Get Local: Friday is here in the Finger Lakes!
We get you started with the biggest headlines from around the region, including the latest on huge illegal marijuana grow operation in Wayne Co., a hit-and-run in Geneva, & more from Cayuga Co. Court.
Massive illegal marijuana grow operation shut down in Wayne County
Federal agents have charged two men in connection with a massive illegal marijuana grow operation in Walworth, Wayne County, where over 29,000 plants and 3,700 pounds of processed cannabis were seized. Ferrydoon Ardehali of Staten Island and Colby Riggle of California face federal charges that carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. Authorities say the operation, run under the name Integrity Farms, was not licensed by New York State despite selling to authorized dispensaries.
Finger Lakes Forecast: Mild for a couple more days—then cooling off.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will affect the Finger Lakes region through the weekend, with the highest chance of rain on Saturday and temperatures in the 70s. Conditions will turn cooler and breezy starting Sunday, with highs near 60 and continued chances for light rain into midweek. Sunshine returns briefly Monday and Tuesday before more showers are likely by Wednesday and Thursday.
Fast 5: What’s happening in the Finger Lakes?
Ontario County will host a public open house on June 11 to discuss safety improvements at the crash-prone intersection of County Road 32 and Hickox Road in Canandaigua. The intersection has a crash rate over four times the state average, and proposed solutions include an all-way stop or a roundabout. Public comments will be accepted through June 27, with construction potentially starting in fall 2025.
Police are investigating a hit-and-run that injured a pedestrian Thursday on Exchange Street in Geneva. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital. The driver was also hospitalized for a blood draw, but no charges have been filed as the investigation remains ongoing.
A Steuben County grand jury has indicted 25-year-old Annika M. Szathmary on a second-degree murder charge in the fatal stabbing of William S. Pryll earlier this month. Authorities say Szathmary called 911 and later confessed to stabbing Pryll in the back and heart with intent to kill. She remains in custody without bail and faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
Charles R. Marble-McCloe of Sterling has been sentenced to five years in prison for first-degree sexual abuse after threatening a woman with a saw blade during a 2024 assault. The 30-year-old pleaded guilty and was sentenced Thursday in Cayuga County Court. He will also face 10 years of post-release supervision and must register as a sex offender.
Waterloo Town Board member Bob Lotz has rejected a misdemeanor plea deal and will face a grand jury on a felony burglary charge. He’s accused of entering the town Highway Department with Supervisor Don Trout and damaging property. Lotz declined to testify against Trout, and both men remain free as the case moves forward.
