Tuesday News Brief

FORMER BATAVIA SCHOOLS ADMINISTRATOR ALLEGES RETALIATION AFTER HARASSMENT COMPLAINT

A former Batavia City Schools administrator is alleging she was retaliated against after reporting sexual harassment and later lost a new job because of Superintendent Jason Smith.
The former employee says she reported inappropriate behavior by a male teacher multiple times. Smith confirmed the harassment complaint was substantiated and says the district addressed the matter with a counseling letter.
She later accused the district of retaliating against her and was eventually terminated. The employee also claims Smith contacted her next school district and damaged her employment there. Smith denies that allegation.
A letter obtained through a Freedom of Information request from the new district’s superintendent says that superintendent initiated the call to Smith, not the other way around, and that Smith only confirmed information already contained in public school board records.
The former administrator has filed a complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights.

FORGOTTEN WWII NAVY CHAPLAIN HONORED IN BERGEN

A World War Two veteran from Bergen has finally received military honors more than 80 years after his service.
Father Gerald Kelly served as a U.S. Navy chaplain during the war and later spent 25 years as a chaplain at the Canandaigua Veterans Hospital.
His military service was rediscovered by St. Brigid Church parishioners researching the parish’s history.
Kelly died in 2001 and was buried at St. Brigid Cemetery without a military marker.
After a two-year effort, a bronze veteran marker was installed and full military honors were held Friday. A village banner honoring Kelly is also planned for next year.

OAKFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT TAKES OVER HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAY

The Oakfield Volunteer Fire Department will take the lead in organizing this year’s Christmas and holiday light display at Oakfield Village Memorial Park.
The display was previously organized by the Oakfield Betterment Committee, which is allowing the fire department to use its existing lights, decorations and other equipment.
The official lighting night is planned for Friday, December 4th.
Organizers expect the display to run nightly from 5 p.m. until midnight through January 15th.
The fire department is also looking for volunteers and accepting donations of money, lights and holiday decorations.

INVESTIGATORS SAY JET MAY HAVE BROKEN APART BEFORE DEADLY FLORIDA CRASH

Federal investigators say a business jet that crashed in South Florida Sunday may have begun breaking apart before hitting the ground.
All nine people aboard the Bahamas-bound Learjet were killed when it crashed in Greenacres, near West Palm Beach, and erupted in flames.
The National Transportation Safety Board says evidence suggests pieces of the aircraft separated before impact, meaning debris could be found some distance from the main crash site.
Air traffic control recordings show the pilot reported icing and turbulence while flying at 35-thousand feet. The crew requested a higher altitude before declaring an emergency as the plane began descending rapidly.
Dozens of nearby mobile homes were evacuated while investigators searched the area.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TAKES CALIFORNIA BALLOT FIGHT TO SUPREME COURT

The Trump administration is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in a dispute over roughly 20-thousand California mail ballots just one day before the midterm elections.
The Justice Department wants those ballots separated while officials verify the citizenship status of the voters involved. California officials argue the federal list is unreliable and includes people who are legally eligible to vote.
Lower courts have rejected the administration’s request, with one federal judge warning that trying to isolate the ballots this late could disrupt voting and disenfranchise citizens.
A federal appeals court upheld that ruling in a two-to-one decision.
California says hundreds of thousands of ballots have already been processed and that locating the disputed ballots now would be extremely difficult.
The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the emergency request.

NOTRE DAME GIRLS SOCCER FALLS IN CLASS D CHAMPIONSHIP

Notre Dame’s girls soccer season came to an end Saturday with a 1-nothing loss to Northstar Christian in the Section V Class D final.
The game remained scoreless until midway through the second half, when Delilah Ilges scored off a rebound for the Knights.
Notre Dame goalkeeper Sofia Falleti made eight saves in her final game for the Irish.
The loss ends a major turnaround season for Notre Dame, which finishes 12-5-and-1 after winning just seven games last year and two in 2024.
Northstar advances to the Far West Regional.