Morning News Brief
Written by Michael Baldwin on April 23, 2021
All individuals released on parole could vote in New York under a bill that passed the Assembly this week and is now on its way to the governor. The legislation passed the Senate last month, and will next head to the desk of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The governor has 10 days to sign or veto a bill once it hits his desk before it becomes law. Currently, people who are released on parole and under community supervision for felonies have to wait months or years to vote until they’ve been discharged from parole or reached the end of supervision.
New York officials have provided an updated on COVID vaccination efforts. As of Thursday, officials say more than 177,000 shots were administered.
Genesee County reporting 16 new positive cases of COVID-19. Two of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list. Seven of the current positive individuals are hospitalized. Orleans County reports 11 new positive cases. Wyoming County reports 15 new cases.
Genesee County’s unemployment rate for March was 6.1 percent, according to the NYS Department of Labor. That’s a percentage point higher than the previous year. While pandemic-related layoffs started in late March 2020, the reported unemployment was 5.2 percent. The layoffs didn’t hit the books through unemployment claims until April when the rate jumped to 15.9 percent, the highest local unemployment rate since 1990. In May, the rate was 11.1 percent and the rate has remained in single digits since then.
Registration is still open for the free local electronics recycling event in Batavia on May 15. The Brockport-based electronics recycling company Sunnking is handling the recycling. This year’s theme is “Restore Our Earth.” Due to coronavirus health and safety protocols, residents will be REQUIRED to register online for a drop-off time slot. Register online at sunnking.com/events. Registration closes when time slots are booked up or by 4 p.m. the day before the event. You must register to print out a ticket to take to the event in order to get in.
New York’s COVID-19 7-day average positivity rate is at 2.76 percent, the lowest it has been since November 10, 2020. Meanwhile the region’s hospitalizations, 540, is the lowest it has been since November 30, 2020. In the Finger Lakes Region, there are 219 COVID patients currently in the hospital.
