Monday Afternoon News Brief

State corrections officials say New York corrections officers who have missed eleven consecutive shifts are being served notices of termination. Many officers, including those at Groveland Correctional Center as well as Attica and Wende correctional facilities remained on picket lines across the state despite an agreement hammered out between the state and the union that represents the officers. The settlement reached late last week with the help of a mediator addressed many of the guards’ concerns including dangerous conditions, staffing shortages and forced overtime. Striking officers say the agreement does not go far enough to ensure long-term safety and better work conditions.

 

The City of Batavia Police and the City of Batavia Fire departments have taken to the ice. It happened yesterday to raise money for the David McCarthy Memorial Foundation. This was the third annual ‘Battle of the Badges’ in Batavia, with City Police 2-0 in the event. Last year’s competition raised nearly $3,000 for the David McCarthy Memorial Foundation. The charity was formed to honor the memory of David McCarthy, a local athlete who died in a car accident in 2006.  The organization raises money to provide financial support for youth athletics in the Genesee County area. City Police are no longer undefeated in this event; firefighters won yesterday’s game with a final score of 6-3.

 

A 66-year-old high school teacher in the Victor Central School District has now been charged with rape following an investigation (investigation was completed by the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, Ontario County District Attorney’s Office, and Ontario County Child Protective Services). Authorities allege that David Porter engaged in sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 17 during December 2024. Porter was arraigned in Ontario County CAP Court on Saturday and released on his own recognizance. While the victim is a student, they are not currently enrolled in any of Porter’s classes. Upon learning of the investigation, Victor Central Schools placed Porter on immediate leave and sought the interim suspension of his teaching certificate. The district is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation. There is no evidence suggesting the incident occurred on school property. An order of protection has been issued on behalf of the victim. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 4 in Victor Town Court.

 

The city of Buffalo helped pay tribute to fallen Buffalo firefighter Jason Arno with a remembrance ceremony on Saturday. Loved ones, colleagues and city leaders all gathered to honor Arno, who lost his life two-years ago while battling a four-alarm structure fire on Main Street. Buffalo Fire Commissioner William Renaldo expressed gratitude to Arno’s family for their strength and courage throughout this two-year ordeal, as well as to the Buffalo firefighters for everything they do each day.

 

And some good news to report: Anneka Pray, the 18-year-old Pembroke graduate who was critically injured a week ago in a motor vehicle accident near Syracuse, is said to be making “amazing progress,” according to Tracy Rudolph, the organizer of a GoFundMe page to assist the family. Pray, who has been blind since birth, sustained a traumatic brain injury. Pray was heavily sedated and minimally responsive shortly after the accident. As of last Friday, she has been moved out of the ICU to a bed on the pediatric floor. Anneka is eating, drinking, talking and walking and will be transferred to neurology rehab next week.

 

Over 200,000 state residents are now enrolled in New York Mobile ID. The digital version of a state-issued ID was announced by the DMV in June. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the enrollment milestone over the weekend.   Anyone still interested in getting a New York Mobile ID can download the app on iPhones or Android phones.

 

The Sabres look to bounce back tonight when they take on the Canadiens in Montreal. The Sabres fell to the Canadiens 4-to-2 Saturday night at the KeyBank Center, their first home loss in seven games. They have yet to beat their Atlantic Division foe this season.

 

Athletes covet smelling salts but scientist may have found something even better.   Researchers at Mass General Brigham studied the effects of an antibody based nasal spray on brain-injured mice. The spray seemed to improve the brain’s natural healing process while simultaneously reducing damaging inflammation.   The findings could lead to a preventive treatment against the long-tern implications of traumatic brain injuries and other conditions like stroke.   According to the CDC, more than 200,000 Americans were hospitalized in 2023 for a traumatic brain injury while almost 70,000 died from them.

 

On March 3, 2021: Dolly Parton received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which she gave $1 million to help develop.