There are no Hispanics on the Legislature now. The plan alters the boundaries of all 17 districts but avoids pitting any incumbents against each other in this year's elections. Wyandanch residents say a 25 percent school property tax increase will force some of them to give up their homes. The new school budget will be voted on May 15th. Firefighters and police found two dozen marijuana plants in the basement of a South Salem house when they responded to a fire.
Police say the fire apparently started when heat lamps used to grow the plants malfunctioned.
State police charged the couple who occupied the home, Douglas and Jordanna Hysell, with unlawful possession of marijuana. A volunteer firefighter is being charged with setting fire to the Bellmore, Long Island firehouse where he worked. The top contenders for the Democratic nomination for governor in next year election are laying out their campaign ideas to the party's statewide leadership. Andrew Cuomo and state Comptroller H. Carl McCall are addressing the state Democratic Committee today at a suburban Albany hotel. Yesterday's separate deaths of two men in Buffalo are being investigated by homicide detectives.