Tom Tharp
May 18, 2022 
409 people voted in Batavia’s City School budget vote on Tuesday. The 54.8 million dollar budget passed, 301 to 108. The 1 percent tax levy increase also passed. Chezeray Rolle, John Marucci and Korinne Anderson won their school board races. In Alexander the budget and related tax levy passed 83 to 44. Residents also voted to buy 2 busses 92 to 35 and to spend 56 thousand dollars of the equipment capital reserve fund. Props 4 and 5 passed as well. In Elba the budget passed 100 to 17 and all props passed as well. LeRoy’s General budget and library budget passed. Peter Loftus , Jason Karcher and Rachael Greene won their school board bids.
The National Transportation Safety Board released its initial report on the Genesee County helicopter crash that killed two people last month. The helicopter careened to the ground, in Elba, Genesee County just after 1 p.m. on April 26th. The tail rudder was found about 300 yards away from where the rest of the chopper crashed. The report says that the helicopter’s rotors struck electrical wires on its second training flight of the day. The NTSB said the entire investigation could take up to a year before a final report is released.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called on President Biden to utilize the wartime production act to get baby formula made and distributed faster in order to end the shortage. Following a recall at Abbott Nutrition, the nation’s largest infant formula manufacturer, reports suggest that roughly 40% of formula nationwide is out of stock. Compounded by supply chain disruptions as a result of the pandemic, this recall has created a life or death situation for many of the millions of families that depend on formula to feed their infants, and without immediate action to speed up the production and distribution of formula, babies who rely on formula may go hungry or starve. Senator Gillibrand’s plan will help ensure that desperately needed formula gets to vulnerable children and families as quickly as possible. Gillibrand is also proposing the Emergency Infant Formula Act to increase domestic production and expand sourcing of the formula.
Genesee County, the town of Alabama, and several people are all named in a lawsuit by an Oakfield woman who was in an accident at the intersection of Ledge road and Rt 77. The reason for the lawsuit, the town and county didn’t install a roundabout which led to her accident and subsequent ongoing problems from the injuries she sustained. The New York State DOT said in 2019 that a roundabout was a good idea at the intersection but the town sent a letter back saying farm equipment, trucks and plows would have difficulty with the roundabout in that location. Also that it would increase low speed accidents which would require more attention from firefighters. Traffic engineers generally support roundabouts because roundabouts lead to a 60 percent reduction in all types of accidents and a 99 percent reduction in fatal accidents because they eliminate head-on and right-angle, high-speed collisions. During the state’s proposal process for the roundabout, the DOT stated that between April 1, 2013, and May 31, 2018, there were 56 crashes in the area and 31 of them at the intersection. Two of the accidents were fatal.
All public schools in Genesee County are holding budget votes today…in Batavia, polling places are open until 9 this evening…For residents North of Route 5, go to Robert Morris School to vote, using the Union Street entrance across from Notre Dame; for residents who live south of Route 5, you’ll vote at the High School Library. The 2022-23 budget of $54.8 million, represents an increase of $2.7 million from the current year’s budget. A tax levy of just under $20 million will mean a 1 percent tax increase, which adds 19 cents to the current tax rate of $19.23 per $1,000 assessed property value. Additional information about the budget is available at the school district’s website, 
During the Bidens’ visit to Buffalo, they will meet with Governor Hochul and then pay their respects to those who lost their lives before meeting with families of the victims, law enforcement, community leaders, and first responders. Today is the first time a sitting president has come to Buffalo since Obama’s visit in 2013.
A Rochester man is in serious trouble with the law after being arrested by State Police on multiple charges. Troopers say they spotted 29-year-old Tireek Burden breaking vehicle and traffic laws Sunday night and pulled him over on North Clinton Avenue. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of two illegal handguns and drugs. Burden was taken into custody and sent to the Monroe County Jail.
Governor Hochul announced that flags at state buildings will be lowered to half-staff today in honor of the 10 people who lost their lives during the mass shooting in Buffalo. In a statement, the governor said that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us and that we must confront white supremacy head on. She went on to say that her heart is with the victims and their families. The governor also says flags should remain lowered until everyone who was killed is laid to rest.
Governor Hochul says resources are being made available to the Buffalo community in the aftermath of TOPS Market tragedy. The governor says $2,800,000 in federal and state funds will be used to provide support to individuals and families affected by the shooting. Staff from the Office of Victim Services are going to be in Buffalo this week to help people start the process of getting that assistance. The National Action Network will also help cover the costs of the funerals for all 10 victims.
State Attorney General Letitia James is issuing a warning to New Yorkers about sham charities created in the aftermath of the horrific violence. James says in the wake of tragedies, scammers will often try and take advantage of people for their own personal gain. Anyone who is considering a donation to help those affected by the shooting should only give to charities they’re familiar with. People should also ask what their donation is going to be used for. It’s also suggested they use caution when donating through social media and fundraising sites. Anyone who wants to report a suspicious organization can contact the New York State Charities Bureau.
TOPS Friendly Market provided the following in a Press Release: “The TOPS family is heartbroken over the senseless violence that impacted our associates and customers at our store on Jefferson Avenue. We are working quickly to make sure that all of our associates have access to counseling and support that they may need. TOPS has been committed to this community and to the city of Buffalo for decades and this tragedy will not change that commitment. We are working to find alternatives for our customers in this community while the store is closed and will provide updates in the near future.”
The Department of Environmental Conservation reminds us that if you see newborn fawns, it is best not to approach them or try to pick them up. Late spring is the birthing season for deer. Often mother does will give birth in shaded areas and then the fawn will wander a little and then lie down. They spend most of the first couple of days lying in grass, leaves, or sometimes in the open. They don’t have the instinct or strength to run away yet and the mother will leave them alone some of the time. They are usually ok but if a human comes near and stays the mother may be frightened away and not return to nurse. However, if you see a fawn that is obviously injured please call the Department of Environmental Conservation for assistance at (585) 948-5182.
The Darien Alexander Townline Rd bridge, south of Attica Rd in the Towns of Darien and Alexander, will be closed beginning Monday 5/23/2022 for a bridge replacement project. The project consists of replacing the original short span steel structure and abutments, which date back to 1939 with new pre-stressed concrete hollow slab units and new abutments. The current bridge is posted for 12 Tons and once replaced will be open to full legal loads. The project is expected to take 3 and a half months. During this time the road will not be passable to regular traffic or emergency vehicles.
The investigation continues after a body was recovered from the Niagara River over the weekend. Buffalo police say the remains were spotted by a fisherman Saturday and were in the water near the foot of Hertel Avenue. The only information about the person is that he was a man in his 30s. Officials are now waiting on autopsy results to find out how the man died.
An organization that helps mothers and their babies is turning to the public for help amid a nationwide shortage of baby formula. All Babies Cherished in Batavia is making a plea for donations of baby formula. The organization provides families with free resources like baby clothes, diapers and usually formula, but Executive Director Sue Sherman said the shortage is making it tough to keep up with demand. Sherman said she started noticing the shortage after a baby formula recall in February, but in recent weeks it has gotten worse, especially for parents in need of specialty formulas. Experts are warning the formula shortage could last a few more months, as the FDA and NYS Department of Health work urgently to get the products to families. Anyone wishing to donate baby formula can contact the agency directly at (585) 344.5660 or email Sherman at sueabcherished@gmail.com. Sherman is asking parents, whose children have outgrown formula, to check their pantries for unopened, non-expired product.
Le Roy Central School is proposing a 0.06 percent tax levy increase for the 2022-2023 school year. The budget is $27,708,988 an amount increased by 3.1 percent, or $839,700. Superintendent Merritt Holly said in a newsletter a good portion of the increase is associated with the rising costs of programs and healthcare. The proposed tax levy is $10,663,025. It is below the tax levy limit. The budget vote is set for Tuesday, May 17th from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Library Media Center at Wolcott Street School. With the Capital Project construction going on the only doors for entry and exit will be the triple doors by Memorial Auditorium
Governor Hochul is addressing one of the nation’s grimmest milestones, one million American lives lost to COVID-19. In a statement, the governor called that total unthinkable and mourned the mothers, fathers, siblings, friends and neighbors who have all succumbed to the virus. She also noted there are tools available to combat COVID-19 and save lives such as vaccines and booster shots. Hochul is also calling on Congress to pass additional funding so America is prepared to respond to the virus moving forward. Flags at all state buildings will be flown at half-staff today in remembrance oft the one million American lives lost to Covid.
The Genesee County Health Department will be hosting a FREE drive-thru anti-rabies immunization clinic next Thursday, May 19th, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 East Main Street, Batavia). Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats and ferrets, but voluntary donations are accepted. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal—limit 4 pets per car maximum.
State officials are letting parents know there are resources available to help them out during a nationwide baby formula shortage. They recommend contacting a local New York State Women, Infants and Children Office for assistance. Parents can also reach out to their child’s doctor to see if they have any samples of formula available. When trying to find formula, it’s recommended parents visit smaller stores and drug stores. Anyone who wants to buy formula online should only order from well-recognized distributors and pharmacies.
Fans of the Buffalo Bills now have some dates to mark on their calendars after the NFL released the team’s schedule for the upcoming season. The Bills are going to kick off their 2022 campaign on September 8th when they play the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams and that’ll be followed September 19th by their first home game against the Tennessee Titans. The Bills are also going to take the field on Thanksgiving Day against the Detroit Lions. In addition to their AFC East rivals, the Bills will play the Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings.
Attorney General Letitia James is warning retailers not to take part in any price gouging of baby formula. James says her office has already received reports of baby formula being sold online for prices far exceeding the usual retail value. Currently, there is a national shortage of baby formula due to factors such as inflation, product recalls and supply-chain issues. James says any business that is found guilty of price gouging will be punished. She’s encouraging people who have any non-expired and unopened formula to donate it to their local food pantry.
UR Medicine will open the doors Monday at its new Batavia campus. The new 21,455 square foot medical campus is located at 7995 Call Parkway and will centralize specialty clinics into one location, along with on-site lab services. It will also provide adult and pediatric allergy/immunology, neurosurgery, oncology and audiology, and among other services, Batavia-based primary care practice. Additional services will be added over the next 12 months.
The company that runs David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena has decided to close at the end of May. Firland Management took over running of the arena in 2006 but report May 31st will be their last day. The city of Batavia is looking for a new management company and will take proposals till May 20th. The Batavia Ice Rink opened in 1978. It consists of a single sheet of ice with a capacity for 480 fans to attend games and events. The ice rink has a warming room, locker rooms, and a refreshment stand. The City of Batavia anticipates that the prospective operator will be able to be profitable while running the rink and will enter into an operation and lease agreement.
Governor Hochul has agreed to take part in two debates before voters head to the polls for the June primary. It was revealed yesterday the debates have been scheduled for June 7th and June 16th. The governor says she’s eager to participate in these debates so she can highlight her administration’s track record of getting things done for New Yorkers. Long Island Congressman Tom Suozzi and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams are challenging Hochul in the Democratic primary.
Le Roy PD is looking for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in multiple car break-ins. Most occurred in the early morning hours yesterday; surveillance video obtained by police from local residents shows a male subject in a white hoodie and wearing a black backpack attempting to open the doors of vehicles parked in residential driveways. Chief Greg Kellogg said investigators are asking area residents to check their own camera video to see if they captured any suspicious activity and if so, please share the footage with Le Roy PD.
The Batavia City School District announced this morning that Batavia High School has earned high national and metro-area rankings on the 2022 Best High Schools list from U.S. News and World Report. BHS earned a national ranking in the top 40% of United States-based public high schools out of nearly 18,000 schools. Batavia High also ranks in the top 50% of public high schools in New York State and has a 92% average graduation rate (2017-2021). According to U.S. News and World Report, “The 2022 edition of Best High Schools includes a numerical ranking of nearly all public high schools nationwide. There are rankings within each state and within each census-designated metropolitan area that has three or more high schools and the Best STEM Schools ranking and comprehensive Best Charter Schools and Best Magnet Schools rankings. Also published are rankings of high schools within each school district with three or more high schools.” Batavia High School previously received this honor in 2014.
Attorneys will be seeking to have a mental health examination done on a former Attica Correctional Facility inmate who allegedly tried to murder an officer in October. 45-year-old Theodore Brown appeared this week in Wyoming County Court. A grand jury charged Brown with attempted aggravated murder of an officer, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of promoting prison contraband. District Attorney Donald O’Geen said a not guilty plea was entered for Brown and a mental health exam is likely to be conducted. Brown is now at Auburn Correctional FacilIty and serving a life sentence for a 1998 murder, assault and robbery conviction in Suffolk County. On Oct. 8th, Brown used a sharpened metal tube to attack corrections officer. Brown had just left his cell to receive medication when he grabbed the officer’s arm and repeatedly stabbed him in the chest. A spokesman for the officer’s union said that two pens in the officer’s breast pocket saved his life, a spokesman for the officer’s union said at the time. He said the pen’s blocked the officer’s heart. The officer was treated at Erie County Medical Center and released.
The New York Lottery goofed. They report that human error resulted in the incorrect input of winning numbers from the May 10th drawing, which resulted in incorrect publishing of the Mega Ball number. They are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, the Lottery has temporarily suspended prize payments for all Mega Millions tickets and anyone with a ticket from last night’s drawing should hold on to it until the issue is resolved. The correct winning numbers for the May 10, 2022 drawing are: 15-19-20-61-70 and Mega Ball 9
The cost of gas keeps rising and Western New York drivers are paying more than ever to fill up their vehicles. According to Triple A this morning, the average price for a gallon of regular fuel has reached a record high of $4.49. That’s up 17 cents in the past week, is 19 cents more than this time last month and is one-dollar 53 cents higher than one year ago. The state average is currently $4.57 a gallon while nationally it’s $4.37. In Batavia, the average price today is $4.53 per gallon, up 13 cents from yesterday and 27 cents from a week ago today.
New York State is making a 35-million-dollar investment to provide direct support to abortion providers in anticipation of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. Governor Hochul said yesterday that 25-million-dollars will go to providers to help them expand capacity and ensure access for all patients who seek abortion care in the Empire State. Also, ten-million dollars in grants will be available to implement security measures at abortion care facilities. Governor Hochul says New York has always been at the forefront of the fight for abortion rights and she won’t let the state go backwards.
Towns in Genesee County have received money to help with water projects. Batavia received $2,200,000 (2.2 million) from the New York State Environmental Facilities Fund to upgrade the Water treatment plant. The county received 1.2 million for pump upgrades. Alexander received 132 thousand for water district construction. Genesee County continues to seek federal and state funding to assist in the implementation of Phase 3 of the Countywide Water Program. Under the Master Plan developed for water, the Phase 3 project further increases regional supply by another 3.1 million gallons per day; and most importantly, replaces a threatened water supply. Phase 3 is currently estimated to cost $132 million.
New data from Governor Hochul’s office shows the spread of COVID-19 is continuing to increase in the Finger Lakes. The area’s seven-day-average positivity rate is now sitting at just under 13.4% which is the second highest of any region in New York State. At this point one week ago, the seven-day average positivity rate was 12.9%. Doctors are urging people to get their COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots if they haven’t already. Anyone who has symptoms of the coronavirus is asked to stay home until they get tested.
Wegmans and the Buffalo Bills are teaming up to help out people who suffer from food allergies. From now until May 22nd, customers can donate gluten-free, lactose-free and allergen-friendly foods by placing them in collection bins located in the front of Wegmans stores. An official with the supermarket chain says more customers with allergies are looking for products that are safe for them to eat but that many people have a tough time paying for those items because they cost more than regular food. All of the food collected from this campaign will go to FoodLink.
According to the Red Cross, blood donations are down significantly and they are expecting them to drop off further over the summer months. They are asking for people to come out and donate and as an incentive, through May 19th, the Red Cross is offering people a $10 gift card to the merchant of the donor’s choice for each donation. There is also a drawing for a Travel Trailer Camper that sleeps 8. The next blood drive here will be at the First United Methodist Church in Batavia, on Tuesday, May 17th.
A barn on North Byron Road that had already been partly demolished caught fire yesterday afternoon following a controlled burn. This, according to Byron Fire Chief Bob Mruczek. The homeowner had started to burn a brush pile. However, because of strong winds, it quickly got out of hand and caught the barn on fire. Mruczek noted that the barn was in the process of being torn down and was already being demolished. There were no injuries, it’s unknown at this time if there was anything of value in the barn. The Department of Environmental Conservation and Byron Fire Department are investigating.
A single vehicle, a Dodge pickup truck, driven by a 64-year-old Town of Batavia man, was traveling on West Main Street Saturday afternoon, when it appears the male operator and sole occupant of the vehicle suffered a medical emergency causing him to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle crossed over all lanes of traffic and left the roadway onto the property of 390 West Main Street, where it struck a fence, coming to rest in a ditch on the property. City Fire, along with Mercy EMS, attempted life-saving measures, however, the operator was pronounced deceased at the scene by the coroner. There were no other vehicles involved. The accident is still under investigation. An autopsy will be performed at the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death.
Two people from Georgia were found with loaded handguns during traffic stop in Warsaw. Wyoming County Sheriffs saw the suspect vehicle on Route 20A with no rear license plate and pulled them over. The operator of the vehicle was identified as 39-year-old Renaco Drake and his passenger was 30-year-old Tajia White, both of Stratham, Georgia. After interviewing Drake, police conducted a search of the vehicle and found two, loaded 9mm handguns, which were both found to be possessed illegally. Both Drake and White were charged with criminal possession of a loaded firearm, with Drake also receiving a traffic ticket for no rear license plate. Both subjects were arraigned in the Town of Perry Court. Drake was remanded to the Wyoming County Jail; both driver and passenger are scheduled to appear in the Town of Warsaw court next Monday.
Governor Hochul says she’ll be isolating and working remotely this week after testing positive for the coronavirus. The governor revealed her diagnosis yesterday, saying that she’s vaccinated and boosted and currently asymptomatic. Hochul was supposed to travel to Washington, DC yesterday but that trip was canceled. The governor is reminding every New Yorker about the importance of protecting themselves against the illness at a time when cases of the coronavirus have been increasing across the Empire State.
Western New York drivers are really feeling the pain at the pump these days following another big spike in gas prices. According to Triple A this morning, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas is now $4.42. That’s up 11 cents in just the past week and is a dime more than this time one month ago. The state average is $4.51 a gallon while nationally it’s $4.38. In Batavia, the average price per gallon is $4.34; the same as it was yesterday but also up 11 cents since a week ago. One year ago, the average price per gallon here was $2.95. Also, once again according to AAA, the cost for a gallon of diesel gas has soared to an all-time high. On Friday, the average price nationally was $5.51 a gallon, up from $3.10 a year ago. In New York State, the average price was at $6.31 on Friday, up from $3.14 a year ago. By the way, New York has the second-highest diesel price in the country, behind only California at $6.50. As would be expected, the high diesel fuel prices impact businesses that need to transport goods and those that have commercial vehicles.
Mercy Flight has resumed operations in the region following a tragic accident last month that left two people dead. On April 26th, James Sauer and Stewart Dietrick lost their lives when their helicopter went down during a training mission in the Town of Elba, which is in Genesee County. Mercy Flight’s president says that while a piece of the company’s collective heart has changed forever, it’s still the agency’s duty to provide help to people who need it during emergencies. The cause of the crash that killed Sauer and Dietrick is being looked into by the NTSB and FAA.
State Police have released the name of the Buffalo man who died in a wrong-way collision on the Thruway. On Saturday, Troopers saw a vehicle driven by 44-year-old Benjamin Wence going westbound in the eastbound lane in Hamburg and tried to pull it over, but Wence refused to stop. The pursuit continued for a few miles before Wence’s hit a tractor-trailer head-on in Evans. Wence passed away due to his injuries and the tractor-trailer driver wasn’t seriously hurt.
In Batavia and around New York state, gaming providers say they’re making an effort to address the issue of gambling addiction. A discussion group at Batavia Downs yesterday focused on just that – responsible gaming. The New York State Gaming Commission Executive Director Robert Williams, presented signs featuring the industry’s first-ever Quick Response (QR) Code to connect problem gamblers with trained counselors where they live. Once scanned, the QR Code automatically links users to the Council on Problem Gambling’s website (
The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) Board of Directors has accepted an initial resolution for La Fermière’s proposed $25 million project to construct a 50,000 square foot yogurt manufacturing facility in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park. The proposed project adds to Batavia’s Dairy Hub of the Northeast, which supports over 900 direct jobs, over $500 million of capital investment, and over 1 million square feet of dairy processing facilities. La Fermière has pledged to create up to 68 jobs over the first 3 years of operations in Genesee County. Founded in France, the company has been active in US markets since 2018.
Nearly 80 percent of voters approved the requested tax levy for the 2022-23 Richmond Memorial Library budget. A tax levy increase of nearly $22,000 ($21,865) — the first such increase in three years — fell under the allowable tax cap at a 1.6 percent increase. Yesterday, voters approved the proposition for the Batavia Board of Education to increase the annual appropriation from $1,359,604 to $1,381,469 to benefit the library. Rebecca McGee, who ran unopposed, was elected to a second term on the board of trustees. The school budget vote will be from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17 at one of two sites, depending on what side of the city you reside. For more information, go to: 
A traffic alert to remind you of…Traffic delays will be experienced next week from Monday through Thursday, from 7am until 6pm…Workers will be resurfacing Walnut Street (Rt 98), Law Street, and Chestnut Street (from the City Line to the Traffic Circle to Jackson Street). While work is being performed in this area, the roadway will be reduced to a single lane for all through traffic. Local traffic will be permitted to and from their property but residents should plan accordingly for delays. All residents/businesses within the work area are asked not to park on the roadway during the operation. This is weather dependent work; if work is postponed it shall progress the next workday. Please contact the Bureau of Maintenance at 585-345-6400 Option 1 if there are any questions.
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) introduced legislation aimed at blocking the development of industrial scale wind farms in the Great Lakes. Jacobs’ legislation would deny the ability for developers to receive federal tax credits to build offshore wind farms in the Great Lakes. Due to the massive capital needed for these projects, without federal tax credits, developing these projects would prove difficult. He noted that the Great Lakes are a regional economic resource and also provides fresh drinking water to millions of people. This legislation is in direct conflict with Governor Hochul’s budget allocation of $500 million for offshore turbine development.
Governor Hochul is anticipating women will come from out of state to get abortion care should the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade. Hochul says the state will need federal help financially if the state is a safe harbor place for abortions. Hochul added that abortion is on the ballot and believes this issue will energize the Democratic base for the upcoming midterm elections in November. New York requires insurance companies to cover abortions.
Efforts to prevent the USS The Sullivans from sinking appear to be working and hopes are increasing that the historic vessel can be saved. Officials say crews have spent time plugging dozens of holes and removing hundreds of thousands of gallons of water that spilled into the vessel following a massive hull breach last month. The repairs are temporary and permanent fixes will be needed in the future. The Naval Park, where the boat is located, is planning to be back open again for Memorial Day. But, guests will not be allowed inside the Sullivans.
People are already gathering at Highland Park in Rochester for the start of the 2022 Lilac Festival. The free event will goes until 8:30 this evening, and is open from 10:30am to 8:30pm tomorrow and also Sunday. It’ll feature food, vendors, art, live music and of course a close-up look at the city’s lilac gardens. The festival is also taking place this year from May 12th through the 15th, and May 19th through the 22nd. More information can be found online a 
Students who attend Elmwood Franklin School in Buffalo won’t be spending any time in their classrooms today. The school will remain closed due to a growing number of COVID-19 cases. Head of School Doctor Ryan Kimmet says over two dozen teachers and staff members are either isolating due to coronavirus, out sick with symptoms or in Washington, DC on a class trip. Kimmet says as a result, the school has a staffing shortage that can’t safely be covered. There will be no distance learning offered today so everyone who is sick can focus on their recovery.
The New York State Gaming Commission, New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and New York Council on Problem Gambling, which together comprise New York’s Responsible Play Partnership (RPP), today came together with executive management at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel to discuss steps being taken to address problem gambling.
State Attorney General Letitia James is calling on President Biden to fully cancel federal student loan debt. James and other attorneys general have sent Biden a letter, saying that immediate relief is needed for people struggling to make their payments. While James says she does commend the president’s consideration of forgiving 10-thousand dollars per borrower, she believes more decisive action is needed. Right now, student borrowers owe over $1.7 trillion dollars to the federal government.
Halley’s Comet won’t visit the inner solar system until 2061, but you can still catch the meteor shower it produced, the Eta Aquarids this week. The second and final meteor shower of spring is about to peak, and it will present a unique opportunity to enjoy a well-known comet that is billions of miles away from Earth. Most meteor showers are created when the Earth plows through a field of debris left behind by comets orbiting the sun. Most of the debris is small, generally the size of a small pebble or grain of sand, but when it hits Earth’s atmosphere, it burns up and emits a bright flash of light – in other words, a ‘shooting star’. The Eta Aquarid meteor shower will peak in the early hours Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7; and according to the American Meteor Society, on a clear morning, you may count between 10 and 30 meteors per hour between 3 and 5am.
The 124th Lilac Festival in Rochester takes place on three consecutive weekends, starting tomorrow, May 6th through 8th, May 12th through 15th, and May 19th through the 22nd from 10:30am until 8:30pm each day. Visitors can expect to see food, exhibits, a kid’s zone and even a new health and wellness experience. More information can be found online at 
33-year-old Jolene Stevens of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. Stevens was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance. Stevens also charged with trespass at the Red Roof Inn in the Town of Batavia at 9:26 a.m. on April 30. She was released on an appearance ticket. 27-year-old Feyza G. Osmancikli of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Osmancikli is accused of stealing merchandise from a business on Ellicott Street at 6:47 p.m. April 21. She was released on an appearance ticket. 44-year-old Lazeuia D. Washington of Batavia, is charged with trespass and harassment in the second degree. Washington is accused of trespassing at a business on West Main Street, Batavia, and engaging in an altercation at 9:28 p.m. April 24. He was issued an appearance ticket.
After a month-long investigation, two Rochester residents have been charged after being linked to a statewide series of thefts from Walmart. It began when an Asset Protection employee contacted Wyoming County Sheriffs, reporting that a male and female entered the store with fraudulent receipts, which they used to steal and then return merchandise for cash. The stolen items added up to more than $3600. Deputies charged 38-year-old Rodqrick McGowan on Sunday, as he attempted to return a stolen item at the Warsaw Walmart. Police then discovered a blank roll of Wal-Mart receipt paper, a paper cutter and a powered-up copier/printer in their rental car. McGowan also failed a sobriety test due to smoking cannabis while driving. Many charges were filed against him, including 3rd degree grand larceny; he was committed to Wyoming County Jail without bail due to previous felony convictions in many states. The woman that had been with him, 38-year-old LaShaunda Baker stopped by the Sherriff’s Office to ask about McGowan and was also arrested. Both will be appearing in court at a later date to answer the charges. The investigation continues and more charges are pending.
A traffic alert for you…Traffic delays will be experienced next week, from Monday through Thursday, May 12th, from 7am until 6pm…Workers will be resurfacing Walnut Street, Law Street, and Chestnut Street (from the City Line to the Traffic Circle to Jackson Street). While work is being performed in this area, the roadway will be reduced to a single lane for all through traffic. Local traffic will be permitted to and from their residence but should plan accordingly for delays. All residents and businesses within the work area are asked not to park on the roadway during the operation. This is weather dependent work; if work is postponed it shall progress the next workday. Please contact the Bureau of Maintenance at 585-345-6400 Option 1 if there are any questions.
State Attorney General Letitia James announced this morning that a multi-state investigation has found that Intuit engaged in several deceptive and unfair trade practices that limited consumers’ participation in the IRS Free File Program. The company used confusingly similar names for both its IRS Free File product and its commercial “freemium” product. Intuit also purposefully blocked its IRS Free File landing page from search engine results during the 2019 tax filing season, effectively shutting out eligible taxpayers from filing their taxes for free. Additionally, TurboTax’s website included a “Products and Pricing” page that stated it would “recommend the right tax solution,” but never displayed or recommended the IRS Free File program. As a result, Intuit will now pay $141 million in restitution, of which roughly $2.5 million will be used for administrative fund costs.
A plan to remove a 3500 pound steel pontoon that’s near the brink of the American side of Niagara Falls will finally be put into effect today. The pontoon was one of several that broke off an ice boom in Lake Erie during a windstorm over three years ago. The pontoon will be lifted out of the water by a helicopter this afternoon. While the pontoon doesn’t pose a safety hazard, officials want to remove it so doesn’t cause any damage.
The start of summer is just a few weeks away, and organizers of the Taste of Buffalo festival have announced when it’ll be taking place this year. The event is scheduled for July 9th and 10th and will stretch down Delaware Avenue from Chippewa Street into Niagara Square. Admission will be free and both food and beverage tickets are going to be made available for purchase. A list of participating restaurants will be revealed soon and more details about the festival can be found online: 
The State Department of Motor Vehicles is urging all New Yorkers to get a REAL ID before the upcoming federal deadline. Starting May 3rd, 2023, a REAL ID, Enhanced ID or passport will be required for anyone who wants to board a domestic flight. People whose license or ID is up for renewal now can get a REAL ID at no additional cost to the renewal fee, and those seeking to upgrade now when not up for renewal pay an extra $12.50.
Even though the Buffalo Sabres missed the playoffs for an 11th straight year, the team’s general manager and head coach are confident the franchise is heading in the right direction. Yesterday, Kevyn Adams and Don Granato held their end-of-the-season news conference and said a strong end to the year has them feeling optimistic. Granato says that everyone in the Sabres organization is on a mission to make fans proud. Buffalo finished this season in 5th place in the Atlantic Division with 75 points.
Two individuals face multiple charges following a month long investigation into organized retail theft from Wal-Mart Stores. An Asset Protection Associate at Warsaw Wal-Mart contacted the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office late in March. He reported multiple incidents where a male and female had entered the store, produced fraudulent receipts, and utilized the receipts to both steal merchandise and then to return stolen merchandise. The total amount of merchandise stolen by the suspects was over $3600 ($3,680.76). Through investigation, Wyoming County Deputies were able to identify the suspects as Rodqrick McGowan and LaShaunda Baker. Deputies, with the assistance of Asset Protection, also tied both suspects to thefts spanning across the State of New York. The investigation continues. Both individuals have been charged with felonies and will be back in court to answer the charges over the next couple of months.
A traffic alert for you…Traffic delays will be experienced from Monday, May 9th through Thursday, May 12th, from 7am until 6pm…Workers will be resurfacing Walnut Street (Rt 98), Law Street, and Chestnut Street (from the City Line to the Traffic Circle to Jackson Street). While work is being performed in this area, the roadway will be reduced to a single lane for all through traffic. Local traffic will be permitted to and from their residence/property but should plan accordingly for delays. All residents/businesses within the work area are asked not to park on the roadway during the operation. This is weather dependent work; if work is postponed it shall progress the next workday. Please contact the Bureau of Maintenance at 585-345-6400 Option 1 if there are any questions.
Money is being made available to help New Yorkers who meet income-eligibility requirements stay cool this summer. Officials have announced expanded eligibility for $15,000,000 in cooling assistance through the state to help low-income residents who don’t have air-conditioning units. The expansion is expected to help thousands of people statewide, and eligibility criteria will vary by house size. The program covers the cost of an AC unit and installation for all New Yorkers who qualify and applications are already being accepted.
Organizers of the upcoming Bark in the Park in Clarence say they still need vendors and volunteers to help make sure the event is a successful one. The gathering is scheduled for Saturday, May 28th from 11 a-m until four p-m at Clarence Town Park. Tickets will cost six-dollars at the gate for adults and kids 12 and under are free. All proceeds go to local groups who help take care of animals. More information can be found online at 
After a US Supreme court draft of a decision in the Dobbs Vs Mississippi case by Justice Alito was leaked to the public and seemed to show the Supreme Court striking down Roe V Wade and Planned Parenthood V Casey, Governor Kathy Hochul sent out a press release saying she was “horrified.” She says “For anyone who needs access to care, our state will welcome you with open arms. New York will always be a place where abortion rights are protected and where abortion is safe and accessible.” Her sentiments were echoed by Kristen Gillibrand “with this fundamental right in jeopardy, it is incumbent upon states like New York, where abortion is safe and accessible, to open our doors to those seeking care.” And many bed and breakfast owners are doing just that by offering discounts to those seeking to come to New York to get an abortion. New York State allows abortions up to the moment of birth and performs roughly 1/8th of all abortions in the US.
The four-game winning streak of the Buffalo Sabres has been snapped following a disappointing loss on the road. The Sabres offense wasn’t able to generate any goals as they lost to the Boston Bruins 5-0 at TD Garden last night. Buffalo goalie Dustin Tokarski struggled and was only able to stop 27 of the 32 shots he faced in the contest. The Sabres finish up their regular season tonight when they host the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:00.
The Erie County Legislature has officially given the green light to a resolution that will temporarily cap the county’s tax on gasoline. The proposal was submitted earlier this week by County Executive Mark Poloncarz as a way to help drivers save money when it came time to fill up their vehicles. The cap will go into effect on June 1st and stay in place until the end of next February. New York State previously announced its gas tax cap will be suspended from June 1st through the end of the year.
After New York’s highest court threw out new congressional district maps drawn by the state Legislature, the task of redrawing them has fallen to a rural judge and a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University. Democrats’ hopes of crafting an electoral map heavily favorable to their party suffered a big blow Wednesday when the state Court of Appeals ruled that the Legislature’s maps were unconstitutionally gerrymandered. The high court Judge Patrick McAllister has been asked to create a new set of maps— his name may be familiar; he was the lower-court jurist who had initially declared the maps unconstitutional. McAllister got out a little ahead of all this by choosing an independent expert to help him craft the maps, Jonathan Cervas, a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University’s Institute for Politics and Strategy. They now face a tight deadline to come up with new maps, while state officials try to figure out what to do about the state’s primary election, scheduled for June 28. The state may still to hold primaries in the contests for governor and state Assembly on that date, but primaries for congress and state Senate might be moved to August.
The National Transportation Safety Board has released more information on that deadly helicopter crash in Elba. The agency says a preliminary report on the accident will be completed in a few days but the final report on the tragedy won’t be available for months. The Mercy Flight aircraft was on a training mission Tuesday when it went down. Witnesses who were in the area at the time reported hearing a loud boom before the helicopter fell to the ground. Debris from the chopper was spread across an area about 2,000 feet long. The main portion of the wreckage is intact although demolished. The tail rotor and assembly were located about 300 feet from the main wreckage, but it’s not known at what point they broke off. The wreckage will be transported to a facility in Clayton, Delaware where it will be laid out to recreate the helicopter to assist with determining what caused the crash. The two people onboard, 60-year-old James Sauer and 60-year-old Stewart Dietrick, died at the scene.
Police across New York State will be doing their part today to make sure kids get on and off their school buses safely. Officers are going to keep an eye out for dangerous drivers as part of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee’s “Operation Safe Stop” campaign. Anyone who is caught passing a school bus that is stopped and has its red lights flashing is going to be ticketed. The financial penalty for breaking the law ranges from a minimum of $250 for a first violation to a maximum of $1000 for three violations in a three-year period.
The Buffalo Sabres will be taking the ice tonight to play in their final road contest of the season. The Sabres are set to battle the Boston Bruins at TD Garden as they look to extend their current winning streak to five. Buffalo hasn’t had a game since last Saturday when they beat the New York Islanders 5-3. Face-off for this evening’s contest is set for 7:00.
Wahoo Wave is a 60-foot-tall thrill slide. It will be one of the tallest water rides in Hurricane Harbor. That’s the promise from 6 Flags, Darien Lake as a new ride gets installed just in time for the new season. First, riders will barrel down an enclosed tunnel slide, and then go through a hairpin turn, followed by a corkscrew, and then without warning, will plunge down a 30 foot drop. The thrill wave is scheduled to open when the park opens on Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 28.
Le Roy Central School District is planning to increase the tax levy by $66,000 after calculating how much state aid the district can expect to help cover its $27,708,988 spending plan. The tax levy is the total amount of revenue raised through property taxes. The tax rate is the amount per thousand of assessed value that property owners are billed to pay into the levy. State law requires that all property owners in a district share the burden of education equally so a formula will be applied to Le Roy’s tax rate to make it equitable. As it turns out, property owners in the Town of Le Roy will pay the same rate they did this year, $24.14 per $1000 assessed value, because the district’s spending plan is covered by $16,135,963 in state aid, $10,663,025 the tax levy, and $910,000 in local revenues.
Despite the growing number of new COVID-19 cases statewide, Governor Hochul says she has no plans to issue another indoor mask mandate. The governor said yesterday that even though cases are rising, hospitalizations are still far below what they were during the winter surge. Health officials say this latest increase in illnesses is being caused by the spread of omicron sub-variants. The seven-day-average infection rate in the Western NY region is currently sitting at 13.8 percent.
The New York State Department of Health’s last day of COVID-19 contact tracing is this Friday, April 29. One thing that will change is that those who test positive for COVID-19 after April 29 will not receive a text message. State residents who test positive for COVID-19, either with an at-home test or lab-confirmed test, should report their case to the County. The person should isolate for at least five days, with day 0 starting on the day they tested positive. Those who were in close contact with the person who tested positive are not required to isolate, as long as they have no symptoms and they’re vaccinated and boosted. The state recommends wearing a mask around others for ten days following a close contact exposure. If a person is not vaccinated or boosted, they should isolate for five days if they come into contact with someone who is positive. After isolation, they should wear a mask for an additional five days around others. All positive at-home tests should be reported to the Genesee County Department of Health: 585-344-2580
The National Weather Service has confirmed a weak tornado passed through Alexander early in the evening during Monday’s brief-but-intense storms. The tornado touched down at 6:42 p.m. just north of the Alexander Fire Department and Recreational Hall. A pavilion’s roof was damaged, while a trailer on the property was rolled onto its side. The tornado then tore off shingles and shattered windows at residences along Alexander Road, before producing tree damage, just before crossing Tonawanda Creek. It ultimately crossed a field before snapping two very large trees at Alexander Cemetery and damaged historic gravestones. Alexander Cemetery would appreciate donations to support repairing the damaged stones, some of which date back to 1813. (Photo courtesy of our news partner, 
It’s been over two months since someone won Powerball, and that means there’s a big prize up for grabs tonight. The jackpot for this evening’s drawing will be at least 454-million dollars. The last Powerball winner was back on February 14th when a single ticket in Connecticut won more than 185-million-dollars. The cost to play the popular lottery game is just two dollars and tonight’s drawing will be streamed live online at powerball.com. Please play responsibly.
WBTA Breaking News…
The Batavia City School District will propose to voters a $54.8 million budget for 2022-23 at a public hearing May 5. It’s a proposal that includes a $19.7 million tax levy, raising the levy 1%. The district reduced the proposed levy increase from 5.5% to 1% as they put the proposed budget together. The public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, May 5 in the administrative conference room.
Governor Hochul says the Western New York region is going to receive hundreds of millions of dollars to help complete much-needed projects. During a visit to Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo yesterday, the governor said funds from the state budget will be used to make investments at several places such as the Buffalo Zoo and Albright-Knox Art Gallery and to help create a Hispanic Heritage Center in Buffalo. Money will also go towards improving the area’s infrastructure and to build a brand new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.
Recently released results from a Siena College Poll suggests 2 things: The first, that New Yorkers don’t want the state to spend tax dollars on the Buffalo Bills Stadium, and second, that they are liking Governor Hochul less and less. Researchers found the funding for the stadium is opposed by at least 55% of every demographic group, and upstate New Yorkers approve less than voters downstate. Hochul is down 10 points in approval since just last month and 19 points from the beginning of the year. 45 percent of respondents say they would vote for someone else if Hochul was on the ballot. Only 29 percent say she has fulfilled promises to make people trust the Albany government.
Western New York Congressman Joe Morelle has announced that he’s tested positive for the coronavirus. In a statement, the 25th District Democrat said he thought he was only experiencing seasonal allergies, but instead he was dealing with symptoms of COVID-19. Morelle also said he’s fully vaccinated and that his illness appears to be mild. He will continue to isolate until it’s safe to resume his official duties.
Another candidate has officially entered the race to become the next governor of New York State. Syracuse native Howie Hawkins, a national leader of the Green Party, has launched his fourth bid for that office. He’ll be joined on the campaign trail by his 2010 running mate Gloria Mattera. Hawkins says his message to voters will be focused on inclusive democracy and public policy that addresses climate change and economic insecurity. The 69-year-old Hawkins has run for public office multiple times but has never been elected.
A judge is holding former President Trump in contempt for failing to comply with subpoenas for business documents. It’s part of an investigation into the Trump Organization’s finances that’s being conducted by State Attorney General Letitia James. Trump has called the investigation politically motivated and his lawyers recently argued he doesn’t have documents relevant to the investigation. But until he complies with the AG’s office, Trump will be fined 10-thousand dollars per day. James says that this ruling clearly demonstrates no one is above the law.
Six Flags is still looking to hire workers ahead of the start of the 2022 season at Darien Lake. The company is holding a national hiring week event through May 1st in hopes of boosting the number of employees at the popular Western New York amusement park. There are several positions that need to be filled including ride operators, food service, games and lifeguards. For more information and to put in an application, visit 
The Batavia City Council Conference Meeting is scheduled for this evening. It starts at 7 in the Council Board Room on the second floor of Batavia City Centre. Following this meeting, the Council will conduct its first budget workshop.
Western New York drivers are paying a little bit less money when it comes time to fill up their vehicles. According to Triple A this morning, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas is $4.28. That’s down a penny in the past week and is 10 cents cheaper than this time last month. Right now, the state average is $4.23 a gallon while nationally it’s $4.12. In Batavia, the average price per gallon is $4.21, up one cent from both yesterday and a week ago; down 14 cents from a month ago. Last year at this time, we were paying $2.88 a gallon.
They may be ‘magically delicious’; however, they’ve become the subject of an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is looking into reports that Lucky Charms cereal is causing illness in customers. No recall has been issued at his point. However, an alert was issued by the Livingston County Department of Health advising people that if they or a family member becomes ill with nausea, vomiting or diarrhea after eating the cereal, they should contact their health care provider and local health department. The investigation was prompted after more than 100 calls were received by the FDA about people becoming sick after eating the cereal. General Mills makes Lucky Charms and said that an internal investigation failed to find evidence that the cereal was related to reported illnesses. They added that breakfast cereal rarely results in foodborne illness because the baking process typically kills bacteria. But acknowledged products can become contaminated after baking, such as when glazes are added or during packaging. Locally, anyone who becomes ill after eating Lucky Charms may contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have issued a health advisory; they are seeing an increase in the number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19. This recent increase in Covid-19 cases is due to the new Omicron variant BA.2, which spreads more easily than other earlier variants. In light of the updated data, the CDC now places Orleans County at a high risk level for community spread; the risk in Genesee County is now at a moderate risk level. Both counties were previously in the low risk range.
Flu season is seeing a late-season uptick in cases this year. And in fact, for the third consecutive week, influenza cases in the GLOW region are up. Flu is a viral infection that attacks the respiratory system. It may seem like a common cold, with a runny nose, sneezing and sore throat, but while colds usually develop slowly, the flu tends to come on suddenly. People at higher risk of developing flu complications include young children, pregnant women and those two weeks postpartum, those over 65, those with weakened immune systems and some chronic illnesses, and those who are obese. Local public health officials recommend continuing to follow universal precautions, stay home when sick and get the flu vaccine. It is not too late to get a flu shot, but the earlier in the season, the better an individual is protected from serious illness.
Governor Hochul is applauding the newly announced federal program to help Ukrainian refugees. She praised the Biden Administration’s announcement to help 100,000 Ukrainian refugees enter the U.S., adding families of fleeing Ukrainians can now apply for expedited humanitarian parolee status for relatives to come and be sponsored by New York. The state is home to more Ukrainians than anywhere in the country, and the Governor says many communities are waiting with open arms to welcome refugees. For more information on how to provide assistance to refugees, visit 
Highly pathogenic avian flu has been confirmed in a wild bird in Livingston and Monroe counties, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The disease has been found in multiple wild bird species in several areas of the state. The DEC didn’t provide further details about these regional cases but listed a variety of species in which it has been confirmed statewide. Infected birds have included Canada geese, mallard and wood ducks, great blue herons, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles, turkey vultures, snowy owls, redhead and ring-necked ducks, snow geese, mute swans, great horned owls, tundra swans, sanderlings and cooper’s hawks. Small songbirds have not been affected, but many other species of waterfowl — including shorebirds, gulls, raptors, herons and cranes — are also vulnerable. DEC officials are offering advice for dealing with wild game birds. People can protect themselves by only harvesting game which appears to be healthy and properly cooking any game meat being eaten to an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit, which kills the virus. If handling wild birds — particularly waterfowl, gulls, and raptors — people should follow precautions such as using personal protective equipment including masks, gloves, and eye protection. They should also wash their hands thoroughly afterward. People are asked to report any suspicious deaths of infected wild bird species to their local DEC office.
Batavia City schools board members have quite a full agenda for tonight’s meeting, which includes a public hearing about spending district reserves to repair the roof at Batavia High. The meeting will begin with a presentation about that $140,000 proposal. The public will be given time to voice questions, comments and concerns before the board is scheduled to vote on the work later in the meeting. Other agenda items include a review of the tentative 2022-23 budget, followed later by a vote to adopt the $55 million financial plan. The most recent preliminary budget in March included a nearly $3 million increase, or 5.75 percent more than the current budget. The tax levy was at $20.57 million for a 5.5 percent increase, overriding the tax cap levy by $756,449. The meeting is set to begin at 6 this evening at the BHS library, 260 State Street. Business Administrator Scott Rozanski is expected to go over the proposed budget up for board vote during Thursday’s meeting. The preliminary plan included spending increases of $692,575 for teacher/administrative support salaries, $481,970 more for support salaries and nearly $1 million more for fringe benefits. Those total increased numbers are $19.9 million for teacher salaries, $6.5 million for support salaries and $12,306,449 for fringe benefits.
Law enforcement agencies across Genesee County are providing the public the opportunity to dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. On Saturday, April 30th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be three locations across the county where citizens can dispose of their medications. Sharps will only be accepted at the Batavia location. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. The Batavia Police Department, in conjunction with United Memorial Medical Center, will be accepting prescription drugs and sharps in the Alva Place parking lot across the street from Batavia Showtime. The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office will be accepting prescription drugs ONLY at the Pembroke Town Hall, 1145 Main Rd. Corfu. And the Le Roy Police Department will be accepting prescription drugs ONLY at their headquarters located at 3 West Main Street, LeRoy. The Batavia Police Department Headquarters has one for everyday collection of drugs and sharps located in the rear entrance at 10 West Main Street. Containers are also located at the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office on Park Rd, Batavia, and at the Le Roy Police Department.
Three men who failed to stop at a checkpoint at the U.S. border with Canada were taken into custody after a chase that ended in a field off Route 20A late Tuesday afternoon. Wyoming County Sheriff Gregory Rudolph said his department was contacted after an SUV failed to stop at the checkpoint and led border patrol and agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a chase that went through Erie County and into Wyoming County. When the driver went off Route 20A near Snyder Road, the SUV ended up in a field about 75 feet from the road. All three men inside ran into nearby woods. K9 Units from the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Genesee and Erie counties were called to assist in the search. All three were soon taken into custody without further incident and there was no indication as to why the men fled.
Customers of multiple cell phone companies reported outages across the country yesterday afternoon, an issue that appeared to be centered on problems with Verizon’s network. Reports of outages began to increase starting around 3:15 p.m. Outage spikes were reported by customers of multiple carriers. Apparently, this is often a case of somebody with one carrier not able to reach a phone number for someone with a different carrier. But they may report it as a problem with their own provider. According to a Verizon representative, a fiber issue in the core of their network caused some customers to experience intermittent call failures, but has now been resolved. But either way, the lines of communication all appear to be fine and open now.
Divers have finally been able to get into the waters of Lake Erie to get a close-up look at the damage to the USS The Sullivans. Last week, the ship suffered a massive hull breach, which caused it to fill up with thousands of gallons of water and partially submerge. It was announced yesterday the oil that had been leaking from the vessel is now contained. Officials haven’t said yet how long cleanup and repair efforts are going to take.
New advertising has been launched as part of a public health campaign that’s focused on informing New Yorkers about the state’s Cannabis Law. The ads are educating consumers about the dangers of impaired driving, the risks of youth cannabis use, safe cannabis storage, and respectful consumption of cannabis in public. Governor Hochul says part of building the strongest cannabis industry in the nation is making sure New Yorkers have relevant facts at their fingertips. More information on the law can be found online.
For the sixth straight month, Genesee County’s unemployment rate was lower than the pre-pandemic rate for the same month, according to the New York State Department of Labor. The rate of 3.7% for March of this year reflects a dip when compared to a 4.5% rate in March 2019. The rate in March 2021 was 5.6% and the rate in March 2020 was 5.7%. The current rate is the lowest it’s been from available state labor department records going back to 1990. By the way, the unemployment rate for all of New York State is 4.7%, which is higher than the March 2019 — pre-pandemic — rate of 4%.
County public health directors in the GLOW region today encourage all eligible residents to get their second COVID-19 booster shot. The BA.2 variant is being referred to as ‘stealth Omicron’, and currently represents 80.6% of COVID infections in the state. Those interested in getting a second booster need to wait at least four months since the time they received their first booster dose.
Governor Hochul has released her first campaign ads as she looks to win a full, four-year term in office this November. The television and digital ads highlight Hochul’s accomplishments since she became governor last year following the resignation of Andrew Cuomo. They include cracking down on illegal guns and investing more money in public schools so additional teachers can be hired. Hochul is being challenged in the June Democratic primary by New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Congressman Tom Suozzi of Long Island.
Childhood lead poisoning is of course, a concern throughout the year, but cases of lead poisoning increase during the spring and summer months because children spend more time outdoors, on the porch or in the yard. Homes built before 1978 may have chipping and peeling lead paint on the porch or on siding, which could be more deteriorated than other parts of the house due to the effects of weather. Children playing on the porch can unknowingly pick up lead paint chips and dust on their hands and toys and then place hands or toys into their mouths. Lead dust can also be found in the soil outside where children are playing. And also, many home improvements begin in the spring and summer. Renovations to areas of the home containing lead-based paint can put lead dust into the air, both inside and outside of the area being worked on. Lead dust can also collect on windowsills and in window wells. On warm days when the windows are open, lead dust in these areas can blow into the house. For more information on Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs, visit 
Batavia Police have arrested Lorenzo Baker, for criminal possession of a weapon following a traffic stop where he was allegedly found to be in possession of a loaded revolver. Simultaneously, a search warrant was executed at his residence, the upper apartment at 36 Dellinger Avenue, upper Apt., as part of an ongoing investigation where additional evidence was found. Baker was arraigned before Judge Thomas Burns in Batavia City Court and held on $25,000.00 cash, $50,000.00 Insurance Company Bail Bond, or a $75,000.00 Partially Secured Appearance Bond. He is scheduled to re-appear in Batavia City Court on April 21, 2022, at 1:30 PM. Due to the ongoing nature of the case, further details were not released at this time.
A recall alert for you…The U.S. Product Safety Commission has announced that General Electric is recalling six types of its stainless steel refrigerators. The recall involves roughly 155,000 appliances manufactured between February 2020 and August 2021, sold at Best Buy and Home Depot. Free-Standing French Door Refrigerators in Fingerprint Resistant Stainless Steel, which have freezer door handles that are detaching. There have been reports of 37 injuries including what have been described as three serious falls. Affected model numbers, printed on a label found on the top of the left side inside of the refrigerator section, are:
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a nationwide scam has made its way to New York State. Individuals are being contacted by scammers posing as Border Patrol agents or Public Affairs Officers, and when people answer the call, they hear a pre-recorded message that says, “a box of drugs and money being shipped has your name on it and has been intercepted.” Some of the calls say that there is a warrant for the individual’s arrest or they are requesting information from them in exchange for Bitcoin. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection urge you not to give out any personal identifiable information, such as date of birth or social security numbers. They never solicit information by phone, nor do they use gift cards, Bitcoin or any other digital currency. If you get a call like this, make a note of the number and contact police and the Federal Trade Commission immediately.
News of an arrest from the Tonawanda Seneca Nation…a man who served a state prison term for setting fire to the Chiefs Council Office building in 2008 has been arrested again and charged with a vicious assault during a domestic dispute earlier this year. According to State Police, 41-year-old Rodney Willis, Jr. is charged with first-degree assault for causing serious injuries to another person back in February. The charge is a class B violent felony and punishable by up to 25 years in prison. He is committed to Genesee County Jail without bail. Willis had previously served 5 to 10 years for arson and was released from prison in 2017.
The Batavia City School District, along with the police department, and City Church have joined together to create a new recommended pickup route for the City Church Community Food Distribution program at St. Anthony’s. The City Church currently hosts a bi-monthly food distribution program for community residents at St. Anthony’s Church. Due to the program’s popularity, some traffic concerns have emerged around Jackson Primary, resulting in serious safety issues along with traffic backups during school arrival and dismissal periods. In response, a new route has been established to access the Food Distribution Program pickup line. The new route will be in effect starting with the April 27 distribution date. Those community members who wish to participate in the program must access Liberty Street via South Swan Street, Osterhout Avenue, or Otis Street. All food distribution traffic will be redirected to avoid Liberty Street between South Jackson and Sumner Streets and South Jackson between South Swan and Liberty Streets (the areas directly in front of and adjacent to Jackson Primary). The City Church Community Food Distribution program is scheduled every two weeks for the following dates: April 27, May 11, May 25, June 8, and June 22.
A dinosaur invasion will be happening at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo later this year as part of the Jurassic World Live Tour. Folks will get the chance to see animatronic replicas of several popular creatures including the velociraptor and tyrannosaurus rex from October 21st through the 23rd. Advance tickets go on sale today and seats will be made available to the general public April 26th. More information can be found on the arena website at 
U.S. Marshals are still searching for a missing 11-month-old child named Iris Chidester, and her fugitive mother, 35-year-old Adrienne Grace Marean. Marean is wanted by the Bridgeport Police Department in West Virginia for allegedly violating a Family Court Order. She was last seen in the Western Pennsylvania, Dunkirk and Fredonia areas and could possibly be in Webster near Rochester. Marshals say she could be elsewhere in Western NY, as well. Marean is believed to be driving a gray Toyota Prius with New York license plate JJR1907. She is a white female, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 165 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. The child has brown hair and brown eyes. Officials are urging the public to relay any information or sightings of Marean or the missing child to the U.S. Marshals Service at 1 (304) 623- 0486 or contact 911.
Le Roy Police have arrested 22-year-old Marco Hernandez of Le Roy, charging him with rape in the first degree, and first degree criminal sexual act, both class B felonies, following an investigation of an incident in Le Roy from July 2021. Hernandez was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and was remanded to the Genesee County Jail on $5,000 bail.
Several inmate-on-inmate fights over a two-day period resulted in 13 officers getting injured; occurring while staff was attempting to stop fights at the Orleans Correctional Facility last week. One inmate attacked and kicked an officer in the head causing a two-inch laceration, concussion and fracture above the left eye that required treatment at an outside hospital. On the first day, inmates began to fight in a classroom and ignored orders from staff to stop fighting. Eventually all complied, but not before causing several injuries to staff; the following day, six officers were hurt in two separate incidents at the facility. The inmate that inflicted the more serious injuries was transferred to Attica Correctional Facility. Each of the inmates involved face disciplinary charges.
It’s Dyngus Day, and a parade to celebrate Buffalo’s Polish-American community is taking place in the city this afternoon. The parade is scheduled to step off at five p-m and head west on Broadway from Memorial Drive to Fillmore Avenue. Restaurants around the area will also be serving up popular Polish foods today such as pierogis and cabbage rolls.
In just a few hours, one lucky person could end up winning one of the biggest lottery prizes that’s been up for grabs this year. There was no winner in Saturday’s Powerball drawing, meaning this evening’s jackpot will be at least $348,000,000. As always, the cost of a ticket to play the popular game is just $2.00 and tonight’s drawing will be streamed online. Please play responsibly.
2 people have been charged with unlawfully owning an alligator. An Amherst man called the Department of Environmental Conservation, asking for help finding a new home for the 3 and a half-foot alligator he said he had rescued from a bad home and was looking to place it in a good home. This turned out not to be true; he was actually trying to sell it but was unsuccessful in finding a new owner. He finally admitted to buying it from another man in Dunkirk. Both the man who claimed he rescued the gator and the person who originally sold it to him were arrested and charged with unlawfully possessing the reptile. Additional charges may be pending. The gator was turned over to a licensed handler. There are 15 reptiles that are illegal to have as pets and for breeding in New York State. If you are caught breeding or owning any of the illegal reptiles, you could be facing a $500 fine for the first offense and $1,000 for any following offenses.
A man has multiple charges filed against him, the most serious of which is attempted murder. 29-year-old Jarrett Coniglio allegedly attacked a person early Tuesday morning. At that time, Genesee County sheriff’s deputies responded to a Sandhill Road residence for a reported assault involving a knife. Coniglio, of Bloomingdale Road in the Tonawanda Reservation, is accused of seriously injuring the victim. He was committed to Genesee County Jail without bail and is scheduled to appear in court next Tuesday.
RECALL ALERT: More than 1 million crafting glue guns are being recalled pursuant to complaints of malfunction, leading to fire or burns. The recall involves Crafter’s Square Glue Guns sold for about $1 nationwide at Dollar Tree stores from August 2020 through February 2022 and at Family Dollar stores in January and February of this year. The plastic guns are black with an orange trigger and tip. They have a silver UL label above the handle with “GLUE GUN” and “XY-15302” printed on it. The guns dispense hot glue when plugged in and the trigger is pulled. Dollar Tree says it has received seven reports of what it calls “electrical malfunctions” when using the gun. There were four reports of fires and one report of a “skin irritation.” The malfunction itself was not identified. Consumers are urged to stop using these glue guns and unplug them immediately. They can be returned to Dollar Tree or Family Dollar for a full refund. Those who bought the guns at 
Tax Day is on Monday and the state Department of Taxation and Finance is extending hours at its call center to answer any questions last-minute filers may have. Those folks can talk with a member of the agency today between the hours of 8:30am and 6:00pm, tomorrow from 8:30am until 4:30pm and Monday from 8:30am until 7:00pm. The number to call is 518-457-5181. Answers to a wide range of tax-related inquiries can also be found online at 
The Food and Drug Administration has issued an emergency use authorization for what it said is the first device that can detect COVID-19 in breath samples. The InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer is about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage, and can be used in doctor’s offices, hospitals and mobile testing sites. The test, which can provide results in less than three minutes, must be carried out under the supervision of a licensed health care provider. The FDA said the device was 91.2% accurate at identifying positive test samples and 99.3% accurate at identifying negative test samples.
New York State has initiated a pilot program with the goal of making roads safer for construction crews. Speed cameras will be installed by the end of the year to help catch drivers speeding through work zones on the Thruway. Offenders will be ticketed automatically and sent a letter and a fine. The program was part of legislation signed by Governor Kathy Hochul.
Cost estimates for Phase 3 of Genesee County’s water project is going to be more costly than originally expected. County manager Matt Landers reported that he and Highway Superintendent Tim Hens received an estimate of projected cost from CPL, the firm involved in engineering the water project. In a few years when Phase 3 starts, the cost could be around $135,000,000. With Phase 3 still in design, Landers said the county would look for funding sources using lobbyists at the federal and state level.
One of the early signature rides at Six Flags Darien Lake is being dismantled this week nearly 40 years after its debut. The Giant Wheel has been a fixture at the center of the park since 1983, and it was retired last year. In recent days crews have begun removing the Ferris wheel in pieces. A spokesperson for Six Flags shared that the ride had reached the end of its useful life and they’re considering options to replace it. The Giant Wheel opened at Darien Lake in 1983, arriving one year after the debut of the park’s first roller coaster, The Viper. The attraction was a key piece of the park’s growth from its origins as a campground with rides and water slides into a full-fledge theme park and one of region’s most-visited attractions.
Brian Benjamin has resigned as Lieutenant Governor after pleading not guilty to fraud and bribery related charges. It’s alleged Benjamin used his influence while he was a state Senator to direct a state grant to a non-profit controlled by a real estate developer. That developer later donated money to Benjamin’s Senate Campaign Committee and his failed campaign to become New York City Comptroller. Benjamin is also accused of providing false information while he was being vetted to become the state’s Lieutenant Governor. Last year, Benjamin was picked to take the job by Governor Hochul. In a statement, the governor said that she and Benjamin agreed he couldn’t continue to serve while the legal process plays out.
And some good news, specific to Covid-19 treatment options, starting next week, the Erie County Department of Health will be offering a new treatment option to people who have contracted COVID-19. Beginning Monday, anyone who receives a positive result after being screened at a county testing site can get a prescription for Paxlovid. The antiviral drug is used to help people over the age of 12 with a mild or moderate case of the coronavirus. A prescription for the medication will be sent to the person’s pharmacy for pickup and the cost is covered by most insurance plans.
There is a watermain break on Park Road in the Town of Batavia. The water will be shut off for an undetermined amount of time beginning at 2:30 P.M. today. This may cause reduced water pressures in the surrounding area.
Two of the biggest names in rap music will be coming to Western New York this summer, and today tickets to see Pitbull and Iggy Azalea are going on sale. The concert is happening at the Darien Lake Amphitheater on Sunday, July 31st. Seats are now available through the LiveNation website. The cost of a ticket may fluctuate based on demand.
The state’s budget includes a tax credit, available to low and middle-income households as well as seniors enlisted in the School Tax Relief Program. Under the program, basic STAR & Enhanced STAR recipients are eligible for the rebate. Basic Star recipients are those with an income less than $250,000. Enhanced members are those 65 and older making less than $92,000. The rebates will be a percentage of their existing STAR benefits.
For the 25th year in a row, Wegmans has made the list of Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” The supermarket chain was ranked third in this latest survey behind Cisco and Hilton. The results are based on several factors including respect, trust, camaraderie and fairness. Colleen Wegman, who is the president and CEO, says the company is grateful for this honor and that it’s inspiring to see how employees rise to the occasion to provide the best possible service to customers.
The Genesee County Health Weights and Measures Department has received a complaint from a customer that fuel purchased from the TA Travel Center on Alleghany Road in Corfu, had a high level of water in the fuel…this resulted in damage to the individual’s car. The TA Travel Center had received a similar complaint about a week ago and investigated. Results showed that there was water in the fuel tank above the state limit and TA discontinued pulling fuel from the problem tank. Customers are asked to contact the TA Travel Center at 585-599-4577 and select Option 4 if they purchased regular (87 octane) or mid-grade (89 octane) at the station from April 6 through the 7th. Proof of purchase and vehicle repair is needed to file a claim.
You’ve already heard about the upcoming suspension of the gas tax, which is planned from June 1st through the end of the year. Governor Hochul said this will cost the state roughly $600,000,000 in tax revenue, but will save consumers 16 cents per gallon at the pump. Hochul suggested that counties across the state suspend their gas taxes as well during this period, but Genesee County Manager Matt Landers said there is no plan for this at the present time. In fact, he was unaware of any counties across the state that planned to do this.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz is revealing new information about the negotiations for a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills. He confirmed yesterday that the team’s owners, Kim and Terry Pegula, wanted the public to pay the entire cost of the more than one-billion-dollar facility. Instead, the state stepped in and provided 600-million-dollars in funding as part of the new state budget while Erie County agreed to chip in 250-million dollars. The stadium is going to be built in Orchard Park across from Highmark Stadium, which is where the Bills currently play their home games.
Starting today, local golfers are going to be able to tee off when Monroe County’s three golf courses open up for the season. County Executive Adam Bello says this year’s $30 purchase fee for season permits has been scrapped and that discounted fees are being offered to seniors, military members, kids, and disabled golfers. Tee times at Churchville Park, Genesee Valley Park and Durand Eastman Park can be scheduled online. Due to the wet weather, golf carts won’t be allowed meaning the courses will be walking-only.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments say that with the arrival of spring we all should be more vigilant for rabid animals.
Our Monday gasoline price report shows a continuing downward trend.
Tax Day is one week away, and the state Department of Taxation and Finance is reminding New Yorkers to file their returns, even if they can’t pay what they owe. The agency says people who have to pay should reach out to them if they want to avoid or reduce penalties and added interest on their debt. One thing they can request is an Installment Payment Agreement which allows them to make monthly payments toward their unpaid tax balance.
On this date in…the future…April 8, 2024, there will be a total solar eclipse, and Western New York is in the path of totality. During a solar eclipse, the moon gets between the sun and the Earth. In a total solar eclipse, people who are in the path of totality see the sun’s bright disk totally covered by the moon for a short time. The moon will begin to cover the sun at 2:07 p.m. Using a safe solar viewing method, we’ll see more and more of the sun covered by the moon for the next 73 minutes. This time is called a partial phase because the sun is partially covered by the moon. Totality begins at 3:20 p.m. and lasts 3 minutes 38 seconds, plus or minus a few seconds, depending on your exact location. After totality, the moon gradually uncovers the sun in a second partial phase. The eclipse ends for us at 4:33 p.m. So make a note on your calendar…April 8, 2024.
Three finalists have been named for the superintendent position at Attica Central School. The finalists will visit the district on three separate days later this month and different district stakeholders will interview each candidate throughout the day. Meet and greet forums will also be conducted 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. each day in the Attica Middle-High School Library. They are open to the public. Final interviews with the Board of Education will follow the meet and greet forums. It’s anticipated the new superintendent will start his duties on July 1. The three finalists are: Brian Swatland, who is currently principal at Williamsville East High School in Erie County; he will visit the district on April 20; Dr. Kiel Illg has served as assistant superintendent of Lackawanna City Schools since 2019. He will visit the district April 21; Dr. Sean C. Kinsley is the principal of Barron Collier High School in Naples, Florida where he has served since 2021. He will be on hand in the district on April 25.
The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home opens this afternoon at 5, and closes at 9:00. Tomorrow the hours are 10 to 5 and then on Sunday, 10 to 3. The show is taking place at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evan Street. Admission is $3. There is a door prize of a $500 gift certificate to your vendor of choice. Make sure you stop by the WBTA booth and say hello.
A 345 million dollar, 3,400 acre solar farm is coming to the Town of Byron. The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment granted approval for Excelsior Energy Center, LLC to build and operate a 280-megawatt solar farm with 20 MWs of battery storage available, in the Town of Byron. This will generate enough to power 74,000 homes. The creation of new jobs, long-term revenue and economic development to both the town of Byron and Genesee County are anticipated.
Anyone who has Spectrum for television services can expect an increase in rates due to what the company is referring to as “the growing cost of programming.” For new customers who have a promotional price for their TV, Internet or Voice plan, the new regular plan price will not take effect until the end of the promotional period. A spokesperson for Charter Communications, Spectrum’s parent company, released the following statement: “TV programmers continue to raise fees annually to carry their content, driving higher costs across the entire industry. As a direct result of the growing cost of programming from the TV networks we carry, we are passing through these increased fees to viewers.” According to Spectrum, here is what you can expect:
The Buffalo Bills have signed one of their best players to a contract extension that will keep him with the team for years to come. According to NFL-dot-com, wide receiver Stefon Diggs has agreed to a new four-year, 96-million-dollar deal which includes 70-million-dollars in guaranteed money. The 28-year-old Diggs has been a member of the Bills since 2020 when he was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. This past season he caught 103 passes for 1225 yards and 10 touchdowns. The hope is that he would retire a Bill.
Following weeks of controversy surrounding his speech, SUNY Brockport students finally had the chance to hear from convicted cop killer Jalil Muntaqim. He was originally scheduled to talk on campus last night, but due to security concerns, the speech happened virtually over Zoom. During his address, Muntaqim, who was formerly known as Anthony Bottom, discussed his involvement with the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army but never talked about murdering two New York City police officers decades ago. Instead, Muntaqim claimed he was put behind bars for fighting white supremacy.
22-year-old Tarrance Williams of Batavia has been indicted by the Genesee County grand jury; he is charged with third-and-fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. Williams is accused of possessing cocaine.
Staff at Attica Correctional Facility had to initiate the hazardous materials protocol when an unknown substance was found on a letter in the mailroom. The incident was reported to officials yesterday morning; the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision was alerted, as were the state police, Attica firemen and Wyoming County’s hazardous materials response team. Fortunately, nothing came from the investigation; staff, incarcerated individuals and the community at large were not at risk.
Anastasiia Sobol is a student from Ukraine currently attending college in Canada, studying Business Marketing. She previously lived with Jim & Lorrie Gammack of Darien Center as an exchange student while attending Batavia High School during her senior year. With the war going on in her homeland, her family is unable to pay for school for her. The Gammacks have been raising money for Ana through a GoFundMe site. They have also been talking with the U.S. State Department and are in touch with representatives in Washington to try and get a visa for Sobol to return to the U.S. to live with the Gammacks during the summer. Meanwhile, she’ll be staying with friends in St. Catharines, Ontario. According to information available on travel.state.gov, the State Department says that generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wants to enter the United States first needs to get a visa. However, the application process and wait time for an interview depends on many factors but could take 300 days or more.To help the Gammacks assist Ana, search ‘Help Ana the Exchange Student’ on the GoFundMe site. So far, they’ve raised a little over $8800 of their $10,000 goal.
Alton Brown, the famous chef and television personality, criticized Buffalo’s main culinary attraction, Buffalo Wings, on an episode of Hot Ones. That was back in 2018 when he said “if you want great Buffalo chicken wings, you don’t go to Buffalo.” He visited the city again earlier this week, and this time Buffalo natives sent him to where they thought the best wings were and he has recanted. Brown now says, “I have had the best buffalo wing of my life and yes, it was in Buffalo.” This time around, he reportedly went to Bar Bill in East Aurora and La Nova on the West Side for the wings.
44-year-old Tyrone Thigpen of Summit Street is accused of pulling out a rifle in front of a woman and her two children during an argument. The incident occurred on Batavia-Elba Townline road; the arrest followed a report of a dispute that turned violent. He is charged with felony aggravated family offense, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree menacing. He was arraigned in Town Court and committed to Genesee County Jail without bail.
For the 2022-23 budget year, the Batavia City Council decided to add a little more in for themselves. They hadn’t had a raise in 9 years. So, effective April 1st the new annual salary for a city council member is 5,000 dollars. That’s a 43 percent from the 3,500 they were earning. City Council President will get 7,000, which is the same percentage up from the 4,900 it was previously. The council stressed during their meeting that this will not raise any taxes and the tax rate remains the same with or without the pay raise. The total increase for the budget will be $14,100.
A former member of the Buffalo Bills is in trouble with the law after being arrested in Lockport. According to the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, 34-year-old Alex Carrington was pulled over on South Transit Road yesterday after deputies say he was speeding and driving his vehicle without a headlight. Deputies say Carrington appeared to be intoxicated and asked him to get out of the vehicle but he refused. A taser was later used to help get him into custody. A search of his vehicle led to the discovery of a gun and two loaded magazines. Carrington is facing several charges including DWI and criminal possession of a weapon.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans has announced that he’s tested positive for COVID-19. Evans says right now that he’s not experiencing any symptoms of the illness. He’ll continue working from home and follow the proper health and safety protocols. He’s also urging state residents to take the necessary steps to minimize their own exposure to COVID-19.
47-year-old Thomas Moynihan the Second of Alexander has been arrested after allegedly violating a stay-away order of protection on at least 5 different dates. He is charged with criminal contempt in the 2nd degree and released with an appearance ticket; another arrest followed for allegedly violating an order of protection/disobeying a mandate, which resulted in another appearance ticket…both of which are scheduled for April 12 in Town of Alexander Court.
Lawmakers will be back at the State Capitol today as they continue working on passing a brand new state budget. The April 1st deadline went by without a deal in place, meaning the budget has now been late three years in a row. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office says if the budget isn’t approved by 4:00 this afternoon, paychecks for some state workers could end up being delayed. There are reportedly several issues that still need to be hammered out before a budget agreement is struck including possible changes to the state’s bail reform laws, the temporary suspension of a state tax on gasoline and how much money the state will contribute towards a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.
The Batavia Police Department needs your help in identifying a person of interest in a larceny, during which a bucket of small liquor bottles was taken. This occurred at Kwik Fill on Sunday, March 27th around 11:30 pm. Anyone with information on the identity of the person is asked to call police at 345-6350; the confidential tip line is 345-6370.
Another recall…A popular brand of antiperspirant is being recalled because it may contain a potentially cancer-causing chemical. It’s the latest such recall involving aerosol health and beauty products in the past few months. Unilever is recalling two versions of Suave 24-hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant. The company said an internal review found unexpected, slightly elevated levels of benzene from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can. Benzene can result in cancer, but Unilever said that based on an independent health hazard evaluation, the amounts detected in the recalled antiperspirant would be unlikely to cause health issues. That’s similar to recent recalls involving shampoos, conditioners, sunscreens and other antiperspirants.
District Attorney Kevin Finnell reports that the case against two men accused of stabbing two migrant workers to death at the Blumer Dairy Farm in Alexander last month, has yet to be scheduled for a grand jury presentation. He noted that the investigation is ongoing and both he and the attorneys for the accused are talking about a possible resolution. Prince N.K. Wilson, 23, of Albion and Raul S. Cruz, 18, formerly of Albion and now of Warsaw, were arrested and charged with second-degree murder for the March 11 stabbing deaths of two men. Elibander Morales, aka Ivan Cruz, 30, and Marceleno Gomez-Hernandez, 29, were both pronounced dead at the scene in a bunkhouse at the farm on Route 98. Investigators have continually been working on the case and have released little information. (Pictured: From left, Prince N.K. Wilson and Raul S. Cruz)
Western New York drivers are handing over just a little bit less cash when it comes time to fill up their vehicles, although gas is still high. According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas is $4.36. That’s down a penny from last week but is still 57 cents higher than this time one month ago. The state average is $4.33 a gallon while nationally it’s $4.22. In Batavia, the average price per gallon is $4.35; the same as it was yesterday and down one cent from a week ago.
The Buffalo Sabres will continue their four-game home stand tonight as the team looks to get back on the winning track. The Sabres are set to host the Nashville Predators at KeyBank Center. Buffalo is coming off of a 3-2 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets Wednesday night and are currently in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with 59 points. Face-off for this evening’s contest is scheduled for 7:00, with a tribute to long-time Sabres play-by-play announcer — Rick Jeanneret – planned just before puck drop.
The U.S. Marshals Service continues their search for a missing child who has been taken on the run by her fugitive mother. 35-year-old Adrienne Grace Marean was charged earlier this month by the Bridgeport Police Department in West Virginia for allegedly violating a Family Court Order. She had been ordered to transfer custody of a minor child last month and is believed to have fled that area with the child. Marshals have focused their efforts in locating the missing child and Marean in the Dunkirk and Fredonia areas in Chautauqua County; however, it’s possible she is somewhere else in the Western New York area. Marean is believed to be driving a gray Toyota Prius with New York license plate, JJR1907. She is described as a white female, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing about 165 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Marean or the missing child is asked to call 9-1-1 immediately.
Nearly 162,000 pounds of select Skippy peanut butter products are being voluntarily recalled because some of the jars may contain small fragments of stainless steel. Skippy Foods announced the recall Wednesday evening, saying roughly 9,350 cases of three products with specific code dates are affected. The stainless steel fragments are from a piece of manufacturing equipment. According to Skippy, internal detection systems at the manufacturing facility were able to detect the equipment issue. And there have not yet been any reports from consumers about fragments found in the peanut butter. The list of affected products is available on today’s Afternoon News Brief page, by clicking ‘Local News’ under the Local News tab at WBTAi.com.
Legislators unanimously approved all the bids for the new Genesee County Jail project. Companies from Western and Central NY bid for a total of over $57 million dollars, which is 2.7 million dollars less than what was budgeted for the work. The Pike company had solicited the bids and county legislators were satisfied with the answers provided about the project. They are scheduled to break ground on May 9 on land next to County Building 2 on West Main Street Road. Work will take place over 20 months; they hope to be finished by January 2024.
Geomagnetic storms are in the forecast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center…more simply put, forecasters tell us we may be able to see the Northern Lights here in Western NY. The current storm has a rating of 3, which can make auroras visible as far south as the New York/Pennsylvania state line. The lights may be visible starting as early as 8 p.m. this evening through 5 a.m. tomorrow. Historically for us, auroras tend to show off their colors after midnight and into the wee hours of the morning.
Congressman Chris Jacobs along with NYS Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy held a press conference at a gas station Tuesday morning to call on President Biden to “get out of the way of the American Energy Industry and allow affordable, domestically produced energy to flow to the American People.” Jacobs blamed rising gas and heating costs on the president’s canceling of the Keystone XL pipeline and destructive policies against US Oil production. They also held a voter registration drive at the event.
Officials with the Seneca Nation say they’re releasing casino revenue sharing payments totaling 564-million dollars to New York State. Governor Kathy Hochul says about $418,000,000 dollars from the settlement will go toward the new Buffalo Bills stadium. The move followed hours of deliberations this week. Seneca Nation blames the state for causing restrictions of the accounts used to pay salaries and services. Officials say the state made a move on their bank accounts while Seneca Nation waited for a review of its revenue sharing payments. Nation officials say the move resulted in a freeze of its accounts, but state officials say their move was justified.
It’s less than a week until opening day at Sahlen Field in Buffalo. The Bisons will take on the Iowa Cubs at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5th. This marks the first opening game for the Bisons at Sahlen Field in three years due to pandemic-related changes. This year, fans can enjoy improvements made to the ballpark during that time, and can expect several theme nights planned throughout the season.
50-year-old Brian Beach of Albion has been sentenced in Orleans County Court to 18 months to 3 years in prison, for felony criminal contempt of court. Despite close to 200 charges filed against him for repeated acts of domestic violence over the years, he had avoided state prison because victims in Genesee, Orleans and Livingston counties failed to cooperate with prosecutors…that is, until 2019 when he violated an order of protection. Less than two weeks after his release from prison, he was arrested again and is now presently sentenced to another prison term.
An Attica man now faces many charges after allegedly found sleeping behind the wheel. A complaint came in to Perry police of a suspicious person in a vehicle on Liberty Street there…police allegedly found 32-year-old Ian Prial asleep at the wheel. Further investigation revealed he was driving with a suspended license and showed signs of impairment, which resulted in his failing a field sobriety test. A search of his vehicle also revealed possession of controlled substances and drug-packing paraphernalia. He is scheduled to appear in Village Court on April 12.
The Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service is looking to expand in Genesee County. The non-profit organization was founded in 1987, and is now in need of local volunteers to read for a couple of hours weekly. This service provides blind or sight-impaired individuals access to print materials. For more information or to obtain a free reading radio, become a volunteer and/or donor, go to: 
Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has hired a new director of live racing and racing secretary: Don Hoover was recommended by other individuals involved with racing throughout the state and will replace Todd Haight who retired earlier this month. Hoover will serve from June 1 through December 31. The 2022 harness racing season is expected to resume on July 20.
If you’ve driven on or near Park Road in Batavia this week, you’ve undoubtedly experienced the new traffic pattern. Park Road is currently open only to southbound traffic heading toward Lewiston Road. The detour was set up this way so vehicles would go down Veterans Memorial Drive then turn right to get onto Park Road to go north. The construction began Monday with a completion date sometime in November, for a total construction period of about eight months. The project will provide safety improvements to the two-lane road, including:
The Genesee Society of Model Engineers will host the 100th “Great Batavia Train Show” next weekend, Sunday, April 3rd, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It’s all happening at the Richard C. Call Arena, Genesee Community College. The train show typically attracts up to 1500 model railroad enthusiasts from across the region. Over 100 vendors will be there offering merchandise ranging from antique railroad artifacts to the most modern digitally controlled model trains. This year the Club will also be hosting the “Batavia Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet” along with the train show. Admission is $6 for Adults, $3 for teens, and kids 12 and under get in free.
A parolee has been indicted in County Court on charges that he strangled a woman to unconsciousness and then attacked her with a boot. 48-year-old Wade Murphy of Clarendon is now facing multiple charges, including second-degree strangulation and unlawful imprisonment. He is accused of attacking the woman last July in Oakfield, while on parole for previous convictions.
The Genesee County Legislature had to change their plans and adjust the budget, when it came to light that the cost of painting road lines has been increased by 25%. This is due to the rising cost of fuel. Last year, the cost was $308 per mile; it’s now $388 per mile. Seneca Pavement Marking is the company with whom the County contracts; Highway Superintendent Tim Hens believes they are getting a good deal. Seneca Pavement has kept their price on specialized marking, such as turn arrows and railroad crossing marks at last year’s cost. Legislators approved the new pricing last night.
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office tells us that a North Carolina man was found with an illegal rifle during a search of his vehicle in Le Roy. Over the weekend, deputies say they were investigating a traffic offense on School Road when they found an AR-15 in Michael Jones’ vehicle. The 24-year-old Charlotte man is now facing a number of charges, including criminal possession of an assault weapon, criminal possession of an ammunition-feeding device, as well as having an unregistered vehicle. Jones was arraigned and will be back in court on April 21.
Members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will be doing their part to help out people being affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They’ll be holding a benefit concert on April 3rd at 7:30pm at Kleinhans Music Hall. The cost of a ticket will be up to attendees but organizers are requesting a minimum donation of $40 per person. Seats can be purchased at the box office, through the BPO website or by calling 716-885-5000. All proceeds from the show will be given to the Red Cross for their humanitarian relief efforts.
The maker of Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer is taking precautions and voluntarily recalling some of their products. The concern is some bottles were distributed that may contain a bacteria that poses a risk to people with weakened immune systems and may make them more susceptible to infections; however, the bacteria – Pluralibacter- poses minimal risk to healthy people. The recall is for specific lots of 3-ounce and 10-ounce bottles of Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer and the 3-ounce bottles will have UPC 019100109971 for single bottles and 019100267114 for pack of three. On the back of the bottle, printed in black, will be one of these lot codes with the prefix “ZU.”
Governor Hochul and Lieutenant Governor Benjamin are making their case for changes to bail reform laws. They wrote an Op-Ed in the New York Daily News saying the state should make it possible for judges to set bail in all felony cases involving illegal guns since that crime is not currently bail-eligible. They’re also advocating making it possible for judges to set more restrictive pretrial conditions. However, both Hochul and Benjamin emphasize that bail reform laws have been successful and that the data doesn’t suggest they’re the main cause of an increase in violence.
Meanwhile, state Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara believes shutting down the toll stations on the New York State Thruway, will decrease the cost of shipping supplies, tourist travel and commuter travel. However, Thruway Authority Deputy Director of Media Relations, Jonathan Dougherty, believes the user-fee system presently in place ultimately saves money, since they accept no funding from taxpayers. In addition, approximately 1/3 of motorists on the Thruway in the summer months are out of state drivers and allowing them a ‘free pass’ would shift the cost back to state residents. The bill to suspend the tolls will be coming to a vote in a few weeks.
The accusations against 40-year-old Melvin Huntley of Wilkinson Road, Batavia, date back to 2012 and continue through 2021 when he was first arrested. The indictment charges Huntley with repeated acts of sexual abuse with four children, all under 17 and some under age 11. Huntley was first charged on July 8 after a Genesee County Sheriff’s Department investigation in regards to one victim. The investigation continued, resulting in more charges filed against Huntley in September involving three more victims; the grand jury then added more counts. These charges are Class A1 felonies punishable by up to 25 years to life in prison. Huntley, who remains in Genesee County Jail, is scheduled to be arraigned today in Genesee County Court.
An Alexander man, already with many charges against him filed by two different police agencies, now faces a new charge. 27-year-old Anthony Micucci attempted to run away from the police during an escort to Pembroke Town Court. This is considered a Class E felony and punishable by up to 4 years in prison. Previous violations include contempt of court, repeatedly violating orders of protection as well as stalking. He was released after arraignment and is to appear at a later date in Town Court.
The Le Roy Board of Education has unanimously approved Dr. David Russell as the new Jr/Sr High School Principal. He is currently the assistant principal at the Cosgrove Middle School in Spencerport, a position he has held since 2019. Previously he was the principal of the Western Wayne Summer Academy, a Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES program. Dr. Russell was also previously a special education teacher at Sodus Central School District and the True North Rochester Preparatory Charter School. Dr. Russell officially starts on Monday, April 25.
Rochester Regional Health in partnership with Orleans Community Health has opened a new cardiology clinic in Medina. Leading the clinic is Dr. Harry McCrea, a cardiologist with the Sands-Constellation Heart Institute in Brighton. The new clinic is located inside Medina Memorial Hospital. It offers diagnostic testing and referrals for procedures within the Sands-Constellation Heart Institute. Patients who want to visit the clinic should contact their primary care provider first, for a referral. The clinic will serve patients in Orleans and surrounding counties.
Dogs biting or chasing mail carriers is more than just a cliché and the U.S. Postal Service needs your help. Here are some tips for keeping your pet and mail carriers safe: Keep your dog in a separate room with the door closed when packages are being delivered; remind children and other family members not to take mail directly from carriers in the presence of the family pet. The dog may view the carrier handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture. And if a carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office or other facility until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained.
It’s that time of year again, time for spring-cleaning. And before throwing anything away, keep in mind that the 2nd Annual Yard Sale for Habitat for Humanity is coming up and they welcome any and all of your donations. Anything from clothes to furniture may be dropped off at 150 State Street and they’ll even come and pick things up for you. The yard sale is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, May 21st and 22nd from 10-4. If you’d like to find out more about the event or making donations, please call 585-356-4867 or email the organizer of the event at angelinapellegrino@ymail.com
In Pavilion, brand new cars were being transported to dealerships when something went very wrong. The sleeper cab of the tractor-trailer hauling the vehicles caught fire yesterday afternoon around 2:00 on Route 63, just west of the tracks; the driver was not initially aware of this until he got out of the cab. By the time firefighters arrived on the scene, three of the cars were completely or partially on fire and part of the truck exploded. The cause of the fire remains under investigation; however, initial impression was that there were engine problems. No one was hurt.
The former Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism employee, 45-year-old Kelly Ashcraft, has pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny, second-degree forgery, and first-degree falsifying business records. She now faces up to 15 years in prison after admitting she stole a little over $105,000 ($105,024.78) from the agency, forged signatures and failed to make entries in business records as required. Ashcraft has agreed to make restitution, with no promises made of a reduction in sentence. Sentencing is set for June 9th. Ashcraft was arrested in January after an investigation by Warsaw Village Police revealed she had been stealing Chamber funds since 2018.
Over the weekend, a press conference was conducted with area farmers by Congressman Chris Jacobs, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, and State Senator Ed Rath. The result from their meeting was that both lawmakers and farmers agree and are calling for Governor Kathy Hochul to reject the state Farm Laborers Wage Board’s decision to lower the overtime threshold from 60 hours to 40 hours per week for farm workers. Advocates for this measure say it will allow fair wages and treatment for farm workers, but farmers say it will push their operations beyond the financial brink. The Farm Laborers Wage Board still hasn’t submitted its final report to State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, who is expected to rule on it within 45 days. Governor Hochul also has not signed the recommendation. The word from her office today was that Ms. Reardon would make he correct choice.
A new tax being proposed on ammunition has Assemblyman Steve Hawley protesting. He says that the legislation to add a 2 to 5 cent per round tax on ammo is a violation of the 2nd amendment and puts a onerous burden on New Yorkers. Hawley says that “This latest attempt to stifle criminality by inconveniencing the law-abiding may be the most dangerous we’ve seen in some time.” The proposal includes that money raised by the tax go into a gun violence research program fund.
The HP Hood Company is working through a network disruption and it’s affecting their ability to manufacture products at their plant here in Batavia, located on Ag Park Drive West. The issue will result in delays of deliveries to some of their customers and they’re making progress. They expect to be operational again here in Batavia over the next few days.
The first day of the NCAA Division One men’s basketball tournament has wrapped up, and the number of teams playing in Buffalo has been cut in half. In yesterday’s action at the KeyBank Center, Richmond beat Iowa, Providence defeated South Dakota State, New Mexico State was victorious over UConn and Arkansas held off a challenge from Vermont. The winning teams will play tomorrow with a trip to the Sweet 16 up for grabs. Tickets for those games are still available and can be purchased online.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced this morning that a new family-owned French company, La Fermiere, has plans to construct locally. They have committed to building a $25 million, 45,000 square-foot yogurt and dairy desserts company, at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park. It is anticipated this will create up to 135 new jobs in the region. Additionally, they plan to utilize millions of pounds of milk provided by area dairy farmers. La Fermiere had considered many other sites around the country but with the focused support from both the State and its regional economic development partners, they decided to build in Batavia.
According to a review released by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, the need at the Batavia VA Medical Center for inpatient medical and surgical care, inpatient mental health care, and residential rehabilitation treatment services is shown to be decreasing, while needs for long-term care and outpatient care is increasing. Our local VA hospital currently offers long-term care, a residential rehabilitation treatment program and outpatient services. However, its primary and specialty care clinic lacks space and having been built in 1932, is not at this time designed to meet modern health care needs or standards. A new facility for outpatient services on the campus of the Batavia VA Medical Center is proposed to help meet the growing and changing needs of the veteran population. Also being proposed, is a planned expansion of residential rehabilitation services in Buffalo and the VA Medical Center here will be expanded to become the region’s post-traumatic stress treatment hub.
The New York State Comptroller has released a report on the number of people who died from COVID 19 in nursing homes. The handling of COVID in nursing homes has been a fraught subject with former governor Cuomo accused of causing deaths by sending COVID positive people to the nursing homes and then hiding the numbers of dead. The Comptroller’s office found that the public had been misled about the number of people who died “by those at the highest level of state government through distortion and suppression of the facts”. The DOH would not provide auditors with a breakdown by name of the nursing home residents who died from Covid-19 and the actual number of nursing home residents who died is still uncertain. The audit estimates nursing home deaths are undercounted by as much as 50 percent. The DOH hid the deaths of at least 4100 people.
The search for a missing Batavia man has come to a tragic end after his body was discovered in the Tonawanda Creek. Police say 29-year-old Lewis Hyde was last seen alive on Friday on West Main Street. On Sunday, a jacket was spotted in the area of the creek between the South Lyon Street and River Street bridges. Police then asked the City Fire’s water rescue team to assist with the search. Hyde’s remains were found yesterday and removed from the water. Police are continuing their investigation while waiting for autopsy results but say they don’t believe his death is suspicious.
The City Budget has passed unanimously with a general fund of 17.78 Million dollars. City Manager Rachel Tabelski is pleased with achieving a balanced budget and hopes that residents will see a drop in taxes; although with property assessments on the increase, it’s possible some homeowners will not. Other highlights of the budget include more money being allocated for the police department’s Emergency Response Team and a fire truck to replace Engine 12, which is now about 20 years old. The Council also approved a 1.5 percent increase in water rates, meter fees and capital improvement fees for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
The Genesee County STOP-DWI Coordinator announced today that the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of LeRoy Police Department will once again be participating in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving. The increased statewide efforts start tomorrow and will continue thru Sunday, March 30. St. Patrick’s Day weekend is a notoriously dangerous period for impaired driving due to the number of celebrations and drivers on the road. New York State Police, County Sheriffs, and municipal law enforcement agencies will be out in force during this across-the-board effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths.
A weekend fundraiser organized by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is being called a major success. The orchestra performed Saturday night at Eastman Theater and collected tens of thousands of dollars in donations, which will be used to help people living in Ukraine. If you still want to donate, information on how to help is available online at 
The Geneseean of the Year award at the Annual Chamber of Commerce Awards Ceremony for 2021 went to Jay Lazarony. He was selected for being an exemplary professional and volunteer, for founding GLOW With Your Hands in 2019, and his work with the Youth Bureau. Lazarony has been the Executive Director of the GLOW Workforce Development Board for 25 years.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles has begun issuing new driver’s licenses, permits and non-driver identification cards. The new cards will now incorporate upgraded security features that are used to verify authenticity and prevent tampering and counterfeiting. The new process involves engraving two images into the card so that the image changes when viewed at different angles. Additional information may be found on their website, dmv.ny.gov
Last night, county planners recommended the approval of the 2 new retail spaces in the former Kmart parking lot. At the County Planning Board meeting via Zoom it was determined that a retail space of 6752 square feet with a 2000 square foot coffee shop and drive through, and a 4000 square foot restaurant would be located on the Lewiston road lot. An engineering director for Benderson Development, which owns the property, said they are already working with tenants for the buildings.
Unless it’s postponed due to the storm, tomorrow from 10am to approximately 11:30am, Notre Dame High School is hosting a 5k Run/Walk. During this time, Richmond Avenue will be closed from Union Street to Park Road, and traffic entering from Main Street onto Union, Woodrow, Bogue and Redfield will be redirected around the area. Once again, that’s from 10am until 11:30am, tomorrow.
Organizers of the Lilac Festival in Rochester have announced the musical acts who are going to be headlining this year’s event. They include Blues Traveler, Driftwood, Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears, Anders Osborne and a Zac Brown tribute band. This year’s festival will run for three weekends, starting May 6th (through the 8th, May 12th through the 15th, and from May 19th through the 22nd) at Rochester’s Highland Park. More information can be found online by visiting 
New York State is reminding home owners that beginning next Wednesday, March 16th, it will be illegal to burn brush on residential property.
A Warsaw man just released from prison for making meth has been arrested for the same crime again.
The Batavia Muckdogs have been selected as the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce “Entrepreneurial Business of the Year.” Robbie Nichols and his wife took over the team last summer.
There has been a change of location for tomorrow night’s Class D Boys Basketball State Qualifier. Notre Dame will take on Avoca/Prattsburg at Dansville High School. Tip off is at 7pm. Live play-by-play coverage with Pete Zehler begins at 6:50 on WBTA FM and AM and online at WBTAi-dot-com.
A new historical marker will highlight one of the great engineering feats along the Erie Canal: the aqueduct in Medina where the Oak Orchard Creek goes under the Erie Canal with the creek then plunging in a waterfall north of the canal. The Orleans Renaissance Group will be putting up the marker, with assistance from the Medina Sandstone Society, which provided a $500 grant for the project. The Village Board has agreed to allow the marker in the Canal Basin. The image of the sign posted above was computer-generated.
The Holland Land Office Museum will host its next trivia night on March 10. This month’s topic is Albert Einstein. Admission is $3 per person or $2 for museum members. All in attendance are required to wear face coverings. Contact the museum if you would like to attend (585) 343-4727. Those interested may also join via Zoom with links are available on the museum’s website and Facebook page.
Governor Hochul says the deal for the new Bills stadium may be announced later this month. Negotiations are still ongoing. On Friday, Governor Hochul was in Buffalo and she says an agreement for a new stadium will be done in time for this year’s budget. The budget is due in just a few weeks on April 1. According to the governor, the new stadium is coming and will be built in Orchard Park. She didn’t specify whether there will be a dome or not. A new stadium will be around $1.4 billion but the amount taxpayers will be on the hook for has not been released.
Some of the student members of Attica Central School’s chapter of the National Junior Honor Society, recently returned from a trip to Washington D.C. where they had the opportunity to lay wreaths on the graves of the fallen, as part of National Wreaths Across America Day. One student, Addyson Zawilski, had the opportunity to visit and lay wreaths on the graves of her maternal great-grandparents. One of the group’s advisors, Heather Smith, hoped the trip impressed on students the significance of the sacrifice service members buried in Arlington had made for the country.
The City of Batavia has a new Director of Public Works; Brett Frank has been awarded the position. He was selected following an extensive search for candidates and starts Monday, March 28. Frank is a life-long resident of Genesee County and has served in local government for the last seven years, including as the Deputy Director of Real Property for Genesee County and is presently the Director of Economic Development for the Batavia Development Corporation. Frank said he is looking forward to getting started and is excited to serve his community.
The Tulley Building in Bergen was built in 1886. Since then, it has been home to many different businesses as well as apartments. Presently, the buildings brick is in need of repair, and the mayor, Anna Marie Barclay, is working with the Western New York Landmark Society, to complete the application for a Genesee Valley Rural Revitalization Grant in the amount of $50,000. That would pay for 90 percent of the project. Barclay has been active with the Tulley Building Restoration Committee since it formed in 2007. One of the goals of the committee was to develop a renovation plan that would ensure that the historic integrity of the building would be maintained. Since that time, structural restoration has been completed, including installation of a new roof. The detailed story is available from our news partner: 
The Alexander Central School District Board of Education will meet tonight to consider a resolution to make masks optional. This move is in response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement that masks are no longer mandatory. Superintendent Jared Taft provided a letter to families in district, noting that parents’ decision regarding whether or not their child will wear a mask in school, will be supported, either way. As well, teasing, disrespectful remarks or innuendo, or any other act of disrespect toward children for masking or not masking, will not be tolerated. Alexander will still offer Rapid and PCR testing to anyone who would like to be tested, including parents and family members. Arrangements can be made by contacting school nurses ahead of time. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7 this evening.
At some point in the recent past, somebody cut down and stole the Village of Elba’s welcome sign, which proclaimed the town to be the “Onion Capital of the World.” Until about 2013, the sign was known for its phrase, “Population: Just right.” That was changed because it didn’t seem welcoming to some people. Anyone with information should contact the Genesee County Sheriff’s office at (585) 345-3000 or the VIllage of Elba @ (585) 757-6889.
Starting today, a statewide mask mandate that’s been in effect at schools for months will no longer be in place. Governor Hochul said over the weekend that she was comfortable lifting the mandate because fewer children are testing positive for the coronavirus. Under the guidelines issued yesterday by the state Department of Health, masks also aren’t required anymore on school buses. Schools are encouraged to take steps such as increasing ventilation in buildings and providing access to free COVID-19 testing to prevent another surge in infections among students and staff.
Buffalo City Schools originally announced that they would not be changing their masking requirement for kids and teachers in schools. Then, late Tuesday night they issued an announcement saying that masks would no longer be required starting today. No explanation was provided for the change. Rochester City Schools announced they would be dropping the mask requirements Wednesday as well.
The Batavia City Council has sworn in Rich Richmond, Jeremy Karas’ replacement, as Councilmember at Large. In other business from this week’s meeting, items on the agenda were moved to the next board meeting, which is scheduled for March 14. Expected to be adopted at that time are resolutions that include the 2022-23 budget as well as 1.5% increases to water rates and meter fees. In addition, the Council is now ready to pass the $29.7 million All-Funds budget, 17.8 million of which is in the General Fund, which carries a property tax rate of $8.94/$1000 of assessed value. This rate represents a decrease of 78 cents from the current tax rate.
Construction on the Route 19 bridge over Oatka Creek, north of the village of Warsaw, has begun. There is a posted detour that directs traffic along Saltvale Road. The highway will be closed off to traffic for about 6 months, with reopening planned for Labor Day.
Governor Hochul announced Sunday afternoon that the mask mandate for schools will end on Wednesday this week. Hochul says this decision comes from studying the data and consulting with medical experts, parents and teachers. She says the credit for the ability of schools to not need masks on kids and teachers comes from the hard work of New Yorkers in getting vaccinated and causing the number of cases to drop by 98 percent since the peak in December and January. Republicans such as Chris Jacobs and Steve Hawley had asserted that the decision to end mask mandates would have more to do with internal democrat polling and not science. And New York’s COVID rates mirror those in places where there were no mask mandates and vaccination rates are lower.
A real life case of Storage Wars in Livingston County.
Also from the Political Desk, Congressman Chris Jacobs has the endorsement of the Orleans County Conservative Party in his bid to win the recently gerrymandered 24th congressional district.
The combination of wind, rain, snow and floods made this past weekend especially challenging for Western New Yorkers. And some more wet weather is here. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the GLOW region that will be in effect this afternoon through tomorrow evening. With flows on area creeks and rivers already running high due to last week’s rainfall, more rain and snowmelt is expected tonight. On a positive note, we are not expecting as much rain this time around as we got last week, we still could see between a half-inch and an inch of rain through tomorrow morning. As always, stay with WBTA for the latest weather information from 13 WHAM meteorologists.
The number of Empire State residents who are hospitalized due to the coronavirus has fallen to its lowest level in weeks. According to Governor Hochul’s office, there are just over 2500 people receiving treatment for the illness which is the smallest total since right before Thanksgiving. The statewide COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped below 2% and the 7 day average infection rate in Western New York is slightly under 4.3% percent. Governor Hochul is urging people not to let their guard down against the illness and to get vaccinated or a booster shot if they haven’t already.
City firemen responded to a call early in the evening last night at 167 Vine Street and found that the one-family home had a large volume of smoke throughout with fire in the basement. Neighbors and City Police assisted an older woman who uses a walker, to vacate the building; she was treated at the scene for minor smoke inhalation. Firefighters report that the blaze was somewhat difficult to fight because it was difficult to identify the specific location of the fire in the basement. Extensive fire and smoke damage to both structure and contents was reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
A record number of people participated in last fall’s Shop Wyoming and Win contest. The local shopping promotion is conducted annually in November and December by the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism. Participants submit shopping receipts from businesses within the county. They receive one drawing entry for every $50 of purchases. A total of over 1100 (1,164) people participated in this year’s contest. The receipts totaled more than $1.3 million; 18% of the shoppers were from Genesee County. Four people from the region won prizes; the drawing of winners was conducted Feb. 8 at the Wyoming County Board of Supervisors
A mandate requiring healthcare workers across the state to receive their COVID-19 booster shot will not go into effect today as planned.
Todd Haight, the long-time general manager and director of live racing at Batavia Downs, will retire March 15th after 20 years with the Downs.
A flood warning is in effect until tomorrow morning for the Tonawanda Creek in Batavia. Flood stage is 9 feet, which would bring some flooding to the city, possibly affecting Kibbe Park, Walnut Street, and Law Street. Flooding in rural areas of Alexander and the lowlands of the Alabama Swamps with some road closures is also likely; this, according to the Weather Service. The Tonawanda creek was expected to rise above flood stage this morning, cresting early this afternoon at 9.7 feet before falling below flood stage early tomorrow morning.
There is a Flood Warning out for the Tonawanda Creek in Batavia.