Morning News Brief

A Rochester woman is facing 14 felony counts after she allegedly attempted to scam Genesee County Social Services out of nearly $3,800. Deputies arrested 33-year-old Kristin Forte. She was charged with 8 counts of filing a false instrument, five counts of forgery and one count of grand larceny. Investigators said she submitted application or recertification’s for SNAP benefits but omitted her wages. She is also accused of forging several documents and signatures. She was arraigned in Town of Batavia court and released on her own recognizance.

A 40-year-old Batavia arrested earlier this month on sex abuse charges has been arrested on additional child sex abuse charges. Melvin Andre Huntley, of Wilkinson Road, is charged with two counts of first-degree sex abuse.  The children are less than 11 and less than 13 years old.  He is also charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. On July 8, he was arraigned on charges of predatory sexual assault against a child; course of conduct against a child in the first degree; first-degree rape; first-degree sex abuse. These new charges are the result of the ongoing investigation. The Sheriff’s Office is not releasing more information about the case at this time.  The investigation remains ongoing. Huntley is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bail

If you receive a call from anyone claiming to be a member of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and that there are pending charges against you that need to be paid for failing to appear, please hang up.  It is not the process of the Sheriff’s Office to call and request payment for any outstanding criminal charges. If you have any questions regarding whether a phone call is a scam, you can call the Sheriff.

The American Red Cross has an emergency need for lifesaving blood amid the ongoing severe blood shortage. Blood and platelet donations continue to be critical to meet hospital demand and the public is urged to make an appointment to give now. The Red Cross has been distributing about 12% more blood products to hospitals across the U.S. compared to this time last year. The Red Cross needs to collect more than 1,000 additional blood donations each day to meet the current hospital demand and end the severe blood shortage. Donors of all blood types are needed, especially type O, which stands at just a one-day supply right now.

New York is one of a growing number of states that are making their state employees either get vaccinated for COVID-19 or get tested regularly. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says they are taking it a step further than other states. This comes as about 62-percent of New Yorkers have received at least one vaccine dose. Sen. George Borrello, who represents Allegany County, called the move outrageous, unconstitutional and more about muscle-flexing than public health.

It’s a good news-bad news story. There is a hint of good news on the COVID front in New York. The positivity rate has actually declined from yesterday…it’s now at 2.23%. However, there have been seven more COVID deaths and around 120 hospitalizations and admissions to the ICU. Cases in the Finger Lakes Region have continued to spike during the last three days.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation which allows victims of human trafficking to recover actual, compensatory and punitive damages or other appropriate relief. This legislation also amends current law that requires an action to be commenced within 10 years of victimization to state an action can be commenced within 15 years after victimization has occurred.