BUFFALO, NEW YORK – These are the state and national news headlines we covered on The World Telegram NewsRadio on Friday, April 18th, 2025.
Penn Station Renovation to be Spearheaded by New "Federal Railroad Administration"
If you ride Amtrak into New York City, things might end up looking a little different.
The Trump administration is taking control of the seven-billion-dollar renovation of New York City’s Penn Station, removing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority from its leadership role and appointing Amtrak, the station’s owner, as the new lead agency. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cited the MTA’s history of inefficiency and mismanagement as reasons for the change, emphasizing the need for a safe and clean transit center that reflects America’s greatness. He announced that the new Federal Railroad Administration would oversee the reconstruction in partnership with Amtrak.
The administration has also reduced the federal grant for project development by one hundred twenty million dollars, aiming to streamline costs. While Governor Kathy Hochul supported the federal takeover, noting potential taxpayer savings, the administration has yet to provide specific details or timelines for the reconstruction plans.
In a statement posted online, Governor Hochul praised the move, saying she had been asking for this for a long time, calling it a major victory for New Yorkers and adding that it would save taxpayers one point three billion dollars.
Several expansions to Penn Station have been proposed, with one of them coming to fruition in 2021 as Moynihan Hall.
Long Island Wind Farm Cancelled
A Norwegian energy company is pausing its work to build wind farms off the coast of Long Island after getting an order from the Trump administration.
Last year, Equinor — the company working on it — secured the permits needed and broke ground on construction after investing around $2 billion in the project. The wind farm would’ve supplied power to 700,000 homes yearly by 2027.
The order came from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, which cited concerns over the adequacy of former President Biden’s administration. This halt is part of a broader review of offshore wind farms initiated by President Trump, who’s been skeptical of wind farms and their effect on slowing climate change in the U.S.
NYS Prison Guards Indicted on Murder Charges
Ten prison officers at the Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy have been indicted in connection with the death of an inmate named Messiah Nantwi last month. The charges include murder, manslaughter, conspiracy, gang assault, evidence tampering, and filing false reports.
The incident happened during last month’s prison guards strike, which, if you remember, led to the National Guard having to come in to help keep the peace. Some of the indicted officers were part of an emergency response team activated during this period.
Trump v. Harvard University
The Trump administration has gotten more intense with its retaliation against Harvard University, as they threaten to revoke its tax-exempt status and have frozen over $2 billion in federal funding.
These actions follow Harvard’s refusal to comply with federal demands about campus activism, international students, and DEI policies.
The Department of Homeland Security has also canceled $2.7 million in grants and is considering barring the university from enrolling international students. President Trump has publicly criticized Harvard, labeling it “a disgrace” and accusing it of promoting radical ideologies.
RFK Jr.'s Claims on Autism Draw Criticism
RFK Jr. is coming under fire after the CDC released its new findings about autism. According to a report released yesterday, 1 in 31 have autism, and autism is more prevalent in boys than girls.
Anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists believe the higher rates of autism in California are linked to California’s strict vaccination laws, which the CDC maintains on their website are not connected whatsoever.
Take a listen to RFK as he reflected on these statistics.
Cuts to Health and Human Services
A draft budget proposal from the Trump administration has suggested reducing the Department of Health and Human Services’ discretionary budget by up to one-third. Experts say this puts programs like Head Start at risk, alongside teen pregnancy initiatives and global health projects.
As a result, the NIH would see its budget slashed from $48.5 billion to $27.3 billion, which would consolidate its 27 institutes into eight. This would also mean cuts to the CDC for local public health and surveillance.
Through these cuts, there will be no earmarked funds or a reserve mechanism within the budget to support rapid responses in the case of a public health emergency. This means the government may struggle to quickly allocate funding if there’s another public health emergency.
Around 20,000 employees from Health and Human Services have been laid off or accepted buyouts, which affected programs within the FDA, CDC, and other departments.