Harbor Hotel in Celoron evacuated for about three hours due to fumes from accidental mixing of bleach with acid in small laundry room...
Some kind of acid that was accidently mixed with bleach led to the evacuation of the Celoron Harbor Hotel this morning.  Second Assistant Celoron Fire Chief Tim Nelson says the call came in just after 8:30 a.m., after an employee inhaled some of the fumes in a small laundry room... and, had to be taken to UPMC Chautauqua Hospital.  Nelson says he developed breathing problems, and was taken for treatment.  He says they determined what the cause was, and checked everyone else inside the building for it.  He says it's unclear how many other employees or hotel patrons were affected by the fumes.  However... he says no one else had to go to the hospital.  Nelson says the Chautauqua County HazMat Team was called in... along with fire rescue personnel from Lakewood and Busti.  Fire personnel were going through the building late this morning to ventilate rooms, and hallways to make sure the fumes were gone.  Workers and patrons were allowed back in the building around Noon.

Change of venue request for Matar trial is denied...
The New Jersey man accused of attacking and stabbing famed author Salman Rushdie at Chautauqua Institution in August of 2022 will be tried in Chautauqua County.  That after the Fourth Judicial Department of the state Court of Appeals denied Hadi Matar's motion for a change of venue in the case.  The ruling... which was handed down late last week... says "we conclude that defendant has not met his burden of demonstrating that there is "reasonable cause to believe that a fair and impartial trial cannot be had" in Chautauqua County."  Jury selection was set to begin in the case last week... but, was postponed due to the motion filed by Matar's attorney, Public Defender Ned Barone.  The 26 year-old Matar is accused of jumped onto the Chautauqua Amphitheater stage... and, attacking Rushdie as he was get set to deliver a morning lecture.  Rushdie suffered permanent injuries in the attack... and, lost an eye during the attack.  A new date to begin jury selection will have to be determined.

City man faces drug possession charges following traffic stop...
A Jamestown man has been arrested on multiple drug possession charges following a traffic stop late last Friday in the area of Clinton and West Sith Streets.  City police say they stopped the vehicle... driven by 32 year-old Jonah Warner... about 5:30 p.m. for observed traffic infractions.  Officers conducted a search of the vehicle due to observing drug paraphernalia in plain view. During
the search... police say they found the corners of plastic bags containing a white powdered substance inside... and, found Warner in possession of fentanyl and a quantity of crack-cocaine.  He was taken into custody without incident on charges of fourth and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and, jailed pending arraignment.

House fire in Gerry ruled accident, cause is electrical wiring issue...
An electrical wiring issue is being blamed for a mid-afternoon fire Saturday led to multiple fire companies being called to a town of Gerry home.  Chautauqua County fire dispatchers say Gerry fire crews were initially called to the scene at 2016 Old Chautauqua Rd. just before 3:30 p.m.  The county's Fire Investigation Team was called in about 5 p.m., and, determined the cause was the wiring issue in the ceiling of the structure.  No injuries were reported.

Dunkirk Common Council votes to suspend operations of city IDA...
The city of Dunkirk will be discontinuing it's Industrial Development Agency.  Common Council members... this past week... approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Kate Wdowiasz to suspend and discontinue the Dunkirk IDA.  City Planning and Development Director Vince DeJoy, who spoke about the measure during last week's council meeting, says his department does not have the personnel or time to effectively operate one... he says it's something they just "don't have the capacity to do."  DeJoy... who is also former City Development Director in Jamestown... added that the north county city has been working successfully with the Chautauqua County IDA on bigger projects.  He says they've been "fantastic partners" in working on those projects.  The resolution states that the Dunkirk IDA's functions are redundant to those of the city Department of the Development and the Chautauqua County IDA.  The city will notify the New York State Authorities Budget Office of the decision.

HUD announces $5.7-million coming to Chautauqua County to help remove lead hazards in local homes...
Chautauqua County is receiving just over $5.7-million in federal funding to remove lead hazards in local homes... and further efforts to prevent lead poisoning.  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development late last week announced more than 36-million dollars would be going to New York homes to remove lead in local homes... and, HUD-assisted properties.  HUD is distributing more than $420-million nationwide for the effort to ensure the safety of children, residents and families.  Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman says "addressing lead poisoning is a top priority at HUD.  HUD has partnered with communities across the country to reduce lead exposure, particularly for children.  The awards announced will help with HUD’s continued commitment to create housing that is safe.”  For descriptions of the local HUD projects... go on-line to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development agency website.