June 3, 2022 Daily Headlines

The ballot for Ithaca's special mayoral election this November has been finalized. There are three candidates in the running: Democrat incumbent Laura Lewis, Republican Zachary Winn, and independent Katie Sims. According to the Ithaca Voice, the winner will serve the remainder of former Mayor Svante Myrick’s term, due to his early resignation in January. There will be another election in 2023 to determine Ithaca’s next full-term mayor.

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The Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) has announced a rise in Syphilis cases this year. In just the first five months of 2022 there have been 16 reported cases of syphilis in the county, compared to 2021 when there were only 22 cases in total. The County says people engaging in high-risk sexual activities such as not using a condom, seeing multiple partners, or having anonymous sex are at the highest risk. Those in treatment for HIV are also at higher risk. The health department is recommending that people should be getting tested early and often, especially pregnant people and those in high-risk categories.

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The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York passed the State Senate on Monday. According to the Legal Defense Fund, the legislation would create protections against voter intimidation, expand language assistance, and establish a central hub for election information. If passed by the assembly, the measures would represent some of the most comprehensive and robust voting rights laws in the United States. State Senators and voting rights groups are urging the assembly to pass the package before the end of the State’s legislative session, on June 2nd.