Weekend News Brief

A jury has convicted the man accused of fatally shooting Rochester Police Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz and two other men in July 2022 on all of the charges he was facing.  Jurors determined Vickers, 22, of Boston, was responsible for shooting Mazurkiewicz and Officer Sino Seng, who were working undercover July 21, 2022 on Bauman Street, killing Mazurkiewicz and injuring Seng. The jury also found Vickers guilty of murder for the deaths of Ricky Collinge and Myjel Rand on North Clinton Avenue less than 48 hours prior.  Vickers is looking at 65 years to life in prison for crimes related to the shooting of Mazurkiewicz and Seng.  He could also face life in prison without the possibility of parole for the deaths of Rand and Collinge.

A man has been arrested for trying to entice minors into his hotel room.  The Erie County District Attorney’s Office announced that 71-year-old John Dziedzic of Clarence was arraigned in Clarence Town Court on one count of Level 3 sex offender failing to provide a photo, one count of sex offender failing to update address and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.  The district attorney’s office said New York State police responded to a complaint of a suspicious person at a motel on the 900 block of Main Street. Dziedzic allegedly approached two juveniles and offered them money, marijuana and candy to go to his motel room.  Dziedzic is on the sex offender registry for a rape arrest in 1976.  After his arrest for the alleged crime in Clarence, Dziedzic was also arrested by the Buffalo Police Department on a warrant for allegedly failing to register as a sex offender.

The Monroe County Department of Human Services is investigating more than 700 claims received in the past 10 days for replacement benefits due to EBT skimming.  The county authorized unlimited overtime for DHS and said the department has already solved more than 300 investigations.  The county said the skimming operation has impacted people all over Western New York, including Erie and Niagara counties.  The Department of Human Services said to remember to protect your EBT card and PIN information, change your PIN number, and monitor your EBT account regularly.

Rep. Claudia Tenney has introduced legislation that designates the Finger Lakes as a National Heritage Area.  National Heritage Areas (NHA) are established by Congress to “recognize a region’s natural, cultural, or historic significance.” Unlike national parks, NHAs are large, populated living areas with a community-driven approach to heritage conservation and economic development.  Tenney provided her reasoning for putting this legislation forward, “Spanning from Cayuga County to Livingston County, the Finger Lakes region boast a wealth of cultural heritage and natural beauty, making it a fitting candidate for designation as a National Heritage Area.”  Those involved in the decision hope that it will create jobs and promote economic growth throughout the Finger Lakes region.

The Buffalo Bills are playing against the NY Giants and Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will not play Sunday night against the Bills because of a neck injury he sustained in the 4th quarter when he was sacked by Dolphins edge rusher Andrew Van Grinkel.  Coach Brian Daboll on Friday listed Jones as out for the game along with left tackle Andrew Thomas, rookie center John Michael Schmitz, outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari and backup tackle Matt Peart.  Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor, who spent three seasons with the Bills, will start for New York, his first start since late in 2021 with Houston. Tommy DeVito, an undrafted free agent out of Illinois who previously played at Syracuse, either will be elevated from the practice squad or added to the roster to be his backup.