Local News: February 28, 2024

- Tompkins County Alcohol and Drug Council will stop addiction treatment services -The Tompkins County Alcohol and Drug Council will end its patient services and lay off most of its staff.  The Ithaca Voice reports the Council has struggled to hire qualified nurses to staff its new 40-bed detox center. The Council is gradually ending all its harm reduction, prevention, counseling, and treatment services. The remaining staff will focus on restructuring and fully opening the detox center.

- NY Democrats propose new congressional map -The state legislature’s Democrats proposed a new congressional map on Tuesday. The Albany Times Union reports that the new map has few changes from the one proposed by the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission. The main changes are in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island. Democrats voted down the Commission's map. The Democrats' map must be approved by the legislature and the governor before going into effect.

- A Cornell senior has been arrested for revenge porn under a law his father voted for -A Cornell undergraduate was arrested in January for threatening to release revenge porn of his ex-girlfriend. The Cornell Daily Sun reports that Matthew Schwertner faces felony charges for violating a state law his father, a Texas state senator voted for in 2015. The law made revenge porn a serious offense. The younger Schwertner was released on a $15,000 bond. The University says he is not enrolled this semester but did not say if it was related to his arrest. He’s scheduled to appear in court on March 8.