Midday News Brief
Written by WBTA STAFF on January 6, 2021
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling again for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use by adults.
Cuomo plans to announce his proposal today as part of his upcoming State of the State agenda.
It calls for the creation of a new Office of Cannabis Management that would oversee recreational use as well as existing medical use.
Cuomo’s latest legalization proposal follows two unsuccessful attempts in 2019 and 2020 to fully legalize marijuana.
Here are the latest COVID statistics in Genesee County over the past 24 hours: There have been 91 new cases, 21 of those are hospitalized.
Two new deaths have been reported, both over the age of 65. One person resided at Genesee Senior Living and one at LeRoy Village Green.
Total deaths in the county now stand at 33.
Work is underway to boost the process of distributing COVID-19 vaccine to millions of New Yorkers. The state is creating a network of locations where people can go to get themselves protected from the virus. Places like pharmacies, urgent care centers and private doctors’ offices will all be working together once more people are eligible to get their shots. Earlier this week, hospitals were asked to speed up their vaccination efforts or face a potential fine.
Members of the state Senate and Assembly will get back to work today as a new legislative session begins. They’re expected to spend the next few days nominating leaders and taking care of other business. From there, the focus will shift to several issues that need to be addressed in the coming months. That includes helping close a multi-billion dollar budget gap and how to handle the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
Starting today, fans with tickets to this weekend’s Buffalo Bills game can begin getting tested for COVID-19. A negative result is mandatory for anyone who wants to attend Saturday afternoon’s contest against the Indianapolis Colts. Screening got underway in Lot Four of Bills Stadium in Orchard Park this morning and will continue into tomorrow. A test will cost $63 apiece and anyone who is positive will have their ticket and parking costs refunded.
