South Dayton man pleads guilty to enticement, sex with girl

July 9, 2026

A South Dayton man has pleaded guilty to enticement and having sex with a 14-year-old girl. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced Thursday that Ronald A. Howard, 59, entered the plea before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. It carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. Between March 16 and April 10, 2024, Howard, then 57-years-old, communicated via text messaging and Snapchat with a 14-year-old female, during which the two engaged in sexual conversation and discussed meeting to engage in sexual activity. Howard knew the victim was 14. ...

Music at the Point returns starting tonight in city

July 8, 2026

The city of Dunkirk has announced the return of Music at the Point Sunset Concert Series every Wednesday starting today through Aug. 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Point Gratiot. The event is sponsored by Southern Tier Environments for Living, Inc. (STEL) and Lawley Insurance. FootSteps is ...

Fredonia wins state Little League softball tourney opener

July 7, 2026

ST. JAMES – Fredonia got its New York State Little League Softball Tournament experience off on the right foot Tuesday afternoon with an 11-0 four-inning victory over Tri-County of the Syracuse area. Kara Harrington tossed a no-hitter with eight strikeouts and two walks in the circle for ...

Wdowiasz ends boycott, attends council

July 7, 2026

Dunkirk Mayor Kate Wdowiasz returned to Common Council on Monday. She will still hold her own city government meetings, however. The mayor had skipped several city council meetings since announcing in May that she would no longer attend. “Council has not taken any meaningful actions at ...

Name of Dunkirk homicide victim released

July 7, 2026

The name of the individual who was shot and killed last month in Dunkirk has been released. According to Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt, the victim was 25-year-old Delani Williams. His obituary, which was published on line by the Lombardo Funeral Home, said he was a Buffalo resident. No arrests have been made. “We identified a person of interest the morning of the homicide and are still developing evidence from the crime scene for charging purposes,” Schmidt said in an email Tuesday, while providing the name of the victim. On June 11, shortly before 10 p.m. ...

Crews respond to Fredonia accident

July 7, 2026

A woman was hurt, and a gas station pump damaged, in a vehicular accident on East Main Street in Fredonia around 1:15 p.m. Tuesday. The woman was seen on a stretcher talking to Fredonia Fire Department personnel, who took her into a vehicle for further treatment. The Fredonia Police ...