WSKG (https://wskg.org/tag/ithaca/)
Listen Live WSKG Listen Live WSKG Classical Watch Live WSKG TV
Watch Live PBS Kids
Before approving Ithaca’s 2023 budget, Ithaca Mayor Laura Lewis joined city attorney Ari Levine to condemn some of the comments made by city employees, alderpersons and community members during a Common Council meeting earlier this month.
Walking on Water Productions is presenting three musicals over the course of three weekends. Artistic Director Priscilla Hummel (and her daughter) join us from The Cherry Arts, while the set is busy with their work. We find out about the complications of staging three musicals at one time, how audiences can see the three shows and, incidentally, what it’s like to be a working parent.
Photo credit: Walking on Water productions
The Ithaca Common Council voted unanimously to allow a bike-share program to operate in the city for the first time since March 2020.
Webb leads by less than two percentage points, or 1,500 votes over David.
Ithaca’s acting mayor Laura Lewis, a Democrat, won Tuesday’s election. She will serve out the final year of former Mayor Svante Myrick’s term.
The holiday, long celebrated by Black Americans, was declared a federal holiday last year. Now Ithaca’s city employees will also get the day off.
City employees, from building managers to engineers, testified about their frustrations with contract negotiations and what they say are stagnant wages.
The change will go into effect after planned renovations to district-wide restrooms. Work on Ithaca High School restrooms will begin in mid-February.
Both candidates are hoping to clinch the U.S. Congress seat for New York’s newly drawn 24th Congressional District.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has been asked to determine whether mail ballots that a voter failed to date should be thrown out or counted on Nov. 8.
WRVO – New York’s 24th Congressional District looks a little different this election. The district includes 12 counties extending from Watertown through the Finger Lakes into western New York. Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney and Democratic nominee Steve Holden are vying for New York’s 24th congressional seat. Tenney, who currently represents New York’s 22nd Congressional District, said after redistricting she chose to run in the new 24th District. “The districts are very similar,” Tenney said.
Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! panelist and stand-up comedian Hari Kondabolu performs at the Hangar Theatre. He joins us to talk about juggling a rigorous academic schedule with performing stand-up comedy, observational humor, and new fatherhood.
Photo credit: Rob Holysz via Hari Kondabolu
Zeldin has made reducing crime a central theme of his campaign, airing ads portraying scenes of mayhem and blaming Hochul.
Last school year, SUNY provided 650 student-parents child care across two-thirds of its campuses.
“Will we have enough drivers? Absolutely. If the snow started flying today, we would be out there, in our trucks, clearing the roads.”
Acting Mayor Laura Lewis says given the current job market, she thinks it’s unrealistic for the police department to fill all 15 vacant positions in one year.
“Having Chinese chips in our federal supply chains is a direct threat to our national security.”
For customers who use natural gas for heating are expected to pay an average of $47 a month more for gas.
“There’ll be new wealth here, there’ll be stronger universities, better hospitals, much better transportation.”
You’ll decide the race for State Comptroller, the state’s money-manager, in next month’s election.
The governor views the shooting outside the Zeldin home as another reason to double down on controlling illegal guns.
“We cannot fix this problem by limiting class options, overcrowdings classrooms, or raising tuition and fees, those days must end.”
A federal judge last week ruled that parts of the new state law on guns are unconstitutional.
Tom DiNapoli backs legislation that would restore the pre-audit oversight previously stripped from his office.
NEW YORK NOW – The head of the New York State Police will resign after reports this week indicated he was under investigation by the Hochul administration over claims that he’d helped shield a former human resources staffer from scrutiny. Kevin Bruen was confirmed as superintendent of the New York State Police last year, but will now depart in the coming days, Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed in a statement Friday. “Today I accepted the resignation of State Police Superintendent Kevin Bruen. I thank him for his years of public service,” Hochul said. “First Deputy Superintendent Steven Nigrelli will serve as Acting Superintendent on an interim basis, as we conduct a thorough search for a Superintendent who can lead this department in its important work.”
Hochul has worked closely with Bruen since she took office on the issue of illegal guns, tasking Bruen and the State Police with participating in a new task force to curb the spread of those weapons across nine states.
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (D) discusses the state’s finances six months after the state budget was passed.
We are now less than five weeks out from this year’s elections, and a new poll has Democrats ahead in statewide races.
“We created it. So, you know, it’s just like paying that respect. It’s supposed to be a gift, and it’s a gift of peace and bringing everyone together as one.”
A poll shows 84% of parents polled support eliminating suspensions in Pre-K through 3rd grade.
Nine Mile Point is the first nuclear-powered clean hydrogen production facility in the country.
“The workers don’t like it. It’s not going to be good for the farmers and it could potentially close a lot of our farms.”
“The intentional exposures for self harm and self medicating. We’re starting to see a bump in that 13 to 19 age group, and that has us all a bit concerned.”
Canada imposed strict border-crossing restrictions in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic.
“The benefit to us is that right now we have a great reliable service when people are having a medical emergency. The downside of that is that it is very, very expensive.”
Practice Resources LLC. hosts the data from 28 different medical practices across New York.
“We had about four or five on the grounds, even before the fair started. So there were a number of workers who overdosed.”
The look is part of a deliberate strategy by drug cartels to target young children.
The decision to strike down the state’s 1911 laws governing concealed carry, came after a challenge by New York State Rifle and Pistol association.
The man accused in the mass shooting in Buffalo allegedly threatened to commit a murder-suicide at his high school near Binghamton.
In sweltering heat Monday, the names of fallen officers were read during Law Enforcement Day at the Fair.
Webb, a former Binghamton council member, defeated Ithaca lawyer and political action committee founder Leslie Danks Burke by over 20 points.
The newly drawn 22nd Congressional District includes all of Onondaga, Madison, and Oneida counties and a small portion of Oswego County,
The state predicts over 116,500 students across New York state could see support through this funding.
There is data to back up the progressive groups’ concerns.
One contributor to the spending increase is Hochul’s plan to pump $10 billion into the state’s health care workforce.
If you’re looking to head to the polls, we have the basics covered.
“I’m sorry to say this, I thought I was an old slave begging to not die.”
New York state overall, still has an average price of $4.34 a gallon, while the national average is $3.96 per gallon.
Arguments continue over who will draw the new state Assembly lines after a court ruled that those lines were unconstitutionally gerrymandered.
Hadi Matar, a 24-year-old from Fairview, N.J., was charged with attempted murder and assault, New York State Police said.
“I want to be in the business of preventing crimes more so than trying to solve crimes. A red flag (law) allows us to do that.”
“I always run like an underdog up until the very last minute. That’s why I am successful.”
“I committed to New Yorkers that we will confront the scourge of domestic terror head-on.”
This November will be only the second time in 44 years that the name Cuomo has not been on a statewide ballot.
“It takes so much out of you to be taking care of anybody, but a dementia patient who is changing all the time, it’s just so hard. It takes so much.”
“Our farmers, our farmworkers are all getting collectively screwed right now by one-party Democratic rule.”
The biggest concern is the pest’s potential economic impact on New York’s $300 million dollar wine and grape industry.
It helps veterans with mental health issues through peer-to-peer support.
While there are more reported cases of COVID-19 this summer than the two previous summers, the incidences of hospitalization and death are much lower.
Her opponent has called for a full repeal of the state’s bail reform laws, which ended most forms of cash bail.
“Independent voters (are) closely divided, 44% with Zeldin, 42% with Hochul.”
“Only 6.2% of residents at high risk for lung cancer have received a low dose CT scan.”
The police department’s sign on bonus for lateral transfer hires has grown significantly since it was introduced last November in the city budget.
Amtrak said that alternative bus transportation will be provided on the Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf and Ethan Allan express.
No mandatory restrictions are in place under a drought watch.
“These companies are gonna need this bill to help them with dollars, and I’ll help to push to allocate those dollars.”
“Within the United States, I consider it containable, but we have to act and we have to think about prevention as well as vaccination.”
Advocates for the change said farm workers should have the same overtime standard as other workers.
“We will use it as a basis to continue to provide supports and resources to those schools and districts that most need them.”
The Ithaca Shakespeare Company presents Antony and Cleopatra and Two Gentlemen of Verona in the upper part of Robert Treman State Park. We hear from Artistic Director Stephen Ponton about 20 years of Shakespeare outdoors in Ithaca.
Photo credit: Ithaca Shakespeare Company
State troopers issued 10,000 Move Over tickets last year, and 4,000 already this year.
“She can transform the direction of the court, she can transform the leadership of the court…she could make a pretty dramatic change in our high court.”
“I was not aware that this was a company that had been supportive of me. I don’t keep track of that.”
Eligibility will be limited to individuals in high-risk communities such as gay or bisexual men, transgender, gender non-conforming, or gender non-binary.
“Make sure you’re tipping over those flower pots and items that fill up with water when it rains.”
“We don’t currently, based on today’s numbers, anticipate the need for masks in classrooms, but I’m going to reserve the right to return to this policy.”
“If we can stop any more of those (invasive) species coming in, for the cost of a few million dollar filtration systems per ship…I think it’s very worthwhile.”
The grant will protect nearly 12,000 acres of land, and 40 farms across the state were awarded funding.
“Kathy Hochul is dragging her feet because of politics, and because there’s an election coming up on Nov. 8.”
The city launched the program as part of the Ithaca Green New Deal initiative, which aims to completely eliminate the city’s net carbon emissions by 2030.
Now. Here. This. is an intimate musical with universal themes. We hear from Walking on Water Productions director Priscilla Hummel about a group of friends who tour a natural history museum where the exhibits awaken memories in them.
Photo credit: Walking on Water Productions
The bill exempts the Adirondacks and Catskills from the ban.
The legislation extends pandemic school meal waivers and other flexibilities making it easier for schools to provide free healthy food for students.
If convicted on all 27 counts, the suspect could face either the death penalty or a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
Health care professionals staffing the phones can then prescribe oral antiviral medicine or give callers a referral.
Leslie Danks Burke and Lea Webb are competing for the Democratic nomination in the race for New York’s 52nd State Senate District, which covers Ithaca and Binghamton.
The unfair labor practice charges include temporarily and permanently closing stores and firing union leaders.
“We are building this system to be able to absorb a million calls a day.”
Judge Janet DiFiore, 66, said she will leave at the end of August and “move on to the next chapter of my professional life.”
“Something like that is very vulnerable to a First Amendment challenge.”
The New York Democrat will follow federal health guidelines and quarantine this week while working remotely.
“When you think of the semiconductor industry, you don’t automatically think of Corning.”
“We’ve already lost a number of small dairy farms over the last five years. It’s actually quite stunning.”
Projects will include upgrading wastewater and sewer systems, reducing water pollution and protecting drinking water from contaminants.
“People like me have been hearing the word ‘wait’ for as long as we can remember,” Alderperson Phoebe Brown said. “It is imperative that we move on.”
Some Ithaca residents say not all parents are able to come to the meetings in person. They say that cuts them out of the decision making process.
“There’s never been a parcel of land this size in New York, to my knowledge, that the state has transferred to an Indigenous nation.”
Three and a half million people are expected to head to the airports, putting more strain on airlines already struggling to maintain staff and avoid cancellations.
District athletic director Samantha Little will replace Liddy Coyle and serve as interim principal at Northeast Elementary School.
Kumar ran as part of the progressive “Solidarity Slate.” She won more than 70% of the vote, ousting incumbent and fellow Cornell undergrad, Patrick Mehler.
Passengers will must meet Canada’s strict and complicated rules for crossing the border.
While Governor Hochul is favored to win, her running mate, Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, does not hold the same level of support.
Excellus blames the cost of health care services, equipment and rising drug prices are among the reasons for the proposed rate increases.
“The first group of flights is our busiest period. Roughly 30% of passengers are flying out before seven a.m.”
Here’s a look at access to abortion in New York, including for folks coming from out-of-state.
“[The ruling], especially, is making me not want to go far away from here,” said 11th grader Samantha Kager. “Especially if I can’t have free choice of what I want to do with my own body.”
The city’s Common Council plans to vote next week on an ordinance that would make it more difficult for other states to investigate abortions in Ithaca.
“History shows us that when abortion is banned, abortion becomes unsafe for women.”
“Hydroseeding, stream restoration, buffer establishment, septic education. These are all the kinds of programs that are going to help promote water quality.”
“Somebody working in energy storage and clean tech as it relates to agriculture, they might end up steering toward Binghamton.”
The resolution passed committee on a four-to-one vote. The full council will vote on the resolution on July 6th.
Governor Hochul will call the legislature back into session in the coming weeks to address the issue. “We are not powerless.”
The Homecoming Players have been planning performances of Samuel D. Hunter’s play A Great Wilderness for a long time.
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 opinion, ruled that New York’s restrictions on the concealed carry of firearms in public violates the Second Amendment.
“I’m confident this is not one of these issues that will be in the partisan maw, we can get bipartisan support for it.”
Twice in the past 15 years, a lieutenant governor in New York found themselves suddenly elevated to governor.
Andrew Giuliani was not on stage and had to take part virtually in the first two debates due to his vaccination status.
The first 100 or more retail licenses will be offered to people who either had a past marijuana-related offense or have a family member who did.
The new laws are intended to counter U.S. Supreme Court decisions of the past decade rolling back parts of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.
“Standards (at nail salons) just aren’t adequate. They’re not enough to support a living wage or to support the genuine health of workers.”
“If you tell a lie repeatedly enough and you embellish it with the veneer of telling a factual story, many people are going to believe it.”
“Your clients are more than your clients, because you probably know them. They’re people in your community, and so they feel more like family.”
“No 18 year old can walk in on their birthday, and walk out again with an AR-15. Those days are over.”
“It makes gun trafficking a federal crime. And it makes sure there are penalties for the kingpins and people who are running these trafficking rings.”
The 18-year-old Conklin native is accused of killing 10 and injuring three others when he allegedly opened fire at a Tops Market in Buffalo.
“Senior citizens…were making ends meet before, and right now, just with the increased cost of everything, they’re not able to do so.”
Governor Hochul says the state budget includes $25 million dollars to support abortion care facilities in New York, and has $10 million dollars to beef up security.
The Youth Orchestra of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra gives two performances of its season finale, once in Watkins Glen, and again in Ithaca. We hear from the Music Director, Kirsten Marshall, then narrator Leslyn McBean-Clairborne joins us by phone.
Photo credit: CCO Youth Orchestra
“This creates a presumption that if you served in one of these places that had burn pits, and you get sick, you get covered.”
Whoever wins the special election for the 23rd Congressional District will serve out the remainder of Reed’s term, which ends in December.
A Starbucks spokesperson told Bloomberg that the closure was based on facilities, staffing and time and attendance issues.
“It’s unacceptable to re-fire up old fossil fuel plants in the middle of a climate crisis just to make fake money to make a few rich people richer.”
The measure would also create new legal protections against voter intimidation and deception, and allow voters to more easily sue.
“This is a restorative bill. It’s about rehabilitation, it’s about our communities. It’s about investing.”
Buffalo, Binghamton, ESF and Geneseo made up the majority of the problem.
“The suspension of New York State gas taxes will save New Yorkers about $600 million through the end of the year.”
“By offering such a low number the diocese has re-victimized clergy sexual abuse survivors.”
“There’s this pent up demand for travel. People will use any excuse out there to take a bigger vacation.”
“How does an 18-year-old purchase an AR-15 in the state of New York, the state of Texas? That person’s not old enough to buy a legal drink.”
Of course, a turtle in the middle of the road might need your help.
“The tragedy in Buffalo has created an unexpected and unintended context for the planned assessment.”
