Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Officers report 1-year old Watson Taylor perished in the fire at 157 West Main Street.

Sherman Fire Department responded with mutual aid to the scene just after 1 a.m. Wednesday.

An investigation found that an adult woman and her five children were home at the time of the fire. The woman was able to escape the first floor of the house with her twin sons who are age 4. Three other children, a 12-year old girl, 8 year old son, and 1 year old son were in second floor bedrooms. The stairway couldn’t be used due to the fire, so the 12 and 8 year old jumped from a second-story window. They were treated at Hamot Medical Center for burns. One-year old Watson Taylor was not able to escape and died.

The cause of the fire was determined to be an electrical issue where the electric feed entered the residence. The investigation is continuing.

Thomas Jadlowski

MAYVILLE – The Sherman man charged after unintentionally shooting and killing his neighbor during a hunting incident last November has pleaded guilty to Criminally Negligent Homicide and Hunting After Hours.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson says the state reached the plea deal with 33 year-old Thomas Jadlowski Thursday in Chautauqua County Court.

Jadlowski was indicted by a grand jury in March on a charge of second-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting his neighbor 43 year-old Rosemary Billquist in the early evening on Nov. 22, 2017 while she was walking with her dogs in a field next to her home. He had told police that he had mistaken her for a deer.

Swanson says the state reached a plea deal with Jadlowski only after consultation with Billquist’s family, who supported the plea deal decision.

The original manslaughter charge was dismissed in February after Chautauqua County Court judge David Foley ruled the District Attorney’s Office failed to answer a question from a juror on a lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide.

As part of the plea deal, Jadlowski has agreed to waive his right to appeal. He is facing 1-4 years in state prison when sentenced on Jan. 14.

According to the Governor’s Office, he grants will be provided through the Citizens Reorganization Empowerment Program, which assists upstate municipalities with government restructuring.

Hanover will receive $50,000 to assist with the dissolution of the village of Forestville, while Cherry Creek will receive an estimated $24,000 to develop a village dissolution plan.

The village of Sherman will reimbursed up to $50,000 for costs associated with the failed referendum to dissolve the local government.

That’s according to the Jamestown Post-Journal, which is reporting that 226 people voted in Tuesday’s dissolution vote, with 112 village residents voting in favor of the dissolution, while 114 voted against it.

According to the Chautauqua County Board of Elections, of the nine absentee ballots issued for the much-debated proposition, six have already been returned and will count toward the final results.

Also issued were two affidavit ballots, which occurs when a voter shows up at the polls but is not on the active voter registration list.

The remaining ballots will be opened Tuesday, Dec. 27.

In the Lakewood village board race, incumbent Susan Drago and newcomer David DiSalvo were elected village trustees. Drago received 262 votes and DiSalvo gained 255. Incumbent Joe Troche lost re-election, receiving 198 votes.

In Falconer, village residents approved a measure to move the spring village election to November. The proposition received no opposing votes.

In Sherman, village Mayor John Patterson Jr. was reelected after running unopposed. Meanwhile, in the village trustee race, incumbent Brett Cook won re-election and new comer Donna Higginbortham was also elected. Incumbent William Wiggers did not receive enough votes to be voted back onto the board.

In Westfield, Michael VandeVelde won the election for mayor, unseating current mayor David Carr – who had held the position since 2005. Also in the Westfield trustee election, incumbent Robert Cochran won re-election, receiving 547 votes. Newcomer Debra Puckhaber won the other available spot, receiving 349 votes. The two other candidates who did not receive enough votes were incumbent Chris Jaynes and challenger Thomas Rackowski.

All village election results can be found online at votechautauqua.com.

In a media release earlier this week, Edwards expanded on the announcement, saying the decision to keep the Sherman Shop open this summer is based on the commitment his office received from the Village of Sherman and the Town of Sherman to enter into a professional analysis of collective highway efforts. The county executive said The study will determine if we can bring potential savings to taxpayers by maintaining the same services, but by sharing a single facility for all three of these operations and sharing our resources.

The study is expected to be completed by next summer. After it is reviewed, a decision will be made on the future of highway operations in Sherman.

(Submitted Photo)

SHERMAN – Two Sherman residents were sent to the hospital yesterday after a fire broke out in their home. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office says James and Norma Sittnick were both taken by ambulance to Hamot Medical Center in Erie, then later flown to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the fire, which broke out at the couple’s home at 148 E. Main St., at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Police say the Sittnicks were trapped in the upstairs bedroom when the fire broke out. Before local firefighters could arrive, a group of roofers who were working nearby noticed the fire and brought a ladder to the couple. By then the first firefighters were on the scene and worked to help remove the couple.

Both are being treated for smoke inhalation, but no apparent burns. An investigation showed the fire started in a rear-entry room to the house and appeared to be accidental.

The Sherman Fire Department was assisted by Findley Lake, Clymer, Mayville, Chautauqua, Ashville and Bemus Point.

The Board of Elections will act as the chief election officials for all villages this year except Sinclairville and Cassadaga.  These two villages are continuing to use their respective village clerks as the chief village election officer and will be counting votes by hand.  All other villages will vote on the county owned optical scan paper ballot system.

Villages with contested races include Brocton, Cherry Creek, Forestville, Lakewood, Mayville, Silver Creek and Westfield.

Villages with uncontested ballots include Bemus Point, Cassadaga, Falconer, Panama, Sherman and Sinclairville.

Village elections will be held at their normal November poll site for village voters who have an election, except the Bemus Point elections will be held at Bemus Point Village Hall.

All village poll sites will be open today from Noon until 9 p.m.

COMPLETE LIST OF VILLAGE ELECTION RACES