Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on March 24, 2022
A NY Assemblyman has a plan to help offset the high gas prices going into the summer, turn off the thruway tolls. Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara says shutting down the toll stations will decrease the cost of shipping supplies, tourist travel and commuter travel. The New York State Thruway Authority Deputy director of Media Relations Johnathan Dougherty says that the highways can’t afford it because “The Thruway is a user-fee system supported by tolls paid by the people who use it, and not one cent of local or state taxpayer dollars pays to operate or maintain it. Roughly one-third of motorists on the Thruway in the summer months are out of state drivers, so removing tolls gives them a free pass and shifts the cost to hard working New York taxpayers.” The bill to suspend the tolls comes to a vote in a few weeks.
Rochester is experiencing a rash of armed carjackings that have resulted in 2 people being shot and 7 vehicles being stolen. Four teenagers and one adult have been charged in connection with the incidents. Of the four teens, three were arrested in two cases just days apart. Most of the carjackings happened on the northeast side of Rochester between the inner loop and 104. They occurred at all hours of the day and night. Police Lt. Greg Bello expressed frustration that several suspects were apprehended only to be released and get caught doing it again the following day. He says “We are going to continue to do our part to hold these offenders accountable, to catch them. We have caught them, and hopefully this pattern stops.”
The Genesee County Legislature was hit with a surprise as the rise in fuel costs made something else more expensive, the cost of painting the road lines. In the contract for pavement markers the price of painting rose by 25 percent. Last year the price was 308 a mile and the new price is 80 dollars higher. The companies the county uses are Seneca Pavement Marking of Horseheads and Accent Stripe of Orchard Park. Highway Superintendent Tim Hens says the county is getting a good deal as Seneca Pavement is keeping their price on specialized marking such as turn arrows and railroad crossing marks at 2021 levels. Legislators voted in favor of going ahead with the same companies and the new prices.
The Buffalo Sabres are on a three game winning streak for the first time since October with a 4 to 3 shootout win over the Penguins Wednesday night. Zemgus Gergensons and Tage Thompson scored during regular play. Tage Thomspon got his second goal as both he and Alex Tuch sunk the puck during the shootout. Buffalo plays the Washington Capitals Saturday at 7pm at the Keybank Center.
