Friday News Brief

Three men will be sentenced on May 3rd for the murders of a Tonawanda woman and two people in Buffalo. This comes after a jury on Wednesday found 41-year-old Ernest Green and 41-year-old Daniel Rodriguez guilty of second-degree murder and attempted murder in the 2019 shooting death of 31-year-old Danielle Cretacci during a home invasion at her residence on Ebling Avenue. Her eight and 11 year-old daughters were also shot but survived. A jury also found Green and 27-year-old Wayne Robbins guilty of the murders of 21-year-old Bethany Malloy and 26-year-old Shaquiel St. John. They were fatally shot during a home invasion in Buffalo about a month after Cretacci’s murder. All three men face up to life in prison.

 

A Medina firefighter has experienced a medical emergency while working at the scene. It happened when firefighters were called to put out a basement fire on North Academy Street in Medina yesterday afternoon. Immediate care was rendered and the firefighter was transported to the hospital. Structural damage was estimated at $1000 with $5000 in contents damaged. The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental.

 

The Zonta Club of Batavia – Genesee County is now accepting applications for their annual Scholarship Awards and they’re encouraging all high school seniors in Genesee County to apply. Applications are available in the school’s guidance office, career center office, or online by emailing zontabatavia@gmail.com. All applicants will be asked to schedule an in-person interview with the scholarship committee. Submission deadline for applications is next Friday, April 12.

 

Sadly, a 13-year-old boy has drowned in a creek. According to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office the boy fell into the creek in Gorham yesterday and was swept away by the current. He was located a short distance downstream and was pulled from the creek, where first responders performed life-saving measures. The boy was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The investigation is ongoing but no foul play is suspected.

 

 

 

Governor Kathy Hochul reports construction is now underway on a sustainable, affordable mixed-use housing development in downtown Rochester. The all-electric Alta Vista apartment building includes 76 units and event space. It sits on four vacant lots along Franklin, Pleasant and Andrews Streets adjacent to the historic St. Joseph’s Park. This project furthers the city’s goal of achieving a more vibrant downtown via the state’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative. All 76 apartments will be affordable to households earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income, with 14 units reserved for households experiencing or at risk for homelessness.

 

A Buffalo man is facing three to six years in prison for a fatal hit and run accident. That sentence was handed down yesterday to 48-year-old Rinaldo Pearson. Prosecutors say Pearson was intoxicated when he hit 31-year-old Amber Young as she was walking along the 15-hundred block of Broadway in Buffalo back in February of 2023. Young was taken to an area hospital, where she later died.

 

 

 

Viewers of the upcoming eclipse should wear red and green clothes to reveal an interesting scientific phenomenon. The darkening sky will cause red and yellow colors to fade faster than greens and blues. Anyone wearing a mixture of green and red will see the green look a lot brighter, contrasting with the dark red. Experts say people will see the biggest effect if large groups dress in the contrasting colors.

 

Tonight the Buffalo Sabres host the Philadelphia Flyers at KeyBank Center. And then they’re off to Detroit for a Sunday matinee game against the Red Wings. Face-off for tonight’s game is at 7:00

 

ELSEWHERE…

Tax experts say if you’re a first-time tax filer, make sure you obey the rules because pleading ignorance won’t cut it with the IRS. Oren Adler, a certified public accountant in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, says forget about trying “to game” the system because the IRS will find out if you’ve failed to report W-2 or 1099 income properly. He says it’s important to be compliant but also to use the tax code to minimize your taxes by taking all the deductions and tax credits you’re entitled to take. That includes child, earned income and electric vehicle credits as well as deductions for charity and paying back student loans. He also recommends filing electronically and says refund checks are often issued in less than a week.

 

A Syracuse native is sharing her experience in space. Governor Kathy Hochul had a conversation with NASA Astronaut Dr. Jeanette Epps who is aboard the International Space Station after launching into space for her mission a month ago. She tells Hochul it’s a mind-blowing experience. Epps says she is working on a number of projects to help life back on Earth. That includes testing of experimental medicine and materials. She says from her point of view, she’ll be able to see the shadow of the eclipse as it passes through New York Monday.

 

It wasn’t long after word spread that the Buffalo Bills traded Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, the wide receiver took to social media: He shared his thoughts on Instagram; basically, he just wanted to say ‘thank you’. Diggs posted, “I can’t begin to express the amount of love and respect I have for the city of Buffalo. Four of the best years of my life, the city welcomed me with open arms. I’m forever grateful for you all and the Buffalo Bills organization.” The 30-year-old Diggs joined the Bills in 2020 and helped them become Super Bowl contenders during his four seasons. In his first season, he caught 127 passes for 1,535 yards. During the course of his four seasons in Buffalo, Diggs racked up 5,372 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns. Meanwhile, The Texans are wiping out the final three years of their new star receiver’s contract. ESPN reports that Houston is giving wide receiver Stefon Diggs the ability to become a free agent after the upcoming season after trading for him on Wednesday. The Texans also gave Diggs a $3.5 million raise by converting guaranteed money from next season into 2024. The 30-year-old is now guaranteed $22.52 million for this season. Diggs had originally signed a four-year, $104 million contract extension with the Buffalo Bills in April 2022.

 

The Buffalo Bills are bringing in some protection for star quarterback Josh Allen. La’el Collins agreed to a one-year deal with the team on Thursday. ESPN reports the money hasn’t been disclosed. Collins is expected to back up right tackle Spencer Brown, who’s heading into the final year of his rookie deal. The 30-year-old didn’t play last season after suffering a torn ACL in December of 2022. He started 15 games for the Cincinnati Bengals that season, and originally joined the Dallas Cowboys as an un-drafted free agent in 2015.