Local News

37-year-old Cassandra Smith of Batavia has been arrested by Sheriff deputies following a shoplifting complaint at Tops Market in Warsaw. She was also found to have allegedly shoplifted from two adjacent stores, Zaza Smoke Shop and Walmart. Smith was charged with petit larceny and released with appearance tickets to return to court at a later date. But then during a traffic stop later the same day, Smith was found to have new clothes in her vehicle that she did not have earlier; it turns out that Smith went back to Walmart and shoplifted again. This time, she was arrested and remanded to Wyoming County Jail and held on $5000 bail. Smith is scheduled to appear in Town Court at a later date.

A high wind watch has been issued for Orleans, Wyoming and Genesee Counties from 5 p.m. Saturday through 8 a.m. Sunday with 60-mile-per-hour gusts expected; the strongest winds will move through our region Saturday night. Travel could be difficult at times, especially for high profile vehicles. Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines; scattered power outages are possible.

The first Agriculture Week at Notre Dame High School wrapped up today. Land Pro, Monroe Tractor, Helena Agri, Upstate Niagara Co-op, and Wyoming Country Cooperative Extension assisted with the project, which provided opportunities for student to check out farm equipment up close. School administrators hope it will become an annual event. Photo by Doug Thompson, WBTA News.

FROM THE WYOMING COUNTY SHERIFF: 53-year-old James Jacobs of Attica was arrested and charged with petit larceny. It’s alleged he stole a GPS from the Warsaw Walmart. He was issued a ticket for Town of Warsaw Court to appear early in April. ALSO: 37-year-old Katy Day of Warsaw is charged with felony criminal mischief. She’s accused of intentionally damaging a computer tablet while she was incarcerated at the County Jail on an unrelated matter. Damages totaled $250. Day was arraigned in Warsaw Justice Court and returned to the County Jail where she’s being held on other charges.

Starpoint High School, Lockport (file photo)

Two Starpoint High School students are in some legal trouble after being arrested for harassment. The Niagara County Sheriff’s Department says the arrests are connected to an incident centered on the high school’s varsity wrestling team. The 17-year-olds from Lockport were both allegedly involved in an incident that happened at a home in Wheatfield, but details about what occurred haven’t been made public. The school district released a statement saying it would have no comment on the investigation.

Victims of murder, by Deandre Wilson

A Buffalo man has been sentenced for his role in the murders of three people during a drug robbery. Yesterday, a judge ordered Deandre Wilson to spend the rest of his life in prison for being involved in the deaths of (pictured, from left-to-right) 31-year-old Miguel Anthony Valentin-Colin, 24-year-old Nicole Marie Merced-Plaud and 29-year-old Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred. The remains of Merced-Plaud and Valentin-Colon were spotted in a burned out van on Tonawanda Street in September 2019. Roman-Audiffred’s remains were later found in a fire pit in the back of a home on Box Avenue.

Genesee County deputies have released the name of the pedestrian who lost his life after being struck by a vehicle. On Wednesday night, 44-year-old Richard Jones Junior was walking on Route 63 in the Town of Alabama when he was hit by a car. Jones was pronounced dead shortly after first responders got to the scene. So far, there have been no charges filed against the driver who struck Jones.

According to the State Department of Labor, the unemployment rate in New York stayed flat in February, holding at 4.2%. The addition of 21,200 jobs in the private sector amounted to a 0.3% increase, but was not enough to change the state’s jobless rate, which remains higher than the national average of 3.6%. New York’s labor force participation rate increased slightly from 60.5% to 60.6%, but is still below pre-pandemic levels. The state lost about 2 million jobs in the immediate wake of the closure of public gathering spaces and business three years ago. The hospitality and tourism sectors of the state’s economy were hit especially hard by the initial closure. State officials have estimated jobs will not fully return to pre-pandemic employment for another several years this decade.

Superintendent Jason Smith

School taxes in Batavia are expected to go up by 1 percent in the coming year. Superintendent Jason Smith said the increase is smaller than it was going to be. Originally, a 3% increase was anticipated. The cost is due to the need for 3 new school busses. Also, a contract for transportation expires at the end of the year, which means a renegotiation, and subsequent price increases. The Superintendent expects a mandate coming from the state to buy electric only school busses in the near future as well. And finally, teacher salaries and other personnel expenses are set to increase by 1 million dollars across the school district. (Photo: LinkedIn)

Dot RU at the end of an online website or email indicates a Russian domain

New information has been released about a bomb threat that led to schools in the Hilton Central School District being evacuated. The threat that claimed there were bombs in multiple district buildings came from an e-mail address that used a Russian domain. Monroe County deputies are still trying to find out who sent the message. A search of the buildings didn’t result in any explosives being found.

Example of a Kia tow hitch harness. This one may not be included in the recall. The dealer will contact impacted customers.

Hyundai and Kia are telling the owners of more than 571,000 SUVs and minivans in the U.S. to park them outdoors because the tow hitch harnesses can catch fire while they are parked or being driven. Owners affected by the recall will be notified starting May 16th. (Hyundai vehicles include the 2019 to 2023 Santa Fe, the 2021 to 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid, the 2022 and 2023 Santa Fe Plug-in hybrid and the 2022 and 2023 Santa Cruz. The only Kia affected is the Carnival minivan from 2022 and 2023. All have Hyundai or Kia tow hitch harnesses that came as original equipment or were installed by dealers. Dealers at first will remove the fuse and tow hitch computer module until a fix is available. Later they will install a new fuse and wire extension with an improved connector that’s waterproof.)

Unidentified child waiting for maple syrup

New Yorkers are being encouraged to get out and support their local maple producers this weekend. Maple Weekend kicks off tomorrow and will run through Sunday. Maple producers will be opening up their doors to people and giving them a chance to taste their products. There will also be tours and pancake breakfasts at some locations. To find a full list of events, go to mapleweekend.nysmaple.com.

File photo of the Buffalo Sabres

With their hopes of making the postseason nearly dashed, the Buffalo Sabres will be taking on one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference tonight. The Sabres are hosting the New Jersey Devils at KeyBank Center. Buffalo is on a 4-game losing streak after being beaten by the Nashville Predators 7-3 Tuesday. Face-off for this evening’s contest is scheduled for 7:00.

Please play responsibly.

The Mega Millions jackpot just keeps going up. Whoever is lucky enough to correctly choose all six winning numbers ahead of tonight’s drawing will receive a prize of at least $302,000,000. The drawing will be streamed live online at megamillions.com. Please play responsibly.

Hyundai and Kia owners have had to deal with the huge numbers of thefts lately and now they aren’t even supposed to keep their cars safely inside in their garage as they might suddenly burst into flames.  Hyundai and Kia are telling the owners of more than 571,000 SUVs and minivans in the U.S. to park them outdoors because the tow hitch harnesses can catch fire while they are parked or being driven.  Affected Hyundai vehicles include the 2019 to 2023 Santa Fe, the 2021 to 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid, the 2022 and 2023 Santa Fe Plug-in hybrid and the 2022 and 2023 Santa Cruz. The only Kia affected is the Carnival minivan from 2022 and 2023. All have Hyundai or Kia tow hitch harnesses that came as original equipment or were installed by dealers.  Dealers at first will remove the fuse and tow hitch computer module until a fix is available. Later they will install a new fuse and wire extension with an improved connector that’s waterproof. Owners will be notified starting May 16.

51 year old Deandre Wilson was sentenced for a triple murder committed in 2019.  He was sentenced to 3 consecutive sentences plus 30 years.  The victims in the murder were married couple Miguel Anthony Valentin-Colon and Nicole Merced-Plaud, and their friend, Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred.  The 3-year-old son of Valentin-Colon and Merced-Plaud witnessed the murders of his parents and was later found on the porch of a home near the victim’s bodies.  Also involved in the murders were Wilson’s co-conspirators, Jariel Cobb and James Reed, who were previously convicted and still await sentencing.

School taxes in Batavia are expected to go up by 1 percent in the coming year.  Superintendent Jason Smith said the increase is smaller than it was going to be.  Originally they were projecting a 3 percent increase.  The cost is due to the need for 3 new school buses and the contract for transportation is up at the end of the year which means a renegotiation and price increases.  Smith expects a mandate coming from the state to buy electric only school buses in the near future as well.  Also teacher salaries and other personnel expenses are set to increase by 1 million dollars across the school district.  

Western New York Off Track Betting Corp is looking into expanding the hotel attached to their casino.  Members of the operation committee said that the hotel is constantly sold out and traffic has increased to the casino in the last year.  The hotel would most likely expand northward.  Other suggested work at the Casino is an outdoor smoking area as the 2 year exemption that allows people to smoke at the machines may be taken away at any time.  Work on the 34 Rush restaurant and Bar, and a recreational trailer for performers during the Rockin’ the Downs Concert series. 

The unemployment rate in New York stayed flat in February, holding at 4.2%, the state Department of Labor on Thursday announced.  The addition of 21,200 jobs in the private sector was a 0.3% increase, but was not enough to budge the state’s jobless rate, which remains higher than the national average of 3.6%.  New York’s labor force participation rate increased slightly from 60.5% to 60.6%, but is still below pre-pandemic levels.  The state lost about 2 million jobs in the immediate wake of the closure of public gathering spaces and business three years ago. The hospitality and tourism sectors of the state’s economy were hit especially hard by the initial closure.  State officials have estimated jobs will not fully return to pre-pandemic employment for another several years this decade.

Niagara Falls in Ontario has a new mayor.  Pal the German Shepherd.  He is getting sworn in at 1pm.  Pal has over a million followers on social media.  You can follow pal online at his owner Lalicich’s facebook, instagram or tiktok.  

12 members of the GLOW YMCA Riptide Swim Team competed in the New York State YMCA Swimming Championships at the Burt Flickinger Aquatic Center in Buffalo on March 18 and 19.  Reilly Davis took home the NYS Championship in the 8u 25 Breast.  She also placed 2nd in the 100 IM, 3rd in the 100 Free, 3rd in the 50 Free, and 3rd in the 25 Free.  The 10u relay team of Sarah Pritchett, Reilly Davis, Lily Bellamy, and Matilda Nevinger took home 5th place in the 200 Free Relay and 6th place in the 200 Free Relay.  All of these members were new to the YMCA swim team this season.

Delonta Curry

GENESEE COUNTY INDICTMENTS: 21-year-old Delonta Curry of Batavia has been indicted on counts of criminal possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon on school grounds. Both are considered felonies.

James Santiago, Jr.

43-year-old James Santiago Jr. of Batavia is now indicted on one count of failure to register a change of address as a sex offender. Santiago is accused of not notifying the New York State Division of Criminal Justice of a change of address within the required 10 days for a registered sex offender in July.

Isaac King

35-year-old Isaac King of Batavia has been indicted on counts of criminal contempt and aggravated family offense; both are felony charges. King is accused of making repeated phone calls to a victim in the Town of Pembroke in violation of a court order.

Jarrod Fotiathis

28-year-old Jarrod Fotiathis of LeRoy is indicted on many charges, including grand larceny, conspiracy, criminal possession of stolen property, petit larceny and unlawful possession of personal identification; he’s accused of stealing a credit card in the City of Batavia and stealing cash from the same victim and then later attempting identify theft of a second victim. Fotiathis allegedly used a person’s identify to make purchases of $670.77 using that person’s debit card. He also allegedly stole an Amazon Fire Stick.

29-year-old Rufus Johnson of North Chili has been indicted on a count of burglary and two counts of petit larceny. Johnson is accused of entering Walmart in Batavia with the intent to commit a crime inside the building. He is accused of stealing property while inside the store.  ALSO:  28-year-old Jason Neth of Corfu is indicted on counts of unlawful imprisonment and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting. Both are felony charges. He’s accused of restraining a person under circumstances that exposed the person to risk of serious physical injury and also of operating a motor vehicle, causing serious physical injury to another person and leaving the scene.

BATAVIA POLICE and SHERIFF REPORT: 39-year-old Steven Wasielewski of Pembroke has been charged with criminal contempt and assault. He’s accused of violating an order of protection and hitting another person causing injury at a location on Phelps Road in Pembroke. Wasielewski’s release status was not provided. ALSO: 39-year-old Jessica Holtz of Rochester has been arrested in Batavia on two bench warrants. The first stemmed from a petit larceny charge at Kwik Fill on Jackson Street; she failed to appear in court to answer that charge. The second warrant was also associated with petit larceny from a South Swan Street church, for which she also failed to appear in court on the scheduled date. Holtz was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court; her release status is not known at this time. ALSO: 41-year-old Mark Robbins of Bergen is charged with two counts of harassment. He’s accused of shoving one person and striking another during a disturbance at a location on South Lake Avenue, Bergen. Robbins was issued an appearance ticket.

Hilton High School (file photo)

All schools in the Hilton Central School District opened today after they were evacuated following a bomb threat. Officials say an e-mail was received yesterday claiming that pipe bombs had been placed in every building. Police responded to the scene and said the threat was not credible. There will be an increased police presence at the schools for the rest of this week as a precaution.

The investigation continues today into an accident that resulted in a pedestrian being struck. Last night around 8:30 on Route 63 in Alabama, a vehicle driven by 67-year-old Vidal Chavez of Elba struck 44-year-old Richard Alan Jones, Jr. as he crossed the road into the path of the vehicle. Jones was struck and pronounced deceased at the scene.

Ervin Stubbs

34-year-old Ervin Stubbs of Ocala, Florida has been arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon and for being a fugitive from justice; this followed a road rage incident during which Stubbs allegedly shot a 42-year-old man from Detroit, while traveling on the Thruway in Pennsylvania. The victim was shot in the knee but still managed to drive to the Fredonia/Dunkirk exit, where he met with New York State Police. He was treated at Erie County Medical Center and released. An investigation found that Stubbs was allegedly operating a truck on the Thruway when he allegedly shot the victim. He was located at the Flying J Truck Stop in Pembroke and found in possession of a Ruger 9mm handgun. Stubbs was arraigned in Batavia and transported to Pennsylvania to face additional charges on a warrant extradition.

Aftermath of fatal crash on Main Street, Buffalo

New information has been released about a crash that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old man. The person who died in Monday’s accident on Main Street in Buffalo has been identified as Jerel Buchanan. He and several other people were in a vehicle that struck a pole and then rolled over. Buchanan passed away at the scene and the other victims are still recovering. The cause of the crash is still being looked into.

Adam Broadwell

A member of the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division is in some legal trouble after being charged with a felony. An investigation was opened earlier this year after a report was received about inappropriate conduct at the county courthouse. It was later determined that 44-year-old Deputy Adam Broadwell used an electronic device to eavesdrop on conversations he wasn’t involved in. Broadwell was released on an appearance ticket and is suspended without pay. (Provided photo)

File photo

Buffalo police have made two arrests in connection with a shooting that left a teenager hurt. They say 20-year-old Isaiah Hicks and a 16-year-old boy were involved in Tuesday’s shooting on Mary B Talbert Boulevard. When officers got to the scene, they found a 14-year-old boy had been struck in the back by gunfire. There has been no information made public about just how badly the boy was injured. Both Hicks and the 16-year-old are facing charges.

With less than two weeks until the April 1st deadline, Governor Hochul says that she’s hopeful a state budget can be passed on time. But, the governor said yesterday that a final agreement will depend on several key issues such as changes to the state’s current bail-reform laws. The governor believes the budget plan that she’s proposing will help reduce gun violence and other crime. She says her number one priority is protecting New Yorkers and that people deserve a criminal justice system that prioritizes safety and justice.

Tax season is in full swing, and people are being encouraged to know their rights when it comes time to hire someone to do their taxes. The state Department of Taxation and Finance says all tax preparers must tell you immediately if they’ll represent you if your return is audited and have to ask you the correct questions so they can do your return accurately. Preparers are also required to allow you to review your completed return before you sign it. Any complaints can be filed online at tax.ny.gov.

Logo from the 1970’s

Officials with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority have announced when an information session will be held about the upcoming police transit exam. It is scheduled for this Saturday from 12:30pm to 1:30pm at the Frank E. Merriweather Junior Library on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. Attendees will be able to find out just what goes into being a member of the transit police on a daily basis and also how to apply for April 29th exam. For more information, go to nfta.com/police.

The Hilton Central School District evacuated all students and staff on Wednesday after someone emailed local media outlets that there were pipe bombs at all school buildings and the Superintendent’s house.  The threat came in at around 8:30 in the morning.  The emails said that the perpetrator was angry about a book called “This Book is Gay” by James Dawson, that is at the school library that contains sexual lgbt content.  The emails accuse the school staff of being groomers and collapsing civilization.  Students in all 5 Hilton Schools were evacuated to buses and parents were notified to come pick up their children.  Many report it took hours to get their children because of the traffic being gridlocked around the school.  No bombs were found.  A meeting was held as had been previously scheduled Wednesday night to discuss the book and whether it was appropriate for the school.  Students spoke about not feeling safe after the bomb threats.  The incident is under investigation.

The Genesee County Sheriff’s office is mourning the loss of one of its dispatchers who passed away suddenly on Tuesday.  Emergency Services Dispatcher Andrew  Merkel was 38 years old and had been with the sheriff’s office since October of 2011.  In addition to his regular duties as an Emergency Services Dispatcher, he was a Communications Training Officer and a board member of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Employee Association.  Andy, as he was more popularly known, was also a former employee of Mercy EMS from 2009 to 2015 as an EMT, an Oakfield baseball coach and mentor and a longstanding member of the Alabama Fire Department.  Outside of serving his community, he spent his time operating Wings Cupped Retriever Services, his dog training company, which specialized in obedience, retriever and gun dog training. He also enjoyed duck hunting and the outdoors.  A GoFundMe has been organized by members of the Genesee County Sheriffs Association. All money raised will be given directly to Andrew Merkel’s family.

The Batavia Daily News has been sold.  Sample News Group has bought the Batavia Daily News and its sister publication, Livingston County News along with Oswego County News and Oswego Shopper from their parent company based in Watertown, Johnson Newspaper Corporation.  The official transfer of ownership will take place on May 1st.  Sample News is a privately held publishing company based in Huntington Pennsylvania.  They own 17 daily newspapers and more than 35 weeklies and specialty magazines.  

Genesee County Sheriffs are investigating after a car struck a pedestrian on rt 63 in the town of Alabama around 8:30 Wednesday night.  Sheriff’s say that 63 year old Vidal Chavez of Elba was driving west on rt 63 when 44 year old Richard Alan Jones Jr walked across the road in front of him and was hit.  Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.  The investigation is ongoing.

The Batavia Development Corporation is purchasing a 4.26 acre parcel of land from the Town for 1 dollar.  The area, which is located between Evans st and Tonawanda Creek behind the Ice Arena, will be opened up for land development following the model of the Ellicott Station Project.  They say they have to first get the land sampled for pollutants and then see if the land can be marketed as a greenfield or brownfield.  They expect the sale to close after April 18th.

Six Flags Darien Lake is holding a hiring event for more than 1000 open positions on Saturday. The positions range from part time to full time season spots.  They need lifeguards, ride operators, food service, entertainment, security, admissions, retail, and camping workers. Applications are open to anyone 14 and up.  Park workers get free park admission and bring a friend passes, discounts on food and retail items and employee exclusive events.  The event goes from 9am to 1pm at the Six Flags Hotel. 

Brendon Burns

The name of the man who was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Rochester has been released. According to officials, 35-year-old Brendon Burns was shot Monday in the city’s Park Avenue neighborhood after he threatened police with a weapon. Burns was allegedly involved in multiple crimes before his death, including a pair of shooting incidents. The state Attorney General’s Office is also involved in the investigation.

Juul Pod System Starter Kit

Batavia City School board members unanimously approved nearly $36,000 in settlement funds Monday from a lawsuit in which the district claimed injury, malice, oppression and fraud against Juul Labs. Batavia was one of 143 districts involved in the lawsuit against the makers of the popular vaping products, alleging that the company “fraudulently and intentionally marketed” its products to children and that those products caused numerous health, financial and structural damages to the district and students. Superintendent Jason Smith said that the expected proceeds were going to be invested into the city district’s “preventative and restorative” program called Vape University.

Senator George Borello

Senator George Borrello will be in Batavia for a Town Hall Meeting early on Tuesday evening, April 11th, from 6 until 7. Everyone in the community is welcome to hear the latest updates on state and local issues, ask questions and offer comments. The event will be held at City Hall, One Batavia City Centre.

Sniper rifle on the roof

An internal investigation is underway after a sniper rifle fell from the roof of a building during Buffalo’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. Photos show the rifle, which was the responsibility of a member of the city’s police department, dropped from the top of the building in the area of Delaware Avenue and Allen Street on Sunday and hit the sidewalk. Another officer grabbed the weapon and brought it to safety. There’s no word yet if the officer who originally had the rifle will be punished.

File photo of brush fire

The spring burning ban is in effect statewide, through May 14th. Included in the exceptions are campfires less than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in width, small cooking fires, and ceremonial or celebratory bonfires. Fires cannot be left unattended and must be fully extinguished. Burning trash is illegal statewide in all cases. The annual burn ban has been enforced since 2009, and is estimated to have decreased the number of wildfires by more than 40%.

The latest data from the New York State Flu Tracker shows the spread of the flu virus is still slowing down in our region. During the week ending March 11th, the area with the highest number of cases was Erie County with 19; Ontario County with 12. Monroe County had the second-highest total with 11; Niagara County, 6; Genesee County had 3 and Livingston and Wayne counties had one each. County Health departments continue to advocate getting vaccinated against the illness, as it is never too late to get the flu shot.

Reginald Johnson

A Buffalo father is facing a long prison sentence for his role in the death of his infant son. Prosecutors say that 39-year-old Reginald Jordan shook the child violently back in 2019, and an autopsy revealed the baby died of blunt force trauma to his head and neck. Jordan has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and could be ordered to spend up to 25 years in prison. He’s currently being held in custody without bail.

“We’ve moved to Wyoming!”

A recently published study places New York State next to last when it comes to affordability for seniors on a budget. The study was done by networking company Seniorly and looked at eight financial metrics impacting seniors, including health care, retirement income and taxes, as well as the relationship between retirement income and cost of living. The study found that more than 31 percent of retirees in New York spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing. It’s also reportedly one of the least tax-friendly states for seniors. New York came in 49th, with Massachusetts in 50th place; by the way, Wyoming landed in first place as the state most affordable for seniors, followed by Utah, Montana, Idaho, Virginia and Colorado.

File photo of Jeff Skinner

The losing streak of the Buffalo Sabres has now hit four games after the team suffers a blowout defeat on home ice. Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, and Dylan Cozens had a goal each, but the Sabres were still beaten by the Nashville Predators seven-to-three at KeyBank Center last night. Buffalo goaltender Craig Anderson was able to stop just 14 of the 20 shots he faced before being replaced in net by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The next game for the Sabres is Friday against the New Jersey Devils.

Peter Gabriel in concert – file photo

A multi-time Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter will be bringing his latest tour to Western New York this year. Former Genesis member Peter Gabriel is going to be at KeyBank Center on Friday, September 22nd. Gabriel has sold millions of albums and is known for songs including “Sledgehammer,” “Solsbury Hill,” and “In Your Eyes.” Tickets for the show go on sale to the general public this Friday morning at 10:00am through Live Nation.

Is the job that sounds too good to be true actually a scam?

A lot of people are looking for work these days, and the Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is offering job seekers some tips to avoid employment scams. The agency says people should be weary of employers who ask for personal information before an interview or who only communicate through text message or a messaging app. It’s also recommended that folks do research on organizations before applying since scammers promote non-existent job opportunities. If you’re trying to find a job, some reputable places to look include the state Department of Labor’s website.

Unidentified child and adult watching the night sky

An asteroid the size of a skyscraper will fly between the Earth and the moon this weekend. Astronomers say the asteroid is twice the size of the one that blew out windows in Russia ten years ago. It will buzz past Earth at half the distance of the moon on Saturday. People in the Northern Hemisphere with telescopes six inches or larger will have a chance to see the space rock over the southeastern horizon Friday evening. And, the Virtual Telescope Project will show a live stream of the asteroid at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday.

Today is Red Cross Giving Day. The non-profit is urging people to donate blood, time or money to the cause. Information on local blood drives and volunteer opportunities is available at RedCross.org.

Batavia City School board members unanimously approved nearly $36,000 in settlement funds Monday from a lawsuit in which the district claimed injury, malice, oppression and fraud against Juul Labs.  The city school district was one of 143 districts involved in the lawsuit against the makers of the popular vaping products, alleging that the company “fraudulently and intentionally marketed” its products to children and that those products caused numerous health, financial and structural damages to the district and students.  Superintendent Jason Smith said that the expected proceeds were going to be invested into the city district’s “preventative and restorative” program called Vape University.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney invited High School students from New York’s 24th district to participate in the 2023 Congressional Art Competition. Started in 1982 by members of the U.S. House of Representatives, High School students across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories are invited to participate in a nationwide annual art competition. Since its creation, over 650,000 high school students have submitted their artwork to the contest.  The contest winner will have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year.  

A new study ranks New York state next to last when it comes to affordability for seniors on a budget.  The study was done by networking company Seniorly and looked at eight financial metrics impacting seniors, including health care, retirement income and taxes.  The study looked into the relationship between retirement income and cost of living.  Out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., the study ranked New York only in front of Massachusetts.  The study found that more than 31 percent of retirees in New York spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing.  It’s also reportedly one of the least tax-friendly states for seniors.

The lineup has been finalized for the 20th annual CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival.  Headliners performing ticketed shows at Eastman Theatre’s Kodak Hall include Pat Metheny, Keb’ Mo’, Omara Portuondo and Bonnie Raitt.  St. Paul and The Broken Bones will perform a free show June 24 at 9 p.m. at the corner of East Avenue and Chestnut Street.  Four other free headliner shows will take place at Parcel 5, including Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, Southside Johnny, Artimus Pyle Band and Trombone Shorty. The festival runs June 23-July 1 at venues throughout the city.

The Sabres playoff hopes are more of a distant dream as they dropped their fourth straight game Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators 7 to 3.  Skinner, Cozens and Thompson scored for Buffalo.  Anderson let in 6 goals and Luukonen let in one out of the 26 shots on the goal from Nashville. The Sabres face off with the New Jersey Devils on Friday at 7 at the Keybank Center.

Anthony Armstrong

Batavia Police have arrested 34-year-old Anthony Armstrong of Rochester following the five-hour standoff at 64 Walnut Street that started with a hang-up call to 9-1-1. Late yesterday afternoon, an argument had broken out between Armstrong and a tenant in one of the apartments; Armstrong entered the apartment unlawfully and barricaded himself inside and held the tenant against their will. Armstrong had a knife and threatened to harm himself; the victim was in fear of their own safety. State Police along with a Monroe County SWAT team assisted local law enforcement. The victim was able to escape through an upstairs window. Eventually, Armstrong surrendered, was taken to the hospital for evaluation and then turned over to the police. He was arraigned in Genesee County Court and is being held in County Jail. The long list of charges against him includes burglary, felony unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a weapon, which is considered a felony because Armstrong has a prior conviction. The detailed story by Howard B. Owens is available on the website of our news partner, The Batavian: https://www.thebatavian.com/howard-b-owens/after-five-hour-standoff-suspect-charged-with-felonies-held-in-jail/628877

31-year-old Joseph Martino of Windsor, New York has been charged with criminal contempt following an investigation into an incident in Attica, last month. Martino was arraigned in Attica Court and transported back to the Genesee County Jail where he is currently being held on unrelated charges.

39-year-old Jaquln Dueppengiesser and 33-year-old Shawnna Lamont, both of Perry, have been arrested. They’re each charged with grand larceny after it was reported they used another person’s credit card information to transfer money to themselves via Cash App, without the car owner’s permission. Both were issued appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Perry Court at a later date.

Police in Rochester are continuing their investigation into a fatal officer-involved shooting. The department says officers were pursuing a suspect who they believe was involved in several recent crimes yesterday when he showed a gun and opened fire towards police in the Park Avenue neighborhood. At least one of the officers fired back and killed the man. The names of the people involved in the shooting haven’t been released.

Xylazine

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has unveiled his plan to get an extremely dangerous drug of the streets. The drug is called xylazine, and it’s been linked to overdose deaths across Upstate New York. Schumer said he’s calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to speed up efforts to track down the sources of xylazine. He’s also pushing for a more than $530,000,000 (million) funding boost to the Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program to help stop drug trafficking. People who are struggling with addiction can get help 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-877-8-HOPENY.

Aftermath of fatal crash

An investigation is underway into what caused a crash in Buffalo that left one person dead and several others injured. According to police, a vehicle was traveling on Main Street yesterday when it struck a pole and rolled over. An 18-year-old man was killed due to the impact and the other victims were taken to a hospital for treatment. Their names haven’t been released yet and anyone who saw the accident is asked to give police a call immediately.

A school in Lockport is going to be closed for a second straight day today following a fire there over the weekend. The fire at Emmet Belknap Intermediate School happened on Sunday and led to four classrooms being damaged. It is believed the flames were sparked when a stack of tablets that were being charged overheated. No one was hurt and the hope is that classes can resume tomorrow.

Damien Harris

Trent Sherfield

The Buffalo Bills have made some changes. Damien Harris is joining the team from New England. The 26-year-old started with the Patriots in 2019 and battled a few different injuries. In his most recent season, Harris ran for 462 yards and three touchdowns. The Bills also signed Dolphins Wide Receiver Trent Sherfield to a 1-year deal. Devin Singletary is headed to the Texans.

Aerial file photo of Keybank Center

With their playoff hopes dwindling, the Buffalo Sabres will be back on home ice tonight as they try to snap a 3-game losing streak. The Sabres are hosting the Nashville Predators at KeyBank Center. Buffalo is coming off of seven-to-nothing shutout at the hands of the Boston Bruins on Sunday. Face-off this evening is set for 7:00.

Please play responsibly, puppy!

Another Mega Millions drawing has come and gone without a winner; that means, the prize up for grabs ahead of tonight’s drawing will be $272,000,000 (million) after no one correctly picked the winning numbers for last Friday’s drawing. The odds of getting the grand prize are one in 302 million. To watch the drawing live, go to megamillions.com. Please play responsibly.

One of the shirt styles available – “Buffalo Night”

A local business is doing its part to support the family of fallen Buffalo firefighter Jason Arno. 26 Shirts is selling a shirt this week called “Buffalo Night” and it’ll cost $26.99 before shipping. Arno’s family will get $8 from every sale and the shirts can be purchased online at 26shirts.com. Arno passed away back on March 1st while battling a blaze on Main Street. The cause of the fire hasn’t been revealed yet.

File photo – Donald Trump

It’s looking like former President Trump will not face a possible indictment today. The New York City grand jury hearing his alleged hush money payment case involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels is expected to reconvene tomorrow. Reports say the Democratic Manhattan DA appears ready to elevate the false paperwork case from a misdemeanor to a felony.

3 Armored Response Vehicles and a Swat team from Monroe County converged on 46 Walnut St in Batavia Monday night as a 911 hang up call turned into a barricaded suspect and an evacuated home.  Shortly after 5pm police responded to a hang up call to 911 and determined a crime was in progress.  They tried to talk to an individual at the door but the person retreated into a second floor apartment and barricaded themselves inside with a weapon.  The apartments were evacuated and the police said there was no threat to the general public.  The Emergency Response Team was dispatched. Batavia PD also deployed its MRAP. Eventually, the Monroe County SWAT unit also arrived on scene with two armored vehicles. Genesee County Emergency Management responded with its command unit. Emergency Management deployed its drone over the scene. A K-9 was also observed at the scene. Negotiators from Batavia PD and the Sheriff’s Officer were on scene. At about 10 p.m., the subject was taken into custody.  After the subject was in custody, he was placed in a Mercy EMS ambulance for evaluation.  It’s unknown if the subject was taken to a hospital.

United Memorial Medical Center has received a prestigious award.  Just 595 U.S. healthcare organizations out of over 6,000 U.S. hospitals have achieved Magnet recognition.  UMMC now joins other RRH hospitals that have a proud history of Magnet achievement, including Rochester General, Unity, Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic and Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, and Primary Care and Ambulatory Specialty Institute, which was the first primary care organization in the nation to achieve this designation.  Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and is a factor when the public judges healthcare organizations. U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney is sponsoring 3 bills to defund the World Health Organization alleging that during the beginnings of the COVID pandemic the WHO refused to listen to scientists and health officials who were warning them of the dangers of COVID 19 and instead acted as a mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party in insisting that COVID wasn’t transmissible by humans and covered up the origins of the virus.  The bills withdraw any US money from the WHO and also change the relationship between the US and the WHO to a treaty so that it would fall under the purview of the Senate instead of the President.  

On March 31st at the Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union you can drop off necessities for the Genesee Area Retired Educators association benefit drive for children involved with Court appointed Special Advocates.  These kids often need everyday items like socks, underwear, and shampoos, body washes, deodorants and other personal hygiene items for boys and girls 0 to 18 years old.  The drive will go from 10 to 4:30.

Independent Living of Genesee Region and the Office For the Aging are holding workshops on the topic of Chronic Disease Self Care every Wednesday from April 5th to May 17th.  Participants will learn how to manage ongoing health conditions such as: Arthritis, Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis, COPD, Other Eating Disorders, and Asthma.  Those who attend will be shown practical steps to gain control of their daily health concerns.  Participants will learn about healthy eating, problem-solving, action plans, medications, weight management, physical activity, sleep and relationship communication skills. Classes will take place at the GCOFA, at 2 Bank Street in Batavia, NY 14020, and Snacks will be provided.  People who complete the series will get a gift card and resource book.  Pre-registration is required; please call Cathy DeMare at 585-815-8501, ext. 400, by April 5th.

Genesee County 4-H Dairy Club represented their county well at the Finger Lakes Regional Dairy Bowl Contest.  Dairy Bowl is a Jeopardy-style competition that tests participants’ knowledge of dairy cattle facts, including breeds, equipment, nutrition and more. Top placing participants will have the opportunity to represent the region at the state level contest later this year.  Gia Zuber, Lilia Buckenmeyer, Veronica Wolcott and Lucy Kimball came in 3rd place as a Beginner Team.  In the 3rd Place scoring Junior team were Owen Kimball, Tate Zuber and Annalise Sybertz.  Veronica Wolcott came in 2nd place as an individual beginner.

The Buffalo Bills have some news about players moving on and off the team.  Damien Harris is moving from the Patriots to Buffalo.  The 26-year-old joined the Patriots in 2019 and battled a few different injuries. In his most recent season, Harris ran for 462 yards and three touchdowns.  The Bills also signed Dolphins Wide Receiver Trent Sherfield to a 1 year deal.  Devin Singletary is headed to the Texans.  Singletary accounted for over half of the Bills rushing yards last season.

GENESEE COUNTY INDICTMENTS: Jeffrey Hewitt of LeRoy has been indicted by a Genesee County Grand Jury. He’s accused of criminal possession of a weapon after knowingly possessing a metal knuckle knife in the City of Batavia. Other charges include unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Hewitt also is accused of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the City of Batavia. ALSO: Rufus Johnson of Chili has been indicted and accused of the crimes of petit larceny and burglary. It’s alleged he knowingly and unlawfully entered Walmart in Batavia with intent to commit a crime and steal property. ALSO: Johnnie Waston of Batavia has been indicted, accused of the crime of criminal mischief. It’s alleged he damaged the property of another person, a car windshield. Damages exceeded $250.

Alexandro Rodriguez

FROM THE BATAVIA CITY POLICE BLOTTER: 26-year-old Alexandro Rodriguez of Batavia has been arrested and charged with criminal contempt. This followed an investigation into a domestic incident at a local address, where it’s alleged he violated an order of protection. Rodriguez was arraigned in Batavia City Court and released on his own recognizance. He’s scheduled to return to City Court next month. ALSO: 80-year-old Carolyn Kurek of Batavia is charged with harassment. Earlier this month, she was arrested after it was alleged that she shoved another woman while at a State Street address. Kurek was issued an appearance ticket for Batavia City Court.

Erik Fix

Assistant City Manager Erik Fix has announced, the City Centre entrance project plans have changed due to increased costs. The proposed construction estimate was $2.6 million, which is more than twice the Downtown Revitalization Initiative award of a million dollars. The project will now be streamlined and alternate designs discussed, as well as alternate grant funding. At this time, the City is waiting for a quote on the new proposed entryway plans. (File photo)

47-year-old Roger Yencer of Mt. Morris is charged with criminal contempt after allegedly violating a full stay away order of protection while being a passenger in a vehicle that the victim was driving on Route 63 in Batavia. Yencer was held at the Genesee County Jail for CAP Court.

The reporting of COVID-19 cases will be scaled back this month and state officials also plan to assess how the data is collected from local officials. COVID data was closely watched for much of the pandemic but a major spike in cases has not occurred in more than a year after the onset of the omicron variant. The data reporting is one of several changes New York is making as federal emergency rules are set to lapse May 11. For example, last Friday the state Department of Health announced visitors at nursing homes would no longer be required to show proof of a negative COVID test to gain entry. Public health officials are still urging New Yorkers to take precautions, including monitoring symptoms and personal hygiene as well as staying up-to-date with vaccines. COVID data will still also be available on the State Department of Health’s website.

Shane Lake

At approximately 6 pm last Tuesday, Albion Police were dispatched to a location on West State Street. A call had come in reporting a male covered in blood and threatening people while holding a knife. He was identified as 31-year-old Shane Lake of Albion. As responding officers arrived, Lake was driving away. Police conducted a traffic stop and charged him with criminal possession of a narcotic drug (cocaine) with intent to sell. Lake was issued an appearance ticket and released under New York State Bail Reform guidelines. He’s scheduled to appear in the Town of Albion Court at a later date.

McKinley Parkway accident aftermath – 3/18/23

One person is dead and another injured following a single-car crash over the weekend in Buffalo. Investigators say a vehicle was traveling northbound on McKinley Parkway when it left the road and hit several trees, just before 9 p.m. Saturday. The 44-year-old passenger was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. The 38-year-old driver is in the hospital with multiple injuries. Officials say high speed appears to be involved and the driver will be facing charges. (Provided photo)

Gas prices are holding steady these days. Triple A tells us this morning that the average price of gas in Batavia is currently 3.38 for a gallon of regular; it’s only fluctuated by a penny one way or the other, over the last month but is down nearly $1 from a year ago today. The state and national average is 3.44.

Isaiah Williams

A man charged with the attempted murder of a Rochester police officer is due in court today as his jury trial is scheduled to begin. Monroe County authorities say 27-year-old Isaiah Williams is charged with firing at officers last May while he was fleeing police. No officer was hurt. The district attorney’s office says Williams has an extensive criminal history. (Provided photo)

Eastern Niagara Hospital – Lockport – Set to close June 17, 2023

One Niagara hospital is shutting down permanently in the next few months. Lockport’s Eastern Niagara Hospital has been struggling for years and will close its doors on June 17th. The struggling hospital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019. Hospital leaders said with the high number of Medicaid, Medicare, and uninsured patients, the hospital could not rely on insurance and patient billing to keep the lights on.

Sabres vs. Bruins – 3/19/23

The Buffalo Sabres were completely shut out against the Boston Bruins in their game on Sunday. They lost 7 to 0 against the frontrunner for the President’s Trophy. Boston scored their first goal within 15 seconds of puck drop. The loss marks Buffalo’s third in a row and the second straight time giving up seven goals in a back-to-back contest against Boston. Buffalo plays again at Keybank for their next game, a showdown with Nashville tomorrow night. Puck drop is at 7:00.

Canisius team celebrates win

Canisius College in Buffalo has won their second Atlantic Hockey title. They defeated Holy Cross 3-0 on Saturday, sending them to their first NCAA Tournament in 10 years. The Griffins will enter the tournament as the 16th seed out of 16 and face off against Minnesota, the nation’s top team, in the regional semifinal in Fargo, North Dakota on March 23rd.

Buffalo Record Riot – 3/18/23

The next Buffalo Record Riot will be in July. Vinyl collectors descended upon the Knights of Columbus in Cheektowaga on Saturday to buy and sell classic and modern records. The event is part of the biggest chain of record shows, running 18 shows across eight states.

Yianni Diakomihalis

Cornell’s Yianni Diakomihalis has made history as he became only the fifth wrestler in NCAA history to win four individual Division One national titles this weekend. Diakomihalis won his fourth title at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Tulsa by beating Ohio State’s Sammy Sasso. He says his next goal is to win a gold medal at the world championships.

Please play responsibly.

The Powerball jackpot is growing. Lottery officials say no one picked all six numbers in Saturday’s drawing. That means tonight’s jackpot will be worth $86,000,000 (million). Tomorrow’s Mega Millions jackpot will be worth $272,000,000 (million). Please play responsibly.

The New York State Democratic Senators are attempting to push out 500 Million Dollars to child care providers across the Empire State.  The $500 million workforce retention grant program would provide up to $12,000 in salary enhancements to child care workers employed at a facility that serves families who receive assistance for care. The Senate’s proposal also raises eligibility for assistance up to 103% of the state median income, or 42% of the federal poverty level.  Providers are pushing for the Senate’s proposal, though it’s less than the $1 billion they say is needed. New York has about 17,000 child care providers statewide.  Senators also included a provision to provide money to expand child care assistance to immigrant families and undocumented children.

Fire Crews responded to 10 and a half South Spruce Street for a report of a house fire at around 3am this morning.  When they arrived they found that the fire had spread from a single room into the attic.  Crews were able to put the blaze out within an hour.  All occupants were able to escape the house safely.  The cause of the fire is under investigation but it is believed it started outside the house.

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg slammed New York’s marijuana law as a disaster — blaming state legislators for a roll out of cannabis that has helped criminals and hurt kids by making it as “easy to buy an ounce of pot as it is a slice of pizza.”  Bloomberg, who has rarely weighed in on New York issues since leaving City Hall a decade ago, said the law has failed to address enforcement of criminal activity and allowed illegal pot shops to flourish as a result before legal cannabis shops were licensed to open.  He cited data that drug and alcohol incidents in public schools spiked 29% over the past year.  Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved marijuana legalization in 2021. His successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, has since overseen the slow rollout, with only a handful of licensed pot shots opening amid a massive black pot market.

Gas prices aren’t moving.  AAA says that the average price of Gas in Batavia is currently 3.37 for a gallon of regular.  This is even with what it was a week ago and a month ago.  It is down 98 cents from last year.  The New York State Average is 3.44 and the National is the same.

Lots of people came out for a taste of the sweet life on the first day of the 28th annual Maple Weekend. Over 50 maple producers opened their doors to the public to learn how maple syrup is made, sample delicious products, and experience the history behind this powerhouse crop.  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New York maple producers produced a whopping 845,000 gallons of maple syrup in 2022, which is a 31% increase from the previous year.  Over at Genesee Country Village and Museum, they were offering demonstrations on the history of maple syrup production.  Governor Hochul declared the weekends open to the public on Saturday in a ceremony at Moore’s Maple Shack and Pancake House in Freedom.  

The Buffalo Sabres were completely shut out against the Boston Bruins in their game on Sunday.  They lost 7 to 0 against the frontrunner for the President’s Trophy.  Boston scored their first goal within 15 seconds of puck drop.  The loss marks Buffalo’s third in a row and the second straight time giving up seven goals in back-to-back contest against Boston.  Buffalo will stay at the KeyBank Center for their next game. A Tuesday night showdown with Nashville. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. est.

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal, multi-vehicle accident in Batavia.  Deputies said at around 6:30 p.m. Friday, a Hyundai crossed the median on West Main Street and hit a Jeep and a pick-up truck.  According to deputies, the driver of the Hyundai, 68 year old Maryellen Wilbur, was thrown from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Another driver was taken to ECMC for lower body injuries.  The Sheriff’s office says the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Oddey the overdosed French Bulldog has been adopted.  Cassandra Elmore, who ran the court ragged missing court appointment after court appointment and then failing to show up for rehab when jailed and then released, had entered a guilty plea back in February on the charges that were keeping the dog locked up.  With that part of the case resolved, Oddey could be taken out of captivity and found a new home.  Elmore was granted a conditional discharge which meant that she was free and her records would be sealed if she complied with court orders and avoided further arrests.  She is currently being sought by the police for a warrant because she failed to obey the court order to show up for rehab services, as well as criminal weapon possession, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, aggravated unlicensed operation, and obstruction of governmental administration.

State lawmakers have just over two weeks to submit their budget for next year and part of it is planned to be a 9 billion dollar investment into transportation and infrastructure mostly centered around New York City.  How are they planning to pay for this?  Taxes on streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max and others.  Assemblyman Steve Hawley is against the raise in taxes saying that “To attack every single individual that has this type of device on their television or on their computer just is not sensible and really goes after the working men and women of our state.”  The state is also looking at adding a 25 cent fee for delivery transactions.

Standardized test scores and proficiency in things like math and English have fallen since the Pandemic.  In order to make it so fewer kids failed their tests, the New York State Education Department lowered the minimum passing score needed on those assessments.  Now they want to make the change permanent.  They say that judging a student’s proficiency by just one test a year isn’t fair to the student.  Critics say that lowering the passing grade just lowers expectations when students are already struggling to graduate with what they need to succeed in college or a trade.

The Buffalo Sabres lost their St Patricks Day match up against the Philadelphia Flyers 5 to 2.  Victor Olofsson scored both of Buffalo’s goals.  The loss keeps the Sabres at 72 points and six points back of the Islanders and Penguins for the second wild card spot.  They’ll look to rebound back at home Sunday when they square off with the Boston Bruins. Puck drop is at 1 p.m. at the KeyBank Center.

Another incident is being investigated today at Compasscare, a pregnancy services clinic located on Eggert Road in Amherst. A link to surveillance video of the incident, which occurred shortly after midnight yesterday morning, is posted on the Amherst Police website. It shows CompassCare’s sign being vandalized with red graffiti to spell the word “Liars” by a Caucasian woman in a dark gray sweatshirt and black leggings. CEO of Compasscare Reverend Jim Harden said that politicians and pro abortion protesters use language accusing pregnancy resource centers of lying to and manipulating women into having babies but then don’t help them afterwards. Compasscare and other resource centers list services that include free baby care items, educational assistance, help getting formula and baby clothes and more for both pregnant women and women and their babies.

A winter storm watch is in effect for Wyoming County, as well as Southern Erie County from 2:00 tomorrow afternoon through Sunday afternoon at 2:00. Heavy lake effect snow is possible with accumulations of 3 to 6 inches predicted in the most persistent lake snows. Winds could gust as high as 40 miles per hour. Travel could be difficult, especially on Saturday night, with periods of blowing snow significantly reducing visibility.

Brand-new data from the state shows the spread of COVID-19 has decreased slightly in our region. Right now, the 7-day average infection rate is sitting at 5.5%. At this time last week the average infection rate was 5.61%. To prevent another surge in cases, County Health Departments say that people should make sure they’re up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, and wear a mask when indoors, in public.

File photo of Irondequoit Police vehicle

Irondequoit police are continuing their investigation into a shooting that sent one man to the hospital. Officials say the victim was found last night in the parking lot of the Hidden Creek Townhomes on Charwood Circle. It is believed he may have been shot during an attempted robbery and he was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for his injuries. An arrest hasn’t been made in connection with this case and tips can be submitted to police by calling 585-336-6000.

Rochester Police tell us they now have two people in custody in connection to a vehicle stolen at knifepoint that crashed into a police car and then a school bus. 20-year-old Maliq McCullough and 23-year-old Adeosun Hughes were arrested after allegedly stealing a jeep at knifepoint from a 51-year-old woman yesterday afternoon on Costar Street and then later fleeing a traffic stop. They rammed a police car and then went across an intersection against the light where they were struck by a school bus, which caused the jeep to spin out. They then attempted to run away but were quickly apprehended. No injuries were reported. McCullough is charged with robbery, assault and two counts of grand larceny. He was taken to Monroe County Jail. Hughes is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was issued an appearance ticket. (Provided photo)

File photo of a house finch

Tomorrow’s Birding Walk and Spring is Here Hike have been POSTPONED to next Saturday, March 25th due to high winds. Call Genesee County Parks, Recreation & Forestry for more information: 585-344-1122

File photo of Mark Poloncarz

Erie County officials are expressing concern over a growing number of drug overdoses in the area. County Executive Mark Poloncarz said yesterday that many of these overdoses have been connected to fentanyl, which is being used to lace drugs such as cocaine. Since the start of 2023, there have been a combined 97 probable and confirmed opioid-related deaths in the county. Anyone who is struggling with a drug problem can contact Erie County’s 24-Hour addiction hotline at 716-831-7007.

Josh Allen (left); Kyle Allen (right)

Allen No.2 is coming to join the Buffalo Bills quarterback room. It’s become the tale of two Allen’s; Kyle Allen appears to be Josh Allen’s newest backup after spending his most recent season with the Houston Texans. Ironically, the same place former Bills backup quarterback Case Keenum just joined. The Allens are close friends off the field. The new Allen has spent time with the Panthers, Commanders, and Texans, totaling 19 career starts.

The Buffalo Sabres will be back in action tonight as they try to end their current road trip with a victory. The Sabres are visiting the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center in the City of Brotherly Love. On Wednesday, Buffalo suffered a tough 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Washington Capitals. Face-off this evening is set for 7:00.

Please play responsibly.

Lottery players are hoping luck is going to be on their side as they try to win tonight’s jackpot worth $254,000,000 (million). The drawing will be streamed at megamillions.com. Please play responsibly.

2015 Ford Lincoln MKZ

Ford is recalling more than a million cars because of a brake hose issue. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says Ford Fusions and Lincoln MKZs sold between 2013 and 2018 are affected. It has to do with front brake hoses that may rupture and leak brake fluid.

Wyoming County is under a Winter Storm Watch for Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon.  Heavy Lake Effect snow is expected with snow accumulations of more than 7 inches possible.  Winds are also expected to gust over 40 miles per hour.  Travel could be difficult Saturday night with blowing snow causing drifts and reduced visibility.  

The Amherst Police Department is investigating another incident at Compasscare.  Police said the incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday.  CompassCare, a pregnancy services clinic located at 1230 Eggert Road, posted a link to surveillance video of the incident on its website which shows its sign being vandalized with red graffiti to spell the word “Liars” by a Caucasian woman in a dark gray sweatshirt and black leggings.  CEO of Compasscare Rev. Jim Harden said that politicians and pro abortion agitators use increasingly violent rhetoric accusing pregnancy resource centers of lying to and manipulating women into having babies and then don’t help them afterwards.  Compasscare and other pregnancy resource centers list of services includes free baby care items, educational services, help getting formula and baby clothes and much more for both pregnant women and women and their babies.

56 Harvester Center could soon have a new tavern and bar.  Bill and Michelle Snyder are just waiting on a permit to open their new establishment.  They own Windy Brew brewery in Strikersville.  The City Council has approved their application for a liquor license and Batavia Police have no objections.  Plans are to include live music and a tasting room for brews, including Windy Brew.

Rochester Police said they have two people in custody in connection to a vehicle stolen at knifepoint that crashed into a police car and a school bus Wednesday afternoon.  20 year old Maliq McCullough and 23 year old Adeosun Hughes were arrested after allegedly stealing a jeep at knifepoint from a 51 year old woman on Costar Street and then fleeing a traffic stop on Bernard and North st.  They rammed a police car and then went across an intersection against the light when they were struck by a school bus which caused the jeep to spin out.  They then attempted to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended.  No injuries were reported on the bus.  McCullough is charged with robbery, assault and two counts of grand larceny. He was taken to Monroe County Jail.  Hughes is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was issued an appearance ticket.

This weekend is the first half of Maple Weekends in New York State which runs this Saturday and Sunday and also next weekend.  Dozens of maple producers are participating with tours, tastings, wagon rides and special events throughout the weekend.  The events are completely free to attend but you may find yourself buying lots of sweet treats like: maple syrup, cotton candy, ice cream, maple candies and sauces to take home.  There are plenty of producers near Batavia such as Sweet Dream Maple in Corfu, Merle Maple near Varysburg, A and A Maple and Maple Moon Farms near Attica and Randalls Maple Products near Darien.  You can see an interactive map of participating locations by following the link at wbtai.com. 

https://mapleweekend.nysmaple.com/

Allen No.2 is coming to join the Buffalo Bills quarterback room.  Kyle Allen looks to be Josh Allen’s newest backup after spending his most recent season with the Houston Texans. Ironically, the same place former Bills backup quarterback Case Keenum just joined.  The new Allen duo are known to be friends spotted via social media hanging out during the offseason.  The new Allen has spent time with the Panthers, Commanders, and Texans, totaling 19 career starts.

The Batavia Indoor Track Team competed at the Nike Nationals meet this past weekend in New York City at the Armory Track and Field.  Parker Kleinbach earned a second-place finish in the Weight Throw with a distance of 57′ – 6.25″.  The 4×200 with Fabian Vazquez, Aidan Anderson, Parris Price, and Cole Grazioplene finished in 13th place with a time of 1:34.20.   This was the second fastest time in program history and a very competitive race for these athletes.  In the 4×400 Relay the team finished in fifth place, earning a medal with a time of 3:29.40.  This performance is a new school record, the first time Batavia has had a team run under 3:30 in program history, and the fastest time of any team in Section V this season.  The girls 4×800 had an incredible race running the 2nd fastest time in program history and only missing the school record by 1 second.  Nicole Doeringer, Jadyn Boyce, Izzy Scott, and Campbell Riley finished in 9th place with a time of 9:59.05.  Batavia had 22 athletes compete at the Nike Nationals this season in a three-day competition with thousands of athletes from across the country.

Patrick Casanova

29-year-old Patrick Casanova of Medina has been sentenced to 2 to 4 years in state prison; he pleaded guilty to assault when he admitted to punching a woman in the face, which fractured her orbital bone and damaged her sinus.

An arrest has been made in connection with a shooting in Rochester last week that left one person dead. According to investigators, 19-year-old Sincere Vazquez shot 20-year-old Anthony Stevenson-Sutton while he was in a vehicle on Depew Street last Friday night. Stevenson-Sutton passed away at the scene and Vazquez was also hurt in the incident. Vazquez is now facing multiple charges including murder and will be arraigned at a later date.

Cleaning up after the blizzard; 12/29/22

President Biden has approved a major disaster declaration in the aftermath of a deadly blizzard that devastated this area back in December. That means more federal funding is going to be available to help local governments cover the cost of both responding to the storm and cleaning up after it. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says that this money will be critical to help the city successfully recover. The storm was responsible for taking dozens of lives and causing millions of dollars worth of damage.

Monsignor Peter Popadick

The Diocese of Buffalo has announced that a priest has been placed on administrative leave for a second time. The diocese says the decision to put Monsignor Peter Popadick on leave was made after a child sexual abuse complaint was filed against him. He is currently serving as the pastor at Saint Aloysius Gonzaga in Cheektowaga. Popadick was previously put on leave after being accused of molesting a child, but was allowed to return to the ministry after an investigation couldn’t substantiate that claim.

Gerald Berg of Lee Center in Oneida County was sentenced to four months of weekends in the Orleans County Jail, plus five years of probation for attempted promotion of prison contraband. Berg admitted to trying to bring fentanyl to the Albion Correctional Facility. He told the court that he was aware it was a dangerous substance for someone to use.

2740 Monroe Avenue, Brighton – Opening next month

The Rochester area’s first Whole Foods Market is scheduled to open April 12 at 2740 Monroe Avenue in Brighton. The long-awaited announcement comes one week after a judge ruled in favor of the project’s developers in a lawsuit filed by Wegmans-backed community groups. Festivities will kick off at 7:00am on opening day. The first 500 shoppers in line will receive a Whole Foods tote bag and gift cards. The store will be open from 8:00am until 9:00pm on opening day, with giveaways, free samples and live entertainment planned. Whole Foods said the store would feature more than 500 local items from Western and Central New York.

Saint Patrick’s Day is tomorrow, and police in New York State will be doing their part over the next few days to make sure everyone gets to and from their celebrations safely. Their latest crackdown on impaired drivers begins today and continues through Sunday. Travelers will see an increased police presence on the roads and additional sobriety checkpoints will be set up. Police say people can ensure they get home safely by having a designated driver or by using a taxi or rideshare service.

Families across the Empire State will be finding it a bit easier to access childcare thanks to the launch of a brand-new online tool. Governor Hochul says this tool will allow parents to see if they are eligible for monetary support from the state’s Child Care Assistance Program. Families can fill out a questionnaire that lets them know if they meet the basic criteria and puts them in contact with a department of social services in their area so they can apply for funding. For more information, go to ocfs.ny.gov.

Strong Museum of Play – 2023 Nominees

Officials at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester have announced the finalists for this year’s World Video Game Hall of Fame. The nominees include The Last Of Us, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Angry Birds, Quake, Wii Sports, and GoldenEye 007. Games are judged based on their longevity, influence on culture, and international reach. Voting is open until March 22nd and can be done by going to museumofplay.org. The induction ceremony will happen May 4th.

Hundreds of students from around the region are expected to attend the second and final day of the Buffalo National College Fair today. The event is at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center and there’s no cost to attend. The goal of the fair is to allow people to get a look at what a variety of colleges have to offer, all without having to leave Western New York. If you’re unable to attend or would like more information, go to buffalocollegefair.com.

Ukko-Pekka-Luukkonen – file photo

The playoff hopes of the Buffalo Sabres have taken a hit following a disappointing loss on the road. Zemgus Girgensons, JJ Peterka, Tyson Jost, and Ilya Lyubushkin each scored, but the Sabres were beaten in a shootout by the Washington Capitals last night 5-4. Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 35 of the 39 shots he faced in the contest. The next game for the Sabres is tomorrow against the Flyers in Philadelphia. The puck drops at 7:00.

In an effort to rally young people’s interest in the election process and voting and build a future base of voters, Genesee County Board of Elections is sprinkling a little fun into what can otherwise be a dry topic.  The “I Voted” sticker contest is being promoted to students in grades five through 12 in art or in government classes throughout county school districts and home schools. They are being encouraged to create original artwork used with the words “I Voted” to celebrate that American privilege, and a grand winner, plus prizes for first, second and third will be awarded to the top selected entries.  The grand prize winner’s design will be made into stickers for voters during the Primary and General elections, including Early Voting.  First, second and third place entries will be used in social media content and for other voting-related outreaches.

The Rochester area’s first Whole Foods Market is slated to open April 12 on Monroe Avenue in Brighton.  The long-awaited announcement comes one week after a judge ruled in favor of the project’s developers in a lawsuit filed by Wegmans-backed community groups.  Festivities will kick off at 7 a.m. on opening day. The first 500 shoppers in line will receive a Whole Foods tote bag and gift cards.  The store will be open from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. on opening day, with giveaways, free samples and live entertainment planned.  Whole Foods said the store will feature more than 500 local items from Western and Central New York.

A new airline is coming to Rochester and bringing nonstop service to a popular destination for Western New Yorkers.  Avelo Airlines will offer twice-weekly flights from the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina’s Research Triangle.  Service will be offered Mondays and Fridays, following a special inaugural flight on Wednesday, June 14.  Introductory one-way fares start at $39. Reservations can now be made online.

Emmanuel Baptist Church on Oak Street in Batavia is inviting Batavia community members to join in creating and farming a new community garden in the field behind the church.  The initial plan is to build 20 4 foot by 3 foot plots and a toolshed and offer the plots for 20 dollars for anyone in the community who wants to grow flowers, veggies and herbs.  The garden hasn’t been built yet and part of the invitation is for anyone who wants to help build to get a free plot for the first season.  Tools, seeds, water and watering cans will be provided by the church.  An informational meeting is scheduled for March 29th at 6pm at Emmanuel Baptist Church.  For more information call 585 343 4905 or email ebcbatavia@gmail.com.

In a surprising move, Bills safety Jordan Poyer is returning to Buffalo.  The team announced Wednesday afternoon the two sides agreed on a two-year deal.  A first-team All-Pro in 2021, 31 year old Poyer,, earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2022 despite missing four games due to injuries.  The 10-year veteran, who originally joined the Bills in 2017, was expected to sign elsewhere after his contract with Buffalo expired, with many reports indicating he hoped to sign with the Miami Dolphins.  The news comes after the team lost linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Chicago Bears.

The Sabres lost their matchup against the Washington Capitals by just one goal for a score of 5 to 4 in a shootout.  Zemgus Girgensons, JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn and Tyson Jost all scored and Ukko Pekka Luukonen made 35 saves.  The Sabres are at 33 and 28 and 6.  Playing out the rest of the regular season the Sabres have a contest against the Philadelphia Flyers at 7 on Friday in Philadelphia at Wells Fargo Center.

Batavia City Council – file photo

The City Council in Batavia has voted 6 to 2 in favor of overriding the tax cap and passing the proposed $33,500,000 (million) budget. The override means that the city will be able to collect a $6.6 million tax levy for the $19.4 million general budget. City taxpayers won’t see an increased tax rate, as that will remain flat at $8.94 per $1,000 assessed value. Council was also unanimous in its vote to approve the 30 cents water rate increase, which, along with an increased water meter rate and capital improvement fees, will tack on about $60 more for an average home of four people. City Council members said they were happy with the cities financial status and their ability to get a new Zamboni and ice chiller for the ice arena, put up the new police station, change over the streetlamps to LED lights, and 3 major water and sewer projects.

File photo from October 2022; South Lyon Street Bridge

Work on the South Lyon Street Bridge will resume Friday, March 17th. Work had been paused due to seasonal weather conditions. A small portion of South Main Street will be closed to traffic over the upcoming months. The bridge replacement project began last September and consists of two 11-foot lanes with 2-foot shoulders and a 5-foot sidewalk on the east side of the truss. The alignment of South Lyon Street will be modified to improve the intersection with South Main Street and approach work includes a seamless transition to the relocated intersection, existing roadway, and sidewalks. Photo by Doug Thompson, WBTA News.

Orleans County deputies have arrested a teenager who they say made a threat against the Albion Central School District. The alleged threat was made on the social media app Snapchat and targeted the district with the threat of violence. Officials were able to track down the 16-year-old student they say was responsible for the message and the teen told them it was just a joke. The suspect was charged with a felony and released.

Lauren Taggart

The family of a teenager who lost her life in a tragic crash has filed a lawsuit against the Town of Clarence. Last March, 17-year-old Lauren Taggart and 17-year-old Luke Malinich were traveling on Delaware Road near Goodrich Road when the vehicle they were in ended up going off the road, flipping over, and hitting a tree. The lawsuit is claiming that the town didn’t make enough of an effort to ensure the road was safe before the accident. The town attorney isn’t commenting on the litigation.

The driver of a Niagara Falls plow truck has been arrested after police say he caused the vehicle to tip over, leading to a salt and fuel spill. When police got to the scene in the area of Porter Road and Hyde Park Boulevard yesterday, they suspected 53-year-old Robert McClain was intoxicated and he was taken into custody. McClain wasn’t hurt and there were no other vehicles involved in the incident. The Niagara Falls Fire Department was able to clean up the fuel spill.

Another STOP-DWI effort starts tomorrow and will continue through Sunday, March 19. St. Patrick’s Day weekend is notorious 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. While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have made great strides in reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers.

Four Sabres players talking – November 2022

The Buffalo Sabres continue their road trip and will be back on the ice tonight as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive against an Eastern Conference rival. The Sabres are taking on the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. On Monday, the Sabres snapped their four-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Face-off this evening is set for 7:00.

For the first time in weeks, members of the Erie County Stadium Corporation are expected to gather for a meeting today. The Buffalo News is reporting that they’ll be discussing documents related to the construction of a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills. Plans call for that facility to be built near Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, which is where the Bills currently play their home games. The hope is that the new stadium will be ready to open in time for the 2026 NFL season.

It is National Kidney Month, and the New York State Department of Health is pushing Empire State residents to take steps to protect themselves from kidney disease. People can help keep their kidneys healthy by eating foods that are low in salt and by eating fruits and vegetables each day. Also, people who have diabetes should make sure their blood sugar stays in its target range as much as possible. Experts also say people who smoke should stop, since smoking can worsen kidney disease. Data shows chronic Kidney Disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.

A 16 year old boy is on probation after making a terrorist threat against the Albion School District on Snapchat.  Around 6:30 in the morning on Tuesday the School Resource officer received an alert that there was a threat posted on social media.  Investigators quickly located the student who had posted the threat and arrested him.  He said he was just joking around.  He was arraigned for felony making a terrorist threat and then reported to Orleans County Probation for electronic monitoring.

The City Council in Batavia voted 6 to 2 in favor of overriding the tax cap and passing the 33. 5 million dollar budget.  The tax cap override means that the city will be able to collect a $6.6 million tax levy for the $19.4 million general budget. City taxpayers won’t see an increased tax rate, as that will remain flat at $8.94 per $1,000 assessed value.  Council was unanimous in its vote to approve the 30-cent water rate increase, which, along with an increased water meter rate and capital improvement fees, will tack on about $60 more for an average home of four people.  City Council members said they were happy with the cities financial status and their ability to get a new zamboni and ice chiller for the ice arena, put up the new police station, change over the streetlamps to LED lights, and 3 major water and sewer projects.

Volunteer firefighters will be able to claim a tax exemption for their service and with 585 volunteers across the county, the savings they get will be charged to everyone else.  Firefighters get to claim the exemption if the law is passed which adds up to about 134 dollars in tax savings per volunteer firefighter, paid firefighters don’t get to claim it.  All those firefighters means the taxes, about 78 thousand dollars worth, they aren’t paying get passed on to other county residents for a tax raise of about 3.30 cents per resident.  County legislators want to look at this again before signing it.  And, if passed, the earliest it would go into effect would be 2024.

Work for the South Lyon Street Bridge over the Tonawanda Creek project will resume Friday, March 17, 2023, as the work on the bridge had been paused due to seasonal weather conditions. A small portion of South Main Street in Batavia will be closed to traffic over the upcoming months.  The bridge replacement project began last September and consists of two 11-foot lanes with 2-foot shoulders and a 5-foot sidewalk on the east side of the truss. The alignment of South Lyon Street will be modified to improve the intersection with South Main Street and approach work includes a seamless transition to the relocated intersection, existing roadway, and sidewalks.

St Patrick’s day weekend is also a STOP DWI weekend for Batavia, Leroy and Genesee County.  The statewide STOP-DWI efforts start Thursday, March 16, and will continue through Sunday, March 19.  St. Patrick’s Day weekend is a notoriously deadly 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.  While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have made great strides in reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers.

The Muckdogs are holding an XTreme International Ice Racing event at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on March 31st at 7pm.  XTreme Ice Racing is a motorcycle tour in Ice.  The racers add metal studs to their tires and compete with bikes and quads with no brakes.  This event will be the world championships of the sport and tickets can be bought by calling 814 504 9979 or going to the ticket office at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena.

BATAVIA CITY POLICE BLOTTER: 40-year-old Sarah Malone of Batavia is charged with theft of services and criminal impersonation. It’s alleged she dined at a local restaurant and left without paying her bill. Once located by police, Malone provided the officer with a false name and date of birth. She was issued an appearance ticket and was scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court. ALSO: 48-year-old Douglas Ashworth of Batavia is charged with menacing, following an incident during which it’s alleged he pointed a hunting rifle at two juveniles, which placed them in reasonable fear of injury or death. Ashworth was issued an appearance ticket and scheduled to appear in City Court at a later date. ALSO: 32-year-old Phillip Byford of Sweden, NY has been arrested on Batavia City Court bench warrants. The first stemmed from an incident at a West Main Street business charging him with petit larceny. Byford was issued an appearance ticket and failed to appear, which led to a second warrant. The third was linked to criminal trespass; he was issued another appearance ticket and once again failed to appear. Byford was arraigned in Batavia City Court and is to return to court at a later date. ALSO: 19-year-old Myia Sobus of Oakfield and 18-year-old Timothy Alis of Batavia are each charged with petit larceny. It’s alleged that they filled a shopping cart with $897 worth of items and left the story without paying. They were released on an appearance ticket and scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court this afternoon. ALSO: 38-year-old Shawn Sloan of Batavia is charged with petit larceny and criminal trespass. It’s alleged he entered an apartment on Bank Street and stole a kitchen utensil. Sloan was released on an appearance ticket and was scheduled to appear in City Court a later date.

A winter weather advisory remains in effect for the entire GLOW region until 8:00am tomorrow. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are expected with occasional wind gusts of 40mph. This combination will create periods of difficult travel due to poor visibility and blowing and drifting snow. Some parts of the state are anticipating up to two feet of snow. It’s those areas where Governor Hochul is urging people to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel; and in fact, she declared a state of emergency for some downstate counties. However, Erie, Monroe, Livingston, Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming counties are not included in the declaration.

Democrats in the State Senate will attempt to prevent Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposal to raise yearly tuition at the state’s public college and universities by creating a plan that would tie tuition to the Higher Education Price Index or 3%. The tuition proposal from the Governor would affect campuses at the State University of New York as well as the City University of New York. The debate over SUNY and CUNY tuition is coming as public higher education has faced financial squeezes over the last several years amid the ongoing challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, growing costs and in some instances declining enrollment. The state Senate is set to unveil its budget resolution this week alongside the Democratic-led state Assembly. The Senate budget proposal will not include the tuition proposal from Hochul. Legislative budget resolutions are non-binding documents, but provide a roadmap for where lawmakers would like to take the negotiations over the next several weeks with the governor in the budget talks.

Governor Hochul

Governor Hochul has announced that a dedicated outreach team is going to be helping connect East Buffalo residents with necessary services. This effort is part of larger investments to help people in that area recover from the deadly mass shooting at a Tops store on Jefferson Avenue last May. The team will be going door-to-door in several zip codes to identify the specific needs of individuals. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says he’s looking forward to seeing positive results.

The latest data from the New York State Flu Tracker shows there are still a low number of flu cases being reported in our region. During the week ending March 4th, the area with the highest number of infections was Monroe County with 38; Erie County had 19; Niagara County, 12; Ontario County had 4; Wyoming and Orleans Counties each had 2, and Wayne and Genesee Counties reported no cases of the flu. County Health Departments tell us it’s not too late in the season to get a flu shot. You can find a clinic by going to vaccines.gov.

A former employee with the East Irondequoit Central School District is in some serious legal trouble after being arrested on child pornography charges. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 20-year-old Leonard Ortiz, Jr. was working as a teacher’s aide when officials received a report he was trading child porn online through social media. A search of his home led to the discovery of hundreds of disturbing images and videos. School district administrators say he was fired immediately in December when they learned he was under investigation. Authorities noted he was previously investigated for possession of child pornography in 2019 when he was 17. He was not federally prosecuted because of his age. The district said he did undergo a background check and there were no reports of any questionable behavior during his employment. Ortiz is now facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Jason Arno with his daughter

The investigation has been completed into the 4-alarm blaze that took the life of Buffalo Fire Department member Jason Arno. The results of the probe are now going to be in the hands of the Erie County District Attorney’s office. The fire happened on March 1st, and the 37-year-old Arno died at the scene. The fire caused more than $2,000,000 (million) worth of damage. While demolition work at the site is happening, streets in the area will be closed to traffic.

File photo of one type of steering wheel lock.

Rochester police are taking action to prevent owners of certain Kias and Hyundais from having their vehicles stolen. The department is handing out steering wheel locks on a first come, first served basis at neighborhood centers on Dewey Avenue, Norton Street, Genesee Street and North Goodman Street. The locks are only available to city residents who own Kia’s and Hyundai’s from the 2010 to 2020 model years. Those vehicles have been targeted by thieves after a viral video showed how easy it is to steal them.

Alex Tuch, after last night’s win.

The Buffalo Sabres have snapped their 4-game losing streak after picking up a much-needed win on the road. Alex Tuch scored twice and Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn had a goal each as the Sabres defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 at Scotiabank Arena last night. Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson was able to stop 25 of the 28 shots he faced in the contest. Buffalo’s next game is tomorrow against the Washington Capitals; face-off is at 7:00.

Happy ‘Pi Day’ – 3/14/23

Today is Pi Day, the annual celebration of the mathematical constant Pi. Pi is commonly rounded to 3.14. And while Pi Day is not to be confused with National Pie Day, there’s sure to be deals on pizza today as well. Pi is an irrational number, which means it cannot be represented as a simple fraction, and those numbers cannot be represented as terminating or repeating decimals. Therefore, the digits of pi go on forever in a seemingly random sequence. Photo credit: James Meier

I don’t have the heart to tell them they have to pick the winning numbers first…

The Mega Millions jackpot is still on the rise and the prize up for grabs ahead of tonight’s drawing is $229,000,000 (million). Anyone who wants to watch the drawing can visit megamillions.com. Please play responsibly.

Styx – file photo from a 2022 concert

A popular rock band has joined the list of groups that are going to be performing at the Artpark Amphitheater in Lewiston this year. Styx is scheduled to take the stage on Friday, June 2nd at 7:30pm. The group is known for several hits including “Come Sail Away,” “Renegade,” and “Babe.” Tickets for this concert will go on sale this Friday at 10:00am. Other artists who are coming to the Amphitheater include Barenaked Ladies and The Avett Brothers.

The Genesee County Health Department has been given a 5 year grant to give out free Radon testing kits to Genesee County residents. Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that comes naturally from the soil and can cause lung damage that can lead to cancer. New homes and older homes both can get a buildup of this gas. Tests are available for free to Genesee County residents if they request a kit from the Health Department but there is a finite supply. If you live outside Genesee County you can buy one at a hardware store for about 15 to 20 dollars. If you have high Radon you can get a contractor to install a Radon mitigation unit at your own expense. To contact the Health Department call 585-344-2580 Extension 5555.

The rest of the state is getting plenty of snow, we may get a couple of inches. Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties are under a winter weather advisory with 4-7 inches of snow expected between 6am today and 8am Wednesday. Gusts of up to 35 miles per hour could blow snow over roads and cause reduced visibility.   The rest of the state is expecting a storm that could bring up to two feet of snow for some areas.  Gov. Hochul is urging people to stay home and avoid any unnecessary travel.  Hochul declared a state of emergency at 8 p.m. in anticipation of the developing Nor’easter.  This state of emergency does not include Monroe, Livingston, Orleans, Genesee, or Wyoming counties.

Governor Hochul’s 2024 budget includes a demand that Municipalities increase their housing by 1 percent annually and that New York State will build 800,000 new homes in the next 10 years.  The city council in Batavia is putting together a resolution to send to Albany to urge Hochul to reevaluate the plan based on the impact it will have on communities.  Batavia may be stripped of any local zoning, planning or land-use regulations powers if housing targets are not met and allow mixed-income multi-family projects to take advantage of a fast-track housing approval process, city leaders say.  Other concerns are that there isn’t enough demand for affordable housing in Batavia but there is a demand for housing for those making 50-75 thousand dollars a year.   County and city officials agree that housing must remain with local municipal comprehensive plans. 

The Rochester Fire Department has reported  battling a large warehouse fire on the city’s West Side.  Fire crews responded to a call on Otis Street at around 5:45 p.m. on Monday.  When firefighters arrived, units found pallets that had caught fire, which resulted in the fire spreading rapidly and consuming the entire warehouse.  The department has said that three walls and the building roof collapsed in the fire.  One firefighter was injured at the scene and is receiving treatment at the hospital. He is expected to survive.  All residents in the area were evacuated due to concerns of heat exposure.  Fire units installed hosing systems outside some nearby homes to prevent the fire damage from spreading.  No cause for the fire has been determined at this time.

Those fluffers are worth their weight in gold!  Or at least people gave generously to keep them fed and cared for.  The March 4th Fur Ball Gala Fundraiser at Batavia Downs raised 20,000 dollars for our furry friends.  The benefit raised money for the Volunteers for Animals, The Animal Shelter of Genesee County, SPCA of Wyoming County and the SPCA of Niagara County.  Thurman Thomas was on hand to take pictures and sign autographs.  70 baskets were raffled off.  Monies from the gala will be used by the charities to feed and support the hundreds of animals in their care.

The Genesee County Health Department has been given a 5 year grant to give out free Radon testing kits to Genesee County residents.  Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that comes naturally from the soil and can cause lung damage that can lead to cancer.  New homes and older homes both can get a buildup of this gas.  Tests are available for free to Genesee County residents if they request a kit from the Health Department but there is a finite supply.  If you live outside Genesee County you can buy one at a hardware store for about 15 to 20 dollars.  If you have high Radon you can get a contractor to install a Radon mitigation unit at your own expense. To contact the Health Department call 585 344 2580 Extension 5555.

FROM THE SHERIFF’S REPORT: 20-year-old Beglervoic Ikonic of Rochester has been charged with petit larceny, after allegedly stealing merchandise from a store on Veteran’s Memorial Drive. Ikonic will appear in the Town of Batavia Court on March 23rd. ALSO: 31-year-old Tiffany Walter of Bethany is charged with petit larceny after she allegedly stole merchandise from Walmart in Batavia. Walter was released on an appearance ticket and will be in Town of Batavia Court tomorrow.

A winter weather advisory will go into effect for the entire GLOW region starting at 6:00am tomorrow morning and will be in place until 8:00am Wednesday. Snow is expected with total accumulations of 4 to 6 inches predicted. Winds will gust at times to 35 miles per hour. Travel will periodically be difficult with the combination of poor visibility and snow-covered roads.

File photo of Gendron during sentencing

The next court date has been scheduled in the federal case against Tops supermarket shooter Payton Gendron. His lawyers and prosecutors are set to appear in front of a judge again on June 8th. Gendron could have gone on trial this summer, but that is not going to happen because his attorneys have been granted more time to look at evidence. Gendron has already pleaded guilty to state charges for killing 10 people and injuring three others at the Jefferson Avenue store last May. He could face the death penalty if convicted in the federal case.

Mark Trykowski

43-year-old Mark Trykowski of Kenmore has been sentenced to spend 18 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in Buffalo. He’ll be under 20 years of post-release supervision after that. In addition, the judge issued an order of protection on behalf of the victim until March 2069.

File photo of Main Street Armory, Rochester

The Main Street Armory in Rochester has released a statement several days after a deadly stampede at the venue. The statement says the Armory’s owner is devastated that three people lost their lives and several others were hurt following a concert, and that the Armory is confident that once the investigation concludes, it will show that all proper rules were followed for the event. Last week, the Armory’s license to hold events was denied. A potential reopening date hasn’t been announced.

According to Triple A this morning, the national average price per gallon of gas is $3.47. In New York State, the average is a penny less at $3.46. In Batavia, we’re paying $3.38, up 4 cents from a week ago but down $1.01 from one year ago today.

Jim Whitesell

The University at Buffalo has announced that men’s basketball coach Jim Whitesell has been relieved of his duties. Whitesell’s firing was made official over the weekend, with UB athletic director Mark Alnutt saying that the school believes it is necessary to make a change in leadership. Whitesell spent the last four seasons as the head coach of the Bulls. There’s no word yet when a new coach might be hired.

The Buffalo Sabres are on the road north of the border tonight as they try and snap their four-game losing streak. The Sabres are visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Buffalo is coming off of a tough 2-1 loss in overtime against the New York Rangers on Saturday. Face-off this evening is set for 7:30.

Matt Milano

The Bills have locked up a key part of their defense. They’ve signed linebacker Matt Milano to a two-year extension on Sunday. The deal is reportedly worth $14,000,000 (million) per season. Milano had previously been under contract through 2024, but now will stay with the Bills through the 2026 season. The 28-year-old racked up 99 tackles, one-and-a-half sacks and three interceptions last season. Buffalo originally drafted Milano in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Daylight Saving Time is back. Clocks sprung forward in most of the United States at 2:00am on Sunday. With a disruption to the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock, the shift could have negative health impacts. Sleep researchers say between a quarter and a third of the population feels a little “down” for the first few weeks. Emergency rooms typically see an increase in cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, stroke and fatal car accidents in the week following the time change.

A lot of New Yorkers will be flying over the next few weeks for spring break, and the Transportation Security Administration says it is prepared to handle a high number of passengers. But, the agency is recommending folks get to the airport at least two hours before their scheduled departure time so they can be screened without having to worry about missing their flight. Travelers are also being asked to make sure they don’t have any banned items in their luggage such as explosives, knives, and firearms. And to avoid issues, people can check out the “What Can I Bring?” page that’s on the TSA website before packing.

Main Street Armory has issued a statement for the first time since the deadly stampede at a concert 2 Sundays ago.  The Armory’s attorneys put out a press release saying that the Armory had followed every code, regulation, and law.  They also said that the city took action to not renew the Armories license after scheduling a meeting when Scott Donaldson, the owner of the armory, was unable to appear because of another legal matter and then put out their own press release saying he had simply failed to appear.  They said that the Armory would continue to cooperate fully with the investigation into the stampede. 

University At Buffalo has fired their men’s basketball coach, Jim Whitesell, after losing his first season after 4 years on the job.  Whitesell was under contract through the 2024-25 season and is due to receive a $500,000 buyout under terms of his deal for being fired before April 5.  The move comes two days after the sixth-seeded Bulls were routed 101-77 by third-seeded Akron in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. It marked the Bulls’ third quarterfinal loss under Whitesell.  He finished with a 70-59 record at Buffalo and led the team to one postseason appearance, a 2021 NIT berth, which ended with a first-round loss to Colorado State.

Rochester Police are investigating an alleged attempted robbery on the city’s northwest side on Saturday afternoon.  Officers responded to Primrose Street and Flower City Park for the call around 5:15 p.m.  Police say an elderly couple was leaving a church parking lot, when three suspects on foot blocked the couple’s car, and began hitting it.  A bystander that was leaving the church parking lot observed the incident and intervened.  Officers say the three suspects then attempted to rob the helpful individual, before fleeing the scene.  No injuries were reported from the incident.  Three suspects have been located by police, but no charges have been filed at this time, as the investigation continues.

Gas prices are up by a few cents this week in Batavia.  According to AAA the average price for a gallon of regular in Batavia is 3.37 which is up a penny from a week ago and down a dollar from last year at this time.  The State average is 3.46 which is up 3 cents from last week.  The US average is 3.47

The Buffalo Sabres marked down their 4th straight loss.  Despite an overall complete game from start to finish, including solid goaltending from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen the Sabres fell 2-1 to New York.  The Sabres lone goal of the evening was scored by Jeff Skinner. His 29th of the season.  They’ll head to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs Monday. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m.

The Bills are locking up a key piece of their defense.  Buffalo announced it signed linebacker Matt Milano to a two-year extension on Sunday.  The deal is reportedly worth 14-million dollars per season.  Milano had previously been under contract through 2024, but now will stay with the Bills through the 2026 season.  The 28-year-old racked up 99 tackles, one-and-a-half sacks and three interceptions last season.  Milano was originally drafted by Buffalo in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

A man is heading to prison after being convicted of kicking a deputy from Wyoming County who was searching him for drugs during a Jan. 26, 2022 traffic stop.  Prosecutors said 54 year old Paul Durinko of Girardville, Pennsylvania, was already resisting a frisk when Undersheriff Colin Reagan felt a “rocky substance” in Durinko’s pocket — leading Durinko to turn toward Deputy John Button and repeatedly kick him in the ribs, breaking multiple ribs, until police used a Taser.  After calling for backup, Reagan said he asked Durinko to exit the vehicle and began frisking him.  Police said they found a “softball sized” amount of methamphetamine in Durinko’s pocket.  

Monroe County Sheriffs are trying to prepare people with tips on what to do if they are caught in a crowd that stampedes just like at the Main Street Armory.  Deputy Brendan Hurley says the main things to do in any crowded situation is to “know your exits, know your surroundings and pay attention.”  You need to know how to get out if the crowd gets too tight.  If you do get knocked off your feet, protecting the head and vital organs is the most important thing.  Crowd crushes can happen anywhere, and in the open as well.  159 people were crushed to death and 196 people were injured in Seoul South Korea on Halloween last year in a city street at a festival got too crowded.  More than 2400 were killed in a stampede in the Saudi Arabian City of Mina in 2015 as crowds converged on pilgrimage to a holy site on a highway.  No matter where you are, know the way out and don’t get trapped.

The 105th PGA Championship is coming to Rochester and crews are working through the snow to get the Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford ready for it.  Course preparations began last fall, with crews trying to get as much work done as possible before the winter weather hit Western New York.  This year’s event will be the PGA’s first visit to Oak Hill in 10 years. It will mark the earliest in the year that the club has ever hosted a major tournament.  Past major events at Oak Hill have been held during the summer months, except for the 1995 Ryder Cup which was held in late September.  The championship takes place May 15-21st.

Genesee County Legislature members this week recognized the importance of National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, which is observed throughout March as a nationwide event. Its purpose is to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities and address the barriers that those with disabilities face. Inclusion is necessary, advocates say, since about 15 percent of the world’s population lives with a disability.  March has been recognized as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month since 1987, when President Ronald Reagan issued a public proclamation urging Americans to provide individuals with developmental disabilities “the encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”

Undated file photo of a brush fire

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced this morning that the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning begins March 16 and will be in place through May 14. Since 2009, DEC has enforced the annual brush-burning ban to prevent wildfires and protect communities during heightened conditions for wildfires. Even though some areas of the state remain blanketed in snow, warming temperatures can quickly cause wildfire conditions to arise. Open burning of debris is the single-largest cause of spring wildfires in New York State.

Aisha Stephens (also known as Aisha Haskins)

A Syracuse woman has become the third person to die following a stampede at a concert in Rochester. Officials say that 35-year-old Aisha Stephens, who also goes by Aisha Haskins, passed away due to her injuries Wednesday. She and two other women ended up losing their lives after a large crowd of people stormed the exits of the Main Street Armory last Sunday night after there were reports of gunshots inside the venue. Several other people were also hurt but are expected to recover. Police have not verified that gunshots went off; city officials in Rochester have announced that the Armory is shut down after having the pending renewal of its entertainment license denied. (Rhondesia Belton, 33, of Buffalo, was pronounced dead shortly after the incident. Brandy Miller, 35, of Rochester, died Monday night. Police said Stephens was the last remaining hospitalized victim from Sunday’s stampede.)

Daylight saving time officially begins at 2:00am Sunday, and the Firefighters Association of the State of New York says the clock change should serve as a reminder for people to test the batteries in their smoke alarms. Experts say doing so can help prevent a tragedy in your home if there is a fire. It is also recommended that everyone practice their fire escape plan to make sure they know a way out of their residence in case of an emergency. For more life-saving tips, go to fasny.com.

Undated file photo of man digging his car out of the snow

A winter weather advisory is in effect for the entire GLOW region until 7:00am tomorrow morning. Snow is expected, with total accumulations of 3 to 6 inches predicted. Winds could gust to 35 miles per hour. Plan ahead for snow covered and slippery road conditions with poor visibility. Road conditions will quickly deteriorate around sunset.

Orleans County Courthouse, Albion (file photo)

A Medina man has admitted in Orleans County Court that he was in possession of two vehicles and also broke into a barn. 28-year-old Brandon Fuller pleaded guilty to criminal possession of stolen property and third-degree burglary. He could face 2 to 6 years in state prison when he is sentenced in May. Fuller’s plea agreement also satisfies other misdemeanor charges he faces, as well as violations of probation.

Gas tax relief in Buffalo

Erie County is extending their gas tax relief through the remainder of 2023. The extension limits the county taxes on gas and diesel to a maximum of the $2 rate. The sales tax rate in Erie County is 4.75%, so the gas sales tax there is ten cents per gallon. Legislator Frank Todaro said this is the county’s way of saving people money when it seems like the price of everything keeps going up.

Antonio Lee

A Buffalo man has found out his punishment for killing a woman inside of his apartment more than three years ago. Yesterday, a judge ordered 33-year-old Antonio Lee to spend the next 13 years in prison. Lee pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge for stabbing 53-year-old Marguerite Reading to death at his residence back in January 2020. The victim’s body was later discovered in the area of the Buffalo Central Terminal.

West Seneca, NY (undated file photo)

The West Seneca Central School District has sent a letter to families of students at Winchester-Potters Elementary School to inform them a fifth grade student brought THC-laced candy to school and offered it to classmates. The district also said it is planning an event with one of their School Resource Officers and school social worker to have an open dialogue to address questions and concerns with parents and guardians. A specific date and time will be announced at a later date.

Jordan Greenway during last night’s game

The losing streak of the Buffalo Sabres has reached three games after the team suffered a blowout loss at home. Victor Olofsson, Kyle Okposo, Jeff Skinner, and Jordan Greenway had a goal each but their team still fell to the Dallas Stars by a final score of 10 – 4 at KeyBank Center last night. Sabres goaltender Eric Comrie gave up all 10 Stars goals on the 49 shots he faced in the contest. Buffalo’s next game is tomorrow afternoon against the New York Rangers; the puck drops at 5:00.

Please play responsibly.

The Mega Millions jackpot is continuing to grow and has now surpassed the $200,000,000 (million) threshold. Whoever correctly picks all 6 winning numbers ahead of tonight’s drawing will receive at least $203,000,000 (million) because no one won the game on Tuesday. Anyone who wants to watch the drawing live can do so at megamillions.com. Please play responsibly.

Notre Dame High School, March 2022

Notre Dame’s Running with the Irish 5k Run/Walk, scheduled for tomorrow morning, 3/11, is postponed due to lack of registrations. A new date will be determined.

Nearby St. Patrick’s Events: Some streets in Rochester are going to be lined with people clad in green this weekend during the city’s annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade steps off at 12:30 tomorrow at East Avenue and Alexander Street. City officials are expecting big crowd and they are asking drivers to keep that in mind when traveling near the parade route. For more information, visit rochesterparade.com. AND in Buffalo:
Saint Patrick’s Day is still one week away, but some Buffalo residents will be participating in a holiday-themed event this weekend. The 45th Shamrock Run is happening tomorrow in the city’s Old First Ward. Organizers are expecting roughly 46-hundred runners to take part in the 8K race. A virtual run is also being held for people who aren’t able to attend. Additional information can be found online at buffaloshamrockrun.com.

Rochester City Officials confirmed Thursday that the woman who was in critical condition after the stampede at Main Street Armory has died.  Aisha Stephens, 35, of Syracuse, died Wednesday night, according to police.  Rhondesia Belton, 33, of Buffalo, was pronounced dead shortly after the incident. Brandy Miller, 35, of Rochester, died Monday night.  Police said Stephens was the last remaining hospitalized victim from Sunday’s stampede. Seven other people had non-life-threatening injuries.  The announcement of Stephens’ death comes one day after the city announced the Armory is effectively shut down after having the pending renewal of its entertainment license denied.

There is a winter weather advisory for Wyoming County from Friday at 9am to Saturday at 7am.  4 to 8 inches of snow is expected with the most snow falling across higher elevations.  Periods of snow will result in snow covered roads and limited visibility. Slow down and use caution while driving.

Erie county is extending their Gas tax relief through the rest of the 2023 year.  The extension limits the county taxes on gas and diesel to a maximum of the 2 dollar rate.  The sales tax rate in Erie County is 4.75%, so you’ll pay ten cents per gallon in Erie County sales tax at the pump.  Legislator Frank Todaro said this is the county’s way of saving people money when it seems like the price of everything keeps going up.

On March 8, the LeRoy Wrestling Club won the Greater Rochester Youth Wrestling League Championship for the second year in a row.  The LeRoy Knights avenged two regular season losses to keep the cup in LeRoy.  In a tough semi-final bout against HFL, the Knights came back from a deficit to win 33-32.  The Knights beat a tough Hilton team in the Championship bout 44-28 to maintain their champion status.

The West Seneca Central School District recently sent a letter to families of students at Winchester-Potters Elementary School to inform them a fifth grade student brought THC-laced candy to school and offered it to classmates.  The district also said it is planning an event with the school SRO and school social worker to have an open dialogue about concerns and questions with parents and guardians. A specific date and time will be announced at a later date.

The Sabres dropped their 3rd game in a row against the Dallas Stars in a high scoring game 10 to 4 Thursday night.  Jordan Greenway, Tage Thompson, Kyle Okposo and Jeff Skinner scored a goal each.  Eric Comrie made 39 saves.  The Sabres play next against the New York Rangers at the Keybank Center on Saturday at 5pm.  

Jason Arno kissing his daughter

Memorial services will begin today for the member of the Buffalo Fire Department who was killed in the line of duty. Calling hours for 37-year-old Jason Arno are today from 2:00pm until 8:00pm at the Amigone Funeral Home. His funeral will take place tomorrow at 10:00am at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral. Arno passed away last week while he was at the scene of a four-alarm blaze on Main Street. There’s still no word yet just what caused that fire.

Attica Correctional Facility – file photo

Multiple staff were injured at Attica Correctional Facility in two separate attacks that sent two officers to a local hospital for treatment. At least 8 officers sustained injuries when trying to subdue an inmate who attempted to move in the opposite direction from others. The 40-year-old inmate is serving 50 years to life for murder in the first degree and attempted murder. In a separate incident, another inmate had braided a sheet and gave the appearance of being deceased, as officers were conducting an inmate count. When the cell door opened, they realized the setting was staged so that he could attack them.

A new maximum speed limit of 70 mph could be the reality for New York state drivers this year. If that turns out to be the case, we’ll align with 43 other states across the nation that have already raised the speed limit to above 65 mph. State Senator Thomas O’Mara (R-NY 58) is sponsoring the bill in the Senate, and Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara (D-NY 111) is sponsoring the Assembly bill. Santabarbara said according to The Institute of Transportation Engineers, speed limits could and should be revisited and restudied as new changes appear on the roads. The New York State Thruway Authority and New York State Department of Transportation would have to give the final approval, but some argue that this is not the time to raise speed limits. A 2019 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that rising speed limits over the last 25 years have cost nearly 37,000 lives. If the bill goes into law, more than a dozen roadways would be impacted, including most of the Adirondack Northway, Interstate 88, Interstate 90 and more. The speed on most New York state highways has been 65 mph since 1995.

A winter weather advisory is in effect from 9:00am tomorrow morning through Saturday morning at 7:00am, for Wyoming County, Southern Erie County and the Southern Tier. Snow is expected with accumulations of 4 to 7 inches, with the highest amounts across the higher terrain. Travel will be difficult at times on snow covered roads and reduced visibility. At this time, 2-4 inches for the remainder of the GLOW region are predicted.

The latest data from the state shows that fewer people in our region are testing positive for the coronavirus. Right now, the 7 day average infection rate is sitting at 5.85%. At this time one week ago, that infection rate was at 6.06%. County Health Departments continue to encourage everyone to get vaccinated against the virus and to stay current with booster shots (you can find a clinic in your area by visiting vaccines.gov).

File photo of unidentified woman donating blood

The American Red Cross is making an effort to increase the number of people who roll up their sleeves and donate blood. The Red Cross says anyone who donates through March 31st will have a $10 prepaid gift card sent to his or her email. They will also be entered for a chance at winning a $3000 prepaid Visa gift card that can be used for things like groceries and gas. Locally, you can donate blood tomorrow (3/10) at the Social Services Building, 5130 East Main Street Road from 9:00am until 3:00pm; or on Monday, March 13th, at Robert Morris School, 80 Union Street from 8:00am until 1:00pm. To schedule a donation appointment, go to redcrossblood.org.

Main Street Armory, Rochester

The City of Rochester says the Main Street Armory has been shut down following a stampede over the weekend that left two people dead. A large crowd ran towards the exits during a concert Sunday night after there were reports of gunshots inside the venue. The women who lost their lives have been identified as Rhondesia Belton and Brandy Miller and other victims are still recovering. The police chief said yesterday there’s no word yet when the investigation into the tragedy will be complete.

Holland Land Office Museum – file photo

Holland Land Office Museum is looking for volunteers to work in many positions at the museum. They need help with cleaning, gift shop, tour guides, and artifacts documenters, help with setup and maintenance of the displays, landscapers, and more. Volunteer hours would be during the normal hours of operation of the museum Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. If you have an interest in volunteering with the Holland Land Office Museum, get in touch with Director Ryan Duffy at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

Undated photo of Michael Knowles

A speaker who has stirred up controversy is scheduled to make an appearance at the University at Buffalo tonight. Michael Knowles, who works for the conservative news site The Daily Wire, will be attending an event hosted by the UB student chapter of Young Americans For Freedom. Knowles made headlines recently when he said that transgenderism should be eradicated but has said his intentions were misunderstood. The school president says so long as a student group follows the proper rules, they cannot be disallowed from having a speaker of their choice on campus.

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping the support of their home crowd will help them snap a 2 game losing streak tonight. The Sabres are hosting the Dallas Stars at KeyBank Center. Buffalo is coming off of a controversial 3-2 road loss to the New York Islanders, but the team is still in the race for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Face-off tonight is set for 7:00.

Governor Hochul is calling on New Yorkers to support relief efforts more than a month after deadly earthquakes affected Turkey and Syria. The New York-based Turkish Philanthropy Fund has raised $10,000,000 (million) for relief efforts and already disbursed $2,000,000 (million). The governor is encouraging people to do their part by donating their time or resources to support survivors. The earthquakes have killed an estimated 47,000 people and destroyed over 200,000 buildings. New York is home to more Turkish people than any state in the country.

Conspiracy and twists and turns surround the attempt to get Whole Foods out of Rochester according to the latest court developments.  The Whole Foods store in Brighton has been planned for and under construction for 4 years but has yet to open due to multiple legal challenges and campaigns to stop it.  The Brighton Grassroots and Save Monroe Avenue organizations have challenged every step leading up to the grocery store having a location in the city and according to testimony in the latest court session, it’s been orchestrated by their competitors.  Wegmans has apparently been paying the local supposedly grassroots organizations millions of dollars to stop Whole Foods from opening.  The latest lawsuit, which was about a nature trail that is behind the property, was decided in Whole Foods favor after a member of the local organizations admitted on the stand that they were being paid and that the lawsuits were attempts to stop Whole Foods from competing with Wegmans.  Whole Foods is expected to open in the spring although an appeal is expected.

Main Street Armory can no longer host events.  The Rochester Police Department held a press conference Wednesday regarding the Main Street Armory concert stampede that took the lives of two women.  Prior to Wednesday’s press conference, a meeting was scheduled between the owner of the Armory, Scott Donaldson, and members of the City Corporation Counsel’s Office and the Rochester Police Department’s Licensing Unit.  When Donaldson failed to show up to the meeting, Rochester Police Chief David Smith denied the Armory’s renewal application. The denial now prohibits the Armory from hosting “any public entertainment, which includes concerts, amplified music, and athletic events or games, including volleyball or cheerleading.”

Amazon is attempting to get the ability to deliver alcohol to people’s homes in New York and small liquor stores say this is a threat to their business.  Currently New York liquor laws only allow an owner to operate one store. With multiple warehouse locations across NY, the law would have to change in order for Amazon to be able to deliver directly.  The New York State Liquor Store Association, the Metropolitan Package Store Association, and the Retailers Alliance met in Albany on Wednesday, saying that purchasing alcohol online is not only unsafe, but bad for business.  They claim that there aren’t enough safeguards in place to stop minors from ordering alcohol.  UPS and Fedex already deliver alcohol from some retailers and say they are trained to ID upon delivery.

Interested in getting into collage art?  GO ART! Is hosting Karen Crittenden on Tuesday March 14th to demonstrate hands on Collage Multimedia.  All materials are provided at no charge.  Karen is a lifelong artist who has had a love of all things colorful and accessible.  Her current work has been based in collage/mixed media and photography.  Non-members’ tickets are 5 dollars.  Tavern 2.0.1 will be open for cash purchases. 

Holland Land Office Museum is looking for volunteers to work in many positions at the museum.  They need help with cleaning, gift shop, tour guides, artifacts documenters, help with setup and maintenance of the displays, landscapers, and more.  Volunteer hours would be during the normal hours of operation of the museum Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm.  If you have an interest in volunteering with the Holland Land Office Museum, get in touch with Director Ryan Duffy at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

Musicians of Note, a wall of fame to honor past Batavia High School graduates in music, will host its 4th annual ceremony on March 17 in the Batavia High School auditorium at 7 p.m.  Nominations were accepted until November when the committee followed through with selecting talented and deserving recipients.    Nominées will be recognized with a video presentation. They will also have High School ensembles perform to celebrate those specific honorees.  A plaque featuring their accomplishments will be displayed on the new Musicians Of Note wall at the High School.   The 2023 honorees include Diana Dipson, 1929; Gloria McLaughlin, Retired BCSD music teacher 1970-1989; Brian Isaac, 2001; Deanna Spiotta, 2005; and Melzie Case, 2012.

Moises Germanguerrero

The Erie County District Attorney’s Office says the Cheektowaga man who killed two cats has pleaded guilty to animal cruelty. According to prosecutors, 23-year-old Moises Germanguerrero took the lives of both animals by hitting them in the head with his fist in March 2021 and October 2021. Germanguerrero is facing up to two years in prison when he’s sentenced in June. In a statement, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn called this case disturbing and said his office will prosecute animal abusers to the fullest extent of the law.

The plan to spruce up Centennial Park has been publicized. Cutting down about 60 trees and planting about 400 more over the next 5 years, recreating paths through the park, and changing how the leaves and grass are handled are all part of the new initiative. (Photo: City of Batavia website) If you want to see the 44 pages of plans for the park, click here: https://bataviaslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Centennial-Park-FINAL-DRAFT_04-07-22.pdf

Brandy Miller

Rhondesia Belton

The second person that died following a stampede after a concert in Rochester this past weekend has been identified. Officials say Brandy Miller passed away of injuries that she suffered at the Main Street Armory on Sunday night. Police believe people rushed to the exit after thinking they heard gunshots but are still looking into exactly what happened. Another woman, Rhondesia Belton of Buffalo, also lost her life, and several other people were hurt.

Jason Arno

A week ago today, a member of the Buffalo Fire Department was killed while battling a blaze, and the investigation into what started that fire is still underway. Jason Arno passed away at the scene of last Wednesday’s fire on Main Street, and officials said yesterday that searching through the debris to pinpoint the cause has been a slow process. Heavy equipment was at the site today to help move more rubble. Calling hours for Arno are tomorrow and his funeral is Friday.

Grant money is earmarked for the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester – file photo

Governor Hochul believes her proposed state budget would be good for Rochester and Monroe County if it were passed by the state Legislature. During a visit to the city yesterday, Hochul revealed that over $20,000,000 would go towards public safety initiatives aimed at lowering crime. She also said the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester would receive a $112,000 grant that’d be used to upgrade the club’s teen center. Lawmakers have until April 1st to approve the budget on time.

A school district in Cheektowaga has taken action to increase the safety of both its students and staff. The Cleveland Hill School District says visitors will now have to present identification whenever they enter a school building and their ID will be put inside of a screening device. That device will then check to see if a person’s name is on any sex offender registries. The district says so far, there have been no issues with this new protocol.

Kyle Okposo – file photo

The losing streak of the Buffalo Sabres has now hit two games after the team suffered a tough loss on the road. Dylan Cozens and Kyle Okposo each scored but the Sabres were still defeated by the New York Islanders last night by a final score of 3-2. Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 36 of the 39 shots he faced in the contest. Up next for the Sabres is a home game tomorrow night against the Dallas Stars. The puck drops at 7:00.

It’s National Consumer Protection Week, and one state agency is providing tips to New Yorkers on how they can save money on everyday purchases and subscription services. The state Division of Consumer Protection recommends people compare prices before buying items so they don’t overspend. Also, people should know the return policy on items so they don’t end up getting stuck with something they don’t want to use. And folks should evaluate their subscriptions so that they can cancel ones they use infrequently. For more suggestions, go to facebook.com/nysconsumer.

Edwin Castro

Edwin Castro’s new home in Los Angeles

The winner of the more than $2,000,000,000 (billion) Powerball jackpot is now the owner of a mansion in Southern California. The Los Angeles Times reports Edwin Castro spent $25,000,000 (million) on the home in a neighborhood where several celebrities live. He won the record jackpot after buying a Powerball ticket back in November.

It has been one week since a member of the Buffalo Fire Department was killed while battling a blaze, and the investigation into what started that fire is still underway.  Jason Arno passed away at the scene of last Wednesday’s fire on Main Street, and officials said yesterday that searching through the debris to pinpoint the cause has been a slow process.  Heavy equipment will be at the site today to help move more rubble.  Calling hours for Arno are tomorrow and his funeral is Friday.

The plan to spruce up centennial park was unveiled at a press conference held next to the snow covered park.  Cutting down about 60 trees and planting about 400 more over the next 5 years, recreating paths through the park, and changing how the leaves and grass are handled are all part of the new initiative.  County Legislator Marianne Clattenburg noted during her remarks at the press conference that Centennial Park has served in recent years as a hub of community events. At one time, it hosted Picnic in the Park. It continues to host the GLOW Corporate Cup, performances by Batavia Concert Band, a recent Lemonade Stand fundraiser as well as the first pine box derby in the community in decades.  There is also the annual Kiwanis Easter Egg hunt in the park.  If you want to see the 44 page pdf of plans for the park, follow the link at wbtai.com.  

https://bataviaslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Centennial-Park-FINAL-DRAFT_04-07-22.pdf

A Judge has decided for those court workers who lost their jobs during the COVID pandemic due to the vaccine mandates.  About 200 people working for the New York Court system were fired for refusing the vaccine and now they will not only be getting their jobs back but also getting back pay with interest.  A judge in the Administrative Law system decided that the vaccine mandate was a violation of their rights and the Fair Employment Act.  The Judge also ordered an end to forced vaccinations and testing and for employees who lost paid leave time and other benefits to create bargaining units to regain their lost time.

It’s National Consumer Protection Week, and one state agency is providing tips to New Yorkers on how they can save money on everyday purchases and subscription services. The State Division of Consumer Protection recommends people compare prices before buying items so they don’t overspend. Also, people should know the return policy on items so they don’t end up getting stuck with something they don’t want to use. And folks should evaluate their subscriptions so that they can cancel ones they use infrequently. For more suggestions, go to facebook.com/nysconsumer.

The Niagara Amusement Park and Splash World will be holding a hiring event later this week to fill positions for the upcoming summer season.  The event is happening on Friday from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. inside the Golden Nugget, which is located at the park in Grand Island.  Among the jobs that are available include lifeguard, ride operator, maintenance and cashier.  Anyone who can’t make the hiring event can still apply online through the park website.

If they are looking for a playoff spot they are going in the wrong direction.  The losing streak of the Buffalo Sabres has now hit two games after the team suffered a tough loss on the road.  Dylan Cozens and Kyle Okposo each scored but the Sabres were still defeated by the New York Islanders last night with a final score of three-to-two.  Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 36 shots.  Up next for the Sabres is a game tomorrow night against the Dallas Stars at the Keybank Center at 7pm.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is hosting a series of blood drives across the district this month in partnership with the American Red Cross. New York state historically has very little blood banked for patients statewide, and this initiative is being held to encourage those who can donate and make all the difference to a patient in need. Hawley has done numerous drives throughout his time in the Assembly and is happy to continue this tradition.  These drives will go from the 10th to the 30th and be everywhere from Batavia to Lyndonville.  For a list of dates and times go to WBTAi.com.

• Fri. 3/10 – Batavia Social Services, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Mon. 3/13 – Batavia Robert Morris School, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Mon. 3/13 – Pavilion Fire Department, 1:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Tues. 3/14 – Darien Fire Co. with PCD Kiwanis 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Thurs. 3/16 – St. Max Hall, East Pembroke. 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Fri. 3/17 – Lyndonville Presbyterian Church. 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Sat. 3/18 – Stafford Fire Department, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Tues. 3/21 – Albion Elks Lodge, 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Tues. 3/21 – Batavia First UMC, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Thurs. 3/30 – Oakfield-Alabama High School, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Rhondesia Belton

A Buffalo woman has been identified as one of the two people who were trampled and killed during a concert in Rochester. Police say 33-year-old Rhondesia Belton, a Buffalo City Traffic Violations Agent, ended up being overrun while a huge crowd rushed towards the exit at the Main Street Armory Sunday night after people thought they heard gunshots. Police haven’t found evidence of gunshots or any weapons. Belton was pronounced deceased at the scene. Another woman was taken to Strong Memorial and died yesterday. A third woman is in critical condition. The name of the other person who died has not been released, and several other victims are still recovering. Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said yesterday anyone who played a role in this tragedy will be held accountable. The investigation continues. (Provided photo)

During the pandemic, many New Yorkers lost their jobs for refusing to take the COVID vaccine. But a recent decision made by an Administrative Law Judge could get court workers rehired; they would also receive back pay with interest. It’s estimated at least 200 people lost their jobs as a result of the mandate. Court unions believed getting vaccinated was a choice for individuals to make and filed a charge against the States Unified Court System claiming they violated a civil service law (209-A) from the public employees Fair Employment Act. The Judge agreed and also ordered the court systems to: 1) Stop imposing COVID-19 vaccines & testing; 2) Make bargaining units for employees who lost accrued leave, compensation or employment because of the mandate (with interest); and 3)  The Unions still must decide how they want to move forward.

Ahhhhh-chooooo!

Updated data from the New York State Flu Tracker shows the number of new flu cases is continuing to drop across our region. During the week ending February 25th, the area with the highest number of infections was Monroe County with 40; Erie County had 13; Niagara County had 7; Ontario County had 5 during this same time period. Wyoming County had 4, and both Wayne and Livingston counties had one each. Even though flu season is starting to wind down, County Health Departments continue to urge people to get their shot.

Geneva officials say that a petroleum spill that happened in Seneca Lake over the weekend has now been contained. The state Department of Environmental Conservation says the issue was reported Saturday and that crews were quickly sent to the lake to trace the source of the problem. It was later determined that the leak came from a fuel container in the area of Central Avenue and Buffalo Street. There are no precautionary safety measures in effect right now for residents.

File photo of Dylan Cozens from 2/26/23 celebrating his first career hat trick

The Buffalo Sabres fell short of picking up a second straight win after suffering a defeat on home ice. Dylan Cozens and Jeff Skinner each scored, but the Sabres were still beaten by the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 at KeyBank Center last night. Goalie Craig Anderson stopped 34 of the 37 shots he faced for Buffalo who is in 4th place in the Atlantic Division with 68 points. The next game for the Sabres is tonight when they play the New York Islanders. Face-off is at 7:30.

Always be mindful of scams, but especially this time of year

Tax season is underway, and state Attorney General Letitia James has issued some tips to help taxpayers avoid fraudulent tax schemes. James says common scams people should be on the lookout for include being told their legitimate tax refund from the IRS was a mistake and that they have to return it. Scammers also make promises that they will prepare tax returns for free, only to deceive people into paying for those services. And fraudsters have been known to contact people saying they owe past tax debts and request they pay them using a gift card or prepaid credit card. If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, call 800-771-7755.

Easter is just over a month away, and tickets for the Buffalo Zoo Easter Eggsperience are now available for purchase. The event is happening at the zoo on April 1st and 2nd, which is the weekend before Easter. People will get the chance to check out a candy trail, take a train ride, meet some of the animals and get their photo taken with the Easter Bunny. There will also be 10 golden eggs hidden around the zoo that can be turned in for a prize. For more information, go to visit.buffalozoo.org.

The final count after a stampede on Sunday night at the Rochester Main Street Armory is 2 dead and 7 injured.  Officers entered the armory after reports of shots fired which caused the stampede.  They didn’t find any evidence of gunshots or any weapons.   They found 3 women who had been trampled as people rushed the exit after a GloRilla and Finesse2Tymes concert ended.  One woman, 33 year old Buffalo City Traffic Violations Agent Rhodesia Belton, was pronounced dead at the scene.  Another woman was taken to Strong Memorial and died Monday.  A third woman is in critical condition.  

University at Buffalo Young Americas Foundation is set to host controversial conservative speaker and Daily Wire host Michael Knowles on Thursday and is getting pushback from professors and students.  Knowles recently spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference and said that the ideology of transgenderism was false and therefore should be “eradicated from public life.”  A group of professors from the Gender Studies department, English department and disabilities studies department are circulating a letter calling for the invitation of Knowles to be rescinded saying that Knowles is calling for violence against transgender people, or at least that his language might encourage violence against the transgender community.  The College released a statement saying they wouldn’t restrict political speech unless it broke their rules and guidelines about diversity, equity and inclusion.  Several national news outlets reported that Knowles had directly called for genocide against transgender people but changed their headlines later in the day after he threatened to sue for libel.

The City of Batavia Fire Department is proud to announce a new Fire Department Chaplain, Deacon Dave Erhart of Le Roy.  Deacon Dave has 40 years of fire service experience with the Le Roy Fire Department as both a firefighter and Chaplain. He is currently serving as a Deacon with Our Lady of Mercy Church in Le Roy.  He received Fire Chaplain training at the New York State Fire Academy in Montour Falls and is a member of the New York State Order of Chaplains.  Fire Chaplains provide a valuable service to the Fire Department members and their families.

The Batavia fire Department celebrated 75 years of service on Saturday at their Awards banquet at Terry Hills.  Chief Christopher Strathearn began his second term as chief and, in his annual report, said that the department responded to 409 calls in 2022 with 3,309 member responses to those calls for a total of 2,402 man hours by volunteers out on calls.  The department currently has 48 active members.

Another victim of the difficulties of planning and timing in the same vein as the now postponed Wing Ding is the Picnic in the Park put on by GO ART!  Even with a boost in funding for the picnic the Executive director, Gregory Hallock says that the Picnic is just not feasible.  He said that with the cost of around 20,000 dollars to put the picnic on, and lack of help from other community organizations, and how close it is to the Ramble Explore Art event, GO ART just doesn’t have the capacity and resources to put it on.  

The Pembroke Dragons beat the York Knights on Sunday to become Section 5 champions in Boys Basketball.  The final score was 62 to 59.  The Dragons go on to play the winner of the Lyons and Northstar Christian matchup happening Thursday.  

The Buffalo Sabres lost a close game to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night 3 to 2.  Jeff Skinner and Dylan Cozens scored for Buffalo.  They will be back in action again tonight against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Long Island.  Both teams are evenly matched with the Sabres at 32 and 26 and 4 and the Islanders at 32 and 25 and 8.  Puck drop is 7:30.

John Saddler

FROM THE BATAVIA POLICE: 35-year-old John Saddler of South Main Street, Batavia is charged with burglary, aggravated criminal contempt, grand larceny and petit larceny. These charges followed an investigation into a violation of a court order. It’s alleged that Saddler violated a stay-away order of protection by entering the protected persons home and stealing property, including a New York State benefits card and then using that card at a local business. Saddler was arraigned in Batavia City Court and remanded to Genesee County Jail until he returns to court on March 22nd. ALSO: 22-year-old Rebecca Fugate of Woodrow Road, Batavia is charged with harassment. She was arrested after allegedly striking another resident at a residential care home. Fugate was released with an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court tomorrow. ALSO: 46-year-old Heather Armstrong of Ellicott Street, Batavia has been charged with harassment following an investigation into a disturbance at a local business. Armstrong was issued an appearance ticket to appear in Batavia City Court on Wednesday.

Mark Bennett

35-year-old Mark Bennett of Albion has been arrested for possessing images of children engaged in sexual performance. The New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Troop A Computer Crimes Unit, investigated and determined Bennett possessed child pornography. He was issued an appearance ticket for the Town of Albion Court and scheduled to return to court next month. (The mission of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force – ICAC – is to identify individuals online who are attempting to lure children to meet for sex or those disseminating child sexual abuse material. The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program helps state and local law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and Internet crimes against children.)

Delonta Curry

GENESEE COUNTY INDICTMENTS: A Genesee County Grand Jury has indicted 28-year-old Jason Neth of Corfu accusing him of the crime of unlawful imprisonment (a class E felony) and leaving the scene of an incident without ever contacting law enforcement (also a class E felony), after an incident on or about June 11, 2022. Neth allegedly restrained another person in the town of Darien and exposed them to the risk of serious injury. And then he allegedly failed to report the incident as soon as possible to police. ALSO: Delonta Curry of Batavia has been indicted and is accused of criminal possession of a weapon (a class C violent felony) in the City of Batavia on February 13, 2022, after knowingly possessing a loaded firearm with intent to unlawfully use it against another person. In a separate charge, Curry is accused of criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds (a class E felony), on the same date at 31 Washington Avenue, the parking lot of St. Paul Lutheran Church & School. The indictment alleges that Curry knowingly had in his possession a loaded firearm in or upon a building or grounds used for educational purposes without the written authorization from the educational institution.

From the GENESEE COUNTY SHERIFF: 53-year-old LeeAnne Krull of Batavia is charged with promoting prison contraband after she was allegedly found to be in possession of contraband inside the Genesee County Jail on March 1st. Krull was arraigned in court and held in jail. ALSO: 36-year-old Jeanna Hattaway of Batavia has been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle following a traffic stop early last Friday morning on Lewiston Road in Batavia. She was allegedly operating a motor vehicle while her driving privileges were suspended and allegedly possessed multiple controlled substances. Hattaway was issued an appearance ticket for Batavia Town Court for March 14th.

Josue Labala

18-year-old Josue Lubala of Cheektowaga has been accused of a pair of carjackings there. Last September, he pleaded guilty to all five felony charges against him, including robbery and attempted kidnapping. Lubala is being held without bail and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison when he is sentenced early next month. (Details: Prosecutors said the first carjacking took place at 11:00am, September 13th in Cheektowaga Town Park, where a woman baby-sitting a 2-year-old child said a man opened her car door, showed her a knife and ordered her into the passenger seat. He drove to an address on Wick Street in Buffalo, let the woman and toddler out of the vehicle and gave her $5 for a bus and drove away. The second incident occurred at about 9:30am, September 14th in Cheektowaga.)

Police in Rochester are trying to track down the suspects who were involved in shootings that happened over the weekend. A woman was shot around 12:30 yesterday morning on Weld Street and about 90 minutes later another woman was shot through the window of a home on Burlington Avenue. Then last night, a 24-year-old man was shot in the area of Diringer Place and a 23-year-old man was hit by gunfire on Delamaine Drive. At this time, no one has been arrested in any of these shootings.

Main Street Armory

One woman is dead and nine are injured — with two in critical condition — after a trampling incident that occurred during a concert at the Main Street Armory in Rochester. As a concert featuring GloRilla and Finesse2tymes ended, Rochester Police said that while audience members were heading out, the crowd began to surge and rush towards the exit. Three people were found with significant injuries inside the venue and were transported to Strong Memorial Hospital; one of them, a 33-year-old woman, was later pronounced dead. Seven other individuals were taken to the hospital in private vehicles with non-life-threatening injuries. While there were reports of gunshots fired inside the venue, investigators said none of the victims had injuries that were consistent with that of a shooting nor was there evidence of any shooting taking place at the Main Street Armory. The investigation continues.

The price of gas continues in the right direction – down. According to Triple A, the national average cost for a gallon of regular fuel is now $3.41. The State average is $3.43 and in Batavia, we’re paying $3.34, down 9 cents from a month ago and down 79 cents from a year ago today.

KeyBank Center

The Buffalo Sabres will be on the hunt for their second win in a row, as they finish this homestand. The Sabres host the Edmonton Oilers at KeyBank Center. On Saturday, Buffalo defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3, a victory that allowed them to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot. The puck drops tonight at 7:30.

Violence continues to be a major issue as at least 5 people were shot in separate shootings across the city of Rochester Sunday according to the City Police Department.  One person, a 33 year old woman, made their own way to the hospital after being shot in the upper body.  Workers at Strong notified the police when she came in around 12:30 in the morning.  It was determined that the shooting took place near Scio and Weld Street.  Around 2:45 am a 34 year old woman on Burlington ave was shot multiple times through the window of her house.  She was taken to strong with non life threatening injuries.  A 24 year old man was shot on Diringer Place around 6pm.  He sustained minor injuries.  And a 23 year old man was shot in the area of Delemaine Drive and Portland ave around 10:30pm with the victim’s status unknown at this time.  No one has been arrested in any of these shootings.  

One person is dead and two other people are in critical condition following a concert at the Main Street Armory in Rochester. Officers responded to the venue Sunday night after receiving a shots fired call and discovered the victims when they went inside. It is believed the injuries were the result of a large crowd pushing towards the exit of the building when they heard what they thought were gunshots. The woman who died was 33-years-old but her name hasn’t been released.

Memorial services have been announced for a Buffalo firefighter who tragically lost his life in the line of duty. A wake for 37-year-old Jason Arno is scheduled for Thursday from two p-m until eight p-m at Amigone Funeral Home. His funeral will take place Friday at ten a-m at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral. Arno passed away last week while he was at the scene of a four-alarm blaze on Main Street. The cause of that fire remains under investigation.

It was a big day for basketball championships at the Blue Cross Arena on Saturday as The Batavia Blue Devils boys basketball team went up against the Newark Reds, LeRoy went up against Wellsville, and the Fighting Irish took on Avoca/Prattsburgh.  Unfortunately none of the Genesee county teams won their matchups.  Batavia lost their Class B1 title 60-55.  LeRoy fell 52 to 43.  And Notre Dame lost the D1 title 93 to 67.  Elba’s Lady Lancers girls basketball team lost their Class D2 championship game vs Andover 58 to 55.  The Notre Dame/Alexander Indoor Track Team wrapped up its season at the state meet on Saturday in Staten Island with a seventh place state finish in the 4×400 relay, posting a time of 4:09.89.  Jadyn Mullen placed 17th in 55 hurdles with a time of 8:92 and 18th in the 600 with a time of 1:39.08.

Batavia drivers are feeling less pain at the pump when it comes time to fill up their vehicles as gas prices continue to fall. According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular fuel is now three-34. That is down 2 cents in the past week and is 9 cents less than this time one month ago. Right now, the state average is three-43 a gallon and nationally it’s three-40.

The Buffalo Sabres will be finishing up their brief homestand as they look to pick up their second win in a row. The Sabres are hosting the Edmonton Oilers at KeyBank Center. On Saturday, the Sabres defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning five-to-three, a victory that allowed them to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot.  Jack Quinn, Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, Tyson Jost, and Vinnie Hinostroza scored for Buffalo.  Face-off this evening is set for seven-30 p-m.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments and Weights and Measures departments released their report for 2022.  They did 470 inspections of 209 businesses and checked 1211 devices to make sure they were charging people accurately.  These tests involved pumping more than 26,000 gallons of fuel and using more than 5.9 million pounds of test weight. The department handled 13 complaint investigations, confirmed 591 package weights & 300 item prices, and collected 132 fuel samples confirming fuel sold within both counties met a variety of parameters.  They also found that in some stores the prices at checkout didn’t match the price on the shelf 122 times.  92 overcharges and 30 undercharges.  They recommend customers keep track of the prices they pay vs the price they see and bring it up with the store or report it if there is a discrepancy.  

Oakfield farm awarded conservation Farm of the Year.  Since 1959, the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District has honored a deserving agricultural producer with the Conservation Farm of the Year Award. This award is given to a producer with a long-term commitment to sustainable conservation, leads by example, and implements best management practices for farm conservation. This year’s recipient is Naas Farms, LLC., of Oakfield, NY.

If you miss Les Miserables being performed at Batavia High School this weekend you can make up for it at LeRoy High School next weekend.  The classic tale of grace and justice in 19th century France penned by Victor Hugo and then adapted for stage by Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schonberg will be performed Thursday through Saturday at 7 pm and also be available to watch online on Friday and Saturday.  Tickets are 10 dollars for online views, 10 dollars in person presale or 15 at the door.  

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is calling for vendors to participate in our 2023 Home Show on April 14,15,16, 2023.  Seeking a variety of vendors:  Home Improvement, Realty, Lawn Equipment, Farm Equipment, Windows and Doors Gutters and Siding, Entertainment, Home Goods, etc.  The Home Show will be held at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, 22 Evans Street, Batavia.  This 8th Annual event brings together 2,500 people over the course of three days.  Interested vendors will need to return the application and booth fees by March 10th to be included in advertisements. Applications can be downloaded from the Chamber’s website at https://geneseeny.com/home-show/ and are available at the Chamber’s office, 8276 Park Road.  Space is limited and on a first-come basis.

The Buffalo Sabres announced the team has acquired forward Jordan Greenway from the Minnesota Wild.  In exchange for Greenway, the Sabres are sending a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 fifth-round pick to Minnesota. The second-round pick heading to the Wild is a pick Buffalo received from Vegas as part of the Jack Eichel trade.  Greenway is 26 years old and was drafted by the Wild in the second round, 50th overall, in the 2015 NHL Draft. In 2017 he won a gold medal with Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championship and was named a Top Three Player on the team.  He has played 317 NHL games in his career, all with the Wild, and has 38 goals and 81 assists for 119 points. In 45 games this season Greenway has two goals and five assists.

Cassandra Elmore

30-year-old Cassandra Elmore of Batavia, the woman who has failed to show up for many court appearances and did not admit herself to a rehabilitation facility as ordered by the judge, was once again a ‘no-show’ for a court date and now has another warrant issued for her arrest. Elmore was originally accused of allowing her dog to overdose on narcotics; a charge that has yet to be addressed in court because of her failures to appear. The dog has been in the Genesee County Animal Shelter since last June and is reported to be doing fine.

Next Monday, March 6th, the City of Batavia will have a new phone system installed. During the install process, all City phones will be out of service for approximately five hours, between 10:00am and 2:00pm. Some department phones will be back in service prior to others. If you attempt to call a City number during this time and get a busy signal, please try again later or contact them via email. 9-1-1 will continue to work through the period in the event of an emergency. You may contact members of the City of Batavia staff via email or through the City’s website contact form to reach out with any questions or correspondence during the phone instillation https://www.batavianewyork.com/home/webforms/contact-form

File photo of a prison cell

33-year-old Andrew Lynch of Crystal River, Florida, has been sentenced to prison for soliciting teenage girls near Buffalo to make child pornography for him. Lynch communicated with the girls through Facebook Messenger in the spring of 2018. After he threatened and coerced the girls, they sent a number of images and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. They engaged in similar activity during video chats with Lynch. He was sentenced to 29 years in prison.

A winter weather advisory is in effect for the entire GLOW region through 10:00am tomorrow. Total snow accumulations of 3-6 inches is predicted for Batavia. Winds could gust to 40 mph. Plan for slippery road conditions and periods of limited visibility. 4-8 inches of snow is forecast for Orleans County.

Ajax Road rental lot, Gates

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to a body being found in the backseat of an SUV at a rental car lot in Gates. Officials say the remains were discovered yesterday in the Hertz lot on Ajax Road, which is near Frederick Douglass-Greater Rochester International Airport. Staff at the lot noticed the body when it came time to move the vehicle, which had been towed from Rochester. Police are not sure how long ago the person passed away but do say their death is being treated as suspicious. Photo by 13WHAM.

Lisa Shuler

Seth Larson

An Irondequoit man who was convicted of brutally murdering his girlfriend has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Prosecutors say 41-year-old Seth Larson killed Lisa Shuler at the couple’s home on Culver Road back in 2021. Shuler’s remains were found in the backyard and also in Duran Lake. Larson left the area but was later tracked down in West Virginia weeks after the murder.

The latest data from the state shows that the number of coronavirus infections is falling in our region. Right now, the seven-day average infection rate is 6.16%. At this time last week, the infection rate was 7.06%. County Health Departments continue to urge people to take precautions to protect themselves and others from getting sick such as wearing a mask while indoors and being up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.

Patriots and Heroes Park, Williamsville

Williamsville police are trying to track down who is responsible for vandalizing multiple memorial displays in their community. The “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” “Battle of the Bulge” and “America The Land We Love” displays are all located at Russell J. Salvatore’s Patriots and Heroes Park on Transit Road. Salvatore says that he’s working with investigators and giving them security camera footage from a nearby restaurant and hotel complex. Anyone with information is asked to give police a call.

Casey Mittelstadt – file photo

The Buffalo Sabres have dropped their second game in a row after suffering a blowout loss on the road. Casey Mittelstadt had the lone goal for Buffalo as his team fell to the Boston Bruins 7-1 last night. Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen saved 35 of the 40 shots that he faced in the contest. Up next for Buffalo is a matinee game at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow, with face-off at 12:30.

Attorney General James

State Attorney General Letitia James is proposing new rules that are aimed at further protecting consumers and small businesses from price gouging. The rules would strengthen the enforcement of the state’s price gouging law that was last updated in 2020. They’d also make price gouging more straightforward to investigate by setting clear guardrails against price increases during emergencies. James says these guidelines will ensure companies don’t take advantage of New Yorkers. For more information, go to ag.ny.gov.

Adam Sandler

Actor and comedian Adam Sandler will be bringing the next leg of his tour to Buffalo later this year. Sandler is set to perform at KeyBank Center on Sunday, April 16th at seven-30 p-m and he’s promised that a surprise guest will open up the show. Sandler was scheduled to be in Buffalo back in 2020, but ended up canceling his tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tickets went on sale this morning through Ticketmaster.

Please play responsibly.

Both the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots are still growing and are now at a combined $328,000,000 (million). The prize up for grabs for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is $167,000,000 (million). And, whoever is lucky enough to win Powerball tomorrow night will receive at least $161,000,000 (million). Both drawings are streamed live online. Please play responsibly.

U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced Thursday that a Florida man will serve 29 years in prison after asking five teenage girls in and near Buffalo to make child pornography for him.  The victims ranged in age from 13 to 17 years old.  33-year-old Andrew Lynch, communicated with the five teenage girls via Facebook Messenger between April and May 2018.  After Lynch threatened and coerced the girls, they sent him a number of images and videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct as well as doing video chats with him which were also explicit in nature.  During the communication, Lynch posted pornographic images of the girls on Facebook in an effort to coerce them into sending more sexually explicit images and videos.

In the ongoing saga of 30 year old Cassandra Elmore and her inability to show up for court appearances a new stage has been reached.  Elmore was released from jail on February 18th on her own recognizance, after failing to show for at least a half dozen court appearances and apparently fleeing the law on more than one occasion.  She was ordered to a rehab facility but, fairly predictably, never showed up.  2 warrants have been issued for her arrest and Chief Heubusch says his officers are looking for Elmore.  Meanwhile, the dog she is accused of allowing to overdose on narcotics, Oddey, remains confined to the Genesee County Animal Shelter, where it has been held since June. The dog has reportedly adjusted to life in the kennel and is doing fine.

Police confirmed Thursday afternoon that an adult body was found in the back of a vehicle at a Hertz rental lot on Ajax Road, near the Greater Rochester International Airport.  Police said they were notified around 10:30 a.m. that staff at the lot had found a body in the back of a rental SUV that had been towed from the city.  Police said they also couldn’t confirm the body’s identity, how long the person had been dead, why the vehicle had been towed, how long the rental was overdue, or whether the body was concealed.

The iconic Patriots and Heroes Park on Transit Rd just off i 90 was vandalized overnight on Wednesday.  Flags, light fixtures, and displays including “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” “Battle of the Bulge,” and “America The Land We Love” were damaged.  Someone rubbed mud onto the murals and statues and broke off pieces of the masonry and statuary.  In many cases removing the heads and smashing the statues to pieces.  There is also graffiti and artificial flowers and lettering have been removed.  The Russel Salvatore’s Patriots and Heroes Park was established more than a decade ago to honor veterans and first responders. The landmark was also voted the #1 tourist attraction in Williamsville on TripAdvisor.com

Comedian Adam Sandler announced the next leg of his comedy tour, and a stop in Buffalo will be on the agenda.  Sandler will perform in the Queen City at the Keybank Center on Sunday, April 16. Presale tickets to the tour went on sale Thursday at noon. The general sale will begin Friday, March 3 at noon.

The Boston Bruins coasted to their 9th straight victory at TD stadium Thursday night with a 7 to 1 win over the Sabres.  Casey Middelstadt scored the lone goal for Buffalo and Ukko Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves.  Rasmus Dahlin was on injured reserve for the game.  The Sabres will come home to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday for a matinee game at 12:30 in the afternoon. 

BATAVIA CITY POLICE REPORT: 42-year-old Enrique Pellot of Rochester is charged with menacing, criminal possession of a weapon and coercion. He’s accused of using a knife to threaten a woman in the parking lot of the Batavia Police Department. Pellot was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court. ALSO: 42-year-old Christine Caplis of Batavia is accused of failing to appear in court to answer to a charge of theft of services. She was arrested earlier this month; her sixth arrest since December 2021. ALSO: 33-year-old Misty Schutt of Attica is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and failure to stop at a stop sign. She was arrested following a traffic stop in the City of Batavia and was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine. Schutt was issued an appearance ticket. ALSO: 22-year-old Evan Maynard of Batavia is charged with falsely reporting to a law enforcement officer. Upon investigation, it was reportedly found that Maynard made a false report and that he pawned several items at a pawnshop over the weekend. Maynard was issued an appearance ticket.

FROM THE SHERIFF: 37-year-old Brian Daggar of Elba is charged with petit larceny. It’s alleged he stole merchandise over the weekend from a location on Veteran’s Memorial Drive. Daggar is scheduled to return to Batavia Town Court on march 14th.

Members of the Buffalo Fire Department are mourning the death of colleague who was killed while battling a blaze in the city. The four-alarm fire happened on Main Street yesterday and Jason Arno, a 37-year-old firefighter, was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials say the fire might have been caused by workers who were using torches on the exterior of a building. No other injuries were reported. (Released photo)

File photo of David Jakubonis being arrested after attack against Lee Zeldin

The man who is accused of attacking former Long Island Congressman Lee Zeldin has made another appearance in court. Prosecutors say David Jakubonis assaulted Zeldin while he was making a campaign stop in Monroe County last year, but Zeldin wasn’t hurt. Following his court hearing yesterday, Jakubonis gave a statement where he said he’s grateful for the treatment he’s received for his alcohol addiction since the incident. His lawyer says Jakubonis did not apologize to Zeldin because he can’t make any admission of guilt while charges are pending.

Officer Blackchief

The family of a Cheektowaga police officer who was seriously hurt in the line of duty has provided an update about his condition. Troy Blackchief suffered multiple injuries including a skull fracture after being struck by a stolen vehicle in the area of Union Road and Genesee Street last month. Now, his family says that he’ll be going to a facility in Chicago to continue his rehabilitation for at least four weeks before returning to this area for a procedure to have a new skull bone surgically placed. Blackchief is a 17-year-veteran of the force and works with both the patrol division and SWAT team.

File photo of Payton Gendron during sentencing last month.

A federal trial is unlikely to be held this summer for the man who shot and killed 10 people and injured three others at a Tops store in Buffalo. The Buffalo News is reporting that’s because the defense lawyers for Payton Gendron say they need more time to review evidence in this case. Gendron has already pleaded guilty to state charges for opening fire at the Jefferson Avenue store last May and was recently sentenced to life in prison. Federal prosecutors have not said yet if they’ll seek the death penalty against him.

Sheriff David Cirencione

Ontario County Sheriff David Cirencione has released new information about what led up to a deadly officer-involved shooting. Cirencione says law enforcement began pursuing Brandon Zurkan Tuesday night after he was spotted driving recklessly in East Bloomfield. The chase ended when Zurkan crashed his vehicle in Canandaigua and raised a gun towards deputies, leading to them opening fire. Zurkan was taken to a hospital but later pronounced dead. The deputies who shot him are on administrative leave.

File photo of unidentified child having just received his COVID booster shot.

The New York State Department of Health is encouraging people who have underlying medical conditions to make sure they’re up-to-date on their COVID-19 booster shots. Underlying medical conditions that put people at risk of severe illness from the coronavirus include diabetes, heart or lung disease, and obesity. In December, the health department updated its guidance for booster shots, which are available for both adults and children. For more information go to covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov.

The 4% sales tax on clothing and shoes in Monroe County has been eliminated for purchases under $110. The change is permanent and is expected to save shoppers an estimated $12 million per year. Monroe County Executive Adam Bello reflected that other necessities such as groceries, medicine and diapers are not subject to sales tax. He believes since clothing and shoes are also necessities, there should be no tax on them. The sales tax exemption applies to purchases in stores located in Monroe County and includes online purchases. County leaders hope the move will help local retailers attract more customers.

Niagara River ice boom – 2022

Work began today on removing the Lake Erie-Niagara River Ice Boom. Crews believe they’ll be able to get the boom out of the water without any trouble because there’s currently a minimal amount of ice on Lake Erie. Last year, the boom wasn’t able to be removed until the end of March. The boom has been put in place each year since 1964 to prevent ice buildup from Lake Erie from flowing into the lower part of the Niagara River.

Inside the Strong National Museum of Play (file photo)

For the first time ever, a job fair is going to be taking place at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester later this month. The event is happening on Monday, March 13th from 4:00pm until 7:00pm. There are a variety of positions available including maintenance, guest services and environmental services. Full-time and part-time jobs need to be filled and anyone 16 and older who is interested in finding out more information can visit museumofplay.org.

Rasmus Dahlin will not be playing tonight due to an unidentified injury.

The Buffalo Sabres will be back on the road tonight as they hope and avoid a second straight defeat. The Sabres will be visiting the Boston Bruins, who currently have the highest point total in the National Hockey League with 99. Buffalo is coming off of a disappointing 5-3 loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday. Face-off tonight is scheduled for 7:00.

The Buffalo Fire Department announced a 37-year-old firefighter was killed in the four-alarm fire on Main Street Wednesday.  Crews responded to the 700 block of Main Street around 10 a.m. and around noon officials said there was a firefighter from Engine 2 that was unaccounted for.  A city spokesperson said there was a partial collapse of the building and there was no contact with the firefighter after the collapse.  Around 3:30 p.m. officials announced the 37-year-old firefighter was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is not being released at this time.  Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz expressed their condolences and directed flags in the county and city to be flown at half staff.

Shopping just got a little cheaper in Monroe County.  The 4% sales tax on clothing and shoes has been eliminated for purchases under $110.  The change is permanent and is expected to save shoppers an estimated $12 million per year.   Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said “Basic necessities like groceries, medicine, diapers, are not subject to sales tax, and other fundamental necessities like clothing and shoes are.  In our view, clothing and shoes are just as essential as food.”  The sales tax exemption applies to purchases in stores located in Monroe County and includes online purchases.  County leaders hope the move will help local retailers attract more customers.

For the third time in recent years, a bill is being pushed in the NYS general assembly to make prostitution legal in the empire state.  According to the Sex Trades Act, also known as SVSTA, the criminalization of consensual sex work drives it into an illegal environment where sex workers face increased violence, abuse, exploitation, and are more vulnerable to trafficking.  The bill would also give more rights for people in housing and health care and remove prior criminal records of sex workers or alleged sex workers.  The bill has only ever remained in the New York Senate’s code committee.  But if it makes it out of committee and signed into law, it would take effect within months.

Perry’s Ice Cream announced Wednesday three new retail flavors for the Spring 2023 season.  The newest family-size flavors, Banana Graham, Dark Chocolate Pretzel, and S’more Adventures will hit retail stores this spring.  Premium Three Gallon Tubs will also get new flavors, including Bourbon Caramel Pecan, Mallow-dramatic, Wafer Wonder, Peanut Butter & Cookies Oats Cream.  All flavors will arrive on shelves at retailers down the East Coast at Dash’s Market, Tops, Walmart, and Wegmans.

Alexander Gelo

Seized by law enforcement during Gelo’s arrest

Orleans County Sheriffs have charged 31-year-old Alexander Gelo of Albion following a traffic stop on Ridge Road in the Town of Gaines. A deputy pulled over a vehicle known to be operated by Gelo who has an active warrant, charging him with criminal tampering with a witness and aggravated harassment. Gelo was taken into custody without incident. Further investigation found that he was in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun with a defaced serial number and over six ounces of marijuana. Gelo is a previously convicted felon. He is currently being held at the Orleans County Jail pending an appearance in Orleans County Court.

A court has temporarily blocked a repeal of New York’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate for health care workers. The State Supreme Court Appellate Division granted the stay yesterday at the request of the state department. The state asked for the stay until the Appellate Division hears its appeal of a January 13th decision that struck down the vaccination mandate for nurses, doctors and other employees of hospitals and other health facilities. The health department contends it’s authorized under state Public Health Law to mandate vaccinations. In its appeal, the health department says it has required health care workers for decades to be immunized against contagious diseases such as measles and rubella.

Erik Fix

For reasons of timing — and a short window to work with — conflicts with other events and a busy holiday weekend, the Wing Ding Committee has decided to postpone the resurrected event to next year; this, according to Assistant City Manager Erik Fix. Fix made the announcement to committee members today, citing reasons of vendors and other entertainment acts being booked already, the potential for difficulty in recruiting volunteers for a busy Labor Day weekend to correlate with the Air Show, a clash in timing with the veteran September festival Labor Daze in Oakfield, and the city not being in a position to set up as event planner. He expects planning for 2024 to begin in the next few months. The resurrected Wing Ding was made possible with leftover funds from the city’s Centennial Celebration. City Council had approved a transfer of $9,188 for a Wing Ding event to happen in conjunction with the resurrected Air Show.

St. Joseph’s Church, Lyndonville; early morning fire, 2/28/23

A Catholic church in Lyndonville continues to pick up the pieces today. There was an early morning fire yesterday that started in a classroom of the Our Lady of the Lake – St. Joseph site. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the fire, but early suspicions point to a wall heater. While the amount of damage is still being calculated, the classroom is destroyed and the church suffered extensive heat and smoke damage. However, there is no damage to the roof and the Diocese says they intend to repair the church. (Provided photo)

Coyote – file photo

Although the weather might suggest otherwise, spring is fast approaching and coyote sightings will increase. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued guidance to help prevent conflicts between people and coyotes. They advise you should never feed them, don’t leave any food outside, feed pets indoors, enclose or fence off compost; if you see a coyote, be loud and aggressive towards it to scare it away and teach your kids to get away from it. And lastly, supervise pets and keep them indoors around sunset and at night.

Loaded, stolen gun brought to MCC by student

A student at Monroe County Community College is in some legal trouble after being accused of having a gun on campus. Brighton police say 21-year-old Giovanni Paige-Mota had the loaded, stolen weapon inside of a classroom yesterday, but did not display it or make a threat towards anyone. He ended up being escorted from the classroom and taken into custody. Paige-Mota has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon and is due in court March 6th.

Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester is getting $50,000,000 (million) from the state to help cover the cost of an expansion project. The money will go towards increasing the size of the current emergency room, which is often overcrowded due to a high number of patients. Right now, there’s a semi-permanent tent structure set up at the hospital to address this issue. Plans are also in the works to build a new tower that’ll increase the number of available patient beds at the facility.

Food banks across New York State may start getting a bit busier today because of cuts to a federal program. The federal government put extra money toward the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that additional assistance ends today. Food assistance advocates expect longer lines at food banks in New York as a result. They are also concerned about Governor Hochul’s proposed budget that calls for cuts to a food bank related assistance program.

J.J. Peterka (file photo)

The Buffalo Sabres have had their three-game winning streak snapped after suffering a tough loss on home ice. Tage Thompson, JJ Peterka, and Jack Quinn each had a goal as the Sabres fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 at KeyBank Center last night. Buffalo goaltender Craig Anderson struggled in net and was only able to stop 31 of the 35 shots he faced in the contest. The next game for the Sabres tomorrow night against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden Arena; the puck drops at 7:00.

Leslie Frazier

Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is going to be taking a break from coaching during the 2023 season. No reason was given for the decision and so far, the person who is going to replace Frazier hasn’t been named. The 63-year-old Frazier joined the Bills back in 2017, which is the same year Sean McDermott was made the head coach. Frazier is planning to return to coaching in 2024.

Officials at Six Flags Darien Lake say they are looking to hire 1000 employees to work at the popular amusement park this year. Among the positions that are available include ride operator, maintenance, lifeguard and security. Each job offers an hourly rate of $14.25 and benefits include discounts and free park admission for team members and their friends. Anyone who wants to apply can do so online at sixflags.com.

A teenager who intentionally set a man on fire in Rochester has been convicted for murder.  Prosecutors said Adriel Riley and Zayvion Perry set Steven Amenhauser on fire March 12, 2021 inside Amenhauser’s apartment on Lyell Avenue. Amenhauser who was 53, died in the hospital four days later.  Monroe County Family Court Judge Stacey Romeo found Riley guilty of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon — though she found him not guilty of arson and a second count of second-degree murder.  Perry, 18, pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this month and will be sentenced March 27 to 25 years in prison.  Riley, 16, will be sentenced March 28.  He will face anywhere from 6 1/2 to 15 years to life in prison.

Former New York State Police Sgt. Thomas Loewke allegedly tipped off one of the men accused of running a multimillion-dollar illegal gambling ring in Rochester.  According to the complaint against Loewke, an unnamed state trooper performed computer maintenance for a senior New York State Police investigator in December 2020 and saw a document with Ferrari’s name on it in plain view. The unnamed trooper allegedly re-entered the office numerous times and placed multiple calls to Loewke.  Ferrari told investigators he was at his brother’s pizza bar in Chili when Loewke asked him to go outside and talk and informed him he was being investigated for gambling, according to the complaint.  Other federal court documents allege Ferrari and Amato took steps to protect the gambling operation from the investigation after they were tipped off.

With spring approaching and coyote sightings likely to increase, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued guidance to help prevent conflicts between people and coyotes.  Coyotes inhabit a variety of habitats throughout the state, from rural farmland and forests to populated suburban and urban areas. For the most part, coyotes will avoid human contact. However, conflicts with people and pets may occur, particularly during the spring denning and pupping period, when coyotes tend to be more territorial and protective of pups.  Some Advice they give includes:  Never feed coyotes, don’t leave any food outside, feed pets indoors, enclose or fence off compost, if you see a coyote, be loud and aggressive towards it to scare it away and teach your kids to get away from it.  And lastly, supervise pets and keep them indoors around sunset and at night. 

Six Flags Darien Lake Amusement Park is looking for roughly a thousand seasonal employees and applications are open online.  They are looking for ride operators, maintenance, lifeguards, hotel workers, food and beverage workers, admissions personnel, retail and entertainment workers, cleaners, paramedics, security and a variety of other positions.  Pay starts at 14.25 an hour and some positions pay more.  An in person hiring event will be held on March 25th or you can apply online by following the link at WBTAi.com.

Section V Athletics has a plan for getting more referees to want to work games, asking fans to sit down and shut up.  The division has put out psas and taken to social media to ask fans to “bench bad behavior” and be better sportsmen.  Athletics officials note that there has been an uptick in bad behavior since the pandemic and that refs don’t want to sign up if they think the crowd will be rowdy.  There is already a shortage of officials and this is making a bad situation worse. 

The Sabres failed to extend their win streak to 4 Tuesday night as they fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5 to 3.  Jack Quinn, JJ Peterka and Tage Thompson all put in a puck a piece and Craig Anderson stopped 31 shots but the Sabres just couldn’t keep up with their blue clad opponents.  The Sabres will be up against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night at TD Garden Arena.  Puck drop is at 7pm.

Evan Vanskiver

Adam Montes

Two men who were arrested earlier in the day and then released, are back in custody. 31-year-old Evan Vanskiver of Brockport and 38-year-old Adam Montes of Hamlin were arrested earlier in the day yesterday following a larceny investigation in Elba and released; they were released from the Genesee County Jail under New York State Bail Reform legislation. Within a half hour of their release, City police received a call about a stolen vehicle near Northside Deli. The vehicle was located on Ellicott near Liberty Street and attempts by police to stop the vehicle were unsuccessful. Similarly, the driver of the stolen vehicle was able to avoid tire deflation devices (spike strips) on a few occasions as it traveled through Batavia, Alexander, Pembroke and Darien. The chase ended in Attica when Vanskiver, the driver of the car, turned into an apartment complex (on Sokol Drive) and hit a garbage dumpster. He attempted to flee on foot while Montes was apprehended. Both men were uninjured and are being held at the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment in Centralized Arraignment Court.

St. Joseph’s Church, Lyndonville

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lyndonville has suffered extensive damage. A fire during the early morning hours started in the rear of the building. Fifteen to twenty local firefighters were on the scene within 20 minutes of the call with crews from medina, Shelby and Ridgeway assisting. Their quick response is credited for preventing the blaze from causing more damage; they had it under control in about 35 minutes. Fire investigators are working to determine the cause. But noted had it not been for fire fighters quick response, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church was built in 1917 as a mission church under St. Mary’s in Medina. (Provided photo)

State legislators in New York are calling for the lowering of the legal blood alcohol concentration from .08 to .05 to ensure safety of everyone on the roads. Drunk drivers cause more than 17,000 deaths per year in the Empire State, and more than 30 percent of deadly crashes are from alcohol. If this legislation passes New York State would join Utah as the only states with a .05 blood alcohol level.

The latest data from the New York State Flu Tracker shows that the spread of the virus is continuing to slow down in our region. During the week ending February 18th, the county with the highest number of infections was Monroe County with 68. Erie County had 24; Niagara County had 19 during that same time period; Wayne County had 18; Ontario County, 11 and Genesee County had three. People who still want to get their flu shot can sign up for an appointment online at vaccines.gov.

Clark Palen

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and state Attorney General’s Office have cleared a deputy of any wrongdoing following a crash that left a teenager dead. The deputy reported seeing a vehicle driven by 17-year Clark Palen speeding last November, and the deputy tried to follow the car. Palen ended up losing control of the vehicle on Bluff Drive in East Rochester and slammed into a tree, which then fell on the car. A caller reported seeing a deputy driving away from the scene, but it was later revealed the deputy never saw the vehicle because its lights were off and the tree covered it and that the deputy’s actions didn’t contribute to the tragedy.

Governor Hochul has revealed what her proposed 2024 budget would mean for the Western New York region if it is passed by the state legislature. During a stop in Buffalo yesterday, the governor said her fiscal plan would provide an investment to help the University at Buffalo significantly increase its research activity by 2030. Money would also be used for road repairs and to help the city of Buffalo improve planning for severe weather emergencies. In addition, tuition rates for SUNY and CUNY students could also be increased, by at least 3% next year. Lawmakers have until April 1st to approve the budget on time.

Example of steering wheel locks (file photo)

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling on Kia and Hyundai to take action to prevent people from having their vehicles stolen. The New York lawmaker said yesterday that over the past year, hundreds of those vehicle models have been taken in Buffalo. The vehicles have been targeted due to a viral social media challenge that shows how easy it is to steal them. Schumer wants the automakers to provide free, anti-theft kits such as steering wheel locks to owners.

Dylan Cozens celebrates a moment with Rasmus Dahlin, while a very excited young fan looks on (file photo)

The red-hot Buffalo Sabres are back on home ice tonight as the team looks to pick up its 4th straight victory. The Sabres will battle the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center. Buffalo is coming off of a 7-4 win Sunday over the Washington Capitals and currently sits in 4th place in the Atlantic Division with 66 points. Face-off for this evening’s contest is scheduled for 7:30.

Fred Costello

Officials with the Rochester Music Hall of Fame have announced who is going to be inducted as part of the Class of 2023. Among the people joining the Hall of Fame are Rochester Red Wings organist Fred Costello and also Garth Fagan, who is a Tony-award winning choreographer. This year’s induction ceremony is happening April 30th at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester. For more information about the event, go to rochestermusic.org. (Photo provided by the Rochester Red Wings)

A study by the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center recently found that vaping CBD can lead to more severe lung damage than vaping nicotine.  CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is an active ingredient found in cannabis, or marijuana. Roswell Park reported Monday that most research on the health effects of vaping has only focused on vaping nicotine and not CBD.  The study essentially tested the effects of inhaling CBD versus nicotine. Cultures of human cells were tested and exposed to filtered air, nicotine, or CBD aerosols for two weeks.  The findings were that inhaled aerosol CBD caused more tissue damage, higher inflammation, higher oxidation, and killed more white blood cells than nicotine aerosols.  

The State of New York could be getting tougher on Drunk Driving, by lowering the legal limit.  State legislators are calling for the lowering of the legal blood alcohol concentration from .08 to .05 to ensure safety of everyone on the roads.  Drunk drivers cause more than 17,000 deaths per year in the empire state, and more than 30 percent of deadly crashes are from alcohol.  If this legislation passes New York State would join Utah as the only states with a .05 BAC.

A Monday afternoon police chase that began in Batavia and ended in the village of Attica, resulted in the arrests of two men.  Just before 3 p.m. Monday, Batavia Police officers were dispatched to Northside Deli due to reports of a stolen vehicle.  One of the officers made contact with the vehicle on Ellicott Street and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle did not comply and failed to yield.  A chase soon began..  The vehicle collided with another car while in Batavia when officers attempted to spike the car to get it to a stop.  There were a number of attempts to spike the vehicle, according to Sergeant Mitchell Cowen. The driver of the vehicle was able to avoid all attempts.  Two male occupants, including the driver, were arrested and placed in police custody. Both men were uninjured following the pursuit.

A new Siena College Poll found Gov. Kathy Hochul’s favorability and job approval ratings both dropped in February, but still remain positive.  According to the poll, Hochul has a 46-43% favorability rating, from 48-42% in January. Her job approval rating stands at 56-40%, down from 56-36% last month.  Most of the survey respondents who disapprove of Hochul’s work said she is not doing enough to address crime or make New York more affordable.  92% of surveyed New Yorkers said crime continues to be a serious problem across the state and two-thirds said it’s a serious problem in their community. Though many oppose the plan, and the poll shows it’s unpopularity, Hochul says that she will continue with phasing out gas stoves and heaters.

After announcing his run and tweeting every day about how he was going to take Buffalo and fix the ills of the city, Nate McMurray announced Monday that he is dropping out of the race for Erie County Executive.  He said in a long tweet that he can’t compete with Mark Poloncarz and the Erie County political machine.  He also said that cronyism would have kept him from being effective if he did win.  On the republican front Chrissy Casilio announced her run for the position.  She said in her announcement that she is a small business owner, mother and lifelong Erie County resident.  

Richmond Memorial Library will host an author and book talk on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Reading Room. Dr. Miriam Thaggert will present her 2022 book, “Riding Jane Crow: African American Women on the American Railroad.”  Riding Jane Crow examines four instances of black female railroad travel: the travel narratives of black female intellectuals such as Anna Julia Cooper and Mary Church Terrell; black middle-class women who sued to ride in first class and ladies’ cars and black women railroad food vendors; and black maids on Pullman trains.  Thaggert is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Buffalo. She is the author of “Riding Jane Crow and Images of Black Modernism: Verbal and Visual Strategies of the Harlem Renaissance.”

BATAVIA CITY POLICE ARREST REPORT: 39-year-old Marya Cole of Batavia is charged with falsely reporting an incident and false written statement. Earlier this month, she allegedly called police to report her boyfriend was walking on Ross Street after displaying a handgun to her. Police detained the male subject; while completing a search for the gun throughout the area. Cole later admitted to police that she lied about the gun. She was issued an appearance ticket for Batavia City Court tomorrow. ALSO: 47-year-old Kelly Mungo of Batavia has been charged with petit larceny following a shoplifting complaint at a local convenience store. Mungo was issued a ticket to appear in Batavia City Court tomorrow.

FROM THE COUNTY SHERIFF: 23-year-old Christian Voigt Jr. of Batavia has been charged with criminal mischief and harassment. During a domestic incident yesterday morning, Voigt allegedly damaged property and placed his hands on one of the victims. He has been held at the Genesee County Jail to be arraigned in CAP Court. ALSO: 31-year-old Kevin Monell of Medina is charged with petit larceny after allegedly stealing a carton of cigarettes from a smoke shop on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. Monell was released on an appearance ticket to return to Alabama Town Court early next month.

DWI arrest in Buffalo

Buffalo police say they’ve tracked down the driver who was involved in a hit-and-run in the city over the weekend. According to investigators, 47-year-old Rinaldo Pearson struck a pedestrian Saturday morning on Broadway and left the area. The victim was seriously injured and Pearson was later taken into custody. He is now facing charges including DWI.

According to Triple A, the national average cost for a gallon of regular fuel is $3.37. The State average is $3.45. In Batavia, we’re paying $3.36, down a penny from a week ago and down 39 cents from a year ago today.

Dan Fisher, WBTA (Photo by Howard Owens, III)

WBTA is being sold to one of its own sales executives, Jim Ernst. Ernst heads up Majic Tones Communications LLC. Current owners Dan and Debbie Fischer have operated HPL Communications since 2004. The sale process will take 90 days and until then there will be no changes in programming. WBTA is the region’s only locally owned commercial radio station. It has been in operation for 82 years under various owners.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is asking Governor Hochul not to push through legislation banning gas stoves and heaters from new housing and construction. People who are in support of the legislation say it is needed to slow down climate change and also entice people to move to New York State. Hawley says it is a chance for the government to take more power over businesses and homeowners. Some people have responded to the legislation complaining that gas is far more reliable than electricity in times such as the Christmas Blizzard of last year, which knocked out electric power to thousands for more than a week in below-zero temperatures.

Dylan Cozens celebrates hat trick – 2/26/23

The Buffalo Sabres, in their black and red uniforms, skated to a 7 to 4 victory over the Washington Capitals Sunday afternoon. Dylan Cozens scored his first career hat trick, finding the net once in each period. Vinnie Hinostroza, Jeff Skinner and Zemgus Girgensons scored once each. Tage Thompson made his 40th goal of the season. The Sabres will be playing the Columbus Blue Jackets at Keybank Center on tomorrow night starting at 7:30.

No injuries have been reported following several fights that happened at the Boulevard Mall in Amherst. Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene Saturday night after receiving reports of brawls occurring in a parking lot. Police were able to get the crowds to leave that lot, and so far, no arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to call 716-689-1311.

NY State of Health and the state Department of Taxation and Finance are teaming up to help Empire State residents get access to affordable health insurance. Health department enrollment assistors will be at Taxpayer Assistance Program sites throughout the state over the next several weeks. Those assistors will meet with people to discuss health care options, answer questions, and make enrollment appointments. For more information, go to info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov.

This station, WBTA is getting sold to it’s own sales executive, Jim Ernst.  Ernst heads up Majic Tones Communications LLC which was started roughly 6 months ago.  Current owners Dan and Debbie Fischer have operated HPL Communications since 2004.  The sale process will take 90 days and until then there will be no changes in programming.  WBTA is the region’s only locally owned commercial radio station.  It has been in operation for 82 years under various owners.

Recreational Marijuana has only been legal in New York State for 16 months but already the administration in charge of it has far more resources than the administration in charge of handling Alcohol.  The Office of Cannabis Management has a 62 million dollar budget compared to the State Liquor Authorities 16.7 million dollars for the same number of employees.  The OCM has only processed 66 licenses so far compared to the SLA’s 50,000 licenses and 80,000 license and permit applications just last year.  A third of Marijuana Managers make over 100,000 dollars a year while only 19 people at the Liquor Authority get over 100 grand.  Why the big difference?  The head of OCM, Chris Alexander, who was formerly an executive with a multistate cannabis company, says it is all about creating equity. 

The City Council meeting has hot button issues like a tax cap increase and a 33.5 million dollar budget up for discussion.  Both of those issues are on the agenda for public hearings at 7 p.m. tonight, in the Council Board Room at City Hall.  In her memo to the council, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said that a general fund of $19.4 million balances revenues and expenses and includes considerations for increased costs of 8 percent inflation, double diesel fuel, $400,000 in employee wages, $300,000 in retirements, $475,000 in health care and 15 to 40 percent hikes in utilities and materials, including salt, gas and electric.  There are raises for some positions.  There are to be no new assessment raises this year. 

Assemblyman Steve Hawley put out a press release calling on Governor Hochul not to push through legislation banning gas stoves and heaters from new housing and construction.  People who are in support of the legislation say it is needed to slow down climate change and also entice people to move to New York State.  Hawley says it is a chance for the government to take more power over businesses and homeowners.  People in Buffalo have responded to the legislation complaining that gas is far more reliable than electricity in times such as the Christmas Blizzard of last year which knocked out electric power to thousands for more than a week in negative temperatures.  

The Buffalo Sabres, in their black and red uniforms, skated to a 7 to 4 victory over the Washington Capitals Sunday afternoon.  Dylan Cozens scored his first hat trick.  Vinnie Hinostroza, Jeff Skinner and Zemgus Girgensons scored once each.  Tage Thompson put in his 40th goal of the season.  The Sabres will be playing the Columbus Blue Jackets at Keybank Center on Tuesday night at 7:30.

Nearly 3 dozen pro sports stars were at the Legends sports memorabilia show at Batavia Downs over the weekend.  Players from the NFL, NHL, NBA, Pro Boxers and even Rudy of Notre Dame fame came out to take pictures and sign items for fans.  Akron’s Bobby McClaine and his team of family, friends and volunteers put on a super event that featured a host of former Buffalo Bills and Sabres on Saturday and a dozen or so greats from baseball, football, basketball, hockey and boxing who appeared Sunday.  The next show is scheduled for October or November on a date that doesn’t conflict with a Bills’ home game.

A man who shot a woman in the abdomen in Java and killed her preborn child has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.  30 year old Jared Wrazen was arrested after police were called to a home on Holland Road around 10:30pm on May 16th for reports of domestic violence and a woman shot.  A 29-year-old woman was found shot in the abdomen. She was taken to ECMC by Mercy Flight.  On November 30, Wrazen pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and admitted to being a second felony offender.  The victim recorded the fight and the gunshot as well as calling 911.  

Police found no credible evidence of a threat after an unknown person called in threats Friday morning toward an elementary school in Batavia.  The Batavia Police Department received a call just before 7:40 a.m. from an unknown person who made threats toward John Kennedy Intermediate School.  Multiple police agencies investigated and found no credible evidence of a threat.  The Batavia City School District is currently on February break.  Superintendent Jason Smith said sports and other activities in the district will continue as planned, with increased police presence as a precaution.  Police said similar threats have been reported in other districts in New York state and across the country.  Nichol’s School in Buffalo was cleared by police after a similar threat.  Another was in Steuben County and a third was in the downstate region.  The investigation is ongoing.

Are you ready to pay more for recyclable cans and bottles, even if you can get the money back?  Earlier this week, Sen. Rachel May announced her new “Bigger, Better Bottle Bill” which would include increasing the deposit for cans and bottles from 5 to 10 cents.  The bill also includes liquor and wine bottles.  Under the plan, bringing back cans and bottles would bring in double the value it previously would. But for people who don’t recycle, this bill would just serve as a price increase on their favorite drinks.  About 100 million dollars in unclaimed deposit money goes to the state each year.  139 million in 2021.  The bill has to pass through the State Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee first, then the legislature. Sen. May said she is willing to work with everyone to get this bill passed.

Have you been behind a car or truck when a sheet of ice peels off and flies into the air?  The Niagara County Sheriffs Office is reminding New Yorkers to remember to clean off their entire car and not just the windshield after ice storms.  The sheriff’s office said it has received multiple reports of property damage as a result of ice blowing off of moving vehicles.  The sheriff’s office said patrols and law enforcement partners will be vigilant for violators.

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Florida Panthers 3 to 1 Friday night to move to the second wild card spot.  Jeff Skinner his 23rd and 24th goal of the season which brings him up to 600 career points.  Alex Tuch put in his 28th goal of the season.  Craig Anderson blocked 52 shots to keep the Sabres in the game.  Buffalo will head back north to host the Washington Capitals on Sunday in another game between teams competing for wild card spots. Puck drop is at 1:00 p.m. at the KeyBank Center.

Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch – file photo

At approximately 7:39 a.m. on Friday, February 24th, officers from the Batavia City Police Department and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department responded to a phone call in which a threat was made against John Kennedy Intermediate School. Statement from Chief Shawn Heubusch: “Even though Batavia schools are on break for the week, officers from both departments and the New York State Police immediately responded on scene as any type of threat of this nature is taken very seriously. As a precaution, officers checked all the schools in the city school district and schools across Genesee County to ensure the safety of students and staff. It is still early in our investigation, but we have determined the threat to John Kennedy Elementary School not to be credible. It has been reported that similar threats have been at other school districts across New York and nationally. We appreciate the cooperation and assistance of the Batavia City School District on this matter as we continue our investigation with our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal levels on our investigation. People making these types of threats should know they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” . Superintendent Jason Smith said that all sports practices, events and club activities will continue as planned throughout the weekend with an increased police presence as a safety precaution.

Joe Cortez

In Orleans County Court, 40-year-old Joe Cortez of Batavia pleaded guilty to criminal contempt for violating an order of protection. He could face up to nine months in county jail when he is sentenced. However, Cortez is also facing a more serious charge of rape in Genesee County for allegedly having forcible sexual contact with a juvenile victim under the age of 17.

FROM THE GENESEE COUNTY SHERIFF: 27-year-old Brian Stachewicz of Batavia has been charged with offering a false instrument for filing, after allegedly showing intent to defraud the state by providing false information on a pistol permit application. He was released on an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court on March 7th. ALSO: 49-year-old Michael Vanbuskirk of LeRoy is now charged with bail jumping after failing to appear in County Court, after being released on a felony charge. He turned himself in voluntarily within 30 days thereafter and was arrested and issued an appearance ticket to appear in Batavia City Court on March 7th. ALSO: 36-year-old Justine Wood of Batavia is charged with two counts of bail jumping after failing to appear in Stafford Town Court following her release on a criminal matter. Wood was arraigned in CAP Court and remanded to jail in lieu of $2,000 bail.

Nakeem Haynes

The Buffalo man who carried out a deadly shooting before opening fire towards a police car has pleaded guilty to multiple charges. Prosecutors say 28-year-old Nakeem Haynes killed 63-year-old Atlas Johnson in the area of Broadway and Sears Street back in June. Officers happened to be on patrol at the time of the homicide and Haynes later fired a gunshot that struck the windshield of a police cruiser, but didn’t injure anyone. He’s now facing a sentence of 80 years to life in prison.

Rochester police are still looking into multiple shootings in their city that resulted in a teenager being killed and two others getting hurt. The first shooting was on Saint James Street around 1:30pm yesterday and a 17-year-old boy suffered non-life threatening injuries. About an hour later, a teen was shot on Alphonse Street and died at the scene. Roughly 10 minutes after that shooting, another teen was hit by gunfire in the area of Lang and Remington Streets and rushed to a hospital. There is no word if these shootings are connected.

East Palestine, Ohio – Train Derailment – 2/3/23

Governor Hochul is urging Congress, rail companies and federal regulators to take action to prevent future freight rail hazmat disasters. Following a derailment in Ohio earlier this month, the governor is calling for the expedited phasing in of safer tank cars for hazardous materials. She also wants braking regulations to be modernized and the use of electronically controlled pneumatic brakes to be increased so that derailments can be avoided. The governor is also pushing for additional funding for hazmat preparedness training and response.

New York taxpayers are being hit with a sky-high bill for Governor Kathy Hochul’s airplane and helicopter flights. Data dug up by the New York Post shows the governor took 210 flights operated by state police in her first year in office, costing taxpayers $271,000. The Post reports that many of those flights coincided with private events that appear to be fundraisers and campaign stops ahead of last November’s election. Hochul has previously said everything she does is cleared by ethics and follows state policies.

Buffalo-Niagara International Airport

Buffalo Niagara International Airport is getting $7,000,000 (million) in federal funds to help pay for a project at the facility. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and fellow New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand say the money is coming from a program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Law. The funds will go towards covering a portion of the cost of rehabilitating the terminal’s aging HVAC system. The hope is that the renovation will both enhance air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Niagara Falls – blue and yellow in support of Ukraine – 2/23/23

Niagara Falls is lit yellow and blue in recognition of the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the war between Ukraine and Russia. An estimated 75,000 people have come to the U.S. from Ukraine since Russians launched their attack, including approximately 14,000 in New York through the federal government’s Uniting for Ukraine program. Approximately 28,000 New York residents, more than any other state, have volunteered to sponsor an individual. Governor Hochul also directed the Ukrainian flag to be flown over the New York State Capitol building in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Steve Hawley (background) takes a closer look at farming machinery – file photo

Assemblyman Steve Hawley tells us he’s disappointed by Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon’s decision to move forward with the previously proposed reduction in the farm worker overtime threshold. The Department earlier this week approved the measure, which has been hotly debated for a number of years. Hawley is concerned about what this will mean for the future of New York farmers. He says that the burden of this mandate will cause many small family farms to fail. (2019 photo, from Steve Hawley’s website)

Tage Thompson celebrates his 4th hat trick of the season with a few teammates – 2/23/23

The Buffalo Sabres have avoided a 2nd straight loss after picking up a huge win on the road against one of the best teams in the NHL. Tage Thompson had three goals, his 4th hat trick of the season – while Jack Quinn, Ilya Lyubushkin and Zemgus Girgensons also scored as the Sabres beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-5 in overtime last night. With the win, Buffalo now has 62 points and sits in 6th place in the Atlantic Division. The next game for the Sabres is tonight against the Florida Panthers; the puck drops at 7:00.

Please play responsibly.

The Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots are on the rise again and have a combined total prize of $245,000,000 (million). The jackpot up for grabs in tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is $126,000,000 (million). And whoever chooses the winning numbers for Powerball tomorrow night will be depositing $119,000,000 (million) into their bank account. Both drawings will be streamed live online. Please play responsibly.

Police said three teenagers were shot, including one fatally, at three different locations in the city just over an hour apart Thursday afternoon.  Officers found a 17-year-old boy with gunshot wounds on St. James Street around 1:30. Police said he has non-life-threatening injuries. One male is in custody and police recovered a loaded handgun.  Police responded to Alphonse Street around 2:30 and found a teenage male shot at least once. He died at the scene. Police are investigating what led to the shooting and working to identify the victim.  The third shooting happened around 2:40 on Remington Street. Police said a teenage male was shot at least once and taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries. The shooting remains under investigation.  Police said it’s unclear whether the three shootings are related. 

Many western New Yorkers remain in the dark after snow and ice kept falling through the night.  National Grid reports at least 6 hundred homes in Genesee County and almost 1300 in Wyoming County were without power.  In Erie County NYSEG reports roughly 13,000 homes without power.  National Grid put warmers and tarps on their power substations after the Christmas weekend blizzard.  Both companies have crews pulled in from the rest of the state and other states to restore power to their customers.  National Grid customers can report an outage at 1-800-867-5222.

Long Island Congressman George Santos is taking fire again and this time it isn’t for allegedly lying about his history.  He has cosponsored a bill labeled HR 1095, or the AR 15 bill.  This bill would name the AR 15 semiautomatic rifle, specifically with a .223 or 5.56x45mm round, as the official National Gun of the United States.  It is co sponsored by fellow Republicans Andrew Clyde of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado.  Governor Hochul called it “outrageous and appalling.”  She called the AR 15 a “weapon of war” and said the US “should never “glorify the weapons that have been part of horrific tragedies.”

Niagara Falls will be joining 12 other New York landmarks that will be lit yellow and blue in recognition of the 1 year anniversary of the beginning of the war between Ukraine and Russia.  An estimated 75,000 people have come to the U.S. from Ukraine since Russians launched their attack, including approximately 14,000 in New York through the federal government’s Uniting for Ukraine program. Approximately 28,000 New York residents, more than any other state, have volunteered to sponsor an individual.  Gov. Kathy Hochul also directed the Ukrainian flag to be flown over the New York State Capitol building in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is deeply disappointed by Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon’s decision to move forward with the previously-proposed reduction in the farm worker overtime threshold.  The measure, which has been hotly debated for a number of years, was approved by the Department of Labor this Wednesday.  Hawley is concerned about what this will mean for the future of New York farmers.  He says that the burden of this mandate will cause many small family farms to fail.

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau is calling on Biden to get a handle on Illegal Immigration, from the US to Canada.  The province of Quebec is seeing a massive increase in people from Central and South America who are making their way through the US and seeking asylum in the great white north.  They are crossing mostly on Roxham Road north of Perry Mills of Highway 87 because it is not an official land port of entry into Canada.  Quebec is by far the part of Canada seeing the highest number of immigrants with nearly 5000 people entering the province.  The next closest is British Columbia with roughly 80.

Latoya Jackson

37-year-old Latoya Jackson of Batavia has been charged with resisting arrest while being arrested on four bench warrants. She was a passenger in a car involved in a traffic stop; when officers attempted to arrest Jackson, she allegedly refused to comply with verbal commands and resisted being handcuffed. The warrants that had been issued stemmed from harassment charges, criminal contempt, trespass and endangering the welfare of a child. Jackson was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Part Court and released on her own recognizance.

A winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the entire GLOW region. The National Weather Service is predicting periods of freezing drizzle and additional accumulations of a light glaze. Icy conditions will cause slippery travel on the roads and bridges, and safety concerns when walking in untreated parking lots, driveways and sidewalks. The advisory is in place until 10:00 this evening.

The winner of the second-largest Mega Millions jackpot in history has finally claimed their prize. The individual bought the ticket worth $1,300,000,000 (billion) dollars in Maine. They’ve chosen to remain anonymous and decided to take the money in a one-time cash payment of over $723,000,000 (million) before taxes. A little closer to home, someone in East Rochester has a third prize winner in the Powerball game; that winning ticket is worth $50,000.

Positive COVID-19 test result – file photo

The latest data from the state shows more residents in our region are testing positive for COVID-19 these days. Currently, the seven-day average infection rate is sitting at 7.04%. At this time one week ago, that infection rate was at 6.52%. County Health departments encourage everyone to make sure they are up to date on their coronavirus vaccinations and booster shots and they should also wear a mask indoors when in public places to protect themselves from getting sick.

This morning, Amherst police revealed the names of the three people who were killed in a crash on the Millersport Highway earlier this week. They say 18-year-old Azathiel Pabon, 19-year-old Isabella French, and 20-year-old Dakota Eldridge were all in the vehicle involved in Monday’s accident. All three of them died at the scene and two other victims were hospitalized for treatment of injuries that aren’t believed to be life threatening. Speed may have been a factor; however, the cause of the accident is still being looked into.

Farm workers – file photo

The final farm labor overtime regulations have been adopted and are now official.  On January 1, 2024, a phased-in, gradual reduction in overtime pay will begin with the threshold set at 56 hours. The overtime threshold will then reduce by four hours every other year until it reaches 40 hours in 2032. The farm board released a statement saying that the new hours will ensure “equity” for farm laborers. Farmers across the state protested the decision and said that it would drive laborers away from the state. Governor Hochul responded by saying that New York would give farmers more tax credits to help afford labor.

Rochester police say they’ve been able to make an arrest in connection with a string of recent burglaries. According to investigators, a 16-year-old boy was involved in smash-and-grab crimes at area businesses including Comedy at the Carlson, the Liberty Family Restaurant, and Universal Liquor. The teen is facing charges and his case is going to be handled in Monroe County Family Court. Anyone with information about these burglaries is asked to reach out to police.

Senator Ryan

State Senator Sean Ryan is calling for an investigation into the recent firings of more than 30 employees at the Tesla gigafactory in Buffalo. Ryan wants the President of Empire State Development and the Vice Chair of the Fort Schuyler Management Corporation to get more details about why the workers were let go. The firings happened after members of Tesla Workers United announced a plan to unionize. Tesla says those employees were fired due to poor performance and that allegations they were terminated because they tried to unionize are false.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection has released some recommendations for New Yorkers who are looking to save money on entertainment and recreation. The agency says people should keep in mind that the state offers free entertainment and a list of events can be found on the I Love New York website. Residents can also check with groups in their community to see if they offer any free programs. Libraries also have a variety of things like books and movies that can be rented for free and they may also offer discounted passes to attractions and museums.

Buffalo Sabres – file photo

The Buffalo Sabres are going to be in the Sunshine State tonight for a showdown with the reigning Eastern Conference champions. The Sabres will battle the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena in Florida. Buffalo is coming off a disappointing 6-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday, but the team remains in the hunt for a playoff spot. Face-off this evening is scheduled for 7:00.

The winter Weather Advisory remains in effect in the GLOW region through 6 pm.  The National Weather Service is predicting an additional tenth of an inch of ice and winds gusting up to 40 miles per hour.  Ice on the roads will cause slippery travel and dangerous conditions.  Blowing snow and ice will cause reduced visibility.  Make sure to leave extra room for stopping and go slow around corners.  Beware of speeding up and losing traction.

Local schools are closed because of the icy roads and bad conditions.  Attica, Alexander, Byron Bergen, Leroy, Oakfield Alabama, Pavilion, St Josephs, Notre Dame schools are all closed for Thursday.  St James Episcopal’s Thrift Store is closed today.  Creative Arts Camp at GO ART! Is canceled today.  Haxton Memorial Library and Independent Living of The Genesee Region are closed today.  

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) announced the adoption of the final farm labor overtime regulations.  On January 1, 2024, a phased-in, gradual reduction in the overtime pay threshold will begin with the threshold set at 56 hours. The overtime threshold will then reduce by four hours every other year until it reaches 40 hours in 2032.  The farm board released a statement saying that the new hours will ensure “equity” for farm laborers.  Farmers across the state protested the boards decision and said that it would drive laborers away from the state.  Governor Hochul responded by saying that New York would give farmers more tax credits to help afford labor.

A teenager faces charges for a series of smash-and-grab burglaries in the city.  Police said they arrested a 16-year-old boy Saturday for incidents that happened Jan. 31 at Comedy @ the Carlson, Liberty Family Restaurant, Record Archive and East Ave Liquor & Wine, as well as Feb. 9 at Universal Liquor.  The teen is charged with burglary and criminal mischief for each of the incidents — in addition to grand larceny for the Comedy @ the Carlson and Universal liquor incidents, and petit larceny for the Record Archive and East Ave Liquor & Wine incidents.  Surveillance videos from the businesses appear to show the moments when the suspect and others broke in and stole cash registers, money and merchandise — causing thousands of dollars in damages for business owners.  The teen was taken to the Monroe County Children’s Detention Center and will face charges in Monroe County Family Court.  Police continue to investigate the incidents and ask anyone with information to call 911.

The Buffalo Museum of Science opened a new virtual reality exhibit with new experiences to discover.  With all senses activated during the games, visitors can play a game of Angry Birds, explore underwater and even paint with their hands all while using VR.  Amy Biber, Director of Communications and Marketing says with virtual reality becoming an evolving technology it can teach kids and adults a lot about the world around them.  The Buffalo Museum of Science will have the exhibit until June 18th.

The Holland Land Office Museum is hosting traditional Irish music and dancing with No Blarney! On Friday March 10th at 7pm.  Tickets are 5 dollars a person or 4 for museum members.  Also Java with Joe will be returning March 23rd at 9am with Don Burkel who will be presenting on the Upton Family and their contributions to the community.  Admission is free and comes with coffee and donuts.  Lastly the next edition of the Guest Speaker Series is on Thursday, March 30th at 7 pm. The presenter will be Holly Watson of the Linwood Gardens.

Ice covered car – file photo

There is a winter weather advisory in effect for the entire GLOW region through 6:00pm tomorrow evening. Mixed precipitation is expected. Total snow accumulations of 2-4 inches and ice accumulations of around three tenths of an inch are predicted. Power outages and tree damage are possible due to icing. Travel could be extremely difficult. Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will result in slippery roads and periodic limited visibility. Stay with WBTA; latest 13WHAM weather forecast is always just a few minutes away.

20-year-old Ronell Agee, Jr. and 21-year-old Jaquel Gibson, both of Rochester, are each charged with criminal possession of stolen property greater than $3000, after fleeing from a traffic stop on Clinton Street Road in Stafford. Sheriffs continued to pursue them through several communities until Spike Strips were used in LeRoy to deflate their tires. Agee then allegedly fled from the vehicle on foot but was taken into custody a short time later. Agee was additionally charged with reckless driving, unlawful fleeing a police officer, obstructing governmental administration and several other vehicle and traffic violations. Both were held in Genesee County Jail pending a CAP Court arraignment.

37-year-old Randy Everett of Buffalo has been arrested following a traffic stop in Sheldon, for speeding. During the traffic stop it was discovered Everett’s driving privileges had been suspended three times on two different occasions for failure to answer a summons in Cheektowaga. Everett was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and speeding and is scheduled to return to court early next month

File photo, 2/21/23

First responders pulled a man’s body from the Genesee River in downtown Rochester yesterday morning. Crews responded around 9:00am and pulled the body from the water between the Court Street and Broad Street bridges. Police said RG&E helped lower the water level so crews could retrieve the body. The investigation continues to determine the man’s identity and cause of death. Photo from 13WHAM.

Amherst police are still trying to determine the cause of a crash that resulted in three people losing their lives and two others being injured. The one-vehicle accident happened Monday night along the Millersport Highway. An 18-year-old man, 19-year-old woman, and 20-year-old man all died at the scene. The other two victims went to Erie County Medical Center, but their injuries weren’t considered life-threatening. Witnesses to the accident are asked to reach out to police at 716-689-1311.

File photo example of lithium-ion battery

Officials say a fire that damaged a home in Rochester was sparked by a lithium-ion battery used to power a hover board. When crews arrived at the scene on Radio Street yesterday, they saw heavy smoke pouring out of the house. One person was trapped inside the home and firefighters had to help him get out. He was brought to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation but is expected to be OK.

Congressman Morelle – file photo

Congressman Joseph Morelle says Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester is getting one-million-dollars in federal funding to help with a construction project. The money will be used towards expanding the emergency department to three-times its current size. The hope is if there’s more space available, there will not be overcrowding. The hospital is also planning to build a brand-new nine-floor patient tower.

An arrest has been made in connection with a deadly shooting that occurred inside of a store in Buffalo. Officials say 25-year-old Abdul Hussein shot the 62-year-old victim yesterday at the business located on Broadway near Lombard Street. Hussein was taken into custody shortly after he opened fire and investigators say he and the man he allegedly killed knew each other. Hussein is now facing a murder charge.

Troy Blackchief – file photo provided by Cheektowaga Police

The Cheektowaga Police Department has provided an update on an officer who was hurt in the line of duty. The agency says that Troy Blackchief suffered multiple injuries including a skull fracture after being struck by a stolen vehicle in the area of Union Road and Genesee Street earlier this month. Blackchief has regained a level of consciousness, but has a very long road ahead to fully recover. The father of three has been with the department for 17 years and works with the SWAT team and patrol unit.

Catholic Health has announced that it’s going to be hosting more open interviews next month for both registered and graduate nurses. The first interviews will be at the Sisters of Charity Hospital on March 1st. That will be followed by interviews at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo March 3rd, Mount Saint Mary’s Hospital on March 6th, and Kenmore Mercy Hospital on March 9th. More information about the available positions can be found by going to jobs.chsbuffalo.org.

Brian Bartlett – file photo

A man from Rochester is the 5th person in the world to be cured of HIV. According to an announcement on Monday, Brian Bartlett of Rochester, who acquired HIV in 2010 but didn’t get diagnosed till 2014. Bartlett’s HIV is now undetectable. Bartlett, a community health specialist at Trillium Health, said he’s excited about what the latest HIV research breakthrough means. Doctors say while the research is significant, the treatment involves wiping out a person’s entire immune system — making it too risky to be widely accepted or available as a cure for HIV. But researchers, and Bartlett, believe the disease epidemic will be wiped out in his, much longer now, lifetime.

Matthew Hoose

Police say the unexpected death of Ontario County Clerk Matthew Hoose does not appear to be suspicious. Hoose was found dead yesterday at a home in Canandaigua. Just last week, the Ontario County Board of Supervisors issued a vote on no confidence in Hoose after he fell behind on making the county’s payments to multiple state departments. A press release from the county said no further comment will be made on Hoose’s death and that thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Alex Tuch scored his 100th career goal last night (file photo)

The two-game winning streak of the Buffalo Sabres has been snapped after the team suffers a loss in front of their home crowd. Jeff Skinner, Jack Quinn and Alex Tuch each scored but the Sabres still fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 at KeyBank Center last night. The Sabres have 60 points this season are currently in sixth place in the Atlantic Division.  Buffalo’s next game is tomorrow night on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Face-off is at 7:00.

There is a winter weather Advisory for Orleans, Wyoming and Genesee counties from 4pm this afternoon through 6 pm Thursday.  Mixed precipitation is expected. Total snow accumulations of up to 2 inches and ice accumulations of around three tenths of an inch.  Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice. Travel could be extremely difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.  Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will result in slippery roads and limited visibilities. Slow down and use caution while driving.

A stinky situation developed in Darien.  Tuesday afternoon around 2pm police responded to reports of a manure truck roll over on Simonds Rd.  The report that reached mercy flight was heavy entrapment.  The DEC responded to the incident and found that the manure was flowing into the field and not into the waterways.  The owner of the rig said at the scene that they could right the truck and tow it.  The driver was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight.

City leaders in Batavia are upset that the new apartments at Ellicott Station are being rented out to low income and section 8 instead of to what was billed as mixed income or workforce renters.  The 55 unit apartment complex was sold to the City Council and received grants based on the plan that it would be for people who make 18-20 dollars an hour and were not on government assistance.  Once the advertising went up Friday it was revealed that that was no longer the plan.  City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr and councilman Bob Bialkowski both said they were “very disappointed.”  They also expressed doubt that the proposed restaurant and brewery supposed to be included in the new structure would ever come to be.  City Manager Rachel Tabelksi said that she wouldn’t be just letting the issue go.  

First responders pulled a man’s body from the Genesee River Tuesday morning.  Crews responded downtown around 9 a.m. and pulled the body from the water between the Court Street and Broad Street bridges.  Police said RG&E helped lower the water level so crews could retrieve the body.  Investigators are working to determine the man’s identity and cause of death.

Strong Memorial Hospital has received a major dose of financial help to expand critical services.  Rep. Joe Morelle was on hand Tuesday to announce lawmakers secured $1 million to enhance Strong’s emergency department.  The funding comes at a critical time for hospitals, which are dealing with a shortage of space.The expansion will more than triple the general and pediatric emergency departments. It will also add more than 200 treatment and observation stations at Strong, along with 40 new private inpatient rooms.

A man from Rochester is the 5th person in the world to be cured of HIV.  According to an announcement on Monday, Brian Bartlett of Rochester, who acquired HIV in 2010 but didn’t get diagnosed till 2014.  Bartlett;s HIV is now undetectable.  Bartlett, a community health specialist at Trillium Health, said he’s excited about what the latest HIV research breakthrough means.  Doctors say while the research is significant, the treatment involves wiping out a person’s entire immune system — making it too risky to be widely accepted or available as a cure for HIV.  but researchers, and Bartlett, believe the disease epidemic will be wiped out in his, much longer now, lifetime.

The Buffalo Sabres were beaten by the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday night 6 to 3.  Alex Tuch scored the 100th goal of his career.  Jack Quinn and Jeff Skinner also put a goal in each.  The Sabres have been outscored 18-6 in losing their past three home games. Buffalo is 17-8-2 on the road, but fell to 11-15-2 at home.  The Sabres will be going to Florida to play against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.  Puck drop is 7pm.

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that former Buffalo football legend and Hall of Famer, Thurman Thomas, will be attending the upcoming Fur Ball Gala Fundraiser set to take place at Batavia Downs on Saturday, March 4.  The Fur Ball Gala is a benefit to raise money for the Animal Shelter of Genesee County & SPCA of Wyoming County. The event runs from 5-9 p.m. on Saturday, March 4. Tickets are $75, and attendees receive a buffet dinner, open bar, tastings, $50 in free play and access to a basket raffle with more than 40 items from Batavia Downs and other local businesses. Thurman will be on hand to take photos with all event attendees, and a DJ will be on-site as well.

FROM THE COUNTY SHERIFF: 41-year-old Jason Anderson of Batavia is now charged with robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, petit larceny and criminal mischief. He is accused of displaying a knife during a robbery at an undisclosed business on Veteran’s Memorial Drive. Anderson fled the scene before deputies arrived; however, following investigation, he was arrested and arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and ordered held on bail. Some of these charges stem from an earlier incident when Anderson was accused of cutting a chain lock on an electric bicycle and stealing it. ALSO: 34-year-old Alyssa Harnish of West Main Street Road, Batavia is charged with harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. She is accused of striking a child during a disturbance earlier this month. Harnish was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on her own recognizance. ALSO: 31-year-old Joseph Jeffords of Batavia is charged with petit larceny; he is accused of shoplifting at Kohl’s. Jeffords was released on an appearance ticket. ALSO: 37-year-old Jerwan McFarley of Rochester is charged with criminal mischief and acting in a manner injurious to a child. He was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported in the Town of Stafford last week. McFarley was ordered held without bail; no additional details are available at this time.

A woman is dead after a tree fell on her in Genesee County. Troopers responded to the WNY Gas & Steam Engine Association on Gillate Road in the town of Alexander just before 10:00am Monday. Police said an investigation determined a tree was being cut down on the property and fell in the path of a 65-year-old woman. Neighbors called 9-1-1 and removed the tree with a tractor. Life-saving measures were attempted but the woman died from her injuries. According to police, it is believed the incident was an accident and there are no signs of foul play.

29-year-old Amber Turner, along with 26-year-old James Difalco, both of Batavia, have been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.  Police investigation found they allegedly concealed a quantity of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and Turner was driving without a license. Both were issued appearance tickets for Batavia City Court at a later date.

The Buffalo News has announced its downtown Buffalo print production facility will soon close and be moved to Cleveland…it’s anticipated approximately 160 jobs will be impacted. The move reflects a larger trend that’s happening nationally. Changes in printing and distribution expect to take effect later this year. The newsroom staff and operations will remain unchanged.

Ahhhh-CHOOO!

Some brand-new data from the New York State Flu Tracker shows there’s been a surge of the illness in Monroe County as of late. There were 132 new infections reported there during the week ending February 11th. During the same time periods, Erie County had 28 new infections; Niagara County had seven cases; Ontario County, five; both Wayne and Genesee Counties reported two new cases of the flu. Even though flu season is starting to wind down, county health departments are still urging people who have not been vaccinated against the virus to roll up their sleeves and get their flu shot.

With their West Coast road trip in the rearview mirror, the Buffalo Sabres are finally going to be playing on home ice again tonight. The Sabres will look to extend their winning streak to three games against the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. Buffalo is coming off of a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Face-off tonight is scheduled for 7:30.

Thurman Thomas

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that former Buffalo Football Legend and Hall of Famer, Thurman Thomas, will be attending the upcoming Fur Ball Gala Fundraiser set to take place at Batavia Downs on Saturday, March 4th, 2023. The Fur Ball Gala is a benefit to raise money for the Animal Shelter of Genesee County & SPCA of Wyoming County. The event runs from 5-9pm on Saturday, March 4th. Tickets are $75 and attendees receive a buffet dinner, open bar, tastings, $50 in Free Play and access to a basket raffle with more than 40 items from Batavia Downs and other local businesses. Thurman will be on hand to take photos with all event attendees and a DJ will be onsite as well. To book tickets, please call 585-344-6155.

Please play responsibly.

The Mega Millions jackpot is still growing and has now crossed the $100,000,000 (million) threshold ahead of tonight’s drawing. Whoever correctly picks all six winning numbers is going to get a grand prize of at least $104,000,000 (million). Anyone who wants to watch this evening’s drawing can do so by going to megamillions.com. Please play responsibly.

Photo from February 20, 2023

After being in business for nearly 75 years, the doors at Kutter’s Cheese Factory in Corfu are going to be closing for good soon. The owners say the decision to shut down their retail location is due to multiple factors including labor shortages and high shipping costs. In a statement, they also thanked customers for their support and said they hoped people have fond memories of the store. A going out of business sale has already started and is expected to continue through Friday. Photo by Doug Thompson, WBTA News.

Niagara Falls police are asking for help from the public with solving a shooting that took the life of a 16-year-old boy. Officers responded to a shots fired call at Jordan Gardens last night and found the teen suffering from a gunshot wound. He was brought to Niagara Falls Medical Center and later pronounced dead. Witnesses are asked to give police a call at 716-286-4553.

The Transportation Security Administration has issued some tips for pet owners about how to quickly and easily get their furry friend through security at the airport. The TSA says to make the screening process run smoothly; all pets should be brought to the security checkpoint in a hand-held travel carrier. Also, remove the pet ahead of it being screened and never place it in the X-ray tunnel and, carry the pet through the walk-through metal detector if possible. Once screening is complete, put the animal back in its travel carrier.

Meteor over Texas, 2/16/22

NASA says a meteor exploded in the sky over south Texas last Wednesday night. The space agency says observations from several sources indicate the meteor was about two feet in diameter and weighed about a thousand pounds. The space rock was traveling at about 27,000 miles per hour when it broke apart at an altitude of 21 miles near McAllen. NASA says the meteor shattered with the energy of eight tons of TNT, causing a flash of light and a loud boom. Afterwards, meteorites reached the ground in the area.

New research indicates COVID-19 can damage the heart on the cellular level, leading to long-term problems. The preliminary research carried out at Columbia University found the virus damaged the way the heart’s cells regulate calcium. That’s an important mineral for how the heart pumps blood.

A woman is dead after a tree fell on her in Genesee County.  Troopers responded to the WNY Gas & Stream Engine Association on Gillate Road in the town of Alexander just before 10 a.m. Monday.  Police said an investigation determined a tree was being cut down on the property and fell on the 65-year-old woman. Neighbors called 911 and removed the tree with a tractor. Life-saving measures were attempted but the woman died from her injuries.  According to police, it is believed the incident was an accident and there are no signs of foul play.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney sent a letter to the Biden administration slamming it for failing to comply with a legally-mandated reporting requirement on Iran’s military capabilities. The letter, which was addressed to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, follows her failure to submit a report to Congress on the military capabilities of Iran, which is legally required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. This report requires a detailed description of the advancements in the military capabilities of Iran, especially regarding the capabilities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah and the Houthis. Further, this report requires detailed accountings of attacks against U.S. servicemembers and our allies by Iran and its proxies.  The report was due 180 days following the passage of the NDAA. It is now 233 days late.

It’s been 35 years since Genesee Community College started hosting the Rural Police Training Academy.  Since 1985 the RPTA has accepted recruits from across the region, offering a yearly basic course that runs from early April to the following early March, as well as a variety of in-service courses throughout the year in cooperation with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.  Both full and part-time officers, including those over the age of 35, are welcome to enroll, as well as pre-employment candidates who are at least 19 years old and have no felony or criminal convictions. A background investigation is required for all pre-employment candidates.

The Buffalo News announced its downtown print production facility will soon close and move it to Cleveland while approximately 160 positions to be impacted.  The Dean of Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University, Aaron Chimbel, says this is part of a larger trend that’s also happening nationally.  Changes in printing and distribution expect to take effect later this year.  The newsroom operations and staff will remain unchanged.

The line of people waiting to get in to Kutter’s; at least 20 more are not pictured. 10:15am this morning, 2/20/23

The Kutter’s Cheese Factory Retail Store is closing, after 75 years in business. The owners cited high shipping costs, discontinued cheeses, labor shortages and rising costs in general, the combination of which made it impractical to remain open. The manufacturing business of Yancey’s Fancy will continue to operate, as they are under separate ownership. Photos by Doug Thompson, WBTA News.

A South Main Street fire has sent one person to the hospital. Around 7:20 on Saturday evening the City of Batavia Fire Department was alerted to a fire at 44 South Main Street. Upon arrival, they found the 2-1/2 story home with a fire in the kitchen and an occupant trapped on the second floor. Fire crews quickly brought a female occupant to safety, and then extinguished the fire. Fire damage was confined to the kitchen area with smoke damage throughout the upper apartment. Two other occupants were in the home at the time of the fire and one was transported by ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. No firefighters were injured. The fire was determined to result from a cooking accident.

Governor Hochul has announced the results of the recent Super Bowl weekend STOP-DWI enforcement campaign. The governor says State Police arrested 183 people for DWI between Friday, February 10th and Monday, February 13th, including 20 in our region. There were more than 11,800 tickets handed out during this same time period for violations such as speeding and distracted driving. During last year’s Super Bowl enforcement initiative, just under 11,000 people were ticketed.

Tesla Workers United is asking for assistance from the National Labor Relations Board as employees at the gigafactory in Buffalo attempt to unionize. Dozens of workers were fired at the facility last week after it was reported that employees were trying to form a union. Tesla claims the reason workers were let go was due to performance issues, but other employees believe the move was retaliation. Tesla Workers United wants the NLRB to file an injunction to get the fired individuals back on the job.

Jermaine Wilkins (provided photo)

A 35-year-old Buffalo man has been identified as the victim of a deadly weekend shooting in Rochester. Police say Jermaine Wilkins was found suffering from a gunshot wound on Parsells Avenue Saturday night and was pronounced dead shortly after first responders got to the scene. Wilkins was in Rochester to visit family members. So far, an arrest has not been made in connection with this case.

According to Triple A, the national average cost for a gallon of regular fuel is now $3.41. The state average is $3.49, and in Batavia, we’re paying $3.37; that’s down a penny from a month ago and down 29 cents from a year ago today.

Owen Power (file photo)

The Buffalo Sabres won their Saturday night game against the San Jose Sharks with a final score of 4 to 2. Jeff Skinner, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, and Owen Power each scored for the Sabres. Their west coast road trip ended with 2 wins and 2 losses. Next up for Buffalo is a home game on Tuesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs; the puck drops at 7:30.

Ice cover as of 2/13/23

The lack of ice coverage on the Great Lakes has reached a new record low. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the observed ice coverage on the Great Lakes as of Feb. 13 was only 7 percent. That’s the lowest it’s been since records started being kept back in 1973. The average ice coverage across the Great Lakes for mid-February is around 35 to 40 percent. The reason for the lack of ice is due to the above average temperatures that have been present across the region. While there have been a few cold snaps that lead to ice development, fluctuating air temperatures allowed for ice to fade away. And when ice did develop, it wasn’t able to grow or thicken due to the relatively warmer winter temperatures.

The New York State Department of Health is urging residents to sign up to become an organ donor. Right now, there are roughly 8100 New Yorkers on the national transplant list and some people may have to wait years before getting the organ they need to survive. Over 750 people died or were removed from the waitlist last year because they weren’t healthy enough to undergo a transplant procedure or passed away because an organ wasn’t available. To join the donation registry, go to donatelife.ny.gov.

A fire on South Main Street sent one person to the hospital.  Around 7:20 on Saturday the City of Batavia Fire Department was alerted to a fire at 44 South Main Street in Batavia.  Fire units arrived at 7:22 to a 2 and a half story home with a fire in the kitchen area and an occupant trapped on the second floor.  Fire crews quickly deployed a portable ground ladder, brought a female occupant to safety, and extinguished the fire. Fire damage was confined to the kitchen area and smoke damage throughout the upper apartment.  Two other occupants were in the home at the time of the fire and one of those occupants was transported by ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. No firefighter injuries were reported.   The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental due to cooking by City of Batavia Fire Department fire investigators. 

A man was shot dead on Parsells Ave in Rochester on Saturday night.  Rochester PD responded around 9:20 p.m., for the report of a man who knocked on a neighbor’s door, claiming he had been shot.  Shortly after, officers say they found the victim, 35-year-old Jermaine Wilkins who was suffering from at least one gunshot wound to his upper body. He was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene.  Although Wilkins is originally from Rochester, he resided in Buffalo. He was in Rochester visiting family.  Wilkins is believed to have been shot while walking on Denver Street and ran to the house on Parsells Ave after he was shot.  The motive for the murder is unknown at this time and there are no suspects in custody.

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority announced Friday that K-9 Eiko from the NFTA Transit Police has been chosen to work security detail at the NBA All Star Game.  Eiko, an explosive detection canine, traveled to Utah with Officer Elliot Justinger on Tuesday. The duo will help with security at various events leading up to the big game Sunday.  Eiko previously traveled to Inglewood California in 2022 to work the Super Bowl.

Representative Elise Stefanik is incensed about the border, the northern border.  The representative of New York’s 21st district says that illegal border contacts at the Canada US border have risen 700 percent in the last year and that January saw more illegal border crossings than the last dozen Januarys combined.  She lays the blame for the increase in crossings, and the increase of fentanyl being smuggled into the country, at President Biden’s feet.  She said in a press release that border agents have been forced to work remotely processing people who cross the southern border illegally while thousands cross into New York while they are busy.  Stefanik says that she and republicans will put a stop to it.

The Buffalo Sabres brought the bigger boat to the fight against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.  They filet the fish for a win of 4 to 2.  Jeff Skinner, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, and Owen Power scored for the Sabres.  Their west coast road trip ended with 2 wins and 2 losses.  They come home to play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night at the Keybank Arena.  Puck Drop is at 7:30.

Not only has ice been lacking on Lake Erie this winter, but much of the Great Lakes as well.  In fact, the lack of ice coverage just reached a new record low.  In a recent press release from NOAA Research on Friday, it was announced that the observed ice coverage on the Great Lakes on Feb. 13 was only 7 percent. That marks a new record low for ice coverage since records began in 1973. The average ice coverage across the Great Lakes for mid-February is around 35 to 40 percent.  The reason for the lack of ice is due to generally above average temperatures that have been present this winter across the region. While there have been a few cold snaps that lead to ice development, fluctuating air temperatures thereafter allowed for ice to fade away. And when ice did develop, it wasn’t able to grow or thicken due to the relatively warmer winter temperatures.

Western New Yorkers are concerned that the fallout from the train derailment in East Palestine Ohio will come to New York in the water or in the air.  The Erie County Water Authority says that it isn’t possible for the hazardous chemicals released by the crash to reach Lake Erie or Western New Yorkers.  From their statement: “East Palestine’s watershed flows southwest toward the Mississippi River and is geographically isolated from Lake Erie’s watershed, making it impossible for chemical residuals from the derailment to enter our area’s water sources.” On the question of the air pollution the New York State DEC says they are monitoring the air for any hazards.  

Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns may be investigated for using thousands of dollars in taxpayer money to pay for advertisements that feature himself, which is illegal in New York.  Kearns appeared in a tv show that used taxpayer money.  He also used roughly 100,000 dollars of taxpayer money to run ads that featured himself during the last election.  Erie County Democratic Party Chair Jeremy Zellner said it should now be investigated by the New York State Attorney General’s Office and that there may be millions of dollars in fines.

The man on the run from US Marshals after failing to report to a Residential Recovery Program in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Luke Christopher, has been caught.  He was thought to be headed to Buffalo because he has friends and family there.  He was serving a sentence for a 2013 conviction for sexually exploiting minors.  At around 6pm on Friday Christopher surrendered to Marshals in Boston.

The New York State Police today announced that Troopers issued more than 11,800 tickets during a special STOP DWI traffic enforcement period over Super Bowl Weekend. During the campaign which started on Friday, February 10, and ran through Monday, February 13, Troopers arrested 183 people for DWI and investigated 490 crashes, which resulted in 73 people being injured and four fatalities.  State Police increased patrols and conducted sobriety checkpoints to deter, identify and arrest impaired drivers.  During last year’s Super Bowl enforcement initiative, State Police issued 10,975 tickets, arrested 189 people for DWI, and investigated 688 crashes that resulted in 87 individuals being injured and four fatalities. 

Elba beat out Pavilion and Batavia for the title of Scholastic Bowl Champions on Thursday evening at BOCES Batavia.  High School Senior Ian Keberle Says that their strategy was to misdirect other teams by failing during the practice rounds and then correctly answering questions in the actual competition.  Elba took first place with 300 points, Batavia was right behind them with 290 and Pavilion took third with 240.

Christopher Luke

The search is on for an escaped sex offender who may have returned to Buffalo. The U.S. Marshals Service says Christopher Luke is serving time for a 2013 conviction of sexual exploitation of children. He was at a residential recovery program in Lake Charles, Louisiana until three days after Christmas. The 42-year-old didn’t show up and officials think he’s back in our area, possibly staying with family or friends. (Luke is reported to be 6’1″ tall and weigh approximately 280 pounds)

Payton Gendron appears tearful while listening to victim impact statements

The federal trial of the 19-year-old man who killed 10 people and injured three others at a Tops store in Buffalo could begin in July. U-S Magistrate Judge Kenneth Schroeder says he will schedule the trial for Payton Gendron in July unless defense attorneys or the prosecution give him a reason to delay it. Gendron has been sentenced to life in prison for his conviction on state charges in the shootings last May. He could face the death penalty if he’s convicted on the federal charges. Yesterday, at a status hearing in federal court, Gendron was turned over to U-S Marshals while prosecutors decide if they’re going to pursue the death penalty, which is allowed under federal law.

Here’s a reminder from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, for seniors turning 65 anytime this year, the deadline to apply to upgrade to the enhanced STAR property exemption is March 1. Eligible seniors should verify the exact due date and apply to the assessor’s office.

Crystal Peoples-Stokes

State Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes says she is working to remove language to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes from Governor Kathy Hochul’s state budget plan. The Buffalo assemblywoman is the Deputy Majority Leader. She says she agrees with opponents to the ban who say such a ban would disproportionately affect smokers who are people of color and therefore would create a policy with an inherent racial bias. Peoples-Stokes says she agrees with the intent of the ban to stop smoking but she calls this ban selective and would be a mistake.

The automaker Tesla has laid off 30 employees at its Buffalo plant in a move it says was based on performance reviews — but employees say it’s retaliation for trying to organize a union at the plant. Tesla Workers United say the firings are unacceptable and that the expectations for employees at the plant are unattainable and ambiguous. Tesla officials say the employees who were laid off had been notified of their performance. A spokesperson for Governor Kathy Hochul’s office says they are closely monitoring the situation at the Buffalo plant.

Aftermath of accident in Niagara Falls – 2/16/23

Charges are pending after a collision between a vehicle and a motorcyclist in Niagara Falls killed the cyclist. Niagara Falls Police say the accident happened Wednesday night when a vehicle traveling east on Buffalo Avenue turned left onto the I-190 on-ramp and collided with a motorcyclist heading west. The 56-year-old motorcyclist from Niagara Falls died later at a hospital. The other driver — who was not hurt — is cooperating with police.

Dr. Gretchen Hawley

Four generations are now represented in the newest person to be inducted in the Rotary Club. Gretchen Hawley says she grew up watching her dad and grandfather be active in Rotary and knew she wanted to be a part as well. Her great grandfather, Warren Hawley Jr. was one of the club’s charter members in 1919 and was president in 1924. Gretchen is a native Batavian who has recently returned to the community. She is a physical therapist and specializes in working with multiple sclerosis patients through her business called the MSing Link. (Published photo)

There is a winter weather advisory for Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties till 10 am today.  Freezing rain and mixed precipitation are expected with total snow accumulations of an inch or less and ice up to a tenth of an inch.  Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will result in slippery roads and limited visibilities. Slow down and use caution while driving.  Be especially careful in areas of high elevation. 

An event at Pembroke High School Wednesday afternoon honored the men and women who served in the military.  The event honored the Village of Corfu, Town of Pembroke, and Pembroke High School as Purple Heart Communities, and honors were bestowed by members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart in recognition of Pembroke’s commitment to honoring veterans and the U.S. military.  There are 13 former Pembroke students who have received the Purple Heart. They were each honored during the ceremony.  Closing remarks were delivered by Dr. John B. Long, who noted at the start of his speech, that he turned 96 two days prior.  He is a World War II veteran, a Purple Heart recipient who served in the European Theater as part of the Big Red One.  He charged the students to remember the freedoms they enjoy were paid for with the blood of those who fought in World War 2 and beyond and to not take them for granted.  You can read a full transcript of his remarks on our news partner the Batavian.  

LeRoy will not be combining their football program with Cal/Mumford and Byron Bergen.  The announcement of the result of the final decision by the LeRoy board of Education came Wednesday to student athletes and their families.  LeRoy superintendent Merritt Holly said that the numbers just didn’t add up for the proposed merger which was planned to increase the roster of players.  Holly said the feedback from players and families was overwhelmingly that there should be no merger.    

4 generations are represented in the newest person to be inducted in the Rotary Club.  Gretchen Hawley says she grew up watching her dad and grandfather be active in the Rotary and knew she wanted to be a part as well.  Her great grandfather, Warren Hawley Jr. was one of the club’s charter members in 1919 and was president in 1924.  Gretchen is a native Batavian who has recently returned to the community. She is a physical therapist and specializes in working with multiple sclerosis patients through her business called the MSing Link.

Do you have what it takes to strut your stuff in the fashion world?  Genesee Community College is looking for models for its annual fashion show “Ageless.”  Tryouts for the 42nd annual show modeling gig are the 21st through the 23rd at the colleges forum.  The theme of the show is fashion in all its forms and highlights styles across generations so there is no specific body type or age, gender or ethnicity being sought.  Anyone who has a passion for fashion and wants to be a part of this event is encouraged to attend the tryouts.

A local Oscar winner has been honored in Rochester.  Philip Seymour Hoffman, from Fairport, known for his roles in The Talented Mr Ripley, Boogie Nights, Twister and Capote for which he won an Oscar for Best Actor.  Hoffman was also prolific on Broadway.  He died by drug overdose in 2014 at the age of 46.  A statue of him has been placed at the Eastman Museum to coincide with a year long exhibit about his films and life. 

Do you know who this person is? The State Police need your help.

Agents of the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the man in the surveillance photo taken at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Batavia. Investigators seek to question the man in connection with thefts at the store. He’s also wanted for questioning in connection with similar thefts throughout the Western New York area. He may be driving an older, gray, Toyota Tundra. The State Police can be contacted at (585) 344-6200

Cosgrove Middle School

A 15-year-old boy is now facing an assault charge following an incident at Cosgrove Middle School in Spencerport. Police say the teen, who is a student at the school, slammed a younger student into the ground during dismissal on Monday. The suspect was issued an appearance ticket for family court, and due to his age his name is not being released. The victim needed treatment for minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.

Club Marcella interior – file photo

Buffalo police say they have made an arrest in connection with a deadly shooting that happened at Club Marcella this past weekend. According to investigators, a 16-year-old boy has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon and assault. Gunfire erupted at the Michigan Avenue business early Sunday morning and a 21-year-old man ended up losing his life. Two other people were also hurt but are expected to survive. Anyone with information on this case can call police at 716-847-2255.

Orleans County Courthouse

An Orleans County Judge has sentenced a Buffalo man to 1 to 3 years in state prison. 36-year-old Dennis Bach pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny when he admitted to taking about $11,000 worth of construction supplies from Pride Pak in Medina. Bach was ordered to pay restitution and was also issued an order of protection for him to stay away from the company’s property on Maple Ridge Road. Bach’s attorney asked the judge for a sentence of five years’ probation instead; the judge responded by saying he would recommend the option of shock camp in prison, which could mean a shorter sentence of six months if the Department of Corrections accepts Bach into the program.

A man found unresponsive in a car after a chase through Rochester has died. At around 12:30 yesterday afternoon Rochester police were called to Bloss Street for reports of a body being loaded into a car. Officers found and pursued the car until it crashed at the intersection of Saratoga Avenue and Ambrose Street. Police said two males ran from the scene but were caught shortly after. Police found one of them with a handgun. Charges are pending. During the investigation, police found the unresponsive man in the car and unsuccessfully attempted life-saving measures. Police are working with the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the man’s cause of death and what led up to it.

Payton Gendron in court for sentencing – 2/15/23

The 19-year-old man who killed 10 people and injured three others at a Tops store in Buffalo will be spending the rest of his life in prison. Payton Gendron was sentenced yesterday and the judge said the hateful ideology of the self-professed white supremacist has no place in society. All of the people that Gendron shot and killed last May at the supermarket were black. Gendron is still facing federal hate-crime charges that could result in the death penalty.

Negative Covid-19 test result

Some new data from the state shows that the spread of COVID-19 has increased very slightly in our region. Right now, the 7-day average infection rate is sitting at 6.52%. At this time last week, the infection rate was at 6.50%. People are still being urged to get vaccinated against the illness and make sure they’re up to date on their booster shots. To find a nearby immunization clinic, visit vaccines.gov.

Season ticket holders are going to have to hand over more of their cash if they want to see the Buffalo Bills in-person this year. That’s because the average price for a season ticket at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park is going to increase by an average of 12%. But, team officials say this is still one of the cheapest season ticket packages in the National Football League. Current members have until March 15th to renew their tickets for the 2023 season.

Alex Tuch – file photo

The Buffalo Sabres have snapped their four-game losing streak in a big way after picking up a blowout victory on the road. Among the players who found the net, Alex Tuch scored a goal, his 25th of the season. (Casey Mittelstadt, Zemgus Girgensons, Tyson Jost, Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch all scored) The Sabres beat the Anaheim Ducks 7-3 last night. Goalie Eric Comrie of the Sabres stopped 19 of the 22 shots he faced. Up next for Buffalo is a game Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks. The puck drops at 10:30.

Wegmans is offering its customers a different way to pay for orders that are placed online or through the supermarket chain’s mobile app. The company says it’s now accepting Electronic Benefits Transfer and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments. Customers who choose to pay this way will get free delivery for three orders. A Wegmans official says this initiative helps the company support its mission of helping people live better lives through food.

A man found unresponsive in a car after a chase through Rochester has died.  At around 12:30 in the afternoon Rochester police were called to Bloss Street for reports of a body being loaded into a car.  Officers found and pursued the car until it crashed at the intersection of Saratoga Avenue and Ambrose Street.  Police said two males ran from the scene but were caught shortly after. Police found one of them with a handgun. Charges are pending.  During the investigation, police found the unresponsive man in the car and unsuccessfully attempted life-saving measures.  Police are working with the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the man’s cause of death and what led up to it.

Independent Living of the Genesee Region is inviting everyone to their Lunch in the Dark Fundraising event, on Thursday April 20th, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. It will take place in the Gymnasium of the School for the Blind on Richmond Ave.  Participants will experience lunch in a darkened environment in order to better understand eating and socializing with vision loss.  Participants will be lead in a group discussion on best practices for making events with food more accessible, as well as strategies for eating with vision loss.  There is a donation requested of $50 per ticket, the event includes a 50/50 split drawing and a Basket Raffle.  The meal will be prepared by the BOCES Culinary Class and the menu includes Italian Pot Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable Medley, Risotto Cakes and Panna Cotta.  To register, call Catherine DeMare at 585 815 8501 extension 400.

Next Saturday is the Febrewary event which will showcase the breweries and meaderies of the area along with local shops.  The event, set for 4 to 8 p.m. Feb. 25, was just picking up steam for a few years when COVID hit and it was derailed in 2021, resuming the crafty beer fun walk last year.  Of the featured brewmeisters, 810 Meadworks of Medina, Windy Brew from Sheldon and OSB Ciderworks from Buffalo have been confirmed.  General admission tickets are $30 and include a collectible snifter glass, snacks along the way, raffles and giveaways and tastings. VIP tickets are $40 and include all of the regular features plus an extra hour, from 4 to 8 p.m., an exclusive tasting and a food station.  Designated drivers will be able to partake of the specials, raffles, snacks and non-alcoholic tastings for $10.

Bethany Volunteer Fire Department has selected their co-firefighters of the year.  William Thurley and Lyle Boundy were honored in a ceremony Saturday night at the Batavia Country Club at their annual installation and awards banquet.  Chief Fluker used the event to call on the community to come out and volunteer saying “We need more volunteers.  We need to find more neighbors and enlist their assistance in keeping the community safe.”  He went on to say that they needed more roles filled than just firefighters.  A sentiment echoed by fire departments all around the area.

Nominations are open for the Dairy Farmer of the year award at this year’s Erie County Fair.  Dairy Day will be Saturday, August 12, and will have a variety of activities that will showcase dairy farming and products.  The WNY Dairy Farmer of the Year designation could be awarded to an established or even newer Western New York dairy farmer who exhibits outstanding management of their dairy farm business and showcases leadership in the WNY dairy industry and/or their community.  It’s not necessarily the farm putting the most milk in the tank or with the fanciest cows, even though being efficient and having happy animals is important.  To nominate a farmer, follow the link at WBTAi.com.

https://www.ecfair.org/p/entertainment/dairyfarmer

Mighty wings will once again thunder through the wild blue yonder over Rochester.  The Thunderbirds are returning for the AP Property Services Airshow coming up in August at the Fredrick Douglass Airport.  Rochester has hosted the Thunderbirds four times since 2005.  The lineup for the Airshow will include many other stellar aviators.  The Airshow is August 12 and 13.

Payton Gendron at sentencing

Man in gray (center of photo) rushed Gendron

Payton Gendron was sentenced this morning to multiple life sentences with no possibility of parole. He still faces a possible death penalty sentence for federal hate-crime charges. At one point during the reading of victim impact statements today, a man rushed Payton but was stopped by sheriffs and Gendron was taken out of the courtroom. Photos were shared by WIVB-TV, Buffalo.

FROM THE COUNTY SHERIFF’S: 26-year-old Megan Courtney of Batavia has been charged with two counts of grand larceny (defined as property greater than $1000), after allegedly stealing debit card information and later utilizing the information to make purchases of over $1800 worth of merchandise. Courtney was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to return to Town of Batavia Court on February 28th. ALSO: 27-year-old Demetrius Coleman of Buffalo has been arrested and charged with petit larceny. It’s alleged he stole a BB gun from 4180 Veteran’s Memorial Drive. Coleman is scheduled to return to Batavia Town Court on March 2nd. ALSO: 19-year-old Zakara Jackson of Batavia has been charged with promoting prison contraband. Jackson was arrested after allegedly introducing a crack pipe into the Genesee County Jail. Jackson was arraigned in Genesee County CAP Court and is due back in City Court at a later date. ALSO: 28-year-old Caleb Swendsen of Pembroke is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance; it’s alleged he had a small bag containing a crystal rock-like substance on the passenger seat as well as drug paraphernalia. Swendsen was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket. He is to return to Oakfield Town Court on March 6th. ALSO: 32-year-old Zachary Reed of Batavia was arrested on February 13th for an alleged assault that occurred late last month at a business in the Town of Batavia. He was arraigned in Town Court and released on his own recognizance. Reed is due to return to Town of Batavia Court on March 14th. From the same incident, 32-year-old Tiffany McAllister was also arrested and also charged with assault. Her return date to court is February 28th.

There is a high wind warning in effect until 7:00pm this evening for Genesee, Orleans, Niagara and Northern Erie Counties. Damaging winds could blow down a few trees and power lines. Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Scattered power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, in light of Southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 50 to 55 mph are predicted. A wind advisory is in effect for Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe Counties where Southwest winds will sustain at 20 to 30 mph with occasional gusts of 50mph.

A Wyoming County Jail inmate has been charged with assault after allegedly punching another inmate numerous times causing injury. The incident occurred on February 1st. 22-year-old Ethan Davis of Nunda was arraigned in Warsaw Court and was committed back to jail on $20,000 bail. He is scheduled to return to court at a later date.

Cosgrove Middle School, Spencerport – file photo

Ogden police are continuing their investigation into a violent and disturbing incident outside of Cosgrove Middle School in Spencerport. A video shows an older student picking up younger student and slamming him into the ground during dismissal on Monday. The victim suffered minor injuries but didn’t need to go to the hospital. The older student has been removed from school and is likely going to face charges.

Mercy Hospital, Buffalo

Mercy Hospital officials are going to be holding open interviews later this week in hopes of being able to hire more nurses. Registered nurses and graduate nurses are urged to show up at the Buffalo hospital on Friday from 9:00am until 5:00pm to meet with recruiters. Employment offers include bonuses of up to $25,000 for certain positions.  To sign up, go to chsbuffalo.org/rngn.

File photo

Buffalo police are continuing their investigation into a shooting that resulted in five people being hurt. They say the victims were hit by gunfire last night on Crossman Avenue. They were all taken to nearby hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. It’s believed the shooting happened during an altercation and there have been no arrests made yet. Anyone with information is asked to give police a call at 716-847-2255.

Employees at the Tesla Gigafactory located in Buffalo have taken their first step towards becoming members of a union. In a letter, they announced their intention to unionize alongside Workers United Upstate New York. They are asking Tesla executives to respect their rights to organize a union and not to engage in any threats or retaliation. In the past, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been critical of unions and even sent a tweet out years ago saying that employees would lose their stock options if they unionized.

Example of a steering wheel lock – file photo

Kia and Hyundai owners are getting some help with preventing their vehicles from being stolen thanks to the Rochester Police Department. The department is handing out steering wheel locks to people who own vehicles between the 2010 and 2020 model years. In the last year, hundreds of those vehicles have been taken in Rochester. The free locks are available on a first come, first served basis at neighborhood centers on Dewey Avenue, Norton Street, Genesee Street and Goodman Street.

The Buffalo Sabres will be back in action tonight as they try and put an end to their current four game losing streak. The Sabres are set to visit the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center in California. On Monday, the Sabres fell to the Los Angeles Kings by a final score of 5-2 and are in 5th place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Face-off this evening is set for 10:00.

The Chicks in concert – file photo

The popular country music group The Chicks will bring their brand-new tour to the region this year. They’re set to take the stage at CMAC in Canandaigua on Friday, August 11th. The group has won multiple Grammy awards and is known for hits such as “Wide Open Spaces,” and “Cowboy Take Me Away.” Tickets for the show go on sale tomorrow and more information be found online at cmacevents.com.

Saving money on transportation costs is going be a bit easier for New Yorkers thanks to tips from the state Division of Consumer Protection. The agency suggests folks plan their drives ahead of time so they can combine errands into one trip, which saves both time and money. Also, people should keep their vehicles tuned up because a car that’s poorly maintained might use more gas. Finally, use public transportation or carpool, which will benefit the environment and your wallet.