Morning News Briefing

Genesee County reports 49 new positive COVID cases. The new infections involve residents in Batavia, LeRoy and 11 other communities. 16 of the current positive individuals are hospitalized. No new virus-related deaths were reported on Wednesday. Health department officials say Orleans County recorded 39 new COVID cases with 14 hospitalizations. Twenty-two new cases were confirmed in Wyoming County.

President Donald Trump was impeached for alleged crimes while in office for a second time and area congressman Chris Collins did not join his house colleagues in accusing the president of inciting an attempted insurrection on Jan. 6. In a statement, Jacobs said “our nation is clearly divided. Healing this division and moving the country forward should be our first and foremost priority.” He added… This rushed impeachment proceeding accomplishes none of these goals, especially given that the President has agreed to an orderly and peaceful transition of power on January 20^th.

As COVID cases continue to mount, the Town of Batavia has extended its local state of emergency. Town Supervisor Gregory Post says this situation continues to threaten the public safety.

The Girl Scouts branch office on Jackson Street in Batavia closed its doors at the start of the coronavirus pandemic with services to members being provided virtually, by mail, and by other service center locations. Now that location is closing, according to Callie Johnson, VP of Marketing for Girl Scouts in WNY. Officials said the organization hopes to find another service center site in Batavia once it’s safe to reopen. The Batavia office lease expires February 1.

Some orange zone restaurants that are part of a lawsuit against the state over indoor dining restrictions secured a legal win Wednesday. A judge granted a preliminary injunction in the case, allowing some restaurants taking part in the lawsuit to assume yellow zone-level dining rules. This is not a permanent injunction. A conference has been scheduled for later this month, during which a hearing on a potential permanent injunction will be held.

Here’s a chilling story that comes from the southern tier region…in Allegany County – Five of the eight defendants charged with the brutal murder of 23-year-old Nicholas Burdge at an apartment on Main Street in Wellsville last March were in Allegany County court Wednesday, where they accepted deals and pled guilty to lesser crimes. Initially, most were charged with second-degree murder. It was called one of the most brutal crimes ever in that area. The victim was duct taped to a chair, beaten and stabbed for hours, then dumped in the Genesee River. One teenage boy will receive probation, while it is prison time for the others, up to 16 years for some. No one was convicted of murder. Trials are pending for two others, who maintain not guilty pleas. The boy’s mother said she was disappointed with the deals offered. “They should get the maximum,” she said.

Fineline Pipeline will close Perry Road, between York Road and Dillion Road in Pavilion until about 3:30 p.m. today for water main installation. The road will be accessible to local traffic and emergency vehicles only. The contractor will also close York Road between Perry Road and South Street Road in Pavilion for two to three weeks. The closures are expected Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is announcing plans are being finalized to commence needed maintenance work on the NY-237 bridge deck over the Erie Canal in the town of Murray in Orleans County. The work will be completed either this year or in 2022 depending on public safety factors and contractor resource availability. The bridge will need to be closed for six weeks as maintenance work takes place, at which point a detour will be established.