Weekend News Brief
Written by Dan Fischer on July 5, 2024
With the long holiday weekend that brings with it many celebrations, state police have once again increased DWI patrols and will ticket offenders, including those who are driving distracted with a handheld device. The current STOP DWI campaign is being partially funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
Governor Hochul has announced her support for President Biden indicating that he is ‘in it to win it’. However, some in the Democratic Party are concerned that Biden may not be fit enough for a second term following his weak performance at last week’s debate.
A new pedestrian bridge is making its way to Buffalo. The new Ralph Wilson Park Bridge was shipped from Italy and is heading down the Erie Canal. Once installed, it will connect the Lower West Side of Buffalo to the newly renovated park. The 266-foot bridge is expected to arrive in Buffalo by July 16th.
The New York State Thruway Authority is issuing a warning about an ongoing text message scam. The agency says scammers have reached out to people claiming to be from Tolls by Mail NY falsely saying the message recipient has unpaid tolls. That person is then directed to a website that asks them for personal data like their credit card number and social security number. The Thruway Authority says it would never ask for information like this and urges anyone who gets one of these messages to delete it.
The next meeting of the Genesee Area Genealogists is Tuesday, July 18th at 7pm at the Holland Land Office Museum. The guest speaker will be Pamela Ware from the Daughters of American Revolution, talking about an upcoming exhibit at the museum and tracing American Revolutionary Veterans of Genesee County. Everyone is welcome to attend.
The Village of Corfu is kicking off their 2024 Farmer’s Market season in the parking lot of the Corfu United Presbyterian Church on Monday, July 8th. Buffalo-based singer and songwriter Davey O will be on hand from 4 to 7pm. For more information, please visit www.daveyo.com
The Oakfield United Methodist Church at 2 South Main Street, will host their annual chicken bar-b-q on Wednesday, July 17th from 4-6 pm. The cost is $15 and each person receives half a chicken, potato salad, baked beans, roll, dessert and a drink. It’s drive-through only.
The 25th Annual Le Roy Alumni Banquet, for alumni who have celebrated 50 or more years will be held from noon to 4:00 on Friday, July 12th, at Our Lady of Mercy Hall, 44 Lake Street. For more information, please call 585-768-7534.
NBC News features:
A University of Georgia-based start-up will launch a nasal COVID vaccine trial this fall. CyanVac LLC has received funding from Project NextGen, a federal initiative at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The new vaccine is based on a viral delivery platform that contains modified strains of canine influenza which causes kennel cough in dogs. The Phase 2b clinical trial will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of its new vaccine compared to an FDA-approved mRNA vaccine currently used to protect against serious COVID-19 illness.
It looks like a summer wave of COVID is here. Last week, the CDC estimated that COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing across almost all of the U.S. With people gathering inside to avoid the heat and traveling for the 4th of July, cases are expected to go up. But experts are anticipating that the summer wave will stay mild.
Cancer centers are reporting drug shortages. Among 28 centers across the U.S., 89-percent reported that at least one drug used to treat cancer, symptoms, or treatment side effects was in short supply. That’s according to a survey by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. The problem is reportedly being fueled by a combination of supply chain problems, and overseas companies cutting back on unprofitable drug manufacturing.
A recent SmartAsset study reveals what a family of four needs to earn to cover necessities in each US state. A family of four needs to earn at least $106,000 a year to cover their necessities in most U.S. states according to Smart Asset data. The findings are based on estimated costs for things like housing, taxes, and childcare. The most expensive state is Massachusetts, where you’ll need $150,000 a year for a family of four; while $88,000 is what you’ll need in Mississippi, which least expensive state. Meanwhile, basic expenses in all states exceed what most U.S. households typically earn, estimated to be roughly $78,000 a year.
Moderna has reached a deal with the U.S. Health and Human Services Department to develop a pandemic flu vaccine. An HHS official called it “an important step in our nation’s pandemic influenza preparedness and response capability.” The move will be useful in case the shot is necessary with the outbreak of bird flu. The government has four-point-eight million doses of an H5 vaccine under production, tailoring to the currently active strains of the H5N1 bird flu virus.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says the U.S. is making progress on inflation. During a panel discussion at a conference in Portugal this week, Powell expressed satisfaction with the progress on inflation over the past year but said he wants to see more before cutting interest rates. He said cutting rates too soon could set the central bank back from its goal to bringing inflation down to 2%.
Loneliness could impact your risk of having a stroke. A new study shows that older adults who reported being chronically lonely had a 56-percent higher stroke risk than those who rated their loneliness low. The lead study author at Harvard noted the importance of assessing loneliness, and said “consequences may be worse if ignored.”
