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SEPTEMBER 16– BOARD OF LEGISLATORS EXPANDS FAMILY NEEDS CAREER TRAINING CRIME-FIGHTING TECH
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WESTCHESTER WATCH: LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS
Board Invests in Families, Career Training, and Crime-Fighting Technology
WHITE PLAINS, NY — At Monday night’s meeting, the Westchester County Board of Legislators acted to improve life quality for families, passing legislation to ensure diaper changing stations are available to all parents. The Board also expanded educational and training opportunities for adult learners, incarcerated individuals and invested in crime-fighting technology for the Westchester County District Attorney’s office.
Board Chairman Vedat Gashi (D- New Castle, Ossining, Somers, Yorktown) said, “From the playground to the courtroom to our educational centers, and correctional facilities, Monday’s actions show that we’re thinking about every member of our community. Whether you’re a parent changing a diaper, a resident concerned about public safety, or someone seeking a second chance or new career skills, Westchester County is investing in your success.”
New Law Makes Diaper Changes Easier for All Westchester Parents
Westchester families will soon find diaper changing stations in more places, easing outings with young children for mothers, fathers and other caretakers. The Board passed new bipartisan legislation requiring at least one changing station in all County park bathrooms and on each publicly accessible floor of County buildings. Currently, many men’s restrooms lack these facilities, forcing fathers to seek alternatives or ask female family members to handle diaper changes.
The bipartisan DIAPRS Act (Diapers Involve All Parents Regardless of Sex) was co-sponsored by 13 legislators from both parties. The County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation will create a plan indicating where new stations will be installed, their cost, and installation timeline.
Legislator Colin D. Smith (D- Cortlandt, Peekskill, Yorktown), Chair of the Board’s Legislation Committee, said, “I am proud to support the DIAPRS Act, as it underscores the fundamental principle that both parents share equal responsibility in the upbringing of their children. Historically, fathers have faced practical barriers—such as the absence of changing facilities in men’s restrooms—that have limited their ability to support their partners in childcare duties. Fatherhood merits the same respect and recognition as motherhood, and this legislation is an important step toward ensuring that equality.”
Legislator Erika L. Pierce (D- Bedford, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers) said, “Being able to change a diaper on the fly is no small need, and this legislation will help us make certain that every caregiver, regardless of their gender, can do that safely and hygienically. This is a real win for dads all across Westchester.”
Board Secures Larger, Safer, More Modern Space for WCC Adult Ed Center
Westchester Community College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, now has approval to relocate the SUNY Westchester Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) to a larger, modern facility, following the Board’s passage of its 11-year lease on Monday night. The new 44,000-square-foot facility on four floors in Building #3 at 28 Wells Avenue in Yonkers will significantly expand the center’s capacity.
The EOC’s tuition-free programs provide crucial pathways for adult students to improve their financial trajectories and those of their families. The center offers vocational training programs, college preparation courses, and workforce development services that help eligible adults gain the skills and credentials needed for higher education or career-focused employment.
Moving from its current South Broadway location will benefit students through improved facilities, 49 parking spaces, and enhanced security. For families, these accessible programs offer opportunities for career advancement without the burden of tuition costs. The expanded facility will also better serve local employers by training more skilled workers for critical industries.
The lease agreement, set to begin in July 2026, ensures these vital educational services remain available to Westchester residents seeking stronger financial futures and contribute to the regional workforce.
Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson (D- Elmsford, Greenburgh, Tarrytown, White Plains), Chair of the Board’s Budget and Appropriations Committee, said, “As Legislator for District 8, home to WCC’s main campus and the district with the most students enrolled, I am proud to support this Local Law securing a new, stable home for the Educational Opportunity Center. Though the site is in Yonkers, this modern facility is an investment in our entire County. By expanding space and resources, we’re opening doors for more residents to gain the skills needed to thrive. This is not just about buildings — it’s about strengthening lives, families, and communities. Education remains our surest pathway to equity, mobility, and prosperity.”
Board Approves HVAC-R Training Program for Incarcerated Individuals
The Board authorized an Intermunicipal Agreement with Southern Westchester BOCES to provide an HVAC-R training course for incarcerated individuals at the Westchester County Department of Correction. The program will run from November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026 teaching refrigeration and air conditioning basics, award participants a certificate, and provide a scholarship for a follow-up course after release. This initiative, costing under $11,250, helps expand career opportunities and supports successful re-entry into the community.
Majority Whip Terry Clements (D- New Rochelle, Pelham, Pelham Manor) said, “HVAC-R system training for incarcerated individuals is a proven vocational program that equips participants with valuable in demand skills while reducing recidivism and supporting successful re-entry into society.”
Board Greenlights $1.1 Million for Crime-Fighting Technology
Westchester residents will benefit from faster, more thorough investigations thanks to new funding for the District Attorney’s Office. The County Board approved $1,091,000 to purchase modern crime-fighting tools. The funding will pay for improved forensic equipment to analyze evidence, upgraded surveillance systems to track criminal activity, and new computers and software to help prosecutors build stronger cases.
These installation of these technology improvements at DA offices countywide, giving investigators and prosecutors tools to solve crimes more effectively, keeping communities safer.
SEPTEMBER 15….GASOLINE PRICES RISE 7% AND UP IN WHITE PLAINS NY USA.
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$3.20 A GALLON FOR REGULAR FOR CASH
WPCNR MOVING ON. NEWS & COMMENT By John F. Bailey. September 15, 2025:
I drove out to fill up for the coming week Saturday and had a deja’ vu moment as I pulled in to my regular gas stop.
The price of unleaded regular had gone up from a very manageable $2.99 to $3.20.
Is this just the seasonable change over to winter gas?
Is this Middle East manipulation of their production?
Is it oil companies trying to beef up quarterly earnings?
Is this the beginning of steady increases in tariffs? Or all of the above?
Funny did any media even recognize this as a story? It is.
The Newsmobile took its usual 8 gallons but it cost $25.49 not the usual $23.92. All summer long I’ve been paying $2.99 ($36) to fill my 12 gallon tank, now that fill up costs $38.40. I get good mileage but do not do a lot of driving.
The average person commutes by car 50 60 miles if you commute to the city. After the over summer gas prices to encourage vacations, we get spoiled.
(Long paragraph ahead to give you the big picture)
If you earn under a $100,000 A YEAR, and have to commute by car this ominous upturn in the face of inflation which supposedly is now going to go up with the tariff policies the nation is imposing at the same time, the money people in Washington want to lower interest rates (which seems like a sure thing right now, because real estate and the banks and the stock industries have to keep us going, coupled with industries continuing to raise prices which will mean windfall profits for them, you have a real squeeze on those families on everything they need to buy to live and work and eat and take care of their health.
Look what is going up: Food, gas, health care, car prices, clothing, child care, airfare,house prices, layoffs, electricity
Look what is going down: jobs, purchasing power, benefits, aid, clean power
Looking at that new price of gas took me back to 1976 to 1980 when OPEC nations in the Middle East imposed the oil embargo in 1973 when Egypt and Syria crossed into the Sinai and attempted to seize the Sinai lands..this spiked gas prices up overnight. Gas lines around the block, arguments at the pump leading to fist fights. Trains were jammed.
Gas Shortage Sign in Connecticut During Energy Crisis
The gaslines cost President Carter a second term. Why? Here is how Encyclopedia Britannica explains it:
The Jimmy Carter administration began a phased deregulation of oil prices on April 5, 1979, when the average price of crude oil was US$15.85 per barrel ($100/m3). Starting with the Iranian revolution, the price of crude oil rose to $39.50 per barrel ($248/m3) over the next 12 months (its all-time highest real price until March 3, 2008).[11] Deregulating domestic oil price controls allowed U.S. oil output to rise sharply from the large Prudhoe Bay fields, while oil imports fell sharply.
Although not directly related, the near-disaster at Three Mile Island on March 28, 1979, also increased anxiety about energy policy and availability.[12] Due to memories of the oil shortage in 1973, motorists soon began panic buying, and long lines appeared at gas stations, as they had six years earlier.[13] The average vehicle of the time consumed between two and three liters (about 0.5–0.8 gallons) of gasoline an hour while idling, and it was estimated that Americans wasted up to 150,000 barrels (24,000 m3) of oil per day idling their engines in the lines at gas stations.[14]
When the Reagan administration came in, we continued to do business as usual with OPEC
We have learned nothing in 40 years.
We practice the comfortable art of wishful thinking.
Denying reality.
Dumb ideas in the 1930s made the depression worse.
Those same Dumb ideas were used in the 1990s (eliminating the Glass-Seagal Act comes to mind)
Now the 40 years between 1976 and 2025 has apparently taught us nothing.
The country is still partners with the Middle East oil producers they are holding us hostage again in a nice way of course.
(Another long long paragraph to round up the maverick cattle in the congressional herd:)
We are throwing out environmental protections. The oil industry now essentially the Standard Oil Trust recreated has had their way with the new administrations, all of the and restrictions on how they make oil how they pollute and deplete the ozone to the point where climate change has turned weather into something unpredictable and dangerous to the point where the planet is warming to destructive status. However, our “leaders” in congress continue to twiddle their thumbs and do nothing, empowering our arch enemies. And thinking everything will work out and “Happy Days a booming economy, and it is just a bad winter will come back” The more the leaders in Washington think that in both houses and in positions of power say that the more they believe it.
As Governor Hochul said this weekend “You have to govern in reality.”
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SEPTEMBER 15–GASOLINE PRICES RISE 7% AND UP IN WHITE PLAINS NY USA. $3.20 A GALLON FOR REGULAR FOR CASH
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SEPTEMBER 15– 100 SCHOOL SHOOTINGS THIS YEAR. COVID SPREAD GROWS NATIONALLY. VACCINE HEADLINES SAYS: YOUR LOCAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST
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School shootings, brace for vaccine headlines this week, Covid-19 vaccine access CHAOS AHEAD, another measles death, and more.The Dose (September 15)
Last week was my first grader’s back-to-school night. I found myself sitting in those tiny chairs, scanning the classroom. As I admired the adorable drawings on the walls and watched my daughter try to spell “bestie” in her notebook, I was calculating risk: where her desk was, how close it sat to the door, and what that might mean if a mass shooter walked onto campus. I hate that my mind went there, but it did. And as a parent, I know I’m not alone. The very next day, news broke of another school shooting—the 100th this year— overshadowed by the separate campus shooting that killed Charlie Kirk. This week’s Dose covers not only the waves of disease and vaccine news (and there’s a lot!), but also another public health crisis: the reality that gun violence is a public health problem in the United States, and guns are the number one killer of children. Public health is about protecting health and safety in every sense. The reality is stark, but change is possible. Infectious disease “weather report”Covid-19: Wastewater levels, a key indicator of community spread, are now “high.” Encouragingly, infections appear to be slowing in Florida and Hawaii, the leaders of this wave, suggesting the national peak may be near. Other metrics, like emergency department visits for Covid-19 and the number of positive tests, have already started decreasing.
The common cold (gray line) is also experiencing a significant spike.
Everything else is quiet still:
What does this mean for you? If you’re sick, it’s most likely the cold or Covid-19. It’s safest to continue to mask in indoor crowded areas. If you start to feel sick, stay home. To get ahead of the flu and RSV, plan for your vaccine (and other fall vaccines) with our 2025 guide to fall vaccines. Another measles death: A sobering reminderLos Angeles County reported the tragic death of a school-aged child from a complication of measles.
The CDC still lists three measles deaths this year. It’s unclear whether they will add this delayed case to official counts. Ultimately, this is a heartbreaking reminder of one reason we vaccinate: to protect those who cannot protect themselves. This type of story will be increasingly important to elevate to neighbors and communities if (and when) more states drop vaccination requirements for schools. See more from CA YLE Matt Willis here. And, if you’re a grandparent, consider joining Grandparents for Vaccines grassroots effort. Learn more here! Covid vaccine access: States to the rescue (mostly)As of Friday, 16 states have acted to preserve Covid-19 vaccine access by ensuring pharmacists can keep administering shots. This matters: over 90% of Americans get vaccinated at pharmacies. States are improvising because many laws tie access to federal guidance, and this year federal decisions are not following the best science. Some states are now exclusively relying on professional organizations, like the American Academy of Pediatrics, who continue to use transparent, evidence-informed practices. So far, we’ve seen:
What we’re hearing from you: Confusion is everywhere. More than 200 of you shared stories, from all 50 states. Many are incredibly frustrating to read:
With permission, we compiled these stories into a congressional brief sent to senators and professional societies last week. Keep sharing your stories here. Expect even more vaccine headlines this weekThere will be two key developments in the vaccine policy space this week:
Why this meeting will spark confusion Beyond the decisions themselves (and implications for access), expect a wave of rumors and falsehoods online and in conversations with your family and friends. Last time, this ACIP committee—hand-picked by RFK Jr.—flat out ignored scientific evidence or consensus. There’s little reason to think this meeting will be any different, so scientists, policymakers, and communicators are bracing for chaos. We already have a preview. On Friday, The Washington Post reported that ACIP plans to discuss reports of 25 pediatric Covid-19 deaths using VAERS (the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System). VAERS is an important tool for spotting early safety signals, but it has significant limitations:
This is why VAERS is often misused by vaccine skeptics to cast doubt on safe vaccines. I would not be surprised if this committee leans on VAERS in the same way—to justify pulling Covid-19 vaccines off the market for pediatric patients. What this means for you: Until the votes are final, the exact impact is hard to predict. But you can expect a flood of headlines and social media chatter this week—much of it a mix of rumors and falsehoods, amplified by misuse of data like VAERS. I’ll be back as quickly as possible to help sort through what’s fact, what’s spin, and what it means for your health and your family. School shootings: 100 in 2025 so farLast week, Evergreen High School near Denver became the 100th school shooting this year. It wasn’t labeled a mass shooting (fewer than 4 injuries/deaths), but the trauma is no less real. On the same day, Charlie Kirk was shot to death on a college campus.
Figure Source: Everytown Research Gun violence is clearly a public health problem in the United States. And, like infectious diseases, it spreads in patterns:
Source: Everytown Research Since there are patterns in public health, it indicates that the issue’s not random but preventable. There are some things you, as an individual, can do right now to address gun violence. I’ve written about them extensively before:
But in the end, the thing that makes the most impact is policy. We’ve been here before with other massive challenges, like smoking and car crashes, and we’ve been able to do unimaginable things and save millions of lives when we approach problems with a public health lens. There is bipartisan support for many common-sense gun policies, including background checks and red flag laws.
And policy change works. For example, states with the strictest gun laws have fewer deaths than states with more permissive gun laws, as shown in a recent JAMA Pediatrics study. This was after controlling for several other factors. My friend and colleague was one of the principal authors and wrote more commentary on this in detail here. While policy proposals tend to fall short, they make progress and inch us forward to a safer world. Change is possible, and we need to fight for it. Bottom lineStay safe and brace for a noisy week of vaccine headlines. I’ll be back with more and what it means for your health and your family. And if you find yourself at a back-to-school night, I hope your thoughts linger more on joy than mine did—on the art taped to the walls, the messy handwriting, the little sparks of hope sitting in those tiny chairs, and ultimately the future of our nation. Love, YLE Upcoming YLE webinar on fall vaccinesThis week will be chaotic on the vaccine front (see more below). To help cut through the noise, join me and Chelsea Cipriano of the Common Health Coalition next Monday for a live webinar on fall vaccines: the who, what, when, where, and why of fall vaccination. Paid subscribers can register below. Register here! Look forward to seeing you there!
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SEPTEMBER 15–“JAGGED LITTLE PILL” THE ALANIS MORRISSETTE MUSICAL STARTS WHITE PLAINS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER SEASON OCTOBER 3
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Cast Announced for JAGGED LITTLE PILL
playing White Plains Performing Arts Center
October 3-26
The White Plains Performing Arts Center (WPPAC) is proud to announce the cast of its first Mainstage Production of their 2025/2026 season, Alanis Morissette’s JAGGED LITTLE PILL, making its New York Regional Debut October 3-26, 2025.
Jagged Little Pill is an exhilarating musical inspired by the themes of raw emotions laid bare in Alanis Morissette’s seminal album of the same name and centers around the Healy family who appear to be a picture-perfect CT suburban family. When the cracks beneath the surface begin to show, they must choose between maintaining the status quo or facing harsh truths about themselves, their community and the world around them. This Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical about a perfectly imperfect American family is brimming with joy, strength, love, courage and life.
Leading the cast is Autumn Hurlbert (Broadway’s Tammy Fay, Legally Blonde) as Mary Jane, Justin Mortelliti (Broadway’s Escape to Margaritaville) as Steve, Maddy Le as Frankie, Carson Zoch as Nick, Haley Izurieta as Jo, Terrence Williams Jr. as Phoenix and Lexi Stephens as Bella. They will be joined by Jasmine Bassham, David Borum, Kailin Brown, Andrew Burke, Sarah Drummer, Cody Edwards, Cole Hong Sissor, Jillian Lazzuri, Arwen-Vira Marsh, and Scott Silagy.
JAGGED LITTLE PILL is Directed by Billie Aken-Tyers with Music Direction by Stephen Ferri and Choreography by Rachel Leigh Dolan. Lighting Design by Dalton Hamilton, Sound Design by Don Hanna, Costume Design by Antonio Consuegra, Stage Managed by Abby Bob. Lyrics by Alanis Morissette, Music by Alanis Morissette & Glen Ballard with a Book by Diablo Cody. Based on Alanis Morissette’s 1995 Grammy Award winning album Jagged Little Pill.
“We are thrilled to be reimagining Jagged Little Pill with this incredible cast lead by the stellar Autumn Hurlbert. The music of Alanis Morrisette spoke to a generation of young people dealing with the emotional turmoil of youth. Now the musical has brought a whole new audience to her music. At its core, Jagged Little Pill is a story about people screaming to be heard. With a deeply moving book and a rocking score Jagged Little Pill is a show meant to move, challenge, and inspire you to find your voice.” says director Billie Aken-Tyers
The White Plains Performing Arts Center is located on the third level of City Center off Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains, minutes from the White Plains Metro North Station. For tickets visit the theatre box office Monday-Friday (11am-6pm), purchase the tickets online at wppac.com or call 914-328-1600.
The 2025-2026 WPPAC Mainstage Season will continue with Finding Neverland onstage December 12, 2025 -January 4, 2026 and Catch Me If You Can onstage April 10-May 3, 2026.
SEPTEMBER 14–HOCHUL NEWS NETWORK: POLITICAL VIOLENCE DESERVES NO PLACE IN OUR DEMOCRACY — AND IT’S ON US TO STOP IT.
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WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. September 24, 2025
ICYMI: GOVERNOR HOCHUL’S OP-ED IN EMPIRE REPORT:
Today, Empire Report published an op-ed by Governor Kathy Hochul about the alarming rise of political violence in America—and the responsibility we all have to to stop it. Text of the op-ed can be viewed online and is available below:
An assassination attempt on President Trump.
The assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and the shooting of State Senator John Hoffman.
A plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer and a firebombing at the home of Governor Josh Shapiro.
The violent attack on our Capitol on January 6.
And now, the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a disturbing and increasingly common pattern of political violence. And unless we take action, it won’t stop here.
Over the course of the past few days we’ve rightfully seen leaders from both sides of the aisle forcefully condemn the horrific violence that bore out in Utah on Wednesday. But we’ve also watched voices declare war on their fellow Americans and fan the flames of anger, no doubt contributing to the ensuing rise in swatting threats across the country at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and political offices.
All of us as Americans, but especially those in positions of leadership, must grapple with the fact that we allowed ourselves to reach a place where a growing number of people believe that using violence against those we disagree with is acceptable.
In an age defined by viral rhetoric and algorithmic amplification, the line between speech and violence has become increasingly blurred. Social media algorithms reward provocative, emotionally charged content. And as a result, extremist narratives are shared, liked, and recommended — not because they are truthful, but because they drive engagement.
And then here we are — in a feedback loop, where extreme language spreads, often unchecked, and someone eventually pulls the trigger.
What makes this pattern especially insidious is its built-in deniability.
Because we often describe the perpetrators of these heinous acts as “lone wolves,” those whose rhetoric radicalized or mobilized them to violence can claim they can’t be blamed for actions they did not directly command.
This shields the radicalizer from responsibility, even as the violence catalyzed by their language becomes more and more frequent.
Some will argue that this is an attack on free speech.
I call B.S. The First Amendment protects citizens from government censorship, but it does not shield those of us in the public spotlight from accountability.
Freedom of expression should not become a smokescreen for promoting hate or encouraging violence.
We must move beyond the fiction that speech exists in a vacuum.
When influential voices frame opponents as less than human, they create the conditions in which violence becomes justifiable.
At this point however, identifying the pattern is not enough.
First, leaders must commit to toning down their rhetoric, and everyday Americans must hold us all accountable. There should be consequences at the ballot box and in the court of public opinion when we don’t.
Second, we must take real steps to try to help those who may be on the path towards violence, to turn around and walk the opposite direction.
During my first year in office, my hometown of Buffalo was rocked by the racially motivated murder of 10 Black New Yorkers who were targeted simply because of the color of their skin.
In the wake of that tragedy, I knew that the only way we could possibly stop these horrors was to reduce the chances an unstable violent individual could possess a weapon by increasing our red flag laws, ensure law enforcement had the tools they need to monitor online threats, and embrace a prevention model that leverages comprehensive, multidisciplinary interventions to stop violence.
In New York, this approach is embodied by the creation of local Threat Assessment and Management (TAM) teams.
They can include law enforcement, mental health professionals, school officials, large employers, the public safety net, and health care systems. Together, they assemble the puzzle pieces to identify behaviors that can ultimately lead to violence.
52 counties plus New York City now field TAM teams and have collectively intervened in more than 2,000 cases. Considering the rage and vitriol that is flooding the internet and airwaves, our objective is to prevent violence before it occurs — responding after the fact isn’t enough.
This week I stood on sacred ground to honor the lives of those lost 24 years ago on 9/11. I thought about what happened on September 12, 2001, when — in the face of unspeakable horror — our nation’s greatest strength was its unity.
I urge New Yorkers and Americans to harken back to that same sense of unifying purpose. Political violence has no place in America. A democracy thrives on debate, not bloodshed.
As broken as our nation can feel at times like this, I still believe to my core that the ties that bind us are much stronger than the forces that seek to tear us apart.
Most of us, no matter where we fall on the political spectrum, have the same dreams: a safe place for our kids, our work, to have fun, and to live with a sense of purpose and dignity.
That’s the America I hold in my heart, and I believe it should exist in everyone’s heart.
So in this moment, let us come together and resolve to forge a safer, more tolerant world, not just for today, for our children and our grandchildren. We have work to do, but as always, New Yorkers and Americans are up for the challenge.
TONIGHT at 7– WHItE PLAINS WEEK–THE SEPT 12 REPORT ON FIOS CH 45 AND OPTIMUM CH 1300 or CH. 76 AND WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG
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WHITE PLAINS TV IS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO CH. 76 ON OPTIMUM EITHER TODAY OR TUESDAY THANKS TO A TEAM EFFORT BY MANY CITY AND TOWNS IN WESTCHESTER DEMANDING THAT OPTIMUM SHOULD RETURN TO ITS USUAL CHANNEL. IF YOU DO NOT GET THE CHANNEL ON CH 76 TONIGHT, TRY CHANNEL 1300 YOU CAN ALSO SEE YOUR FAVORITE PUBLIC ACCESS PROGRAMS ON WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG
HUNGER MONTH IN WESTCHESTER YOUR HELP PLEASE
THE PANDEMIC NO ONE TALKS ABOUT A BREADLINE IN WESTCHESTER FEBRUARY 24, 2024
COVID VACCINES SLOWED BY CONFUSION OF WASHINGTON GUIDLINES
COVID IN NORTHEAST WASTEWATER RISES IN 4 MONTHS–IT’S OUT THERE!
NEW NEW YORK-PRESBYTERIAN OPENS AT 1111 WESTCHESTER AVENUE WE’LL HAVE A VIDEO REPORT
Q & A WITH CONGRESSMAN GEORGE LATIMER WITH NONPROFIT WESTCHESTER
YOU’VE GOT TO GOVERN IN REALITY
IN THIS WEEK ON THE HOCHUL NEWS NETWORK:
GOVERNOR HOCHUL GOES ON BLOOMBERG TV GIVES HER POLICIES ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN NEW YORK, HOW SHE’LL WORK WITH THE NEXT MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, CONFRONTING THE STATE ISSUES NOT DODGING THEM.
WITH JOHN BAILEY AND THE NEWS
EVERY WEEK ON WHITE PLAINS WEEK
SINCE 2001 A.D. THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW
EVERY WEEK FOR 24 YEARS.
SEPTEMBER 11–ASSEMBLYMAN CHRIS BURDICK INTERVIEWED ON “PEOPLE TO BE HEARD” AT 8 –PREVIEW OF ALBANY ISSUES COMING UP! ON OPTIMUM CH 1300 AND FIOS CH 45 AND ANYTIME AT WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG AROUND THE WORLD
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JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEWS 93RD DISTRICT ASSEMBLYMAN CHRIS BURDICK ON THE ALBANY AHEAD
SEPTEMBER 10– GOVERNOR HOCHUL TO INSURERS: COVER LIFE-SAVING VACCINES IN NEW YORK STATE
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Department of Financial Services Guidance Strongly Encourages Commercial Insurers To Continue Covering 100 Percent of the Costs of Recommended Vaccines
In light of continued attacks on science and health care from the federal government, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced new action to protect vaccine access across New York State. The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) is issuing guidance to insurers encouraging them to continue covering all vaccines recommended by The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as of today’s date.
ACIP has long been responsible for issuing recommendations on vaccine use to control disease in the United States, and insurers typically provide coverage of vaccines based on ACIP recommendations. Today’s publication also reminds insurers of previously issued guidance requiring insurers to cover COVID vaccines for children. In addition, the guidance urges insurers to encourage employers and other entities who provide self-funded health care coverage to continue covering the cost of vaccines.
Today’s action builds upon Governor Hochul’s Executive Order allowing pharmacists to administer COVID vaccines to ensure New Yorkers can receive the updated 2025-26 COVID shot.
“New Yorkers deserve to have the resources available to get vaccinated if they choose to, and Republicans in Washington should not be able to take that from them,” Governor Hochul said. “Vaccines not only prevent people from getting sick — they can save lives and prevent the spread of infectious diseases, especially as we approach our colder seasons and our children are back in schools.”
New York State Superintendent of Financial Services Adrienne A. Harris said, “Public health experts have been clear that vaccines are an essential tool in combating the spread of infectious diseases and lowering the cost of health care. The cost of a vaccine should not be a barrier to this critical care. DFS strongly encourages insurers to continue to provide comprehensive vaccine coverage for all New Yorkers.”
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “In 2024, we lost 2,775 New Yorkers related to COVID, that is enough to fill 7 jumbo jets. Vaccines are the best protection from serious illness and hospitalization. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her leadership in taking swift action to ensure that vaccines remain accessible and affordable for families across our state. By safeguarding coverage and availability, we can prevent illness, save lives and keep our communities healthy as we head into the colder months.”
New York is also working in coordination with — and helping to lead — a regional multi-state public health collaboration among Northeast states, which brings together public health leaders across the region to develop evidence-based recommendations and approaches on vaccination, disease surveillance, and emergency preparedness. The collaborative also supports state public health laboratories in sharing resources and expertise to strengthen regional readiness.
Read DFS’s Guidance Letter to New York’s insurance industry.