1 HURT IN 2-VAN CRASH Two vans collided at Lake Avenue and Ridgeway near the Veterans Memorial Bridge overnight. A driver apparently blew through a red light….incidentally, that intersection is equipped with one of those safety-promoting gottcha cams. The driver of the first van was rushed to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. The other driver was not hurt.
2 NAILED IN SEPARATE DRUG BUSTS The doper parade this Monday morning: 21 year old Michael Fornaris faces multiple charges after police allegedly found quantities of cash, heroin and an AK-47 assault rifle in his Mayflower Street apartment. He’s suspected of selling dope in Orleans County. And 46 year old Arcides Dieguez Castillo was intercepted on 490 in Perinton and all he had in the car was 200 grand worth of the big H plus 3 grand in cash. He’s in prison without bail on drug charges.
BROUHAHA SIMMERS OVER GORHAM PUPPY MILL There’s controversy in the Town of Gorham where Curtis and Jolene Martin want to launch a new puppy farm. Town officials say the Curtises have been cooperative and have complied with all local laws, but Jolene Martin had a previous run-in with the USDA over minor allegations of puppy neglect at a previous farm the couple ran in Varick, some 25 miles away. Seems the feebs thought the puppies' nails were too long and some of them needed baths. The Curtises dismiss the federal accusations as nitpicking from meddlesome bureaucrats.
NYS RELEASES LE ROY REPORT The state Health Department has released its preliminary report on the mysterious Tourette's-like illness at LeRoy High School, once again ruling out environmental causes, as well as bacterial infections. The district held a meeting Saturday morning to discuss the report. Also, a Buffalo doctor says 4 more girls have the condition; 3 of them have been diagnosed with conversion disorder.
FMR. HOLLEY TEACHER ACCUSED OF TAKING PICS OF STUDENTS 29-year-old Joshua Weatherall of Brockport, a former Holley Junior/Senior High teacher, is accused of taking inappropriate pictures of students with his cell phone while he was still on the job. Deputies say some of the photos were taken without the students' consent. Weatherall is charged with surveillance, eavesdropping, computer trespass and endangering the welfare of a child.
MAN SHOT ON CHILD ST. Police say a 27-year-old man was shot in the chest Friday night on Child St. The victim was taken to Strong Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police have not made any arrests.
ROSE MAN FACES WEAPONS, DRUG CHARGES James Beyrau of Rose faces weapons and drug charges, as deputies say he left the scene of a rollover crash Thursday night to hide a number of guns he's not supposed to have. You see, Beyrau's a convicted felon, meaning he can't have guns, and a search of his home turned up...marijuana. He's in the county jail on $10,000 bail.
CITY MAN TURNS SELF IN, FACES HOMICIDE CHARGES 22 year old Darius Bursey has turned himself in for a January homicide that left a Monroe High School senior dead. 18 year old Lamar Shaid was found fatally wounded in a Columbia Avenue driveway. He later died at Strong Memorial.
5 DISPLACED IN CITY FIRE City fire investigators are checking whether a blaze on Cottage Street could be related to a domestic incident at that address. State police were called to the house earlier in the evening. There were no injuries….5 people, one adult and four kids escaped the flames.
HENRIETTA MAN CHARGED N BASEBALL BAT ASSAULT 24 year old Richard Xamountry of Henrietta faces assault after allegedly attacking another man with a baseball bat at a Pittsford gas station earlier this week. Xmaountry and his victim had been exchanging text messages before the confrontation.
3 HURT IN GATES CRASH A driver lost control while trying to avoid a deer on Attridge Road in Gates overnight. The car skidded off the road, through a creek and plowed into a stand of trees. The driver had to be cut out of what was left of the car….3 people were hospitalized.
CARGO PLANE INCIDENT AT ELMIRA AIRPORT The FAA and NTSB will be in the Southern Tier today looking into an accident at the Elmira Corning Regional Airport yesterday. A cargo plane arriving from Buffalo suffered a collapse of its landing gear, skidding across the runway. The only person on board was the pilot, who was uninjured.
HOLLEY MAN ACCUSED OF THREATENING TEXTS Brandon Baker of Holley has been arrested on a charge of aggravated harassment after allegedly sending threatening texts to an ex-girlfriend. He’s in the County lockup in lieu of bail.
CITY MAN CHARGED IN BROTHER-IN-LAW'S DEATH 56-year-old Ollie Porchea of the city has been charged with criminally negligent homicide in the death of his brother-in-law last July. Police say Porchea got into a fight with 67-year-old Jerry Maxwell at a family barbeque; Maxwell’s neck broke in that fight.
TRACTOR-TRAILER CRASHES INTO POND 54-year-old Michael Harrell of Connecticut is lucky to be okay, after his semi crashed into a pond off County Road 5 in the Ontario County Town of Seneca. Deputies say he apparently fell asleep at the wheel. The truck was empty at the time.
NIH TO TEST LE ROY ILLNESS VICTIMS The state Health Department has announced an agreement with the National Institute of Health to test the 15 LeRoy students who have come down with Tourette’s-like symptoms. The Health Department has also announced water samples from the school are normal.
DOG SHOOTER INDICTED 37-year-old Jamie Altman of Irondequoit has been indicted on charges of animal cruelty, weapons possession, and endangering the welfare of a child. He allegedly shot and killed the family’s pitbull early last month, because it had defecated on the floor.
POSSIBLE VICTIM IN NYSEG, RGE BREACH We may have our first victim of the NYSEG and RG&E security breach from last month. One such customer says his bank contacted him, saying there was unauthorized use of his bank account, once in Minnesota, and once in India. At the time of the breach, a company spokesperson said all leaked info was of the personal, and not financial, variety.
RACINO SNOWMOBILE RACE POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER This great winter weather we’re having now has a casualty: this weekend’s Vision Kia Eastern Nationals at the Finger Lakes Casino and Racetrack has been postponed, because it’s too warm to use even artificial snow. The event has been re-scheduled for the weekend of the 24th and 25th.
INTERIM CITY SCHOOL SUPER WANTS JOB PERMANENTLY Interim City Schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas now reportedly wants the job permanently. And School Board members say that complicates their search for a district leader, since Vargas will have the advantage of incumbency. Vargas has the endorsement of Rochester teachers union chief Adam Urbanski. A final choice will be made before July.
PAVILION MAN CONVICTED OF LEAVING FATAL CRASH SCENE Matthew Nordstrand of Pavilion has been convicted of leaving the scene of a fatal accident, and he could be headed to prison for up to 7 years. Nordstrand struck and fatally injured 41 year old Richard Strapp as he crossed East Main at Alexander last March. Witnesses chased Nordstrand and copied his license number when he left the scene.
26 NABBED FOR BILKING UNEMPLOYMENT 26 people have been arrested on larceny charges in unrelated cases of collecting unemployment benefits while still being gainfully employed. The 26 were picked up by state cops after an audit from Unemployment Board investigators.
