Evening briefing in central New York: May 22

Good evening, Central New York. We end the day for you with the most important stories you need to know and your weather forecast.

Your weather planner

Scattered thunderstorms move through this evening bringing wind damage, small to medium hail and isolated flooding. After sunset, around 9 p.m., the threat of severe weather fades. The following night promises to be calm, with lingering mild and humid conditions as well as a few pockets of rain. Lows will only fall into the 60s.

Thursday morning will begin with a few scattered showers, especially south of Syracuse and east of I-81. By late morning/early afternoon, any rain will have already moved east and the sun will take over. It will be sunny and cooler for the rest of the day Thursday and Friday.

Tomorrow’s forecast

Hourly Forecast for Central NY | Hourly forecast for the southern level | Hourly Forecast for Northern New York

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The big stories of the day

1. Teachers union pushes for hot-weather classroom rule

Most schools don’t have the ability to cool down when the weather gets this hot, and teachers and students can feel the heat in the classroom. There’s pressure to keep New York kids from sitting in that kind of heat. The United Teachers Organization of New York State is trying to pass a bill that would prevent students from being allowed into classrooms when temperatures rise above 88 degrees.

2. Community policing credited for lower crime rate in Binghamton

The City of Binghamton has experienced one of its lowest overall crime rates in the past 15 years. Nearly all nine categories of the crime index declined in 2023, according to state statistics. It’s a new company aimed at building safer communities with a bit of an old-fashioned approach.

3. The theater program exposes children to theater at a young age

A program in central New York introduces theater before children reach kindergarten. It’s accessible to children from all backgrounds since the actors speak an invented language.

4. Ithaca among CNY districts with failed school budget votes

Several Central New York cities saw school district budgets fail at the ballot box on Tuesday. Ithaca, Corning-Painted Post, St. Regis Falls, Belleville-Henderson and Cazenovia all had their budgets rejected by voters.

5. Progressive Democrats issue warning to young voters and POTUS as Biden polls lag behind voting bloc.

Progressive New York Democrats at the Capitol are issuing a stark warning to young voters, as polls show support for President Joe Biden from that voting bloc is lagging behind 2020.

6. Daily marijuana use exceeds daily consumption in the United States, new study finds

Alcohol is still more widely consumed, but 2022 was the first time that this level of heavy marijuana use exceeded high-frequency use, said study author Jonathan Caulkins, a policy researcher on the cannabis at Carnegie Mellon University.