Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on January 3, 2023
Buffalo Bills players aren’t the only ones asking for prayers after their teammate Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game. All 32 NFL team changed their twitter profile pictures to ask for prayers for Hamlin. Quarterback Josh Allen tweeted “please pray for our brother,” while tight end Dawson Knox tweeted he’s “constantly praying.” They’re just two of many from around the league who have posted well wishes for Hamlin, who’s currently sedated and in critical condition at a hospital in Cincinnati. Hamlin is still on a ventilator. But he is now only using 50% oxygen from the ventilator. Whereas Monday night he needed 100% oxygen. The NFL has not yet decided if they will be rescheduling the game from Monday night which stopped with 5:58 left in the first quarter, but said it won’t be this week.
A man faces charges, including rape, following an incident in Wyoming County. Police said William Synder, 54, of Middlebury, violated a protection order and held a woman at a home in Perry for more than two days. Snyder, a registered sex offender, allegedly sexually assaulted the victim and injured her. Police arrested Snyder Dec. 28 and charged him with rape, criminal sex act, kidnapping and criminal contempt. Snyder is being held in Wyoming County Jail without bail. He’s due in Perry Village Court Jan. 10.
The pair who were arrested for breeding dogs and then abandoning them in cages without food in an apartment have pleaded guilty to charges of cruelty to animals. 35 year old Andrew Searight and 24 year old Jerrtonia Scarborough will receive 1 year of probation and must perform 150 hours of community service. After this is done they will be sentenced for misdemeanor charges which may carry up to a year in jail. One of the dogs, a pitbull nicknamed Brad Pitt, survived and is now able to be adopted. The pair can’t be forbidden from owning any more animals once they complete their sentences but are prohibited while they are under court supervision.
Mayor of Buffalo Byron Brown has announced a new position in his administration: Fleet Director. Whoever takes on this job will be a central figure set to oversee and cross-coordinate all fleets within Buffalo during emergencies. The director will perform a full inventory of all equipment across departments, including existing purchases of equipment in production. The director will also review and assess new advances in technology in order to build a line-up of supplies in Buffalo. The City of Buffalo took almost a week to dig out after Winter Storm Elliot came through. Many people were without power and unreachable in the snow by emergency services for that whole time.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley has been re-appointed as deputy minority leader of the New York State Assembly. Hawley has served in a leadership role with the Assembly Republican Conference for many years following his first election in 2006. He promises to continue the fight for lower taxes on the middle class as well as a new moratorium of no state tax on gasoline and home fuel. Hawley will also serve as a member of the Agriculture Committee, Insurance Committee, Rules Committee, Veteran Affairs Committee, and Ways and Means Committee.
The Buffalo Sabres put one more in the win column Tuesday night with a 5 to 4 victory in Overtime against the Washington Capitals. Tage Thompson scored a hat trick with Alex Tuch and Tyson Jost scored the other two goals to pull out the close win at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC. Players wore “love for 3” t shirts into the arena. 3 is Damar Hamlin’s number in the Buffalo Bills. The Sabres will be hosting the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Puck drop is at 7pm.
