Thursday News Brief

29-year-old Ronald Murray, Jr. of Batavia has been arrested. He faces grand larceny charges with property value exceeding $3,000 from a motor vehicle theft, as well as unlawful use of a credit card. On or around December 2nd, it’s alleged Murray stole the keys to a vehicle from an individual at the Quality Inn on Park Road. The vehicle was later recovered in Gates. He also used a credit card for intentions other than what he was given permission to use it for. Murray was arraigned in CAP Court and is scheduled to return to the Town of Batavia Court on January 23rd.

 

 

A winter weather advisory remains in effect until 10:00 this evening for Wyoming County as well as Southern Erie County and the Southern Tier. Snow accumulations of 2 to 5 inches are predicted. The greatest amounts will be across the higher terrain of Western Wyoming County. The lake effect snow band will shift north of the advisory area late this morning and early afternoon but will drop back southward later this afternoon and evening. Plan for slippery road conditions, which could impact commuters.

 

The Jackson Street water project continues today on Wood Street. The unavailability of water should be expected in the surrounding area. If discolored water occurs when water pressure is regained, it’s advised you avoid doing laundry or cooking until the water runs clear.

 

 

Governor Hochul is providing New Yorkers with an update on the state’s plan for a solar eclipse that’s now less than three months away. The governor says several agencies have been working with local governments to make sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience. The eclipse is happening on Monday, April 8th and the event will last over two hours. A website has been set up to highlight viewing locations and that information is posted at iloveny.com/events.

 

A tractor-trailer driver is facing a manslaughter charge for his role in a deadly crash. On Tuesday, two people had pulled over on Interstate 390 in Dansville to help a disabled tractor-trailer that was on the side of the highway. That’s when the tractor-trailer driven by 55-year-old Marwan Bisharat struck and killed 38-year-old Jason Marshall. The investigation into the tragedy is ongoing.

 

The Transportation Security Administration says that fewer guns were detected at Upstate New York airport security checkpoints in 2023. At Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, there were four firearms discovered, which was an increase of one from 2022. The TSA says it’s still disappointing to see people bringing their guns to the airport and called violators careless and irresponsible. The TSA seized over 6,700 guns at airports last year and roughly 93% of them were loaded.

 

Bills head coach Sean McDermott says his team is banged up ahead of this weekend’s big playoff game. Davis, Douglas and Rapp are among the players dealing with injuries. McDermott says it has not been determined if any of the injured players are going to be able to take the field when the Bills play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium Sunday. Kickoff for that contest is set for 1:00.

 

The Buffalo Sabres will be back on their home ice tonight as they look to avoid a second straight loss in front of their fans. The Sabres are hosting the Ottawa Senators at KeyBank Center. The Sabres had a two-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday night when they fell to the Seattle Kraken by a final score of 5-2. Face-off this evening is at 7:00.

 

ELSEWHERE…

 

McDonald’s is bringing back a special burger after four years. The fast food chain is returning the Double Big Mac to menus beginning January 24th. The sandwich features four beef patties instead of two. It sold the item in March 2020 for a short time, and made the announcement just a few days before the Covid-19 pandemic reached the US. This Double Big Mac will include McDonald’s fresh burger offerings; including better grill setting and softer buns.

 

 

Girl Scout Cookies are on sale again. National Girl Scout Cookie season got underway Tuesday, and the organization says this year’s theme is “Unbox the Future.” This year’s cookies include classic favorites such as Thin Mints, Samoas, Do-si-dos and S’mores. Starting February 16th, customers will be able to get Girl Scout cookies shipped directly to their homes by entering their zip code into the Girl Scout Cookie Finder.

 

 

Coming soon: mints that taste like Miller Lite. The beer brand plans to start selling Beer Mints this Friday that are hailed as having the “freshness of mint” but the “great taste of Miller Lite.” The alcohol-free mints are being marketed for those taking part in Dry January, where people abstain from, or at least cut back on alcohol for the month. The mints are five bucks for a tin of 40 and will be available at millerlitebeermints.com.

Mortgage applications are soaring in the beginning of 2024. Experts say it could signal that lower rates are bringing potential homebuyers into the market.

 

 

Today is Thursday, Jan. 11, the 11th day of 2024 with 355 to follow.

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

January 11 in history…

 

…In 1922, at Toronto General Hospital, 14-year-old Canadian Leonard Thompson became the first person to receive an insulin injection as treatment for diabetes.

 

 

 

 

…In 1935, aviator Amelia Earhart completed the first solo flight made between the Hawaiian Islands and the American mainland.

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1964, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry released a report saying smoking cigarettes is a definite “health hazard.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

…Also in 1964, “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash became the first country album to top the U.S. pop album chart.

 

 

 

 

 

In 1995, Michael Jackson released a statement saying, “I will no longer stand by and watch reckless members of the media try to destroy my reputation.” The statement was a response to unsubstantiated rumors of a video depicting Jackson fooling around with a young boy.

 

 

 

…In 2020, China reported its first known death from what was then considered a mysterious outbreak of viral pneumonia. The disease would come to be identified as a novel coronavirus — COVID-19 — that, after one year, killed nearly 2 million people worldwide.