The former New York State Police superintendent who headed up the agency during the massive manhunt for an escaped inmate who killed a trooper and wounded two others has died.
Wayne Bennett was 71. City officials in Schenectady, where Bennett was public safety commissioner, say he died Tuesday. Local media report he had been undergoing cancer treatments.
Bennett led the state police when career criminal Ralph "Bucky" Phillips escaped from a county jail just outside of Buffalo in 2006. While on the loose Phillips shot and wounded two troopers and fatally shot a third. He was captured in a field across the border in Warren County, Pennsylvania, ending what was up to then the largest manhunt in state history.
Bennett retired in 2007 after 38 years with the state police and became Schenectady's fire and police commissioner.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is proposing changes to the state's hate crimes law following the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The Democratic Governor announced Tuesday that he'll introduce legislation making it a hate crime to riot or incite a riot that targets a specific class of people protected by anti-discrimination laws.
If approved by state lawmakers, Cuomo's proposal would enhance criminal penalties for rioting that targets people because of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation.
Cuomo says that while peaceful protests must be allowed, New York will not tolerate violence and discrimination.
Local Assemblyman Andy Goodell says he believes current laws would cover any incident should they arise in New York State.
That's the Ellery Republican's reaction to the proposed legislation who says there is a tradition in state government dating back to the beginning where First Amendment rights are recognized but, there is no tolerance for inciting violence, or engaging in violence against anyone else.
Goodell says he doesn't think violence against one group should result in a higher penalty than another group. He believes that all groups are entitled to protection under the same laws.
There's no indication whether Cuomo will seek a special legislative session to take action on the proposed legislation.
Local Congressman Tom Reed says he believes it's "appropriate" to take a look at current Hate Crimes statutes to see if there needs to be more teeth when it comes to dealing with rioting and violence.
The Corning Republican made his comments after Governor Cuomo released his proposal for the legislature to consider. Reed says it's important to look at what's happened historically and, he says violence is "never the answer." He says there needs to be "dialogue" and "tolerance."
Reed says there are other examples of where rioting and violence took place during President Obama's presidency namely Ferguson, Missouri. He feels that a meaningful dialogue is the best way to put away racial and other violence. He says that could make racism and hate become more of a "footnote" in our history.
Reed says he's always concerned about political grandstanding and, proposing legislation that's already on the books. He says it the legislation will "substantively advance the ball to bring peace," he's all for it.
Reed made his comments during his weekly telephone conference call with Southern Tier Media.
Many rural parts of New York state don't have the manpower or ability to seek grant funding for worthwhile projects that don't otherwise get done.
However the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council is trying to remedy that through it's "Technical Assistance" program for an underdeveloped beach along Lake Erie. Ripley Beach is one of the most scenic locations on the lake.
However Council Co-Chairman Jeff Belt says what infrastructure is there is in disrepair it's hard to get to and, there are safety issues.
Belt says the need for a project to upgrade the park has been there for a while it's just now getting the attention is needs to move it forward. He says Empire State Development the state's economic development arm first brought these issues forward and, proposed the assistance program. He says a plan is in the works to provide two new access points to the beach along with parking for cars, motorcycles and bicycles. He says motorcycle and biking is popular in that area because it's part of the St. Lawrence Seaway Trail.
In addition to Ripley Beach the Council is also looking at a program to help the village of Wellsville in Allegheny County.
Gas prices in the Jamestown-area are again steady and basically unchanged from last week.
That from the AAA's Fuel Gauge Report which says the price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gas is just over $2.44 a gallon. At the same time AAA says regional inventories are building at this point as the Summer driving season winds down.
However AAA says the price is still about 15-cents a gallon more than the same time period last year. The Fuel Gauge reports that, on average consumers in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states are paying $2.36 a gallon which is flat compared to last week. Nationally the average price is now gasoline is $2.35 cents per gallon.
