Five arrested in Brocton drug raid one week ago...
Five people were arrested late last week following a drug raid on a home in the north county village of Brocton. Sheriff's officers say narcotics investigators from their department... and, Jamestown police... had been investigating alleged activity at 48 Highland Ave., and, executed a search warrant early last Thursday evening. Inside they found 36 year-old Matthew Mulville of Brocton... 34 year-old Shane Miller, and, 27 year-old Kyle Cambria of Portland... 46 year-old Danika Lemay of Dunkirk... and, 22 year-old April Decker of Sherman. Narcotics Investigators say they seized 12.4 grams of fentanyl, a quantity of methamphetamine and Suboxone... and, scales and packaging material for the trafficking of the drugs. All five suspects were charged with third-and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia. They add Mulville was charged with first-degree criminal nuisance. They were all taken to the county jail pending centralized arraignment. Police add that if you see or know of suspicious or narcotics related activity in your area to call the Sheriff's Narcotics Investigators Tip line at 1-800-344-8702 or 664-2420.
Legislature approves new salary range increases for management, and other employees...
The Chautauqua County Legislature has approved two local laws adopting new salary ranges for some county officers and employees... and, two other directors. However... lawmakers also discussed the need for more review of those management salaries. Both laws were approved, 12-5 Wednesday night. Jamestown Democrat Tom Nelson says he wanted more information... given the amount of increases some would be receiving. Nelson says when he and others asked about the criteria for moving up those salary steps, the only one mentioned seemed to be experience. He says he wants to be fair with employees, but, with the taxpayers, as well. Audit and Control Committee Chairman, Dan Pavlock of the Ellington-area, said part of the reason for the changes is that some employees had "maxxed out" on their ranges... and, new ones needed to be added. However... he was also in favor of further review. At issue was the fact that some proposed had as much as an $89,000 difference between the bottom and the top ranges... with one being $118,000 to $207,000.
Gillibrand comments on death of refugee from Myanmar in Buffalo, left by CBP outside a Tim Horton's in Buffalo...
The death of a refugee from Myanmar in Buffalo... whose body was found outside a Tim Horton's restaurant late last week... is getting national attention. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand says she has written both Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem... and, U.S. Customers and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott... demanding a full accounting of the events and actions taken by federal agents while 56 year-old Nurul Amin Shah Alam was in their custody. The Buffalo News reports Shah Alam... who was mostly blind and unable to communicate in English... appears to have died from a health-related matter. However... exposure and homicide have not been ruled out. In a printed statement... Gillibrand says Shah Alam's family and -- "our community deserve answers on the events that led to his death. I am deeply disturbed by reports that after taking him into custody, Border Patrol agents left Mr. Shah Alam at a Tim Hortons, miles from his home, without notifying his family or attorney before he was found dead. If true, this is absolutely unacceptable." Family members today tell The Buffalo News they were at the holding center where Shah Alam was being held to pick him up, and were there for "hours" before learning he had been taken by federal agents.
CCIDA approves new, 30-year PILOT agreement for Dunkirk Landing housing project...
The developers of a $38.2 million affordable housing project in Dunkirk are getting financial assistance from the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency. Earlier this week... the IDA Board approved incentives for Dunkirk Landing, LLC to support the acquisition, demolition, and new construction for the Homesteads at Dunkirk Landing project. CCIDA Chief Executive Officer Mark Geise says Regan Development will get 30-year Payment in Lieu of Tax Agreement with $691,000 in new payments... which he says "aligns with their financing." Geise says the "transformative" project is also getting funding from the city's Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant, and New York's Empire State Development County Infrastructure Grant Program. He adds the project will involve demolishing an existing, dilapidated three-story building on Washington Avenue and a portion of the Save-a-Lot Plaza on East 4th Street...and the project will help to eliminate blight in that part of the city. The project will create 78 new workforce housing units across two new buildings, as well as commercial space for daycare operation at the East 4th Street location. It will provide an estimated 69 construction jobs during the demolition and construction period and two permanent full-time jobs directly associated with the housing portion of the project. Work is tentatively expected to begin in mid-March... with completion by the end of November 2027.
Man arrested for allegedly being in possession of drugs when he appears in Fredonia Village Court...
Fredonia Police have charged a man with multiple drug counts after he allegedly entered Fredonia Village Court in possession of illegal narcotics. Officers say they found quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl in 36-year-old James Mawhir's possession when he entered the courtroom Wednesday morning. Mawhir was charged with three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, then was arraigned, and released.
