Thursday News Brief

City Police are investigating an incident in Batavia in the area of Oak Street and North Lyons Street.  The call came in late last night. Someone drove by in an SUV and fired shots, which hit a home on the 40 block of Oak Street. Police went door-to-door interviewing residents and searching the roads and sidewalks. This is not the first time this area of Oak Street has been hit with gunshots. The last incident was on August 28. No suspects have been named.

 

The maximum-security prison of Attica is on lockdown “following several acts of violence,” according to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The violence at Attica Correctional Facility in Wyoming County allegedly began with incidents pitting inmates against other inmates, leading to staff members being assaulted — including one being stabbed multiple times. DOCCS said it is working with police to pursue prosecution. The facility, infamous for a deadly 1971 uprising that gained national attention, is undergoing a full search that is expected to take several days.

 

With the number of respiratory syncytial virus cases on the rise across the state, the Department of Health is urging people to protect themselves against the illness. The agency says the best way to do that is to be vaccinated against RSV. That is especially important for folks over the age of 60 with medical conditions and people who are pregnant. Right now, there are more RSV cases in the state than flu and COVID-19 cases. Anyone who wants to get vaccinated should contact their doctor.

 

Now that opening statements have been heard, testimony is scheduled to begin today in the Timothy Williams murder trial. Prosecutors told the jury yesterday that Williams is the man responsible for killing 14-year-old Wendy Jerome in Rochester back in 1984. But the defense countered, claiming that no one believes Williams is capable of committing a crime like this. Williams wasn’t charged until 2020 after he was connected to the case through DNA evidence.

 

The New York State Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to be cautious near snowplows, following a close call in the Rochester area. NYSDOT shared video on social media Wednesday of a car apparently trying to outrace a plow as lanes merged on an expressway on-ramp. The plow ended up hitting the red sedan. No injuries are reported. Plows can’t go as fast or slow down as fast as normal traffic and they have reduced visibility while at work. And, most likely, if you hit a plow the plow will be fine but the same can’t be said for your vehicle.

 

The Buffalo Sabres are on the road again tonight as they look to pick up a second straight victory. The Sabres are set to take on the Saint Louis Blues at the Enterprise Center in Missouri. Buffalo is coming off a dominant 5-1 win Monday over the New York Rangers and the team has earned 22 points so far this season. Face-off is at 8:00.

 

 

 

ELSEWHERE…

 

A California company is one step closer to a medical breakthrough. It’s called Loyal, a fitting name for their mission. Researchers are creating a drug they hope will help dogs live longer, and they just hit a new milestone. The FDA sent a letter saying it agrees with the data provided that shows the drug’s effectiveness. Dogs would get a shot or pill every three to six months. Both could be ready by 2026.

 

Legendary diplomat Henry Kissinger is dead at the age of 100. Kissinger served as National Security Advisor to the Nixon administration from 1969 to 1975, and was best known for guiding American foreign policy during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 after negotiating a ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Vietnam.

 

Dolly Parton’s “Rockstar” album is number one on this week’s Top Rock Albums chart. The new album by the 77-year-old country music icon debuts at number three on this week’s Billboard 200 album chart. The 30-track album consists primarily of covers of rock classics, and features guest artists like Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

 

 

 

Six in ten U.S. drivers admit to unsafe behaviors behind the wheel, according to a survey out this week from the Triple-A Foundation for Traffic Survey. Nearly 23% admitted excessive speeding, with the survey finding that speeding has the lowest perceived social disapproval.

 

 

Today is Thursday, Nov. 30, the 334th day of 2023 with 31 to follow.

The moon is waning. Morning stars are Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus and Venus. Evening stars are Jupiter, Mercury, Neptune, Saturn and Uranus.

November 30 in history…

…In 1913, Charles Chaplin made his screen debut in Mack Sennett’s short film Making a Living.

 

 

 

 

…In 1954, a meteorite crashed through the roof of a house in Sylacauga, Alabama, striking Elizabeth Hodges, who was sleeping on a couch, in the hip. The space rock was a sulfide meteorite weighing 8.5 pounds and measuring 7 inches in length.

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1982, Epic Records released the album Thriller by Michael Jackson.

 

 

 

 

…In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill into law, the most far-reaching nationwide gun control measure enacted in a decade. It was named after White House press secretary James Brady, who was injured in an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

 

 

 

 

…In 2004, Ken Jennings lost on the U.S. game show Jeopardy! after winning 74 games and $2.5 million. In case you missed it, here’s the rest of the story:

The Final Jeopardy answer that tripped him up? “Most of this firm’s 70,000 seasonal white-collar employees work only four months a year.” Jennings guessed Federal Express, but it was, in fact, tax preparer H&R Block. Ventura, Calif., real estate agent Nancy Zerg guessed correctly, unseating Jennings with a final score of $14,001 to $8,799.

Backstage before the show, Zerg told the AP, she repeated the mantra: “Someone’s got to beat him sometime, it might as well be me,” she said. “It was a big relief to me that I lost to someone who played a better game than me,” Jennings told the Associated Press. “There were no recriminations or remorse.”

The final irony of Jennings’ losing question: David Byers, senior vice president for tax operations for H&R Block, released a statement offering Jennings the tax help he’s sure to require for his newfound wealth. By Byers’ calculations, he’ll have to pay just over $1 million in taxes.