Afternoon News Brief

 

Memorial services will begin today for the member of the Buffalo Fire Department who was killed in the line of duty. Calling hours for 37-year-old Jason Arno are today from 2:00pm until 8:00pm at the Amigone Funeral Home. His funeral will take place tomorrow at 10:00am at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral. Arno passed away last week while he was at the scene of a four-alarm blaze on Main Street. There’s still no word yet just what caused that fire.

 

 

 

Multiple staff were injured at Attica Correctional Facility in two separate attacks that sent two officers to a local hospital for treatment. At least 8 officers sustained injuries when trying to subdue an inmate who attempted to move in the opposite direction from others. The 40-year-old inmate is serving 50 years to life for murder in the first degree and attempted murder. In a separate incident, another inmate had braided a sheet and gave the appearance of being deceased, as officers were conducting an inmate count. When the cell door opened, they realized the setting was staged so that he could attack them.

 

A new maximum speed limit of 70 mph could be the reality for New York state drivers this year. If that turns out to be the case, we’ll align with 43 other states across the nation that have already raised the speed limit to above 65 mph. State Senator Thomas O’Mara (R-NY 58) is sponsoring the bill in the Senate, and Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara (D-NY 111) is sponsoring the Assembly bill. Santabarbara said according to The Institute of Transportation Engineers, speed limits could and should be revisited and restudied as new changes appear on the roads. The New York State Thruway Authority and New York State Department of Transportation would have to give the final approval, but some argue that this is not the time to raise speed limits. A 2019 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that rising speed limits over the last 25 years have cost nearly 37,000 lives. If the bill goes into law, more than a dozen roadways would be impacted, including most of the Adirondack Northway, Interstate 88, Interstate 90 and more. The speed on most New York state highways has been 65 mph since 1995.

 

A winter weather advisory is in effect from 9:00am tomorrow morning through Saturday morning at 7:00am, for Wyoming County, Southern Erie County and the Southern Tier. Snow is expected with accumulations of 4 to 7 inches, with the highest amounts across the higher terrain. Travel will be difficult at times on snow covered roads and reduced visibility. At this time, 2-4 inches for the remainder of the GLOW region are predicted.

 

The latest data from the state shows that fewer people in our region are testing positive for the coronavirus. Right now, the 7 day average infection rate is sitting at 5.85%. At this time one week ago, that infection rate was at 6.06%. County Health Departments continue to encourage everyone to get vaccinated against the virus and to stay current with booster shots (you can find a clinic in your area by visiting vaccines.gov).

 

The American Red Cross is making an effort to increase the number of people who roll up their sleeves and donate blood. The Red Cross says anyone who donates through March 31st will have a $10 prepaid gift card sent to his or her email. They will also be entered for a chance at winning a $3000 prepaid Visa gift card that can be used for things like groceries and gas. Locally, you can donate blood tomorrow (3/10) at the Social Services Building, 5130 East Main Street Road from 9:00am until 3:00pm; or on Monday, March 13th, at Robert Morris School, 80 Union Street from 8:00am until 1:00pm. To schedule a donation appointment, go to redcrossblood.org.

 

The City of Rochester says the Main Street Armory has been shut down following a stampede over the weekend that left two people dead. A large crowd ran towards the exits during a concert Sunday night after there were reports of gunshots inside the venue. The women who lost their lives have been identified as Rhondesia Belton and Brandy Miller and other victims are still recovering. The police chief said yesterday there’s no word yet when the investigation into the tragedy will be complete.

 

Holland Land Office Museum is looking for volunteers to work in many positions at the museum. They need help with cleaning, gift shop, tour guides, and artifacts documenters, help with setup and maintenance of the displays, landscapers, and more. Volunteer hours would be during the normal hours of operation of the museum Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. If you have an interest in volunteering with the Holland Land Office Museum, get in touch with Director Ryan Duffy at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

 

A speaker who has stirred up controversy is scheduled to make an appearance at the University at Buffalo tonight. Michael Knowles, who works for the conservative news site The Daily Wire, will be attending an event hosted by the UB student chapter of Young Americans For Freedom. Knowles made headlines recently when he said that transgenderism should be eradicated but has said his intentions were misunderstood. The school president says so long as a student group follows the proper rules, they cannot be disallowed from having a speaker of their choice on campus.

 

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping the support of their home crowd will help them snap a 2 game losing streak tonight. The Sabres are hosting the Dallas Stars at KeyBank Center. Buffalo is coming off of a controversial 3-2 road loss to the New York Islanders, but the team is still in the race for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Face-off tonight is set for 7:00.

 

 

Governor Hochul is calling on New Yorkers to support relief efforts more than a month after deadly earthquakes affected Turkey and Syria. The New York-based Turkish Philanthropy Fund has raised $10,000,000 (million) for relief efforts and already disbursed $2,000,000 (million). The governor is encouraging people to do their part by donating their time or resources to support survivors. The earthquakes have killed an estimated 47,000 people and destroyed over 200,000 buildings. New York is home to more Turkish people than any state in the country.