WBTA 1490 Station News
WBTA 1490 Station News
  Friday, May 9, 2008 A Wyoming County school bus driver has been charged with Sexual Abuse and Endangering the Welfare of a child following an incident in the Warsaw School District. 64 year old Alan Hamman of Gainesville was charged after he allegedly hit the child in the head and had inappropriate sexual contact with the child who is described as being under the age of 11. Dr. Kevin McGowan, the Superintendent of Warsaw Schools said the district is “deeply troubled” by the incident. Unfortunately, cases of young girls sending nude pictures of themselves is becoming more and more common place. Those comments come from the Nation Center for Missing and Exploited Children as 3 Western New York girls, ages 13 to 16 were discovered sending nude pictures through their cell phones. The pictures were found by a teacher at the Pioneer School District and reported to authorities. Genesee County receiving a number of grants from Albany recently. $93k was has been awarded to the City and Town of Batavia to study shared services. $250K will flow into the county to implement a consolidation of dispatch services. The city will receive $150k for sidewalk improvements, compliments of Senator Mary Lou Rath and Assemblyman Steve Hawley. Another $150K will head to the county jail. $50K will be used to study Agri-Tourism countywide while Pembroke Commerce Park, located at the intersection of Routes 5 and 77, will receive $15K for infrastructure improvements at the 67 acre park, that funding coming from National Fuel. So you think your school taxes are high? Residents in the southern tier Town of Canisteo learned yesterday that their tax rate could be climbing by 73%. To put things into perspective, the Batavia City School District recently announced that its proposed budget would lower the tax rate by about 2%. Voters across the state will head to the polls on May 20th to vote on school budgets. Thursday May 8, 2008 Funeral services including full military honors were held yesterday for 22 year old Mathew Hebell of Batavia who was killed when his car hit a pole while he was driving to his job at the Veteran’s Home on Richmond Avenue. Hebell, who served in Iraq, had plans to become a State Trooper. Some experts say there's not much to be gained for the Democratic party if NY Senator Hillary Clinton remains in the presidential race. Even with his big win in Tuesday's North Carolina primary, Barack Obama won't tell Clinton to quit the race saying that's her decision to make. Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs is predicting crude oil prices could hit 200 dollars a barrel over the next two years. The brokerage firm recently told its clients that high global demand and limited supplies may push oil up to 150 dollars a barrel this year. According to government data, crude oil prices have doubled over the past year and have increased sixfold since 2002. The New York State Senate has passed a measure that would suspend the state’s gasoline tax from Memorial Day until Labor Day, a move that would save New Yorkers 32 cents a gallon. But don’t spend your windfall just yet, Governor David Patterson has voiced his opposition of the bill. The State Assembly has passed legislation that would delay foreclosures on homeowners in New York that have defaulted on mortgage payments. The bill imposes a one year delay on foreclosure proceedings. The governor recently supported a similar proposal that would delay the process by 60 days. CNN and Money Magazine believe that the real estate market in WNY is strong. A recent top ten list ranked Rochester at number 2 nationwide and Buffalo at number 5 pointing out that home prices in our area have gone up close to 30 percent over the past five years. A Rochester TV station is reporting that an area 9-1-1 Dispatcher has been arrested after she allegedly accessed a secure government Website containing information about suspected terrorists. Now the FBI believes Nadire Zel-e-naj used the information for personal reasons. Officials believe that the woman visited the site more than 200 times. And talk about grumpy old men! An Oakfield man faces charges after threatening another person with a cane. 64 year old Jason Adams of Sunset Parkway was charged with menacing and harassment. He’ll appear in court later this month to answer to those charges. If you’re planning on watching the Bills play the Dolphins in Toronto in December, start saving now. The average ticket price will be more than $200 with top seats costing more than $300. Wednesday May 7, 2008 by Wayne Fuller Voters who are residents of the Batavia City School District have approved the 1.15 million dollar budget for the Richmond Memorial Library. The tally was 245 to 52. The budget calls for an increase in spending of 40 thousand dollars or about 5 dollars more on a house assessed at 100 thousand dollars. Tracy Stokes was elected to a vacant seat on the Library Board of Trustees. He ran unopposed and received 284 votes. The term runs from 2008 through 2013. A Lakeville teenager is finding out the hard way not to make threats in a school. 16-year-old Samantha Osborn has been charged with falsely reporting an incident. She allegedly wrote bomb threats on two girl’s bathroom walls at Livonia High School. She’s in jail with bail set at 25 hundred dollars cash and 5 thousand dollars bond. Livingston County Sheriff John York says any threats in a school are taken very seriously. With four-dollar gas now a reality in New York, the state Senate today is expected to pass a measure that would suspend the state's gasoline taxes for the summer months. The proposed legislation would abolish the 32-cent-per-gallon tax from Memorial Day through Labor Day. But, opponents in the Assembly say a three-month elimination of the tax would mean 500-million-dollars less for road and bridge construction. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says suspending the state gas tax is "just covering the failures of the Bush administration." Governor David Paterson has expressed reservations about a gas tax holiday, but doesn't oppose the plan outright. Presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain have called for a summertime holiday from the 18-cent-per-gallon federal gas tax. Senator Barack Obama is against the idea, calling it "a gimmick." Your Social Security benefits won’t be disturbed if Jack Davis has his way. Davis is a democrat seeking the democratic nomination to run for the now vacant 26th congressional seat. Davis,in Batavia yesterday, said he will vote against any privatization of benefits and would also vote against any proposal to would raise retirement age or cut social security benefits. He also pledged against giving benefits to illegal aliens. Davis is trying for a third time to win the Congressional seat and he says if elected he won’t take the 169 thousand dollar a year Congressional Salary. He also says he doesn’t collect Social Security benefits even through he is eligible. Monroe County will have to settle some procedural matters before the Court of Appeals the state’s highest court will rule on a lawsuit by Monroe County challenging the payment of benefits to the same sex partner of a female worker at Monroe Community College. That couple was married in Canada in 2004, but the county says New York doesn’t recognized same-sex marriages. A local court ruled in favor of the county, but the Appellate Division then overturned that decision. Now it’s back to the County to work out those procedural matters. The American Hockey League’s Board of Governors has approved the sale of 60 percent of the Rochester Americans Hockey team to Canadian Curt Styles and Arrow Express Sports. Steve Donner is retaining his 40 percent and that is causing a problem. Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy says the city won’t negotiate a new lease for the use of the Blue Cross Arena for the team as long as Donner retains any control over the Amerks. One of the Lackawanna Six has been released from prison and is now in a half way house in Detroit. Faysal Galab was one of six, of the so-called Lackawanna Six, arrested in 2003 and admitted to getting terrorist training at an Al Qaeda Camp. Galab is schedule to be released from the half way house in October. Tuesday, May 6, 2008 by Wayne Fuller Jack Davis, a democrat seeking the nomination for the 26th Congressional district was in Batavia this morning where he pledged to protect Social Security Benefits for seniors if he’s elected. Davis, who is running for a third time, says he will vote against any privatization of benefits. Davis also said he would vote against any proposal that would raise the retirement age for seniors and to vote against any legislation that would cut benefits. He also pledged no Social Security benefits for illegal aliens. Davis does not collect social security benefits even through he could and promised not to accept the 169 thousand dollar congressional salary if he’s elected. Davis made the remarks outside the Batavia Town Hall on West Main Street Road. A Trumbull Parkway man has been charged with disorderly conduct for reportedly making an obscene gesture while driving down Main Street last night. Batavia Police say 41 year old Daniel Salazar reportedly was driving while holding his hand above the roof, waving his hand up and down while displaying his middle finger only. Salazar was stopped in front of 10 West Main Street. He’ll appear in Batavia City Court on May 13th. Businessman Christopher Lee, who has the Republican backing to run for Congress in the 26th district, has received support from a very important person; the man whom, he wants to replace, Tom Reynolds. Reynolds is retiring this year after 10 years in congress and announced yesterday he is supporting Lee. Also it has been reported that Reynolds has 1.8 million dollars in campaign funds. However there’s no word on how he plans to use the money. Congressman Reynolds has announced that Batavia High School Senior Sabrina Twardowski has won the 2008 Congressional Art Competition for New York’s 26th Congressional District. For finishing in first place, Sabrina will receive three roundtrip tickets to Washington DC to view her artwork on display at the U.S. Capitol Building. The man known as the “Pillowcase” burglar has entered a guilty plea in Genesee County Court to burglaries at 10 homes in Batavia earlier this year. 52-year-old Thomas Aquino also admitted to more than 20 similar burglaries in Batavia back in 1983. However he won’t receive extra jail time because the statute of limitations has expired. Aquino earned the name “The Pillowcase Burglar” because he used a pillowcase to carry off the loot. 32-year-old Jerry Saddler Junior of 25 Hutchins Street in Batavia is behind bars this morning with bail set at one thousand dollars. He’s charged with Criminal Trespass, Criminal Mischief, and endangering the welfare of a child. Batavia police say that Saddler refused to leave a female’s home on Columbia Avenue and while being escorted by Police damaged a wall with his head in front of two children. A traffic complaint has led to the arrest of 45-year-old Joanne Paolucci of the Bug Road in Warsaw. She has been charged by Wyoming County Sheriff’s Officials with a number of motor vehicle offenses including Felony DWI and unlicensed operation. Paolucci is in jail with bail set at 10 thousand dollars. Has anyone seen 75 female sheep?. That’s what the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department is asking. 75 full wool “dairy”sheep, some who are ready to give birth to lambs, are missing from a pasture located off the Stinson Road in the Wyoming County town of Arcade. The sheep disappeared during April. Wyoming County Deputies are also looking for the person or persons who burglarized residences on Genesee Road in the town of Arcade during April. Included in the items taken a Sony 46 inch LCD TV, string trimmers blower, and chain saw, a Char Broil stainless steel gas grill and a Commemorative gold receiver 22 lever action rifle. If you have information on either the sheep or the burglaries you are asked to call the Wyoming County Sheriff’s department at 585-786-8989. The Richmond Memorial Library’s 1.15 million dollar budget is up for a vote today. City of Batavia School Districts residents are eligible to vote on the package, which is about 40 thousand dollars more than last year. That increase amounts to about 5 dollars more in taxes on a one hundred thousand dollar home. Tracy Stokes is running unopposed for the lone seat of the Library Board of Directors. District residents may vote today at the Library on Ross Street from noon until 9PM. The Batavia City School District is holding a budget hearing tonight on next year’s budget. It beings at 7PM at the Multi-Purpose Room at the Jackson School on South Jackson street tonight. The public is invited to attend. A judge in Chenango County has ruled that the three former owners of the Rochester Rhinos owe NBT Bank of Utica over 10-million-dollars which they loaned to the team to help pay for Paetec Park. Steve Donner, Frank DuRoss and Chris Economides were all named in the suit. The bank sold the Rhinos in March. All three reportedly personally guaranteed the loans. In Niagara County Court, 24-year old Daniel Bowser told the judge he did not try and abduct a fourth grade girl on her way to school last Thursday. A crossing guard had watched what happened and help police arrest Bowser later in the day. He has pleaded not guilty. Police are investigating if he could also be responsible for a similar incident in Lockport on April 21st. Monday, May 5, 2008 by Wayne Fuller Wyoming County Sheriff’s Officials are investigating the theft of about 75 “dairy” sheep from a pasture on the Stinson Road in the Town of Arcade during the month of April. The sheep were all ewe’s (female) and were in full wool. Some of the sheep reportedly were ready to give birth to lambs. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Wyoming County Sheriffs Office at 585-786-8989. National Grid today has announced an expanded portfolio of energy efficiency programs in the Upstate New York service area. The purpose is to help customers save energy, save money and to benefit the environment. Tom King, the president of National Grid in the US, says the company is proposing these expanded energy efficiency programs for its customers so that both together can take action to achieve New York State’s ambitious goal of reducing energy usage 15 percent by the year 2015. National Grid has proposed 15 programs to reach that goal including Residential High Efficiency Central Air Conditioning, Heating, and Water Heating to an energy wise program which calls for energy efficiency services opportunities in multifamily dwellings. Residents of the City of Batavia School district tomorrow get the opportunity to vote on the Richmond Memorial Library’s budget for next year. The budget, which totals 1.15 million dollars, includes an increase in spending of nearly 40 thousand dollars. Library officials say that would amount to about 5 dollars on a home assessed at one hundred thousand dollars. Also up of election is a position on the Richmond Memorial Library Board of Directors. Tracy Stokes is running unopposed for that seat. The voting is tomorrow from noon until 9PM in the Gallery Room of the Library, which is on Ross Street in Batavia. A one car crash on Saturday has claimed the life of a Batavia man. 22 year old Matthew Hebell of the Kelsey road was killed when his car left route 98, just north of the Dodgeson Road and struck a pole. Hebell was on his way home from work when the accident occurred. He had just recently returned home from Iraq after serving a tour of duty. State Police are looking for the driver of a pick-up truck that struck a man while the victim was lying in the roadway. 20 year old Kyle Regan of Akron was taken to ECMC where his condition is listed as critical. State Police say a witness spotted Regan in the Road but couldn’t reach the man before the large, dark colored pick-up truck, struck Regan. State Police says its unknown why Regan was in the roadway and for that matter whether he had already been struck before the witnessed event. 26-year-old Frank Baumgardner of the Dodgeson Road in Alexander has been charged with Unlawful imprisonment, endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, two misdemeanors and a violation. Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputies say Baumgardner during a domestic incident allegedly pushed his wife while trying to grab his daughter away from the woman. Baumgardner then reportedly preventing both the wife and daughter from leaving the Dodgeson Road residence. Baumgarder is in jail with bail set at 500 dollars. 20-year-old Sean Lafferty has been order to stay where he’s been after appearing in court. That somewhere is the Wyoming County Jail. Lafferty has been charged with promoting Prison Contraband. Laffferty is an inmate at the jail and was arrested after an investigation of possession of items prohibited by an inmate of the jail. Failing to perform assigned community service duties has resulted in the re-arrest of 21-year-old Andrew Rock of East Main Street in Batavia, on DWAI charges. Rock had previously been convicted of DWAI and sentenced to the community service. He’s in jail with bail set at 300 dollars. 49-year-old Gregory Seppe of North Spruce Street has been charged with Criminal Trespass. He was arrested after seen rummaging through a garage on East Avenue that he didn’t own. Seppe is in jail with bail at 25 hundred dollars. There is another Criminal Trespass arrest. 29-year-old Thomas Culver of Wood Street was arrested following the investigation into the unlawful entering of a house on State Street in April. He's also in jail with bail set at 25 hundred dollars. A survey says the national average price for regular gasoline rose about 15 cents in the last two weeks. The average price of self-serve regular gasoline on Friday was $3.62 a gallon, up 15 cents from two weeks ago. Mid-grade was at $3.74 and premium was $3.85. That's all according to the Lundberg Survey of 7,000 stations nationwide released today. Regular gasoline is up 55 cents since 2008 began. Of the cities surveyed, the cheapest price was in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where a gallon of regular cost $3.39, on average. The highest average was in San Francisco at $3.95. In Western New York, customers are paying an average of $3.76. That's up 73 cents from this time last year. The bad news, analysts say prices will likely continue to surge as demand for fuel rises this summer. You have the opportunity this evening of voicing input in changes in the City of Batavia Charter. The Charter Review Commission for the City of Batavia is meeting this evening at 6:30 and anyone may speak by signing up with the Chairman of the Charter Review Commission before the meeting. That session is being held in the Council Work Room on the second floor of the Batavia City Centre. A two-alarm fire on Saturday on the Maxwell Road in the Wyoming County town of Bliss destroyed a barn. The building and its contents were valued at 200 thousand dollars. The Wyoming County Hazmat Team was called to the scene after oil was spotted running from the building. The spill was contained by using heavy construction equipment and a large amount of oil absorbing booms and pads. There were no injures and the cause has been listed as accidental. Saturday, May 3, 2008 by Wayne Fuller Residents of the Byron-Bergen School district will be voting for a third time on a set of Capital Projects at the school. Twice voters last year turned down the proposals. This time the vote will be on four propositions instead of the complete package. The vote will be held on June 10th from 6AM to 9PM at the Byron Bergen High School. According to school officials, exit polls and conversations provided the Board of Education will information on resident’s opinions. Two themes evolved. One take care of the maintenance and safety issues in the buildings and secondly give the voters choices on other proposed improvements, which is what is being done. The total of all four propositions is about 23 million dollars, with the biggest of 16 million called the Base Project taking care of maintenance and safety issues. 52-year-old Thomas Aquino who currently is in the Genesee County Jail has been charged with 9 additional counts of Burglary. He was arrested back on March 2nd and charged with burglary and now faces the additional 9 charges stemming from break-ins at homes on Ross Street, Oak Street, Ellicott Avenue, North Lyon Street, Redfield Parkway, Mix Place and Bank Street. Aquino remains in jail with no bail set. 37-year-old Dana Brown of Lincoln Avenue in Warsaw has been charged with disorderly conduct. Brown allegedly used obscene language during an appearance in Wyoming County Support Court. He’ll appear in court on May 12th to answer to the disorderly conduct charge. Hundreds of mourners gathered at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Harris Hill Road in Clarence Friday to remember Jonathon Cote. The 25-year-old Army veteran from Getzville was kidnapped and killed while working as a security contractor in Iraq. Cote's body was found April 19th in southern Iraq. His whereabouts were unknown for 17 months after he and four Crescent Security Group co-workers were abducted while accompanying a convoy of supply trucks for the Italian Army. Friday morning's Mass of Christian burial comes after hundreds of people paid their respects to the slain Iraq war veteran at a wake Wednesday and Thursday. Those in attendance included Cote's Army comrades from his time in the 82nd Airborne along with his Sigma Epsilon fraternity brothers at the University of Florida. Gov. David Paterson says he admitted past marital affairs in part because he feared an "out-of-control" element in the state police that he says was investigating politicians. The Democrat, who took office in March, has already called for an investigation into lawmakers' claims that a state police unit was keeping tabs on elected officials. At that time, though, he wouldn't say if he believed there was such a unit and the state police union said it doubted the unit existed. But now Paterson says he knew it was operating and it prompted his extraordinary revelations that he had affairs with women years ago when his marriage was in trouble. He has since reconciled with his wife. There was no immediate comment from state police. Friday, May 2, 2008 by Dan Fischer and Wayne Fuller Governor Paterson announced more than $13.5 million in grants to reduce local government costs. The city of Batavia and Genesee County are getting $259,000. They are merging the Batavia Police Information System and the Batavia Dispatch Operations. It will become a county-wide unified dispatch and information system. The city and town of Batavia will receive more than $93,000. The city and town will conduct a study to examine the potential cost savings, efficiency, and improved levels of service associated with consolidating services. An advisory committee of elected and appointed officials, business reps, and residents will work to carry out the study It will be 25 years to life for 17-year-old Andrew Figgins. He was sentenced in Genesee County Court following last month’s conviction of 2nd degree Murder Charges. Figgins was found guilty of shooting and killing Desean Gooch back in October of 2006. Figgins was one of four men charged in the killing that occurred on Dellinger Avenue. The other three had previously pled guilty and testified against Figgins at his trial. The VA Medical Center in Batavia Dedicated a new wing for their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinic today. Many veterans, along with several state and local politicians were in attendance for the Ceremony. The new 3rd floor unit nearly doubles the capacity for the program from 17 beds to 30 beds, enabling the program to accommodate the increasing demand from Iraq and Afghanistan Conflict veterans. PTSD Program Manager Dr Terri Julian says, the recent conflicts have also brought in a record number of Vietnam Veterans to the program as well. This center is one of only a dozen in the country and sees patients from all over the eastern seaboard. The Renovations to the 3rd floor that created the unit cost 400 thousand dollars to complete. The Charter Review Commission for the City of Batavia will be holding a meeting Monday evening in the Council Work Room on the second floor of the Batavia City Centre. The public may speak by signing in with the Chairman prior to the start of the meeting. The session begins at 6:30PM on Monday. The chairman of the Democratic National Committee will be in Monroe County in mid-May. Howard Dean is scheduled to attend a fundraiser for a 29th Congressional District candidate, Eric Massa, on May 15. Dean is also expected to attend a fundraiser in Syracuse for 25th Congressional District candidate Dan Mafei. Dean, a 2004 presidential candidate, will also attend Monroe County's Democratic Convention at the German House in Rochester that same day. Monroe County Democratic Chair Joe Morelle said it has been at least 30 years since a Democratic National Committee Chair has been to Monroe County. New York State’s new law forcing online retailers to collect sales tax on shipments to state residents is being challenged by Amazon.com. The "New York Times" reports it's filed a lawsuit in Manhattan objecting to the law. The company's complaint argues that the statute is overly broad and vague. The question is whether vendors must collect tax on behalf of the state. The new law defines what constitutes a presence in the state. Amazon has thousands of affiliates that feature links to its products. The law states that if even one of those affiliates is in New York State, Amazon must collect sales tax on everything sold in the state, even if it's not sold through the affiliate. A public availability session will be held on May 21st by the U.S.. Environmental Protection Agency. The purpose of that session is to alert the public about what environmental tests have been proposed for an area near LeRoy, which was the site of a Lehigh Valley Freight Train derailment in December of 1970. That meeting will be held at the Northwood’s Sportsman Club on Gulf Road in LeRoy. Unicorn Management Consultants of Danbury, Connecticut has been hired by Lehigh Valley, under supervision of the EPA, to conduct these environmental tests. Snowmobilers know they pay an annual registration fee to the state. That money is supposed to be set-aside in a dedicated fund. But that’s not what happened this year. State Assemblyman Steve Hawley of Batavia. Hawley has circulated a petition calling on the state to return the money – about one-million dollars - to the snowmobile fund. Over a thousand signatures have been collected in Hawley’s own district. A fatal accident in Livingston County. A tractor-trailer and a pick-up truck collided on Route 20-A in Leicester. The driver of the pick-up, 39-year-old Thomas Olejnicak of Buffalo, was killed. Lawmen from four Genesee County police agencies honored at the annual Law Day Law Enforcement Awards. Receiving recognition this year were: Deputy Joseph Graff from the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Officer Emily Clark from the LeRoy Police; Trooper Holly Hanssel from the State Police and Officer Ed Mileham from the Batavia Police Department. All were given the awards last night by the Batavia Kiwanis Club and the Genesee County Bar Association. Members of the United Auto Workers have been out on strike at American Axle for two months. Now some possible bad news coming out of Detroit, a possible solution to the strike would include closing the forge plant in Tonawanda. The deal cuts wages almost in half from where they were before before the strike and closes the plant in Western New York and another one in Michigan. Exact details have not been released yet. Batavia’s United Memorial Medical Center has named an interim Medical Director. He is Dr. Michael Merrill, a hospitalist on staff at UMMC. Dr. Merrill takes over for Dr. Louis Green, who died unexpectedly earlier this year. Reverend Jesse Jackson says Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama made the right decision in denouncing comments from the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Jackson says it may be premature to get reconciliation, but "at least we can have a cease fire.” Thursday, May 1, 2008 by Dan Fischer Batavia’s United Memorial Medical Center has named an interim Medical Director. He is Dr. Michael Merrill, a hospitalist on staff at UMMC. Dr. Merrill takes over for Dr. Louis Green, who died unexpected inb March of this year. Nearly $400,000 worth of New York State Legislative member item grants will flow to the City of Batavia. City Manager Jason Molino has announced that $150,000 will be used to build a central booking area at the Genesee County Jail. The facility will serve both the Sheriff’s Office and Batavia Police. Another $150,000 has been approved to help make sidewalks more suitable for handicapped persons and $90,000 will buy the city a new ambulance. The member items were secured through State Senator Mary Lou Rath and Assemblyman Steve Hawley. Speaking of Assemblyman Hawley: he has officially announced that he is a candidate for re-election. Hawley won a special election to earn the seat in 2006 and later that year was elected to a full two-year term. Hawley is a Republican in the Democrat controlled state assembly. His father held the same seat for many years. Erie County Businessman Christopher Lee is the GOP front-runner for congress this fall, the seat being vacated by Tom Reynolds. Lee was in Batavia yesterday to announce his candidacy. Lee has the endorsement of the GOP chairmen in all seven counties in the district. WBTA has learned that within the Genesee County GOP Committee there was some support for Batavia’s David Bellavia, an Iraq war veteran who also announced his candidacy for the 26th Congressional District. State Police investigators are trying to understand what caused a 77-year-old woman from Baltimore to cross the Thruway early yesterday morning and hit a truck head-on. The family of Anita Birnbaum say they don't even know what she was doing in this area before the crash. Birnbaum was killed in the crash. It happened in the westbound lanes between Victor and Henrietta. Police are not sure where the problem started but they say that dispatchers in Genesee County started getting cell phone calls about a car going the wrong way about 20 minutes before the crash. You'll soon learn more about disgraced former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Penguin Group plans to publish a book on Spitzer's exploits. The book will be written by Fortune magazine editor Peter Elkin, who previously has written a book on the fall of Enron. Elkin will also collaborate with Academy Award winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, who is directing a documentary on the former Governor. Spitzer resigned in March after he admitted using the services of a high-priced call girl. No word yet on when the book or documentary will be released. Last month marked one of the warmest Aprils on record. The average daytime high last month was 50.8 degrees – the third warmest in Western New York since the National Weather Service started keeping records in the 1880s. Today is the first of May, and we had a frost advisory posted earlier his morning. Wednesday, April 30, 2008 by Dan Fischer An overturned truck slowed traffic for most of the morning on Route 63 at Pavilion. The truck – laden with salt – overturned around 8 this morning just south of Route 20. No one was injured. The truck has now been righted and traffic is moving through the area. With the price at some gas stations going over $4-a-gallon, the state Senate plans to introduce a measure today to shave more than 30 cents off gas prices in New York State. Members of the Republican-controlled Senate want to suspend the state's gas tax. But the bill does not stand much of a chance of making it to Governor Paterson's desk. The state Assembly would likely bat down the proposal, which would create a half-billion-dollar gap in state finances. The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, with the help of an alert homeowner, bust a suspected burglar. 40-year-old Stephen LaVilla of Gates has been charged with burglarizing a home on Route 237 in Stafford. The homeowner saw someone breaking into her house as she drove by. She took down the license number of the culprit’s car and phoned it in. Deputies traced the plate to LaVilla’s home and now he’s behind bars. The stolen items were recovered. 22-year-old Norman Michael Junior of Bank Street, Batavia is jailed on a charge of identity theft. Batavia police say Michael used another person’s identity to get cellphone service. The person whose identity was allegedly stolen didn’t know it until they started getting calls from a collection agency. There has been a key endorsement in the race to succeed Tom Reynolds in the 26th Congressional District. The Erie County Democratic Committee has decided to back Iraq war veteran Jon Powers to run for Reynolds seat and not Jack Davis, who ran against Reynolds the last two times. Powers is from Clarence. Davis still wants to run again and there will likely be a September democratic primary. John Stanwix, the former head of the Monroe County Water Authority, will be tried on a misdemeanor county of violating the state Public Authorities law. His attorneys had asked that the case be thrown out but that motion was denied. Stanwix is charged with working for a consultant to the water authority while still on the water authority’s payroll. |
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