Tuesday News Brief

 

City police report that 37-year-old Cassandra Smith of Manhattan Avenue of Batavia has been arrested and faces many charges, including petit larceny. It’s alleged she stole various items from a yard and a porch on Manhattan Avenue. She also faces criminal trespass charges. Smith allegedly entered and remained unlawfully inside an apartment on Washington Avenue where she left a note for the victim to find when they returned home. She also faces criminal mischief charges; it’s alleged that Smith spray-painted an apartment door, doorbell camera, and a van in the driveway of a residence on Washington Avenue. She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Part Court and has appearances scheduled for Batavia City Court.

 

 

Genesee County Parks, Recreation & Forestry is offering free birding walks this spring. The next one is scheduled for this Saturday from 7:00am to 10:00am at DeWitt Recreation Area. You’ll learn things like how to identify birds by sight and sound. The walk is about one mile long over easy terrain. Call 344-1122 to sign up or for more information.

 

 

State lawmakers say there is progress being made on a final state budget more than three weeks after the original April 1st deadline. It was announced yesterday that there are still some things to be worked out such as a plan to address the illegal sales of cannabis and measures to address the environment. The legislature approved yet another budget extender yesterday to keep the government running through this Friday. Last year’s budget ended up being passed on April 9th.

 

The weather will be warming up over the next few weeks and Governor Hochul wants to make sure vulnerable New Yorkers can beat the heat. She’s announced $15,000,000 (million) in funding that will be available through the Home Energy Assistance Program. The program can provide air conditioners to individuals who need them such as folks with a medical condition that’s made worse by heat and also homes with young children or older adults. Anyone wishing to apply for help can do so starting Monday, May 1st, by contacting their local department of social services.

 

The City of Rochester has joined a lawsuit against both Hyundai and Kia in connection with vehicle thefts. The lawsuit claims that the automakers sold vehicles that were easily stolen by car thieves and as a result, some of them have been used in crimes including smash-and-grab burglaries. The lawsuit will not be able to help people who have had their vehicles taken. The city wants reimbursement for things like costs related to law enforcement time, but a specific dollar amount is not being sought.

 

The Rochester City School District has taken action to try and protect students from violence. Security barriers have now been installed at the Franklin Educational Campus just days after someone drove a stolen vehicle onto school property during dismissal. Students were also almost hit by gunfire near the school back in January. Other safety measures being considered include adding more security cameras and police officers.

 

Members of the Buffalo Teachers Federation have overwhelmingly voted to approve a brand-new labor contract. The results of yesterday’s vote officially puts an end to years of negotiations between the union and Buffalo Public Schools. Under the terms of the deal, an investment of more than $240,000,000 (million) will be made in teacher compensation and their average salary will increase from $71,000 to $91,000 by 2026. In a statement, Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams said not only will this new contract make teachers some of the highest-paid in the region; it’ll also help the district maintain a strong financial position.

 

This is National Infant Immunization Week. County health departments encourage parents to make sure their children are up-to-date on routine vaccinations. For more information, call 344-2580, or click here: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html or https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents

 

The Buffalo Bills have made it official; they’ll be returning to St. John Fisher University in Pittsford for training camp. This will be the 22nd time in 24 seasons. The university hosted Bills camp annually from 2000-2019 before taking a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The Bills returned last year after holding training camp at their facility in Orchard Park in 2020 and 2021. Dates, times and further details for this summer’s practices will be announced at a later date.

 

ELSEWHERE…

 

Today is National Telephone Day. There is said to be more than nine billion mobile phones around the world. Meantime, there are still over 900 million landlines worldwide. Alexander Graham Bell famously invented the telephone, securing the patent in the 1870s.

 

 

General Motors is recalling more than 40-thousand Chevrolet medium-duty trucks due to a problem with the break-pressure sensor that raises the risk of fire. Federal regulators say a faulty assembly could leak brake fluid and cause an electrical short circuit. The recall covers Chevrolet 4500HD, 5500HD and 6500 model trucks from 2019 to 2023. GM is advising owners to park their trucks outside until dealers have the parts to fix them free of charge. GM said it’s not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue.

 

A new study links French fries to depression and anxiety. A research team in China found that eating fried foods, especially fried potatoes frequently, is linked with a 12% higher risk of anxiety and 7% higher in depression than those who don’t eat fried foods.

 

 

A possible link between the COVID vaccine and tinnitus is being studied by researchers. The sensation that causes ringing in the ears has been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by more than 16-thousand people after getting the shot. That’s according to the CDC’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

 

 

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is now a father. The actor’s publicist confirmed Radcliffe and his long-time partner Erin Drake welcomed their first child. Other details like if the baby is a boy or girl and when the child was born weren’t provided.