Wednesday News Brief

24-year-old Dustin Rich of Batavia has died following a crash in Brighton. Rich was driving westbound on East River Road at 9:30pm Monday evening when he ran a red light. His motorcycle hit an SUV that was coming off Interstate 390. The SUV was occupied by two adults and two children, all of whom were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. No charges have been filed and the crash remains under investigation.

 

 

FROM THE GENESEE COUNTY SHERIFF: 36-year-old Tonya Ficarella of Batavia is charged with petit larceny after allegedly stealing merchandise by concealing the items and walking past all points of purchase without paying, at a business on Veteran’s Memorial Drive. She was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Town of Batavia Court later this month. ALSO: 18-year-old Madison McKenzie of Batavia is charged with endangering the welfare of a child following an investigation in Pavilion. She allegedly gave a letter to a juvenile under the age of 17, which allegedly contained sexual content. McKenzie was arraigned in CAP Court and will appear in Pavilion Town Court on May 16th. ALSO: 43-year-old Jaime Ayala of Batavia is charged with criminal contempt following a complaint of a violation of a court order at a department store on Veteran’s Memorial Drive. Ayala was allegedly at the employment place of a protected party in violation of an issued stay away order of protection. Ayala was released with an appearance ticket and is scheduled for Batavia Town Court on May 23rd.

 

We have some new information to share with you today. A report is revealing what happened in the moments before a stampede claimed three lives at the Main Street Armory in Rochester. Officials say the March 5th tragedy occurred after a massive group of people claiming they had VIP tickets to a concert shoved their way past security. There were also confetti poppers going off that sounded like gunshots, which led to the crowd running towards the exit. Three women were trampled and later died. There will be no criminal charges filed following this incident.

 

 

More than one month after the original deadline, lawmakers have finally passed a brand-new state budget. Both the state Senate and Assembly passed the $229,000,000,000 (billion) spending plan late last night, putting an end to weeks of negotiations between Governor Hochul and legislative leaders. Included in the budget are changes to bail reform laws, a plan to boost the state’s minimum wage and funding for hospitals and nursing homes. The initial deadline to pass the budget was back on April 1st.

 

A North Buffalo father is facing a long prison sentence for his alleged role in the death of his five-month old son. The Erie County District Attorney’s Office says that 41-year-old Benjamin Rodriguez has been indicted on a manslaughter charge. According to prosecutors, the boy was found unresponsive at a home on Crestwood Avenue in December. The infant was taken to Oishei Children’s Hospital but couldn’t be saved. If convicted of the highest charge, Rodriguez could spend 25 years in prison.

 

 

 

Governor Hochul has signed off on legislation that is aimed at expanding access to reproductive health care. One measure now makes hormonal contraception available over the counter to help people who may not have a primary care provider, but do have access to a pharmacy. SUNY and CUNY campuses are also required to ensure students have access to medication abortion on campus. The governor says this legislation will help make sure the Empire State is a safe harbor for people in need of care. (Released photo)

 

New York State Attorney General Letitia James is working with drug companies to cap insulin prices for uninsured New Yorkers. She’s reached agreements with pharma giants Eli Lilly and Sanofi-Aventis, the nation’s largest insulin manufacturers. Under the terms, the price of insulin will be capped at $35 for a monthly prescription for uninsured New Yorkers for five years. James’ office found the prohibitive cost of insulin has caused some New Yorkers to ration their doses or forego them altogether.

 

Two people involved in buying and selling stolen identities online have been charged in Buffalo. 33-year-old Terrance Michael Ciszek and 41-year-old Corey Robert Dodge, a detective with the Buffalo Police department, were caught allegedly buying stolen data on a dark web online marketplace called Genesis Market, which sells email addresses, mobile device identifiers, usernames and passwords and other information including credit card numbers hacked from computers around the world. Ciszek purchased 11 packages of information in 2020. Dodge purchased 14 packages in 2021. Czisek has been suspended with pay from the Buffalo Police Department pending further internal investigation.

 

A one-month-old girl is in critical condition after the child’s father was struck by a box truck in Rochester. The man was running following an argument at the House of Mercy on Ormond Street yesterday and had grabbed the baby moments before being hit by the truck near Joseph Avenue and Ward Street. The infant ended up coming out of her father’s arms and fell to the ground. Her father, who wasn’t hurt, was taken into custody.

 

 

State Police have released new information on an officer-involved shooting in Canandaigua earlier this week. According to Troopers, officers were called to look into a report of a suspicious individual on South Main Street Monday. Once they arrived, the encountered 34-year-old Thomas Johnson, who appeared to be holding a weapon. Officers asked Johnson to drop what turned out to be an Airsoft pistol, but he refused and was shot. He was brought to a nearby hospital and is in stable condition. Johnson ended up being arrested for menacing and is due in court later this month.

 

ELSEWHERE…

 

Drug maker Eli Lilly reports its Alzheimer’s treatment Donanemab significantly slowed progression of the disease in clinical trials. Lilly released trial data today showing that patients who received the monthly antibody infusion during an 18-month study had a 35-percent lower decline in memory, thinking, and their ability to perform daily activities.

 

 

Bud Light sales are falling following its partnership with transgender social media star Dylan Mulvaney. The latest weekly figures show a 21-percent drop. A prominent alcoholic beverage consultant said the figures show Bud Light’s core customers are ditching the brand.

 

 

 

 

Eighth graders are starting to fall behind when it comes to U.S. history and civics. The National Assessment for Education Progress was released today, showing that in 2022 just 13 percent reached or exceeded of what’s considered proficient in history. Forty percent performed at below what’s considered the basic level. Meanwhile, on one new national engineering and technology test (Vox), 8th grade girls outperformed boys.

 

 

The number of Subway sandwich shops in operation dropped by nearly 600 last year. Subway finished 2022 with more than 20,000 stores in the United States, but with a net drop of just over 570 shops. The company attributes the large number of closings in recent years to over expansion and outdated operations and décor.

 

 

Another woman has testified that former President Donald Trump sexually assaulted her. Jessica Leeds testified Tuesday in writer E. Jean Carroll’s civil trial accusing Trump of rape and defamation. The 81-year-old Leeds said Trump molested her during a flight in the late 1970s when they were both in their 30s.

 

 

Several television shows are being affected by the current Hollywood writers’ strike. The last Writers Guild of America strike, which started in 2007, lasted three months. The Late Show” on CBS, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC, “The Tonight Show” on NBC, “Late Night” on NBC and Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” have all stopped production for now.

 

The state of Colorado will give drivers a chance to let the Fourth be with them year-round. The Colorado DMV will begin auctioning off 12 “Star Wars” themed license plates on Thursday, a date commonly celebrated by movie fans with the phrase “May the 4th Be With You.” The plates contain phrases like “MAY-4TH,” “MR-VADER,” “CHEWY,” and “MY-X-WING.” Bidding will start at $100 for each plate, with proceeds going to the Colorado Disability Funding Committee. Bids will be accepted at 8 a.m. on Thursday, and the auction will close at 7:00pm next Thursday, May 11th.

 

May 3 in history…

 

In 1936, Joe DiMaggio played his first major league baseball game for the New York Yankees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1945, an estimated 5000 people were killed when British aircraft sunk the German passenger ship Cap Arcona. Most of the dead were former concentration camp prisoners on their way to freedom.

 

 

 

In 1963, more than 1000 blacks, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, marched through the city of Birmingham, Alabama, in a peaceful protest against segregation in local stores and restaurants. The group was met with violence from Birmingham police. The violent response was captured on national television, which sparked a huge push in the civil rights movement.

 

 

In 1986, Dolly Parton opened the doors to her theme park Dollywood in Tennessee.

 

 

 

 

 

In 2018, Evacuations were ordered on Hawaii’s Big Island after lava started spewing from the Kilauea volcano. Eruptions continued for weeks to follow, causing mass damage.