Morning News Briefing

Kathy Hochul made history today as the first woman to serve as New York governor after now-former Gov. Andrew Cuomo officially stepped down at midnight. Hochul, a 62-year-old Democrat, was sworn in as the state’s 57th governor during a private ceremony at the state Capitol. A Buffalo resident, Hochul has been New York’s lieutenant governor since 2015. Governor Cuomo says he has always tried his best to deliver for the people of New York.

The management of Batavia Downs and the Western New York Harness Horsemen’s Association has announced that starting Wednesday (Sept. 1) purses for all races held at the track will be increased by 10%. The increase is due to the recent success in business on the gaming floor and also from an increase in the live racing handle at the track. Reflective of the new structure, the bottom purse at the Downs will be raised from $3,800 to $4,200 and the top purse will jump from $11,200 to $12,300.

Due to COVID cases within the Genesee County Jail, Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. is suspending all inmate visitations effective immediately until further notice. This is a precautionary measure to prevent the risk of exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19) to inmates’ families and employees.  The Genesee County Health Department said there are currently three cases of COVID-19 at the jail.

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) introduced a resolution expressing the need to safely evacuate American citizens and allies from Afghanistan. In a statement, Jacobs said the President has failed the American people and left our citizens and our allies trapped behind enemy lines without any plan to rescue them and ensure they are safely evacuated. Jacobs’ resolution expresses the need for every American citizen and ally to be safely evacuated from Afghanistan and calls upon the President to provide a clear plan to ensure this happens. In addition, the resolution highlights the dire conditions on the ground in Afghanistan with reports of beatings, executions, and growing security concerns.

Clean up from last week’s deadly and devastating floods continues across the Twin Tiers, with Woodhull, New York bearing the brunt of the damage. A mother, 31-year-old Klarissa Bivin’s died during the recent flooding in Steuben County. According to her obituary, Bivin’s had a “mother’s heart” and was devoted to her son Logan. She enjoyed cooking and baking with her family. As of Monday, this was the only confirmed fatality in the Twin Tiers as a result of the flash flooding.

Gas prices are down slightly around the country and may drop further according to AAA Western and Central New York, as children nationwide return to school. Nationally, the average price for gas dropped three cents over the last week to $3.16 per gallon. But New York state’s average did not change, staying at $3.22 per gallon.