WCDO Radio News

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 12-23-20

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the bipartisan appropriations package includes $6 billion in funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for the WIC program. Nationwide, 1 in 5 parents do not have enough money to feed their children since the pandemic hit, Millions continue to be affected by widespread business closures and subsequent job loss and more households are relying on social safety nets to feed themselves and their families.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged Congress to invest $6 billion in the WIC program in the Fiscal Year 2021 Agriculture Appropriations bill.

(Gillibrand 12-1-20)

New York State WIC providers have reported 3% increased need since the pandemic began many other states were well into the double digits in increased need for WIC's services.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is proceeding quickly with confirmation hearings on Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said that Judge Coney-Barret’s appointment increases the threat of repealing health care for millions of Americans and the future of the Affordable Care Act, & would hurt many New Yorkers:

(Gillibrand 10-13-20)

Senator Gillibrand said that instead of rushing to fill the seat on the Supreme Court, the Senate should be rushing another stimulus bill to Americans & small businesses to help recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for the inclusion of the Restart Act to support live event venues that are struggling to recover after a summer of limited or no operations due to the COVID 19:

(Gillibrand 10-6-20)

Senator Gillibrand said that the Restart Act has wide support on both sides of the Aisle, but there is no timetable currently for the next Relief Bill to pass the Legislature & get signed by the President.

The Community Foundation for South Central New York has received a $25,000 grant from Lockheed Martin to the Foundation's COVID-19 Relief Fund for related needs in Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, and Tioga counties.   More information about the foundation is available at donorswhocare.org.

State Senator Jim Seward & local officials gathered Monday to dedicate a part of State Route 205 in the town of Hartwick to Sergeant John Kempe Winslow of Hartwick.  Winslow was killed in the line of duty in July of 1969 in Vietnam, he was 22 years old.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Katie Porter of California have forwarded the "STOCK Act 2.0" to strengthen disclosure rules and prevent individuals in trusted positions of public service from using their access for self-enrichment. Gillibrand commented this afternoon:

(Gillibrand 9-23-20)

Gillibrand and Porter are proposing to increase and expand transparency practices of the original STOCK Act, which barred members of Congress, the president, vice president and high level staff from engaging in insider trading or otherwise using nonpublic information for their own benefit, The STOCK Act 2.0 would require officials and staff covered under the STOCK Act to report any time they, a spouse, or a dependent, applies for or receives a benefit of value from the federal government.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 9-23-20

The Otsego County Department of Health, Bassett Medical Center & NYS Department of Health has partnered to provide a rapid testing to Otsego County residents today from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM at the Foothills Performing Arts Center on Market Street in Oneonta, for those who pre-register at 547-4279.

U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Bernie Sanders of Vermont announce their new legislation to re-establish Postal Banking at the US Post office.

(Gillibrand 9-17-20)

The proposal would provide basic banking services to low-income and rural communities and potentially create approximately $9 billion in revenue for the Postal Service and save it from privatization. Senator Gillibrand said that Postal Banking was a successful service for about 50 years previously, she originally introduced the Postal Banking Act in 2018 & re-introduced it again today.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Discussed legislation Tuesday to help veterans with diseases linked to burn pits or other toxic exposures, to obtain benefits from the VA:

(Gillibrand 9-16-20)

Gillibrand said that An Estimated 3.5 Million Veterans Could Have Been Exposed To Burn Pits That Spewed Toxic Fumes And Carcinogens Into The Air while serving overseas, the VA Is Denying Veterans' Benefits.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said today that the US Senate Republicans unveiled their so-called “skinny” relief package, which protects large corporations and leaves working Americans in the lurch:

(Gillibrand 9-9-20)

Gillibrand is calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to prioritize the needs of American families in the next COVID 19 relief package that will be voted on this week.

Otsego County Department of Health continues to investigate a large outbreak of Coronavirus involving SUNY Oneonta. On Tuesday, 16 new cases were reported; all are linked to SUNY Oneonta. The County reports 823 total confirmed cases, 701 confirmed cases linked to SUNY Oneonta, 11 confirmed cases in Hartwick College students, there are no hospitalizations.

State Senator Jim Seward announced that Mallory Delaney of Oneonta has been chosen as the 2020 New York State Senate "Woman of Distinction" from the 51st senate district. Delaney practices internal medicine in Oneonta at Bassett Healthcare Network. She has been in practice for five years, and has particular areas of interest in addiction recovery and in the care of medically complex adults.

Following a report detailing how federal dollars set aside for farmers during the pandemic in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program have gone to large corporate farms, while small family farms have received relatively little help, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand demands that the U.S. Department of Agriculture respond to that  inequitable distribution.  In the meantime Senator Gillbrand has proposed the Relief For America's Small Farmers Act in the next coronavirus relief package:

(Senator Gillibrand 8-26-20)

Senator Gillibrand is also urging USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to provide direct relief for New York's small farmers who have been financially devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic & to get the promised direct payments to farmers of all sizes immediately.

A.M. NEWS WEDNESDAY 8-26-20

Otsego County Department of Health is investigating 2 cases of coronavirus in SUNY Oneonta students that lived off campus. Neither student had visited the college campus during their communicable period, nor college officials announced that they have arranged to make one of their residence halls set up to house COVID positive students only.   All contacts with the 2 affected students have been notified and are quarantined for 14 days.  Otsego County now has 119 total confirmed cases, 6 active cases, 1 is hospitalized, 107 have recovered, and 24 people are on quarantine for close contact to a case, 167 people are on quarantine for traveling to a high risk state, there have been 6 deaths.

U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced $286,263 in federal funding to expand nursing opportunities and combat workforce shortages in the Southern Tier.   The funding will be used to establish clinical education and training programs in the region at UHS, SUNY and Broome County hospitals.  The Appalachian Regional Commission will provide $110,111 of the total $286,263 project fund.

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that she & many other members of Congress are calling on Postmaster Louis Dejoy to respond regarding the apparent dismantling of the US Postal Service:

(Gillibrand 8-18-20)

Gillibrand said that she is also calling for the Postal Bank to be brought back, which could generate up to 9 Billion dollars a year in revenue for the under-funded postal service.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand discussed the US Senate's lack of renewing the CARES Act that lapsed August 1st, which led to state and local governments cutting services, & families face lesser or no unemployment benefits & families have been unable to pay their rent and face eviction.

(Gillibrand 8-5-20)

Gillibrand also said that New Yorkers returning to work are also challenged by a growing child care crisis and reduced transportation due to budget shortfalls which limited service, plus millions of jobs have not yet come back since closing in the early days of the COVID 19 pandemic.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited the Prospect Terrace Fire Company in Binghamton this afternoon, as she repeated her call for legislation to provide local governments with direct federal relief that can be used to pay for essential services like Fire Departments, Police Departments & other emergency Services, and offset lost revenues and increased costs from the COVID-19 emergency. Gillibrand also called for the Trump Administration to renew the $600 week unemployment to those unemployed due to the pandemic, those benefits along with provisions that keep people from being evicted, expire at midnight tonight.

The expanded Unemployment Insurance benefits going out to millions of Americans that were laid off due to the pandemic shutdowns, could expire on Saturday August 1st, if Congress doesn't act in the next couple of days, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said that families living off of that Unemployment benefit need to know that it could be extended:

(Gillibrand 7-29-20)

Gillibrand said that a plan to adjust the Unemployment benefit to 70% of each unemployed workers salary could not be implemented by this weekend, as the additional math, & the antiquated systems many states employ, could take months for people to get their benefits.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited and volunteered at the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse, also known as "CHOW" in Binghamton this morning, where she helped pack meals for New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet during the coronavirus pandemic. The CHOW Program provides food to the hungry in Broome County through its network of over 100 partner agencies including food pantries, soup kitchens, and community meal programs.

The State Department of Transportation will host a virtual public hearing by videoconference with a phone-in option for the upcoming bridge replacement project in the Towns of Fenton and Barker in Broome County; and the Town of Greene in Chenango County.  The Hearing will be held Tuesday, at 5:00 pm at dot.ny.gov/NY79ChenangoRiverBridge

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for existing rural broadband funding to be spent as millions of families continue to adjust to a new normal of online learning, work, and health care due to the COVID-19 crisis.

(Gillibrand 6-23-20)

Gillibrand is calling on the Trump administration to spend the allocated money now as thousands of Rural New Yorkers still have poor broadband internet service or no service at all.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is pushing for the inclusion of the Child Care Is Essential Act in the next coronavirus relief package, as that industry took a major hit from the Pandemic:

(Gillibrand 6-17-20)

The Act would establish a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund to provide grants to stabilize child care providers who were still open during the pandemic and would help child care providers that were forced to close, to safely reopen.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is proposing a bill calling for changes in Policing practices, following a lengthy history of violence especially against minorities:

(Gillibrand 6-9-20)

Gillibrand said that the push for this bill comes as people across the nation and globe protest police brutality and institutional racism, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced new legislation to get internet coverage to more students, who are getting left behind in the learning process without have reliable broadband internet to keep up on their lessons or tests:

(Gillibrand 5-12-20)

Senator Gillibrand said that the US Senate's Emergency Educational Connections Act of 2020 would provide $4 billion in funding to ensure that all K-12 students have adequate home internet connectivity in order to continue their education during the pandemic.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced that the Trump administration approved New York State’s request to operate the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program authorized under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.  The program would permit New York State to provide benefits similar to SNAP benefits to more than 1.4 million children in the state who normally receive free or reduced price school meals and those who attend schools that offer free meals to all students.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced legislation that will address disruptions in the food supply chain caused by the coronavirus pandemic and directly connect farms to food banks & Disaster funding:

(Gillibrand 5-5-20)

Gillibrand serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee where she has proposed the Food Bank Access to farm Fresh Produce Act, after she heard reports that have millions of pounds of produce have been left to rot in fields & tons of milk have been dumped, while, food banks across the country are facing unprecedented demand, as millions of newly unemployed Americans now face food insecurity while farmers have watched their markets dry up.

American Red Cross Blood Drive is being held in Afton today, from 3:30 to 7:30 PM at 34 Spring Street.  Appointments are requested at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-redcross, all blood types are needed.

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is proposing the "Postal Banking Act" to try to save the United States Postal Service from being eliminated by the Trump Administration.  Gillibrand said that with the Coronavirus Pandemic, more people than ever will need to mail in their ballots this year:

(Gillibrand 4-28-20)

The act would also re-establish the Postal Banking act, to allow the Postal service to perform basic banking functions & it would save thousands of Postal employee’s jobs.

U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $145,510 in federal funding to help offset the cost of preparing and responding to the coronavirus health crisis. The City of Binghamton received $87,502 and the City of Albany Courthouse received $58,008. The funding was allocated through the Department of Justice as part of the recently passed "CARES" Act.

A.M. NEWS Thursday 4-23-20

Governor Cuomo announced that the state is up to 257,000 cases of the Coronavirus with 15,302 deaths and just fewer than 16,000 people hospitalized for the virus.  The Governor stated Wednesday that this country needs to get back into the manufacturing of testing equipment, ventilators & PPE's going forward, instead buying all of those items from China:

(Cuomo 4-23-20)

Governor Cuomo also said that the state will implement a regional approach to opening up schools & businesses, based on the numbers associated with the Coronavirus around the state.

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is co-sponsoring a bill to create a New "Health Force" to get people into the Health fields, starting with work on the current Coronavirus Pandemic:

(Gillibrand 4-22-20)

Gillibrand & Colorado Senator Michael Bennet have authored the legislation, which they said would provide jobs for thousands of recently unemployed Americans and directly support the nation’s efforts to recover from the current crisis.

U.S Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced today that she is sponsoring a provision in the next Coronavirus relief bill to help out the struggling farmers across the state:

(Gillibrand 4-13-20)

Senator Gillibrand said that Farmers have been ignored in the previous Coronavirus stimulus bills, at time when they are suffering their worst outcomes since the 2008 Recession, with the Coronavirus.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged President Trump to support requiring employers to provide additional paid sick leave during a public health emergency in the next relief package for working families quarantined at home & not collecting a paycheck, during the Coronavirus pandemic:

(Gillibrand 4-10-20)

Senator Gillibrand said that exemptions and rules put out by the Trump Administration for current emergency paid leave provisions exclude more than half of the private sector work force, leaving out tens of millions of low income workers from the country’s biggest corporations.

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said that she & other
members of the New York & New Jersey Congressional Delegation have sent a
letter to US Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar
today, to get federal help form the recently passed CARES act to the region as
soon as possible to help the beleaguered health care system deal with the
Coronavirus:

(Gillibrand 4-1-20)

Gillibrand said that she refers to the 2 trillion dollar
CARES act as a down payment in the battle against the Coronavirus, which will
likely spread through the entire country with similar number to New York State,
China, Italy, Spain & other hard hit areas.