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WAER News Round-up: April 3-7

A digital photo of a piece of paper with WAER headlines written on it.
Yoki Tang
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WAER
A graphic of notebook paper lists the top stories of the week of Apr 03-07, 2023.

This week: New York has not had a chief judge for more than half a year, and it could be a bit longer before a new one is in place. The New York State Legislature is considering bills to establish a supply chain transparency assistance program. Meanwhile the New York state budget remains hung up over changes to the state's bail reform laws, among other things.

Catch up on more of the week's news below.

1.Jamesville Correctional Facility merger on hold, says sheriff

A man in a Sheriff's uniform speaks into a microphone in an office.
Chris Bolt
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WAER
The exterior of the Onondaga County Justice Center.

The plan to merge Jamesville Prison with the Justice Center in Onondaga County is on hold due to decertification of beds and inmate classification issues, according to Sheriff Toby Shelley.

2. NY Legislature considers supply chain transparency bills

A gray building with two sidewalks in front of it and bare trees lining the sidewalk.
John Marino
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Wikimedia Commons
The Syracuse University Hall of Languages on the college's campus in Syracuse, NY.

New York State's Legislature is considering several bills to get the state to utilize ethical and sustainable supply chains.

3. Bail reform disagreements continue to stall NYS budget

The New York State Capitol building is shown at night. There is a body of water in front that is reflecting the image of the building. The sky is dark blue.
Sonu_visuals
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Stock.Adobe.Com
The New York state Capitol building at night, in Albany, NY.

Lawmakers left without completing the state budget as bail reform law changes are still being debated in New York.

4. New York state budget will be at least 10 days late, Hochul says

Gov. Kathy Hochul announces a budget deal on last year’s budget, April 7, 2022.
Mike Groll
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Office Of Gov. Kathy Hochul
Gov. Kathy Hochul announces a budget deal on last year’s budget, April 7, 2022.

The New York state budget will be at least 10 days late, as Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature missed the April 1 deadline and agreed to pass a spending extender to keep the state government running.

5. New York bill requires court order for CPS investigations

A child sits on a bench with an open book. He is surrounded by shelves with other books on them
George Hodan
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publicdomainpictures.net
A 2022 report from the New York State Citizen Review Panel outlined several overhauls needed to make Child Protective Services a better functioning agency. Some recommendations include reducing unnecessary investigations of children and families, and reducing harmful practices during investigations.

A bill in the New York State Legislature would implement new standards for Child Protective Services.

6.New York still doesn’t have a chief judge after DiFiore resignation

Woman sits at desk talking.jpeg
Peter Wendler
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WCNY
Gov. Kathy Hochul talks about her next choice for the state's chief judge during an interview with public radio on March 30, 2023.

The New York State Public Employees Federation is launching a campaign to improve publicly employed social workers' conditions.

7. Tenney making CNY visit on tour to gather Farm Bill input

Cows graze at the dairy farm.
WAER File Photo
Cows graze at the dairy farm.

New York Congresswoman Claudia Tenney was on a listening tour this week to address issues faced by farmers in Upstate New York ahead of the federal Farm Bill renewal.

8. NYS Public Social Workers Enduring High Stress, Low Pay

A woman in a mask talks on the phone and writes on a white notepad at a desk in front of a computer.
Deidre Smith
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Naval Hospital jacksonville
Cathiana Philippe, a social worker at Naval Hospital Jacksonville, discusses patient discharge planning. Philippe, a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, holds a master of social work degree from Fordham University in New York.

The New York State Public Employees Federation is launching a campaign to improve publicly employed social workers' conditions.

9. New York mayors call for regular funding of water, sewer projects

A low angle of a road with cones broken open for construction.
Vaughn Golden
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WSKG
A section of the road is exposed for sewer maintenance.

Mayors across New York are calling for regular funding for local water and sewer infrastructure projects to be included in the state budget.

10. Richmond, CA shows that Syracuse's latest anti-violence proposal could work

Syracuse City Hall. 2/14/22. (Photos by Max Mimaroglu)
Max Mimaroglu
/
WAER News
Syracuse City Hall. 2/14/22. (Photos by Max Mimaroglu)

Syracuse is considering a proposal similar to one in Richmond, CA that aims to reduce violent crime through mental health circles, job training, and paying stipends to people who are prone to violence.

11. More VEO vehicles are coming to Syracuse as survey shows growing ridership

A hub of VEO powered scooters and bikes wait for the next riders on a Syracuse street.
Scott Willis
/
WAER News
A hub of VEO powered scooters and bikes wait for the next riders on a Syracuse street.

VEO reports growth in ridership for the third year in a row in Syracuse, and a survey of 500 customers shows the service reduced their car usage by 42%.

Yoki Tang was raised in a big city of China called Shanghai. He speaks Mandarin, Korean and English. His majors are Broadcast Digital Journalism and Selective Study In Education and would be graduated in May 2023. The desire to get the facts right and the quest for accurate facts made Yoki want to study broadcast and journalism in the first place.