Trio allegedly involved in Pearl Avenue burglary now facing Felony Arson charges...
Two men from Jamestown -- and a Buffalo teenager -- have now been charged with second-degree arson for allegedly setting an apartment on fire late last month to cover up a burglary. City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says they have now charged 30 year-old Jimmy Graves... and, 25 year-old Jonathan Fields... and, the 16 year-old from Buffalo... with second-degree ason. Samuelson says an eyewitness says they saw the three leaving the house at 19 Pearl Avenue, just before the second-floor apartment bursting into flames. City firefighters were called to the scene about 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. Samuelson says the trio allegedly damaged the apartment... and, stole a number of items before setting the apartment on fire. He says Graves, Fields and the 16 year-old -- who was not identified due to his age -- were caught by police a short distance away from the scene. In addition to the new arson charge... Samuelson says the three are also charged with second-degree burglary... and, third-degree criminal mischief. Graves is jailed on $150,00 cash bail... while both Fields and the 16 year-old are being held on $100,000 bail.
City fire department investigation allegedly arson involving condemned apartment house...
Jamestown fire investigators say a blaze that extensively damaged the upper floors of a condemned, two-story apartment house on the city's eastside was intentionally set. Jamestown fire officials say crews were called to the scene at 842 Spring Street shortly before Midnight last night... and, they found the second-floor and attic fully-engulfed in flames. Firefighters say it took some time to bring the blaze under control. Officials say the blaze started in the front part of the second-floor and attic. An off-duty shift of 12 firefighters... and, one shift commander were called in to assist. Firefighters were at the scene until shortly before 3 a.m. today. No injuries were reported... and, the blaze remains under investigation.
Flanagan unanimously chosen as new NYS Senate Majority Leader...
The newly-chosen New York Senate majority leader is being described as someone who has politics in his DNA. John Flanagan is the namesake of a former state Assemblyman from Long Island who served from 1972 to 1986. The younger Flanagan served 16 years in the Assembly before being elected to the Senate in 2002. He has easily won re-election to the Senate in a district representing a portion of northeastern Suffolk County. On Monday.. he was chosen to replace a fellow Long Islander, Dean Skelos, as majority leader. Skelos and his son are facing federal corruption charges. Lawrence Levy of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University notes Flanagan has built his resume on education issues. He has been chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
Young issues statement, calls transition to Flanagan leadership "historic" for Senate...
State Senator Cathy Young says Monday's decision by the Senate GOP Conference was "historic" for residents of her Southern Tier district... and, New York State. The Olean lawmaker says New York City-controlled Senate Democrats filed a resolution to seize control of the state Senate... and, the Republican Conference blocked them by unifying behind a new leader. If the Democrats had succeeded... Young says it would have been a replay of the "debacle" in 2009-2010 when the Democrats were in control... and, hiked taxes by $14-billion. She says "every single member" of the conference united behind Senator Flanagan "to ensure balance in state government and safeguard the future of the state."
Sandra Lee, TV Food Star, and Cuomo's girlfriend, has Cancer...
Food television star Sandra Lee says she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The popular lifestyle personality -- and live-in girlfriend of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo -- divulged the news on ABC's ``Good Morning America'' in an interview aired Monday. The 48-year-old Lee says she found out she had cancer late last month in a phone call from her doctor just after she finished a photo shoot for People magazine. She says she didn't cry but was ``stunned'' by the news. Lee says she has had a lumpectomy and will undergo a double mastectomy this week.
Celoron, National Comedy Center come to agreement on center having "Ugly Lucy" statue donated to center...
The so-called ``Scary Lucy'' statue of Lucille Ball in her hometown of Celoron may not be very flattering, but it is pretty funny. It's made enough people laugh to earn a spot in the new National Comedy Center, which plans to break ground later this year in Jamestown. Comedy Center Board Chairman Tom Benson says the center will embrace the statue -- not as a likeness of the late comedian -- but as a tribute to what she was about -- making people laugh. Benson calls it a "good ending" for everyone involved. He says if they are able to receive the statue before the new center is built... they will put it up in Comedy Center Park until the center open. Benson says the Celoron Village Board voted Monday to donate the statue to the center. However... the approved motion includes a stipulation that the village first have a bronze likeness of Lucy to replace the much-maligned one before it goes to the center. The bronze sculpture was unveiled in 2009 in Lucille Ball Memorial Park... but, gained attention recently after a two-year old Facebook campaign caught on.
