Your Morning Edition for Sunday, July 28th presented by DiSanto Propane!

Closer look at challenges around Owasco Lake. Plus, exclusive reporting on National Women's Hall of Fame CEO's resignation, remembering Sen. Seward in CNY, and Keuka Lake project update.

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OWASCO LAKE WATER CRISIS: “If we lose this lake we lose everything”

Owasco Lake has a problem and local officials say if something doesn’t change soon one of the region’s largest drinking water sources could be jeopardized.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Several years ago the two communities most closely connected to Owasco Lake set out to update the 1984 Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations to improve, protect, and preserve water quality within the Owasco Lake watershed.

• “A lot in life has changed since the 1980s so this was an important step, which was taken because we were the canary in the coal mine,” explained Auburn Mayor Jimmy Giannetino. The update aimed to address modern environmental challenges and ensure the long-term sustainability of the water supply.

• “It was a seven year process that was community driven and encouraged by the State of New York,” Giannettino continued. “As recent as a few months ago, they were saying that they were going to offer up revisions to what we had sent them. Now all of a sudden with no explanation, they’re saying that the revisions are no longer needed.”

• “This completely caught us off guard,” an exacerbated Giannettino added. “We’ve been pretty clear from the beginning that what we sent to the state of New York, which was approved in the City and Town, should have been approved because the state was involved in the process.

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FLX Forecast: What to expect today?

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Fast 5: What’s happening in the Finger Lakes?

1. EXCLUSIVE REPORT: The CEO of the National Women’s Hall of Fame, Jennifer S. Gabriel, has announced her decision to step down at the end of the month. The news came through an email obtained by the FingerLakes1.com newsroom dated earlier in July. [READ MORE]

2. MAJOR DONATION: The Seneca Foods Foundation has donated $10 million to the Cornell Food Venture Center (CFVC) at AgriTech, marking the largest gift in AgriTech’s history. The donation will enhance the CFVC’s mission of helping food producers bring products to market through innovative processing technologies and safety evaluations. [READ MORE]

3. UP FOR SALE: Wells College has listed the Ruth P. Thomas House at 165 Main St. for $1.395 million, potentially complicating Aurora’s plans to transform the property into a community center and office space. The village of Aurora, which received a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant, hopes to incorporate the property into its community projects. [READ MORE]

4. REMEMBERING LEADER: Jim Seward, a former New York state senator who represented Cayuga County at the start and end of his 34-year tenure, passed away on Saturday at age 72. Seward, who succumbed to cancer, began his political career as a town justice in Milford, Otsego County, and went on to become a significant figure in state politics, serving as chair of key Senate committees. [READ MORE]

5. KEUKA CHANGES: The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced ongoing progress on the $12 million disaster mitigation project for State Route 54A along Keuka Lake’s west side. This project aims to enhance drainage and other infrastructure to mitigate heavy rain impacts and prevent travel disruptions. [READ MORE]

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Auburn food pantry relocates to Fingerlakes Mall for better accessibility

The St. Alphonsus Food Pantry has moved to a new location in Auburn’s Fingerlakes Mall, enhancing accessibility for clients. The move, completed in May, marked the pantry’s first relocation off St. Alphonsus Parish grounds in over 40 years.

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MORE LOCAL HEADLINES: What Else Is Happening?

• Gillibrand advocates for expanded TBI care for vets

• Kristin Garland running for Cayuga County Family Court Judge

• Hornell will ban cell phones to curb classroom distractions this fall

• Blaze Erupts in Bath Apartment, No Injuries Reported

• Nonprofit Rescues 26 Shih Tzus from Big Flats Home

• IRS Updates: Finalizes Rules for Inherited IRAs, Sparking Tax Strategy Concerns

• Americans Maintain $1.8 Million Retirement Target Amid Inflation Concerns

• North Shore Ambulance shuts down due to financial strain

• Seneca Falls woman arrested after larceny, fraud investigation at Walmart

• Waterloo man arrested again for failure to appear in SF court

• Hopewell woman arrested in major Canandaigua drug bust: Drugs, illegal weapons, and high-capacity magazines recovered

• Palmyra man arrested after threatening police officer with baseball bat responding to 911 call

• Police: Geneva woman arrested for obstruction after shoving officer

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Justice Department Accuses TikTok of Collecting U.S. User Data on Sensitive Issues

The Justice Department has accused TikTok of gathering extensive data on American users’ views on divisive issues like abortion and gun control. According to court documents filed Friday, TikTok employees used a system called Lark to share sensitive data with ByteDance engineers in China.

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AROUND THE US & WORLD: Beyond the Finger Lakes

• Biden Eyes Supreme Court Shake-Up with Term Limits, Ethics Code

• Retirement Security Rule: What is it? Why was it blocked by judge?

• Why Waiting Until 70 to Claim Social Security Might Be Wise

• Consumer Sentiment Declines Amid Persistent Inflation Worries: What Does That Mean For Economy?

• US Economy Achieves Rare Growth, Eases Inflation Concerns

• US GDP Growth Picks Up, But Economic Challenges Persist