A former corrections officer at the Chautauqua County Jail for more than 20 years faces criminal charges for allegedly having sexual contact with a female inmate. Sheriff Joe Gerace tells us a grand jury indicted 56 year-old Jeffrey Swan last week. Gerace says Swan was arrested... and, arraigned on a Felony charge of Criminal Sexual Act. He says the accusations were brought to his attention several weeks ago... and, his office investigated along with the District Attorney’s Office. Gerace could not comment on whether or not the alleged sex was consensual... but, adds it's never legal. New York State law says it is impossible for prisoners to voluntarily consent to sexual advances from staff members who exert complete control over their lives, and sometimes their release from prison. Gerace says Swan is free on bail... pending further court action.
A Jamestown man has turned himself in for allegedly being in possession of narcotics at a residence that was recently raided by city police during a drug sweep. City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says 36 year-old Cesar Soto surrendered to police this (Tuesday) morning after two warrants had been issued for his arrest. Soto was not at the 20 Willis Street residence when the raid occured on April 2nd. Police found a quantity of heroin... packaging material... an,d prescription drugs at the location. Soto is jailed pending arraignment.
A spring warm-up didn't last long across much of New York. A cold front that swept across the region Tuesday left behind several inches of snow and sent temperatures plummeting. However... in the immediate Jamestown area... we saw less than an inch of snow -- mainly on grassy surfaces. In addition, some areas along the Black and Moose rivers are under continuing flood warnings. The Black River in Watertown is 2 1/2 feet above flood stage this morning and not expected to crest until tomorrow evening.
The intensely cold Winter... and, a deeper than usual ice cover on Chautauqua Lake is apparently what's triggered a major fish kill along the lake's shoreline. Hundreds of Silver Bass and Gizzard Shad.... and, other mainly "surface fish..." had been pushed onto land by high winds last weekend. Chautauqua County's Director of Environmental Health Services, Mark Stow, took a look at an area in Bemus Point Monday... where one-thousand fish washed up. Stow says officials with the state Department of Environmental Conservation say such fish die-off is quite natural because the thick ice... cold temperatures and decaying vegetation likely robbed oxygen from the water. He says the situation is not a health hazard... but, adds there is no agency mechanism in place to dispose of the fish. With that... he says you have to let nature take it's course. Stow adds Lake Erie has had a similar die-off. In an article today in the Jamestown Post-Journal... the DEC is telling lake side residents looking to get rid of the dead carcuses to to dispose of the fish at the county landfill.
Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino says Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino would make a ``great governor.'' However, in an email to the state GOP chairman, Paladino says Astorino will only win if he appeals to the party's conservative base. Paladino also told state Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox that he's dropping his efforts to recruit celebrity businessman Donald Trump.
Governor Andrew Cuomo's tax return shows he made just over 188-thousand dollars last year on an advance for his book that's due out in August. Cuomo's office allowed reporters to examine Cuomo's returns Tuesday, the deadline for filing. In addition to the book advance... Cuomo reported $175,277 in state compensation. The return also indicates that Cuomo gave a charitable donation of $16,000 to the HELP USA charity he founded for the homeless before he became governor. Cuomo paid a total of $102,480 in federal income taxes... and, is due a refund of just over 61-hundred dollars. The Democrat governor will receive additional installments on his book advance. Publisher HarperCollins and a Cuomo spokesman declined to provide the total amount of the advance. The book is entitled ``All Things Possible: Setbacks and Success in Politics and Life.''
Pre-sale ticket sales are off to a "great start" for the main headliner at this year's Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in Jamestown. That from Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center of Comedy Executive Director Journey Gunderson... who says they're "very pleased" with pre-sales to Center members so far for the August 9th appearance by Jay Leno. Gunderson is quick to remind people, though, that Leno will be appearing at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena... which can seat 22-hundred people for such events. However... she says they're looking forward to having the "public pre-sale" begin this Friday. Gunderson says they were able to work out the logistics to hosting Leno at the arena with arena officials... and, the Gebbie Foundation. She says they've been "flooded with calls and e-mails..." so, it appears interest will be high for this show. Gunderson says getting Leno was no small task because Jamestown has to compete with larger markets... and, venues. Gunderson says the public pre-sale will also be for other events during the August 6th through 10th festival. For more information... go on-line to LucyComedyFest-dot-COM... or call 484-0800.
