Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on September 7, 2022
Members of the Grow NY Farms Coalition which includes many local producers called on the State Department of Labor and governor Hochul to reject the Farm Laborers Wage Board report and keep the 60 hour a week overtime threshold for farm workers. Lowering the threshold would mean farms would have to pay laborers more overtime and many farmers say that that is money they don’t have. They also say that the report ignores hundreds of testimonies and letters sent in by farmers requesting that the overtime not be changed. Once the board delivers its report, Department of Labor Commissioner Reardon will have 45 days to review and announce her decision.
The same woman who was charged with allowing her dog to ingest illegal narcotics is in trouble again. This time for a traffic violation. 30 year old Cassandra Elmore of Batavia was stopped on August 30th at about 2:40 in the afternoon on Ellicott Street. She had a suspended license, police found 2 sets of metal knuckles in her car along with drug paraphernalia. Elmore is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, obstruction of governmental administration, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, uninspected motor vehicle, and insufficient tail lamps. She was processed and released with an appearance ticket.
Former Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren’s estranged husband has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking ring in the city. Granison pleaded guilty in federal court in April to drug conspiracy. He, and five others, were arrested in 2021, accused of distributing crack cocaine and cocaine in Rochester. Specifically, Granison admitted intending to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was sentenced to 32 months Tuesday.
The Great Batavia Train Show is coming puffing around the bend to GCC again this year. The GEnesee Society of Model Engineers has set the show for October 16th. Admission is 6 dollars for adults, 3 for kids under 18, and free for 13 and under. All forms of model railroad and train-related merchandise will be available. Items offered include all scales of model trains, historic railroad items, books, DVD’s and toys. Modeling demonstrations, and a limited number of portable layouts, will be part of the fun. Free parking.
The anchor store of Valu Plaza on West Main Street Road in the Town of Batavia is closing with a liquidation sale set to start on Friday. Valu Home Centers, based in Western New York with more than 16 stores in the region, is closing three underperforming stores. Besides Batavia, the other stores closing are Fredonia and Lakewood.
