Morning News Brief
Written by Michael Baldwin on June 9, 2021
A fire in the Town of Alabama has resulted in an arson charge. The incident happened on Ham Road. Genesee County deputies arrested 23-year-old Edward Allis Jr of Lyndonville, charging him with fifth-degree arson and trespassing. Deputies said Allis allegedly entered onto property without permission and started a fire. He’ll appear in Town of Alabama court July 20th.
Sheriff’s deputies have leveled a felony count against a Pembroke man. 23-year-old Tyler Reeves of Main Road was charged with second-degree criminal mischief. After investigating a domestic incident, he was charged with the felony crime. He was arraigned virtually and released under supervision. He’ll appear in county court August 3rd.
The City of Batavia Police Department reminds residents of their Camera Registry Program. Police say many investigations are solved due, in part, to cooperation from homeowners, landlords and business owners sharing video from their private camera surveillance system. In order to streamline the investigative process, the Department asks anyone with a camera surveillance system to register it with police. You can register your system on CrimeWatch by clicking this link.
For 64 days, New York’s COVID case count has declined. The Statewide 7-Day average positivity rate has now dropped to 0.51% – the lowest in the country. The number of people hospitalized with virus-related complications has dropped to 796. There were 14 COVID-related deaths on Monday.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office says one person is dead and another flown to Strong Memorial after they were found unresponsive inside a semi-tanker. It happened at Millennium Roads LLC on East Yates Center Road in the Town of Yates. Pronounced dead at the scene was 19-year-old Keegan Bayne. 35-year-old Chase Johnson was taken to Rochester. According to a press release, the two had been cleaning inside the semi-tanker that was used to haul the product “Lignin.” The incident remains under investigation by the sheriff’s office and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley announces the passage of an Assembly Bill which designates State Route 77 between Pembroke Town Park and the intersection of Indian Falls Road in the Town of Pembroke as the “C. Jay Hall Memorial Highway.” Specialist Four Clarence “C. Jay” Hall served as a rifleman in the Army in Vietnam. On Oct. 7, 1969, Specialist Hall exposed himself to hostile fire so his comrades were able to obtain cover with a complete disregard for his personal safety. During this action, he was mortally wounded. Hawley said. “The selfless service of our nation’s heroes must never be forgotten.”
The reality that “once you’re in, you can never leave” has Le Roy Town and Village board members taking a cautious approach to any potential participation in the state’s new Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act. Officials from both governing bodies gathered with about a dozen residents at the Town Hall courtroom this week for what turned out to be a 30-minute discussion on the recently passed legislation that immediately permits the recreational use of marijuana for residents 21 years of age and older. In any event, the deadline to decide is Dec. 31 of this year. But with the state still trying to figure out all the rules and regulations attached to the law, many local governmental leaders seem to be in no hurry. Le Roy Village Mayor Greg Rogers said he is part of that group. He said the village plans to take as much time as it can…noting the landscape will change eight or nine times until then.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed legislation to waive taxes on grants from the $800 million COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. Applications for the program will be accepted starting tomorrow for small and micro businesses and small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations to help them recover from the economic impact of the pandemic. Flexible grants up to $50,000 will be made available to eligible small businesses and can be used for operating expenses, including payroll, rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, personal protective equipment, or other business expenses incurred during the pandemic. Over 330,000 small and micro businesses are potentially eligible for this program.
