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JAMESTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT — Zachary A. Graves, 30, of Jamestown, was charged with second-degree criminal mischief, fourth-degree attempted grand larceny, possession of burglar tools and third-degree criminal trespass. At approximately 7:30 a.m. Sunday, officers were dispatched to a criminal mischief in progress at an east side business. Officers located 30-year-old Zachary A. Graves fleeing the area on foot on the railroad tracks. A subsequent investigation determined that Graves caused substantial damage to a parked tractor trailer while attempting to steal its radiator. ...

Tobacco business, grocery store found guilty of violations

Local/Region

A judge has found a south county business guilty of violating a state law for selling tobacco products as well as a north county grocery store for submitting some required water reports late or not at all. During the recent Chautauqua County Board of Health meeting, it was announced that Smoke Town located at 631 Newland Ave., Jamestown had requested to go before the Hon. Betsy Steger, the designated board of health hearing officer. The business was accused of selling an illegal flavored vapor product to an individual under the age of 21. According to the court documents, no one ...

Limits on AI in real estate photos introduced

Local/Region

A state lawmaker wants to warn house hunters that the photos they see on a realtor’s website may be altered to make the home look better than it actually is. Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, D-New York City, has introduced legislation (A.11635) that would amend the real property law, in ...

Austin named Silver Creek Dean of Students

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SILVER CREEK — For nearly two decades, Amanda Austin has been one of the most dedicated members of the Silver Creek school community. Now she has another title to add to her list of roles and accomplishments with the district. Austin was recently named as the new Dean of Students for ...

Judge overturns ruling on city worker

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A judge has vacated an arbitrator’s ruling against a city of Dunkirk employee who sued City Hall after getting laid off. State Supreme Court Judge Grace Hanlon ruled that an arbitrator made an improper decision against Kim Robbins. The arbitrator, Michael Whelan, ruled the city did not violate its contract with Robbins’ union when it laid her off in February 2025. However, Hanlon cited a case where an arbitrator’s decision against a corrections officer over alleged employee handbook violations was tossed out, “as the Court of Appeals found the arbitrator had exceeded his ...

Group aims to save Ripley bat habitat

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RIPLEY — “Lucy!” cried one bat researcher to Jonathan Townsend. Lucy is the affectionate nickname for the Little Brown Bat, also known as Myotis lucifugus. “It’s too hard to shout Myotis lucifugus during research” claimed Townsend, “so we all shout Lucy! when we find a Little Brown Bat.” That’s been harder to do in recent years. Historically, Chautauqua County had some of the best Little Brown Bat habitat in Western New York. The Chautauqua Institution had a Little Brown Bat maternity colony estimated to have 10,000 bats. Another famous maternity colony was in ...