Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on December 20, 2022
A man convicted of defrauding hundreds of investors out of millions of dollars in a nationwide Ponzi scheme has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Christopher Parris pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit mail fraud related to a Ponzi scheme, as well as to wire fraud involving the fraudulent sale of purported N95 masks during the pandemic. Prosecutors said Parris and Perry Santillo pitched investment opportunities to victims, bilking close to 1,000 investors out of at least $115.5 million between January 2012 and June 2018. Prosecutors said the two men had to use funds from new investors to pay off old ones, using the rest of the money to pay for their lavish lifestyles. Parris was also ordered to pay $1.6 million in restitution. Santillo was sentenced in January to 17 1/2 years in prison.
Another messy winter storm is likely to bring snow, ice and high winds to Upstate New York just in time for Christmas weekend travel. The National Weather Service said that the storm could start off mostly as rain Thursday, and then rapidly falling temperatures late Friday could coat streets and trees with a layer of dangerous ice. High winds are also likely, too, which could cause power outages and even some flooding along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
State lawmakers may be returning to Albany to talk about giving themselves a pretty hefty pay hike. On Monday, the Assembly Majority Conference met privately in a virtual meeting, with Democrats reportedly discussing several key issues, including potential pay raises. Right now, New York State lawmakers earn $110,000 a year. A raise of $20,000 would make them the highest paid legislature in the country. Republican Assemblymembers have been outspoken against the pay raises, including Assemblyman Chris Tague, who calls the idea “ludicrous.” According to state law, if pay raises aren’t enacted by the end of 2022, state lawmakers wouldn’t be able to get a raise until 2025.
A state commission Monday approved plans to phase out fossil fuel-burning furnaces beginning as soon as 2025 as part of New York’s aggressive program to address climate change. The plan adopted Monday by the state Climate Action Council requires energy-efficient electric heat pumps or other non-combustion heating systems in every new home built in 2025 or thereafter. For existing homes, residents whose fossil fuel-burning heating units give out after 2030 will have to replace them with a zero-emission system. Heat pumps cost more to install than traditional furnaces but usually cost less to operate over the long run. Research shows they are healthier than sources that rely on combustion, which can contribute to asthma and other respiratory problems. The council voted 19-3 Monday to approve the scoping plan.
In a 4 to 3 decision the City of Lockport has voted to return 2 ambulances to service. The city had suspended their ambulance service because of financial issues. The 2 ambulances are owned and operated by the fire department instead of the ambulance corp in town.
The cannabis is ready to hit the shelves, but there aren’t enough shelves in New York State just yet. Three Cord Ranch sent 42 pounds of cannabis from Derby to be processed in Batavia, but that’s where it stops. That’s all because of a hold up in court, leaving WNY and four other regions barred from receiving licenses for the time being. The court case is about whether someone who was arrested for pot when it was illegal can open a store selling it in NY if their arrest was out of state. The Office of Cannabis Management has its final board meeting of the year Wednesday at 11am.
The Buffalo Sabres topped the Las Vegas Golden Knights in their first win in Sin City 3 to 2. Ukko Pekka Luukkonen made 41 saves. Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Lawrence Pilut scored. The Sabres improved to 6-2-1 in December, after going 4-9-1 the previous month, and moved into a fourth-place tie with Florida in the Atlantic Division with 34 points. Next up the Sabres host Tampa Bay on Friday night at the Keybank Center.
