City man sentenced to 3 years in prison on gun possession charge...
A Jamestown man has been sentenced to three-years in state prison in connection with a shooting incident in the city in the Spring of 2023. Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt says 33 year-old Raheem Butts also received five-years post-release supervision from County Court Judge David Foley after his conviction for second-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon. Jamestown police responded in April of 2023 to a complaint of shots fired... and, were quickly able to identify Butts as the shooter, and found him in possession of a gun. He was initially charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. This past March... Butts pled guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon. Schmidt says he was also sentenced as a non-violent predicate felon.
South Main Street porch fire ruled accidental...
Burning incense too close to combustables is the reported cause of a second-story porch fire on Jamestown's southside Tuesday night. City Fire Battlion Chief Nate Alm says firefighters were called to the scene at 289 South Main St. shortly after 8 p.m., and, found fire coming from the front, second-story porch area. Firefighters were able to quickly bring the blaze under control... and got it out a short time later. Alm says fire damage was confined to that area around, and on the porch. Almo says no one was home at the time... and, no injuries were reported.
City Council approves new Rental Inspection ordinance...
A new rental inspection ordinance will be going into place in Jamestown after the city council recently approved the measure... which is designed to improve rental housing in the city. Lawmakers say the ordinance supports a state public health law that will require inspections of rental properties with two or more units. Council President Tony Dolce says some of the language in the final measure needed to be updated first.... namely "reasonable" time elements for landlords and tenants to take care of violations. The council had recently held off on approving the ordinance to make sure language in it was clear. As for a new food truck ordinance... Dolce says there were a few questions that came up... and, that was pulled from the July 29 meeting agenda. He says the big questions were over distances from each others... and, from brick and mortar eateries. City officials say the rental inspections will cover all conditions that violate state and local code... while the New York State inspections will focus on lead poisoning prevention and abatement.
City lawmakers hear about change orders on new Fleet Maintenance Building reducing costs by $20,000...
During this time of high inflation... when the cost comes down on a major project -- even a little bit -- you're happy with that. Those are the feelings of Jamestown City Council President Tony Dolce... as lawmakers this week discussed and took action on two change orders for the new Fleet Maintenance Building on Washington Street. Dolce says those changes totaled about $20,000... and he says "it's not a lot of money... but, at least it's in the right direction, and the costs went in the right direction this time." The initial project was proposed at $2.1-million several years ago... but, in recent years... the cost has ballooned to about $6.2-million.
Jamestown man arrested following two domestic calls in Dunkirk-area...
A Jamestown man was arrested twice following a pair of domestic incidents that occurred four hours apart in the city of Dunkirk Tuesday afternoon. Dunkirk Police were first called to an in-progress incident at a business on Lake Shore Drive East shortly after 12 p.m. They say 20-year-old Jayden Feaster allegedly obstructed the investigation by preventing officers from talking to the victim, then allegedly resisted arrest. Officers say Feaster allegedly heavily damaged a car door and threw the victim's cell phone into Lake Erie during the incident. He was charged with second-degree obstruction, third-degree criminal mischief and resisting arrest. He was then arraigned and released on his own recognizance. About an hour after Feaster's release, officers were alerted to a domestic incident outside the Dunkirk Police Department. Feaster is accused of grabbing a steak knife and damaging the victim's car by repeatedly stabbing the infotainment unit. The victim, while trying to prevent Feaster from damaging the vehicle, suffered a minor cut to the hand. Feaster was again, and charged him with second-degree reckless endangerment and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was arraigned Wednesday Dunkirk City Court... and, re-released to the supervision of probation.
Iowa man arrested following north county car chase...
A man from Iowa has been arrested on several charges after allegedly leading Chautauqua County Sheriff's officers on a high speed chase in the town of Hanover on Monday. Deputies say they were alerted to the speeding vehicle... which was illegally passing other vehicles on Route 20... in the town of Sheridan about 9:30 a.m. Officers found the vehicle in Silver Creek... and, tried to stop the driver -- identified later as Yubislando Rivas-Rivas -- of Ames, Iowa. They say Rivas Rivas failed to comply... and, led deputies on a brief high speed pursuit on Routes 5 and 20 in Irving. After terminating the pursuit... officers say they later found that he had been arrested by Hamburg Town Police in Erie County. Rivas Rivas faces charges including third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle... reckless driving... and, speeding. He was issued appearance tickets for Hanover Town Court.
