A town of Chautauqua man has been arrested for allegedly trafficking cocaine and other narcotic drugs following a raid at his home on Nettle Hill Road.
Members of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force say they executed a search warrant about 11:30 Mondaymorning and, found cocaine, opioids, a sawed-off 12 gauge shotgun and paraphernalia used to weigh and process controlled substances.
They also arrested 60 year-old Dana Erhard on the warrant which charged him with several counts including third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
The FBI was also involved in the investigation. Erhard was arraigned, and sent to the county jail without bail pending further court action.
Two Dunkirk residents were sent to the Chautauqua County Jail after being arraigned on drug charges after city police responded to a vehicle lockout that was anything but routine.
Dunkirk Police were called to the area of the car wash behind the Crosby Mart on Central Avenue. After opening the vehicle's door, Police Chief David Ortolano says the officers detected a strong odor of marijuana, and they called in their K-9 officer, and new K-9 "gunny to search the vehicle... and, they found heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and prescription drugs.
Ortolano says 29-year-old Rafael Gonzalez-Rivera was allegedly in possession of a quantity of heroin and cocaine while 37-year-old Onix Lopez-Ortiz was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana, as well as prescription medication which was not properly packaged.
A regional panel met in Jamestown Monday for the first time and was updated on a number of projects they have funded and learned more about new projects proposed for the next round of state funding.
The Western New York Regional Economic Development Council met at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts Monday afternoon and, Co-Chairman Jeff Belt from West Valley says the panel is very interested in Jamestown and several projects here led the by National Comedy Center.
Belt says they believe that Jamestown can be a role model for turning around a small, upstate community and, they're very excited about further possibilities through the $10-million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award the city has received. Belt says they also began looking at the many projects several western New York communities have submitted for funding in Round-Seven of the Consolidated Funding Application process.
In their six-years of existance the Belt, who is Chief Executive Officer at SolEpoxy in Cattaraugus County says the Regional Councils have helped keep "consistancy" in the funding process. Belt says their final ranking of projects will take place next month and, then the results will go to the state Oct. 2. Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, who is honorary chair of the 10 regional councils, spoke to open the meeting.
Co-Council Chairwoman, SUNY College at Fredonia President, Virginia Horvath was also on hand as were Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas, and County Executive Vince Horrigan.
The erosion of trust in the Mainstream Media has been developing for the past 48 years but, has become an even bigger issue with the advent of the digital age.
That from Monday's featured lecturer at Chautauqua Institution. New York University Journalism Professor Jay Rosen addressed the amphitheater audience to begin "Media and the News: Ethics in the Digital Age."
On our "Chautauqua Now" program Rosen said that the media is in the "worst shape it's ever been" due mainly to what's called the "echo chamber" effect where people view or listen to news and opinion that "confirms" their beliefs.
Rosen equated the problem with what's been happening in the medical profession, and the availability of "on-line" resources. He says with all the sources of information now doctors have to adjust to that.
Rosen says people have more information with which to question their doctors than ever before. At the same time he says there is still very much a need for a free and independent press.
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general has unleashed a torrent of litigation they argue is necessary to protect their citizens from a Trump administration that too often ignores the law.
State attorneys from Massachusetts to California have brought more than 40 legal actions against the administration so far. The pace, which both parties describe as unprecedented, has produced an average of one lawsuit or legal motion every five days since Trump's inauguration, not including many more letters, legal threats and formal comments to federal agencies.
But the frequency and variety of the legal challenges from cases involving immigration and health care to gender reassignment surgeries at the Veteran's Administration have sparked criticism that Democrats may be playing politics with their states' legal resources.
