Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on February 1, 2023
Governor Hochul unveiled her State Budget for 2024 on Wednesday. The budget adds 5 billion dollars over 2023 at 227 Billion dollars. The governor presented a theme of addressing public safety, housing and rising costs for New Yorkers. Health care and education also took priority for the governor, hoping to tackle shortages. Hochul proposed funding to reduce gun violence, address criminal justice shortcomings and stop violent crime. Her administration wants to reduce gun violence through a $337 million plan. Within fighting crime, the governor also wants to invest in crime analysis centers, interstate gun trafficking and youth programs. That community investment will also address resources for people who have committed a crime. The proposal kicks off weeks of intense negotiations with state legislative leaders as they try to agree on a finalized budget by the April 1 deadline.
The 227 billion dollar State budget Governor Hochul Unveiled on Wednesday outlines plans to address what Hochul called “inconsistency” in the state’s bail reform laws. The governor said “conflicting language” in the law has led to confusion and a lack of accountability for judges when making bail determinations. The budget would restore judicial discretion by removing the least restrictive means standard, which requires judges to release people charged with most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies under the least-restrictive conditions necessary to ensure their return to court. Livingston County Sheriff Tom Dougherty said the announcement was “music to his ears,” but said he’s cautiously optimistic. Hochul’s budget also includes $40 million of additional funding to hire hundreds of new prosecutors across the state. The Governor said it will support District Attorneys in developing crime strategy plans and reducing case backlogs that developed from the pandemic.
The State University of New York college system has begun requiring incoming students to pass a “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice” course before they can graduate. The planned requirement took effect for new first-time students seeking a bachelor’s degree and certain associates degrees this semester. The remaining degrees will see the course become a requirement next year. Courses must “analyze the role that complex networks of social structures and systems play in the creation and perpetuation of the dynamics of power, privilege, oppression and opportunity” to meet the appropriate DEISJ criteria for approval. Courses like these have been heavily criticized as divisive and based on marxist ideas that have little real world evidence.
Richmond Memorial Library has a couple of new offerings for people who come into the library that have nothing to do with books. Free mobile wifi hotspots can be checked out thanks to an Emergency Connectivity Fund Grant. The hotspots can be checked out for 3 weeks at a time if you have a library card. Also, free tax help is available this tax season. Volunteers from the New York Department of Tax and Finance will walk you through your income tax returns, step-by-step, as you complete and e-file your tax return for free for people who make less than 73 thousand dollars. Sessions will be offered on Thursdays –February 2, February 9, February 16, February 23, March 2, March 9, March 23, March 30, April 6 and April 13. Those interested must schedule an appointment.
The Buffalo Sabres were blown out by the Carolina Hurricanes in Wednesday night’s matchup 5 to 1. Alex Tuch scored the lone goal for Buffalo for his 24th in the season. Ukko Pekka Luukkonen had to contend with 38 shots on goal vs the Hurricane’s 31. After the All-Star break, the Sabres host the Calgary Flames on Saturday, Feb. 11, before heading across the country on a three-game road trip.
A bitter cold blast of Arctic air will be moving into WNY soon. The air will arrive behind a cold front that is moving southeast through Canada right now. This will likely be the coldest air in a year for Western NY. The last time that the air temperature dropped below zero was February 3rd, 2022 when the temperature dipped to -3. The temperature during the day Friday will stay between o and 5 degrees for many areas with wind chill putting it below -20.
