Rochester firefighters battled three house fires within hours of one another late last night and early this morning. Authorities say one of the fires broke out on Mead Street right around 12 midnight. It was originally called in as a couch fire, but when firefighters arrived on the scene, the blaze had spread to the house.
Meanwhile, as firefighters were at the Mead Street fire, they received another call for a house fire on Santee Street near Otis Street around 1 o’clock. Firefighters had a hard time finding the fire because it was in a space in the attic. Investigators say there were at least two apartments in the home. No one was home at the time of the fire, and investigators say the fire is suspicious.
Rochester police have the man they believe is responsible for at least three recent bank robberies. Authorities announced yesterday that they’ve arrested 26 year old Brandon Parker of Rochester. Parker is charged with robbery and grand larceny in connection with bank robberies at the Key Bank on Mount Hope Avenue, M and T Bank on Lyell Avenue and the HSBC Bank on Mount Hope Avenue earlier this month.
A bicyclist was struck around 5 o’clock last night and reports say both of the victim’s legs were broken. Authorities say the bicyclist was hit at Dewey Avenue and Driving Park and the intersection was shut down while police investigated the accident. Police say the victim was transported to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.
A school bus was involved in an accident on a Rochester expressway ramp yesterday afternoon. Authorities say the bus was traveling East on I-490 and was on a ramp leading to the northbound side of I-390 when it hit the guard rail. Two people on the bus were transported to the hospital for treatment of what were described as non-life threatening injuries.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Department report that Sheriff’s Deputies found a marijuana growing operation in the basement of a town of Murray home. Authorities say 51 year old Jeffrey Costanza has been charged with criminal possession of marijuana, unlawfully growing cannabis and unlawful possession of marijuana. The Sheriff’s Department says it seized over a pound of dried marijuana and approximately 70 plants. They also seized 25 thousand dollars. A gun and drug paraphernalia were also fond. Costanza is being held in the Orleans County Jail.
Many people had front row seats when ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition arrived in Geneva in August. Although viewers got a daily dose of the transformation, cameras were not allowed inside, until now. This Sunday ABC will air the episode about their work that week, including details of the inside of the home and two story gym. The Hill family was chosen to receive the 36 hundred square foot home because of the work they do with underprivileged children. Tim Hill, a former boxer, teaches children to box.
China’s government was so concerned about the possibility of athlete demonstrations in the Beijing Olympics that it created a list of nine U.S. athletes and one assistant coach it thought might cause trouble at the games. The names included soccer player and Pittsford native Abby Wambach, who broke her leg and missed the Olympic Games.
Two homes were damaged in two separate fires in Rochester yesterday morning. Authorities say Brockport firefighters received a call for a fire on Havenwood Drive around 1 o’clock yesterday morning. It took about 15 minutes to get the fire under control. The family living in the house, two adults and two children, escaped safely. Firefighters say the house sustained "significant" damage. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the fire which the believe started near a wood stove in the family room.
Meanwhile, Rochester firefighters were called to a blaze at 96 Evergreen Street at a boarded up two story wood frame house yesterday morning. Investigators said there was extensive damage to the second floor and roof of the structure and the house will be torn down.
A Wayne County man accused of entering a home, stealing and damaging several items, is now sitting in the Ontario County Jail. 26 year old Donald B. Allen of Savannah was charged yesterday with second degree burglary. According to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department, Allen is accused of entering a home on Hunts Park Road in Farmington where he also assaulted an ex-girlfriend in the residence. He’s accused of stealing the woman’s cellular phone and breaking her DVD player and VCR. Allen fled the scene, but was later located in Savannah by New York State Police.
The New York State Department of Transportation will be selling six parcels of surplus property at a public auction on December 9th at the Regional Office on Jefferson Road. Five parcels of land are located in Monroe County, including the towns of Greece, Ogden and Chili. The sixth parcel is located in the Town of Williamson. Each parcel had been acquired by the Department of Transportation for highway improvements and is no longer needed for transportation purposes.
An Adirondack great camp used as a wilderness retreat by J.P. Morgan has been named a national historic landmark. Camp Uncas is located in Hamilton County. It was built by William West Durant, builder of the Adirondack Park’s most famous and well-preserved great camps.
Vehicle crashes with deer and other animals have more than doubled in the last 15 years. A Highway Loss Data Institute study shows that 223 people died in animal-vehicle crashes last week. That’s up from 150 in the year 2000 and 101 crashes in 1993. Texas had the most fatal crashes involving animals since 1993, followed by Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
