radioNOVO News NY News Roundup for May 19, 2026

Good morning,A New York State judge has tossed a portion of critical evidence in the case against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare C-E-O Brian Thompson. The judge ruled that the initial search of Mangione’s backpack at a Pennsylvania McDonald's last December was unlawful and conducted without a warrant. As a result, a loaded handgun magazine and a passport found in the bag will be suppressed in the state trial. However, the evidence remains admissible in Mangione’s separate federal trial, which is scheduled to begin later this year.Downstate, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is warning drivers to brace for gridlock as the historic Long Island Rail Road strike enters its fourth day. The massive walkout by thirty-five-hundred rail workers has completely suspended service, forcing three hundred thousand daily commuters to scramble for alternative transportation. While the M-T-A is running shuttle buses from Long Island hubs to subway stations in Queens, riders are reporting massive delays. Regional officials estimate the transit shutdown could drain up to sixty-one million dollars a day from the local economy.Meanwhile, the New York State budget remains gridlocked in Albany, more than a month past its official due date. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins expressed optimism last week that a spending plan could be finalized by today. However, Deputy Leader Mike Gianaris called that timeline "very slim," noting that lawmakers still haven’t begun voting on critical budget bills. Negotiations remain stalled over key funding allocations and policy disputes.Further upstate, the Greene County Economic Development Corporation is making a push for public feedback regarding a controversial state tourism proposal. The Department of Environmental Conservation is considering a visitor management plan that would cap daily attendance at Kaaterskill Falls at just one thousand people. Local hospitality providers and business owners are expressing major concern over how the cap would impact area restaurants and hotels. The public comment period runs through June first.In Kingston, police are widening their automated traffic enforcement network. The city has officially activated new school speed zone cameras along Washington Avenue and will begin issuing automated violations today. The cameras will capture speeders traveling through elementary zones on weekdays from seven A-M to four P-M, while the perimeter around Kingston High School will be monitored until eight o'clock in the evening. The speed limit drops to fifteen miles per hour when the school zones are active.And state police are officially launching their annual "Click It or Ticket" safe driving initiative today. Law enforcement agencies across New York are ramping up patrols and setting up seatbelt checkpoints through May thirty-first to encourage driver safety ahead of the busy Memorial Day holiday weekend.More news on our radioNOVO app -- Codi Gaboff, radioNOVO News, a service of Seven Mountains Media.