Man from W. Ellicott arrested for menacing and assault following attempted stabbing...
A man from West Ellicott has been arrested for allegedly threatening and then trying to stab another person during an incident last weekend in the town.  Ellicott Police say they were called to the scene for a person with a weapon last Friday... and, found that 37 year-old Dustin Pickett had menaced... and, then tried to stab the victim with the "large dangerous knife" several times.  Officers arrested Pickett without further incident for second-degree menacing... second-degree assault... and, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.  He was taken to the county jail pending Centralized Arraignment... and, will appear in Ellicott Town Court at a later date.

City teen arrested for allegedly punching female during domestic insident...
A Jamestown teenager has been arrested for allegedly punching a woman in the face multiple times during a domestic incident on the city's eastside.  Jamestown police say they were called to the location about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday... and, learned that 18 year-old James Leonard had struck the woman several times... and, had left the scene.  Leonard was later found at his home... and, he was arrested for third-degree assault.  He was jailed pending arraignment.

Rowland says St. Susan's ready to deal with influx from loss of SNAP benefits at start of Nov...
The Jamestown-area's largest soup kitchen has been gearing up in anticipation of more need in the community with federal SNAP benefits running out of money by the end of the week.  That from St. Susan's Center Executive Director Cheri Rowland... who says they've been working to get more non-perishable and other food items in place in anticipation of many more people coming to their Water Street location.  Rowland says they're averaging about 178 people a day... but, adds that number grows to about 240 at the end of the month, when benefits run out.  She adds they have enough in storage and committed to be able to provide for those numbers for about 90-days.  However... Rowland also says they are still looking for mainly non-perishable food items... such as canned goods... which can last for a signficant period of time.  She says the one thing they don't have enough of for the anticipated influx of people in need is volunteers.  She says you can help out when it works for you.  Rowland says you can call (716) 664-2253 for more information about donating food, money or time.  You can also donate by going to their website at www.stsusanscenter.org.

Borrello critical of 2026 switch to "even-numbered" local elections...
Many local candidates who get elected to office next week will find themselves having to run again next year.  That after the New York State Court of Appeals earlier this month unanimously upheld a law that shifts a number of local elections to even-numbered years, starting in 2026.  Democrats in Albany say aligning local elections with state and federal elections will increase voter turnout for local races.  However, State Senator George Borrello believes local elections should not be lumped in with presidential and gubernatorial politics because those will tend to "suck all the oxygen" from the local races.  The law was passed by the State Legislature in 2023.  Borrello calls it a "horribly irresponsible" law and also calls it a "veiled" attempt by Democrats to skew elections in their favor.  He adds the ruling shows the state's courts have been compromised by "political activist judges."  The Sunset Bay Republican also believes it will bring out more people who vote straight party-line who may not know who local candidates are, making "blue areas bluer and red areas redder."

Ribbon cut on new concrete steps for Allen Park Bandshell...
The ribbon has been cut on the completion of a new set of concrete steps that have been long-talked about at the Allen Park Bandshell in Jamestown.  City officials and members of the Allen Park Women's Club were on hand to cut the ribbon on the bandshell's new steps that lead from the sidewalk... to the floor of the bandshell area.  City Parks Manager Dan Stone says he was approached by the women's club some time ago about the idea because they had some extra funding... and, was a project he wanted to take on.  Stone says he pitched the idea to Mayor Kim Ecklund and the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation... and, they came on board.  There are also bases for three new street lights for the steps to improve the looks -- and safety of the steps.  Mayor Ecklund praised the effort... in her "home-area" of the city.  Allen Park Women's Club President Jackie Benson says it great to have the steps... with a railing now in place... in plenty of time by next year's Summer Concert Series.  Stone says R. Patti Construction was contractor for the $121,000 project.