Morning News Brief

Governor Hochul announced yesterday that the new Vaccine incentive program, Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate will be running from now until December 19th and will give kids 5-11 the chance to win free 4 year tuition, fees, expenses and room and board at SUNY or CUNY schools if they get the COVID vaccine.  50 kids can win if they get at least the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine before December 19th and then their parents register online by following the link on WBTAi.com.  Governor Hochul said “If one of your children wins this, you should probably take them to Disney World.”  Only 27 percent of parents said they were interested in getting their kids the vaccine in a recent poll.

https://forms.ny.gov/s3/Vaccinate-Educate-Graduate-Vaccine-Incentive

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is speaking out against the closing of six prisons across New York State.  The announcement went out yesterday that 6 facilities, which includes Rochester Correctional and Willard Drug Treatment Campus, will be shuttered by close of day March 10th.  Hawley says that it is disrespectful to employees and local governments and communities as it disrupts their lives and communities with little warning.  None of the facilities were operating at full or near full capacity so the inmates will be able to be absorbed into other facilities according to department of Corrections spokesman Thomas Mailey.  Ogdensburg correctional Facility, slated to be shut down, had just undergone a 10 million dollar renovation.

The pair that broke into a foster home and kidnapped two children in January have been charged with conspiracy to kill a judge.  Jonathan Cash and Dimitri Cash are accused of a conspiracy to kill Monroe County family court judge Stacey Romeo.  Dmitri had been in a 3 year custody battle over the 2 children who were kidnapped in January and spirited away to Alabama where they were discovered and returned home safely.  Earlier this month, the two were accused of trying to plot a jail escape.  Both defendants are being held without bail with the opportunity to make future bail applications.

The Buffalo Sabres are introducing their new team dog, Rick.  Rick is an approximately 8-month-old Newfoundland that was rescued by the Niagara County SPCA. He is named after Sabres Hall-of-Fame play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret, the name was decided by the fans in an online vote.  He is currently being trained to be a service dog for a local veteran and the Buffalo Sabres Foundation is sponsoring his training.