Friday News Brief

LE ROY SCHOOLS BAN E-BIKES FROM CAMPUS

Le Roy Central School District is banning electric bikes from school property this year, citing concerns about student safety.
Superintendent Merritt Holly says the growing popularity of e-bikes, combined with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic around district buildings, led officials to make the change.
The district says e-bikes can travel significantly faster than traditional bicycles, creating additional risks around students walking through parking lots and families arriving or leaving school.
Under New York law, e-bike riders must be at least 16 years old, and riders under 18 are required to wear helmets. E-bikes also generally cannot be operated on sidewalks.
Holly says police patrols have increased amid concerns that some younger students are riding the bikes illegally.
The district is also reminding families to check the My Ride K-12 app for updated school bus pickup and drop-off times before classes begin Wednesday.

MAJOR RESTORATION UNDERWAY AT HOLLAND LAND OFFICE MUSEUM

A more than one-million-dollar restoration project is underway at the Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia.
The roughly 1-point-2-million-dollar project began earlier this month and includes extensive repairs to the historic building’s masonry, stonework, roof, windows, doors, exterior trim and columns.
Crews are also making improvements inside the museum, including plaster repairs and painting, along with upgrades to the HVAC system, restrooms and life-safety systems.
Museum Executive Director Ryan Duffy says the work will be completed in phases through the fall and into the spring of 2027. He says the goal is to preserve the historic landmark for generations to come.
The museum will generally remain open during construction, although intermittent closures may be necessary.
The restoration is separate from a planned future expansion that would create a new entrance, gift shop and additional collection storage while improving accessibility.
The Holland Land Office Museum is normally open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 until 4.

OVERDOSE AWARENESS EVENT HELD IN BATAVIA

Community members gathered at Austin Park Wednesday for the seventh annual GOW Overdose Awareness event.
The gathering honored those lost to addiction while highlighting recovery and resources available to people who are struggling.
Genesee and Orleans County Health Director Paul Pettit said the community has lost 100 people to overdoses since 2020.
Joey Evans shared his own story of overcoming addiction and receiving a second chance at life. Evans now works with UConnect helping others through recovery.
The event also recognized Sue Gagne for 25 years of service in mental health and recovery.

Photo by Howard Owens/The Batavian

FINAL FRIDAY CONCERT OF THE SUMMER TONIGHT IN BATAVIA

Downtown Batavia’s Friday Concert Series wraps up its summer schedule tonight with live music in Jackson Square.
The Ohms Band will take the stage from 7 until 9 p.m. for the final show of this year’s free outdoor concert series.
Jackson Square is located between Center and Jackson Streets in downtown Batavia.
Organizers are encouraging people to arrive early and visit downtown restaurants and shops before the show, with plenty of options nearby to keep the night going after the music ends.
Tonight’s concert closes out a summer series that has featured live performances in Jackson Square nearly every Friday since July 10th.

TRUMP RENAMES LAKE ONTARIO ‘LAKE AMERICA’ IN U.S.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the federal government to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America.”
The change applies to the U.S. geographic naming system, but does not require Canada or the public to use the new name.
The move comes amid a worsening trade dispute between the two countries. The U.S. recently imposed 50-percent tariffs on about 20-billion dollars in Canadian goods, with Canada responding with tariffs of its own.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the name change, saying Canadians will continue calling it Lake Ontario.
The lake’s name has Indigenous origins and predates both the United States and Canada.

HUNDREDS DEAD, MORE THAN 1,400 MISSING AFTER NEPAL-CHINA FLOODS

Rescue crews are searching for more than 1,400 people missing after catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border.
Authorities say at least 392 people have died after a glacier collapse Wednesday sent a massive surge of water, mud and debris through communities in the Himalayan region.
Nepal has reported more than 900 people missing, while another 558 are unaccounted for in Tibet. The missing include hundreds of foreign nationals, with the U.S. State Department saying 90 Americans remain unaccounted for.
Military helicopters are being used to reach isolated areas after dozens of bridges were destroyed and about 25 miles of roads were damaged.
Officials say more than 100 people have been rescued by helicopter in Nepal, while hundreds of military and emergency personnel are involved in operations on the Chinese side of the border.
Authorities are also monitoring a newly formed lake along the border amid concerns it could overflow or burst.

GENESEE COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT JOINS IMPAIRED DRIVING CRACKDOWN

Genesee County law enforcement agencies are joining a statewide effort aimed at keeping impaired drivers off the road through the Labor Day weekend.
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and Batavia Police Department are participating in New York’s STOP-DWI campaign, which continues through September 7th.
Drivers can expect increased enforcement as officers across the state target motorists impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Officials are urging people to plan ahead before drinking by arranging a designated driver, taxi or ride service.
They’re also asking residents to intervene if someone who has been drinking or using drugs attempts to drive.
The campaign is part of an ongoing statewide effort to reduce impaired-driving crashes, injuries and deaths.