Wednesday News Brief

Tomorrow Batavia City Schools will be conducting a required “Emergency Go Home Drill” for all students except those who are in placements outside the district. The drill is designed to test their response system in the event of an actual emergency. So this means for tomorrow only, students will be dismissed 15 minutes earlier than usual.

 

 

 

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that 59-year-old Lebert Cleveland of Lancaster, died following a one-vehicle crash in the Town of Yates. Preliminary investigation indicates that on Monday, a tractor-trailer was traveling southbound on County Line Road, when it left the east shoulder of the roadway, coming to rest in the front lawn of a residence. Upon first responders arrival, they found Cleveland unconscious behind the wheel; he was transported to Medina Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

 

A former teacher in the Spencerport Central School District is facing prison time after pleading guilty to a child pornography charge. Prosecutors say 38-year-old Ian Milam created multiple Snapchat accounts that he used to pose as a teenage boy and engage in explicit conversations with young girls. Milam was a math teacher at Cosgrove Middle School at the time. He’ll be ordered to spend at least five years behind bars when he’s sentenced.

 

 

Updated data from the New York State Flu Tracker shows the spread of the virus remains high across the region. During the week ending February 24th, Monroe County led this area in cases with 531, followed by Erie County with 421 cases. Niagara County reported 144 infections; Livingston County had 94, and Ontario County, 70. Doctors say the best way to protect yourself and others from getting sick is to be vaccinated and practice good hygiene.

 

Buffalo police have made an arrest in connection with a weekend sexual assault in their city. Authorities claim 34-year-old Lamont Love attacked and sexually abused a woman in Shoshone Park late Sunday night. Love approached the victim while riding a bicycle, and after jumping off, punched her and slammed her to the ground. The woman needed to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Police say Love and the victim don’t know each other.

 

 

The Internal Revenue Service is testing out a brand-new free tax program in the Empire State. It is called Direct File and is similar to tax filing software like TurboTax. It’ll be available to users in all 12 pilot states, including New York, beginning on March 12th. But, it’ll only be able to help people who have certain tax situations. Folks who want to see if they’re eligible can do so by visiting directfile.irs.gov.

 

 

The Buffalo Sabres will be kicking off a quick two game road trip north the border tonight. The Sabres are set to take on their longtime rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena in Canada. The Sabres last played Sunday when they were defeated by the Winnipeg Jets 5-2. Face-off for this evening’s contest is scheduled for 7:00.

 

ELSEWHERE…

The federal government says free COVID-19 tests and free Pfizer Paxlovid antiviral medication are ending. The USPS distribution is set to end Friday, March 8th because the virus has slowed considerably. Officials say they have delivered over 1.8 billion free COVID-19 tests to the American people and they could return in the future if the need arises. All pandemic-era doses of Paxlovid are also scheduled to stop being dispensed by pharmacies Friday, following a decision earlier this year by the FDA. You can still get free COVID-19 tests through the National Institutes of Health program called ‘Home Test to Treat.’

 

 

The iconic New Jersey restaurant booth featured in HBO’s Sopranos’ finale has brought big bucks at auction. You know the booth, the burgundy one with the yellow formica top where Tony Soprano sat with his family before the screen suddenly went black in 2007. Holsten’s in Bloomfield put the booth up for auction on eBay last week, hoping to get $10,000. But the booth, the divider and plaque that reads, “Reserved for the Sopranos,” went for more than $82,000. More than enough to pay for Holsten’s planned renovations, the reason a lucky buyer is getting a piece of TV history.

 

Dodge is going to keep its Charger and Challenger models going with both gas and electric versions. The automaker announced in 2022 that production of the cars would stop, but sales of electric vehicle have been slower than expected. The first EV versions are expected to go on sale before the end of the year, with gas-powered cars hitting the market in 2025.