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WJTN News Headlines

A powerful drug that's been substituted for -- or mixed with heroin in drug-dealing -- has been found for the first time in Jamestown.  City Police Chief Harry Snellings says testing has shown that a powdery substance found packaged for individual use during a drug bust at 520 Newland Avenue was Fentanyl.  Snellings says three people were arrested during the raid... including 33 year-old Jamie Condella of Frewsburg.  He says the JPD Narcotics Investigations Unit, and State Police C-NET Team found Condella in possession of a quantity of the powdery substance... which intially tested negative for heroin. Snellings says the discovery of Fentanyl is a concern because it confirms information that investigators have been receiving in recent days.  The drug is apparently being sold to people as Heroin.  Snellings says Fentanyl is abused because of it's "intense Euphoric effects" as a substitute for opiote-dependent persons.  But... he says it's reportedly 30-times more potent than Heroin.  About two-dozen people died earlier this year in the Pittsburgh-area from heroin-laced with Fentanyl.  Condella... and, two people living at the Newland Avenue address... were arraigned on charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance charges... and, endangering the welfare of a child.  Condella is still being held pending arraignment. 
Social Media was buzzing earlier this week after three cases of drug overdoses were reported in the city one day last weekend.  However... Snellings declined to comment when asked if these reported overdoses were triggered by the use of Fentanyl.

 

A Lakewood woman has been arrested for allegedly growing and distributing marijuana in the south county area for the past several months.  Agents with the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force say they arrested 47 year-old Tiffany Boardman of Southland Avenue Tuesday night on a warrant charging her with one count each of unlawfully growing of marijuana... and, second-degree criminal possession of marijuana.  Task Force members were assisted by Lakewood-Busti Police in the bust... which is part of a 10-month long investigation into pot production in the area.  It was also in conjunction with other warrants that were issued last February 21st.  Boardman was arraigned and sent to the County Jail on 10-thousand dollars cash bail.  Drug agents say their investigation is ongoing and more arrests are possible.  If you have any information on illegal drug activity regarding this case... or others... contact the Task Force at 1-800-344-8702.

 

Four Clymer Central School students were hurt... but, not seriously... when their school bus went into a roadside ditch -- and, became airborne -- before crashing into an embankment.  Sheriff's Deputies were called to the scene about 8:20 AM Tuesday on Route 474 near Panama.  Officers say the bus was westbound... transporting eight students to the Ashville BOCES... when the bus went off the northside of the road for no apparent reason.  Deputies say the vehicle traveled about 500 feet through the ditch before hitting a driveway culvert... causing the bus to go airborne.  The bus landed nose down in a earth embankment.  Officers say four of the Clymer students were taken to WCA Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  The driver... Betty Bayle... was not hurt.  Bayle was ticketed in Harmony Town Court on one count of failure to maintain lane... and, more charges are pending.

 

It was just a "pre-caution..." but, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office says they advised the Sherman Central Schools to lock-down Tuesday after they were informed of a person having a medical emergency.  Officers say the person may have had access to weapons... and, may have been considering doing personal harm.  Deputies responded to the undisclosed location in the village about 11:30 AM... and, found the individual.  Once the situation had taken care of... officers contacted the school... and, the lock-down ended about an hour later.  Pre-K through 12th grade Principal Michael Ginestry (Gin-ess-tree) says police advised them of a potentially "dangerous situation" in the village about 11:45 AM... but, adds the school was "never threatened."

 

Chautauqua County lawmakers will get a "crash course" on the issue of Hydraulic Fracturing... or "horizontal fracking" during a special meeting next Wednesday in Mayville.  Legislature Chairman Jay Gould has scheduled the meeting for 6:30 PM in Legislature Chambers.  Gould says four presentations have been scheduled with two being from the "pro" side of the issue... while the other two will present opposing viewpoints.  The Ashville Republican adds they'll then have a question and answer session for lawmakers. Gould says his main objectives are to present both sides of the issue so lawmakers can look at the controversial issue objectively. Gould says he's keeping an "open mind" towards the issue... which the state has yet to rule on.  A few towns in New York state have already made the move to ban the practice.  He says it would likely be good for the economy... but, adds there are some environmental issues that have to be looked at. Proponents of horizontal drilling for natural gas say New York has lost opportunities to take advantage of the "boom" other states... like nearby Pennsylvania... have seen.  But, opponents want the state to look at all the possible risks before making a final decision.