Weekend News Briefing
Written by WBTA STAFF on January 19, 2019
Alpina Foods closing operations in Batavia.
One of Batavia’s major yogurt production facilities has announced they will be shutting down.
The Genesee County Economic Development Center released a statement Friday evening saying that due to the loss of a co-packaging contract, Alpina Foods has made a decision to close its operations at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.
The closure is putting approximately 35 workers out of a job.
Alpina Foods arrived in Genesee County in 2011 and the recent loss of the business in Batavia has been equated to the loss of Muller Quaker Dairy in 2015 which with the efforts of the GCEDC ultimately resulted in bringing HP Hood to the community and eventually the hiring of hundreds of employees.
HP Hood has recently begun production at the plant and are nearing completion of a 100,000 sq. ft. refrigerated warehouse on the site.
A Rochester resident arrested for sexual abuse of a child in Batavia.
Deputies have arrested 21 year old Bradly Lund of Lake View Park Rochester following investigation into an incident at a pearl street road address in Batavia that allegedly occurred on December 1st of last year.
Lund is accused of having sexual contact with a male victim less than 11 years old.
He is charged with Criminal Sex Act and Sex Abuse both in the first degree along with Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Lund is expected back in Batavia Town Court at a later date.
Sheriff alerts residents to recent phone scams.
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office has received reports of fraudulent telephone calls from individuals claiming to represent the Social Security Administration.
The Sheriff’s Office says that the callers are using threats of arrested or other legal action if the victims fail to call a provided phone number or press the number indicated in the message to address the issue.
In some instances, the callers are said to switch tactics and act helpful in their attempt to activate a suspended Social Security number.
The Sheriff’s Office advises not engaging with such callers, and to report any suspicious calls to Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General by calling 1-800-269-0271
This weekend has the potential to bring biggest snowfall we have seen this year.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Western New York from one o’clock this afternoon ending at 6pm on Sunday.
The warning includes Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans counties.
Heavy and blowing snow is expected along with accumulation in some areas from a foot to 18 inches.
The weather service says travel could be difficult to impossible.
The worst of the snowfall is expected Saturday evening through late Sunday morning.
The Genesee County Parks has again installed their outdoor ice rink.
It’s located adjacent to the South entrance and this season they have partnered with the Batavia Kiwanis Club to extend hours for ice skating on Fridays at the DeWitt Recreation Area.
The hours will be extended till 7:30 p.m. from now until mid-March, weather permitting.
Tim Horton’s will provide hot chocolate during the Friday evening skating hours.
Use of the rink is free and available during the posted times.
