Local police investigating alleged threats to supermarkets...
The Jamestown and Lakewood-Busti Police Departments say they are aware of "a post going around on Facebook regarding threats to Tops Market on Foote Avenue and Wal-Mart on Fairmount Avenue." Police say the threats are being investigated by various law enforcement entities including the Federal Bureau of Investigation. At this time... they say the FBI does not believe that there are any credible threats to the establishments. However... both departments are continuing to monitor the situations and request that anyone with information on who may be responsible for the threats to contact them, or their local law enforcement agency. The JPD tips line is 483-TIPS... that's 483-8477. Lakewood-Busti Police can be contracted at 763-9563.
Former Reed chief of staff endorsed by GOP and Conservatives to run in special election Aug. 23...
Retired Congressman Tom Reed's former chief of staff has been selected by Republicans and Conservatives to fill out the remaining months of Reed's sixth-term in the House. In a twitter feed this afternoon... Joe Sempolinski said "it is a profound honor to be the unanimous choice of the Republican and Conservative Parties" in the 23rd Congressional District. Sempolinski is running in the Aug. 23 special election to fill out Reed's current term. The Post-Journal is reporting that Sempolinkski first declared his candidacy in July of last year... after Reed announced he was not seeking another term. Owego-area Democrat Max Della Pia is the Democratic candidate for the special election.
Paladino again has to explain comments made over past year... this time about Hitler...
New York congressional candidate Carl Paladino says he was wrong to invoke Adolf Hitler when he said in an interview last year that he was "the kind of leader we need today" because of his ability to rally crowds. The Republican responded after the comments made during a WBEN interview resurfaced. It's the second time this week that Paladino has had to explain himself since announcing his campaign for New York's 23rd Congressional District. On Wednesday... he said he hadn't fully read a conspiracy-laden Facebook post he shared and then deleted, which suggested a racist mass shooting in Buffalo and other mass killings were part of a plot to take away people's guns. While Joe Sempolinski has been endorsed to run in the special election... Paladino is seeking to run for the newly redrawn 23rd district in November. Chautauqua County native, and current State GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy is also reportedly interested in running.
Gillibrand expresses disappointment in delay in vote on Burn Pit legislation...
Some late opposition has led to a delay in the U-S Senate on voting on helping veteran's impacted by toxic burn pits overseas. One of the lawmakers leading the effort to get a program in place is New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand... who says the program was approved in a procedural vote, 86-12. However... Gillibrand says a final vote has now been delayed until next week. She says action needs to be taken now. Gillibrand says she began working two years ago on the issue with lawmakers, like GOP Senator Marco Rubio, and citizens, like Comedian Jon Stewart, to get the matter addressed. Gillibrand says there are a small number of Senators who want the spending to be discretionary... meaning it would have to be taken up each year by Congress. She says the permanent program would cost $300-billion over 10 years... adding that we "always (seem to) have plenty of money for "tanks and planes and missiles and guns."
Gillibrand explains need for regulations on cryptocurrency, and industry influence...
New York's junior U-S Senator is among those pushing for legislation that will regulate cryptocurrency... and other aspects of 'on-line' business. Kirsten Gillibrand was asked about the influence of the leaders of cryptocurrency... and, the fact there are no regulations right now. Responding to a question from the media... Gillibrand agreed the industry is putting a lot of money into political campaigns, and, she says that's never good because it helps stonewall helpful regulation. In fact... Gillibrand says a number of federal lawmakers are not accepting such donations anymore because they don't want to appear as being influenced in how they vote. She says a good example of that was seen this past week in Western New York... with Republican Congressman Chris Jacobs losing the backing of several prominent GOP officials because of his stated willingness to discuss and approve "common sense" gun control legislation. Jacobs then announced he would not seek re-election to the newly redrawn 23rd Congressional District.
City man arrested following alleged, physical domestic incident...
A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly hitting another person he was ordered to stay away from... and, then threatening to stab that person Wednesday night. City police were called to a northside resident about 9:30 p.m. on a report of a physical domestic incident. Officers say their investigation showed that 24 year-old Victor Andino Martinez, Jr. violated an order of protection when he struck the victim... and, then threatened the victim several times if they left the scene. Martinez was arrested on charges including first-degree criminal contempt, and aggravated contempt... along with second-degree unlawful imprisonment and second-degree menacing. He was jailed pending arraignment.
