Legislature approves capping local gasoline tax at $3 a gallon...
Chautauqua County residents will soon be seeing a little bit of relief at the gas pump. County lawmakers, by a 12-6 vote, passed a resolution that will temporarily cap the local share of the gas tax at $3 per gallon, beginning June 1. The resolution was passed following a lengthy discussion during Wednesday's monthly meeting in Mayville. Dunkirk legislator Robert Bankoski, one of the four Democratic co-sponsors of the measure, says it's not just motorists who are being hampered by high gas prices -- it's also the agricultural community for tractors and other farm vehicles. However... Republican Lisa Vanstrom of West Ellicott was one of the six legislators who opposed the resolution. She says reducing or capping the tax will not guarantee in lower costs because retailers set the prices... because retailers have the final choice in where the price winds up. The temporary tax cap will last for six months, ending Dec. 1.
State Court of Appeals rejects Democrat-drawn congressional maps...
The state's highest court has rejected new congressional maps that had widely been seen as favoring Democrats. The Court of Appeals agreed Wednesday with a group of Republican voters who say that the district boundaries had been unconstitutionally gerrymandered... and, that lawmakers didn't follow proper procedure in approving the maps. The shape of the districts will now be in the hands of a 'special master'... Jonathan Cervas... appointed by the judge who first heard the case. The Buffalo News reported the timetable for new districts: a hearing on May 6 in Bath, a new proposal by May 16, comments due by May 20, with the final determination by May 24. Only then can a new date be set for a primary election, probably in August.
Reed happy to see NATO standing firm against Russia in wake of oil shut-offs to two countries...
Local Congressman Tom Reed says he's pleased to see the Western Alliance remain strong against Russia... which has now cut off natural gas to two NATO members. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also threatening to cut off other countries as he dramatically escalates the stand-off over the war in Ukraine. Putin says Poland and Bulgaria will be cut-off because they refused to pay for the gas in the Russian Ruble. Reed met Wednesday morning with the German industry representative... who said they are fully committed to developing oil and gas pipelines from north to south instead of east to west. Reed says Germany will also indemnify that work to be done. Unfortunately... the Corning Republican says Putin "still controls the valve on that gas pipeline" that services Europe. European leaders decried the move as "blackmail."
Reed believes COVID lock-downs in China are designed to "shut-down" supply chains...
Chautauqua County's congressman says he believes that China is using the recent resurgence of COVID-19 in it's most populated areas to "further strangle supply chains." Corning Republican Tom Reed says there's especially been an effort to shut-down one major city where workers haven't been allowed to return to work for weeks. Reed says it proves to him that the Chinese Communist Party wants to control those supply chains. He says when you see what's being done in Shanghai... it appears more to do with shutting down the shipping industry.
Frewsburg man arrested for alleged Hit-and-Run accident with Sheriff's Dept. vehicle...
A Frewsburg man is accused of drunk driving after his car veered off West Main Street in Frewsburg and sideswiped a Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department patrol vehicle. Officers say 54 year-old Mark Kyler was eastbound just after 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, when his car went off the road, and struck the patrol vehicle. Officers say Kyler drove off without stopping. But, the deputy was able to pursue Kyler and he was stopped on Ivory Road about a mile from the crash scene. An investigation found that Kyler was highly-intoxicated and he was arrested for DWI. He was also charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident... and failure to maintain lane. No one was hurt in the crash.
Silver Creek man arrested after discharging gun inside Lafayette St. home...
A north county man is jailed without bail after allegedly entering another person's home in Silver Creek... displaying and then firing off a handgun inside the residence. Sheriff's deputies were called to a "suspicious situation" on Lafayette Street about 3:30 p.m. Monday. Following an investigation... officers found the suspect -- 36 year-old Deron Weaver -- a short time later, and he was arrested without incident. Weaver was arraigned on charges including first-degree burglary... first-degree reckless endangerment... and, second-degree menacing. He was taken to the county jail for arraignment.
Dunkirk man pleads guility to cocaine trafficking...
A Dunkirk man has admitted to trafficking significant amounts of cocaine in the north county city back in the Summer of 2020. U.S. Attorney Trini Ross has announced that 32 year-old Hector Santos-Morales pled guilty in U-S District Court in Buffalo to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine. Prosecutors say a U-S Postal Inspector executed a search warrant on a package from Puerto Rico addressed to Santos on Beaver Street. During the search... the postal Inspector seized about one kilogram of suspected cocaine. Investigators later replaced the cocaine with “sham” and conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel to the Beaver Street address. After a device inside the parcel alerted investigators that it had been opened, law enforcement approached the residence and took Santos into custody.
