The Debrief Podcast

Thirty-two days have passed since the Black Lives Matter Peaceful Protests started in the City of Geneva. 

Today is July 1st, and tonight is a Geneva City Council meeting. 

Eleven resolutions related to reforming the Geneva Police Department are all on the table, including the creation of a police accountability board and even partly defunding the police. 

Akim Hudson, a lifelong Geneva resident and one of most recognized organizers of the BLM protests reflects on these past thirty-two days and the long journey to reach tonight's meeting, which may usher in unprecedented change sweeping across the city. 

What has the journey been like for him?

Connie Helker claims to be the first employee who tested positive for COVID-19 at the Ontario Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare, earning the nickname "COVID Connie" among some of her peers. 

As a front desk receptionist and a housekeeper, Connie cared about her safety and wellbeing as someone who's immune compromised and encountered cancer three times. 

She chose to leave and became chastised for her decisions, which led to her forced termination. 

In a press statement, Centers Health Care Director of Corporate Communications Jeff Jacomowitz responded to FingerLakes1.com's initial investigative story that was published this Monday. 

"Since early March, Ontario Center has been fully equipped with PPE as per the guidelines by the New York State Department of Health and the CDC. This includes all front-line staff and health care workers, leadership, housekeeping, transport drivers who take patients to and from the facility for medical appointments such as dialysis, cardio, oncology, etc. All staff wearing PPE have been educated by Centers Health Care regional educators regarding the usage and the re-usage of PPE, also per the guidelines by the CDC. With regards to COVID-19, Ontario Center has met all of the requirements and guidelines by the New York State Department of Health and the CDC. In addition to facility-wide testing since the first case of COVID-19 appeared at Ontario Center as early as April 1, staff have been screened at the door prior to each shift whereby temperature is taken and a questionnaire about their health is answered before they enter the facility. If any employee comes with a fever or they are visually screened to have a cough or have body aches, they are turned away to return home for 14 days as per the guidelines by the State of New York and the CDC. The DOH has commended Ontario Center for the work the facility has done during this pandemic and over the past two weeks, the facility has zero in-house positive COVID-19 cases. 

As a response directed towards the June 29, 2020 article in FingerLakes1.com, allegations made by Mr. Corino, a disgruntled former part-time transport driver, employment came to an end due to having no further work responsibilities because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although these allegations are being investigated as all matters are taken seriously, Mr. Corino has no working knowledge of the policies and procedures with regards to PPE, so any claims he has made with regards to PPE are simply and blatantly untrue. Also in the June 29 FingerLakes1.com article, Ms. Helker was made aware of the 14-day quarantine period after being tested positive for COVID-19 but failed to return to work upon the competition of the 14 days, thus leading to her termination. Ms. Helker took it upon herself to be a permanent no-show and, at the same time, she was never badgered to return to work by any of the staff at Ontario Center. Ontario Center has an open door policy with regards to its staff, residents and family members. Departmental leadership for all employees inform their staff that they are available to handle any problems or concerns in the workplace. We wish Mr. Corino and Ms. Helker the best of luck in the future." 

On today's Daily Debrief, was Connie pressured to return to Ontario Center? 

What's the deal with Deer Haven Park? Is Saturday's reopening of Deer Haven Park in danger? Today on the show, an in-depth look at what Earl Martin announced this week as the future of the property that ran guided tours for the last several years.

Jeff Pirozzolo is the superintendent of schools in the Auburn Enlarged City School District. This week he was in-studio talking about the future of the classroom, how it will be shaped, how students will get there, and what it will look like to implement it all. 

Lisa Mattoon is the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester. Earlier this week she was a guest on Inside the FLX. From that conversation came some interesting points: Like mentors expectations versus the reality of being one. It's not expensive, it doesn't have to involve giving back monetarily, and often - kids in the program are just looking for a person. Today on The Daily Debrief we dive into that topic with Lisa, and look at what goes into their mentorship program.

What does the Cayuga Nation traditional leadership think about the land-into-trust legal suit? 

Sachem Chief Sam George of the Bear Clan claims that the entire community was not consulted prior to the lawsuit announcement made by Clint Halftown, the Bureau of Indian Affairs representative, alongside his legal counsel. 

Is the push for gaining land-in-trust status for certain parcels fueled by an interest to expand Indian gaming in the Village of Union Springs? 

Shortly a few weeks after Halftown and his legal counsel met with Cayuga County officials, the lawsuit to transition fee-owned land into trust began - after fifteen years of stagnation at the federal level. 

Chief George believes that might be case with the possibility of switching Lakeside Entertainment's current Class II gaming designation to Class III, which would require the state's regulation and oversight through the New York State Gaming Commission. 

Nearly four months later, Chief George and other Cayuga Nation traditionalists feel that their concerns and struggles are not seen - and rather rendered invisible as state and federal actors largely overlook the destruction of several properties along State Route 89, which occurred back in February.

What's happening at farms across New York State? Early in the pandemic shutdown we saw a variety of headlines connected to the idea that farms were already struggling -- and that new realities made doing business nearly impossible. As businesses open up -- big questions loom -- like, "What policies need to change to protect small and medium sized farms moving forward?"

Today on The Daily Debrief, a conversation with Ann Marie Heizmann, who in addition to running for New York State Assembly, has led the Seneca County Farm Bureau in recent years. Give a listen to her thoughts, and check out some of the content we've curated or produced in recent weeks on the topic of farming.

- DAILY DEBRIEF: Creating resources for farm workforce during pandemic (FL1)

- Small farms in New York are experiencing a surprising boom (New York Times)

- Farms were already struggling across the state, and country (New York Times)

- New York farms sent reeling as COVID-19 continues to spread (LoHud)

- Small farms struggle as restaurants struggle (Civil Eats)

- The number of farms continues to shrink in New York except for few exceptions (The Daily Gazette)

A big week of headlines broken down by Jackie Augustine, Josh Durso, and Ted Baker.

What is Juneteenth? Edith Wormley, the assistant director of the Academic Opportunity Programs at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a member of the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church talks about the history of this significant date. She also spends some time reflecting on how its remember now amid nationwide protests in memory of George Floyd.