Weekend News Brief

A Buffalo man was arrested Friday morning after an alleged reckless motorcycle operation caused the death of his 17-year-old passenger.  Just before noon police responded to reports of an accident involving a motorcycle at the Roundabout on Oak St.  They arrived to find a woman on the ground and a man remounting his motorcycle to ride away.  Police chased down the fleeing cyclist and returned to the scene of the accident where he tried to attack the EMS workers who were trying to assist the woman.  Police took him into custody again and transported him to the Batavia Police HQ where he broke a window and tried to escape.  He was apprehended again.  The man has been identified as 27 year old Christopher Scinta.  The woman was taken to UMMC where she was pronounced dead. She was identified as 17 year old Jasmyne Rubel.  Police have been able to ascertain that Scinta was driving and Rubel was riding when he hit the curb and the bike went over.  He is being charged with many crimes including manslaughter and obstructing medical services.

After a St Paul student was driven to school in the red school bus, Batavia Fire Engine Number 11, a Jackson School student got a ride Friday morning.  Joseph Schafer won the city’s Fire Prevention coloring contest in the K-1 group.  He had been sick and unable to go to school so the ride was a surprise as his parents didn’t tell him he won till he was better and the fire engine showed up at his home.

Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning is under new ownership.  The new President and Owner, Jake Koch, says he’s been in the industry since he was a kid.  Koch, a resident of Hilton, has owned Triton Mechanical in Monroe County with his father Jeff and friend Kevin O’Connell for more than six years.  He met former Turnbull owner Bill Hayes a couple of years ago, and was introduced to the company at 50 Franklin St., Batavia, more thoroughly after Hayes decided to put it up for sale. One selling point was that Koch wanted to become as fully involved with the community as Hayes has been, the new owner said.  Hayes will go into retirement but stay around to ease the transition.

Richmond Memorial Library is holding a food drive with the RML Teen and Tween Programming Group until November 18th.  The bin for thanksgiving food items will be in the foyer of the library.  Donations will be delivered to the Salvation Army.  

The Aquarium of Niagara harbor seal, Stryker, has predicted this will be a frigid winter.  Stryker makes his prediction annually by jumping up and hitting a balloon labeled either frigid or cold.  He has predicted the weather for 2 years and been right both times.

Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets as he deals with an elbow injury.  The Bills released their injury report Friday afternoon and there were only two other players with an injury designation, linebacker Matt Milano and offensive lineman Spencer Brown were both listed as questionable.  Milano is dealing with an oblique injury, he did not practice Wednesday or Thursday but did practice in a limited capacity on Friday.  Brown is dealing with an ankle injury, he practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.