Government
Lieutenant governor says effort underway for “more inclusive” Albany
|
“I think people kind of feel like the old governor’s gone. We have a new governor, and we’re moving forward.”
Students protesting racial harassment met with counterprotestors, hate speech
|
A group of students at Greene High School in Chenango County have held protests and walkouts against racial, sexual and homophobic harassment by other students.
News
Pennsylvania Latinos work to turn huge population gains into political muscle, but still face barriers
|
Advocates are turning to the redistricting process to secure political power, but legal and systemic roadblocks pose a significant challenge.
Crime and Justice
Cuomo to be charged with misdemeanor sex crime over alleged groping of former aide
|
“Governor Cuomo has never assaulted anyone, and Sheriff Apple’s motives here are patently improper. Sheriff Apple didn’t even tell the District Attorney what he was doing.”
App NEWS
Frederick Douglass statues expected to go up for auction next year
|
“You thought you could hurt us, but you didn’t. In fact, you did just the opposite. By doing what you did, you gave us another opportunity to come together.”
Crime and Justice
Governor Enacts New Anti-Harassment Policies for New York’s Workforce
|
“We will take every complaint of harassment and discrimination seriously.”
2021 Election
Policing, Sewage Contentious Points During Binghamton Mayoral Debate
|
The candidates strongly differed over the management of the Binghamton-Johnson City Joint Sewage Treatment Plant.
App NEWS
With Spotlight On Black Maternal Health Crisis, Efforts Underway To Eliminate Disparities
|
“We’re at higher risk of these issues by virtue of seeking health care in a system that does not serve us.”
App NEWS
PA Governor Targets ‘Corrosive’ Sexual Violence At Colleges, Universities
|
The governor and Democratic lawmakers want to make affirmative consent policies standard practice at Pennsylvania colleges and universities.
binghamton
Governor Calls Democratic Party Chair’s Remarks ‘Disturbing’ But Doesn’t Call for His Exit
|
“What Jay Jacob did was wrong, it was very disturbing, clearly unacceptable and it was hurtful.”
App NEWS
Communities Of Color Want To Be ‘Stewards,’ Not ‘Victims’ Of PA Redistricting Plans
|
“We have an opportunity here. Let’s make the best of it. Pennsylvania’s Hispanic community is ready to be a steward of change rather than victims of it.”
App NEWS
Researchers Seek Artifacts Of Underground Railroad At Ithaca Church
|
“It’s a unique archaeological case in that we’re searching for evidence of something that was really working hard to not be seen.”
Education
Armed And Aware: Black Americans Seek Gun, Self-Defense Training
|
Gun ownership is on the rise nationwide, and with the biggest jump being among Black people, some of them have started gun clubs.
App NEWS
On Columbus Day, A Division Over How To Honor Italian Heritage
|
“You go back to the 1930s when thousands of people in Syracuse of Italian extraction, gave their nickels and dimes and quarters to build that monument.”
Crime and Justice
Fire Damaged Susan B. Anthony House May Reopen For Tours Next Wednesday
|
The fire last weekend is considered suspicious, and investigators are looking into it.
Crime and Justice
Fire Destroys Back Porch At Susan B. Anthony House
|
The cause of the fire is listed as suspicious but still under investigation. Cameras reportedly showed a person on the back porch.
App NEWS
Rochester Determines One Officer In Daniel Prude Case Should Face Charges
|
The Rochester police served the officer with departmental charges, but it was not specific about what kinds of charges were filed.
Health
Fighting Through Stigmas: Have Racial Disparities Affected Research Into Sickle Cell Anemia?
|
Some physicians believe that since the disease is more prevalent in people of color, it’s historically received far less attention and research dollars.
Government
Hochul Acts to Promote New York’s Abortion Rights
|
“I guarantee I did not know I was pregnant with my first child at six weeks. I actually went on a whitewater rafting trip.”
Crime and Justice
50 Years Later: The Legacy Of The Attica uprising
|
“And unfortunately, the vast majority of the changes have been for the worse, not for the better.”
Food and Farms
Report Recommends Ways To Make New York Farming More Diverse
|
Agriculture is one of biggest sectors of New York State’s economy. Yet people of color are largely left out of it.
News
20 Years Later, Mohawk Ironworkers Reflect On Unique Connection To 9/11
|
20 years later, Mohawk ironworkers reflect on unique connection to 9/11
News
Seneca Falls Unveils Justice Bell Replica, Honors Women’s Suffrage
|
“Just as the liberty bell is an enduring symbol of the American struggle for freedom, the justice bell is the struggle for women’s equality.”
Government
Harlem State Senator Brian Benjamin Chosen For Lt. Governor
|
“I never in a million years would have imagined I would be standing here as the lt. governor of the state of New York. But God has bigger plans for me.”
Government
Will Governor Hochul’s Rise Launch a New Era in Albany?
|
Now, for the first time in state history, two women and one man will be in the room where major pieces of legislation are negotiated.
App NEWS
Kathy Hochul Now New York’s First Woman Governor
|
“I believe that we will need mask mandates for children to go back to schools. And that will have to be universal, it will be statewide.”
Government
Disability Rights Advocate Says Nation Can’t Afford To Shortchange Home Health Care
|
Luticha Doucette of Rochester explains why President Biden’s $400 billion plant to boost home health care funding is crucial for people with disabilities.
Health
Early Detection Is The Best Prevention–The Importance Of Cervical Screenings
|
“It was a shock at first, then it went from shock to being flat, to a little anger, but now I’m at, ‘Let’s just get this over with.’”
Finger Lakes Campaign Hopes To Increase Vaccine Confidence
|
To better understand the concerns of Black, Hispanic and rural residents, the group conducted a series of interviews and focus groups.
App NEWS
Activists Commemorate Black August, Say Police Reforms Not Enough
|
Organizers say the governor’s executive order to reform police last year didn’t go far enough in curbing discriminatory policing against Black New Yorkers.
Government
9 States Have Transgender School Sports Bans. Now They’re Under Discussion In PA
|
“We can’t avoid those difficult subjects. We have to be able to talk about them, and the only way that we’re going to create good policy is to better understand it.”
Arts & Culture
Ithaca Native Named First Executive Director Of National Women’s Hall Of Fame
|
Gabriel said one of her goals is to get more people, both locally and nationally, to learn about the Finger Lakes connection to women’s rights.
Government
New York Lawmakers Criticize Selection Of Chick-fil-A For New Thruway Dining Options
|
“When the state is engaged in a contract with an organization that has a history of discrimination, that’s inappropriate.”
Education
Federal Probe Into Indian Boarding School Grave Sites Seeks To Bring Healing
|
“We must shed light on the unspoken traumas of the past. No matter how hard it will be.”
Health
Common Ground Health Report Reveals Racism At Center Of Public Health Crisis
|
Black people in the Finger Lakes region face stark health disparities as a result of racism and the way it manifests, a problem magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
App NEWS
Evictions And Leadership Disputes In The Cayuga Nation
|
“I mean the government has done us wrong.”
App NEWS
Canada Day Muted As Nation Reckons With Residential School Legacy
|
On July 1, 1867, the confederation known historically as the Dominion of Canada became official with four provinces, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Six more provinces joined between 1870 and 1949. The celebration of Canada Day is complicated this year. Many people are not celebrating at all, and others are celebrating differently due to recent discoveries of the bodies of hundreds of indigenous children in unmarked graves at former Indian Residential Schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. On May 27, 215 bodies were discovered at a former residential school site in Kamloops, British Columbia.
App NEWS
PA Immigrants Skeptical That Dems In D.C. Will Create A Path To Citizenship
|
Immigration groups around Pennsylvania and the country want to keep pressure on Washington to include a path to citizenship in the final package.
App NEWS
New York Governor Signs Gender Recognition Law
|
Under the law, New Yorkers who want to change their gender listed on an official identification, no longer needs a doctor’s permission or present medical evidence to obtain those changes.
Harlem Globetrotters To The NBA: ‘Don’t Get It Twisted’ Make Us A Pro Franchise ‘Now’
|
In an open letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, the Harlem Globetrotters demanded the team join the league as a franchise.
News
After First Federal Juneteenth Holiday, Reformers Say Harder Racial Justice Work Remains
|
On the federal level, the bill that made Juneteenth a federal holiday has been one of the only major racial justice-related measures to become law.
App NEWS
For Activists, Felony Disenfranchisement Remains A Fight For Civil Rights
|
A majority of those incarcerated will rejoin the community outside of prison at some point.
Education
Experts Discuss Controversy Around Critical Race Theory
|
The theory — which explores narratives of American History from all perspectives — has been a common practice in higher education for decades.
Elmira Celebrates Juneteenth
|
Elmira commemorated the 20th anniversary of the first Juneteenth event in the city at Ernie Davis park.
Black Voices Reflect On Freedom, The Future Ahead Of Juneteenth
|
“I think that it is our job to keep history alive by talking about it.”
App NEWS
At An Elmira Museum, The Push To Turn An Abolitionist’s Legacy Into A Landmark
|
“I want it to be part of the DNA of the town. I want it, I want you to feel it like I feel it.”
How A Former New York Principal Tries To Make Congress Work For His Community
|
Freshman New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman joins a class of younger Black lawmakers working to broaden representation and progressive power in Congress, as well as in the Democratic Party.
News
A Little Known Connection Between Upstate And The First Juneteenth
|
“Hard to believe its 2021, and no marker has even been erected and that’s one reason so few people know about his story and his significance in history.”
Ursula Burns’ Memoir Chronicles Her Journey From New York Tenements To Xerox CEO
|
Burns began at Xerox as an intern and worked her way up through the ranks for almost three decades before being named CEO.
Affordable Housing
INTERVIEW: Broome County Land Trust Aims For Equity In Homeownership
|
“Historically Black and Brown people have been locked out of owning land, and so if we own the land where particular buildings and or other services are operated, we have more of an opportunity to hold onto our resources and power within the community.”
News
Afghans Who Aided US Troops Plea For The Evacuation Of Their Families
|
The United States is withdrawing from Afghanistan after 20 years since invading after Sept. 11, 2001. Local Afghans who assisted American troops are pleading for the U.S. to evacuate their families.
App NEWS
In Corning, Faith Groups Demand Reed Support Sanctions Against Israel
|
“When I got my [citizenship], I swear to protect this country but I have the right, too, to ask my government, or my Congressman, or my president, where is my tax money going?”
News
Haudenosaunee Boarding School Survivors Seek Justice
|
Hundreds of Native American children’s remains were recently found in a mass grave at a residential school site in Canada. The U.S. also sent Native children to such schools and local Haudenosaunee people are still seeking justice.
Antisemitism Spikes In New York, And Many Jews Wonder: ‘Where Are Our Allies?’
|
After turning out for racial justice and other movements in the U.S., they are frustrated by the response to attacks and hatred directed at Jews following the latest Mideast violence.
As Reopening Continues, Pride Celebrations Return Cautiously To New York
|
As Pride Month begins, cities are figuring out how to celebrate safely given the pandemic. It’s especially tricky for bars and street festivals where large crowds are a sign of success and progress.
Health
Historically Black Sorority Work To Eliminate COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy
|
“There’s still a segment of the population who are apprehensive, who are on the fence, and that’s why this event is going to be critical.”
App NEWS
Anti-Harassment Groups Call Out New York’s General Assembly
|
“The Senate passing it is fantastic. That the assembly hasn’t passed it is mystifying, unless you look at it as part of a pattern.”
Crime and Justice
A Last-Minute Push For Clean Slate In New York
|
“I’m the manager at a bank, I’m looking to hire somebody. I can’t know if this person stole money in his previous job, or her previous job.”
Health
Statewide Campaign Shows Tobacco Industry Targets Black Americans
|
“You’ll notice that the advertising is different there. There’s more shelf space dedicated to menthol products. There’s more advertising.”
Government
New York Dems Push For New Abortion Access Fund
|
“It is not just sufficient to say that abortion is a right that everybody has access to. We have to also make it accessible.”
App NEWS
Supporters Push Bill That Ends Some Legal Immunity For New York Police
|
“Ending qualified immunity is about accountability for police and justice for the victims whose rights have been violated.”
Government
PA Probe Finds No Intentional Act To Derail Sex-Abuse Vote
|
“I still have a hard time believing that it wasn’t intentional, even with what was reported today.”
Economy
New York Comptroller To Challenge Amazon’s Racial Justice Practices
|
DiNapoli is asking that Amazon to review its impacts on civil rights, equity, diversity and inclusion, and the impacts of those issues on its business.
Crime and Justice
A Year After Floyd Murder, Black PA Lawmakers Double Down On Push For Police Accountability
|
After weeks of widespread demonstrations, Gov. Tom Wolf signed a number of measures last July that he said “[made] progress in keeping every Pennsylvanian safe.”
App NEWS
New York Dems Look to End Qualified Immunity
|
“All we’re doing is asking the officials of the state of New York, in their capacity, is to serve and protect, and not harm and kill.”
App NEWS
New York Attorney General Seeks Statewide Use of Force Standard for Police
|
“This has rekindled a flame of righteousness, and righteous indignation that has been smoldering for centuries. We are in the midst of a racial reckoning in this country.”
App NEWS
PA Citizens Groups Will Review State Police Use-Of-Force And Racial Bias Incidents
|
The Critical Incident Committee will look at police shootings. Another, called the Use of Force Committee, will review incidents when police hurt or killed someone and a gun wasn’t involved.
Crime and Justice
Cuomo: Making Someone Uncomfortable ‘Is Not Harassment’
|
Governor Cuomo said flat-out at several public appearances that he did nothing “wrong,” and rebuffing claims that his actions violated the state’s laws on sexual harassment.
Crime and Justice
Governor’s Views Of Attorney General Probe Grow Negative
|
In recent weeks, when the governor is asked by reporters about the probe, his answers often include a reference to the attorney general’s possible political motivations.
News
Increase In Violence Hits Close To Home For Asian Americans
|
“For instance, I had an elderly Asian man tell me he went out on the street, and he was spat upon by somebody.”
Underground Railroad Statue Stolen From Western New York Town
|
The missing statue is that of “Tom,” a runaway slave in torn clothing, his hand outstretched toward another statue, that of Catherine Harris. Harris and her father were the first “colored” people in Jamestown.
Rochester Wants To Reimagine Police. What Do People Imagine That Means?
|
Stanley Martin wants to rethink Rochester police — a radical new plan to abolish the police gradually. Others also talk about “reimagining” police, though they mean the same word very differently.
New York’s Doing What the Federal Government Won’t: Giving Benefits To Gay Veterans
|
Though many still don’t qualify for federal veterans benefits, they now can receive state benefits in New York, Colorado, and other states.
App NEWS
No Plan Yet On How Undocumented People Apply For NY COVID Relief
|
The relief fund sets aside $2.1 billion for those who lost work during the pandemic, but, due to immigration status, were ineligible for unemployment benefits or federal stimulus checks.
Crime and Justice
Cuomo Says His “Time Will Come” And He’ll Tell His Side Of The Sexual Harassment Story
|
“The complainants have continued to go to the press and make their complaints in the press, and I have not been able to respond. That’s not fair and that’s not right.”
Crime and Justice
Embattled Cuomo Pursues Strategy For Survival
|
The restrictions on the media began shortly after several current and former female aides accused the governor of sexual harassment, and in one case, sexual assault.
Health
Nonprofits Pick Up Slack In Vaccinating PA’s Communities Of Color
|
Organizations meet new needs of people they have already built trust with.
Government
Seneca Nation Seeks Stay, Decision By Interior Dept. On New York Casino Compact
|
The Senecas have insisted that under the Compact, their financial obligations to New York State ceased after the original 14-year deal.
Asian Man In Critical Condition After Another Attack In New York City
|
In an attack that is being investigated as a possible hate crime, a 61-year-old Asian man was pushed to the ground and kicked in the head repeatedly on Friday evening.
App NEWS
Three Run For Binghamton School Board In Wake Of Anti-Racist Book Debate
|
“Reading more about what happened with that just really angered me. Watching the board meeting on Tuesday, seeing all the board members—just one Black person on there.”
420
Cannabis Smell Is No Longer Cause To Search, But Advocates Still Have Concerns
|
Under the new cannabis laws, police cannot use the smell of cannabis to initiate a search in most circumstances.
anti-racism
Anti-Racist Picture Book Spurs Debate In Binghamton
|
“Whether you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with the conversations taking place in the book, they are conversations that are happening in our communities and should not be ignored.”
Government
Cuomo Asked to Ban Non-Essential State Travel to Arkansas Over Transgender Laws
|
“It is frustrating and heartbreaking that we have to call for and impose yet another travel ban in response to yet another state enacting dangerous and harmful anti-trans legislation.”
App NEWS
New York Medical Expert To Grand Fury: ‘Police Didn’t Kill Daniel Prude’
|
“(M)y opinion is that none of the officers, their impact, individually or collectively, would have caused or contributed to that cardiac arrest.”
App NEWS
Long Legal Fight Ends, Cariol Horne To Receive Her Police Pension
|
Horne had been dismissed after a November 2006 incident in which she has maintained she tried to stop a fellow officer from choking a man during an arrest.
Regents Ask New York Schools To Develop Comprehensive Diversity Policies
|
“We also believe that in this moment, we must ensure coherent opportunities for all students to actively participate in a lifetime of civic engagement and social justice activism.”
Crime and Justice
Lawmakers Call For Openly LGBTQ+ Judge On New York’s Highest Court
|
“It is imperative that the Commission of Judicial Nomination focus on vetting and recommending qualified LGBTQ+ candidates, who have an intimate understanding of the unique perspectives and needs of our community.”
Government
Excluded Workers Fund Doesn’t Require Prior Approval From Comptroller’s Office, DiNapoli Says
|
The new fund is designed to offer relief to undocumented immigrants who, during the pandemic, didn’t have access to unemployment and other benefits, like federal stimulus checks.
App NEWS
Binghamton City Council Delays Vote On Sewer Plant Audit
|
The council plans to reconvene Monday, April 12 at 6 p.m. to resume consideration of agreement.
Crime and Justice
RPD Fosters ‘Culture Of Brutality And Impunity,’ Federal Lawsuit Alleges
|
The suit alleges the Rochester Police Department used extreme force in responding to protests, and the use of crowd control measures falls into a long history of the department abusing its power.
App NEWS
Under Budget Deal, Communities Without Police Reform Plan Risk State Monitor, Funding Cuts
|
The Ithaca plan was approved, while trustees in Malone ended up sending a revised version of its strategy to the state.
Dr. Rachel Levine: Transgender Health Care Is An Equity Issue, Not A Political One
|
“I think people fear what they don’t understand,” says Levine, assistant secretary for health and the first openly transgender person to serve in a Senate-confirmed position.
Abolish Police
Ithaca Common Council Passes Police Reform Plan, Calls for New Department, But No “Abolition”
|
A task force will now take over the work for designing how the new overarching Department of Public Safety would work.
Abolish Police
Ithaca Takes Up Police Reform, Police Abolition Proposal Included
|
So far, most councilors have not explicitly said how they’ll vote on the resolution.
App NEWS
Asian American Students, Allies Call For Anti-Discrimination Policies
|
“A voice calling for justice does not need to be in perfect English.”
Andrew Cuomo
Binghamton Police Reform Plan Aims For Transparency, But Is It Enough?
|
“For every officer when you get their badge number, you should be able to look up their service record, and it should be easy.”
Crime and Justice
Protesters March Through Rochester One Year After Daniel Prude’s Arrest
|
The protesters moved down Main Street and then to East Avenue, ultimately ending their march in the Wegmans parking lot. Wegmans locked the store around 11 a.m.
Crime and Justice
Assembly Impeachment Probe Into Cuomo Will Take ‘Months, Rather Than Weeks,’ Judiciary Chair Says
|
The New York Attorney General’s Office is conducting its own, simultaneous investigation into the sexual harassment claim leveled against Cuomo in recent weeks.
Assembly Opens Impeachment Inquiry Against Cuomo
|
“We’ll consider the use of subpoenas to ensure the documents are produced and there isn’t any obstruction or any destruction of documents.”
App NEWS
Citing Foul Language, Binghamton City Council Cuts Short Police Reform Hearing
|
“I get the frustration of the callers, we do understand decorum, but again, setting the tone without being condescending is important.”
App NEWS
Essential, Unemployed, Overstretched: How The COVID Economy Crashed On Women
|
As the coronavirus pandemic turns one, researchers have found women have lost decades of economic progress, but some have also found a new voice in advocating for better family and work policies.
App NEWS
Assembly’s Choice Of Impeachment Firm Faces Criticism
|
Questions are being raised about the State Assembly’s choice of a law firm to help an impeachment investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
App NEWS
Despite Activist Concerns, Broome Legislature Adopts Police Reform Goals
|
“It wasn’t inclusive and they didn’t listen to any of the needs of people of color.”
App NEWS
Embattled Cuomo Supported By African-American Leaders
|
Former Congressman Rangel addressed the accusations directly, saying Cuomo deserves a fair defense.
Government
Senate Leader Still Says Cuomo Should Resign, But Also Says Budget Talks Should Continue
|
“I’ve made my opinions clear, I think the governor should resign but I also understand that it is important that we do our job and that will always be my focus.”
App NEWS
Stimulus Package Brings Some Relief To New Yorkers With Disabilities
|
The newest relief package includes$350 billion dollars in aid to states to fund home and community-based services.
Abolish Police
Fights, Mask Burning At Protest Over Ithaca Police
|
There were calls for de-escalation and non-violence within both of the groups.
App NEWS
Defiant Cuomo Says He’s A Victim Of Cancel Culture
|
“People know the difference between playing politics, bowing to cancel culture, and the truth. I’m not going to resign.”
App NEWS
Could Cuomo Step Down Temporarily Without Being Impeached? Maybe Not
|
“I believe it is in the best interest of our State if Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul serves as Acting Governor until the Attorney General’s investigations or any other potential inquiries reach a conclusion.”
Cuomo Aide Says Governor Groped Her In Executive Mansion
|
After Gov. Andrew Cuomo denied touching women inappropriately, “the female aide became emotional” as she and other staff watched his remarks, according to the Times Union newspaper in Albany.
Sixth Woman Accuses Cuomo Of Misconduct
|
“I never made any inappropriate advances. As I said last week, no one ever told me at the time that I made them feel uncomfortable.”
App NEWS
Despite Allegations, Cuomo Says Fourth Term Still On The Table
|
A majority of Democrats in the state Legislature either haven’t taken a public position on whether Cuomo should resign, or have said they want to wait for the results of the attorney general’s investigation.
Daniel Prude’s Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Rochester Police Officers
|
Attorneys representing Nathaniel McFarland, one of Prude’s five children and the administrator of his estate, also allege civil rights violations and gross negligence in the lawsuit filed Monday.
What Went Wrong: Analysis Of Police Handcuffing, Pepper Spraying 9-Year-Old Girl
|
Experts review Rochester, N.Y., police body camera video of a recent encounter of white officers with a Black girl in distress. She was handcuffed and pepper-sprayed in a squad car.
Crime and Justice
Who Are The Attorneys Leading The Sexual Harassment Probe Against Cuomo?
|
“There is no question that they both have the knowledge and background necessary to lead this investigation and provide New Yorkers with the answers they deserve.”
Government
Republicans To Introduce Impeachment Resolution Aimed at Cuomo
|
“We won’t be able to force a vote, but we’re going to keep pounding on this issue. If they really believe in resignation, why not start the impeachment process?”
App NEWS
Cayuga Nation Raises Funds To Repurchase SHARE Farm
|
“As we have gone through the last year of understanding about systematic racism and historic trauma, it’s time for us to address these historic harms within New York State and within Haudenosaunee territory.”
App NEWS
Senate Leader Says Cuomo Must Resign, Gov Says ‘No Way’
|
“No, there is no way I resign,” said Cuomo, who added that he deserves “due process” while the AG’s probe continues.
App NEWS
Reed, As Only GOP Cosponsor, Continues To Support ERA Measures
|
“I do not understand the objection to recognizing the Equal Rights Amendment as part of the constitution.”
App NEWS
Black Church Leaders Say Hosting Corning Pop-Up Pod Eases Vaccine Fears
|
“They know the people in the church, and when you pick a location like that, it helps put more people at ease.”
During Pandemic, Drug Overdose Deaths Surge Among Black New Yorkers
|
Black Americans with addiction face “pervasive and continuing systemic racism” and often struggle to gain access to treatments that prevent fatal overdoses.
Crime and Justice
Governor Cuomo Apologizes But “I’m Not Going To Resign”
|
“It was unintentional and I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it, and frankly I am embarrassed by it.”
App NEWS
Prude Case Raises Questions On Reforming New York’s Criminal Justice System
|
“It’s kind of a Catch-22. They teach the only way to subdue (a person) under excited delirium is choke holds — knees to the neck, hog ties — things of that nature which brings on death.”
App NEWS
For Abuse Victims, Going Public Isn’t Easy
|
“It takes a lot of courage, a lot of guts, oftentimes therapy, and counseling and support around the individual to come forward.”
App NEWS
3rd Woman Accuses Cuomo Of Offensive Behavior
|
“The pattern of sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Governor Cuomo is unacceptable, and I believe the women coming forward.”
App NEWS
Governor Claims He’s ‘Playful,’ But ‘Never Inappropriately Touched Anybody’
|
“I never inappropriately touched anybody and I never propositioned anybody and I never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but these are allegations that New Yorkers deserve answers to.”
Crime and Justice
White House, Members Of Congress Call For Probe Into Sexual Harassment Claims Against Cuomo
|
The White House Press Secretary said President Biden has been briefed on the claims and supports an immediate investigation.
App NEWS
Cuomo Gives New York Attorney General Subpoena Powers After 2nd Woman Comes Forward
|
Cuomo, who is already under fire for withholding data that showed twice as many nursing home residents died of COVID-19 than was previously disclosed, denies both allegations.
Crime and Justice
Joe Prude, Brother Of Daniel, Angered By Grand Jury Decision
|
Joe Prude is the brother of Daniel Prude, who suffocated in police custody a year ago. He says he no longer has trust in the system after state Attorney General Letitia James announced a grand jury had decided not to file criminal charges against any of the officers in his brother’s case.
Crime and Justice
Cuomo Aides Combat Scandal On Two Fronts
|
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his staff were in damage control mode Thursday as they faced two scandals
Government
Cuomo’s Office Denies Sexual Harassment Charges
|
“It’s not true. Look, I fought for and I believe a woman has the right to come forward and express her opening and express issues and concerns that she has. But it’s just not true.”
anna kelles
Legislature, Cuomo, Still Far Apart On Marijuana Legalization
|
Legislative Democrats’ qualms don’t stop at the social equity funding, there are additional concerns as well with the taxation structure, criminal penalties and oversight of the Governor’s proposed Office of Cannabis Management.
Proposed Daniel’s Law Gets A Boost From New York’s Attorney General
|
“We are completely transforming the system. We are making sure that the right person gets called when it comes to a mental health crisis.”
New York Grand Jury Votes Not To Indict Rochester Officers In Daniel Prude Case
|
“We concluded that there was sufficient evidence surrounding Mr. Prude’s death to warrant presenting the case to a grand jury, and we presented the most comprehensive case possible,” officials said.
Government
New York Attorney General Joins Coalition Suing Company For Preying On Immigrants
|
“What strikes at my heart, is the inhumane way in which Libre shackled immigrants with homing devices so they could keep tabs on their investments.”
App NEWS
Doctors Tackle Vaccine Mistrust Through Outreach
|
“Not everyone’s going to have that primary care person to go to for any of their health care needs.”
Ocasio-Cortez Fundraising Drive For Texas Relief Raises $4 Million
|
What began as a call for donations to help Texas residents hurt by the storm grew into millions of dollars that will go to several local charities. Ocasio-Cortez visited a Houston food bank Saturday.
Government
Four New Mass Vaccination Sites to Open Upstate
|
“This is a very big and aggressive effort to address vaccine hesitancy in the Black community.”
Amy Cooper, White Woman Who Called Police On Black Bird-Watcher, Has Charge Dismissed
|
Amy Cooper had been facing a charge of falsely reporting an incident to police, after she told them Christian Cooper, who is not related to her, threatened her in a New York City park. He did not.
Arts & Culture
Lunar New Year Brings Smiles And Hope Amid Hardships For New York’s Chinatown
|
Chinatown has faced both a spike in anti-Asian violence during the pandemic and mounting economic challenges. One of those challenges is the smaller celebrations for the 15-day Lunar New Year festival which began last Friday and usually brings lots of visitors and revenue.
Government
Rochester’s Airport Officially Renamed To Honor Frederick Douglass
|
“I’m blown away. It’s always nice to see dreams deferred being realized… not denied….I’m going to have to take a few moments to soak it all in.”
Crime and Justice
Grand Jury Rejects Charges Against Buffalo Officers Who Shoved Man In Viral Video
|
An Erie County Grand Jury has voted not to indict the officers on charges stemming from a June protest where they were seen on video shoving protestor a 75-year-old protester to the ground.
Does New York’s Latino Community Distrust The COVID Vaccine?
|
“If you look at the data, the whole issue of vaccine, equity… the vaccine isn’t at this point, really, getting to the most vulnerable in an equitable fashion.”
Government
In Partnership With Feds, New York Opens Vaccination Sites In Underserved Communities
|
“Everyone should take it when it’s their turn, because that’s how we get everyone back to work and see our families and friends safely together.”
Historic Portraits, Including 1 Of Susan B. Anthony, Discovered In Attic
|
The new owner of a building in Geneva, N.Y., found the attic’s walled-off room. Among the prints of mostly area locals was one of Susan B. Anthony, a leader in the women’s suffrage movement.
Ithaca Mirrors Nation’s Eviction Debate, But Coalition Wants To Change That
|
“We say that the rent eats first. People are prioritizing paying rent over paying for food, or for medicine that they might need like an inhaler or insulin.”
App NEWS
New York State Probe Finds Racial Gap in Mortgage Lending
|
“The data is clear – families of color, particularly African Americans, do not have equal access to mortgage lending in Buffalo compared to white households.”
Government
Biden’s Executive Orders To Examine Policies Affecting Thousands Of Pennsylvania Immigrants
|
“We hope that it will be a good change, that it will help us, it will help others.”
Mother of Pepper-Sprayed Girl Says Rochester Police Denied Mental Health Help
|
“Her understanding is that the officer basically told her ‘I can’t do that. I can’t call anyone else,’ ” family attorney Lorenzo Napolitano told NPR Thursday.
Economy
Closer Analysis Of December Finds 100% Of Net Jobs Lost Were Held By Women
|
The latest government figures show a net loss of 140,000 jobs in December. What may be surprising is that all those jobs were held by women, especially women of color.
App NEWS
Vaccine Acceptance Challenged By Long History Of Injustice, Conspiracy Theories
|
“We have to recognize the very long history of injustice and misuse that really sets the context for why community members feel the way that they do.”
Crime and Justice
Mother Of 9-Year-Old Who Was Handcuffed And Pepper-Sprayed By Police Speaks Out
|
“She feels like she got me in trouble, she’s so apologetic and so emotional and I explained to her every step of the way, you’re not in trouble, you’re good.”
New York Repeals ‘Walking While Trans’ Law
|
The anti-loitering law, passed in 1976, resulted in decades of discrimination by law enforcement against women of color and people who are transgender, critics say.
Protests In Rochester As Lawmakers Move To Ban Use of Chemical Irritants On Minors
|
Demonstrators gathered near a Rochester police precinct not far from where a 9-year-old girl was pepper-sprayed last week. One officer has been suspended, two others placed on administrative leave.
Rochester Mayor Suspends Police Officers Who Pepper-Sprayed 9-Year-Old Girl
|
The incident renews scrutiny of the city and its police department following the death of Daniel Prude, a Black man who died of asphyxiation after an encounter with police in March.
Government
In Vaccine Roll Out, Governor Says Trust Still An Issue Among Black New Yorkers
|
“The declination rate among blacks in hospital settings where they are hospital workers, is much, much higher than it is among whites or Latinos or Asians.”
Government
Data Shows Racial Gap in COVID-19 Vaccine in New York
|
The state will be launching a new advertising campaign targeted at communities of color with the intention of boosting vaccine recipients among those populations.
News
A Push To Improve Quality Of Life For Older LGBTQ People
|
The AARP Foundation and SAGE, an organization that advocates for older LGBTQ people, announced that they’re working together on an initiative. The two organizations hope to improve the quality of life for older LGBTQ people.
Education
Advocates Highlight How PA’s Outdated School Funding Policy Causes Deep Inequities
|
PCCY’s report found that the two-thirds of Pennsylvania school districts where enrollment has shrunk over the last thirty years receive far more funding per pupil from the state than the others that have grown.
App NEWS
Through Education, Anti-Trafficking Task Force Casts A Wide Net In Support Of Survivors
|
“This is not any one person’s battle. This is such a huge undertaking and it really takes a community to encircle these survivors, to empower them.”
App NEWS
Biden Reverses Ban On Transgender Military Personnel. Is It Enough?
|
“What we still need is the Equality Act to be passed. Without that major legislation, we’re still subject to the whim of the president.”
Government
Cuomo Announces Effort To Strengthen Fairness And Equity In Vaccine Distribution
|
Polls have shown that vaccine skepticism is relatively high in Black communities.
News
New York Women Celebrate First Female Vice President
|
“There will be a generation that won’t know any different. It will be – this is not just something that’s a fluke. This is the standard. The next president is not going to be able to go back.”
In Historic 1st, Biden Nominates Transgender Pennsylvanian As Assistant Health Secretary
|
Dr. Rachel Levine is currently the secretary of health in Pennsylvania, where she leads the state’s fight against COVID-19.
Mets Terminate General Manager Who Reportedly Sent Lewd Texts To Reporter
|
The team’s owner said Jared Porter has been terminated after ESPN reported he repeatedly sent explicit messages to a reporter while he worked for the Chicago Cubs in 2016.
News
Siena Poll: Over The Last Year, New Yorkers’ Views On Race Relations Are Little Changed
|
Over three-quarters of Latinos and 90% of Black New Yorkers say that people of color experience discrimination in New York state.
New York 50-A Repeal: Months Later, Police Find Ways To Shield Disciplinary Records
|
“I am absolutely floored by how inaccessible this is to an ordinary person. The learning curve has been really, really steep.”
Here Are Four Ways 2020 Will Shape PA Politics Moving Forward
|
PHILADELPHIA, PA (WITF) – It’s not easy to recognize important historical moments while they’re happening. But 2020 has been a year marked by disaster and debacle. It has featured a deadly global pandemic, a reckoning over racism in the wake of several Black Americans killed by police, and a tense, litigious election. Looking back, historians, political insiders, and on-the-ground organizers agree that the last 12 months or so will leave an indelible impression. “I don’t know a historian right now who isn’t still kind of in shock,” said Timothy Lombardo, a Philadelphia-born historian of conservative politics.
App NEWS
PA’s Gap Between Students And Teachers Of Color Widens, Black Families Demand Change
|
Over one-fifth of the state’s 500 school districts haven’t had a single teacher of color in at least seven years.
News
National Women’s Hall of Fame Recognizes Under Represented Women
|
A virtual ceremony hosted by the National Women’s Hall of Fame Thursday night honored 6 women for their pioneering efforts toward equality.
So Far, Tompkins Residents Skeptical Of Police Reform Initiative
|
“I look forward to this becoming an actual discussion, where our questions are answered, where we have actual talks about how we can imagine public safety because this ain’t it.”
News
National Women’s Hall of Fame Conducts Virtual Induction This Week
|
“We’re going to make a concerted effort to recognize the women of minorities that need to be acknowledged, and we’re also going to use this as an opportunity to educate, and request that the public nominate.”
Featured in Category
Tompkins History Center Readies For Exhibit Of Ithaca White Settlers Monument
|
“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
|
“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
|
“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
|
“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
|
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
|
“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
|
“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.”
