A 47 year-old man died late yesterday afternoon in was appears to be an accidental drowning in the Chadakoin River on Jamestown's eastside.
City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says that a woman had called 911 just after 3 PM, saying that the man she was with had gone into the water to try and cool off and, slipped under the water a short distance from shore near Winsor and Harrison Streets.
Samuelson says the county's Dive Team was also called in and, found the man, now identified as Dennis Plummer a short distance away in more than 10-feet of water. He says police are still notifying relatives because the unidentified man is reportedly from the Buffalo-area.
Samuelson says they're not sure if the man knew how to swim or not. While the current can be strong in some parts of the river he says the depth can be an issue, too especially at that location.
Two Jamestown residents face obstruction charges in connection with a drug investigation on the city's eastside late Tuesday.
City police say they were called to the scene at 928 East Second Street for a warrant check for 33 year-old Anthony Camarata and 25 year-old Ashley Havle. Officers say they gained access to the residence and, began searching for the pair.
Police say they found both hiding under some blankets in a closet. Both were arrested on warrants issued by Chautauqua County Drug Court and, second-degree obstruction of governmental administration. Both were taken to the city lock-up pending arraignment.
One congressman says he's going to start carrying a gun in public. Others want beefed-up security at town hall meetings.
Wednesday'sshooting of a top Republican while he was practicing for a congressional baseball game has jolted lawmakers. It also highlights their vulnerability when they are in public. Only the leaders of Congress get security details. Rank-and-file members do not.
Local Congressman Tom Reed says "his thoughts and prayers" are with the people who were shot and wounded during a baseball practice in Virginia where House Majority Whip Steven Scalise was wounded. However, as for security Reed's Communications Director Samantha Cotton would only says "the safety of constituents and our team members is a priority, but as a matter of office policy we do not discuss the specifics of how we secure our district offices or public events."
However another Republican Congressman, Chris Collins of Clarence, says he is going to start carrying a gun in public. In addition to Scalise two members of the Capitol Police were injured along with a congressional aide and a lobbyist.
Local Congressman Tom Reed is part of a group of lawmakers trying to bridge the "skills gap" in the United States that has helped keep 9-million Americans unemployed in recent years.
A day ago Reed was among a bi-partisan group of House members who introduced the federal Leveraging and Energizing America's Apprenticeship Program or LEAP Act. Reed is a co-sponsor along with California Democrat Linda Sanchez.
Reed says if all the current "skilled labor" jobs were filled 5-million of those people could be employed and, he says they want to show support for the apprenticeship programs across the country. He says the proposal involves a two-tiered tax credit program that will help encourage people to get into a local apprenticeship program.
He says a $1,000 tax credit is available for apprentices over the age of 25 and, $1,500 for those under 25. Reed says the idea is to help people who are looking for work to get into an apprenticeship program to learn a skill that will get them employed.
Gasoline prices in Chautauqua County have fallen about 5-cents a gallon this week to slightly over $2.50 a gallon for regular, unleaded fuel.
The AAA's Fuel Gauge Report says it follows the trend of most places in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Region where prices fell except for the Washington, D.C. area. AAA says the price is also lower than it was last year at this time. The EIA reports gasoline inventory levels above year-ago levels.
Overall compared to a year ago, gas prices are mostly reminiscent of last summer. With comparable gas prices to last summer, consumers may feel encouraged to drive more ultimately leading to an increase in demand, which could help dip into the supply levels. Nationally AAA says the price is also cheaper $2.34 cents a gallon than it was a year ago.
A Jamestown man has been honored by a nationally-known weight-loss program for losing just over 85-pounds and, changing his life.
Dennis Bechmann was recently awarded the 2016 King award for Taking Pounds off Sensibly or TOPS during it's annual state conference near Syracuse.
Bechmann says he had finally got tired of "huffing and puffing" and weighing as much as 354 pounds. He says he learned by "word of mouth" about TOPS local chapter #721 that meets at Holy Trinity Church.
Bechmann says the great part about TOPS is you get a lot of support from fellow members who hold you accountable but, not in any negative way. He says he needed knee replacement surgery but, the two doctors he worked said he needed to lose weight first for the surgeries to be successful.
It was then that he started looking for the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Bechmann says the Jamestown chapter of 57 members is one of the largest local TOPS groups in New York state, and they meet every Thursday at Holy Trinity with weigh-ins starting at 8:30 AM.
For more information about TOPS go on-line to www.tops.org.
