Morning News Brief

Stolen car calls are now routine for Buffalo Police officers and the number of victims is on the rise. It’s more than a problem, now a crisis impacting so many in WNY.  Car dealers are saying they will not stock Kias and Hyundais until the trend of car thefts eases off. In Buffalo, it is difficult to get insurance for these types of cars because, at about 10 stolen cars per day, that leads to 3,650 per year. At $10,000 per claim, that’s $36,500,000 insurance companies are going to have to pay in the city of Buffalo alone this year. Nearly 50 people have been arrested for the thefts and most of them are minors. Several have been caught with guns. 

Acting New York State Police Superintendent Steven Nigrelli announced his retirement Friday after learning he no longer was being considered as permanent superintendent. A report by the Albany Times Union found Nigrelli was investigated for allegations that he harassed and mistreated employees, including women. The investigation stemmed from a report to the state alleging workplace discrimination. A spokesperson for Governor Hochul confirmed her office decided against making Nigrelli the permanent superintendent, but made no mention of the investigation.  Nigrelli denies the allegations. His retirement comes less than a year after Superintendent Kevin Bruen resigned, also amid an investigation.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday she called National Guard reinforcements to address the ongoing migrant crisis in the state.  With the addition of 150 members, a total of 2,200 members will be working to solve the crisis. 250 will focus on addressing “case management” while others will begin surveying migrants to determine whether they applied for asylum and if they can gain expedited work permits.  Her announcement comes as busloads of migrants continue to arrive in the state, overwhelming shelters and other public services. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said earlier this month the crisis would “destroy” the city while costing it upwards of $12 billion to resolve.  Mayor Adams has been sending migrants upstate and also to other states and several other countries. Adams, Hochul and her predecessor Cuomo were very critical of attempts by the previous federal administration to halt migrant immigration into the United States and went so far as to officially make New York a sanctuary state in 2017 and then reaffirm it in 2019.

Rochester Police are investigating an overnight crash into a smoke shop on Norton Street.  Officers responded to a report of a stolen Kia having crashed into Euphoria Smoke Shop at around 12:45 a.m. The storefront was severely damaged and the vehicle was abandoned at the scene. Police said while the crash appears intentional, there was no evidence of a suspect entering the store. No injuries were reported.

The Buffalo Bills will be playing the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The Bills beat the Commanders by 34 on Sunday and are 2 and 1 so far. Miami beat the Broncos by 50 in a 70 to 20 game and are 3 and 0.  The kickoff is set for 1 pm on Sunday in Buffalo.

New York is number 17 in people being suspicious of their romantic partners.  According to a new survey, New York is among the top states with residents most likely to snoop on a partner who they suspect is cheating, with 35.5% admitting that they are guilty of spying on their partner in some form.  A survey conducted by Bonusfinder.com, examined the responses of 5,000 Americans in all 50 states regarding infidelity and suspicions in their romantic relationships.  The poll revealed some interesting facts about New Yorkers including: About 1/5 of New Yorkers surveyed have checked their partner’s social media accounts.  Just under 1/3 of New Yorkers stayed with a partner who cheated.  And New York residents are most likely to track their partner’s location online when they suspect cheating, with 22.7% admitting to this, compared to the national average of 22%.  Alaska was the highest with over 50 percent of respondents saying they spied on their partner and North Dakota was the lowest with no one saying they had.