Morning Edition: Tuesday, April 12th
Geneva's PRB gets struck down, renovations delayed at Junius travel plaza, and one person airlifted after serious accident.
Welcome to your Morning Edition!
It was a busy day in the FingerLakes1.com newsroom and studio on Monday. A new day is here, though, and we have the latest on the most-important, and most-read stories from the last 24 hours.
Streaming Spotlight: David Hayes and Beth Partee talk broadband access in Seneca County at 9 a.m.!
Latest from the Newsroom: Get caught up quick!
Why was Geneva’s Police Review Board struck down?
State Supreme Court Justice Craig Doran has ruled that the Geneva Police Review Board is invalid. The ruling comes on a challenge filed by the union that represents most Geneva police officers.
Why are renovations at the Junius Ponds travel plaza being held up? How soon before it opens?
The plaza was to have reopened last month, but the Thruway Authority website now lists the reopening as scheduled for the third quarter of this year.
One person airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital after serious crash in Ovid
Deputies said several agencies assisted on scene — and that one person remains in guarded condition.
Police: Bullets traveled through Ithaca home, but shooters remain at large
Police say the suspects were described as males, wearing dark clothing. A dark sedan was also seen leaving the area. Anyone with information is asked to contact law enforcement.
Former chair of Owasco ethics board requests state investigation into two alleged incidents
Fred Cornelius, the former chair of Owasco’s ethics board, notified the town in February that he planned to look into concerns related to two town government payments. He was then removed as chair by his fellow town councilors. Now, Cornelius has requested the Public Integrity Bureau of the New York State Attorney General and the state Comptroller’s Office fraud unit investigate the payments.
Wayne County: New state law goes into effect — how will it impact local nursing homes?
The law, approved under former Governor Andrew Cuomo, established a minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes. Local leaders- including those in Wayne County- and healthcare worker advocates across New York have questioned the feasibility of the new standards.
Fratto files ballot petitions in 24th District race: Says campaign on its way to victory
The Republican filed 1,800 ballot petitions, and had $204,000 on-hand as of its first quarter report. Calling his opponent ‘Democrat-Lite’, the Geneva attorney doubled down on his efforts to win the primary contest taking shape in the 24th.
Auburn City Council votes 4-1 for water rate increase
The City Council voted Thursday to phase in a rate hike for the largest customers, those who are billed monthly. Their rate will go to $2.99 per hundred cubic feet May 1, then to $3.35 next May. Residential customers will be increased directly to $3.35. Auburn City Clerk Chuck Mason says the increase is the result of a study of the water fund undertaken every five years. He says even with the increase, Auburn’s rates are in line with those of similar sized cities in upstate New York.