A Buffalo man living in Jamestown and accused of trafficking large quantities of crack and powder cocaine now faces federal charges in the case following his arrest locally.
Acting U-S Attorney James Kennedy, Junior has formally announced that 38 year-old Odessin McBride was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine. Kennedy says the charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine.
Federal prosecutors accuse McBride of distributing both cocaine and crack cocaine in the Jamestown area. Police and local Drug agents surveilled McBride allegedly selling cocaine and, they obtained a search warrant for McBride’s Sampson Street home.
Special agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, working with officers from the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, raided McBride's home on May 19th and, found him and his wife, and their 4 year-old child inside.
Police also recovered cash, four digital scales, and a shrink-wrapping machine in the kitchen. They also allegedly found scales, baggies, a razor blade, and a quantity of cocaine sealed in shrink-wrapped plastic bags buried in the ground outside the home. A detention hearing was held in Buffalo Wednesday afternoon.
Western New York and Chautauqua County are both winding up an unusually wet month of May and, it's looking like a rainy start to June as well.
That from National Weather Service Forecaster Dan Kelly in Buffalo. who says they have a weather observer in Jamestown. who reports higher than usual rainfall for May. Kelly says that follows a rainier than usual April.
Kelly says, in Buffalo they has received 6.35-inches for the month of May as of Midnight Tuesday night which is the seventh-highest amount for the city since records have been kept. As for the immediate future he says we'll remain somewhat rainy through the coming weekend.
Kelly says another round of thunderstorms moved through the area late yesterday more are expected towards the end of the week on Friday. Kelly says there's a 50-50 chance of rain through early next week with temperatures slightly below normal. Our complete forecast is coming up.
Memorial Day weekend serves as the unofficial kick-off to Summer but, Chautauqua County's top-elected official used it to kick off his first-ever "100 Days of Summer Safety" campaign.
County Executive Vince Horrigan discussed the program at the end of last week's County Legislature meeting talking about how great the Summer season is here. However he says it seems like every year there is at least one tragedy that occurs. Horrigan, who also headed up the local chapter of the American Red Cross for about 12 years says he wants to try and prevent that.
To that end Horrigan says he's working with the county Department of Health and Human Services on a program that includes boating, and motor vehicle and bicycle safety and so on. He says it can only take a moment for tragedy to strike.
Horrigan says he's tentatively scheduled a press event for next week with a focus on water safety. Horrigan says one focus there will be on making sure that children have life jackets on when boating.
Gasoline prices in Chautauqua County remain steady as the Summer driving season demand kicks in.
That from the Triple-A's Fuel Gauge Report, which ways the price for a gallon of regular, unleaded fuel remains just over $2.55 this week. Triple-A says the price is down about 2-tenths of a cent for the week.
The Fuel Gauge reports that New York state's average price is now $2.51 a gallon. Elsewhere across the Northeast the growing demand for gasoline has pressured pump prices.
Nationally the average is now $2.37 cents, one-cent more than a week ago, two cents more than a month ago and five cents more than a year ago. The latest Energy Information Administration's report says rising gasoline demand has resulted in dropping gasoline inventories across the country.
Last week U.S. demand for gasoline jumped to the highest level this year, while inventories dropped by 800,000 barrels.
When Congress resumes it's 115th session next Tuesday there will be less than two months to go before the current session ends for lawmakers in August.
That means action needs to be taken on a number of big ticket items that need to be addressed before then. Local Congressman Tom Reed says the big item currently is in the Senate which is working on a new Health Care bill.
The House acted on the American Health Care Act earlier this Spring but, the Senate has yet to. After that, Reed says there's the president's 4.1-trillion dollar budget proposal.
However there is some Republican opposition to the president's proposal which would add defense spending but, cut or eliminate several domestic social programs.
Reed says there's also the issue of the nation's accumulated, 20-Trillion deficit and, President Trump's administration has already indicated the need for Congress to raise the debt ceiling before they leave for Summer recess.
He says the bi-partisan "Problem Solver's" caucus he belongs to is already looking at common ways to deal with that issue.
A Buffalo-area woman who died of her injuries suffered in an All-Terrain Vehicle accident last weekend in Cattaraugus County has now been identified.
Sheriff's deputies in Little Valley now say that 33 year-old Dawn Krol died after her ATV crashed on Eastland Road in Yorkshire, just after 7 PM last Sunday. Officers say Krol was unconscious and not breathing when they arrived.
But, she was already receiving CPR and, was rushed to Bertrand-Chaffee Hospital in Springville. She was then taken to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo where she later died from her injuries.
Krol was a high school math teacher in the Pembroke School District in Genesee County.
Two north county men are in the Chautauqua County Jail for allegedly committing an armed robbery Tuesday morning in the village of Fredonia.
Fredonia Police were called to a location on Cushing Street at about 2 AM where the victims were able to provide a description of the suspects. Police say they were later seen in a vehicle, fleeing the neighboorhood at a high rate of speed.
Further investigation led to the arrest of 31-year-old Steven Glenn of Fredonia and 18-year-old Norman Geddis, Jr. of Dunkirk. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of two loaded handguns and, several items of stolen property.
Glenn and Geddis were arraigned and jailed on two counts each of first-degree robbery and, three counts of criminal possession of stolen property. They also face one count each of criminal use of a firearm, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Geddis is being held on $150,000 cash bail, while Glenn is being held without bail.
A Jamestown woman has been arrested for allegedly throwing her cane into the front window of a downtown bar and eatery late yesterday morning.
City police were called to The Pub about 10:45 AM on a report of the woman hitting, and damaging the window at the 209 North Main Street location. Officers say 53 year-old Tammy Stevenson of West Eighth Street apparently left before police arrived.
However they say she was found near Prendergast Avenue and, was arrested. City police say the window which was found with several cracks on it will cost more than $1,500 to replace.
Officers say Stevenson is charged with second-degree criminal contempt a Felony.
