Afternoon News Brief

Rochester Police are investigating a homicide on the city’s north side Saturday night.  Officers were called to the 1000 block of Hudson Avenue for the report of a person shot just after 9 p.m.  When they arrived, they found 31-year-old Julius T. June with a gunshot wound to his torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.  An early investigation revealed that June was involved in a verbal altercation in the street. The altercation escalated, resulting in June being shot.  After being shot, he ran into a local business where he ultimately succumbed to his wounds.  There have been no arrests made in the case.

Nearly two million people in New York have life-threatening food allergies, with many paying high costs for life saving EpiPens out of pocket.  A two-pack of EpiPens can run for $700 or more. That’s why Jason Linde of FARE, Food Allergy Research and Education said new legislation is crucial to protect the 60,000 Western New Yorkers who rely on them.  A new federal bill would cap the cost at $60 for a two-pack while proposed state legislation would cap the cost at $100 for the same amount.  New York State Senator Tim Kennedy is co-sponsoring the state legislation.  There are generic alternatives such as Adrenaclick or Auvi-Q for as low as 10 dollars a 2 pack without insurance.

Area maple producers celebrated Maple Weekend with an afternoon of samplings and events.  Local farms, including Merle Maple in Varysburg, provided opportunities to experience how real maple syrup, maple confection candies, and many other products are made.  Merle Maple reported record crowds and sold out of its products for Saturday well before they expected to.  Tours of the production facilities ran non stop and even after hours.  Attendees had the opportunity to enjoy family-friendly activities, taste New York’s freshest syrup, and purchase maple products directly from the producers.  This coming weekend is the second and last maple weekend of the season.

A Sculpture Garden has started to take form inside City Center thanks to a creation designed by local metal artist Bill Schutt.  Master Gardeners from Cornell Cooperative Extension suggested a sculpture garden be put in to replace the live trees that used to stand in the City Center after the skylights were removed.  Enter the 4 season tree metal sculpture.  It is made of 4 i-beams bent at 90 degree angles to form the shape of a canopy.  The material comes from the old Erie Canal Lift Bridge in Albion and a bench and lamp made from the same material will be added soon.

Gas Price Update:  The price of gas in Western NY is staying pretty flat.  The price in Batavia did not change from last week at 3.25 a gallon and is only 1 penny more than last month.  The state average is 3.37 which is up 3 cents from last week and up 7 cents from last month.  The national price is 3.47 a gallon which is up 7 cents from last week and 20 cents up from last month.  It is also 2 cents higher than this time a year ago.  Triple A is expecting an increase of 10 to 15 cents over the next month as demand and the price of oil rise as well as Summer Blend fuel, which is more expensive, starts becoming the norm at the pump.