Monday News Brief

44-year-old Tylee Gaines of Rochester is charged with two counts of criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance. The charges followed a Local Drug Task Force investigation into the sale of crack cocaine in the City of Batavia. Gaines was also allegedly found in possession of 14 bags of crack cocaine, which led to additional charges. He was arraigned in County Court and released under supervision.

 

 

 

19-year-old Palen Cordell of LeRoy is charged with grand larceny. State Police arrested him in connection with an incident reported last week in the Town of Batavia. Cordell was also charged with criminal possession of stolen property in a separate incident. The State Police did not release details. Cordell was released on his own recognizance.

 

 

A Perry man serving a prison term for repeated acts of domestic violence pleaded guilty in Wyoming County Court to two felonies for repeatedly contacting the victim. 47-year-old Jeffrey Matson was indicted and charged with multiple aggravated family offenses for violating orders of protection while he was in jail. Matson is serving a 30-month to six-year term for aggravated family offense. He has also served a prison term for dealing drugs.

 

 

 

 

Nearly three weeks after the April 1st deadline, Governor Hochul and legislative leaders still have not reached a deal on a new state budget. The governor says progress is being made towards reaching a final agreement, but talks continue on issues such as bail reform and affordable housing. The legislature will need to pass another budget extender to keep the government running and make sure state workers can get paid. Last year’s budget was nine days late.

 

As we enter the warmer weather months, the price of gas is slowly trending back up. In fact, gas prices went up an average of 7 cents nationally in the past week and 8 cents in New York. According to Triple A this morning, the national average cost for a gallon of regular fuel is $3.66. The state average is $3.62. In Batavia, we’re paying $3.55; that’s down a penny from yesterday but up 15 cents from a month ago today.

 

 

 

The name of the woman who lost her life in a weekend crash on the New York State Thruway has been released. Troopers say 39-year-old Yolonda Heathcote of Oswego was traveling on the highway in Wheatland Saturday when her vehicle drifted into the center median, causing her to overcorrect and go off the road, which led to her SUV rolling over several times. She passed away moments after impact and two teenage passengers in the vehicle suffered non-life threatening injuries. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

 

State Police have released the name of a man killed in a Thruway crash. 64-year-old George Rooney, IV of Evergreen Colorado died at the scene of the crash last Thursday in Pembroke (at mile-marker 396). Investigation results suggest that a flatbed tractor-trailer and a Ford F250 were both stopped in traffic due to a construction zone. A 2002 Lexus driven by Rooney approached the stopped traffic at an excessive speed and was unable to stop before striking the Ford. The impact caused the Ford to strike the tractor-trailer and the Lexus became airborne and overturned multiple times. One of the other drivers was transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries and the other was unhurt.

 

The much-anticipated grand opening of the West Side Bazaar in Buffalo that was scheduled for today has been pushed back. Officials say there is an issue with the fire suppression system at the building on Main Street that needs to be fixed. The businesses that make up the bazaar were displaced this past September following a blaze on Grant Street that caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage. There’s no word yet when the new location is going to open. (File photo)

 

 

ELSEWHERE…

 

An Ohio teen is dead after taking over-the-counter medication as part of a TikTok challenge. Thirteen-year-old Jacob Stevens reportedly took around a dozen Benadryl pills, intending to experience hallucinations mentioned on the video app, but instead suffered a fatal overdose. Family members told WSYX-TV reporters that the teen was being filmed by his friends when he began having seizures and was rushed to the hospital. Jacob’s parents say he was placed on a ventilator for roughly a week before he passed away last Wednesday.

 

 

The 127th running of the Boston Marathon takes place today as Patriots’ Day has arrived. Nearly 30 thousand runners from over a hundred countries are expected to be on the course, with thousands more lining the route. It comes ten years after the deadly Boston Marathon bombing claimed the lives of three people and injured many others as bombs exploded near the finish line about 12 seconds apart.

 

 

Now through April 29th, people can recycle their old, expired, or damaged car seats at Target. In exchange, they’ll get a coupon for 20 percent off a new car seat, stroller, or select baby gear. Target has recycled more than 2,000,000 (million) car seats since 2016.

 

 

Time is running out for individuals who still need to file their federal taxes. The IRS deadline for filing 2022 returns is tomorrow. Those who have not submitted forms can request an extension, delaying the deadline for paperwork until October 16th. The extension does not apply to payments owed.

 

 

Another Powerball drawing has come and gone without a winner, and that means the jackpot has risen once again. Whoever correctly picks the six winning numbers ahead of this evening’s drawing will receive at least $235,000,000 (million). However, the odds of actually winning the top prize are just one in 292,000,000 (million). The drawing will be streamed live at powerball.com. Please play responsibly.

 

The curtain is closed on the longest-running Broadway show in history. Sunday marked the final performance of The Phantom of the Opera. New York City Mayor Eric Adams used the occasion to award a key to the city to Broadway legend Andrew Lloyd Webber to celebrate the show’s historic run.