Your Morning Edition for Tuesday, April 22nd presented by DiSanto Propane!
No state budget yet, several communities get funding for EV charges in FLX, update on Wayne Co. crash, and busy legislature meeting tonight in Cayuga Co. Start your day here!
Hochul pushes 2025 New York budget to cut taxes, boost safety
Governor Kathy Hochul is urging swift passage of New York’s overdue 2025 budget, emphasizing tax cuts, public safety reforms, and expanded mental health services. Speaking in Rochester, she proposed inflation rebate checks, a tripled child tax credit, and universal free school meals to counter rising costs. Hochul also pushed for changes to discovery laws and stronger mental health interventions, saying delays in justice and untreated illness are harming communities. While negotiations continue in Albany, she pledged not to sign any deal that falls short of her priorities.
Finger Lakes Forecast: Milder, drier week!
The Finger Lakes region will see mostly sunny skies through midweek, with highs climbing from 60 today to the low 70s by Thursday and Friday. A slight chance of showers arrives Thursday afternoon, with increasing rain chances Friday evening into Saturday morning. Temperatures will cool slightly over the weekend, with highs in the upper 50s and lows in the low 40s. Conditions improve Sunday into Monday with mostly sunny skies and a return to warmer weather.
Fast 5: What’s happening in the Finger Lakes?
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced over $1.5 million in grants for electric vehicle charging stations in the Finger Lakes as part of a $4.85 million statewide push during Earth Week. Funding through the ZEV Infrastructure Grant Program will support new chargers in Dundee, Farmington, Waterloo, Palmyra, Interlaken, and other small communities. The state prioritized disadvantaged areas, directing more than $885,000 of this round’s funding to municipalities with environmental and economic challenges. This initiative builds on New York’s broader effort to achieve zero-emissions transportation by 2050.
The Cayuga County Legislature meets tonight at 6 p.m. in Auburn with a packed agenda that includes a public hearing on salary adjustments for elected officials and votes on dozens of resolutions. Lawmakers will address major public health initiatives, including a $690,000 lead remediation grant and funding to expand drinking water safety. The meeting also features appointments to several boards, new park development proposals, and over $900,000 in public safety grants. A resolution supporting the closure of the Seneca Meadows landfill is also on the table, with public comments already submitted in favor.
Five people were injured early Monday morning after a vehicle struck a horse and collided with another car in Macedon. Deputies say Evelin Lazo-Rivera was driving on Alderman Road around 5:20 a.m. when a horse ran into the road, causing her vehicle to hit the animal and then crash into a parked car. The second vehicle, driven by Eric Minns, had stopped in an attempt to warn Lazo-Rivera. All five occupants of the first vehicle were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with undisclosed injuries.
Four corrections officers were hospitalized after a violent incident involving a barricaded inmate at Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus on April 4. The inmate, recently returned from the mental health unit, claimed to be suicidal and attacked officers after refusing commands. Despite being subdued and restrained, the inmate resisted throughout the encounter and attempted to bite staff during transport. The officers later experienced nausea and vomiting, prompting Narcan administration and hospitalization, though no contraband was found and the source of the symptoms remains unknown.
Lake Ontario’s water levels are stable this spring and remain within normal historical ranges, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Experts say there’s only a 5% chance of levels rising to problematic heights despite ongoing snowmelt and rainfall. While parts of Western New York are experiencing dry conditions, the impact on the lake has been minimal. Researchers note that natural fluctuations are helping to support wetland health and shoreline biodiversity.
Work Zone awareness on the rise in New York
Governor Kathy Hochul is urging New Yorkers to drive cautiously through construction zones as the state marks National Work Zone Awareness Week from April 21–25. Her administration is expanding speed camera enforcement and the “Operation Hardhat” undercover patrol program to protect highway workers. In 2024, New York saw over 150 work zone crashes, with multiple deaths and injuries, prompting renewed safety efforts. Landmarks will be lit orange on April 23 to honor roadside workers, and Hochul is pushing to make work zone speed enforcement permanent in the 2026 budget.
