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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – The rise of big-box bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Waldenbooks battered independent bookstores in the 1990s. Indies have since been rendered an endangered species by Amazon. Most that remain, at least in the city, specialize in used books, first editions, and hard-to-find titles. CLICK HERE.
“When I was around 12 years old, I lived far from the ocean,” he said. “So I surfed on my bed, on my pillow. I always imagined my pillow was a surf board and I was in the wave.”
The task force, also called ETE, had the ambitious goal of ending the epidemic in the state by 2020.
Expectant mothers already face so many questions and uncertainty about the process of giving birth — and in the time of coronavirus, there’s even more to think about.
The International Joint Commission says it’s doing everything it can to mitigate rising lake levels but it still might not be enough.
It is a set of guidelines for how high and low water levels in Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence are allowed to get.
Lake Ontario is still high – about 246 feet high. The Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board says they’re working to reduce levels as much as possible by spring.
“This is an international entity and it is going to be a difficult case for us to make. But it is a last resort, we have tried everything else. It is a cry for help from the state of New York.”
The state is putting aside $300 million to fund resiliency projects in these communities, which have seen major flooding in recent years.
The Army Corps of Engineers announced it doesn’t expect the water in the Great Lakes to go down too much, too soon.
“This is a species that was incredibly abundant and then were overfished for many years, then impacts of dams and pollution. Now they still persist, but they’re about 1% of their historic numbers.”
“Maybe if they have the right conditions, they can do a nature-based shoreline approach, where they work in shoreline plants and rock rubble.”
The Environmental Working Group wants a standardized monitoring system across the U.S. to better inform the public about harmful algal blooms.
“Sometimes while you’re doing this job, you do think, ‘Wow, I am the luckiest guy to be paid to go out on the lake.’ Even though there are some problems on the lake, it’s still wonderful to be out there.”
Quagga mussels have few natural predators, and have been successful in the Great Lakes and other lakes across North America since being carried here by ships from Europe in the 1980s.
“The idea here is to make sure that people who live along the shorelines of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, make sure that they have a voice.”
Schumer says he’s lobbying for federal dollars to help the waterfront residents on the Southern Shore of Lake Ontario.
“Many people have water in their house. We have wet basements. Trying to keep up with sump pumps so they don’t fail.”
Across New York there are places that bear offensive, or even racist, names — so how do the people who live near them think about them?
“Is this the new normal? Or is this just an extended flooding event, like we had in 1993 or in the 1970s?”
This effort was spearheaded by the counties along the shore of Lake Ontario, which pushed for recognition and protection of the lake’s shipwrecks.
“There’s a lot of cannabis users, there’s a lot of people that use but are afraid to come out of the cannabis closet. Come out of the closet, be loud, be proud, because it’s coming.”
Marijuana legalization has been left out of the state budget, but advocates say not all hope is lost.
The researchers conclude that because of rapid effects of climate change, the Great Lakes are vulnerable to more flooding, heat waves, and drought.
Typically the IJC is responsible for overseeing lakes and rivers bordered by the U.S. and Canada.
The lake’s water level is higher than average right now, and residents have blamed it on poor management and regulation, but there might be another factor.
A number of federal lawmakers are concerned that high water levels on Lake Ontario will result in a repeat of the flooding seen along the lake shore in 2017.
According to the International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board, Lake Ontario is more than a foot higher than usual for this time of year.
As part of his State of the State, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his plan to legalize recreational marijuana under the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act. In a hearing on Wednesday, a committee of health and policy experts testified before the state legislature about the efficacy of the bill.
Workers rights advocates are planning rallies across the state for a bill that would give farmworkers access to labor protections they don’t have.
According to the US Census Bureau, the nation’s population is increasing overall. But not all states are growing. New York suffered the biggest population dip of any state between July 2017 and July 2018, losing almost fifty thousand people.
For Simone Ochrym, the moment of recovery that interests her the most, is the turning point. That’s the focus of her new series, Chasing Nirvana Clean. It’s a series of essays and photographic portraits chronicling people’s battles with opioid addiction.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, nine people drowned in the Great Lakes over Labor Day weekend, including one unidentified man found in Lake Ontario near Wilson, NY.
Although the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that public institutions make accommodations for people, students in STEM education – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – still feel like they are being pushed out.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Whether you call it a lightening bug or a firefly or perhaps by its scientific name, Lampyridae, chances are you’ve had some experience with the tiny flying insect that flashes and blinks its way through summer evenings.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Researchers predict less algae on Lake Erie this year compared to last, but that doesn’t mean no algae.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Immigration officials say they’ve arrested 40 undocumented immigrants across the state, many of whom had been charged with prior crimes.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – A new report attempts to explain the causes of last year’s flooding along the south shore of Lake Ontario.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – It looks like Lake Ontario may have already reached its peak high for the season, which is good news for lakefront home owners and business owners.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – The search continues for 14-month old Owen Hidalgo-Calderon in Sodus after his mother was found dead last week. His mother’s boyfriend appeared in court Tuesday.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) — Opioids can have devastating consequences for the people who abuse them, affecting their health, safety and freedom – but it doesn’t stop there. Drug abuse can ruin the lives of people who never touch the substances themselves. Stephanie Forrester is 37, from Fairport. She has two kids: a son and a daughter. She said they grew up around her addiction.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Several experts from across the state and the country held a summit Monday evening at Monroe Community College to try to come up with solutions to the state’s algal bloom problem.
GREAT LAKES TODAY – Water is being let out of Lake Ontario at record rates, but it’s doing little to relieve high water on the south shore, in New York. Last year, flooding caused millions of dollars in damage to residences and businesses, and in some areas drove people from their homes for months. One neighborhood in Hamlin, New York, was hit particularly hard. Now, residents there say they fear another harsh flood season. Bobby Jones stands on a sandy beach looking out over Lake Ontario.
GREAT LAKES RADIO – In the Great Lakes region, toxic algae blooms are a big problem. Every summer, they leave a green sheen on parts of the Great Lakes – and on many smaller lakes. New York State has a new campaign to find solutions. But some question the approach.