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WJTN News Headlines

Sheriff's officers and a passerby helped pull a north county woman to safety after she was trapped inside her burning vehicle following an accident in Villanova early Sunday morning.  Deputies say they were called to the scene of a one-car crash on Route 83 about 5:20 AM.  Officers say they found the driver, 19 year-old Valerie Roach of Elm Street, pinned in the driver's seat of the vehicle.  Deputies say they tried to extinguish the fire with an extinguisher... but, the flames spread.  They... and, the passerby... were able to break out the windows... and, pull Roach from the vehicle just moments before the car became fully ablaze.  Roach was treated on scene by fire rescuer crews... and, was flown by Starflight Helicopter to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo for treatment of unknown injuries.  The investigation is continuing... and, charges are pending.

 

A Sherman woman has been arrested for allegedly driving drunk... and, talking on a cell phone when her car slammed into a utility pole in the village of Sherman early Saturday morning.  Sheriff's Deputies say 21 year-old Tara VanVolkenburg was westbound on West Main Street just before 1 AM when her vehicle crossed the center line... and, struck a street sign... then the pole on the opposite side of the road.  Officers say VanVolkenburg was arrested for several charges... including driving while intoxicated... and, operating a motor vehicle while using a cell phone.  She was arraigned in Sherman Town Court... and, released pending a future court appear.  Deputies say no one was hurt in the accident.

 

Officials say a commercial flight carrying 34 passengers had to make an emergency stop in Buffalo after the crew reported smoke in the cockpit.  The plane landed safely and no one was injured.  WIVB in Buffalo reports that a Chautauqua Airlines flight operating as United Express made the emergency stop in Buffalo on Sunday.  The flight departed from Cleveland and was scheduled to land in Boston at 12:18 PM.  Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority spokesman Dan Hartmayer says that the crew reported smoke in the cockpit and pilots decided to divert to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.   The cause of the smoke was not immediately known.  Passengers were put on other flights.

 

Striking a balance between what the taxpayer can afford... and, keeping services in place to keep Jamestown a good place to work and live in is what Mayor Sam Teresi is trying to do with his 2014 budget proposal.  Teresi presented his 33.6-million dollar spending plan this past week... and, admits it walks a "fine line" between those two areas.  Teresi talked more in detail about his Executive Budget on our "Community Spotlight" program this past weekend.  He also emphasized that the proposal is a "starting point" for deliberations by the City Council.  Teresi adds there's still information coming in that will impact the botttom line. Among those numbers city lawmakers don't have right now are third-quarter sales tax revenues.  He adds there are also still NO agreements with the city's six labor unions.  However... there are salary "step" increases that must be continued from expired contracts under state law.  Teresi's proposal includes a 2.68-percent tax increase... or about 386-thousand-900 dollars.  He adds there is a proposed 55-cent per thousand full value tax rate increase to 22-dollars-and-18 cents.  The final budget is due on December 1st.

 

Some details still need to be worked out by the Governor's Office... but, SUNY College at Fredonia President Dr. Virginia Horvath says a local committee is ready to begin work on establishing a local tax free zone for the Start Up New York Program.  Horvath... who is in her first year as College President... says they hope to have all the details by January. Horvath says it was important that the Technology Incubator in Dunkirk be included as part of the program.  She says there was a question of whether it would be included under Governor Cuomo's original program. Cuomo and the State Legislature approved the program before the legislative session wrapped up in June.  It will allow all 64 SUNY campuses in the state to establish tax free zones.  Virginia Horvath hopes that by having a tax free zone established locally... it will lead to the creation of new companies or attract companies from other states.

 

Former President Jimmy Carter says that if Washington leaders really want to work together... they could take a page from Habitat for Humanity.  Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, wielded power drills themselves last weekend.  They were helping the organization fix up a long-abandoned New York City home.  The Carters are marking the 30th anniversary of their volunteer work with Habitat.

 

A motion has been filed in the Appellate Division of New York State Supreme Court Fourth Judicial Department for a change of venue for the Anthony Taglianetti murder trial.  We made contact with a clerk in the Appellate Division in Rochester... and, she confirms that the motion was filed by Chautauqua County Public Defender Ned Barone who is representing Taglianetti.  No word on when a ruling on the motion will be made.  Jury selection in the trial has been on-going since September 19th.  At last word... just six jurors had been picked so far.  Taglianetti is facing second degree murder in the September 2012 shooting death of Clymer School Superintendent Keith Reed, Junior.