City police say man shot during allegedly home invasion-robbery has been released from hospital; search for suspects continues...
The man who was shot in last night's reported home invasion-robbery on Jamestown's southside has now been released from an Erie, PA hospital.  City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says the victim was flown to UPMC Hamot Medical Center after being shot in the back during the incident... which occured at 3 No. Cowden Place... shortly before 8 p.m.  Late Wednesday... Samuelson reported they are looking for a late model Ford Fusion that may have been the get-away car... and, that a third suspect... the driver, is also being sought.  He says police are still looking for the two men involved.  He says investigators believe the incident was drug-related.  Samuelson says several police agencies responded.  They reported two male suspects fled in a car after the shooting occured.  Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call City Police at 483-7536... or their tips line at 483-TIPS... that's 483-8477.

Hochul lifting one of two mask mandates in NYS...
New York's governor and health officials have decided to lift one of the state's two COVID-19 mask mandates.  The mandate being lifted Thursday deals with most public indoor settings -- including restaurants.  However... Governor Kathy Hochul says the one requiring face coverings in schools, and health care settings remains in place for now.  Hochul says she wants students tested before returning to school following the February-Presidents Day break, and a determination will be made then.  She also said she wants more kids to get vaccinated before she drops rules requiring masks in classrooms. 

Three arrested in drug bust in city of Dunkirk... 
A several-month long investigation into the sale of crack cocaine, heroin and marijuana by Dunkirk Police detectives and agents from the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, led to three arrests early Tuesday morning at 69 East Sixth St.  Police say 40-year-old Leovijildo Lorenzo of the Bronx, 44-year-old Angela Rak of Dunkirk, and a juvenile who was not identified, were arrested after a search warrant was executed by Dunkirk SRT, the Chautauqua County SWAT team, Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force and Jamestown Police K-9 unit.  A quantity of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and cash were located and seized during the raid. Lorenzo, Rak and the juvenile were charged with two counts each of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and, second-degree criminal nuisance.

City Council discusses need for private plow drivers to stop adding to already high snowbanks in city...
Two recent major snowfalls have created a problem in Jamestown not seen in a couple of years: too much snow on the side of streets and on sidewalks.  Second-Ward City Councilwoman Marie Carrubba brought up the issue during Monday night's work session... noting that one private plowing contractor had left a 10-foot tall snowbank at the corner of Prendergast and Sixth Streets.  Carrubba says it's a public safety concern for children walking to school, or people walking to stores or neighbors.  She adds that drivers often can't see around banks for oncoming traffic.  Public Works Director Jeff Lehman says his department has been in contact with that contractor and others about the situation... but, he says -- as with the city itself -- they are running out of places to put the snow.  Lehman says they want to go to where the city dumps it's snow... but, he says space is low right now.  Council members discussed the matter... with some saying they understand the contractors dilemna.  Carrubba wondered if there was some way to make contractors not leave huge snowbanks like the one she was talking about.  

Jamestown Assessor make presentation to council about proposed revaluation...
Jamestown city lawmakers need to make a decision soon on whether the city should go through it's first full property revaluation in 15 years.  Some city leaders believe it's time to bring property valuations up to date... but, there is some reluctance on the part of city council members to have one done.  City Assessor Lisa Volpe went before lawmakers to discuss using $285,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to have GAR Associates do a revaluation... beginning Mar. 1.  Volpe says they looked to begin the process last month... but, the Mar. 1 timeline means they only have two-months to get the complete reval done.  If that doesn't happen... she says they'll have to wait until January of 2023.  With that... Volpe says the new property values would not take effect until 2024.  She says some of the work has already been done with the city's appraiser taking exterior pictures of all 15-thousand properties.  GAR Associates is well-known to the city because they did the last reval in 2006. That reval 15 years ago cost one-million dollars.  At-Large Councilman Jeff Russell asked Volpe why the city doesn't do all the work in-house.  She says the don't have enough personnel to do it within the state's required four-month time period. 

Good government groups want allegation's Cuomo accepted free help to defend him against sex harassment charges investigated...
Good government groups say New York's ethics commission should investigate whether former Governor Andrew Cuomo broke the law by accepting free help from former aides who worked to defend him against sexual harassment allegations.  New York ethics law bans public officials from accepting gifts worth more than $15 from lobbyists and companies that do business with the state.  Several former Cuomo aides who worked for such companies provided the Democrat with strategic advice and public relations help after multiple women accused him of misconduct.