Your Morning Edition for Friday, May 2nd presented by DiSanto Propane!
Here's a look at the biggest stories of the day from around the region and state! Get up-to-date before you head out-the-door.
DEC doesn’t accept SMI’s draft plan again
For the second time, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has rejected Seneca Meadows Inc.’s draft Environmental Impact Statement as incomplete. The landfill, which filed an expansion plan in July 2024 to extend operations through 2040, must close by the end of 2025 without state and local approval. A court recently upheld a town law requiring the closure, intensifying pressure on the landfill’s future.
Finger Lakes Forecast: Showers and storms
Showers and thunderstorms are expected across the Finger Lakes today through early next week, with the highest rain chances arriving Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Temperatures will dip into the 50s over the weekend before rebounding to the upper 60s by early next week. While occasional breaks in the rain are possible, much of the period will stay mostly cloudy and unsettled.
Fast 5: What’s happening in the Finger Lakes?
Daniel DeWolf, a Wayne County firefighter who died of a heart attack at a fire scene in January 2024, will be honored at the 44th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Maryland this weekend. DeWolf, who was 52, will be remembered alongside 139 others who died in the line of duty. Public ceremonies on May 3 and 4 will pay tribute to their bravery and the sacrifices made by their families and departments.
New York’s Department of Transportation has announced a $31 million project to upgrade 2.67 miles of Auburn’s Arterial and part of Grant Avenue. The work, which will include repaving, drainage fixes, traffic signal upgrades, and pedestrian improvements, is set to begin after construction bids open in early 2026. The project, expected to run through 2027, will minimize disruptions with temporary lane closures and some nighttime work.
An Auburn man has been sentenced to five years in prison for attempted murder following a 2024 attack on a woman in Sennett. John Netti, 24, pleaded guilty to the charge after approaching a woman he did not know and attempting to strangle her while she walked her dog. The victim escaped, and Netti was quickly arrested by Cayuga County deputies; he will also serve five years of post-release supervision.
A new coffee shop called Kershaw Koffee is set to open across from Kershaw Park in Canandaigua by late May. Owned by Kimberly Vakiener Bacon and Alexander “Xan” Bacon, the café will serve coffee, smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries with seating for up to 20 people. Approved by the city’s Planning Commission, it will operate daily in the summer and five days a week during the winter.
Waterloo village residents will face a 3.9% property tax increase under the newly approved 2025-26 budget. The $5.02 million spending plan raises the tax levy to $3.28 million and boosts the rate to $20.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. Key investments include street repairs, drainage upgrades, and consulting work for a $10 million downtown revitalization project.
AGAINST THE BOARDS: Knighthawks season comes to an end, Amerks rolling against Crunch
