Several hour stand-off in Fredonia ends peacefully...
A several-hour long stand-off involving several law enforcement agencies in the village of Fredonia was resolved peacefully late last night. Fredonia Police lifted a "shelter in place" which went into effect early Wednesday afternoon for residents on White Street. The incident that prompted the shelter in place was -- police said -- "resolved peacefully and without injuries to anyone involved, and the area of White Street is now safe." Fredonia Police thanked the several agencies that assisted them... including the New York State Police... Dunkirk City Police... SUNY Fredonia Police... County EMS... and, the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office... among others. Police say more information will be released as it becomes available pending further investigation. This was the third such "Shelter-in-Place" incident in the Dunkirk-Fredonia area in the past month.
City man to spend 8 years in federal prison for role in drug conspiracy...
A man from Jamestown convicted for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy will spend the next eight-years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo has announced that 22 year-old Jaquez Thomas received the 96-month prison term from U.S. District Court Judge John Sinatra, Jr. Wednesday. Prosecutors say that between 2020 to 2022, Thomas distributed quantities of fentanyl and cocaine he received from Joseph Zaso... and, used Facebook and Cash App to conduct his drug trafficking activities. During the conspiracy... Thomas was accused of supplying quantities of fentanyl to Justin Yuchnitz and Joseph Thayer. He also conspired with Jose Maisonet in 2022... whom city police made three undercover drug purchases from. In July 2022, police raided Thomas’ Allen Street residence... and seized a loaded handgun, and drug paraphernalia. Zaso, Thayer, and Yuchnitz were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing. Jose Maisonet was previously convicted and sentenced in a separate case.
Molitor calls State Supreme Court ruling "annulling" NYS Freshwater Wetland's Regulations "significant..."
A New York State Supreme Court ruling has "annulled" the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Freshwater Wetlands Act regulations. The ruling was issued by Judge Richard Platkin in Albany County Supreme Court Wednesday... saying that the DEC failed to comply with it's own State Environmental Quality Review Act by not conducting proper environmental studies. Local State Assemblyman Andrew Molitor was pleased with the ruling.. noting that -- while the groups involved made different kinds of arguments -- the SEQRA one stood out... and, that was "the winning argument." The plaintiffs in the case included the Chautauqua Lake Partnership and the Chautauqua Lake Property Owners Association. Molitor expects the state to file an appeal... which may mean there won't be an immediate striking down of the regulations. He says the state would likely try to get a "stay" in the decision pending the appeal. Molitor adds that... if the state is able to appeal the matter... the case would likely wind up at New York's highest court... the Court of Appeals. He calls the decision a "significant one for our region and property owners across New York State."
Molitor becoming "increasingly frustrated" by late state budget...
Chautauqua County's Assemblyman says he's become "increasingly frustrated" by a state budget that's now just-over a week late. The legislature was called back to Albany Tuesday to act on another one-week extender as legislative leaders and Governor Kathy Hochul try to work out details of a new spending plan. Molitor... a Westfield Republican... says the current system is "very inefficient." He says the governor has the last half of the previous year to get a budget assembled, and two talk with the Senate and Assembly leadership to find areas of agreement and disagreement. Molitor says this week was very frustrating because lawmakers were called back into session Tuesday to approve the $3.2-billion "extender..." and, then were sent home again. Governor Hochul's proposed budget totals just over 262-billion dollars... while the Assembly and Senate bills are being $8-billion and $10-billion higher. The budget was due by Apr. 1.
City man arrested for assault in town of Ellicott...
A man from Jamestown is accused of punching and injuring another person during an incident last Friday night in the town of Ellicott. Town Police say they were called to the unidentified location shortly after 7 p.m. on a report of an assault. Officers say they found that 38 year-old Shaun Clutter had gotten into an argument with the victim before punching the person in the nose. Clutter then left the scene... but, was later found in the city. He was arrested for third-degree assault. The victim was treated at the scene by Falconer fire rescuers... and, then taken to UPMC Chautauqua Hospital for further treatment. Clutter was taken to the county jail for centralized arraignment... and will appear in Ellicott Town Court at a later date.
City man arrested for trespassing inside condemned building...
A man from Jamestown has been arrested for allegedly trespassing inside a condemned building on West Second Street -- near Jefferson Street. City police were called to the location on a trespass complaint about 2 p.m. Wednesday... and, found 44 year-old Hector DeJesus inside the building. Officers arrested DeJesus without incident for third-degree criminal trespassing. He was taken to the city jail pending arraignment.
