P.m. news Friday 12-19
New Yorkers oppose giving the state Legislature its first raise since 1999, and they remained split over whether the state should have moved forward with hydraulic fracturing, according to a Siena College poll. Voters oppose a legislative pay raise, 63 to 28%. Despite voters being evenly split upstate, the state’s tough gun-control law called the SAFE Act was supported, 58 to 33% statewide. Voters were also evenly divided on the Dream Act that would provide tuition assistance to illegal immigrants, with 44% supporting it and 48% opposing it. Governor Cuomo had a 58% to 37% favorability rating, up slightly from October.
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Action has been taken against several retailers after an investigation revealed many were selling toy guns that appear to be real. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office sent cease and desist letters to stop the online sales and shipments of toy guns that do not have required distinguishing designs. State law prohibits the sale of imitation guns in realistic colors, unless it has a one-inch wide orange stripe running down both sides of the barrel. Some toy guns could be mistaken for real weapons by both law enforcement and the general public. Since 1997, at least four people have died when law enforcement mistook toy guns for the real thing.
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Governor Cuomo announced that the next phase of New York’s Combat Heroin campaign. Starting today, public service announcements will begin airing in movie theaters across New York State & 10 new “Real Story” videos have been posted to the state’s Combat Heroin website, at combatheroin.ny.gov. The PSAs and new videos show New Yorkers sharing their stories of recovery and addiction, the PSAs will be shown in movie theaters through early January, The Combat Heroin website now has 22 videos of New Yorkers describing heroin or prescription opioid addictions. combatheroin.ny.gov/real-stories.
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The state DEC is reminding New Yorkers that as of January 1st, old electronic equipment must be recycled, not thrown in the trash. That includes computers, cell phones, televisions, stereos and other devices that plug in or run on batteries. On DEC’s electronics recycling web page, consumers will find the brand of equipment they wish to recycle, as well as a link to the manufacturer’s recycling program web page and a toll-free number for information about recycling. Go to dec.ny.gov
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About three quarters of public high school students in New York graduated on time in June, though graduation rates in the state’s largest cities remain far lower, according to data released by the state Education Department. A total of 76.4% of students who entered 9th grade in 2010 graduated with a diploma before June 2014, up slightly from the 74.9% who graduated within 4 years the previous year.
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Governor Cuomo signed legislation opening the door for growing and researching industrial hemp in New York. The bill, introduced by Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, creates an agriculture pilot program to study ways to cultivate and manufacture products with the multi-use crop. It passed both houses of the State Legislature in the spring. Colleges and universities, including Cornell, Binghamton University, may take part in New York’s research program.
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The Sidney Moose lodge will host a meeting for area children with Santa tomorrow. Santa will appear from 1:00 to 3:00 PM following a lunch from noon to 1;00 PM, lunch is free to children 13 & under. the Sidney moose lodge is located at 20 east Main Street.