City man charged with arson after Prendergast Avenue fire

September 1, 2026

A Jamestown man has been charged with arson after a fire that damaged a Prendergast Avenue home on Aug. 25. William El Blakey, 38, of Jamestown, was charged Tuesday with third-degree arson and second-degree criminal mischief in relation to the fire at 629 Prendergast Ave., Jamestown, on Aug. 25. An investigation into the incident was conducted by Jamestown police officers and city fire investigators as the cause of the fire was determined to be suspicious. The investigation found that Blakey allegedly ignited a mattress located on the lower porch of the structure, and the resulting ...

County Reports First Measles Case In More Than 30 Years

August 31, 2026

The Chautauqua County Health Department is reporting its first lab-confirmed measles case in a Chautauqua County resident in more than 30 years. The Health Department is working with the individual and appropriate health care partners to identify people who may have been exposed and provide ...

City resident charged after domestic incident, stealing vehicle, injuring officer

August 31, 2026

A Jamestown man faces three felony charges after an incident Sunday that included stealing a woman's car and attacking police officers after they had taken him to the city jail. Brandley D. Churchill, 36, of Jamestown was charged with first-degree felony criminal contempt, fourth-degree ...

Winning TAKE 5 ticket sold in Lakewood

August 30, 2026

The New York Lottery announced Sunday one top-prize winning ticket was sold for the Saturday TAKE 5 EVENING drawing in Chautauqua County. The ticket was sold at Crosby's at 5 E. Fairmount Ave. in Lakewood. That ticket is worth $31,989. TAKE 5 numbers are drawn from a field of one through 39. The drawing is televised twice daily at 2:30 and 10:30 p.m. A Lottery draw game prize of any amount may be claimed up to one year from the date of the drawing.

County celebrates milestone in major Wells project

August 27, 2026

DUNKIRK -- Another milestone has been reached in the Wells Enterprises project in Dunkirk. A ribbon cutting was held for the $425 million project, which includes the recently completed state-of-the-art employee center and new production lines. The facility significantly increases production ...

Officials praise $20M grape juice purchase by USDA

August 25, 2026

On a rainy Monday, Chautauqua County’s grape growers received some sunshine. One week after a visit to Portland and a plea from U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced its decision to purchase $20 million worth of Concord grape juice, providing critical ...