April 5th, 2022 Daily Headlines
Cornell has proposed a nearly $30 million plan to expand the university’s engineering school. According to the Ithaca Voice, plans have been filed with the city of Ithaca to expand Thurston Hall. The proposal would add a 4 story addition to the north side of the building and double its size. The school aims to begin construction in January of 2023 and open the building in the fall of 2024.
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Ithaca College has announced plans for the school’s May commencement ceremony. According to the Ithaca Voice, the school’s commencement address will be delivered by Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, and a Ithaca College graduate from the class of 2005. The school will also offer an honorary doctorate to Democracy Now! Host and founder Amy Goodman. Goodman was previously awarded the Izzy Award in 2009 by the School’s Center for Independent Media.
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On Friday, New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the indictment of Cross Tie Disposal Incorporated, a Kentucky freight shipping and trucking company. The company and its Vice-President Harold Young were indicted for illegally dumping contaminated railroad ties in Chenango county. The company also created fake scale tickets to conceal the illegal activity. Young and the company have been charged with one count of grand larceny, 30 counts of falsifying business records, and 11 counts of endangering public health. If convicted, Young could face 5 to 15 years in prison and over a million dollars in fines.
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Governor Kathy Hochul has announced $4.4 million in funding for local governments and nonprofits to reduce the impact of extreme weather. The funds are available to governments and nonprofits in 9 counties impacted by tropical storm Fred including Cortland, Cayuga, and Tioga. Tompkins and Schuyler counties were not included. The city of Ithaca has seen increased concerns over potential flooding after a proposed flood map from FEMA showed large portions of the city’s downtown area at risk of flooding.