Local News: August 17, 2023

- Cornell will not renew its agreement with Starbucks -

Cornell University says it will not continue to carry Starbucks products after its current contract ends in 2025. The announcement was made in an email from the administration to the student body on August 16. Students, current and former Starbucks employees have been pressuring the university to sever ties with the major coffee company for several months.  A recent National Labor Relations Board ruling said Starbucks unfairly fired or punished pro-union employees in Ithaca. The Cornell Daily Sun reports that includes some Cornell students. University officials say they will be “inclusive” and work to find “suitable alternatives as they search for a new vendor.

- Cortland Library Gets $600,000 State Grant -

The Cortland Public Library will be able to complete needed construction projects thanks to a $600,000 state grant. The Cortland Voice reports the library plans to use the money to create a space for teenagers, get a new HVAC system, and expand elevator access that will allow anyone access to the upstairs art gallery. The grant is from a state fund for public library and broadband infrastructure construction. The head of the library says it will take several years to finish all of the projects.

= Officials Get Update From US Salt On Flood Damage Repairs -

State, local, and federal elected officials were in Watkins Glen on August 15 for a meeting with US Salt. They toured the damage from flooding on July 9. The water went through the Schuyler County facility after spilling over nearby creeks. The Odessa File reports that most repairs to the salt facility were finished by late July. Repairs to the creeks have to wait for approval from the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Some of those present at the meeting were Congressman Nick Langworthy, State Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, and county legislator Shawn Rosno.