Afternoon News Brief

One invasive species could cost New York State millions of dollars. Officials say the colorful spotted lanternfly was first seen here two years ago on Staten Island but has now been seen throughout the state. The Department of Agriculture says the insect feeds on more than 70 plant species and is especially worried about what it could do to the state’s $300 million grape and wine industry. Officials are asking anyone who sees this bug to take a picture and report it to the Agriculture & Markets website, and then kill it. https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/a08d60f6522043f5bd04229e00acdd63

 

The Batavia Police will host their annual Community Night this evening at City Church, St. Anthony’s, on Liberty Street. It’s scheduled to start at 5:30pm and goes until 8pm; the celebration includes free food, a bounce house, games and horses. The event will benefit the K-9 program, and our Nici Johnson will be broadcasting live, with Chris Kalin in the dunk tank. An opportunity to dunk Chris? Priceless…

 

 

 

 

Residents in the Town of Batavia may experience low water pressure through tomorrow as the town continues to make repairs and upgrades to the Ellicott Street Water Booster Station. Once the work is completed, the town says water pressure will be restored to normal.

 

 

 

A village of Medina resident who has had chickens in her backyard for more than a decade – sharing the eggs with her neighbors – has now been told they have to go. Debbie Varley of Highland Avenue has about 20 chickens that are used by her grandchildren for 4-H. The chickens are popular in the neighborhood; however, her home is in an area zoned as residential, where chickens are not allowed. One resident complained and village officials were obligated to insist the birds be removed. Varley is hopeful she can find someone who lives nearby to take the chickens so her grandchildren can continue to show them for 4-H.

 

 

Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin wants state Democrats to dump a plan that would result in a 40-hour workweek for farm workers. The state’s Farm Laborers Wage Board wants to phase in the mandatory 40-hour work week over the next decade, which means farm owners would have to pay overtime if a worker logged more than 40 hours over the course of the week. Right now, farm owners don’t have to pay overtime unless someone works over 60 hours. Zeldin says the change would harm the state’s agriculture industry and smaller farms. The wage board meets September 6th to finalize the plan.

 

 

The GLOW Region Solid Waste Management Committee is currently accepting appointments for the 2022 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event to be held Saturday, September 17th. You’ll need an appointment, which you can make online by going to www.glowsolidwaste.org and clicking on the link for the collection you’d like to attend. Those without Internet access can call the GLOW office at 815-7906. 480 spots are available and are filling fast. A separate Electronics Collection will be held 1 week later, Saturday, September 24, also in Batavia, and also by appointment. Additional information:

With the exception of tires, materials are accepted at NO CHARGE.

Acceptable materials include at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection:
 Latex and Oil base paint, varnishes and shellac
 Household chemicals and cleaning products
 Household pesticides and insecticides
 Aerosol cans (partial or full)
 Vehicle fluids, oil filters, vehicle batteries EXCEPT MOTOR OIL
 20 lb. propane tanks and 1 lb. canisters
 Pool chemicals
 Driveway sealer
 Tires ($5.00 each)

Unacceptable materials include:
 Empty containers, farm pesticides, asbestos and radioactive waste and explosives

 

Ontario County deputies say the body of a missing man has been removed from Canandaigua Lake. On Friday, 61-year-old Kirk Hobbs was visiting with family members when he entered the lake without a floatation device on and ended up going underwater in the area of the LeTourneau Christian Camp in Rushville. Crews needed special dive equipment to arrive before Hobbs’ remains could be recovered yesterday. Officials are now waiting for autopsy results to find out how he died.

 

 

 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer believes the Inflation Reduction Act is going to be good for the Empire State. The legislation was approved by the Senate on Sunday and is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives in the coming days. Schumer claims the bill is going to lower costs for working families, help seniors afford their medications and also create good-paying jobs. He also says the measure will kick-start a new era of affordable, American-made clean energy for New York and the entire country.

 

The Genesee County Branch of the Democratic Socialists of America is organizing what they are calling an “antifascist teach-in” this Saturday, August 13, from 1 to 4 p.m., at Austin Park; it’s in opposition to the local stop of the “ReAwaken America Tour.” During the event, speakers will argue that ReAwaken presenters engage people’s anxiety and anger about the state of the country and blame weak people for the decisions of the powerful. The “teach-in” is also presented as an opportunity for the Western New York Community that has resisted ReAwaken to come together.