leading up to the inauguration. He warns there is still a lot of anger and frustration being seen in Congress... and, across the country. Reed was also one of 35 House members and three senators to send a bipartisan letter to the White House, asking Trump to tell the nation that "now is not the time for further violence." Reed made his comments during his recent conference call with national and regional media.
A man from West Ellicott is accused of driving drunk and fleeing police in his car late last week in the town of North Harmony. Sheriff's deputies say they tried to stop 55 year-old Charles Foringer on Route 394 shortly before 8 PM last Thursday. Officers say Foringer failed to comply... and, drove away at a high-rate of speed. Police say he eventually stopped, and was arrested on several charges... including DWI, driving with more than point-08 percent blood alcohol level... speeding and unlawfully fleeing police. Foringer was processed, and released pending a future court appearance in North Harmony Town Court.
Today is Martin Luther King, Junior Day across the nation... and, a number of institutions are closed, including the post office, banks... and, local, state and federal offices. The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities is also closed today. The BPU Customer Service Office will reopen for business at 9 AM on Tuesday. However... officials say that garbage and recycling will be picked up on its regular weekly schedule with no collection changes.
