Latest news with #Binghamton-area
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
What will summer 2025 be like in Binghamton? Here's what Old Farmer's Almanac predicts
Are you eager for summer? The time for hot temperatures, lots of sunshine and longer days is growing near. The astronomical start to summer will fall on Friday, June 20 as the summer solstice begins, and this summer could be a warm one. If you are happier in high temperatures, you might just be in luck. Here is what the summer could look like in Binghamton this year, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The almanac's predictions, which were updated on April 16, indicate a hot summer for Binghamton. The predictions note last summer was one of the hottest on record for the U.S., with a nationwide average temperature of 73.8 degrees, and this year is "shaping up to be just as intense," although the buildup to these temperatures will be relatively gradual. For the Binghamton-area, predictions show this summer will be hot and dry, with normal to below-average rainfall. More: When is the first day of summer 2025? What to know about the longest day of the year According to it's website, the Old Farmer's Almanac uses three disciplines — solar science, climatology and meteorology — in order to "compare solar patters and historical weather conditions with current solar activity." The Old Farmer's Almanac says their predictions are 80% accurate. This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Summer forecast in Binghamton: What Old Farmer's Almanac predicts
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
CDPAP transition 'a nightmare' for Southern Tier agencies. What to know
New York's shakeup of a Medicaid-funded home caregiver program has left Binghamton-area residents and lawmakers confused and concerned about access to its services. On Sept. 30, 2024, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a single private Georgia-based company, Public Partnerships LLC would replace hundreds to handle the administrative and financial affairs for the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance program beginning in April. All New Yorkers currently enrolled in CDPAP will keep their services under the new format, and there will be no changes to eligibility, but users are required to register with PPL for home care workers to continue to be paid. Hochul recently extended the registration deadline from April 1 to April 30, but even with the extension, New York State Senator Lea Webb criticized the rollout of the transition, and said it requires more "transparency and accountability." Webb and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo joined representatives from Finger Lakes Independence Center, Access to Independence, Cortland County Community Action program and the Southern Tier Independence Center on Monday, March 31 to address concerns of residents and caregivers. "We are at a critical point," Webb said, "because there are a lot of challenges." Statewide, about 220,000 CDPAP consumers had taken action in advance of the April 1 transition deadline, or about 78% of the total number of consumers who have relied on the program previously, according to state health officials. That figure included about 165,000 New Yorkers who have either started or completed the registration process. Another 55,000 New Yorkers are in the process of transitioning from CDPAP to Personal Care Services program, which includes other caregiver models within Medicaid, as well as some programs covered by health plans or private payment. Home care users who switch to Personal Care Services have the option to return to CDPAP in the future, health officials said. About 280,000 New Yorkers had been relying upon CDPAP prior to the overhaul efforts, suggesting as many as 60,000 could have lost care due to their inability to meet the April 1 deadline. The exact amount of people enrolling in the program going forward will remain unclear until the new April 30 deadline. The state underestimated and downplayed the volume of people and the overall transition process which "lacked coordination from the beginning," Lupardo said, adding the CDPAP program is "far too important to be put at risk with this rushed rollout." More: Bethanie Dougherty went missing 17 years ago in Broome County: What to know Local agencies assisting clients in the transition say they have encountered hurdles. PPL has set up call centers and registration information sessions to assist in the transition process, but Jan Lynch, the executive director of the Finger Lakes Independence Center, said the system is flawed. "We have hired extra staff to help people sign up and it is still a nightmare," said Lynch, who referenced system crashes, unanswered calls and differing advice depending on who picks up the phone. The Southern Tier Independence Center has acted as a middleman facilitator for over 25 years for the CDPAP program. Jennifer Watson, executive director for STIC, said most workers are earning minimum wage and living paycheck to paycheck. Home care workers will retroactively receive payments for hours worked in April, provided the April 30 registration deadline is met. If CDPAP clients are not able to meet the registration deadline, workers are left facing a decision, Watson said, "continue to work without pay and support their consumers or find work elsewhere and leave the workforce." "That is going to leave people with disabilities high and dry, they are going to end up in emergency rooms, hospitalized, institutionalized or honestly worst." A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on Monday, March 31, allowing other financial agencies to continue to serve CDPAP clients who have not yet registered with PPL — the order did not impact the transition already underway for those who have registered. The case was scheduled to be revisited in court on Friday, April 4. Kalyn Grant reports on public service issues for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, focusing on schools and community impact. Have a story to share? Follow her on Instagram @KalynCarmen and on Facebook under Kalyn Kearney. Get in touch at kcgrant@ This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: CDPAP transition 'a nightmare' for Medicaid-funded program users
