Morning News Brief
Written by Michael Baldwin on July 22, 2021
New York State has fallen below the rate established by the Federal government in order for the state to qualify for the highest level of Federal Extended Benefits (EB). Effective August 9, EB will be available for a maximum of 13 weeks.
38 more people have been admitted to a New York hospital with COVID-related symptoms. 11 more have been sent to the ICU. The COVID-19 positivity rate has risen to 1.75%. Five more deaths have also been reported. In the Southern Tier Region, the rate has jumped to 0.79%. Genesee County reports one new case and two in Orleans County.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested 61-year-old Pamela Morrow of Linwood Road in LeRoy. She was charged with felony DWI and a felony count of having a blood alcohol content above .08%. Morrow was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on appearance tickets. She’ll appear in L Roy town court August 3rd.
Genesee County deputies arrested 31-year-old Elizabeth Thompson of Batavia. She was charged with petit larceny. Deputies said she allegedly stole $113 in merchandise from a store. She’ll appear in Batavia Town Court next month.
A grand jury has leveled a four-count indictment against a Le Roy man accused of spraying bleach in the eyes of two dogs. 36-year-old Robert J. Williams is charged with two counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals and two counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief. Williams was arrested in February after a month-long investigation revealed that he purposefully sprayed bleach into the eyes and faces of two dogs.
New York’s attorney general says a proposed settlement involving several states would resolve claims against three major drug distributors and help communities impacted by the opioid epidemic. Attorney General Letitia James says the proposed $26 billion agreement that would resolve those claims against Johnson & Johnson, as well as three major drug distributors: McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc. and Amerisource Bergen Drug Corporation. Additionally, James says communities in New York that were impacted by the epidemic would receive up to $1.25 billion to help will programs focusing on prevention, treatment and recovery.
Rochester’s mayor and her estranged husband appeared in court Wednesday, pleading not guilty to charges filed against them last week. Mayor Lovely Warren and Timothy Granison, were charged with criminal possession of a firearm, endangering the welfare of a child and failure to lock/secure firearms in a dwelling following the unsealing of an indictment last week. Warren is also facing charges in an unrelated case. She and two others were charged last year, accused of mishandling campaign finances in her 2017 reelection bid.
On July 28, the Center Street Parking Lot in Batavia will be closed for milling operations. After the milling operations are completed city crews will begin pavement repairs and resurfacing over the next few weeks. The lot will remain open, but sections will be coned off for pavement repairs and resurfacing. This work will be performed during the business day (7 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and operations are weather dependent.
