Whitaker says juveniles who broke into JHS recently found weakness in locking system...
Jamestown school district officials now know how two juveniles were able to recently break into the high school and attempt to steal several items. School Superintendent Kevin Whitaker says the pair was able to find a weakness in a locking system, and gain access to the building. Whitaker says it was a "mechanical" issue with the locking device that may not been seen at first or second glance. In a press release earlier this week... Whitaker said the break-in was captured on video... which was given to city police and the courts for further action. The two juveniles were not JHS Students... but, because of their ages they can't be identified. Whitaker says the district is pushing ahead with charges against the pair. In response to the incident... Whitaker says additional monitoring of the building by day and night staff will take place.
City man arrested on drug charges following weekend traffic stop...
A Jamestown man faces numerous drug-related charges following a traffic stop this past week in the area of North Main and West Fifth Street. City police say they stopped the car... driven by 34 year-old Brandon Anderson... shortly before 1 a.m. last Saturday for an alleged traffic violation. Officers say they found Anderson in possession of 20.5-grams of methamphetamine... 1.4-grams of cocaine... 1.6-grams of Fentanyl... and, 2.5-grams of crack cocaine. Police say they also found him driving with a suspended driver's license. Anderson was later arraigned on one count of Felony third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and, three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Appeals Court upholds state law on allowing absentee ballots to be reviewed prior to Election Day...
A New York appeals court has upheld a new state law allowing absentee ballots to be reviewed before Election Day, saying it would would be ``extremely disruptive'' to change the rules with absentee voting already underway. Tuesday's decision from the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court reverses a lower court ruling that declared New York's early review of absentee ballots unconstitutional. The appeals court said Republican and Conservative party officials who brought the lawsuit in September waited too long to bring the challenge. Election Day is Nov. 8.
Wendel reiterates that "Voter Integrity" organization going door-to-door is not affiliated with county, or Board of Elections...
No other problems have been reported in recent days. However... Chautauqua County officials remain concerned about a group calling itself the "Voter Integrity" group has been going around trying to verify voter information. County Executive P-J Wendel and the county's Board of Elections got out a statement earlier this week alerting local residents that anyone going door-to-door claiming to verify information for next week's election are not... in any way related to... or employed by the Board of Elections. Wendel says it's also reportedly happening in other counties, as well. Elections Commissioners Brian Abram and Luz Torres say all voters who are registered by Oct. 14, as Election Law specifies, are eligible to vote in the November 8th General Election. They add that ID is NOT required in New York State... and proof of identity is your signature comparison at the poll site.
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Early voting in Chautauqua County continues today through Sunday at the four locations the Board of Elections has established. They include the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood... and, the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown. For more information... go on-line to VoteChautauqua.com.
Sempolinski hosting final town halls -- including in Chautauqua County -- this weekend...
Local Congressman Joe Sempolinski will be holding his final two town hall sessions this coming Saturday in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties as part of the old, 23rd Congressional District. Sempolinski... who is filling out the final few months of former Congressman Tom Reed's final term... won a special election last August. However... he's continued Reed's tradition of holding town hall meetings in each county of the district. The Steuben County Republican says he also believes it's important to hear was residents have to say in the sprawling district because issues affect people in each county differently. Early on... Sempolinski said one of the big topics has been the need for more workers for jobs in the region... and, developing a stronger workforce. However... with the mid-term elections coming up next week... he says other issues have also been discussed... including crime and public safety... inflation... and how the COVID pandemic has been handled. The town hall at the Carroll Town Hall in the Frewsburg-area this Saturday will run from 8 to 9 a.m.
Two arrested after shoplifting incident at Home Depot in town of Dunkirk...
Two Chautauqua County residents were arrested following an alleged shoplifting incident at the Home Depot store on Vineyard Drive in the town of Dunkirk. State Police in Fredonia say they arrested 52 year-old Alisha Scinta of Dunkirk... and, 23 year-old Dennis Weaver of Cherry Creek on several charges. Troopers were called to the location Tuesday... and, when they arrived on scene, store employees had stopped Scinta from leaving. State Police were also outside in the parking lot... where they interviewed a "disoriented" Weaver... who said he was "waiting for his mother." Further investigation found that Weaver was connected with Scinta... and, they saw obvious signs of impairment. He also had his driver's license was revoked. Scinta was charged with fourth-degree Grand Larceny... and petty larceny. Weaver was charged with DWAI and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation.
