Afternoon News Brief

A Pike man faces charges after allowing his dog to attack a sheriff. The incident occurred after a deputy arrived to investigate a domestic incident there. 56-year-old David Sherman allowed an aggressive dog out of the residence. He then allegedly refused to comply with orders to get the dog back inside. The dog then attached the deputy, who was treated at Wyoming County Community Hospital and released. The dog was identified as a pit bull/mastiff mix and was removed from the premises by Animal Control because it had previously bitten another person. Sherman is to appear in Town Court on December 13th.

 

38-year-old Jeremy Lyons of Mount Morris is believed to be the man who was behind the wheel of a minivan that struck a utility pole on Law Street. The accident occurred on November 23, and caused a widespread power surge. He has turned himself in to police and is now cited for leaving the scene of a property damage accident and aggravated unlicensed operation. Lyons was observed running from the scene of the accident and attempts to locate him immediately afterward were unsuccessful. The minivan struck a utility pole, causing 287 homes in the area of Chestnut Street, South Jackson and to both the north and south of those streets to lose power. The power surge caused electric meters on the outside of dozens of homes to blow out. The vehicle Lyons was driving was insured; residents with claims directly related to the power surge should contact National Grid by calling 315-428-6536. Or, at ClaimsDept@nationalgrid.com

 

 

According to the state comptroller’s office, poverty rates have decreased in the GLOW region over the 10 year period of 2010-2020. However, even though the numbers are down, Orleans County ranked 15th statewide for poverty. The poverty rate is based primarily on income, along with family size and composition but do not reflect the existence of unmarried partners, foster children and other non-related household members. They also don’t factor in taxes and medical expenses — which can affect a person or family’s economic security — or non-cash resources such as tax credits, housing support or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Genesee County reported a 10.2 percent poverty rate in 2020, ranking 48th statewide. That compares to 12.1 percent in 2010 and 10.5 percent in 2019.

 

The latest data from the state shows the spread of the coronavirus has decreased in our region. Right now, the seven-day average infection rate is sitting at 4.38%. At this time last week, the infection rate was at 4.51%. Anyone wishing to make an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccination or booster shot can do so at vaccines.gov.

 

 

POLICE BLOTTER: 46-year-old Jeannine Mobley of LeRoy has been charged with petit larceny. She is accused of stealing from a business on Jackson Street. Mobley was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance. ALSO: 21-year-old Jada Smith of Niagara Falls is charged with criminal trespass. She was located on Genesee Community College property after previously being told she was not allowed on the property. Smith was released on an appearance ticket. ALSO: 32-year-old Joshua Moore of Batavia is charged with harassment and criminal obstruction of breathing. He was arrested following the report of a disturbance early in the morning on November 24th on Chase Parkway. Moore was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

 

Gas prices are finally lower than they were a year ago. Triple-A reports today’s national average is $3.31 a gallon compared to about $3.34 a year ago. That’s a significant drop from the all-time high of $5.01 a gallon seen back in mid-June. We can’t quite say the same thing in Batavia; as of this morning, the average price per gallon was $3.52; still a nickel higher than one year ago today.

 

 

 

The jackpots of two popular lottery games keep growing and that means there’s going to be a combined $495,000,000 up for grabs over the next couple of days. No one has won the Mega Millions in weeks so the top prize available for tonight’s drawing is $379,000,000. And should someone win Powerball tomorrow night they will get at least $116,000,000. Both drawings will be streamed live online. Please play responsibly.

 

 

The Buffalo Bills will be back in front of their home crowd as they look to hold onto first place in AFC East against a division rival. The Bills are hosting the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. When these two teams played earlier this season, the Jets came out on top by a final score of 20 to 17. Buffalo is coming off of a 24 to 10 win last Thursday over the New England Patriots. Kickoff for Sunday’s contest is set for 1:00.

 

 

Plans to build a brand-new stadium in Orchard Park for the Buffalo Bills have taken another step forward. A new study shows the proposed facility would not have any negative effects on the surrounding environment. That means it’s now up to the Erie County Legislature to issue a negative declaration of environmental impact. If that happens, The Buffalo News reports the deadline for reaching a stadium agreement would be mid-January. The over one-billion-dollar facility would be located near Highmark Stadium which is where the Bills currently play.

 

The Buffalo Sabres have won back-to-back games and they’ll be hoping to extend their winning streak to three this evening. The Sabres are taking on Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at KeyBank Center. Buffalo last played Wednesday night when they cruised to a 9-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Face-off for tonight’s game is scheduled for 7:00.