Afternoon News Brief

Two men who were arrested earlier in the day and then released, are back in custody. 31-year-old Evan Vanskiver of Brockport and 38-year-old Adam Montes of Hamlin were arrested earlier in the day yesterday following a larceny investigation in Elba and released; they were released from the Genesee County Jail under New York State Bail Reform legislation. Within a half hour of their release, City police received a call about a stolen vehicle near Northside Deli. The vehicle was located on Ellicott near Liberty Street and attempts by police to stop the vehicle were unsuccessful. Similarly, the driver of the stolen vehicle was able to avoid tire deflation devices (spike strips) on a few occasions as it traveled through Batavia, Alexander, Pembroke and Darien. The chase ended in Attica when Vanskiver, the driver of the car, turned into an apartment complex (on Sokol Drive) and hit a garbage dumpster. He attempted to flee on foot while Montes was apprehended. Both men were uninjured and are being held at the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment in Centralized Arraignment Court.

 

 

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lyndonville has suffered extensive damage. A fire during the early morning hours started in the rear of the building. Fifteen to twenty local firefighters were on the scene within 20 minutes of the call with crews from medina, Shelby and Ridgeway assisting. Their quick response is credited for preventing the blaze from causing more damage; they had it under control in about 35 minutes. Fire investigators are working to determine the cause. But noted had it not been for fire fighters quick response, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church was built in 1917 as a mission church under St. Mary’s in Medina. (Provided photo)

 

 

State legislators in New York are calling for the lowering of the legal blood alcohol concentration from .08 to .05 to ensure safety of everyone on the roads. Drunk drivers cause more than 17,000 deaths per year in the Empire State, and more than 30 percent of deadly crashes are from alcohol. If this legislation passes New York State would join Utah as the only states with a .05 blood alcohol level.

 

 

The latest data from the New York State Flu Tracker shows that the spread of the virus is continuing to slow down in our region. During the week ending February 18th, the county with the highest number of infections was Monroe County with 68. Erie County had 24; Niagara County had 19 during that same time period; Wayne County had 18; Ontario County, 11 and Genesee County had three. People who still want to get their flu shot can sign up for an appointment online at vaccines.gov.

 

 

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and state Attorney General’s Office have cleared a deputy of any wrongdoing following a crash that left a teenager dead. The deputy reported seeing a vehicle driven by 17-year Clark Palen speeding last November, and the deputy tried to follow the car. Palen ended up losing control of the vehicle on Bluff Drive in East Rochester and slammed into a tree, which then fell on the car. A caller reported seeing a deputy driving away from the scene, but it was later revealed the deputy never saw the vehicle because its lights were off and the tree covered it and that the deputy’s actions didn’t contribute to the tragedy.

 

Governor Hochul has revealed what her proposed 2024 budget would mean for the Western New York region if it is passed by the state legislature. During a stop in Buffalo yesterday, the governor said her fiscal plan would provide an investment to help the University at Buffalo significantly increase its research activity by 2030. Money would also be used for road repairs and to help the city of Buffalo improve planning for severe weather emergencies. In addition, tuition rates for SUNY and CUNY students could also be increased, by at least 3% next year. Lawmakers have until April 1st to approve the budget on time.

 

 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling on Kia and Hyundai to take action to prevent people from having their vehicles stolen. The New York lawmaker said yesterday that over the past year, hundreds of those vehicle models have been taken in Buffalo. The vehicles have been targeted due to a viral social media challenge that shows how easy it is to steal them. Schumer wants the automakers to provide free, anti-theft kits such as steering wheel locks to owners.

 

 

The red-hot Buffalo Sabres are back on home ice tonight as the team looks to pick up its 4th straight victory. The Sabres will battle the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center. Buffalo is coming off of a 7-4 win Sunday over the Washington Capitals and currently sits in 4th place in the Atlantic Division with 66 points. Face-off for this evening’s contest is scheduled for 7:30.

 

 

 

Officials with the Rochester Music Hall of Fame have announced who is going to be inducted as part of the Class of 2023. Among the people joining the Hall of Fame are Rochester Red Wings organist Fred Costello and also Garth Fagan, who is a Tony-award winning choreographer. This year’s induction ceremony is happening April 30th at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester. For more information about the event, go to rochestermusic.org. (Photo provided by the Rochester Red Wings)