Episodes
Coronavirus Precautions And Protests Create Problems But Fail To Disrupt PA’s Primary Election
|
The challenge now: Counting nearly 2 million mail-in ballots. Final results may take a week to tabulate
App NEWS
WATCH: Governor Cuomo’s Wednesday Coronavirus Briefing
|
Lawmakers could consider an entire package of bills aimed at easing tensions between communities of color and the police, but it’s unclear which measures have support.
App NEWS
Governor ‘Disappointed, Outraged’ Over Continued Looting In New York City
|
Cuomo stopped short of saying that he would deploy the state’s National Guard to any city without a request by its political leaders.
App NEWS
Binghamton Protesters Promise Repeated Marches Against Racism
|
Hundreds of people marched in Binghamton on Tuesday night, as part of nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
App NEWS
Tompkins County Legislators, Sheriff Condemn Killing of George Floyd
|
“It is time for community, for colleagues, who are white, who have the ability and the privilege to be heard — to take action.”
Politics and Elections
2020 PRIMARIES AND CAUCUSES / Pennsylvania Results
|
Pennsylvania is a presidential battleground state. There are no statewide races for governor or U.S. Senate this year. The commonwealth has 18 congressional districts. Pennsylvania voters must be registered with a political party to participate in its primary elections.
Trump Administration Limits New York’s Power To Stop Oil And Gas Pipelines
|
In recent years, climate activists and states have used the Clean Water Act to block pipelines and other fossil fuel projects. A new EPA rule makes that harder,
Government
Cuomo: Mass Protests Could Lead To New Coronavirus Outbreak
|
“People lost their jobs, people wiped out their savings, and now, mass gatherings with thousands of people in close proximity? What sense does this make?”
App NEWS
Your Questions About Voting In The Pennsylvania Primary, Answered
|
Wolf makes surprise announcement that he’s extending deadline for returning mail-in ballots by a week
Peaceful Daytime Protest Turns Violent At Night, 2 Police Officers Injured In Buffalo
|
Both officers, one a Buffalo Police officer and the other a New York State trooper, are currently in stable condition.
App NEWS
Binghamton Officials React To Fire At Recreation Park
|
“I don’t want that to be what people remember out of yesterday’s demonstration.”
Food and Farms
Caravans Gather Across New York To Support Undocumented, Essential Workers
|
“We’re asking for access to child care for food chain workers, financial relief for undocumented workers and health and safety regulations for all workers on the job, especially farmworkers.”
Education
‘No Question’: PA Governor Says Schools Will Reopen In The Fall
|
Most of western Pa. moves to green phase of coronavirus reopening plan next week.
Governor Calls For State Probe Into NYPD actions, Sends National Guard To Buffalo
|
“Last night was an ugly night all across this nation. It was an ugly night across this state.”
App NEWS
Protesters March Through Binghamton In Memory Of George Floyd
|
“I’m a mother of two black sons and this is enough. So, we came to make some noise.”
Government
Assembly Ready To ‘Respond’ To Major Cuts From Cuomo, Speaker Says
|
“None of us can fathom 20% cuts to education. Those are cuts that I don’t think we’ve ever imagined, we’ve ever seen, in recent times.”
Episodes
Voters Have More Options On Primary Election Day, But Advocates Want More Safeguards
|
Voters eligible to cast ballots in the Democratic presidential primary and several congressional and state legislative primaries will be mailed applications for absentee ballots.
In Self-Isolation, New York Doctor Deepens His Connection To Family
|
To protect his wife and four children, Dr. Roberto Vargas, who processes COVID-19 tests in Rochester, N.Y., is staying in their basement. “What carries me through is this family,” he tells them.
Congressman, Healthcare Officials Criticize New York’s Nursing Home Testing Requirement
|
“The twice per week is not based in any scientific recommendation and counters what the CDC is asking for.”
App NEWS
PA House Passes Resolution To Limit Governor’s Coronavirus Emergency Declaration
|
Senate still needs to act, but resolution faces almost certain disapproval by governor
Love At First Quarantine: After A Single Date, New York Couple Hunkers Down
|
New Yorkers Gali Beeri and Joshua Boliver met at a dance class in March as the city was about to lock down. The near-strangers took a leap of faith and are riding out quarantine in Joshua’s apartment.
De Blasio Expects New York City To Head Back To Work Next Month
|
The epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. has spent weeks under strict restrictions. But the mayor says up to 400,000 people will likely return to their jobs soon — with some conditions.
Andrew Cuomo
Updated: After Confusion, Southern Tier Enters Phase Two
|
Local officials complained about a lack of communication with state officials leading up to today.
On The Eve Of Free Virtual Performance, New York’s Public Theater Muses On Art’s Future
|
New York’s Public Theater is heading in a new direction with a star-studded, free, one-night-only virtual gala performance.
Reckoning With The Dead: Journalist Goes Inside New York COVID-19 Disaster Morgue
|
Time magazine reporter W.J. Hennigan embedded with workers responsible for caring for the bodies of some 20,000 New Yorkers who have died from COVID-19. “It’s a haunting thing,” he says.
App NEWS
Binghamton Looks To Expand Outdoor Space When Restaurant Seating Reopens
|
Dine-in service is part of phase three of reopening
Episodes
New York Voters Must Register By Friday To Be Eligible For June 23 Primary
|
There will be a scaled back number of polling places open if voters feel comfortable going to the election sites that follow pandemic protocols.
Episodes
Six Democrats, One Republican Seek To Succeed DePasquale As PA’s Auditor General
|
Candidates suggest office has significant role in oversight of coronavirus response
Assemblywoman Says Federal Aid Could Prevent Disastrous Cuts In Local Budgets
|
“It would just be a disaster. It’s, it would just be awful in every area.”
App NEWS
Retiring State Senator Endorses Angelino For New York Assembly
|
Angelino faces Nick Libous in June’s GOP Primary
Government
New York State Legislature To Vote On COVID-19 Bills
|
State lawmakers returned to session this week, with plans to vote on bills aimed at helping New Yorkers cope with all of the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
White Woman Who Called Police On Black Bird-Watcher In Central Park Has Been Fired
|
A black man says he asked a white woman in Central Park to put her dog on a leash. His video, which has gone viral, shows her telling emergency operators that the man is threatening her and her dog.
App NEWS
Poll Finds New Yorkers Okay With Phased Reopening
|
The poll finds Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 66% approval rating is still among the highest during his 9 years in office.
Health
After Hospital Discharge, COVID-19 Recovery Continues At Home
|
Patients can have persistent physical, cognitive and psychological disability after their discharge.
alcoholism
Virtual Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings Provide People In Recovery A Reprieve
|
Since the New York state PAUSE order went into effect in March, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and other support groups have transitioned to virtual meetings.
Education
New York Universities Start To Address Fall Semesters
|
Binghamton University’s president said that students will return to campus this fall as well, but more details are forthcoming.
coronavirus
‘Not Camera Shy’: PA Businesses Make Video Pitches For Emergency Aid
|
“This is going to be our new normal when the government allows us to come back. So, I am giving it a go.”
App NEWS
COVID-19 Restrictions And The Process Of Grieving
|
“It’s just you want some sort of closure already because, even now, I feel like we’ve been mean or something to dad.”
Memorial Day Brings Families and Friends Together in State Parks
|
“It’s a beautiful day, we’re not stuck in the house, you know, driving each other bonkers.”
Arts & Culture
Calendar Curveball Gives Us An Extra Week Of Summer
|
The unofficial start of summer, on May 25, the earliest the holiday could arrive, and delivers Labor Day, the marker of the season’s conclusion, as late as possible, on Sept. 7.
Student Interaction Complicates Return to Campus
|
“What we found on Cornell campus is really three degrees of separation”
Andrew Cuomo
Beaches To Open In New York, But Summer Day Camps Still In Question
|
There are growing concerns and many unanswered questions about the pediatric inflammatory disease associated with COVID-19.
In New York City, 2 Million Residents Face Food Insecurity, Officials Say
|
“Before the coronavirus, we thought somewhere around a million people were food insecure and needed food,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said. Now, 1 in 4 New Yorkers may be going hungry.
Akshar Endorses Angelino In GOP Primary For Assembly Seat
|
Angelino faces Nick Libous in the GOP Primary.
Government
New York Allows Small Religious Gatherings, With Restrictions
|
“The wearing of masks, the cleaning regimen that would have to happen before or after, the airing out of the space, the need to manage things like doorways or bathrooms or places of contact.”
App NEWS
Hair Stylists, Nail Salons Plan Reopening With No Guidance From New York State
|
“If I’m not making money, if I can’t sustain rent on 2,400 square feet, plus utilities, then it’s no longer a benefit for me to keep the business as it was running.”
Education
Playbook For Reopening PA Schools: Face Shields, Staggered Schedules, Temp Checks
|
Scientifically, there’s no clear consensus yet on the effectiveness of school closures in stopping the spread of COVID-19.
Antonio Delgado
As Partisan Debate Stalls COVID Relief, Delgado Hopes For Small Community Aid
|
“Our state and local budgets are hemorrhaging”
Proposal Would Limit New York Governor’s Emergency Powers, Increase Oversight
|
“It doesn’t prevent the decisions. It solely requires reports. Once the reports are made, those things are subject to review.”
App NEWS
NY22 GOP Debate Cancelled; Candidate Refuses Invitation
|
“Claudia Tenney indicated at this time she is not accepting any invitation to debate her primary opponent.”
Schumer Says Train Derailment ‘Could Have Been Much Worse’
|
“This isn’t the first time a terrifying train derailment has happened in New York, and we need a full-scale investigation ASAP.”
App NEWS
Veto Won’t Stop PA Real Estate Offices From Reopening
|
After rejecting bill to reopen real estate industry, Wolf issues guidelines to accomplish the same goal
App NEWS
By Two-Vote Margin, PA House Rejects Protections For Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation
|
“When employers are having smaller staff, are they going to go out of their way to hire folks who already weren’t being hired before this, or are they going to overlook them?”
Crime and Justice
Lawsuit Says PA’s Failing Special Needs Kids During Coronavirus School Closures
|
“The families claim “online learning is wholly inadequate to meet the needs of nonverbal and partially verbal children with autism who rely upon…in-person instruction.”
Pennsylvania Health Secretary Defends ‘Universal’ Nursing Home Testing Plan
|
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine responded to critics who say there are holes in the state’s plan to test all residents and staff at nursing homes: “The plan is an evolution.”
Why Some COVID-19 Tests Are Processed Same Day And Others Take Five
|
The processing time of COVID-19 tests depends on what’s happening that day at Cayuga Medical Systems in Tompkins County.
App NEWS
New Data Suggest Renters Among Most At-Risk For Unemployment
|
“Low-income renters, in particular, are more likely to have all of their income earned in at-risk occupation,”
Health
COVID-19 Presents New Challenges For Folks With Hearing Loss
|
‘I wish everybody would have a clear mask, because as a person that needs to read lips, I’m afraid to go anywhere,’”
Economy
Amazon To Build Huge $350 Million Warehouse Near Syracuse
|
Construction has already started on a $350 million, 3.8 million square foot distribution center, where employees will work alongside robots to fulfill smaller customer orders.
App NEWS
Explainer: The Debate Over Letting PA’s Real Estate Industry Get Back To Work
|
Pa. is only state in nation where real estate is on hold during coronavirus
App NEWS
Business Owners Express Confusion, Frustration About PA’s Waiver Process
|
PA business owners share stories of evolving, sometimes contradictory, guidance from state
Economy
PA Extends Benefits Window For Unemployment Compensation
|
The state’s unemployment benefits agency continues to deal with “an avalanche of claims.”
Government
New York Churches Don’t Want To Be Among The Last To Reopen
|
“We are going to have to put strict limits in terms of capacity in every church, and all sorts of restrictions.”
App NEWS
Haircuts Are Phase 2
|
Broome County’s Executive Jason Garnar said if the region continues to fulfill the reopening criteria set by the state, it could see Phase 2 on May 29th.
New York Mom Describes Son’s Battle With Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome
|
At least 150 children in the U.S. are now believed to have contracted a new illness thought to be connected to COVID-19.
App NEWS
Ithaca College Delays School Year, Will Reopen Classrooms In October
|
The normal start date for fall classes would have been August 24.
Cortland Business Owner Cautiously Optimistic About Reopening
|
“It takes that one person walking through the door. That one person being curbside that happens to cough on me, then who knows.”
Economy
Child Care Centers In PA: Bellwether For How Tricky It Will Be To Fully Reopen Economy
|
“Going out there and saying ‘support your local economy’ is going to make you look bad if at the same time you are saying ‘put your kids in danger.’”
Remembering Georgianna Glose, A New York Nun And Activist
|
Georgianna Glose, a nun in Brooklyn, N.Y., who blew the whistle on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church died from COVID-19 complications. She was 73.
‘She Wasn’t Alone,’ A Doctor Reflects On New York City’s Coronavirus Peak
|
A pediatric cardiologist working at a hospital in the Bronx reflects on treating adults after part of the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center was converted to an adult COVID-19 unit.
Housing
Advocates Predict Surge In Evictions When Courts Reopen
|
“They’re going to be flooded with evictions that happen all the time.”
New York Extends Stay At Home Order, Allows Some Areas To Begin Reopening
|
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is extending the state’s stay at home order to May 28. Some areas of the state have been given the green light to enter Phase One of reopening beginning Friday.
App NEWS
‘They Put Me In Solitary For Having Oranges’ — Muslim Inmates Struggle During Ramadan
|
Pennsylvania lawsuit highlights challenges faced by Muslim inmates during Islam’s holy month
Government
New York Eyes Memorial Day Opening for State Beaches
|
Beaches will be monitored for density, and will be limited to half their usual capacity. Parking will be limited and entrances will be monitored to ensure that too many people aren’t coming in.
Crime and Justice
New York Offers Text, Chat Assistance For Domestic Violence Victims
|
“That can help them find safe shelter, talk about their safety options, and really connect them to the services they need, during this time and even after this time.”
Energy
Study Finds Methane Leaks In PA Much Higher Than State Reports
|
Estimates don’t capture leaks from ‘abnormal’ conditions, Environmental Defense Fund says
App NEWS
PA’s Largest Nurses’ Union Accuses Hospitals Of Misinforming State Officials
|
The union says health systems are sitting on stockpiles of N95 respirators, leaving nurses without needed protection, as some hospitals restart elective procedures.
App NEWS
Clash Over Reopening Economy Simmers Below The Surface In Rural PA COVID Hotspot
|
“There’s a lot of people who think nothing will happen to them, and keep getting together, keep having parties.”
App NEWS
As The Southern Tier Reopens, Some Local Officials Want More State Guidance
|
Local officials were mixed about the state’s messaging as the Southern Tier Region reopened Friday.
AAU
New York Attorney General Wins Lawsuit Against Endicott AAU Team
|
“Justice has been served for these students who were hoping for a shot at their dreams.”
Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo Urges Caution As The Southern Tier Prepares For Reopening
|
“You open a business tomorrow with 50 employees. You don’t do it right, one person was infected. You can infect 30 of the 50 in one afternoon.”
Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo And The GOP Trade Jabs Over COVID-19 Outbreaks In Nursing Homes
|
“I would like to say that we are enlightened enough that this will be a period where we don’t play gratuitous politics, but everyone draws their own conclusion.”
App NEWS
How Binghamton’s Housing Authority Plans To Meet COVID-Related Needs
|
“We’ve been fortunate in that none of our residents, to our knowledge, have been diagnosed with COVID, but that can change.”
In PA, Trump To Say Pandemic Shows Merit Of ‘America First’ Mantra
|
President Trump is traveling to a medical supply distributor, where he will make the case that the coronavirus pandemic shows the danger in having supply chains spread around the world.
App NEWS
Broome County Confirms COVID-19 Case At Nursing Home
|
County Executive Jason Garnar’s office said the Willow Point resident was moved to a negative pressure room in the facility.
How COVID-19 is changing June 9 school district votes
|
“The challenge has been that school districts don’t have a list of all qualified voters within a school district, so identifying those individuals has been challenging.”
Cornell Leads Statewide Effort To Provide Protective Face Masks For Inmates
|
“The folks that are incarcerated in the prisons in our region are potentially a huge source of contagion.”
App NEWS
Coronavirus Delays Conservation Efforts In Pennsylvania
|
“The whole spring season is basically lost.”
App NEWS
Is Your PA County Planning To Move To ‘Yellow’ On Its Own? Here’s The Latest
|
We breakdown the issue in eight counties and the latest developments.
"Arts In Depth" with WSKG Host Bill Snyder
A Virtual Chamber Music Series
|
Augusto Diemecke and Christine Lowe-Diemecke perform on the OSFL Facebook page.
Elective Surgeries Okayed For Most Of New York
|
Four regional counties were allowed to restart the procedures on Wednesday.
New York Small Business Owners Describe Struggles At Legislative Hearing
|
Small business owners, including restauranteur Carlos Suarez, testified about the struggles they have endured to get federal aid.
Andrew Cuomo
Fifth Region Of The State Allowed To Begin Reopening
|
He said New York’s North Country and the Central New York regions have met the state’s criteria.
App NEWS
NY Hospitals Prioritize COVID-19 Testing For Kids With Certain Symptoms
|
Health officials advise parents to seek immediate care if a child has trouble breathing, severe abdominal pain, a change in skin color, rash, fever, or racing heart.
App NEWS
Nursing Students Prepare For ‘Uncharted Area’ Upon Graduation
|
“Helping them see their families, making sure we’re scheduling times for Zoom and FaceTime meetings — that’s never been a part of our day.”
Government
Thruway Authority Moves Ahead With Service Area Modernization Plan
|
The New York State Thruway Authority is moving ahead with a $450 million plan to rebuild 23 of the 27 service areas and provide significant upgrades to the remaining four.
Economy
Cornell Expert: Unemployment In Central New York Could Surpass 12%
|
“A lot of the headlines in terms of this pandemic being a great equalizer, isn’t necessarily so, in the way it’s playing out.”
App NEWS
Why Did A Hair And Beauty Products Company Receive A ‘Life-Sustaining’ Waiver?
|
How this business qualified for a waiver is unclear from just the information DCED posted on its website.
Tompkins County DA Candidates Debate Online
|
The candidates were asked a range of questions including what lessons they learned from a case last year which gained public attention and drew protests against the prosecution of two young people of color after an incident with police on the Ithaca Commons.
Cuomo: Reopening Success Is In Regional Control
|
“This is not about government. Government can offer suggestions, advice and guidance.”
App NEWS
Binghamton’s Temporary COVID Rules Expire May 16
|
Binghamton’s curfew, free garbage pick-up and free parking expire on May 16.
App NEWS
NY-22 Candidates In The GOP Primary Invited to Television/Radio Debate
|
The debate will be broadcast live on WSKG-TV and Radio. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the venue will be closed to the general public.
Food and Farms
Food Bank Of CNY Hosts Large Food Giveaway At State Fairgrounds
|
“A typical month for us pre-COVID would be 1.4-1.5 million pounds per month range. And now in April we are in the two million pound range.”
Economy
PA Company Switches From Sewing Football Jerseys To Face Masks. Workers Walked Out, Calling Plan Unsafe
|
“It wasn’t about getting masks out to the public. It was about saving his company and making as much money as possible.”
App NEWS
What Does The Future Of Restaurants Look Like As PA Eases Guidelines?
|
The repercussions have been devastating. Nearly 1,000 out of 26,000 restaurants operating in the state have permanently closed due to coronavirus.
New York Businesses Adapt; Long Island Oysterman Delivers Door To Door
|
As sales to restaurant clients dried up, oyster farmer Peter Stein had to adapt or perish. Now, he’s delivering oysters directly to individual customers, doing about 20% of his usual business.
Andrew Cuomo
Southern Tier To Begin First Phase Of Reopening
|
The Southern Tier region includes Broome, Delaware, Chemung, Tioga, Tompkins, Chenango, Schuyler and Steuben counties.
App NEWS
Three Regions in New York Cleared to Begin Reopening This Weekend
|
Rochester, Ithaca, Binghamton, Elmira, and Utica, as well as the surrounding communities, will all be allowed to start the first phase of reopening this Friday.
Economy
New York Manufacturers Ready To Reopen Once “Pause” Is Lifted
|
Many of these companies have already instituted a variety of protocols to keep workers safe.
Energy
Gas Prices Begin To Creep Back Up As Parts Of The Country
|
GasBuddy on Monday reported that the national average price for a gallon of gas has increased 1.5 cents in a week to $1.75.
Economy
Oil And Gas Companies Asked, Then Received Changes To Fed Coronavirus Stimulus Program
|
Help with refinancing debt could help shale companies in PA
App NEWS
PA Workers With Preexisting Health Conditions Fear A Return To Work
|
They are particularly at risk of serious complications or death if they get the coronavirus, but if they refuse to work, they could lose their job and unemployment.
Economy
Crayons, Flowers, Taxidermy: PA Governor Releases List Of ‘Life-Sustaining’ Business Waivers
|
The state issued 12,826 denials and 11,635 businesses were told that their request did not require an exemption.
App NEWS
PA Parents Struggle To ‘Do It All’ With Kids In Virtual School
|
“I am hoping they come up with a vaccine. I will be first in line, because I want to get everybody out of the house.”
Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo: Some NY Regions Have Met Criteria To Begin Reopening
|
The Governor said more details will be available on Monday.
What If You Could Change Your Child’s Future In One Hour Every Week?
|
An educator and entrepreneur believes he’s found an untapped resource to help more struggling students succeed in reading. The secret? Families.
Wanted In New York: Thousands Of COVID-19 Contact Tracers
|
Starting this month, health departments in New York are trying to hire thousands of workers to build up what could become one of the country’s largest contact tracing programs for the coronavirus.
Government
After Outbreak, Steuben Continues Mass Testing At Nursing Homes
|
“If they test positive, we can get them isolated for the 14 days and hopefully reduce and stop the transmission of the virus within the nursing home.”
Binghamton Rumble Ponies
Rumble Ponies Season Postponed Again
|
“Our staff continues to work towards a solution for reopening the ballpark this summer.”
Mystery Inflammatory Syndrome In New York Kids Likely Linked To COVID-19
|
Doctors in the U.S. and Europe are reporting a small wave of cases of what looks like a “shock syndrome” in young people. They have low blood pressure, inflamed hearts and other serious symptoms.
New York VA Featured In Inspector General Report On PPE Shortages
|
“It’s baffling that the Veterans Health Administration does not have a strategy in place to address the shortages of PPE in New York.”
Energy
NYSEG Donates Additional $300,000 To Emergency Efforts
|
“What we tried to do today is recognize some of those other organizations that are really on the front lines every single day doing this type of work around food and food care.”
Food and Farms
In The Age Of COVID-19, Farmers Markets Are All Business
|
“A good farmers market is like a weekly fair or festival. People are wanting that back, but it won’t be the same.”
Health
Keeping Dentistry Safe For Patients And Staff During Pandemic
|
“In a dental office, if the appropriate precautions are not taken, the virus and aerosols can stay lingering in the air for hours at a time.”
App NEWS
Pipeline Explosion Resulted In Huge State Fine. Now, PA Has Found Hundreds Of New Violations
|
Regulator, company at odds over erosion, hillside slips
App NEWS
From Conference Calls To Zoom, Local Governments Employ Range Of Technologies For Public Meetings
|
Digital divide remains a major challenge in some parts of Pennsylvania
In Deal With New York Attorney General, Zoom To Crack Down on Zoombombing,
|
Zoom has agreed to launch a new internal data security program and will take other steps to combat hacker disruptions, a practice that has become known as Zoombombing.
Mother’s Day In A Pandemic Brings Mixed Emotions
|
“I’m trying to look at the positive side of things with everything going on.”
App NEWS
Hoping To Reopen Soon, New York Businesses Draw Up Plans
|
“They are all feeling very ready to get back to work. Most of them are in the process of trying to develop plans to get there.”
New York Students To Get Graduation Pomp At Drive-In Theater
|
One high school in New York has found a way to have safe and memorable graduation: hold it at a drive-in movie theater.
App NEWS
PA Governor Says Workers Should Refuse To Work If They Don’t Feel Safe
|
The governor says the state cannot widely enforce its worker safety order.
App NEWS
Schools Have Moved Classes Online, But Not All Students Have Joined Them
|
The Steelton-Highspire School District says it’s reaching between 73 and 79 percent of its high-schoolers with online instruction.
App NEWS
PA Liquor Stores Will Reopen For Limited In-Person Sales In ‘Yellow Counties’
|
The stores will be limited to no more than 25 people, including employees, in a store at any one time.
Economy
PA Governor Wants A Civilian Corps To Fight Coronavirus, Provide Jobs
|
Governor Wolf said he didn’t know how many people would be hired or when the corps would be formed, but that he wants it to be a big deal.
New York Comedy Clubs Closed, So Comics Have To Improvise
|
Live audiences help comics get exposure and work out new material. Colin Quinn says virtual platforms don’t replicate “the tension” of being in front of a room full of strangers.
Uncategorized
COVID Tests At Chemung Nursing Facility Come Back Negative
|
The tests were conducted after an employee was found to have the virus on April 27.
Judge Rules New York’s Democratic Presidential Primary Must Go On
|
The New York State Board of Elections had canceled the June 23 primary over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
Set Builder: ‘It’s New York City … Eventually, Events Have to Come Back’
|
Maxwell Kirsner built sets for big events. Then he, his fiancée and their coworkers were laid off. Kirsner says he’s optimistic the city will make it back, but he’s worried how long that will take.
App NEWS
Voters In New York’s Presidential Primary Will Receive Absentee Ballot Forms
|
There will likely still be polling places open on June 23rd, but Governor Cuomo is strongly encouraging voters to use the mail- in option instead.
App NEWS
Upstate Housing Authorities Receive Over $1M For Coronavirus Response
|
The funding can be used for a wide variety of purposes meant to prepare, prevent or respond to COVID-19 for housing authority employees and people living in public housing.
App NEWS
139 Coronavirus Cases At Upstate Farm; Health Officials Say More Cases Likely
|
State health officials started testing nearly 200 seasonal workers at the giant hydroponic greenhouse last weekend because of concerns it might be a COVID hotspot.
App NEWS
Pandemic’s Economic Shutdown Continues To Plague New York Farmers
|
Farmers argue that if we keep breaking the food chain, there will be a lot of farms that aren’t going to survive this.
App NEWS
New York Reopens Car Dealer Showrooms, With Restrictions
|
Visits to any dealership will be by appointment only, and a number of safety precautions will be monitored to keep dealers and buyers safe.
Economy
Senators Examine PA’s Reopening Plan And What Lies Ahead
|
“Is this the new normal in terms of what we’re going to do in terms of shutting down the economy?”
Government
GOP Lawmaker Compares PA Governor’s Handling Of COVID-19 Crisis To Nazis, USSR
|
Kevin Boyle, the ranking Democrat on the committee, immediately interrupted him, calling on committee Chairman Garth Everett to cut Rep. Chris Dush off.
Tompkins County Announces Furloughs, Budget Cuts
|
Some senior staff people volunteered to be furloughed so that others could keep their jobs.
In A Recount, COVID-19 Death Toll At New York Nursing Homes Grows
|
State Attorney General Tish James is investigating reports from families who say the nursing homes kept them in the dark about the condition of their relatives who had COVID-19.
Schumer, Gillibrand Want To Federalize Medical Supply Chain, Increase Production
|
Democrats backing the bill say the White House has not fully utilized the power of the federal government, which has left hospitals and health care workers shorted in many places.
Antonio Delgado
Federal, State Programs Available For Farmers In Need
|
“Folks who deal in dairy and specialty crops will be provided meaningful support when it comes to price losses.”
Food and Farms
Farmers Can Now Apply For COVID-19 Disaster Assistance Through SBA
|
“Our farmers, who are now eligible for the economic injury disaster loan, had been told that while they’re eligible in name only, they’re not eligible in practice.”
Steuben County Opens Parks, Officials Still Encourage Social Distancing
|
Public works employees have been directed to disinfect any touch surfaces, such as benches, in county parks, daily.
Health
For Some People, Trauma Symptoms Won’t Surface Until After The Pandemic
|
Licensed marriage and family therapist Tonya Girard on why some people might not feel the full effects of the crisis until months after it ends.
Health
Inside A Contact Tracing Team That’s Containing The Spread Of COVID-19
|
The people who track coronavirus exposures and try to prevent the virus’s spread are called Contact Tracers. Their work is taking on a new urgency.
Government
Brindisi: Tax increases And Layoffs Possible If Local Government Don’t Get Federal Aid
|
“Without aid from Washington, we’re going to see higher taxes on the local level, and cuts in services as well as laying off teachers, cops, firefighters.”
Economy
Warehouse Workers Warn Their Safety Concerns Are Ignored
|
The state in mid-April ordered all essential employers to provide protections, but some workers say they’ve seen little change.
Episodes
PA Governor Urges Voters To Apply For Mail-In Ballots For June 2 Primary
|
But, he offered few specifics on how his administration will help counties deal with the huge volume of mailed ballots.
Economy
Governor Giving Guidance To Counties, Businesses Reopening In PA’s ‘Yellow’ Regions
|
The entire state is in the red status until Friday.
Governor Outlines Rules For New York’s Return To Work
|
“You’d rather have a controlled start, so that you don’t have to stop. You reopen too fast, then you have to stop.”
App NEWS
New York Delays School Budget Votes Until June 9, Village Elections Moved To September
|
At this point, the state is allowing both in-person and absentee ballots for those village and special district elections.
App NEWS
Supermarkets Temporarily Limit Some Meat Purchases
|
The coronavirus pandemic has also closed some meatpacking plants, although PresidentTrump last week ordered large meat processors remain open.
Economy
Smile! For Many, Finding A Job During A Pandemic Involves Video Interviews
|
“I think in the aftermath of COVID-19, and hopefully it happens sooner than we think, virtual job fairs are going to become the rule and not the exception.”
App NEWS
Upstate Businesses Ready To Reopen Once New York Gives The Okay
|
Local businesses are coming up with plans for restarting, but how and when they go into effect are still an unknown.
Health
Nurses Left Vulnerable To COVID-19: ‘We’re Not Martyrs Sacrificing Our Lives’
|
At least 9,000 front-line nurses and other medical workers have contracted COVID-19.
App NEWS
PA Counties Could Be Overwhelmed By Mail-In Ballots, Election Directors Warn
|
Election chiefs call on state officials to allow processing to start earlier, clarify which polling places can open.
Cortland Groups Plan Drive-Thru Dairy Giveaway
|
“The plan is for us to continue to get dairy into the county through the food pantries and other food programs as long as the donations keep flowing.”
Education
Schools In New York Will Remain Closed Through June
|
“We’re going to have the schools closed for the rest of the year. We’re going to continue the distance learning programs.”
App NEWS
Without Better Organization, Binghamton Tenants Told To Avoid A Rent Strike
|
The types of apartments rented in Binghamton do not give tenants much opportunity to organize into a collective bargaining unit.
August New York State Regents Exams Canceled
|
Students who failed Regents tests during the school year normally would have the opportunity to take them again in August.
App NEWS
GOP Congressman Wants Financial Aid For County Governments In Next Stimulus Bill
|
Congressman John Katko and North Country Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) were appointed to the White House task force for reopening the economy.
App NEWS
Gillibrand Says Next Federal Stimulus Bill Should Prioritize People With Disabilities
|
Supporters say the public health emergency from COVID-19 has exposed a “pre-existing scarcity” of medical treatment, and available resources for those with disabilities.
Government
PA Auditor General To Audit Business Waiver Process
|
Move comes as a Senate committee approves a motion to issues subpoenas to obtain more information on how Wolf administration responded to businesses seeking to remain open during coronavirus closure
Economy
Unemployed In ‘Black Hole’: PA’s Jobless Await Benefits As Pressure, Bills Mount
|
“You rely on your state to bail you out and you can’t get any answers.”
Economy
PA Senate Committee Votes To Subpoena Wolf Administration Over Business Waivers
|
Republicans in legislature want details on how state handled business requests to remain open during coronavirus closures
Economy
PA’s Horse Racing Industry Hopes To Reopen Before Money For Care Runs Out
|
“We’re deemed essential on the backside, but not on the revenue side.”
App NEWS
PA Governor Talks Food Supply, Meat Processing With AG Secretary
|
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is sending a message about the food supply: there’s plenty of food and the state is adjusting to get it to people.
Government
What Pennsylvania Golfers Can Expect When Courses Reopen
|
“We lost hundreds of thousands of operational dollars – every course did. Not profit dollars.””
Governor Accepts Recommendations Of COVID-19 Maternity Task Force
|
The COVID-19 Maternity Task Force has issued its recommendations to support pregnant mothers and their newborns during the pandemic.
New York Considers One-Year Break From Incentive Requirements For New Employers
|
“The state is considering a deferral for all companies that have job creation requirements as part of economic development packages.”
Overdoses Increase In Broome County
|
Broome health officials said non-fatal overdoses have increased, advocates said fatal overdoses did, too.
News
Weather Factors Ease Flooding Concerns Along Lake Ontario’s Shoreline
|
Water levels throughout the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River System are expected to peak below the record-high levels seen in 2019.
Finger Lakes Cheesemaker Buys Excess Milk, Donates Dairy Products To Food Banks
|
“That’s awful, awful, heart breaking when you watch your milk go down the drain when it’s a perfectly good, sellable product,”
App NEWS
Ithaca Common Council Passes Plan For Furlough Of 87 And $5.4 Million in Cuts
|
The Council also passed a resolution to reduce the type of health insurance plan for the mayor, Common Council and other managerial staff.
Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Scheduled To Sail From New York
|
The iconic vessel was intended to provide overflow capacity to the New York metropolitan area but ultimately wasn’t needed as badly as first feared.
App NEWS
Baseball Hall Of Fame Weekend, Dick’s Open Both Canceled
|
Organizers for both sporting events blamed the COVID-19 pandemic in New York.
App NEWS
Chemung County Responds After First COVID-19 Case In Nursing Home
|
“The goal is to not let that go to two positive cases or more.”
NY Assemblyman Out of ICU After Contracting COVID-19
|
Brian Miller represents parts of Otsego and Delaware Counties
Binghamton Extends COVID-19 Curfew, Other Measures
|
The measures are extended until May 15, in line with state guidelines.
American Graduate
Let’s Talk About Election 2020
|
Teachers: You are invited to join the KQED Youth Media Challenge: Let’s talk about Election 2020. Middle and high school educators across the U.S. are empowering students to share their take on issues that matter to them in this election. Read on to learn how your students can create media commentaries and publish them for a national audience. The Let’s Talk about Election 2020 challenge is a free, standards-aligned program on KQED Learn, co-hosted by the National Writing Project and PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs. All voices welcome!
Government
Even With The State’s Okay, Some Hospitals Won’t Resume Elective Surgeries For Weeks
|
“With all health care, your condition dictates the speed of care provided, and that will still be the case as we look to reschedule.”
App NEWS
PA Counties Struggle To Find Enough Masks, Gloves For In-Person Voting June 2
|
“Literally, ‘Pay me now and maybe you will get some stuff some time in the future,’ is where some vendors are starting.”
Economy
Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits Are High, Putting Workers And Employers At Odds
|
“I believe that they are scared. If you listen to a lot of what’s going on [on the news], it’s a lot of overkill, on the fear factor.”
Reed: 4th Federal Stimulus Phase Must Include Protected Local Government Aid
|
Congressman Tom Reed wants that deal to include provisions that ensure local governments get needed aid with no interference by the state.
Uncategorized
Ithaca Youth Bureau Cancels Summer Programs
|
In a regular summer, up to a thousand kids from across Tompkins County participate.
Blue Angels And Thunderbirds Salute New York Coronavirus Responders With Flyover
|
The joint demonstration between the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels and the Air Force’s Thunderbirds will begin early Tuesday afternoon over New York City, Newark and Trenton, N.J., and Philadelphia.
Partial Supreme Court Win For New York Gun Regulation Could Be Short-Lived
|
The justices threw out as moot a challenge to New York City’s strict gun regulations, but gun-safety advocates worry that gains in the states may be taken away by a conservative court majority.
Food and Farms
New York State Will Coordinate New Markets For Dairy Farmers
|
“It’s very frustrating. We have excess milk but we can’t get it to people who are in need at this time.”
Government
Erie Canal Summer Recreation Up In The Air
|
Repairing the locks, which allow boats to travel from one neck of the waterway to another, was deemed nonessential work.
Government
Broome, Other Upstate Counties Get Drive-Through Coronavirus Testing Sites
|
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the state is opening new drive-through coronavirus testing sites in five upstate counties.
Environment
New York’s Plastic Bag Ban Effectively On Hold
|
“The science just does not back up shifting to plastic bags. But everyone is trying to make the best of a really difficult situation.”
App NEWS
Brindisi: New York Should Get A Bigger Share Of PPP Funds
|
“With the amount of unemployment we’ve seen in New York, and the number of COVID cases we’ve had, New York should be at the front of the list”
App NEWS
Without Federal Help, New York Officials Say State Budget Cuts Coming
|
The state’s economy could lose a staggering $243 billion, or 14% of the state’s gross domestic product, over the course of the pandemic and the economic recovery.
Energy
The Struggling Coal Industry Hammered Further By Coronavirus
|
‘Everything that can go wrong, has gone wrong’
App NEWS
Lawsuit Seeks To Extend Mailed Ballot Return In PA By One Week
|
Voters who request absentee and mail-in ballots before the May 26 deadline might receive them at different times due to “factors outside their control.”
App NEWS
House Republicans Push To Reopen More PA Businesses
|
“It’s another Monday, and it’s another end-the-shutdown bill.”
Economy
COVID-19’s Economic Blow To Rural PA Far Outstrips The Pandemic. But Reopening Won’t Be Easy
|
“I’m one to look at the half-full glass … but now I’m looking at which customers of ours are going to survive.”
App NEWS
Rural PA Leaders Fear Influx Of Infected People, Lack Of A Voice In Reopening Decisions
|
“Nobody has communicated with us. They just do what they want to do and we have to live with it.”
Amazon Warehouse Safety ‘Inadequate,’ Says New York Attorney General
|
Amazon may have violated federal health and safety standards as well as New York’s whistleblower law, the New York attorney general’s office wrote to Amazon in a letter obtained by NPR.
New York Cancels Primary Election, Angering Sanders Supporters
|
State elections officials canceled New York’s Democratic presidential primary amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, a move that supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders strongly oppose.
Study Commences On Planned 80-Mile Southern Tier Trail
|
“As we begin to rethink and restart the economy, projects like this can really help transform communities in a very positive way.”
Uncategorized
Conservative New Yorkers Trust Cuomo Over Trump On State Reopening, Poll Finds
|
Overall, 78% of New York voters — including a majority of Republicans — say they trust Gov. Andrew Cuomo to decide when to reopen their state.
App NEWS
COVID-19 Could Change Special Education
|
Even after the closure is over, specialists say many students with special needs still won’t be in the classroom.
App NEWS
NY High School Spring Sports Championships Canceled
|
Most sections have put the start of the regular season on hold
Featured in Category
Farmers Have Too Much Food to Sell. New York Might Buy It
|
The New York Farm Bureau has asked the state, in recent days, to ramp up testing for COVID-19 in rural areas of the state, particularly at farms.
New York’s Daily COVID-19 Deaths Below 400 For First Time In April
|
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said 367 people died from the virus Saturday — less than half of the daily number at the height of the outbreak.
App NEWS
Eastern League All-Star Game, Slated For Binghamton, Canceled
|
“This is a very unfortunate casualty of the COVID-19 virus.”
Government
Cuomo: Report Predicts $61-Billion State Deficit Over 4 Years
|
The governor has said he might cut funding to schools, hospitals and local governments by 20%, but he said Friday no decision has been made.
‘We’ve Seen A Lot Of Brothers Die.’ New York Bus Operators Witness Loss Amid Pandemic
|
As of this week, 83 workers with New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority died from COVID-19. Two bus operators talk about the crushing loss they’ve witnessed in their field.
Government
State Won’t Say When It Will Release Names Of PA Businesses Granted Waivers
|
State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Franklin), the sponsor of a longshot measure to revoke the governor’s emergency powers, said the waiver decisions seem random.
Health
Virtual Comfort: How Patients And Families Stay Connected In The Age Of Coronavirus
|
“As soon as he saw her face on that iPad, you could see relief in him immediately. She said, ‘Sing with me, Bob’, and he started singing and I literally started crying right there.”
Government
At Virtual Town Hall, Gillibrand Agrees States, Cities Need More Federal Funds
|
“I’ve talked to our mayors all across New York, and a lot of them are now deciding whether they’re going to lay off police officers and firefighters.”
Southern Tier Food Bank Doubles Delivery Due To COVID-19
|
As need has increased, donations have decreased.
App NEWS
Judge Denies Release Of Two Broome County Jail Inmates
|
Judge Jeffrey Tait ruled the inmates did not establish their vulnerability to COVID-19 inside the jail
Economy
Governor Details Metrics That Will Guide Reopening Of PA’s Economy
|
“Ultimately, the virus is going to set the timeline, not us.”
‘I Hear The Agony’: Coronavirus Crisis Takes Toll On New York’s First Responders
|
For weeks, paramedics and EMTs in New York City have been struggling to respond to a high number of 911 calls during the coronavirus pandemic. More first responders are getting sick themselves.
Pennsylvania Paramedic On Coronavirus: ‘We Don’t See An End In Sight’
|
Paramedic David Goroff works in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania.
50 Years After Its Debut, New York Professor Explores The ‘Genius Of Earth Day’
|
“Politicians took notice. Nothing like this had ever happened. It was obvious that people really cared more than anyone had known about clean air and clean water.”
App NEWS
On 50th Anniversary Of Earth Day, Social Distancing Could Bring People Back To Nature
|
“I think it is a good time to reflect on the power of nature, and where we were as a planet 50 years ago, and where we want to get.”
agriculture
Warmer, Wetter Weather Will Bring More Chicken Farms To Pennsylvania, Report Says
|
DEP’s Climate Change Impact Assessment report focuses on livestock and watershed
Government
Voices From PA’s Shutdown Protest-Turned Trump Rally
|
Defying the governor’s shutdown order, and spurred on by far-right activists and Republican state lawmakers, hundreds of people gathered to demand that businesses reopen.
abortion
PA Governor To Veto Restrictions On Abortion Telemedicine
|
The bill would ban doctors from using telemedicine for any drug on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy list.
Food and Farms
Small Farms And Markets Rethink How To Get Local Food To Customers
|
“One of the questions about markets is, will we be able to provide enough…safety measures for people to feel comfortable in those spaces?”
