JANUARY 23 –WHITE PLAINS WEEK TONIGHT THE JULY 23 REPORT 7:30 PM FIOS CH 45 WP OPTIMUM 76 AND www.wpcommunitymedia.org

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THE BLOOD SHORTAGE

YOUR LOCAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST  DR. KATYLIN JETTELINA ON THE MEASLES SPREAD

 

COVID IN WESTCHESTER — 1,191 NEW CASES BY END OF JANUARY  40 A DAY

PAUL FEINER AND THE GREEENBURGH FLOOD AND WHAT IT IS SAYING ABOUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE

THE WESTCHESTER ECONOMY TOMORROW

THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY ASSOCIATION AND

WESTCHESTER COUNTY ANNOUNCE THE BLUEPRINT DEVELOPMENT PLAN

JOHN BAILEY TAKES A LOOK AT IT

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JANUARY 23, 2026– NY PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION APPROVES 10% CON ED RATE HIKE ON ELECTRIC. CUTS 90% OF CON ED REQUEST. APPROVES JOINT AGREEMENT REACHED IN NOVEMBER

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Commission Adopts Multi-Year Joint Proposal Supported by Department Staff, NYC, Consumer Advocates, Environmental Groups, and Large Customers
Commission Action Ensures Energy Affordability Remains Priority

ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today adopted the terms of an agreement for three-year electric and gas rate plans for Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Edison) that was either signed or not opposed by 17 parties in the proceeding.

Parties approving the proposal include the company, Department of Public Service (DPS) staff, consumer advocates, environmental groups, and large industrial customers.

The Commission’s action significantly reduces the company’s request for total electric delivery revenues by more than $1.37 billion (87 percent decrease from the initial request)

in the first year. The adopted joint proposal delivers $156.5 million in total efficiency savings, defers non-essential capital projects, and supports energy affordability programs and protections for vulnerable customers.

“The adopted joint proposal meets the legal requirement that the company continue to provide safe and adequate service at just and reasonable rates,” said Commission Chair Rory M. Christian. 

“The three-year rate plan is in the public interest. It is a forward-looking plan that benefits customers and includes provisions that further important state and Commission objectives, while keeping customer affordability first and foremost in mind.”

Throughout this review process, Governor Kathy Hochul made it clear the original rate proposal was too high.

At Governor Hochul’s direction, the DPS staff scrutinized Con Edison’s rate case to prioritize affordability. It’s the Commission’s responsibility to find the right balance between the resources needed to ensure system reliability and minimize costs to ratepayers.

The joint proposal reduced Con Edison electric and gas rates by nearly 87 percent from what was initially proposed by the utility.

The approved rates for the next three years are limited to approximately the rate of inflation, while advancing safety, reliability, and climate goals.

Con Edison is New York’s largest electric and gas utility, with more than 3.6 million electric customers and 1.1 million natural gas customers in New York City and Westchester County.

The joint proposal was submitted by 12 parties, including Con Edison, Department staff, the City of New York, Alliance for a Green Economy, Consumer Power Advocates, Electrify America, Environmental Defense Fund, AMTRAK, New York Energy Consumers Council, Inc., NY-GEO, the New York Power Authority, and the Retail Energy Supply Association. Additional active parties, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Public Utility Law Project, the Utility Intervention Unit of the Division of Consumer Protection in the Department of State, New Yorkers for Clean Power and the Westchester Municipal Consortium, did not oppose the joint proposal.

Statements in support filed by the signatory parties on Nov. 26, 2025, include the following:

  • City of New York: “As buildings and transportation electrify and system-wide electricity demand increases, and because of current economic conditions and the critical need to maintain safe and reliable infrastructure, a rate freeze was not possible. The City appreciates that agreement was reached on a joint proposal that recommends rate increases over the next three years that are limited to approximately the rate of inflation, while advancing safety, reliability, and climate goals.”
  • New York Energy Consumers Council: “Significantly, the (joint proposal) incremental revenue requirement for electric represents $5.637 billion less than Con Edison’s initial three-year cumulative incremental increase request, and 26 percent of Con Edison’s initial three-year cumulative incremental increase request… Equally impressive is that the joint proposal incremental revenue requirement for gas is $1.727 billion less than Con Edison’s initial three-year cumulative incremental increase request, and 14.4 percent of Con Edison’s initial three-year cumulative incremental increase ask.”
  • Environmental Defense Fund: “The joint proposal strikes an appropriate balance in significantly reducing Con Edison’s originally proposed rate increase, while still advancing important programs related to clean energy, customer education, and transparency.”
  • Alliance for a Green Economy: “The provisions in the joint proposal make the company’s rates more just and reasonable, reduce an operating cost barrier to heat pump adoption, thereby advancing achievement of the state’s greenhouse gas reduction policy. The joint proposal contains several other improvements over the company’s original proposal. These include, but are not limited to, the dramatic reduction in proposed bill impacts, improved language access commitments, improved outreach around the Energy Affordability Program, inclusion of greenhouse gas accounting, and improvement of outreach for the company’s energy exchange program which helps customers avoid gas service line replacements by fully electrifying their homes.”

The Commission said the way revenues will be collected, through shaping the amounts over the three-year term of the Rate Plans and collecting the revenues associated with the make-whole over the balance of the first-rate year, will help ease the impact on customers.

Moreover, customer bill discounts and the company’s implementation of the Commission’s enhanced energy affordability policy should help to limit the bill impacts on eligible customers. The increases appropriately balance affordability concerns with the Commission’s obligation to ensure that the company has adequate revenue to allow it to deliver safe and reliable service and meet regulatory and statutory requirements.

Con Edison filed amendments for new rates on January 31, 2025, proposing to increase its annual electric and gas delivery revenues for the 12-month period ending December 31, 2026. As of its April 10, 2025 updated testimony, Con Edison proposed to increase its electric delivery revenues by approximately $1.6 billion (an 11.3 percent increase in total revenues or 17.9 percent increase in base delivery revenues), and its natural gas delivery revenues by approximately $349 million (a 10.5 percent increase in total revenues or 14.9 percent increase in base delivery revenues).

The adopted joint proposal will result in electric revenue requirement increases of $234 million in the first year, $409.7 million in the second year, and $421.1 million in the third year.

This equates to total revenue increases of 2.8 percent per year, or 4.4 percent increase in delivery revenues. 

The gas increases will be $27.5 million in the first year, $68.8 million in the second year, and $70.3 million in the third year, with total revenue increases of 2.0 percent and delivery revenue increases of 2.8 percent per year. The revenue requirements reflect a return on equity of 9.4 percent, which is below what Con Edison had originally sought and below the national average for utilities.

The adopted rate plan reflects capital investments of approximately $11.7 billion for electric and $2.8 billion for gas to ensure the company can continue to provide safe and reliable service to its customers.

The adopted joint proposal reflects increased outreach for the recently expanded Energy Affordability Program, enhanced performance metrics, and it is supportive of the objectives of the state’s climate goals.

The Commission believes this joint proposal is the best possible path forward in this case. Property taxes are among the main rate drivers in the first year of the electric and gas rate plans, along with costs attributable to capital investments to maintain safety and reliability, including leak prone pipe replacement; increases to operation and maintenance expenses to provide the company the ability to operate the electric and gas businesses; and a return on equity that reflects market conditions and allows the company to obtain funding for its capital investments at reasonable rates.

The adopted joint proposal continues or enhances numerous provisions in the prior rate order such as customer service performance metrics, gas safety metrics, low-income and energy affordability provisions. The adopted joint proposal also encourages the company to pursue non-pipeline alternatives.

As part of the rate-setting process, Department staff reviewed and considered the thousands of public comments submitted in the proceeding. The Commission also held more than a dozen in-person and virtual public statement hearings, as well as an evidentiary hearing, as part of the proceeding.

In its decision, the Commission found that approved 9.40 percent return on equity was a reasonable outcome given the current economic environment, and that it is less than rates set for other utilities in the United States and New York State.

Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s website at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Numbers 25-E-0072 or 25-G-0073 in the input box labeled “Search for Case/Matter Number”. Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.

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JANUARY 22–WHITE PLAINS KINDERGARTEN TOURS BEGIN WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON SCHOOL. DUAL LANGUAGE Informational meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, in the White Plains High School Media Center.

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PRINCIPAL LAURA MUNGIN LEADS PARENTS  OF INCOMING KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS INTO GEORGE WASHINGTON SCHOOL TUESDAY MORNING.(Photo courtesy George Washington School.)
WHITE PLAINS N.Y. (January 22, 2026) — Parents of incoming kindergarten students were welcomed at George Washington Elementary School Tuesday morning for the school’s first kindergarten tour of the school year. The schedule for the remaining tours can be found on the district website by clicking here or visiting the calendar.
Principal Laura Mungin and Assistant Principal Joseph Onativia greeted families in the auditorium, giving them an overview of what to expect at their school. They also answered frequently asked questions, such as the offerings for before and after school care (which are available at each elementary school through the White Plains Youth Bureau).
“If you haven’t become familiar with the five schools, please, I encourage you to visit all five,” said Ms. Mungin. “We offer pretty much the same things in terms of curriculum and programming. 
But each building really does have its own personality, and you know what’s a good fit for your kiddo.”
Along with the other four schools, George Washington utilizes curriculum such as Arts and Letters, Fundations, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness and more. You can read more about the elementary program and kindergarten registration by viewing the fact sheet here.
Mr. Onativia reviewed some of the other ways the school supports students, such as with Responsive Classroom, an approach which integrates engaging academics with social-emotional learning. The school also holds community-based morning meetings to build a strong school community and has an engaged PTA which helps support students.
Like each of the other elementary schools, Ms. Mungin explained that each kindergarten class has a teaching assistant to support students. George Washington Elementary School offers a dual language program, which is also available at Post Road and Church Street. Ms. Mungin noted that the first cohort of dual language students recently graduated high school, with several of them receiving the Seal of Biliteracy on their diplomas.
To learn more about the dual language program, visit the Dual Language webpage or attend the informational meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, in the White Plains High School Media Center.
At the end of the presentation, Ms. Mungin and Mr. Onativia answered questions from parents. They gave answers about lunchroom protocols, the dual language program, student screening (students are screened before school starts to ensure they are thoughtfully placed in classes), and more. They also explained the special education process and how students with Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s) are placed.
Families were then led around the school, seeing what the school is like when classes are in session and visiting the media center, cafeteria and gymnasium. They continued asking questions as they traveled the halls and ended the tour at the bus circle.
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JANUARY 21– COUNTIES’ STATEMENT ON 2027 NY STATE BUDGET

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Joint Statement from NYSAC President Philip R. Church and NYSCEA President Hon. J. Ryan McMahon, II

Governor Hochul’s SFY 2027 Executive Budget reflects a clear recognition of the fiscal and operational challenges facing New York amid ongoing federal uncertainty. We commend the Governor for advancing a spending plan that protects the State and counties from disruptive federal cost shifts, including preserving the local Medicaid cap—an action projected to save counties and New York City $9.2 billion in FY 2027 alone.

We are especially encouraged by the Governor’s continued commitment to local infrastructure investment, which is essential to supporting housing development, attracting businesses, and strengthening regional economies.

The Executive Budget commits $3.75 billion over five years for clean water infrastructure and proposes a $425 million Environmental Protection Fund to protect water quality and build climate resilience. The Budget also includes $50 million in new funding for the County Infrastructure Grant Program, increasing the maximum award to $1.5 million, and recognizing that counties must have the resources to prepare sites and build the infrastructure necessary for housing and economic development projects to move forward.

We also commend the Governor for making substantial investments to support job creation, economic development, and affordable housing across the state. This includes $150 million for Regional Economic Development Councils, $200 million combined for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and New York Forward, $300 million for the POWER UP Fund to create shovel-ready sites, $100 million in capital funding for Pro-Housing Communities, and $170 million to expand and strengthen land banks.

Most importantly, the Executive Budget maintains core local assistance programs and avoids new unfunded mandates during a period of declining federal aid. The Governor’s budget represents the first step in this process and as we move forward, counties look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature to ensure that the aforementioned priorities remain in the final budget and that local governments have the tools, flexibility, and resources needed to deliver essential services, grow local economies, and meet the needs of New Yorkers in every community.
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JANUARY 21– SENATOR GILLEBRAND NOTES ADDITIONAL FUNDING SECURED FOR NEW YORK STATEE

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GILLIBRAND SECURES MORE FOR NEW YORK IN RECENTLY PASSED FEDERAL FUNDING PACKAGE

Bill Includes Funding for Environmental Conservation, Science, Technology, Research, Economic Development, and More

Washington, D.C. –

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that several of her priorities were included in the just-passed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Energy and Water Development, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Interior and Environment funding bills.

In addition to the $65 million in funding Gillibrand personally secured for New York projects as congressionally directed spending items, she secured the following big wins for federal programs and agencies that invest directly in New York via these appropriations bills.

“This funding package is a huge win for New Yorkers,” said Senator Gillibrand. “These federal dollars will help bolster economic development, aid in efforts to protect our environment, and preserve our state’s historic sites for future generations. I was proud to deliver these funds despite the Trump administration’s opposition to many of these priorities, and I will continue fighting to bring home critical federal funding for New York.”

 

Advancing Science, Technology, and Research

  • $8.75 billion for the National Science Foundation, which will help counter the Trump administration’s proposed cuts, providing support for nearly 10,000 new competitive research awards and more than 250,000 scientists, technicians, teachers, and students.
  • $157.85 million for the construction of a world-leading Electron Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island.
  • $111 million for the Laboratory for Laser Energetics Omega facility at the University of Rochester.
  • $80 million for the National Sea Grant College Program, which will contribute to the research, outreach, and educational work of New York Sea Grant.

 

Investments in Environmental Conservation, Stewardship, and Remediation

  • $528 million for geographic programs that help protect, restore, and improve New York watersheds and water bodies. Specifically, this includes:
    • $369 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
    • $93 million for the Chesapeake Bay Program
    • $40.5 million for the Long Island Sound
    • $25.5 million for the Lake Champlain Basin Program.
  • Nearly $90 million for the West Valley Demonstration Project to support the clean-up and remediation of nuclear waste at this site in Western New York.
  • $67 million for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuaries, including the newly created Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Jefferson, Oswego, Cayuga, and Wayne Counties.
  • $37 million for the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program to support growing and maintaining urban forests and green spaces.
  • $11.75 million for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program to support wildlife, improve water quality, and enhance recreational access to the basin, which includes parts of New York’s Southern Tier, Hudson Valley, Mohawk Valley, and Capital Region.
  • $2.55 million for the National Estuary Program to protect and restore some of New York’s most significant estuaries, including:
    • $850,000 for the Long Island Sound
    • $850,000 for the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program
    • $850,000 for the Peconic Estuary Partnership.

Promoting Economic Development and Energy Affordability

  • $329 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program, of which approximately $28 million is expected to help New York households increase the energy efficiency of their homes and lower their energy bills.
  • $247 million to support three Federal-State Regional Commissions that operate in New York: the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Northern Border Regional Commission, and the Great Lakes Authority. These agencies support economic development in Upstate New York via targeted funding and technical assistance for a variety of economic development activities across the state.
  • $175 million in funding for Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEP) nationwide. New York’s ten MEP centers provide crucial technological assistance and support for manufacturing in New York, leveraging federal investment to create or save one manufacturing job for every $1,490 in federal funding. Gillibrand also secured language to barring the Trump administration from defunding New York’s MEP network throughout Fiscal Year 2026.

 

Promoting Historic Preservation and National Parks

  • $36 million increase in funding for the Historic Preservation Fund, which provides grant funding and technical assistance to preserve and restore historical and cultural sites like Fort Ticonderoga and the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls. This increase includes a $4.9 million set-aside for grants to preserve historic sites like the many in New York that are related to the nation’s semiquincentennial anniversary in 2026. $4 million for memorial sites that honor the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
  • $2.2 million for New York’s four National Heritage Areas, including:
    • $709,000 for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
    • $500,000 for the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership
    • $500,000 for the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
    • $500,000 for the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area.

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JANUARY 21–BOILING WATER ADVISORY LIFTED IN GREENBURGH

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BOIL WATER ADVISORY LIFTED

(White Plains, NY) – The boil water advisory has been lifted by the Westchester County Health Department for all the residents in the following areas in the Town of Greenburgh served by Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1:

  • Between  Sprain Brook Parkway and  Central Park Avenue including Central Park Avenue corridor (north of Jackson Avenue and Fort Hill Avenue, south of Underhill Road)

 

  • Between Central Park Avenue and Bronx River Parkway (north of Clifton Road and Inverness Road, south of Old Army Road and Edgemont Road)

 

  • All streets on both sides of Central Park Avenue (north of old army and Underhill Road, and south of North Healy Avenue).

Test results of water samples taken by the town of Greenburgh were satisfactory.

Since Sunday, January 18, 2026 these residents and businesses were strongly advised to boil all tap water at a rolling boil for a minimum of one minute prior to drinking it or using it to prepare food, wash dishes by hand or brush teeth. The boil water advisory was issued as a precaution to protect residents from potential contamination caused by ground water infiltration into water mains as a result of the reduction in water main pressure caused by the water main break/repair.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1 at (914) 989-1900 or Westchester County Health Department at (914) 813-5000.

 

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JANUARY 20–YOUR LOCAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST RETURNS! MEASLES OFF TO UGLY START.

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 EPA removes lives lost, ICE and hospitals, and lots of good news

The Dose (January 20)

I’m back from the Amazon jungle, where monkeys, anacondas, and piranhas somehow felt calmer than everything happening in the U.S. landscape. One cartoon captured the moment here perfectly:

Source: Art by Tuerannja

What’s happening here is not normal. It’s dark and disorienting, and it’s hard to keep all the balls in the air, including our health. So I’ll continue to pull together a clear snapshot of what’s happening in public health (“translated,” timely, and actionable) to make things a little easier on your end.

This week: infectious diseases are moving, policy shifts are reshaping health protections, and communities are navigating new realities, including how to respond to ICE. But there is also real, meaningful good news. I’m finding myself holding onto that more these days.

Let’s get into it.

Infectious disease “weather” report

Measles. This year is off to a rough start—the worst January in more than 30 years. The U.S. has already reported hundreds of measles cases. That’s especially concerning because January is usually a slower month for measles. School breaks often slow spread, and temperatures help measles peak later, closer to spring.

Number of measles cases in the United States. Source: CDC; Annotated by Your Local Epidemiologist.

Most of the cases are coming from a large and fast-growing outbreak in South Carolina:

  • 243 cases in just the past 10 days
  • 558 total cases since October
  • 96% of cases are unvaccinated
  • 90% are children
  • 531 people are in quarantine, meaning weeks of missed school or work
  • Spread has reached other states, including North Carolina, Colorado, and Washington

This outbreak could easily become larger than last year’s Texas outbreak.

Number of measles cases per week in South Carolina. Source: Yale School of Public Health.

Another outbreak in Utah and Arizona has reached 433 cases since late last year, but the pace there seems to be slowing.

Like wildfires igniting in dry tinder, measles ravages areas with low vaccination rates. A new tool from Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai highlights high-risk pockets. Zooming in on the South Carolina hot zone shows multiple very high-risk zip codes. Some news outlets reports some schools have less than 30% vaccination rate. (Measles herd immunity requires 95%.)

What this means for you: Check out your zip code here. If you’re fully vaccinated, you are very well protected, even if you live in a “high-risk” area. If there’s an active outbreak and you have a baby under 12 months, talk with your pediatrician about early vaccination at 6 months.

Winter respiratory illnesses

Visits for fever, cough, and sore throat are finally dropping. That’s good news. But respiratory seasons often have two waves. Schools are back in session, and different flu strains—like Flu B—can take over. Flu season often lasts into March, so we’re not done yet.

Source: CDC; Annotated by Your Local Epidemiologist.

Covid-19 levels are moderate nationwide but vary by region. The Midwest is seeing very high levels, followed by the Northeast. Overall, things seem to be slowing, which suggests another relatively mild Covid winter.

Source: CDC; Annotated by Your Local Epidemiologist.

What does this mean to you? There are still plenty of sick people around. Wash your hands, consider masking in crowded indoor spaces, and stay home when you’re sick.

Toss this supplement out

LiveItUp Super Greens has been recalled due to a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 45 people and hospitalized 12 nationwide. If you have it, toss it:

  • Expiration dates August 2026–January 2028
  • Sold online, including Amazon

Source: FDA

EPA pollution rules no longer count lives

One of the most important ways the U.S. government protects public health is by regulating pollution so that companies’ activities don’t harm people’s health or the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets and enforces limits on air, water, and soil pollution under laws like the Clean Air Act.

When the EPA evaluates a new regulation, it typically uses cost-benefit analysis to compare:

  1. Costs— what companies (and sometimes consumers) will have to spend to comply (e.g., upgrading equipment, changing processes).
  2. Benefits — how much better off the public will be if pollution goes down, including fewer illnesses, fewer hospital visits, less lost work time, and lives saved. To do this, economists estimate the value of reduced health risks in dollar terms, including a widely used figure called the value of a statistical life. This is essentially the amount society is willing to pay for reductions in mortality risk and has ranged from $6.8 million under the Bush administration to roughly $9.8 million under Biden.

Last week, the EPA announced a big change. For some major air pollutants, such as fine particles and ozone, cost-benefit analyses will no longer include the dollar value of health benefits. This is a significant shift because health benefits, especially avoided premature deaths, historically accounted for a large share of the quantified benefits in air pollution rules. This tilts the math in favor of corporate interests. Pollution rules now appear far more costly, making it easier for companies to push for weaker protections.

What happens next? Companies now have stronger legal arguments that pollution rules cost “too much.” Expect lawsuits aimed at weakening air quality standards.

Who is most at risk? The effects won’t be immediate, but they will add up over time. Communities near highways, factories, and industrial sites, which are often low-income or historically marginalized communities, are likely to be hit hardest.

What can you do? Track your local air quality. AirNow uses official data and can be found in your phone’s weather apps. PurpleAir offers community-level data, though it’s less precise (but getting better). Also, you may want to purchase an indoor air filter (Wirecutter has some good ones).

ICE and public health

The scenes of fear, trauma, and threat to safety in communities, like in Minneapolis, are hard to watch. And many are not just watching, they are living it, like my daughter’s school friend.

This situation has direct and indirect impacts on health, as it changes how families live, work, and, critically, how and when they seek medical care. When people worry about enforcement on the way to a clinic or hospital, many delay or avoid care even for serious conditions, which can worsen illness and increase community health risks.

What this means for you: Communities can still be a source of strength. Educators play a critical role in schools. Clinical care teams, whose primary role is to ensure patient safety, can take actionable steps to support these communities within the clinical setting.

But this is new territory. Marisa, YLE’s correspondent in New York, pulled together resources for you to help support families carrying this burden. She also took a deeper dive into the data and noted the recent rollback of protections for sensitive locations. Check it out here:

Your Local Epidemiologist in New York
The ripple effects of deportations
Immigration, one area experiencing significant policy change, is inextricably linked to public health. News of ICE raids has been all over the media, but what does that mean, and how do they affect New Yorkers…
Read more
a year ago · 76 likes · Marisa Donnelly

Bright spots this week

Exhale. There is good news.

  • Funding restored
    • The American Academy of Pediatrics had $12 million in grants reinstated after a court order.
    • $2 billion for mental health, substance use treatment, and overdose prevention was restored to SAMHSA after bipartisan pressure. This was less than a day after cuts affected 2,000+ organizations.
  • Overdose deaths are falling. From August 2024 to August 2025, overdose deaths dropped in 45 states. This is in big thanks to naloxone access, service expansions, and improved treatment. There’s still work to do, but this is progress to celebrate.

Monthly opioid deaths, United States. Data: CDC

  • Cancer survivorship is at an all-time high. Seventy percent of U.S. cancer patients diagnosed between 2015 and 2021 reached five-year survival. Gains were seen even among some of the deadliest cancers, including liver, lung, and multiple myeloma. Better prevention, screening, and treatments are saving and extending lives.
  • New hope for multiple myeloma. A recent trial of a new immunotherapy combination showed that more than 80% of patients remained alive and progression-free for nearly three years (compared to 30% of patients who didn’t receive the therapy).

In case you missed it

Bottom line

Please be healthy and safe out there. And remember, power comes not only from the top down, but also from the bottom up.

Love, YLE

Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife. YLE reaches more than 425,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions.

This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below:

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JANUARY 19–NORTHEAST OUTBREAK OUTLOOK IMPROVING!

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