Local News: December 21, 2023

- Local public school enrollment has dropped since the pandemic following a statewide trend -

Public school enrollment in New York state has dropped more than anywhere else in the country since the beginning of the pandemic. According to an Albany Times Union article which quotes data from Associated Press enrollment statewide dropped 6 percent between the 2019-2020 and 2022-2023 school year. Several reasons were cited for the decline. They include the decline in school-age children, people leaving the state, and a rise in homeschooling. The Ithaca, Elmira, Binghamton, and Corning school districts all showed enrollment changes similar to the statewide shift. Every county in the state has lost enrollment according to state records.

- Broome County legislature to vote on new election district map -

A new election districts map has been drawn for Broome County. WSKG Public Radio reports the county’s redistricting commission approved a newly drawn map on Tuesday. The county legislature will vote on the map at its December 27 meeting. The previous map was thrown out after a ruling from a New York appeals court earlier this month. Another state court recently ordered the state’s congressional district maps to be redrawn before the 2024 elections.

- Tompkins County to fund early costs of new emergency response team -

Tompkins County will pay for some of the start-up costs for a new emergency response team. The Ithaca Voice reports Legislators voted unanimously to spend $287,000 on the new program. The Rapid Medical Response program will include EMTs stationed around the county to provide faster response times for some rural areas. The team will start care until an ambulance can arrive and transport patients.