JPD asking for public's help in finding missing teenager...
Jamestown Police are asking for the public's help in locating a teenager who's been missing since Noon-time Sunday. Police say 14 year-old Lukas Davis is 5' 6" tall... and, 150-pounds. He is a white male with blonde hair and blue eyes. Lukas was last seen wearing a dark blue Champion hoodie, blue jeans, and Jordan sneakers. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Jamestown Police Department at 716-483-7536.
Winds from storm system that spurred deadly tornadoes cause some damage in Chautauqua Count, and WNY...
Windy weather from the storm system that spurred the deadly Midwest tornadoes knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses across western New York... including Chautauqua County. The National Weather Service reported gusts of more than 70 miles per hour Saturday afternoon in several counties, including Erie, Niagara and Genesee. Here in Chautauqua County... wind gusts reached 66 mph in Dunkirk. Trees and utility wires were reported down. National Grid reported nearly 100,000 outages on Saturday night. The number in Chautauqua County by Sunday night was about 20 in the Dunkirk-Fredonia area. There were initially more than 41,000 in Erie and Niagara counties. Wind gusts of up to 50 mph were forecast for the New York City area. Temperatures in New York City and Buffalo hit record highs of 67 degrees Saturday.
New Mask Mandate in NYS takes effect today...
A new mask mandate for indoor public places takes effect today in New York state... and, nurses from Long Island have been dispatched to two western New York hospitals to help deal with the COVID-19 surge. Last weekend... Governor Kath Hochul sent the nurses from Northwell Health to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo... and Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester for two weeks. Hochul announced the mask mandate last Friday... but, Chautauqua County Executive P.J. Wendel doesn't believe a "one-size fits all approach" is going to work because people on both sides of the issue remain firmly entrenched in their views. Masks are not required at indoor locations that require everyone attending to be vaccinated. Reports are that local health departments will have to enforce the new rules... but, Wendel says there are still questions about it... including what businessess who deal with the public can and cannot do. The mask mandate will remain in effect until Jan. 15.
One person killed in fiery Lakewood pick-up truck crash...
One person was killed early last weekend in a fiery motor vehicle crash involving a pick-up truck in the village of Lakewood. On it's Facebook page... Lakewood Fire officials say they were sent to the scene of a vehicle fire off Terrace Avenue, in the area of the Lakewood Community and Dog Park about 9 PM Friday night. When crews arrived... they found the fully-involved truck fire... about 30-yards off the road, and electrical wires down. Fire officials upgraded the incident to a motor vehicle accident... and, another truck arrived to put out the fire. Firefighters found the truck was heavily-damaged... and, human remains inside the vehicle. The body was recovered inside... and, turned over to the Chautauqua County coroner. Terrace Avenue ws closed in the area until about 12:30 a.m. Saturday. Firefighters were assisted at the scene by Lakewood-Busti Police, the Sheriff’s Office, the county's the Fire Investigation Team, and National Grid.
City man faces several charges following domestic incident...
A Jamestown man faces multiple charges following a domestic incident on the city's northside last week in which a woman was choked. Jamestown police say they arrested 31 year-old Jonathan King after the victim spoke with police and they investigated. However... officers say King allegedly got into a brief struggle wit police before being taken into custody. He faces two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief... and one count each of endangering the welfare of a child... criminal obstruction of breathing and blood circulation... resisting arrest and obstruction. He was jailed... pending arraignment.
Sundquist meets with local agencies about accepting up to 50 refugees in Jamestown...
A number of local human service agencies and other organizations met recently to discuss the possibility of helping to resettle as many as 50 refugees in Jamestown. Mayor Eddie Sundquist hosted the meeting of those groups to gauge interest in helping those, mainly Afghan refugees, many of whom are coming to New York state. Sundquist says there are a number of challenges facing refugees that they can help with... including affordable housing, educational opportunities, and a number of manufacturing and other jobs available. Sundquist adds that discussions are very preliminary at this point... but, he says it was important to have the agencies come together to see what they could offer. President Joe Biden has set a refugee resettlement ceiling of 125,000 for fiscal year 2022... which began in October... and, fulfilling a commitment he made during his campaign.
Report says 400+ municipalities have opted out of cannibis dispensaries...
More than 400 towns and villages across New York have opted to block local marijuana dispensaries and consumption lounges as a statewide deadline nears. The law that legalized recreational marijuana in New York this year gives municipalities until December 31st to "opt out" of hosting dispensaries or on-site consumption lounges once retail sales start in a year or so. The Rockefeller Institute of Government reports that with three weeks left to act, more than a quarter of New York's towns and 31% of its villages have voted to opt out -- at least initially.
