Your Morning Edition for Tuesday, August 6th presented by Canandaigua Dentistry!

Appeals court deals major blow to enviro advocates on landfills, toxins found in Auburn water, Big Lots announces two local closures, Geneva gets $900K+ for bridge work, and Canandaigua pickle update.

Appeals Court limits Green Amendment in landfill, DEC victory: How will this impact the Finger Lakes?

Overturning a landmark trial court decision on the scope of New York’s Green Amendment, an appellate court in Rochester has ruled that citizens lack the authority to obtain a court order to compel state regulators to curtail noxious odors at the High Acres Landfill in Fairport.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The decision deals a potentially crippling blow to a similar lawsuit that targets excessive odors at Seneca Meadows Inc. and seeks to block SMI, the state’s largest landfill, from expanding.

• When it took effect in January 2022, the Green Amendment gave New Yorkers a constitutional right to “clean air, clean water and a healthful environment.” 

• The July 26 decision by a panel of judges at the Fourth Judicial Department of the Appellate Division is the state court’s system most definitive answer to that question so far.  The panel’s holding could still be appealed to the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, which has yet to take a stand on the scope of the constitutional right.

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FLX Forecast: What to expect today?

Fast 5: What’s happening in the Finger Lakes?

1. AUBURN WATER: Toxins from harmful algal blooms have been detected in Auburn’s raw water supply, city officials announced. The plant utilized its powdered activated carbon system, implemented in 2017, to treat the water, ensuring no microcystins were present in the finished drinking water. [READ MORE]

2. STORE CLOSING: The Big Lots store in the Cayuga Shopping Center in the Village of Lansing is set to close by October, the store manager announced. This closure is part of a broader plan by the company to shut down several underperforming locations across New York State, which includes another location in Canandaigua, Ontario County. [READ MORE]

3. BRIDGE REPAIRS: The city of Geneva has been awarded $917,000 from the state Department of Transportation’s 2023 Bridge NY Program to replace the aging Middle Street bridge over Marsh Creek, adjacent to Gulvin Park. Built in 1960, the single-span bridge is nearing the end of its useful life. [READ MORE]

4. PICKLEBALL CHANGE: Canandaigua City Council voted unanimously to reduce pickleball hours at Sonnenberg Park following complaints from residents about noise and nighttime play. Effective immediately, the eight pickleball courts on Howell Street will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., ending two hours earlier than previously allowed. [READ MORE]

5. FACILITIES EVALUATION: The Bridgeport Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners has established a special facilities committee to assess the district’s facilities and recommend improvements. The committee includes two fire commissioners, two members of the Seneca Falls Volunteer Fire Department, and two community members unaffiliated with the district or department. [READ MORE]

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CONCRETE JUNGLE: Grading the trade deadline!

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MORE LOCAL HEADLINES: What Else Is Happening?

• Yates County Public Health urges parents to get back-to-school vaccinations

• Waterloo home invader dies after assaulting Clyde resident

• HWS prepares to welcome Class of 2028 to campus

• One sent to the hospital after Seneca Falls motorcycle accident

• Ontario County supervisors allocate $60,000 for flooding projects: Some call for grant writer to target additional funding

• Police: Seneca Falls man failed to report to jail

• Police: Weedsport man was drunk during traffic stop

• Seneca Falls man violates court order, faces criminal contempt charge

• Police: Seneca Falls man arrested for false imprisonment after domestic at business

• Child Tax Credit: New York State begins distributing $350 million

• One hospitalized after fiery rollover crash in Hemlock

• Lansing reviews zoning codes to align with comprehensive plan

• AG James addresses AI challenges and opportunities at symposium

• Rochester woman faces charges after fleeing police in Cayuga County

• REPORT: Medicaid patients face challenges in accessing mental health care

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Vintage camper event returns to Sampson State Park on September 12th

The Tin Can Tourists are bringing their vintage camping trailers to the Finger Lakes region for the 17th annual Northeast Rally at Sampson State Park in Romulus. The event will run from September 12-15, featuring nearly 100 campers from across the Northeast.

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AROUND THE US & WORLD: Beyond the Finger Lakes

• Southwest Airlines ends service in Central New York amid fleet cuts

• Powerball jackpot climbs to $185 million after no winner on August 5

• How do horse miscarriages provide insight into human pregnancy loss? New study takes a closer look

• Cornell study looks at new epilepsy treatments

• Tornado rips through downtown Buffalo: NWS confirms it was an EF-1 (video)

• James hails court ruling against Google’s search engine monopoly

• Hurricane Debby threatens catastrophic flooding across Southeast US (video)

• Japan’s Nikkei 225 has worst day since 1980s as fears of US recession grow