Weekend News Brief
Written by Dan Fischer on October 18, 2024
Governor Hochul is announcing a new program that’s aimed at helping New Yorkers save money on their energy bills. The Renewable Energy Access and Community Help program will give electric bill credits to low-income households and disadvantaged communities statewide. A portion of revenues from new renewable energy generation projects will fund the credits. The governor says this program ensures people won’t be left behind during the transition to a clean-energy economy.
A New York lawmaker wants speed warning systems installed in new cars. Last month. Assemblyman Robert Carroll introduced a bill that calls for an alarm to be placed in cars that will warn drivers when they’re speeding. The technology would be installed in all cars registered in New York and made after January 1st, 2029. Carroll said there would be no penalties for speeding, it would just be alerting drivers. A similar bill was introduced in California but it was recently vetoed by the governor. Carroll’s bill is currently in committee.
The state is stepping up and giving several cities their estimated casino revenue in advance since the Seneca Nation has yet to pay up. Governor Kathy Hochul’s office has confirmed that Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Salamanca will receive a total of $16.7 million in expected revenue by the end of this month. The money is casino revenue that was generated between December 10th and through the end of June. The money was advanced under the conditions of an existing agreement while the state and Seneca Nation negotiated a new gaming compact.
The criminal charges against a Buffalo Bills fan that entered the construction pit of the new stadium are being dismissed. Adam McPherson from Cheektowaga was arraigned in January for the misdemeanor but he was granted an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. That means the case could be dismissed after certain conditions were met. McPherson’s case was dismissed on September 27th. Others who have been charged with trespassing at the Bills stadium have also had their cases dismissed.
The Buffalo Bills are back on home field this weekend as they look to pick up a second straight win. The defending AFC East champions are hosting the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. The Bills are coming off a 23 to 20 victory over the New York Jets on Monday night that boosted their record this season to four wins and two losses. Kickoff for tomorrow’s contest is scheduled for 1:00.
The Corfu Veterinary Clinic is collecting donations for pets in the states that have been affected by the recent hurricanes. Items they’re accepting include dog food, cat food, horse and cattle feed, water, buckets, towels, and more. Donations can be dropped off directly at the clinic on Snipery Road in Corfu through Monday, 10/21. More information can be found on the clinic’s Instagram page under the name Corfu Veterinary Clinic PC. For more information, please call 585-599-3148.
NBC News features…
A new study shows the nose may be even more powerful than previously thought. Published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, Chinese researchers found that the nose can identify odors within a fraction of a second. That’s at a level of sensitivity similar to how our brains perceive color. This goes against previous assumptions that smell is a slower sense in humans.
Tobacco use among American teenagers is at a new low. On Thursday, the CDC and FDA announced teen tobacco use is now the lowest it’s been in the last 25 years. The number of teens who use any kind of tobacco has dropped from 2.8 million in 2023 to 2.2 million. Vaping specifically saw a big drop over the last year, from 2.1 million to 1.6 million. The CDC says teen cigarette smoking is very low now, at just one-point-four-percent among teens in 2024.
