May 4th, 2022 Daily Headlines

Local politicians are responding to a report from Politico saying the Supreme Court is preparing to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. While the ruling is not yet final, it does indicate fthe court may be poised to end a 50 year precedent establishing the right to abortion services. Local congressional Candidate Vanessa Fajans-Turner called on the federal government to codify Roe v. Wade into law. She also voiced support for federal funding for Planned Parenthood and providing funds to support women seeking abortions in states where it is legal. State Senate candidates Lea Webb and Leslie Danks-Burke both lamented the draft decision. Webb celebrated New York’s codification of Roe in 2019, but said women in all communities should have access to abortion services. Danks-Burke also condemned the draft saying it would make abortions less safe, not less common. Meanwhile, Republican congresswoman Claudia Tenney celebrated the court’s draft decision and attacked the leak itself calling it an egregious act of “ethical malfeasance.”

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The State University Board of Trustees has named Amy Kremenek as the new president of Tompkins Cortland Community College. Kremenek previously served as Vice-President of Enrollment, Development, and Communications at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse. Kremenek has worked in higher education for nearly 20 years. Previous President Orinthia Montague stepped down last August. 

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New York state has scheduled public hearings to discuss criteria for evaluating “disadvantaged communities” under the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The act, which calls for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, also calls for the State to grant special consideration to so-called “disadvantaged communities.”  Citizens can submit a comment, see full the schedule of public hearings, or view a map of communities currently listed as disadvantaged on the State’s website at Climate.ny.gov