Weekend News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on May 6, 2023
The increase in Marijuana use since its legalization in several states and places around the world has more groups investigating its long term health effects and finding an alarming connection. According to a study done by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Capital Region of Denmark Mental Health Services, those who use marijuana, especially young men who use it every day, run the risk of developing Schizophrenia. Specifically they point to people who use enough marijuana to develop a use disorder characterized by becoming addicted and steadily increasing the use of pot and being unable to limit how much they consume. Researchers found strong evidence of an association between cannabis use disorder and schizophrenia among men and women, though the association was much stronger among young men. Using statistical models, the study authors estimated that as many as 30% of cases of schizophrenia among men aged 21-30 might have been prevented by averting cannabis use disorder. Schizophrenia is a lifelong illness that generally causes joblessness, reduced lifespan, hallucinations and a course of treatment that many find very difficult to live with.
55 people have been selected by lottery to be the new tenants at the new Ellicott Station Apartments in downtown Batavia. All 55 people had applied for an apartment. The drawing was done at the Savarino Business office in Buffalo on Tuesday. Last month the City Council expressed disappointment that they had been misled into thinking that the apartments would be for working families and middle income earners. According to the application guidelines, income qualifications meet very low levels that, in some cases, are too high even for minimum wage earners, making it seem likely that at least some applicants will fall within Section 8 parameters. City of Batavia management and City Council members sent a letter to Housing and Community Renewal for reconsideration of current income levels set for Ellicott Station, so that higher salary earners (per the median area income) could be eligible to apply for apartments.
The 2023 Criminal Justice Awards were handed out by the Kiwanis Club on Thursday night. 5 members of the community, people who worked with law enforcement or a criminal justice agency, were awarded. Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Erik Andre, Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher John Spencer, Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison, New York State Police Trooper Bradley Maderer and Deputy County Attorney Paula Campbell received awards for their service. The Charles Mancuso Mock Trial Award went to the LeRoy High School Mock Trial Team for winning the 2023 GLOW District Competition in the New York State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Tournament.
The Hilton Central School District had another scare Friday morning. The district said a student from Merton Williams Middle School saw a threatening message on Snapchat about a school shooting, posted by a user in Florida, and shared it. Although the message didn’t mention a specific school, it quickly spread among other students and parents, causing concern. A Hilton High School student alerted the administration about the threat, and the district quickly teamed up with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office to investigate. The sheriff’s office conducted an investigation, and the threat was deemed “not credible.” In a letter to parents, the school district assured them that the incident did not interrupt the school day and expressed gratitude to the student who reported the initial concern. The district said the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of reporting any potential threats or concerns to school officials or law enforcement.
