Friday News Brief

The civil service exams may stay at no cost after a bump in the number of applications following the fee waiver this year. The normal price of $25 had been in place since 2011. This year it was decided to waive the fee to see if more people would come take the test. And they did. The number of applicants was up 31 percent this year. The county has struggled to attract candidates for several departments over the last couple of years, including the sheriff’s office, which is growing with a new, larger jail facility in progress, and the mental health department. The no-fee trial period started June 1, 2022. The Ways & Means Committee has agreed to keep it in place through 2025.

 

The State Attorney General’s Office has opened up an investigation into a fatal shooting involving a New York State Trooper. On Wednesday, the Trooper responded to a call on State Route 64 in East Bloomfield after getting a report that someone was threatening to kill another person. When the Trooper interviewed a 17-year-old, the teen reportedly pulled out a knife and charged at the Trooper, leading to the officer opening fire and killing him. The AG’s office will now determine if the Trooper did anything wrong.

 

 

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn has made an important decision about his political future. Flynn says he’s not going to seek re-election in 2024 and may actually decide to leave office before his current term is up. Flynn says he is currently working to return to a private law practice, but is still searching for a firm that’ll hire him. He has been district attorney since 2017, and First Deputy District Attorney Michael Keane could end up replacing Flynn.

 

 

National Grid is taking action to update its substations across the region ahead of what could be another snowy winter. When a deadly blizzard hit the region last December, high winds caused snow to pile up in some of those substations, which made power restoration efforts even more difficult. The company is installing new vents and shutters that’ll help keep snow out of buildings. The hope is all of this work will be done in the next few weeks.

 

The Drought continues in western NY with the amount of precipitation being significantly lower than most years. It is harder to notice it in the cold of late fall but western NY is roughly 4 inches below normal for this time of year. With fewer crops in the ground the need for water isn’t enough to spur any use advisories.

 

 

The Buffalo Sabres will be on the road tonight to take on an opponent from the Western Conference. The Sabres are set to play the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre. Buffalo has not played a game since Tuesday when the Boston Bruins defeated them, 5 to 2. The Sabres have earned 15 points this season and face-off this evening is set for 8:00pm.

 

 

 

The Buffalo Bills are hoping they’ll be able to snap their current two-game losing streak in front of their home crowd. The defending AFC East champions will play host to the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. When these teams battled back in September, it was the Jets who won 22 to 16 in overtime. Kick-off Sunday afternoon is scheduled for 4:25.

 

ELSEWHERE…

 

A jury has found the man who attacked the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi guilty. The jury began deliberating Wednesday afternoon and they reached a verdict late Thursday morning. David DePape was convicted on attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting an immediate family member of a federal official. He faces up to 50 years in prison.

 

 

 

 

Today is Friday, November 17th, the 321st day of the year.

November 17 in history…

…In 1800, after a ten-year stay in Philadelphia, the Senate of the Sixth Congress convened in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., for the first time.

 

 

 

 

 

…On November 18, 1883, the United States and Canada adopted a system of Standard Time zones established by the railroads — Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific.

 

 

 

…On November 18, 1902, Brooklyn toy maker Morris Michtom named the teddy bear after the 26th President of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt. Michtom got the idea from an editorial cartoon depicting the president sparing the life of a bear cub.

 

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1928, after 23 years, Notre Dame loses a home football game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1962 The Four Seasons started a five week run at number one on the US singles chart with ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

…On November 18, 1985, the comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes” debuted in newspapers. For a look at the first one, click here: https://www.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/14b4jeq/nov_18_1985_first_comic/

 

 

…In 2007 The Eagles were number one on the US album for the first time since 1979.