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WJTN News Headlines

Six people face drug charges after two seperate raids in Jamestown Thursday afternoon.  The Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force executed two search warrants.  The first was just after 3:30pm  at 165 Barrett where Swat Team Members arrested 46 year old Torry Knight of Jamestown, and 31 year old Ervin Mitchell and 18 year old Rayquan Brooks both of Buffalo after allegedly finding 1 ounce of crack cocaine packaged for sale.  Three more people were arrested in a second raid just after 4pm at 108 Crescent Street after Swat officers allegedly found more than one ounce of crack cocaine and a loaded rifle. 32 year old Ollie Alford of Buffalo, and 24 year old Laura Dubois and 45 year old Lawrence Gary of Jamestown were arrested. All 6 face Criminal Posession of a controlled substance charges, with Alford and Gary facing additional Criminal Posession of a weapon charges because both are convicted felons.  All are being held in the city jail for arraignment. The Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force is made up of members from the Jamestown and Ellicott Police Deparments.  They ask anyone who may have information on illegal drug sales to contact their anonymous tip line at 483-8477.

 

Governor Andrew Cuomo says the state is ready for Ebola.  Cuomo says eight hospitals across the state are especially prepared with go-to teams who've been drilled in anti-Ebola protocols.  Cuomo told a news conference that, starting Monday, medical experts will be dispatched to hospitals to make sure they have the needed equipment and training for possible Ebola cases.

 

Some 200 unionized workers at RHI Monofrax remain on strike after this week's meeting held to try and address contract issues that led workers to strike at the plant more than two weeks ago.  And... some other unions will be joining workers for a rally in front of the plant at 2 PM today.  A member of the National Conference of Firemen and Oiler's Local-#266 says there was no real head-way made this week on the issue of skyrocketing insurance premiums for employees.  The strike began at Midnight, September 29th.  Wages and benefits have also been an issue during contract negotiations.

 

The Chautauqua County Legislature's main financial panel has approved having the county's Industrial Development Agency buy one of the two Carriage House facilities to market for new use.  That from the chairman of the legislature's Audit and Control Committee... who says the panel unanimously approved having the county buy 2-million dollars in bonds for the IDA to purchase ConAgra's Dunkirk plant on Talcott Street.  Runkle says the purchase would take place later in the year... and, take full effect once the plant is closed. Runkle agrees that the county is "speculating" that someone will ultimately purchase the building.  However... there is precident where the county has purchased industrial buildings in the past... then been able to find a buyer.  That's been the case with the former Sysco facility in Falconer... and, Maplevale Farms in the Clymer area.  The Carriage House facilities in both Dunkirk and Fredonia are scheduled to close at the end of the year as ConAgra moves those operations to Kentucky.  The move will put about 425 employees out of work.

 

Efforts to re-use blighted and foreclosed on properties in Chautauqua County have received a 1.3-million dollar boost from New York state.  The state Attorney General's office announced late yesterday that the county's Landbank Corporation received this latest grant from the Land Bank Community Revitalization Initiative.  County Landbank Corporation Board Chairman Peter Lombardi says they're pleased to have received the grant... which he says will allow them to demolish and re-use residential and, mixed-use properties. Lombardi says -- with the county's first grant -- this brings the amount of state funding to get the local program up and running -- totals about 2.8-million dollars.  With that first round... he says they were able to contract with communities to survey or demolish 80 structures... 40 in Jamestown.  Lombardi adds that... for every dollar that those communities invest in demolition... the landbank will match it.  A home on East First Street was recently demolished under the program... and, a number of others are having asbestos surveys.  The contract with Dunkirk was just recently signed to deal with 20 such properties in the north county city.

 

A city man is jailed without bail for allegedly threatening people early yesterday morning with a knife at two different homes in the downtown area.  Jamestown Police were called to the first location at 235 Fulton Street shortly after 4 AM on a report of a man allegedly threatening to stab or slash another person.  Officers were initially given a description of a male suspect, and that of a woman who was with him.  While checking the area... police say they were called to another incident at 30 Franklin Street... where the man allegedly had kicked-in the door... and, threatened people in the neighborhood.  After getting further descriptions... officers found 22 year-old Charles Monroe, and the woman, nearby.  But... police say she was not found to be an accomplice.  Monroe was arraigned on charges including two counts of second-degree menacing... criminal mischief... and, aggravated Family Offense... and, sent to the county lock-up.

 

An argument over a fishing area led to the assault of one person this past Tuesday on Keller Road in the town of Busti.  Lakewood-Busti Police say they were called to the scene about 5:30 PM... and, their investigation showed that 80 year-old Burdette Gifford, and his 47 year-old son, Matthew, allegedly struck the man with a shovel.  Matthew Gifford was arraigned, and sent to the County Jail with bail to be set on a third-degree assault charge.  Burdette Gifford was arraigned on the assault and second-degree harassment charges... and, was issued an appearance ticket for Busti Town Court.

 

Will an agreement be reached by later this month on a North County Water District?  The Chautauqua County Water Agency will hold its next meeting later this month, the first such gathering of agency members since May 8th when they agreed on a general concept for the project that included both the city of Dunkirk... and, village of Fredonia.  County Executive Vince Horrigan says talks are continuing and he remains hopeful that an agreement can be reached. However... Dunkirk Mayor A.J. Dolce doesn't seem as optimistic about an agreement being worked out any time soon.  Dolce addressed the issue during his budget announcement on Tuesday... adding, though, that those discussions are continuing.  The Chautauqua County Water Agency is scheduled to meet on October 30th at the Fredonia Incubator on Central Avenue in Dunkirk.  Horrigan hopes to have a draft resolution in time for the meeting. 

 

A Rochester television station says its interview with Governor Cuomo was abruptly cancelled when the station said it wanted to ask him about more than his new memoir.  WHAM-TV reports that the publishers of Cuomo's book arranged the interview for Wednesday night.  A Cuomo aide later called, asking the station to only ask questions about the memoir.  When the station refused, the interview was cancelled.  State Assignment Manager Brian Houseman says the station wanted to ask Cuomo about other issues... such as hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.