Finger Lakes Today

Prison City Brewing has officially kicked off its Hops N Shop weekend series. Starting today Hops N Shop will be held every Sunday through September 24. It will take place at Prison City Brewing North, which is located on North Street in the city. Fresh, locally grown produce, as well as arts, crafts, and seasonal vendors will be found weekly. There will also be food trucks and live music and entertainment. We recently caught up with the Prison City Brewing team to talk about the event and their hope for creating a space for people of all ages to hang out on Sundays in Auburn!

Jennifer Lake has been involved in the Goodwill of the Finger Lakes for more than a decade-and-a-half. As CEO, she has overseen a lot of projects that bring her pride.

Last weekend though, the grand opening of the Canandaigua Goodwill store was particularly satisfiying. For the community, partnering agencies, and those served, the new store will greatly help the organization's mission.

We caught up with Lake to discuss the opening and what it means for Canandaigua and Ontario County.

Take the following and rewrite it in a summarized news report form. It should be concise. The new article should be two paragraphs long and only include the most important details from the original text. No plagiarism. Include a headline.

For Sue Cirencione there isn't an exact moment she can pinpoint over the last couple years where the decision was made to sell the grocery store that's been her family's business for decades.

Earlier this month, the Ovid Big M was sold. Cirencione sold to Jake and Scott Hermann, who operate a couple other grocery stores in the Finger Lakes and Central New York markets.

The store fills an important need. The nearest grocery store is around 30 minutes away.

"I really wasn't ever sure when the time was going to come," she recalled. "I think for our family, it was a matter of finding the right people that had our vision for a small community and keeping the store alive working with the community."

We caught up with Sue, Scott, and Jake, to discuss the decision at both ends. While the deal itself took months to iron out- nearly a year, in fact - the outcome is a good one for all involved. Especially those who want to continue shopping at the Ovid Big M.

Foster children in New York and across the nation need better transition support once they age out, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The Fostering Youth Transition report found 74% of children in New York foster care are aging out, rather than finding a permanent home, a 22% increase from the national average of 52%.

Parents in New York and across the U.S. want to see schools improve kid's mental health, a recent survey found.

In the American economy there are few things more complicated and sensitive than labor. There are an array of issues debated on a daily basis, ranging from fair treatment to compensation to work-life balance. Many of these issues have become more complex since the COVID pandemic and rise of inflation.

For Mark Mix, who leads the National Right to Work Foundation, he says many work-related issues could be settled by simplifying the National Labor Relations Act.

The Foundation helps employees on both sides of the union fight attain access to rights under the aforementioned act, which dates back to the 1930s.

Locally, there's been a lot of discussion and debate around Starbucks. The company decided to close two locations in Ithaca. Union advocates called the move retaliation. However, as Mark explained in a conversation with FingerLakes1.com, the issue of labor is complicated- and providing workers with autonomy could go a long way to correcting many labor disputes.

Change is coming to the Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County. Following the completion of a 40-bed open access detox and stabilization facility, Anegla Sullivan is stepping down as leader of the organization.

"It's healthy for an organization to have change," Sullivan said in an interview with FingerLakes1.com following the announcement. She's served as executive director for 12 years.

The Council’s Assistant Executive Director Stacy Cangelosi, LMSW, will assume the role of Interim Executive Director while the Council’s Board of Directors launches a search for Sullivan’s successor.

"The last time we talked, we talked about the Open Access Detox and Stabilization Center, which has been a seven or eight year labor of love," Sullivan continued. "I need to rest. It was particularly difficult keeping that going through COVID, and all kinds of changes."

Pointing back to the healthiness of leadership change, Sullivan added that she never wanted to become the person who never made it to retirement or didn't get to retire or enjoy it. "I'm not quite sure what's next [personally], but I really do feel like I've worked really hard for 12 years to position the organization to be ready to do what's next. It's a great team."

The looming U.S. debt default could affect a host of programs across the country - and in New York, the list includes clean-energy investments.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said the U.S. has until June 5 before a default would occur. In the meantime, states like New York have been ramping up their clean-energy infrastructure with federal Inflation Reduction Act funds.

Amid that climate, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Joint Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to overturn President Joe Biden's student debt relief program. The bill now heads to the Senate.

As Memorial Day weekend arrives here in the Finger Lakes, the time is perfect to catch migrating birds, growing wildlife, and picture perfect walking trails out at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. Each month we catch up with Chris Lajewski, Director of the Montezuma Audubon Center in Wayne County, to discuss the latest happenings and opportunities for visitors. This month we talk about how the wetlands complex is managed through wet and dry portions of the year, as well as the Baltimore Oriole, and volunteer opportunities to help fight invasive species.