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New York's minimum wage would increase to more than $20 an hour by 2026 if a bill in Albany is successful. Known as " Raise Up NY ," it would raise the minimum wage over the next three years and index it each year after to match inflation. It would increase wages for almost three-million workers, or about a third of the state's workforce, by 2024.

A new poll shows parents and voters want improved public education and stronger building blocks for those students. According to the poll, from the American Federation of Teachers , some of the top priorities include reducing class size, helping schools address the shortage of qualified education professionals, and teaching students practical life skills. Conversely, issues described as the cultur...

New York ranked third on a list of the top 10 states for green buildings in the U.S. The report from the U.S. Green Building Council found 142 projects in New York were LEED certified in 2022, equaling 3.17 million square feet. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , green building is the creation of structures which are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient during the...

Today is National Day of Racial Healing, which aims to encourage more dialogue about race and racism. Events commemorating the day in New York include conversations about the legacy of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and a forum of community leaders promoting racial healing in health equity work. The day, hosted annually by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is also designed to encourage people to take a...

While  Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State  speech addressed key issues affecting New Yorkers, some feel the solutions fell short. In her speech, Hochul spoke about building more housing to combat the housing crisis, strengthening mental-health care, public-safety improvements and raising the minimum wage to combat the high cost of living.

A recent report from AARP New York  finds older rural New Yorkers are struggling to age in place due to a wealth of disparities. The two biggest issues outlined in the report are housing and transportation access, each with its own set of challenges.

New York is the sixth state to approve  legislation for what's known as natural composting . Natural composting is when, after death, a body is put into a vessel with materials that will help it compost faster. Though it's still relatively new, the process is being seen as one way to reduce death's carbon footprint. Caitlyn Hauke, past president of the Green Burial Council, described how natu...

Urban areas in US cities are estimated to  lose an average of 36 million trees  every year. This results in  economic losses of up to $786 million  and risks having an adverse impact on already worsening climate change. The worse part? Many of these trees are considered “waste” and sent off to landfills. “More wood from cities goes into landfills than is harvested from US Natio...

New York's 2019 climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, set an ambitious energy goal: a completely zero-emissions electrical grid by 2040. About half of New York's electrical power currently comes from fossil gas plants, and most of the rest is split between hydropower and nuclear. Solar and wind make up just about 6 percent. To meet the goal, New York needs to build a lo...

A large portion of this money comes from the Environmental Protection Agency for  Brownfields job training , with $2 million coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The hope is to ensure a strong environmental benefit while providing more economic opportunities to underserved areas.

New York has seen growth in offshore wind investments, which advocates hope will continue into the new year. In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a  $500 million investment  in offshore wind for cleaner energy, as part of a goal to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2035. Another step forward for the industry is redevelopment of the 73-acre South Brooklyn Marine Terminal f...

Congress has approved a $25 million funding boost for the National Labor Relations Board, and labor experts hope it will allow the agency to better handle a swath of petitions from people who want to unionize their workplaces. According to the board, more than 2,500 union petitions have been filed between September 2021 and October 2022, the most the agency has seen since 2016. But since 2014, the...

Although the holidays are one of the happiest times of the year, people with mental illness may not see it the same way. According to the American Psychiatric Association, 31% of adults said they expect to feel more stress this holiday season compared with last year, which could lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. Experts find being around family at the holidays can introduce numerous trig...

Environmental Reporter Peter Mantius has been covering the Finger Lakes region for years. He's seen the ups-and-downs of environmental issues ranging from a proposed incinerator in Romulus, to landfilling at two major operations located in Seneca and Ontario counties, as well as the rise of bitcoin mining at Greenidge Generation along Seneca Lake. The Cayuga Salt Mine, operated by a company called...

Student advocates in New York have petitioned state education officials for alternate pathways to graduation. The Coalition for Multiple Pathways to a Diploma has sent a petition signed by 1,200 New Yorkers to state leaders urging them to separate Regents exams from graduation requirements.

Under Senate Bill 9601 , the state Department of Criminal Justice Services would develop a curriculum for gun-safety training. The legislation comes several months after the Supreme Court struck down the state's concealed-carry laws, which required that a person show "proper cause" to want to carry a gun.

Compared to most states, New York is doing a good job of making sure children have health coverage, according to a new report. The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families finds  the rate of uninsured children in New York State was 2.6% percent last year.

Results of a  new survey  show many young people are worried about losing access to birth control. The survey, by the nonprofit Power to Decide, found about seven in 10 young adults think the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which protected the right to an abortion, will also limit access to birth control. Federal lawmakers have stepped in to try to codify rights to...

As part of World AIDS Day, a report finds through treatment, patients are able to suppress HIV - the virus that causes AIDS. According to data from  the Ryan White HIV/AIDS  Program,  in New York, almost 89% of people receiving medical care are virally suppressed .

A bill passed by the New York State Legislature would provide ratepayers with a voice in utility rate increases. The utility intervenor bill would provide for funding to allow individuals or not-for-profit groups to have a seat at the table when utility companies go before the state's Public Service Commission for a rate increase. High inflation and rising costs have been prompting rate increases...

Across the U.S., about  6.5 million people  over age 65 have Alzheimer's Disease. In New York, about  410,000  in the same age group are afflicted, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Here's a closer look at what that means.

New York State's  Outdoor RX Coalition is launching a website  to spread the word about its services. Established in late 2020, the coalition is a partnership between the New York State Division of Veterans Services and the Sierra Club. It was born through the state's  Outdoor RX Act . The program gives veterans opportunities to engage in outdoor therapeutic activities that  re...

It can be a long road to finding permanent homes for kids in the New York State foster care system, but many find it worthwhile. Megan Battista is a Wendy's Wonderful Kids recruiter who saw this in Merriah, a child in a temporary foster home that wasn't on the path to permanency. A closer look at foster care system in New York.

With Election Day upon us, concerns abound about the safety of elections, and one of so many reasons the 2022 elections are expected to be safe is the role of poll workers. According to a  Marist Poll , 24% of New York voters see preserving democracy as a top issue.

Two new affordable housing developments in Central New York should help alleviate the region's affordability problem. The Wheat Street Apartments in Cayuga  and  Village Grove in Trumansburg  are promising lower prices in the face of rising rents.