The governor gave updates on the current mask mandate, hospital capacity and testing, in the midst of a surge in COVID-19 cases across the state.

New York's bail reform law does not allocate any additional funds for treatment centers and similar programs, which has been a bipartisan critique of the 2019 policy.

The board agreed to look into a plan to provide additional security at the building that houses the health department. Currently, visitors to the building must pass through a metal detector and a security guard.

"We are racing against the clock now. It's important that when people want to get vaccinated or they want to get boosted, that they can do that immediately."

Since the statewide mask mandate was announced last week, New York’s counties have grappled with how to implement it. Certain counties have embraced the mandate. Others have refused to carry it out.

Hemp processing licenses are once again moving forward with New York state certification, after some were delayed for months following the overhaul of the state's cannabis law, earlier this year.

Tompkins County currently has more than 1,100 active COVID-19 cases. The vast majority of them, nearly 900, can be attributed to Cornell University students. But the county only has nine hospitalizations.

The City of Ithaca will soon begin a guaranteed income pilot program. It's intended for lower and middle-income residents who are primary caregivers.

"The plants literally drowned and died because the roots couldn't get any oxygen."

Across the state about one in every seven positive COVID-19 tests is sent to a lab to be screened for variants. But some counties, like Tompkins, are able to screen nearly all of their tests.