State Police today announced a statewide crackdown on distracted driving, as part of April’s designation as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. From April 10th to April 15th, Troopers in marked and unmarked vehicles will aggressively ticket drivers using handheld devices during Operation Hang Up. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,154 people were killed and 424,000 were injured nationwide in crashes involving a distracted driver in 2013. During the campaign last November, State Police issued 550 tickets for distracted driving, for either talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving, texting, or using an electronic device while driving. More information is available at safeny.ny.gov.
——————————————
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in New York are relatively good at seeing patients promptly, though some upstate veterans face waits of a month or more. 36 of the 58 VA facilities analyzed met the VA’s timeliness goal, which calls for patients to be seen within 30 days – better than 99% of the time. Locally, the Binghamton VA Clinic successfully saw their patients within a month at a 96.5% rate.
———————————————-
Governor Cuomo announced more than $233 million in federal grants that will support counterterrorism and emergency preparedness activities in counties across the State. The funding is provided by FEMA through its Homeland Security Grant Program, it supports regional preparedness efforts, including planning, organization, and training activities that are critical to sustaining and improving community prevention, protection, response, and recovery capabilities. Locally, grants have been awarded to Broome County $365,000, Chenango County $110,000, Delaware County $100,000, & Otsego County $110,000
————————————————
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says some $606,000 in legal defense fees incurred by ex-Senate Leader Joseph Bruno are unjustified and shouldn’t be reimbursed by taxpayers. DiNapoli’s office has approved another $1.8 million for Bruno’s legal expenses. Bruno was acquitted last year on charges that he took bribes to direct state grants to a businessman he had previous convictions overturned & he has sought state reimbursement for $2.4 million of his legal bills. Bruno led the State Senate majority for 14 years before stepping down in 2008 as a federal probe continued about his alleged corruption, his attorneys reported that they will refile to get the rest of the reimbursement.
——————–
The State DEC today issued guidance on preventing conflicts with coyotes. Officials said that Coyotes usually avoid contact with people, however, conflicts with people and pets can occur as coyotes tend to be territorial around den sites during the spring as they forage almost constantly to provide food for their young. Officials recommend that you never feed coyotes, don’t feed your own pets outside, make sure that your garbage is secured, Fence or enclose compost piles so they are not accessible to coyotes. Also, contact your local police department and DEC regional office for assistance in dealing with coyotes on your property on a regular basis
——————-