Hochul extends mask mandate in NYS to Feb. 10...
New York Governor Kathy Hochul says the state's mask mandate will be extended until at least Feb. 10.  Hochul announced the extension late Friday for the mandate that requires face coverings in all indoor public places unless the businesses or venues require COVID-19 vaccinations.  The mandate was first announced on Dec. 10.  Hochul said it has been "a critical tool" in driving COVID-19 numbers down.  Coronavirus infections spiked in New York around Christmas, thanks to the emergence of the highly infectious omicron variant.  But infections have declined in recent weeks. Hochul said the mask mandate could be lifted after Feb. 10 if case counts keep declining.

Chautauqua County under Wind Chill Advisory starting at Midnight tonight...
Some of the coldest air of the Winter will arrive in Western New York late tonight into late morning tomorrow.  The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Chill Advisory from Midnight tonight through 11 a.m. Saturday.  Forecaster Liz Jurkowski with the Weather Service's Buffalo office... says the air temperature will drop in most places to about 2-below zero.  Jurkowski says people will want to layer on clothing if you have to venture outside.  She says those wind chill values could be as low as 15-below zero.  The northeast is bracing for another nor-easter... but, she says -- aside from the wind -- we won't be affected by that because the storm system will stay far to our east.  Tomorrow's high will be 13... but, wind chills will again make the "real feel" temperature about 15-below.  We will see a gradual warm up next week.

Whitaker among school officials awaiting Appellate Court ruling on mask mandate...
New York state's Appellate Court could decide as early as today on an appeal of a State Supreme Court ruling on Governor Kathy Hochul's mask mandate.  The Appellate court judge involved issued a stay in the case until the court hears the Hochul administration's appeal.  The lower court ruling on Long Island stated the administration lacked the constitutional authority to order people to wear face coverings.  Jamestown School Superintendent Kevin Whitaker says school districts are hoping for a quick resolution.  While a ruling against Hochul would end the mask mandate... Whitaker says it may also impact how many days a student has to stay away from school because of a positive test... or being close to someone who tested positive.  He says if the mandate is thrown out... and, students have the option, they would not be able to have an early 5-day return to the classroom because they have to wear a mask for that.  The attorney who challenged the mandate on behalf of a group of parents says he will continue to fight.  Whitaker made his comments Thursday on our Dennis Webster Show.

Borrello introduces measure to eliminate "Duty to Retreat" clause in state's "self-defense" statues...
Local State Senator George Borrello has introduced legislation to eliminate the "duty to retreat" clause from New York 'self-defense' statutes to give law-abiding citizens the right to defend themselves -- regardless of where they are when in imminent danger.  In announcing the legislation... Borrello said every "one of us has a fundamental right to self-defense.  But in practice, the right to self-defense is limited to our homes."  The Sunset Bay Republican says, especially in light of the "more dangerous environment we live in," he hopes the law passes.  Borrello says the ‘duty to retreat’ clause, requires New Yorkers to retreat from a violent aggressor when in public before they can defend themselves and their loved ones. He says that doesn't make sense.  He adds that those found justified in using deadly force to defend themselves would also be immune from civil liability... because even if found not guilty in a criminal trial... you could still be liable in a "wrongful death" lawsuit.  Borrello says residents "have a right to use firearms to defend ourselves... and, that right doesn’t end the minute we leave our homes."

City man arrested for third straight day for public lewdness...
A Jamestown man has now been arrested a third time in as many days after allegedly exposing himself to several people in the waiting room at UPMC Chautauqua Hospital.  City police were called to the hospital on Foote Avenue for the second time in two days about 6 PM Thursday to arrest 39 year-old Kenneth Trask.  Officers say it's the second consecutive time they're responded to a call regarding Trask.  He was taken into custody on one count of first-degree public lewdness... and, is being held pending arraignment.  Trask has been released the previous two times as required under the state's bail reform laws.

County Jail inmate arrested for promoting prison contraband...
A Chautauqua County Jail inmate is charged with promoting prison contraband after he allegedly tried to sneak a small quantity of heroin inside a pair of jail-issued socks.  Corrections officers at the jail say they found the heroin the morning of Jan. 5.  They called in the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force... which found that 19 year-old Devon Smith was the person who put the heroin in the socks.  Officers say an arrest warrant was obtained from Chautauqua Town Court... and, given to jail officials.  Smith was being held on unrelated charges.  Smith was returned to the jail pending arraignment on the first-degree promoting prison contraband charge... and, for seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.