Governor Kathy Hochul announces tentative deal on state budget (April 27, 2023)

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a tentative deal on the 2024 State Budget.

According to reports by WXXI, Hochul called the news conference after Senate and Assembly members left the Capitol for the weekend, saying that there were too many unresolved issues to approve a spending plan this week.

The governor said in a release that she had reached an agreement with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins on the budget plan

Hochul announced adjustments will be made to the state’s current bail laws. The governor said judges will have more authority to set bail and detain dangerous defendants. The agreement that has been reached removes the least restrictive means standard and gives judges discretion to hold violent criminals accountable.

The budget also includes $40 million for public defenders to retain staff and enhance their services. Assigned attorneys will receive a pay increase for the first time in two decades.

The state plans to invest in violence prevention, including $36 million to Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE), increasing stabilization units for the New York State Police, and $40 million to district attorneys.

The state would raise the minimum wage. Starting next year, the minimum wage would rise to $15 in Upstate New York, with additional 50 cent increases in 2025 and 2026 to bring it to $17 by 2027. Future increases would be tied to the rate of inflation.

The budget also appears to include a ban on natural gas in new buildings and funding for free meals for school children.

The next step in the budget process is for the bills to be printed, so that state lawmakers can vote on them. The budget was due April 1.

(Photo by NHTSA)

Law enforcement will be stepping up patrols and targeting drug-impaired driving today.

The State Police, Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee remind motorists that driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, including cannabis, is not only dangerous, it is illegal in New York State

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said if you’re planning to consume cannabis, do not drive. Designate a sober driver who won’t be consuming or use public transportation or a ride-sharing service.

According to NHTSA, between 2009 and 2018, of those drivers killed in crashes and tested, the presence of cannabis had nearly doubled.

In 2018, 46 percent of drivers who were killed in crashes and were tested for drugs, tested positive.

In every U.S. state and territory, it is illegal to drive under the influence of drugs — no exceptions.

Governor Kathy Hochul meets with State Police, State Education Department on school safety (March 31, 2023)

While New York State has heightened monitoring in response to over a dozen “swatting” calls received by school districts last week, Jamestown Public Schools has also provided a safety update.

Governor Kathy Hochul met with state public safety and education leaders on Friday to coordinate preparedness and safety measures to ensure all school districts and local police have the latest guidance on school safety protocols.

Hochul, New York State Police, and the State Education Department issued a letter to school leaders directing them to review preparedness and safety measures in the wake of Monday’s school shooting in Nashville and increased “swatting” calls.

The state recommended that in the aftermath of the shooting and subsequent false threats of violence, school officials may wish to postpone any scheduled drills to reduce the risk of additional trauma to students and staff while maintaining awareness of processes and procedures to keep students and staff safe.

They also recommended schools that conduct drills should do so with the utmost care and caution and inform all participants that it is a drill.

The state also said that schools should immediately review building-level response plans, meet with staff assigned to critical Incident Command System roles, and follow annual drill requirements.

In a notice sent out by Jamestown Public Schools on Friday, Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker laid out existing safety measures in the district as well as measures that will be implemented soon that include Incident Command System refresher training for building leaders, upgrades to door access systems district-wide, upgraded door alarms, a violence interrupter program in the community, and upgrades to security system and camera systems.

Dr. Whitaker again encouraged volunteer to join the district’s Community Safety Committee. Those who are interested may call (716) 483-4420.

New York State Police

WPIX reported that Governor Kathy Hochul said her office was aware of at least 34 school swatting incidents on Thursday.

Various police departments received false calls that an active shooter event was in progress in schools.

All of the threats have been unfounded.

Locally, schools that received these false swatting calls included districts in Olean, Silver Creek, and several in the Buffalo area. Jamestown Public Schools placed all district buildings on a lockout Thursday afternoon as a precaution.

WPIX said the swatting incidents appear to be part of a larger nationwide trend, according to authorities. Threats and false reports of shooters have been pouring into schools and colleges across the country for months, raising concerns among law enforcement and elected leaders.

U.S. Route 20 (Wikipedia)

State Police will have stepped up speed enforcement on Route 20 today.

The one-day corridor project, which is targeted at reducing speed related crashes on non-interstate highways, was created by the Iowa State Patrol. New York State Police is among eight other states participating in the campaign.

New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven Nigrelli said in a release that, “Speeding contributes to over one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities across the nation.”

Drivers can expect to see increased patrols by State Police and local law enforcement agencies during the morning and evening drive times.

Troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of this crackdown in order to more easily identify motorists who are violating the law.

U.S. Highway 20 spans 3,365 miles coast to coast. New York State has jurisdiction over 372 miles of the highway. This is the second time New York State Police is participating in the campaign.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 11,258 individuals were killed in speed-related accidents across the country in 2020 and speeding contributed to 29% of all motor vehicle fatalities.

Heroin overdoses

New York State Police said from January 27 to February 7, 2023, there were 94 overdoses reported including six deaths. In Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties there were 20 overdoses and 3 deaths.

Police said Naloxone, also known as Narcan, was administered 57 times during this time frame. They caution that the more lethal strand of heroin being distributed may cause death.

If you or a family member, friend or acquaintance struggle with opiate use, help can be found through CombatAddictionCHQ.com, the State Office of Addiction Services and Supports at www.oasas.ny.gov, or through the HOPEline at 1-877-846-7369.

State Police in Jamestown report that a car driven by 30-year old Mathew Berry of Randolph was traveling the wrong way in the westbound lane of I-86 without headlights when he was truck by a Ram truck head on. The collision caused the truck to go into the right lane where it was struck by a Freightliner.

Berry was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck, 57-year old Todd Town of Jamestown, was taken to UMPC Chautauqua where he died from his injuries. The passenger in the truck, 54-year old Sandra Town, is in serious condition at UPMC Hamot. The driver of the Freightliner had no injuries.

State Police said an investigation determined that Berry suffered from mental illness and had been reported missing earlier Saturday evening.

They added the investigation is ongoing.

Governor Kathy Hochul speaks at Orthodox Union to announce the formation of the Department of Human Rights’ Hate and Bias Prevention Unit (December 12, 2022)

A new State Human Rights Unit is being established to help deal with hate and bias prevention in New York State.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of the statewide Hate and Bias Prevention Unit, which is charged with leading public education and outreach efforts, serving as an early warning detection system in local communities, and quickly mobilizing to support areas and communities in which a bias incident has occurred.

As part of the new Unit’s mandate, the Division is organizing 10 regional councils across the state made up of local stakeholders. These councils will provide a place for community members to share concerns, organize educational programming, host hate crime prevention and community healing events, conduct trainings in conflict resolution, and facilitate the filing of complaints with the Division and other relevant agencies. The Unit also will develop a rapid response team to assist communities affected by a bias or hate incident.

The Hate and Bias Prevention Unit also will be responsible for establishing and implementing a statewide campaign promoting acceptance, inclusion, tolerance, and understanding of diversity.

The State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services annually investigates more than 5,000 complaints of discrimination from individuals across the state. The agency also has the authority to initiate investigations and file complaints alleging violations of the state anti-discrimination law and last year, the Division secured more than $6.2 million in monetary damages for individuals who have experienced discrimination. The Division also works with the New York State Police to educate New Yorkers on the State’s hate crimes laws.

Troopers report they have received several calls and complaints from residents in Western New York that individuals claiming to be affiliated with the State Police and or State Troopers are calling asking for donations.

Troopers say, if you receive a call from an organization claiming to be affiliated with the State Police, know that the person on the other end of the phone is not a member of the State Police or representing the New York State Police. They added that the State Troopers Police Benevolent Association does not solicit individuals or call people at their homes asking for donations either.

If a scammer does contact you, you can report the call by going to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Randall Rolison

The Jamestown man involved in a fatal hit and run accident in Jamestown last December has been involved in another fatal car accident in the town of Arkwright.

State Police said 59-year old Randall Rolison was the driver of the car that went through a stop sign at the intersection of State Route 83 and Center Road, hitting the car driven by 71-year old Gary Kraemer of South Dayton on Saturday night. The collision caused his passenger, 71-year old Linda Kraemer, to be ejected from the car. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Kraemer, Rolison, and passengers in his vehicle were taken to area hospitals for non-life threatening injuries.

Rolison had previously been indicted by a Chautauqua County Grand Jury on a manslaughter charges after striking and killing 15-year old Lexy Hughan on December 31, 2021 with a commercial vehicle. He also is charged with three counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt issued a statement saying his office is “pursuing a number of options available under the law for addressing the current situation, including seeking the revocation of Mr. Rolison’s bail so that he can be jailed pending trial on the indicted cases. We are also actively working to develop information and evidence arising from Saturday’s accident which may lead us to file new charges against Mr. Rolison.

Schmidt criticized County Court Judge David Foley in his statement for reducing the amount of requested bail for Rolison on all charges from $500,000 cash or $1 million property bond to a total of $85,000 cash or $170,000 property bond. Rolison was able to make bail and was released at that time.