Palmesano: Stop HALT Act To Stop Prisoner Violence 

Corning Republican Assemblyman Phil Palmesano is speaking out about the recent prisoner assaults against prison guards at Elmira Correctional.  There were head injuries, back injuries, in at least one case a prisoner head butted one of the guards.  "They are serious injuries and that's the problem going on in our correctional facilities," Palmesano said.  "Over the past several years we've seen a trajectory of the rise and increase of inmate on staff assault, and inmate on inmate assault.  What happened that made this issue even worse and much more dangerous than even before, was that they don't segregate the more violent prisoners from the rest of the jail population.  Supporters of the Halt Act, say that the left is stopping solitary confinement, but they're not.  It's like a dangerous powder-keg environment inside these facilities."  

 

A Very Large Turnout In Hornell: Possible DOT Changes

Hornell High School’s auditorium was about three quarters filled last night, for the Department of Transportion’s public hearing regarding what the DOT described as possible changes to Route 36 from Hornell to Arkport.   Below are some of the questions that were asked: 

Hornell resident Angelo Scotti asked “will Alstom be able to transport transit cars through roundabouts?” Answer: DOT engineer Mike Griffin stated that there would be a meeting coming up soon, with officials from Alstom and the DOT.

Another Hornell resident asked, quote – “you’re going to turn part of a four lane highway into a two lane highway and you’re going to add roundabouts?” Answer: DOT Engineer Griffin stated that that was being discussed as a possibility.

Then there was a question about the intersection at Routes 66 and 36 and a possible roundabout there and a right of way. Answer: the DOT is looking at every intersection as a possiblity for a roundabout.

 

Reports Of Confusion Over August 23rd Voting 

There is a special election coming up on August 23^rd for the remainder of the old Tom Reed seat in the old 23^rd congressional district.  That special election is between Republican Joe Sempolinski and Democrat Max Della Pia.  ON the same day, on August 23^rd, there is a GOP primary for the new 23^rd congressional district.  The new 23^rd goes from Buffalo to here, and the two candidates for that race are both from Buffalo, that’s Carl Paladino and Nick Langworthy.  Allegany County Clerk Rob Christman says, because the two races are on the same day, it’s creating a lot of confusion.  "I hope that the candidates are out there educating the public," said Christman. "I hope the board of elections offices are educating the public, because I can tell you, confusion is rampant."