Health
Experts warn about high COVID-19 transmission through winter
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“So we know people are not wearing masks, and we know people are gathering and we know people are in close quarters.”
Government
COVID-19 killed at least 40 military veterans at VA nursing homes in Pa.
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Newly-public data shows outbreaks among staff and residents throughout the pandemic.
App NEWS
Despite criticism, Hochul declines to take statewide action to quell COVID-19 spikes
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COVID-19 rates are spiking in many parts of upstate New York. So far, local governments have been left to manage the spread of the disease on their own. Now, some county leaders are looking to the state, and Gov. Kathy Hochul, for more help.
App NEWS
Willow Point Nursing Home closes another unit due to staffing shortages
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Staffing shortages at Broome County’s Willow Point Nursing Home have forced officials to declare a state of emergency.
App NEWS
Broome County officials encourage booster shots as COVID-19 cases spike
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Broome County continues to see a spike in COVID-19 cases, with 138 new cases announced on Friday. The county currently has over 900 active cases, and a 7% positivity rate.
Government
PCR COVID test to be eliminated for crossing U.S.-Canada border
|
The big issue for the Northern Border is the expensive and time-consuming requirement for a PCR COVID-19 test for Americans or Canadians to enter Canada.
App NEWS
State funds won’t be used to cover Binghamton-Johnson City sewage plant legal fees
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The City of Binghamton and Johnson City will not receive state funds to cover legal fees associated with settling disputes with contractors for the Binghamton-Johnson City Joint Sewage Treatment Plant restoration and rehabilitation project.
Government
U.S., Canada agree to restart NEXUS applications
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“There has never been a problem at the United States and Canadian border. We are deeply dependent on each other for our economic viability.”
App NEWS
New York expands booster shots as virus rate rises
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Much of the rest of upstate New York has a positivity rate of 5% or more, higher than it was in the fall of 2020.
App NEWS
How one Steuben County family deals with the emotional aftermath of flooding
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“Now every time we see it rain, or flood warning, we get scared and we flee our house.”
911 Response Time
Otsego County ambulance service will help support volunteer emergency squads
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“It’s not because the volunteers aren’t trying, they’re doing the very best they can. But the number of volunteers are dwindling.”
Government
New York’s mass vaccination sites now administering vaccines to 5-to-11 year olds
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“I’m directing our state mass vaccination sites to open their doors to the youngest and most recently eligible New Yorkers.”
App NEWS
Broome County sees spike in COVID-19 cases
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County officials attributed the rise in cases to residents socializing over Halloween weekend.
App NEWS
New community health clinic in Elmira will provide preventative care
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“We want to help offer these necessary health screenings to members of the community so that we can begin to address these various health and social needs, because they’re not separate, they’re actually connected.”
Government
New York’s mental health workforce “on life support,” asks state to release funds
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“I think we failed our mental health community in the last few years, in many ways, I really do. We have so much more work to do.”
App NEWS
Southern Tier schools roll out COVID-19 vaccine clinics for younger kids
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The lower-dose Pfizer vaccine has arrived at health departments and pediatricians’ offices across the region.
Education
New York governor offers public college scholarship drawing for vaccinated kids
|
“We will be selecting 50 names of children who will be receiving a full ride to a SUNY or CUNY institution.”
App NEWS
COVID-19 fueled the nursing shortage but also inspired a new generation of nurses
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While the stresses of the pandemic led some nurses to quit or retire, others are getting ready to step in.
Health
Canadians visiting the US must get tested to return home
|
Just like foreign travelers, Canadians will need to show a negative COVID-19 test at the border to re-enter their country.
App NEWS
Steuben County adopts ‘Test to Stay’ policies in schools
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The measure would allow students to take a rapid test every day for a week, rather than quarantine, after potential exposure to COVID.
Health
Broome County officials prepare for federal vaccine mandate
|
“You could probably assume that we have the same type of vaccination rate that the rest of Broome county does. So about a third of our sixteen to seventeen hundred employees are probably not vaccinated.”
5-11
Vaccines for younger kids are on the horizon, getting hesitant parents on board may be a challenge
|
“They’ll have an argument with the parent right in front of you where the parent says no and the child says yes.”
Education
Quarantining students is an educational nightmare. Is it still worth it?
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“We’re all just trying to get through a global pandemic. But definitely, they need some [additional] instruction when they get back.”
App NEWS
PA Legislation aims to prevent drug overdose deaths and diseases with ‘syringe services programs’
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Such programs already operate in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Scranton.
App NEWS
A third of Tompkins County hospitalizations were breakthrough cases
|
“The data clearly shows that we have a vulnerable population in our seniors, even if they’re vaccinated. So the rest of us need to do everything possible to help protect them.”
1199 SEIU
As Union Contract Negotiations Stall, Staffing Levels At Ithaca Nursing Home Suffer
|
Longtime nurse Lolita McComb came to work early to support her picketing coworkers. But when she clocks into her night shift at 3:00 PM, she said it is likely she will be the only nurse on a floor with 41 patients.
Education
Vaccine Mandate for Schools Not Needed, Hochul Says, But Still on the Table
|
“I want to empower parents and schools to do the right things first but if we’re not seeing adequate compliance…I will have no choice.”
App NEWS
Medicaid Home Health Program Allows People To Hire Their Own Aides
|
“If you’re disabled, and you don’t get to speak for yourself, then you lose your voice.”
App NEWS
Gov. Hochul Lauds Unveiled BU Nursing Facility, Receives Booster Shot
|
While plans for the new Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences facility pre-date the pandemic by several years, its opening comes at a time when many hospitals face nursing shortages.
Government
New York Medical Marijuana Patients Could Grow Up To Six Plants
|
The regulations follow guidelines set by the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which allows three mature plants and three immature plants per person.
Government
PA’s On The Brink Of Regulating Recovery Homes For The First Time
|
The Wolf administration could implement new oversight of recovery homes by mid-2022, though challenges could cause delays.
App NEWS
Poll: We’re Not Where We Thought We’d Be In The Pandemic By Now
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“This is something that’s with us every single day. It affects our relationships, it affects our behavior, and it will continue to for quite some time.”
App NEWS
With Spotlight On Black Maternal Health Crisis, Efforts Underway To Eliminate Disparities
|
“We’re at higher risk of these issues by virtue of seeking health care in a system that does not serve us.”
Education
Inside A PA Middle School Where Everyone Wears Masks, And It’s Not Really An Issue
|
Educators say there’s a clear choice: Limit the spread of the virus, or risk going back to online and hybrid learning.
App NEWS
Broome Hospitalizations Increasing, County Officials Say
|
“Your community, your neighbors, are working in those ERs around the clock, and they are tired, and they are getting really taxed.”
Addie Jenne
Public Weighs Greenidge Air Permits At DEC Hearings
|
The IBEW’s now outspoken support of Greenidge indicates that opponents may face a broader front in their efforts to pass legislation implementing a moratorium on cryptocurrency mining.
addiction treatment
New York Attorney General Announces Opioid Settlement Funds For Southern Tier
|
“It’s important, again, that we use these funds to provide lifesaving drugs, and lifesaving treatment.”
Government
New York Governor Apologizes To The Relatives Of Nursing Home Residents Killed By COVID
|
“I apologized for the pain that those poor families had to endure. It was a very emotional meeting.”
App NEWS
New York’s Attorney General Defends $4.5 Billion Opioid Settlement With Sackler Family
|
“At the end of the day, it was getting resources to counties that were struggling each and every day.”
App NEWS
Judge Says Health Care Workers Likely to Win Lawsuit Over Religious Exemptions to the COVID Vaccine
|
The decision only allows health care workers to request religious exemptions to the mandate, for the time being.
App NEWS
Not Last Year’s Toilet Paper Shortage, But Supply Chain Troubles Hit Grocery Stores
|
A combined shortage of labor, material, and transportation has made it difficult for stores like Tops and Wegmans to keep many items in stock.
App NEWS
DEC’s Cryptocurrency Mining Decision To Test New York’s Climate Law
|
“All eyes are on what happens with this particular facility.”
Health
‘Breakthrough’ COVID-19 Hospitalizations Are On The Rise In PA
|
As immunity wanes, more vaccinated people in Pa. are getting sick with the virus.
App NEWS
SUNY Union Workers Can Still Opt Out of COVID-19 Vaccine For Now
|
Workers who are represented by one of 14 collective bargaining contracts can still opt for weekly testing in lieu of a vaccine.
App NEWS
Amid Staffing Shortages, Any Loss Of Healthcare Workers Can Have An Impact
|
“People are tired, and we’ve seen a significant resurgence here. There’s a significant demand in our emergency rooms, in our COVID unit, in our ICU, and so, we need all hands on deck.”
Crime and Justice
Calling Opioid Crisis Personal, New York’s Governor Signs Anti-Addiction Bills Into Law
|
The law will require better addiction treatment for prison inmates, and divert some offenders into rehab programs instead of jail.
Food and Farms
As It Ramps Up Party Pot Sales, New York Expands Who Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana
|
The new Cannabis Control Board wants to ramp up New York’s recreational marijuana industry, that’s expected to roll out next year.
App NEWS
Cornell University Requires All Employees To Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
|
Employees must get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by December 8th or face termination.
Crime and Justice
New York’s Already Low Prison Vaccinations Plateau Through The Summer
|
“Prisons are a hotbed of infectious disease transmission they have been for since they’ve been designed and utilized.”
Economy
Labor Crisis In Veterinary Medicine Leaves Pets At Risk
|
A shortage of veterinarians in New York State is making it difficult for people to find care for their pets.
Education
As The Pandemic Continues, Hospitalization Rates Become Key Indicator
|
“I think the decision has been made not to eliminate it, that we’re going to accept it.”
App NEWS
Hochul: Hospitals Should Seek State’s Aid To Staff Urgent Care Centers
|
All of the state’s hospitals are required to have an emergency staffing plan in place to make up for shortages, and the Governor questioned whether those plans were deployed.
Health
As COVID-19 Rages, PA Hospitals Tell Ambulance Crews They Don’t Want People In Crisis
|
COVID-19 is adding stress to Pennsylvania’s underfunded behavioral health care system.
App NEWS
Willow Point Reduces Capacity After Several Unvaccinated Nurses Let-Go
|
With two units closed, the nursing home has reduced its capacity from 300 to 216 beds.
App NEWS
Gillibrand Pushes For Investment In Home Health With Binghamton Advocates
|
“More than 820,000 Americans are on the waitlist to receive care. Families may have to wait as long as five years, to get home care services that they need for their loved ones who are aging or disabled.”
Government
Governor Prepares For Fall Out From Court Challenges To Vaccine Mandate
|
The governor estimates that hundreds of hospitals workers have been laid off or suspended for refusing the vaccine.
Government
Governor Hochul Copes With Vaccine Mandate And Resulting Staff Shortages
|
“These folks here get an ultimatum and a pink slip, and a kick in the butt and sent out the door. It’s wrong.”
App NEWS
PA Sets Aside $655 Million In Federal Pandemic Relief Money For Child Care Programs
|
Licensed child care providers can now apply for one-time grants to help them retain and recruit personnel and cover operational costs.
Education
SUNY Begins De-Registering Unvaccinated Students After Mandate Deadline Passes
|
About 97% of students enrolled at SUNY schools across New York have complied with the mandate, according to a SUNY spokesperson.
Government
Governor Hochul Names New State Health Commissioner
|
Dr. Bassett was previously the commissioner of health for NYC, but left to lead Harvard’s François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights.
App NEWS
Vestal Hills Elementary School Back Open After Carbon Monoxide Evacuation
|
Late Wednesday afternoon, the district identified the issue as a regulator on the secondary boiler.
App NEWS
Hospitals And Nursing Homes Report Higher Vaccination Rates; Hundreds Fired
|
“We provided them with access to resources and really talked to those individuals one-on-one to reassure them.”
Antigen Testing
Broome County Reopens Rapid Testing Site
|
“Our numbers had gotten so low that we did not need to continue the rapid testing site. But the numbers are going up.”
App NEWS
Vaccine Mandate Prompts Emergency Actions By New York’s Governor
|
The order allows licensed health care professionals in other states and countries, as well as retired workers and recent graduates to practice in New York.
Government
Facing Health Care Workforce Shortage, New York Governor Preps Emergency Plan
|
The state has issued guidance that would prevent unvaccinated health care workers who are fired to collect unemployment.
Government
Governor Pleads With Healthcare Workers To Get Vaccinated Before New York’s Deadline
|
“It does not have to happen, my friends, it does not have to happen. What is looming for Monday is completely avoidable and there are no excuses.”
Government
New York’s Controversial Health Commissioner Resigns
|
“I think I made very clear on my first day in office that I’ll be looking to build a new team. There will be other changes forthcoming.”
Economy
Comptroller Seeks Alternatives To Pay Down New York’s Unemployment Fund Deficit
|
The pandemic caused an unprecedented number of temporary and permanent job losses, with over 4.7 million New Yorkers collecting benefits.
Government
Lt. Governor On New York Health Commissioner: “Stay Tuned”
|
There have been calls for Howard Zucker’s removal over decisions he made during the COVID-19 pandemic, like decisions related to nursing homes.
Education
Survey Finds Most Parents Find In-Person Learning Best, But Want Options
|
60 percent of parents also revealed they’d prefer having remote learning as an available option, full or part time.
App NEWS
As Cases Rise, Broome County Struggles To Find Staff For Contact Tracing
|
“A lot of our staff is out doing their regulatory jobs, that need to happen, and it leaves us less infrastructure for doing the case investigation.”
App NEWS
School Districts Are Still Trying To Secure Enough COVID Tests For Students
|
“I’d love to be able to [test] our whole school, but you’re talking, you know, 5000 tests a week. We do not have that capacity.”
App NEWS
College Back-To-School Testing Suggests More Breakthrough Cases In Tompkins County
|
“When you have such a highly vaccinated population, we do know the breakthrough cases are possible.”
Crime and Justice
Governor Doesn’t See A Religious Exemption To Vaccination As A Legitimate Excuse
|
“If you’re watching the national news, the scariest announcements coming out every morning are the number of children contracting Covid.”
Health
Fighting Through Stigmas: Have Racial Disparities Affected Research Into Sickle Cell Anemia?
|
Some physicians believe that since the disease is more prevalent in people of color, it’s historically received far less attention and research dollars.
Government
In PA, Vaccines Prevent COVID-19 Among Most Folks Who Are Innoculated
|
Data suggests during that time, only a six percent chance existed that a person who was vaccinated fell ill with COVID-19 in Pennsylvania.
App NEWS
New York May Allow Some Religious Exemptions To The COVID Vaccine, Judge Says
|
“We believe this step will result in a flurry of attempts to circumvent the well-reasoned vaccination requirement.”
1199 SEIU
Healthcare Workers At Ithaca Nursing Home Rally Over Contract
|
“Our very important caregivers, our essential caregivers, you called them heroes a year ago, and now you’re expecting them to take cuts to their vital benefits.”
App NEWS
Steuben County Sees Uptick Of COVID-19 Cases Among Children
|
“Last year, when everything really started way way back, there was this myth that kids can’t get it, and kids can’t spread it. And that’s obviously been proven way false.”
9/11 Survivor Compensation Fund Helps More Than First Responders
|
“I really feel in my heart pretty strongly that my exposure to… the pollution, the things going on after September 11th, have to do with that diagnosis.”
Education
PA’s GOP-Controlled Legislature Challenges Governor’s School Mask Mandate
|
“Nobody wanted to have unilateral government, whether that be from the executive or from the legislature. What people voted for…was cooperative government.”
Government
New York Governor Warns Of Health Care Staffing Shortage, Hospital Bed Capacity
|
“The biggest challenge for our hospitals is not…the beds. Just like last year, it’s staffing. Staffing is now what we need.”
App NEWS
Greenidge’s Air Permits Go To Public Hearing
|
The DEC requested Greenidge specifically outline how its operation will meet the state’s emissions goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
App NEWS
As School Starts, Districts Grapple With Testing Requirements
|
“If those people can’t get tested and those people don’t get vaccinated, then they’re not going to be able to go to school and that is going to cause major problems for schools to be able to be reopened.”
Food and Farms
Poison Control Calls Doubled From People Eating Plants, Mushrooms Found In The Woods
|
They can cause a lot of different problems. One of the things we see with that is significant damage to the liver, a lot of times.”
Uncategorized
Educators Say Pandemic Made Training Nursing Students More Difficult
|
“A lot of the older adult care facilities completely shut us out, just for safety purposes, and kind of not bringing outsiders into their communities.”
allan gandelman
New York Cannabis Rollout Moves Ahead, But Roadblocks Remain
|
“These are people that wrote the bill. They should’ve had these people in mind when they wrote those statutes.”
Government
New York Lawmakers Extend Pause on Evictions, With Exceptions
|
“Now, the landlord gets to have a hearing. I think that goes a long way, and the landlord has a say in court now.”
Rural Health Desk
Residents Live With The Effects Of Chronic Water Damage
|
“Not fixing something that you know needs to be fixed now, because the money just doesn’t allow for it at this moment.”
Government
Governor Plans Booster Shot Distribution, Considers More Mandates
|
In First COVID-19 Briefing, Hochul Talks Vaccines
App NEWS
Broome County Officials Warn Of Potential Healthcare Staff Shortages
|
“It’s going to be very, very difficult to provide the same level of healthcare if we are, all of a sudden, starting to see people walk off the job and leave the healthcare industry.”
App NEWS
New State Law Gives New York Nurses More Say In Staffing Decisions
|
“Our nurses have not had any input on safe staffing levels – we certainly have had our opinions, but we have never really been asked to share those.”
Uncategorized
Vestal Central Schools Prepare For In-Person Learning
|
“You have to be at a point where you have plans in place where you can adjust accordingly, and still maintain an education for our students.”
Affordable Housing
With Eviction Moratoria Facing Their End, Advocates And Attorneys Look Ahead
|
“Because now they’re pushing community members out and renting their units out to students, and we have to have a plan for that.”
Government
Healthcare Workers Rally For Better Pay
|
“If we don’t make these jobs worthwhile for these caregivers, there isn’t going to be someone to care for us when we need care.”
Government
Activists At Fair Call On Legislative Leaders To Enact Single-Payer Health Care
|
“He super-glued his seat belt shut and drove his car into the Mohawk River….I lost my son because he missed a 20-dollar Medicaid payment.”
Government
New York Lawmakers React To Discrepancy In COVID-19 Death Toll
|
The new COVID-19 death toll numbers of about 55,400 people is in line with the death certificate data provided to the CDC.
Amid Uncertainty, New Teachers Look Forward To Upcoming School Year
|
“I think everybody is a little bit nervous about where we’re going from here.”
Antigen tests
Home COVID Tests Are Not Perfect, Health Officials Remind Residents
|
“The PCR testing is the gold standard, it is the most sensitive and accurate to run to determine the results. The antigen testing is a little bit less reliable.”
albany
In Cortland, Heastie Takes Wait-And-See Approach On Special Session
|
I want to kind of let governor-to-be Hochul kind of get her sea legs and we’ll go from there.”
Arts & Culture
Experts Offer Tips On Staying COVID-Safe At The New York State Fair
|
“You can transmit to other people. The odds are you’re going to do fine if you’re vaccinated and infected, but the person you infect may not do fine.”
App NEWS
Public Comment Ending Soon On Endicott Battery Manufacturer’s Draft Air Permits
|
“I believe that the benefit, risk ratio is an order of magnitude better for IM3 than it was for SungEel.”
App NEWS
Nursing Homes And The New Vaccine Requirement
|
“I’m sure we stand to lose some staff, and we’d hate to see that happen.”
Harmful Algae Blooms
Runoff From Tropical Storm Fred Could Feed Harmful Algal Blooms in Finger Lake Watersheds
|
“We had a lot of big storms, a lot of rain during July and so that could have caused nutrients to essentially enter the lake and help facilitate these blooms.”
Health
‘Born Protected’: The Benefits Of Getting Vaccinated While Pregnant
|
“When mom gets the vaccine, she develops antibodies that do cross the placenta and provide a degree of protection to the newborn.”
Government
New York’s Vaccine Mandate Raises Questions For Healthcare Workers
|
“We literally created a vaccine within a year, and that’s like unheard of. The fact that it’s new, played a role in me not wanting to get the vaccine.”
Education
Wolf Administration Offers Free COVID-19 Testing For PA Schools
|
“It’s clear that everyone wants to keep kids in the classroom and keep extra curricular activities going.”
App NEWS
New York Will Require All Health Care Workers to be Vaccinated
|
The new requirement applies to all health care workers in New York, regardless of employer.
Government
Disability Rights Advocate Says Nation Can’t Afford To Shortchange Home Health Care
|
Luticha Doucette of Rochester explains why President Biden’s $400 billion plant to boost home health care funding is crucial for people with disabilities.
Government
New York Announces Health Insurance Rates Approved For 2022
|
The Dept. of Financial Services says that as in prior years, the continued increase in health care costs is the main driver of premium rates.
App NEWS
New Businesses Surge Amid Pandemic Recovery
|
As of July 23, 2021, 1,242 new business certificates were filed with the Onondaga County Clerk this year. That’s over two times as many as this time last year.
Crime and Justice
U.S. Supreme Court Blocks Part Of New York’s Ban On Residential Evictions
|
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to partially lift a ban on evictions for renters in New York state, which was set to expire this month.
addiction treatment
As Overdoses Spike, Advocates Work To Address Housing Needs
|
“People are gonna take a bed or a floor, kind of wherever they can get it. Usually it’s going to be in an unsafe environment.”
Education
With No State Guidance, New York Schools Roll Out Reopening Plans
|
Syracuse will require masks regardless of vaccination status and require proof of vaccination for all employees or regular testing.
App NEWS
COVID Transmission “High” In Broome, Chenango And Delaware Counties
|
“At the current rate, things have the potential to get out of control. And the last thing anybody wants to see is another shutdown.”
Education
PA Governor Promotes Vaccinations For Some State Employees, But Nixes A School Mask Mandate
|
Nine states, including New York, have implemented new mandates aimed at curbing the spread of the more contagious variant indoors.
Health
Early Detection Is The Best Prevention–The Importance Of Cervical Screenings
|
“It was a shock at first, then it went from shock to being flat, to a little anger, but now I’m at, ‘Let’s just get this over with.’”
Finger Lakes Campaign Hopes To Increase Vaccine Confidence
|
To better understand the concerns of Black, Hispanic and rural residents, the group conducted a series of interviews and focus groups.
Health
Canada Opens Border To Non-Essential Travelers, But It’s Complicated
|
While Canada has taken a major step in reopening its border, the U.S. has not yet offered the same welcome to Canadian travelers.
Health
PA Trying Fairs, Texts And Door-Knocking To Raise Vaccination Rate. Success Is Slow Coming.
|
Nearly 64% of Pennsylvania adults are fully vaccinated, a small increase compared to July
App NEWS
COVID-19 Cases Deemed “Substantial” In Broome, Delaware and Otsego Counties
|
“We’re talking about one to two new cases, daily, sometimes zero cases daily, to about 30 new cases per day.”
App NEWS
‘A Complete Surprise’: State Health Department Has No Reopening Guidance For New York Schools
|
“There is an urgent need for timely advice and supervision flowing from the State Department of Health to local and school officials.”
Arts & Culture
Despite An Increase In COVID Cases, New York’s Fair Will Open As Planned
|
The fair reserves its right to pivot, if increasing numbers force new regulations to avoid spread of the coronavirus.
Crime and Justice
Amid Criticism From District Attorneys, PA’s Attorney General Touts $1B Settlement With Opioid Companies
|
Municipalities face a choice: take the funds, and agree to drop their lawsuits, or fight the drug companies in court.
App NEWS
School Starts In A Month, But No Word Yet On Masks Or Vaccine Requirements
|
“We want to be responsive and we want to stay on top of things, but I would not want it to be way out in front of this before more information comes.”
Uncategorized
Uptick Of COVID-19 Cases In Tompkins And Chenango Counties
|
Tompkins and Chenango Counties had “substantial” levels of transmission.
App NEWS
Local Private Colleges Mixed On Vaccination Requirements For Employees
|
Only some of the region’s private colleges have implemented vaccine requirements for both employees and students.
Government
Cuomo: New York Needs Stronger Vaccination Policy
|
“I wore a mask for year, it’s not the biggest deal in the world. I could get this delta variant, and I could spread the delta variant. So, better safe than sorry, I’m going to wear a mask.”
Economy
Short Handed Employers Hesitant Over Vaccine Mandates
|
“They want to have safety in their workforce, they want to provide a safe environment for their customers, but they also want to be adequately staffed.”
App NEWS
Most Of Pa.’s Fully Vaccinated People Won’t Have To Mask Up Again Indoors — Yet
|
“We cannot stress enough the importance of eligible Pennsylvanians getting vaccinated to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
air pollution
Western Wildfires Cause Air Quality Hazards Across New York
|
“The fires aren’t going to go away, and the jet stream isn’t going to change, so we could even see days like this in August, or in October.”
App NEWS
EPA Soliciting Comment On Vapor Intrusion Plan In Elmira Heights
|
Testing has shown some homes in Elmira Heights to have indoor air concentrations as high as 37 micrograms per cubic meter, over seventeen times the EPA’s maximum for homes.
App NEWS
Vaccination Rate In NY Prisons At 46 Percent, All Inmates Offered The Vaccine
|
Among prison staff, 5188 have tested positive since last March and eight have died of COVID.
Andrew Cuomo
New York To Mandates Vaccines For State Employees
|
Cuomo said his administration is doing a “full review” of its mask policies, now that the CDC has altered its recommendations.
App NEWS
NY Lawmakers Examine Challenges Faced by Nursing Homes
|
“The key difference between a job at McDonald’s and a job at a nursing home should be a career, that you’re beginning a career. We believe we need to build that infrastructure.”
App NEWS
New York Spends $15 Million To Target Areas With Low Vaccination Rates
|
New York is using those funds to target 117 zip codes from around the state with lower-than-average vaccination rates, though nearly 80% of those neighborhoods are in New York City or on Long Island.
App NEWS
Recent CDC Numbers Fuel Push For Overdose Prevention Centers In NY
|
“Especially with that surge of the overdose numbers, it’s not going away, so why not just try it?”
Government
New York Public Health Law Prompts Changes At Summer Camps
|
“Parents can rest assured that sending their child to camp will not mean sending them away from expert mental health care should they need it.”
Crime and Justice
New York Secures $1.1 Billion Settlement From Opioid Distributors
|
“We’re holding them accountable and delivering more than $1 billion more into New York communities ravaged by opioids for treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts.”
App NEWS
SUNY Trustees Name New President For Oneonta Campus
|
Alberto José Cardelle will replace Dr. Barbara Jean Morris, who stepped down in October 2020 after SUNY Oneonta became a hotspot for COVID-19 cases.
Government
Fully Vaccinated Americans Can Cross Canadian border Starting In August
|
Children younger than 12 will be allowed to enter Canada with their parents or guardians if they follow public health guidelines.
Economy
Visitors Return To Theme Parks By The Thousands, But Finding Good Help Is Hard
|
“The market certainly is much tighter than it has been in the past. There’s no doubt about it.”
App NEWS
Northside Binghamton Grocery Store Serves Thousands In First Six Months
|
“It’s great speaking with a customer, someone who lives on the Northside, who reports that they’re no longer dependent on certain medication because of access.”
App NEWS
PA May See The Nation’s Strongest Post-Pandemic Sales Tax Boost
|
Forecasters predict Pennsylvania will rake in nearly 15 percent more this year than last. That would be the largest increase of any state.
Education
SUNY Can’t Mandate COVID Vaccines Until They’re Fully Approved By FDA
|
SUNY is pushing vaccine awareness campaigns and encouraging students and faculty to use vaccine clinics on campus.
Addiction
Recovery Center Holds On To Remote Meetings
|
“Our numbers in person dwindled down to zero because we weren’t even in the building. But the reach that we made tripled.”
Government
Governor Defends, Explains New York’s Undercount Of COVID Deaths
|
The AP finds that other states, including Pennsylvania, report death numbers that mirror the CDC numbers, and count all cases where COVID is either the cause of death or a contributing factor.
App NEWS
Study: Biden Climate Policy Would Have $1T In Health Benefits, Save Thousands Of Lives
|
Pennsylvania would be among top beneficiaries of cleaner air
Health
Common Ground Health Report Reveals Racism At Center Of Public Health Crisis
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Black people in the Finger Lakes region face stark health disparities as a result of racism and the way it manifests, a problem magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anaplasmosis
Tick-Borne Illness, Rarer Than Lyme, On The Rise In New York
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“Our impression is that probably, you can find five percent, maybe even up to ten percent in areas, it definitely seems to be increasing.”
Energy
Within A Few Years, Renewable Energy In New York Could Hit 50%
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New York state aims to have 70% of electricity used, coming from renewable resources by 2030.
Crime and Justice
New York, Other States Announce $4.5B Settlement With Purdue Pharma
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About $4.3 billion will be distributed to nearly every state in the nation to help fund prevention, treatment and recovery programs; New York will get $200 million.
15 States Drop Opposition To Controversial Purdue Pharma Oxycontin Bankruptcy
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New York is among the states agreeing to end the fight to halt a controversial Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan. The deal shelters members of the Sackler family from opioid lawsuits.
Energy
State Report: PA Extracted More Natural Gas Than Ever During Pandemic
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Unconventional wells produced 7.1 trillion cubic feet of gas last year, even as national and regional natural gas prices dipped in response to the pandemic.
Crime and Justice
Critics: New York Doesn’t Need Another State of Emergency
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“Review some of the soft-on-crime pieces of legislation that have been passed in the last few years. I think the combination of all of those policies is having a big effect on this increase in violent crime.”
App NEWS
Senate Majority Leader Calls For Unilateral Opening Of Border With Canada
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On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that fully vaccinated Canadians returning to the country from the U.S. would no longer need to quarantine.
Government
After Contact Tracing Data Breach, PA Sidesteps Scrutiny On Proposed $34M Contract
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The state’s Department of Health is working to hire a new company under an even pricier contract to take over its contact tracing program. The previous company was fired for a massive data breach.
Government
New York Declares Gun Violence a Public Health Crisis, Outlines Plan to Address Crime
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“Gun Violence is not only taking a human toll. It’s taking an economic toll. So we have no choice but to address it. It’s the right thing to do.”
Ticks Suck. Here’s A Guide To Identifying Them And Avoiding Bites
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With more ticks carrying disease than ever, here’s what you need to know about which ticks to watch out for and what to do if you get bitten.
Health
Lead Paint Poisons Thousands Of PA Children Each Year. Advocates Say It’s Time To Act
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Lead poisoning prevention experts are calling on the state to fund remediation and testing.
App NEWS
Gov. Cuomo Enacts Opioid Settlement Fund
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“It’s important that these companies pay up, it’s also important that the money go to where it was intended.”
App NEWS
Updated: Tompkins, Broome Co. End State Of Emergency Orders
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Broome County’s declaration will expire at 3:30 p.m., after 457 days in effect.
PA Users Can Now Buy Three-Month Supply Of Medical Marijuana
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“This legislation provides important updates to our state’s medical marijuana program to ensure that patients have improved access to medication.”
Wall Street Bosses Want Their Workers Back. That’s Good For The King Of Falafel
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Wall Street executives are pushing vaccinated workers to return to work, and that’s good news for vendors and other small businesses in New York that depend on workers from finance.
App NEWS
Tompkins Co. Prepares Comments on Draft Algal Bloom Measure
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The comments, drafted by the Tompkins County Office of Planning and Sustainability staff, ask the DEC to provide more specifics about implementation.
Government
COVID-Related Hospitalizations Drop To New Low In New York State
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The 7-day average COVID-19 positivity rate for the Finger Lakes region is now down to .40%.
Government
New York Bill That Creates Opioid Settlement Lockbox On Governor’s Desk
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A bill before Gov. Andrew Cuomo would create a lockbox for anticipated opioid drug manufacturer settlement funds.
Government
PA Republicans Vote To Ban Vaccine Mandates At Schools And Limit Health Secretary’s Authority
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An amendment to the Senate bill designed to prevent “vaccine passports” would prohibit the secretary from ordering mask wearing and other public health measures.
Government
Fiscal Watchdog Seeks COVID-19 Data From State Health Department
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They seek a detailed list of data about the deaths of New Yorkers from COVID-19, including those tracked by the date, county and ZIP code, as well as confirmed cases of coronavirus by age group, race, and ethnicity.
App NEWS
Governor Cuomo’s Emergency Pandemic Powers End Today
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“The emergency is over. It will not be renewed.”
Addiction
A Look At A Lawsuit Filed By NY Municipalities Over Opioid Crisis
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“In my view, the county taxpayers shouldn’t foot a bill for a crisis that we didn’t create.”
Government
New York Lawmakers Discuss Mental Health And Addiction
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Members of the Assembly held an hours-long meeting, speaking with stakeholders in the healthcare industry on what can be done to save the lives of people dealing with addiction and mental illness.
Health
Unemployment Rates For New Yorkers With Disabilities Rose During The Pandemic
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“It was a cycle that individuals were kind of in the hamster wheel on, and some of them are just getting back to comfortable being in the stores now.”
Health
New York’s COVID-19 Positivity Rate Falls Below .30%
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The infection rate for the Finger Lakes region is .54%. That is the second highest rate in the state, behind the North Country, but the positivity rate for all regions of the state is well below 1%.
Elmira Celebrates Juneteenth
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Elmira commemorated the 20th anniversary of the first Juneteenth event in the city at Ernie Davis park.
App NEWS
Ready For A Post-Pandemic life? Your Dog May Be Dreading It
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Experts warn that separation anxiety is a real possibility for pets who got used to having their people around all the time. There is a type of training that helps, but it requires time and patience.
