Government
New York’s Controversial Health Commissioner Resigns
|
“I think I made very clear on my first day in office that I’ll be looking to build a new team. There will be other changes forthcoming.”
Economy
Comptroller Seeks Alternatives To Pay Down New York’s Unemployment Fund Deficit
|
The pandemic caused an unprecedented number of temporary and permanent job losses, with over 4.7 million New Yorkers collecting benefits.
Government
Lt. Governor On New York Health Commissioner: “Stay Tuned”
|
There have been calls for Howard Zucker’s removal over decisions he made during the COVID-19 pandemic, like decisions related to nursing homes.
Education
Survey Finds Most Parents Find In-Person Learning Best, But Want Options
|
60 percent of parents also revealed they’d prefer having remote learning as an available option, full or part time.
Crime and Justice
Governor Doesn’t See A Religious Exemption To Vaccination As A Legitimate Excuse
|
“If you’re watching the national news, the scariest announcements coming out every morning are the number of children contracting Covid.”
App NEWS
Many Unemployment Benefits Ended Amid Ongoing Labor Shortage
|
“There’s clearly something going on in households where people still feel they can get by.”
Government
In PA, Vaccines Prevent COVID-19 Among Most Folks Who Are Innoculated
|
Data suggests during that time, only a six percent chance existed that a person who was vaccinated fell ill with COVID-19 in Pennsylvania.
App NEWS
New York May Allow Some Religious Exemptions To The COVID Vaccine, Judge Says
|
“We believe this step will result in a flurry of attempts to circumvent the well-reasoned vaccination requirement.”
Education
PA’s GOP-Controlled Legislature Challenges Governor’s School Mask Mandate
|
“Nobody wanted to have unilateral government, whether that be from the executive or from the legislature. What people voted for…was cooperative government.”
Government
New York Governor Warns Of Health Care Staffing Shortage, Hospital Bed Capacity
|
“The biggest challenge for our hospitals is not…the beds. Just like last year, it’s staffing. Staffing is now what we need.”
Food and Farms
Poison Control Calls Doubled From People Eating Plants, Mushrooms Found In The Woods
|
They can cause a lot of different problems. One of the things we see with that is significant damage to the liver, a lot of times.”
Government
New York Lawmakers Extend Pause on Evictions, With Exceptions
|
“Now, the landlord gets to have a hearing. I think that goes a long way, and the landlord has a say in court now.”
Government
Governor Plans Booster Shot Distribution, Considers More Mandates
|
In First COVID-19 Briefing, Hochul Talks Vaccines
Government
Activists At Fair Call On Legislative Leaders To Enact Single-Payer Health Care
|
“He super-glued his seat belt shut and drove his car into the Mohawk River….I lost my son because he missed a 20-dollar Medicaid payment.”
Government
New York Lawmakers React To Discrepancy In COVID-19 Death Toll
|
The new COVID-19 death toll numbers of about 55,400 people is in line with the death certificate data provided to the CDC.
Arts & Culture
Experts Offer Tips On Staying COVID-Safe At The New York State Fair
|
“You can transmit to other people. The odds are you’re going to do fine if you’re vaccinated and infected, but the person you infect may not do fine.”
Health
‘Born Protected’: The Benefits Of Getting Vaccinated While Pregnant
|
“When mom gets the vaccine, she develops antibodies that do cross the placenta and provide a degree of protection to the newborn.”
Government
New York’s Vaccine Mandate Raises Questions For Healthcare Workers
|
“We literally created a vaccine within a year, and that’s like unheard of. The fact that it’s new, played a role in me not wanting to get the vaccine.”
Education
Wolf Administration Offers Free COVID-19 Testing For PA Schools
|
“It’s clear that everyone wants to keep kids in the classroom and keep extra curricular activities going.”
App NEWS
New Businesses Surge Amid Pandemic Recovery
|
As of July 23, 2021, 1,242 new business certificates were filed with the Onondaga County Clerk this year. That’s over two times as many as this time last year.
Education
With No State Guidance, New York Schools Roll Out Reopening Plans
|
Syracuse will require masks regardless of vaccination status and require proof of vaccination for all employees or regular testing.
Education
PA Governor Promotes Vaccinations For Some State Employees, But Nixes A School Mask Mandate
|
Nine states, including New York, have implemented new mandates aimed at curbing the spread of the more contagious variant indoors.
Health
Early Detection Is The Best Prevention–The Importance Of Cervical Screenings
|
“It was a shock at first, then it went from shock to being flat, to a little anger, but now I’m at, ‘Let’s just get this over with.’”
Finger Lakes Campaign Hopes To Increase Vaccine Confidence
|
To better understand the concerns of Black, Hispanic and rural residents, the group conducted a series of interviews and focus groups.
Health
Canada Opens Border To Non-Essential Travelers, But It’s Complicated
|
While Canada has taken a major step in reopening its border, the U.S. has not yet offered the same welcome to Canadian travelers.
Health
PA Trying Fairs, Texts And Door-Knocking To Raise Vaccination Rate. Success Is Slow Coming.
|
Nearly 64% of Pennsylvania adults are fully vaccinated, a small increase compared to July
App NEWS
‘A Complete Surprise’: State Health Department Has No Reopening Guidance For New York Schools
|
“There is an urgent need for timely advice and supervision flowing from the State Department of Health to local and school officials.”
Arts & Culture
Despite An Increase In COVID Cases, New York’s Fair Will Open As Planned
|
The fair reserves its right to pivot, if increasing numbers force new regulations to avoid spread of the coronavirus.
Crime and Justice
Amid Criticism From District Attorneys, PA’s Attorney General Touts $1B Settlement With Opioid Companies
|
Municipalities face a choice: take the funds, and agree to drop their lawsuits, or fight the drug companies in court.
Government
Cuomo: New York Needs Stronger Vaccination Policy
|
“I wore a mask for year, it’s not the biggest deal in the world. I could get this delta variant, and I could spread the delta variant. So, better safe than sorry, I’m going to wear a mask.”
Economy
Short Handed Employers Hesitant Over Vaccine Mandates
|
“They want to have safety in their workforce, they want to provide a safe environment for their customers, but they also want to be adequately staffed.”
Government
New York Public Health Law Prompts Changes At Summer Camps
|
“Parents can rest assured that sending their child to camp will not mean sending them away from expert mental health care should they need it.”
Crime and Justice
New York Secures $1.1 Billion Settlement From Opioid Distributors
|
“We’re holding them accountable and delivering more than $1 billion more into New York communities ravaged by opioids for treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts.”
Economy
Visitors Return To Theme Parks By The Thousands, But Finding Good Help Is Hard
|
“The market certainly is much tighter than it has been in the past. There’s no doubt about it.”
Education
SUNY Can’t Mandate COVID Vaccines Until They’re Fully Approved By FDA
|
SUNY is pushing vaccine awareness campaigns and encouraging students and faculty to use vaccine clinics on campus.
App NEWS
Study: Biden Climate Policy Would Have $1T In Health Benefits, Save Thousands Of Lives
|
Pennsylvania would be among top beneficiaries of cleaner air
Health
Common Ground Health Report Reveals Racism At Center Of Public Health Crisis
|
Black people in the Finger Lakes region face stark health disparities as a result of racism and the way it manifests, a problem magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anaplasmosis
Tick-Borne Illness, Rarer Than Lyme, On The Rise In New York
|
“Our impression is that probably, you can find five percent, maybe even up to ten percent in areas, it definitely seems to be increasing.”
Energy
Within A Few Years, Renewable Energy In New York Could Hit 50%
|
New York state aims to have 70% of electricity used, coming from renewable resources by 2030.
Crime and Justice
New York, Other States Announce $4.5B Settlement With Purdue Pharma
|
About $4.3 billion will be distributed to nearly every state in the nation to help fund prevention, treatment and recovery programs; New York will get $200 million.
Energy
State Report: PA Extracted More Natural Gas Than Ever During Pandemic
|
Unconventional wells produced 7.1 trillion cubic feet of gas last year, even as national and regional natural gas prices dipped in response to the pandemic.
App NEWS
Senate Majority Leader Calls For Unilateral Opening Of Border With Canada
|
On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that fully vaccinated Canadians returning to the country from the U.S. would no longer need to quarantine.
Government
New York Declares Gun Violence a Public Health Crisis, Outlines Plan to Address Crime
|
“Gun Violence is not only taking a human toll. It’s taking an economic toll. So we have no choice but to address it. It’s the right thing to do.”
Ticks Suck. Here’s A Guide To Identifying Them And Avoiding Bites
|
With more ticks carrying disease than ever, here’s what you need to know about which ticks to watch out for and what to do if you get bitten.
Health
Lead Paint Poisons Thousands Of PA Children Each Year. Advocates Say It’s Time To Act
|
Lead poisoning prevention experts are calling on the state to fund remediation and testing.
Government
PA Republicans Vote To Ban Vaccine Mandates At Schools And Limit Health Secretary’s Authority
|
An amendment to the Senate bill designed to prevent “vaccine passports” would prohibit the secretary from ordering mask wearing and other public health measures.
Government
Fiscal Watchdog Seeks COVID-19 Data From State Health Department
|
They seek a detailed list of data about the deaths of New Yorkers from COVID-19, including those tracked by the date, county and ZIP code, as well as confirmed cases of coronavirus by age group, race, and ethnicity.
App NEWS
Governor Cuomo’s Emergency Pandemic Powers End Today
|
“The emergency is over. It will not be renewed.”
Government
New York Lawmakers Discuss Mental Health And Addiction
|
Members of the Assembly held an hours-long meeting, speaking with stakeholders in the healthcare industry on what can be done to save the lives of people dealing with addiction and mental illness.
Health
Unemployment Rates For New Yorkers With Disabilities Rose During The Pandemic
|
“It was a cycle that individuals were kind of in the hamster wheel on, and some of them are just getting back to comfortable being in the stores now.”
Health
New York’s COVID-19 Positivity Rate Falls Below .30%
|
The infection rate for the Finger Lakes region is .54%. That is the second highest rate in the state, behind the North Country, but the positivity rate for all regions of the state is well below 1%.
App NEWS
Ready For A Post-Pandemic life? Your Dog May Be Dreading It
|
Experts warn that separation anxiety is a real possibility for pets who got used to having their people around all the time. There is a type of training that helps, but it requires time and patience.
Government
With COVID-19 Waning, Cuomo Retains Emergency Powers
|
Not everyone can immediately go back to normal. Unvaccinated New Yorkers still need to wear masks in public and practice safe social distancing.
Government
Governor Cuomo Celebrates COVID-19 Milestone By Lifting More Mandates
|
New York is still in the process of reopening from the months-long mandatory lock downs, and Governor Cuomo says there are still dangerous variants of the virus that are spreading in other parts of the world.
Government
Cuomo Says New York One Step Closer to Vaccination Milestone
|
Rates in some low-income urban and rural areas are as low as 38.8%. The governor says local governments need to focus on those areas and give it “one more push.”
Government
New York In Tie For The Lowest COVID-19 Infection Rate In The U.S.
|
“New York’s COVID-19 numbers continue to hit record lows and New Yorkers are ready to return to normal.”
App NEWS
Despite ‘A Little Bit Of Anxiety,’ PA Officials Say Most Activities Are Safe For Young, Unvaccinated Kids
|
Acting State Human Services Secretary Meg Snead said parents ultimately have to make their own decisions about what’s safe.
App NEWS
Astorino: Parents, School Administrators Should ‘Show Civil Disobedience’ on Masks
|
“We need school districts and superintendents to marry civil disobedience with common sense. And that is no masks for the rest of the year.”
Education
Finger Lakes Community College Breaks Ground On Nursing School Expansion
|
The expansion will increase enrollment in FLCC’s registered nursing program by 60% and it will also allow that college to add a licensed practical nursing program.
App NEWS
Study Finds Increased Risk Of Serious Stroke Among People Who Recently Suffered COVID-19
|
Young people and those with no COVID-19 symptoms are among those at risk.
App NEWS
New York Governor Revises School Mask Policy: Yes Inside, No Outside
|
The announcement began a weekend of confusion and anxiety for school leaders, teachers and parents who said they would have to once again reconfigure classrooms and alter other protocols.
Government
Cuomo: Most COVID-19 Restrictions Will End Once Vaccination Rate Hits 70%
|
“We hit 70%, we will be back to life as normal, or as normalized as you can be post-COVID.”
Government
New York’s On The Cusp Of A Health Care Overhaul, But Sticking Points Remain
|
A top sticking point for the New York Health Act, which would create a universal, single-payer health care system in New York, is opposition from public sector labor leaders.
New York State Not Yet Ready To Change School Mask Guidance
|
It looks like New York State is not ready to change its guidance on masking yet for grades K-12.
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
COVID-19 Killed Their Brother. Misinformation About The Virus Divided Their Family
|
For some people, grief is complicated by attitudes about the virus among family and friends.
binghamton
Despite Border Closure, Thousand Islands’ Tourism Persists
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – When Corey Fram looks out of his window at work he sees both the American and Canadian flags flying high. “It’s on my property in the United States, but we carry two flags here, a lot of places and that means something to us,” said Fram, the director of the Thousand Islands International Tourism Council. The US-Canadian border remains closed until June 21, when it will be readdressed. Fram said the lack of communication between the two countries throughout the pandemic has really hurt border towns within the Thousand Islands. “There just seems to be no international discussion between the United States on what easing these border restrictions are going to look like,” he said.
Education
Penn State’s Beaver Stadium Set For Full Capacity This Football Season
|
After June 28, only unvaccinated people will need to wear masks on Penn State’s campus.
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.”
Food and Farms
Consumer Groups Claim Alarming Levels Of Lead And Arsenic Found In Some Major Vinegar Brands
|
Some consumer groups are calling on the federal government to take a closer look at what they are calling alarming levels of lead and arsenic in some vinegar products.
Government
New York Offers College Scholarships To Teens Who Are Vaccinated
|
Younger people were cleared for the COVID-19 vaccine later than older people, and they are getting vaccinated at much lower rates.
Small Business Owners Are Scoring Dream Spots In The Most Cutthroat Market: Manhattan
|
There’s a silver lining to all those empty storefronts in New York City: Some business owners are snagging prime Manhattan locations ahead of the Great Reopening.
NYC Schools Chancellor Says Her Message To Parents Is Simple: Schools Are Safe
|
The largest U.S. school district will reopen this fall with no option for virtual classes. Chancellor Meisha Porter says 70,000 employees have already been vaccinated, “and we need our children back.”
Health
Pandemic Was A Sleep Thief; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Help
|
The coronavirus pandemic has robbed many people of sleep. A specific behavior therapy that has a record of success may help those who are suffering from insomnia.
App NEWS
After Backlash, New York State Changes COVID-19 Child Care Guidance
|
“Trying to get ten toddlers to keep a mask on is a feat that’s impossible. It’s very, very difficult. We can barely get them to keep their shoes on, let alone a mask on their face.”
Education
Bill Would Bar PA School Districts From Requiring COVID-19 Vaccinations
|
“Our goal should be focused on getting the vaccine to those who want it, but not punish those who have made a personal choice.”
Government
Governor Cuomo Offers More Incentives To Freshly Vaccinated New Yorkers
|
Meanwhile, Republicans in the state legislature say they want lawmakers to rescind a new mask mandate imposed by Cuomo on young children at day care centers.
Health
Experts Urge Vigilance In Fighting Tick Bites
|
“Ticks are part of our landscape now, and they’re part of our lives, so if we like to be outside and enjoy all of what the outdoors has to offer, we need to be prepared to protect ourselves.”
Government
New York Extends Expiration Date For COVID-19 Excelsior Pass
|
Governor Cuomo also announced that more than 1 million Excelsior Passes have been issued since New York began the program in March.
Government
PA Nursing Homes, Hard Hit By Pandemic, Seek American Rescue Plan Funds
|
Providers’ groups say many long term care homes are on the brink of closure.
Health Experts Focus More On ‘Long COVID’ And Potential Health Effects
|
“My resting heart rate used to be in the upper 50s, low 60s. Just last night, I’m sitting around doing nothing, it’s 115.”
App NEWS
Newly Vaccinated New Yorkers Can Earn Lottery Tickets
|
The top prize is $5 million dollars, but the Governor says there are also lesser prizes, with a one in nine chance of winning.
Government
In A Win For GOP Lawmakers, PA Voters Curtail Governor’s Emergency Powers
|
The ballot questions were widely seen as a referendum on the Wolf administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
App NEWS
Despite CDC Changes, Face Mask Rules Still In Effect at State Capitol
|
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins are easing capacity limits in the Assembly and Senate chambers, but masks will still be required during session.
Education
Study Shows High Confidence In COVID-19 Vaccine At Syracuse University
|
“I think there is an obvious desire to get back to normal, and get their youth and lives back that they so dearly miss.”
Government
Cuomo’s Set To Be Paid $5.12 Million For His Pandemic Memoir, Tax Returns Show
|
Of the initial payment for his new book, nearly half was taken out in expenses and taxes, and the rest was donated to the United Way of New York and placed in a trust for his three daughters.
Full Reopening Of US-Canada Border Urged For July
|
Since March 2020, the border has been closed to all “non-essential” traffic, and the shutdown has been extended on a monthly basis since then. Currently, the closure remains in effect through Friday, May 21.
Government
Pediatricians Say GOP Vaccination Proposal In PA Could Put Children, Newborns At Risk
|
The law would require doctors to let parents set their children’s immunization schedules.
New York State Begins Pfizer Vaccinations For Younger Teens
|
The Governor also announced that beaches and pools will operate with 6′ social distancing, with the goal to reopen them to 100% capacity by July 4.
Government
Over Half of New York Adults Are Fully Vaccinated
|
“Even if a younger person tends to be less affected by COVID, they can transmit COVID just as easily as anyone. So, we have to change the mindset.”
Education
SUNY, CUNY To Require COVID Vaccinations
|
“You go to a SUNY school, State University of New York, City University of New York, you must have a vaccine to come back in September. If you must have a vaccine, get it now, if you have to get it anyway.”
I Came Close To Dying: Wall Street’s Most Photographed Man Is Ready For Normalcy
|
If 100% of a firm’s traders are fully vaccinated, they can start sending more to the stock exchange floor. They can eat lunch in their booths again. Masks will be optional in some parts of the floor.
App NEWS
Federal Dollars Give Hope To Mental Health Advocates Aiming To Launch Treatment Programs
|
Lack of funds kept counties from using “assisted outpatient treatment” services in the past.
Government
As PA’s Primary Nears, Wolf Administration Campaigns Against Limits On Emergency Powers
|
“Many of these disasters, while often short-lived, have long and complex recovery periods lasting weeks, months, and in some cases, years or decades.”
App NEWS
As HERO Act Is Signed Into Law, Supporters Celebrate Its Worker Protections
|
“It is not a cost saving mechanism to put your employees and customers at risk of death.”
Government
Broadway To Reopen Sept. 14, New Rules for Baseball Games
|
Fans who are unvaccinated will have to sit in a separate, socially distanced section with a maximum capacity of 33%.
Blue Jays Confirm Return To Buffalo For Home Games In Bisons’ Ballpark
|
The Jays, unable to play in Toronto’s Rogers Centre and unsuccessful in attempts to use another major league ballpark, played a majority of their home games in Sahlen Field last summer.
Government
Gillibrand Pushes Legislation That Would Lower Prescription Drug Costs
|
“I think this is an idea that is deeply bipartisan. 88% of Americans support it, so I hope we can get some bipartisan legislation passed. If not, if we do reform the filibuster, this could be included.”
Government
New York Lawmakers Move to Extend Eviction Moratorium Through August
|
The legislation would apply to both residential and commercial tenants who file a hardship declaration form with their landlord.
Government
Facing Burnout And Worker Shortages, PA Nurses Say COVID-19 Shows Need For Staffing Ratios
|
Union members called on House Health Committee Chair Kathy Rapp to consider their proposal.
App NEWS
Many COVID-19 Restrictions Could End Soon In New York
|
The governor said everything can’t be reopened all at once — it’s not like flipping a “light switch,” he said — and some restrictions will remain for now.
App NEWS
SUNY Campuses Allow Fully Vaccinated Folks To Go Mask-Free Outdoors
|
“As we set our sights on the fall semester and reopening our campuses, we hope to be able to lift many more COVID-related restrictions in the weeks and months to come.”
App NEWS
Emergency Powers Ballot Questions Set The Stage For A Balance-Of-Power Showdown In PA
|
“This does not kneecap the governor such that the governor isn’t able to operate as an executive.”
App NEWS
Restaurants Say They Need More Help to Survive the Pandemic
|
“It shouldn’t take lawsuits and court hearings for our struggling restaurants to be heard.”
Government
Contact Tracing Data Breach Exposed Personal Data For Over 72K Pennsylvanians
|
The state says it will not renew its contract with the agency after the incident.
Government
Cuomo Cautious Over Reopening NYC, Won’t Commit To Timeline For Reopening The Rest Of The State
|
The governor says New York City and the rest of the state could open up sooner than July.
Government
New York Legislature Ends Some Of Governor’s Pandemic Orders
|
Restaurant industry groups hailed the end of what they called a “burdensome mandate” that further harmed businesses financially devastated by the pandemic.
App NEWS
INTERVIEW: Undocumented Farmworkers Push Through Pandemic, Sickness and Job Loss
|
“We’ve seen people who haven’t been able to work for an extended period of time.”
Government
Fully Vaccinated New Yorkers Can Unmask Outdoors; Vaccine Clinics Accept Walk-Ins Starting Thursday
|
“You don’t have to call; you don’t have to make an appointment.”
Economy
New York Senate to Act On Pandemic Rules, Like ‘Cuomo Chips’ Requirement
|
“It is time to begin removing certain restrictions and regulations that are no longer necessary, so we can safely reopen and rebuild our state’s economy,”
Government
New York Lawmakers Expected To Set New Staffing Requirements At Nursing Homes
|
“The pandemic has laid bare the risks to vulnerable nursing home residents that are inherent in a low staffing business model.”
Education
AutismUp’s Facebook Group Supports Caregivers
|
“I’ll go inside the bathroom, just for a quick second, and I’ll cry. But then I’m like, you know what, let me get myself together, everything’s going to be OK.”
Government
New York Will Resume Use Of The J&J Vaccine
|
“We have three proven vaccines at our disposal. I urge every New Yorker to take whichever one is available to them first.
Government
Public Health Leaders Work To Win Over PA Republicans Who Have Refused Vaccination
|
“We need to identify, what’s the right message to reach those folks?”
Environment
Disposable Mask Pollution Concerns Environmentalists
|
Environmental experts urge people to cut the ear loops off their masks before throwing them in the trash. Sea turtles, birds, and other marine wildlife can become entangled in the loops.
Education
A Year Without Play: Parents And Experts Worry About Loss Of Social Skills During Pandemic
|
“School is not just a place where they learn academics. It’s how they learn to get along with other kids their same age — how to navigate and negotiate all that.”
App NEWS
PA’s House Speaker Tests Positive For COVID-19
|
While some of his Republican colleagues have said otherwise, the speaker is touting mask-wearing and vaccinations as “important to reducing the spread of the virus.”
Government
New York Advocates Rally Virtually For An Aid In Dying Measure
|
“Now, people realize more than ever that dying could come at any time, and we must be prepared for it.”
Government
New York Extends Curfew For Bars And Restaurants To Midnight
|
“At same time, we caution New Yorkers. Don’t get cocky. The disease is still very much with us.”
Education
Colleges, Universities Adjust To New Graduation Guidelines
|
“You have to respect what’s happening with COVID, and make sure not only the students are safe but the family and friends that would come on to campus.”
Health
What Experts Know About Rare Blood Clots And Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine In PA
|
Risk of dying from the virus is 2,000 times greater than the risk of vaccine complications
Government
Following Federal Guidance, New York Pauses Johnson And Johnson Vaccine
|
“We do have enough Pfizer and we do have enough Moderna to keep our schedule.”
Government
New York State Faces Big Drop In One-Shot Vaccine Supply
|
In the Finger Lakes region, 97% of vaccine doses received have been administered, according to the state.
Health
Is It Allergies Or COVID-19?
|
“Now, do I go take a COVID test every time I get symptomatic with my allergies? What do I do?”
Education
As Vaccine Eligibility Expands To 16 And Up, Officials Hope College Students Will Get The Shot
|
“We want to get past this and the only way to get past this is to get folks, you know, vaccinated.”
Food and Farms
PA Restaurants Expand Service While Grappling With COVID-19 Case Increase
|
Looser restrictions are complicated by a rise in cases fueled in part by more infectious variants.
App NEWS
New York Lowers Vaccine Age Eligibility to 50, Launches New Distribution Program
|
Cuomo’s office is encouraging faith-based institutions to partner with medical providers to launch local vaccination clinics.
Education
Gillibrand Pushing For More School Funds In Next COVID Relief Bill
|
She said the proposed $3.6 billion would dramatically increase currently allocated funds for wraparound services. And she believes those are more sorely needed because of the pandemic.
Uncategorized
New York State Relaxes More COVID Restrictions
|
“We know the vaccine is the weapon that defeats this invisible enemy and we are getting more shots in arms than ever before.”
Arts & Culture
Couples Navigate New York’s Rules For Weddings
|
New York now allows the resumption of weddings. But wedding planners have a list of COVID-19 safety measures to follow.
Education
New York’s Medical Schools See Spike In Applications
|
“I think what has really sparked the imagination and the spirit is really seeing the possibility and the power of being a healthcare professional.”
As Planting Season Nears, Farm Workers Want Vaccines Now
|
Hundreds of migrant workers have already started coming to the region for seasonal farm jobs. As they work in fields, barns and greenhouses, there is a chance of spreading the coronavirus.
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.
App NEWS
New Law Guarantees New Yorkers Paid Time Off For COVID-19 Vaccine
|
New York has, so far, administered 6.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, with about 10% of the state now fully vaccinated.
New York State Ends Quarantine Requirement On Domestic Travel Starting April 1
|
While no longer required, the New York State Department of Health still recommends quarantine after domestic travel as an added precaution.
Doctor Who Diagnosed New York’s First Confirmed COVID-19 Case Reflects 1 Year Later
|
For four months last year, Dr. Angela Chen only saw her child through a window. A year into the global pandemic, the view is a different, but it’s impossible to forget the memories of last spring.
Education
Groups Want Fracking Waste Included In PA Health Study
|
University of Pittsburgh researchers slated to conduct 3-year study.
Restaurant Capacity Increased To 75% Outside Of NYC, Starting March 19
|
The data have shown that restaurants can operate safely and in accordance with strict health protocols at 75% capacity. New York City restaurant capacity will remain at 35% capacity.
Arts & Culture
Putting Wastewater To Use, Penn State Researchers Track COVID-19 Trends
|
“Over time, we can get what we think is a pretty good trend estimate for what’s going on.”
State Officials Altered Count Of New York’s Nursing Home Deaths
|
State officials insisted Thursday that the edits were made because of concerns about accuracy, not to protect Cuomo’s reputation.
Government
New York Legislature to Revoke Governor’s Special Pandemic Powers
|
The action comes as Cuomo is embroiled in scandals over his nursing home policies during the coronavirus and allegations that he sexually harassed former staffers.
Government
PA Mass Vaccination Sites Ready To Open, With Or Without Vaccines
|
State officials say there’s a need to ensure equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
The Movie Industry Holds Its Breath As New York Reopens Theaters
|
Movie theaters in New York City are reopening after nearly a year. And the decisions has consequences for the entire globaly output of Hollywood.
App NEWS
SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers Expand Free Workforce Training
|
While COVID-19 has greatly affected the economy, it was already in flux before the pandemic hit.
Education
PA School Employees Will Be Offered Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Next Week
|
Under this latest plan, educators and staff will not be moved into Phase 1a, which would make them eligible for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
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.
Government
New York Begins Administering Johnson & Johnson Vaccine At Mass Vaccination Sites
|
Over three million people have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in New York, according to the state, which is now administering more than 100,000 shots per day.
App NEWS
PA Bars And Restaurants Can Apply For New State Grants Starting This Month
|
Restaurant and bar owners have pressured state lawmakers for months to give their struggling businesses more help.
Food Pantry Workers Welcome New York’s Extension Of Their Vaccine Eligibility
|
“It will help protect our most vulnerable clients who rely on the staff and volunteers to provide them with nutritious food and critical services.”
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.”
Education
‘We’re Talking About Generational Loss:’ How PA’s Education Department Is Sizing Up Post-Pandemic Life
|
Currently, about 30 percent of Pennsylvania’s K-12 schools, which serve half the total student population, are learning entirely remotely.
App NEWS
As COVID Limits Options, School-Based Dentists Fear Impact On Kids
|
“It’s through those outreach calls and those tele-dental visits that we are finding a lot of kids that are having acute issues because they’ve gone without regular preventative care for so long.”
Government
Republicans Question New York’s COVID-19 Policy At Group Homes
|
The policy at group homes has been to require those facilities to admit residents discharged from the hospital regardless of their COVID-19 status.
Government
House Lawmakers Grill Health Department Leaders Over PA’s Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout
|
“We had time to prepare for this and that’s why everybody’s frustrated. It didn’t have to be this chaotic and it didn’t have to be this unorganized.”
Government
Assembly Dems Plan Votes Next Week On Nursing Home Reforms
|
Legislation making it easier to visit nursing homes is expected to get an Assembly vote next week as part of a package of reforms targeting the industry.
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
Food and Farms
Pandemic Creates ‘Perfect storm’ For Eating Disorders, But Treatment Could Be Hours Away
|
Some adolescents with eating disorders require an extended stay in a residential treatment program where they and their families learn how to manage their daily meals and lives.
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.”
Government
Face-To-Face Nursing Home Visits Bring Relief To Caregivers
|
Caregivers react to a update of state restrictions that will allow visitations in long-term care facilities.
App NEWS
Poll Documents Cuomo’s Turn Of Fortune
|
Cuomo’s job approval ratings, which were high in the summer and fall of 2020, have now dropped back to pre-pandemic levels, with 49% saying that he’s doing a good job in office.
Health
2020 Calls To Upstate Poison Control Involved Cleaning Products, Hand Sanitizer, Drug Overdoses
|
“We had an increase in cleaning product exposures, and the difference was it wasn’t the little child getting into it at home, it was the adults at home perhaps misusing or overusing cleaning products.”
Government
State Senate Approves Package of Bills Related to Nursing Homes
|
“The tragic situation in our nursing homes remains a heartbreaking reminder of the toll this pandemic has taken and has made it clear that real reforms are needed.”
Health
What To Know If You Get COVID Inoculation And A Mammogram
|
Experts are urging women to separate their routine annual mammogram and any scheduled COVID-19 vaccination by several weeks.
Education
PA Dems Push School Infrastructure As A Priority In Next Federal Stimulus
|
“For generations, our teachers, guidance counselors, nurses, students, and school staff have been sent into buildings where they can get brain damage because of chipped paint, or cancer because of asbestos.”
App NEWS
New York’s Health Departments Can Now Determine Spacing Of Student Desks
|
“If you change the six-foot rule and it was only three feet with distancing, or four feet, we could bring back more in-person learning, because of the physical space.”
Government
New York Senate Poised To Limit Governor’s Emergency Powers
|
The legislature gave Cuomo the powers nearly a year ago, in early March of 2020. But now, many say, it’s time to end them.
Arcades, Amusement Parks, Campgrounds Can Begin Reopening In March
|
Arcades and other indoor family entertainment centers can open with 25% capacity starting March 26.
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.”
Bipartisan Lawmakers Say It’s Time To Fund A Veterans Support Program Differently
|
“I, too, have lost more friends due to post-traumatic stress than I have lost friends who have died overseas in combat.”
New York Sues Amazon Over COVID-19 Workplace Safety Failures
|
New York Attorney General Letitia James said Amazon refused to obey coronavirus guidelines that would protect its warehouse employees from infection.
Health
There’s A Safe Way To Get A 2nd COVID Vaccine Dose Following A Rare Allergic Reaction
|
True allergic reactions to vaccinations are extremely rare, but two New York women did experience this after receiving their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Allergists were able to safely administer their second vaccine doses by following a special procedure.
Government
Cuomo Concedes on Nursing Homes: ‘We Should Have Provided More Information Faster’
|
In a rare concession, Cuomo said the state was wrong to stonewall lawmakers and members of the media on that data, saying it created a void for disinformation and “conspiracy theories.”
Economy
New York Expands List Of Late Closing Establishments
|
“With the holiday surge now in our rear-view mirror, we must keep taking steps to further re-open the economy safely and responsibly.”
App NEWS
Cayuga Health Temporarily Suspends Ithaca Urgent Care Services
|
Other clinical service at the East Campus will remain open—including Surgicare, Imaging and Cayuga Hematology Oncology Associates (CHOA).
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.”
Government
Problematic Pandemic Response At Nursing Homes Prompts Action By New York’s Senate
|
“If there’s things need to be codified in law, mandated in law that actually secure people’s safety and well being, that’s what we want to do.”
App NEWS
New Data Show COVID Killed Nearly 15,000 Nursing Home And Adult Care Residents In New York
|
The numbers confirm a report by State Attorney General Tish James, who said the state undercounted nursing home hospital deaths by 50%.
Government
Chronically Ill New Yorkers Can Sign Up At State Vaccination Sites On Valentine’s Day
|
They include cancer, heart conditions, COPD, chronic kidney disease, Type 1 and 2 diabetes, moderate to severe asthma, and people with intellectual and development disabilities, organ transplant recipients, and people who are morbidly obese.
Health
COVID-19 Shakes Up The Fitness Industry, Perhaps For Good
|
“We used to have 10-17 people in a class and now we still struggle to get 6-8 people in each class.”
App NEWS
Relatives Of Nursing Home Residents Killed By COVID Seek Accountability From New York State
|
The attorney general’s report, released on January 28, found that the health department was undercounting the number of nursing home residents who died by 50%.
App NEWS
Using Drones To Distribute COVID Test Kits
|
“This is the future that you’re seeing, in how packages are going to be delivered both business to business and have packages going from businesses to consumers.”
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.”
Economy
As COVID-19 Raged On, State Sales Tax Collections Last Year Took A Dive
|
The steepest decline in sales tax collections happened during the peak of the pandemic, when sales tax collections dropped by about 27% statewide.
