Local News: February 2, 2024

- New data dashboard tracks Tompkins County sheriff mental health unit efforts -

Tompkins County launched a new dashboard to share data about the pilot project between the sheriff’s department and Tompkins Whole Health. The Ithaca Voice reports the project pairs a sheriff’s deputy with a mental health professional to respond to 911 calls where someone may be in a “mental, behavioral, or emotional crisis”. Since the project started last  August the pair have responded to 90 calls. The program is part of the county’s Reimagining Public Safety plan.

- Ithaca  announces first buildings for electrification a step forward for its Green New Deal  -

The City of Ithaca announced that ten commercial buildings will be the first in its electrification project. The conversions are part of the city’s Green New Deal designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The chosen commercial buildings include Gimme! Coffee on MLK/State Street, Historic Ithaca, and the administrative building of Ithaca’s wastewater treatment plant. The city estimates the work will cost almost $2 million, most of which will be subsidized by state and federal incentives.

- Finger Lakes Republican nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize -

Representative Claudia Tenney has nominated former president Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Finger Lakes Times reports the Republican says the former president deserves the honor for the Middle East peace agreement negotiation during his administration. Trump has been nominated for the Peace Prize before. Tenney’s Republican primary opponent and her Democratic opponent in this year’s election criticized the nomination. Tenney represents the redrawn 24th congressional district which now includes Cayuga and Seneca counties.