Finger Lakes Today

In the American economy there are few things more complicated and sensitive than labor. There are an array of issues debated on a daily basis, ranging from fair treatment to compensation to work-life balance. Many of these issues have become more complex since the COVID pandemic and rise of inflation. For Mark Mix, who leads the National Right to Work Foundation, he says many work-related issues c...

Change is coming to the Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County. Following the completion of a 40-bed open access detox and stabilization facility, Anegla Sullivan is stepping down as leader of the organization. "It's healthy for an organization to have change," Sullivan said in an interview with FingerLakes1.com following the announcement. She's served as executive directo...

The looming U.S. debt default could affect a host of programs across the country - and in New York, the list includes clean-energy investments. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said  the U.S. has until June 5 before a default would occur. In the meantime, states like New York have been ramping up their clean-energy infrastructure with federal  Inflation Reduction Act  funds.

Amid that climate, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Joint Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to overturn President Joe Biden's student debt relief program. The bill now heads to the Senate.

As Memorial Day weekend arrives here in the Finger Lakes, the time is perfect to catch migrating birds, growing wildlife, and picture perfect walking trails out at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. Each month we catch up with Chris Lajewski, Director of the Montezuma Audubon Center in Wayne County, to discuss the latest happenings and opportunities for visitors. This month we talk about how the wetl...

New York lawmakers are considering a  bill  to broaden statewide outreach through local media. The Local Community and Ethnic Media Commitment Act would require state agencies to spend about 50% of their print and digital advertising budget in local community and ethnic news outlets. This issue hit home for State Senator Jessica Ramos, who introduced the bill, since she represents the multi-ethnic...

New York State's new 2024 budget provides some needed relief to hospitals. Along with a Medicaid rate increase,  the budget includes $1.4 billion for distressed hospitals . But, provisions ensuring hospitals can afford to provide certain levels of care were left out of the budget. A 2022 report from  the Healthcare Association of New York State finds 85% of hospitals reported negative or unsus...

Along with $60 million to improve youth mental health services, the budget includes $1 billion to grow the state's capacity for inpatient psychiatric treatment. Additionally, the funding will expand outpatient services and boost insurance coverage.

With the Covid-19 public health emergency over, New York and the U.S. are dealing with a youth mental health crisis. According to Mental Health America's 2023 State of Mental Health Report, the number of New York youth who had a major depressive episode  increased drastically  from 2022.

This week is  National Women's Health Week , and New York is taking steps to improve women's health. The New York state Legislature has passed numerous bills to strengthen reproductive health and eliminate maternal health care inequities.

Currently, ten states and Washington, D.C. have medical aid-in-dying laws. Corrine Carey - senior campaign director for Compassion & Choices in New York and New Jersey - described some of the challenges to getting this bill passed.

The new schoolyard at  PS 184M Shuang Wen , a grade school in Manhattan’s Chinatown, features new play equipment, a yoga circle, a stage and basketball and tennis courts. The turf field sits atop infiltration basins, reservoirs capable of holding large volumes of stormwater. These basins, paired with a grass-roof gazebo, a student-run  rain garden  and a slew of new trees, can help New York City b...

The state of New York has passed a  first-in-the-nation law  banning the use of natural gas and other fossil fuel-powered systems in new buildings.

New York State's Legislature is reviewing a bill to align the state's public utility law with its climate goals. The New York  HEAT Act  aims to get ratepayers off of gas by phasing out gas-line extension allowances. The bill would also provide the Public Service Commission with the authority to keep utility companies in line with the state's climate laws. According to the  U.S. Enviro...

How safe is it to eat fish caught in Seneca Lake? On its face that might seem like the simplest question one could ask. But the answer is complex. Far more complex than most who call the Finger Lakes home realize. Recent testing has confirmed that Seneca Lake fish are highly contaminated with PFAS 'forever chemicals'. Water Front Founder and Reporter Peter Mantius broke the latest reportin...

During Mental Health Awareness Month, a New York organization is celebrating by helping people learn about mental health. The Center for the Independence of the Disabled New York will be holding  a Wellness Fair on May 13 . Along with mental health, the fair will also focus on spiritual and physical health. The fair will include a wellness circuit - which includes grounding techniques, coping stra...

The Fatherhood Connection has seen immense growth as a program in recent years. Through the pandemic, the look and feel of that program changed, but the support and energy around it did not. Led by Executive Director Reggie Cox, and with the support of local advocates like Tracy VanVleck and David Groben in Seneca County, the Fatherhood Connection has seen incredible growth among young people and...

This week in the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic,  American Federation of Teachers  President Randi Weingarten was called in to testify about the union's pandemic response.

Each month we catch up with Chris Lajewski from the Montezuma Audubon Center to talk about what's happening at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. Now, as the season transitions to mid-spring, we get the latest information on volunteer opportunities at the Auduon Center, as well as the migratory patterns of the month.

Coming up this summer is an event that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities and veteran causes. The Shootout for Soldiers is an annual lacrosse marathon, which takes place in Canandaigua. Today we caught up with Dr. Geoffry Hallstead, who's been a longtime supporter of the event, and John Isaac, who leads the organizational effort behind the Shootout.

New York has ambitious plans to  decarbonize its buildings , the city’s  largest source of emissions . It has  banned gas connections in new buildings  and put caps on how much existing buildings can emit. By 2027, all new buildings will need to be fully electric. Officials say those changes will help the city reduce building emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050.

The Geneva Half Marathon & Relay presented by Red Jacket Orchard is coming up. It's a summertime staple along the shores of Seneca Lake in Geneva, which plays host to a number of prominent running events throughout the year. "The City of Geneva has been such a great partner with us," Heieck said. "The Welcome Center, Taste of NY- we couldn't do it without them as well. W...

New York lawmakers and environmentalists are working to prevent radioactive wastewater from being dumped into the Hudson River. As part of the decommissioning of the Indian Point Energy Center, the facility's owner Holtec International is considering dumping treated but radioactive waste into the river. More than $1 billion was spent cleaning up  pollution in the river  with 200 miles of it st...

Throughout Earth Month, elected officials across the U.S. are celebrating renewable energy projects. In New York,  several wind, solar and hydroelectric developments were completed  that will power more than 150,00 homes across the state with clean electricity. Along with these, several offshore wind farms are under construction off the coast of Long Island. East Hampton Town Council member Cate R...

As negotiations over the state budget intensify, over 300 businesses and business organizations across New York have joined the New York Business for a Fair Minimum Wage coalition calling on Gov. Hochul and the State Legislature to incrementally raise the minimum wage to $21.25, followed by annual indexing to keep up with the cost of living, as proposed in the Raise the Wage Act. Supporters includ...