Canandaigua approves $760,000 water plant design work as tax cap, fire staffing concerns surface
Canandaigua will move ahead with $760,000 in engineering and design work for major improvements at its water treatment plant, even as the city continues pursuing grant funding for a larger $15.5 million upgrade. City Council ... more
Geneva City Council to weigh e-bike rules, South Main Street changes and short-term rental taxes
Geneva City Council is set for back-to-back meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, with the first session carrying a wide-ranging agenda that includes new rules for e-bikes and other motorized devices, proposed changes to South Main Street, ... more
Schumer urges USDA grape juice purchase after 126 farm contracts canceled
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is asking the Department of Agriculture to buy Concord grape juice for federal nutrition programs after processor Refresco canceled contracts with about 126 farms in New York and Pennsylvania. The affected ... more
Finger Lakes child advocacy center loses state crime-victim funding
The Child Advocacy Center of the Finger Lakes and five other centers received no funding in New York's 2026 Victim of Crime Act Victim Assistance Grant awards after years of receiving support through the program, ... more
Zero Waste Ithaca questions records behind Cornell turf PFAS review
Zero Waste Ithaca is questioning whether the city of Ithaca has records showing Cornell University complied with PFAS-related conditions attached to the approval of two synthetic turf fields at the Meinig Fieldhouse project, saying months ... more
Tenney leads congressional challenge to nonprofit security grant clause
Members of Congress led by U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney are asking the Department of Homeland Security to remove a provision that lawmakers say could leave nonprofit organizations responsible for security costs after a federal grant ... 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
Ithaca rents rise 12 percent
Ithaca apartment listing prices rose 12 percent from July 2025 to July 2026. The typical apartment listed for $2,244 in July, based on Zumper rental data ... more
Geneva seeks grant for $800,000 building demolition
Geneva is seeking a $500,000 state grant to help cover the estimated $800,000 cost of demolishing Building C at the Geneva Enterprise Development Center, according to the Finger Lakes Times. City Council has already set ... more
Penn Yan board to weigh $701K water main project, police hiring and utility upgrades Tuesday
The Penn Yan Village Board is scheduled Tuesday to consider a $701,500 North Main Street water-main contract and hold public hearings on a 15-year Spectrum franchise renewal and a proposed change to the village's abandoned-vehicle ... more
Fayette appoints Isaiah Winter after board resignation
Keith Tidball has resigned from the Fayette Town Board, and Isaiah Winter has been appointed to fill the vacancy, according to the Finger Lakes Times. Town Supervisor Jeff Trout said Tidball stepped down after retiring ... more
Auburn moves toward ending Flock contract as council weighs energy costs, budget overhaul
Auburn appears headed toward ending its contract with Flock Safety after City Council members said Thursday they want to move away from the company’s automated license plate reader system and develop local rules governing how ... more
Ontario County IDA could take over Geneva agency administration
The Ontario County Industrial Development Agency is considering a proposal to provide administrative services for the Geneva IDA, according to the Finger Lakes Times. The work is currently handled by Acting City Manager Taylor Youngs, ... more
Tompkins County Section 8 waitlists stretch for years
Tompkins County residents seeking Section 8 housing assistance are facing waits of three to five years as federal funding constraints limit the number of vouchers local agencies can issue, according to The Ithaca Voice. Tompkins ... more
Tompkins County falls far short of workforce housing goal
Tompkins County built only 666 of the 3,800 workforce-affordable single-family homes projected as needed by 2025, highlighting a persistent gap between housing demand and what the market has produced, according to Tompkins Weekly. Housing officials ... more
Hochul warns federal changes could strain rural healthcare
Gov. Kathy Hochul says federal healthcare changes could put additional financial pressure on rural hospitals across New York even as new federal funding is directed toward rural health systems, according to Spectrum News 1. Hochul ... more
Niagara County radiation probe becomes issue in governor’s race
An investigation into radioactive contamination in Niagara County has become part of New York’s gubernatorial campaign as affected residents continue pressing state officials for answers and assistance, according to Spectrum News. Gov. Kathy Hochul said ... more
Tonko says offshore wind opposition could cost upstate jobs
U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko says the Trump administration’s opposition to offshore wind could cost New York manufacturing jobs and economic development opportunities, according to Spectrum News 1. Tonko criticized federal efforts to restrict or halt ... more
Canandaigua Planning Commission approves new downtown cafe, Rio Tomatlan concert and mural
A new family-focused cafe on South Main Street, another outdoor music event at Rio Tomatlan and a large mural planned for the Bemis Street restaurant all won approval Wednesday as the Canandaigua Planning Commission worked ... more
