July 26, 2022 Daily Headlines

Early Saturday the Ithaca Fire Department responded to a fire in Cornell’s Vet Research Tower and successfully suppressed the fire. According to the Ithaca Voice, the fire may have compromised hazardous materials and the crew was decontaminated. There were no injuries. The NYS office of fire prevention and the IFD are currently investigating possible causes of the fire. 

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Last Thursday, U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican gubernatorial candidate for New York, was attacked at a rally outside Rochester. Zeldin did not suffer any serious injuries. According to the AP, the alleged assailant, David Jakubonis, is being charged with second degree attempted assault after getting on stage with Zeldin at a Veterans of Foreign Wars rally and brandishing a sharp object. After his arraignment, Jakubonis was released without bail. 

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New York State is launching its new Energy Assistance Program to help low-income residents pay down their electric and gas bills. According to the Ithaca Voice, unpaid NYSEG bills doubled during the pandemic, sadling New Yorkers with $1.8 billion of debt. The assistance program makes $576 million available for low-income residents, to pay utility bills from before May 1st, 2022. The window to apply for the program closes December 31, 2022. To get more information on the program and how to apply, you can visit ny.gov and visit the “Ask PSC” section. 

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