Headlines for September 21, 2022

Recidivism has continued to fall in Tompkins County. Researchers say the steady fall in people being locked up more than once a year is directly correlated with investments the County has made in alternatives to incarceration and other supportive measures for court involved people. At their meeting Monday, the County Health and Human Services Committee received a report on one such effort, the Sunflower Houses. The program is a collaboration providing supportive housing for people reentering the community following incarceration. Presenters credited the DA for his efforts to decriminalize poverty and the County’s decision to not expand the jail. In 2017, the jail was over capacity with a daily average of 93 people locked up. Today, Tompkins’ average jail population has dropped to 40. While they lauded the drop in recidivism, they pointed out racial disparities among those arrested, jailed, or imprisoned have actually increased. Watch the complete presentation here.

Tompkins County will hold a monkey pox vaccine clinic tomorrow from 1-4pm on Brown Rd in Ithaca. First or second dose vaccines are available to those eligible. Learn more and register here or call 211. 

Fall foliage in New York may make a delayed or dull showing this year. According to the Lockport Union Sun and Journal Cornell researchers say that dry weather throughout the summer can cause a delay or even diminished fall colors. Forty-three New York counties are currently under a drought watch. According to drought.gov, parts of Tompkins and Chemung Counties and all of Schuyler County are currently facing abnormally dry conditions.