Economy
Unemployment Ticks Down Statewide, But Up Outside New York City
|
While the unemployment rate in the five boroughs dropped to 13.2% in October, the rate outside New York City went up from 6.6% in September to 6.9% in October.
Economy
Businesses Plead With New York Officials To Avoid Wider Economic Shutdowns
|
“Let’s not do these massive shutdowns of gyms or shopping malls or restaurants. That will just crush the economy more.”
Economy
$1 Billion In Relief Aid Is Tied Up In Harrisburg As PA Businesses Face More COVID-19 Pain
|
As coronavirus cases soar in Pennsylvania, state lawmakers face a looming deadline to spend $1.3 billion in federal pandemic relief that the commonwealth received in early spring, but still hasn’t used.
budget
Tompkins Co. Legislature Passes $52 Million 2021 Budget
|
The budget is about a 6 percent decrease from 2020.
Economy
Supermarkets Ration Some Purchases
|
There may not be the same level of shelf-clearing seen last spring, but supermarkets, like Wegmans and Tops, continue to limit purchases of certain items.
Economy
Governor Orders New Restrictions On New York Bars, Restaurants, Gyms, Home Gatherings
|
Social dining, whether indoors or outdoors, is one of three “main spreaders of COVID.” He urged local authorities to enforce the new rules.
covid
“It’s The Right Thing To Do”: GOP Congressman Recognizes Biden As President-Elect
|
“Joe Biden has rightfully earned the title of being the projected president-elect and that should be recognized,” Rep. Reed said.
App NEWS
In Ithaca, A Call To Action By Biden Supporters
|
“We also need to do a whole lot of work in the coming years to make sure we are building a truly equitable and just democracy,” said one of the rally organizers, Joanna Green.
ACA
WATCH: In Their Only Debate, NY-23 Challenger Calls GOP Congressman Liar, Untrustworthy
|
“I do not believe you can be trusted on this question, Mr. Reed,” said Democratic challenger Tracy Mitrano.
2020 election
NY-22: Candidates Debate Health Care, Policing
|
Democratic incumbent Anthony Brindisi, former Republican representative Claudia Tenney and Libertarian candidate Keith Price covered an array of issues, including policing and climate change.
Arts & Culture
Pandemic Prompts Salvation Army To Start Holiday Fundraiser Early
|
“It’s definitely a perfect storm with the increased need, stores starting to close, and the donations potentially being fewer, which is why we’re really extending this campaign.”
2020 election
Broome Co. Executive Candidates Talk COVID-19, Airport
|
Democratic County Executive Jason Garnar and Republican challenger Karl Bernhardsen met in an online forum hosted by the Rotary Club of Binghamton.
Anthony Brindisi
Broome Leaders Ask Congressman To Free Up CARES Act Funds In Next Relief Package
|
“I don’t want to wait until after the election to do this, I think we need help now.”
2021 budget
Residents Criticize Broome Budget Proposal Over Jail, Sheriff Funding
|
Many of the protesters who spoke during the hearing criticized the budget proposal for adding two new sheriff positions and keeping the budget for the Broome County jail at more than $29 million.
Economy
Governor Points To PA’s Hemp Industry In Making Pitch For Legal Recreational Weed
|
“We need the economic growth. We need the revenue and we need the restorative justice that the legalization of adult-use cannabis will provide.”
App NEWS
Schuyler Co. Legislature Passes Vote Opposing Cayuta Recycling Facility
|
The vote was 7-1.
App NEWS
Schuyler Co. Resolution Asks DEC To Reject Recycling Facility Application
|
According to the resolution, residents have expressed concerns about potential negative impacts of pollution and truck traffic from the facility on tourism, agriculture, and human health.
App NEWS
Poll: More Americans On Both Sides Of The Political Spectrum Want A Higher Minimum Wage
|
The support for raising the federal minimum wage is higher than it was before the coronavirus pandemic took hold.
App NEWS
Cuomo: Pause On Evictions Extended Through 2020
|
“I want people to have fundamental stability in their lives. Nobody’s going to be evicted because of housing.”
Economy
Shifting Trump Tariffs On Aluminum Disrupt New York Businesses
|
One of the reasons the Port of Oswego deals in so much aluminum is Novelis, a plant in Oswego County that prepares the metal for use in cars, cans, and other products.
Economy
Reed Hopeful House Will Continue Stimulus Package Push
|
When asked if the recent events might deter another stimulus bill, Reed said his goal remains unchanged.
Economy
Unemployment Dips Below 10% For Most Metro Areas in NY
|
The unemployment rate in most of the state’s metro areas in New York dipped below 10% in August for the first time since March.
Economy
New York To Begin Enforcing Plastic Bag Ban Oct. 19
|
New York state will begin enforcing its ban on single-use carry-out plastic bags next month after a brief hiatus of the law due to a legal challenge brought earlier this year.
App NEWS
Debate Continues On Taxing New York’s Wealthiest
|
Governor Cuomo had said on Sept. 10 that New York might have to raise taxes to deal with its massive budget deficit but has since walked back those comments.
App NEWS
COVID-19 Tanked Hotels. Workers Of Color Feel The Biggest Squeeze
|
“I don’t even know what that’s like, having to actually go fill out an application to try to get another job, and fit in somewhere,” said Swain. “Starting over, like that’s just so crazy.”
Affordable Housing
Tenants Push Need For More, Safer Low-Income Housing
|
“Those properties, to be honest, should really be condemned, but people have to live there because it’s the only place that they’re able to afford.”
Pandemic Prompts Possible 12% Budget Cut In Tompkins County
|
“The numbers are probably going to obscure some real misery, a sort of invisible misery in this community. We still have almost 10% unemployment.”
Economy
‘Worst Year Ever’ For Upstate Hotels, Some Down 60-70%
|
“It is very stressful. It’s been six months now that we haven’t had the revenue in the stream. It’s been a difficult time.”
App NEWS
Garnar Announces “No Frills” 2021 Broome County Budget
|
“We have waited long enough for the federal government to act, and we are going to come up with our own plan.”
Economy
New York Farms Prepare For Fall Activities With New Precautions
|
“We’ve been planning this all for a while, so the regulations were about what we thought they were gonna be.”
App NEWS
Binghamton Mayor David Begins Term As Head Of NYS Conference of Mayors
|
As the president of the Conference of Mayors, David said he will pursue increased federal funding and essential state aid.
App NEWS
Endicott Residents, Akshar Call For Halt To Battery Recycling Facility
|
“We want the village trustees of Endicott to respect their residents, to listen to their concerns and to represent their best interest.”
ag department
Officials: USDA Hemp Regulations Are Onerous
|
“We really are asking our farmers to be patient as we try to work this out with the federal government.”
Economy
Lawmakers Demand Release of State-Secured Child Care Funds
|
“We’re saying here are some examples of where those resources are needed, and they’re needed now.”
Economy
Without Child Care Bailout, Workforce Could Lose Women
|
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway announced she was stepping down from her position to look after her family. Working families across the country are figuring out how to provide care for their children with remote and hybrid schooling this year.
App NEWS
Schumer: Schools Can’t Reopen Without Federal Aid
|
“Teachers are always paying for things out of the goodness of their hearts, and they’re not paid that much, but this one is so expensive we’ve got to get federal help.”
U.S. Puts Kodak Deal On Hold Amid Scrutiny Of Its Finances
|
The decision to entrust $765 million of taxpayer money to the former maker of photographic equipment raises several questions about the Trump administration’s due diligence of Kodak.
Economy
‘Making A Souffle On A BBQ Grill’: PA Scrambles After Trump Goes Solo On Unemployment Relief
|
“It’s technically doable, I guess.”
PA Congressional Candidate Endorses Additional Federal Aid For Workers, Business Owners And Schools
|
“It can’t just fall on the teachers to figure it out, or even the local school districts,” said Griffin.
broome county
County Executives Call For Immediate Pandemic Disaster Relief
|
“It is really, really going to hurt this community if we don’t get some type of assistance.”
Cuomo Recruits Kentucky’s Governor In Fight Against Trump’s Unemployment Payment
|
Kentucky is also the home state of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. McConnell earlier this year suggested that states that lost revenue due to the pandemic should declare bankruptcy.
Economy
While Probe Continues, Federal Agency Halts Kodak Loan
|
“Recent allegations of wrongdoing raise serious concerns. We will not proceed any further unless these allegations are cleared.”
COVID-19
NY Lt. Governor On School Reopening, Flu Season Complications
|
“If parents are going to have to go to work and the kids are at home, that’s just an absolute nightmare.”
Crime and Justice
Report: SEC To Look At Government Loan To Kodak
|
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, (D-Massachusetts) said she sent a letter to the SEC Chairman asking that agency to look at the potential for insider trading.
Economy
Tax Collections Rebound With Pent-Up Shopper Demand, But PA Still Faces Huge Budget Deficit
|
Pennsylvania’s finances received a welcome — but probably temporary — boost in July, with tax collections up 6.6% compared to the same time last year, according to figures released Monday by the state’s Independent Fiscal Office.
Economy
How A Black-Owned Farm In Windsor Is Building Generational Wealth
|
“We’re promoting the message of black is beautiful and black excellence and being able to pass this down to generations to come.”
App NEWS
Minority-Owned Small Businesses Were Largely Shut Out Of PA’s First Coronavirus Loan Program
|
State officials are trying again, this time with a grant program targeted at the smallest and most vulnerable operations.
Economy
Eastman Kodak: “One Of The Greatest 2nd Acts” In US Industrial History
|
Eastman Kodak will help produce components needed to manufacture generic pharmaceuticals with the help of a substantial federal loan.
App NEWS
Business Owners To PA’s Governor: Please Police Mask Requirement So We Don’t Have To
|
“If we did something as a business, the person would just up and leave and go somewhere else, because someone else is not going to enforce it.”
Economy
Staffs Have Doubled At PA Unemployment Offices, But Thousands Still Await Benefits
|
“I’ve been doing this since April 4th, and I have received zero money. The problem is you cannot get through on the phone.”
App NEWS
Four Months After The Shutdown, Thousands Await Unemployment Compensation
|
8 percent of claims needed to be reviewed manually.
App NEWS
Brindisi, Katko Hope Congress Can Reach Deal On Latest COVID-19 Relief Bill
|
In the spirit of bipartisanship, Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) and Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica) got together for a virtual town hall on Facebook this week, the first time they’ve ever done such a joint meeting.
App NEWS
Some Charter Spectrum Cable TV Rates To Rise
|
Customers with some of the company’s TV packages, like TV Gold, TV Silver and TV Select will see their bills increase $1.50 per month.
Economy
‘This Is For You’: New PA Grant Targets Minority Business Owners Hurt By Coronavirus Shutdown
|
“I would never have applied if they hadn’t come and talked to me about it. They emphasized to me: Why don’t you take advantage of some of the things that are out there for you?”
App NEWS
To Curb COVID- 19, Cuomo Imposes New Restrictions, Penalties On Bars And Restaurants
|
“New Yorkers are outraged at these establishments, we’re getting thousands of complaints, pictures, videos. This is a question of public health.”
New York City’s High Line Reopens In A Potential Boost To Local Business
|
Chelsea business owners hope the reopening of the popular elevated park will bring more foot traffic back to the neighborhood.
Economy
Schumer Pushes For More Small Business Help
|
“We just have to change the law to let folks like this get a second round and we will have many, many more small businesses surviving and even prospering in the next six months.”
Economy
Cuomo Opens Malls Friday, Cancels County Fairs
|
“The federal government’s demands that schools reopen without concern for health, safety and equity are simply out of touch.”
binghamton
As Evictions Resume, Citizen Action Hosts Tenants’ Rights Forum In BGM
|
“Evictions are violence. They can mean the death of people and their families, especially during a health pandemic.”
Economy
Travel In Upstate New York On The Rise
|
“We are seeing a lot of day- and long-weekend trips to the Finger Lakes, Thousand Islands, Adirondacks, and the Lake George area. State parks remain popular as the tourists enjoy hiking and being out in nature.”
Rural Health Desk
Museums Reopen With Massive Financial Strains Under COVID-19
|
“Those expenses still continue whether or not there are people here.”
Inside Seating? A Harlem Bar Owner Navigates COVID-19’s Changing Rules
|
67 Orange Street makes do with take-out and outdoor service while waiting for a decision on inside dining in NYC.
Economy
Upstate Tourism May See Summer Spike
|
New York City, which normally is the number-one tourism destination in the state, is still viewed by many to be unsafe – opening up new opportunities for upstate.
Rural Health Desk
Corning Closes Part Of Downtown District To Aid Business Reopenings
|
“We were all facing the fact that when we reopen, we have to figure out how to social distance in one of the most intimate settings there is: taking care of a customer.”
Cornell Students Return To Campus In September
|
Students will be required to undergo regular screening and testing for COVID-19.
App NEWS
Cuomo: Malls Need Improved Air Filters Before They Can Reopen
|
“We will make it mandatory that they have air filtration systems that can filter out the COVID virus.”
App NEWS
New York Business Owners Chafe At Uncertainty Over Mall Reopenings
|
“We are ready to be back in business in a safe and effective manner and we’re just hoping that we can have the opportunity to do so, so that we can feed our families.”
New York City Could See 22,000 Public Employee Layoffs Because Of COVID-19
|
Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that without aid from Albany and Washington, as well as concessions from labor groups, every department would face unprecedented job cuts
Andrew Cuomo
New York Bar Owners Brace For State Oversight During Reopening
|
“Everyone’s got that opinion, but it’s only me that’s got that liquor license.”
App NEWS
Unemployment In Binghamton Tops 10%, Rate Doubles In Ithaca
|
The unemployment rate nearly quadrupled in New York state’s metro areas in May compared to the same time last year, landing at 14.5% across the board, according to data released Tuesday by the state Department of Labor.
Economy
Report: Gyms, Malls, Movie Theaters Will Not Open As Part Of Phase 4
|
Broome County Executive Jason Garnar tweeted the Southern Tier region had been cleared to begin Phase 4 Friday. But he did not indicate what businesses would be opening.
Economy
Business Owners, Elected Officials Want New York’s Malls Reopened
|
“It’s business critical at this point. We’ve been shut down for three months and we have zero revenue, still having many of the obligations that we had before.”
Economy
New York State Disburses Additional Food Aid For 4th Straight Month
|
Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers will be getting more money than usual to help with groceries this month.
App NEWS
COVID-19 Leads To Sharp Drop In Sales Tax Revenue
|
New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said that sales tax revenue for local governments fell by more than 32% in May compared to the same month a year ago.
App NEWS
Oneida Nation Casinos Reopen With New Health Measures
|
“The machine itself will tell you when and if it has been sanitized since it last was played and at what time.”
App NEWS
As Finger Lakes Reopen, Oldest Residents Still At High Risk
|
As the Finger Lakes region moves through the phases of reopening its economy, people who work with the region’s oldest residents say they still need to take extra precautions.
App NEWS
Outdoor Dining Reopens Today In Upstate Regions
|
“The No. 1 contributor to New York state sales tax are bars and restaurants, so it will help the economy, it’ll help local businesses and it’ll help (our) finances as well.”
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
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.
App NEWS
Binghamton Looks To Expand Outdoor Space When Restaurant Seating Reopens
|
Dine-in service is part of phase three of reopening
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.”
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
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.”
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
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.”
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.
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.’”
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo: Some NY Regions Have Met Criteria To Begin Reopening
|
The Governor said more details will be available on Monday.
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.”
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
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.
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
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?”
Tompkins County Announces Furloughs, Budget Cuts
|
Some senior staff people volunteered to be furloughed so that others could keep their jobs.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
Southern Tier Food Bank Doubles Delivery Due To COVID-19
|
As need has increased, donations have decreased.
Economy
Governor Details Metrics That Will Guide Reopening Of PA’s Economy
|
“Ultimately, the virus is going to set the timeline, not us.”
App NEWS
Business Group Calls On New York Officials To Accelerate Upstate Reopening
|
“We need to be, I think, taking a look at the data, and working with not only the health professionals, but also the business community.”
App NEWS
Governor Says It’s Time To Talk About Reopening PA’s Economy, But Offers No Timeline
|
PA POST – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says it’s time to start talking about reopening the state’s economy, but during a Friday afternoon news conference, he avoided providing dates for when he will lift restrictions on Pennsylvania residents and businesses. “Unfortunately, we cannot flip a switch and reopen the commonwealth,” Wolf said. “There isn’t going to be one big day. We need to make smart, data-driven decisions, and we can’t be impulsive. We can’t be emotional.”
Starting next week, Wolf said he plans to describe specific steps for lifting restrictions in Pennsylvania. Those steps will follow guidelines released by the Wolf administration on Friday that emphasize a data-driven approach to create quantifiable criteria and take into account conditions in different regions of the state.
Economy
PA’s Toilet Paper Manufacturers Flush With Demand
|
To meet the demand, the plant has delayed upgrades and maintenance on its equipment, reduced the number of products it makes, and reassigned non-manufacturing employees to positions on the production line.
App NEWS
POLL: Business Confidence Plummets In New York State
|
“Still a majority, 57%, say right now the government of the state of New York should concentrate on public health and not on trying to reopen the economy.”
Antonio Delgado
Delgado, Gillibrand Call For COVID-19 Aid Aimed At Rural Communities
|
“It is incredibly unfair that local governments serving populations under 500,000 or less were not given direct access to funding in the CARES Act”
App NEWS
PA Governor Plans To Veto GOP Bill To Reopen Businesses
|
“Reopening businesses too early will only extend the length of the economic hardships created by the pandemic.”
Economy
When Can PA Return To Normal? Roadmap Emerges, Although Distance Uncertain
|
The recent flattening of the state’s coronavirus case count must stay on course.
Economy
As Business Moves Online, IT Jobs More Essential Than Ever — For Now
|
For almost every tactile experience in the pre-COVID-19 world, there is now an online analog.
Economy
Frontier Communications Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
|
“We can now focus on executing our strategy to drive operational efficiencies and position our business for long-term growth.”
Economy
Debate Over Restarting Construction Projects In Pennsylvania Explained
|
“There’s no way I personally want to be responsible for one of our members dying from this or one of their family members.”
App NEWS
PA House Votes To Reopen More Businesses Closed By Coronavirus Restrictions
|
The action comes nearly one month after Wolf ordered more than 100 types of “non-life-sustaining” businesses to close or face fines and other penalties.
Economy
Here’s Where Coronavirus Is Causing Unemployment To Spike In PA
|
New Pennsylvania unemployment data shows the coronavirus shutdown has been felt most acutely on a per-capita basis in some of the most rural counties.
States Unite On Reopening Economies: ‘Science — Not Politics — Will Guide’ Decisions
|
“Any plan to reopen society MUST be driven by data and experts,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, which is forming a regional coalition of states. California will work with Oregon and Washington.
Economy
New York, Pennsylvania And Other States Form Task Force On Reopening Society
|
“We want it ASAP, but we want it smart. Not political.”
App NEWS
‘Outlaw’ PA Businesses Make Coronavirus Masks Without State Approval
|
“For making protective masks and hospital gowns … you can’t make that out of wishful thinking, you have to have actual fabric.”
Economy
Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, PA House Republicans Move To Open More Businesses
|
“Now is not the time to ease up on strong mitigation tactics that can help flatten the curve and ease the burden likely to be placed on our healthcare system.”
Economy
Warehouse Workers See Themselves As Reluctant Heroes Of Coronavirus Pandemic
|
“Is the world paying attention to this?”
Economy
PA’s Business Owners, Self-Employed Fight To Weather The Coronavirus Shutdown
|
“You want to act like everything is normal, you want to look your brightest…even though that might be a facade.”
App NEWS
Cider Creek Hard Cider Shifts Operations To Produce Sanitizer
|
“Knowing the process of distillation and how long it takes, I was looking at my barrels and I just thought to myself this would be a great way to help our local community.”
Featured in Category
Brindisi, Katko Urge Immediate Release Of Federal Stimulus Funds To Hospitals
|
“It’s absolutely crucial that we get this money to people now, for the hospitals now, and for people on the frontlines now, that being individuals.”
Economy
Coronavirus Brings PA’s Construction Industry To A Near Standstill
|
“It’s going to be a whole new world on how we’re going to man a job here…until this virus is completely behind us.”
Economy
12% Of PA Workers Submitted Unemployment Claims In Second Half Of March
|
State leads nation in percentage of workforce seeking benefits
Economy
Kodak Manufactures Isopropyl Alcohol For New York State
|
Kodak has shipped 40,000 gallons of the isopropyl alcohol over the last week, shipping it in tanker loads from its Eastman Business Park facility.
App NEWS
Why Is Pennsylvania Leading The Nation In Unemployment Claims?
|
The Commonwealth’s unemployment compensation program saw more than 378,900 claims filed during the week ending March 21 — 6 percent of the workforce.
App NEWS
Wolf Administration Won’t Release List Of Businesses That Want ‘Life-Sustaining Waivers
|
The Pennsylvania Governor says the state Department of Community and Economic Development will not respond to open records requests for the foreseeable future,
A New York Economist Makes The Case For More Federal Action Against COVID-19
|
A Nobel prize-winning economist on what it might take to get our economy growing again.
Antonio Delgado
INTERVIEW: Delgado On Relief Amid COVID-19
|
The conversation comes after the federal stimulus package passed last week.
Economy
Local Distilleries Use Facilities To Make Hand Sanitizer
|
“Our goal here is to not become, you know, wealthy off of a tragedy.”
Regional Congressmembers Support Federal Stimulus Package
|
President Trump signed the measure Friday afternoon.
App NEWS
In A Small Way, Planning Begins For A Restart Of New York’s Economy
|
The governor says he has absolutely “no second thoughts” about ordering a complete shut down of businesses this week.
Economy
Wolf Administration Backtracks On Closing Laundromats For Coronavirus
|
“People still have dirty clothes.”
App NEWS
Cuomo Calls On President To Mobilize American Industry; Considers Mail-In Ballots
|
“The federal government should order factories to manufacture masks, gowns, ventilators. The essential medical equipment that’s going to make a difference between life and death.”
Economy
Cuomo Orders Shopping Malls To Close This Evening At 8:00
|
The governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania also moved to close the indoor portions of retail shopping malls, amusement parks and bowling alleys.
Economy
Amazon Employee At New York Warehouse Tests Positive For Coronavirus
|
To meet the demand, the company announced earlier this week that it planned to hire 100,000 more part-time and full-time employees.
Cuomo Orders Most Workplaces To Cut On Site Personnel By Half
|
“Let’s deal with one crisis at a time and let’s deal with a crisis at hand, and the crisis at hand is a public health crisis.”
App NEWS
Wegmans, Tops Again Change Hours
|
Wegmans says it needs the additional off-hours to help restock and clean the stores.
Reed Says Senate Bill Will Bring Relief to Workers Affected By COVID Closures
|
Reed also said that Congress is keeping an eye on the needs of families while schools are closed.
As Peak Travel Season Approaches, Niagara Falls Could See Fewer International Tourists
|
On both sides of the Niagara Gorge, tourism promoters are expecting a drop in overseas tourists because of COVID-19 and more domestic tourists arriving by car.
Economy
Wegmans, Tops Limit Sales On Some Cleaning Products
|
Concerns about the novel coronavirus have caused a run on a number of items at supermarkets and other stores, particularly hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.
Economy
Gillibrand Bill Claws Back Tax Benefits for Companies That Send Jobs Overseas
|
“It’s time to hold corporations accountable when they work against the interests of hard-working Americans.”
Economy
Former Congressman and Corning CEO Amo Houghton Dies
|
Amo Houghton, the former Congressman who also had led Corning Incorporated for a number of years, has died at the age of 93.
App NEWS
Poor People’s Campaign Reminds PA Lawmakers About General Assistance
|
The group argues the strong economy makes it a good time to reinstate the cash assistance program. But the GOP-controlled legislature is wary of increased spending.
‘Gives Me Hope’: How New York Workers Rose Up Against Stagnant Wages
|
When some fast-food workers in New York went on strike one morning in 2012, they had no idea it was the beginning of an unusual movement that would propel an economic revolution.
Anthony Brindisi
Lockheed Martin’s Owego Plant Wins Contract To Make Parts For Drone-Killing Laser
|
The High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system can defend American naval vessels against drones, small boats and cruise missiles.
Amid Restructuring, Banking Giant HSBC To Cut Jobs In New York, Pennsylvania
|
The bank says it will shed nearly 15% of its workforce and $100 billion in investments as it refocuses on growth markets in Asia and reduces operations in Europe and the U.S.
Economy
New York Attorney General Will Not Appeal Ruling That Favored T-Mobile – Sprint Merger
|
Instead, the New York Attorney General says her office hopes to work with all parties to make sure consumers get the best pricing and service possible.
Economy
Study Shows New York Wineries Have A Major Economic Impact
|
The study found the wine and grape industry in New York directly creates 71,950 jobs, generating $2.79 billion in wages and $6.65 billion in direct economic impact.
New York Considers Appeal; Judge Favors T-Mobile Takeover Of Sprint
|
“There is no doubt that reducing the mobile market from four to three will be bad for consumers, bad for workers, and bad for innovation.”
Some Businesses Are Going Cashless, But New York’s Pushing Back
|
Opponents of cashless stores say they discriminate against low-income, homeless and undocumented people.
App NEWS
Not All Of New York’s “Gig Workers” Want Proposed Protections
|
“Too many corporations are increasing their profits at the expense of the employee.”
App NEWS
Governor’s Support For Petrochemicals Raises Climate Worries As PA Tries To Cut Carbon Emissions
|
Plastics build-out could conflict with governor’s climate goals
App NEWS
Supporters Of March 1st Plastic Bag Ban Want More Publicity
|
“We’re going to probably get some negative feedback those first few weeks as we try to transition.”
Economy
PA Governor Anticipates Bipartisanship On Workforce-Strengthening Plan
|
However, the governor says he’s much less sure about his longtime push to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage.
binghamton
Wegmans’ Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban Begins
|
The grocery chain is getting an early start on the state-wide ban, which begins in March.
Myth Busted: In New York It Turns Out Bankruptcy Can Wipe Out Student Loan Debt
|
Many Americans who get overwhelmed by student loan debt are told student debt can’t be erased through bankruptcy. Now more judges and lawyers say that’s a myth and bankruptcy can help.
New York, PA Disappoint Shareholders In Cannabis Companies
|
Many cannabis companies saw their stock prices soar in the first few months of 2019, only to see their valuations collapse.
Senator Urges Canada To Implement Customs Pre-Clearance At Falls Station
|
“If we had pre-clearance, that gateway could be used a lot more easily, creating economic growth, bringing dollars, bringing jobs and money to the entire Western New York economy.”
App NEWS
Warehouse Distribution Centers Create Jobs, But Lack Employee Retention, Says Management Professor
|
“They have a lot of good benefits available to employees. But most of them don’t come into effect until one of two years into employment.”
Economy
Goodwill Announces Date For Elimination Of Plastic Bags
|
Goodwill of the Finger Lakes will remove the single-use bags from all of its Rochester and Syracuse area stores on Saturday, February 1. That’s a month ahead of the state-imposed ban which takes effect March 1.
App NEWS
Despite GOP Attempts To Compromise, PA’s Governor Won’t Abandon Overtime Plan
|
The governor wants to require that time-and-a-half be paid to anyone who makes $45,000 or less and works more than 40 hours in a week.
agriculture
Seneca Nation Enters The Hemp Industry
|
It’s going to be open for our people to apply and try their hand at it. Whether that means they’re putting it in the ground or they’re growing it indoors, we’ll definitely help facilitate that and we’ll see where it goes,”
Economy
Activists Celebrate, Employers Wary Over Minimum Wage Increases
|
Leading into 2020, the hourly minimum wage for workers in upstate New York will rise to $11.80. For tipped workers, it will be $7.85 an hour.
Anthony Brindisi
Upstate Representatives Praise USMCA
|
The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to approve the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, clearing a major hurdle towards approving a new North American trade deal. The bill now heads to the Senate where it’s likely to be taken up in the new year.
Economy
Upstate’s Salvation Army Donations Down 24%
|
“It’s not like it used to be. People are shopping online more and more and having it delivered.”
App NEWS
Broome County Approves Tax Break For Canopy Growth
|
The company will save $1.7 million dollars over 15 years.
App NEWS
Broome County To Decide On Canopy Growth Tax Exemption
|
The industrial hemp company would save $1.7 million over the next 15 years.
App NEWS
Supporters And Opponents Of Plastic Bag Ban Find Fault With New York’s Proposed Regulations
|
State regulators have released new rules to enforce the changes, but groups on both sides of the issue say those rules are flawed.
Economy
Scotland Is Turning PA’s Shale Gas Into Plastic. What Happens To It Next?
|
Taxes and bans on single use plastics try to combat plastics in the oceans
Economy
PA’s Attorney General Says Trump’s Tipped Wage Proposal Could Hurt Workers
|
The proposed Department of Labor rule notes that it could allow employers to save some money by letting tipped and non-tipped workers pool their pay.
Andrew Cuomo
NY Governor Signs Lupardo-Backed Hemp Bill
|
The measure creates regulatory standards for hemp products.
Economy
Hemp Farmers Pleased With Change In Federal Guidelines For Bank Loans
|
There are new guidelines from the federal government that could help hemp farmers in New York state expand their operations. WXXI’s Randy Gorbman explains:
App NEWS
How Much Are New Yorkers Spending On Holiday Gifts And What Does It Say About Their Finances?
|
If the latest poll from Siena College is any indication, New Yorkers are feeling a bit better about their personal finances than they did a year ago.
broome county
Public Hearing Rescheduled For Industrial Hemp Company Seeking Tax Break From Broome County
|
The hearing was postponed due to this week’s winter storm.
Binghamton Airport Receives Over $6 Million In Federal Funds
|
The funds will pay for improvements to the airport’s taxiways.
As Oil Prices Drop And Money Dries Up, Is The U.S. Shale Boom Going Bust?
|
The boom that helped make the U.S. the world’s largest oil producer could be ending. Oil prices are down amid weak demand and investors no longer seem willing to write the industry a blank check.
Reaction After Protest Abruptly Cancels Conservative Economist’s Talk At Binghamton University
|
Former ACLU President says cancelling lecture may have sent the wrong message.
Economy
Finger Lakes Poverty Is Driving Early Deaths, Report Finds
|
The link between poor health and poverty is stronger than ever in the Finger Lakes, according to a new report from Rochester non-profit Common Ground Health. The organization says it has data that’s never been collected before.
Congress To Consider Bill That May Help New York Dairy Workers
|
The new bill will allow visas for year-round workers and it provides a path to legal status for current farm workers already in the U.S.
Economy
Despite Scotland’s Fracking Ban, Imported American Shale Gas Is Key To One Town’s Economy
|
Natural gas is mostly used for heating homes or fueling power plants. But when it comes out of the ground, it contains another key ingredient — ethane, a building block of plastics.
Economy
Work Complete On 50 Mile Drone Test Corridor In New York
|
Central New York’s emerging drone industry is taking some major steps forward, as construction of the infrastructure is complete for the unmanned traffic management drone corridor.
Economy
Bill Would Allow Reusable Beverage Container Refills In New York
|
Two Democratic state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would give customers in cafes, fast food shops and even in some restaurants, the option to use their own container for coffee, water, or to bring home left overs.
App NEWS
Wegmans Fans Line Up Early For Brooklyn Store Opening
|
“I made fun of my husband for the thought of going his early, but apparently he wasn’t alone.”
App NEWS
‘Silver Tsunami’ Of Manufacturing Retirements Pushes PA To Prioritize STEM Education
|
The state estimates that most jobs created in the next decade will require workers to use computers, and many opportunities will be STEM-related.
Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo Attends Regional Summit On Legal Cannabis, Vaping Illness Epidemic
|
The states also agreed to take more steps to discourage minors from vaping any type of products, including nicotine.
adam schiff
Reed, Schiff Have Different View Of Changes In Poland
|
Polish opposition critics worry that the ruling party’s changes to courts and press freedom are a threat to their democracy.
Andrew Cuomo
Hornell Wins $10 Million For Downtown Revitalization
|
It’s part of a greater state-wide effort to invest in New York communities
Economy
Spectrum To Raise Some TV And Internet Fees
|
The company is raising the price of its standard internet service by $4; the broadcast TV surcharge will increase $1.51 and the receiver (the cable box) is going up by 49 cents per receiver.
App NEWS
Dick’s Adds High Tech E-Commerce Facility To Conklin Campus
|
New facility adds about 100 jobs to operation.
App NEWS
Lt. Governor Hochul Tours Cortland Downtown Revitalization
|
The city hopes to add business, life to downtown.
App NEWS
Wegmans Launches 100th store; It Will Happen In North Carolina
|
Wegmans’ next big store opening is in late October, when it opens its first New York City location in Brooklyn .
Economy
In Scotland, This Town Evolved With Its Refinery And The Arrival Of Shale Gas
|
“The benefit is there’s employment in the area. But the rest of the town’s neglected and I don’t feel our town of Grangemouth benefits as much as it should, with an oil refinery on our doorstep.”
Economy
Upstate Economic Development Program Gets A Boost
|
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a $1 billion high-tech development project on the State University of New York’s Polytechnic Institute campus near Utica.
App NEWS
As Three Mile Island Stops Generating Electricity, This PA Community Is Bracing For Change
|
Last Friday around noon, Three Mile Island nuclear power plant stopped producing electricity, part of Exelon Corp.’s plan to close and decommission the plant over the next 60 years.
Tompkins County Gives Tax Break To Ithaca Beer Company
|
Over time, the extension is expected to save the company about $159,000.
Economy
PA’s New Minimum Wage Fight Is Basically The Same As The Old Fight
|
The lawmakers and activists who want to raise Pa.’s $7.25 minimum say they’re “deflated” but regrouping after failing to push higher wages into the state budget.
App NEWS
At Grangemouth Refinery In Scotland, A Plastics Evangelist Says PA’s Shale Gas Is Vital
|
The massive refinery and petrochemical complex in Grangemouth, Scotland, run by INEOS, was one of the first overseas plants to receive Pennsylvania ethane.
App NEWS
PA Business Advocates Celebrate Trump’s Clean Water Rollback
|
Meanwhile, environmental groups like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation say the move is an “assault” on clean water.
App NEWS
Mitrano Re-Launches Congressional Campaign In Corning
|
Mitrano first announced her intent to again challenge Reed shortly after her defeat in the 2018 mid-term elections.
App NEWS
Amid Trade Uncertainty, PA Sheds Manufacturing Jobs
|
The head of Pennsylvania’s Manufacturer’s Association said he supports the president’s trade tactics.
App NEWS
Wegmans Encourages Customers To Leave Their Guns At Home
|
“The sight of someone with a gun can be alarming, and we don’t want anyone to feel that way at Wegmans. For this reason, we prefer that customers not openly carry firearms into our stores.”
App NEWS
NY-22 Hopeful Makes Case On Healthcare, Welfare
|
Republican George Phillips spoke at a stop in Binghamton Tuesday
Trumansburg Continues To Debate New Affordable Housing Development
|
Most at the hearing oppose a proposed mixed income housing development.
App NEWS
First Arena Tenant Still Waiting For Repayment From County
|
Robbie Nichols is pushing to be reimbursed by the Chemung IDA for about $122,000 in repairs made to the building.
Another Upstate Republican Criticizes New NY License Plates
|
State Senator Pamela Helming calls them a money grab
App NEWS
Broome Clerk Criticizes Cuomo’s News License Plates
|
Joe Mihalko is pushing back against a proposed fee.
agricultural equipment
After Incinerator Project Failed, Romulus Looks At New Options On Seneca Army Depot
|
The town has to wait for the completion of state environmental review before it can move forward.
App NEWS
NY Comptroller Calls Out Communities For Approaching Tax Limit
|
BInghamton, Elmira and Cortland County are all nearing limit.
App NEWS
Watkins Glen Was Set To Host Woodstock 50 This Weekend…Here’s Why It’s Not
|
The festival was supposed to feature artists like Jay-Z, John Fogerty and Miley Cyrus, but instead it was plagued by lawsuits, mismanagement and missed deadlines.
climate change
Trump Visits PA Plastics Facility, Touts Petrochemical Future For Ohio Valley
|
The facility is part of what industry boosters hope will be a new plastics and chemical manufacturing base in the upper Ohio Valley, but many residents here worry about the heat-trapping gases and plastic waste.
Economy
Hemp Farmers Struggle With Rejection From Banks, Social Media Ads
|
“It was really difficult because when you’re trying to run a business and you can’t have a bank account, it doesn’t really work.”
Finger Lakes Hosts Nation’s First Hemp Seed Bank
|
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) recently announced that the project will get $500,000 of federal funding. The new seed bank will be located at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, New York.
App NEWS
Owego Awarded $10 Million From State Fund To Revitalize Downtowns
|
VESTAL, NY (WSKG) — Owego was awarded $10 million dollars as part of New York state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, or DRI. Owego is in Tioga County. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the various projects. They are meant to boost the local economy by attracting new businesses while strengthening existing ones, repair infrastructure, enhance recreational opportunities, and address the demand for affordable housing. The money will go toward 17 projects.
So. Tier Trade Unions Push Back Against Proposed Trump Administration Policy
|
Proposed rules would allow industry-run training programs
Addiction
As Sports Betting Expands, Gambling Treatment Services Do Too
|
Sports betting has expanded to casinos in upstate New York, including Tioga Downs in Nichols. At the same time, there’s now more help for folks with gambling addictions.
App NEWS
Upstate Racino Owner Talks Woodstock 50, Sports Betting
|
Jeff Gural thinks Woodstock would have boosted “sleepy-little” Vernon, NY and criticizes state politicians for restrictions on sports betting
App NEWS
Industrial Park, Dedicated To Hemp, Opens In Kirkwood
|
“This will really become our hub on the east coast of the United States to do this manufacturing and really scale the business.”
PA Drinkers Try Out A Hard Coffee Brewed By Pabst
|
Americans are buying less beer from big breweries, so companies are getting creative to attract customers. Pabst is testing what one customer describes as a “Frappuccino” — with an alcoholic kick.
Andrew Cuomo
Some Upstate Officials Are Critical, But Lupardo Defends Driver’s Licenses For Undocumented Immigrants
|
Amid lawsuits fighting a bill that allows illegal immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses, Binghamton Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo says the measure is still good for New York.
App NEWS
Broome County Anti-Poverty Council Targets Housing, Transportation, Child Care
|
The effort is part of a New York State plan to reduce poverty
Economy
In Pilot Program, Wegmans In Ithaca And Corning To Eliminate Plastic Bags
|
Wegmans says that paper grocery bags will continue to be available, but 5 cents will be charged for each bag.
Economy
New York, Other States Sue IRS Over SALT Deduction
|
Connecticut and New Jersey are also on the suit.
Anthony Brindisi
New York Congressman Criticizes AT&T For Eliminating Local TV Stations
|
Over the July 4th holiday, DirecTV customers lost access to several stations around the region.
App NEWS
Tompkins/Cortland Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton On 2019 Legislative Session
|
ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – The 2019 New York legislative session saw the passage of a raft of legislation that has been blocked in previous years. Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton spoke with WSKG’s Celia Clarke in the Ithaca studio. She represents Tompkins County and part of Cortland County in the state Assembly. Lifton spoke about the new farm labor rights, legalization of electrically-assisted bicycles and scooters, and why she thinks marijuana legalization is inevitable. The conversation begins with Lifton talking what she considers the most important accomplishment of the session.
Economy
Researchers Rush To Answer Questions About Newly-Legal Hemp Crops
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WITF) – Alyssa Collins said she has been fielding around five phone calls every day from people with questions about hemp–and that’s not even counting the emails. Collins directs Penn State’s Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Lancaster County, where researchers are part of a multi-state, USDA-supported study into different varieties of hemp that can be used for food and fiber. Pennsylvania approved more than 300 permits to farm industrial hemp this growing season, after Congress loosened restrictions on the crop last year. Hemp was long banned because of its relationship to marijuana, but it does not have enough of the psychoactive compound THC to produce a high. So now, researchers like Collins are trying to clear up uncertainties about the crop.
App NEWS
Onondaga County Wants To Go After Large, Tax-Delinquent Properties
|
County officials said there is $45 million that hasn’t been collected in back taxes from property owners around the county.
App NEWS
IJC To Review Plan 2014, But Say Nothing Can Be Done To Ease Flooding This Year
|
“…we’ve had catastrophic flooding on the shore of Lake Ontario two out of three years,” said Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus)
Allegheny County PA
US Steel, Allegheny County Have A Draft Agreement On Pollution Violations
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WITF) – The Allegheny County Health Department and U.S. Steel have a draft agreement to resolve multiple air pollution violations from the company’s Clairton Plant over the past two years. The agreement calls on the company to pay $2.7 million in fines and put in place a suite of pollution upgrades at the plant. The company said the price of those upgrades is $200 million. The agreement does not resolve legal issues between the county and the company over air pollution problems that resulted from a Dec. 24 fire.
App NEWS
Pennsylvania Natural Gas Impact Fee Revenue Rises To 7-Year High, Boosted By Stripper Wells
|
Pennsylvania’s impact fee on natural gas producers raised more money in 2018 to offset the effects of shale development than at any time in the fee’s seven-year history
App NEWS
Lansing Residents Hear Plans For Cayuga Power Plant, Landfill
|
“I’m concerned about the coal ash landfill, I do think that that needs further remediation. It’s definitely old technology that was used.”
Legislature’s Vote For E-Scooters Makes Ithaca Pilot Program More Likely
|
Electric-assisted bicycles and scooters are now legal on New York streets. As the session ended, the New York state legislature passed a bill to legalize the vehicles on Thursday.
Economy
Sports Betting Now Legal At Upstate Casinos
|
The gambling is restricted to in-person bets at a casino’s designated sports lounge, as opposed to online or through mobile devices.
Sotheby’s, Including Its New York Auction House, Puts Itself Up For Sale — At $3.7 Billion
|
The deal puts the auction house, which was founded in 1744, on a path to becoming a private company again.
Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo Blasts US Treasury After SALT Rules
|
New York Governor said new rules on state and local tax, or SALT, deductions is an economic assault on New Yorkers.
App NEWS
For PA Parents Who Work Nights And Weekends, Study Finds Child Care Is Especially Difficult
|
The organization Research for Action (RFA) estimates there are fewer than 50,000 available seats. In that same analysis, RFA found 150,000 families that likely need child care outside traditional hours.
10 States, Including New York, Sue To Block T-Mobile, Sprint Merger
|
“When it comes to corporate power, bigger isn’t always better,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said. The plaintiffs say the proposed merger would limit competition and lead to higher prices.
App NEWS
Disappointment Hits After Watkins Glen Pulls Out Of Woodstock 50
|
There’s a feeling of resignation around Schuyler County after Watkins Glen International said it would not host Woodstock 50.
Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To New York Hedge Fund For $683 Million
|
That price tag includes all of the book megachain’s debt. Elliott’s acquisition of the largest retail bookseller in the U.S. comes less than a year after it bought Waterstones, the largest in the U.K.
antibiotic free beef
Tompkins County Schools Sign Contracts With Farmers Who Use Fewer Antibiotics
|
“Our improvements in management which includes feeding and housing and veterinary care, disease control…we’ve been able to control infectious diseases to a greater extent than ever before.”
Economy
Tariff On Canadian Aluminum Took Toll In Oswego
|
The Trump Administration’s decision to end the tariffs it had imposed on aluminum shipments from Canada is welcome news in Oswego, where the tax took a toll on two of the city’s largest businesses.
Cannabis
World’s Weed Industry Converges On New York
|
Thousands of visitors converged on the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center this week for the sixth annual Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo.
App NEWS
Binghamton, Boscov’s Agree to Lease Extension
|
The City of Binghamton and Boscovs department store have extended a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes deal that will let the store stay downtown.
Economy
Overall Employment Up In PA, But There Are Trouble Spots
|
Jobless rates can range significantly from one metropolitan area to another–from a low of 2.9 percent in Gettysburg and State College, to a high of 4.7 in East Stroudsburg and the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-Hazelton metro.
Arts
WSKG Documentary Explores Downtown Revitalization Efforts
|
WSKG’s Brian Frey premieres his latest documentary, ‘Main Street Rising’
Economy
Tompkins Solar Farm Stays Mowed Thanks To Sheep
|
There’s a new solar project in Tompkins County that has farmers and solar companies helping each other.
Andrew Cuomo
Trash Incinerators Banned In Finger Lakes Region
|
A bill that would ban trash incinerators in the Finger Lakes is now law.
Finding New Opportunity For PA’s Old Coal-Fired Power Plant Sites
|
Coal-fired power plants keep closing and communities around the country must decide what to do with those sites. Pennsylvania has a plan, aiming to create new jobs where the old ones have been lost.
Economy
Despite Slowing Economy, PA Bookkeepers Say State Finances Are Stable
|
A newly-extended tax on online retailers is one of the biggest boons to Pennsylvania’s bottom line. About $165 million came directly from online sales–money the commonwealth previously couldn’t recoup.
App NEWS
Cayuga Lake Coal-Fired Power Plant To Convert To Solar Powered Data Center
|
The owners want to convert it into a 100 megawatt data center. Their proposal includes a seventy-five acre solar farm, and they will apply to the state for a 125 megawatt renewable energy allocation.
Economy
New York To Close Two State Prisons
|
“Jobs are very important to us in Livingston County and these were jobs that were well paying and jobs, which the individuals spent money; some of the folks do live here in our county and they spend dollars at businesses and help sales tax.”
agriculture
Farmers Find Little Help In Trump’s New Immigration Plan
|
The New York Farm Bureau said farmers need more workers and it wants the President to consider an expansion of a visa program.
Tompkins County Legislature Hears From Opponents To Ithaca Airport Expansion
|
Their main objection is the addition of a customs building and one customs inspector. Customs is part of the federal Customs and Border Protection, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security.
Tompkins Transportation Plan Includes Improved Rural Mass Transit
|
Every day about 15,000 people travel into Tompkins County, mainly into Ithaca from neighboring counties. Most of them commute for work and most are alone in their cars.
App NEWS
Wegmans App Lets Customers Scan And Bag Groceries As They Shop
|
A Wegmans senior vice president says as technology has evolved to enable more self-service, customers are increasingly looking for options that save time and allow them to shop how they want.
As Nuclear Waste Piles Up At A PA Power Plant, Private Companies Pitch New Ways To Store It
|
Nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania and around the country are running out of room to store spent fuel. Private companies are pitching their own solutions.
Farmworkers Can’t Get Overtime, Collectively Bargain. NYS Lawmakers Considers Changing Labor Law.
|
Crispin Hernandez used to work on a North Country dairy farm. He and others workers tried to organize and were fired. Now he works for a workers’ rights group.
1.5 degrees
Binghamton Undergraduates Call For Faster Action Against Climate Change
|
BINGHAMTON, NY (WSKG) – Some Binghamton University students are pushing Congressman Anthony Brindisi to do more to address climate change.
Liat David is 19, a sophomore at the University. At a recent forum she helped organize, she said climate change has made her re-think having children. “Do I have that right as a woman that I can have a child and be proud of the earth that I live in and say that this child is going to be living in a regenerative and sustainable future?” she said. “I can’t necessarily say that right now, which is very sad to say because that is my right as a woman to say that I can have a child if I want to, but I really feel like that was taken away from me this past generation.”
Farmers Concerned With Proposed Changes To New York Labor Law
|
“Farm workers are excluded from labor laws that protect all other workers. So, do we want to level the playing field and ensure that those protections are in place?”
Economy
Wegmans To Eliminate Single-Use Plastic Bags At New York Stores
|
The supermarket chain wants to get ahead of the curve because of the transition that will be needed to get customers accustomed to using the reusable shopping bags.
Binghamton Leads Nation In Property Taxes Per Home Values… Why?
|
“I think the real key is are those properties being utilized? Or are they adding to the overall vacancy or deterioration?” said Amy Little, owner of Cayuga Appraisals, a real estate appraisal company.
Economy
Novelis Seeks Exclusions From Aluminum Tariffs On Canada, Which ‘Hurt’ Oswego Plant
|
“It really put a hurt on us, the tariffs, making it very difficult for us to ship back and forth across the border.”
App NEWS
Road Trip Takes Poor People’s Campaign To Elmira’s Prisons
|
“When you create a system that’s going to hurt people like that, it’s not just going to hurt the folks that are in those buildings it’s going to hurt everybody in between, too.”
App NEWS
Tompkins County Transportation Planner Says Federal Government Isn’t Doing Enough
|
‘This is not money that’s used to necessarily fill in potholes. This is more to rebuild or reconstruct roads or to do larger paving projects.”
App NEWS
Consumer Sentiment Remains Strong In New York
|
More than half of New Yorkers say they’re better off financially than they were a year ago.
App NEWS
PA’s Real Estate Agents Join The Push For Education Funding
|
The fight to boost education funding brings lots of people together — teachers, superintendents, politicians. But advocates want to add another constituency to the mix: real estate agents.
Economy
State-Funded Economic Development Program Runs Ahead Of Schedule
|
Overall, the Finger Lakes Council says that the projects created with the state funds will spawn about 4,000 new jobs and help retain over 6,200 others.
App NEWS
Is New York’s Ban On Single Use Plastic Bags Sustainable?
|
By this time next year, single use plastic bags will be officially banned in New York State. But this new rule has some wondering, will we just end up with a paper bag problem?
Economy
Amid Worries Of A Coming Recession, Labor Numbers Good For Southern Tier
|
The Southern Tier, like other parts of the northeast, has been slow to come back from last decade’s recession, but figures released this week from the New York Department of Labor may be a sign that’s changing.
App NEWS
Backlog Of Repairs Mounts At Women’s Rights National Historical Park In Seneca Falls
|
According to the National Park Service, the Women’s Rights National Historical Park has a backlog of $5.3 million in maintenance and repairs as of fiscal year 2018.
As State Budget Talks Continue, Is New York’s Film Tax Credit At Risk?
|
“For every dollar that New York State expends on this particular credit, it gets back a dollar and 15 cents.”
Economy
Push Back In Albany On Prevailing Wage Extension
|
The prevailing wage rules require that all publicly funded construction projects in a region pay at least the average wage paid on all projects completed in that area.
Amazon
New York’s Governor Expresses Lingering Resentment Over Amazon Failure
|
“I believe it was a form of government corruption. And I want to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Late Alan Krueger Learned To Love Economics At Cornell
|
“With college professors, the notion that your students will become something more than you are is also something that you hope for.”
binghamton
Casino Companies See Opportunity In New York’s Budget Shortfall
|
There are a number of obstacles to overcome, but the proposal may seem tempting to lawmakers, who are strapped for cash this year.
App NEWS
Spectrum Bill Credits Come To Some Customers
|
Spectrum is issuing $75 credits to customers that either had insufficient equipment or signed up for faster internet plans.
Economy
The Poor People’s Campaign Is Back In PA’s Capitol, With A Long List Of Demands
|
The campaign was renewed on a national scale in 2017. And over the last year, its chapter in Pennsylvania has begun making regular trips to the state Capitol.
Amazon
Two-Thirds Of Voters In New Siena Poll Say Amazon Cancelling Queens HQ Was A Bad Idea
|
“Two thirds, 67 percent say it was bad for the state. It’s across the board. 64 percent of city voters, 69 percent of downstate suburban voters.”
App NEWS
PA House Moves Janus-Enforcing Bill, But A Veto Likely Looms
|
For the second year in a row, state House Republicans are trying to pass a bill that would require union employers to let new hires know they can opt out of collective bargaining.
Economy
Romulus Residents Eager For NYS Senate To Ban Finger Lakes Incinerators
|
“We are really, really thrilled,” said Mary Anne Kowalski, Seneca Lake resident. “I think the fact that is impressing me most is that we’ve got bipartisan support on this bill.”
animal rights
New York Proposal Would Ban Puppy Sales At Pet Stores
|
New York could become the third state to ban the sale of certain animals in pet stores.
Landowners, Farmers Oppose Zoning Plan For Tompkins County Town
|
A group of landowners and farmers are trying to stop some zoning changes designed to preserve open space in the Town of Ulysses. Some say agricultural needs haven’t been considered. The town disagrees.
Economy
Business Leaders On Board With State’s Permanent Property Tax Cap
|
Top business organizations in New York are supporting Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to make the 2% property tax cap permanent.
Economy
Cornell Study: New York Apples Are An Even Bigger Business Than Traditionally Thought
|
New York’s apple industry has about a 21 percent higher economic impact than traditional studies have found.
broome co ny
Shortage Of Affordable Housing Drives Up Homelessness In Southern Tier
|
“We’re actually seeing the biggest increases in the number of families who are facing homelessness. So, typically that would look like a young single mom with 2 or 3 young children.”
Central New York
New York Farmers Want Immigration, Visa Reforms For Workers’ Status
|
The New York Farm Bureau has announced their federal policy priorities on Wednesday. Immigration is top leading issues they want Congress to address.
Policy Expert Says Legislature, Cuomo Need To Address Poverty In Budget
|
BINGHAMTON, NY (WSKG) – Religious leaders and fiscal analysts are traveling New York talking to communities about the state budget proposal. After a recent stop in Ithaca, Ron Deutsch of the Fiscal Policy Institute sat down with WSKG’s Celia Clarke in the WSKG’s Ithaca studio. Here is some of that interview:
Economy
More PA Republicans Are Softening Their Opposition To Minimum Wage Hike
|
One of Governor Tom Wolf’s perennially-unsuccessful policy suggestions may face better odds this year. A day after Senate GOP Leader Jake Corman said his caucus would be willing to consider increasing the state minimum wage, a high-ranking House Republican said the prospect isn’t out of the question for his caucus either.
Coalition Calls For State Legislators To Pass A Moral Budget
|
A coalition of religious leaders and fiscal analysts are traveling New York talking to communities about the state budget proposal.
Dick’s CEO, Others Urge Congress To Expand Gun Background Checks
|
The heads of four U.S. companies are lobbying for a law requiring background checks on all gun purchases. One of them, the founder of TOMS shoes, concedes his company will lose business as a result.
airports
Finger Lakes, Southern Tier Airports Get New Infrastructure Funding
|
Airports in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes are getting some infrastructure funding.
Amazon
Bill Would Ban Amazon-Type Deals In The Future
|
A week after the Amazon deal in Queens died, New York lawmakers want states to agree to stop using taxpayer money to lure big businesses.The legislators are proposing a measure that would form an interstate compact to end what they call excessive “corporate welfare” for large companies.
Central New York
Ithaca Constituent Calls On Reed To Show Some Courage And Vote Against Trump
|
Theresa Alt was one of two people who stopped by for a visit. Alt met Tuesday with staff at Congressman Tom Reed’s Ithaca office. That office last opened its doors two weeks ago, but there were no visitors. This time, people showed up.
Economy
Schumer Pushes Mohawk Valley As Federal Quantum Computing Site
|
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wants the Mohawk Valley to be at the center of one of the next big things in the world of technology: quantum computing. And researchers at SUNY Polytechnic Institute and Rome Labs are already working on it.
binghamton
Closing Of Sackets Harbor Grocery Store ‘Almost Expected’ After Dollar General Opened Store
|
The village of Sackets Harbor is losing one of the only stores where residents could get groceries, and its owner is blaming the opening of a nearby Dollar General as one of the reasons for its closing.
This City Told Amazon And Google: No Incentives For You
|
Amazon canceled plans for a New York City HQ after meeting stiff opposition over big tax breaks and other incentives. A California mayor refused to offer similar incentives but landed Google anyway.
Economy
Cuomo Blames State Senate For Amazon pull out
|
Gov. Andrew Cuomo had engineered the deal, along with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. But he was criticized by some local residents, progressive groups and politicians who represent the area.
Finger Lakes Legislator Says Amazon Would Love Upstate
|
Now that Amazon won’t build a new headquarters in Queens, some Finger Lakes legislators want the company to consider coming upstate. But, that likely won’t happen.
Economy
Assembly GOP Leader Says Cuomo Bears Blame For Collapsed Amazon Deal
|
Amazon’s decision to cancel it’s planned headquarters in New York City has some upstate Republicans saying the governor bears part of the blame.
Economy
Amazon Ditches NYC Headquarters
|
Amazon says even though a recent poll showed 70 percent of New Yorkers wanted the project, “a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us.”
Economy
Solar Jobs Grow In Pennsylvania While Declining Nationally
|
Jobs in Pennsylvania’s solar industry grew 10 percent last year, while declining three percent nationally, according to a new analysis.
binghamton university
Lt. Governor Cheers On Economic And Educational Developments In The Southern Tier
|
New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul was in the Southern Tier on Wednesday for stops in Johnson City, Elmira and Horseheads.
Soul-Searching After Parkland, Dick’s CEO Embraces Tougher Stance On Guns
|
Ed Stack is a gun owner who was a longtime Republican donor. A year after Dick’s Sporting Goods became an unlikely corporate face of gun control, it sees the fallout from its policy and lobbying.
Economy
New York Governor Blames Senate Democrats For Putting Amazon Project In Doubt
|
A report in the Washington Post says Amazon is considering pulling out of a deal to build its New York City headquarters, due to opposition from state and city elected officials who represent the Queens district where the company wants to build.
economy
Skeptical Republicans, PA Economists Hold Hearing On Minimum Wage Hike
|
Republicans say they’re keeping an open mind—but their initial reactions indicate the hike may be a pipe dream.
VIDEO: New York Inventor Inspired By Childhood Memories Of Fungus
|
As a child on a New York farm, Eben Bayer helped his dad shovel wood chips in the barn. That’s where he noticed a stretchy web of fungus that became the basis of his biodegradable packing material.
Economy
PA Governor Resuscitates A Long-Stymied Priority: A Minimum Wage Hike
|
Governor Tom Wolf is taking yet another stab at an issue that has dogged him since his election: raising the commonwealth’s minimum wage.
Immigration, Shutdown Dominate Talk at Reed Town Hall
|
Over the weekend, Republican congressman Tom Reed hosted a series of three town halls around his Southern Tier district. They came just after the partial federal shutdown ended.
Economy
NY Congressman’s Frustration With Shutdown Impasse Begins To Show
|
Today is the 35th day of the partial government shutdown. For New York Republican congressman Tom Reed that’s 35 days too long.
Economy
Farmers Say New York’s Lawmakers Can Help Out In A Number Of Ways
|
New York’s Farm Bureau says even though the legislature is under Democratic control, the needs of farmers don’t change. The group, that represents New York farmers, has announced its legislative priorities.
Economy
PA Lawmakers Try New Way Of Assessing Impact Of State Dollars
|
Thanks to a law passed two years ago, Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office is now required to periodically create what are known as performance-based budget reports on state agencies–basically, analyses measuring program funding against actual outcomes.
Economy
Shutdown Will Affect People Awaiting Federal Rent Assistance
|
As the partial government shutdown enters its fifth week, the effects are spreading throughout Southern Tier and Finger Lakes communities.
With Amazon’s Arrival, A New York Community Pushes To Be Included
|
Many residents of the Queensbridge public housing development feel they have not benefited much from the area’s booming development. With Amazon, activists are trying to change that story.
binghamton
Government Shutdown Closes Taps On New Brews
|
The partial federal government shutdown continues, impacting everything from airport security to national parks and food stamps. Even craft brewers are feeling the pinch.
Economy
Siena Survey Shows Consumers Generally Remain Optimistic
|
Consumers are still quite optimistic in New York State, with a number of them planning to buy big-ticket items like homes and cars in the months ahead. That’s according to the latest quarterly survey on consumer sentiment put out by Siena College.
Economy
ShiftDiff gives job seekers another search option
|
Job seekers now have a new tool for finding local work. The website ShiftDiff, is a locally focused job search site, listing only career opportunities across the Finger Lakes region.
This New York Program Aims To Train The Growing Freelance Workforce
|
The Freelancers Hub in New York City opened in October, offering classes as well as tax and legal assistance for independent workers. It’s free, and the first of its kind in the country.
Lupardo, Lifton Will Have Leadership Positions in New York State Assembly
|
New leadership positions in the state assembly were announced late last year and a pair of Southern Tier legislators will take charge of important committees.
Crime and Justice
Reed Calls For Congress To Stop ‘Political Theater’, And End Shutdown
|
Representative Tom Reed said there are compromises available to both parties which would reopen the federal government and give them a victory. First, Reed says Congress must stop what he calls partisan ‘political theater’ and start working to each other.
Economy
Over 24,000 Tourists Came To Finger Lakes Region Using Airbnb
|
Airbnb hosts in the Finger Lakes region earned almost $10 million through the app in 2018.
New York Stock Exchange Making You Dizzy? Get Used To It, Analysts Say
|
With the Dow swinging up and down hundreds of points in a day, investors are feeling queasy. One economist says uncertainty in the stock markets may mean turbulence will continue in the new year.
binghamton
Minimum Wage Increases Across New York, State Launches Compliance Hotline
|
Minimum wage workers across New York State are getting a raise. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it shows government can make a difference in people’s lives, but central New York businesses are mixed on its impact.
Minimum Wages Rising In 20 States, Including New York
|
The minimum wage will increase on or around January 1 in 20 states and 21 cities, impacting millions of American workers. Twenty-nine states will have set minimum wages above the federal level.
Economy
Spills, Shutdowns And Legal Challenges: A Tumultuous Year For Mariner East 2
|
Sunoco said in November that it would start operations of the frequently delayed Mariner East 2 pipeline by the end of 2018.
Keep Your Change: This Restaurateur Says New Yorkers Aren’t Ready To Ditch Tipping
|
In 2015, Andrew Tarlow shifted three of his restaurants to a tip-free model, raising his employees’ wages and menu prices. This week, though, he switched back.
Economy
Brindisi Calls On NYS Public Service Commission To Push Case Against Charter/Spectrum
|
ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – Tuesday, the New York State Attorney General announced a $174 million consumer fraud settlement with Charter/Spectrum, the largest internet and cable provider in New York State. Wednesday, Congressman-Elect Anthony Brindisi called for the state’s Public Service Commission to move forward with their case against Spectrum. That case challenges Spectrum’s right to operate in the state. Brindisi said customers deserve better options than Spectrum provides. “No one’s losing their cable,” Brindisi said.
binghamton
Central New York Big Winner As Regional Economic Development Funds Are Awarded
|
Awards were announced Tuesday in Albany for the eighth round of Regional Economic Development Council funding.
Google Will Spend $1 Billion For New York Campus On Hudson River
|
“In fact, we’re growing faster outside the [San Francisco] Bay Area than within it,” says Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat, a senior vice president of both Google and its parent company, Alphabet.
Economy
New York Agriculture Officials Promote Local, Farm-Fresh Christmas Trees
|
Local and state officials are promoting farm-fresh Christmas trees this holiday season. It’s an $8 million industry in New York State and the trees are also good for the environment.
Featured in Category
A New Coal Mine’s Opening In Pennsylvania. Is Trump To Thank?
|
“We’re not dead yet, we’ve still got a pulse in Mahanoy City. Thank God Trump lifted all the regulations on coal…coal is gonna be king.”
binghamton
New York Firm Will Build NASA’s Next-Generation Space Telescope
|
Harris Corporation has been awarded a nearly $196 million contract to help build a space-based telescope. The work involves the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, or WFIRST, for short.
Nexstar Deals For New York Stations, Could Become Nation’s Largest Local TV Firm
|
Nexstar’s $4.1 billion deal to acquire Tribune Media’s 42 stations would give it a presence in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Even after shedding some stations, Nextar would exceed rival Sinclair.
Affordable Housing
Ithaca Realtors Tackle ‘Workforce’ Housing Shortage
|
The shortage of affordable housing is a serious problem across the Southern Tier. On Thursday night in Ithaca, people from different sectors came together to discuss one aspect of the problem — workforce housing.
Gone Girl: Lower Manhattan ‘Fearless Girl’ Statue Is ‘On The Move’
|
Fearless Girl appeared across from the Charging Bull on the eve of International Women’s Day in 2017. It has now been removed and will be placed in front of the New York Stock Exchange.
Pegula Sports & Entertainment To Study Venue Options For Bills, Sabres
|
The owners of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres have hired a consulting firm to help them study possible next steps for the venues where the professional football and hockey teams play. In the case of the Bills, the upcoming feasibility analysis includes exploration of an entirely new stadium.
Economy
Amazon New York HQ Could Spur Investment In Upstate’s Drone Corridor
|
Reaction has been mixed to Amazon’s selection of Long Island City in Queens as one of its new headquarters, promising 25,000 high-paying jobs. But Syracuse business leaders said they are expecting a spill-over effect of investment in central New York, because of the region’s drone corridor.
Economy
PA Will See Multiple Sports Betting Sites Before 2019
|
Pennsylvania is in the midst of launching its sports betting industry–becoming part of the first wave of states to do so.
Opinion: Amazon Deal In New York Creates Some Unlikely Allies
|
NPR’s Scott Simon reflects on Amazon’s plan to open a headquarters in New York. It has prompted an unlikely coalition to unite in opposition, because of tax breaks and subsidies the company will get.
Amazon’s Grand Search For 2nd Headquarters Ends With Split: New York And DC Suburb
|
Amazon is expected to divide its second headquarters between the Long Island City neighborhood in Queens and the Crystal City area in Northern Virginia, according to a person familiar with the plan.
Economy
Tops Markets Says A Federal Bankruptcy Court Has Confirmed Its Reorganization Plan
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Officials with Tops Markets say that a federal bankruptcy court has confirmed the company’s plan of reorganization and the supermarket chain expects to complete its restructuring and emerge from Chapter 11 shortly.
Amazon Plot Twist: NYC May Split HQ With DC Suburb
|
The surprising decision to divide the win is an anticlimactic ending for a much-hyped, Olympic-style search. The plan promised up to 50,000 new high-paying jobs and drew 238 bids.
cortland county
Now, New York Counties Must Jail Kids Separately. Some Are Creating A Non-Profit To Build A Regional Facility
|
ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – Counties in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes are working together to find new places to house children in the criminal justice system.
economy
EPA Head Says Rollbacks Will Keep Environment Clean, Economy Up
|
STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – At an oil and gas conference in Pittsburgh Wednesday, Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler touted the Trump administration’s moves to roll back over 70 environmental regulations, telling the crowd the rollbacks will make America’s air and water cleaner while keeping the economy booming.
agricultural trade
Economist Says Cutting Trade Deals With China, Mexico More Important To Region’s Dairy Farmers
|
“It’s way, way more important what we do with Mexico and China and what our general trade posture is,” he said. “Trade is important to us, but trade with Canada is not the biggest worrier.”
Replacement Of NAFTA Especially Good For NY Farmers, Advocates Say
|
BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) – President Donald Trump on Monday hailed a tentative agreement involving the United States, Canada and Mexico that would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Rep. Tom Reed Says He Supports Net Neutrality. Some Constituents Want Action.
|
ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – Some constituents are urging Congressman Tom Reed to take action to support net neutrality. Reed represents New York’s 23rd congressional district, which stretches from Ithaca to Jamestown. Seven people met with a member of his staff in Ithaca on Tuesday morning. Back in December, the Federal Communications Commission repealed 2015 net neutrality rules that required internet providers to allow equal access to all web content. Congressman Reed supported the repeal.
Economy
New York Comptroller’s Report: Wall Street Profits Up
|
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – The state Comptroller, Tom DiNapoli, is out with his annual report on Wall Street profits, and he finds, not surprisingly, they are up.
Economy
Tops To Close 10 Stores As Part Of Restructuring Efforts
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Tops Markets is announcing plans to close 10 stores it says are underperforming as part of its effort to restructure and emerge from the Chapter 11 bankruptcy it filed for earlier this year.
Replacing NAFTA No Cause For Worry, Says Head Of Buffalo-Niagara’s World Trade Center
|
Canada’s Foreign Minister is expected to travel to Washington Tuesday to begin negotiations, one day after the Trump administration announced was a tentative deal with Mexico that would end and replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.
A Few Weeks Ago, Finger Lakes Farmers Were Grateful For Rain, Then The Floods Hit
|
Fellow farmers helped Erik Landowne at Blue Heron Farm quickly harvest an onion crop before it could begin to rot.
As Tesla Stock Falls, Is There Cause For Concern Over New York Plant?
|
BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) – Shares of Tesla lost approximately nine percent of their value Friday, as the high-tech company moves forward amid concerns including a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation, comments made by founder Elon Musk and a report that Tesla may not, after all, purchase all the output from the Buffalo-based factory it now shares with Panasonic.
Arts & Culture
Changes Coming To 2018 Edition Of New York State Fair
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Some changes will be coming to the 2018 version of the New York State Fair, which starts August 22. Most of it is part of the second phase of a $120 million plan to revitalize the fairgrounds.
Inside The Biggest Private Real Estate Development In New York History
|
Hudson Yards, on the West Side of Manhattan, is on the cusp of opening its slew of office space, retail stores, condos and more.
binghamton
New York Cities Part Of New Federal Program Encouraging Private Investment
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – In addition to tax cuts, the recently passed federal tax overhaul includes a measure to encourage the private industry to invest in low-wealth areas. The program offers tax discounts and other incentives for people to put their profits from stocks and other holdings to work in so-called Opportunity Zones.
Economy
Senior Citizens Talk Over Changes To Medicare, Social Security With Rep. Tom Reed In Horseheads
|
Rep. Reed met with a select group of senior citizens in an invitation only event with the Chemung County AARP. Some people said they’re worried Social Security won’t be around for their grandkids.
Economy
In Rarity For GOP, PA Congressman Pushes For Carbon Tax
|
STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – In a rare move for Republican lawmakers, U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Bucks County and Carlos Curbelo of Florida have teamed up to introduce a climate change bill — a big one.
Economy
PA Dairy Farmers Face Same Problems, Only Congressional Districts Have Changed
|
ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – The boundaries of Pennsylvania’s congressional districts changed this year after protracted court hearings. The issues facing citizens didn’t change, including for dairy farmers. In the new 12th District, Democrat Marc Friedenberg is running against Republican incumbent Tom Marino. Friedenberg is a first-time candidate. The district includes Bradford, Susquehanna and Tioga counties.
Economy
Trump’s Plan For LNG Exports To Europe May Not Have Much Impact In Pennsylvania
|
STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – President Trump wants more natural gas exported to Europe. Liquified natural gas plays a significant role in the trade deal with the European Union, and the president wants Europe to buy less from Russia.
Economy
New Solar Tech Made Completely in the Southern Tier Will Save Energy, Costs For Industry
|
NYSERDA, a New York State agency that works on energy research and development, announced a new tech product completely manufactured in the Southern Tier.
50 States
PA Steel Town Reinvents Itself
|
Many one-industry towns have shriveled up and died in recent decades. But not Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
casinos
Pennsylvania’s Sweeping Gambling Expansion Rolls On
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — The state Gaming Control Board says development of mini-casinos, online gambling, and a slew of other changes are progressing smoothly now that a federal lawsuit challenging the gambling expansion has been dropped.
Tronc Slashes ‘New York Daily News’ Staff By Half
|
Tronc cited financial pressures in gutting the newsroom of the punchy New York tabloid, a major force in local coverage. It has won Pulitzer Prizes and been a thorn in President Trump’s side.
Economy
Critics: Problems With Cuomo’s Economic Development Programs Go Beyond Corruption
|
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s economic development programs have been the subject of two federal corruption trials that ended with convictions for two of Cuomo’s former associates.
Rep. Reed Wants To Grow High Tech Industry, But Some Manufacturers Say They Need Workers Who Can Read
|
At Rep. Reed’s manufacturing summit, he said there’s an opportunity for growing the high tech industry in his district, which includes Geneva, Jamestown and Elmira. But, one manufacturer in the area says her biggest challenge is just finding employees who can show up for work on time and read a tape measure.
binghamton
Study: Airbnb Benefits New York’s Economy, More So In White Neighborhoods
|
A Purdue professor has found that rooms rented on sites such as Airbnb benefit white neighborhoods, but do less good for black and Latino areas.
Economy
Tough Sell For Collective Bargaining And Boosting Bills, But PA’s Unions See Hope
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — In the wake of a Supreme Court decision halting unions’ ability to compel public sector employees to pay fees, pro-union state lawmakers are trying to come up with a rebuttal.
23rd Congressional District
Mitrano, Democrats Hold Rally Outside Reed Corning Office
|
It’s been a week since Tracy Mitrano won the tight Democratic primary in New York’s 23rd Congressional district. The 23rd covers the western Southern Tier, the Finger Lakes and includes Ithaca, Geneva and Hornell. Mitrano is campaigning at rallies across the district this week.
Economy
New York PSC Official Criticizes Charter/Spectrum Over Broadband Efforts
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – A top state regulator has some harsh words for Charter Communications, the company that sells Spectrum cable and internet services.
With Tourism Season Peaking, Niagara Falls Raises Parking Rates
|
It will cost you more money to purchase a parking space in downtown Niagara Falls this summer. The Council member sponsoring the measure says it’s a means to take some of the city’s budget burdens off the shoulders of taxpayers.
New York, Texas, California Stall As States Streamline The Collection Of Internet Sales Taxes
|
States will reap billions after a major ruling that says states may now impose sales taxes on Internet retailers, even ones out of state and with no physical presence in the state.
economy
New Federal Legislation Could Create Jobs, Revive Manufacturing Communites
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has announced legislation that would designate manufacturing hubs across New York State and the country.
Economy
Report: Jobs In Efficiency, Renewables Grow In PA While Clean Transportation Lags
|
STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – A new report shows that jobs in most parts of Pennsylvania’s clean energy industry grew over the past year.
Economy
Poor People’s Campaign Holds Sixth And Final Rally In Harrisburg
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — After staging demonstrations for the past six consecutive Mondays, the Pennsylvania chapter of the national Poor People’s Campaign has ended its extended residency in the state Capitol rotunda.
Economy
Solar Installers In PA Weather Tariff Upheaval
|
STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – When President Donald Trump’s solar tariff took effect four months ago, it sent shockwaves through the solar energy industry.
crime
Second Corruption Trial In New York’s Buffalo Billion Program Begins Monday
|
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – On Monday, prosecutors present the second of two corruption cases against former associates of Gov. Andrew Cuomo in federal district court in Manhattan.
New York Stock Exchange’s First Female President Thanks Her Trailblazers
|
Stacey Cunningham has been tapped as the first woman to head the New York Stock Exchange Group in its 226-year history. In her new role, she wants to bring more diversity to the male-dominated sector.
Trump’s Tariffs Worry A Small Steel City In Pennsylvania
|
A Russian-owned steel mill in Mercer County, Pa., is seeking an exemption from the tariffs. Some workers at the mill backed Trump but now fear their jobs could be in jeopardy because of his policies.
Economy
Reformers Call For Changes In New York State’s Economic Development Efforts
|
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Government reform groups are urging the state Assembly to pass two bills that have already been approved in the Senate that would reform New York’s economic development programs.
Economy
Agencies Across Central New York Split Over $13 Million To Fight Poverty
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Organizations that help impoverished central New Yorkers get an education, find jobs or decent housing are getting a boost from a pot of state money meant to help the poor.
Economy
Governor Cuomo Helps Open The Finger Lakes Welcome Center
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) Governor Andrew Cuomo was in Geneva Wednesday to help debut the new Finger Lakes Welcome Center.
Economy
Despite Poor Progress, Advocates For Higher Wages See Bright Spots
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — Several groups intent on raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage are rallying in Harrisburg Thursday in an effort to nudge the General Assembly–once again–to consider raising pay for workers.
casinos
PA Takes First Steps Toward Regulating Legal Sports Betting
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — On the heels of a US Supreme Court decision last month that opened the door to sports betting in all states, Pennsylvania’s Gaming Control Board is starting to release initial regulations for the new gambling market.
Economy
Sen. Chuck Schumer Opposes Proposed Trash Incinerator In Finger Lakes
|
New York Senator Chuck Schumer is the latest politician to speak out against a proposed trash incinerator in the town of Romulus on Seneca Lake.
Supreme Court Decision Just A First Blow To Organized Labor This Spring?
|
BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) – Supporters of organized labor were dealt a legal blow by the U.S. Supreme Court Monday, which ruled 5-to-4 that companies have the right to prohibit collective grievances by its workers. It raises the question: is this just the first blow organized labor may face by the nation’s highest court this spring?
Economy
More Flights, Good Economy Boost Traffic At Syracuse Airport
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Passengers are flying out of Syracuse’s Hancock International Airport in numbers the airport has not seen in a decade.
A Woman’s Now CEO At The New York Stock Exchange. It Only Took 226 Years
|
Stacey Cunningham, who started her career at the exchange as a summer intern on the ground floor, has been appointed to lead the Big Board starting Friday.
GM New York Plant Will Manufacture Advanced V-8 Engine
|
BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) – General Motors’ Tonawanda Engine Plant has been selected as the first of the automaker’s plants to produce a new V-8 engine line that utilizes a cylinder deactivation technology that helps the engine produce only the power that is needed, in order to increase efficiency.
Economy
Remington Arms Exiting Bankruptcy Proceedings
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Remington Arms, a firearms manufacturer that employs roughly 900 people in the Mohawk Valley, has emerged from bankruptcy proceedings.
african american history
Poor People’s Campaign Seeks To Revive MLK’s vision
|
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – A few months before he was assassinated, Martin Luther King Jr. launched the Poor People’s Campaign, an effort to end poverty in the U.S. Today, more than 50 years later – under the leadership of the Rev. William J. Barber of North Carolina and Dr. Liz Theoharis of New York – activists are reigniting the civil rights leader’s unfinished fight.
How Some New York Investors Brought Down Georgia’s Suspicious Chicken Price Index
|
When a bunch of New York investors sniffed out a potential price fixing scheme in the poultry business, they bet against big chicken. Then they targeted a price index published in Georgia.
economy
New York Senator Promotes Employee Owned Businesses
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is traveling the state promoting bipartisan legislation that would support small businesses. The Main Street Employee Ownership Act would help companies transition to employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), or cooperatives.
economy
After SCOTUS Decision, PA Working To Legalize Sports Betting
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — The US Supreme Court has voted to lift a ban on sports gambling, saying the decades-old law is overreach by the federal government.
Arts & Culture
Film Makers Hope New Database Will Bring More Movies To Upstate New York
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – A non-profit group is rolling out a set of resources it hopes will make it easier for film companies to shoot a movie in central New York.
Economy
With ‘Kiddynomics,’ An attempt To Teach Youngest Learners How To Manage Money
|
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – In a plush, wood-paneled meeting room that’s likely seen its share of erudition, Zartman slides a book cover onto the projector’s flat service and reads the title aloud: “Betty Bunny Wants Everything.”
Economy
Yates County Farmland Prices Rise With Interest In Craft Beverages
|
Farmland prices in the Finger Lakes continue to increase. In Yates County, that’s partly due to more interest from craft breweries and distilleries.
Economy
Permit Disagreements In PA Severance Tax Debate Still Seem Irreconcilable
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) – As state lawmakers prepare for budget negotiations, Governor Tom Wolf is once again trotting out a natural gas severance tax proposal in hopes of slipping it into the final deal.
Economy
Gillibrand Bill Would Encourage More Employee-Owned Businesses
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is pushing for legislation that would provide more access to funding for employee-owned businesses. Gillibrand said there is an urgency to create more opportunities for retiring baby boomer business owners.
Economy
PA Governor, Once Again, Pitches Severance Tax On Natural Gas
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) – Some Pennsylvania lawmakers are introducing legislation, again, to impose a severance tax on natural gas production.
Economy
New York’s Dairy Industry Paying Price For Immigration Policies, Advocate Says
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Current U.S. immigration policies pose an economic threat to New York’s struggling dairy industry, according to the director of a farmworker program at Cornell University.
Economy
Restaurant Workers Warn Jobs Will Disappear If NY Eliminates Tip Credits
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – The New York State Department of Labor is holding hearings across the state to gather input on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to eliminate minimum wage tip credits. Many restaurant workers who attended a hearing in Syracuse said they are against the plan.
economy
Wegmans, Tops Concerned With Proposed Ban On Single-Use Plastic Bags
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Wegmans is responding to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal this week to ban single-use plastic bags.
Economy
Gasoline Prices Creep Toward $3 Per Gallon Ahead Of Summer Travel Season
|
STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – Gasoline prices in Pennsylvania will likely hit the $3-per-gallon mark this week, their highest level since 2014.
Spotify Redesigns Its Free Tier, With Hopes Of Grabbing Even More New Yorkers
|
In New York City, the streaming giant announced changes to its mobile app that the company hopes will lure even more users worldwide to its free tier.
‘Fearless Girl’ Statue Will Face Down New York Stock Exchange, Not ‘Charging Bull’
|
The statue — installed in 2017, on a temporary basis, to honor International Women’s Day — will stay in New York City permanently. But it will relocate, shifting around the corner from the bull.
Coal
FirstEnergy Emergency Request Could Be A Last Chance To Help Coal Power
|
Ohio-based utility FirstEnergy Solutions made waves last month when it asked the Department of Energy to grant it an emergency order to help keep coal and nuclear plants operating across the Ohio Valley.
Economy
Five Takeaways From StateImpact Pennsylvania’s Forum On Gas Royalties
|
StateImpact Pennsylvania hosted an educational forum Monday in Towanda, Bradford County to examine how Pennsylvania and other major energy-producing states are dealing with disputes of oil and gas royalties.
Southern Tier Lawmakers, Restaurant Owners, Employees Oppose Governor’s Proposal To End Tip Wage Credit
|
CORNING, NY (WSKG) – Southern Tier lawmakers are voicing their opposition to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to eliminate the minimum wage tip credit. Corning Assemblyman Phil Palmesano joined fellow Assemblyman Chris Friend and State Senator Tom O’Mara, both of Big Flats, at a press conference on Wednesday in Corning. The Republicans were joined by restaurant owners and employees. The tip credit is part of the phase-in of the $15 per hour minimum wage. In upstate New York this means employers may pay their tipped workers $7.50 per hour with a $2.90 per hour tip credit for a total equalling the current upstate minimum wage of $10.40 per hour.
economy
Opioid Crisis Has Growing Cost For Businesses And Their Employees
|
Abuse of opioid drugs has cost the U.S. a lot of money in a number of ways. That includes a big impact on business, particularly the construction industry.
Dairy Markets
PA Distributors Rescue Some Dairy Farms While Others Face Uncertain Future
|
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS — Forty-two Pennsylvania dairy farms scrambled in search for new markets after receiving contract termination notices about a month ago from Dean Foods, a national distributor based in Texas. Since then, two distributors in the state have entered agreements with some of those farms.
Harrisburg Dairies will pick up nine farms in the Lebanon-Lancaster area, while Schneider’s Dairy in Pittsburgh decided to take on four farms from Clarion and Venango counties. “It takes a huge burden off of our shoulders,” said Alisha Risser, a dairy farmer in Lebanon county. Her farm will start producing for Harrisburg Dairies soon, but she said she is nervous for her fellow farmers who still struggle to stay in business. “I mean, I can’t even imagine what the ones that did not get the contract are going through right now,” she said.
Economy
SBA Administrator Touts Small Business Assistance In PA
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — Trump appointee Linda McMahon made stops in midstate Pennsylvania Tuesday to promote efforts the Small Business Administration is making to pump money to business owners.
Hochul, Brown Offer Rebuttal To GOP Criticisms Of Buffalo Billion
|
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul offered a response to Republicans who, earlier this week, took aim at the Buffalo Billion during an appearance by gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro.
Economy
Low Fare Carrier To Fly Out Of Syracuse
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Low fare air carrier Frontier Airlines begins service out of Syracuse’s Hancock International Airport this summer.
Economy
Governor No Fan Of State Bailout For New York Casinos
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Governor Andrew Cuomo is not sounding sympathetic to bailing out del Lago or any other casino for that matter, just because they are not generating enough revenue.