Local News

The Buffalo Bills have announced that their radio announcer, John Murphy, has suffered a stroke.  The Bills released a statement form Murphy’s family: John Murphy suffered a stroke last weekend. He is recovering at home with his family and making progress every day.  John and the Murphy family are grateful for the excellent care by the staff and doctors at Buffalo General Medical Center. We appreciate everyone’s support.  Murphy does play by play for WGR and has done so since 2004.  He was also the color analyst on the games from 1984-89 and 1994-2003.  Chris Brown will be taking over his duties while he is on the mend. 

Two Weeks after the Blizzard that hit Buffalo and Western NY the death toll continues to climb.  The new number is 44 in Western NY alone.  Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says the County Medical Examiner’s office has confirmed two more deaths related to the blizzard that struck the region last month.  According to Poloncarz, they were a woman who was found in a tent in Buffalo and a three-year-old girl who died as the result of injuries after drowning at a hotel pool. The girl and her family had gone to the hotel after losing power.

A Canadian man has pleaded guilty to smuggling illegal aliens into the States illegally.  In May 2019, the defendant, 46-year-old Edwin Ramirez-Cordones launched a boat into the Niagara River with two individuals on board that known to the defendant were not U.S. citizens.  The defendant was to be paid nearly $9,000 for bringing the two individuals into the United States.  He stopped at a dock in Lewiston and let them out and then returned to Ontario.   They were both caught as well.  His sentencing is set for May 19th.  

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the promotion of Denise Donnell – the first woman to command the New York Air National Guard – to the two-star rank of major general. Major General Donnell was the first woman to command one of the New York Air National Guard’s five flying wings and is one of only five women to attain the rank of major general in the New York National Guard. During a ceremony Friday afternoon at the Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, Major General Donnell’s two-star general’s rank was pinned on by her father, Dr. Robert Donnell, and brother, Air National Guard Technical Sgt. John Donnell. Governor Hochul appointed Major General Donnell as commander of the 5,800 Airmen of the nation’s largest Air Guard contingent in April 2022. 

Batavia doesn’t wake up till ten, says Adam Garner, a vendor who ran a table at the Saturday City Center Mall Market for Garner Farms of Le Roy.  The vendors and stakeholders gathered in the City Center to talk about what worked and what didn’t in the market.  The hours, 8:30-11, the cost, 40 dollars to run a table, and the amount of time the market runs were all what they considered “misses.”  The group talked about resuming on February 4th with a Valentines Day focus but moving the hours to 10:30-1:30. 

The United States Postal Service is hiring. A job fair will be held at the Batavia Post Office on Thursday, January 12th from 10am until 2pm; they have an immediate need to fill the following positions:
· City Carrier Assistants (CCAs) – $19.33 per hour
· Rural Carrier Associate – $19.94 per hour
· Mail Handler Assistant – $17.32 per hour
· Postal Support Employee to assist with processing mail – $20.05 per hour

Please note that one or more of the above positions may only be available at other postal facilities.  Another job fair will be held at the Williamsville Career Center, 4175 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY 14221 next Wednesday, 1/11 from 10:00am – 2:00pm.

Senator Borello

Senator George Borello has been sworn in as the representative of the 57th State Senate District; he is now representing Genesee County. The boundaries of the newly drawn district include Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Wyoming and the western half of Allegany County. The district is one of the largest in the state, spanning approximately 4,500 square miles. Senator Borrello also noted that he would continue serving as the Ranking Member on the Agriculture Committee, a role he first assumed in July 2020. He will also continue serving as the Ranking Member on the Banks Committee and as a member of the Finance Committee. Additionally, he was appointed as a new member of the following committees: Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business; Elections; Housing, and Insurance.

Damar Hamlin

The road to recovery continues for Damar Hamlin following his collapse during the Cincinnati Bengals game. Doctors said yesterday that Hamlin has made substantial improvement; breathing tubes have been removed and he is now speaking. Many Bills players and their head coach spoke openly yesterday for the first time since Monday. He is able to communicate with them and even asked who won Monday night’s contest. Hamlin fell to the turf and was in cardiac arrest after suffering a hit and remains in critical condition. The Bills are hosting the New England Patriots at Highmark with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 Sunday.

File photo

Provisions meant to strengthen protections against abuse in the foreclosure process are set to take effect now that Governor Kathy Hochul has provided approval of a law addressing a top court ruling that lawmakers have argued weakened safeguards for consumers. The measure, initially approved by state lawmakers last year, was backed after a state Court of Appeals ruling that made it easier for lenders and mortgage providers to halt the statute of limitations period during the foreclosure process. The new law bars any party in a mortgage foreclosure process from unilaterally stopping and restarting the statute of limitations to bring back what would otherwise be a time-barred application. Lawmakers who backed the measure argue it’s meant to restore fairness to the application of the statute of limitations in the mortgage foreclosure process. The hope is the law will give homeowners a more level playing field in foreclosure proceedings.

Franklin Upper School

Rochester police are still looking for the person who opened fire on a 16-year-old student while he was running towards his school. According to investigators, the teen was involved in an incident on Hudson Avenue yesterday and the suspect later tried to shoot him near the Franklin Educational Campus on Norton Street. No one was struck by any of the gunfire and no one was injured. Classes continued as normal. Police are planning to be on campus during student dismissal and arrival.

File photo of an e-cigarette user

The New York State Department of Health is calling on residents who use e-cigarettes or other vaping products to make a resolution to kick that habit this year. Doctors say those products contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can have a negative impact on a person’s health. Data shows e-cigarette use is high among multiple groups of adults, including individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 years old. Anyone struggling with addiction can get help by dialing 1-866-697-8487.

USS The Sullivans (file photo)

The blizzard two weeks ago has damaged the netting that was wrapped around the USS The Sullivans, which resulted in it taking on about 30 inches of water in a couple of sections of the ship. The connecting stairway that runs from The Sullivans to the Little Rock was blown into the Buffalo River but was retrieved. The President of the Naval Park says they’re meeting with their insurance investigator tomorrow to discuss the damages. Unfortunately, the storm only made the issues the USS The Sullivans was already dealing with even worse.

Tage Thompson

Tage Thompson a forward for the Sabres has been selected for the NHL All Star Game for the first time in his career. Thompson has scored 55 points and 30 goals so far in 36 games this season. Thompson’s 30 goals are the second-most in the league, second only to the Oilers center, Connor McDavid, with 33. The All Star Game will be on February 4th at the FLA Live Arena, the home of the Florida Panthers. The Sabres will be hosting the Minnesota Wild at 7pm on Saturday evening.

Canalside – Buffalo Waterfront (file photo)

After having to shut down a couple of weeks ago due to the massive blizzard that hit the area, the Ice at Canalside is set to reopen today. There will be a “Buffalo Strong” fundraiser from 6 until 10 this evening, and one dollar of every ticket sold will benefit the American Heart Association. People will also have the chance to enter raffles for prizes including a football signed by Stefon Diggs and a signed Dion Dawkins helmet. For more information, go to buffalowaterfront.com.

Please play responsibly.

The Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots continue to soar and have now grown to a combined total of more than $1.2 billion. The top prize up for grabs for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing will be at least $940,000,000. And should someone be lucky enough to win Powerball tomorrow night, they would get a minimum of $325,000,000. Both drawings will be streamed live online. Please play responsibly.

Police in Rochester are investigating after shots were fired at the Franklin Educational Campus Thursday morning.  According to police an altercation on Hudson Avenue between a 16-year-old student and the gunman spilled out in front of the school on Norton Street around 8:30 a.m.  The student ran toward school while the suspect allegedly got out of a car and fired a gun on school grounds toward the teen, sending him and other students running for safety.  The suspect fled after the student ran inside the school. The student was not hit by gunfire. No one was injured.  The school was placed on lockout as a precaution. All exterior doors were secured and monitored. Classes continued as normal.  Police will be on campus during dismissal and arrival the rest of the week.

Doctors caring for Bills player Damar Hamlin are saying he is making remarkable improvement.  They said that he is communicating with them via pen and paper and has fully neurological function.  They say the cardiac arrest damaged his lungs which is why he isn’t talking.  The first thing he communicated when he woke up?  “Did we win?”  

The Blizzard over Christmas Weekend hit the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park hard.  The Life Netting that goes around the ships was damaged.  The Sullivans took on about 30 inches of water.  The Connecting stairway that runs from the Sullivans to the Little Rock was blown into the water but was retrieved.  While many faced different damages during the blizzard, the President of the Naval Park says they’ll meet with their insurance investigator this coming Saturday to discuss the estimated damage cost. The ships may need to be moved to dry dock as the storm only made the issues the Sullivans was already dealing with worse.

The Bills and Bengals won’t be finishing their Week 17 game.  The NFL announced Thursday that the game has officially been canceled and ruled a no-contest.  The decision brings forward a number of different playoff scenarios as both teams were battling for the top seed in the AFC.  Should the Bills and Chiefs both win this weekend and later meet in the AFC Championship game, the game will be played at a neutral site.  The same scenario will occur if both those teams lose in Week 18 and the Bengals win.  Then if either of those three teams meet in the AFC Championship game, the game will be played at a neutral site. 

Millions of dollars flowed into Damar Hamlin’s charity in his hometown in Pennsylvania after his heart attack on Monday.  The large amounts of money brought scammers like moths to a flame.  The Better Business Bureaus of Upstate New York and Western Pennsylvania are warning fans to look out for fake or fraudulent crowdfunding campaigns.  They are issuing tips to make sure you don’t give money to a fraudulent cause.  They warn that not all crowdfunding sites are the same and some don’t vet their causes.  Give.org has information on how to choose who to give to. 

Tage Thompson, forward for the Buffalo Sabres has been selected for the NHL All Star Game for the first time in his career.  Thompson has scored 55 points and 30 goals so far in 36 games played during the 2022-2023 season. Thompson’s 30 goals are the second-most in the league, only after Oilers center, Connor McDavid, with 33.  The All Star Game will be on February 4th at the FLA Live Arena.  The Sabres will be hosting the Minnesota Wild at 7pm on Saturday evening.

The City of Batavia (has announced that recently passed Federal legislation includes) will receive $2.5 million in federal funding for the new police headquarters and community complex to be constructed on Bank Street and Alva Place. The City estimates that the cost to build a new police department could reach up to $15 million. The 19,000 square foot facility will be constructed on city owned property and provide connectivity and enhance the area between City Centre and the emerging Medical Campus. Once completed, there would be 115 public parking spots available in nearby lots, in addition to free public parking on surrounding streets to serve the needs of existing businesses on Washington, Alva and State Streets.

File photo from the ground-breaking ceremony, May 2022.

Genesee County is considering the addition of up to $80,000 in costs to the $70 million jail project. The Ways and Means Committee supported the resolution for a change order to pay for additional insulation installation and protective flashing around the base of all pod areas for the new jail, which is being built near County Building #2 on West Main Street Road. County Manager Matt Landers is authorizing the additional work; the total amount of the final change order will be determined based on documented time and receipts for materials.

This Sunday, January 8th, at 6:30PM the City of Batavia Police Department and Fire Department are squaring off for the first annual hockey match-up. The two agencies have battled it out on the softball diamond in years past. The game will take place at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena. Patrons will be welcomed by some high-energy music to set the tone for the evening. The teams will take the ice for warm ups around 5:50 PM. Around 6:30 PM, the show starts. The National Anthem will be played by Miles Meyer on electric guitar. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:35. The ice rink secured a one-day liquor license and will be stocked with your favorite food / beverages. The night will include 50/50 drawings. Staff is still trying to work out the logistics of the fan favorite “chuck a puck”. The Batavia Rampart Mite Teams will keep fans entertained by playing during intermissions. All proceeds will benefit the David McCarthy Memorial foundation.

Jeremiah Thomas

36-year-old Jeremiah Thomas of Albion has been sentenced to six months in the Orleans County Jail, to be followed with five years of probation. He pleaded guilty to criminal mischief and reckless endangerment in a road rage incident. Thomas admitted in court to using his pickup to drive into the front of a car at McDonalds in Medina. The incident caused more than $8000 damage and put the other driver and a young child at risk of significant injury. Since that time, Thomas has been participating in an anger management program from which he said he was making progress. At sentencing, the judge also issued an order of protection for the other driver.

File photo of unidentified teenager receiving Covid booster

A new report shows that the spread of COVID-19 has decreased slightly in our region. Right now, the seven-day average infection rate is sitting at 6.77%. At this time one week ago, that infection rate was at 7.04%. Anyone who wants to get immunized against COVID-19 or receive a booster shot can schedule an appointment online at vaccines.gov.

Buffalo School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management

A teenager has been sentenced to spend the next six months in jail for her role in a stabbing that happened at a school in Buffalo. The Erie County District Attorney’s office says that the 16-year-old attacked a 17-year-old female student with a knife at the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management this past September. The victim suffered several wounds but did survive. Once she’s out of jail, the 16-year-old will have to spend five years on probation.

Scene of fatal fire, Dartmouth Avenue, Buffalo

New information has been released involving a fire in Buffalo this past weekend that left five children dead. The victims have now been identified as two-year-old Nehemiah Robinson, four-year-old Denise Keith, seven-year-old Jalissa Liggans, eight-year-old Joelle Liggans, and 10-year-old Aniyah Green. All of the children passed away due to the injuries they suffered during last Saturday’s blaze at a house on Dartmouth Avenue. Their grandmother, Lisa Liggans, is recovering from burns. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Attorney General James

The state Attorney General’s Office and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are teaming up to take legal action against an auto lender. The agencies have filed a lawsuit against Credit Acceptance Corporation, which is one of the largest sub-prime auto lenders in the country. Officials claim that CAC deceived low-income New Yorkers into high-interest car loans without considering whether people would be able to repay their loans in full. The goal of this lawsuit is to end CAC’s practices and also collect restitution for affected consumers.

Damar Hamlin

The Buffalo Bills have shared a new update on the medical condition of defensive player Damar Hamlin. The team says Hamlin remains in the intensive care unit in critical condition at a Cincinnati hospital but also says doctors have noted some improvement. The 24-year-old Hamlin collapsed on the field after suffering a hit in a contest with the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night, and the game was postponed. The team held a walkthrough yesterday ahead of Sunday’s game with the New England Patriots, but no players or coaches met with the media.

A Buffalo Attorney who worked in Batavia and Genesee County has been suspended from practicing law for 3 years.  From 2015 to 2017 Frank Housh had numerous complaints.  He was accused of taking money from clients and not delivering services promised, sending settlement money to the wrong people, saying he had filed claims and lawsuits but failing to do so, and not following up with clients or cases.  Housh represented Antwan Odom, of Batavia, in 2019 after Odom, then 18, was charged with attempted assault, and criminal possession of a weapon, following a dispute with a former teammate.  Odom was acquitted.  After an investigation into the complaints against him Housh was found to have knowingfully deceived his clients and had no remorse.  

Officials from Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel formally closed the books on a record-breaking 2022.  Credits played topped $1 Billion for the first time ever.  Net win totaled just over $76 Million Dollars.  That was up 14.5 percent or $9.63 Million over 2021’s numbers.   Surcharge & Earnings to be distributed to member municipalities are projected to total $9.2 Million, with earnings projected to be $8.6 Million, a record amount since the Corporation’s inception in 1974.  This is an increase of 48 percent over the 2021 Surcharge & Earnings distributions to member municipalities of $5.8 Million.  Batavia Downs Gaming contributed $37.25 Million to State Education via the New York State Lottery.  This number was also a record, beating 2021’s number of $32.55 Million by $4.7 Million.  

Did you enjoy the fall Wine Walk?  Well get ready for Fe-Brew-ary on February 25th.  A close replica to the BID’s popular fall wine walk, Febrewary features tastings — 21 stops are planned this year — at various downtown merchants, many of which will have specials, drawings, and giveaways.  It had been going for a few seasons until COVID shut it down in 2021.  Out of town attractions include 810 Meadworks of Medina, Windy Brew from Sheldon and OSB Ciderworks from Buffalo.  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.  Hurry, there are only 600 tickets being sold at Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, Yngodess, and on Event Brite.

While cataloging the artwork housed inside of the Hartley Dodge Memorial, Mallory Montillaro uncovered a masterpiece that had been lost to the art world since the 1930s.  After a year of research, the piece was authenticated as an official work by Auguste Rodin.  Join the Richmond Memorial Library on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. for an intriguing virtual program about it. Watch from home on Zoom or screen the virtual program in person at the library.  Mallory will share the story of how a simple art cataloging project evolved into a search for a mysterious piece’s provenance and became one of the biggest art finds in recent history.  To watch from home on Zoom, visit batavialibrary.org/calendar. You must be registered to receive the Zoom link. To watch in person at the library, visit the circulation desk or call 585-343-9550.

The NFL is still weighing their options regarding the resumption of the Bills-Bengals game, league officials stated during a Wednesday conference call.  Monday night’s game between the Bills and Bengals was officially postponed after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and was taken by ambulance to UC Medical Center in Cincinnati.  NFL executive Jeff Miller said there has been no decision on whether to resume the Bills-Bengals game at a later date. A decision will be made in the coming days. The outcome of the game has major playoff implications because the Bills (12-3) entered Monday night as the AFC’s No. 1 seed.  The Bills-Patriots game set for Sunday and the rest of the Week 18 games remain on schedule as of Wednesday.

New York bet on sports significantly more in 2022.  Research by Sportsbook Review analyzed state reports of the amount of handle and gross gaming revenue monthly. With the data, Sportsbook Review concluded the states that have spent the most in total along with breaking down the totals of 2021 and 2022.  The study puts New Jersey at the top of the list having wagered the most amount of money since 2018 with over $31 billion. In 2022, New Jerseyans wagered more than $8 billion in 2022, the second-highest total in the country. Following New Jersey comes Nevada with $27 billion wagered and over $7.5 billion in 2022. Our beloved empire state ranks fifth with $15 billion but sees its handle grow from $176 million in 2021 to a nation-leading $14 billion in 2022, an 8,000% increase.

William Snyder

The Perry Police Department tells us they’ve arrested a Middlebury resident on multiple felony charges. 54-year-old William Snyder violated an order of protection and held a 65-year-old woman at a home in Perry for over two days. Snyder is a registered sex offender and allegedly assaulted and injured the victim. He is charged with rape, kidnapping and criminal contempt. Snyder is being held in Wyoming County Jail without bail and is due back in court next Tuesday.

The Batavia Police Department has recently been investigating numerous larcenies from vehicles in the city. These thefts have been occurring mainly in the overnight hours, and from unlocked motor vehicles. Patrols remain vigilant in the overnight hours, and police are asking for assistance from the public to reduce these incidents. They remind us to always lock car doors. Leave exterior lighting on if possible. Remove valuables from the vehicle. Anytime you notice anything suspicious around your property, contact the police department immediately at 585-345-6350.

Lawmakers returned to the State Capitol today as the brand-new legislative session kicked off. Among the issues the Senate and Assembly could address in the coming months are changes to the state’s current bail reform laws and additional measures to reduce gun violence. Governor Hochul might also request that lawmakers pass certain legislation when she gives her State of the State address next week. This legislative session is scheduled to run until June 8th.

Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley has been re-appointed as deputy minority leader of the New York State Assembly. Hawley has served in a leadership role with the Assembly Republican Conference for many years following his first election in 2006. He promises to continue the fight for lower taxes on the middle class as well as a new moratorium of no state tax on gasoline and home fuel. Hawley will also serve as a member of the Agriculture Committee, Insurance Committee, Rules Committee, Veteran Affairs Committee, and Ways and Means Committee.

Stephen Zeh

Livingston County deputies have arrested the suspect who they say is responsible for many recent catalytic converter thefts. According to investigators, 27-year-old Stephen Zeh took the devices at a business on McWhorter Road in North Dansville. Zeh allegedly cut the catalytic converters off of vehicles that were in a parking lot before he stole them. After making his first court appearance, Zeh was released on his own recognizance.

Mayor Byron Brown

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says he’s hoping that a person will be hired soon to oversee the city’s vehicle fleet. The mayor said yesterday the recent deadly snowstorm pushed the city’s equipment to the maximum and that the individual who is selected to serve as fleet director would be able to provide much needed oversight to make sure things are ready in case of another disaster. The person would report only to the mayor and deputy mayor. A budget request to create this position has been submitted to the Common Council.

The New York State Police issued 32,934 tickets and arrested 453 people for impaired driving during the National DWI Crackdown, which started on Wednesday, December 14 and continued through New Year’s Day. Troopers also investigated 4,417 accidents, which resulted in 528 people being injured and eight fatalities. During the campaign, State Police utilized sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols, and ticketed distracted drivers who used handheld electronic devices. Troopers also used both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of this crackdown in order to more easily identify motorists who were violating the law. These vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated. The Finger Lakes region accounted for 33 DWI arrests and 917 speeding tickets.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the winners of the People’s Choice and Director’s Choice awards for the 21st Annual Wonderland of Trees decorated trees. The winner of the People’s Choice Award is the Stafford Garden Club; and the winner of the Director’s Choice Award is WBTA AM & FM. They congratulate the winners, and thank everyone who participated. They noted more trees this year than in recent years and were all beautifully done, which made the choices very difficult. Also, they wish to thank everyone who donated towards the event, and all who came to see the wonderfully decorated trees.

Tage Thompson’s response to hat trick – 1/3/23

The Buffalo Sabres are back on the winning track after picking up a victory on the road in overtime. Tage Thompson had a hat trick while Tyson Jost and Alex Tuch also scored as the Sabres defeated the Washington Capitals 5-4 at the Capital One Arena last night. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was able to stop 28 of 32 shots that he faced in the contest. Buffalo has the next few days off before a home game on Saturday against the Minnesota Wild. Face-off is at 7:00.

The National Football League has announced that the Buffalo Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals won’t resume this week. The game was postponed on Monday night after Damar Hamlin of the Bills went into cardiac arrest following a hit in the first quarter. Hamlin was brought to a Cincinnati hospital and was last listed in critical condition. His family has released a statement thanking everyone for their prayers and support. Buffalo’s game with the New England Patriots is still scheduled for Sunday.

Please play responsibly.

The Mega Millions jackpot is closing in on a billion dollars. Nobody won the jackpot in Tuesday’s lottery drawing, which was worth $785,000,000. As a result, Friday’s jackpot will be worth an estimated $940,000,000. Please play responsibly.

Buffalo Bills players aren’t the only ones asking for prayers after their teammate Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game.  All 32 NFL team changed their twitter profile pictures to ask for prayers for Hamlin.  Quarterback Josh Allen tweeted “please pray for our brother,” while tight end Dawson Knox tweeted he’s “constantly praying.” They’re just two of many from around the league who have posted well wishes for Hamlin, who’s currently sedated and in critical condition at a hospital in Cincinnati.  Hamlin is still on a ventilator. But he is now only using 50% oxygen from the ventilator. Whereas Monday night he needed 100% oxygen.  The NFL has not yet decided if they will be rescheduling the game from Monday night which stopped with 5:58 left in the first quarter, but said it won’t be this week.  

A man faces charges, including rape, following an incident in Wyoming County.  Police said William Synder, 54, of Middlebury, violated a protection order and held a woman at a home in Perry for more than two days.  Snyder, a registered sex offender, allegedly sexually assaulted the victim and injured her.  Police arrested Snyder Dec. 28 and charged him with rape, criminal sex act, kidnapping and criminal contempt.  Snyder is being held in Wyoming County Jail without bail. He’s due in Perry Village Court Jan. 10.

The pair who were arrested for breeding dogs and then abandoning them in cages without food in an apartment have pleaded guilty to charges of cruelty to animals.  35 year old Andrew Searight and 24 year old Jerrtonia Scarborough will receive 1 year of probation and must perform 150 hours of community service.  After this is done they will be sentenced for misdemeanor charges which may carry up to a year in jail.  One of the dogs, a pitbull nicknamed Brad Pitt, survived and is now able to be adopted.  The pair can’t be forbidden from owning any more animals once they complete their sentences but are prohibited while they are under court supervision.

Mayor of Buffalo Byron Brown has announced a new position in his administration: Fleet Director.  Whoever takes on this job will be a central figure set to oversee and cross-coordinate all fleets within Buffalo during emergencies.  The director will perform a full inventory of all equipment across departments, including existing purchases of equipment in production. The director will also review and assess new advances in technology in order to build a line-up of supplies in Buffalo.  The City of Buffalo took almost a week to dig out after Winter Storm Elliot came through.  Many people were without power and unreachable in the snow by emergency services for that whole time.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley has been re-appointed as deputy minority leader of the New York State Assembly.  Hawley has served in a leadership role with the Assembly Republican Conference for many years following his first election in 2006. He promises to continue the fight for lower taxes on the middle class as well as a new moratorium of no state tax on gasoline and home fuel.  Hawley will also serve as a member of the Agriculture Committee, Insurance Committee, Rules Committee, Veteran Affairs Committee, and Ways and Means Committee.

The Buffalo Sabres put one more in the win column Tuesday night with a 5 to 4 victory in Overtime against the Washington Capitals.  Tage Thompson scored a hat trick with Alex Tuch and Tyson Jost scored the other two goals to pull out the close win at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC.  Players wore “love for 3” t shirts into the arena.  3 is Damar Hamlin’s number in the Buffalo Bills.  The Sabres will be hosting the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.  Puck drop is at 7pm.

Liggans family home (12/31/22)

The death toll following a house fire in Buffalo has sadly risen to five after two more children passed away due to their injuries. Three girls who were seven, eight and 10 years old died at the scene on Dartmouth Avenue Saturday. Two other children, a two-year-old girl and four-year-old boy, died at Oishei Children’s Hospital. Their grandmother is recovering from severe burns, but a seven-month-old baby has been released after receiving treatment. Just what caused the blaze remains under investigation.

Josh Allen – reaction after Damar Hamlin’s injury

Buffalo Bills players are asking for prayers after their teammate Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during last night’s game. Quarterback Josh Allen tweeted “please pray for our brother,” while tight end Dawson Knox tweeted he’s “constantly praying.” They’re just two of many from around the league who have posted well wishes for Hamlin, who’s currently sedated and in critical condition at a hospital in Cincinnati.

52-year-old Vicki Manns of Alexander has been charged with menacing, criminal possession of a weapon, assault and harassment. Deputies report she threw an ashtray at a victim, causing injury and also threatened the person with a gun. She is scheduled to return to Town Court next Tuesday.  ALSO:  54-year-old Ronald Inzinna of LeRoy is charged with harassment and criminal mischief after subjecting another person to physical contact and preventing them from calling for help. He’s scheduled to appear in Town Court at a later date.

The unemployment rate in Orleans County for November was an even 3%, which is the second lowest rate in the county in the 32 years of data collection. The only month it was lower was in October when the rate was 2.5 percent. Genesee County’s unemployment rate has held steady at 2.5%, where it’s been since August after dropping from 3.0% last July. Statewide the unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in November, compared to 4.9 percent the previous November and 8.5 percent in November 2020. The 3.8 percent was up from the 3.6 percent in October. It was at 3.9 percent in September. The highest unemployment rate in the state was in Bronx County, at 6.1%.

Gas prices may begin to nudge back up soon. Last June, State lawmakers included a six-month suspension of about 16 cents per gallon in gas taxes to help individuals out a little bit at the pump; however, that’s not expected to be extended. Retailers are now required to include both state and local sales taxes in the pump price, while distributors must charge the taxes on any sale of previously untaxed motor fuel (according to the state Department of Taxation and Finance’s website). Professionals at AAA say residents should prepare for those price increases any way they can. Suggestions from the Auto club include mapping your route, combining your errands and maintaining good tire pressure, especially this time of year. While the national average for gas prices is down to $3.23, statewide, our average currently sits at $3.42. In Batavia as of this morning, we’re paying $3.31 per gallon, down 28 cents from a month ago.

A few team members celebrating a moment during a game earlier this season (file photo)

The Buffalo Sabres will be finishing up their current road trip with a contest in Washington, DC tonight. The Sabres are set to battle Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals at the Capital One Arena. They’re coming off of a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night. Face-off for the game tonight is set for 7:00.

Please play responsibly.

For only the fourth time in the history of Mega Millions, a jackpot of more than $700,000,000 is going to be up for grabs this evening. The prize for whoever selects the winning numbers ahead of tonight’s drawing will be at least $785,000,000. There have been over 20 drawings since the jackpot was last claimed on October 14th. The drawing will be streamed at megamillions.com. Please play responsibly.

Dog abandonment lands a woman in police custody.  32 year old Ledeja Wright of Maple Street in Batavia was arrested on December 15th for leaving a dog in an apartment after she moved out and not providing it with any food.  She is charged with torturing or injuring an animal and failing to provide sustenance.  She was arraigned and released.  The dog is at the Animal Shelter.

New York is now on the list as the 6th state to legalize human composting or natural organic reduction. Natural organic reduction is a process of composting a human body.  Funeral home owners are concerned over the lack of direction on how remains will be handled under the new law.  Change is not instant and regulations are still being drafted to tell funeral homes how to proceed.  Not all are on board with this new law, including the Catholic Church, that opposes it.

The ratings for the best and worst counties to live in for life expectancy are out, and the GLOW region numbers are surprising.  The University of Wisconsin ranked the bottom 50 counties in each state for average age of death and overall health ratings.  The best county in the area is Livingston with a life expectancy of 80 years which is .3 years less than the state average.  They rank 11th out of NY counties in overall health of residents.  Next up is Wyoming County with a life expectancy of 78.9 years.  Wyoming ranks 17th in overall health.  Third is Genesee County with a 77.8 year life expectancy, and ranking 38th in overall health.  And at the bottom is Orleans County with 77.5 years and number 54 in overall health.  In the bottom 50, meaning a lower number is worse, Livingston was 47, Wyoming was 29, Genesee was 12 and Orleans was 7.

A messy divorce is leading to airing nasty comments in public under the guise of a lawsuit, at least that’s what the defendant is saying.  A radio and tv personality in Rochester, Deanna King, is suing her ex-husband David Bellavia, over an arrest in in 2021 where she was taken into custody over harassment charges.  She is suing the Sheriffs Cffice in Orleans County, the County DA’s Office, an investigator, her ex, and the county itself saying that she was targeted in a conspiracy.  She is represented by Nate McMurray who has previously represented the case of George Maziarz whose suit against Batavia Downs was thrown out. He also attempted to become the representative for Western NY in Congress but failed at his bid.  Bellavia says the lawsuit is just an attempt to get negative comments he made into public record and is asking the lawsuit to be sealed and dismissed.  His attorney, Donald O’brien, says King and McMurray failed to prove a conspiracy or even what law the defendants were supposed to have broken.

Move over Ronald, chicken and shakes are taking over this road.  I 90 service plazas shut down their McDonald’s locations starting Sunday.  The 11 fast food locations will be replaced by Chick Fil A and Shake Shacks as the service areas are brought back into operation.  Subway, Sbarro and Burger King will still be operating at some, and all will still have their convenience stores.  If you want to know what is at each thruway stop and their hours and menus you can visit the thruway’s website or download the app.

The NFL canceled Monday’s game after a Bills player collapsed at the end of a play.  It happened during a key contest between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills.  Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin collapsed after making a tackle where he jumped in front of Bengals Wide Receiver Tee Higgins and took him down in the impact.  He stood up for a second or two and then fell down on his back right in front of a referee.  Life-supporting measures had to be made on the field.  He was taken off the field by ambulance with his mother riding along.  He is being treated at University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he is listed in critical condition.  Bills players were seen in tears on the sidelines.  The Bills announced that he had suffered Cardiac Arrest while on the field.

Jose Rivera

36-year-old Jose Rivera of Batavia is in Genesee County Jail on domestic violence and contempt charges for violating an order of protection. He now faces additional felony charges after conspiring to have ‘dangerous contraband’ brought into jail. 36-year-old Ida Vanorden of Batavia has also been charged with conspiracy for allegedly working with Rivera and an unidentified third man to have the contraband smuggled into jail. Rivera remains in jail; Vanorden is scheduled to return to court on January 10th. The investigation remains active as police continue to search for the third person involved. Anyone with information can contact Deputy Nicholas Chamoun at 345-3000, ext. 3258

A woman who was involved in a murder in North Carolina in 2008, has been arrested in Batavia and charged with attacking and choking a person during a dispute at an East Main Street residence. 41-year-old Malinda Falk is charged with harassment and criminal obstruction of breathing. She returns to City Court tomorrow. Falk was charged with harassment and criminal obstruction of breathing She and two others were arrested in 2008 and charged with the murder of a man in Morganton, N.C. on Jan. 21, 2008. Three years later, Falk was convicted of being an accessory to murder and was given a suspended sentence of 38 to 55 months in prison, time she already served while awaiting the outcome of the case. Her then-boyfriend, Daniel Wolff, also of Batavia was sentenced as an accessory to murder to 94 months to 122 months. John Brant of Friendship was convicted of first-degree murder and is serving a sentence of life without parole. The three traveled to North Carolina and robbed and murdered 49-year-old Dana Davis, an acquaintance of Wolff’s.

Governor Hochul being sworn in (1/1/23)

Governor Hochul has officially been sworn-in to begin her first full four-year term in office. During yesterday’s ceremony in Albany, the governor pledged to focus on making the state safer and more affordable. Hochul beat Republican Lee Zeldin back in November, becoming the first woman in state history to be elected governor. She has been governor since 2021 when she took over following the resignation of ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo. Hochul will reveal more details about her plans for the months ahead in her State of the State address next week.

Photo provided by Buffalo Fire Department

A GoFundMe has been set up to help out the family who lost three young children in a blaze in Buffalo over the weekend. The fire happened Saturday morning at a home on Dartmouth Avenue. Three girls passed away and three other kids staying at the residence went to Oishei Children’s Hospital for treatment. Their grandmother also suffered burns but is expected to survive. The GoFundMe can be found by searching “Cornerstone Church Ministries Liggans Family” and as of this morning, they were just a few hundred dollars short of reaching their $10,000 goal.

Kensington Expressway (file photo)

Two people have been killed and a third person remains in intensive care following a wrong-way crash on the Kensington Expressway in Buffalo. According to police the collision happened yesterday near the Jefferson Street exit. Both drivers were rushed to Erie County Medical Center but could not be saved and a passenger is recovering from their injuries. Just what caused the tragedy is still under investigation. (The driver of the Jeep that was going the wrong way on the Kensington expressway is identified as 35-year old Patrick Stack of Williamsville.)

According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas in New York State is $3.39. Nationally, it’s $3.21. As of this morning in Batavia, the average price is $3.31, up one cent from yesterday but down 29 cents from a month ago.

The Buffalo Bills are on the road for tonight’s game as they prepare to take on one of the top teams in the AFC. The Bills are set to battle the defending conference champions the Cincinnati Bengals. Even if they’re victorious, the Bills cannot clinch home field advantage through the playoffs because the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos yesterday. Kickoff tonight is scheduled for 8:30.

Zemgus Girgensons

The Buffalo Sabres have had their six game winning streak snapped after suffering a tough loss north of the border. Zemgus Girgensons had the lone goal for the Sabres as the Ottawa Senators defeated them last night with a final score of 3-1. Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson stopped 30 of the 32 shots he faced in the contest. The next game for the Sabres is tomorrow night when they visit the Washington Capitals. The puck drops at 7:00.

Please play responsibly.

A lucky lotto player could have a very happy start to their new year if they end up hitting the Powerball jackpot tonight. No one won the game on Saturday, pushing the prize for this evening’s drawing to at least $265,000,000. The odds of correctly picking all six numbers is one in over 292 million. The drawing will be streamed live online at powerball.com. Please play responsibly.

Governor Hochul is to be officially sworn in on Sunday at 2 PM in Albany at the Empire State Plaza.  Although she has been doing the duties of Governor she will be starting her first elected term in the new year.  Hochul is the first elected female governor of New York narrowly beating out Republican challenger Lee Zeldin in the last election cycle.  The Buffalo native is expected to talk about women’s rights as she is sworn in on New Year’s Day.  

New York State Supreme Court Judge Thomas Moran ruled last week that one of the state’s strongest gun laws is unconstitutional.  The Extreme Risk Protection Order law, also known as the Red Flag law, allows law enforcement to temporarily seize a person’s guns based on someone else making a written allegation in a petition to a judge that the person poses a harm to themselves or others.  The attorney who successfully argued the unconstitutionality of the Red Flag law, Daniel Strollo, said the law allows a “very quick and easy mechanism to deprive somebody of their fundamental Second Amendment rights.” This would be the fifth time the law or parts of it have been struck down as unconstitutional. 

A new law is going into effect that will make it illegal to hurt the families of a victim of a crime by publishing, sharing or posting pictures of the victim. Bianca’s law, named after Bianca Davis who was murdered in 2019 and then her killer posted pictures of her on social media.  Those pictures were used to torment her family.  The law also prevents people who work in public service from sharing photos from crime scenes, which happened in the case of 26-year-old Caroline Wimmer.  Anyone suspected of distributing photos like these can now be charged with unlawful dissemination of a personal image, a misdemeanor.

Andrew Crimes

50-year-old Andrew Crimes of Batavia has been charged with felony criminal contempt of court and aggravated family offense. He has had numerous convictions for contempt and violating an order of protection. Crimes has served two state prison terms for domestic violence. Crimes was arraigned in City Court.

Tonawanda Creek – looking upstream (file photo)

An official from Genesee County Emergency Management tells us that little or no ice has formed on the Tonawanda, Black and Ellicott Creeks so at this time, they are not anticipating major flooding. Minor flooding is a possibility in Alexander and the City and Town of Batavia, especially if heavy rain moves through; however, at this time, that is not in the forecast.

Holland Land Office Museum (file photo)

The Holland Land Office Museum will be closed from Tuesday, January 3rd through Saturday, January 21st. During this time, the staff and volunteers will be preparing for 2023 with new exhibits, displays, programs and special events. The museum will resume regular operating hours of 10am – 4pm on Tuesday, January 24th. For additional information, contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com

Mayor Brown – Erie County Executive Poloncarz (file photo)

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz is apologizing for his criticism of how Buffalo officials responded to the deadly blizzard. Earlier this week, Poloncarz called snow removal efforts in the city embarrassing, but said yesterday that he let his emotions get the best of him before making that remark. Sadly, at least 40 Erie County residents have died due to the weather disaster including 31 in Buffalo. Niagara County has reported one storm-related death after a man passed away of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The roads are expected to be busy this holiday weekend and members of law enforcement across New York State will be keeping a close eye out for drunk drivers. Travelers can expect to see increased police patrols as part of an ongoing STOP-DWI campaign that runs through Sunday. Police say folks can make sure they get home safely by having a designated driver or by using a taxi or rideshare service. Anyone who sees suspicious or dangerous activity while they’re traveling should dial 911 immediately.

A minimum wage increase goes into effect tomorrow, and that means a lot of workers upstate will be getting more money in their paychecks. The hourly wage for employees outside of Westchester County, Long Island, and New York City will go up by $1 from $13.20 to $14.20. Also, the hourly minimum wage for home care aides will rise by $1 to $16.20 in upstate counties. Workers who aren’t getting paid what they’re entitled to can reach out to the Division of Labor Standards at 1-888-469-7365.

A new Empire State law provides reimbursement to living donors of a kidney or liver. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the law on Thursday, which will cover costs incurred by the giver. This will likely reduce delays to receive a transplant by removing financial issues from the decision. Currently, there are approximately 9000 New Yorkers on the waiting list for an organ.

The Buffalo Bills Foundation is among three organizations that have donated money to help with storm recovery efforts in Buffalo and Western New York. The Bills, the NFL Foundation, and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York each handed over 100-thousand dollars. Those funds will be divided between immediate relief efforts in the region and future community needs. Also, all donations made to The Buffalo Bills Foundation through January 10th will benefit relief efforts.

Kyle Okposo (file photo)

The winning streak of the Buffalo Sabres has been extended to five games after the team picked up a big victory in front of their home crowd last night. Kyle Okposo had a hat trick, Casey Mittelstadt scored twice and Jeff Skinner had a goal as the Sabres defeated the Detroit Red Wings 6-3 at KeyBank Center. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced. Buffalo’s next game is tomorrow afternoon on the road against the Boston Bruins; face off is at 1:00.

Please play responsibly.

The Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots just keep growing and that means there are still two huge prizes up for grabs. Whoever wins Mega Millions tonight will get a minimum of $640,000,000 after no one won the game on Tuesday. And there is going to be a jackpot of at least $246,000,000 for Powerball tomorrow night. Both drawings will be streamed live online. Please play responsibly.

Mayor Byron Brown and County Executive Mark Poloncarz are at odds over how the snow removal operations in Buffalo went after winter storm Elliott rolled through.  Poloncarz said that the snow removal for the City of Buffalo was embarrassing storm after storm and year after year.  Brown defended the city workers and their efforts and said he didn’t know what Poloncarz was talking about.  Thursday night Poloncarz issued an apology for his comments saying his emotions got the better of him.  According to reports, Poloncarz and Brown have not spoken since the complaints.

It’s been a week since the beginning of the storm that dumped over 4 feet of snow onto the City of Buffalo and it is just opening up again.  Buffalo’s Commissioner of Public Works Nate Marton says this was a historic blizzard and the amount of snow and hurricane-force winds caused incredible snow drifts.  Critics say that the city’s snow removal plan lacks blizzard preparations.  The 50 page manual lacks the word blizzard anywhere.  Marton says that is a special operation that can be added in but isn’t in the official plan.  He said the major issue slowing down the snow removal was the wind which made it impossible for crews to see where they were removing snow.  If you can’t see, it doesn’t matter what kind of equipment you have, it isn’t going anywhere.   

Researchers at the University of Houston are saying that they have a vaccine in development that may be able to stop the fentanyl addiction rate in its tracks.  The vaccine, according to a university release, can stop people from getting the euphoric high feeling from the drug.  Tiny doses of Fentanyl can kill a person and most overdose deaths in the last few years have involved people taking the drug without knowing it as it was added to other drugs to increase their potency.  The Drug Enforcement Administration says agents have taken over 50.6 million fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills and more than 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder off the streets in 2022.  The vaccine makes antibodies that bind to the fentanyl and purge it from the body via the kidneys and thus keeping it out of a person’s brain.  Researchers say that this will be a big help in stopping relapses as well.

A new Empire State law provides reimbursement to living donors of a kidney or liver.  Governor Kathy Hochul signed the law on Thursday which will cover costs incurred by the giver.  This will likely reduce delays to receive a transplant by removing financial issues from the decision.  Currently, there are approximately nine-thousand New Yorkers on the waiting list for an organ.

The Bills are saying they didn’t ask for special treatment getting back home to Buffalo while residents still hadn’t been dug out of the several feet of snow.  Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has said that the bills asked for a police escort and plows to pave the way for their buses from Rochester to Orchard Park on Christmas Day.  The team denies that they asked for or received any help from Erie County or the state police.  New York State Police said they didn’t provide the Bills an escort home either, though a trooper did help lead buses from the airport to Interstate 490 at the request of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.  Meanwhile, the team announced Thursday a $300,000 donation, in partnership with the NFL Foundation and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, toward blizzard relief efforts in the Buffalo area.

On Thursday night team captain for the Buffalo Sabres Kyle Okposo scored his third career hat trick against the Detroit Red Wings contributing to a win of 6 to 3.  Jeff Skinner scored once and Casey Mittlestadt scored twice for the Sabres.  Buffalo will hit the road for a Saturday afternoon contest against the Bruins. Puck drop is at 1 p.m. est.

A man was seriously injured in a two-vehicle accident in Oakfield. The call came in early yesterday afternoon; firefighters responded to the intersection of Lewiston and Knowlesville roads, where they found the back of one of the vehicles, a Ford F-150, smashed up against the side of Simple Pleasures Home Decor & Gifts. A total of four people were injured; the seriously injured man was taken by Mercy EMS ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital. The other three people were taken to Rochester Regional Hospital-United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.

32-year-old Ledeja Wright of Batavia is charged with torture and injury to an animal, as well as failure to provide sustenance. Her arrest stemmed from an incident late last month when Wright allegedly left a dog in an apartment in which she no longer resided and failed to provide care for the dog. She was arraigned in Batavia City Court and is scheduled to appear at a later date. The dog was turned over to the Genesee County Animal Shelter. ALSO: 24-year-old Terrance Falk of Batavia is charged with criminal mischief and assault. He was arrested after a reported domestic incident where it is alleged that he was involved with a physical altercation with a female. Falk had fled the scene prior to arrival of the police. He was located nearby and taken into custody without incident. ALSO: 40-year-old Robert Drennan of Batavia has been charged with criminal mischief after causing damage to a local residence. He was released on an appearance ticket and is scheduled to return to Batavia City Court next week.

Cleanup from the blizzard continues in Buffalo

Officials in Buffalo report this morning that the death toll from the blizzard has risen to at least 37; that number is expected to climb as authorities are going door-to-door to conduct wellness checks during the cleanup effort. The National Weather Service says there’s now a small risk of flooding in Buffalo as rising temperatures begin to melt the massive amount of snow. Rain is also forecast through the weekend.

Of the 37:
– 3 died from an Emergency Medical Services Delay;
– 17 were found outside;
– 4 experienced cardiac events while shoveling or snowblowing;
– 9 were from no heat in home; &
– 4 people were in a vehicle.

{29 were in the City of Buffalo; 7 were in the suburbs; 1 remains unknown}

Governor Hochul

Governor Hochul has signed off on a legislative package that’s aimed at cracking down on pandemic fraud. One bill increases the award amounts given to people who report fraud that is related to a State of Emergency. The second measure increases the penalties for fraud that happens during a declared State of Emergency. The governor says this legislation sends a clear message that New York has no tolerance for fraud, especially during critical times of need.

You may be eligible for reimbursement on food or prescription medications that spoiled due to extended power outages during the blizzard. If your power was out for more than 72 hours, State law provides reimbursement on spoiled food and medications. You must file a claim including proof within 14 days of the outage.

NYSEG: You can start a claim here or call (866) 577-3787.

National Grid: You can start a claim here or call (315) 428-3370.

Genesee County has received 477,000 dollars in Healthy Neighborhoods Program money for use by 2027. The grant money is to be used to visit 1000 homes in the Batavia area and help with increasing the overall health of the residents. For example, Batavia has a 28 percent higher asthma hospital visit rate than the surrounding areas. The program will help residents learn more about Asthma and evaluate triggers and treatments to avoid using the emergency room as often. They will assess homes for lead based paint and also help with setting up carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors as well as giving out small fire extinguishers.

Brown-Poloncarz (file photo)

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz is calling out Buffalo officials for how they have responded to a blizzard that resulted in over 30 deaths. Poloncarz said yesterday the city’s response to the disaster was embarrassing and that the county had to step in and help clear a large number of roads. Mayor Byron Brown said he talked to Poloncarz several times during the storm and that the county executive never criticized him to his face. Meanwhile, a travel ban that was issued for Buffalo has been lifted and replaced with a travel advisory.

Mayor Evans

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans has held his end-of-the year news conference where he discussed a variety of issues that are important to city residents. Among the things he talked about yesterday included the number of people who lost their lives to gun violence and partnerships created between Rochester and Monroe County. Evans also revealed that in 2023, the city will begin executing a plan to replace every water main pipe. Money has also been budgeted for the creation of a second police academy.

Over 90 employees at the Athenex manufacturing plant located in Newstead are going to be losing their jobs in March. The biopharmaceutical company tells The Buffalo News the reason that the Main Street facility is closing down is economic but wouldn’t reveal any more information. Just four years ago, Athenex announced plans to expand the manufacturing plant and was able to get tax breaks from the Erie County Industrial Development Agency after pledging to add hundreds of jobs. As of the end of last year, the company employed nearly 300 people in the region.

Positive COVID test result

Some brand-new data from the state shows that the spread of COVID-19 has increased in our region. Right now, the 7-day average infection rate is sitting at 7.04%. At this time last week, the infection rate was at 6.15%. To prevent a further increase in cases, health departments recommend that New Yorkers get a COVID-19 booster shot and wear a mask while they’re near large groups of people.

Buffalo Sabres (file photo)

The Buffalo Sabres are scheduled to be back on their home ice tonight as they look to extend their current winning streak to five games. The Sabres are set to take on the Detroit Red Wings at KeyBank Center. The Sabres have not played since December 19th because their games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets were postponed due to the blizzard. Face-off for this evening’s contest is 7:00.

“Snow roller”

An Orleans County resident reported seeing a ‘snow roller’ today, something rarely seen and occurring when snow balls itself into donut-shaped spirals. National Geographic notes they’re also sometimes referred to as ‘snow bales’, ‘wind snowballs’ or ‘snow donuts’. They’re the cold weather equivalent of tumbleweeds. Snow rollers form when wind pushes snow across the ground, gathering it into a hollow cylinder.

Western NY was on the receiving end of so much snow that Governor Hochul is directing state agencies to get ready for floods.  Over 300 Pumps and Generators as well as 800,000 sandbags are ready to be deployed if the melting snow causes runoff to overflow flood vulnerable creeks, streams and low lying areas that have poor drainage.  Temperatures are expected to rise into the 50s by Friday and Buffalo and the surrounding areas are still digging out.  The snow could dam up culverts and other drainage and cause water to back up into roadways.  Remember to never attempt to cross water on the road where you can’t tell the depth.  Find an alternate route.

Parts of Western New York are dealing with the deadly effects of a massive winter storm.  Officials said Wednesday that the death toll has risen to at least 37 after several feet of snow slammed the region over the holiday weekend.  That number is expected to climb as authorities are going door-to-door to conduct wellness checks amid the cleanup effort.  The National Weather Service says there’s now a small risk of flooding in Buffalo as rising temperatures begin to melt the massive amount of snow.  Rain is also forecast through the weekend.

Genesee County received 477,000 dollars in Healthy Neighborhoods Program money for use between 2022 and 2027.  That grant money is to be used to visit 1000 homes in the 14020 area and help with increasing the overall health of the residents in that area.  Batavia has a 28 percent higher asthma hospital visit rare than the surrounding areas.  The program will help residents learn more about Asthma and evaluate triggers and treatments to avoid using the emergency room as often.  They will assess homes for lead based paint and also help with setting up carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors as well as giving out small fire extinguishers.  

If you know someone who stole COVID relief money or resources the State has just increased their reward for information about it.  Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz said, “As with other states of emergency, like Hurricane Sandy or September 11th, the need to respond swiftly creates opportunities for perpetrators of fraud.”  But the state is not just letting criminal fraudsters off the hook.  They are offering larger rewards for information and also harsher penalties for those who committed fraud.  The reward will be a portion of whatever money is recovered.

Want to perform a wedding but don’t have one of those pesky seminary degrees?  Governor Hochul has signed legislation allowing someone to become a wedding officiant for just one day.  Single use one day marriage officiant licenses allow someone to sign up to solemnize a marriage on one specific date at one specific event.  Only good for one wedding.  

TV Science explainer and CEO of the Planetary Society Bill Nye has said many times that in order to better use electricity we need a better battery.  New York State has taken that idea and decided to build more and bigger batteries.  Governor Hochul says she wants the state to have 6 gigawatts of energy storage by 2030.  That’s about 20 percent of the peak electrical load for the Empire State.  If they are successful the batteries would hold enough electricity to power about 1/15th of the homes in New York for 4 hours.  Money is also going into researching better storage options.

Raul Cruz

18-year-old Raul Cruz of Warsaw has been indicted by a Genesee County Grand Jury, for felony promoting prison contraband. He’s accused of knowingly and unlawfully making two shanks while confined at the Genesee County Jail. Cruz also unlawfully made a long, plastic housing for a ‘Bic’ type pen. Cruz along with Prince N.K. Wilson of Albion were each charged last March for the murder of two farm workers in Alexander. Cruz accepted a plea deal in October and will be sentenced next month.

Mayor Brown and Governor Hochul

The death toll due to the snowstorm that rocked Buffalo and the Western New York region has sadly risen once again. More than 30 people have lost their lives and that total is expected to keep growing in the coming days. Even though cleanup efforts are still underway, the Thruway has reopened, Metro Service has resumed and today Buffalo Niagara International Airport will be up and running once again. Hundreds of residents remain without power and there’s no word yet how long it’s going to take before everyone has their service restored.

The Buffalo Police Department says a task force has been launched to crack down on looters who stole items from city businesses during and after the blizzard. Officers are now looking at video clips that have been posted on social media to try to identify the individuals involved in these crimes. So far, they’ve been able to make at least eight arrests. Police are again asking anyone with information to come forward and contact them at 716-847-2255.

Wegmans recall items – 12/28/22

Wegmans has announced the recall of three of its products due to the possible health risks that they could pose to customers. The supermarket chain says there are concerns that the products, which contain micro greens, cat grass, and sweet pea leaves could be contaminated with salmonella. A full list of the potentially affected items has been posted on the recall page of wegmans.com. No illnesses have been reported and anyone who purchased these products can return them for a refund.

New York State has opened the application process for the Excelsior Scholarship for the Spring 2023 term. The scholarship, combined with other financial aid, allows eligible full-time students to attend a SUNY or CUNY school tuition-free. Students from households with federal adjusted gross incomes of up to 125-thousand dollars are eligible to receive a scholarship. Applications are being accepted through February 9th and more information can be found by visiting hesc.ny.gov.

Please play responsibly.

The already-huge Mega Millions jackpot keeps getting bigger. It’s up to an estimated $640,000,000 after no one matched all six numbers in Tuesday night’s drawing. The next drawing is Friday night. Please play responsibly.

The U of R medical campus north of the Highway on Call Parkway has had to shut down for the rest of the week as several pipes froze and burst.  The pipes are being repaired but a lot of water did flood the building according to Kim Hally Hettrick.  Patients will be directed to go to LeRoy, Brockport or Brighton for services.   Frozen pipes are nothing new in Upstate and Western NY.  The week before Christmas a water main burst in Rochester and flooded several street and caused water to be shut off for nearly half the city and another burst at Strong in their Medical Research building causing extensive damage across 5 floors.

The Buffalo Police Department has announced the start of a task force to investigate blizzard break-ins and said eight arrests have been made as of Tuesday afternoon.  According to police, the task force is searching through social media videos and asking for residents to contact the confidential tip line at (716) 847-2255.  Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said the department has had to divert resources away from recovery missions because the crime that is occurring cannot be ignored.

On Tuesday, as more people in Western New York were allowed to travel once again, Erie County’s Executive continued to release tragic information about the storm.  Mark Poloncarz reporting the death toll in his county is now at 28. This, in addition to at least two deaths outside the county. Poloncarz said two originally reported storm deaths were found to be unrelated to the weather, but three additional deaths were confirmed in the past 24 hours.  “Unfortunately, @BPD alerts expects that number to rise,” Mayor Byron Brown tweeted about deaths in the city. “Our hearts and prayers go out to their family members.”  The city of Buffalo remains under a driving ban. Portions of Route 5 are also still closed heading south through Lackawanna and Hamburg.  County Executive Poloncarz is reporting additional outside help coming in to support efforts in the county. 100 military police and additional troopers will be aiding with traffic control and ticketing in Buffalo for anyone violating the travel ban. We know at least 15 troopers from Central New York were deployed to assist. New Jersey State Police are coming into downstate New York to supplement those troopers being diverted to Buffalo.  There are still significant time delays for emergency services in Buffalo because of road conditions.

After working round the clock since Friday, National Grid has announced that nearly all customers that lost power have had it restored.  107,700 residents in Western NY lost power due to the ice and high winds.  98 percent of them, or 105,700 of them have it back.  The historic multi-day blizzard brought hurricane-force winds and more than 50 inches of heavy, wet snow to the region. National Grid’s field force of nearly 3,000 line, service, tree, damage assessment and public safety workers will remain on the ground and continue to partner with state and local agencies to gain access to the remaining damage so that repairs can be completed.

Arthur Brown

A four-time ex-con who was indicted in October for violating sex offender registry rules was arrested again on the same charges. According to Genesee County sheriffs, 46-year-old Arthur Brown of Batavia has been charged with failure to report a change of address within 10 days. The charge is a class D felony because Brown has two previous felony convictions for the same charge.

President Biden has signed an emergency declaration to provide federal help to Buffalo and surrounding areas (including Genesee County) that were impacted by a deadly winter storm. So far, the deaths of over two-dozen people in the region have been linked to the weather disaster, including at least 20 in Buffalo alone. As cleanup efforts continue, residents there are asked to stay off the roads so crews can safely work on removing the snow that fell and first responders can get to people who need help. Utility crews are also making progress towards restoring power to customers who have been without service for days.

28-year-old Ashley Schaefer of Batavia has been charged with petit larceny after allegedly stealing over $250 worth of merchandise from Walmart in Batavia. She was transported to Genesee County Jail for processing and released on an appearance ticket. Schaefer is scheduled to appear in Batavia Town Court on January 17th.

Not sure why anyone would’ve thought of this as a good idea during a blizzard…but someone did. State Police were called to the scene of a 2-car crash in Barre on Saturday afternoon. There were no injuries; however, an investigation found that one of the cars had been stolen. 37-year-old Ashlee Corter of Walterboro, South Carolina was charged with the felony of possession of stolen property, punishable by up to seven years in state prison. Corter previously lived in Albion. She was released with an appearance ticket for a later court date. In 2018, Corter was charged with grand larceny for stealing a car in Albion.

Wyoming County Sheriffs have arrested and charged 50-year-old Paul Zangerle of Warsaw for petit larceny. He allegedly left the Warsaw Walmart with a cart full of items without paying for them. Zangerle was issued an appearance ticket and released, and will return to Town of Warsaw Court at a later date.

Steve Hawley

Today Assemblyman Steve Hawley announced that his office would distribute free fuel weatherizing kits courtesy of National Fuel Gas. The kits are intended to help residents to better afford the costs of heating their homes this winter. You can pick up your kit at the Richmond Memorial Library.

Lending a helping hand

Monroe County has sent help out to Buffalo and surrounding communities as recovery efforts from a deadly blizzard continue. Over two-dozen residents in that region have lost their lives due to the weather disaster, and cleanup is expected to take several days to complete. Monroe County Executive Adam Bello says that six storm emergency fire units will be on the ground, as will members of the Rochester Police Department. In a statement, Bello also expressed condolences to everyone impacted by the storm.

Mayor Brown with Governor Hochul

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is criticizing the people who looted stores in the city during the blizzard by calling them absolutely reprehensible and the lowest of the low. Brown made the comments during a news conference yesterday, saying these individuals did not steal from businesses while they were looking for food or other necessities, instead, they just took whatever they wanted. Some arrests have already been made in connection with these cases. Tips can be submitted by contacting police at 716-847-2255.

Lonsdale Road, Buffalo

The American Red Cross is helping out 20 people who were displaced following a blaze in Buffalo that ended up damaging four residences. Crews were called to battle the two-alarm fire on Lonsdale Road yesterday and say the roof of one home ended up collapsing and three others were affected by exposure to smoke and flames. There were no injuries reported. Just what caused the fire is still under investigation.

The Rochester Fire Department says a burst pipe was responsible for causing a big mess at the University of Rochester’s Clinical Research Center. When crews arrived at the building on Crittenden Boulevard yesterday, they noticed there was water flowing from a four-inch standpipe on the fifth floor. As a result, there was extensive water damage done to multiple floors. Patient care at the building was never affected.

State Attorney General Letitia James has issued a consumer alert to New Yorkers after getting reports of price gouging involving children’s medication. Right now, there are a high number of flu, RSV, and COVID-19 cases in the Empire State and James says medicines for kids such as painkillers and fever reducers are being sold for up to three times their retail value. Under state law, merchants are prohibited from selling goods that are vital to the health of consumers for an excessive price. Anyone who wants to report price gouging can do so by calling 1-800-771-7755.

Cozens-Dahlin and very excited young fan (file photo)

For the second time in the past week, the Buffalo Sabres have had a scheduled game postponed. The team was supposed to visit the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight, but because Buffalo Niagara International Airport is still closed, the team is not able to fly to Ohio. The Sabres game this past Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning was pushed back to March 4th because of the massive snowstorm that hit the area. The new date for the Columbus contest hasn’t been scheduled yet.

Please play responsibly (file photo)

One of the largest jackpots in Mega Millions history is going to be up for grabs this evening. No one won on Friday, meaning whoever picks the winning numbers for tonight’s drawing will receive at least $565,000,000. There has not been a Mega Millions jackpot claimed since October, when tickets for a $502,000,000 prize were sold in Florida and California. The biggest Mega Millions jackpot was over $1.5 billion dollars back in 2018. Please play responsibly.

Over 4 feet of snow fell on Buffalo over the weekend.  49.2 inches were recorded on average with areas near the city getting over 2 feet.  Buffalo has had up to 92 inches of snow so far this season.  Rochester is only up to 9.  Another 4-7 inches is expected through today.  It is safe to say buffalo will be up for another Golden Snowball award this year.

All 5 floors of the clinical research center building at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester were damaged extensively when a standpipe on the top floor sprung a leak Monday.  Crew from the Rochester Fire Department responded by shutting off water and power to the building.  Hospital and patient care was not affected.  The damage and lack of power was kept to just the Clinical Research Building, and crews are working to remove the water in the building.

I90 is back open but under winter travel advisory from Henrietta to the PA border.  The road status is clear but with possible snow and ice conditions and wet spots.  It was closed through the weekend and into Monday morning.  The travel advisory for Genesee county was lifted Monday afternoon but caution is still being urged as conditions still exist.

Several agencies in the greater Rochester area sent units to the Buffalo area to lend a helping hand during the deadly winter storm there.  Monroe County Executive Adam Bello announced six Storm Emergency Fire Unit (SEFUs) were deployed in the area. Those units are from the Chili, Brighton, Henrietta, Gates, Ridge Road and Lakeshore fire departments.  Rochester Police sent members of its Scuba Team to assist with rescue efforts.  NYSP Troop E, based in the Rochester area, sent snowmobiles and UTVs to assist drivers stranded on the roads, and help with other search and rescue efforts.

Turns out western NYers are well equipped to deal with snow, who knew?  Members of a local snowmobile club were out around-the-clock during the blizzard, working to rescue people and get essential workers to their jobs. The Northern Erie Sno-Seekers Snowmobile Club has heavy-duty equipment designed to shape trails for snowmobiles. These “groomers” were one of the few things that were able to transport people through the storm.  From Friday evening through Saturday afternoon, members of the club rescued 41 people from Main Street in Clarence, including state troopers, ambulance workers, and a firefighter. They also worked with the Newstead Fire Company, NYS Police and the Newstead and Akron Highway Departments to pick up drivers and get them to plow trucks.  On Sunday, members brought nurses from the Clarence/Amherst area to Buffalo General Hospital, an Emergency Room doctor to Sister’s Hospital, and a Buffalo Police Department Officer to his police station.  Northern Erie Sno Seekers serves Erie, Niagara and Genesee Counties and has 700 members.

The Buffalo Bills couldn’t fly home to Buffalo as the airport was closed and there were 75 mile per hour winds blocking the way.  Instead they opted to fly a bit further and land in Rochester Sunday afternoon.  They were greeted by hundreds of fans on Airport Way at the Frederick Douglas International Airport.  They then boarded busses and traveled with a police and plow escort on county routes back to Orchard Park.  Their travels took them through downtown Batavia.

The Sabres game scheduled for Columbus Ohio has been postponed because the Sabres can’t get out of Buffalo.  The Buffalo Niagara International Airport is still shut down.  The new date for the game has not been announced.  The game against the Blue Jackets will be announced as soon as it can be confirmed.

At least 27 (Updated) people in Western NY died due to the snow over the weekend.  Several of them were the result of first responders not being able to get to them because of the storm. Governor Kathy Hochul called the days-long winter storm in the western part of the state a “war with Mother Nature,” and one of the worst blizzards in Buffalo history.

Although the travel bans have been lifted in most of Western NY, I 90 is still closed from the border with Pennsylvania to Henrietta.  Drivers were off the roads for nearly the whole weekend with nearly all churches moving their services online for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and most businesses also being closed whether they had planned on taking Christmas off or not.  Drivers that attempted to brave the storm were quickly stuck in snow drifts or went off the road due to the ice making the roads slick and the wind making visibility so low it could be measured in inches.  

In Genesee County at least 550 people were in warming centers that were opened up in Churches, restaurants, and fire halls.  Dozens of individuals and organizations donated to these centers to keep the people there warmed and filled.  Some even braved the elements to bring stranded truckers coffee and meals while they waited in their cabs to be able to travel again.  Police and Fire personnel worked long and cold hours rescuing people from cars and trucks all across the county.  That includes a Batavia City Police MRAP vehicle that dared the elements to rescue 30 stranded motorists in the Oakfield-Alabama area.  Members of the Genesee Snowpackers were out with their Snowgroomers rescuing people in the Oakfield and Alabama areas as well.  Our news partner the Batavian has chronicled the hour by hour updates of the whole weekend.  Check out their write ups to really get a feel for what rescuers were doing.

At least 73 thousand National Grid customers were without power at different times on Saturday and Sunday.  Currently, power has been restored throughout Genesee County.  There are still isolated outages reported in Erie, Niagara and Orleans Counties with crews working round the clock to restore everyone. 

An additional 200 National Guard members will be deploying to Western New York to help with recovery efforts following a devastating storm.  Officials expect the double digit numbers of deaths to keep growing in the coming days. Most of the deaths have been in Erie County, which was hard hit by snow and strong winds. Crews are also working to restore power to people who have spent the last few days in the dark. Buffalo Niagara International Airport is also still closed and isn’t expected to reopen until Tuesday.

Gas update: Western NY drivers are still paying less to fill up their vehicles these days as gas prices continue to slide. According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular fuel is now three-33. That’s down 10 cents from last week and is 30 cents less than this time one month ago. Right now, the state average is three-42 a gallon and nationally it is three-10.

Playing in 9 degrees seems to just make the Bills better.  They are the AFC East champions after beating the Bears in Chicago Saturday 35 to 13.  They maintain their number 1 playoffs seed position after the win at Soldier Field.  This is the Bills 5th straight win this season and third straight AFC East title.  On the flip side this was Chicago’s 7th straight loss this season.  8 losses in a row would make a new franchise record.  Next up the Bills play the Bengals in Monday Night Football at 8:30 on the 2nd of January.  The game is at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.

Genesee County Manager L. Matthew Landers has rescinded the State of Emergency for Genesee County. All roads are open. The travel ban has been downgraded to a travel advisory effective immediately for all of Genesee County.

A travel advisory means that no unnecessary travel is advised. A trip which could wait until the advisory is lifted should not be made.

Road conditions in several areas of Genesee County, mostly the Western towns, continue to be extremely dangerous with severe blizzard conditions, blowing and drifting snow, zero visibility and extreme cold temperatures.  Emergency service providers are still in the process of attempting to clear vehicles that became stranded overnight.

After consulting with the Genesee County Highway Superintendent, Emergency Management Services Coordinator, and the County Manager, Genesee County Sheriff Sheron updates the Genesee County travel ban for the following:

– a travel ban remains in effect for Alabama, Oakfield, Elba, Pembroke, Darien,  Batavia, Alexander.

– the travel ban has been downgraded to a travel advisory, effective at noon today,   December 24, for Byron, Bergen, Bethany, LeRoy, Stafford, Pavilion.

“We cannot stress enough how important it is for your safety and that of our emergency personnel that you stay where you are until conditions improve.  Hundreds of vehicles are stranded, and it has been very challenging, if not impossible, to get to them.  We want everyone to have a safe holiday so if you have to postpone family gatherings, please do so.  It could save your life or that of your loved ones,” stated Sheriff Sheron.

A travel ban means no travel for anyone except emergency vehicles which includes police, ambulance, snow plows, fire, etc.

A travel advisory means that no unnecessary travel is advised.  A trip which could wait until the advisory is lifted should not be made.

Winter Storm Elliott Continues to hit Genesee County and the rest of Western New York.  The Blizzard Warning continues through Saturday and into Sunday at 7am.  The high winds of up to 70 miles per hour will continue, up to 3 feet of snow could fall across the region.  The wind will drive temperatures down as low as negative 30 degrees.  Travel will be difficult to impossible due to drifting snow.  Trees and power lines being down could cause power outages.

Roughly 2000 customers were without power Friday as the storm knocked out service.  Elba Central School, Oakfield Fire Department, Alabama Hotel, and several other locations were turned into warming centers for stranded travelers or people who were without power.  First responders were heavily engaged in getting out to cars reported stranded in the snow off the roads.  Finding lost people in the snow, and directing people to shelter.  The Thruway has been closed from Henrietta to Pennsylvania to all non-emergency traffic.  The Sheriffs Department for Genesee County has declared a travel ban on all non emergency traffic.  

Closings and Cancellations:  Ascension Parish has canceled masses for Saturday and Sunday.  They will not be livestreamed.  St Paul Lutheran Church has canceled Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.  First United Methodist Church has canceled Christmas Eve Services.  Tops and Wegmans have closed their stores in Erie, Niagara, Genesee Orleans and Wyoming Counties for the weekend.  They plan to reopen on Monday.  

A cancelation that has nothing to do with the winter storm is that of the statewide gas tax suspension.  The regular gas taxes are set to go back into place at the end of the year.  Governor Hochul says they need the revenue from the gas taxes to maintain the roads.  The winter storm that hit Buffalo with several feet of snow just a few weeks ago cost an estimated 2 million dollars.  Gas prices continue a downward trajectory — a national average is $3.09, New York has an average of $3.43, and the Capital Region is averaging $3.41 a gallon, all of these numbers coming from AAA.  The gas tax suspension saved drivers just under 20 cents a gallon. 

Genesee County Manager L. Matthew Landers has declared a local state of emergency for Genesee County due to blizzard-like conditions.  Effective immediately, Genesee County Sheriff upgrades previously issued travel advisory to a travel ban for all of Genesee County until further notice.  A travel ban means no travel for anyone but emergency vehicles which includes police, fire, ambulance, snow plows, etc.

Currently, the western half of Genesee County is experiencing blizzard conditions with blowing and drifting snow causing zero visibility. Weather forecasts indicate similar conditions are expected for all of Genesee County later today and through Saturday.  Numerous accidents and stranded vehicles are blocking roadways and causing unsafe driving conditions for motorists and first responders.

Sheriff Sheron encourages residents, “For your safety and the safety of first responders and highway snow removal personnel this holiday weekend, please stay off the roads until conditions improve.”

Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties are now under a Blizzard Warning.
The seldom issued Blizzard Warning remains in effect until Sunday morning.

Expect very icy road conditions as temperatures continue to fall significantly throughout the day.
Temperatures will eventually fall into the single digits resulting in a flash freeze.

The National Weather service is predicting 2 to 3 feet of snow and up to 70 mile per hour winds, resulting in wind chills well below zero.
Numerous isolated power outages have been reported.

As of Noon today, 1,608 customers ogf National Grid were without power in Genesee County.
Travel is expected to be near impossible, exposure outside could result in frostbite in 30 minutes or less if in direct wind.

A travel advisory is in effect for Genesee County. All motorists are urged to avoid any unnecessary travel. Ice and white out conditions will make any driving extremely hazardous.

The New York State Thruway is closed to all commercial travel from Henrietta to the Pennsylvania Line.
The governor has declared a state of emergency through the weekend. Batavia City and Genesee County buildings are all closed and expected to reopen Tuesday.

Read the latest Closings and Cancellations HERE

New York legislators have a bill to give themselves a 29-percent raise, which would make them the highest paid state lawmakers in the U.S.
The raise extends to members of the state Assembly and Senate, making the base salary $142,000.
However, they would then be limited in earnings at other jobs, with external income capped at $35,000 come 2025.
Batavia Assemblyman Steve Hawley says he voted against the raise calling it “tone deaf” and “embarrassing.”

Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties are under a Blizzard Warning from 7am through Sunday morning.  Expect ice on the roads as the wet rain from overnight and this morning freezes as temperatures fall throughout the day into the single digits resulting in a flash freeze.  The National Weather service is predicting 2 to 3 feet of snow and up to 70 mile per hour winds.  The winds are expected to go from tonight into Saturday morning with temperatures dropping into the negatives with wind chill.  Numerous power outages are expected with trees and power lines going down due to the combination of ice and wind.  Travel is expected to be near impossible, exposure outside could result in frostbite in 30 minutes or less if in direct wind.  

The weather has brought multiple reactions and closures.  A travel advisory is in effect for Genesee County.  All motorists are urged to avoid any unnecessary travel.  Ice and white out conditions will make any driving extremely hazardous.  The thruway is closed to all commercial travel from Henrietta to the Pennsylvania Line.  The governor has declared a state of emergency through the weekend.  Batavia City and Genesee County buildings are all closed and expected to reopen Tuesday.  The following schools have announced closures: Batavia City Schools, Alexander Central School District, Attica Central School District, Genesee Valley BOCES, Pavilion Central School District, St Joseph’s School and St Paul Lutheran School.  Tonawanda Valley Credit Union is closed, as is the Cornell Cooperative Extension. Genesee Orleans Mental Health in Batavia and Albion are closed and will reopen on Tuesday.

Hoover Beach neighborhood in Hamburg was evacuated Thursday night ahead of the expected flooding from the severe winds coming with winter storm Elliot.  In the last major storms several homes were flooded and many were damaged, some with walls being knocked down and windows blown in. 

The City of Rochester has announced a state of emergency both for the oncoming storm and because of a water main break that caused issues for well over half the Flower City on Wednesday.  Mayor Malik Evans said that the state of emergency will allow him to make the changes he needs to to respond to the issues facing the city right now.  He says he hopes that he doesn’t have to use the powers given by the state of emergency but he’s doing it out of an abundance of caution.  Rich Perrin, the city’s environmental services commissioner, said the break is under control but excavation work continues.

Despite calls to “talk about other issues,” the New York State Legislature met in a special session on Thursday, voting on a bill to increase lawmakers’ pay from $110,000 to $142,000, capping outside income at $35,000.  After some debate, the Senate passed the bill 33-23, and the Assembly 81-52, closer margins than most. With that, the bill now heads to the governor’s desk, where Kathy Hochul, who has supported a raise for legislators, will decide whether she wants to sign off on the raise.  Assemblyman Steve Hawley says he voted against the raise and that it is “tone deaf” and “embarrassing.” 

A Viral Buffalo Puppet Maker and Art teacher has had the honor of being on the show, Worst Cooks in America.  Adam Kruetinger said he didn’t know the show when he got the call but his wife was a fan.  He made puppets that did funny bits online and they wanted him on.  It was just a week before he was diagnosed with brain cancer and he says he had to keep his sense of humor up.  The show premieres on January 1st.  You can check out Kruetinger’s puppets at puppetnerds.com.

News Release

City of Batavia and Genesee County offices and buildings will be closed on Friday,
December 23, 2022 due to the severe weather forecast.
The City and County are committed to ensuring the safety of their workforce and citizens and therefore
are taking this precautionary measure. With the predicted drop in temperature, rain turning to ice, snow
and high winds, travel should be avoided.
Both City of Batavia and County offices are scheduled to re–open Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Robert Ritchey

An Oakfield man who repeatedly sexually assaulted a child has been sentenced in Genesee County Court to 14 years in state prison. 58-year-old Robert Ritchey pleaded guilty in October to two counts of first-degree sexual abuse. Ritchey also was sentenced to 15 years of post-release supervision. He was arrested in April and had more charges filed against him in June after the state police investigation. There were a total of 14 charges against Ritchey that involved a child under age 11.

Christopher Say

31-year-old Christopher Say of Stafford has been sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison for attempted third-degree arson. There were multiple charges filed against him stemming from an altercation that happened the day after Christmas last year. Firefighters were initially called to a Main Road address in Stafford for a report of a garage fire. Upon first responder’s arrival, Say was uncooperative and barricaded himself inside the garage. He threatened firefighters, deputies and state police, saying he was going to blow up the garage. Route 5 was closed for a period of time. Say eventually drove a car backwards through the garage door, hit a fence and slammed into a patrol car; he was then taken into custody.

Tarrance Williams

23-year-old Tarrance Williams of Batavia entered a plea deal this week. He was charged with possessing a handgun during an incident in the area of Ellicott and Court Street in September, at a time when he was awaiting sentencing on a drug possession conviction. As part of the plea, the cases were consolidated so Williams could be sentenced on both convictions simultaneously but by law will need to serve sentences on both convictions consecutively. He faces up to seven years in prison on the weapons charge; he could also be placed on parole for seven years and fined up to $5000. He’s also eligible for probation. Williams was originally going to be sentenced on Tuesday afternoon, but because of a timing conflict with an ongoing, unrelated trial, Williams will be sentenced on a later date.

Superintendent Tonja Williams

Plans are currently in the works to increase the safety of students, teachers, and staff at Buffalo Public Schools. The district is going to install new weapons detection systems that use advanced imaging technology and artificial intelligence to find weapons quickly. The first demonstration of the new system will be tomorrow at the International Preparatory School. Superintendent Doctor Tonja Williams says the district is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for students.

Members of the New York State Legislature will be back at the Capitol building today for a special session. Both the Assembly and Senate are expected to vote on a measure that would increase their salaries from the current $110,000 a year to $142,000 a year. There’d also be limits placed on the amount of money that lawmakers can earn outside of their position as an elected official. If approved, the salary increase would go into effect on January 1st.

Governor Hochul has signed off on a brand new law that will make it mandatory for employers to list the salary ranges for every advertised job and promotion. The goals of this legislation are to provide workers with important information before they apply for a position and to reduce discriminatory wage setting and hiring practices. The U.S. Department of Labor says that in 2020, women made 83 cents for every dollar made by men. The governor believes the legislation will usher in a new era of fairness and transparency for New York’s workforce.

Erie County officials say the cost of cleanup efforts from the massive snowstorm that slammed the region back in November has surpassed 11-million-dollars. The storm ended up dropping several feet of snow between November 17th and the 20th and five deaths were reported across Western New York. President Biden authorized a federal emergency declaration but funding hasn’t reached communities in the county just yet. That money can be used to help cover the cost of things like snow removal and plowing roads.

Positive COVID test result

The latest data from the state shows the spread of the coronavirus is on the rise once again in our region. The seven-day average infection rate is now at 6.15%. At this time last week, the infection rate was at 4.88%. Anyone who wants to receive a COVID-19 shot or booster dose can schedule an appointment online at vaccines.gov.

 Cozens and Dahlin from earlier this season

Tomorrow night’s game between the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning has been postponed due to severe weather that is predicted to affect the area. The contest has been pushed back to Saturday, March 4th at the KeyBank Center. People who have tickets for the game will still be able to use them. The next game for the Sabres is set for December 27th when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Two people were arrested for stealing from Dicks Sporting Goods on Memorial Drive on Wednesday.  According to the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office 19 year old Kia Morris and 27 year old Jaszandra Davis loaded up a cart full of items and then left the store.  Deputies took them into custody following a brief foot chase.  Deputies say they were in possession of stolen goods from multiple stores.  Both are facing charges of 4th degree Grand Larceny, 4th degree criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar’s tools, and Morris is facing second degree obstruction of government administration. 

The West Side of the City of Rochester was told to boil any water they wanted to use after a water main break on Favor St at around 5pm.  It led to severe flooding down Ford St. and surrounding blocks in residential neighborhoods. Many businesses and homes were left without water. Restaurants in the area were forced to stop service just before the dinner hours.  The City of Rochester closed several buildings in the area, including the Tyshaun Cauldwell R-Center for Hope, Edgerton R-Center, and the Rochester Community Sports Complex.  The city branch libraries are also closed, including the Phillis Wheatley Community Library, the Arnett branch, the Lyell branch, and the Central branch.  School was canceled for RCSD on Thursday as well.  The boil water advisory will remain in effect for well over half the city till Saturday. 

People from over half a dozen churches and from as far away as Hawaii gathered Wednesday night in front of Planned Parenthood in Batavia for Glow4Babie’s celebration of the birth of Jesus and Babies in the womb candlelight vigil.  Care A Van Ministries set up across the street with coffee and cookies.  Group founder Anne Scalia organized the event to celebrate the baby in the womb at Christmas.  The group stayed for over an hour along West Main Street with signs and music and lights.  They offered prayers for an end to abortion in New York State.

An 85-year-old woman crashed her vehicle into a Lockport Burger King on Wednesday.  According to the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, the driver mistook the vehicle’s accelerator for the brake and drove into the exterior wall of the 5720 South Transit Road restaurant.  The Town of Lockport Building Inspector determined the building had no structural damage.  No one was injured in this crash.

Genesee County has been given a grant of 540K to demolish the old YMCA building and the boiler house at the UMMC.  The grant was awarded through the Restore NY Communities program.  More than $102 million was awarded to 64 projects through the Initiative.  Restore New York supports municipal revitalization efforts across the state.  New life for downtown Batavia is to come from the partnership of RRH-UMMC and GLOW YMCA to develop a $33.5 million, two-story, 78,000-square-foot regional health and wellness facility. The new site will integrate a new YMCA facility with state-of-the-art medical space for the Healthy Living program.

A second now-former staff member at the Monroe County Children’s Detention Center has been arrested.  49 year old Gregory Bodine is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and endangering the welfare of a child for an incident that happened Oct. 23 at the center’s annex on East Henrietta Road in Brighton, against a juvenile who was in detention there.  Bodine’s arrest follows the arrest of 23 year old John Kanu who allegedly let two juveniles fight each other in a bathroom at the CDC in Rush last month. Kanu also allegedly struck a juvenile in the face.  County officials blame the raise in age at the detention center saying the kids there are older, more violent, and harder to deal with.  Many of them are awaiting trial for homicide, assault and illegal gun charges.  The center is looking for a new director who can put in new policies and train employees on how to handle the more difficult juveniles.  

The Buffalo Bills tweeted that they are headed to Vegas after 4 players were selected for the February 5th Bowl game in Las Vegas.  Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Mitch Morse and Jordan Poyer were named as playing in the 2023 Pro Bowl.  12 players were also selected as alternates.  The Bills next game is against the Bears in Chicago on Christmas Eve at 1pm.

The snowy weather is canceling hockey.  The Buffalo Sabres announced the game scheduled for Friday at KeyBank Center against the Tampa Bay Lightning has been postponed due to impending inclement weather.  The game has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 4 at 12:30 p.m. at KeyBank Center.  The game that was originally set for March 4 against the Philadelphia Flyers will now be played on Monday, January 9 at 7 p.m.  According to the Sabres, original tickets for both games can be used for entry to the rescheduled date and time.

Judge Dawn Keppler

An Orleans County judge has resigned while the New York State Commission investigates posts she made on social media. The commission says Shelby Town Court Judge Dawn Keppler stepped down over posts she made on Facebook, which are alleged to have been prejudicial and inflammatory. The commission says when Keppler resigned earlier this month, she agreed to never seek a judicial office again. Keppler has been a justice of the Shelby Town Court since 1999.

Governor Hochul is approving expanded childcare access for New Yorkers. The new law will remove requirements for parents to work in order to access subsidized programs. Advocates called it a major help for parents who go to school or who are caregivers to other family members. The initiative will be expanded in the coming years with money approved in the state budget.

A winter Storm Watch has been issued for Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties starting Friday morning at 7am and it will remain in place through Monday morning, the 26th. A rapid switch from rain to snow with sharply falling temperatures into the teens and single digits will result in a flash freeze on Friday. From Friday afternoon through most of the weekend, very strong winds, heavy lake effect snow and significant blowing and drifting snow will be possible. Winds could gust as high as 65 mph Friday into Friday night. Travel for the holiday weekend, including Friday, could be very difficult to impossible at times. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility with whiteouts and localized blizzard conditions possible. The most persistent and worst conditions will be where lake effect snow is most widespread, which is still uncertain at this time. Winds this strong could cause tree damage and power outages. Cold wind chills as low as 10 to 20 below zero this weekend could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. So, it seems best to be settled in someplace safe and warm by Friday morning.

Flooding on Lake Ontario (file photo)

A Lakeshore Flood Watch will soon be in effect for three Western New York counties. The watch affects Erie, Niagara, and Chautauqua counties beginning 7 a.m. Friday through 7 p.m. Saturday. Computer forecasts suggest an explosive storm development into the Great Lakes later this week and into the upcoming holiday weekend. This storm will have a significant impact on road and air travel from the Plains, across the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley, and into the Northeast.

Nearly 140,000 Chevrolet Bolt cars are being recalled in the U.S. and Canada. General Motors says the 2017 to 2023 model years Chevy Bolt hatchbacks have a seat belt issue that can cause a fire. GM says in rare cases, the fire can be started by exhaust that comes into contact with carpet fibers.

The Rochester City Council has passed a series of measures designed to reform the city’s Police Accountability Board. The measures the city council passed at a sometimes contentious meeting last night include training for the board and its staff. The measures would also invest money from the board’s budget that has not been spent to be invested in addressing homelessness, mental health and public safety.

With a need for children’s pain-relief medicine in such high demand, area pharmacies are now limiting drug purchases. The restrictions resulted from high demand for children’s pain-relief products. CVS has restricted both in-person and online shopping to two products per check out. Walgreens has no in-person limitations but will only allow up to six over-the-counter fever reducers for every online transaction.

Mayor Byron Brown

The city of Buffalo is suing various members of the gun industry. Mayor Byron Brown announced what he described as a “first of its kind” lawsuit. The filing names manufacturers, distributors, and local gun shops for what the city says is “their conduct in fueling the gun violence crisis in the City of Buffalo.” The city says it’s looking to hold the gun industry accountable for how it markets and distributes firearms. Buffalo is seeking damages as part of the lawsuit. It comes after a mass shooting earlier this year at a supermarket that left ten Black people dead.

The weather won’t stop Santa, but it might stop you.  A winter Storm Watch has been issued for Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties from Friday at 7am to Monday at 7am.  The national weather service is saying that a rapid switch from rain to snow with sharply falling temperatures into the teens and single digits will result in a flash freeze on Friday. From Friday afternoon through most of the weekend, very strong winds, heavy lake effect snow and significant blowing and drifting snow will be possible. Winds could gust as high as 65 mph Friday into Friday night. Localized blizzard conditions are possible.  Winds this strong could cause tree damage and power outages. Cold wind chills as low as 10 to 20 below zero this weekend could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.  Travel could be difficult to impossible.  

With a need for children’s pain-relief medicine in such high demand, pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are now limiting drug purchases.  “High demand is causing pharmacies to add restrictions to children’s pain-relief sales,” said Dr. Rachel Kaufman, Pediatrician & Partner at Buffalo Pediatric Associates.  CVS has restricted both in-person and online shopping to two products per check out. Walgreens has no in-person limitations but will only allow up to six over-the-counter fever reducers for every online transaction.

Buffalo, New York, is suing all major gun manufacturers, distributors and some gun shops.  Mayor Byron Brown announced on Tuesday what he called a “first of its kind” lawsuit.  The filing names manufacturers, distributors and local gun shops for what the city says is “their conduct in fueling the gun violence crisis in the City of Buffalo.”  Not to be outdone, The City of Rochester launched their own lawsuit on Tuesday.  Defendants in the case include Beretta, Smith & Wesson, Glock, Remington and Bushmaster, along with ghost gun companies including Polymer 80 and Arm or Ally.  The suit aims to hold them responsible for “the illegal and unreasonable sale, manufacture, distribution, importing, and marketing of firearms.”  Both cities cited the lawsuits against Opioid manufacturers as reasons they hope for success in this lawsuit.

A fire in Pavilion had Bethany, LeRoy, Stafford and Batavia’s FAST Team come to the scene.  The structure fire, at 915 Perry Rd, took little time for the 4 fire departments to knock down.  The Pavilion chief canceled the second alarm at around 6:15 and told dispatchers that all units could stand down.

Nearly 140-thousand Chevrolet Bolt electric cars are being recalled in the U.S. and Canada. General Motors says the 2017 to 2023 model years Chevy Bolt hatchbacks have a seat belt issue that can cause a fire. GM says in rare cases, the fire can be started by exhaust gasses that can come in contact with carpet fibers.

Does your daughter want to play football?  At Monday’s School Board Meeting Batavia’s director of Health, Physical Education and athletics Mike Bromley stood with 6 girls who want to play flag football for Batavia City Schools.  He said there were at least 10 who had asked if they could add it to the school sports offering.  Bromley also stated that adding the girls sport would make an equal number of boys and girls teams available and that 22 other districts were considering adding girls flag football to their lineup.  The matter will be up for a vote in January.

On Dec. 13, eight Byron-Bergen staff “elves” loaded shopping carts with one goal: Help ease the holiday stress for members of the Byron-Bergen community. These holiday helpers filled over 40 shopping carts with merchandise to assist more than 100 kids from 42 local families in need.  This year’s Holiday Community Service Project collected over $8,500 in donations from faculty, staff, and individual community members.  The holiday items were each wrapped and labeled by Byron-Bergen staff volunteers.  On Saturday, December 17th, staff members delivered black contractor bags filled with brightly wrapped presents to individual cars in the High School bus loop. In addition to the gift items, the High School Student Council collected funds and non-perishable foods so that each family will also receive a holiday meal.

Nina Baker

Buffalo police are searching for a missing 12-year-old girl. Nina Baker was last seen yesterday on the 200 block of Rodney Avenue. She is five-foot-one and 110 pounds. She has black hair and was last seen wearing a blue and pink tie-dye hoodie with the words “Justice,” and “Love is here to Stay” around an image of a hand with a white dove inside it. Anyone with information is asked to call 9-1-1.

Robert Morris School

The Batavia City School District will replace the public address/clock system at the High School and make the interior of Robert Morris School more secure through projects that the Board of Education has approved. The board also gave the go-ahead last night for the transfer of up to $244,000 from the district’s repair reserve to the general fund to pay for the work as needed. File photo by Doug Thompson, WBTA News.

An intense winter storm is likely to bring snow, ice and high winds to our area just in time for Christmas weekend travel. The National Weather Service said that the storm would start to impact western and north central New York with a wintry mix Thursday, changing over to rain Thursday night with strong winds, which could cause power outages and some flooding along the shores of our neighboring Great Lakes. Temperatures will quickly fall on Friday, and the precipitation will change over to all snow with increasingly stronger winds developing Friday night and Saturday, with wind-driven heavy lake effect snows developing. Heavy lake snows will last through at least Christmas Day. Stay with WBTA for the latest weather updates from 13 WHAM.

Santa – checking his list (for the second time)

A gift for the entire family awaits participants in the Cookies & Crafts with Santa event on Thursday afternoon from 3 – 6 at The Recovery Station, 5256 Clinton St. Rd., Batavia. “We’re celebrating the holiday season with Jolly Old St. Nick, himself,” said Harry Rascoe, director of the social club, a program of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. “All are invited to join us.” Each family will receive a free printed picture with Santa and a Christmas book to take home. For more information, call 585-815-5248. (File photo)

Lockport Fire Department (file photo)

The fire department in Lockport is back in the ambulance business after Lockport’s common council approved an agreement in a vote of 4 to 3, for the fire department to assume control of the ambulance service. This follows the decision by Twin City Ambulance to scale back its services. The city had been the provider of emergency service for Lockport until 2014, when it decided to contract the services to Twin City Ambulance.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

The Buffalo Sabres topped the Las Vegas Golden Knights last night in their first win in Sin City 3 to 2. Ukko Pekka Luukkonen made 41 saves. Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Lawrence Pilut scored. The Sabres improved to 6-2-1 in December, after going 4-9-1 the previous month, and moved into a fourth-place tie with Florida in the Atlantic Division with 34 points. Next up the Sabres host Tampa Bay on Friday night at the Keybank Center. The puck drops at 7:00.

Buffalo General Medical Center – Gates Vascular Institute

Graduate and registered nurses looking for a job can attend a recruitment event being held by Kaleida Health today. The event will be at Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute (875 Ellicott St.) from 2-6. Free parking can be found in the surface lot at the southwest corner of High and Ellicott streets. Anyone looking to attend the event is asked to bring a resume. Walk-ins are welcome, but people are encouraged to RSVP. Kaleida says it has a sign-on bonus of up to $20,000.

Phil Aguglia – released photo

A high school band director in Kenmore is a top-10 finalist for a GRAMMY award. Phil Aguglia is the band director for Kenmore East High School and he is in the running to be the 2023 Music Educator of the Year. Aguglia has been named a quarterfinalist two other times and a semifinalist once before, but this is his first time being named a finalist. There were over 1,200 initial nominations for the award.

A man convicted of defrauding hundreds of investors out of millions of dollars in a nationwide Ponzi scheme has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.  Christopher Parris pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit mail fraud related to a Ponzi scheme, as well as to wire fraud involving the fraudulent sale of purported N95 masks during the pandemic.  Prosecutors said Parris and Perry Santillo pitched investment opportunities to victims, bilking close to 1,000 investors out of at least $115.5 million between January 2012 and June 2018.   Prosecutors said the two men had to use funds from new investors to pay off old ones, using the rest of the money to pay for their lavish lifestyles.  Parris was also ordered to pay $1.6 million in restitution.  Santillo was sentenced in January to 17 1/2 years in prison.

Another messy winter storm is likely to bring snow, ice and high winds to Upstate New York just in time for Christmas weekend travel.  The National Weather Service said that the storm could start off mostly as rain Thursday, and then rapidly falling temperatures late Friday could coat streets and trees with a layer of dangerous ice. High winds are also likely, too, which could cause power outages and even some flooding along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. 

State lawmakers may be returning to Albany to talk about giving themselves a pretty hefty pay hike.  On Monday, the Assembly Majority Conference met privately in a virtual meeting, with Democrats reportedly discussing several key issues, including potential pay raises.  Right now, New York State lawmakers earn $110,000 a year. A raise of $20,000 would make them the highest paid legislature in the country.  Republican Assemblymembers have been outspoken against the pay raises, including Assemblyman Chris Tague, who calls the idea “ludicrous.”  According to state law, if pay raises aren’t enacted by the end of 2022, state lawmakers wouldn’t be able to get a raise until 2025.

A state commission Monday approved plans to phase out fossil fuel-burning furnaces beginning as soon as 2025 as part of New York’s aggressive program to address climate change.  The plan adopted Monday by the state Climate Action Council requires energy-efficient electric heat pumps or other non-combustion heating systems in every new home built in 2025 or thereafter.  For existing homes, residents whose fossil fuel-burning heating units give out after 2030 will have to replace them with a zero-emission system.  Heat pumps cost more to install than traditional furnaces but usually cost less to operate over the long run. Research shows they are healthier than sources that rely on combustion, which can contribute to asthma and other respiratory problems.  The council voted 19-3 Monday to approve the scoping plan.

In a 4 to 3 decision the City of Lockport has voted to return 2 ambulances to service.  The city had suspended their ambulance service because of financial issues.  The 2 ambulances are owned and operated by the fire department instead of the ambulance corp in town. 

The cannabis is ready to hit the shelves, but there aren’t enough shelves in New York State just yet. Three Cord Ranch sent 42 pounds of cannabis from Derby to be processed in Batavia, but that’s where it stops.  That’s all because of a hold up in court, leaving WNY and four other regions barred from receiving licenses for the time being.  The court case is about whether someone who was arrested for pot when it was illegal can open a store selling it in NY if their arrest was out of state.  The Office of Cannabis Management has its final board meeting of the year Wednesday at 11am.

The Buffalo Sabres topped the Las Vegas Golden Knights in their first win in Sin City 3 to 2.  Ukko Pekka Luukkonen made 41 saves.  Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Lawrence Pilut scored.  The Sabres improved to 6-2-1 in December, after going 4-9-1 the previous month, and moved into a fourth-place tie with Florida in the Atlantic Division with 34 points.  Next up the Sabres host Tampa Bay on Friday night at the Keybank Center.

40-year-old Carrianne Rozbicki of Batavia is charged with petit larceny. State troopers responded to the Walmart in Batavia, worked with a store employee and found that Rozbicki allegedly took nearly $70 worth of merchandise without paying. She was arrested and released on an appearance ticket. Rozbicki is to return to the Town of Batavia Court next month. ALSO: 49-year-old Kelly Judson of Pavilion allegedly took grocery items valued at over $126 from the Tops Supermarket in LeRoy. She was arrested and released on an appearance ticket; Judson is scheduled to return to the LeRoy Court in January.

Lower demand and increased supply is driving gas prices even lower just as more people are expected to hit the road for the holidays. Triple A tells us this morning that the national average price per gallon is $3.14. In New York State, the average price is $3.49. In Batavia, we’re paying $3.39, which is down 32 cents from this time a month ago and is 8 cents lower than it was one year ago today.

Starbucks workers gathered this weekend at the Mt. Hope location near New York City, in a strike of solidarity with colleagues across the country. The Mt. Hope Starbucks is one of several locations across the country that has unionized. Workers say they’re lobbying for better pay and safety when they have to deal with problem customers. News 8 in Rochester says the company answered their request for comment by saying it respects their right to have their voices heard.

A combined nearly $1,000,000 is being distributed among five regional school districts to put toward expanding access to pre-kindergarten for children four years of age. Pembroke Central School District will get $307,000; Batavia and Avon will each receive $200,000; Wyoming, $140,000 and Elba, over $115,000. The state’s 2023 budget included $125 million to expand access to full-day pre-k, creating up to 17,500 additional pre-K seats statewide.

The Buffalo Bills have clinched a postseason berth for the fifth time in the past six seasons and are now looking to their Christmas Eve match against Chicago. The Bills beat the Miami Dolphins Saturday night, 32-to-29, for their 11th victory for the third consecutive season. Buffalo also extended its winning streak to five straight. The Bills improved to 10-and-3 on the season and are now three games ahead of Miami in the AFC East race.

Check your tickets carefully, especially if you purchased them in Buffalo

A top prize-winning Take 5 lottery ticket has been sold in Buffalo. The New York State Lottery says the ticket, worth nearly $19,000, was sold at a Speedway on Maple Road. A prize of any amount can be claimed up to one year from the date of the drawing. Also, one top-prize winning ticket was sold for the December 18th Take 5 Evening drawing. The ticket was purchased at E Z Mart, 4535 Broadway in Depew, and is work nearly $32,000. TAKE 5 players with midday and evening draws on the same ticket must check their numbers at nylottery.ny.gov to determine if they have the winning numbers for the corresponding midday or evening drawing.

Another huge Mega Millions jackpot is up for grabs tomorrow. The jackpot currently sits at $465,000,000. The drawing is tomorrow night at 11:00. Please play responsibly.

Rochester Police have arrested three suspects — including one who was wearing an ankle monitor — in connection with a weekend armed robbery.  The robbery occurred Saturday afternoon at the Verizon Wireless store on Lyell Avenue.  Police say the suspects — who were armed — ordered customers and staffers to lie on the floor.  They made off with 25-thousand dollars in electronics.  Nobody was hurt.  Police were able to locate the suspects because of the ankle monitor on one of them at a nearby gas station.   

Porch Pirating is on the rise according to a yearly study done by Safewise, an online resource that provides tools and information to help people make their life safer.  For this study, they surveyed 1,000 Americans.  More than 75 percent of respondents said they had had a package stolen.  The study said 260 million packages are found to have disappeared in the last year, which is 50 million more packages stolen compared to the study last year.  The website states that 40% of packages stolen are worth between $50 and $100, with an estimated loss of $19.5 billion nationwide.  Police say that tracking your packages, getting them as soon as they are dropped off, and using some kind of video doorbell or camera al help in reducing porch package theft.  

Batavia City Schools have received a grant from the Pediatric Suicide Prevenetion Community at the American Academy of Pediatrics for 12,500 dollars.  The grant is to help find and fix gaps in youth suicide prevention services in Batavia.  Batavia City School District says it will use funds from the grant to expand its “Sources of Strength” program, which is designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. The mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent suicide by increasing help-seeking behaviors and promoting connections between peers and caring adults. According to the AAP, suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10-24 in the United States, and rates have been rising for decades.

The snow falling didn’t stop those who came out to Western NY National Cemetery Saturday from honoring the fallen with Wreaths Across America.  Community members and loved ones of veterans placed wreaths on all of the headstones in the cemetery while a ceremony was held.  Genesee County’s veterans’ services officer, Bill Joyce, was the keynote speaker during an opening service that included placing a wreath for each branch of the military by either a veteran or an active member of the Armed Forces, a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps.  Joyce called the service a day of “remembrance and reflection,”.

After coaching the team to winning 6 sectional titles and 2 state semifinals, Brennan Briggs is stepping down as coach of the Batavia Blue Devils Football Team.  He said in his resignation letter that he is leaving to spend more time with family and that the stress and long hours of coaching are making his life too unbalanced.  Briggs has been head coach for 11 seasons and has an 88-25 record.  He coached the Blue Devils to their first sectional title since 1991.  He will stay at the High School as a teacher.

The Buffalo Bills have clinched a postseason berth for the fifth time in the past six seasons and are now looking to their Christmas Eve match against Chicago.  The Bills beat the Miami Dolphins Saturday night, 32-to-29, for their 11th victory for the third consecutive season.  Buffalo also extended its winning streak to five straight.  The Bills improved to 10-and-3 on the season and are now three games ahead of Miami in the AFC East race.  During the game the fans were warned for throwing snowballs onto the field and at the Miami team.  Officials warned them that if they didn’t stop then the Bills would be hit with a 15 yard penalty.

Genesee and Wyoming Counties are under a Lake Effect Snow Warning this weekend.  The warning started at 10pm on Friday and goes till 1pm Sunday for Genesee County and 1pm Monday for Wyoming county.  There could be up to 2 feet of snow in the southern part of the region with particularly heavy accumulations on the higher areas and in narrow bands on the roads.  Watch out for drifts that could make travel treacherous.  

Friday Governor Hochul announced that PreK will be getting a nearly 12 million dollar boost.  In western NY Several local schools will be getting some big bucks to help make preK more available to 4 year olds.  Batavia will be getting 200K, Pembroke will get 307K, Elba gets 118K and Wyoming Central Schools get 140K.  This money will go towards starting or expanding PreK programs for the school districts.

The St John Fisher University student that has been missing for the last several weeks from his Study Abroad Program in France has been located in Spain.  Apparently Kenneth DeLand didn’t even know he was reported missing.  He called his mother to say that he saw himself on TV and that he is OK.  His mother has traveled to France to get him and bring him home.  She thanks congresswoman Claudia Tenney, Senator Pamela Helming, The FBI, and American Institute for Foreign Study for their help.

The Batavia woman whose dog reportedly ingested narcotics, leading to her arrest and to the dog being confined to the Genesee County Animal Shelter, once again failed to appear in Batavia City Court Thursday.  30 year old Cassandra Elmore has had a colorful relationship with the court since her initial arrest.  She has failed to show up for appearances, had fake representatives call the court from out of state, said that there is hidden information that she will expose, and been given a lot of leniency by the Judge.  The Judge, Thomas Burns, gave her attorney 48 hours to find her.  After that he would issue a warrant for her arrest.  Her dog, Oddey, is still in volunteer care and can’t go to a new home till the case is resolved.

Cassandra Elmore

30-year-old Cassandra Elmore of Batavia, is the woman whose dog reportedly ingested narcotics on more than one occasion and required medical treatment. This lead to her arrest; since then, she has consistently missed scheduled court appearances, despite her promise that once the case is cleared, people will better understand what actually happened. Her latest no-show was yesterday. The assistant public defender told the judge that he has not heard from Elmore and has not been able to contact her for weeks. Motions were going to be filed on her behalf yesterday; however, the judge thought it best to wait until she was present. Since Elmore’s arrest earlier this year, she has also been charged with criminal possession of a weapon, obstruction of governmental administration and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Batavia High School (file photo)

The Batavia City School District has received a $12,500 Pediatric Suicide Prevention Community Grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The funds will help identify and address gaps in youth suicide prevention services within our community. The District plans to use funds from the grant to expand its “Sources of Strength” program, which is focused on promoting connections between peers and caring adults.

Genesee and Wyoming Counties are under a lake effect snow warning starting at 7:00 tonight; it will be in place until 1:00 Sunday afternoon. One to two feet of snow is predicted to fall over the weekend with the main accumulations hitting southwest areas of Genesee County. Heavy snow will fall in narrow bands. Travel could be very difficult at times with poor visibility and snow covered roads. If driving, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibility.

34-year-old Alyssa Harnish of Batavia is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, while at the Genesee County jail. The charge resulted from an investigation of an incident that occurred last month at a residence in the Town of Batavia. Harnish was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to return to Batavia Town Court on January 4th.

28-year-old Joey Tatro of Attica has been arrested, stemming from a domestic incident in Alden. Tatro reportedly prevented the injured victim from calling 9-1-1, destroyed property and caused physical injury to the victim. He was arraigned in the Town of Alden court where an order of protection was issued to the victim. Tatro is scheduled to return to court on December 27th.

Governor Hochul has signed off on a new piece of legislation that will ban the sale of certain animals at retail pet stores. Starting in 2024, people will no longer be able to purchase dogs, cats or rabbits at those businesses. One goal of this measure is to prevent the buying and selling of animals from large-scale, abusive breeders who in many cases do not properly care for those animals, which can lead to new owners having to pay big veterinary bills. Pet stores will still be able to work with animal shelters and rescue groups to hold adoption clinics.

Entrance to Batavia post office (file photo)

The U.S. Postal Service has announced its shipping deadlines for packages to arrive by Christmas Eve. The deadline for regular ground service is tomorrow, December 17th. Priority Mail must be sent by December 19th and the Priority Mail Express deadline is December 23rd. These dates exclude Hawaii and Alaska. (File photo by Doug Thompson, WBTA News)

Calvin Clemons

A Buffalo man is going to be spending decades behind bars for killing two people in two separate shootings. Yesterday, a judge sentenced Calvin Clemons to 35 years to life in prison for his crimes. Prosecutors say Clemons admitted to shooting and killing 17-year-old Felix Aguire on Liddell Street back in December 2020. Then in March of 2021, he was involved in the shooting of 20-year-old Trenton Sink during a robbery. Sink was taken to Erie County Medical Center and later died of his injuries.

Members of the West Seneca Police Department are going to be doing their part tomorrow to help get people in the holiday spirit. The agency is teaming up with the Home Depot to hand out Christmas trees free of charge. The trees will be available starting at nine a-m at the police garage that is located in the parking lot behind Town Hall on Union Road. They’ll be distributed by volunteers on a first come, first served basis.

A meeting is going to be held next week where customers of Rochester Gas and Electric will once again call for a public takeover of the company. Customers have been upset with RG&E since it announced a proposed increase of its gas and electric prices. They’re also angry about billing issues they’ve had to deal with. The meeting is set for Monday evening from 6 to 8 in the Gleason Auditorium at the Rochester Public Library.

Bills vs Colts – 2017 “Snow Bowl”

The Buffalo Bills will be looking to clinch their spot in the postseason this weekend when they take on a longtime AFC East rival. Should the Bills defeat the Miami Dolphins at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, they will officially have a playoff spot. When the Bills and Dolphins played earlier this year, the Dolphins ended up winning that game 21 to 19. Kickoff for tomorrow night’s contest is scheduled for 8:15.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

The Buffalo Sabres are now on a two-game winning streak after defeating the defending Stanley Cup champions on the road. Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin each scored as the Sabres topped the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 at Ball Arena in Denver last night. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 39 shots. Buffalo’s next game is tomorrow night against the Arizona Coyotes with puck drop at 9:00. (Sabres are now 14-14-2)

No one has been lucky enough to win the Mega Millions or Powerball lately and now, the combined jackpots of both games have reached $578,000,000. The prize up for grabs for this evening’s Mega Millions drawing is going to be at least $429,000,000. And, should someone win Powerball tomorrow night, they’ll get a minimum of $149,000,000. Both drawings will be streamed live online. Please play responsibly.

Genesee and Wyoming Counties are under a winter storm warning from 7pm tonight till 1 am on Sunday.  Up to 18 inches of snow is expected to fall over the weekend with the main accumulations hitting southern Genesee county.  Heavy snow will fall in relatively narrow bands.  Travel could be very difficult at times with poor visibility and snow covered roads.  If traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibilities.

Icy road Conditions caused several accidents in Genesee County Thursday.  2 rollover accidents were reported in Alexander.  No injuries were reported but people were trapped till Alexander and Batavia Fire departments could get them out.  A tanker truck carrying milk rolled over on Broadway Rd in Bethany.  2 wreckers from the dairy came to get the truck back up and the driver was uninjured.  Rt 20 was reported to be a sheet of ice at the time.  Another vehicle rollover was reported in Pavilion on Telephone Rd.  A truck hit a tree in Oakfield with minor injuries.  Several accidents and cars off the road were reported on the Thruway westbound.  

Rochester police are still on the lookout for the suspect who slammed a rental truck into a city business before committing a burglary. Investigators say the person intentionally drove into a store in the area of Ames Street and Maple Street yesterday. Surveillance video captured the suspect stealing items from the business before leaving the scene in the truck. Anyone with information on this case is asked to dial 911.

Governor Hochul has signed off on a new piece of legislation that will ban the sale of certain animals at retail pet stores. Starting in 2024, people will no longer be able to purchase dogs, cats or rabbits at those businesses. One goal of this measure is to prevent the buying and selling of animals from large-scale, abusive breeders who in many cases do not properly care for those animals, which can lead to new owners having to pay big veterinary bills. Pet stores will still be able to work with animal shelters and rescue groups to hold adoption clinics.

If you are in trouble in the Genesee County Park and Forest now the Bethany Fire Department has new vehicle equipment that can be used to come rescue you.  Genesee County Emergency Management Services is pleased to announce the deployment of a MedLite Transport Bed for use by the Town of Bethany Fire Department. This equipment was obtained through the procurement of Homeland Security grant funding.  The MedLite Transport Bed is a medical rescue skid unit for Utility Task Vehicles that has the ability to transport one patient on a long board or stokes basket and one attendant in a seat.  The bed fits on their UTV and helps make extractions from the trails and hard to reach places of the park.

The Buffalo Bills will be looking to clinch their spot in the postseason this weekend when they take on a longtime AFC East rival. Should the Bills defeat the Miami Dolphins at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, they will officially have a playoff spot. When the Bills and Dolphins played earlier this year, the Dolphins ended up winning that game 21 to 19. Kickoff for tomorrow night’s contest is scheduled for eight-15 p-m.

The Buffalo Sabres are now on a two-game winning streak after defeating the defending Stanley Cup champions on the road. Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin each scored as the Sabres topped the Colorado Avalanche four-to-two at Ball Arena in Denver last night. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 39 shots.  Buffalo’s next game is tomorrow night against the Arizona Coyotes.

Tyshon Taylor

25-year-old Tyshon Taylor of Batavia has entered a not guilty plea in court. He had been indicted by a Genesee County Grand Jury on an attempted murder charge in what was an apparent, unprovoked attack against a stranger on Jackson Street. Taylor is accused of stabbing the victim, who survived the attack. Taylor is being held in Genesee County Jail without bail.

Unidentified man shoveling snow (file photo)

A winter storm watch is in effect for Genesee County from tomorrow evening through Sunday morning. Heavy lake effect snow is possible, with total accumulations of 9 inches or more in the most persistent lake snows. Travel could become very difficult, especially when driving through narrow bands of heavy snow that create localized, dangerous wintry conditions.

A public vote this week in LeRoy resulted in community approval for $1.7 million to be earmarked for the LeRoy Fire Department to purchase an aerial ladder truck. The proposal passed with a vote of 133-99.

New York State is reporting its first pediatric flu death of the season. The state health department says flu cases are up 64 percent over the last week and hospitalizations are up by 58 percent. The health department recommends that everyone who is six months and older get a flu shot and urges the wearing of masks indoors or around people at higher risk because of the rise of the flu, RSV and COVID cases.

Officials with D’Youville University have announced plans to build a $50,000,000 academic building that will expand its healthcare programs. In the school’s site plan application for the project, the new building will house academic programs and focus on world-class education for healthcare professionals. If it wins approval by the city of Buffalo, construction would start next May and finish early in 2025.

The stadium agreement for the Buffalo Bills is a step closer to becoming fully approved. NFL owners have unanimously approved a year-to-year extension of the team’s lease agreement at Highmark Stadium and a 30-year lease agreement for a new stadium. The new stadium is expected to open as soon as 2026. Construction on the new stadium is expected to begin next year. It will be located across the street from Highmark Stadium.

Buffalo Skyline – file photo

The folks at consumer advice website WalletHub have just completed a study of the most fun cities in America. The site compared statistics from 180 cities in more than 65 key metrics including the number of music venues and dance clubs per capita, access to water and amusement parks, and the cost of beer. In the rankings, Buffalo placed as the 51st most fun city in America…one spot behind Portland Maine and one spot ahead of Omaha Nebraska. Las Vegas topped the survey at number one.

The Buffalo Sabres will see action on the road tonight in Colorado. Buffalo enters their contest following a shutout win over the Kings on Tuesday night. Face off tonight is at 9:00.

The Red Cross is asking for donors to set aside some time to give blood or platelets for patients waiting for care over the holidays. Hospitals have an especially high need for type ‘O’ blood and platelets. Those who come to give from December 16 to January 2, 2023 will get a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. Upcoming blood drives in Batavia include Friday, December 23rd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel and also Thursday, December 29th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Robert Morris; in Le Roy, on Thursday, December 22nd, from Noon to 5 p.m. at the American Legion, 53 West Main Street. Anyone interested may schedule an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

This Saturday is the last chance this season to shop at the Batavia City Center Mall Market. They’re open from 8 to 11:30am.

Till 4 pm Genesee and Orleans counties are under a winter weather advisory with expected snow and ice accumulations of between a tenth of an inch and 1 inch.  In Wyoming county this goes to 7pm and twice that is expected.  Winds can gust up to 45 miles per hour.  Plan on very slippery roads and slow down to give yourself time to stop.  Slow down going around curves as ice buildup may make you lose traction.  Friday through Saturday there is a winter storm watch for Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties with up to 9 inches of snow expected.  The snow and wind combined could make white out conditions in bands on the roadways.  Once again the advice is to slow down especially going over hills where you can’t see if snow has drifted on the other side.

The mass shooting on Illinois St in Rochester may have been a rap video shoot gone wrong according to the owner of the property where the shooting occurred.  Mazzeo Mouzon owns the house and was renting it out as an AirBNB when he heard there was a large gathering there.  By the time he went to tell them they couldn’t have additional guests the police were setting up the crime scene.  Apparently the people had gathered to shoot a rap video about a man who was shot dead in the city in 2019 when gunshots were fired leaving 1 dead and 5 in the hospital.  The man who was killed was 24 year old Jakheem Douglas.  It is unclear whether the gunshots were intentional or accidental.  There are no suspects in custody.

Rochester Police say they’ve arrested a suspect in recent burglaries of the Susan B. Anthony House.  Police say the suspect — 32-year-old Richard Seawright — faces charges in two burglaries at the historic home — both of which occurred on the same night.  Police answered a call about a burglary at the house Tuesday night — followed by another call of a burglary at the house three hours later.  Security camera video enabled police to identify the suspect.  Seawright is also charged in a burglary at a restaurant around the corner from the Susan B. Anthony House last week.  

25 year old Tyshon Taylor has plead not guilty to stabbing a man on Jackson Street on October 18th.  It is alleged that he stabbed the person randomly as neither he nor the other person knew each other prior to the attack.   Taylor is also accused of attempted assault in the third degree for an incident reported at 11:39 p.m. Oct. 13 on Oak Street.  Taylor is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bail.

An SUV and a minivan were reportedly in an accident at the intersection of Buckley and Britt Rds in the Town of Stafford around 9pm on Wednesday night.  It appears the SUV t-Boned the minivan.  There are 4 children and 4 adults involved.    2 people were seriously injured with mercy flight taking one of them by helicopter to Strong Memorial and the other being taken by ambulance.  No further information was given by police at the scene.

This Saturday is the last chance to shop at the Batavia City Center Mall Market this year.  The Mall Market runs from 8 to 11:30am.  You can get everything from farm raised produce and meats to artisan ciders and clay jewelry.  You can also get your picture taken with 2 Santa pooches from Flint’s Maple.

The City of Batavia Police Department is honored to announce the promotion of Officer Christopher “CJ” Lindsay to the rank of Sergeant.  Sergeant Lindsay began his career with the City of Batavia Police Department in September of 2014.  He attended the Basic Police Academy at the Monroe County Public Safety Training Center, graduating in 2015.  Sergeant Lindsay is a Field Training Officer, Bicycle Patrol Officer and a member of the Department’s Emergency Response Team. He has been active in community events and has received recognition from the Department, City and community for his work on several cases.

Well, at least it’s more fun than Nebraska.  The folks at consumer advice website WalletHub have just completed a study of the most fun cities in America.  The site compared statistics from 180 cities in more than 65 key metrics including the number of music venues and dance clubs per capita, access to water and amusement parks, and the cost of beer.  In the rankings, Buffalo placed as the 51st most fun city in America…one spot behind Portland Maine and one spot ahead of Omaha Nebraska. Las Vegas topped the survey at number one.

By a 32-0 vote, NFL owners approved a lease extension at Highmark Stadium and a lease for a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills at their league meetings in Dallas Wednesday.  In March the Bills, Erie County and New York State announced an agreement was reached to build a new $1.4 billion stadium in Orchard Park. Gov. Kathy Hochul said the agreement secures a 30-year commitment to keep the Bills in Western New York. The stadium will be completed across the street from the team’s current home, Highmark Stadium.  The proposed $1.4 billion price tag will be covered by a public-private partnership which includes an $850 million investment in taxpayer funds.

Michael Jones

A North Carolina man associated with two right-wing extremist groups now faces up to 10 years in prison after admitting he possessed an AR-15 rifle illegally. 24-year-old Michael Jones of Charlotte was driving an unregistered vehicle when he was stopped in LeRoy by sheriffs. Deputies later found the rifle inside, along with a 30-round magazine and ammunition, knives, handheld radios, assorted tools and an Army Tactical Combat Casualty Care handbook. Jones had been convicted of two felonies in North Carolina stemming from similar charges. Following his guilty plea this week, sentencing was scheduled for May 16th.

Melvin Huntley

While incarcerated at the Genesee County Jail, 41-year-old Melvin Huntley of Batavia has been arrested and charged with promoting prison contraband and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He will appear in City Court on January 3rd to answer the charges. Huntley had previously been found guilty in the sexual abuse of four victims under the age of 17.

Wyoming and Livingston Counties are both under a Winter Weather Advisory starting 1AM tomorrow morning; it will be in place until tomorrow evening at 7:00. 2 to 4 inches of snow are expected along with windy conditions with gusts of up to 45 miles per hour. Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday morning and evening commutes. Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will result in slippery roads and limited visibility. Slow down and use caution while driving.

A nurse who formerly worked at Roswell Park Comprehensive Center has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for tampering with and stealing the drugs meant for patients. 30-year-old Kelsey Mulvey of Grand Island had been observed accessing a dispensing machine and exiting a medication room to which she was not assigned. It was later determined that she had accessed hydromorphone, an opioid used to treat severe pain. She was placed on administrative leave and later resigned. Officials said from June to July 2018 there were waterborne infections at Roswell Park and six patients became ill. An investigation concluded that tampering of compounded hydromorphone vials was the cause. In March 2021 Mulvey pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product. The other charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. She surrendered her nursing license at the beginning of the case.

Linda Tschari

John Sauberan

A Buffalo man has been sentenced to spend 25 years to life in prison for his role in a homicide that happened over four decades ago. Prosecutors say 63-year-old John Sauberan entered the Pooley Place home of 19-year-old Linda Tschari in February 1978 and stabbed her multiple times. Tschari’s body was discovered in the living room by her brother when he went to check on his sister. Sauberan was connected to the murder through DNA evidence when his profile was uploaded to a national database following a felony conviction in Oregon.

Mark Poloncarz

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says he’s going to be working from home over the next few days after testing positive for COVID-19. Poloncarz made the announcement on social media yesterday, saying that he’s dealing with a cough and mild fever. Poloncarz went on to say that he feels that he would be in much worse shape if he wasn’t vaccinated and boosted against the virus. He also urged anyone who he’s been in contact with recently to monitor their health.

Cole Beasley

The offense of the Buffalo Bills is going to be getting a boost thanks to a very familiar face. That’s because wide receiver Cole Beasley has come out of retirement and has signed to be part of the team’s practice squad. Beasley played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season before calling it a career. Now, he’s preparing to return to action and might end up playing in this Saturday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. In his previous tenure with the Bills, Beasley caught 231 passes for more than 24-hundred yards and 11 touchdowns.

Craig Anderson

After a scoreless game for the first two periods, the Sabres had 6 goals in the 3rd for a shutout win against the Los Angeles Kings last night. Craig Anderson stopped 40 shots and Tage Thompson, Victor Olofsson, JJ Peterka, Alex Tuch, and Peyton Krebs all scored. Buffalo improved their record to 13-14-2 on the season. They’ve saddled up the horse for a three-game Western Conference road trip. Their first game is tomorrow as they take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. The puck drops at 9:00.

A lot of people will be heading to and from holiday gatherings over the next few weeks and they can expect to have an extra set of eyes on them while they are traveling. Beginning today, State Police are going to crack down on impaired and reckless driving as part of the “Drive High Get a DUI” campaign that runs through January 1st. During last year’s campaign, 522 drivers were arrested for DWI and over 35,000 traffic tickets were issued. Police say folks can make sure they get home safely by having a designated driver or by using a taxi or rideshare service.

Darien Lake Amphitheater (file photo)

Starting today, Live Nation will be offering music fans the chance to see some of the best artists in the world next year for just one price. The company says its popular Lawn Pass is going to be available for just $199 plus taxes and fees and can be used for shows at the Darien Lake Amphitheater. The passes are going on sale at one p-m and can be purchased online at lawnpass.livenation.com. Live Nation says people should act fast because there will be limited number of passes up for grabs.

Wyoming and Livingston county are under a Winter Weather Advisory starting 1AM on Thursday and running to 7pm.  2 to 4 inches of snow are expected along with windy conditions with gusts of up to 45 miles per hour.  Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday morning and evening commutes. Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will result in slippery roads and limited visibility. Slow down and use caution while driving.

A shootout on the street on Atlantic Ave in Rochester is being called a mass shooting.  Police responded to reports of gunfire on Atlantic Ave and Illinois St Tuesday night around 10:30 and found a man in his 20s shot.  He was taken to the hospital where he is expected to survive. Police learned that 4 others were in the hospital with gunshot wounds.  One of them was pronounced dead at the hospital and another is in critical condition.  No arrests have been made, and police say there is currently no danger to the community.  Parts of Atlantic Avenue and Illinois Street are closed off as the investigation continues.

A nurse who formerly worked at Roswell Park Comprehensive Center has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for tampering with and stealing the drugs meant for patients.  30-year-old Kelsey A. Mulvey of Grand Island was observed accessing a dispensing machine, carrying a backpack, and exiting a medication room to which she was not assigned. It was determined that she had accessed the drawer for hydromorphone. She was placed on administrative leave and then resigned. Officials said from June to July 2018 there were waterborne infections at Roswell Park and six patients became ill. An investigation concluded that tampering of compounded hydromorphone vials was the cause.  In March 2021 Mulvey pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product. The other charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. She resigned from her position and surrendered her nursing license at the beginning of the case.

5 men from Western New York have been arrested for child pornography charges.  25 year old Scott Wood of Eden, 44 year old Dominic Licata of West Seneca, 24 year old Matthew Koons of Kenmore, 34 year old Leonard Sawyer of Cheektowaga and 41 year old Daniel Johnson of North Tonawanda were all arrested in an operation that ran from December 9th through 12th for possessing or promoting and disseminating child pornography.  They all face multiple charges and are scheduled to appear in court either this month or in January.

A lot of people will be heading to and from holiday gatherings over the next few weeks and they can expect to have an extra set of eyes on them while they are traveling. Beginning today, State Police are going to crack down on impaired and reckless driving as part of the “Drive High Get a DUI” campaign that runs through January 1st. During last year’s campaign, 522 drivers were arrested for DWI and over 35-thousand traffic tickets were issued. Police say folks can make sure they get home safely by having a designated driver or by using a taxi or rideshare service.

The Batavia Community Garden is now accepting applications for residents to rent their raised beds for the growing season.  Garden plots are offered in three sizes: 4’ x 4’ ($20), 4’ x 8’ ($30) and 2’ x 10’ ($25) trough plots for gardeners with limited range of motion.  All plots are available on a first-come, first-served basis.  Plot rentals are available to anyone living in Genesee County.  Plot fees include access to a raised bed filled with a growing soil mix, access to a water source with a hose, watering wand, and watering cans; use of provided hand tools; use of compost bin and other resources at the garden.  The Cornell Cooperative Extension manages the community garden.

The offense of the Buffalo Bills is going to getting a boost thanks to a very familiar face. That’s because wide receiver Cole Beasley has come out of retirement and has signed to be part of the team’s practice squad. Beasley played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season before calling it a career. Now, he’s preparing to return to action and might end up playing in this Saturday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. In his previous tenure with the Bills, Beasley caught 231 passes for more than 24-hundred yards and 11 touchdowns.

After a scoreless game for 2 whole periods the Sabres ripped out 6 goals in the 3rd to win against the Los Angeles Kings 6 to 0 Tuesday night.  Craig Anderson stopped 40 shots and Tage Thompson, Victor Olofsson, JJ Peterka, Alex Tuch, and Peyton Krebs all scored.  Buffalo improves to 13-14-2 on the season as they get set to begin a three-game Western Conference road trip. Their first game of the trip is on Thursday as they take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.

2019 Ascent – Subaru’s largest SUV

Subaru is recalling 271,694 SUV’s because some of them could catch fire. The effected model is the Ascent, manufactured from 2019-2022. The company is advising owners to park them outside, away from garages and other structures and to not leave the vehicles unattended with the engine running. An electrical grounding bolt connected to the SUVs cabin heating system may have been improperly fastened, according to a company statement on the recall of over a quarter of a million cars. This problem can result in the grounding terminal and surrounding parts melting and increase the risk of fire when the vehicle’s PTC heater, or positive temperature coefficient heater, is on, according to Subaru. The PTC heater is part of a back-up heating system that operates until the engine is warmed up enough to heat the passenger cabin. If drivers notice smoke or odors coming from the dashboard or foot-well while driving, they should pull over, turn off the vehicle and call Subaru Roadside Assistance. There have been no known crashes or injuries resulting from this issue and Subaru believes a very small percentage of Ascents actually have this problem. The company will contact owners of vehicles involved in the recall by mail over the next 60 days. In the meantime, owners can contact Subaru or go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall website and enter their 7-digit vehicle identification number to determine if they are impacted. Here is a direct link:  https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

The number of Monroe County residents who have passed away after contracting the flu has risen to four. Two of the victims were between the ages of 50 and 64 years old and the other two individuals were above the age of 85. One bit of good news is that flu cases declined slightly between late November and early December. People who haven’t received a flu shot yet should get one immediately to protect themselves and others from becoming seriously ill.

32-year-old Brett Holt and 46-year old Kelly Holt both of Medina have been charged with petit larceny. Late yesterday afternoon Batavia Police responded to a call from Sally Beauty Supply on Veteran’s Memorial Drive regarding a larceny in progress. Police eventually located both of the Holt’s inside Kohls who were positively identified as the individuals who stole approximately $400 in products. Brett and Kelly were transported to the Genesee County Jail and issued appearance tickets. They’re scheduled to appear in Batavia Town Court on January 4th.

Make room for ‘the middle’

The New York State Board of Elections tells us that non-affiliated registered voters have now overtaken republicans for the State’s second largest voting block. The new statistics show roughly the same increase in non-affiliated voters over the past five years compared to the two decades before it. This may be attributed to a change in election law in 2020 that tripled the number of voter signatures required for a party to get on a ballot — now grouping all minor parties into the “blank” category. And while this rise in non-affiliated voters hasn’t yet seen significant effects in our region, the gap is closing. This means that moving forward, the Republican Party can no longer win an election without the support of the middle.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is reminding New Yorkers that assistance is available to help them stay warm during the winter. She tells us the state has received over $400,000,000 in federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds. Gillibrand says that LIHEAP provides a lifeline to low-income families because many of them can’t afford to pay high heating bills. More information on this program can be found at otda.ny.gov/programs.

Great Northern Grain Elevator – damaged from last year’s wind storm – file photo

There is a new development in the ongoing legal battle over the future of the Great Northern grain elevator in Buffalo. Yesterday, an Appellate Division court ruled against a preservation organization’s request for a temporary injunction that would prevent the building from being torn down. The grain elevator was severely damaged during a windstorm last year. The structure was built back in 1897 and is one of the last of its kind in North America.

Deyanna Davis

The trial for the woman who is accused of driving a vehicle into a State Trooper over two years ago has been pushed back. Jury selection was supposed to begin yesterday in the case against Deyanna Davis but that didn’t happen because she has once again switched lawyers. Prosecutors say Davis was traveling on Bailey Avenue in June 2020 when she intentionally hit and seriously hurt Trooper Ronald Ensminger Junior while he was at the scene of a protest. Davis has denied that allegation and her trial is now expected to start in February.

Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence

Buffalo police say that two arrests have been made in connection with a recent stabbing at a school. According to investigators, 34-year-old Diamond Gray and 35-year-old Dominique Gray were involved in the attack of a 31-year-old woman at the Lydia T. Wright School Of Excellence last Thursday. The victim had gone to the school to pick up her child when she was involved in a physical altercation that resulted in her being stabbed in the back. Both suspects are facing multiple charges including assault.

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping the support of their home crowd helps them snap their current two-game losing streak tonight. They host the Los Angeles Kings at KeyBank Center. Buffalo last played Saturday night when the Pittsburgh Penguins came out on top, 3-1. Face-off for tonight’s contest is scheduled for 7:00.

The Mega Millions jackpot has ballooned once again and that means there’s going to be a massive prize up for grabs this evening. The jackpot has now grown to at least $400,000,000 after no one correctly picked all the winning numbers for this past Friday’s drawing. There hasn’t been a jackpot winner since back on October 14th. The Mega Millions drawing will be streamed at megamillions.com. Please play responsibly.

Ball Drop – City of Buffalo New Year’s Eve (file photo)

Organizers say they are finally starting to put the finishing touches on plans for the City of Buffalo’s New Year’s Eve celebration. There will be live entertainment downtown on December 31st and the ball drop will happen at the Iskalo Development Electric Tower. Mayor Byron Brown believes holiday traditions are especially important for people this year in the aftermath of the deadly Tops store shooting in May and the recent snowstorm. There will be free parking for the event at both the Fernbach and Mohawk parking ramps.

A 40 year old Batavia man has been arrested and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and tampering with evidence.  Eric Motquin of Ellicott Street was arrested after a traffic stop on December 3rd where he struggled with officers and tried to destroy the drugs he had.  He was also arrested for failure to appear for another crime. 

GCASA has hired a new Recovery Services Director.  58 year old Luke Granger has a resume that includes service in the Army, being a full time Baptist minister with a degree from Jacksonville Baptist Theological Seminary, running theological education for Fort Drum and in Germany for the Army, Missionary work in Honduras and Costa Rica, and being the Director of IT services for a company in Texas.  He now resides in Mt Morris and will oversee 30 staff at the Genesee Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.

Batavia and Elba Fire departments responded to the Koolatron building on Commerce Dr Monday at just after 7pm for a fire.  Employees called in saying that a stack of boxes was on fire.  The dispatcher could hear the fire alarms going off and said the sprinklers were activated in the building.  The fire was put out by the combined firefighting forces.  No injuries were reported. 

A Labor day tradition for over 4 decades will not be happening this coming year.  The Dansville Balloon Festival has been canceled due to lack of help.  Organizers say there has been a decline in volunteers for the last couple years and they just can’t make the festival work without people to staff it.  They also cited the financial environment.  Organizers said the festival, which brought in an estimated 30,000 visitors annually, had donated more than $225,000 to local organizations since 2001.

4 girls from North Tonawanda are going on the big stage in New York City to sing for the “Christmas Spectacular” show with the Rockettes.  The Spotlight Kidz show invited the girls, who are between and 10 and 14 years old, to come sing after they’re performance on YouTube and Instagram of several songs went viral and they were on several national shows singing.  Grace, Ashlyn Piper and Macy will be singing ‘Rocking Around the Christmas Tree’ and ‘Christmas in New York’.

Dinosaur Adventure organizers say the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center will be transformed into a prehistoric exhibit this weekend.  The event will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  According to organizers, guests can expect the average adventure to last between two to three hours.  Tickets are limited and sold on a per-day, per-hour basis.

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping the support of their home crowd helps them snap their current two-game losing streak tonight. The Sabres are set to host the Los Angeles Kings at KeyBank Center. Buffalo last played Saturday night when they were beaten by the Pittsburgh Penguins three-to-one. Face-off for tonight’s contest is scheduled for seven p-m.

65-year-old Robyn Scott of Batavia has been charged with disorderly conduct for unreasonable noise. Police responded to a call on Walnut Street to address an ongoing annoyance issue involving alarms and unreasonable noise. Following an investigation, Scott was arrested, issued an appearance ticket and then released; Scott is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court on December 20th.

Michael Woloschuk

42-year-old Michael Woloschuk of Hamlin has been convicted of possession of child pornography and was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. He had been convicted previously for a similar offense. In October 2021, law enforcement received a tip that eventually led to Woloschuk’s arrest. A forensic analysis of his digital devices recovered several videos and images of child pornography, some of which depicted violence against children.

POLICE BLOTTER: 34-year-old Benito Gay of Batavia has been charged with petit larceny, falsifying business records, criminal use of an access device and unlawful possession of personal identification information. He allegedly used another inmate’s personal identification number to make phone calls at the Genesee County jail in the early morning hours of Monday, December 5th. The calls were charged to the victim’s account. Gay is due to appear in City Court for arraignment early next month. ALSO: 48-year-old Willie Sabb, Jr. of Batavia is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was allegedly found to be in possession of cocaine during a traffic stop on Clinton Street Road in Stafford. Sabb was issued an appearance ticket and scheduled to return to Stafford Town Court next month.  ALSO:  50-year-old Andrew Crimes of Batavia has been charged with two counts of criminal contempt, after entering Batavia Downs late in the evening on December 7. Crimes allegedly violated an order of protection by entering the Downs at that particular time but also for sending over 100 text messages to an individual over the course of several months violating an order of protection that was in place. Crimes was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and will return to court on December 20th.

Gas prices continue their slow decline…According to Triple A today, the average cost for a gallon of regular fuel nationwide is $3.26. That’s down 52 cents since November 12th. The state average is currently $3.59 per gallon. In Batavia, we’re at $3.47, down 32 cents from a month ago today.

Ingersoll Street Lift Bridge – Albion, NY

A man has drowned after falling into the Erie Canal. He had been walking on the south side of the canal along a sidewalk when he fell into the water near the Ingeroll Street lift bridge in Albion. Medics from Mercy Flight EMS attempted CPR and transported the man to Medina Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The man’s name has not been released pending notification of family.

Father Patrick Melfi

A priest in Allegany County has been placed on administrative leave by the Diocese of Buffalo. Reverend F. Patrick Melfi is accused of having an improper sexual relationship with a woman. Melfi has been serving at Our Lady of the Angels in Cuba as well as Saint Patrick in Fillmore and Belfast. In a statement, the diocese said Melfi’s leave is part of an ongoing investigation and that anyone with information about clerical sexual misconduct can call 716-895-3010.

Tyler Bass

The Buffalo Bills have extended their winning streak to four games following a big victory on a mixed-precipitation Sunday afternoon, over a division rival. Quarterback Josh Allen threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as the Bills defeated the New York Jets 20 to 12 at Highmark Stadium yesterday. Buffalo kicker Tyler Bass also hit two field goals for his team who now has a record of 10 wins and three losses. Up next for the Bills is a home contest against the Miami Dolphins this Saturday night with kickoff scheduled for 8:15.

Peyton Krebs

The Sabres lost their second straight game to the Penguins 3 to 1 on Saturday. Peyton Krebs scored the lone goal for Buffalo. They’ll be back on home ice tomorrow night against the L.A. Kings. Face-off is at 7:00.

Smoking Marijuana recreationally is legal in New York State.  Just don’t do it when people are depending on you to save their lives.  2 Rochester firefighters have been suspended for allegedly smoking pot while on duty. According to the national safety council, THC in marijuana affects depth perception, reaction time, coordination and other motor skills, and it creates sensory distortion. For someone operating machinery, driving a forklift or a vehicle like a large fire engine, these effects can be deadly.  According to a study reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, employees who tested positive for marijuana had 55% more industrial accidents and 85% more injuries.  While laws are still being crafted on how to view legal marijuana use in the workplace, many employers are leaning toward treating it the same as drunkenness.  

The Gates Police Department is investigating after 17 vehicles were stolen overnight at Hertz Car Rental in Gates on Ajax Road. Officers say during the overnight hours a group of people are seen on video cutting the fence to the secured rental car lot.  According to GPD, the suspects were able to obtain keys to the rental vehicles which were parked in the lot.  The suspects used one of the vehicles, a Chevrolet Suburban, to push multiple vehicles out of the way of the vehicle exit fence.  Then the suspects were able to break through the fence with the Suburban. Officers have recovered some of the vehicles at this point.

Western New York drivers are seeing some lower prices at the pump these days when it comes time to fill up their vehicles. According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular fuel is now three-65. That’s down five cents in the past week and is 17 cents less than this time one month ago. The state average is currently three-59 a gallon and nationally it’s three-26.

Taylor McCabe, of McCabe Enterprises, an electrical contractor, was one of four contractors on a job site at Brickhouse Corners in Pembroke to introduce students to the building trades.  Owner and developer Randy Fancher said he and his brother thought their mixed-use development — retail and apartments — was a good job site to show young people what a construction site is like and hear about the kind of work available in different facets of construction.  Besides electrical, students — and their parents and grandparents — learned about drywall, HVAC, and plumbing.

The Bills split their season series with the Jets after earning a 20-12 victory on the rainy Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park.  Josh Allen combined for 194 yards and two touchdowns to lead Buffalo to its 10th win of the season. The Jets are now third in the division with a record of 7-and-6.  Buffalo is 1st in the AFC.  The Bills play the Dolphins at Highmark Stadium next on Saturday at 8:15.  

The Sabres lost their second straight game to the Penguins 3 to 1 on Saturday not 24 hours after losing to them 4 to 3.  Peyton Krebs scored the lone goal for the Buffalo team. They’ll be back on home ice Tuesday against the LA Kings.  Puck drop is at 7pm.

A new law affects how gift cards work in the empire state.  Businesses are no longer allowed to have gift cards expire within 9 years of purchase starting December 10th.  Gift cards cannot reduce in value over time because of fees.  And, if you have less than 5 dollars left on your gift card, you are allowed to redeem it for cash.  Governor Hochul says she wants consumers to be able to enjoy their gift cards without worrying about expirations or fees.

All employers must make accommodations for their workers to breast feed according to a new law.  Signed Friday, a new law requires safe, hygienic, and convenient spaces in all workplaces for mothers to go and either pump or breastfeed.  Specifically it requires all employers in New York to ensure that pumping spaces are convenient and private, as well as include seating, access to running water and electricity, and a working space. It will also require employers to develop and implement a written policy regarding employee rights when breastfeeding in the workplace. The new legislation will ensure that all employees across the state will receive the same basic accommodations that public employees currently receive.

Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments are calling on local businesses to install Naloxone boxes at their workplaces.  Naloxone boxes are wall mounted metal boxes containing 2 doses of the drug Naloxone which is used to prevent overdoses of Opioids.  Like an AED, they can be placed in high traffic locations to be used in an emergency to save lives.  There are only 8 boxes set up so far and they are all in Batavia.  If you are a business or organization located in Genesee County and are interested in receiving more information about having a Naloxone Box at your location, contact: Kaitlin.Pettine@co.genesee.ny.us.

The Byron-Bergen Senior High School proudly announces that every fall varsity Byron-Bergen sports team achieved the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Team award. The fall sports teams are boys cross-country, girls cross-country, football, gymnastics, boys soccer, girls soccer, and girls volleyball.  The Scholar-Athlete program recognizes athletes for their academic success. NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Team awards go to teams whose average GPA of 75% of the athletic team equals 90 or above.

Emmanuel Baptist Church on Oak Street in Batavia is inviting the public to their annual Christmas Cantata, The Love of God At Christmas, at 2 pm on Sunday.  Come catch the Christmas spirit and join in listening to and singing along with many songs you know and some you’ll be happy to know.  There will be a free supper after the concert.  The choir is lead by Debbie Prosser.

The Buffalo Sabres lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins 4 to 3 on Friday night. The game at the KeyBank center went into overtime but the Sabres couldn’t secure the victory.  Victor Olofsson, Jeff Skinner, and Kyle Okposo scored for Buffalo.

David Sherman

A Pike man faces charges after allowing his dog to attack a sheriff. The incident occurred after a deputy arrived to investigate a domestic incident there. 56-year-old David Sherman allowed an aggressive dog out of the residence. He then allegedly refused to comply with orders to get the dog back inside. The dog then attached the deputy, who was treated at Wyoming County Community Hospital and released. The dog was identified as a pit bull/mastiff mix and was removed from the premises by Animal Control because it had previously bitten another person. Sherman is to appear in Town Court on December 13th.

38-year-old Jeremy Lyons of Mount Morris is believed to be the man who was behind the wheel of a minivan that struck a utility pole on Law Street. The accident occurred on November 23, and caused a widespread power surge. He has turned himself in to police and is now cited for leaving the scene of a property damage accident and aggravated unlicensed operation. Lyons was observed running from the scene of the accident and attempts to locate him immediately afterward were unsuccessful. The minivan struck a utility pole, causing 287 homes in the area of Chestnut Street, South Jackson and to both the north and south of those streets to lose power. The power surge caused electric meters on the outside of dozens of homes to blow out. The vehicle Lyons was driving was insured; residents with claims directly related to the power surge should contact National Grid by calling 315-428-6536. Or, at ClaimsDept@nationalgrid.com

According to the state comptroller’s office, poverty rates have decreased in the GLOW region over the 10 year period of 2010-2020. However, even though the numbers are down, Orleans County ranked 15th statewide for poverty. The poverty rate is based primarily on income, along with family size and composition but do not reflect the existence of unmarried partners, foster children and other non-related household members. They also don’t factor in taxes and medical expenses — which can affect a person or family’s economic security — or non-cash resources such as tax credits, housing support or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Genesee County reported a 10.2 percent poverty rate in 2020, ranking 48th statewide. That compares to 12.1 percent in 2010 and 10.5 percent in 2019.

The latest data from the state shows the spread of the coronavirus has decreased in our region. Right now, the seven-day average infection rate is sitting at 4.38%. At this time last week, the infection rate was at 4.51%. Anyone wishing to make an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccination or booster shot can do so at vaccines.gov.

POLICE BLOTTER: 46-year-old Jeannine Mobley of LeRoy has been charged with petit larceny. She is accused of stealing from a business on Jackson Street. Mobley was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance. ALSO: 21-year-old Jada Smith of Niagara Falls is charged with criminal trespass. She was located on Genesee Community College property after previously being told she was not allowed on the property. Smith was released on an appearance ticket. ALSO: 32-year-old Joshua Moore of Batavia is charged with harassment and criminal obstruction of breathing. He was arrested following the report of a disturbance early in the morning on November 24th on Chase Parkway. Moore was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

Gas prices are finally lower than they were a year ago. Triple-A reports today’s national average is $3.31 a gallon compared to about $3.34 a year ago. That’s a significant drop from the all-time high of $5.01 a gallon seen back in mid-June. We can’t quite say the same thing in Batavia; as of this morning, the average price per gallon was $3.52; still a nickel higher than one year ago today.

They look like they’d be willing to share…

The jackpots of two popular lottery games keep growing and that means there’s going to be a combined $495,000,000 up for grabs over the next couple of days. No one has won the Mega Millions in weeks so the top prize available for tonight’s drawing is $379,000,000. And should someone win Powerball tomorrow night they will get at least $116,000,000. Both drawings will be streamed live online. Please play responsibly.

The Buffalo Bills will be back in front of their home crowd as they look to hold onto first place in AFC East against a division rival. The Bills are hosting the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. When these two teams played earlier this season, the Jets came out on top by a final score of 20 to 17. Buffalo is coming off of a 24 to 10 win last Thursday over the New England Patriots. Kickoff for Sunday’s contest is set for 1:00.

Plans to build a brand-new stadium in Orchard Park for the Buffalo Bills have taken another step forward. A new study shows the proposed facility would not have any negative effects on the surrounding environment. That means it’s now up to the Erie County Legislature to issue a negative declaration of environmental impact. If that happens, The Buffalo News reports the deadline for reaching a stadium agreement would be mid-January. The over one-billion-dollar facility would be located near Highmark Stadium which is where the Bills currently play.

Dylan Cozens and Rasmus Dahlin – and excited fan in the front row (file photo)

The Buffalo Sabres have won back-to-back games and they’ll be hoping to extend their winning streak to three this evening. The Sabres are taking on Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at KeyBank Center. Buffalo last played Wednesday night when they cruised to a 9-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Face-off for tonight’s game is scheduled for 7:00.

The new New York gun law is ping ponging back and forth in the courts and the latest is that part of it can be enforced according to a Federal Appeals court decision. The part they allowed is that guns can be banned from parks and theaters while the constitutionality of the law is being decided.  The temporary stay from the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday puts on hold most of a ruling last month from U.S. District Judge Glenn Suddaby, who found constitutional issues with multiple portions of the law related to carrying firearms in public places and to licensing requirements.  Among the new licensing rules Suddaby found constitutionally flawed was a provision requiring applicants to be of “good moral character,” and another that made applicants turn over information about their social media accounts.

Genesee County is proposing an increase in the salary of the County Coroner because they can’t find anyone else who wants to move dead bodies.  The proposal would pay the Coroner 200 dollars every time they were called upon to be the transportation service for the deceased.  County Manager Matt Landers said they had tried to find a dedicated service but no one stepped forward and so the job often fell to the coroner to be both official and taxi for the dead.  This happened about 50 times last year.  There will be a public hearing on the proposal on January 4th at the Old Courthouse in Batavia. 

A Wyoming County is man under investigation following a domestic incident and faces charges after a dog attacked a sheriff’s deputy.  The incident happened Monday at a home on Route 39 in Pike. Police said David Sherman, 56, allowed an aggressive dog out of the home during the investigation, refusing to comply with orders to keep the dog inside.  Sherman is charged with assault, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, criminal contempt and menacing.  He’s being held in Wyoming County Jail without bail due to his criminal history. He’s due in Pike Town Court on Tuesday.  The injured deputy was treated at Wyoming County Community Hospital and discharged. Police did not say what happened to the dog after the attack or what prompted the investigation. 

According to the CEO of Economic Development Center for Genesee County Steve Hyde it’s all sunshine and nearly free money for Elba, Oakfield and Genesee county itself if a Solar Project is approved for Hecate Energy Cider Solar LLC.  The EDC is expecting 88 million dollars being paid back the county and municipalities over the next 30 years Hyde said.  He says thats 22 dollars back for every dollar invested in the project.  Each municipality is expected to get payouts of between 500,000 and 1 million dollars annually from Hecate during the operation of the 500 megawatt farms of solar panels.  

Assemblyman Steve Hawley informed local fire departments in a press release about grant money being offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA has $90 million to award.  Hawley said, “This is an opportunity for those who tirelessly protect our communities to receive a significant amount of grant money.  Our emergency employees are vital to our communities. I am proud of their hard work to keep us all safe and secure. Their valiant efforts to maintain safety in my district and throughout New York state should not go unnoticed.” The application period for these awards will begin between January 6 and 9 and will continue for 6 weeks, subject to change. For more information, contact the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program at 866-274-0960 or firegrants@fema.dhs.gov. 

An academy award winning director who is famous for his monster movies says he loves the city of Buffalo.  Guillermo del Toro says he and his wife are considering buying a house in the City of Buffalo after filming Crimson Peak and Nightmare Alley there over the past 6 years.  He says that he is just booking for an excuse to film there again and needs very little provocation.  The things he likes about the city, it’s energy and artistic movement, oh and also the food. 

A new flag is flying over the parking lot of the current Highmark stadium to show where midfield of the new Buffalo Bills stadium will be.  The flagpole, which is set directly in the pavement and has a red and blue map pin icon on it and a blue flag with the number 2026, is set to show where the dead center of the new stadium will be once it is constructed.  The new, 1.4 Billion dollar stadium, will be open to the public in 2026.

Joshua Schohn (released photo)

32-year-old Joshua Schohn of Akron has been convicted of two counts of possession and production of child pornography. He’s been sentenced to serve 30 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release. The investigation started three years ago, during which the FBI found videos of Schohn’s girlfriend’s daughters. Upon his arrest, Schohn admitted to State Police that he had been collecting child pornography for five years.

A $5,000,000 federal funding grant will help to pay for upgrades for Attica’s water treatment plant. The funding was announced last month as part of the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, and will cover half of the estimated $11.1 million project planned for the Dunbar Road location. Upgrades will include new treatment units, disinfection and chemical feed equipment. New pumps, piping and valves are also planned, along with structural and mechanical improvements. The equipment is generally meant to last for about 20 years.

Negotiations resumed today between representatives of Buffalo Public Schools and the Buffalo Teachers Federation. Both sides have been working to reach an agreement on a new contract but say that little progress has been made during recent discussions. Teachers have issued a vote of no-confidence in Superintendent Doctor Tonja Williams and also the school board. Issues that still need to be resolved include teacher salaries and adjusting school start times to help out with an ongoing bus driver shortage.

Unidentified teenager receives vaccination – file photo

Governor Hochul is urging New Yorkers to take the proper steps to protect themselves from the spread of COVID-19, the flu, and RSV. Hospitals across the Empire State are very busy right now dealing with a surge in illnesses and data shows a lot of people who are eligible for the latest COVID-19 booster shot haven’t gotten it. The governor recommends residents who have symptoms of the coronavirus or flu get tested immediately. The state has a stockpile of coronavirus test kits and ventilators that can be made available if necessary.

A Newfane resident is facing up to 11 years behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple charges including criminally negligent homicide. The Niagara County District Attorney’s Office says 20-year-old Sean Kelahan admitted to hitting and killing 25-year-old Richard Howes, III with his car on Transit Road in Lockport March 18th. Kelahan is going to be sentenced in February. His co-defendant, Tyreek Wolfe, is also awaiting sentencing.

Von Miller – Thanksgiving Day, 2022

The Buffalo Bills are going to be without star defensive player Von Miller for the rest of the season. Miller underwent exploratory surgery on his knee earlier this week and it was discovered he has a torn ACL. Miller was hurt back on Thanksgiving Day when the Bills played the Lions and was placed on the injured reserve list last week. Buffalo signed the 33-year-old Miller to a six-year, 120-million-dollar contract this past off-season and he leads the team this year with eight sacks.

 Matt Araiza

Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza and two of his college teammates will not face criminal charges after being accused of gang raping a 17-year-old girl while Araiza attended San Diego State University. The alleged assault happened at an off-campus party in October 2021, six months before the Bills drafted Araiza. The decision to not pursue charges came following a four month investigation involving more than 35 witness interviews and evidence derived from 10 search warrants that included cell phone data and video from the night in question. A still-pending civil lawsuit was filed August 25th; the Bills released Araiza two days later.

Tage Thompson

The Buffalo Sabres have picked up their second straight victory after a dominant effort on the road. Tage Thompson scored five goals and Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs, Alex Tuch, and Rasmus Dahlin also had a goal each as the Sabres smashed the Columbus Blue Jackets nine-to-four last night. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was able to stop 20 of the 24 shots he faced in the contest. Buffalo’s next game is tomorrow night when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Face-off is at 7:00.

The New York State Education Department is recommending that schools go back to mandatory masking to fight the Flu, RSV and Covid once again and superintendents for a lot of the state are saying “no.”  Niagara Falls, Erie and Hamburg superintendents characterized it as going backwards and said that we are “well past mandates.”  While the state is saying that kids are in danger the schools are mostly reporting that the rate of illness is average for the season.  The districts say some kids and teachers are choosing to wear masks but the number is small.  Mostly the advice is the same as it has been, stay home if you are sick, cover your cough or sneeze, and wash your hands regularly.  

It’s been two weeks now since the New York State’s cannabis control board approved the first dispensary license. 36 licenses were approved — none of them are in Western New York.  This first set of licenses are for people who were impacted by cannabis convictions in the past, called Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries.  Western, Central NY, and the Finger Lakes are currently barred from receiving licenses due to an ongoing court case.  So, if you are wanting to buy pot legally in Western NY, you’ll just have to travel or wait.

Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza and two of his college teammates will not face criminal charges after being accused of gang raping a 17-year-old girl while Araiza attended San Diego State University.  The alleged assault happened at an off-campus party in October 2021, six months before the Bills drafted Araiza.  The decision to not pursue charges came following a 124-day investigation involving more than 35 witness interviews and evidence derived from 10 search warrants that included cell phone data and video from the night in question, the San Diego County District Attorney’s office said in a statement.  A still-pending civil lawsuit was filed Aug. 25, with the Bills releasing Araiza two days later.

The Genesee County 4-H Program is now accepting registrations for its 2023 4-H Tractor Safety Program.  The program is open to youth age 14 and over and covers farm safety, tractor safety, tractor operation and other related topics.  The National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program is a certification program that allows youth ages 14 and 15 to be certified to legally operate farm equipment for hire.  After completing the training course, youth will need to pass a written knowledge test and driving test to receive the certification.  The program is scheduled to run Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, from January through April at farm machinery dealerships throughout Genesee County.  The fee for the program is $25, and youth must also be currently enrolled 4-H members.  Registrations are due January 28, 2023.

Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse has scheduled in-person and virtual Naloxone & Opioid Overdose Prevention Training sessions into June of next year.  Twelve sessions will take place at The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road in Batavia and six will be held at GCASA’s Outpatient Clinic in Albion starting in January. Additionally, six virtual training classes are scheduled, beginning Jan. 9.  Check out our news partner the Batavian for a list of dates and times.  To register, email dklos@gcasa.org or call 585 815 1883.

The Genesee Chorale is performing their annual holiday concert, From Star to Star, at 4 pm on Saturday and you are invited.  Tickets are 10 dollars either at the door or at www.geneseechorale.com for the concert at St James Episcopal Church.  The chorale is directed by Ric Jones. Janine Fagnan is the associate conductor, and Doug Hanson is the accompanist.

The Buffalo Bills are going to be without star defensive player Von Miller for the rest of the season. Miller underwent exploratory surgery on his knee earlier this week and it was discovered he has a torn ACL. Miller was hurt back on Thanksgiving Day when the Bills played the Lions and was placed on the injured reserve list last week.  Buffalo signed the 33-year-old Miller to a six-year, 120-million-dollar contract this past offseason and he leads the team this year with eight sacks.

The Buffalo Sabres have picked up their second straight victory after a dominant effort on the road. Tage Thompson scored five goals and Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs, Alex Tuch, and Rasmus Dahlin also had a goal each as the Sabres smashed the Columbus Blue Jackets nine-to-four last night. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was able to stop 20 of the 24 shots he faced in the contest. Buffalo’s next game is tomorrow night when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Melvin Huntley

41-year-old Melvin Huntley of Batavia now faces the possibility of life in prison. Late yesterday afternoon, a Genesee County Court jury found him guilty of repeatedly raping children. The jury deliberated for two days before reaching the verdict; the most severe convictions are for felony predatory sexual assault, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years to life in prison. Huntley was first arrested in July 2021 following a sheriff’s investigation. He remains in Genesee County Jail without bail, pending sentencing on January 11.

Yesterday marked 1,000 days since the World health Organization declared the start of the pandemic on March 11, 2020. Much has changed since then; however, a new letter from the New York State Education Department and Department Of Health suggests we may be heading backward. Both are urging the community and schools to consider re-masking students when in public indoor spaces as a precaution ahead of the holidays. This comes as the nation is being hit by what many are calling a rare “tripledemic” seeing an increase in COVID, Flu, and RSV cases. In addition to considering masking up, the Department of Health advises residents to stay up to date on vaccines, wash their hands often and stay home when sick to ensure that everyone stays safe as the holidays approach.

A lengthy investigation by The Genesee County Drug Task Force, which culminated in the use of a search warrant, resulted in the arrests of two women: 38-year-old Jennifer Moton of Rochester and 50-year-old Angela Bateman of Batavia. Moton is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance (a class B felony) and promoting prison contraband (a class D felony). She is currently on probation for previous drug charges, and was allegedly found to be in possession of 150 bags of cocaine and allegedly entered a secure area at the Genesee County jail with it. Bateman is on parole for previous drug charges and was allegedly found in possession of a small quantity of cocaine and also charged with maintaining a place where controlled substances were being sold. Both women were arraigned and held without bail.

For the first time since the start of the season, the death of a Monroe County resident has been connected to the flu. The person who passed away was between the ages of 75 and 84 years old. From October 1st through November 26th, there were more than 4000 lab confirmed cases of the virus in the county. Officials say that it’s never too late to get a flu shot, which will help protect you and others from getting seriously ill.

Governor Hochul has signed off on a new piece of legislation that’s aimed at cracking down on those annoying telemarketing calls. The bill requires telemarketers to give customers the choice of being placed on a do-not-call list at the beginning of certain calls. Under current law, telemarketers must inform people that they may request to be added to their company’s do-not-call list but most individuals hang up before the list is mentioned. The governor says this legislation will protect New Yorkers from receiving unwanted calls.

Dion Dawkins

Offensive lineman Dion Dawkins of the Buffalo Bills has been nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. The award honors players from all 32 NFL franchises for their outstanding community service and also their play on the field. Following a mass shooting at a Buffalo Tops store back in May, Dawkins decided to host a cornhole and kickball tournament that raised 20-thousand dollars for victims of the tragedy, and he has also launched the Dion’s Dreamers Foundation to support young people who live in underserved communities. The Man of the Year award winner will be revealed during the NFL Honors ceremony ahead of the Super Bowl.

 File photo

The Buffalo Sabres will be back on the road again tonight as they try and pick up a second straight victory. The Sabres are going to be visiting the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena in Ohio. The Sabres are coming off of a 6-3 win on Sunday night against the San Jose Sharks. Face-off for this evening’s contest is set for 7:30.

Mayor Byron Brown

Officials with the City of Buffalo have announced that a new app is now available that will provide residents with important information. It can be downloaded by going to the app store on your phone and typing in Simplicity. From there, choose Buffalo and the city institutions that you want to follow and make sure your notifications are on. Mayor Byron Brown believes the app will keep the city on the cutting edge of innovation and prove to be a useful resource for residents and visitors.

Shania Twain – promotional photo

Country music superstar Shania Twain is bringing her brand new tour to Western New York next year. Twain is scheduled to perform at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on October 20th. The Grammy Award winner is best known for songs such as “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “From This Moment On” and “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” Tickets for the concert go on sale December 16th through Live Nation.

A new law is on the books that affects how social media works in New York State.  Social media is now required to have a way for users to report hate speech.  Hate speech is defined in the law as any conduct that “vilifies, humiliates, or incites violence.”  A first of its kind in the nation, the new law requires social media companies to put in place a mechanism for reporting hate speech and also disclose how they respond to such complaints when reported.  There is a lawsuit against the law from social media video hosting site Rumble which claims that the law fails to define what vilifying, humiliating or inciting violence mean and that the law violates free speech rights. 

A fire in Arcade drew roughly 100 firefighters Tuesday night.  The Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office said that the fire broke out at the Finger Lakes Hay and Straw building on Park Street.  Crews from Arcade, North Java, Strykersville and Bliss all responded to the fire.  Second Assistant Fire Chief Joshua Graham explained part of the reason it required a massive response and took so long to put out was the 15 wagon loads of hay inside the building.  The sheriff’s office said no one was injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A woman who was arrested for robbing 3 stores with a bb gun is back behind bars after she did it again within 30 minutes of being released.  41 year old Jessica York of Rochester was arrested after displaying a realistic looking bb gun at a restaurant, Bubble Tea spot, and at a cleaning store and taking money from the cash register.  She was charged with three counts robbery and three counts of petit larceny.  York was released from Monroe County Jail around 11 a.m. Saturday. About 30 minutes later, police responded to Starbucks inside the Hyatt Regency on East Main Street for a reported robbery. York allegedly had entered the shop, threatened the possibility of a weapon and stole money from the cash register.  The spree continued Sunday afternoon when York forcibly stole money from a cash register at Java’s on Gibbs Street, according to police. Officers arrested her Tuesday morning on East Main Street, shortly after an unsuccessful robbery attempt at Ugly Duck Coffee on Charlotte Street, and returned her to jail.

Batavia and LeRoy police departments will hold their annual Shop With a Cop event on Saturday the 10th at the Walmart on Veterans Memorial Drive.  There will be approximately 30 children shopping with officers and taking a picture with Santa.  Donations have been received from Wal-Mart, H.E. Turner & Company, Inc., the Batavia Police Benevolent Association, Civil Service Employee Association, Bonarigo and McCutcheon law office, and other members of the community.  Approximately $2,800 has been raised to date.

The STOP DWI program honored officers from the LeRoy and Batavia Police and the county Sheriffs who had the most DWI arrests over the last year at the Terry Hills Country Club on Monday.  For Le Roy, Jordan Wolcott, for Batavia, John Gombos, and for the Sheriff’s Office, David Moore.  Also honored, for the 4th time, was Byron Bergen high schooler Zoey Shepard who created the grand prize winning STOP-DWI poster for their annual contest.  

The Genesee County Interagency Council, Inc. honored Esther Leadley at their monthly meeting on Nov. 16 with their first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award.  The council recognized Esther with a plaque citing “outstanding service and commitment” to the council for 26-plus years.  Leadley began her career in Genesee County in 1985 with Genesee Community College working with displaced homemakers.  From there, Leadley worked as a member of the Genesee County Legislature and the EOP in Geneseo, as well as served on many area boards and councils.  Leadley is currently a board member of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, as well as a Community Advocate.

Governor Hochul has signed a new law which combats telemarketers.  The twist is, it requires you to talk to them to be effective.  The legislation requires telemarketers to give customers the option to be added to the company’s do-not-call list at the beginning of certain telemarketing calls.  Most people hang up right away and don’t get to the point where they could tell the marketer to add them.  

The investigation continues today into the accident involving two trucks running into the library wall of an elementary school in Warsaw. As of this morning, the two drivers remain in stable condition. 61-year-old Martin Lodinsky of Gainesville is at Erie County Medical Center awaiting surgery. He claims his vehicle kept accelerating and he could not stop it, resulting in a t-bone accident with another vehicle, driven by a 35-year-old male who has not been identified but was also injured. Both vehicles crashed into the side of the school. The school district is working on a plan for a temporary home for its elementary school library. Their superintendent said that kindergarten students were in the library at the time, but away from the wall that was struck. Aside from the two drivers, no one else was hurt in the incident.

Governor Hochul says $10,000,000 in funding is going to be used to help revitalize Downtown Rochester. The money will go towards things such as adding affordable housing, creating a new hotel, and restoring historic buildings. The governor believes that these improvements are vital since so many people work and live downtown. The funds are coming from the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative and all of these projects are scheduled to be completed in 2023 and 2024.

Two men with long criminal histories are once again in trouble with the law – this time, facing drug charges following a traffic stop in LeRoy. 41-year-old Chad Main of Warsaw was pulled over for failing to use a turn signal. He allegedly attempted to run from deputies during the stop; following a brief chase, he was taken into custody. Among other charges, he was found in possession of drugs and was high while driving unlicensed. His passenger, 49-year-old James Sherbert of Perry is on parole and was also found with drugs.

From the security camera footage – still shot released by Gates Police

An 18-year-old from Ogden has been arrested after hitting a gas pump at a gas station in Gates and then fleeing the scene. Police reviewed security camera footage and was able to identify the vehicle from the license plate and arrested Ryan Odell at his residence. He admitted that he was trying to do a burnout in the parking lot. Odell was charged with criminal mischief and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident. He was issued an appearance ticket and will return to court at a later date.

Today Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to crack down on unwanted telemarketing and robocalls. The new law requires telemarketers to give customers the option to be added to their company’s ‘do-not-call’ list at the start of the call and is intended to safeguard state residents from continuous, unwanted calls.

Dr. Tonja Williams

The Buffalo Common Council unanimously passed a resolution that asks Governor Kathy Hochul to declare a State of Emergency over the Buffalo School District’s transportation issues. This would allow Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams to change school start times without the approval of the Buffalo Teacher’s Federation. The district and the union have been renegotiating a contract for months, but are reportedly not close to reaching a solution. One point of disagreement involves a three-bell start time for grades kindergarten through 8, as opposed to two different start times that are in place now, to address the shortage of bus drivers without needing to hire more. The Buffalo Teachers Federation says its members are frustrated because they have been working without a contract for three years and that discussions on a new deal have slowed down. Dr. Williams released a statement yesterday saying that she’s staying focused on making the district stronger and better. The next negotiation day is tomorrow.

Randall Rolison

New information has been released about a deadly crash Chautauqua County over the weekend. State Police say 59-year-old Randall Rolison failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of State Route 83 and Center Road in Arkwright Saturday night. Rolison’s vehicle collided with another vehicle driven by 71-year-old Gary Kraemer and the impact caused his passenger, 71-year-old Linda Kraemer, to be ejected and killed. Rolison was charged last year for hitting and killing a 15-year-old girl in Jamestown.

The Buffalo Bills and longtime, AFC East rivals the Miami Dolphins are scheduled to play at Highmark on Saturday night, December 17th with kickoff scheduled for 8:15. The contest will air on the NFL Network. Earlier in the season Miami came out on top, 21 to 19. The Bills will also be home this coming Sunday when they host the New York Jets with kickoff at 1:00.

The non-emergency phone line to the City of Batavia Police has been fixed. The city’s dispatcher can now once again be reached by calling (585) 345-6350 for non-emergency situations. The phone line had been experiencing problems since Sunday afternoon.

Another Mega Millions drawing has come and gone without a jackpot winner and that means the game’s top prize is now even bigger. Whoever is lucky enough to select all of the winning numbers ahead of tonight’s drawing is going to get at least $354,000,000. This evening’s drawing will be streamed live online at megamillions.com.

New information has been released about the arrest of a now former employee at the Monroe County Children’s Detention Center in Rush. Police say 23-year-old John Kanu allowed two juveniles to take part in slap boxing inside a bathroom last month and also allegedly hit a child after they left the bathroom. An investigation started after the incident was reported and Kanu ended up being fired. He’s been charged with child endangerment.

Rochester Police are investigating a triple shooting in the city’s Upper Falls area on Monday night.  Around 6:20 p.m., officers responded to William Warfield Drive for the report of shots fired.  Once there, they found out there was an altercation, which resulted in three people being shot.  Police say two young girls, ages 12 and 16, were both shot at least once in the lower body, and a 20-year-old man was shot in the upper body.  All three were taken to Rochester General Hospital by private vehicles, where they are expected to recover from their injuries.  No arrests have been made.

Bribery and fraud charges against former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin were tossed out Monday by a federal judge, leaving Benjamin to face only records falsification charges and prompting his lawyers to say it was tragic that the case was ever brought.  Judge J. Paul Oetken in a written opinion said prosecutors failed to allege an explicit example in which Benjamin provided a favor for a bribe, an essential element of bribery and honest services fraud charges.  Benjamin resigned after his arrest last April. He pleaded not guilty to charges that he obtained campaign contributions from a real estate developer in exchange for his influence to get a $50,000 grant of state funds for a nonprofit organization the developer controlled.

US representative Elise Stefanik is alleging nearly $20,000 dollars in donations has been stolen from her campaign in targeted mail theft, and her team is demanding action from the United States postal service.  The claim was made in a letter Thursday, addressed to Postmaster General Louis Dejoy. It shows photos of mail being ripped apart—including a torn check from a donor. The packages were discovered in Memphis by the USPS Inspection Service.  The letter states that “on four separate occasions between June and November, packages sent by Elise For Congress containing campaign contributions were ripped open and the contents stolen while in the custody of usps or its contractors.”  The US Postal Service said they received the letter and will respond with findings, adding both the Postal Inspection Service and Office of Inspector General have a potential role to play in this investigation.

The Buffalo Common Council unanimously passed a resolution that asks Governor Kathy Hochul to declare a State of Emergency over the Buffalo School District’s transportation issues. This would allow the district’s Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams to change the district’s start times without the approval of the Buffalo Teacher’s Federation.  Buffalo School said the district and the union have been renegotiating a contract for months, but have not come close to reaching a solution. In a press conference on Wednesday, the district’s general counsel said one of the reasons is they can’t agree on a three-bell start time.  The teachers federation held a vote of no confidence in the Superintendent.  The next negotiation day is tomorrow.  

December 3rd a battle of the Batavia publishers came close to a tie, pitting former Daily News publisher Tom Turnbull against Howard Owens, publisher of The Batavian. The match-up was for GO Art!’s Bartender Challenge, a fundraiser for the Batavia-based  nonprofit.  After about two dozen patrons participated, the total tips were counted: $164 for Turnbull and $159 for Owens. All in good fun, it ended well with a contribution of $323 for Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.

The National Football League has revealed the kickoff time for the upcoming game between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. The two longtime AFC East rivals will play at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Saturday, December 17th at eight-15 p-m and the contest will air on NFL Network. These teams played earlier in the season with Miami winning 21 to 19. The Bills will also be home this coming Sunday when they host the New York Jets.

Jared Wrazen

A parolee from Java will be returning to state prison. 29-year-old Jared Wrazen has admitted in Wyoming County Court that he shot a woman in the stomach. This felony first-degree assault offense punishable by up to 25 years in state prison. Sentencing is scheduled for February 9th.

67-year-old James Cason of Batavia has been arrested on sex abuse charges. It’s alleged that he subjected another person to unwanted sexual contact. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and an Order of Protection to stay away from the victim was issued. He was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to reappear in court later this week.

Genesee County Sheriff’s Report:  33-year-old Jason Whitehead, Jr. of Batavia has been arrested during a traffic stop. It’s alleged that he was operating a vehicle with a revoked non-driver ID only and was out of compliance with Interlock Device restrictions. Deputies also say that Whitehead, along with a passenger in the vehicle, 33-year-old Herbert Gennis of Batavia, were allegedly in possession of narcotics with intent to sell them. Both were arraigned in the Town of Batavia Court and released on their own recognizance. They are scheduled to re-appear in court early next month (on January 10, 2023 at 2:30p.m.). ALSO: 46-year-old Jeannine Mobley of LeRoy has been arrested and charged with petit larceny, following a complaint from a business on Jackson Street. She was arraigned in Batavia City Court and released on recognizance. Mobley is due back in court later this month. ALSO: 38-year-old Tonya Weber of Batavia was arrested late last month following an investigation into an alleged larceny from a business on East Main Street. She is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court tomorrow.

The Batavia City School District is celebrating the 100-year anniversary of Batavia Middle School. Construction of the current building began in 1922, which originally housed both junior and senior high school students. The existing Batavia High School building was built in 1961, and 96 Ross Street was officially designated as Batavia Middle School. This Thursday December 8 a concert will be held inside the Middle School auditorium, with recently restored historic bells that called students to school over 150 years ago, located on both sides of the stage. The celebration featuring the Middle School band, orchestra, and chorus starts at 7:00pm, is free and open to the public. (Photo from Batavia Middle School website)

Police are investigating a crash into a house in Bergen. It happened around 1:30 a.m. this morning on Reed Road. Officials tell us a vehicle crashed into the house. Police say the people in the car got out and ran away. That investigation is still active this morning, a search is underway with drones and dogs.

Governor Hochul has announced the results of the recent Thanksgiving holiday crackdown on impaired driving. There were 213 people arrested by State Police for driving while impaired from Wednesday, November 23rd through Sunday, November 27th, including 16 in our region. Police also investigated 927 crashes across the state, three of which included fatalities. Nearly 7000 tickets were also issued statewide for dangerous behaviors behind the wheel including speeding and distracted driving.

Today the International Association of Arson Investigators is looking into a Saturday afternoon fire that damaged more than a dozen vehicles at Insurance Auto Auctions in Bergen on Apple Tree Avenue. This is where cars totaled by the owner’s insurance company are taken. There were at least four fire companies that responded, including Bergen. The Bergen Fire Department tells us they were called out there just after noon on Saturday along with several other fire departments. Auction Company representatives lent a hand to firefighters in battling the blaze by using heavy machinery to move burnt vehicles out of the way to give fire crews better access.

The prices at the gas pump continue their slow decline. According to Triple A this morning, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas in Batavia is $3.59; down 17 cents from a month ago. The state average is at $3.70 a gallon, down 14 cents in a month. Nationally, the average price is $3.40.

Jack Quinn

The Buffalo Sabres have avoided a second straight loss after picking up a big win on home ice. Jack Quinn scored twice and Alex Tuch, Jeff Skinner, JJ Peterka and Tage Thompson had a goal each as The Sabres, in their red and black jerseys, defeated the San Jose Sharks 6-3 at KeyBank Center last night. Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a solid night in net, stopping 26 of the 29 shots that he faced. Up next for Buffalo is a road game on Wednesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The puck drops at 7:30.

Josh Allen

Two long winning streaks are still alive while another is over in the NFL. The 49ers extended their winning streak to a league-best five straight with a 33-17 victory over the Dolphins. That snapped Miami’s five-game winning streak. The Bengals knocked off the Chiefs 27-24 to run their winning streak to four in a row. Kansas City is now tied with Buffalo atop the AFC at 9-and-3, but the Bills currently hold the tiebreaker for the top seed.

The drivers of both vehicles that hit the elementary school in Warsaw on Friday afternoon are in stable condition according to Warsaw Police Chief Hoffmeister.  The driver of the pick up that was traveling at around 80 miles per hour straight at the school when it struck another pick up crossing in front of the school, a 61 year old man who has not been identified, suffered broken ribs and internal injuries and was taken by mercy fight to ECMC.  The driver of the other pick up, a 35 year old man,  suffered leg, back and internal injuries and was taken by mercy flight to Strong Memorial.  Both men are in the ICU and are awaiting surgery.  The cause of the crash, which caused the school to be evacuated, is under investigation.  No students or teachers were hurt.

Bergen, LeRoy, Churchville and Byron Fire Departments responded to a fire at the Insurance Auto Auction, a location where damaged cars that have been totaled by their insurance are taken on Appletree Ave, on Saturday night.  The fire reportedly involved nearly a dozen cars but the Fire department got it under control fairly quickly and no electric vehicles were involved in the fire according to the Bergen fire department.  The International Association of Arson Investigators is looking into the fire.

Batavia drivers are still saving a little bit of money at the gas pump as the price of fuel continues to fall. According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas is three-59. That’s down 3 cents in the last week and is also 18 cents cheaper than this time one month ago. The state average is sitting at three-70 a gallon while nationally it’s three-40.

Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council will be hosting a Local Authors Night from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday December 8th at 201 East Main St., Batavia, organizer Sammy DiSalvo says.  “Come support local authors with a night of meet and greets, readings, Q & A’s, and book signings,” DiSalvo said. “This event features five authors — Greg Van Dussen, David Neth, Sammy DiSalvo, Andrew Freeman, and Mary Ellen Reardon — from the Western New York community, and some of their most recent works.”  GO Art!’s cash bar will be available during this event.

The Neediest Children Fund is looking for donors for this year.  The 25 Neediest Children Fund, a charity run by a committee that has been in operation since 1934 in Batavia, helps students who have been identified by their teachers, the school nurse, or social worker as needing health care services, counseling, clothes, shoes, sneakers, or other educational services.  All money given to the fund goes straight to helping the children.  The Twenty-five Neediest Fund simply pays the bills without red tape or publicity. Although the initial intent was to assist twenty-five of the most needy children, the fund’s scope is to help whomever needs assistance, with no limit to the number of children helped.  Anyone interested in contributing to the Quiet Fund may make their check payable to the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. to be sent to Nann K. Zorn, 12 River Street in Batavia.

The Buffalo Sabres broke out the red and black jerseys and beat the San Jose Sharks 6-3 on Sunday night.  Tage Thompson scored the first goal of the game, putting the Sabres up 1-0.  The lead was short-lived, but JJ Peterka opened up the second period with a big goal that tied the game at two and gave the Sabres the needed momentum.  Jack Quinn scored twice for Buffalo.  Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch also scored.  The Sabres play again on Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena in Columbus Ohio.  Puck drop is at 7:30 pm.

At around 2pm on Friday 2 pickup trucks struck the Warsaw Elementary School Library.  One of them breached the walls and entered the library just as a class of about 20 kindergartners was lining up to leave.  No students or teachers were injured.  The driver of one of the trucks said that their accelerator was stuck, causing them to drive straight at the school down Liberty street at nearly 80 miles per hour.  The other truck was crossing liberty on rt 20A in front of the school when it was t-boned by the first truck.  The power of the hit caused both trucks to roll across the lawn and into the side of the school.  Both drivers were flown by mercy flight to the hospital with life threatening injuries.  The School was evacuated but will resume on Monday according to the Police. 

The New York State Health Commissioner has announced her resignation.  Dr. Mary T. Bassett was appointed to the position following the resignation of Howard Zucker, starting on January 1st of 2021.  She says in her resignation letter that she is leaving so that the next commissioner will be able to serve a full 4 year term alongside Governor Hochul. Bassett is planning on going back to work at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health in Massachusetts. 

Gas prices statewide and nationally are continuing to drop into the month of December. The national average price for a gallon of gasoline is currently $3.45, which is down 10 cents from Monday.  The average across New York State is $3.74, which is down 5 cents from Monday.  Buffalo holds the third lowest average per gallon, at $3.69. Only Batavia with $3.60 a gallon and Elmira at $3.59 have lower average prices.

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services has extended the deadline to apply for $343 million in childcare provider grants targeting workforce assistance.  The new deadline is now December 14, 2022.  OCFS encourages those who have not applied to do so. OCFS says at least 75% of the funding must be used for: Bonuses or increases in wages, contributions towards health insurance costs that reduce these costs for staff, contributions to staff retirement plans that supplement any employer contribution, supplemental educational advancement or tuition reimbursement or mental health supports and services for staff.

Prince Z. Wilson

Prince N.K. Wilson

An Albion man whose brother is under indictment for a double-murder in Alexander has been sentenced to eight years in state prison in connection with two shootouts with another man in Albion. 23-year-old Prince Z. Wilson will also be on five years of post-release supervision. Wilson’s twin brother, Prince N.K. Wilson, was charged here with first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, arson and petit larceny. He is accused of the stabbing deaths of two farm workers.

From 1 – 5 tomorrow stop by the mall in Batavia to visit Santa’s Workshop and Village, and have pictures taken with jolly old Saint Nick himself. Many local shops and organizations will be offering holiday specials and activities, including horse and buggy rides. And then afterward, there will be a Holiday Parade down Main Street, starting at 6.

Adam Kreutz

A Genesee County Grand Jury has indicted 33-year-old Adam Kreutz of Batavia, accusing him of multiple felonies, including burglary, assault in the second degree, a class D violent felony, assault in the third degree, a class A misdemeanor, and attempted coercion in the first degree, a class E felony, after an incident on Sept. 5 and 6, 2022, during which Kreutz allegedly entered a dwelling on Ellicott Street at least twice, with the intent to commit a crime. Kreutz allegedly caused injury to a person using steel or hard toed boots. Kreutz, who was on parole at the time he allegedly committed these crimes, is the same individual who has served time in prison for, among other crimes, strangling a woman and drowning a kitten.

OTHER GENESEE COUNTY INDICTMENTS: Tammy Cicatello has been indicted on charges of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a class D felony. She is accused of possessing a firearm on July 30, 2022 in the City of Batavia. District Attorney Kevin T. Finnell reports that Cicatello was previously convicted of the crime of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 5th degree, a class D felony, back on April 25, 2011 in Wyoming County Court, which forms the basis for current indictment. ALSO: Christian Andrzejek has been indicted and charged with multiple misdemeanors as well as the felony of 3rd degree burglary. He is accused of entering a shed on Washington Avenue in Batavia, on September 6, 2022 with intentions of committing a crime. He’s also accused of possessing methamphetamine and of stealing clothes.

Plan for windy conditions tomorrow.

There is a high wind watch in effect for Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties starting tomorrow morning at 7:00 and will be in place until 5:00pm. Southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts from 50 to 60 mph are predicted. Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are possible. Make sure to secure outside decorations and loose objects that could blow around or out into roadways.

The City of Batavia Police along with Genesee County Sheriffs will be conducting alcohol compliance checks at retail businesses this month. This service is provided to ensure that vendors are attentive to properly identifying the age of individuals purchasing alcohol. Among teens, abuse of alcohol has been shown to cause accidents and lead them to make other poor choices. The checks will take place prior to Christmas and focus on supermarkets, convenience and liquor stores. (Note: Law enforcement partners with prevention educators with the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse – the GCASA).

Security has been increased in the Victor Central School District following an incident involving a former student earlier this week. Officials say the person drove into a hill on High Street near the south entrance of the campus. It was later discovered the individual made concerning statements on social media referencing his health and safety. The ex-student was taken to the hospital but there’s no word if he’ll face any charges.

Devin Singletary

The Buffalo Bills are back on top of the AFC East following a dominant victory on the road. Quarterback Josh Allen threw for 223 yards and tossed two touchdown passes as the Bills beat the New England Patriots 24 to 10 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts last night. Devin Singletary also had a rushing TD for Buffalo whose record this season is now 9 and 3. Up next for the Bills is a home game against the New York Jets on Sunday, December 11th; kickoff time is 1:00.

Tage Thompson

The Buffalo Sabres have come up short of winning their second straight game after a defeat at the hands of the defending Stanley Cup champions. Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch all scored a goal but the Sabres still fell to the Colorado Avalanche 6-4 at KeyBank Center last night. Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a tough night in net and only stopped 28 of 33 shots. The Sabres next game is Sunday at home against the San Jose Sharks.

Okay fine, I’ll share…

There hasn’t been a Mega Millions jackpot winner in weeks, but lottery players are hoping that luck is on their side tonight. The top prize for the popular game has grown to $333,000,000 after no one correctly picked all of the winning numbers for Tuesday’s drawing. Tonight’s drawing will be streamed live online at megamillions.com. Please play responsibly.