Morning News Briefing
Written by WBTA STAFF on April 24, 2019
Former Batavia resident sentenced to jail for animal abuse.
23 year old Brandon Joseph Welch, the former Batavia resident convicted of torturing an animal last October will be spending the next 60 days behind bars.
Welch appeared for sentencing in Batavia City Court yesterday after reportedly flying in from his parent’s home in Florida.
He had pleaded guilty to falsely reporting an incident and torturing an animal earlier in the year and Judge Robert Balbick sentenced Welch to immediately begin serving two months in Genesee County Jail, and a total of three years’ probation.
The dog Welch admitted to starving and mistreating “Opal” as she has been named by Volunteers For Animals at the shelter is a pitbull mix weighed only 9.2 pounds when rescued on Oct. 4th.
Opal was nursed back to health while in foster care and was later adopted. For more on the story check the article by our news partner The Batavian.
Batavia Police want to get in the federal line for a new police K-9.
It’s been nearly 20 years since BPD has had a police dog and Chief Shawn Heubusch made his case before City Council Monday night asking council to apply for federal Homeland Security funds to cover the cost of the dog and training.
The Police Chief said a patrol dog is different than other department dogs in the region
The total cost of securing and training a new department dog is estimated to be $15,000.
The federal money isn’t exactly flowing in for as currently Homeland Security funds are being diverted to build the southern border wall.
UMMC’s Jerome Center clinic was evacuated this afternoon following a telephoned bomb threat. Police spokesman Marc Lawrence
The building was searched and no device was found.
The City of Batavia is expected to reject all three bids it received for roof repair work on the City Centre Mall because they all came in over budget.
Public Works Director Matt Worth thinks the city can do better by revising the bid specifications and attracting smaller contractors to the job.
The work on the roof is part of the lawsuit settlement agreement with the Mall Merchants Association.
A new modified bid package will be released at a later date. For more on the story check the article by our news partner The Batavian.
Prescription Drug Take Back Day Being Held this Saturday in Genesee County.
On Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Genesee County law enforcement agencies and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
Bring your pills for disposal to either Sheriff’s Deputies at the Pembroke Town Hall at Rt. 5 and 77 in Pembroke, to Police at the rear parking lot of the Batavia Police Department on Main St. or to the LeRoy Police Department on Main St. in LeRoy.
The service is free and anonymous; no questions asked.
