Evening News Briefing
Written by Dan Fischer on November 18, 2019
A stand-off continues on Liberty Street early this evening.
Batavia Police, Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputies and State Police have cordoned off the 200 block of Liberty Street for a man believed to be armed with a sword and a pellet gun.
Police Chief Shawn Heubusch says the man has fired several shots at police from the pellet gun and has refused to come out peace fully.
No one has been reported injured.
Heubusch categorizes the incident as a domestic disturbance.
It began around 2 p.m. Monday afternoon. The emergency dispatch center received a report that a man carrying a sword was walking on Liberty Street and entered a home. Later police said the unidentified man had barricaded himself in an upstairs room and refused to come out.
As a precaution, Jackson Primary school was placed on lockout.
Around 3:30 this afternoon the students were dismissed and board buses to be taken home.
The chief says police are continuing to work through a process to get the man to come out.
Major League Baseball is proposing to severe its parent club ties with 42 minor league teams across the county.
The New York Times is reporting today that the Batavia Muckdogs are on the list.
It is part of an effort by M.L.B. to overhaul the lower minor leagues and the way players are developed to make it to the bigs.
Baseball has been sending signals of a minor league re-do for the past several months but this is the first time that actual teams have been named.
Also on the proposed chopping block is the Auburn Double Days, who like Batavia, are part of the New York Penn League.
Attempts to reach officials with the Muckdogs were unsuccessful. The cellphone for Muckdogs General Manager Brendan Kelly is no longer in service.
Bishop Richard Malone is back home after spending several days at the Vatican.
He and several other bishops were in Rome to visit with Pope Francis and give a report on what’s going on in their respective dioceses.
Malone has been criticized for how he’s handled the clergy sex abuse scandal in the Buffalo Diocese which includes Genesee County.
He has rejected calls to step down, saying he’s planning to stay in his position until he’s required to retire in 2021.
Western New York drivers are continuing to find steady prices at the pump. According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas is $2.66. That’s down a penny from last week and is two cents cheaper than this time a month ago. Gas Buddy.com lists the average price of a gallon of regular in Batavia at the regional average of $2.66.
