ACLU
Lawyer For Trans Woman Hopeful Settlement Will Impact Jail Policies
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“This is a policy that addresses housing placement, safety, access to medical care, name and pronoun use, search procedures.”
Can West Point And Annapolis Offer A Road Map For Reopening Colleges?
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Mandatory masks, strict discipline and rigorous testing have helped the academies, including West Point and Annapolis, welcome students back to campus. Can other schools learn from their example?
Bainbridge Veterans Clinic Safe For Now, Pending Federal Study
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“It doesn’t make sense to close a clinic until you have some kind of a study done to determine what the needs are of that region.”
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.
american homefront
After Treating COVID-19 Patients In New York, Reservists Return To Rising Cases At Home
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“If we really didn’t feel like there was much we could do for that patient, we would move on, and that’s sort of the idea of disaster management, do the best you can for the greatest amount of people,”
New York VA Featured In Inspector General Report On PPE Shortages
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“It’s baffling that the Veterans Health Administration does not have a strategy in place to address the shortages of PPE in New York.”
Health
National Guard Taking Its Fight Against Coronavirus To All Sections Of PA
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Approximately 850 Pennsylvania Guard members are supporting operations throughout the state to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Arrives In New York To Ease Coronavirus Pressure
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The Comfort will use its roughly 1,000 beds to treat patients who do not have the coronavirus disease COVID-19 but who urgently need other care.
‘Absolutely Ridiculous’ To Militarize U.S.-Canada Border Over COVID-19
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America’s longest undefended border totals around 4,400 miles and hasn’t been militarized since after the American Civil War.
Coronavirus Concerns Alter Mission Of Veteran Advocates
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“I would just encourage people to only contact the Veterans One-Stop if they are in (edit) in dire straits.”
New York Governor Calls For Army Corps To Help Build Temporary Hospitals
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Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he has already identified four sites to build temporary hospitals to help deal with the surging cases of coronavirus in the state.
Trump Activates New York National Guard
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President Trump said he has activated the National Guard to assist New York, California and Washington.
Coronavirus: U.S. Navy Hospital Ship Deploys To New York
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The pair of ships, the USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy, will help local medical workers grapple with an influx of patients. But it remains unclear precisely when they will be ready to go.
App NEWS
One Man’s Daring Mission Shared
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A Polish resistance fighter who sought to gather intelligence about the Auschwitz concentration camp complex by infiltrating it.
App NEWS
Freshman Democrat Backs President In War Powers Vote
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“I don’t want to restrict the administration’s hands to be able to respond to threats from a very unstable regime in Iran.”
Government
PA’s Congressional Delegation Reacts Along Party Lines To Strike On An Iranian General
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Most Republican members have said they support the move; Democrats say they’re worried about destabilizing the Middle East and concerned Trump didn’t seek congressional approval
Congressional Spending Measure Keeps Veterans Clinic In Bainbridge For Now
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Advocates are still pushing for a long-term solution.
France Thanks Second WNY World War II Veteran With Legion of Honor
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She also spoke about the task of having to assist so many wounded individuals.
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.
Featured in Category
Disabled Veterans Group Raises Concerns Over Soldiers Exposed To Burn Pits
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“They (researchers) did some biopsies on their lungs, and what they found out was, the issues have to do with toxins in their lungs from those burn pits while they were deployed,”
App NEWS
Governor Signs 14 Bills For New York Vets, Calls Trump’s Participation In NYC Parade “Great”
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo mostly avoided President Donald Trump, who also attended Monday’s Veterans Day parade in New York City.
App NEWS
After Tour By VA Official, Congressman Optimistic Clinic Will Stay In Bainbridge
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“I think it was good for him to come here to see the needs of a community-based outpatient clinic in a very rural area like Bainbridge.”
Featured in Category
New York’s Governor Works To Streamline Creation Of 1st State Veterans Cemetery
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On this 100th anniversary of Veterans Day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he is introducing legislation to streamline the process for establishing New York’s first State Veterans Cemetery.
News
Cuomo Has “No Problem” With Trump Appearing At NYC Veterans’ Day Parade
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“Everybody is invited, everyone should honor veterans. The more that come, the better.”
VA Report On Veteran Suicides Shows Mixed Trends, Busy Prevention Efforts
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Overall, annual suicides increased by 43.6 percent between 2005 and 2017. Among veterans, that increase was 6.1 percent.
77 Years After Dying In A POW Camp, Lt. Crotty Returns Home
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The remains of Coast Guard Lieutenant Thomas James Eugene Crotty, known by friends and loved ones as “Jimmy,” were returned Friday in a solemn ceremony at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.
New York Officials React To Death Of ISIS Founder
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“Despite this great victory, we must not confuse the death of this evil man with the total defeat of ISIS.”
New York Lawmakers Push To Provide Free Dental Care For Veterans
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“They whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we in a less final, less heroic way be willing to give of ourselves,”
App NEWS
Ithaca Pacifist, Six Others Convicted On Charges Stemming From Anti-War Protest
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“We have choices about what we consent to and what we don’t consent to. That’s a nonviolent practice of withdrawing consent.”
Reed Supports President’s Decision To Pull Troops From Syria
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Reed described those who voted against the president as showing a “political cowardice” that was “appalling.”
Veterans Cemetery Project Completion Pushed Back Years
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The next phase of the project is now rescheduled to start 2022, and some elements of the cemetery will not be finished for several more years.
Government
Gillibrand Visits Military Installations In New York
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This week, one of her stops took her to Rome Lab and the Defense Finance and Accounting Services office at the Griffiss Business Park.
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.
From Combat To Classroom: The Challenges And Perks Of Being A Student-Veteran
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“I’ve learned to have to keep my mouth shut more often than not, especially with my political views. I find that they don’t really mesh with politics of student life on this campus. But that’s OK.”
Uncategorized
Congressman Delgado Appointed To Committee On NDAA
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The measure defends Department of Defense, but also includes related measures.
107th Airmen Reunite, 50 Years After Responding To The “Pueblo Incident”
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Members of what was then the 107th Tactical Fighter Group were called to duty in early 1968, and were first sent to South Korea to serve in a support role after the USS Pueblo had been captured by North Korean forces.
New York Firefighter Laid To Rest 18 Years After Sept. 11 Attacks
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More of Michael Haub’s remains were identified last week, and family and friends gathered in New York City to honor him at a memorial service on Tuesday.
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
Tioga County, New York Exhibit Spotlights Veteran Suicide
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About ten percent of Tioga’s population are veterans.
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.
‘I’m Still Dealing With It’: How New York Veterans Are Learning To Cope With PTSD
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For many veterans, coming home from war is more difficult than what they experienced on the battlefield while they were deployed.
Many Families Must Fight For The Medal Earned By Their Veterans
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Many veterans and families of deceased veterans who are owed this medal, however, must often undergo a painstaking process to acquire the deserved medal.
News
Israeli Ambassador, Holocaust Refugees Thank Oswego For Fort Ontario shelter
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Refugees spent about a year and half at the fort before they were allowed to officially enter the U.S. as new immigrants.
This Time, A Three-Time Purple Heart Recipient Gets A More Dignified Presentation
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“Roland” Hayes enlisted in 1966 at the age of 18. He was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division and the following year, he was stationed at a base in Vietnam, where he served as a cook. But he’d soon end up on the front lines.
Medal Of Honor Winner Returns To New York For Hometown Hero’s Greeting
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“My first stop in New York City was a gay pride parade. I thought to myself I didn’t know how this was going to go – you know, Army guy, uniform, Medal of Honor – they saluted me. They told me to go get ISIS. They thanked me for my service.”
News
A Rare Butterfly Found Refuge At An Unlikely Place: A PA Military Base
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The training center welcomes hundreds of people each summer who want to see the “regals.”
“We Are Dwyer” Program Helps New York’s Vets, “Saves Lives”
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“The problems I ran into when I first got out were immense. It’s difficult to explain how hard it is, feeling completely removed from your family.”
In ‘The Book Of Collateral Damage,’ A New York Author’s Accounting Of What Baghdad Lost
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The novelist and poet Sinan Antoon, raised in Iraq and now living in New York, returned home following the 2003 U.S. occupation. That experience inspired his new work of fiction.
Education
Fundraising Continues For World War Two Vessel ‘The Sullivans’ in Buffalo
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The USS The Sullivansis a destroyer which is named for five brothers, all of whom were killed in action during World War II.
Afghanistan
Flags In New York At Half-Staff For Trumansburg Soldier Killed In Afghanistan
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Sgt. James G. Johnston, 24, died as a result of injuries sustained on Tuesday in the Uruzgan Province in Afghanistan.
Medal Of Honor Awarded To New York Veteran
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Retired Army Staff Sgt. David Bellavia received the nation’s highest medal for heroism for saving his squad in Fallujah, Iraq. Bellavia is the first living veteran of that war to be so honored.
Peers Remember The David Bellavia They Knew Before He Earned The Medal Of Honor
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“I don’t really think a person receives an award. I think it’s the award is what people respect and the person is just the custodian of it.”
Medical Help For Blue Water Sailors Clears Hurdle; Eligible Vets Urged To Sign Up ASAP
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Ground-based veterans suffering various illnesses have, for years, been receiving VA medical benefits for Agent Orange exposure. Blue Water veterans, however, have been left out.
West Point Says 1 Cadet Killed, 22 Other People Injured In Road Accident
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The accident occurred around 6:45 a.m. ET near a training area in New York state and involved a light medium tactical vehicle — the military’s multipurpose transport truck — the academy says.
PA Paratrooper On Commemorating D-Day: ‘Show Some Citizenship’
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Leslie Cruise served as a paratrooper during the D-Day invasion, June 6, 1944. The 95-year-old veteran reflects on his survival often and believes he has an obligation to share his story.
App NEWS
From the Archives: D-Day Veteran Remembers His WWII Journey
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From the archives: listen as WWII vet Phil Russell recounts his D-Day experience.
Renewed Push Meant To Extend Agent Orange Health Care To Blue Water Vets
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An estimated 90,000 veterans have been denied coverage. These are the Blue Water Navy Veterans, who served on ships off the Vietnamese coast but may have also been exposed to the chemical.
Veterans Travel Upstate To Help Ship, Park Prepare For Tourists
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They came to Buffalo from places including downstate New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to renew an annual tradition.
Homeless Veterans: Why It Happens, And Who’s Working To Avert It
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“My grandfather was my hero growing up. He used to tell me every day, be nice to everybody every day, especially the downtrodden. And this guy is more downtrodden than anybody else I’ve ever seen.”
‘Fall And Rise’ Seeks To Tell The Story Of 9/11 From All Angles
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Mitchell Zuckoff spent years researching the stories of individuals whose lives were forever altered, if not ended, on Sept. 11, 2001.
Advocates Explore “Thank You For Your Service” At Veterans Conference
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“Somewhere around a million service members have deployed, and left their families and left their civilian jobs to go overseas and defend the United States and many of them return home to discrimination.”
App NEWS
Auditor: PA’s Funding Scheme Routed Billions Away From Bridge Repairs
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Pennsylvania could be spending billions more dollars to update aging roads and bridges, instead, the money is being re-routed to help fund state police.
April Marks Month Of The Military Child
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For many, it means a childhood involving multiple relocations. It also means long-term separations from parents who are called to active duty or deployed overseas.
App NEWS
New York Lawmakers May Extend Free College Tuition To Gold Star Families
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There’s a renewed push in Albany to expand the state’s free college tuition program to the families of service members who die while on duty.
App NEWS
Schumer: Fix ‘Broken’ Veterans’ Caregiver Program
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“I’m in a situation where I’m facing brain surgery for the Parkinson’s, and back surgery for the injury that got me discharged. I had to put that all on hold to fight the mortgage company.”
Anthony Brindisi
VA Official Blames Plan To Move Bainbridge Veterans Clinic On Access, Building Size
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Southern Tier Congressman Anthony Brindisi asked about a proposal to move the clinic during a hearing for the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee this week.
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.
Vietnam Vets, Who Didn’t Get Heroes’ Welcomes Then, Have A Day Of Their Own
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“The fact of the matter is, people are coming back from war with both physical and mental needs that are not being met.”
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.”
‘American Chopper’ Unveils Bike To Support Western New York’s Vietnam Memorial project
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A downstate built custom motorcycle meant to support a project to bring a traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall to Western New York permanently was unveiled in a nationally-televised broadcast
He Helped Build A Dental Clinic For Women Displaced By ISIS. He’s Returning To Treat Refugees Again
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Dr. Shibly returns to a refugee camp where, from March 31 to April 4, he hopes to provide dental care for an estimated 2,500 children.
Vietnam Veteran Living With PTSD Begins Walking Tour Of New York State
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A Vietnam Veteran who has lived with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for the past 50 years is taking a walk across New York State to raise awareness and support for other veterans, young and old, who are also living with PTSD. He began his journey in Buffalo.
PA Veteran Gets Surprise Visit From An ‘Old Friend’: A Sherman Tank
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The last time Clarence Smoyer rode in a Sherman tank, he was a 21-year-old corporal in the U.S. Army.
Four WWII Chaplains Who Sacrificed Their Own Lives Remembered
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“They decided to stay on the deck, give up their life vests, and give them to other sailors or civilians who were aboard the vessel.”
When Nazis Took Manhattan
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In 1939, an event at Madison Square Garden was billed as a “Pro-America Rally.” It was, in fact, a rally in support of Hitler and fascism.
Central New York
Ithaca Constituent Calls On Reed To Show Some Courage And Vote Against Trump
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Theresa Alt was one of two people who stopped by for a visit. Alt met Tuesday with staff at Congressman Tom Reed’s Ithaca office. That office last opened its doors two weeks ago, but there were no visitors. This time, people showed up.
Sailor In End-Of-War Celebratory Kiss Served On Ship Now Moored In Buffalo
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His spontaneous kiss of a passing woman in Times Square was captured on film and published by Life Magazine. George Mendonsa died last weekend at the age of 95 but a part of his life now rests docked in the waters of the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park.
Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund Cuts Payouts By As Much As 70 Percent
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The fund is reducing awards as it faces a surge in claims before the fund’s 2020 expiration date.
Homepage Top Story
Gillibrand, Armed Services Committee Scold Housing Execs Following Military Survey
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U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and the other senators on the Armed Services Subcommittee were infuriated with real estate executives over health hazards in military base homes.
What Do Veterans’ Advocates Want From Lawmakers In 2019?
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The common theme at the state and federal levels is seeking more support for mental health services, especially for suicide prevention.
Last WWII Nazi Living In US, Deported From New York Last Year, Is Dead at 95
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A Nazi war criminal, living safely in New York until his deportation to Germany last year, has died. He had been the last known World War II Nazi living in the U.S.
For Many Veterans, Four-Legged Friends Make For Better Bonding
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More awareness is being raised for the mental well-being of veterans after they have finished their service. Many are turning to a special loved one in their reinsertion into civilian life. Those loved ones come in the four-legged variety.
Holiday Cheer? Not So Easy For A Veteran Living With PTSD
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During the Holidays, people are encouraged to be merry. But for many, the opposite occurs and depression or other mental health issues rise to the surface.
1776 ‘Christmas Riot’ Reveals Long-Forgotten Tensions Between PA And MA
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A Christmas Day battle at Fort Ticonderoga between Massachusetts and Pennsylvania regiments in the Continental Army has long been a mystery. Now, new documents detail what happened and why.
Food and Farms
Proposed Changes To Military Milk Deliveries Could Hurt New York’s Dairy Industry
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A new federal proposal would change the way New York’s military installations get milk, and could hurt local dairy farmers. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) is trying to stop it.
Crime and Justice
At 10 years old, Buffalo’s Veteran Treatment Court Now Mentors Similar Programs
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Ten years ago, Buffalo became the first city in the nation to introduce a court specifically for veterans who, through support and treatment, could overcome issues that put them in legal trouble.
As Rumors Swirl Around Bainbridge Veterans Clinic, Vets Wonder What’s Going On
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The VA wants to move its Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Bainbridge, a rural community in right off I-88 in Chenango County, to Oneonta. Rumors of that move have intensified over the last year, but veterans, stakeholders and residents don’t know why a move would be made. Even more, they wonder if it would be better.
New York Veterans Ask VA To Include Women In The Agency’s Motto
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The VA motto, which is taken from Lincoln’s second inaugural speech, addresses veterans with the male pronoun. Some veterans want to change the wording to include women.
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.
News
Remembering The ‘American St. Nick’
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Richard Brookins died last Thursday at the age of 96. He was a WWII veteran but his impact as a soldier is perhaps best known for the impromptu decision to have him dress up as Saint Nicholas on December 5th, 1944.
At 10 years old, Buffalo’s Veteran Treatment Court Now Mentors Similar Programs
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Ten years ago, Buffalo became the first city in the nation to introduce a court specifically for veterans who, through support and treatment, could overcome issues that put them in legal trouble and were preventing them from living lives as productive civilians.
Energy
Indictment: Russian Military Targeted PA Nuclear Power Company
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – A federal indictment filed this week alleges Russian hackers targeted a nuclear power company near Pittsburgh beginning in 2014, in addition to anti-doping agencies throughout the world.
Featured in Category
Trump Keynotes Flight 93 Memorial’s 9/11 Ceremony
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SHANKSVILLE, PA (WSKG) — Every year, the families and friends of those killed on Flight 93 gather near the spot where the United Airlines jetliner went down, and read the names of their lost loved ones.
At 9/11 Commemoration, Trump Praises ‘Heroes Of Flight 93’
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The president said the site of the crash in Shanksville, Pa., “is now a monument to American defiance … a message to the world America will never ever submit to tyranny.”
News
Families, Friends Close A Chapter Of The Flight 93 Memorial
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SHANKSVILLE, PA (WSKG) — On September 11, 2001, four planes crashed: two in New York City, one outside Washington DC, and one in a remote Pennsylvania field. That last plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was diverted from its likely target by its passengers and crew. All 40 were killed. Now their loved ones have dedicated the final piece of a memorial commemorating them: the Tower of Voices. The newest and last feature of the Flight 93 National Memorial is 93 feet tall, and designed to hold 40 massive wind chimes.
News
Trump To Keynote Flight 93 Anniversary
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SHANKSVILLE, PA (WSKG) — President Donald Trump is slated to visit to Somerset County later today to mark the 17th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.
NYC Subway Station Reopens 17 Years After It Was Destroyed During Sept. 11 Attacks
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The newly reconstructed WTC Cortlandt station opened on Saturday, just three days before the anniversary of the attack.
‘They Thought I Was Dead’: A 9/11 Survivor Recalls His Escape
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Joe Dittmar was in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. In a StoryCorps interview last year, he vividly recounts what he saw that morning — and how he got home to his family.
binghamton
Protesters In Salina Say Lockheed Martin Has Blood On Its hands
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The suburban Lockheed Martin facility is the focus of these protesters carrying signs accusing the company of having blood on its hands. Ariel Gold of Ithaca said a recent Saudi bombing using U.S. made weapons has prompted this gathering.
binghamton
Mental Health Diagnosis Often Missing Among Soldiers Who Attempt Suicide
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Many American soldiers who attempt suicide have no prior mental health diagnosis, according to the most recent study to make use of data collected by the U.S. Army and the National Institute of Mental Health.
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
binghamton
President Signs $716-Billion Defense Bill At Fort Drum
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The National Defense Authorization Act for 2019 gives troops their largest pay increase in nearly a decade and starts laying the groundwork for the president’s proposed Space Force.
A New York-Born Soldier Killed In Korea Finally Honored With A Purple Heart
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BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) – Sixty-seven years after his death, a Buffalo native has received a half-dozen medals – including the Purple Heart – for his service in the Korean War.
Explosion At PA Army Depot Injures Four
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Officials said the victims suffered burns and three were airlifted to the hospital with serious injuries. Terrorism in not suspected.
american homefront
As Russia And China Grow Their Militaries, Troops In New York Train For New Fronts
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Since 9/11, American troops have been focused much of their training on the fight against insurgent groups in the Middle East. But now, the military is preparing for the possibility of war with nations that have bigger, more sophisticated armed forces.
Arts & Culture
17 Years After 9-11 Attack, The Flight 93 Memorial Nears Completion
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SOMERSET COUNTY, PA (WSKG) — Construction is winding down on the final feature in the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County.
binghamton
Schumer Says Veterans Should Be Allowed To Fundraise Outside Post Offices
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U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer introduced a bill Monday that would compel the U.S. Postal Service to allow veterans’ groups to solicit donations on post office property.
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.
Health
National Demand Prompts Expansion At New York-Based Veterans Crisis Line
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Increasing demand means another expansion for the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL). The Canandaigua-based facility is looking to hire another 30 to 50 people.
Featured in Category
Former Vice President Dick Cheney Speaks At Cornell
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Most of his remarks were about events of the early 2000s. Attendees asked him about some current issues, like how mistakes of the past could inform the current situation with Iran and North Korea.
“Who’s going to teach this administration?” he responded.
News
Security At Air Force’s Rome Lab Under Scrutiny
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Members of New York’s Congressional delegation are trying to secure funding to build a fence around the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome. Without the proper security, they fear the “Rome Lab” is potentially vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
News
Iraq’s Christian Refugees Fear For Their Ancient Culture
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ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – On Wednesday evening, in Ithaca, a small group gathered in the Tompkins County Public Library in Ithaca to learn about the plight of Assyrian Christians from Iraq. The gathering was organized by the Ithaca Coalition for Unity and Cooperation in the Middle East.
News
Choppers From Fort Drum Fill The Skies Over Northern New York
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – The North Country will experience additional helicopter traffic over the next week. It’s part of a first-of-its kind training exercise that Fort Drum says will better prepare their soldiers for the fight of the future.
News
VA Finalizes Land Acquisitions For New WNY Veterans Cemetery
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U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has completed the final land acquisitions in Genesee County needed to build a new National Veterans Cemetery.
News
Ithaca Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Focuses On His Poor People’s Campaign
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People packed the gym of Beverly J. Martin Elementary School in downtown Ithaca to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They also were there to further his vision of a Poor People’s Campaign.
It was a movement to “revolutionize” the country’s attitude toward the poor and rally them to advocate for better living conditions. After a buffet lunch and brief presentations, those attending the celebration divided into smaller groups to discuss issues and solutions to current societal problems.
Fabina Colon, Director of the Multicultural Resource Center and one of the organizers of the Ithaca event, said it was important to spend time talking to each other about problems the community faces today. “If we want different solutions we must create different processes. That is, looking at some of the work that the Poor People’s Campaign is doing and being in alignment with that,” said Fabina Benitez Colon, Director of the Multicultural Resource Center and one of the organizers of the Ithaca event. Nationwide, organizers are trying to bring about a revival of the Poor People’s Campaign with an emphasis on systemic racism, poverty, the war economy and ecological devastation.
Veterans Support Their Peers In Transition Home
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The American Legion Post 80 is one of Bert Proper’s favorite places. Aside from the plaques, pictures and flags that remind him of military service history, he loves the feel of the building. “You’re around people that have been there,” he explained. Proper means been deployed. He served during the Persian Gulf War and had a tough transition back home.
How Southern Tier Farmers Fought To Hold The Union Line
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Many books and movies have been written about Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and his valiant success at Little Roundtop, but very little has been said about the right end the line where Colonel Ireland was with his regiment. Today, they’re getting a little time in the sun. The 137th New York and their leader Colonel David Ireland held down the right side of the line on Culp’s Hill. Culp’s Hill is actually two hills sloping down into a ditch or a swale. On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, General Lee and the Confederate army attempted to get around the Union line.
They Call Me “Cool Fool”: A George Haley Story
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To conclude our series highlighting historical black residence of our region we discuss the life of Bath, NY native Lt. Col. George J. Haley. Haley volunteered in WWII as a fighter pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American military aviators in the U.S. armed forces. He fought in multiple wars, flying over 90 missions in WWII alone. More history from the Twin Tiers can be found here.
From Slavery To Citizenship: The Story Of John W. Jones
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Listen
Listening… /
We continue our series that highlights notable black residents of the Southern Tier with John W. Jones. (If you missed the first installment, click here.)
Shane Johnson of WSKG’s history department writes: “Between the summers of 1864 and 1865, nearly 3,000 Confederate prisoners died at the Civil War prison camp in Elmira, New York. The monumental task of burying the dead fell upon Jones, a former runaway slave.” Shane has more on this epic here.
How Oscar Barton’s Drum Embodies Owego Civil War History
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Listen
Listening… /
For Black History Month, we are highlight notable black residents of the Southern Tier, starting with Oscar Barton. Barton was from Owego and, in 1863, he enlisted in the Union Army as a drummer. For two years, he carried his drum across the South as a member of the 26th United States Colored Troops. Barton’s drum is now on display at the Tioga County Historical Society Museum.