radioNOVO News NY News Roundup for May 20, 2026

Good morning,We begin at the state capitol in Albany, where New York lawmakers passed a thirteenth consecutive state budget extender late yesterday to prevent a government shutdown. The temporary stopgap spending bill keeps the state government fully funded through today while legislative leaders continue intense negotiations over major policy sticking points. The repetitive extensions have drawn sharp criticism from watchdog groups as lawmakers struggle to finalize a comprehensive fiscal plan well past the original April deadline.Meanwhile, a massive privacy victory has been secured in Central New York. The Syracuse Common Council has voted unanimously to pass a groundbreaking "Biometric Surveillance Law," completely prohibiting local businesses from collecting and using biometric data. The new law strictly bans any commercial surveillance systems capable of identifying individuals through facial recognition, retina scans, or unique movement patterns. Lawmakers stated the aggressive measure was necessary to protect consumer privacy rights against rapidly advancing corporate technology.In Western New York, a Cheektowaga couple has pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges in connection with the tragic death of their infant daughter. Authorities state that two-and-a-half-month-old infant passed away due to severe malnutrition and dehydration caused by extreme neglect. Prosecutors revealed yesterday that Luis Gonzalez and Kitrina Udrea consistently missed mandatory follow-up medical appointments after healthcare providers warned the baby was dangerously underweight. A judge has scheduled their official sentencing hearing for July.Turning to the North Country, the college community is mourning following a devastating weekend hit-and-run that claimed the life of a college student. Potsdam village police have arrested eighteen-year-old Jakob Krise following a Saturday morning collision on Pierrepont Avenue that killed twenty-year-old Emily Mae Smith. Smith, a Greene County native, was an active student at the State University of New York at Potsdam. Krise faces multiple severe charges, including leaving the scene of a fatal accident and driving while intoxicated.And finally, New York state law enforcement agencies have officially launched the annual "Buckle Up New York, Click It or Ticket" traffic safety initiative. Beginning this morning, state troopers, county sheriffs, and local municipal police forces will be stepping up high-visibility checkpoints and roving patrols specifically targeting seat belt and child restraint violations. State transportation officials say the aggressive enforcement campaign will run through May thirty-first in a coordinated effort to lower highway fatalities ahead of the busy Memorial Day travel weekend.For more news from across the Empire State, download the radioNOVO app. I’m Codi Gaboff, radioNOVO News, a service of Seven Mountains Media.