Featured in Category
Tompkins History Center Readies For Exhibit Of Ithaca White Settlers Monument
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“If you happened on that monument in public, you may only look at the names that are on the plaque.”
Crime and Justice
Confidentiality Program Gives Victims Of Domestic Violence Online Access To Protections
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“You can just go online and just fill out the application. Which is especially helpful with COVID, thinking about ways to give survivors access to resources in a faster way.”
App NEWS
Faculty, Students Oppose Ithaca College Plan to Cut 140 Faculty Jobs
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“Those faculty of color took a chance coming to an institution that did not have a great pedigree in terms of diversity,” Soyinka-Airewele said.
covid
“It’s The Right Thing To Do”: GOP Congressman Recognizes Biden As President-Elect
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“Joe Biden has rightfully earned the title of being the projected president-elect and that should be recognized,” Rep. Reed said.
Crime and Justice
Grand Jury Convened In Daniel Prude Case
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The case got national attention when body camera footage showed Prude suffocating while being restrained by Rochester Police after they responded to a mental health call.
App NEWS
In Ithaca, A Call To Action By Biden Supporters
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“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.
News
U.S. Election: A Native American Voter On What’s At Stake
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“The teachings of at least the Haudenosaunee people are that the decisions we make today impact seven generations into the future and so that weighs heavy on people’s minds.”
Government
Governor, Attorney General Say Federal Vaccine Plan Ignores Communities of Color
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“COVID has revealed from the very beginning the underlying injustice and inequity in this society.”
anti-Semitism
Suspect In Ithaca String Of Hate Crimes Arrested
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Spray paint of a circle with a cross was found on one business and in other places around the city.
App NEWS
55 Years After Historic Voting Rights Act Victory, Record Turnout Expected Among Hispanic Voters
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While voter turnout is expected to break records this election, the right to vote for some Latinos was not always a guarantee.
App NEWS
Protective Cover Put Over Susan B. Anthony’s Gravestone
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“The placement and the removal of the adhesive, will add to the erosion of the headstone, and certainly just as a precautionary measure, they’ve put that in place.”
App NEWS
Back The Blue Ralliers, Counter Protesters Meet Again In Ithaca Over The Weekend
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Over the previous week, the city was the site of escalating tensions between pro- and anti-Trump groups.
Government
LGBTQ People Go Undocumented In New York State’s COVID-19 Health Data
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New York state recently changed health forms to better reflect transgender and non-binary people, but, public health experts say the change fails to capture the full picture.
News
Susan B. Anthony Barbie Doll In The Works
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“It’s a fun depiction as we think about these heroes, who have changed the world and continue to change; inspiring youngsters who can be a part of that.”
Government
PA Lawmakers Propose Ban On Hair Discrimination
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“It’s so important that we address the right and the dignity behind our natural appearance, and being able to show up as we naturally are.”
Education
Children Bullied For Race And Gender Now Have Broader Leeway To Sue In PA
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Advocates say the ruling is a win for students and families, allowing them to better hold school districts accountable for discriminatory bullying that happens under their watch.
Crime and Justice
Legal Observer Injured As Truck Drives Through Breonna Taylor Protest In Buffalo
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A pickup truck drove through the crowd and drove away, leaving an injured legal observer on with apparent broken bones.
Crime and Justice
Protesters Report Menstrual Changes After Tear Gas Exposure
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In fact, there is scant research on the potential effects of tear gas exposure and reproductive health in general.
Government
New York Attorney General: State Policies Used To Suppress Prude Video
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“All of the emails that I have seen so far as a result of the media would suggest that they used our policies and practices as an excuse to suppress the video and that’s unfortunate.”
App NEWS
COVID-19 Tanked Hotels. Workers Of Color Feel The Biggest Squeeze
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“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.”
back the blue
At A ‘Back The Blue” Rally, Ithaca Hears A Range Of Opinions On Law Enforcement
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“By showing up here today you have sent a message that is loud and clear and does not mince words. We will not be run by a mob of thugs and criminals.”
Name Change Rejected For Tiny Town Of Swastika, NY
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“Suddenly I came to a town called Swastika, which is a symbol of the tyranny and hatred those soldiers fought and died to fight.”
Crime and Justice
Rochester Police Confront Protesters At City Hall
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Sixteen people were arrested Wednesday after a standoff outside City Hall between Rochester police and the protesters calling for justice in the death of Daniel Prude.
App NEWS
Rochester Mayor Fire Police Chief, Suspends Two Department Heads
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“It was seemingly viewed by all concerned as an unfortunate set of circumstances, which we all know was not the case.”
Crime and Justice
Hundreds Gather Saturday Night In Rochester For Another Protest On Behalf Of Daniel Prude
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There was a standoff, with demonstrators facing off against police. RPD says they did use pepper balls after bottles and rocks were thrown at them.
App NEWS
“Close To Home”: Binghamton Protesters Stand With Rochester
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“When Rochester put out a call, a distress call, our neighboring cities came and we answered that call.”
Crime and Justice
Hundreds Continue To Protest Tuesday Night In Rochester
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The group marched, as they have on previous nights, to the front of the Public Safety Building, which saw hundreds of people again chanting, talking, and taking part in a peaceful demonstration.
Crime and Justice
Naked Protesters In Spit Hoods Demonstrate In Rochester
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They were also wearing spit hoods, the kind of device that police put on Daniel Prude last March as they pinned him to the pavement.
Government
Black Lives Matter, Clergy And Politicians Clash As Daniel Prude Protests Continue
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Thursday night was a tale of two groups with contrasting ideas on how to make change, clashing, after the death of Daniel Prude.
Crime and Justice
Cuomo Calls For Swift Conclusion To Attorney General’s Probe Into Death of Daniel Prude
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After video this week showed police in Rochester placing a bag over the head of a Black man during an arrest, and then pinning him down, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that he wanted the state Attorney General’s Office to expedite its investigation into the incident.
Car Rams Into Black Lives Matter Protesters In New York City’s Times Square
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One video of the attack shows a dark sedan, plowing into a crowd of people standing in front of the vehicle. The car lurches through an intersection leaving a chorus of screaming people in its wake.
News
National Women’s Hall of Fame Opens New Headquarters
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“It did take ten years to get this building to a habitable state and put in the exhibits, so this is a big, long-term, lots of people doing a lot of work celebration. So we wanted it to happen this year.”
App NEWS
Coronavirus Vaccine Researchers Recruiting People Of Color For Tests. It’s Not Easy.
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As researchers work to test a potential novel coronavirus vaccine on a diverse set of study participants, they’re also being confronted by a history of distrust between communities of color and medical researchers.
Economy
Without Child Care Bailout, Workforce Could Lose Women
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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.
Local Leaders Unhappy With Trump’s Pardon Of Susan B. Anthony
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New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said if Anthony were alive today, she would decline the president’s offer.
Crime and Justice
Can One Support Black Lives Matter And Still Prosecute Marijuana Cases? This PA Prosecutor Says Yes.
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Months of protests urged prosecutors and police to support criminal justice reform. But court records show a different path.
App NEWS
Gender X Policy In New York State To Change Health Data Reporting
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“Would they let me be the gender that I am or the gender that I was assigned at birth? Because I have very strong views on that.”
Economy
How A Black-Owned Farm In Windsor Is Building Generational Wealth
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“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
Rochester Airport Could Be Named For Frederick Douglass
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“There is potentially no greater symbol of our image than our airport, which serves as the front door to our community.”
App NEWS
Minority-Owned Small Businesses Were Largely Shut Out Of PA’s First Coronavirus Loan Program
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State officials are trying again, this time with a grant program targeted at the smallest and most vulnerable operations.
Health
PA Health Secretary Denounces Transphobic Attacks: ‘Our Children Are Watching’
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As the face of the state’s COVID-19 response, Health Secretary Rachel Levine has been the subject of numerous personal attacks.
New York Police Draw Anger After Plainclothes Officers Throw Woman Into Unmarked Van
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Online video shows men grabbing a woman during a demonstration and hauling her away in an unmarked van. Police said they arrested the woman on suspicion of damaging police cameras.
App NEWS
Ithaca School Superintendent Discusses School Reopening Plans
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“And across the country we prioritize bars and restaurants over young people. How dare we do that.”
activism
Long-Term Activists Say Self Care Is Essential
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“Stepping back for a moment does not mean you’ve lost interest in the cause.”
Binghamton Police
Southern Tier Activists Form Coalition For ‘People’s Protection’
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The coalition comes after a push by NY law enforcement to add protections for police.
‘I Could Not Allow That To Stand’: Ocasio-Cortez Rebukes Republican For Vulgar Insult
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., addressed a public confrontation she had with Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., earlier this week. She said her family “did not raise me to accept abuse from men.”
App NEWS
Anti Housing Discrimination Bill Advances In New York Legislature
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“Should you be a broker that is involved in illegal steering, you will have your license pulled.”
Seneca Falls Celebrates Historic Moments In The Fight For Women’s Rights
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“We’ve come a long way but we still don’t have an Equal Rights Amendment, we still have incredible disparity in pay, and even the burden of the weight of families falls disproportionately on women.”
Economy
‘This Is For You’: New PA Grant Targets Minority Business Owners Hurt By Coronavirus Shutdown
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“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?”
News
Vandalized Frederick Douglass Statue Replaced
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Leaders from the city of Rochester and Monroe County were on hand for the installation of a Frederick Douglass statue in Maplewood park Thursday. The statue which stood there since 2018 was toppled on July 5th and thrown in the Genesee River Gorge.
Arts & Culture
Italian Americans Say Removing Syracuse’s Columbus Statue Would Erase History
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“This is not about anything evil. This is about unity. And we want to make sure that we don’t have the city of Syracuse in 2020 to make a horrible, irretrievable, irreparable mistake.”
Activists Say Police Reforms Shouldn’t Wait Until 2021. One Sheriff Agrees.
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“It’s not like we don’t know what needs to be done. He could make a list of things that needed to be done and start putting them in place.”
News
Effort Underway To Rename Rochester Airport After Frederick Douglass
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“An airport is the place to display ourselves to the world, and also to ourselves, we use it more than anyone else.”
Online Art Therapy Helps Cornell Students Cope With Isolation
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During their most recent online session, participants made art while talking about racism and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Cariol Horne Gains Legal Help As Supporters Urge Passage Of “Cariol’s Law”
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The proposed Cariol’s Law, which she and her peers first introduced June 30, would make it mandatory for police officers to intervene and stop acts of brutality by fellow officers.
App NEWS
Online Forum Talks About Racism In Rural New York, Pennsylvania
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“Sometimes abusing privilege in service of justice can be a very sacred thing,” he said.
App NEWS
Broome Democrats Call For Resignation of Endicott Officials
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“The recent actions of the elected leadership of the Village of Endicott are not only racist but a dereliction of duty.’
New York Paints Black Lives Matter Mural In Front Of Trump Tower
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President Trump derided the mural plan last week, saying it would be “denigrating this luxury Avenue” and antagonize the city’s police as “a symbol of hate.”
App NEWS
‘I Thought It Was A Hoax’: PA Students, Universities Respond To Trump Restrictions For International Visas
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For students, it’s a disorienting change during an already difficult time.
West Point Graduates’ Letter Calls For Academy To Address Racism
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Retired Capt. Mary Tobin, a West Point graduate, is mentor to some recent alumni who wrote an open letter to academy leaders. They’re part of a long legacy of Black cadets addressing systemic racism.
App NEWS
Frederick Douglass Statue Pulled Down In Rochester
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Police say that the statue was torn off its base, and left about 50 feet from its pedestal. The statue had been placed over the fence to Genesee River gorge and was leaning against the fence.
Inside Seating? A Harlem Bar Owner Navigates COVID-19’s Changing Rules
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67 Orange Street makes do with take-out and outdoor service while waiting for a decision on inside dining in NYC.
County Officials Balance Privacy, Transparency With COVID-19 Information
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“What we want to avoid is providing data in a manner that would cause people to jump to potentially false conclusions about the disease or about any individual in our community.”
New York Announces $19M Settlement In Harvey Weinstein Lawsuit
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“Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company failed their female employees. After all the harassment, threats and discrimination, these survivors are finally receiving some justice.”
App NEWS
Siena Poll: White And Black New Yorkers Divided Over Policing
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54% of Black respondents supported defunding police departments, compared to 24% of white respondents.
Protester Knocked Down By Buffalo Police Leaves The Hospital Nearly One Month Later
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Martin Gugino suffered a fractured skull after being shoved backward by officers at a protest against police violence on June 4. The 75-year-old will continue his recovery at an undisclosed location.
Proposed “Cariol’s Law” Would Require Police To Intervene When Witnessing Excessive Force
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Cariol Horne was fired in 2007 after stepping in to stop a White officer who held a Black suspect in a chokehold.
Government
Two For One: Pair Of Proposed Amendments To State Constitution Head To PA House
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Bid to limit governor’s emergency powers is attached to racial equality amendment
NYPD Officer Accused Of Using Chokehold Charged With Strangulation
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The officer, 39-year-old David Afanador, was suspended the same day the cellphone video appeared to show him choking a Black man on a Queens boardwalk.
App NEWS
New York’s LGBTQ Community Still Has Outstanding Business With The State Assembly
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“We’re really looking at some of the unchartered territory at the state level, which involves transgender New Yorkers who have only just received statewide protections.”
App NEWS
Local Police Commonly Disbanded In PA, But It Creates Larger Problems For State Police
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“These ideas increase funds, but don’t increase public safety.”
Recovering Buffalo Activist Will Remain In Hospital This Week
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Two Buffalo Police officers have been suspended from the department and are charged with second degree assault.
NYPD Suspends Officer Over Using Apparent Chokehold During Arrest
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Video shows an officer using an apparent chokehold on a man who had been shouting invective at passersby and police. Chokeholds have been banned in New York City since 1993.
Community Leaders Criticize Binghamton Mayor For Moving Juneteenth Celebration Behind Closed Doors
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“If you’re going to give a speech, it should be given to my 13 year old. The ones that deserve it and the ones that need it.”
App NEWS
Concerns Of Voter Suppression In Chenango County
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“I don’t think I’d feel comfortable walking into a polling place that was in a sheriff’s department—as a black man and especially not during the current moment in American history.’
Uncategorized
Even With DACA Win, New York Advocates Push For More
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“We can’t stop right now. We have to continue fighting for our families, for our communities, for those who have lost their lives during COVID-19 without getting anything.”
App NEWS
For This Tompkins County Leader, Juneteenth Represents A New Abolition Movement
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“Our white accomplices understand abolition. They worked with us on abolition and we need them to get back into that mindset.”
App NEWS
Ithaca Plans Yearlong Review Of Its Police Policies And Spending
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The mayor called the process a reinvention of public safety that will include town hall meetings, canvassing, and outreach to a variety of organizations.
App NEWS
Cuomo’s Briefings Offered An Anchor During A Time Of Uncertainty
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“The journey is over. I hope the journey stays over .”
Crime and Justice
Incarceration Can Change Views on Freedom
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“It’s right back to hiding and ducking and worrying about everything, especially right now.”
Government
Cuomo Proposes Making Juneteenth A New York Holiday
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“It is a day that we should all reflect upon. It’s a day that is especially relevant in this moment in history.
Government
INTERVIEW: Local NAACP Leader On The Movement Amid Protests
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Georgia Verdier is the President of the Elmira-Corning NAACP.
Crime and Justice
What Does The Supreme Court’s Ruling On Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity Discrimination Mean In PA?
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“This ruling may well shape the way that the federal courts interpret other federal statutes that outlaw discrimination based on sex.”
App NEWS
Disenfranchisement Can Lead To Disengagement
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“What we found is that most people who have loved ones incarcerated have lost the desire to vote.”
Crime and Justice
PA House Committee Advances Two Police Reform Bills
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Action comes one week after Black Caucus members led protest on House floor
Three More Police Reforms Signed Into Law By Cuomo
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“It’s about people wanting to change. Well, New York will be the place that actually makes the change and we pass laws that have done just that.”
New York Governor: Now Is The Time For ‘Fundamental Redefinition’ Of Policing
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For years, the governor says, Democrats in the state didn’t have the political or popular support to enact reforms. Now, lawmakers have passed sweeping police accountability and transparency measures.
At Protests, Street Medics Take COVID-19 Precautions
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“Our primary goal is keeping people safe, whether that be making sure they’re wearing masks, or if someone falls and gets hurt, or any number of different kinds of ailments.”
App NEWS
What Does Freedom Mean To You? Black Leaders In Tompkins County Respond
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“I think we still need to keep our foot on the gas, fight for freedoms that we can’t just assume they are going to come.”
New York Professor On Misinformation And How Not To Be Part Of The Problem
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“We need to be critical, even for things we can see with our own eyes. We need to relearn not to trust everything
binghamton
State Leaders Favor Restructuring, Not Defunding New York’s Police
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“A legitimate conversation about whether or not the police are the best people to send for a situation is, I believe, a valid conversation.”
Health
Pennsylvania Releases Data On COVID-19 Deaths Among Latinos
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Counties vary in approach to tracking the virus’s impact on ethnic groups
App NEWS
Candidates For Assembly Seat Meet With Black Leaders In Online Community Forum
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One of the longest portions of the forum involved questions about housing and homelessness.
Arts & Culture
New York Governor Defends Columbus Statue, Citing Its Importance To Italian Americans
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Those people who “ignore Christopher Columbus’ role in giving the green light to centuries of racism and dehumanizing of Indigenous peoples must be called to task.”
App NEWS
Oneida Nation Casinos Reopen With New Health Measures
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“The machine itself will tell you when and if it has been sanitized since it last was played and at what time.”
Government
New York Senate Leader Tells Her Story Of A Life Affected By Racism
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Senate Leader Stewart-Cousins says passage of the bills gives her hope, but she says they can’t alone “fix racism in America”.
App NEWS
Lawmakers Repeal New York Law Used To Suppress Police Disciplinary Reports
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Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, the first African-American to hold that title, has long supported the repeal of the provision, but it has long languished in the legislature.
Crime and Justice
GOP Congressman Says The Time For Protests Is Over, Leaders Must Debate Change
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“Now is the time when true leaders will emerge to roll up their sleeves, stay in the room and have the passionate debate.”
Birding While Black: Jason Ward On Racism And His Passion For Birds
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Jason Ward, host of the video series “Birds of North America,” explains that being a black birder means having to take precautions to stay safe while pursuing a passion for nature.
Trump Tweets Conspiracy Theory About Injured Buffalo Protester
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One theory floated after the incident accused Gugino of rigging fake blood under his mask to flow upon his fall.
Police Reform Legislation Moves Swiftly Through New York State Legislature
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Banning chokeholds and disclosing police disciplinary records are among the legislation being pushed through the Democratic-led statehouse.
Crime and Justice
New York Lawmakers Resume Work On A Police Accountability Package
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“I’m hopeful that this is our moment, that George Floyd and all those that came before him did not die in vain.”
Featured in Category
Democratic Legislators Take Over PA House Floor, Demand Action On Police Reform Legislation
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Speaker Turzai says he supports calling a special session
App NEWS
PA Senate Democrats Look To Address Disparate Impacts Of Coronavirus On African Americans
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Hearing points to structural inequity, unequal treatment as causes of COVID-19’s exacting toll
advocacy center of tompkins county
Hotline Reports More Violent Domestic Assaults, Rape During COVID Shutdown
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“We also saw a significant increase, for us, in calls from adults who were sexually assaulted or rape,” Campbell said.
Uncategorized
De Blasio Promises Cuts To NYPD, Ends NYC Curfew
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The call to end the curfew comes a day earlier than previously planned. De Blasio noted that most protesters had been peaceful, and admitted that the NYPD had sometimes overstepped its duty.
Why One Black New Yorker Decided To March
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One protester in New York City said George Floyd’s death moved him to action. “As a black person, I’ve actually been relatively passive.”
App NEWS
New York Lawmakers Push Police Reform Bills Following George Floyd Killing
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“We want police accountability, we want police reform. We want to make sure that if someone makes a 911 call and a false claim, this is potentially a hate crime.”
App NEWS
VIDEO: Two Buffalo Officers Suspended After Violently Shoving Elderly Man
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Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in a tweet, called the incident “wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful.”
App NEWS
Binghamton Protesters: Reduce Arrest Rates, Increase Social Services
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“It takes resources away from the things that we actually need in our community, that make our community thrive.”
Crime and Justice
Cuomo Tells DAs to Hold Looters On Bail, DAs Say No
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“If the police were arresting looters, and they were then being arrested and returned to the street the next day again, that would be nonsensical.”
3 Police Injured During Brooklyn Stabbing Incident
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The late-night incident occurred in the Flatbush neighborhood, when police say a man approached an officer assigned to an anti-looting patrol and stabbed him in the neck.
App NEWS
New York Governor Counters President’s ‘Photo Op,’ Cites Bible Passages
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“Here in New York, we actually read the Bible. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God’.”
black lives matter
Black Protesters Tell Ithaca It Has Problems With Racism
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“Understand Ithaca, you’re not innocent. You are guilty, too.”
Episodes
Coronavirus Precautions And Protests Create Problems But Fail To Disrupt PA’s Primary Election
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The challenge now: Counting nearly 2 million mail-in ballots. Final results may take a week to tabulate
App NEWS
Governor ‘Disappointed, Outraged’ Over Continued Looting In New York City
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Cuomo stopped short of saying that he would deploy the state’s National Guard to any city without a request by its political leaders.
App NEWS
Binghamton Protesters Promise Repeated Marches Against Racism
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Hundreds of people marched in Binghamton on Tuesday night, as part of nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
App NEWS
Tompkins County Legislators, Sheriff Condemn Killing of George Floyd
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“It is time for community, for colleagues, who are white, who have the ability and the privilege to be heard — to take action.”
Peaceful Daytime Protest Turns Violent At Night, 2 Police Officers Injured In Buffalo
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Both officers, one a Buffalo Police officer and the other a New York State trooper, are currently in stable condition.
App NEWS
Binghamton Officials React To Fire At Recreation Park
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“I don’t want that to be what people remember out of yesterday’s demonstration.”
Food and Farms
Caravans Gather Across New York To Support Undocumented, Essential Workers
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“We’re asking for access to child care for food chain workers, financial relief for undocumented workers and health and safety regulations for all workers on the job, especially farmworkers.”
Governor Calls For State Probe Into NYPD actions, Sends National Guard To Buffalo
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“Last night was an ugly night all across this nation. It was an ugly night across this state.”
App NEWS
Protesters March Through Binghamton In Memory Of George Floyd
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“I’m a mother of two black sons and this is enough. So, we came to make some noise.”
White Woman Who Called Police On Black Bird-Watcher In Central Park Has Been Fired
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A black man says he asked a white woman in Central Park to put her dog on a leash. His video, which has gone viral, shows her telling emergency operators that the man is threatening her and her dog.
App NEWS
By Two-Vote Margin, PA House Rejects Protections For Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation
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“When employers are having smaller staff, are they going to go out of their way to hire folks who already weren’t being hired before this, or are they going to overlook them?”
App NEWS
‘They Put Me In Solitary For Having Oranges’ — Muslim Inmates Struggle During Ramadan
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Pennsylvania lawsuit highlights challenges faced by Muslim inmates during Islam’s holy month
Mother’s Day In A Pandemic Brings Mixed Emotions
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“I’m trying to look at the positive side of things with everything going on.”
Featured in Category
New York’s Latinx Residents Hit Hardest By Coronavirus Deaths
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Preliminary data released Wednesday showed that Latinos represent 33% of the deaths in the country’s coronavirus epicenter. The virus’ impact has also been disproportionately high on black residents.
With Coronavirus On Horizon, Continued Student Occupation At Syracuse University Uncertain
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Student protesters at Syracuse University would not say if they will continue occupying Crouse-Hinds Hall during spring break next week.
Cayuga Indian Nation Dispute Leads To Brawl
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The cause of Saturday’s conflict goes back over a decade and involves the site of several buildings.
Ronan Farrow Lauds #MeToo After Verdict: ‘There Are Harvey Weinsteins Everywhere’
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The New Yorker journalist, who led the reporting on the movie producer’s decades of alleged sexual assault, hailed the bravery of the women who spoke up. Still, he said, “there’s a long way to go.”
App NEWS
Poor People’s Campaign Reminds PA Lawmakers About General Assistance
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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.
Mike Bloomberg Can’t Shake The Legacy Of Stop-And-Frisk Policing In New York
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As he runs for president, the former New York City mayor faces tough questions about aggressive police tactics that disproportionately targeted young men of color.
App NEWS
ICE Chief Slams New York’s Green Light Law
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“As a 25-year law enforcement professional, it is unfathomable that information which could be used to prevent crime or a potential terrorist attack, is purposely being withheld.”
Crime and Justice
ACLU Sues Over Northeast Pennsylvania Traffic Stop
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Attorneys say they believe the stop was racially motivated. The ACLU’s client was detained, then placed in ICE custody.
Education
Syracuse Provost Lifts Student Suspensions; Allows Protestors To Stay In Admin Building
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SU officials said they tried to have a “respectful dialogue” with the students, but they were “unwilling.” Students said they were denied food, medicine and hygiene products, and were treated like prisoners.
Tompkins County Legislators Elect First Person of Color As Chair
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After the vote, she said her election is evidence that the legislature is not color-blind and respects what members of working families can contribute in elected office.
App NEWS
Tensions Rise As Protests Continue At Syracuse University
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Syracuse University officials have taken a noticeably tougher stance against protests by #NotAgainSU.
Uncategorized
After 40 Years, ‘A Soldier’s Play’ Finally Marches Onto Broadway
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A Soldier’s Play tells the story of a murder in an African American unit of the U.S. Army after World War II. It premiered in 1981 and soon after won a Pulitzer Prize. Now, it’s finally on Broadway.
App NEWS
Syracuse University Places #NotAgainSU Activists On Interim Suspension
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“Syracuse University administration’s handling of these crimes has been insensitive, lackadaisical, and an embarrassment.”
App NEWS
Now Exonerated, Yusef Salaam Changes Minds At Cornell About Incarceration, Justice
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“It did change how I look at people because they’re not, like, all criminals. There are more of, like, people who maybe, like, just had bad luck.”
App NEWS
Happy 200th Birthday To The Woman Who Dared
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On February 15, the nation, but especially Rochester, where Susan B. Anthony made her home, celebrated the 200th anniversary of Anthony’s birth.
New York Philharmonic’s 2020 Program Celebrates Suffragists
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The New York Philharmonic has commissioned 19 women to create new works to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment. It’s called Project 19.
Government
New York Governor Meets With The President Over Trusted Traveler Programs
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Cuomo says it’s likely the federal government’s decision was political “retaliation and reprisal” for New York’s law to allow undocumented immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses.
Crime and Justice
New York Senate Proposal To Rollback Bail Reform Sparks Anger
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“Sometimes you’ve got to be profane to be profound.”
Government
Entertainers Lobby Albany For Paid Gestational Surrogacy
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“I felt like my body rejected me and now my home state has rejected me.”
‘Throw Them Against The Wall And Frisk Them’: Former New York Mayor’s Race Talk Stirs Debate
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The remarks, shared widely on social media this week, have sparked discussion about the former New York City mayor’s past support of stop-and-frisk policies, which targeted minority neighborhoods.
Despite Negative Tests Results, Coronavirus Scare Incites Racist Incidents In Ithaca
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The four officials say fear over coronavirus has incited acts of bias against Asians and Asian Americans.
New York State To Sue Trump Administration Over Trusted Traveler Restrictions
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Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to challenge Homeland Security’s attempt to suspend enrollment in Global Entry and other trusted traveler programs for New Yorkers over access to state motor vehicle records.
Government
Senate Dems Weary Of Republican Resistance To Pro-LGBTQ Resolutions
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Over the past three sessions, at least a dozen Democratic-sponsored resolutions related to honoring LGBTQ+ people have failed to pass the state House and Senate.
Crime and Justice
Bail Reform Debate Sparks Accusations Of Racism On Social Media
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“They don’t give a damn about our community. What they want is to continue to put black and brown folk and poor white folk (in jail).”
App NEWS
Cornell Student Tested For Novel Coronavirus
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“We should definitely be careful and cautious but it has all the makings of a situation that could spiral out of control in terms of public panic.”
News
Immigration Advocates Speak On SCOTUS ‘Public Charge’ Ruling
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“What’s happened is we’ve had refugee clients say they don’t want to reapply for benefits because they’re afraid it’s going to affect their status going forward.”
App NEWS
Internet Database To Mark Graves Of New York’s Suffragists
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“We also want to really look at this holistically and inclusively, and look for other people that may not have always been traditionally incorporated in this movement.”
Antonio Delgado
NY-19 Hopeful Hawatmeh Defends Trump
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Hawatmeh recently entered the Republican primary .
App NEWS
There’s A Caregiver Shortage — What’s Stopping Men From Filling The Gap?
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Despite a growing number of men who are not working, and a growing number of direct support jobs that need filling, few men are joining the ranks.
App NEWS
House Moves To Tighten Pennsylvania’s Human Trafficking Laws
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One of the bills now goes the governor for a signature, and the rest still have to pass the Senate.
The New York Trial Of Harvey Weinstein: A Brief Timeline Of How We Got Here
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For years, dark rumors swirled around the movie producer. So how did those whispered allegations result in a full-fledged criminal trial? Here’s an abridged history.
App NEWS
Parents Reflect On How Their Children Should Learn About Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“It’s a hard topic and it’s a simple topic all at the same time.”
News
Ahead Of 2020 Election, Seneca Falls Hosts Another Women’s March
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“People fought very hard for your right to vote, so that’s the least you can do is show up.”
Government
Challenges, Including Issues Surrounding Citizenship, Face Organizers Promoting 2020 Census
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“What it has done though, is galvanize this group of community groups to go out and make sure people don’t let that fear stop them from being recognized and counted.”
App NEWS
As Criticism Grows In New York, Supporters Of Bail Reform Describe Fight As A Civil Rights Struggle
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Bail reform has become a major flashpoint, with Republicans and some Democrats saying the law has meant some repeat offenders and potentially violent suspects being released too quickly.
App NEWS
PA Provides Some Of The Worst Opportunities For Students Of Color, Reports Say
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Pennsylvania was 47th overall in the opportunity gap between black and white students, 47th in the gap between Hispanic and white students and 46th in the gap between economically disadvantaged students and their wealthier peers.
Crime and Justice
Advocates Call On Lawmakers To Outlaw ICE Arrests At New York Courthouses
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Immigration advocates gathered in Albany on Tuesday calling for state lawmakers to pass a bill that would prohibit ICE arrests at courthouses.
App NEWS
Syracuse Chancellor Addresses Racist, Anti-Semitic Incidents On Campus
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“We are taking prompt action on the commitments we made. We are making investments in programs and people. I believe this work, requested emphatically, insisted on by our students will make us a better place.”
News
Advocates Say Detention Of Undocumented Syracuse Man Shows Flaws In The System
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Immigration activists are holding up a Syracuse family as an example of how an aggressive immigration policy is playing out in upstate New York.
Government
Senate Dems Pass Voter Access Bills, While The GOP Tries To Change The Subject
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“I do know that the laws we are passing in this chamber, including this one, are certainly making it far more likely that someone who is here illegally will be registered to vote.”
Crime and Justice
Bill Would Make Anti-Semitic Attacks A Hate Crime In New York
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The bill was introduced last spring, after a wave of anti-Semitic attacks happened across the country, including a shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue that killed 11 people.
Annoyance law
Broome County Executive Signs “Annoyance Law”
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Supporters say the law protects first responders while opponents worry about it will be abused.
agriculture
Seneca Nation Enters The Hemp Industry
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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,”
Gov. Cuomo Calls New York Hanukkah Attack ‘Act Of Domestic Terrorism’
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A man stabbed people celebrating Hanukkah at the home of a rabbi in Rockland County, a New York City suburb, on Saturday night. The incident comes amid a surge of anti-Semitic violence in the region.
App NEWS
County Clerks Criticize Foreign Document Rules Set By Green Light Law
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The Green Light Law in New York went into effect this week. Some county clerks criticize the changes to allowable proofs of identity.
Annoyance law
Broome County Passes “Annoyance Law”
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It allows police to arrest anyone who harasses emergency first responders. Violators could face up to a year in prison, a $5,000 fine or both.
App NEWS
A Gym For Folks Who Feel Uncomfortable At ‘The Gym’
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“We can offer this for trans folks, for queer folks, fat folks, black folks, all people of color. People who are deaf, people who are disabled.”
Annoyance law
Broome County To Consider “Annoyance Law” Thursday
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“Guess what? Protesting is about being annoying”
App NEWS
Green Light Law Takes Effect Across New York State
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The Green Light Law came into effect on Monday in New York state. The law allows undocumented immigrants to apply for drivers’ licenses.
Town Pays Over $40,000 For Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couple
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Laurel “Sherrie” Eriksen, refused to issue the license because she had religious objections to same-sex marriage.
App NEWS
Deaf Refugees Overcome Language Deprivation With Help From Advocates
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Advocates in New York have organized to help deaf refugees become self-sufficient.
Government
As New York’s Green Light Law Goes Into Effect, Some County Clerks Still Have Questions
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Some county clerks say their offices are not ready, and it’s been a significant challenge for them to get more information from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
New York Law Restores Benefits To Many LGBTQ Veterans Discharged Less Than Honorably
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Veterans in New York State who received less-than-honorable discharges that can be linked to their sexual orientation may have state veteran benefits restored, under legislation signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
App NEWS
Protesters Deliver Resignation Letters For Chancellor, Public Safety Chief At Syracuse University
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Syracuse University student protesters walked out of classes Thursday, demanding the resignations of the chancellor, public safety chief and others.
Education
To Combat Hate, Syracuse University Holds Peace Vigil
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“Today and together we have an opportunity to send a clear and powerful message through our words and our deeds that we are better together.”
App NEWS
PA Domestic Violence Groups Say Impact Of New Gun Law Is Hard To Measure
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Under the new Pennsylvania law, a judge is required to order a person to surrender firearms if they are the subject of a PFA order entered after a contested hearing.
App NEWS
Protest Over Proposed Law Stalls Broome Legislative Session
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The issue was over a bill that would allow law enforcement to arrest people for annoying, alarming or threatening emergency responders.
App NEWS
Hoping To Reduce Racial Tensions, Syracuse Chancellor Agrees To Most Student Demands
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Chancellor Kent Syverud has agreed to 16 of the 19 demands from student protestors and international students.
Steuben County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges Threatening Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
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Several firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were found in his home during the investigation into the calls
Education
As Racist Incidents Continue, Syracuse Chancellor Responds To Student Demands
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In the past two weeks, SU has been rocked by at least 10 incidents including racist graffiti, yelling racial slurs and hateful emails.
App NEWS
Syracuse Students Protest Racist Messages Found On Campus, Administration’s Response
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Syracuse University officials have promised action in the wake of criticism of the school’s response following the discovery of racist graffiti in a residence hall last week.
App NEWS
Federal Judge Dismisses Challenge To Law Granting Drivers Licenses To Undocumented Immigrants
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“The law aims to make our roads safer, our economy stronger, and allows immigrants to come out of the shadows to sign up as legal drivers in our state.”
Government
National Women’s Hall Of Fame Moves To New Location
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“It is gifted with a history that others can only dream of; what happened here, an epicenter of social movements that literally propelled our nation into a far better place.”
Crime and Justice
A PA Hate Crime Bill’s Circuitous Path To Passage
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Once signed, the measure will give grants to nonprofits susceptible to hate crimes. Though few lawmakers ever opposed it, the legislative process was unpredictable.
Arts
‘Reproduction On The Reservation’: The History Of Forcing Sterilization Upon Native American women
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University of Rochester assistant professor of history Brianna Theobald explores the history of the forced sterilization of Native American women. She says the federal government subsidized doctors to perform these procedures in the 1970s.
Government
PA Governor And Local Official Plot To Close Federal Immigrant Detention Center
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The controversial Berks Family Residential Center is one of three facilities in the US that detains undocumented parents and children together.
News
Time Capsule Found Underneath Frederick Douglass Statue
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The capsule was actually a waterlogged tin box, that has a bunch of what appears to be old newspapers, books and other items.
Government
Menstrual Products Should Be Free, PA Lawmakers Say
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Calling the issue a matter of public health, the group is proposing four bills that would require public restrooms to provide free pads and tampons to anyone who needs them.
App NEWS
Cornell Report: Workplace Sexual Harassment Widespread In New York
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“In putting together quid pro quo and hostile work environment, 31 percent of women and 18.9 percent of men experience it, and that translates into 3.9 million people.”
Government
Black Americans Don’t Always Respond To The Census. PA’s NAACP Hopes To Correct That
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With the 2020 census approaching, black community leaders are brushing up on the best ways to get people counted.
Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo Attends Regional Summit On Legal Cannabis, Vaping Illness Epidemic
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The states also agreed to take more steps to discourage minors from vaping any type of products, including nicotine.
Aviva Friedman
After Mayor Criticizes Columbus Parade Protests, Binghamton Democratic Chair Responds
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Teri Rennia said Mayor David should instead focus attention on the deaths of Broome County Jail inmates.
App NEWS
DA, Police Chief Speak About April Incident On Ithaca Commons
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The D.A. said it was never his desire that either of the two young African-Americans arrested have criminal records or go to prison.
Crime and Justice
PA School Board President Banned From Olympic Sports For Sexual Misconduct
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Larry Wittig resigned from the board in 2017 after the Philadelphia Inquirer first published the allegations, but he remains school board president of the Tamaqua Area School District in Schuylkill County.
App NEWS
Former Seneca Nation President Snyder Laid To Rest
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Barry Snyder was remembered as a man with a vision for the people of the Seneca Nation, and one who was passionate about protecting its sovereignty.
Afraid For Her Life, A Pakistani Activist Vanishes … And Escapes To New York
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Gulalai Ismail spoke out against sexual assaults committed by Pakistani security forces. She was detained and threatened. Then she disappeared — until last week.
With Her Charges Dismissed, African-American Woman Wants Ithaca Police Penalized
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“I’m not asking for anyone to lose their job. I wish that they would just realize that there’s some sort of consequence to their actions.”
App NEWS
Details Of Gouverneur School Bus Assault Emerge In Court Documents And Video
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In an affidavit filed in Gouverneur Town Court, the 10 year-old victim recalls her attackers yelling racist slurs at her, punching her in the face, ripping her hair out of her head, and kicking her in her right knee.
App NEWS
Judge Dismisses Charges Against Woman Involved in Ithaca Commons Incident
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The judge said police didn’t properly handle situaton.
Plácido Domingo Withdraws From New York’s MET Following Sexual Misconduct Allegations
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The opera star, who has been accused by 20 women, was scheduled to perform Verdi’s Macbeth starting on Wednesday night. In an email, he told Met staffers that he will never perform there again.
App NEWS
Abby Wambach Inducted Into National Soccer Hall of Fame
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Wambach is the all-time leading goal scorer in women’s international soccer with 184 goals. She also played in four World Cup matches, winning one in 2015, and participated in two Olympic games.
App NEWS
Protestors Push To Drop Charges In Commons Incident
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Many in crowd called incident example of police brutality
News
Football Pioneer Has Roots In Finger Lakes Region
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“The most die-hard Rochester sports fan, they would probably not know who the heck he is.”
App NEWS
Oneida Indian Nation Uses Drones For Land Management
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“When you’re looking down on something rather than at ground level, you certainly get to see more of what’s going on.”
News
As PA’s Amish Leave Farming For Other Work, Some Leave Their Homestead
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Most Amish in Lancaster County today work outside the farm, so they have been moving into homes on smaller lots — but they still need horses for transportation.
News
Women’s Hall of Fame Inductions Include Jane Fonda And Angela Davis
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, actress Jane Fonda and attorney Gloria Allred were among the inductees at the National Women’s Hall of Fame on Saturday.
App NEWS
Lawsuit Claims Trans Woman Jailed In Steuben County’s Men’s Lockup
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The suit alleges Jena Faith was held in a facility that does not correspond with her gender identity.
How A 6-Year-Old Girl’s Letter Prompted A PA Firm To Deploy ‘Plastic Army Women’
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A handwritten letter to a PA manufacturer sent by a 6-year-old girl from Arkansas wondering where the female toy solders are prompted soul-searching and eventually a new contingent of Plastic Army Women.
New York Senator Attacks $3.6 Billion Diversion From Military Projects To Border Wall
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Defense Secretary Mark Esper began notifying lawmakers which projects will be canceled in their districts. “It is a slap in the face to the members of the Armed Forces,” Sen. Chuck Schumer said.
App NEWS
Cadji Ferguson Found Not Guilty
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The 26-year-old Ithaca man was arrested in April after an altercation on the Ithaca Commons. The judge ruled Friday.
Andrew Cuomo
Marijuana Decriminalization Law Takes Effect
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ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – A law that decriminalizes possession of up to 2 ounces of marijuana took effect Wednesday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it’s “long overdue.” But some advocates say the law does not go far enough. Starting Wednesday, possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana is punishable by a $50 fine. Anyone caught with 2 ounces of cannabis would be fined up to $200.
Hochul, Stewart-Cousins Reflect On 100 Years Of Women’s Suffrage
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Stewart-Cousins spoke about how when her mother was born, she did not have the right to vote.
App NEWS
Tompkins DA Withdraws Agreement Offer in Commons Incident
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Incident stems from arrest of two black people in April
App NEWS
Former Assembly Member, Former Senate Staffer Settle Harassment-Related Charges
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The case against former Assembly member Angela Wozniak from the Buffalo area dates from 2016, when she was accused of harassing a male staffer.
App NEWS
Concerns Over Citizenship Question Linger As Tompkins County Prepares For Census
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“My concern is that a lot of people who are not citizens might have been spooked by the back and forth and it is going to be very difficult for people to trust that they will not be asked (a citizenship) question.”
News
The Legacy Of “Safe Haven” Is Its Lessons
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Oswego was the only place in America to serve as a camp for mostly Jewish European refugees during the Holocaust.
Government
Fellow Dems Challenging Leach Promise Similar Policies, But A Change In Culture
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Democrat Daylin Leach lost support from his own caucus, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, and the Democratic committees in the counties he represents after being accused of inappropriate conduct with female staffers.
Andrew Cuomo
Some Upstate Officials Are Critical, But Lupardo Defends Driver’s Licenses For Undocumented Immigrants
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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.
Government
New York Congress Members Split Over Trump’s Racist Tweets
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“What kind of person stands by silently, when somebody directs racist insults against his own colleagues?”
App NEWS
New Oversight In Place After PA GOP Chair Resigns
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A spokesman for newly elected Lawrence Tabas said a compliance officer will be tasked with enforcing the party’s legal and ethical rules.
News
Two PA Democrats Make Surprise Visit To Berks’ Immigrant Detention Facility
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“I’m thrilled that the people here are trying to do as best they can under the circumstances. But I think the underlying issue is, we should not be doing this.”
Government
Experts Warn Immigrant Detention Center Endangers Children, PA’s Governor Urged To Close Facility
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A group of Carnegie Mellon psychologists say the Berks Family Residential Center it is damaging the physical and mental health of the children who are held there.
Charges To Be Dropped Against Female Defendant In Ithaca Commons Arrests
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Charges will be dropped against one of the two young black people arrested after an altercation on the Ithaca Commons in April.
New York Rolls Out Red (And White) Carpet For Polish 60 Million Congress
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Buffalo and Western New York are hosting a delegation from Poland that has come to this region in search of strengthened ties and new business and cultural
App NEWS
Ithaca Common Council Issues Letter To District Attorney Over Controversial April Arrests
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“The need is it let the public know that we are deeply concerned about this issue.”
App NEWS
National Women’s Hall Of Fame Inductees Include Fashion Designer Diane von Furstenberg
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The Hall says that Furstenberg debuted her iconic wrap dress in 1974, which grew into a global brand, and in 2015 was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people.
News
Tougher Immigration Policies Turn Detention Center Defender Against The ICE Facility
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“There is a fear that the federal government is changing the immigration landscape in a negative way. I am not in support of the BCRC and its employees being associated with these extreme changes.”
New York Officer Will Not Face Federal Criminal Charges In Eric Garner’s Death
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Officer Daniel Pantaleo could still face disciplinary action by the New York Police Department. In 2014, Garner’s dying words, “I can’t breathe,” became a rallying cry in national protests.
Government
PA Dems, Some In GOP, Criticize Trump’s ‘Go Back’ Tweets
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Most Democratic House members from Pennsylvania were quick to publicly condemn President Donald Trump’s statements. Meanwhile, Republicans offered a variety of reactions.
Government
Unclear How ICE Raids Will Impact PA, But Advocates Say They Still Breed Fear
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Details on the raids seem to be in flux, but the New York Times and other outlets have reported they are slated for Sunday, and may target immigrants in at least 10 large cities who already have deportation orders.
Government
New York’s Governor Signs Pay Equity Bills
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“It’s shifting the burden of proof from the employee to the employer, and also making sure that the burden is not on the person who is coming forward.”
Women’s National Soccer Team Parades Through New York’s ‘Canyon Of Heroes’
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Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Rose Lavelle and their teammates are bathing in fans’ cheers in Manhattan, celebrating their World Cup title.
Government
New York Creates Safeguards Against ICE Facial Recognition Searches
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In New York state, a new law that allows the immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses has safeguards against such searches.
App NEWS
Governor Still Questioning Safeguards Built Into New York’s Immigrant Driver’s License Law
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The first lawsuit has been filed against New York’s new law to permit undocumented immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses, as Governor Andrew Cuomo continued to cast doubt on the effectiveness of the new law.
Protesters Appeal To Ithaca Common Council For Justice In Arrests Of Black Man, Woman
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Police body cam footage and surrounding security videos showed officers forcefully arresting the two.
App NEWS
Rep. Reed: Democratic Leadership Almost Derailed Border Humanitarian Package
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He said Congress has more to do on immigration.
Investigation Into Arrests Of Black Man, Woman By Ithaca Police Complete
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Acting Police Chief said officer behavior was not wrong
Government
New Law Allowing Licenses For Undocumented Drivers Confuses Some County Clerks, Angers Others
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“Predominantly, these are folks that are not legally in the country and that brings up a whole bunch of other questions. I have some concerns about that.”
App NEWS
Child Victims Advocates Spread Word In Ithaca About New State Law
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Advocates said the most urgent change is the one-year ‘look-back’ window. It allows adult survivors younger than age 55 to file civil suits against their abusers and any responsible institution.
Education
This New York Pop-Up School Taps Immigrants’ Expertise — By Making Them Teachers
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Immigrant researchers and professors must often take low-paid “survival jobs” in the US. At Brooklyn’s summer Open Air University, they’re sharing their niche expertise.
App NEWS
New Sexual Harassment Standards Surprise Many New York Employers
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New York’s standards for making harassment claims now surpass those required at the federal level and in many states. The new law says only claims that are “trivial or petty” would not be considered viable.
During New York Fundraiser, Biden Recalls ‘Civil’ Relationship With Segregationists
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At a fundraiser Tuesday night, the former vice president talked about working with former Sens. James Eastland and Herman Talmadge, two segregationist Democrats.
Six Months After Alleged Strip Searches, Activists Still Await Answers From Binghamton Schools
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“There’s just been no response. So, I would like conversation. Whether you agree with it or don’t agree with it from their end. Conversation.”
Andrew Cuomo
GOP Senator Blasts Drivers Licenses For New York’s Undocumented Immigrants
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“Democrat Senators had the opportunity to go against their One Party Leadership, but chose politics over the people.”
App NEWS
New York Governor Signs Law Authorizing Driver’s Licenses For Undocumented Immigrants
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“We have to write a law that does not have an unintended consequence, that’s what the smart people are worried about.”
App NEWS
‘Absolute Disappointment’ In New York Over Delay On $20 Bill Featuring Harriet Tubman
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“There’s no question that Tubman being on the $20 bill is a huge boost not only to the park in Auburn, New York, but also to central New York.”
Not All County Clerks Agree On Driver’s Licenses For New York’s Undocumented Immigrants
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“I would rather they had a license and had insurance, you know because, if say you get into an accident and you know, the other person is driving illegally and they don’t have insurance, you know it makes that whole thing more difficult.”
App NEWS
New York Assembly Agrees To Issue Drivers’ Licenses To Undocumented Immigrants
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“We have to be mindful of those who also want to do us harm. That is something I don’t think this bill takes into account.”
App NEWS
Impaired Driving, Not Legalized Party Pot, Worries The Tompkins County Sheriff
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“Where I have to be concerned is when it comes into the public safety of everybody in our community. And, you know, things like driving while ability impaired, is a big thing for me…
Government
Bill That Legalizes Gestational Surrogacy Passes New York State Senate
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“We see this as fundamentally something that will exploit women’s bodies for the benefit, largely, of men.”
Government
Amid Internal Harassment Discussions, PA Lawmakers Push Reforms
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The effort comes on the heels of the Senate’s call for Montgomery County Democrat Daylin Leach to resign, in the wake of a provisional report about his treatment of staff.
Black Lives Matter Leads Protest At Ithaca City Court Hearing
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Black Lives Matter Ithaca was present in Ithaca City Court Friday to support a young man facing charges after an incident on the Ithaca Commons.
New York Police Commissioner Apologizes For ‘Oppressive’ Raid On Stonewall Inn
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New York Police Commissioner James O’Neill admitted police actions were “wrong” during the Stonewall riot, a landmark in the LGBTQ rights movement.
New York Judge Delays Review Of Alleged Census Question Cover-Up
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A federal judge in New York says he is not planning to rule on the allegations until after the Supreme Court’s likely decision this month on the fate of the census question.
News
LGBTQ Flag Flies Over NY Capitol For First Time
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The LGBTQ pride flag is flying over the New York state Capitol for the first time in state history in celebration of Pride Month. The flag went up yesterday.
binghamton
Study: Hispanics Especially At Risk Of Not Being Counted In 2020 Census
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The U.S. Census is an accounting of everyone who lives in the country. A new study from The Urban Institute, a think tank that conducts social and economic research, said the country will likely miss a lot of people, upward of 4 million of them.
Government
Immigrant Driver’s License Bill Gets Boost In New York Legislature
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“Our immigration system is broken. This does not fix it, but what it does is it gives undocumented immigrants the opportunity to sit for a test, to get licensed, to get on the road, and to have insurance.”
App NEWS
Racist Place Names Spark Controversy
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Across New York there are places that bear offensive, or even racist, names — so how do the people who live near them think about them?
Government
As Trump Rolls Back Protections, Governor Pushes PA To Broaden Fight Against LGBTQ Discrimination
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The “easiest thing for us to do here in Pennsylvania is join every other neighboring state in the northeast and pass comprehensive nondiscrimination legislation.”
App NEWS
National Soccer Hall Of Fame To Induct Abby Wambach
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Wambach is the all-time leading scorer in women’s international soccer, featuring in four World Cups, including one she won in 2015, and two Olympic Games among her 255 international appearances for the US women’s national team from 2001 to 2015.
If Trump Wants A War With America’s Women, Kirsten Gillibrand Says ‘He Will Lose’
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The New York senator and 2020 presidential candidate tells NPR’s Rachel Martin that President Trump and some Republican legislators are taking the country in a direction it does not want to go.
agriculture
Farmers Find Little Help In Trump’s New Immigration Plan
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The New York Farm Bureau said farmers need more workers and it wants the President to consider an expansion of a visa program.
Government
Portraits Of Immigrant Detainees Projected On Harrisburg Building By Activist Group
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“I mean it is inhumane to lock up families. That’s number one. You don’t lock up families, you don’t lock up children.”
Andrew Cuomo
New Law Makes Domestic Violence Trauma A Factor In Sentencing
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“That trauma leads them to make decisions that those of us with adult, non-traumatized brains might not make. And they end up facing prosecution and prison for those decisions. And, in that way it concretely criminalized their trauma.”
District Attorney: No Charges In Binghamton School “Strip Search”
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Broome County District Attorney Steven Cornwell will charge no one in an alleged strip search of students at a Binghamton school earlier this year.
Tompkins County Legislature Hears From Opponents To Ithaca Airport Expansion
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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.
Ithaca Mayor Orders Internal Investigation After Complaints About Late Night Arrests
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Videos show a chaotic scene with police officers using force and Tasers in trying to subdue and handcuff an African American man and woman.
‘Becoming Dr. Seuss’ Reveals Theodor Geisel As A Complicated New Yorker
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Using personal papers, telegrams, biographies, unpublished interviews and letters, author Brian Jay Jones gives readers a comprehensive view of the complex, multifaceted creator who became a giant.
Government
Immigrant Drivers’ License Bill Advances In The New York Assembly
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A bill to grant drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants advances in the assembly
App NEWS
Opponents: Don’t Give Drivers’ Licenses To Undocumented Immigrants
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“I may just get a banner and put it across the front of the building that we will have ICE on speed dial.”
Yankees, Flyers Drop Kate Smith’s ‘God Bless America’
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Her rendition of the patriotic song had been a staple at New York Yankees and Philadelphia Flyers games for decades. Critics say that other elements of the singer’s career were clearly racist.
Cornell Title IX Coordinator Says University Process For Handling Sexual Assaults Gives Due Process
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For several years, Cornell University has had more Title IX investigations opened with the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education than any other college or university. WSKG’s Celia Clarke recently spoke by phone with the Title IX Coordinator at Cornell, Chantelle Cleary about how the Office handles complaints on campus.
No ICE Arrests In Courthouses Without Judicial Warrants, New York Court Directive Says
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There is an ongoing controversy over the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in state and local courthouses, who are there to arrest immigrants appearing on unrelated cases.
Government
PA’s Legislative Black Caucus Wants To Improve Police, Community Relations
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It’s an effort that members say would hopefully ease the tensions that often exist between law enforcement and lower-income communities–particularly ones of color.
Government
‘One Day Act’ Could Benefit Immigrants In New York state
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The change means these convictions will no longer trigger automatic deportation proceedings.
News
Senecas Lose Arbitration Ruling On Casino Revenue Payments
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John Kane, a Mohawk radio host and activist living on Seneca territory, says the ruling forces the Senecas to pay the state slot money, despite the nation never having really received its gaming exclusivity perk.
‘New York Post’ Denounced For Publishing Sept. 11 Photo With Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Words
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The newspaper’s cover paired an image from the 2001 terrorist attacks with a partial quote by Omar. Fellow lawmakers and activists expressed outrage at the paper’s editorial decision.
Government
How To Close The Wage Gap? PA Lawmakers Look To Family Leave.
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While it is technically illegal to base compensation on gender, Pennsylvania women still make an average of around 79 cents for every dollar a man does.
App NEWS
Binghamton Remembers 13 Lives Lost In ACA Attack Ten Years Ago
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“When I remember it, even my kids, they went, moved from here. They didn’t want to stay in this place,” said Samir Khalil, who lost his wife in the attack.
Government
Resolution By Seneca Falls Town Supervisor To End Women’s Hall of Fame Funding Fails
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The community center in Seneca Falls was buzzing as Vietnam veterans, residents of the town and everyone in between gathered to discuss the induction of Jane Fonda into the hall of fame. WXXI’s Caitlin Whyte has more.
Government
For More Accurate Count, NY Advocates Say Additional $20 million Needed For 2020 Census
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“There’s definitely a lack of information, lack of knowledge about census, why it’s important, let alone, going about navigating through the system.”
App NEWS
Report Outlines Priorities For Latinos In PA
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The report addresses 10 issues ranging from education and worforce development, to health care and immigration.
App NEWS
Should Citizenship Matter On US Census? PA Officials Say No
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They are concerned the proposed change might dampen responses. The Trump administration wants to use the census to ask people if they’re citizens.
App NEWS
With A Plan And 2 Jobs, One Ithaca Woman Builds A New Life After Prison
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Shanakia Gray got out of prison in October. She’s gotten those two jobs and even a promotion to help raise her two small children.
New York Woman Wants To Create This: *Insert Afro Emoji Here*
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Writer Rhianna Jones is petitioning the Unicode Consortium for an emoji of a person with an Afro.
News
Seneca Falls Supervisor Wants To End Funding For Women’s Hall of Fame Over Jane Fonda Induction
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“I got a number of calls from people in the community, a number of people stopped me when I was out, talked with me about the National Women’s Hall of Fame inducting Jane Fonda.”
App NEWS
Backlog Of Repairs Mounts At Women’s Rights National Historical Park In Seneca Falls
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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.
App NEWS
On 1st Day, PA House’s Only Muslim Woman Deals With ‘Blatant Islamophobia’
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In a two minute invocation, a Christian lawmaker mentioned Jesus 13 times and praised the President for his unequivocal support of Israel.
New York Delegation To Join US, International Observers Of Ukraine Elections
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Ukrainian elections have also been turbulent, rife with voter intimidation and even claims by then-president Viktor Yushchenko in 2004 that he had been deliberately poisoned.
Jury Acquits White PA Police Officer In Fatal Shooting Of Unarmed Black Teen
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A jury of seven men and five women, including three black jurors, found the former officer not guilty of murder in a racially charged case.
PA Researchers: Human Genomics Research Has A Diversity Problem
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Studies on the genetics of human diseases have focused largely on people of European descent. Pennsylvania Researchers say this lack of diversity is bad science and exacerbates health inequities.
Austin
Statue of Liberty climber Not Done Protesting ‘White Supremacy’
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Therese Patricia Okoumou has scaled public monuments, including the Statue of Liberty, to bring attention to the detention of undocumented immigrant children.
binghamton
Advocates Call On NY Lawmakers To Expand Access To Driver’s Licenses For Undocumented Immigrants
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With budget negotiations continuing in Albany, activists from around the state gathered Tuesday in the capital to demand that legislation be included to expand access to driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants.
News
National Women’s Hall Of Fame Announces This Year’s Inductees
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The National Women’s Hall of Fame announced the 2019 inductees Friday night at a ceremony in New York City.
State Senator Urges New York Governor To Lift Travel Ban So SUNY Swimmers Can Compete
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More than a dozen student-athletes from three SUNY colleges have qualified to compete in the NCAA Division III national swimming and diving championships. There’s just one problem. The games are being held in Greensboro, North Carolina, and a ban on New York State-sponsored non-essential travel to that state remains in effect. A local State Senator is urging Governor Andrew Cuomo to lift that ban.
binghamton
Travel Ban To North Carolina Affects SUNY Student Swimmers
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A ban by New York on state-sponsored travel to North Carolina due to a policy on bathroom use is causing some controversy and some changes for SUNY student athletes.
Ithaca United Methodists Respond To Decision to Ban Same Sex Marriages, Ordinations
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This week the global meeting of the United Methodist Church voted to maintain a ban on same sex marriages and ordinations. It’s the third largest faith community in the United States. Many American Methodists hoped for a different outcome.
Government
New York Law Adds Protections For Gender Identity And Expression
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A much talked about new state law went into effect Monday. GENDA (Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act), adds gender identity and expression as a protected class in New York State’s human rights and hate crimes laws.
PA Has Registered Some Non-Citizens To Vote, But Usually Not On Purpose
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Claims of massive illegal voting by noncitizens have routinely been disproved, but some noncitizens end up on the voter rolls, often by accident. Now, states are trying to fix that.
What One New York Orchestra’s Doing To Increase Diversity
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African-Americans currently make up less than two percent of larger orchestra members in the United States. This lack of representation is a struggle for many groups, including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
binghamton
New York’s Native American Communities Fight To Preserve Endangered Languages
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A language can tell you a lot about a culture. There are some words that just don’t translate into English, or any other language. This is especially true for Native Americans, who are working to preserve their languages after decades of being told by the U.S. and Canadian governments they were wrong to speak them.
Featured in Category
Is This The Year PA Gives LGBTQ+ People Discrimination Protection?
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Like most states, Pennsylvania has a statute that grants certain groups of people extra legal protection against discrimination. It’s called the Human Relations Act, and it prohibits employment and housing discrimination on the basis of “race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, handicap or disability,” or use of guide and support animals. One group it misses? LGBTQ+ people.
Education
Lawyers For Four Middle School Girls Weigh Legal Action Against Binghamton School District
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BINGHAMTON (WSKG) — The lawyers for four middle school girls who say they were strip searched say they’re considering a lawsuit against the Binghamton City School District. In January, there was community furor over accusations against the East Middle School principal and school nurse for strip searching four girls for acting hyper and giddy. The girls have lawyers through the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Cara McClellan and the other lawyers sent a letter to the district with a list of demands and asking to meet in person with district officials within ten days. That deadline was last week.
Government
State Ethics Panel Criticized At Hearing On Sexual Harassment
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A recent legislative hearing on sexual harassment in state government focused in part on the role of the state’s ethics commission in investigating charges of alleged abuse.
Education
Re-Remembering History Could Help Bridge Racial Divide, Says BU Professor
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Anne Bailey believes we need to re-remember history, shaping it with the perspectives of people who weren’t in positions of power.
binghamton
New York Lawmakers Take On Sexual Harassment In Public Hearing
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During the first hearing on sexual harassment in New York’s government in 27 years, state lawmakers closely scrutinized Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s policies on the issue, as victims told harrowing stories about their experiences.
Siena Poll Explores Whether New Yorkers Support Citizen Question In Next US Census
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A newly-released Siena poll of more than 770 New Yorkers suggests most folks want to ensure all New Yorkers are counted in the 2020 US Census. But they are divided over one potential question that could get asked: are you a US citizen?
binghamton
New York Senate Holds Hearing Into Sexual Harassment Wednesday
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One of the first things Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins did when she took over the chamber in January was to announce hearings on the state’s anti sexual harassment policies.
Education
Lawyers For Middle School Girls Claim Strip Search Violated Constitutional Rights
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The moms of four girls, who accuse staff at a Binghamton Middle School of strip searching them, have sought legal help from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Reed Co-Sponsors Legislation To Revive Fight For Equal Rights Amendment
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Advocates and lawmakers in Washington, D.C. are rallying to launch a renewed fight for the equal rights amendment in Congress.
Crime and Justice
Gov. Cuomo Calls For Investigation Into Strip Searching At Binghamton Middle School
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Governor Cuomo is calling on the New York State Education Department to investigate accusations that staff members at East Middle School strip searched four African-American girls in mid-January. In a press release, his office called the allegations “deeply disturbing and raise serious concerns of racial and gender bias.”
Binghamton Residents Rally Over Student Strip Searches
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About 200 residents rallied Tuesday outside East Middle School in a call-out to Binghamton’s School District. The rally was a response to claims by four African-American girls that staff members strip searched them a couple of weeks ago for giddiness and possibly possessing drugs.
New York Medical Students Push For More LGBT Health Training
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One in 5 LGBT adults has avoided medical care for fear of discrimination, according to a recent survey, and 80 percent of physicians surveyed say they feel “not competent” to treat LGBT patients.
Government
PA Senator Sues Woman Who Accuses Him Of Sexual Assault
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Pennsylvania state Sen. Daylin Leach is suing a woman who claims the Montgomery County Democrat coerced her to perform oral sex on him when she was 17.
Featured in Category
How We Got To A Rally In Binghamton Over Student Strip Searches
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In Binghamton, there’s outrage over an incident between staff members at East Middle School and four black students. The girls say they were strip searched. The district claims it wasn’t a strip search; it was a medical evaluation.
Education
New York Acts To Provide College Aid For Undocumented Immigrants
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The New York State Legislature late Wednesday approved a measure known as the Dream Act that would offer college aid for children of undocumented immigrants. But they stopped short of acting on a measure to offer driver’s licenses to immigrants in New York without documentation.
White Supremacist Pleads Guilty In New York To Fatally Stabbing Black Man
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James Jackson admitted he was driven by a plan to murder scores of black men to spark a nationwide race war. It’s the state’s first conviction of first-degree murder as an act of terrorism.
abortion
New York’s Legislature And Governor Approve Abortion Rights Bill
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The New York State Legislature voted Tuesday to codify the abortion rights in the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade into New York law. And Governor Andrew Cuomo has already signed it.
As Nation marks MLK Jr. Day, Poll Finds Fewer New Yorkers See Positive Race Relations
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As the nation marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a Siena College Research Institute poll suggests fewer New Yorkers have a positive outlook on race relations than just a few years ago.
binghamton
New York Legislature To Sexual Harassment Hearings Next Month
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The New York State Legislature has announced it will hold hearings on Feb. 13 about sexual harassment in state government. The announcement was hailed by a group of women who have experienced or reported being victims of sexual harassment by state lawmakers.
Health
PA Doesn’t Spend State Money On Abortions. Now, Providers Are Suing.
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A group of abortion providers is suing Pennsylvania in an attempt to get the procedure covered by state Medicaid dollars.
Visa Overstays Exceeded Illegal Border Crossings, Say New York Researchers
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A study also finds that the unauthorized population from Mexico has declined by 1.3 million people since 2010.
binghamton
Busy Day in Albany: State Of The State Address, Budget Talk And A Vote On Transgender Rights
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The New York State Legislature for the first time granted civil rights to transgender New Yorkers. And on a busy day at the State Capitol, Gov. Andrew Cuomo also released his $175 billion budget plan.
43,000 Immigration Hearings Cancelled By Government Shutdown, Says SU Study
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The backlog of more than 800,000 immigration cases awaiting hearings, which has grown almost 50 percent under the Trump administration, is forecast to grow even larger.
Judge Blocks Trump Birth Control Policy In New York And A Dozen Other States
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The policy makes good on Trump’s promise to peel back the requirement that employers offer contraception coverage at no cost. The rule is on hold in D.C. and the 13 states that challenged it.
Government
Busy Week In Albany Includes Early Voting Measures, Transgender Rights
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The Democratic led New York State legislature is set for a big week. Action is planned for Monday to implement early voting in the state, and on Tuesday to grant more civil rights to transgender New Yorkers. Also this week, Governor Andrew Cuomo will release his budget proposal.
Government
“I’ll Never Forget”: Cornell Law Students On Border, Heading To Tijuana
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A group of Cornell Law Students and their professor have been volunteering on the Texas border this week. They are helping mothers and children in the largest family immigration detention center in the country to file asylum claims.
The center is in Dilley, Texas. A remote town of about 4,000 people located over an hour’s drive south of San Antonio. The students have been interviewing women about the experiences that caused them to flee their homes and seek asylum thousands of miles away. From there they will be interviewed by an asylum officer who will decide if they have a “credible fear”.
Cornell Law Students Go To Border To Help Mothers, Children Seeking Asylum
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Six Cornell Law School students and one of their professors have gone to border this week to volunteer at the country’s the largest family immigration center in Dilley, Texas. They are working with the Dilley Pro Bono Project. The Project has been organizing volunteers since the federal facility opened in 2014. Each week a group of volunteer lawyers, law students, paralegals arrived to assist mothers and children file their asylum claims.
Dilley is a remote town of about 4,000 people over an hour’s drive from San Antonio. Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer is an associate professor at Cornell Law School.
How This New Yorker, ‘Godmother Of Title IX,’ Achieved Landmark Discrimination Ban
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Bernice Sandler died Saturday at the age of 90. She once told NPR she beams with pride at seeing female athletes walk “with their heads up and feeling like, ‘Yeah, I can handle this world.’ “
binghamton
New York Senate Makes History As It Elects An African American Woman As Leader
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The New York State legislative session began with ceremonies and excitement as Democrats claimed their solid majority in the State Senate, and made history with the election of new female leader.
Government
Panel Rules Seneca Nation Owes Casino Payments To State
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Millions of dollars in past due casino revenue payments may be on the way to Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Salamanca after an arbitration panel ruled against the Seneca Nation of Indians’ attempt to stop the payments.
Education
Principal Turnover Highest In PA Cities, Study Says
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When a principal leaves a school, research suggests that students tend to suffer. And a new study of K-12 schools in Pennsylvania shows that principals are more mobile in big, urban districts.
abortion
Cuomo, Clinton Call For Codification Of Abortion Rights In NY
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Former U.S. Secretary of State and presidential nominee Hillary Clinton joined New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Monday to promote plans to codify abortion rights in state law in the new legislative session.
Mumia Abu-Jamal Granted Right Of Appeal After Decades In PA Prison
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A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal can appeal his 1982 conviction for killing Police Officer Daniel Faulkner.
This Yente Found The Perfect Match, Performing ‘Fiddler’ In Yiddish
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Jackie Hoffman grew up speaking what her mother called “kitchen Yiddish” — a few words here and there. Now, she’s dusting off the mama-loshen (mother tongue) for a production of the 1964 musical.
New York Girls And Their Moms Get Candid About Phones And Social Media
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About half of all teens say they’ve tried to cut back on their phone use. But one of the girls we spoke with says that’s hard when “it’s obviously designed to be addictive.”
Weinstein Seeks Dismissal Of New York’s Sexual Assault Charges
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When Harvey Weinstein was arrested, it was a landmark moment for the movement known as #MeToo. But the criminal case against the former movie mogul has not been the slam dunk many people expected.
arts
Endicott Man Accused Of Damaging Frederick Douglass Statue, Denies Racism
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Rochester Police are investigating damage done to one of the 13 statues of Frederick Douglass that have been placed around the city. Police say that early Sunday morning, shortly after midnight, officers responded to the area near 1 Tracy Street, which is near Alexander St., for the report of males trying to steal a statue.
Uncategorized
1968: After Dozens Of Acquittals, New York Police Were Forced To End Raids On Gay Haven
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When nearly two dozen gay men were arrested, put on trial, and eventually acquitted of sodomy in 1968, it demonstrated to the larger gay community that they could organize against police harassment.
Cleveland Orchestra Fires 2 Leading Musicians After Sexual Misconduct Investigation
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The Cleveland Orchestra announced on Wednesday afternoon that it has fired concertmaster William Preucil and principal trombonist Massimo La Rosa for multiple alleged incidents of sexual misconduct.
agriculture
‘Farming While Black’: Cultivating Food And Racial Justice In Upstate New York
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In her new book, “Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land,” Leah Penniman describes her journey as a woman of color reclaiming space in the agricultural world while providing a comprehensive guide for others who want to follow her path.
NYC Has Just 5 Statues Of Historic Women. That’s About To Change
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“We set out to correct a glaring inequity in our public spaces,” said Chirlane McCray, the first lady of New York City. A number of cities are taking steps to honor women with statues and public art.
Michelle Obama’s Take On ‘Lean In’? ‘That &#%! Doesn’t Work’
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Obama told a New York audience that the notion of “having it all” is “a lie.” Many were delighted by the former first lady’s spontaneous candor.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson Rejects Claims Of Sexual Misconduct
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Three women have accused the astrophysicist of inappropriate behavior. One says she quit her job on his TV show “Cosmos” because of it.
Gone Girl: Lower Manhattan ‘Fearless Girl’ Statue Is ‘On The Move’
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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.
binghamton
New York Senate Elects First African-American, First Woman As Majority Leader
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The New York State Senate made history on two fronts Monday as it elected Andrea Stewart-Cousins to be the first woman, and the first African-American woman, to head the chamber in January.
Meet New York’s Jin Park, The First DACA Recipient Awarded A Rhodes Scholarship
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Park came to New York with his family when he was 7 years old. He’s a senior at Harvard working toward a degree in molecular and cellular biology with a minor in ethnicity, migration and rights.
Aretha Franklin Touches The Infinite As Long-Delayed Film Debuts in New York
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Now, 46 years after it was shot, the Amazing Grace movie was finally shown in public for the first time Monday, with initial screenings in New York City and more on the way nationwide.
binghamton
New York Equal Rights Heritage Center Opens
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Officials in Auburn opened the $10 million Equal Rights Heritage Center, a place for visitors to learn about the important social movements throughout New York State history. It is meant to drive tourism and educate the public on the historic significance of the region.
‘Frederick Douglass: Prophet Of Freedom’ Reveals Unknown Parts Of New Yorker’s Life
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Douglass was a fierce critic of America, a radical patriot and an abolitionist who was formerly enslaved. A new biography sheds light on the lesser-known corners of his life.
Ground Is Broken On African-American Veterans Monument, Though More Funds Are Needed
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BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) – Ground was broken Friday at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park on the site where a future African-American Veterans Monument will be erected.
Former New York Attorney General Won’t Face Criminal Charges For Alleged Abuse
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Multiple women say the former N.Y. attorney general physically attacked them. A prosecutor says she believes the women but “legal impediments” preclude any charges. She’s proposed a legislative fix.
National Women’s Hall of Fame Earns $150,000 In Online Competition
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – It was back in September the Hall learned it was a finalist in a program called Partners in Preservation, which featured 20 sites around the country that celebrate diversity and the struggle for equality.
crime
Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty In Synagogue Shooting, But It’s Far From Settled
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PITTSBURGH, PA (WSKG) — The anti-Semitic gunman who allegedly killed 11 and wounded six others in Pittsburgh this weekend is facing 29 federal charges.
Brain Gain
For This Nurse Trained Abroad, Working At A New York Hospital Is Years Away
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Only 40 percent of nurses trained abroad pass the US licensing exam the first time. But educators say it’s not because they aren’t qualified.
LGBT Advocates Urge New York State To Reconsider Catholic Charities Funding
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Participants in the protest included religious, community and public leaders. They say Catholic Charities announced its decision to cease its foster care and adoption services after a same-sex couple inquired about adopting a child.
New York’s Trans People Say They #WontBeErased
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“The agency’s proposed definition would define sex as either male or female, unchangeable, and determined by the genitals that a person is born with,” The New York Times reported. Reaction was swift.
New York City Creates Gender-Neutral Designation For Birth Certificates
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People who were born in the city and don’t identify as male or female can change the gender on their birth certificate to a third category of X, without acquiring approval from a physician.
This New Yorker’s Raised Fist Still Resonates, 50 Years Later
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Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos won gold and bronze at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Their raised-fist salute outraged many viewers — and still resonates today.
Amid #MeToo, New York Employers Face Strict New Sexual Harassment Laws
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In response to the transformation of views on sexual harassment, New York state and New York City passed laws requiring training of all workers. Now, business owners are scrambling to comply.
The American Dream: One Block Can Make All The Difference
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Is geography destiny? It goes against the core idea of the American dream, but a new online data tool says where you were born and raised actually makes a huge difference — down to the very block.
African immigration
Black And Muslim, Some New York Immigrants Feel The Brunt Of Trump’s Plans
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The White House’s immigration policy targets people in the criminal justice system — whether or not they are convicted of crimes — and will likely most affect refugees and immigrants from Muslim-majority countries. Many of the members of African Communities Together are part of all of those groups.
New York’s Wigstock Lets Its Roots Show At 2018 Revival
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For years, Wigstock was a staple of New York City’s drag scene. And after a 17-year hiatus and a boom in drag’s popularity, the outdoor festival returned.
Crime and Justice
Sexual Assault Survivors Call For Long-Term Extension Of Violence Against Women Act
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – The Violence Against Women Act, which provides funding, services and other legislative impacts for domestic and sexual violence survivors, is set to expire at the end of the month. Local advocates are calling on Congress to extend the law.
Facebook Allowed The Exclusion Of PA Woman, And Others, From Job Ads, ACLU Says
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The complaint, filed Tuesday, says 10 businesses prevented women from receiving employment opportunities on the website. It also accused Facebook of excluding women in its own company.
New York Lawyer Searches Guatemale For Deported Parents, While Children Wait In The U.S.
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The ACLU and other groups are scouring Guatemala to track down parents who were separated from their children in the United States and deported back home without them.
A New York Medical School Tradition Comes Under Fire For Racism
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A prominent New York medical school has pulled back from electing students for a sought-after honor society, saying the award reinforces racial bias in medical education.
Conflict With New York’s Same-Sex Laws Leads Catholic Charities To End Foster, Adoption Services
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New York State requires same-sex couple have the same right as heterosexual couples to adopt children. Catholic doctrine defines marriage as a union exclusively between a man and a woman. Citing the irreconcilable difference, Catholic Charities has decided to end its long-running foster care and adoption services.
Government
Advocates For Undocumented Workers Who Need Drivers’ Licenses Call On Governor To Act
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – As the New York State Fair gets underway, immigration rights advocates are calling attention to the need for undocumented farm workers to be able to drive. Undocumented workers are currently barred from obtaining a driver’s license.
Featured in Category
Activists Renew Call To Shut Down PA Immigrant Detention Center
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HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — A coalition of activists intent on shutting down the Berks County Residential Center is trying to convince Governor Tom Wolf to take more extreme action on the issue.
Last-Known Surviving Mohawk Code Talker
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He is among the Native Americans who played a special role in World War II, serving as the famed Code Talkers
New York Promises Legal Fight After Sessions Threatens Funds
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“The Trump Administration is pushing an unrealistic and mean spirited executive order,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted.
binghamton
Black And Latino Students Statewide Have Less Access To Advanced High School Courses
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A new report from the New York Equity Coalition shows that many black and Latino students don’t have the same access to high level and advanced placement courses as their white peers.
Education
Some Science And High Tech Jobs Simply Not Accessible
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Although the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that public institutions make accommodations for people, students in STEM education – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – still feel like they are being pushed out.
Food and Farms
The Long Road To Becoming PA’s First Black-Owned Brewery
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HARRISBURG, PA (WITF) — This weekend, Pittsburgh is slated to host the first festival of black craft beer brewers from around the country. Among their ranks will be Harris Family Brewery–believed to be Pennsylvania’s first African-American-owned craft brewery.
corning
Pay Gap For Women Even Wider When Race Is Factored In
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Aug. 7 is observed as Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. It is the date in 2018 when a black woman catches upto what the average white, non-Hispanic man already earned by the end of 2017.
History
Recent Discovery Highlights Frederick Douglass, The Businessman
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Local scholars say a recent discovery found among the personal artifacts of Frederick Douglass broadens our understanding of the famed abolitionist.
Crime and Justice
Tailored To Black Men, Program To Cut Recidivism Rates May Come To PA
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – Back in 1992, a national expert in substance abuse and criminal behavior helped to start one of the first drug courts in the country in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. But early on, Guy Wheeler noticed a disturbing trend among the young men.
Judge Frees Immigrant Arrested While Delivering Pizza To New York Army Base
|
Pablo Villavicencio was turned over to ICE on June 1 after a guard at Fort Hamilton declined to accept his identification card and ran a background check, discovering a pending 2010 deportation order.
News
As Faso Paints Delgado As Outsider, Race Comes To The Forefront In NY-19
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A candidate’s past as a rapper has been at the center of one of the first squabbles in the race for New York’s 19th congressional district. His opponent is using the music as a criticism.
binghamton
Bipartisan Delegation Visits New York’s Women’s Suffrage, Abolition Memorials
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – A first of its kind “pilgrimage” brought both Republican and Democratic leaders to Western New York this weekend to explore two significant freedom movements in the state, the abolitionist movement and women’s suffrage.
How Gaming Conventions Like This One In New York Can Help Us Explore Ideas About Race
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Gaming conventions generate hype for one of the biggest media industries in the world. One convention in New York targets people of color with a theme of how they can create games that incorporate — and teach others — ideas of politics and race.
Berks County
Despite Losing Its State Child Care License, An Immigrant Family Detention Center In PA Made Room For More Families
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Advocates say the state is turning a blind eye to violations of state law by allowing the Berks County Residential Center to remain in operation.
binghamton
Study: Airbnb Benefits New York’s Economy, More So In White Neighborhoods
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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.
abortion
Governor Cuomo Threatens Legal Action If Roe v. Wade Is Overturned
|
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Gov. Andrew Cuomo is upping the stakes in his disagreement with Republicans on the state and federal levels over the right to choose abortion, now that President Donald Trump has announced his choice of conservative judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Energy
Federal Appeals Court Dismisses Pipeline Case That Charged FERC With Bias
|
Ruling: Agency’s pipeline approvals not linked to its funding
Featured in Category
How Racial Profiling In PA Goes Unchecked In Immigration Enforcement
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A Pennsylvania judge heard uncontested evidence that ICE agents violated constitutional rights during an arrest last year, but that wasn’t enough to stop deportation proceedings.
Government
New York’s Governor Says Senate Should Reconvene And Vote On Abortion Rights Measure
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ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Hours before President Donald Trump announced his choice to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court, Gov. Andrew Cuomo railed against the selection. He also signed an executive order to help protect the reproductive choice rights of New York’s women should a future court overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
abortion
Abortion Rights Could Be An Issue In New York Governor’s Race
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ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – President Donald Trump is set to announce his choice for a new Supreme Court justice, which he’s said could eventually result in the reversal of the abortion rights case Roe v. Wade.
Featured in Category
Activists Clash With PA Governor Over Operation Of Immigrant Detention Center
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HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — As national attention remains focused on the treatment of undocumented immigrants on the southern border, a group in Pennsylvania is calling attention to a situation closer to home.
New Charges Filed In New York Against Harvey Weinstein
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The disgraced movie mogul is already facing first-degree rape and other charges in New York. Now, Weinstein is facing new accusations that he assaulted a woman in 2006.
Advocates For New York’s Immigrants Slam SCOTUS Travel Ban Ruling
|
Several community organizations who serve local refugees and immigrants are uniting to denounce the Supreme Court decision upholding President Trump’s travel ban from seven nations, including five featuring Muslim-majority populations.
Protesters Demand Rep. Tom Reed Work To Reunite Immigrant Families Separated By ‘Zero Tolerance’ Policy
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About 15 protesters took over Congressman Tom Reed’s office, demanding he condemn the “zero tolerance” immigration policy and work to reunite families separated under it.
Crime and Justice
ICE Arrests Highlight National Immigration Debate
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Immigration officials say they’ve arrested 40 undocumented immigrants across the state, many of whom had been charged with prior crimes.
News
PA’s Population Quickly Growing Older, Slowly More Diverse
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA — Following national trends, Pennsylvania’s population is getting older and slowly becoming more diverse according to the latest statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Government
Transgender New Yorkers Get New Protection Against Discrimination
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced new protections for transgender New Yorkers on Sunday, saying the state health department will add gender identity to a non-discrimination list that already includes race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age and source of payment.
Government
Governor Says New York Will Try To Serve Separated Immigrant Children
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ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced steps that New York officials will take to help detained immigrant children separated from their families, but he said he isn’t getting a lot of details from the federal government.
Featured in Category
Pennsylvania Joins Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Family Separation
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HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — State Attorney General Josh Shapiro is suing the Trump administration over its family-separation policy for undocumented immigrants on the US-Mexico border.
Government
After Delay, US House Could Vote Next Week On Compromise Immigration Bill
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – The House of Representatives is expected to vote on an immigration bill next week, meant to be a compromise among Republicans. Central New York Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) worked on the bill.
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Governor Says Estimated Number Of Separated Immigrant Children In New York Grows
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ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Governor Cuomo says there are as many as 700 immigrant children in child care services in New York State, and he’s demanding that state health care professionals have access to them.
Government
Senator Gillibrand Calls Immigration Policy “Inhumane And Immoral”
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – No policy should be built on the backs and hearts of children. That was Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s response to the immigration policies running under the Trump administration.
Government
New York Governor Says He’ll Sue Federal Gov’t Over Detention Of Immigrant Children
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ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Governor Cuomo says he plans within the next several days to file a lawsuit against the federal government over the treatment of immigrant children separated from their parents.
Government
Rep. Tom Reed Calls For Congress To Solve Immigration Crisis
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Congressman Tom Reed is calling for bi-partisan action to solve the immigration crisis.
Government
VEEP In Auburn: ‘We Don’t Want Children Taken Away From Their Parents’
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Vice President Mike Pence visited central New York Tuesday and said Congress is working on immigration reform this week that will address issues including the separation of children and their families crossing the Southern border.
Cuomo Joins Other Governors In Withholding National Guard Troops From The Border
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Opposing the Trump administration’s practice of separating immigrant families, Maryland brought back its troops from the U.S.-Mexico border and Massachusetts is canceling a planned deployment.
Civil Rights Leader Dorothy Cotton Dies In Ithaca At 88
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Cotton was the education director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, former director of student activities at Cornell, and worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. She focused on empowering ordinary people to exercise their rights.
Government
PA Lawmakers Say Stronger Anti-Discrimination Laws Needed
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(Harrisburg) — Democratic lawmakers are advocating a number of changes to Pennsylvania’s anti-discrimination laws. The moves come in the wake of an allegedly racially-motivated incident at a York County Golf Course in late April.
News
Pennsylvania Man’s Racial Profiling Charge Prompts Lowe’s To Suspend Receipt-Checking Practice
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KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – The home improvement chain Lowe’s has suspended its practice of checking customers’ receipts at the exits of its stores.
Featured in Category
Report That Clears Governor’s Aide Of Sexual Harassment Leaves Unanswered Questions
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ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – A report from the state ethics commission clears Governor Cuomo’s former high level economic development official Sam Hoyt of sexual harassment charges, but the report leaves many unanswered questions.
Education
Syracuse University Students Suspended Up To 2 Years Over Offensive Videos
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – A number of Syracuse University fraternity students involved with racist and sexist videos that were released to the public this spring, have been suspended for up to two years.
New York Stock Exchange’s First Female President Thanks Her Trailblazers
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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.
Judge Halts Deportation Of Detained New York Pizza Delivery Man
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Judge Alison J. Nathan has stopped the deportation of Ecuadorean immigrant Pablo Villavicencio Calderon until at least July 20. He was detained on June 1 while delivering food to a Brooklyn Army base.
‘From Delivery To Detention’: ICE Detains Pizza Guy At Army Base In New York
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Pablo Villavicencio, an Ecuadorean immigrant, was attempting to make a delivery at Fort Hamilton when he was detained and handed over to immigration authorities.
Asia
A Bill To Allow Divorce In The Philippines Could Mean Freedom For Some Women In New York
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The Philippines is the last country in the world that does not allow divorce.
In New York, Harvey Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty To Rape Charges
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The former movie producer made his first court appearance Tuesday since his arrest late last month.
The Education Of New York Senator Bobby Kennedy — On Race
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“Robert Kennedy was in search of love and found it in black America, and it was reciprocated,” says historian David Margolick, reflecting on RFK’s legacy 50 years after his death.
Drag Queens Of New York Strike A ‘Pose’ In FX Drama
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The new series Pose looks at how New York drag queens created their own percolating club scene when they weren’t welcome anywhere else.
Arquette: After Rejecting Weinstein, ‘I Had A Completely Different Career’
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Rosanna Arquette, one of the first actresses to come forward regarding a sexually abusive encounter with movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, says the charges he faces in New York aren’t the result of a “witch hunt.”
Conflict
Many Women Seeking Asylum In New York Have Been Released…But With Ankle Monitors
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Garífuna people escaped violence to join relatives in the South Bronx. And now, they say, being shackled is humiliating.
‘I’m Not Aware Of That’: Starbucks Employees Receive Racial Bias Training
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Starbucks closed thousands of stores across the country Tuesday for racial bias training. The sessions were closed to the public, but the company hosted an event for reporters in New York.
Government
PA Statehouse Likely Getting First Openly Gay Lawmaker Of Color
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KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – The Pennsylvania Legislature is poised to soon make history as it welcomes its first openly gay lawmaker of color.
Why Can’t He Wash The Dishes?! The Chores That Can Sink A Relationship
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There was exactly one sink in my first New York apartment. It was fine for a person living alone, but when my roommates returned, well, the dishes piled up fast.
To Quell House Rebellion, NY And PA Republicans Promised Action On Immigration
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Over initial objections by House GOP leaders, the House is expected to take up immigration legislation next month that threatens to further divide the party in the middle of an election year.
Who Can Use The N-Word? That’s The Wrong Question
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Earlier this week, a New York City man named Rob Carmona was being sued by a former employee named Brandi Johnson, who said that Carmona harassed her and other employees. The story gained national attention because of what Carmona was heard saying on a recording.
A Woman’s Now CEO At The New York Stock Exchange. It Only Took 226 Years
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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.
Woman Sues R. Kelly In New York Alleging Sexual Battery And False Imprisonment
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A lawyer for the 20-year-old woman, Faith A. Rodgers, says that she is the same person who filed a criminal complaint against the R&B singer in Dallas.
Crime and Justice
House GOP Grapples With Harassment And Points A Finger At PA Democrats
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HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — State House Republicans are increasing Representative Nick Miccarelli’s punishment after deciding his actions constitute retaliation against two women who accused him of physical and sexual abuse–fellow GOP representative Tarah Toohil and another woman who has remained anonymous.
african american history
Poor People’s Campaign Seeks To Revive MLK’s vision
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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.
Seneca Nation Commemorates Buffalo Creek Treaty, Signed 176 Years Ago
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An annual ceremony was held last week at the Burchfield Nature and Art Center in West Seneca to mark the 176th anniversary of the signing of the Buffalo Creek Treaty. The pact, signed in 1842, restored and recognized the Cattaraugus and Allegany territories as sovereign Seneca lands.
Katko, House Republicans Agitating For Immigration Fight
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A growing number of House Republicans want to force votes on immigration legislation this summer despite opposition from GOP leaders, including Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Crime and Justice
Rally In PA Capitol To Highlight Struggles Of Low-Income Families
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KEYSTONE CROSSROADS — After some of the civil rights victories of the 1960’s Martin Luther King Jr. turned his focus to poverty, and launched the Poor People’s Campaign to press for things like affordable housing and livable wages.
Energy
PA Wants To Audit Gas Companies’ Hiring Of Women, Minorities
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – The Pennsylvania Department of General Services is continuing to call on state lawmakers to allow it to audit natural gas companies’ efforts to hire businesses owned by women, minorities and veterans.