City firefighters able to confine fire on Myrtle St. to one room...
Quick work by Jamestown firefighters prevented serious damage to a one-family home on the city's southside... just a few blocks away from Tuesday afternoon's fire. City Fire Lieutenant Shawn Shilling says crews were called to the scene at 62 Myrtle Street shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday... and, found fire coming from one room of the house. Shilling says the lone occupant had returned home, and smelled smoke inside. No one was hurt. Shilling says the fire was knocked down within 20 minutes... and, crews were at the scene about an hour. The cause is under investigation. The scene was just a few blocks away from the call at 33 Myrtle St. on Tuesday.
Gillibrand says Chauvin verdict can be a turning point for racial justice...
New York's junior U.S. Senator says the guilty verdicts in the Derek Chauvin trial can be a turning point for racial justice in the United States. During a Zoom conference with media from across the state Wednesday afternoon... Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand the fact what happened was caught on video tape made it unmistakable what happened to George Floyd last May in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She says that trial represented a lot of "hope, fear and anxiety for the whole country..." and the jury verdict provided a small measure of justice and accountability. Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts he had been charged with by the jury in the case. However... while strides have been made in the past few decades... Gillibrand says there's still a long way to go. She says this is "just the beginning of a very long march."
Head of Jackson Center weighs in on verdict in Chauvin trial...
A sense of relief is palpable across the United States after a jury found former Minnesota Police Officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in killing George Floyd. But... when it comes to what's next, the reaction is more hesitant. The exective director of the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown -- Kristan McMahon -- agrees this can be a first step in accountability. McMahon says that's important, and was key to the Nuremburg War Crimes trials after World War II. She says the system of policing in the nation that needs "serious consideration and serious review." Some say they are "hopeful," pointing to the protests and sustained outcry as signs of change to come, in policing and otherwise. Others are more circumspect, wondering if the one longed-for outcome will really be the start of something better in a country fraught with a history of racial injustice, especially when it comes to the treatment of Black people at the hands of law enforcement.
Justice Coalition working behind the scenes with local officials, and police...
The work of the Jamestown Justice Coalition has continued... often behind the scenes... since it was formed after the George Floyd murder nearly a year ago. Coalition coordinator, Justin Hubbard, says the local effort has been marked by cooperation... not confrontation. Hubbard says "we're all one community, we're all Jamestown... we're all Chautauqua County." Hubbard is proud that no coalition events or rallies have degenerated into violence, vandolism, destruction or looting. One of the main areas of focus today for the justice coalition involves the Jamestown Public Schools, and getting the Red Raider mascot changed in deferance to Native Americans. Hubbard says that issue was brought before the city's new Human Rights Commission just last week.
Gillibrand introduces "End Outsourcing Act..."
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has introduced legislation she says would use the U.S. tax code and federal grants, loans and contracts to stop companies from sending jobs overseas. The Democrat announced Wednesday afternoon her "End Outsourcing Act..." which has also been introduced in the House of Representatives. Gillibrand used the example of several companies... including one in the Southern Tier -- Siemens -- which is closing it's Olean plant and moving jobs or eliminating 500 jobs. She says her plan would incentivize manufacturers to either keep jobs here... or move them back to the U.S. She says the government would have to prioritize awarding federal grants and loans to companies that employ American workers. Gillibrand adds the legislation would also require companies that have outsourced jobs within a five-year period to pay back federal tax incentives and grants from facilities closed due to outsourcing. One reporter, though, questioned how the legislation would help, because many companies say they are having trouble attracting workers back because of how much they receiving on unemployment. Gillibrand says she has heard that concern... and says she's "look into it."
Chautauqua County sees 26 New COVID-19 cases reported Wednesday...
The Chautauqua County Health Department is reporting 26 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the past day... but, officials say the number of active cases has fallen. They say the new cases brings the total to 8,783... while the most cases reported Wednesday was seven in Fredonia. Officials say there are now 188 active cases... and, 12 are hospitalized. Officials say 8,449 cases have now recovered. The number of deaths remains 146.
