Your Morning Edition for Thursday, Feb. 20th presented by DiSanto Propane!
Judge bars CO's from striking and lawmakers divided on HALT Act as strikes enter another day. Plus, high school hoops recap, funding needed for roads and recovery, and Cayuga Med attacked.
Judge bars correction officers from striking as National Guard deployed
New York lawmakers remain divided as striking correction officers demand staffing reforms and changes to the HALT Act, which limits solitary confinement. While Republican leaders push for repealing or amending HALT, Democrats like Assemblymember Anna Kelles advocate for alternatives like expanding earned time credits. With staffing shortages worsening, Gov. Kathy Hochul has deployed the National Guard, but legislative support for major reforms benefiting correction officers appears unlikely.
Finger Lakes Forecast: More snow.
Snow is staying in the forecast the next 24 hours as we see high temps in the low-20s. There won’t be a ton of accumulation unless you’re in Northern Cayuga, Wayne, Monroe, or Onondaga counties where lake enhancement will push totals up higher. We should crack the freezing mark by the weekend though, which promises to be the quietest weather weekend we’ve had in several weeks.
Fast 5: What’s happening in the Finger Lakes?
Proposed Medicaid cuts of $880 billion by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans could severely impact New York hospitals and healthcare workers, potentially stripping coverage from millions. Healthcare professionals warn that reduced funding will exacerbate staffing shortages, with a New York State Nurses Association report already showing hospitals failing to meet ICU staffing ratios over 50% of the time in 2024. Critics argue these cuts, aimed at funding Trump’s extended tax breaks, would disproportionately harm low-income communities and underfunded hospitals like SUNY Downstate, where 90% of patients rely on Medicaid or lack insurance.
State lawmakers are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase state funding for flood recovery in the Southern Tier, where communities are still recovering from Tropical Storm Debby’s impact last August. They want the state to cover the local share of rebuilding costs, as it did after Penn Yan’s 2014 flood, arguing that the current burden is too great for local budgets. With Steuben County alone facing $50 million in damages, officials say additional aid is essential to restoring infrastructure.
Canandaigua highway officials and state lawmakers are urging at least $250 million in additional state funding through the CHIPS Act to address rising road and bridge repair costs. While Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget maintains current funding levels, officials argue that inflation and new mandates, such as the shift to electric vehicles, make more support essential. Local leaders plan to lobby in Albany on March 5 ahead of the April 1 budget deadline, though Hochul’s office has not committed to increased funding.
Cayuga Medical Center experienced a cyberattack Tuesday evening, temporarily halting emergency room admissions and rerouting ambulances for nearly three hours. While no data breach occurred, hospital staff had to use manual check-ins, leading to delays. By late Tuesday night, operations were in recovery mode, though stroke and heart attack patients continued to be diverted under state regulations.
Firefighters from multiple departments responded to a commercial building fire in Palmyra on Wednesday morning, bringing it under control within an hour. The East Palmyra and Palmyra fire departments, assisted by mutual aid from Marion and South Macedon, arrived at the scene around 8:20 a.m. to find smoke showing. No injuries or damage details have been released, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
WEDNESDAY HS BASKETBALL REPORT: Waterloo girls, East Rochester boys capture league titles; Palmyra-Macedon’s Shelby Geer hits nine threes
The Waterloo girls and East Rochester boys basketball teams clinched league titles with dominant victories on the penultimate night of the regular season. Honeoye and South Seneca boys finished as co-champions in the Finger Lakes West, while Palmyra-Macedon sophomore Shelby Geer stole the spotlight with nine three-pointers and a career-high 33 points in a narrow win over Newark. A total of 12 games were played across the Wayne-Finger Lakes region, setting the stage for the final matchups before the postseason.
WEDNESDAY SCOREBOARD
Girls Basketball
Palmyra-Macedon 77, Newark 74
Lyons 69, Gananda 30
Penn Yan 40, Mynderse 25
Waterloo 62, Wayne 49
Boys Basketball
South Seneca 48, Dundee/Bradford 43
East Rochester 79, Clyde-Savannah 40
Honeoye 68, Bloomfield 60
Waterloo 89, HAC 31
Red Jacket 61, Naples 43
Sodus 70, Northstar Christian 65
Greece Athena 73, Canandaigua 60
Victor 92, Webster Schroeder 76
Wegmans limits egg purchases amid shortage
Wegmans has imposed a ten-carton limit on egg purchases as a national bird flu outbreak continues to impact supply. The grocery chain joins other retailers, including Costco, Walmart, and Aldi, in restricting egg sales. Egg prices remain high, with Wegmans’ most affordable dozen costing $5.49 before tax. Trader Joe’s has implemented the strictest policy, allowing only one carton per customer.
Emergency rescue at Sodus Point saves stranded surfer
A quiet evening at Sodus Point took a dramatic turn when a local resident heard a cry for help from the icy waters near the old lighthouse. Mark Ketcham was bringing in his bird feeder when he heard what sounded like a yell coming from the lake. Unsure if he was imagining it, he called his neighbor, Werner, who confirmed hearing the same thing. Without hesitation, Ketcham dialed 911, reporting what they had heard and where the sound seemed to be coming from.