Afternoon News Brief

A fire in Medina caused extensive damage to a house and destroyed a recreational vehicle. Yesterday afternoon, firefighters were dispatched to 403 East Oak Orchard Street. The RV was parked close to the house, and upon arrival, the firemen saw fire rolling up from the RV and on to the side of the residence. A Medina police officer forced entry into the house and rescued the homeowner’s dog and confirmed there were no occupants at home. The RV is a total loss and damage estimates to the structure are approximately $50,000. The Red Cross and other family members are assisting the family of four. At this time, Medina and Orleans County investigators ruled that the fire was accidental. Photo credit: Medina Fire Department

 

 

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) Board of Directors approved incentives for a $3.72 million financial investment by Ivy Village Corp. that would create 20 units of market-rate senior housing in the village of Le Roy. Ivy Village Corp. plans to build market rate residential units in three phases with each phase calling for the construction of 10 duplex residences. The development is located on 16 acres off Lake Street with easy access to village amenities and is a twenty-minute drive to downtown Rochester. The GCEDC board also granted mortgage, property and sales tax incentives totaling about $805,000.

 

The Genesee County Health Department will be hosting a free drive-thru anti-rabies immunization clinic on Thursday, August 11th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds. New York State Public Health Law requires all dogs, cats and domestic ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies after they reach the age of 4 months. Animals must also remain up-to-date on rabies vaccinations and owners can be fined up to $200 if they fail to get their pets vaccinated and keep them up to date. Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats, and ferrets, but voluntary donations are accepted. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit 4 pets per car please. For more information, call 344-2580 or click over to GOHealthNY.org

 

 

A free household hazardous waste collection has been set for September 17. The collection is open to Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston County residents. It will take place 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Batavia and is by appointment only. Those interested may check www.glowsolidwaste.org. They may also call (585) 815-7906. The number of open appointments is limited.

 

Governor Hochul says progress is being made in the ongoing fight against gun violence. Since the start of the year, State Police have seized close to 800 firearms, which is an increase of 104-percent compared to the same time period in 2021. The governor says that statistic was boosted when a specialized Gun Trafficking Interdiction Unit carried out a months-long investigation that led to a large cache of firearms being seized and multiple arrests being made. Overall, more than 3100 gun seizures have been reported by all law enforcement agencies in the state.

 

A community charity walk is taking place this weekend to honor a Rochester police officer that was killed in the line of duty. Operation Patriot Foundation says registration for the event at The Mall at Greece Ridge Center in Rochester will begin at 8:00am tomorrow and the walk is set to start at 9:15am. There is going to be a short ceremony held in memory of Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz who lost his life after being shot by 21-year-old Kelvin Vickers last month. A minimum donation of ten-dollars per person is being requested and all proceeds will go to Mazurkiewicz’s family.

 

 

A Buffalo man is in some serious legal trouble after he allegedly threatened to kill African American people at grocery stores around the city. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says days after the May 14th mass shooting at the Jefferson Avenue Tops that left 10 people dead and three others hurt, 24-year-old Rolik Walker created a Twitter account and posted messages claiming he and his associates were targeting four stores and were only looking to kill African Americans. Walker also tried to mask his online activity using a virtual private network. If convicted, he’s facing up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

 

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is warning the State Government that now is the time to rein in spending. New York State is projected to be 13.7 billion dollars in the red over the next 5 years because of the decline in tax revenue due to downturns in the stock market and the economy. Hawley has historically been critical of the states spending, which he observes is more than Texas and Florida combined, and too heavily reliant on getting funding from the federal government. He called on the state to suspend the employer contribution to the interest assessment surcharge fund through 2023. This fund is to pay back borrowed money that went to paycheck protection programs during COVID to the federal government and it does it by having business owners chip in money that Hawley says puts a burden on them. He is now advocating that state officials take a hard look at ways to cut waste while still taking care of resident’s basic needs.

 

The Buffalo Bills are back on the field at Highmark Stadium today as they continue to get ready for the upcoming NFL season. The Return of the Blue and Red practice is being held at 5:30pm at the stadium located in Orchard Park. The Erie County Sheriff’s Office says there will be traffic pattern changes around the stadium. They include a section of Abbott Road near the facility shutting down from 2:00pm until after the practice is over. All parking lots are set to open at 3:00pm and people are asked not to park on the shoulder of any roadways.

 

Fans of Sammy Hagar who were hoping to see the singer in-person this weekend will have to wait a bit longer for that opportunity. Yesterday, Seneca Allegany Resort and Casino announced that his concert scheduled for 8:00pm tomorrow has been postponed. Hagar sent out a statement saying that he’s currently battling a sinus infection and isn’t able to take the stage. Tickets that were purchased will be honored for the rescheduled performance, but that date hasn’t been set yet.

 

 

 

New Yorkers who are looking to change the preferred gender on their license can now do it online. Officials say that in-person visits to the Department of Motor Vehicles are no longer required to make the change. The state introduced “X” as a gender marker for driver’s licenses, permits, and non-driver IDs earlier this year. DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder says the online process is private and simple, adding one small letter can make a monumental impact on someone.