House fire in Ashville area last Saturday ruled accidental...
A propane leak ignited by a nearby electric dryer triggered last Saturday morning's explosion and fire that heavily damaged a town of Harmony home. Sheriff's officers say Ashville firefighters were called to the location on Matson Road shortly before 8:30 a.m., and, with the help of four mutual aid companies... got the fire under control and out. The county's Fire Investigation Team was called in... and, determined that the propane leak occured in the basement... and, the electric dryer was in use. No injuries were reported... and, the fire has been ruled accidental.
City man arrested following fight, and assault...
A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting another person... and, hitting a woman in the head... causing injury to her. City police say they were called to an eastside address about 7 a.m. Sunday for a reported fight. When they arrived... officers say they learned that the man that 26 year-old Robert Brinkley was fighting had an order of protection against him. Police also learned that Brinkley had thrown a rock into the victim's home... and, struck the woman in the head. Officers arrested Brinkley for first-degree criminal contempt... third-degree assault... and, third-degree criminal mischief. He was jailed pending arraignment.
County Worker's Memorial Day commemoration held Saturday...
The approximately 180 people who have been killed while on the job since the 1800s in Chautauqua County were honored during the county's annual Worker's Memorial Day commemoration. The annual event was held at Erlandson Overlook Park in Frewsburg last Saturday morning. The Keynote Speaker was New York State Senator George Borrello... who says the U-S has come a long way since 1970 when 38 workers a day were killed... to 15 per day now. However... he says that's still too many. Borrello says "you recognized many of those names (which were read), and, he called this an important day to their families. This past year... Borrello says one worker was killed at a plant in Dunkirk... and, the other person was a Thruway construction worker near Silver Creek. Proclamations were read... one by Jamestown Mayor Kim Ecklund... who says each of the person's whose names were read off... each had dedication to the community, and their families and friends. A representative from Governor Kathy Hochul's Office... the Office of State Assemblyman Andrew Molitor... and, County Executive P.J. Wendel... also offered proclamations. The Worker's Memorial Day program was started in 2000... but, since there was no program in 2020 -- due to the pandemic -- this year's event was the 24th held.
Worker's Memorial Committee honors Spitale... and, Bickhart...
Two men who were instrumental in the local labor movement... and, the founding of the worker's memorial... were honored postumously during Saturday's Worker's Memorial Day program. The Jamestown Central Labor Councii's Ryan Sweeney recognized both Jamestown's George Spitale... and, Dunkirk's James Bickhart. Sweeney says both Spitale and Bickhart's work will help local labor for "generations to come." There was also a dedication of new bricks... and, a wreath laying at the Memorial at Erlandson Overlook Park.
Two men in U.S. illegally appear in federal court in Buffalo...
Two men -- one from Guatamala... the other from Honduras -- who were arrested during reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement details earlier this year... appeared in federal court last Friday. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that 52 year-old Manuel Juan Mateo of Guatemala, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge John Sinatra, Jr. to having a forged alien resident card. Mateo was then sentenced to time served and turned over to ICE Agents. Prosecutors say this past Feb. 24... Mateo was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol in Dunkirk... and, during the encounter, he presented a U.S. Permanent Resident Card as proof of his identity. However... further investigation found that the card presented was assigned to another unrelated individual.
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In addition... DiGiacomo announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 29 year-old Hector Noel Soto Villalta of Honduras with illegal re-entry of a removed alien subsequent to a felony conviction. He says the charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Prosecutors say Villalta had been previously deported from the U.S. in May 2015, September 2018, and January of 2020, subsequent to a felony conviction, was found living illegally once again in the U.S.
Tidioute, Pa. man arrested for DWI in Jamestown...
A Warren County, Pa. man has been arrested for drunk driving after being found slumped over the wheel of his parked car in Jamestown's Brooklyn Square late last week. City police say a patrol spotted the car in the area of Harrison and Institute Streets... with 49 year-old Christopher Fulkman of Tidioute, Pa. inside. Officers say they found Fulkman was under the influence of alcohol... and, he was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated... and, he was held pending arraignment.
