Back in February, New York’s prison system was completely upended when correctional officers across the state went on an unsanctioned strike for three weeks in protest of staffing shortages, dangerous conditions and…
Author: Julia Kim
New York Issues Major Cuts to Energy Affordability Program
NYSERDA is making steep cuts to Empower+, slashing the program’s budget from roughly \$220 million this year to just \$80 million by 2027 — a drop of more than two-thirds. Since…
How a Local Nonprofit is Bringing Books to Prisons in New York
If you walk into a local bookstore in Ulster and Dutchess counties, you might encounter a shelf lined with an unusual set of books — book requests by individuals currently incarcerated in…
Local Organizations Pledge to Fight Fracking in the Delaware River Watershed
For the eight million people who live within the Delaware River Watershed and the additional nine million people who rely on the river for their freshwater, the watershed serves as a critical…
New York is Going Fully Electric in the Fight Against Climate Change
New York is going electric. In a major move toward cutting fossil fuels, New York is now the first state to require newly constructed buildings to be made fully electric after the…
Planned Parenthood Cuts Expose and Exacerbate Healthcare Disparities
Under Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” Planned Parenthood can lose federal Medicaid funding for one year, endangering 200 clinics nationwide that 1.1 million Americans currently depend on for healthcare. The provision targets…
Rite Aid Closure in Honesdale Raises Concerns Over Growth of Pharmacy Deserts
Narrowsburg resident Catherine Montesi had been going to the Rite Aid in Honesdale, PA for her 30-day prescription of Lexapro since she moved to the town a year ago. That is until…
New Yorkers Face Long Waitlists for Mental Health Support
21-year-old William Dlugozima’s journey to becoming a mental health advocate at the Hudson Valley Clubhouse started with his own recovery. Dlugozima joined the newly established, community-centered mental health program in Poughkeepsie,…
How an Indigenous-Led Non-Profit is Challenging the Hudson Valley’s Artistic Legacy
The Hudson Valley is no stranger to the arts. Think of Thomas Cole’s monumental paintings that came out of the Hudson River School of the mid-19th-century — romantic depictions of the serene…