Wednesday News Brief

34-year-old Christopher Parker of Batavia has been arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, with physical contact. It’s alleged Parker shoved his girlfriend in front of their children leaving abrasions on her arm. He was transported to the Genesee County Jail and is scheduled for arraignment in CAP Court.

 

An asylum-seeker from Venezuela is expected to be in court today after being charged with a rape in Cheektowaga. Prosecutors say this alleged incident involving 26-year-old Jesus Guzman-Bermudez happened at a hotel on Genesee Street, and that he knew the victim. The crime also occurred in the presence of a three-year-old child. Guzman-Bermudez is behind bars without bail and faces decades in prison if convicted.

 

 

 

48-year-old Michael Daly of Cheektowaga has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Investigators conducted searches of his electronics and recovered over 200,000 images and 95 videos, some of which depicted violence. Daly’s sentencing is scheduled for December 8th.

 

More details have been released on a deadly shooting that involved a New York State Trooper. On Sunday, Trooper Dominick Caito saw a vehicle with an expired inspection near Innovative Field in Rochester and attempted to stop the driver, who was identified as Daniel Legler. Legler sped away, which triggered a pursuit that ended near the Rochester Tech Park in Gates. When Caito tried to take Legler into custody, Legler fired a shot towards him. Caito then returned fire and killed Legler. State Police say Caito followed his training.

 

As reported by Tom Tharp this morning: A Greece man is heading to prison after being convicted of wire fraud for selling sports cards that he either never possessed or never intended to deliver. 35-year-old Kyle Bertrand advertised collectible sports cards between October 2021 and February 2022 that were highly valued. After negotiating a price with a buyer and receiving payment, he would send empty boxes or cards of negligible value. In some cases, according to prosecutors, Bertrand stole cards by purchasing them from sellers and later disputing the charges through his credit card company, revoking the payment. Prosecutors said Bertrand defrauded six victims in Florida, Ohio, Missouri and Pennsylvania out of approximately $33,360. A judge sentenced him to serve 27 months in prison and pay restitution.

 

For the 183rd time, the Erie County Fair got underway today at the fairgrounds in Hamburg. There are plenty of fun activities such as rides, games, and concerts and there will also be plenty of good food to eat. The gates opened at 11:00 and the fair is scheduled to run through Sunday, August 20th. A full list of events that are scheduled in the coming days is available at Ecfair.org.

 

It is early August and the height of summer, which often means the peak of “bat season” for local health departments and when people more commonly have encounters with bats. Bats can sometimes find their way into houses, particularly in older homes that are not properly sealed. This most often occurs during summer nights. If you find a bat in your home, it is extremely important to safely capture the animal if it is suspected to have been in contact with people, pets or livestock so that it can be tested for rabies. If the bat cannot be captured, you should call the health department for advice and next steps. It is important to seek medical advice and have the bat tested.

 

The National Weather Service is confirming that a tornado touched down in the Central NY region earlier this week. The twister landed in the Tompkins County community of Harford Monday evening before traveling to McGraw, in Cortland County. The tornado reached a top speed of 90 miles-an-hour and it was roughly 200 yards wide. A Weather Service crew will be in Oneida County today to see if there was also a tornado in Vernon.

 

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is reminding people to beware of flood damage if they’re looking to buy a used car. The agency says after severe weather events like the ones that have happened in New York this year, there is often an increase in the marketing and sale of vehicles that have been affected by water. It’s recommended people research the vehicle they want before buying it online, from a used car dealer, or in a private sale. For more information, go to dmv.ny.gov.

 

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been ranked 8th on the list of the best 100 players in the National Football League. Last year, Allen was 13th in the rankings that are put together by feedback received from players. Allen has already thrown for more than 18,000 yards and tossed 138 touchdowns in his career. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took the top spot on this year’s list.

 

ELSEWHERE…

The planet Mars is spinning faster. Belgium scientists say data from NASA’s decommissioned InSight Mars lander led them to discover the planet’s rotation is accelerating by about four-milliarcseconds per year (1000 milliarcseconds equals one second). The scientists said it could be from the ice accumulating on the polar caps, which results in a rise in land mass. Officials say they’ll continue analyzing the data.

 

There’s finally been a winner in the over one-point-five billion dollar Mega Millions Jackpot. The Mega Millions Website says the winning ticket was sold in Florida. Two previous Powerball jackpots are the only U.S. lottery wins to ever exceed the current Mega Millions sum.

 

 

 

 

The youngest professional athlete in American team sports calls the Sacramento Republic FC home. Thirteen-year-old Da’vian Kimbrough, a member of the soccer club’s youth development academy, has signed his first professional contract. He is now eligible to compete for a spot on the first team. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. In two academy seasons, he scored 61 goals and was named Most Valuable Player in 2023 at a prestigious under-13 international tournament.

 

The judge overseeing former President Trump’s 2020 election interference case has scheduled a hearing for Friday in Washington, DC. It’s likely to determine what rules should be imposed for the handling of evidence. The Justice Department recently filed for a protective order, asking the judge to place some limits on Trump’s speech about the case. Trump’s lawyers responded this week, claiming the order violates the First Amendment.

 

New police documents show the six-year-old Virginia boy who shot his elementary school teacher later boasted about it. Redacted search warrants were unsealed this week, and claim the boy was bragging about the shooting when a faculty member restrained him. Teacher Abigail Zwerner is still recovering from the January shooting.

 

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. are on the rise for the second week in a row. According to the CDC, the number of people being hospitalized for the virus surged more than 12%. But in nearly half of the U.S. states, the spike is much higher — many states across the country say more than a 20% increase.

 

Today is Wednesday, August 9th, the 221st day of the year.

August 9 in history…

…In 1842, The U.S. and Canada signed the Webster-Ashburton Treaty. The Treaty resolved issues over the border. (The Webster–Ashburton Treaty was a treaty that resolved several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies (the region that became Canada). Signed under John Tyler’s presidency, it resolved the so-called Aroostook War.The provisions of the treaty included:
· The settlement of the location of the Maine–New Brunswick border,[1] which was the primary cause of the Aroostook War.
· Establishment of the border between Lake Superior and the Lake of the Woods, originally defined in the Treaty of Paris in 1783;
· Reaffirmation of the location of the border (at the 49th parallel) in the westward frontier up to the Rocky Mountains defined in the Treaty of 1818;
· Definition of seven crimes subject to extradition;
· Agreement that the two parties would share use of the Great Lakes;
· Agreement that there should be a final end to the slave trade on the high seas.
The treaty also retroactively confirmed the southern boundary of Quebec that land surveyors John Collins and Thomas Valentine had marked with stone monuments in 1771–1773. The treaty intended that the border be at 45 degrees north latitude, but the border is in some places nearly a half mile north of the parallel. The treaty was signed by United States Secretary of State Daniel Webster and British diplomat Alexander Baring, 1st Baron Ashburton.)

 

…In 1859, Nathan Ames patented the escalator.

 

 

 

 

…In 1910, A.J. Fisher received a patent for the electric washing machine.

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1936, Jesse Owens became the first American to win four medals in one Olympics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1944, Smokey Bear made his debut as a “spokes bear” for forest fire prevention. Click below for more about Smokey on his special day:

 

 

…In 1945, three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. The blast and its after effects killed an estimated 74,000 people.

 

 

 

 

…In 1995, Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Jerry Garcia died at the age of 53 from a heart attack. He was the lead singer and co-founder of the Grateful Dead.