Two Jamestown men arrested as police raid suspected "crack" cocaine distribution location...
Two city men are still being held in Jamestown after allegedly being found in possession of a large amount of "crack" cocaine during a drug raid on Jamestown's northside. City police... along with the State Police C-NET Team... say they executed a search warrant early Friday afternoon at 9 East 15th Street. Officers found 37 year-old Clarence Smith... and, 29 year-old Darren Mushat who both lived there... inside. In addition to the "crack" cocaine... police say they also seized cash, and drug paraphernalia during the raid. Officers say Mushat is charged with two Felony counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance.... while Smith faces one count. Both face one count of criminally using drug paraphernalia... and, were sent to the city lock-up pending arraignment.
NBC Dateline profiles Keith Reed, Jr. murder case...
The story of a crime of passion that claimed the life of Clymer School Superintendent Keith Reed, Junior was told to a national audience last night. NBC Dateline's Dennis Murphy narrated the hour-long program. The network interviewed both Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace and District Attorney David Foley extensively for the program. Foley talked about the door-to-door canvas of the area around Reed's home early on in the investigation, and an elderly neighbor remembers hearing three gunshots on the September of 2012 says it's believed he was shot to death. Gerace talked about the crime scene... and, the fact it appeared Reed was set up because the light bulbs from three outdoor lights had been removed. That way, an assailant couldn't be seen. Dateline followed the timeline of the discovery of Keith Reed's cell phone on a bridge scaffolding in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania... and, Gerace receiving a call from Mary Taglianetti. It was her phone call that implicated her estranged husband, Anthony, in Reed's murder. Anthony Taglianetti was recently sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for second-degree murder in the case.
Wordelmann releases 2014-15 Lakewood Budget totaling $3.35-million...
A significant reduction in two expense lines have allowed Lakewood Mayor David Wordelmann to propose a budget that doesn't include a tax increase for the first time in three years. In addition... Wordelmann says the tax rate would fall 5-cents per $1,000 assessed value in his proposed 2014-2015, $3.35-million spending plan. He says the reasons there is no tax increase is their state pension contribution isn't skyrocketing like it has the past few years. Wordelmann says the other reduction is because the final payment on borrowing for the current Lakewood Fire Hall is coming off the village books. He says that's another $50-thousand savings. At the same time... Wordelmann says they're still seeing upward pressures on the budget. He says the tax levy in the spending plan is up $244. The tentative budget was filed with the Village Clerk. The village board must adopt a final budget by May 1.
County Legislature's Audit and Control Committee rejects CSEA Local #6323 contract proposal...
A new, 6-year contract with the union representing corrections officers at the Chautauqua County Jail has been rejected by the legislature's financial panel. The Audit and Control Committee has voted down the pact with CSEA Local 6323 by a 3-to-2 vote. Committee Chairman John Runkle was among those who voted against the contract... which includes an 8-percent pay increase over the life of the contract. Runkle was among those voting against the measure because of other mandated spending hikes. He adds there's also this week's news that the two Carriage House food processing plants in the north county will be closing next year... which will impact the tax base. The measure now moves onto the full legislature this coming week.
