Friday News Brief
Written by Doug Thompson on November 10, 2023
Judith Purdy
Students and staff in the Rochester City School District continue to mourn the tragic death of a teacher. Genesee County deputies say 58-year-old Judith Purdy was driving on Route 19 in LeRoy yesterday when her vehicle collided with a deer. Purdy was on her way to work at Abraham Lincoln School Number 22 when this accident occurred. Counseling is being made available to everyone affected by her loss. (Assistant Fire Chief Joshua Pfendler provided the following statement to WHEC News10 from the Le Roy Fire Department: “The Le Roy Fire Department was saddened by the sudden passing of Judy Purdy. She was a former member of our department and a great supporter of all emergency responders. Judy served our community for many years and enjoyed teaching fire safety to local students. As a volunteer firefighter she was always willing to help and had a passion for helping others. Our thoughts go out to Judy’s family and friends during this difficult time.” – Photo provided by Joshua Pfendler)
Michael Fratini
A former postal worker is facing up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to a child pornography charge. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 30-year-old Michael Fratini asked a woman he met on a dating app for illicit photos of her daughters. The woman reported the request to law enforcement, and Fratini was taken into custody after traveling to a hotel where he thought he was going to meet the woman. Fratini will be sentenced in March.
40-year-old Marlene Cruz of Rochester has been arrested. She’s charged with the delay or destruction of mail and theft of mail by a postal employee. The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Multiple complaints were filed by postal customers in January 2022 that their mail had been tampered with. Investigation revealed that Cruz, a fulltime mail carrier, had opened envelopes and parcels, removed items such as ticket stubs, cash, lottery tickets and gift cards on multiple occasions. Cruz will return to court at a later date.
Trameir Garner
A person of interest in a deadly shooting on Interstate 190 in Buffalo has been arrested in connection with a different case. Officials say that 19-year-old Trameir Garner is charged with criminal possession of stolen property in Cheektowaga. On October 26th, 22-year-old Keyshawn Gault and two other employees of with the Buffalo Sewer Authority were shot, and Gault lost his life. Garner hasn’t been charged in that incident and anyone with information is asked to come forward.
Erie County Fair
People who want to get their hands on 12-day passes for the 2024 Erie County Fair can do so right now. They’ll cost $60 and are good for admission to the fair which will run from August 7th through the 18th. It is likely the passes are going to sell out in advance, so it’s recommended that fairgoers purchase them soon. There is a limit of four passes per household and more details can be found at ecfair.org.
Did the boy catch the fish or did the fish catch the boy?
The final free fishing day of 2023 is taking place across the Empire State tomorrow. That means no license is required for those who want to take part in the popular outdoor activity. The free fishing day program started in 1991 and helps support management of the state’s fisheries by encouraging people to buy a fishing license. While no license is required for tomorrow, all other freshwater fishing regulations remain in effect.
The Sabres are back on home ice tonight.
The Buffalo Sabres are back on home ice tonight as they hope to avoid a second straight loss. They’re hosting the Minnesota Wild at KeyBank Center. Buffalo is coming off of a 3-2 overtime defeat at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night and so far this season the team has earned 13 points. Face-off this evening is scheduled for 7:00.
ELSEWHERE…
Unidentified youngster in undated file photo appears quite brave before receiving a vaccination.
School vaccine exemptions for kindergarteners are at the highest on record. CDC data looking at immunization programs for measles, mumps and rubella, tetanus, polio and chickenpox shots show that fewer children are getting them now than pre-pandemic.
Friendly, aggressive or ambiguous?
A new study suggests cats are not really all that aloof and are actually quite expressive. Researchers at UCLA began studying felines in 2021 to learn more about how they communicate, and found that cats displayed at least 276 different facial expressions. About 46% of those were friendly, 37% were aggressive and 17% were ambiguous. The study’s co-author says she’s considering creating an app that would allow people to record their cats’ facial expressions to determine what feelings they’re expressing.
This tree will soon be on its way to New York City.
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is being cut down this morning. It’s an 80-foot tall, 12-ton Norway Spruce being donated by the McGinley family just outside of Binghamton, New York. The tree will be brought to Rockefeller Center on a huge flatbed truck and hoisted this Saturday. As part of an annual tradition, the tree lighting which draws huge crowds will take place November 29th in New York City.
Robert Card, the Maine mass shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
An independent probe is being launched into the mass shooting in Maine that left 18 dead last month. Maine Governor Janet Mills says the seven-member commission will have the authority to look into all aspects of the shooting, including how the gunman was able to carry out the attack despite showing obvious warning signs regarding his mental health.
Today is Friday, November 10th, the 314th day of the year.
November 10 in history…
…In 1775, the Continental Marines was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It became recognized as the United States Marine Corps in 1798.
“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
…In 1871, explorer Henry Stanley found missing Scottish missionary David Livingstone living in central Africa. That’s when Stanley allegedly delivered his famous greeting, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
The tradition started today in history.
…In 1908, a Gideon Bible was placed in a room at the Superior Hotel in Iron Mountains, Montana. The action started a long-standing tradition at hotels around the world.
…In 1967 The Moody Blues released the single “Nights in White Satin.”
“Sesame Street” cast in 1969.
…In 1969, “Sesame Street” debuted on PBS.
…In 1979 The Eagles were at number one on the US charts with “Heartache Tonight” the groups 5th and final number one.
