Wednesday News Brief

A convicted serial rapist has been accused of attacking a civilian employee at the Attica Correctional Facility. The attack happened last November, according to the Wyoming County District Attorney’s office. 37-year-old Emmanuel Jenkins is currently serving a sentence of 15 years to life in prison for preying on women who worked as sex workers in Buffalo by leading them to dark or abandoned areas and assaulting them in two separate incidents in 2015. He was sentenced in 2016. In the newest incident, he is charged with first-degree attempted rape, first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree criminal mischief. Jenkins returns to court on March 13 and in the meantime has been transferred to Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County.

 

The latest numbers show the spread of the flu is still declining across our region. During the week ending January 27th, Monroe County had the highest amount of cases with 439; followed by Erie County with 162. Chautauqua County had 102 while Niagara County had 81. Health Department officials say the best way to protect yourselves and others from getting sick is to receive a flu shot if you haven’t already and to practice good hygiene. Statewide, over 217,000 people have contracted the flu since the season started in October.

 

34-year-old Ericka McBride and 28-year-old Tajhenne Walker, both of Buffalo have been arrested by Genesee County Sheriffs. This followed an incident at Ulta Beauty, during which the women concealed merchandise and exited the store without paying. McBride and Walker were charged with grand larceny, possession of burglar tools and conspiracy. McBride was issued an appearance ticket for Batavia Town Court for later this month; additional information on the status of Walker was unavailable.

 

The FBI has been investigating an illicit online marketplace known as Genesis Market, whose operators compile stolen data, such as computer and mobile device identifiers, email addresses, usernames, and passwords, from malware-infected computers around the world and package it for sale on the market. Purchases made through Genesis Market are conducted using virtual currency, such as bitcoin. 23-year-old Brandon Hall of Rochester has been charged with possessing 15 or more unauthorized devices, by purchasing them on Genesis Market; 1100 stolen account credentials that included Citi Bank, Venmo, Paypal, Walmart and several others, were also found. Hall is scheduled to appear in court this afternoon. If he is eventually found guilty, the charges carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

 

A plan to build a large-scale studio in Buffalo for television and film production has been put on hold. Officials with Buffalo Studios say the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in the cost of materials. That means what was supposed to be an $80 million project has now ballooned to $120 million. There is hope that the project on South Park Avenue may be able to continue, but an exact timeline isn’t set.

 

The state Attorney General’s Office has revealed footage of a deadly officer involved shooting in Rochester. The incident happened on Christmas Eve and video shows an officer approaching 46-year-old Todd Novick on Murray Street after reports were received of a person with a gun. Novick ran away from the officer and later reached for his waistband before the officer shot him. Novick was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The shooting is still under investigation.

 

The name of a bicyclist who was hit and killed in Perinton this past weekend has now been released. According to authorities, 40-year-old Randy Peterson was struck by at least one vehicle while riding in the area of Courtney Drive Sunday night. Peterson passed away at the scene and so far no charges have been filed in connection with this tragedy. A GoFundMe has been set up to help Peterson’s family cover expenses.

 

SUNY students across New York are getting critical funds for internships. Governor Hochul announced SUNY is investing $10 million in funding to provide 3,000 SUNY students with internship experiences. She noted internships provide students with transformative opportunities outside classrooms to explore fields of study and gain hands-on experience before graduation. It’s part of the 163-million SUNY Operating Aid Increase, expanding opportunities for more students while helping secure skill sets needed to enter the workforce and pursue careers.

 

Hamburg police have released more information on a deadly officer-involved shooting in their community. Last Friday, officers were called to investigate a burglary at a home on Willet Road. The suspect, 36-year-old Lisa Haight, left the residence and was found inside another house nearby. She encountered police inside of a bathroom and ended up being shot and killed. The police chief says the shooting was justified because Haight tried to slash officers with what they thought was a knife but turned out to be a penlight.

 

Starting Sunday, a brand-new consumer protection law will be going into effect in New York State. The legislation will amend and clarify the state’s current credit card surcharge law. It will limit credit card surcharges to the amount charged to the business by the credit card company. Businesses must also post the total price of an item or service inclusive of the credit card surcharge. Governor Hochul says this measure will keep people from having to deal with hidden credit card costs.

 

Wegmans has issued a recall of Harissa Hummus Dip that is sold at its stores. The supermarket chain says the 10 and a half ounce product has an incorrect ingredient label on it. As a result, it could lead to people who are allergic to sesame getting sick. No illnesses have been reported, and the product has expiration dates of March 19th and March 24th of this year. Customers who bought the dip can return it for a refund.

 

The two-game winning streak of the Buffalo Sabres has been snapped after the team suffers a loss at home. Tage Thompson had the lone goal for the Sabres as his team fell to the Dallas Stars 2-1 at KeyBank Center last night. Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was able to stop 28 of the 30 shots he faced in the contest. Up next for Buffalo is a home game on Saturday against the Saint Louis Blues; the puck drops at 1:00.

 

ELSEWHERE…

Dollar General is soon going to carry fresh fruits and vegetables. The new choices include salad mixes, strawberries, potatoes, and tomatoes. The items will hit around 5,000 locations across the country. The retailer serves a large percent of rural and under-populated areas. The upgrades are set to begin as early as next month.

 

More Americans are drowning in credit card debt. The New York Federal Reserve says credit card delinquencies surged more than 50% in 2023. Total consumer debt soared to more than $17.5 trillion with the Fed noting “serious delinquency” of 90 days or more across multiple categories. As one economic researcher at the Fed put it, the data signals increased financial stress especially among younger and lower-income households.

 

Honda is recalling nearly 750,000 vehicles in the U.S. over air bags that could deploy unintentionally during a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the front passenger seat weight sensor could crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag. Officials reported that 16 Honda and Acura makes are included in the recall. According to federal safety regulators, dealers will replace the seat weight sensors free of charge.

 

The oldest living person in the United States is celebrating a milestone. Edith “Edie” Recogno Keenan Ceccarelli turned 116 on February 5th. That’s according to the Gerontology Research Group. Her town of Willits, California threw a birthday bash for her with a parade despite rain and wind throughout the region. A friend of the supercentenarian told Nexstar’s KTXL that there was an “incredible turnout.” Her birthday celebration has become an annual event in recent years.

 

 

Today is Wednesday, Feb. 7, the 38th day of 2024 with 328 to follow.

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

February 7 in history…

…In 1962, country singer Garth Brooks was born (happy 62nd!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1964, the Beatles arrived in the United States at New York’s Kennedy Airport for the first time and immediately set off a frantic wave of “Beatlemania.”

 

 

 

 

…In 1965, comedian Chris Rock was born (happy 59th!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…In 1973, the U.S. Senate voted to set up a committee to investigate a break-in at the Democratic National Headquarters in Washington’s Watergate complex.

 

 

 

…In 1978, actor Ashton Kutcher was born (happy 46th!)