Local News: December 19, 2023

- Tompkins County and others report rise in COVID and flu cases -

Tompkins County Whole Health announced on Monday that COVID cases in the county have risen by 47% in the past two weeks. Flu cases are up 44% in the past week. The changes in Tompkins County are part of a rise in cases across the state. Whole Health is urging people to update vaccinations and keep doing things like washing hands, staying home if you feel sick, and getting tested. Free COVID tests are still available, a link to sources is here. 

- DEC says new Souther Tier gas drilling company has not applied for permits -

A new company that has been contacting property owners about drilling for gas has not applied for permits according to a letter from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation or DEC. The DEC letter was in response to questions from State Senators Lea Webb and Donna Lupardo. The environmental agency wrote that if the new company does apply for permits to drill for gas in the Marcellus or Utica shales the DEC will conduct a review process. It would include considering if the project would interfere with the state’s goals to reduce greenhouse gases. The company says it will extract methane gas by using carbon dioxide not using hydrofracking.

- Governor Hochul signs bill creating commission  to consider slavery reparations -

Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill on Tuesday creating a commission to study potential reparations to descendants of enslaved New Yorkers. The commission will study the history of slavery in New York and how the state perpetuated discrimination against African Americans. The state doesn’t have to follow any recommendations made by the commission. Reuters reports that New York is the second state to create a task force to look into reparations. The first was in California in 2020.  Slavery was legal in New York from 1626 until 1827.