Thursday News Brief

MICHAEL NAPOLEONE FOUNDATION SURPASSES ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN FAMILY SUPPORT

A Batavia foundation created in memory of an eight-year-old boy who died from cancer has now provided more than one-million dollars directly to families facing childhood cancer.
Mark and Laurie Napoleone started the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation in 2007 after losing their son Michael to Burkitt’s lymphoma and leukemia.
What began as a small group meeting around a backyard picnic table has grown into a statewide effort helping more than 670 families.
The foundation says it has now distributed more than one-point-zero-two-million dollars in family assistance, along with nearly 80-thousand dollars for youth programs and more than 104-thousand dollars toward cancer research.
Families can now receive roughly two-thousand dollars in assistance to help cover medical costs, utilities, travel and other expenses that often accompany a child’s diagnosis.
The Napoleones say helping families remains the organization’s top priority, while Michael’s love of sports also continues through youth grants.
The foundation will mark its 20th anniversary in 2027, with plans for a celebration already underway.

NEW YORK CREWS TOP ONE MILLION POTHOLE REPAIRS IN 2026

New York State highway crews have now repaired more than one-million potholes since April, following a winter that caused widespread pavement damage.
Governor Kathy Hochul marked the milestone last week as the Department of Transportation nears the end of its construction season.
About 95-thousand potholes were repaired in the Finger Lakes region, while Western New York accounted for another 88-thousand.
The state also completed more than 21-hundred lane-miles of paving projects this year at a cost of roughly 600-million dollars.

AT LEAST 68 DEAD IN SPAIN HIGH-SPEED TRAIN COLLISION

At least 68 people are dead and dozens more injured after a high-speed train slammed into the rear of another train in central Spain Wednesday morning.
Authorities say both trains were traveling from Madrid toward Seville when one train stopped on the tracks in Toledo province. A second train then struck it from behind, derailing two cars. Fifty-eight people were still receiving hospital treatment as rescue crews searched the wreckage.
Spain’s transport minister says a signaling system had failed before the crash and that the moving train was later cleared to continue without a speed restriction. Investigators are now reviewing why that decision was made.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning.
The crash comes just nine months after another deadly high-speed rail collision in southern Spain killed 46 people.

GENESEE COUNTY PROPOSES $210 MILLION BUDGET WITH LOWER AVERAGE TAX RATE

Genesee County has released a proposed 2027 budget totaling just over 210-point-6 million dollars.
Overall spending would rise about 2-point-5 percent, while the property tax levy would increase 2 percent to nearly 35-million dollars.
Despite that increase, county officials say growth in taxable property values is expected to push the average county tax rate down nearly 9 percent — from 7-dollars-30-cents to 6-dollars-65-cents per thousand dollars of assessed value.
County Manager Matthew Landers says a home assessed at 185-thousand dollars would see about 24 dollars more in county taxes from the levy increase. But homeowners whose assessments have remained unchanged since 2025 could actually see their county bill drop by roughly 120 dollars.
The proposal also adds a sheriff’s deputy and jail clerical position, increases EMS funding and sets aside more than 5-million dollars for bridge and culvert work.
Officials say the budget was challenging to balance after departments initially submitted requests leaving a 4-point-7-million-dollar shortfall.
A public hearing on the proposal is expected to be scheduled by the County Legislature.

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR BATAVIA CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY PARADE

Registration is now open for this year’s Batavia Christmas in the City Parade.
The parade is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, December 5th, with businesses, organizations, teams and community groups invited to participate at no cost.
The registration deadline is Monday, November 16th.
Participants must submit both a parade application and signed hold-harmless agreement.
Organizers also ask groups not to bring their own Santa Claus, since Santa is reserved for the official Christmas in the City celebration.

WENDY’S STOCK SURGES AFTER NELSON PELTZ MAKES BUYOUT OFFER

Wendy’s shares jumped sharply Wednesday after investor Nelson Peltz offered to take the fast-food chain private.
Peltz’s Trian Fund Management and its partners are offering 7-dollars-35-cents per share in cash — nearly 19 percent above Tuesday’s closing price. The proposal comes as Wendy’s deals with higher beef costs, declining market share and hundreds of planned restaurant closures.
Trian already owns about 16 percent of the company.
Wendy’s has not publicly commented on the proposal, which is expected to be reviewed by a special committee.
The chain closed 240 restaurants in 2024 and has said it could close as many as 358 more this year.
Wendy’s stock has fallen about 26 percent since January despite Wednesday’s rally.

SECTION V GIRLS VOLLEYBALL SECTIONAL ROUNDUP

In Section V girls volleyball sectional action Wednesday night, Oakfield-Alabama survived a five-set battle with Andover-Whitesville, winning 3-2.
Le Roy advanced with a 3-nothing sweep of Attica, while Pembroke also moved on in straight sets with a 3-nothing win over Bishop Kearney.
Perry ended Alexander’s season with a 3-nothing victory, and Byron-Bergen defeated Clyde-Savannah 3-1 to advance in the bracket.