Afternoon News Brief

The City Council in Batavia has voted 6 to 2 in favor of overriding the tax cap and passing the proposed $33,500,000 (million) budget. The override means that the city will be able to collect a $6.6 million tax levy for the $19.4 million general budget. City taxpayers won’t see an increased tax rate, as that will remain flat at $8.94 per $1,000 assessed value. Council was also unanimous in its vote to approve the 30 cents water rate increase, which, along with an increased water meter rate and capital improvement fees, will tack on about $60 more for an average home of four people. City Council members said they were happy with the cities financial status and their ability to get a new Zamboni and ice chiller for the ice arena, put up the new police station, change over the streetlamps to LED lights, and 3 major water and sewer projects.

 

Work on the South Lyon Street Bridge will resume Friday, March 17th. Work had been paused due to seasonal weather conditions. A small portion of South Main Street will be closed to traffic over the upcoming months. The bridge replacement project began last September and consists of two 11-foot lanes with 2-foot shoulders and a 5-foot sidewalk on the east side of the truss. The alignment of South Lyon Street will be modified to improve the intersection with South Main Street and approach work includes a seamless transition to the relocated intersection, existing roadway, and sidewalks. Photo by Doug Thompson, WBTA News.

 

Orleans County deputies have arrested a teenager who they say made a threat against the Albion Central School District. The alleged threat was made on the social media app Snapchat and targeted the district with the threat of violence. Officials were able to track down the 16-year-old student they say was responsible for the message and the teen told them it was just a joke. The suspect was charged with a felony and released.

 

The family of a teenager who lost her life in a tragic crash has filed a lawsuit against the Town of Clarence. Last March, 17-year-old Lauren Taggart and 17-year-old Luke Malinich were traveling on Delaware Road near Goodrich Road when the vehicle they were in ended up going off the road, flipping over, and hitting a tree. The lawsuit is claiming that the town didn’t make enough of an effort to ensure the road was safe before the accident. The town attorney isn’t commenting on the litigation.

 

 

 

The driver of a Niagara Falls plow truck has been arrested after police say he caused the vehicle to tip over, leading to a salt and fuel spill. When police got to the scene in the area of Porter Road and Hyde Park Boulevard yesterday, they suspected 53-year-old Robert McClain was intoxicated and he was taken into custody. McClain wasn’t hurt and there were no other vehicles involved in the incident. The Niagara Falls Fire Department was able to clean up the fuel spill.

 

Another STOP-DWI effort starts tomorrow and will continue through Sunday, March 19. St. Patrick’s Day weekend is notorious for impaired driving due to the number of celebrations and drivers on the road. New York State Police, County Sheriffs and municipal law enforcement agencies will be out in force during this across-the-board effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths. While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have made great strides in reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers.

 

The Buffalo Sabres continue their road trip and will be back on the ice tonight as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive against an Eastern Conference rival. The Sabres are taking on the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. On Monday, the Sabres snapped their four-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Face-off this evening is set for 7:00.

 

 

For the first time in weeks, members of the Erie County Stadium Corporation are expected to gather for a meeting today. The Buffalo News is reporting that they’ll be discussing documents related to the construction of a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills. Plans call for that facility to be built near Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, which is where the Bills currently play their home games. The hope is that the new stadium will be ready to open in time for the 2026 NFL season.

 

It is National Kidney Month, and the New York State Department of Health is pushing Empire State residents to take steps to protect themselves from kidney disease. People can help keep their kidneys healthy by eating foods that are low in salt and by eating fruits and vegetables each day. Also, people who have diabetes should make sure their blood sugar stays in its target range as much as possible. Experts also say people who smoke should stop, since smoking can worsen kidney disease. Data shows chronic Kidney Disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.