Friday News Brief

A high wind warning goes into effect this evening starting at 7:00 and remains in place until early Sunday morning. Winds could gust at times to 50 miles per hour. Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are expected. And travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

 

 

 

A vehicle failing to stop for traffic violations led LeRoy Police on a brief pursuit into the Village. Yesterday morning, a vehicle attempted to make a U-turn and struck a utility pole on Munson Street. Both the driver and passenger had warrants and were held at gunpoint until additional help arrived from LeRoy Police. The male passenger had minor injuries and was transported to the hospital. The male driver was uninjured and taken into custody. Names have not been released as this is an ongoing investigation and charges are pending.

 

 

The Justice Department is expected to make a major announcement today involving a mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store. Payton Gendron is scheduled to be in federal court. Family members of the 10 people he killed after opening fire at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue in 2022 have also been asked to be in court. Gendron has already been sentenced to life in prison for the shooting. But, the Justice Department has yet to say if it’ll seek the death penalty.

 

The death toll following a fiery crash in Rochester on New Year’s Day has sadly increased by one. Authorities say a woman who was hit by a car near the Kodak Center on West Ridge Road passed away due to her injuries. The driver of a Ford Explorer slammed that SUV into a rideshare vehicle, killing himself and two others. Police haven’t revealed if they’ve determined a motive for the driver’s actions.

 

Governor Hochul is funding additional psychiatric beds across New York State. The governor says $50,000,000 will go towards several hospitals to expand their psychiatric facilities and cover construction costs. Hochul says the state’s mental health system has been de-funded and de-prioritized for too long, and are now dealing with the effects as children report record rates of depression and anxiety. Hochul says she wants to ensure all schools have mental health clinics, expand mental health courts, and require insurance companies to cover mental health visits.

 

An inmate at the Erie County Correctional Facility is in more legal trouble after being accused of having synthetic marijuana. The drug was discovered in the prosthetic leg of 39-year-old Gregorio Chevere during a routine check of the Gulf Housing area yesterday. A folded up piece of paper was used to try and hide the narcotic which is believed to be K2 spice. Chevere is now facing a felony charge.

SUNY campuses are investing nearly $10 million in annual state funding to support students identifying with disabilities. Governor Hochul discussed the crucial investments, calling it historic funding that’s part of the state’s goal to build a future where diversity is not just acknowledged but celebrated. Among funding plans, all 29 state-operated campuses will hire staff to mitigate barriers and support students with disabilities, including disability services coordinators, and learning and physical disability specialists. According to the State Education Department more than 30,000 SUNY students reported having a disability, which also means that 39% of college students identifying with disabilities in the state attend a SUNY institution.

 

The Buffalo Bills will be looking to take another step towards reaching the Super Bowl this weekend. The Bills are riding a five-game winning streak and finished the regular season 11-and-6. The AFC East champions are host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. Kickoff on Sunday is set for 1:00.

 

ELSEWHERE…

Fruit Stripe gum is being discontinued. The iconic gum featured fruit inspired flavors, a zebra print wrapper and a zebra mascot on the package. It was first sold in the 1960s and came with a temporary tattoo of Yipes the Zebra. Ferrera, which owns other candy brands like Nerds and Fun Dip, said the decision to discontinue Fruit Stripe was difficult. Those looking to get their hands on the gum may be able to still find it at retailers across the country before it sells out one final time.

 

All six crewmembers aboard a Navy helicopter that crashed into the San Diego Bay on Thursday have survived. Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet spokesperson Commander Beth Teach says the MH-60R Sea Hawk Helicopter went down around 6:40 pm near the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. The incident happened during a routine training mission.

 

World health officials say low COVID vaccination rates are putting a strain on healthcare systems. The U.S. and several other countries are reporting a rise in hospitalizations due to respiratory illnesses. An official with the World Health Organization cites “incredibly low” vaccination rates as the cause, as many countries try to move past COVID restrictions.

 

 

The New York State Department of Health has launched a new effort aimed at reducing youth vaping. The agency has created posters and rack cards that’ll be placed in middle schools and high schools promoting the DropTheVape confidential text service. E-cigarettes are the most-used tobacco product by high schoolers in the state, with over 18% of kids in that age group saying they vaped in 2022. Anyone who needs help quitting can text DropTheVape to 88709.

 

Today is Friday, Jan. 12, the 12th day of 2024 with 354 to follow.

The moon is waxing. Morning stars are Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Uranus and Venus. Evening stars are Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn and Uranus.

January 12 in history…

 

In 1935, The Amazing Kreskin was born; George Joseph Kresge (happy 88th!)

 

 

 

 

…In 1951, Kirstie Alley was born (happy 73rd!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1954, radio personality Howard Stern was born (happy 69th!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1959, Berry Gordy borrowed $800 to found the Motown record empire.

 

 

 

 

…In 1969, Joe Namath and the AFL’s New York Jets defeated the NFL’s Baltimore Colts 16 to 7 in Super Bowl Three. It is regarded as one of the most shocking upsets in professional football history.

 

 

 

 

…In 1971, “All in the Family” debuted on CBS television.