Morning News Brief

The National Transportation Safety Board has released a new report on the plane crash that killed attorney Steve Barnes and his niece Elizabeth Barnes. The pair were flying from New Hampshire to Buffalo in October 2020 when the small aircraft went down in Pembroke. Investigators say that Barnes was at the controls of the plane when it struck the ground and that he didn’t have any drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the accident. The cause of the tragedy still hasn’t been released.

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The state attorney general is providing a stark warning to the ReAwaken America Tour that’s headed to Batavia. Letita James said racially motivated violence will not be tolerated. She noted that this weekend’s ReAwaken America Tour is nothing more than a traveling carnival of hate speech with wild conspiracy theories and that it attacks the democratic process. James added wherever this tour goes, it leaves a trail of divided communities and heightened tensions.

Paul Doyle from the Cornerstone Church says there are no plans to interfere with anyone’s right to protest the event or express their beliefs and that they are not involved in any racist activities. ReAwaken has featured speakers in the past that include former president Donald Trump’s son Eric and former national security advisor Michael Flynn.

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Today is August 11, or 8-1-1.

8-1-1 is the number to call before you start a project that requires digging on your property, and today is 8-1-1 day. National Grid is one of the utility companies reminding you about calling that number before a project that involves digging, no matter how big or small. The utility says knowing where underground utility lines are buried before you dig will help protect you and your family. State laws mandate that 8-1-1 must be contacted 72 hours in advance of beginning projects that require excavation. You can also use the website DigSafelyNewYork.com instead of calling 8-1-1.

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The New York State Division of Consumer Protection is sharing tips for college students to keep in mind before classes begin. The agency says they need to be aware of fake grants, scholarships, and loans and that the only paperwork required to file for financial aid is the free FAFSA form that’s online. Students should also keep an eye out for phony websites that claim to offer large discounts on textbooks since those books often don’t get delivered which means the student loses their money. It’s also strongly recommended that students keep their personal information private, so it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

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Two pieces of legislation have been signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The first directs the Department of Labor to conduct a study on the statewide employment rate of trans individuals in the state, in concert with the Division of Human Rights. This study will be used to determine whether there is a disparity of employment rates between transgender New Yorkers and other residents in New York State.

The other bill package is to honor and support Holocaust survivors in educational, cultural, and financial institutions. The legislative package will help ensure schools are providing high-quality Holocaust education, require museums to acknowledge art stolen by the Nazi regime, and require the New York State Department of Financial Services to publish a list of financial institutions that voluntarily waive fees for Holocaust reparation payments.

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A Rochester teen is in custody, charged with carjacking and using a firearm to commit a crime. According to the complaint from the U.S. district attorney, Jaden Z. Campbell, 18, of Rochester, popped out from behind a tree on Resolute Street in Rochester and demanded that a person in a car give him all his belongings or be shot. Campbell reached into the victim’s pocket and took his car keys but couldn’t start the car. That’s when Campbell told the victim to start the car or he would be shot. Campbell led police on a chase for nearly a half-hour before crashing the car on Quaker Road in Scottsville and fleeing. He was taken into custody a short time later. Campbell faces a maximum sentence of life in jail and a $250,000 fine.

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