Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on November 21, 2023
The clock is ticking for survivors of sexual abuse or misconduct who have not yet filed a suit under the Adult Survivors Act as the window closes Friday. The Adult Survivors Act, signed into law last year by Gov. Kathy Hochul, created a one-year lookback window for survivors of sexual misconduct to take legal action. More than 2,500 suits were filed statewide in the past year, empowering survivors even if the statute of limitations normally would have passed in their case. Many of the suits filed involve abuse at local jails. Eleven suits were filed against Erie County and the Office of Sheriff in the last month. A resolution could take 2-5 years if a case goes to trial.
Wyoming County is under a wind advisory today from 11am to 11pm. There will be wind blowing 20-35 miles per hour and gusts of up to 50 miles per hour blowing in a southeasterly direction. The strongest winds will be at the tops of hills and hitting north facing slopes. Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few isolated power outages may result. Use extra caution when driving especially high profile vehicles.
A ruling from the State of New York Court of Appeals upheld a decision that stripped Rochester’s Police Accountability Board of any disciplinary powers. Voters approved the board’s formation in 2019. A judge ruled in favor of the Rochester Police Locust Club — the union for the city’s police officers — in 2020 that the board’s disciplinary powers conflicted with state law. Monday’s ruling upheld that decision.
A strike authorization vote is scheduled today for some 2,000 University of Rochester Medical Center caregivers and service workers at Strong Memorial Hospital. Union members will decide whether to wage a two-day strike as both sides work towards agreeing to a contract extension. If a strike authorization is approved, the union would have to give ten-days notice. The group held informational pickets last week seeking higher wages.
Apparently no one had a good defense in the Pembroke Dragons/Frankfort-Schuyler Maroon Knights Section 3 game. The Dragons walked away with the victory at 107 to 64. Massively high scores for both teams. Tyson Totten ran the ball for 626 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Dragons are taking their 12 and 0 undefeated season to the State championship game in Cicero on Friday. There they will play the also undefeated Moravia Blue Devils.
Batavia Downs Gaming President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek presented representatives from the Rochester Veterans Treatment Court with a check for $7,000 to help support their efforts of assisting Veterans within the court system. On Oct. 21, a Vets night dinner was held at Batavia Downs in conjunction with a night of live racing. Proceeds from live and penny auctions were collected in support of the Rochester Veterans Treatment Court.
Tony Award-winning choreographer Garth Fagan is stepping down from his leadership role at his namesake dance company. Garth Fagan Dance announced Monday — on the company’s 53rd anniversary — that 83 year old Fagan will no longer lead the company but will continue to choreograph dances. The company said Fagan has tapped Natalie Rogers-Cropper, longtime principal dancer, to serve as executive director and school director. Norwood Pennewell, longtime principal dancer and choreographer, will become artistic director. Fagan, who won a Tony Award in 1998 for his choreography of “The Lion King,” will be titled founder and distinguished artistic director emeritus.
If you have flown any time recently and wanted to sit with your family you may have been hit with what’s called a “Junk Fee.” A Junk Fee is an extra fee the airlines charge for things like choosing to sit with your party, check bags, change flights or many other things. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was in Buffalo Monday to announce legislation that would prevent airlines from charging you so-called “junk fees.” Schumer announced the “Families Fly Together Act”. The US government has been pushing airlines and other companies to get rid of extra fees and show the consumer the total bill up front. 6 out of 10 airlines have refused to disclose all fees.
