Forecasters are warning of potentially dangerous temperatures from Minnesota to Massachusetts. That as the nation's largest heat wave of the summer stretched out and stagnated... and, relief in many places still days away. However... a cold front is expected to make it's way through the Jamestown-area by Saturday... bringing some relief. The National Weather Service says most states in the U.S. were expected to have some areas where the temperature would hit 90 degrees or more on Wednesday. Parts of the Jamestown-area did reach that figure yesterday.
Another current member of the U-S Supreme Court will be speaking at Chautauqua Institution this Summer. In fact... Institution President Tom Becker says they just got a call in recent days from Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy's office... saying he would like to speak during next week's theme of "The Pursuit of Happiness." Becker says everything has worked out... and, Kennedy will speak at 3:30 PM at Chautauqua's Hall of Philosophy. Becker says Kennedy's appearance will be preceded by Cornell University President Hunter Rollins, and, Jefferson impressionist Bill Barker of Colonial Williamsburg. They'll be discussing Jefferson in his later years. Earlier... they'll both be on the Amphitheater stage to talk about the younger Jefferson to kick off the week. Justice Kennedy was appointed to the high court by late President Ronald Reagan... and, took his seat in February of 1988. His appearance comes just one week before fellow Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg appears at the Amphitheater on July 29th.
Six people testified during a two-day, pre-trial hearing for the Virginia man accused of shooting Clymer School Superintendent Keith Reed, Jr. to death. The hearing was requested by Public Defender Ned Barone... who was looking to have some evidence suppressed. The defendant, 43 year-old Anthony Taglianetti, was present in court. District Attorney David Foley says the six were questioned regarding search warrants obtained to search Taglianetti's home in Virginia... and, how evidence was turned over to authorities in Chautauqua County. Foley says five people... including a detective and crime scene specialist from Prince William County, Virginia... testified yesterday. One more person testfied today. He says County Court Judge John Ward reserved decision on motions to supress evidence... and, gave them two weeks to submit any further papers or case law. Taglianetti is accused of killing Reed in September of last year over an alleged affair between his wife and Reed. Foley says the trial is to begin with jury selection on September 17th. We did try to reach Public Defender Ned Barone... who is representing Taglianetti in the case. However... we have not yet heard back from him.
Data show New York's violent crimes increased 2.3 percent statewide to more than 79,000 last year despite a drop in New York City murders. Data on serious property and violent crimes still show an overall 13 percent decade-long decline to about 450,000 last year.
There is both good... and, bad budget news in the city of Jamestown for the first six-months of the 2013 fiscal year. That from City Comptroller Joe Bellitto... who says the concerns include a big increase in the Fire Department's overtime budget. That part of the spending plan is already up for the year... but, Bellitto and Deputy Fire Chief Chet Harvey say the department has five firefighters out of action due to injuries. Bellitto adds that budget line had been cut by 29-thousand dollars after two "good years" with little overtime. Bellitto says another area of concern was overtime for the city's Parks and Public Works Departments... which is up by 54-percent... and, their road salt budget has already exceeded budget. The good news... he says... is from four of the five divisions of the Board of Public Utilities. Bellitto says... collectively... the five divisions have brought in 100-thousand dollars more than was budgeted. That will mean more Tax Equivalency Payments and dividend fund for the city. Bellitto adds that second-quarter sales tax figures aren't in, yet.
Gas prices across the nation have been going up... and, the Jamestown-area is no different. The Triple-A's Fuel Gauge reports the price is up about a penny to begin the week. That makes the price just over 3-dollars-70 cents a gallon. However... the price has already gone up between 3-dollars-76 cents at one location... and, to 3--80 a gallon in a couple of others. The Triple-A says today's national average price for regular, unleaded is now 3-dollars-63 cents a gallon. That's up 15-cents over one week ago. Prices started rising sharply in recent weeks because of new refinery issues, continued tight supplies and higher crude oil prices.
The former chairman of the Federal Elections Commission says he was "hugely disappointed" by the ruling by the U-S Supreme Court in the Citizen's United case against his old commission. Trevor Potter was Wednesday's featured lecturer at Chautauqua Institution as part of "Markets, Morals, and the Social Contract" week. Potter says he urged the court not to overturn the case... which wound up allowing corporations to be considered like people in terms of political contributions. He believes the retirement of former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor played a big role in the outcome because of her background as a lawyer... and, politician in Arizona. O'Connor was a former member of the Arizona State Legislature. Potter says there is still a lot that can be done to weed out corruption in the nation's political system. He says he's drafted the "American Anti-Corruption Act..." which includes 10 items he says would change the way Congress operates. Potter adds that the Act would suppliment current law... not replace it.
