Two arrested Sunday during traffic stop on drug and weapons charges...
Two men face drug and weapons charges after they were found with a loaded pistol and methamphetamine when their car was stopped early Sunday afternoon in Jamestown.  City police say a patrol spotted the northbound sedan traveling north on North Main St. -- near Buffalo St. -- shortly after 12 Noon... with an expired inspection sticker.  During the stop... they found a loaded .380 calibur pistol, and just over 30-grams of a meth -- Fentanyl compound -- inside the car.  Officers arrested 34 year-old Joshua Hammer of Collins Center, and 24 year-old Dakota Murphy, Jr. of Dunkirk on several charges... including second-degree criminal possession of a weapon... and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.  They were also charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.  Further investigation found that Hammer had an additional quantity of the meth and Fentanyl Compound... and a quantity of Suboxone concealed on his person.  Officers also found that Muprhy was in possession of brass knuckles.  Police say their investigation also found the hand-gun had been stolen in Chautauqua County.  Both men were being held pending arraignment on the charges.

Sunday morning fire destroys Homestead Cafe Restaurant in Ellery...
An early morning fire Sunday has destroyed a popular restaurant in the town of Ellery.  Sheriff's Department fire investigators say Fluvanna firefighters were initially called to the Homestead Cafe Restaurant on Route 430 shortly after 2 a.m., and, found the structure heavily engulfed in flames.  Ten mutual aid companies... including Ellery Center, Bemus Point, Gerry, Sinclairville, Ashville, Maple Springs, DeWittville, Chautauqua, Sherman and Kennedy were called in to assist.  No injuries were reported... and, the countys' Fire Investigation Team is still investigating the cause and origin of the blaze.

Man from Ripley arrested during warrant check...
A Ripley man sought for allegedly choking and harassing another person has been arrested during a warrant check late last week.  Sheriff's officers conducted the check at a home on Goodrich Street in Ripley last Friday night... and, arrested 35 year-old Andrew Sanders.  Sanders had a warrant for his arrest for second-degree harassment, and criminal obstruction of Breathing/Blood Circulation.  He was arrested without incident... and, taken to the county jail pending centralized arraignment.

JPS looking to begain Early College High School program...
A new program that's been designed for high schools by New York state may hold the key for students who may be the first in their family to attend college.  The Jamestown Public Schools have begun taking steps to form an Early College High School program that allows all high-schoolers to take courses simulaneously for high school... and, college credit.  Jamestown Superintendent Kevin Whitaker says the program has great potential.  Whitaker says, once it's up and running, students will leave high school with enough credits to enter college as a sophomore, and have an associates degree.  He says the Early College program is more specific than the current "College Connections" program at Jamestown High School where students select from a limited number of 'elective' courses during their upper classmen years.  Down the road... he envisions putting the program into the former Rogers Elementary School... which may also house technology, manufacturing and other educational tracts for students.  Whitaker says the district is using grant funding to get the program underway. 

Democrats debating what to do with bail reform laws during budget deliberations...
A spike in violence during the COVID-19 pandemic has Democrats eager to show they're tough on crime ahead of this year's midterm elections.  But... the party is struggling to find a common message with progressives pushing for police reform and moderates focusing on rising crime rates.  In New York state... Governor Kathy Hochul's plan to toughen the state's bail laws is being met with criticism from all sides.  Reform advocates say the system should be left alone while police leaders, and even fellow Democrats say the proposal doesn't go far enough to roll back what they consider soft treatment of criminals.

Reed hopeful that Ukrainians taking fight to Russia may bring end to hostilities...
As Russian military forces have retreated in some parts of Ukraine... the world is watching what Vladimir Putin's military may do next in that neighboring nation.  During the retreats, or repositionings... Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russian forces leaving the capital region are creating a "catastrophic" situation for civilians by leaving mines around homes, abandoned equipment and even corpses.  Local Congressman Tom Reed is "cautiously optimistic that this horrific war situation" may end sooner rather than later.  At the same time... Reed also says China should take note of the trouble's Russia has been facing during the invasion.  Russian casualties have risen, and the invaders have lost ground in many places.  Reed hopes China will use it's influence with Russia to get Putin to draw back the attacks in Ukraine. 

Cuomo sues State Ethic board over earnings from book deal...
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has filed a lawsuit against the state's ethics commission.  It's the latest move in an ongoing dispute over his earnings from a book about his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Cuomo accuses the Joint Commission on Public Ethics of violating his constitutional rights.  The commission has regulatory oversight over lobbyists and government officials.  It's staff had granted approval for Cuomo's book deal in July 2020... after being told that Cuomo would not use state personnel or resources.  However, a state Assembly investigation later found that wasn't the case.