Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on October 26, 2022
Investigators are saying a Tiktok challenge may be the cause of the crash that killed 4 teens and left 1 in the hospital and another in police custody in Buffalo Monday morning. Police said the vehicle was stolen and it is believed excessive speed played a significant factor in the crash. Police believe the stolen Kia involved in the crash may have been motivated by a social media challenge. The viral challenge can be found on TikTok, showing how to steal Kias and Hyundais in a matter of seconds. The amount of thefts of Hyundais and Kias in the last year has more than quadrupled compared to previous years. Police say to never leave your keys in the car or leave your car running unattended.
Governor Hochul and Long Island Congressman Lee Zeldin have taken part in their only scheduled debate and there were a variety of topics discussed. During last night’s debate at Pace University, the governor spoke about her ongoing commitment to putting an end to gun violence and her efforts to improve the state’s economy. But Zeldin, her Republican opponent, claimed Hochul is not doing enough to crack down on crime or keep dangerous criminals in custody. Early voting begins in New York State this Saturday and Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th.
GO Health’s director of public health, Paul Petit is calling the opioid situation in Orleans County an epidemic. Pettit said the health department works in collaboration with substance use agencies, such as Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, along with mental health clinics and law enforcement to prevent overdoses. And, that work is becoming more and more challenging. Last year, more than 100,000 Americans lost their lives due to fentanyl, which, on average, is about 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Orleans county has a much higher rate of opioid deaths per capita than the state or national average. In a move to increase awareness and community action, the health department helped institute the GOW Opioid Task Force, a three-county initiative to inform the public of the dangers of opioids and to develop strategies to deter use of opioids. Right now they are trying to get Naloxone into the hands of as many people as possible and show them how to use the overdose stopping drug. They may place boxes with it in public areas.
Genesee county Sheriffs and LeRoy police will be engaging in a high visibility campaign as part of the STOP DWI initiative on the 29th through 31st to stop people from driving impaired by drugs or alcohol. Halloween is meant to be scary, but not when it comes to driving. When it comes to drunk driving Halloween can turn the roads into a horror fest. While families spend time trick or treating and hosting parties with loved ones, law enforcement officers and STOP-DWI programs across New York State will participate in special efforts to stop impaired driving, prevent injuries and save lives. Law enforcement will be out in high traffic areas so slow down, drive safe and drive sober. If you are going to a party that involves drinking, have a plan, don’t drive.
The Ice we skate is getting pretty thin at David M McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena because of leaks in the chiller. As Carrier Services took over the management of the arena they say they’ve uncovered issues that had gone unrepaired and unreported until now. A leak in the chiller being the biggest one and costing nearly 22 thousand dollars to deal with. Also they discovered a compressor that had never been turned on. The city council says there is a lot that needs improving at the arena but that the new company is making progress. The emergency spending for keeping the chiller going with more refrigerant is coming out of the ice rink reserve fund which has 357 thousand dollars in it.
GO Health is holding a Trauma and Resiliency conference at Batavia Downs Casino November 9th from 8:30am to 3pm to help people understand how these issues influence our communities. The conference will look at Adverse Childhood Experiences data in Genesee Orleans and Wyoming Counties. If you are in education, behavioral health, mental health, department of social services, law enforcement, the court system, probation, human services, etc. you are invited to register to attend. To register follow the link at WBTAi.com.
Batavia’s City Council needs new phones. Assistant City Manager Eric Fix says that the phones they’ve been using are antiquated and in need of a boost and are no longer being serviced by Cisco Systems. Fix and a committee got applications from 4 vendors and recommended a cloud based phone service provider Ring Central. Not to be confused with the Ring doorbells, Ring Central is based in California and would cost roughly 23 thousand dollars a year for 5 years. This would include the phones, installation and training. The proposal will be voted on November 8th.
The three-game winning streak of the Buffalo Sabres has been snapped after the team wraps up its road trip with a loss. Dylan Cozens scored the lone goal for Buffalo as they were beaten by the Seattle Kraken five-to-one at Climate Pledge Arena last night. Sabres goaltender Eric Comrie had a very tough game, giving up five goals on the 24 shots he faced in the contest. Buffalo will be back home tomorrow night to take on the Montreal Canadiens. Puck drop at the Keybank Center is at 7pm.
