Great news for Central New York bars and restaurants in the Utica and Rome areas. They will push back its curfew an hour to midnight. That means another hour of much needed business and revenue.

According to WIBX, this goes into affect starting Monday, April 19. This is as New York State continues to relax coronavirus-related restrictions, but keeping in mind our safety measures:

The governor also announced during a telephone briefing Wednesday that auto and horse racing events will be able to accommodate spectators at 20% capacity starting April 23.

“”But at the same time, we caution New Yorkers: Don’t get cocky. The disease is still very much with us,” Cuomo said.

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Restaurants locally have pleaded for an end to the 11 p.m. curfew, saying that pandemic restrictions were hurting their business. Hopefully this will provide some much needed comfort.

Weddings and other catered events will be allowed to run until 1 a.m. instead of midnight as well. A similar curfew was lifted earlier this month for casinos, movie theaters, bowling alleys, billiard halls and fitness centers.

Proms Are Back For High School Seniors in New York

The state has release guidance for holding proms safely this year. Recommendations including dancing zones or staggered times on the dance floor and there's no standing around - everyone needs to be seated. Activities such as eating and dancing, present additional risks for viral transmission of COVID-19.

To mitigate the risk of spread, proms and balls that involve eating and/or dancing, regardless of venue, must comply with the following restrictions which take effect on June 1, 2021. You can read that full list here.

COVID Can't Stop 15 New Restaurants From Opening in Central New York

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