Afternoon News Brief

The need for more roof repairs has been discovered at the mall in the City Centre. The first phase of roof repair was completed in 2020 at a cost of $763,600. And now, during the second phase of repairs, a deteriorated bunch of metal decking and structural portion of the roof itself was found to be in need of repairs, thus requiring the use of $54,000 in the facility reserve funds to pay for these unexpected repairs.

 

 

A federal grand jury today returned a 27-count indictment charging 19-year-old Payton Gendron with 14 hate crime violations and 13 firearms offenses in connection with the mass shooting at the Tops store in Buffalo. If he is convicted, the charges in the indictment carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The Attorney General will decide whether to seek the death penalty at a later time. Should the Attorney General determine that the circumstances of the offense are such that a sentence of death is justified, the law requires that notice be filed with the court at a reasonable time before trial. Gendron is currently in state custody pending state criminal charges.

 

 

There has been an increase in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in both Orleans and Genesee Counties. According to our county Health Departments, in Orleans, the cases totaled 28 over the past week, up from 26 the previous week. However, in Genesee, the numbers more than doubled in a week, from 21 to 58 cases. Residents are encouraged to get tested when they feel ill and pursue treatments if they test positive. The recommendations of getting vaccinated and boosted remain in place. Parents and guardians should talk to pediatricians about getting youngsters vaccinated, as well.

 

38-year-old William Humphrey of LeRoy and 20-year-old Maxwell Reigelsperger of Atlanta, NY, are charged with criminal mischief, conspiracy and grand larceny. They are accused of removing a catalytic converter from a vehicle without the owner’s permission. Both were arraigned in Pavilion Town Court and released on their own recognizance.

 

Hundreds of nurses who work at Rochester General Hospital have voted to form a union. Overall, more than 400 nurses said they wanted to join the Rochester Union of Nurses and Allied Professionals while nearly 300 of them voted against the move. The outcome of this vote still needs to be approved by the National Labor Relations Board and that process could take a few days to complete. In a statement, officials with Rochester Regional Health expressed disappointment with this vote, saying they believe a direct working relationship with employees is best for the hospital and team members.

 

People in Rochester and surrounding communities are mourning the loss of longtime LGBTQ plus advocate Evelyn Bailey. It was announced yesterday that the local pioneer and historian passed away at the age of 75. She became a member of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley back in 1985 and served in a variety of roles. She also spent time digitizing the archives of The Empty Closet, which is the oldest continually published newspaper for the gay community in the state. A celebration of life for Bailey will be held July 24th from 2:00 – 4:00pm at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.

 

A moment of silence will be held at a Tops store in Buffalo today to remember the people who lost their lives in a mass shooting two months ago. On May 14th, Payton Gendron allegedly opened fire at the supermarket, killing 10 people and injuring three others in what prosecutors have called a racially motivated attack. Gendron is behind bars and may spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted. The supermarket is scheduled to reopen to the public tomorrow.

 

The first case of monkeypox has officially been confirmed in Western New York. The Erie County Department of Health says the patient who contracted the virus is in isolation and does not pose a risk to the general public. Health Commissioner Doctor Gale Burstein says monkeypox is mostly spread by close contact and exposure to an infected person’s lesions or respiratory droplets. Anyone who develops a sudden rash on any part of their body should contact a doctor and avoid contact with others until they can be tested.

 

The Batavia Muckdogs beat the Elmira Pioneers on the road last night, the final there was 5-3. With that win, they’re now 20-10 and have once again moved into first place in the West Division, with the Utica Blue Sox close behind in second place. The Muckdogs are back home today for a double-header at Dwyer against the Geneva Red Wings…the first game is scheduled to start at 5:05.

 

The US house of representatives has passed an Active Shooter Alert Act which creates a communication system similar to Amber Alert to let communities know about active shooters in their area. Congressman Brian Higgins cosponsored the bill and believes the legislation will allow law enforcement to keep communities safe during times of crisis. The bill now heads to the Senate for approval.

 

Alexander’s Zoning Board has decided against putting up a windmill off Dry Bridge Road. The key issue was the height: The Town only allows 500 feet as the maximum for windmills and this one would have to be 650 feet tall. 500 feet was standard when the town approved its zoning code. However, changes in technology and industry standards now require 650 feet. The proposed 4.5-megawatt windmill would have been the only wind turbine on the 147-acre parcel as part of a community-based renewable energy project.