Tuesday News Brief

The Batavia City School District Board of Education has approved the appointment of Ryan Winchip as the Director of Health, and Physical Education & Athletics. Winchip most recently served as Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Warsaw Central Schools. Since 2013, he coached and led teams from the modified to varsity levels. Winchip officially starts in Batavia on October 19th.

 

 

40-year-old Kevin Moore of Lockport has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor. The investigation began in June 2022 when Moore’s ex-girlfriend took a USB drive belonging to Moore and saw that the contents included child pornography. She contacted police who turned the investigation over to the FBI. A forensic review of electronics recovered nearly 400 images. Moore faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

 

The New York State Thruway Authority’s Board of Directors has voted to give the green light to toll hikes. Starting in January, the E-ZPass rate will increase by five percent, and a second five-percent jump will go into effect in 2027. This hike will be the first toll adjustment for E-ZPass holders in years. The Thruway Authority says that more money is needed for fiscal stability and to address infrastructure needs along the over 500-mile highway system.

 

Western New York Congressman Brian Higgins has helped introduce a new bill on Capitol Hill that is aimed at reducing gun violence. His office says the Disarm Hate Act will try and prevent people convicted of violent misdemeanor hate crimes from purchasing or possessing firearms. Higgins, a Democrat, represents the 26th District which includes Buffalo. Last year, the city was rocked by a mass shooting at a Tops supermarket that took 10 lives and left three other victims with injuries.

 

A man is facing charges after falling naked into the construction pit for the new Buffalo Bills stadium in Orchard Park. Authorities say the 29-year-old admitted to being under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of Sunday’s incident. He needed to be rescued from the pit and was later taken to a Buffalo hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Police say this was an isolated incident and the rest of the crowd for the Bills-Raiders game was well-behaved.

 

 

Jury selection is expected to resume today in the murder trial of Kelvin Vickers. He’s the man accused of shooting and killing Rochester police officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz and attempting to murder his partner, officer Sino Seng, while they were working undercover last year. Seven jurors have been seated in this case. Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley says that finding the right people who will make up the jury is crucial so that Vickers gets a fair trial.

 

 

 

Some local universities received high marks in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 edition of the nation’s best colleges. R.I.T. is ranked the 98th best university in the nation, and 42nd in the Best Value category. St. John Fisher was named the 185th best university, and 43rd for Best Value. Nazareth University and Brockport College were ranked in the top 100 for Best Value in the northern region, with Nazareth landing at 30th and Brockport placing 63rd.

 

Amazon will be holding a hiring day later this week as it looks to fill jobs at its brand-new warehouse in Gates. People who are interested in working for the retail chain can go to the Italian American Community Center on Frank Dimino Way from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. this Friday. The facility located off of Manitou Road was supposed to open last month but has been delayed. For information on the available positions, go to hiring.amazon.com.

 

ELSEWHERE…

 

Amazon is announcing a second Prime Day. Prime Big Deal Days will take place on October 10th and 11th. The event will feature deals on tech, home goods, fashion and entertainment. Customers will need to be an Amazon Prime member to get access to the offers.

 

 

A Texas woman is celebrating her completion of a Disney-themed jigsaw puzzle after more than three years. Emily Seidel, a 29-year-old puzzle enthusiast, started assembling the 40,000-piece puzzle in February 2020, just before the pandemic came to town. The finished puzzle is about 20-feet long by about 6-feet wide, and features characters from Disney classics such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Cinderella,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Bambi.”

 

 

United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain has announced a new strike deadline. He says if no substantial progress in contract talks has been made by noon on Friday, September 22nd, they will call on more local unions to expand their Stand Up Strike. Currently, the automaker is striking three auto plants, one from each of the Big 3 automakers.

 

Elon Musk is hinting at a subscription fee for all users of his X social media platform. Bloomberg reports Musk told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that X will be moving to a “small monthly payment.” He claimed a subscription fee would be the only way to put a stop to ‘bot’ accounts on the platform.

 

Today is Tuesday, September 19th, the 262nd day of the year.

September 19 in history…

 

…In 1777, American soldiers won the first Battle of Saratoga against the British.

 

 

 

 

…In 1876, Melville Bissell patented the carpet sweeper.

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1881, President James Garfield died of wounds inflicted by an assassin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1947, Jackie Robinson was named baseball’s Rookie of the Year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1981, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel reunited for a free concert in New York’s Central Park. The show was a benefit for the New York City parks.

 

 

…In 2011, Ashton Kutcher debuted on the TV series “Two and a Half Men.” He replaced Charlie Sheen on the show. two-and-a-half-men-angus-t-jones-jon-cryer-ashton-kutcher