Morning News Brief

A man working at Western New York Concrete Corp. at 638 East Main Street in Batavia died after becoming stuck in a stone bin. The cause of death is under investigation. Batavia fire and police responded to the scene.

A federal judge in New York has issued a temporary restraining order that stops the state from enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate if a health care worker claims a religious exemption. The decision is a win – at least temporarily – for a group of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who challenged a state regulation mandating the COVID-19 vaccination of health care workers with no exemption for religious beliefs that compel the refusal of such vaccination. The lawsuit accused former Gov. Andrew Cuomo of running a “nearly 18-month-long medical dictatorship” and is laden with grievances about pandemic policies.

Siena College released data on a new poll they did about Governor Kathy Hochul with registered New York State voters. The poll focuses on the opinion voters have about Governor Hochul, and how voters view New York State. 42% of voters are in favor of Kathy Hochul. 74% of voters sat it’s exciting to have New York’s first woman governor and 27% say Cuomo left New York a worse place to live and work then when he was first elected.

He’s a name-protected boy from LeRoy, but he’s in hot water with the law. Troopers arrested the 18-year-old youth, charging him with felony grand larceny after Troopers received a stolen vehicle complaint. The teen was released on an appearance ticket for court.

NY Congresswoman Claudia Tenney has introduced legislation to expand access to headstones and burial plaques for US military veterans who passed away on or after December 30, 1960. Under current law, any veteran who passed away on or after November 1, 1990, is eligible for a headstone or burial plaque through the Department of Veterans Affairs. However, anyone who served prior to that date is only eligible to receive a small medallion to commemorate their life and service to this country. Tenney’s bill would amend current law to expand burial benefits for American veterans who died prior to November 1990.

The state has made progress in making high-speed connections available to New Yorkers, ranking second in the U.S. in the percentage of the population with broadband available in their neighborhood, but more than one million, or 13.8%, of households do not have access or a subscription to home broadband services, according to a report released by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. DiNapoli’s analysis finds many predominantly rural areas remain underserved by broadband infrastructure. In addition, approximately 1 in 3 New York households with income less than $20,000 lacked access to broadband at home.

The Pembroke Classic Car Show returns to Pembroke Town Park on Sunday with another large turnout of cherry classic cars and car fans expected. The event, sponsored by the Pembroke/Corfu/Darien Kiwanis Club runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 60 vendors are expected along with several food trucks. The Kids Car Cruise will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Pembroke Community Band will play from noon to 1:00 pm and a magician show will be held from 1:30 – 2:30 pm. Right now, the weather looks fairly decent…and warm.

A Wyoming County man is staring at a rape allegation. Deputies based in Warsaw say they arrested 52-year-old Kevin Gordon of Wyoming, NY. He was taken into custody following a sex offense investigation involving a person under the age of 17 years old.  Kevin P. Gordon was charged with Rape in the Third Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.  He was arraigned and was committed to the Wyoming County Jail on $5,000 bail.  He is scheduled to appear in the Town of Middlebury Court at a later date.