Two seriously hurt in Panama-area dirt bike crash...
A pair of individuals were seriously injured in what was reported to be an off-road, dirt bike accident in the Panama-area early Monday night.  Sheriff's Department emergency dispatchers say officers were called to the scene near 7082 Wiltsie Rd., along with multiple local ambulances, shortly after 6 p.m.  First responders say there were two male victims involved... but, they were not identified.  Oficers say both were flown by medivac helicopter to regional trauma centers for emergency treatment.  No other information is available at this time.  

City man ordered held over for Grand Jury action in 16-month-olds death...
A Jamestown man has been ordered to be held for Grand Jury action for allegedly causing the death of a 16-month-old child earlier this month.  City police say they were notified of the "suspicious death" of the child on Apr. 13.  JPD investigators began looking into the incident... and, arrested 25 year-old Matthew Nuttall for allegedly killing the child through blunt force trauma.  On April 17... officers say Nuttall was arrested, and taken to the city jail.  He was charged with second-degree manslaughter... and, last Thursday... Nuttal was arraigned in city court... and, committed to the Chautauqua County Jail on $500,000 cash bail... or $1-million property bond.  After a preliminary hearing Monday morning... he was ordered held for Grand Jury action.  Nuttal remains in custody while city police work closely with the District Attorney’s Office... the county Coroner’s Office and the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office to prepare for Grand Jury proceedings.

Jamestown BPU approves settlement on long-running Annexation case...
The city of Jamestown's seven-year-old effort to annex the property used for the Board of Public Utilities' Dow Street Substation in the town of Ellicott has been settled out of court.  That from Mayor Kim Ecklund... who told the City Council last night that the board Monday afternoon unanimously approved the settlement with the town, village of Falconer, and the Falconer Central School District.  Ecklund says the key point is a 20% reduction in the property's assessed value... which would run for a 10-year period.  The annexation case was first brought in January of 2017... and, triggered much acrimony between the city and the other entities.  A three-member Appellate Court ruling in 2019 led to dismissal of the city's original request on a technicality.  They ruled the city hadn’t filed its initial court filings in state Supreme Court within a 30-day window prescribed in state law.  As part of the 2019 ruling... the Appellate Division did not make any ruling on the merits of the case.  The BPU and the city then started a new annexation proceeding in March 2020.  The Falconer Village Board, Ellicott Town Board... and, the Falconer School Board all have to vote on the settlement.  Once that happens... Ecklund says it will come back to the City Council for it's approval.

City man arrested for being in possession of envelopes containing Fentanyl...
A Jamestown man is accused of being in possession of multiple containers containing fentanyl during a street check on the city's northside Sunday night.  Jamestown police say officers were patroling in the area of North Main and West Sixth Streets shortly before 10 p.m. when they saw 59 year-old Russell Rea, Jr. crossing the street... and, had prior knowledge that he active Felony warrant against him.  Police say Rea was taken into custody... and, a search turned up the quantity of glassine envelopes containing fentanyl.  He's charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and, was also held on the arrest warrants... pending arraignment.

Goodell says NYS residents dodge bullet in new budget agreement...
In several respects... New York residents and businesses "dodged a bullet" in the final state budget approved last weekend in Albany.  Those are the feelings of local Assemblyman Andy Goodell... who says there are a number of issues he has with the approximately $237-billion spending plan... which was originally due by Apr. 1.  Most of all... Goodell says there's no tax relief.  However... he says new housing legislation includes a local option on capping local rents... and, what can be done to improve rental properties.  Goodell says there's also good news for local school districts... several of which were looking at a loss of Foundation Aid from the state with elimination of the program's "safe harmless" provision.  In addition... Goodell says lawmakers did approve the "Dunkirk Fiscal Recovery Act..." which allows the north county city to borrow millions of dollars to help get it's finances back in order.  

Borrello says there are a "lot of misses" in the new state budget...
The region's state senator says the new state budget contains "a few hits, but a lot more misses."  Those are the feelings of Sunset Bay Republican George Borrello after lawmakers in Albany completed work on the approximately $237-billion spending plan over the weekend.  Borrello says he believes the spending plan, on the whole, does not serve New Yorkers well.  He believes the $8-billion spending increase from last year will not improve the issue of affordability... because the added spending it not responsible.  Borrello says the budget's most glaring issue is $2.4 billion allocated to address the ongoing migrant crisis in New York City. However, Borrello says the budget does have some good aspects... including the Dunkirk Fiscal Recovery Act.