Morning News Briefing

The WNY National Cemetery in Pembroke, which was dedicated in a ceremony earlier this week is now accepting reservations for interments for deceased qualified veterans, according to a spokesman for Veterans Affairs. The chief of public affairs and outreach for the VA’s National Cemetery Administration said families and funeral directors who wish to schedule interments can do so by calling the National Cemetery Scheduling Office. Interment dates and times are determined on a first-come, first-served basis in accordance with the family’s wishes and available time slots at the cemetery.

News of Pfizer…and Moderna…moving forward with their FDA requests for vaccine Emergency Use Authorizations….giving millions of Americans hope…that life can return to normal. The same, of course, true for lawmakers, who hope to see their states’ economies recover. Governor Cuomo Wednesday saying…it’s been assured there will be enough vaccines for every New Yorker.

COVID-19 has claimed another life in Genesee County. Health officials say the latest victim was under the age of 65. Meanwhile, another 44 cases have been confirmed. The new infections include people who live in Alexander, Batavia, Byron, Le Roy, Oakfield and Pembroke. Thirteen people remain hospitalized. Orleans County reports nine new cases and Wyoming County confirms 18 new cases.

M&T Bank expressed their appreciation to the Elba community by providing it with two new pieces of play apparatus, mulch and two trees for the Village Park in addition to a Little Free Library in front of the Village Office. Installation of the play apparatus and mulch was a project completed as part of the 2019 United Way Day of Caring. The recognition ceremony and plaque presentation were delayed this year due to COVID-19. Village officials thanked Bank representatives through the presentation of a plaque, which will be hung in the ATM vestibule located at the former M&T Bank on Route 98. The former bank is being retrofitted by the Town of Elba for the relocation of their offices.

The City of Batavia and the Batavia Police Department are asking city residents to participate in an online survey…the results of which will be used in formulating the department’s response to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order, which requires police departments across New York State to submit reform plans to the state by April 1. The online survey can be accessed on the city’s website – just click on the police tab. The survey is just one component of the various outreach and engagement efforts being conducted by the Batavia Police Advisory Collaboration Stakeholder Group. The Stakeholder Group has met several times with the next meeting scheduled for Dec. 10th.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos has announced that DEC gift cards and electronic gift certificates for stays and services at all DEC campgrounds are now available for purchase online. DEC camping gift cards are physical cards mailed to the designated recipient. Electronic gift certificates will be emailed to the purchaser for printing and/or emailing to the recipient. DEC operates 52 campgrounds and five day-use areas in the Adirondack and Catskill forest preserves.

Police departments received reports Wednesday afternoon of a large boom that shook homes and led to a loud blast. Turns out it was likely a meteor that exploded and disintegrated in midair above Syracuse around noontime…so says Robert Lunsford, who tracks meteor activity for the American Meteor Society, which was founded in Geneseo, Livingston County. On Wednesday evening, NASA’s Meteor Watch group confirmed the incident on Facebook, saying at 12:08 p.m., “A large meteoroid entered Earth’s atmosphere over upper New York, between Rochester and Syracuse.” The site said the meteor was clocked traveling westward at 56,000 miles per hour and broke into pieces at an altitude of about 22 miles, “producing a bright flash seen by the public and cameras in the area.”