Fire has damaged a pair of well-known businesses in downtown Jamestown... but, quick work by city firefighters prevented major, structural damage to those businesses. Jamestown firefighters were called to The Pub at 209 North Main Street about 7:05 last night. Fire Battalion Chief Roger Sigular says several passers-by called in the alarm. He says first responding units found heavy smoke coming from all three floors of the building... which also houses Lisciandro's Restaurant. Sigular says crews found the bulk of the fire on the first-floor. However... Sigular says there was heavy smoke and fire damage to the front interior front part of The Pub... where the bar-area is located. He says Lisciandro's Restaurant has some light smoke damage. Late last night... Sigular said investigators were still trying to determine the origin of the blaze... and, what triggered the fire. He says it took about half-an-hour before they had the blaze under control. Sigular says neither business was open at the time of the fire... and, no one was hurt. In addition to the 10 on-duty firefighters and shift commander... Sigular says 18 more firefighters were later called in... along with another shift commander... to assist.
The coldest air seen in many years will be moving into the Jamestown-area later today. It's from a storm that's dropped a few feet of snow... and, wind chill temperatures to 50-below zero in the upper Midwest. The National Weather Service issued a High Wind Warning in advance of this system... and, a Lake Effect Snow Warning goes into effect at 11 this morning. Forecaster Jeff Wood in Buffalo says the source of this frigid air is around the North Pole. While there is a Lake Effect Snow Warning in effect... Wood says we won't see much over an inch or two here in Jamestown. However... he says places north and west -- including Dunkirk -- could see up to two-feet from this storm. The biggest concern... though... will be tonight when a Wind Chill Warning goes into effect. Wood says overnight temperatures tonight -- without the Wind Chill factored in -- could fall to 10 to 15-below zero. He adds that highs won't be much above zero on Tuesday. Wood says we will have some moderation with highs reaching the teens on Wednesday.
A Sheriff's Department K-9 helped officers track down a Jamestown man who allegedly broke into a town of Kiantone home early Sunday morning. Sheriff's officers say 19 year-old Steven Schrecengost broke into the home on Busti-Stillwater Road about 2:30 AM. Deputies say the homeowner was awakened by his dogs barking... and, found Schrecengost in his kitchen. The suspect refused to leave until the man told him that police were on the way. Officers found foot tracks leading away from the residence... and, called in the K-9 unit. K-9 Drago found Schrecengost hiding inside a shed on Norby Road. He resisted arrest... and, kicked at the K-9... who eventually bit him. Schrecengost was first turned over to Jamestown police on existing warrants... and, arraigned on several charges from the Kiantone incident. They include second and third-degree burglary... and, criminal mischief. Schrecengost was sent to the county jail on 10-thousand dollars bail.
A State Regents task force later this month will begin reviewing comments from the 20 public forums held across New York with an eye toward smoothing the way forward for the ongoing shift to more demanding learning standards. The new Common Core also includes more rigorous student testing and teacher evaluations. Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch says the forums may have been contentious... but, produced some good points. One of those forums was held last December 4th in Jamestown. State Education Commissioner John King, Junior, and Regents Chancellor Emeritus Robert Bennett were on hand for the local meeting. About 500 people attended that session... which featured local speakers, and, several protestors who came from the Buffalo-Niagara region.
State Senator Cathy Young is organizing a rally to save Lake Shore Hospital at Silver Creek High School next Saturday... and, the public is strongly urged to attend. It will begin at 12:30 PM... and, Young says she's hoping to see support like there was to keep the NRG Power Plant in Dunkirk operating. The Olean Republican says she says Assemblymen Andy Goodell and Joe Giglio are co-hosting the event. Several other elected officials are expected to take part. Young adds that the Seneca Nation of Indians -- whose Cattaraugus territory is adjacent to Lake Shore Hospital -- will also have a large presence. Young adds that, turn-out is the key in having maximum impact to save the hospital. Lake Shore Hospital, one of the county's largest employers, employed about 460 people when the intent to close was announced in mid-October by parent organization Lake Erie Regional Health System of New York.
Opponents of New York's new gun law plan to appeal a federal judge's ruling late last week upholding its main provisions that banned sales of some popular semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines. The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association said Friday it has filed a notice of appeal with the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in the lawsuit that includes sportsmen's groups, firearms businesses and gun owners. Separately, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says his office will defend Judge William Skretny's ruling, while also appealing his decision to strike down parts of the law. Skretny found the 2013 law's seven-bullet limit for loading still legal 10-round magazines was ``arbitrary.''
