Wednesday Headlines: We Found A Few Edition

Gov. Hochul announced 16 arrests in alleged auto insurance fraud cases across New York, citing nearly $500,000 in attempted fraudulent claims as her administration pushes sweeping changes to insurance laws in the name of lowering premiums.

“Every staged crash, fraudulent claim and criminal scheme ultimately drives up costs for New Yorkers who play by the rules,” Hochul said.

State officials said the 16 arrests involve 31 charges, including 29 felonies, stemming from investigations in New York City and several upstate and Long Island counties. The cases remain subject to the criminal justice proceedings.

State Sen. Jamaal Bailey, who backed the crackdown, said the effort is part of a broader push to address high premiums and close what he described as loopholes in the insurance system.

“New Yorkers deserve an insurance system built on fairness and accountability,” Bailey said.

• A Cheektowaga woman faces a felony drugged-driving charge, plus DWI and reckless driving, after a crash with a school bus that injured six children. (BTPM)
• State Attorney General Letitia James forces Colas to sell four facilities after its merger with Suit-Kote, aiming to keep road repair bidding competitive in Wayne and nine other upstate counties. (Finger Lakes Daily News)
• Ontario Midland Railroad landed $11.2 million in federal money to rehabilitate 10 miles of Wayne County track and resurface eight crossings. (Finger Lakes Daily News)
• A 67-year-old asphalt roller operator was killed when a car struck him from behind on Warncke Road in Lyons. (Finger Lakes Times)
• The political climate is driving Democrats to challenge Republicans in St. Lawrence County. (NCPR)
• Albany-to-Boston rail gets a boost as Massachusetts wins $130 million for its Springfield hub, though the Albany link isn’t targeted until 2045. (WAMC)

• Albany’s Common Council has passed a resolution urging the state to authorize a tax on people who work in the city but live elsewhere, pitching the levy as a way to address a looming budget deficit despite opposition from state lawmakers and Hochul. (The Times Union)
• Two people were seriously injured in a crash on Route 9G in Red Hook during heavy fog. (The Daily Catch)
• Jamil Wilson, a 47-year-old White Plains resident and state Thruway Authority maintenance worker, was killed when a vehicle struck him while he was mowing along I-287; state police are investigating the crash. (The Journal News)
• Cracks discovered in Middletown’s new parking garage have been resolved, according to city officials, addressing concerns about the recently built structure. (Mid Hudson News)
• The growing use of AI-generated political ads is raising questions about how voters can distinguish synthetic content from reality and whether New York’s existing rules provide enough oversight ahead of the elections. (The Journal News)
• As New York City’s affordability crisis pushes workers to look farther from the city for cheaper housing, East Stroudsburg in Pennsylvania’s Poconos is emerging as an option for some people priced out of the region. (The City Reporter)
• A driver accused of repeatedly ramming an NYPD officer with an SUV in the Bronx had been arrested weeks earlier in an alleged assault stemming from a parking dispute, renewing criticism of the city’s bail and immigration-enforcement policies. (The New York Post)