Auburn settles Walmart tax fight
A tax dispute with Walmart will cost Auburn a small hit but avoid a bigger risk, according to The Citizen. The city, Auburn, the Auburn Enlarged City School District, and Cayuga County agreed to lower ... more
Takeout in prison? Closer look at viral reports in New York
Takeout meals helped cool tensions inside a Western New York prison, despite viral claims of “Uber Eats for inmates,” according to The Citizen. A pilot incentive at Wende Correctional Facility lets incarcerated people with 45 ... more
Tick cases spike, Canandaigua eyes new plan
Lyme disease cases in Canandaigua have exploded, pushing city leaders to consider a new response, according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Reported Lyme cases in Ontario County jumped from 31 in 2020 to 337 ... more
Williamson Democrat jumps into race for Assembly District 130
A former auto industry executive is jumping into the race for a wide-open Assembly seat, according to the Finger Lakes Times. Joe Lamanna of Williamson announced his bid for the 130th District, becoming the second ... more
New York moves to tighten online protections for kids
New York is pushing a new package of proposals aimed at keeping children and teens safer online as social media, gaming platforms and AI tools continue to expand their reach. Gov. Kathy Hochul outlined the ... more
New York moves to block local police from assisting ICE: Here’s how
New York is moving to cut off local law enforcement from federal civil immigration enforcement, arguing the practice undermines public safety and community trust. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a state-level push called the Local Cops, ... more
Confidence in Trump slips, Pew finds
Americans’ confidence in President Donald Trump has continued to slide during the first year of his second term, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Just 37% of U.S. adults approve of how Trump ... more
Americans back recording immigration arrests, Pew finds
Most Americans say people should be allowed to record immigration arrests and warn others where enforcement is happening, even as views of immigration officers’ actions remain deeply divided. A new Pew Research Center survey of ... more
Schumer pushes ICE limits after funding deal
Senate Democrats are pressing for sweeping changes to immigration enforcement after forcing Republicans to split Homeland Security funding from a broader government spending package. Speaking after the Senate passed five appropriations bills and a short-term ... more
Walworth Town Board approves stormwater, hazardous waste and staffing items at special meeting
The Walworth Town Board approved a series of resolutions tied to stormwater compliance, hazardous waste disposal and municipal operations during a special meeting Jan. 27, including authorization for Supervisor Laura A. Elsbree to sign an ... more
Ithaca protesters march against ICE crackdown
Bundled-up demonstrators filled downtown Ithaca streets Friday, demanding an end to federal immigration enforcement sweeps, according to The Ithaca Voice. Hundreds marched down Seneca Street in single-digit temperatures as part of a nationwide “ICE OUT” ... more
Groups sue Lansing zoning board over data center ruling
Two local environmental groups have filed a lawsuit challenging a Town of Lansing zoning decision that cleared the way for a large-scale data center along the shores of Cayuga Lake. FLX Strong and Cayuga Lake ... more
Tax relief calls, bridge funding gap, and budget warnings dominate Auburn meeting (video)
Calls to expand property tax relief for seniors and disabled residents, a growing funding gap for the Lake Avenue bridge project, and warning signs in the city’s second-quarter budget update shaped a wide-ranging meeting of ... more
Ulysses plan sparks housing backlash
A proposed overhaul of Ulysses’ long-term planning map has residents sounding alarms about growth, farmland, and small-town identity, according to local reporting. The debate centers on a draft 2025 comprehensive plan now open for public ... more
Ithaca weighs limits on council pressure
After a budget shock and a top resignation, Ithaca leaders are debating new rules to rein in how alderpersons interact with city staff, according to local reporting. The proposal surfaced just after Mayor Robert Cantelmo ... more
Merry-Go-Round Playhouse ticket fee vote delayed
A vote on adding a surcharge to Merry-Go-Round Playhouse tickets hit a delay after Cayuga County postponed its January meeting, according to The Citizen. Lawmakers pushed the required public hearing to late February because state ... more
Tenney blames climate law for rising energy costs
Rep. Claudia Tenney says New Yorkers are paying soaring electricity bills because the state’s climate law is driving up costs and straining the power grid. Tenney made the claims Thursday in a statement criticizing the ... more
O’Mara blasts electric school bus mandate (video)
State Sen. Tom O’Mara says a proposed electric school bus mandate could hammer school districts and property taxpayers across upstate New York. O’Mara raised the concerns during a state budget hearing on education proposals, where ... more
Gallahan warns of Chinese ownership risks
A recent business deal involving a well-known American food brand has sparked new concerns from a local lawmaker about foreign influence in New York. Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan says the $450 million sale of Nathan’s Famous ... more
NYS considers moratorium on sale, use of biosolids: What does it mean?
A New York bill calls for a moratorium on the use and sale of biosolids, treated sewage sludge that meets certain Environmental Protection Agency requirements and can be used as soil fertilizer. However, reports show ... more
Seneca County backs $10M housing plan
Seneca County leaders just approved a 10-year, $10 million housing strategy aimed at fixing a market that’s scaring off middle-income buyers, according to the Finger Lakes Times. Unlike many places, Seneca’s challenge isn’t affordability for ... more
