Thursday Afternoon News Brief

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines from 18 to 21, the same age requirement that already applies to purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers. Individuals under 21 have used assault weapons in some of the most devastating shootings in U.S. history, including the 2022 mass shooting at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo in which 10 people died.

 

Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order declaring a statewide disaster emergency and is activating the New York National Guard amid an ongoing strike at state prisons. The order, which is in effect through March 21, allows the National Guard to be inside state prisons while workers strike outside. Hochul said the order is meant to stabilize prisons and maintain security. The union representing the workers said it didn’t authorize the strike, which grew Wednesday to some 30 state prisons.

 

Graduate workers at the University of Rochester are announcing their intention to go on strike. Those employees say they’ll walk off the job if school officials don’t agree to what they believe is a fair process toward forming a union. They are looking to create a union for collective bargaining reasons because some of the graduate workers make just $15,000 a year.   The university previously said it supports the rights of students to decide if union representation is best for them.

 

A jury has found an Orchard Park man guilty of sexually abusing two children.  30-year-old Edward Tutuska was found guilty of one count of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child, one count of Sexual Abuse and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The jury deliberated for less than two hours following a six-day trial.  Investigators say that between March 1, 2023 and March 15, 2024, Tutuska engaged in multiple sex acts with a child who was less than 11-years-old in Orchard Park and subjected another child under the age of 11-years-old to sexual acts. Tutuska was known to both victims; he faces up to 14-years in prison when he is sentenced in April. He is currently being held without bail. Temporary orders of protection have been issued on behalf of both victims.

 

Wegmans is joining the list of supermarket chains limiting the number of eggs customers can purchase. The company’s website says people can only buy up to 10 cartons of a dozen eggs or 18-count eggs with a maximum of 180. National retailers and supermarkets are putting restrictions on egg purchases because of a shortage caused by an avian flu outbreak. Egg prices have nearly doubled in the last year from $2.52 last February to $4.95 last month.

 

The Holy Cross Church on the city’s west side will remain open despite earlier plans to close as part of the diocese’s restructuring plan. The church was granted approval after the Diocese heard a counter proposal, eventually leading to the change.   Diocesan Vicar for Renewal and Development Bryan Zielenieski said Holy Cross has been deemed essential for ministry and mission and has been placed on a watch list to help the parish deal with the financial stability that is needed.

 

The case of a Kenmore doctor accused of forcibly touching a patient in 2019 has been dismissed.   Mark Fisher was accused of touching a female patient’s intimate parts while working as a physician at the ECMC Outpatient Behavioral Health Center. He had been charged with forcible touching and was removed from practicing by ECMC.

 

The Buffalo Bills could be heading overseas to play a game internationally this season. The Bills are reportedly being considered for contests in Ireland, Spain or the United Kingdom, but no official decision has been made yet. The defending AFC East champions played in London back in 2023 when they fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars by a final score of 25 to 20. The NFL will release its full schedule this spring.

 

As a result of the messy, snowy weather, Batavia Downs management has canceled the live card of harness racing scheduled for today for the safety and welfare of all the participants. Live racing will resume on Monday, February 24^th at 3 p.m., which will be the last card of the winter meet.

 

The judge in the trial of Bryan Kohberger has denied several defense motions.   Judge Steven Hippler denied a motion that using DNA to identify Kohberger did not violate his 4th Amendment rights. Search warrants for cell phone location data were lawfully obtained. Hippler also denied a request for a Franks Hearing to determine if investigators lied or omitted information to obtain warrants. Kohberger is charged in the murder of four University of Idaho students. The trial is set to start August 11th.

 

Researchers at the University of Virginia believe they’ve made a promising discovery that could help reverse baldness. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation details recent tests done on a protein called krox-20. The tests show that stem cells containing the protein may be responsible for hair growth. Small amounts of the protein are present in hair follicles beneath the scalp, even in those who are already bald or balding. Researchers think re-activating the protein found in those follicles could lead to new hair growth.