Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on May 3, 2023
The new New York State Budget contains a provision that dismisses all 17 of the directors of Western Regional Off Track Betting Corporation. Directors who were selected from the 17 municipalities, that would be 15 counties and the cities of Rochester and Buffalo. Instead there will be a ranked voting system to select new directors based on the population of each county. Erie county would get 24 votes and Genesee would get 2. Before, each county got 1 vote. Proponents of the bill that changed the structure of the votes said they wanted more oversight after a report said the company had given tickets away to employees and board members and that company vehicles were used for private use. Local representatives such as Claudia Tenney and Steven Hawley condemned the bill and said they had not even been able to read it before it passed. Tenney called it a “backroom deal” made without any input or consultation from regional stakeholders.
If you sold weed before it was legal, now you need a license or you will be fined. New legislation was signed Wednesday in an attempt to curb the unlicensed and illicit sale of cannabis across New York State. The legislation allows the Office of Cannabis Management and the Department of Taxation and Finance to assess civil penalties against unlicensed cannabis businesses with fines of up to $20,000 a day and makes it a crime to sell cannabis and cannabis products without a license. In addition, the OCM’s will be doing more inspections of businesses and the Department of Taxation and Finance will ensure businesses are paying the appropriate taxes and impose civil penalties where they have not been paid.
Buffalo’s Owen Power is one of three players named a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy. Each season, the award is given to the best rookie in the NHL. Power finished the 2022 season recording 4 goals, 31 assists, and 35 points. Power also tallied 8 power-play points, ranked third for all rookies. The other two finalists are Seattle Kraken’s Matty Beniers, and Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner. The winner will be announced on June 26 at the 2023 NHL Awards.
Gov. Hochul announced Wednesday that the state’s new 2024 budget will include a new plan to increase the minimum wage over the next three years. Across the state, outside of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, the minimum wage will increase to $15 in 2024. In 2025 and 2026, the wage will increase by $0.50 increments, bringing it to $16 by 2026. In 2027, the minimum wage will increase solely based on a rate determined by the Consumer Price Index in order to keep up with inflation.
Fisher-Price presented a check for $1.2 million to Oishei Children’s Hospital on Wednesday following the sale of its special edition “Go Bills” Little People. Dating back to September 2021 Fisher-Price has released two different sets of Little People in partnership with the Buffalo Bills and Wegmans. The first set was Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Head Coach Sean McDermott, as well as two ‘Bills Mafia’ fans. The second set was Allen, McDermott and wide receiver Stefon Diggs. According to Fisher-Price, Wednesday’s donation brings its total donation to nearly $2 million since the launch of the first set of Little People. When the check was presented Wednesday, the new “Fisher-Price Little People Pediatric Recovery Wing” was unveiled on the hospital’s 10th floor which also includes the “Patricia Allen Pediatric Recovery Wing.”
The Buffalo Zoo announced that its oldest North American bison named Wilma has died. According to the zoo, its animal and veterinary care teams made the decision to euthanize Wilma as her health recently declined. Wilma was 29 years old and the zoo said she exceeded the life expectancy for bison which is 15 to 20 years. She was born in June 1993 and lived at the zoo her whole life.
