Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on February 9, 2023
From 7pm tonight to 7am Friday morning Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans counties are under a High Wind Warning. Southwest winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph expected. Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches. If possible, remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorm, and avoid windows.
New York State wants to get rid of natural gas heating and cooking but it won’t come overnight. According to a plan released in the New York Scoping Plan by 2025 all new construction of low rise buildings will need to be electric. By 2028 all new high rise construction will need to be electric only. By 2030 all replacement appliances will need to be electric only. And lastly by 2035 all new vehicles sold in New York State will be electric only.
On Friday a Batavia City councilman had a visit from two criminals at his home. John Canale was working in his kitchen when 2 women came to his door complaining of the bitter cold and asking to come in and get warmed up. He says one was crying and they were both shivering. Canale says that he noticed a police presence on the street outside the home and then the women left on foot suddenly. He called the police and found that they were being looked for by the police in connection to a theft at Pawn King. Police caught them hiding in an outbuilding with the help of K-9 units. 31 year old Breana Brummond and 26 year old Brittany Hollaert, both of Rochester have been charged with petit larceny and attempted grand larceny, criminal trespass and several traffic offenses.
The Batavia City government finished the meeting on Tuesday night without adding any amendments to the budget. City manager Rachel Tabelski said there are no plans to raise assessments. The city police budget of 4,323,847 dollars was talked over including the K-9, MRAP and old police station. Police Chief Heubusch said he hoped the 10 Main street station will be having it’s last year on the budget as the new station is being built next year. Once again he lamented how few people were taking the civil service exam and how they will be filling the 3 vacancies on the force.
Batavia City School District is selling their old Pianos. They had the three Baldwin Hamilton Upright pianos at auction but they didn’t get any bids so they are instead selling them individually. The pianos are available on a first-come-first-served basis, and they will need to be picked up. If you’re interested, please contact Jim Jacobs via email (jjacobs@bataviacsd.org) by Friday, February 17.
Damar Hamlin made a brief appearance in Phoenix during Super Bowl week to receive the NFLPA’s Alan Page Community Award. The Buffalo Bills safety received the award at the Phoenix Convention Center on Wednesday, a little over a month after he went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field in Cincinnati. Hamlin was one of five finalists for the Alan Page Award, which annually recognizes one player who goes above and beyond to perform community service in his team city and/or hometown. Hamlin’s toy drive fundraiser received unexpected GoFundMe donations in the days and weeks after he collapsed. Chasing M’s has since raised more than $9 million.
The Buffalo Sabres are in new territory as they are heading into playoff contention now that the All Star Week is coming to an end. There are 32 games left in the regular season. This season the Sabres have scored 186 times, averaging 3.72 goals per game, ranking them 3rd in the NHL. Credit goes to Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch. The Sabres go up against the Calgary Flames on Saturday at 12:30 in the afternoon at Keybank Center after a week off.
