Air Quality Alert issued for NYC
NEW YORK (PIX11) — An air quality health advisory was issued for the New York City metro area, Long Island, and the Lower Hudson Valley, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The advisory will be in effect from midnight Wednesday until midnight Thursday.
More Local News
Officials warn of fine particulate matter in the air.
Levels of fine particulate matter are expected to rise due to wildfire smoke from New Jersey, making the air unhealthy for elderly and very young people, as well as those with heart or lung disease.
To reduce exposure, people should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity and staying indoors. Anyone who experiences symptoms including shortness of breath, chest pain, or coughing should consider consulting their personal physician.
New Yorkers can sign up for up-to-date Air Quality Alerts from the DEC or contact the toll-free Air Quality Hotline (1-800-535-1345) for the latest information.
Jones Road Wildfire spreads to 11,500 acres, containment at 30%
For more information and to stay updated on the situation, New York residents can follow the Office of Emergency Management, and New Jersey residents can check the Department of Environmental Protection.
Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
New Yorkers Warned of 38 Percent Spike in Health Insurance
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has warned her constituents that President Donald Trump's tax and domestic policy bill, which is being debated in Congress, may result in health insurance costs rising by 38 percent for some in the state. According to the governor, if the "One Big Beautiful Bill" is approved, the 140,000 New Yorkers with low-income who use the state-run marketplace health plan may see their average monthly premium costs rise by $114. Newsweek has contacted Hochul and the White House for comment via email outside regular working hours. Why It Matters Trump's "big, beautiful bill" has been divisive in Congress, with both Democrats and Republicans warning of its potential consequences. The bill, which includes about $4.9 trillion in tax breaks, passed in the House after weeks of negotiations. Some lawmakers have voiced concern about constituents losing critical benefits, while others have called for further budget cuts. Elon Musk, Trump's former adviser, has also lashed out against the bill since he left the Department of Government Efficiency. The billionaire has criticized not only the fiscal plan but also those who voted in support of it. With the Trump administration looking to make cuts and changes to federal health care programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, concern about health insurance has been escalating. New York Governor Kathy Hochul. New York Governor Kathy Hochul. NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx/STRMX via AP What To Know Hochul's office reported on Monday that the 38 percent spike in health insurance cost represented an average monthly increase of $114 for individuals and $228 for couples. In total, 240,000 New Yorkers would be affected, the governor's office reported, while other policies brought in by the Trump administration could increase the number of uninsured New Yorkers to 1.5 million. The effects of the legislation are expected to vary by region, with Mohawk Valley seeing the highest rise in costs—potentially a $270 jump in average monthly premiums for couples, equivalent to a 49 percent increase. Other highly affected areas include the Southern Tier, Central New York and Western New York. Couples in the mid-Hudson region could see an increase in monthly premiums of $206, or 31 percent, while couples in Finger Lakes could see costs rise by $248 a month, equating to 42 percent. New Yorkers who also have coverage via the state-run individual commercial market but do not qualify for tax credits would also be affected, Hochul's office said. The governor's report added that insurers have predicted that these constituents would experience a rise of 4.3 percent in their insurance rates next year. This would mean between 65,000 and 80,000 people in New York, so about a third of those on the state's individual market, would lose their coverage. The governor's office said the reason the bill could result in health insurance cost increases was because the GOP intended not to renew the American Rescue Plan's enhanced premium tax credits. The enhanced tax credits, established under the American Rescue Plan in 2011, were extended through to 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act and are set to expire if not renewed by the Trump administration. These tax credits helped more than double enrollment in the Affordable Care Act marketplace to about 24.3 million in 2025, according to KFF, which added that the credits boosted health care coverage a fraction more than Medicaid expansion. The expansion of enrollment was also particularly high in red states, KFF reported, increasing the number of those enrolled by 255 percent in Texas and 147 percent in Florida from 2020 to 2025. What People Are Saying New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a news release: "The GOP's Big Ugly bill would slash health care coverage for millions of New Yorkers and raise monthly costs by hundreds of dollars. If New York's Republican delegation won't stand up for their own constituents, I will." New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in the news release: "The proposed cuts to federal health care support hurt everyone. These cuts take health insurance away from working New Yorkers. They undermine the progress we've made in providing affordable and accessible health insurance to New Yorkers. When people lose health insurance, they risk going without needed health care or suffering financial hardship." What Happens Next Trump's tax bill continues to make its way through the legislative process.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gov. Hochul's review now pending on Medical Aid in Dying Act
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – The New York State Senate has passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act for the first time since the legislation was introduced in 2016. The bill allows terminally ill adults with incurable diseases and six months or less to live the ability to make the decision to peacefully end their lives through a prescription. If signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York State will join 11 other U.S. states in legalizing the end-of-life option. News 8 heard from those in support of and against the legislation, as it now goes to the governor's desk for signature. Andrea Calloway serves as executive director for the Sunset House, which is Irondequoit's only comfort care home for terminally ill patients. The Sunset House has been offering end-of-life care, supported by donations, for over 35 years. 'Here at the Sunset House, we allow the resident to be in control of decision making, as long as it's safe. I believe, personally, people should have the right to their own decisions of what will work best for them,' said Calloway. New York State Assemblymember Josh Jensen has opposed the bill from the beginning and led the debate on the state Assembly floor before it passed. 'What was really prevalent in the Assembly debate is it's not a partisan issue and not a conservative issue, it's a question of morality. It's a question of life or death. I think that was shown not just through opposition of people like me, but I think 21 Democratic no votes and six Democratic no votes in the Senate last night. Certainly, there was bipartisan opposition, but not bipartisan support,' said Asm. Jensen. From the perspective of hospice care, Calloway adds it's unclear what the future of this option might look like for providers like the Sunset House, should it become law. 'It's a jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces. There's a lot of moving parts here. There's family involved, friends involved, a doctor involved, and the individual person involved. [It's a question of,] 'Do you have everything in order before you make this decision to do this?' There's lots of pieces involved,' said Calloway. Assemblymember Harry Bronson also weighed in, saying the bill offers a 'compassionate choice.' 'While I understand and respect the concerns of those who object, I believe the Medical Aid in Dying Act is fundamentally about offering a compassionate choice to qualified patients who wish to die on their own terms. This legislation represents a careful balance between providing end-of-life autonomy and maintaining essential protections to ensure that this profound decision is made voluntarily by those who are truly facing the end of their lives.' As the legislation goes before Gov. Hochul for review, the president of the New York State Bar Association issued the following statement to encourage her approval: 'Medical Aid in Dying offers both dignity and compassion to those experiencing a terminal illness. It ensures that New Yorkers have a full array of end-of-life options and provides them with the autonomy to make their own choices to avoid needless suffering. We commend the legislature for passing this important bill and will continue to offer our support and advocacy in encouraging the governor to sign it into law.' More information about the Sunset House and ways to support their care can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
New York set to allow physician-assisted death for terminally ill patients
New York lawmakers on Monday passed a bill that would allow terminally ill adults to end their lives with doctor-prescribed lethal medication. The State Senate approved the measure with a 35-27 vote, following the state Assembly's approval in April. If signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York would join 11 other states that permit 'medical assistance in dying' (MAiD) or 'assisted suicide' for terminally ill patients, joining Oregon, Colorado, California, Vermont and other jurisdictions where MAiD has been legalized. New York is the second state to approve such legislation in 2025, following Delaware, which did so in May. The bill permits people diagnosed with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less to request a prescription for life-ending medication. To qualify, patients must be at least 18 years old, mentally competent, and have their diagnosis and prognosis confirmed by two physicians. A psychiatric evaluation is required only if deemed necessary by one of the physicians. Supporters of the bill argue that it provides terminally ill individuals with autonomy and a dignified end-of-life option. 'Since the first day that I began advocating for the MAiD Act, I have made it clear that this legislation is about honoring a terminally ill person's choice to make their own end-of-life decisions,' Staten Island Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton told the Advance/ 'This is about giving people the compassion and dignity that they deserve, the importance of which I have witnessed firsthand while meeting with many of the advocates for this legislation, many of whom were or are suffering from a terminal illness.' State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat and the bill's sponsor, echoed that sentiment: 'It's not about hastening death, but ending suffering,' he said, per ABC News. Opponents of the bill, which include the American Medical Association, express concerns about potential abuse, the adequacy of safeguards, and the potential impact on people who lack access to adequate care. 'This is not compassionate care. It is a policy that exploits fear, undermines trust in the medical profession, and opens the door to abuse and neglect,' members of The New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide said in a statement after the vote. Efforts to legalize medical aid in dying in New York date back more than a decade, but previous attempts through the courts were unsuccessful. The state's Supreme Court rejected a challenge in the 1990s, and in 2017, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that there is no constitutional right to physician-assisted death, leaving the matter to the legislature. Faith groups speak up Since the passage of the bill by the New York Senate, faith groups and religious leaders spoke up condemning the vote. Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union, the largest umbrella organization of Orthodox Jews, called the vote a 'tragic development for all New Yorkers and a radical departure from the ethical assumptions shared by all faiths.' 'New Yorkers do not need assisted suicide; they need a whole-of society effort to provide 'Medical and Social Aid in Living,' to build hope and enhance care and treatment for the terminally ill and for the physically, emotionally and economically vulnerable, young and old,' Hauer said in a statement. The government must improve care and treatment for the terminally ill, he said. 'Instead, the government is leading the way in validating, accepting, and accelerating despair.' A Catholic group representing bishops of the state also criticized the vote. 'This is a dark day for New York state,' said a statement from Dennis Proust and The New York State Catholic Conference posted on X. The group called on the state to strengthen palliative care, health care and counseling services. 'Passage of the legislation also would send the message — perhaps unintentionally — that suicide is an acceptable solution to a problem," said Robert Bellafiore, the group's spokesman, per National Catholic Reporter. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, had described the proposal as 'a disaster waiting to happen" after the Assembly vote last month. Opponents argue that the legislation would hurt the vulnerable populations, especially those with disabilities and mental illness. The American Medical Association also expressed its opposition to MAiD. 'Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician's role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would pose serious societal risks,' according to American Medical Association's website. Dr. Lydia Dugdale, a physician and ethicist at Columbia University, argued that MAiD fails to protect people living with depression, a condition that can distort thinking and lead to suicidal decisions that don't reflect a person's true will. Modeled after the Oregon bill, the New York bill, if enacted, will not require patients to be screened for depression. 'This is a major oversight that fails to protect depressed people from making flawed decisions,' Dugdale wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed. 'Depression is not just a mood; it distorts perception, often convincing people that their lives are worthless, their loved ones are better off without them and death is their only option.' Groups opposing MAiD are calling on Hochul to refuse to sign bill. 'We strongly urge her to veto this legislation,' said a statement by The New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide. 'The governor still has the opportunity to uphold New York's commitment to suicide prevention, protect vulnerable communities, and affirm that every life — regardless of disability, age, or diagnosis — is worthy of care, dignity, and protection." Hochul, a Democrat and a Catholic, has not yet said whether she will sign the bill. The New York Times reported that a spokesperson only said she would review it.