Wednesday News Brief

BATAVIA SETS HEARING ON UPDATED FLOOD DAMAGE LAW

Batavia residents will have an opportunity next month to weigh in on proposed changes to the city’s flood damage prevention law following the completion of new floodplain maps for Genesee County.
City Council has scheduled a public hearing for October 26th at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
City Manager Rachael Tabelski says Batavia must update its local law by February 19th to remain eligible for the National Flood Insurance Program, which can help reduce insurance costs for properties in flood zones.
The changes would establish updated requirements for construction and development in flood-prone areas, including stronger protections against runoff and restrictions on building critical facilities such as fire stations and hospitals in flood zones.
The city previously spent 50-thousand dollars working with FEMA to ensure local flood measurements were accurate.
Officials say the new maps could change flood-zone designations for some properties. Residents whose homes sit above the established flood elevation may also be able to apply to have their properties removed from a flood zone.

 

WROTB PROPOSES CLOSING SIX BRANCH LOCATIONS

Western Regional Off-Track Betting is proposing a major consolidation that would close six of its eight remaining branch locations.
Under the plan, WROTB would keep its Wehrle branch in Williamsville and Marway location in Gates. Branches in Auburn, Cheektowaga, Penfield, Jamestown, Rochester and North Tonawanda would close around October 31st.
Officials say the proposal follows years of declining financial performance as more customers shift toward online wagering. The six branches proposed for closure lost roughly 730-thousand dollars in 2025 and more than 700-thousand through August of this year. Full-year losses are projected to approach one-million dollars.
Thirteen employees would be affected, with WROTB saying it plans to negotiate with the union over the impact.
The corporation also expects to sell properties it owns following independent assessments, potentially generating more than two-million dollars.
President and CEO Byron Brown says the consolidation is intended to improve WROTB’s long-term financial health while maintaining physical locations in both the Buffalo and Rochester markets.

 

WALK OF HOPE DONATES $20,000 TO GENESEE CANCER ASSISTANCE

The Walk of HOPE — Le Roy has donated 20-thousand dollars to Genesee Cancer Assistance following a series of community fundraisers.
The contribution was presented earlier this month and will directly benefit Genesee County residents battling cancer.
Genesee Cancer Assistance says the donation has already prompted its Board of Directors to increase the amount of financial assistance available to patients.
Founded in 1995, the organization provides financial aid and other support services to local residents and families dealing with a cancer diagnosis.

 

BATAVIA CONSIDERS TOWNWIDE WATER DISTRICT

The Batavia Town Board will hold a public hearing tonight on a proposal to consolidate 17 water districts and improvement areas into one townwide district.
The hearing begins at 7 p.m. at the Town Court on West Main Street Road.
A study by the town engineer found consolidation could improve efficiency and service while reducing duplicated administrative costs. It would also allow customers across the connected water system to share the cost of future capital improvements.
If approved, the consolidated system would be known as the Batavia Townwide Water District.

 

PROSECUTOR REOPENS CORNELL FRATERNITY SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATION

The Tompkins County District Attorney is reopening an investigation into allegations that seven Cornell University students sexually assaulted a woman at a fraternity house in 2024.
District Attorney Matthew Van Houten says the case will now be presented to a grand jury after a civil lawsuit filed this month brought renewed attention to the allegations. The woman alleges she was pressured into using ketamine, marijuana and alcohol before becoming incapacitated and being assaulted by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity. No criminal charges were initially filed.
Van Houten says new information can warrant reconsidering a case and that his office has now spoken with the woman and her attorneys.
Cornell says its own disciplinary investigation resulted in some students being expelled and others suspended. The Chi Phi chapter was also shut down and remains barred from campus.
The university says it supports the prosecutor’s decision to reopen the criminal investigation.

 

NEW AMERICA.GOV AI CHATBOT CHANGES ANSWERS AFTER LAUNCH

The Trump administration launched a revamped America.gov website Tuesday, featuring an artificial intelligence chatbot designed to help Americans find government information and services.
But shortly after its debut, the chatbot began changing how it handled politically sensitive questions.
The site initially said federal sources showed no widespread fraud changed the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. It also cited the 22nd Amendment when asked about President Donald Trump seeking another term and identified the Pentagon as headquarters of the Department of Defense.
During Tuesday’s launch event, however, the chatbot began declining some political questions altogether, including inquiries about the 2020 election, saying it could not answer them.

 

 

GENESEE COUNTY SOCCER ROUNDUP

In Genesee County high school boys soccer action Tuesday night, Le Roy/Cal-Mum picked up a 2-1 victory over Letchworth/Warsaw.
Dansville shut out Pavilion/York 3-0, while Byron-Bergen/Elba earned a 2-0 win over Holley.
And in girls soccer action, Batavia came away with a 1-0 victory over Pittsford Mendon.