May 16th, 2022 Daily Headlines

Tompkins County Public Health Director and Mental Health Commissioner Frank Kruppa is warning of fentanyl in street drugs. According to the Ithaca Voice, Kruppa said Fentanyl is “in all street drugs”  including marijuana and that users should “assume” the drug’s presence. Fentanyl is about 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine and is very addictive. The number of fentanyl overdoses has surged in recent years with over 75,000 in 2021. 

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On Saturday, a “Bans off our Bodies” event was held in Ithaca as a part of a nationwide protest movement in favor of abortion rights. According to the Ithaca Journal, the event was organized by Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Action Fund. The event, which was held at the Bernie Milton Pavilion, was one of over 180 similar protests around the country in response to a leaked Supreme Court draft decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Speakers included Common Councilor Phoebe Brown, Activist and 4th ward Common Council candidate Tiffany Kumar and State Senate candidate Leslie Danks-Burke. 

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Last Tuesday, Democrats in the New York State Assembly advanced the New York Health Act. According to Spectrum News the Assembly’s Codes Committee voted along party lines to advance the measure to the Ways and Means Committee. The Health Act would create a single-payer health care system in New York State. The measure has enough co-sponsors in both chambers of the legislature to pass, but hasn’t yet been brought to a vote. 

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Most counties in New York state are now listed as being at high risk for COVID-19. According to the New York Times, the surge in COVID cases has triggered mask recommendations in most counties in the state. New York has not reinstituted a mask mandate. According to CDC data Bronx county is the only county in the state with a low level of COVID risk.