Jamestown man arrested for alleged stabbings at Wine Cellar...
A city man is free on $25,000 bail after allegedly slashing multiple people with a sharp object during a large fight outside the Wine Cellar bar in downtown Jamestown.  City police were called to the scene on North Main Street at closing time Saturday... 2 a.m.  On arrival... an officer spotted 23 year-old Codie DJ Swartz -- and began a foot pursuit with the man after being told that he had stabbed some of them.  After a brief chase... Swartz was taken into custody with no further incident.  Police say the victims suffered lacerations in the incident.  Swartz is charged with two counts of second-degree assault... tampering with physical evidence... fourth-degree criminal possession of a Weapon... and, second-degree obstructing governmental administration.  He was sent to the county jail where he posted bail.

Man from Ashville arrested for menacing with a baseball bat...
An Ashville man has been arrested for allegedly threatening another person with a baseball bat... and, damaging that person's property with it.  Sheriff's officers were called to 8248 Griswold Rd. 9:30 Sunday morning... and learned that 47 year-old Mason Riggle had threatened the person, and damaged their property.  Riggle was arrested for third-degree criminal mischief... and second-degree menacing... and, taken to the county jail for centralized arraignment.

Chautauqua Co. included with 21 total now under a NYS Drought Watch...
There are now 21 New York state counties -- including Chautauqua and Cattaraugus -- that are under a Drought Watch due to a lack of rain.  Governor Kathy Hochul late Friday directed the state Department of Environmental Conservation to issue a drought watch for those counties after consulting with the state Drought Management Task Force, and federal agencies.  The state is encouraging residents in affected counties -- especially those dependent on private groundwater wells -- to conserve water whenever possible during the coming weeks.  Hochul says "recent rains across the state were not enough to address the dry conditions that have persisted this year."  In addition to Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties... those in the drought watch area also include Allegany and Erie.  While few public water supply challenges have been reported due to dry conditions, below-normal precipitation during the last three months, low streamflows, and low groundwater levels prompted the need for action to ensure adequate public water supplies.

Borrello raising concern over upcoming meeting of Farm Laborers Wage Board...
Chautauqua County's two representatives on the state legislature are expressing concern over a meeting of the Farm Laborers Wage Board in early September.  The Board is expected to vote to advance their recommendations, and final report during the meeting set for Sept. 6.  Back in January... the board voted 2-1 to lower the threshold to 40 hours for farm laborers before overtime kicks in.  Borrello says if Governor Kathy Hochul and her administration accepts the recommendation, it would become the biggest challenge facing farmers.  He adds that Hochul has proposed a tax credit for those farmers... but, he says they've only created a "fund" in the budget with no details.  Labor unions and other organizations favor the move to lower the threshold to 40 hours, saying it would give migrant farmers workers a more fair wage.  But Borrello... who is the ranking member on the Senate's Agriculture Committee... has a different view.  Borrello says he and Assemblyman Andy Goodell have introduced legislation that would eliminate the Farm Laborers Wage Board.

Woman from Arkwright arrested for trepassing in weekend incident...
A woman from Arkwright is accused of trespassing inside a Center Road home in the town she was not allowed to be in.  Sheriff's deputies were called to the scene shortly after 2 p.m. last Saturday... and, found that 55 year-old Ida Weber Smith had entered, and remained unlawfully inside the home.  Smith was found, and taken into custody for second-degree criminal trespass... and, further investigation found that she had also violated an order of protection.  Smith was also charged with second-degree criminal contempt... and, taken to the county jail for arraignment.  She was issued appearance tickets for Arkwright Town Court.

77th Gerry Rodeo set to begin this Wednesday night...
The town of Gerry will again become "Rodeo City" this Wednesday when the 77th Gerry Rodeo gets underway at the rodeo grounds off Route 60.  The four-day event run goes through next Saturday, Aug. 6... with shows beginning each night at 8 p.m.  Rodeo Spokesman Paul Cooley says the rodeo's traditional beef barbecue dinners will also be served beginning at 5 p.m. each night.  If you've never had one before... Cooley says you need to try one.  He says they cook about 1,000 pounds of beef over an open fire each day, and serve it with potatoes and other sides, plus drinks.  The rodeo was one of the few events actually held last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic continued... and, that helped the Gerry event set some attendance and other records in 2021.  This year... Cooley says they're hoping to at least equal that success.  He says they'll also have about 20 vendors on hand... selling everything from cotton candy, to western wear and fried dough.  Cooley says they have a new, ladies event this year... cowgirls break-away roping... which has been added to the traditional timed barrel racing.  Proceeds support the Gerry Fire Department.  For more information... including tickets... go on-line to gerryrodeo.org... or call 985-4847.