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Edwin Viera
Edwin is a reporter and producer in North Tonawanda, New York. He's previously reported for the Niagara Gazette and the Ithaca Times. Edwin got an early start in radio interning for WBFO-88.7FM, NPR's Buffalo affiliate. In 2018, he graduated from SUNY Buffalo State College with a B.A. in Journalism, and in 2022, graduated from Syracuse University with an M.S. in Communications.
Survey finds people underestimate cost of NYS child, senior care
New data found Americans underestimate care costs for kids and seniors in New York and nationwide. The Care Disconnect survey showed most Americans do not understand how much caring for an older loved one or ... more
Advocates say Upstate NY rental assistance program needs to be permanant
New York State housing advocates want a permanent statewide rental assistance program. The Shelter Arrears Eviction Forestallment program only helps renters outside of New York City catch up on rent payments. It began as a ... more
Poll says New York voters are worried about election integrity
New York is working to protect voting rights amid possible threats to election security in the midterms. The state included funding to protect poll workers in the 2027 state budget and lawmakers have also considered ... more
NYS elected officials: Renewables combat rising energy costs
New York elected officials view clean energy as the best way to reduce rising energy costs. The state’s Energy Research and Development Authority reported 2026 electricity costs so far have been higher than in 2024 ... more
Trump administration buys back New York’s offshore wind leases
The Trump administration is buying back New York offshore wind leases as it moves forward with plans to expand the use of fossil fuels. The company RWE U.S. Offshore is receiving more than $1 billion ... more
NYS sees increases in harmful algal blooms
New York waterways are being inundated with harmful algal blooms. The blooms form when lakes, rivers and streams warm up and become more nutrient-dense. Current data from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ... more
Doctor: NYS air quality under threat from EPA truck standards rollback
A doctor and lung expert argued New York’s air quality will worsen from proposed Environmental Protection Agency rollbacks. The agency plans to remove certain standards on heavy-duty vehicles like semitrucks, buses, garbage trucks and more ... more
REPORT: NY must tax wealthy to maintain healthcare
More than 460,000 New Yorkers lost access to their Essential Plan health coverage this month, a low-cost option provided through the Affordable Care Act. Economic activists said federal social service cuts go deeper than the ... more
New York losing essential workers to DACA system slowdown
Immigrant rights groups said they have been forced to sue the Trump administration due to an excess of unapproved renewal applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Since 2012, DACA holders have been ... more
NYS food banks work with healthcare groups to bolster food access
A new report from Feeding America says New York food banks are helping keep people healthy by making sure they have enough to eat. The report tracks a three-year program involving 21 partners and details ... more
NY consumer coalition works to rein in payday lenders
Consumer rights groups in New York and across the country are organizing against payday lenders and paycheck advance apps they said are evading state lending laws. The Stop Taking Our Pay Coalition includes people from ... more
NYS pre-apprenticeship program helps clean-energy workforce grow
New York state’s clean-energy workforce is continuing to grow, and one program is working to connect people from low-income communities with union apprenticeship opportunities. Pathways to Apprenticeship’s clean-energy program combines climate policy and environmental justice ... more
Advocates: NYS lawmakers must reconsider IDA reforms in 2027
New York advocates want state lawmakers to revisit reforms to industrial development agencies next year, including measures aimed at increasing oversight of tax breaks. The proposals include adding school board members to IDA boards to ... more
Report: New York laws restricting PFAS work, more regulation needed
New research from the Natural Resources Defense Council finds laws restricting perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in New York and California are having an effect. One year after New York implemented a law banning PFAS in ... more
Report: New York State sees mixed results on child well-being
New York is seeing mixed progress on child well-being, according to a new annual report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The state ranks 30th in the 2026 Kids Count Data Book, a slight drop ... more
NYS lawmakers consider broad redistricting amendment
New York state lawmakers approved a new redistricting amendment, which could go before voters in 2027. The measure would give lawmakers the power to redraw congressional lines mid-decade and would allow legislators to redraw their ... more
‘Hands Off Our Vote’ bills aim to buoy NY voter protections
Several New York bills are aimed at strengthening voter protections by addressing issues in election administration and at the polls. The “Hands Off Our Vote” package is being considered as the Trump administration tries to ... more
NY lawmakers consider senior consumer protection legislation
New York lawmakers are considering several bills that supporters say would strengthen consumer protections for seniors. AARP data finds older New Yorkers lost more than $400 million to scams in 2025, a substantial increase from ... more
NYS Legislature passing bills at higher rate, despite late budget
Despite New York’s delayed budget, state lawmakers are passing bills at the highest rate since 2022, according to new data. This year’s budget is the most delayed in the last decade, but Rachael Fauss, senior ... more
