Morning News Briefing

City man jailed on warrant out of Orleans after being picked up with paraphernalia.
City Police report the arrest of 34 year old Joseph Freeman of Summit Street Batavia for allegedly driving without a license in an uninspected vehicle and in possession of drug paraphernalia.
Freeman was subject to a traffic stop on Jackson Street after allegedly failing to use his designated lane and making an illegal right hand turn unto Jackson.
Freeman was found to have a suspended license in a vehicle without insurance.
After being released on police bail he was transported to the Orleans County Jail on an active warrant.
Freeman is expected back in City Court on January 22nd.

A Walnut Street resident arrested for harassing women.
20 year old Santiago Quamane of Batavia was arrested by City Police over the weekend for an alleged disturbance that occurred on December 1st at an address on Walnut Street.
Quamane is accused of harassing two separate female victims and having physical contact with them during the incident.
He was released with an appearance ticket for tomorrow in Batavia City Court.

State Police have arrested a Steuben County man on serious charges out of Geneseo.
Troopers have arrested 30 year old Austin Pratt for allegedly having a sexual encounter in Geneseo with a child under the age of 17.
Pratt, who used to work for UR Medicine Thompson Health, also served as an athletic trainer in the Geneseo Central School District.
The superintendent says the district is cooperating with the investigation.
Pratt was arraigned and sent to the Livingston County Jail.
State Police are anyone with information on the case to call them.

The Batavia center for Independent living is joining their partners from the Buffalo, and Niagara Falls centers in attendance of the WNY National Conference on Disability tomorrow afternoon.
The conference is hopeful to reintroduce the Disability Integration Act to Washington DC.
The Bill would make the right of people with disabilities who require long term care to live in the least restrictive and most integrated settings more enforceable.

The state Senate and Assembly will be back in session today.
Lawmakers are expected to consider legislation to change New York’s voting rules.
One bill would allow early voting in an effort to boost turnout.
People would be able to cast their ballots ten days before an election.
Other ideas include allowing for 16 and 17 year olds to be pre-registered, and further limiting the amount of money corporations can donate to campaigns.

Governor Cuomo says he will push hard to convince state lawmakers to raise the state’s minimum age to buy tobacco and electronic cigarette products from 18 to 21.
He says New York has made great strides to keep tobacco out of the hands of kids, but he says new e-cigarettes have become way too popular with those under 21.
Many counties already have a higher age requirement, but the new rule would be in effect statewide.