The video shows Burnett in front of a webcam discussing the lyrics to “Smell Yo Dick,” a rap song by Riskay. In the nearly minute-long clip obtained by Pipe Dream, Burnett, who is white, repeated the N-word twice when analyzing one of the song’s verses.

When quoting one lyric of the song that uses the N-word, Burnett said, “He’s Black, it’s just a word for individual.” Later, while explaining a line from the song’s chorus that talks about a man coming home at “Five in the morn’,” Burnett said, “That’s ‘morning’ for you people who do not speak ‘ethnic.’”

Earlier this week, Burnett apologized and expressed regret for the video, which he said was recorded while he was “an adolescent child.” In a Sept. 24 Facebook post, Burnett claimed he was 14 when the video was posted and added that he would not do the same now as an adult.

“Those words were not appropriate then, and they are not appropriate now,” he said. “I got into this race to fight for a better Binghamton for everyone and that’s what I will continue to do.”

Mayor Jared Kraham, who faces reelection for a second term, condemned the video and said it should disqualify Burnett from the race. He also claimed Burnett was nearly 17 when he uploaded the video, not 14.

On Sept. 25, in response to Kraham’s comments, the Binghamton City Democratic Committee released a press statement with a link to a 2007 article about standardized testing that Kraham wrote while in high school.

The City Democratic Committee accused Kraham of “demeaning the intelligence of the black community” in the article, which was focused on standardized testing and its potential limitations. After describing his experience taking the SAT, Kraham said in the article that tests and quizzes have become a major metric that high schools use to evaluate how much students “learned” about a subject.

“Schools have to use tests to ‘standardize’ their teaching practices, even though it’s believed more and more today that tests might not be the best tool to judge the amount of material learned by a single student,” Kraham wrote in the article. “One good thing that standardized tests have done is to tell us that white, suburban, American kids are smarter than black, inner-city, American kids year after year.”

“Did you miss it?” he continued. “Let’s review that sentence: ‘One good thing that standardized tests have done is to tell us that white, suburban, American kids are smarter than black, inner-city, American kids year after year.’”

On Friday, Kraham told Pipe Dream that he was “mocking and criticizing” the idea that standardized test scores accurately reflect how much students really learn through satire.

In a post on X, the Broome County Republicans called Burnett’s video “abhorrent” and called on all elected Democrats in the county to condemn it. Benji Federman, the party’s chairman, told The New York Post that Burnett’s “hateful language and nonstop lies make him utterly unfit for public office.”

Comment requests have been sent to the Binghamton University College Democrats and College Republicans.

Karen Beebe, chair of the Broome County Democrats, said in a statement that there was “no excuse” for the video and commended Burnett for apologizing.

“I believe that children grow up and learn to be better adults,” Beebe said. “Miles is a strong and thoughtful leader who has made a deep impact on our community. He is the only candidate in this race committed to making Binghamton better for ALL residents.”

Kweller, accused of raping a 19-year-old woman, was charged alongside his brother, Yaron Kweller, and Jordan Rindgen — two former owners of The Colonial, a popular Downtown restaurant that has since closed. Charges against Rindgen — also indicted for the criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance — and Yaron Kweller, who both previously held ownership shares in Dos Rios Cantina and The Stone Fox, remain pending. The decision was issued by Broome County Court Judge Carol Cocchiola, who is presiding over the case.

The motion to dismiss was filed in February after lawyers for the defendants argued that text conversations indicated that the sex was consensual. At the time, Broome County District Attorney (DA) representatives maintained that the conversations were taken out of context, referencing court documents that contained testimony indicating “forcible compulsion.”

Shortly after the decision, a statement from Leor Kweller’s defense team, published by WIVT, celebrated the ruling, claiming that prosecutors pursued a case with incomplete information.

“From day one, [Kweller] has adamantly denied the allegations and maintained his innocence,” the statement said. “The charges against our client were initiated before a thorough investigation was finished and should never have been filed. The unrelenting and thorough defense investigation confirmed that our client was legally and factually innocent. […] truth and justice required a complete dismissal of all charges.”

Broome County DA Michael Korchak cited Cocchiola’s review of grand jury testimony as the basis for the dismissal. Survivors, including numerous former employees, first came forward in December 2021. In response to the accusations, community members, local activists and Binghamton University students organized a “Downtown Shutdown,” in protest against the restaurant owners. The march was also in response to perceived insensitivity by managers at the establishments amid plans to reopen.

Rindgen and the Kweller brothers were arrested by the Binghamton Police Department (BPD) in February 2022 in connection with the sexual assault, which allegedly occurred in the basement of RentBing — a real estate company on Washington Street owned by Yaron Kweller. A grand jury then brought felony charges in April 2022, ultimately leading to the closure of Dos Rios Cantina and The Colonial. The Stone Fox remains open.

Kenny Pasato, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, expressed his skepticism about the judicial developments.

“Seeing the charges dropped against [Kweller] raises a lot of questions,” Pasato said. “I hope the victims get justice and that the truth comes out.”

In a statement to local media outlets, Korchak conveyed his support for the survivors. He added that his office was considering next steps, which could include appealing the decision to a higher court or presenting the case to a new grand jury.

Editor’s note (6/5/23): An earlier version of this article stated Leor Kweller was accused of sexual contact with two women. He was accused of sexual contact with one woman. In addition, the article stated Leor Kweller was charged for providing a woman with cocaine. This is incorrect. He never received any drug charges. Pipe Dream regrets the error. The article has been corrected.

OCCT Late Nite — a service that provides downtown transportation to students — has dealt with incidents of “antagonistic behavior” before, such as a past transgression that led to a cancellation of Late Nite routes two weekends in a row. According to Toni Stefanakos, public relations coordinator for OCCT, this past Saturday, Oct. 29, Late Nite services were suspended due to an incident Friday night involving “reckless” student behavior on the corner of State Street and Hawley Street, leading to an altercation with the police. At the corner of the two streets is a Late Nite bus stop frequented by students.

“We are disheartened to report that last night, this antagonistic behavior took a sudden turn and directly targeted the police officers on the scene at State Street,” a statement from the Student Association (SA) Executive Board read. “This behavior is not only unacceptable but places everyone at risk.”

Daniel Croce — SA vice president for finance, chairman and chief financial officer for OCCT and a junior majoring in business administration — provided information regarding the perpetrators of this incident, saying they “involved a large and disorderly group of students and created great safety risks for themselves and everyone at the scene.”

Due to this incident, Late Nite services will remain suspended Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5, pending further communications between the SA and university administration, according to a SA Instagram announcement. The SA, OCCT and the Transportation and Parking Services department (TAPS) are working to reopen Late Nite services within the next few weeks, however, they are considering the “very real possibility of a permanent Late [Nite] termination,” according to Croce.

“There are a number of options that the SA, myself and OCCT are considering when it comes to a permanent solution for Late [Nite] servicing,” Croce wrote in an email. “The originally developed plan was scheduled to be fully rolled out this upcoming weekend. However, the incidents of this past weekend have required OCCT to actively review and expand the original scope of the plan. Among possible considerations include potential route changes, bus stop location changes and staffing changes.”

Many students rely on the Late Nite service as their only form of transportation back to campus during the weekends. While some students find the suspension to be unavoidable in lieu of repeated disorderly conduct, others believe there are alternative options to resolving the issue.

Adeline Roy, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said suspending the bus line for the rest of the semester may be necessary. Roy described the service as a privilege.

“I definitely think the Late Nite bus service is a big privilege for students who are on campus,” Roy said. “And as unfortunate as it is, I feel like given the circumstances, I feel like it being revoked — even if it’s just for the rest of the semester — it will probably make students think about their actions a little bit more. Especially because they were downtown, I’m sure they were completely drunk, too. So, and there are other ways to get downtown, there are Ubers, you can phone a friend. So as unfortunate as it is that those buses won’t be there anymore, for the meantime, I feel like it’s a good situation for the safety of the drivers. I have a few friends who drive the buses.”

Keonna Hyacinth, a junior majoring in biology, was waiting on the bus line Friday night when she witnessed “a lot of pushing and aggression.” Hyacinth expressed discomfort with the OCCT bus protocol, and said she hopes a more effective solution than suspending the service can be developed.

“I witnessed a lot of pushing and aggression between the students as people tried to get on the bus,” Hyacinth wrote in an email. “There was a police officer at the scene. I feel uncomfortable with this behavior knowing that every time I try to take the bus there may be some sort of incident. I think the school needs to put a better system in place because the amount of buses running during those times are not enough for the amount of students who are in need of the bus.”

Editor’s Note (11/3/22): This article was updated on Nov. 3 to include updated information regarding Late Nite closures.

BU’s Public Archaeology Facility (PAF) has recently been awarded a $71,630 grant from the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) to continue searching for Fort Bull, the unknown site of a battle in the French and Indian War. The search will resume in the summer of 2023 with the help of military veterans and youth from the Oneida Indian Nation, whose homeland is part of the excavation site.

Laurie Miroff, director of the PAF, said locating the site is important because of how vital it was to the development of its surrounding areas in New York state.

“Locally, the site is a key part of the history of the Oneida Carry and the development of the City of Rome,” Miroff wrote in an email. “The battlefield has been part of local memorialization and preservation efforts since the mid-19th century. Today, the battlefield continues to be the focus of an active preservation initiative. From an Indigenous perspective, the battlefield falls within the cultural and historic territory of the Oneida Indian Nation.”

The expedition to find Fort Bull began in 2018, when the PAF was awarded a Preservation Planning Grant by the ABPP to further define the military landscape associated with the battle. Since then, archaeologists from the PAF have recovered several battle-related objects, and timber from a structure that was thought to be at the site. BU was selected from among a field of 42 applicants this year to receive another Preservation Planning Grant from the ABPP to continue the search.

Philip Bailey, a historian and grants management specialist with the ABPP, wrote in an email that the project design was completed independently by BU’s PAF, and that the grant will offer resources for them to execute it.

“Preservation Planning Grants support planning, interpreting and preserving battlefields and sites associated with armed conflicts by providing financial assistance,” Bailey wrote in an email. “These grants are funded by direct appropriation and administered by the National Park Service through National Park Service’s ABPP.”

Fort Bull was originally one of two forts the British built in 1755 as a defense for the Oneida Carrying Place — a boat portage between the Mohawk River and Wood Creek. It was assumed to be a strategic site because it offered the British a direct supply line to both Albany and Oswego, but was destroyed in 1756 when French soldiers and Haudenosaunee warriors attacked. A powder magazine caught fire and exploded, leaving the exact location of the fort unknown. Historians have long debated on whether or not the location of Fort Bull is found directly under Fort Wood Creek, the site that replaced it after its destruction, or if it is somewhere else in the area.

Brian Grills, the senior project director at the PAF, emphasized that PAF is looking forward to working with the Oneida Indian Nation on the project, because it will help with future interpretation and understanding of the site.

“We are excited to be working with Oneida Indian Nation youth and adults for this grant, building relationships with the Oneida and providing an opportunity for youth and adults to experience the discovery of the region’s history firsthand,” Grills wrote in an email. “Working with the Oneida Nation will ensure that Indigenous knowledge of the site, located within their ancestral homelands, and the conflict’s impact on their community will be integrated into preservation planning.”

In order to investigate without damaging the environment, the PAF has made use of ground-penetrating radars and aerial drone technology.

Arthur Simmons, executive director of the Rome Historical Society, which oversees the land where the excavations will be taking place, wrote in an email that he hopes to locate the area as soon as possible to pursue its long-term preservation.

“Today, the fort is threatened by relic hunters and developers who seek to exploit it without hesitation,” Simmons wrote in an email. “The site must continue to be responsibly researched and protected for future generations.”

Several students expressed an interest in the project.

Thomas Holland, a junior majoring in history, hopes that finding Fort Bull will help deepen the connection of local communities to their history.

“In addition to benefiting historical societies, I would hope groups like veterans and Indigenous people, especially the Oneida Nation, whose traditional homeland includes the area of the battlefield, benefit as well,” Holland said.

Paige Bagley, a sophomore majoring in English, also discussed the expedition’s relation to Indigenous communities, expressing hope that the PAF will be able to locate Fort Bull for the benefit of these communities.

“I hope that it reinforces the bond that the Indigenous people who lived here have with the community,” Bagley said. “A lot of Indigenous land has been gentrified by so many communities and it would be nice to give back to them by providing closure on this battle site.”

Amid the newly amended “Lockdown Law,” which establishes a legal mechanism to shut down public nuisances, Kraham warned four properties in the Binghamton area of their violation of the law. The statute, formally the Property and Building Nuisance Reform Law, was amended on June 8 by the Binghamton City Council, and signed by Kraham the next day. The vote was unanimous with six “ayes” and one “absent.”

The warned properties were 53 Chenango St., the address of The Cave Nightclub, Five Grace St., a 16-bed, eight-bath housing complex, 314 Prospect St., a house with repeated police calls for violence and noise and 92 Robinson St., an alleged illegal after-hours nightclub.

Kraham described complaints that he heard from the community during his successful bid for office last year, as well as his thoughts about the effectiveness of the law.

“I was in every neighborhood of the city and residents would bring up nuisance properties,” Kraham said. “Without the Lockdown Law, the city doesn’t have a really important tool to stop nuisance [and] criminal activity from going on at these properties.”

Brian Seachrist, the City of Binghamton attorney, explained the framework of the law and included specific dated offenses in the formal written notices sent to identified “problem properties.” Under the law, businesses are given between two and 12 points for operations-related incidents occurring at or immediately adjacent to their building. They are deemed a public nuisance if they accrue 12 points in six months or 18 points in 12 months.

Businesses receive two points for misdemeanors like loitering, littering, excessive noise or dangerous and unlicensed dogs. They receive four points for crimes like disorderly conduct by individuals, illegal gambling and violations of the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) laws. Transgressions worth six points include controlled substance abuses, welfare fraud and overfilling a building above occupancy limits. Prostitution, firearms violations and sexual performances by minors are 10 points, and 12-point violations include murder, attempted murder, assault and sex offenses.

Once official notice is received, individual businesses have the opportunity to work with the city to fix the problem. If corrective action is not taken, the city has the legal right to seek up to a year-long shutdown.

Kraham expressed his belief that the Lockdown Law is beneficial for Binghamton.

“The Lockdown Law is a positive tool that city officials can use to make neighborhoods safer,” Kraham said. “The less nuisance activity and the less criminal activity we have in the city, the safer it will be. [It] sends a message to bad landlords, [their actions] will not be tolerated.”

Kraham added that proximity to the University was not the source of the problem, because most properties lay outside the area of the bars and clubs frequented by students.

Will Cohen, a sophomore majoring in political science, described his experience at The Cave, one of the warned establishments.

“The Cave feels like the opposite of bars like [Tom and Marty’s] and The Rat,” Cohen wrote. “There’s a real dance floor, couches and the crowd is never too bad.”

Despite catering to different demographics, The Cave received 24 points since March 2022, including twelve for an assault incident on May 22, 2022.

Another property, located at 5 Grace St., received 34 points since Feb. 2022, the most points received of all those targeted. This property had several reported issues, including uninhabitable living conditions and neglect. Two cases of assault and two cases of fighting, among other problems, were noted in the official letter sent to the property management company.

Roger Raub, a tenant at the building, recently described the living conditions to WITV, a local news station in Binghamton associated with ABC.

“[The] apartment next to me is condemned with an infestation of bugs,” Raub said. “I can go anywhere and get that. I don’t want to be with bugs. I don’t want to have to worry about fecal matter. If no one is going to repair anything, why are the rent prices so high?”

Nathan Slisher, a sophomore majoring in environmental science, described his feelings toward Binghamton’s livability.

“Before coming to Binghamton, I had heard stories telling me to be careful living here,” Slisher said. “Now that I am considering living off campus next year, it is good to hear that change is in the works and that our public authorities are actually doing something to make Binghamton a better place to live.”

On Sept. 14, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced a series of financial awards to be given as part of the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition. Nine airports received funding to improve the functionality and appearance of their services, including BGM, which was given a gift of $32 million. The first of two parts to the project will involve combining the general aviation and passenger terminals, installing a new, eco-friendly airport canopy and improving many customer-facing facilities. The second part will involve the construction of a new Customs and Border Protection facility.

Mark Heefner, the commissioner of aviation in Broome County, said the airport mainly serves commercial passengers and engages in general aviation, which includes flight instruction, military flights and medical flights. While describing the future developments made possible by the funding, Heefner emphasized the importance of streamlining the travel process for passengers.

“By opening [the airport] up, that’s one of those things that you’re going to affect that people don’t realize that you’re affecting, as far as customer experience,” Heefner said. “It gives people a sense of a little more control, so to speak.”

Heefner said customers have already reported that the airport is easily navigable, though upcoming changes to the airport will further increase the simplicity of its layout. Heefner described how the new layout will aid customer enjoyment of the flying experience.

“So we’re on top of a mountain, right,” Heefner said. “Why wouldn’t you want to see something really neat like that and watch planes go through? It always brings a smile to my face.”

According to Heefner, $5 million in funding from other sources has brought the total cost of the project to $37 million.

The award is the second of two recent developments at BGM, the first being the incorporation of Avelo Airlines, which will provide flights to Orlando, Florida and Fort Myers, Florida starting in Nov. 2022. The airport was previously only served by Delta Airlines, providing daily service to the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Heefner expressed optimism that these changes are the start of continuing growth at BGM.

“So the thought process behind this is to build for the future,” Heefner said. “So build for Avelo, build for Delta, build for our future airlines as well. The money is going to go somewhere in the state. We want it here.”

Jason Garnar, the Broome County executive, was present at Hochul’s declaration of the award to BGM. Garnar detailed potential opportunities for economic growth as a result of the oncoming developments to the airport.

“In the short term, the work being done at BGM will create a number of important construction and labor jobs,” Garnar wrote in an email. “Looking more long-term, businesses that are interested in moving here really want the convenience and ease of flying directly into where their company is.”

The executive office of the Broome County government oversees many other operations, including travel and other services to the public. Garnar acknowledged that there was some room for improvement at BGM.

“Airports across the country have been making improvements that enhance passengers’ experience, provide new amenities and make flying more convenient and enjoyable,” Garnar wrote. “BGM’s terminal is almost 60 years old, and while some updates have been made over the years, it needs a major overhaul to bring it on par with other airports in New York state and across the country.”

Several students expressed positive sentiment about the renovation plan.

Jacob Singer, a junior majoring in computer science, has been a passenger with Greater Binghamton when commuting home for break. Singer described the operations at BGM as being effective but limited somewhat by their small scale.

“There’s only a handful of people working there, as far as I know,” Singer said. “It diminishes some efficiency because the same person who was checking your bag is also the person who’s loading the bags, and also the same person who stands next to the scanner while you scan your boarding pass.”

Emily Pyatkovskiy, a junior majoring in psychology, said that although she hadn’t flown at BGM in the past, the updates were encouraging.

“I think now knowing that [the airport] brings me to Florida makes me more likely to use it in the future,” Pyatkovskiy said. “I’ve never seen the original, but I’m really happy that this is where Binghamton is investing its money.”

As a condition of accepting the funds, the project will have to be completed within 24 months of the award date, according to Heefner. Heefner expressed confidence in BGM’s ability to meet this timeframe.

“For a $37 million project to be completed in 24 months, this is going to be an absolute[ly] amazing feat, and we’ve got a team that can do it,” Heefner said.

Spark JC, the company that operates the renamed ‘”Oakdale Commons,” was given a budget of over $100 million to finance different development projects through 2025. The end goal is to revitalize the property, according to Marc Newman, co-founder of Spark JC. The revitalization includes the addition of a Panera Bread and Chipotle, as well as a Dick’s House of Sport — an extension of the Dick’s Sporting Goods store that includes a batting cage and a rock wall to allow product testing on-site. A parking lot and general site improvements will also be included, with the goal of being finished in the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024. Construction has already commenced, and the establishments are expected to all open by fall 2023.

After the Oakdale Mall faced foreclosure in 2019, Spark JC bought the property with plans to facilitate new businesses, create jobs and restore the popularity of the space. The company received payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) funding approved by the Broome County industrial development organization. Martin Meaney, the mayor of Johnson City, said people may have doubts about this process, but encouraged community members to consider the end goal of the project.

“Without PILOTs, development is awfully hard and if we don’t have people coming in who are looking to develop in our area, buildings sit idle,” Meaney said.

Newman emphasized the significance of converting what was the former Macy’s space into a Dick’s House of Sport. At 140,000 square feet, it will be Dick’s Sporting Goods’ largest store yet, located in the southernmost portion of the mall. In addition to the batting cage and climbing wall, the storefront will also house a turf field and an outdoor track that has the ability to turn into an ice skating rink come winter.

Meaney also discussed the significance of Dick’s choosing to build its largest storefront in Johnson City.

“Dick’s started here,” Meaney said. “Store number 001 is on Court Street, so it’s kind of nice to see them stay rooted where they were founded.”

Newman outlined the projected economic benefits the project will bring to the community, including the creation of new jobs and the increase in the sales tax base that Spark JC expects to see in the next few years. Newman also explained his belief that the development of the mall will be beneficial for other local businesses throughout Johnson City.

“Outside of the mall, they may decide to go shopping at Wegmans or Weis, or have dinner at one of the local restaurants,” said Newman. “This gateway site is just key to the whole redevelopment.”

Newman and Meaney expressed similar sentiment, and said that the name change and rebranding of the mall is multi-use, and will revitalize the old mall into a space that will not be solely retail.

“It’s going to make it a destination again,” Meaney said. “It’s not going to be someplace where people are just going to zip in, grab an article of clothing and grab a burger. It’s going to bring people in and they’re going to want to stay, you know?”

Newman said these tenants are the beginning of an extensive list of businesses that Oakdale Commons hopes to welcome to Johnson City. Newman said he sees the project as a commitment to the community.

Many BU students said they’re looking forward to the remodeling of the mall. Jolie Kwok, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said she thinks the renovations are long-overdue.

“It is no secret that Binghamton lacks entertainment hubs and it definitely would be nice to have more activities to do on the weekends besides romanticizing a Target run,” Kwok wrote in an email. “Glad to see that in a year, it will just be a bus ride away.”

Isaac Mak, a freshman majoring in computer engineering, expressed excitement to see the mall take on a new identity, especially with the addition of Dick’s House of Sport. Mak described how it reminded him of some other malls across the country that market attractions to their customers, in addition to retailers and restaurants.

“I think that mall would be pretty cool,” said Mak. “It’s like the American Dream mall in New Jersey, and I think that would be pretty cool here upstate.”

First proposed in July, the law would prohibit four or more college students from living in areas of Binghamton deemed single-family and two-family residential zones, known as R1 and R2, respectively — which include large parts of the West Side. Unless student housing is either in a commercial zone or multi-unit residential areas, also known as an R3 zone, the units will be subject to prosecution by July 1, 2023.

The Binghamton Planning Commission will review the legislation before it is sent to Binghamton City Council. Constituents will be able to attend a virtual public hearing to voice their opinions to the Planning Commission, with the Zoom link found on the Binghamton City calendar.

Juliet Berling, director of planning, housing and community development (PHCD), said the Planning Commission will factor public comments into their decision letter to Binghamton City Council. In addition to the virtual hearing, the Binghamton City Council will also hold a public hearing prior to issuing the final vote on this legislation, according to the Department of Planning, Housing and Community Development, though the date has yet to be announced.

According to Berling, the Planning Commission has a “good approximation” of where the majority of students currently reside, and they believe the new zoning law will not change where many students live. Berling said that safer student housing is among the main concerns for the commission.

“One reason we’re doing this is to require everyone to have a code review,” Berling said. “We want to make sure the buildings students are living in have been [reformed] correctly and are safe.”

Many R1, R2 and R3 zone uses will require review, needing an approval by the Planning Commission, according to a Student Housing Legislation Summary of Changes, provided by Anindya Debnath, the Student Association vice president for student success.

JP Dillon, a senior at Binghamton University double-majoring in environmental studies and biology, questioned how the legislation would be effectively enforced. Dillon owns the Instagram page, @ny.victorian, a photography page that features Victorian houses and their history across New York state.

“The city has had issues with its current code displacing residents if enforced, which sometimes leads to situations in which the landlord is not fixing an apartment and tenants aren’t moving out because there is simply nowhere to go,” Dillon wrote. “Essentially what I’m saying is, their current method of code enforcement is problematic, so I don’t see how this new code-enforced legislation could be anything beneficial. I have knowledge that all these apartments within the new development zone will have to undergo inspection, but I want to raise questions as to timelines and protocol for that. Especially if students are inhabiting those units at the times that code enforcement is inspecting.”

Some students also expressed concern that these potential changes will make affording BU more difficult for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Aviva Friedman, a Binghamton City Council member, explained that she is taking into consideration this point of view, with her goal being to promote safe student housing.

“I always approach this by trying to incentivize rather than punish,” Friedman wrote in an email. “If we look at this legislation and what issue it’s attempting to address, in my mind it’s an attempt to address predatory renting practices by landlords, or not landlords, but student housing developers that will often buy up properties and then rent them out to students. Will this fix this problem? That remains to be seen, but I never want something I vote for to be punitive.”

When Mayor Kraham first announced the legislation, he said the goal was to preserve the “integrity of single-family residential neighborhoods” while also increasing the non-student market, so that Binghamton families “living paycheck to paycheck” are not competing with college students.

Dillon said he is doubtful this legislation will be effective in these goals.

“This plan does nothing to create more city-owned [Binghamton Housing Authority] units, of which there is already a deficit, and it does nothing to encourage or provide funding to either developers or to organizations like the Southern Door CLT for developing more housing for the low-income, disabled or those who receive benefits from government organizations,” Dillion said. “I believe they should highly consider enforcement and branding of this legislation. If they would like it to help those living paycheck to paycheck, the absolute best thing they can do is to provide housing for them.”

In Kraham’s press release, he stressed the importance of balance between housing for long-term families and students.

“Students are a vital part of Binghamton’s culture and economy, but an absence of student housing regulations have created neighborhood problems that negatively impact students and families alike,” Kraham said.

On Wednesday, the Binghamton Police Department (BPD) arrested Yaron “Ron” Kweller, 41, on the charge of rape in the third degree, and Jordan Rindgen, 33, on the charge of criminal sale of a substance in the third and fifth degree, and stated in a press release that another arrest was “expected.” On Monday, Ron Kweller’s brother, Leor Kweller, was also charged with rape in the third degree. Each arrest was in connection with an ongoing investigation regarding an incident that took place Nov. 27 at 141 Washington St.

Leor Kweller, who had turned himself in to BPD on Monday, was charged with raping a 19 year old woman, while Ron Kweller was accused of raping a 21 year old woman, according to binghamtonhomepage.com. All three individuals were arraigned in Binghamton City Court and then released.

Yaron Kweller and Rindgen are owners of The Colonial, a Downtown restaurant frequented by students, also holding ownership shares of Dos Rios Cantina and The Stone Fox. In December, each restaurant had closed following an outpour of sexual assault allegations on social media and the announcement of a BPD investigation, with residents holding a protest outside of the restaurants shortly after. The restaurants had opened again in January, announcing the instatement of several new policies in a statement, including a new management team.

In a statement posted on The Colonial’s Facebook page on Feb. 24, the restaurants announced both Kweller and Rindgen had been removed from operations in December, and that their legal team is “exploring options” in removing them as partners.

“Our remaining group of owners remains focused on earning back the faith and trust of our community, and restoring the restaurants to the positive, energetic members of the revitalized Downtown Binghamton business scene that they were prior to this event,” the statement read. “Please be reminded that, while there are some mutual owners of all three restaurants, each establishment has its own unique ownership group.”

Jared Kraham, mayor of the city of Binghamton — who had previously declined to comment on the investigation — said in a Twitter statement on Wednesday that the arrests are the product of months of investigative work from BPD and the Broome County District Attorney’s Office.

“With today’s arrests, I want to be clear — our community will not tolerate sexual assault anytime, anywhere by anyone,” Kraham wrote. “These charges are serious and beyond disturbing. It’s important to recognize, too, the bravery of sexual assault survivors who come forward under unimaginable circumstances in the pursuit of justice and accountability.”

The “Binghamton Believes Survivors of Sexual Assault” Facebook group, in which many allegations of sexual assault had surfaced in December, currently holds over 14,300 members, including several admins with experience in helping survivors of sexual assault.

Quinn Singer, an admin of the Facebook page, currently works as a volunteer with the Crime and Victims Assistance Center (CVAC), and had previously been working full-time at the organization for years, most recently as the Broome County sexual assault response team coordinator. Singer said she has been in contact with “secondary victims,” or the families of survivors.

Singer said the restaurants should not have reopened, and that despite the new initiatives and statements, the owners had expressed indifference when organizations like CVAC had attempted to work with them before.

“It all feels too little, too late,” Singer said. “I just know firsthand that there were programs that reached out to the bar for incidents like [these]. CVAC had a safer bars program that was pitched specifically to this restaurant group. And it was not something they pursued at the time.”

As information continues to come to light, Singer noted the impact of advocacy and community attention.

“I think that our students on the [BU] campus also have organized and begun advocating like none other in the past few years, and I think that that definitely will have an influence on their ability to remain open as people are arrested and the trial happens and the real details emerge,” Singer said. “I think people are underestimating the fact that details will end up coming out from the case, and it’s not going to end just as they released a statement today — the trial could take years.”

Though many allegations have surfaced publicly on social media, Christine Battisti, CEO of CVAC, said the organization adheres to strict confidentiality protocols with survivors, and that it aims to provide a comforting environment to any survivors.

“That’s all part of coming here, empowering victims to be a part of the outcome and how their case proceeds and to give them choices in the matter — because sometimes victims are powerless because something happened to them,” Battisti said. “They didn’t have control over that. So part of what we work with is we try to give victims control over the decisions that they make about their case.”

Kweller’s attorney, Paul Battisti, who ran as the Republican candidate for Broome County District Attorney in 2020, is the husband of Christine. Battisti said the connection would not impact either of their work, stating she had worked at CVAC for 18 years, serving clients in various roles with no issue.

“I don’t think there’s a conflict of interest at all,” Battisti said. “Paul is a defense attorney and has his own rules and regulations and ethics that he has to provide to his clients and CVAC has theirs. And we adhere to confidentiality, and we take that very seriously.”

Jordan Rindgen is represented by Thomas Jackson, who had formerly served as senior assistant district attorney in 2008.

On campus, various student organizations made public statements regarding the situation in December, including a call for a boycott of the restaurants by the Student Association (SA) and the Women’s Student Union.

Samantha Carroll, the SA vice president for student success and a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, wrote the SA Executive Board is relieved to see that “punitive legal measures” are being taken against Kweller and Rindgen.

“That being said, we recognize that many in the community may still not be satisfied with this, and may still feel uncomfortable given the restaurants’ presence downtown,” Carroll wrote. “We want to reiterate that survivors of sexual assault always have our support, and we will continue to do everything in our power to make all students feel safe.”

Carroll also emphasized that the SA stands in solidarity with anyone impacted by these events and that there are resources available on and off campus to students who may be struggling or are in need of support.

Other student groups like Domestic and Oppressive Violence Education (DOVE) — an organization that aims to educate students on forms of interpersonal violence, including sexual assault — want students who may feel unsafe in Downtown Binghamton after the news of the arrests to know that they should remain supportive of each other.

“The fact that so many young women have reportedly come forward highlights the importance of learning the warning signs of sexual abuse, keeping each other safe and ultimately speaking up when you see something wrong,” the DOVE E-Board wrote in an email.

Paul Battisti, The Colonial, Dos Rios Cantina and The Stone Fox declined to comment.

This is a developing story, which will be updated as Pipe Dream receives more information from witnesses and authorities. This story was last updated on 3/1/2022 with further information regarding a third arrest.

If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, harassment or anything related, the Violence, Abuse and Rape Crisis Center (VARCC) or the Crime Victims Assistance Center (CVAC) are available resources. CVAC is located at 377 Robinson St. in Binghamton and can be reached by phone at (607) 722-4256 for a 24/7 crisis support line or by text at (607) 725-8196. CVAC services are also available at the VARCC office, which is located on the third floor of Old Johnson Hall and can be reached by phone at (607) 777-3010.

Pipe Dream was in contact with sexual assault survivors who opted not to share their story with the media out of a concern for their safety. Those interested in sharing their experiences can contact news@bupipedream.com.

In a Facebook post on Jan. 7, The Colonial announced its reopening, also announcing the presence of a new management team. The restaurants opened for in-person dining and takeout later that night and operated under a limited schedule until Jan. 16. Currently, all restaurants have returned to their normal hours of operation.

The Colonial, Dos Rios Cantina and The Stone Fox all initially closed on Dec. 9, amid sexual assault allegations made against owners. The Binghamton Police Department (BPD) had announced it was investigating an incident involving the owners of the restaurants that took place on Nov. 28, with no arrests made according to BPD Detective Captain Cory Minor. Additional allegations of sexual assault, including alleged instances of drugging by owners, had been made on social media, primarily on a Facebook group now named “Binghamton Believes Survivors of Sexual Assault,” which has since grown to over 14,200 members.

In The Colonial’s Facebook post, the restaurants also announced the hiring of an external law firm outside of Broome County, a new independent HR firm and the presence of meetings with staff to hear their concerns. The post did not provide an update on the individuals the restaurants had formerly said were placed on leave amid the allegations.

“First and foremost, we want you to know that we are deeply sorry for the poor handling of the recent situation and initial social media posts,” the Facebook post read. “We want to assure you that we have a revised management team in place handling all day-to-day operations of the businesses. Furthermore, we understand the allegations in question are serious and traumatic. We condemn sexual violence in all forms.“

In a Facebook post from Dec. 10 — later deleted — in which The Colonial had announced its earlier attempted reopening, the allegations were described as “baseless,” and the restaurants stated their refusal to comment on “cancel culture.”

Nick Pasquale, one of several admins of the “Binghamton Believes Survivors of Sexual Assault” Facebook group, had worked as a server at Dos Rios Cantina for approximately a year until November 2019.

Pasquale said he was made aware of the sexual assault allegations as they began to spread on social media in the days after Nov. 28, and had personally known one of the victims who had shared her story of sexual assault on Facebook in the days following.

He described witnessing some instances of harassment from an owner of the restaurants — allegedly placed on leave – during his time as a server.

“I would often sort of catch [an owner] saying inappropriate things to, especially hostesses, at the front end, who were oftentimes barely 18, maybe 19,” Pasquale said. “[The owner] would make comments about what they were wearing and how [the owner] enjoyed it — very much in that sort of inappropriate way. Very oftentimes I would see [the owner] going up to that host stand, especially if he were alone with them, [the owner] would try to go up there when it was able to just be [the owner] and them. Sometimes it almost looked as though that hostess was cornered.”

Pasquale said he had become one of the admins of the Facebook group following the “Downtown Shutdown” protest, in which hundreds of protestors had marched to each of the three restaurants, sharing stories of sexual assault and harassment. Pasquale said the restaurants’ reopening lacked substantial changes, and that instating “new management” was rather just shifting around the face of the restaurant.

Currently, members of the Facebook group have been sharing information and resources for sexual assault survivors, as well as news updates regarding the ongoing police investigation.

One anonymous BU student, who had formerly worked as a server for Dos Rios Cantina and quit in the weeks following the initial allegations, said the owners had shared the recent Facebook announcement with staff before posting, and held two separate staff meetings to hear concerns.

“When they planned to reopen, I wasn’t surprised, I knew there was no way they would just close down the restaurants fully, and I can say for a fact that they stayed closed down for as long as they could (they couldn’t remain closed and keep paying all their employees),” the former server wrote in an email. “As for the measures listed in the Facebook post, those were more or less what I was expecting to see. I would’ve liked to see them take more accountability for what happened inside [The] Colonial and more safety measures for the customers in general.”

While the student said they had not personally witnessed instances of sexual assault, they said they had experienced forms of mistreatment from one of the owners allegedly responsible, including not being given adequate break times and being subject to verbal harassment. The student said that individuals in lower management had expressed an interest in rectifying the situation surrounding the restaurants’ closure, and that the restaurants had continued to pay servers when closed.

“For the time being they are following through with the promises they made,” the former server wrote. “Lastly, I think it’s because I try to reason with myself that 200 people didn’t/don’t deserve to lose their jobs because of the actions of [individuals].”

In the days following the initial closure of the restaurants, Binghamton University’s Student Association (SA) announced on Instagram its support for the ongoing community-wide boycott of the establishments, a boycott that had also been called for by members of the Facebook group, then-named “Boycotting Colonial, Dos Rios, Stone Fox, etc.”

Samantha Carroll, SA vice president for student success and a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said the SA E-Board believes continuing the boycott is necessary.

“I think these businesses need to recognize that earning back a community’s trust is not something that happens over the course of a month,” Carroll wrote. “They have a lot to prove and it’s unclear if that is even possible.”

Carroll said the new policies instated by the restaurants, including its new management team, HR firm and meetings with staff, were not enough to support the reopening of the restaurants.

“While these may be a step in the right direction, they are entirely internal,” Carroll wrote. “They provided no clear plan to mitigate their negative impact on the community and for this reason, it is not justified.”

The Women’s Student Union (WSU) had also called for a boycott of the restaurants, including several other establishments, amid the allegations of sexual assault and allegations of “racial violence” and mistreatment by restaurant owners.

Abigail Cornelia, president of WSU and senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, also said the restaurants’ reopening plans were inadequate, describing the reopening as a practical decision made due to the replenishment of staff, who had quit en masse in December.

“Rape culture coupled with the exploitative culture of the service industry cannot be rectified in a day, it takes a long, consistent, reframing of how we view each other and abolishment of the idea that any relationship is transactional,” Cornelia wrote in an email. “I am very skeptical that a collection of overpriced, gentrifying gastropubs cares to put in the work necessary to rectify that environment. Continuing to boycott these establishments is an incredibly easy way to show solidarity to not only the victims that have bravely come forward, but also the victims of sexual violence in your life.”

The Colonial, Dos Rios Cantina and The Stone Fox did not respond to Pipe Dream’s requests for comment.

This is a developing story, which will be updated as Pipe Dream receives more information from witnesses and authorities.

Pipe Dream was in contact with sexual assault survivors who opted not to share their story with the media out of a concern for their safety. Those interested in sharing their experiences can contact news@bupipedream.com.

From Dec. 1, 2021 to March 15, 2022, Binghamton streets are under annual winter alternate side parking rules in an effort to assist efficient and safe snow plowing and emergency crew service travel. The rules require residents to only park on the even side of the street on even-numbered calendar days and on the odd side of the street on odd-numbered days until 5 p.m. After 5 p.m., city residents must “park for tomorrow” and move their vehicles to the other side in anticipation for the next calendar day. The even and odd street sides are indicated by the even and odd side residence house numbers. The rules apply to all streets in Binghamton, including one-side parking streets, with certain exceptions. Failure to comply with the rules results in a ticket issued by the Binghamton Police Department (BPD) and in some cases impedes emergency service travel.

The alternate side parking rules include Binghamton’s West Side neighborhood, where many of Binghamton University’s off-campus students live. According to Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham, compliance to the rules has been a yearly issue.

“The bottom line here is that adherence to alternate side parking rules in the city of Binghamton is the number one effort, collectively, residents can make to support snow plow operations,” Kraham said. “When cars are parked illegally, which to be frank, we see a lot in student-heavy neighborhoods, it slows down snow plow operations. We made a huge focus to enforce the city’s alternate side parking this snow season.”

According to data provided by the Mayor’s Office from Jan. 22 — when many students returned to Binghamton for the start of the spring semester — to Feb. 7, the BPD issued 1,778 tickets to alternate side parking violators. While the number is citywide, Kraham said a significant number of the tickets were issued in student-concentrated areas. While Kraham acknowledged the parking rules may be inconvenient for some as students may have to park far from their residence, he said the costs of noncompliance can be significant.

“That parking convenience equates to a public safety issue for all residents in Binghamton,” Kraham said. “If a snowplow cannot move down a street, the street cannot be cleared. While students may be inconvenienced by it, parking there has created a public safety issue, and that is not acceptable.”

Sade Salazar, president of Off Campus College Council (OC3) and senior triple-majoring in economics, accounting and philosophy, politics and law, wrote that the council has not yet received formal student complaints regarding alternate side parking and tickets. However, she said the City of Binghamton has not done enough regarding street plowing — which the new rules are attempting to support — and advised students to use other modes of transportation during severe weather.

“In [OC3’s] opinion, the City of Binghamton hasn’t been the best at keeping up with snow plowing various streets in the area,” Salazar wrote in an email. ”The University must recognize that their service isn’t perfect and communicate with professors to seek alternative class formats if necessary. We advise students to seek alternate routes or take public transportation or [Off Campus College Transportation] blue buses rather than use their own transportation during and after inclement weather.”

While both the City of Binghamton Mayor’s Office and the OC3 have not received formal complaints about the issues with alternate side parking, some off-campus students expressed frustration with the street parking regulation.

According to section 400-78 of the Traffic Code of the City of Binghamton, the city requires only one annual posting to inform the public about the alternate side parking rules by the local newspaper and local airways.

Athina Glumicic, an off-campus resident and a junior majoring in psychology, said Binghamton officials do not do an adequate job communicating the winter parking rules when they go into effect.

“The communication is not clear enough, there are no signs anywhere to remind the community of the alternate side parking rules,” Glumicic said. “The rules were communicated via flyers placed on some vehicles, leaving many students uninformed about how to avoid getting ticketed.”

Other off-campus students like Paula Jankowski, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, pointed to the lack of space available — as residents are required to only park on one side at a time instead of both. When parked in her driveway, she recalled often being blocked in and texting roommates to move their cars.

“Realistically on a single block, there are many cars and expecting people to fit on one side of the street for four months straight is ridiculous,” Jankowski said. “I understand there are driveways, but with conflicting schedules, it can be difficult to park without blocking each other.”

While Kraham is aware of these struggles that resulted from winter parking, he suggested students think creatively and be more proactive.

“I encourage students to think outside the box,” Kraham said. “Many homes have driveways, maybe not in full use, so text a neighbor or roommate to try to get cars off the street entirely, or use alternative modes of transportation or utilize parking lots at city parks which are open to students during snowstorms.”

Guidelines and exemptions of the City of Binghamton’s alternate side parking mandate can be found here.

U Club Binghamton, a student housing complex in Vestal, New York, recently started charging residents an additional cost to their monthly rent as part of a new utility addendum, which was present in all current leases since the beginning of the year. As per the addendum, residents can be billed for water and sewage services.

While the addendum was present in all leases since the time of signing, utility charges were only added to all residents’ bills for the first time in December 2021. According to the utility addendum, water and sewage services would be billed to the landlord and allocated to residents. The amount is distributed among residents who have signed lease agreements in the building, with the deduction of a 5 percent common area use of both water and sewage utilities. The bill is then issued to residents, who have to pay within 19 days of the issuance.

For the month of November, for which utilities first began being charged, multiple residents interviewed from separate buildings received the same exact utility charge of $19.28. This included a $3.12 charge for water, a $7.66 charge for sewage, a $3.50 processing fee and a one-time $5 charge to create an online account to pay the fees.

Dylan Fay, a current U Club Binghamton resident and a junior majoring in history, wrote in an email that the additional fees to pay for utilities, along with how the utilities were allocated among all residents, was not sensible. Fay and other residents said they were initially told by U Club Binghamton employees earlier in the year that utility charges would only appear if a unit passed a certain water usage limit.

“I understand why we paid it, but when almost half of the bill is simply for fees it doesn’t sit well, especially when we were not charged based on our specific unit’s usage,” Fay wrote. “U Club [Binghamton] is also well known for overcharging; both I and others have heard stories of them charging people for not cleaning the dust out of the corners of the wall when they move out and small issues like that.”

Klaire Martinez, a senior double-majoring in English and theatre, wrote in an email that the distribution of utility fees was confusing, as each household in the complex has different water usage habits.

“To my knowledge, there are residents in the complex potentially using more water and sewer services, but I didn’t understand why all residents must share that burden,” Martinez wrote.

For the month of December, the same residents that were interviewed reported being charged different amounts than each other, a change from the equivalent costs of November. U Club Binghamton did not announce a change in their utility fee allocation processes.

Residents have also reported trouble in contacting U Club Binghamton management with questions on the addendum. Martinez wrote that student employees were not well-informed on the subject and higher management was unavailable.

“A majority of the front desk workers are [Binghamton University] students and I can imagine they don’t know much more since most … are residents too,” Martinez wrote. “As for the upper management staff, they have been coincidentally unavailable in meetings no matter what time I go and I’m apparently not allowed to book an appointment either.”

U Club Binghamton is already one of the more expensive student housing options in the area, with yearly leases ranging from around $800 to $1100 per month depending on the floor plan. Currently, the cheapest floor plan offered by U Club Binghamton is $869 per month. The addition of a service fee to this bill adds to the monthly costs of all residents.

Kassandra Roberts, general manager of U Club Binghamton, wrote in an email that the addendum was added for sustainability purposes.

“Our residents are aware of the utility addendum in the lease, which is common in student housing and overall residents have been accepting of covering the water charge, which is generally around $15 per month,” Roberts wrote. “Sustainability is important to us at U Club Binghamton and we want to engage our residents in the conservation of natural resources. We will be implementing a conservation program for residents with information and tips on how to reduce energy and water usage, which not only helps save costs, but is also good for the planet.”

KT Fitzgerald, a junior double-majoring in psychology and women, gender and sexuality studies, has advocated for housing rights and was part of a recent Student Association (SA) initiative to survey students and expose untrustworthy landlords. Fitzgerald first heard about the addendum in a GroupMe for BU tenants, and has tried to give students options on how to go about the new fees.

“Unfortunately, some U Club [Binghamton] residents cannot afford the unexpected costs and were left scrambling for solutions, whether that be challenging the addendum via organizing or legal means, or needing to break the lease and find a new place to live,” Fitzgerald wrote. “To me, this addendum is deceptive, it is predatory, it is greedy and it is unfair not only to U Club Binghamton residents, but to our wider community that is negatively impacted by price hikes in housing fees and gentrified housing developments.”

An option for off-campus students seeking legal advice on their leases is to reach out to the Off Campus College (OCC) Legal Clinic, which offers free legal advice to all BU students. However, Nicholas Scarantino, who is currently the only attorney listed online as available in the Clinic, is an attorney at Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP, which represents U Club Binghamton and cannot aid students with legal issues regarding U Club Binghamton.

Fitzgerald wrote that BU needs to do more for students facing concerns with housing off campus.

“Frankly, the University needs to step in and make students aware of the community’s housing crisis and what that involves,” Fitzgerald wrote. “The SA, [New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG)] and Stakeholders [of Broome County] recently did a great job hosting an event dedicated to providing students with this information, but more should be done by the University itself to combat these issues. Additionally, the University’s free OCC Legal Clinic for students should offer representation that does not present such a major conflict of interest.”

The three-year program is designed to attract international startups and provide them with free resources to grow their companies in the Southern Tier. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced the grant earlier this month, stating he pushed for the federal funding because the upstate New York region is “on the rise” and calling Binghamton University a “cornerstone of the Southern Tier.” The S.C. Johnson College of Business at Cornell University will be Binghamton University’s key partner for the project.

Elena Iankova, the head of the Soft Landings program, described her vision for the program.

“My goal is to develop [the Soft Landings program] as a strong brand that would be easily recognizable nationally and internationally five years from now,” Iankova wrote in an email. “I see the program helping the Southern Tier region retain the best student talent from [BU] and Cornell [University]. I see graduating students not only staying in the region but also competing for the high-paying, attractive and prestigious jobs that will be generated by the foreign companies — graduates of the Soft Landings program. I see the Greater Binghamton area and the Southern Tier region — with its focus on clean energy and cutting-edge achievements in new battery technologies — as acquiring a new, highly recognizable brand, the green valley of opportunity.”

According to Iankova, the program’s goals are to ensure a gentle transition for the incoming startups and scale-ups, help international entrepreneurs adjust to the U.S. market and integrate them into the Southern Tier regional economy. In addition to securing professionals to run and administer the project, Iankova said the grant funding will be used for student and faculty engagement with international companies, organization of workshops, customized mentorships and travel.

Iankova and others at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator estimated that 45 foreign companies will graduate from the program, and in the process it will create over 365 high-paying jobs and generate $2.7 million for the region in private investment. In fall of 2020, the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator had three international startups under its roof. In just over a year, that number grew to 10.

After a company has been selected for the program, they will be connected with a team of students from the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science and the S.C. Johnson College of Business at Cornell University. According to Iankova, the student teams will work under the guidance of faculty, assigned mentors and industry experts to work out how to grow the companies and expand their operations in the United States. An estimated 270 students will be involved in engaged learning opportunities over the three-year duration of the project.

BU President Harvey Stenger, who also serves on the board of directors for the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, recognized the multifaceted benefits of the project.

“I’d like to thank Sen. Schumer and all key players involved, Cornell University in particular as our partner, for making the Soft Landings program a reality,” Stenger said. “This is a game-changing opportunity that will not only help bolster the economy of the Southern Tier, but also further the University’s reputation as a leader in economic development and in the growth of the regional clean energy ecosystem in particular.”

The Soft Landings program is not the first program from the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator to foster connections with BU students. The Entrepreneur Connect Club was founded in 2020 with the goal of bringing together students interested in entrepreneurship with the resources at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator.

Lazaro Martinez, head of startup for the club and a sophomore majoring in business administration, spoke about his experience working with the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator.

“What Entrepreneur Connect does and specifically what [startup is] trying to achieve is give students the opportunity to learn how to start up a business in the modern day with all the technology and all the resources that we have,” Martinez said. “Personally, it’s been a very good learning experience and it’s taught me a lot about the professionalism that goes on in business.”

Mallory Fowler, president of the Entrepreneur Connect Club and a senior majoring in business administration, said she thinks the grant will further economic opportunities for the region.

“In the ’80s and ’70s, this area was booming with a lot of technology and a lot of innovation, like IBM and a lot of other businesses,” Fowler said. “I think that this is a long time coming to attract more businesses here. This is a great area to innovate and have businesses, so it doesn’t surprise me, but it’s also really awesome.”

Liu, a Chinese international student who graduated from BU in 2020 with a master’s degree in computer science, first shared his story on a GoFundMe page created to help raise money for his recovery expenses. According to the GoFundMe page, Liu was walking through Recreation Park between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. when he noticed he was being followed by a white sedan and two individuals. Liu wrote that he tried to escape the situation as quickly as possible, but he was assaulted by the two individuals and thrown to the ground, falling unconscious. In the GoFundMe, Liu wrote that he believed he was targeted because he is Asian.

“My head hit the ground first, [and] as a result I lost consciousness immediately,” Liu wrote on the GoFundMe page. “I don’t remember what happened to me for a period of time except that I was lying on the ground unconscious for more than an hour. I woke up after 10 p.m. and found myself lying there with a lot of blood on my head, and later learned my wallet, phone and keys were stolen.”

In a written correspondence shared with Pipe Dream, Liu shared his experience after waking up from unconsciousness.

“I was in a very critical condition at that point,” Liu wrote. “After I woke up, as my phone was stolen, I could not contact anyone. A nice lady helped me call the police and ambulance after I flagged her down. As an international student who has no family in the United States, I didn’t even have an emergency contact in the hospital system as I never thought this type of emergency would happen to me.”

After the fact, Liu was transferred to United Health Services (UHS) Wilson Medical Center due to his need for brain surgery.

“There was no one I could call at that time as I lost all my contacts along with my phone and no one could reach me by phone, [so] I was in the hospital all by myself,” Liu wrote. “I passed out quickly after I was transferred there. I have no recollection of what happened before or after the surgery. The doctor later told me that if I had received surgery just an hour later, I might have lost my life.”

According to his GoFundMe page and further writing, Liu believes that he was targeted because of his race.

“All my belongings were stolen,” Liu said. “Recently there have been many attacks targeted against Asians. If they wanted to rob me, all they needed to do was ask. I don’t have another explanation why they had to assault me and beat me brutally.”

On Nov. 18, BU’s Asian Student Union (ASU) posted a statement regarding the incident on Instagram — the first time the story was publicly shared beyond the GoFundMe. The story was also shared by the Graduate Student Employees Union via Facebook on Nov. 18.

“Our community needs to continue to work and support the victims of the crimes we encounter,” the ASU statement read. “We all need to work together to help [Liu] receive the acknowledgement and aid he deserves. Please support him and our community by donating to his GoFundMe and sending it to the people around you.”

Vanessa Wu, president of ASU and a junior majoring in nursing, said the ASU had found the story through word of mouth when a member had sent an email with a link to the GoFundMe page.

“I found out about [Liu’s] story through a student who emailed ASU’s email, where the student sent the link to the GoFundMe,” Wu wrote. “The student asked ASU for help to spread the news around to other [organizations and on] our social media platforms, since there was nothing online about the attack.”

Winnifred Jing, ASU senior adviser and a senior majoring in philosophy, said the ASU’s post generated a strong response among BU students, with many expressing anger over what had happened to Liu along with sharing and donating to his GoFundMe page.

“[Liu’s] story was met with a lot of outrage from students,” Jing wrote. “Many shared [Liu’s] GoFundMe and expressed their anger and sympathy. The rise of Asian hate crimes in recent years is still fresh on people’s minds, and even if it might be unclear whether this was a hate crime or not, seeing such a violent incident take place [in] Binghamton is very distressing. We’ve seen many people contribute to [Liu’s] GoFundMe, and it’s at least comforting to know that the community is coming together to help him out in these difficult times.”

Victoria Sheung, educational chair of Chinascope and a junior double-majoring in Chinese studies and comparative literature, said the ASU, in conjunction with Chinascope, the Student Association (SA) and the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC), plans to hold a fundraiser where all proceeds would be donated to Liu.

“I think the most we can do as students is to hear his story and spread it, and alongside the spreading of this message to rally support, empathy, sympathy and calls for social justice against [Liu’s] perpetrators,” Sheung wrote. “The response has been widely supportive; ASU has decided to collaborate with all of its seven subgroups, Chinascope, the SA, MRC and other organizations to host a fundraiser event for [Liu]. The most important thing to remember is that [Liu] is asking for help, who is stranded from his home. We have the resources and reach to help him — it would only require a little bit of our time.”

Liu also wrote about his communication with the Binghamton Police Department.

“Last time when I visited the Binghamton Police Department, I was told the case is in an investigator’s hand,” Liu wrote. “The investigator told me that they had apprehended two men related to the case. I haven’t received any other updates since then.”

Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations at BU, said that the University has been in contact with Liu as well.

“We are saddened and angered to learn that a member of the Binghamton community was assaulted off campus,” Yarosh wrote. “We have and will continue to provide our support and guidance during their recovery. Various faculty, staff and offices have provided support, insurance and immigration assistance, and will remain committed to making sure that the victim is attended to and cared for. While city of Binghamton police have arrested a suspect in this case, we still ask that students remain aware of their surroundings and continually take the necessary precautions to keep themselves safe.”

Yarosh also mentioned the safety programs offered by Binghamton’s New York State University Police (UPD), such as self-defense and crime prevention. Students who are interested in scheduling a safety program can contact UPD at police@binghamton.edu or 607-777-2393.

In the written correspondence, Liu wrote that he is on the road to recovery, and is receiving treatment for his physical as well as emotional trauma.

“I am doing better now,” Liu said. “All the staples from my surgery had been taken off; however, the healing of the scar is going to be a long process. I am still experiencing swelling, headaches and dizziness. I also have several doctor appointments this month. My energy and strength are gradually coming back. I am also seeing a therapist for PTSD. Every day I still picture what happened that night when they assaulted me, especially when I am alone.”

Liu ended his writing with a message to BU students.

“I have broken down many times whenever I thought about how I could have lost my life that night and for what, I only had $20 in cash with me,” Liu wrote. “I am a nice person and I flew all the way from the other side of the Earth to pursue my dream. I don’t deserve any of what happened to me. I am glad that I was strong enough to go through the difficult time. For students reading this story, please always be alert if you are in a dangerous situation and keep yourself safe.”

As of publication, the GoFundMe page has raised $13,750 out of its $30,000 goal. Those wishing to donate to Liu’s recovery can do so here.

The program, managed alongside Binghamton University’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships, is called The Opportunity Grows Cannabis Accelerator. The program features leaders from the business field and cannabis industry, teaching and advising entrepreneurs on how to enter the sector and succeed. The speakers include figures from Curaleaf, one of the largest cannabis companies in the United States, discussing how the cannabis industry has evolved and how interested entrepreneurs can get started. This program comes after the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) passed into law earlier this year, legalizing recreational marijuana use for people 21 and older in New York state.

Eric Krohn, the director of business incubation programming, described the origins of the program.

“I made the [Opportunity Grows Cannabis Accelerator program] with my friend Ari Hoffnung,” Krohn said. “[Hoffnung] is a long-time CEO of medical cannabis and started the very first medical cannabis company in New York state. We got together to figure out how we can provide business mentorship so that everyone in New York state who wants to explore cannabis entrepreneurship will know what they are getting into by receiving unadulterated knowledge, and will know how to pull it off by learning important foundations of business. I am teaching the business aspects of the program, while [Hoffnung] and our guest speakers will be teaching about the cannabis industry.”

One of the sessions includes a talk from New York State Sen. Jeremy Cooney, a representative of the 56th district and co-chair of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus’ marijuana task force who supported the MRTA. He will be advising on entrepreneurship and will speak about the legal foundations behind the cannabis industry.

In an email, Cooney discussed his involvement with the program and his support for the legalization of marijuana.

“I am a strong supporter of legalizing adult-use, recreational marijuana in an equitable way that reduces harm while creating new businesses, quality jobs and stimulating both rural and urban economies,” Cooney wrote. “I spoke about how the MRTA will make the cannabis industry more diverse and address decades of unjust and outdated marijuana policies that disproportionately harmed Black and Brown communities. This legislation allows for record expungement for past marijuana convictions, equitable licensure and employment and community reinvestment. If you are Black in Monroe County where my district is located, you are 16 times more likely to be arrested for a marijuana offense than if you’re white. The MRTA was designed to make up for these past harms and I am a proud advocate for its successful implementation.”

Matthew Losquadro, a senior majoring in accounting, talked about the importance of teaching people about new industries.

“When any new industry gets attention, it is important to have programs like this to give people the necessary skills to dip their feet into the business,” Losquadro said. “When Bitcoin and other forms of digital currency blew up, many people were confused on how to get started. I think it’s so awesome that there is a program to teach young entrepreneurs about new and booming industries.”

Adi David, a sophomore majoring in computer science, expressed excitement about joining the next two sessions.

“I am planning on joining the following two sessions to hear from prominent speakers in the industry,” David said. “I have an interest in business and entrepreneurship so this is going to be a great opportunity for me to learn tips and skills for my future career.”

Zoom recordings of the two previous sessions can be found on the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator’s Opportunity Grows Cannabis Accelerator website. The third session will be held over Zoom on Nov. 23 at 5:30 p.m. Those who wish to participate may register on the website here.

Wednesday afternoon, seven members of Binghamton University’s chapter of Generation Vote stood in front of the BOE, several holding signs that read “Just democracy for all.” The event was inspired by students’ discontent with the accessibility of voting on campus in recent elections.

Generation Vote is a progressive advocacy movement that originated at BU in 2017. As part of the organization’s week of action, members have been engaging in demonstrations at local election offices in New York, Texas and Florida, advocating for youth voting rights.

Dominic Bossey, Generation Vote team leader and a junior double-majoring in political science and human development, described challenges students faced when trying to vote early, with all early voting polling locations being off campus.

“Broome County, last year in 2020, told the campus that we couldn’t have an early polling site because they didn’t have the resources for it and they, a short time after that, made another polling site, even though they told us they didn’t have resources for a fourth polling site,” Bossey said. ”That’s something that annoyed me and none of the early polling sites were easily accessible to kids on campus without cars, so it just made it harder to vote.”

Bossey also said the demonstration was motivated by the failure of Statewide Ballot Proposals three and four in Broome County, which would have eased voting eligibility by eliminating the 10-day advance voter registration requirement and authorizing no-excuse ballot voting.

Brendan Cushing, Generation Vote program manager and former team leader of Generation Vote at the University at Albany, described the variety in the districts in which demonstrations were held.

“As a part of these actions there’s a certain dichotomy to it where we are hosting actions outside of local elections administration offices that we feel we need to hold accountable, [where] they could probably do better to increase access of the ballot to people, but also hosting actions outside of offices within which the local administrators have done a great job thus far, with regard to working with young people on their counties or in the region to make it easier for them to vote,” Cushing said.

Last year, a Generation Vote team leader organized a petition calling for the cancellation of classes on Election Day. Some attendees said they had difficulties voting due to constraints in their schedules.

Another attendee, Gillian van der Have, a junior double-majoring in political science and history, described her experience attempting to vote early last year. Van der Have said she was only able to vote early due to having a car and one of her classes being canceled, as many locations were not accessible by bus.

“I’ve been a member of Generation Vote since my freshman year, and I just think it’s really important that we remind Broome County that there are 17,000 people living at the University who have a right to vote here,” Van der Have said.

While Cushing said the University has expressed a willingness to work with students in giving Election Day as an academic holiday, he called upon the University and local officials to take heed of such demonstrations.

“I would ask of the University but also of the Broome County Board of Elections, of both parties to work together,” Cushing said. “Please work together and hear us, see us out here right now, that we want an early voting location, and we want to work with our local election administration officials to see what could be done to make it easier for young people to vote, and for us to exercise our right to vote.”

BU student organizations New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), Intellectual Decisions on Environmental Awareness Solutions (IDEAS), the Food Co-op and the Roosevelt Network along with local community groups Volunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments (VINES) and Binghamton Food Rescue and Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW) joined together in a panel discussing food insecurity and injustice in the Broome County region. The panel aimed to highlight the contributions of Binghamton-area organizations to solving food supply issues in the Broome County region and strategies to alleviate food shortages. More than 21 percent of Broome County households with children struggle with having enough food on the table, according to data from the official website of the Food Bank of the Southern Tier.

VINES is a local Binghamton organization that focuses on community food-growing. Jibreel Cooper, the program assistant for VINES, said at the panel that while food insecurity is a problem across the United States, it is especially prominent in the South. One quarter of children in Broome County are in a food crisis.

During the panel, Cooper said VINES’ strategy to alleviate Broome County’s food crisis is to build ownership by putting tools in local residents’ hands, providing nutrition and gardening classes, getting residents involved firsthand in growing and producing food.

“Sharing the farm is [VINES’] biggest project,” Cooper said. “VINES has partnered with two local farms to help community members eat vegetables harvested fresh within 60 miles with a weekly subscription box.”

During the panel, Cooper shared comments from consumers who have participated in the VINES Farm Share program. Consumers who participated in the VINES Farm Share project said they believed the program increased their family’s intake of vegetables while reducing the grocery bill.

A local Binghamton volunteer-run organization, Binghamton Food Rescue, presented at the panel on how to achieve food security through building a sustainable community. They proposed the creation of bridges between supermarkets and families to help community members who do not have access to adequate food.

Rachel Gallagher, the administrator of Binghamton Food Rescue, also presented on the panel. Gallagher said 40 percent of the food in the U.S. food chain is wasted and that some members of the Broome County community have limited access to fresh, healthy food.

“We provide food rescued from local farmers markets for free to individuals and organizations that do not have access to enough healthy, affordable food,” Gallagher said.

Gallagher said Binghamton Food Rescue is committed to fighting food waste and strengthening the Broome County community by connecting people with the food they deserve.

“On every single Sunday, rain or shine, we are at 85 Walnut St., [handing] out food [recovered] from local farmers,” Gallagher said.

According to Gallagher, Binghamton Food Rescue’s volunteers encompass a wide range of community members, from students to local neighbors, from children to the elderly, all working to make food and nutrition accessible.

Food insecurity has increasingly become an issue on college campuses and can be a significant barrier to student success, according to Linda Salomons, assistant director of parent and family programs and food pantry operations at BU. The BU Food Pantry provides students with a way to cope with the food crisis by equipping them with a variety of food items as well as personal care items.

To reduce the risk of exposure and to ensure the safety of students and staff, the BU Food Pantry uses an online ordering process. Students can pick up prepackaged food items by placing an order through the online ordering system once a week.

“We made a huge impact during the height of the [COVID-19] pandemic when the University closed and moved classes online,” Salomons said. “Students lost jobs and many were unable to return home, but still needed to pay their expenses, like rent, utilities, etc. Our campus Food Pantry kept its doors opened to assist students, even through the summer, and we were happy we were able to at least alleviate one burden from them.”

Ciara O’Brien, a junior double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and environmental studies, praised the members of the panel and said they were creating positive change for local communities.

“The panel was very informative on highlighting the issues of food insecurity and injustice in our community while also showing some of the awesome work that local organizations are doing,” O’Brien said.

The food insecurity panel provided Binghamton community members with the opportunity to reach out and engage with the prevalent issue of the food crisis in the Binghamton area.

On Oct. 18, Binghamton Mayor Richard David announced the city’s newest investment with the Broome County Land Bank. This investment involves $2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act funds that will go toward redeveloping Binghamton’s blighted properties as part of the Broome County Land Bank’s Affordable Homes Program. This is a continuation of Binghamton’s relationship with the Broome County Land Bank which has involved federal and city funding for redevelopments, dating back to the Broome County Land Bank’s creation in 2013. The current plan is to complete 12 homes in a 24-month period, with the securing of at-risk properties to come at a later date.

For David, the choice to allocate these new funds to the Broome County Land Bank was an easy one.

“When the [American Rescue Plan Act] funding came along, it was an additional opportunity to use new funds to fund our existing partnership [with the Broome County Land Bank] that is ongoing,” David said. “We have a good relationship with the [Broome County] Land Bank, we feel it is very successful. It is one of our, what I would refer to as, our ‘housing partners.’ We have a variety of nonprofit partners that we partner or team up with to deal with demolition or housing rehabilitation, so this was an obvious and natural extension for a program that we were already funding with previous government funds.”

David said his goals and hopes for this latest round of redevelopment include revitalizing and growing local neighborhoods.

“Oftentimes, dilapidated homes are the broken tooth in the smile of a street, so to speak,” David said. “These are opportunities to put these properties back on the tax rolls so they are generating taxable income while also addressing the critical housing need and shortage in our neighborhoods. The residents are the vitality, the lifeblood of the neighborhoods, so we want to put individuals and families [into homes] who are going to live in these properties long-term as a way to help stabilize and grow our neighborhoods.”

In particular, David said he hoped that beyond young professionals moving to Binghamton and making use of the housing, low- and middle-income families within the city will be able to secure their own properties thanks to the initiative.

Jessica Haas, executive director of the Broome County Land Bank Corporation, said the Broome County Land Bank’s goal to generate affordable housing for “low-income” tenants in Binghamton. Haas elaborated on the Broome County Land Bank’s intentions with the funding.

“The city’s recent announcement of $2 million in [American Rescue Plan Act] funds to support the [Broome County] Land Bank’s Affordable Homes Program will expand on the progress we have made thus far in the city of Binghamton,” Haas wrote in an email. “With this funding, the [Broome County] Land Bank will be able to provide 10 to 12 more affordable homeownership opportunities in our community.”

Haas detailed other housing initiatives, which she described as successful, between the city and the Broome County Land Bank leading up to this new partnership.

“Using active [Community Development Block Grant] funds, the Land Bank was able to rehabilitate and sell two fully renovated properties and use the sale proceeds to provide an additional affordable homeownership opportunity in mid-2020,” Haas wrote. “To build on our Affordable Homes Program, the [Broome County] Land Bank included rehabilitation deliverables in our Round 4 Community Revitalization Initiative (CRI) grant application through the [New York State] Attorney General’s Office and Enterprise Community Partners, and were awarded funds to complete the projects. Under our CRI grant, we have been able to complete four rehabilitation projects and deliver three homeownership opportunities with two more underway.”

As for the community response, Haas said she feels the Broome County Land Bank has received positive feedback from the community.

“The [Broome County] Land Bank’s Affordable Homes Program has received positive feedback from both nearby renters and property owners across our community,” Haas wrote. “Many of the properties nearby, whether they are owner-occupied or rentals, are typically well-maintained. A result of our Affordable Homes Program, although not a primary goal, rather secondary, is neighborhood stabilization which receives positive feedback from neighbors as well as the [Broome County] Land Bank’s municipal and nonprofit partners.”

Multiple students living off campus expressed a positive sentiment toward the initiative.

Matthew Kennedy, a junior majoring in Asian and Asian American Studies, said he has seen many possibilities for redevelopment in the Downtown Binghamton area.

“There’s so many abandoned properties, churches, lots, etc.,” Kennedy wrote. “We need more restaurants here, especially in areas where those [abandoned] churches/buildings are. I’m sure we could use more affordable housing. Where I live near Walnut/Main [Street] there’s about four huge church-like buildings that I’ve never seen [anyone] enter or exit. I don’t know if they are abandoned, but they might as well be. [There are also] lots of empty store spaces.”

Meanwhile, David Coyt, a senior majoring in accounting, expressed optimism about this latest push from the city.

“I think rebuilding abandoned properties in Binghamton is a great idea,” Coyt said. “There [are] a ton of financial possibilities in rebuilding Binghamton. The overall mood of residents will increase with increased attention to the infrastructure. When I walk around I see a lot of abandoned properties, as well as properties that aren’t cared for. There is a lot of potential for business, especially with the amount of college life in Binghamton.”

The team’s goal is to filter per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the Southern Tier water supply, which includes Vestal and Binghamton, as well as surrounding cities like Corning and Jamestown.

In an interview with WBNG 12 news, Yuxin Wang, a team member and research assistant professor and lecturer in the environmental studies program at BU, called these chemicals “forever chemicals,” which can cause several kinds of cancer and birth defects. In an email, Wang wrote that the experiment for the project researching fungi as a remedy to the PFAS problem is expected to take about six months.

“Hopefully we will be able to find an efficient and cost-effective solution for PFAS,” Wang wrote.

George Meindl, a member of the research team investigating water quality in the Southern Tier and instructor in the environmental studies program, explained how the chemicals got their nickname and what their team is doing to get them out of local water.

“PFAs are often referred to as ‘forever chemicals,’ as they are extremely slow to degrade and break down,” Meindl said. “Therefore, it is imperative that we devise strategies to safely remove these chemicals from contaminated environments in safe and economically viable ways. Our research aims at determining whether different species of fungi can be used to remove PFAS from contaminated water.”

Mary Campbell, a junior double-majoring in biology and English, collaborated with Jessica Hua, associate professor of biological sciences, Meindl and Wang in designing a research project on the potential of fungi to remove perfluorooctanoic acid — a specific type of PFAS — from the local environment. Campbell wrote in an email that PFAS are a nationwide problem, not just a Binghamton problem.

“Due to the discovery of PFAS in the majority of the [United States] population’s blood serum, we know that this contaminant is widespread and present in areas not detailed in [this] interactive map,” Campbell wrote. “PFAS are extremely resistant to degradation in the environment, meaning that these chemicals will remain in the environment for decades without intervention. Current efforts to break down PFAS are costly and not feasible on a grander scheme. Identifying noninvasive and low-cost alternatives to remediate PFAS contamination is essential, and the primary motivation behind this project.”

Campbell says that fungi have been getting recognition in the scientific community for their ability to uptake and degrade environmental contaminants. She described the negative effects of PFAS on people’s health.

“The majority of the U.S. population has PFAS in their blood serum, which is problematic due to the fact that PFAS are known to cause reproductive problems, immune system impairment, high blood pressure and increased risk of developing kidney or testicular cancer,” Campbell said.

According to Meindl, PFAS can be found in various fast food packaging, nonstick cookware and stain-resistant clothing. Meindl said the main source of PFAS in New York state is firefighting foam. These foams have been linked to groundwater contamination in several communities, including Plattsburgh and Rome.

“These chemicals are toxic and can bioaccumulate in people, so developing effective remediation strategies is really important for human health,” Meindl said.

Camryn Rook, an undeclared freshman, has noticed a difference in the quality of her dorm water and the quality of her water at home.

“Since I’ve come to campus, I’ve noticed a change in my hair,” Rook said. “It wasn’t until after I went home for a weekend and used my own shower when I came to realize it must have been the dorm water that was changing my hair completely. Also, my roommate and I bought a Brita [pitcher] to filter out the tap water to drink. We used it wrong the first time we filled it up, and didn’t realize until after we adjusted it that there was a dramatic change in how the water tasted. These factors, along with the water advisory the campus received a few weeks ago, [have] made me question whether the water we are using to drink and bathe in is safe for students.”

Binghamton Mayor Richard David announced last week that the city is working on establishing Binghamton’s first educational nature trail at Sandy Beach Park. The trail will replace an old basketball court and softball field. The new trail will include beehives, gardens, bird and bat boxes and educational signage about trees and animals. Additionally, in celebration of National Public Lands Day and in appreciation of the team’s work on the new trail, Binghamton’s Parks and Recreation Department was given a $1,000 dollar grant from the National Environmental Education Foundation.

Camron Winzinger, a BU graduate student studying biology, is among those on the team spearheading the educational nature trail project. Winzinger wrote in an email about how they got involved in the creation of the trail.

“I applied to work for the city’s street tree team — but when I interviewed they asked if I would like to join in on the planning of a new trail,” Winzinger wrote. “Science communication and increasing accessibility to green space is something I’m super passionate about and wanted to cooperate with on the trail. The park was previously an underutilized softball field and basketball court, so we decided to convert it back into green space and create the city’s first educational nature trail in hopes of increasing access to these things for community members.”

The trail was created in an effort to give BU students and members of the local community access to green space. There are plenty of other similar future projects in the works, including a new wooded trail and a different access point to the Susquehanna River.

Leora Dallas, a sophomore majoring in computer science, expressed why she thinks this trail will benefit the Binghamton community.

“In this day and age, everyone is so preoccupied with technology that people almost never spend time enjoying the outdoors,” Dallas said. “This trail will give kids a chance to put away their phones and just be one with nature.”

According to Winzinger, the trail is the first of its kind for Binghamton and is the city’s first step to repurpose underutilized areas. As a field biologist on the project, Winzinger created educational signage, did species surveys and helped plan out an expansion for the trail.

“I’ve always been lucky enough to have my passions for ecology fostered by my family, and I will always be grateful for the opportunities they have given me,” Winzinger wrote. “It wasn’t until later in life that I realized not everyone is fortunate enough to have had those same privileges. It has definitely become one of my life goals to increase access to not only green space but also information that can help people’s interests, curiosities and passions grow — especially with kids.”

Since future plans for more green space are already underway, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Winzinger suggested joining clubs, organizations and researching new contacts who may be able to help out.

Simon Weintraub, a sophomore majoring in systems science and industrial engineering, expressed interest in getting involved in future related projects.

“After going on a hike during fall break, I am very excited to hear about this new addition to the Binghamton community,” Weintraub said. “I love appreciating nature, and I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to relax and enjoy the outdoors more often. I would love to help with future projects that entail learning about the wonderful natural community that we are so privileged to be surrounded by.”

After successfully securing funds from a lawsuit filed in March 2019 against the Sackler family — manufacturers and distributors allegedly responsible for the opioid crisis in New York — James is launching her HealNY tour to deliver funds to counties affected by the opioid epidemic. The March 2019 lawsuit was the largest lawsuit filed against distributors and manufacturers of opioids in the nation during its time.

As part of her press tour announcing HealNY, James visited United Health Services (UHS) Vestal to discuss the opioid crisis alongside various elected officials and involved members within the Broome County community. She emphasized that the opioid crisis was a nationwide problem.

“We sued Big Pharma, and now they’re paying for the tragedy that they caused, for all whose lives have been shattered or taken by the opioid crisis,” James said. “Because right now someone in America is dying of a drug overdose, someone is burying their child, someone is living in a broken family, a broken community devastated by the opioid crisis. And over the last two decades, we’ve lost three-quarters of a million fellow Americans who have died from these overdoses.”

According to James, the period of social isolation due to COVID-19 has led to a spike in opioid overdoses. James said Broome County reported over twice the number of fatal overdoses in February 2020 compared to the same time a year prior. Broome County attributes these overdoses to fentanyl.

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said at the press briefing that the opioid crisis has been a top priority for him and his fellow officials since he has taken office. On how the funding will be used, Garnar wanted to assure the county that the funding will be put entirely toward new programs and funding for services. James said the funding will go toward prevention, education and treatment.

In terms of the new programs and services Broome County has planned for the funding, Julia Hunter, a doctor specializing in addiction medicine and family medicine at UHS Vestal, said the practice of supervised withdrawal is not effective according to the data.

“We need to meet people where they are, help them achieve their goals and treat them with kindness and respect,” Hunter said.

An example of these programs are the peer services offered at UHS Binghamton General Hospital, where peer support specialists work with those dealing with opioid addictions by telling their own stories and setting examples.

“We know that the resources that we are providing here today — to Broome County — in no way can replace or bring back your loved ones,” James said. “But whatever we can do, in our collective capacity, to bring back some healing, and to know how to prevent the next family from being destroyed, then we‘ve done our job … It’s really all about helping and healing New Yorkers.”

Binghamton University is contributing to the effort against the opioid epidemic as well, being the first university certified as an Opioid Overdose Prevention Program site by the New York State Department of Health in 2019.

Bennett Doughty, a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice, has used research opportunities at BU to look at ways to expand the use of naloxone in the local area. He has also been a part of the Opioid Overdose Prevention Program’s initiatives to train Residential Life about the opioid crisis.

“The [opioid overdose] program will not only provide Naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal agent, but will also help in other ways,” Doughty said in an interview with BingUNews. “This program will also help reduce the stigma of opioid use disorders on campus as well as back in the home communities of many of our students.”

Anta Tall, a sophomore majoring in biology, agrees that pharmaceutical companies should fund programs that address the nationwide addiction crisis.

“As a pre-pharmacy student, I am passionate about advocating against substance abuse and learning about the pharmacology of drugs,” Tall said. “The opioid crisis is disheartening and is prevalent across college campuses all throughout America. I think the Big Pharma corporations should fund programs to help aid this crisis. As a potential pharmacy student, I aspire to get my [Doctor of Pharmacy] and become a clinical pharmacist where I can work in a hospital setting alongside doctors to deliver efficient, patient-centered care.”

The survey, announced in an SA Congress meeting on Sept. 28, is available to be filled out by renters among BU’s student population as well as all community members living in the greater Binghamton area. It asks a series of questions regarding current living situation to gain a better understanding of which landlords are pushing residents out or creating poor living conditions. The survey initiative was started by Samantha Carroll, SA vice president for student success and a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law and Katie Fitzgerald.

Carroll explained how the poll came into development.

“The poll was developed after my good friend, Katie Fitzgerald, attended the recent housing action summit hosted by the Stakeholders of Broome County,” Carroll wrote in an email. “[Fitzgerald] said, ‘At this event, I listened to community organizers who noted that local landlords prey on students by grossly overpricing rent per room, simultaneously pushing locals — oftentimes families — out of their neighborhoods and homes.’”

Carroll elaborated on her involvement and personal connection to the survey.

“I personally joined the project after hearing [Fitzgerald] discuss what they had seen and heard at the summit, but also partially due to a negative renting experience,” Carroll wrote. “My landlord raised my rent over 25 percent from this school year to the next one, and I was pretty upset when I realized there was nothing I could do about it except move to a different, equally overpriced rental. I wanted to do something to prevent other students from ending up in that situation and prevent them from being taken advantage of.”

David Hatami, SA president and a senior double-majoring in political science and business administration, expressed his support for the initiative and highlighted further resources the SA plans to utilize.

“Now is an important time to tackle housing, for a majority of students will be signing off-campus leases in the coming months,” Hatami wrote. “[Carroll] and I hope to ultimately host an in-person housing informational event, where we can provide tangible advice to underclassmen on reading through leases, searching for houses/apartments and understanding tenants rights as a college student.”

Carroll also discussed how the results and data from the survey will be utilized.

“[Fitzgerald] is going to make a GroupMe soon with anyone interested in the survey data and discussing what we find,” Carroll wrote. “This is also for the whole community to bounce ideas off of each other and to make everyone aware of pressing issues related to housing, landlords, evictions and rent, kind of like an informal tenants’ union. We will also publicize relevant data via social media and other platforms if necessary.”

Student renters in favor of the poll shared other negative renting experiences. One such renter was Emmet Coakley, executive vice president of Off Campus College Council (OC3) and a senior double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and political science, who described an experience that led to missing three weeks of class and spending hundreds of dollars.

“I first went up to tour the apartment in July, which, while cutting it close, shouldn’t have been a problem, we had rent and security in cash and we were more than accommodating,” Coakley wrote. “We were ghosted once after a three-hour drive, and only after calling the company did I find out the agent who was supposed to meet us went on vacation despite me confirming with him the morning of and day before.”

After securing the apartment, Coakley found it infested with roaches and their landlord was unresponsive for weeks.

Sade Salazar, president of OC3 and a senior triple-majoring in economics, accounting and philosophy, politics and law, said the survey, while helpful, could be assisted by University support.

“Polls will help for sure but a percentage of students will continually be deceived and exploited if the administration does not make efforts to work with reputable landlords,” Salazar wrote. “As president of the [OC3], I plan to bring these concerns to the dean of students and the administration.”

Salazar suggested students take care to find housing in advance, room with reliable students, research realtors and inspect apartments. Salazar also said students should make use of BU’s free legal counseling in University Union West from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Salazar recommended apartments.com and the BU off-campus housing database as resources to find safe and reliable listings.

For those interested in completing the survey, it can be found here.

Contact information and legal clinic resources can be found at https://www.binghamton.edu/occ/legal.html.

Editor’s note: This article was updated on Oct. 16, 2021 to correct factual inconsistencies and add new information provided by the survey’s creators. Pipe Dream regrets these errors.

On Sept. 20, Mayor David informed the city of Binghamton about the fourth round of pandemic assistance for local businesses. To qualify for the fourth round of direct assistance, businesses must have under 50 employees and must have not received any assistance from the previous three rounds of funding.

The recent funding comes directly from funds provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was signed into law by former President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020. The primary purpose of the CARES Act is to provide financial relief to all Americans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two key features of the CARES Act are direct payments to recently unemployed Americans and the creation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help small businesses.

Since the implementation of the CARES Act, the City of Binghamton has received a total of four relief payments. The previous round of funding came May 2020 for $140,000. Qualified businesses are able to apply for the current round of funding.

Jon Layish, the president of Red Barn Technology Group, is a business owner in Binghamton who said he saw firsthand the effects of the pandemic on his business.

“We were significantly affected from a revenue perspective by the pandemic,” Layish wrote in an email. “We acquired Muckles’ Ink! in March of 2020 and just opened the CPR (cell phone repair) franchise. When universities closed, many of our revenue streams were effectively shut down.”

As relief began to be allocated to businesses in Binghamton, Layish applied for a previous round of funding and said it greatly benefited his business.

“The CARES Act and PPP funding allowed us to operate at full staff and quickly shift business models to pivot and take advantage of the changing landscapes,” Layish wrote.

Layish said he is optimistic about the additional funding recently announced to Binghamton.

“There is still a lot of uncertainty with the labor force and supply chain, so any help that small business could get certainly will have an impact,” Layish wrote.

Fiona Carroll, a junior majoring in biology, is confident that the additional funding will open more jobs for the community.

“I think it will help the small businesses to feel a bit more stable in being open, and maybe even allow them the financial opportunity to hire the necessary staff they need to fully open or comfortably run with their now increasing demands as [COVID-19] restrictions are lifted,” Carroll said.

Shamar Barker, a junior majoring in Spanish, is hopeful about the additional funding and its effects on the local economy.

“I do think the additional funding will help out the local community,” Barker said. “Local businesses drive the economy [of] Downtown [Binghamton] and seeing businesses have the opportunity to receive funding that will help return to normalcy is great.”

Emma Hansen, an undeclared freshman, hopes the funds will allow her to see some of the unique features of Binghamton this semester.

“With the loosening restrictions and additional funds, I am excited about local businesses returning to pre-pandemic operations,” Hansen wrote. “I look forward to trying some of the popular restaurants downtown with my friends sometime this year.”

Layish has one piece of advice for students at BU who are interested in running their own business in the future.

“I think it is important not to quit when times get tough, and while the transition and change was challenging, I feel we are stronger for the changes we made and are showing incremental benefits as the world slowly gets back to normal,” Layish wrote.

The deadline to apply for this fourth round of relief is Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. Those interested in applying for the fourth round of relief can receive more information here https://www.binghamton-ny.gov/government/departments/economic-recovery-development

Binghamton’s protest was part of a nationwide Women’s March in each state ahead of the Supreme Court convening on Oct. 4. The “Defend Our Reproductive Rights” demonstrations were organized following the passage of Senate Bill 8 in Texas, which bans any abortions following the detection of a fetal heartbeat. The bill also allows for private citizens to receive a minimum of $10,000 if they successfully sue someone who has provided or aided in the provision of an abortion after approximately six weeks.

The rally was sponsored by the National Women’s March group, and locally organized by Indivisible Binghamton, Binghamton University College Democrats, Citizen Action of New York, Democratic Women of Broome County, Broome County Young Democrats and the Southern Tier Women’s Health Services.

By 2 p.m., around 200 protestors had gathered on the field in front of the Courthouse, and the phrase “Defend Reproductive Rights” was spelled out in letters laid on its steps. The rally opened with a speech by Lori Wahila, co-lead of Indivisible Binghamton, a countywide progressive group that came about after the 2016 election.

“Today all across [the United States] there are over 650 marches of these rallies happening today,” Wahila said. “Why are we here? Because the right of people’s body autonomy — to make our own decisions about our healthcare and abortion rights — are being attacked.”

The crowd booed as Wahila described Senate Bill 8 and its lack of exceptions for abortions in cases such as rape, incest or a mother’s health.

“I was in high school when the passage of Roe v. Wade first gave women the right to have a legal and safe abortion,” Wahila said. “I was in college when it first became legal for women to run in a marathon. I was already working in my first job after college when, finally, women could not be fired for the ‘offense’ of being pregnant.”

After Wahila described the possibility of losing such “hard-fought rights,” she and the crowd chanted, “We can’t go back. We won’t go back.”

Next, Priya Pindiprolu, president of BU’s College Democrats and a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, spoke. Pindiprolu described her 12-year-old self being told by her aunt and uncle that she could not participate in a post-wedding religious ceremony due to being on her period.

Years later, Pindiprolu said she learned that the religious tradition had actually originated as menstruating women being worshipped and that menstruating was once regarded as sacred, meaning women weren’t expected to go to temple.

“So how do we go from being worshipped to being shamed?” Pindiprolu said. “Honestly, it’s simple. Our bodies and reproductive systems have been stigmatized so much over the years due to the misogynistic and patriarchal ways of our society.”

Pindiprolu outlined the specific consequences an abortion ban would have on Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), who she said are exposed to limited sexual health education due to stigma and, as a result, exhibit less use of reproductive health care.

Next, Carly Norton, the Southern Tier regional representative for New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul, expressed her opposition to Senate Bill 8. Norton was followed by Binghamton City District 3 Councilwoman Angela Riley.

“Unfortunately, we are here once again gathered to raise our voice to fight the symptoms of oppression, classism, racism and misogyny that continue to bind and limit our rights,” Riley said. “My body, my choice.”

Riley stressed the importance of pushing voting rights to prevent laws such as Senate Bill 8 from being passed in the future.

Also among the speakers were BU professors, including Diane Sommerville, a professor of history, and Julia Walker, associate professor of art history.

“The cruelty is the point,” Walker said. “It’s no mistake that Texas [Gov.] Greg Abbott, when called upon to justify forcing rape victims to carry resulting pregnancies to term, said that it wouldn’t be a problem because he will ‘eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas.’“

Walker cited reported rape statistics in Texas, which she stated included 15,000 cases of rape, more than many other states in the nation, and reminded the audience that the cost of banning abortions would be “too high.”

Peg Johnston, founder of Southern Tier Women’s Health Services, an organization that provides abortion services and reproductive health care in upstate New York and Pennsylvania, spoke toward the end of the event. Johnston called upon the audience to help erase the stigma around abortion.

“[Patients] don’t call and say ‘I’d like to exercise my rights, can you put me in,’” Johnston said. “They don’t say that, they say ‘abortion.’ But we as a society, not necessarily the group right here, we won’t say the word abortion. I want you to say it now — abortion.”

As the rally ended, organizers advised attendees to vote and distributed voter registration forms and pamphlets for those interested in getting involved.

Bonnie Simmons, 70, an attendee from Binghamton, described her motivations for attending the event. Simmons wore a sign draped over her that read “Abortion rights are human rights.”

“I remember when abortion was illegal, and I knew so many people who had an abortion who were frightened to death, but they had to do it anyway,” Simmons said. “Then it became legal, and I knew women who had abortions and then later went on to become doting mothers when it was the right time for them. So it’s about women’s rights. This GOP, Texas thing, is anti-woman. Period.”

The American Red Cross, a not-for-profit humanitarian organization offering relief and support to those in crisis, has seen a drop in blood donations by 10 percent as fall approaches. Various factors including the back-to-school season and blood drive cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic are responsible for this decline, according to the Olean Times Herald. The American Red Cross is concerned that the continued effects of the Delta variant on the COVID-19 pandemic and this year’s hurricane season will continue to lead to a decline in donations.

The American Red Cross accepts and needs donations of all blood types as well as plasma and platelet donations. In order to give blood, individuals must be in good health, over 16 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds. Requirements differ for platelet and plasma donors. Conditions such as illness, certain medications and international travel may disqualify people from donating.

Donors in the area will receive a free coupon from Sport Clips Haircut throughout September, according to the Olean Times Herald.

Madison Dutton, a sophomore majoring in political science who has volunteered at an American Red Cross blood drive previously, said it is essential to donate blood, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As a former [American] Red Cross volunteer, I cannot stress enough how important it is, especially during these times, to donate blood,” Dutton said. “This is a time to help save a life and a great opportunity to help serve the community.”

Recent blood drives have been held in the Binghamton, Vestal and Johnson City area. Upcoming blood drives in the Binghamton area include one on Monday, Sept. 13, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena.

Appointments can be scheduled through the American Red Cross website or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS, at the Johnson City Red Cross Blood, Platelet and Plasma Donation Center and occasionally at other locations. Students can check the American Red Cross website to find a donation center and time most convenient for them.

The American Red Cross recommends that people unable to donate blood still contribute in ways such as hosting a blood drive, making a financial donation or becoming a volunteer.

Benjamin So, a sophomore majoring in history, stressed the importance of students to donating blood.

“You never know whose life you will change,” So said. “It is important to donate blood. Unfortunately we live in a time where blood isn’t in sufficient supply, and thousands [are] in desperate need each day. By donating, you support those in need, and could change their life forever. All it takes is 30 minutes to leave an impact.”

Due to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s government takeover, a large amount of Afghans have sought to flee to the United States. The ACA, a nonprofit dedicated to helping immigrants and refugees, and the United Presbyterian Church are helping local families undergo the application process to bring Afghan family members to the United States. The I-131 form, a humanitarian parole application, costs at least $575 per person and requires the applicant to have a sponsor that can financially support the family member.

Reverend Becky Kindig, an associate pastor for the United Presbyterian Church, described the application process and how the church will provide assistance.

“The process the U.S. government has set up to apply for family members to come here is the expedited humanitarian parole process,” Kindig wrote in an email. “With help from the [ACA] and the immigration lawyers at Journey’s End Refugee Services, we have learned more than we ever dreamed about how to fill out these complicated applications.”

Kindig said that the application can be a large responsibility for family members living in the United States.

“The local person fills out an application and names the individual family member in Afghanistan for whom they want to apply for the humanitarian parole,” Kindig wrote. “Each person also needs a U.S. sponsor that meets financial minimums to be able to support them. Each and every person in the family — man, woman, and child — needs a separate application, and every application costs $575.”

Kindig said her church is open to help refugees and their family members fill out the application and complete any other steps needed to finish the process.

“For the last two weeks, volunteers from many different houses of worship, including many from Temple Concord and several Presbyterian churches as well as some Binghamton University faculty, have come to help,” Kindig wrote. “We have submitted 70 applications so far, and still have 80 to go. We have also been accepting donations of $575 money orders to attach to the applications.”

Renelle Pereira, a volunteer at the ACA, said her group and the United Presbyterian Church are in need of volunteers with more applications coming in and described how students and other people can help.

“[United Presbyterian Church] has already sent out a number of humanitarian parole applications to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but as you might imagine, there is currently a consistent flow of applicants and clients that need assistance,” Pereira wrote in an email.

Pereira said it is important that the group get as many volunteers and financial help as possible for the refugees.

“We are in need of volunteers, sponsors and donations — financial assistance is crucial right now to help pay the fees required by the [DHS],” Pereira wrote. “A way for students or really any individual to help would be to donate their time in assisting [United Presbyterian Church] and other faith-based organizations involved with filling out applications, monetary donations to cover the application fees if they are able and sharing information about the work that’s being done so others are able to help as well.”

John LoBello, a sophomore majoring in mathematics, said he supports the initiative taken by the ACA and the church given what has happened in Afghanistan over the past decades.

“Knowing about the whole situation with Afghanistan, it’s important that these groups are working to help those that are displaced,” LoBello said. “The [United States] has been involved in a conflict for 20 years with Afghanistan, and nothing has changed about the oppression that Afghan citizens are facing, even after the [United States] has withdrawn their troops from the country. It’s important that groups like [ACA] and [United Presbyterian Church] help these refugees, and I support them in encouraging students to help get involved.”

Alaina Brown, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, praised the work the ACA and United Presbyterian Church are doing and said it is important that Americans continue to help refugees following the U.S. government’s departure from Afghanistan.

“These groups’ work is phenomenal,” Brown said. “Afghan refugees are coming to America due to the faults of our government. The least the government can do is hold out a reaching hand and help our Afghan brothers and sisters in need. I’m glad to see these groups working with [Afghan] refugees since the past years were riddled with xenophobia toward immigrants and refugees from other countries.”

Students who are interested in donating to the efforts can either Venmo the ACA @AmericanCivic or donate to their GoFundMe here.

The program is active in the Southern Tier and was created by United Health Services (UHS) and the American Civic Association in partnership with Broome Community College (BCC) and the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce. Eligible mentees for the program are adult immigrants and refugees who are seeking long-term career development. The program mentors are skilled professionals in certain industries who provide guidance and encouragement to their respective mentees.

Lameess Mehanna, head of the Bridge Program, explained what the program aims to accomplish.

“Our program is focused on the long-term career goals of our mentees,” Mehanna said. “In this case, our mentees are immigrants and refugees. We want to support them in getting to their long-term career goals.”

The program is finishing its first cohort this year after starting last summer. So far, 10 pairs of mentees and mentors have participated in the program, which hopes to double its numbers to 20 pairs next year.

According to the Bridge Program’s website, the program’s primary focuses are education, integration and preparation while supporting new immigrants professionally. Mehanna expanded on how the program hopes to grow in terms of its goals for the next year.

“We are hoping to continue our main mission, which is to support mentees in reaching their career goals,” Mehanna said. “Our goal as a program in Broome County is to continue working with other people and organizations in the area. We want to make sure people know about the Bridge Program and know that it exists as a program in the community.”

Mehanna explained how each mentee has a unique mentoring experience focused on meeting their individual needs.

“What makes it unique is that we meet each of our mentees where they are at,” Mehanna said. “None of them have to be at a specific or same level, none of them have to have a degree or experience already.”

Mehanna expanded on how the program seeks mentees with a specific vision in mind for their career.

“The biggest thing we look for is that our mentees have that goal and that passion,” Mehanna said. “Even if they know it’s going to be a really long road because then we know where to look and who can help them get on that path.”

Colleen Nugent, a sophomore double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and French, is an intern with the Bridge Program. Nugent explained how the program is making a difference in the Binghamton community.

“The Bridge Program is one of the most unique programs I have ever heard of or had the opportunity to become involved with,” Nugent wrote. “Providing mentees with professional support through volunteer mentors within the Binghamton community is an amazing way to help promote and ensure the success of Binghamton’s immigrants and refugees.”

Participants in the program are mentored based on their individual needs. According to the Bridge Program’s website, this includes learning language and job skills as well as career preparation.

Nugent expressed why the program is meaningful in particular to the Binghamton community.

“Binghamton has a large foreign-born population, and supporting these people is so important,” Nugent wrote. “It is also a meaningful way to get involved with the local community. I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience so far in assisting with the program details and encourage you to apply as a mentor or mentee if you are eligible!”

Laura Guerrero, a senior majoring in English, took part in a mentoring program known as iMentor, which was offered at her high school in New York City. As a student with experience as a mentee, she shared her thoughts on this new program in the Southern Tier.

“While in high school in the city, I was part of a mentoring program, [and] having a professional to encourage me and believe in me changed my life.” Guerrero said. “I am glad the Southern Tier is offering mentorship to immigrants and refugees.”

Guerrero continued to express how she admires the program and its work for the community.

“If the mentors at the Bridge Program put the work in, they’ll help their mentees adjust and plant their roots in the [United States],” Guerrero said. “That is priceless and I applaud every person that is making the program happen.”

The Bridge Program is currently accepting applications for the next cohort of mentees and mentors. Acceptance is based on rolling admission until the positions are filled. Interested participants in the program can fill out an interest form at https://www.americancivic.com/bridge.

Located at 128 Grand Ave., LOFTS@JC is within walking distance of BU’s Health Sciences Campus, United Health Services (UHS) and UHS Wilson Medical Center.

Praveen Kamath, founder and managing member of AOM Investments, the company that owns the property, said location was essential in determining where the apartment complex would be constructed.

“The primary reasons for this location choice are that it is one block away from the new BU Health Sciences Campus,” Kamath wrote. “Our goal is to provide a premium product, professional management and to be our tenants’ home away from home.”

The building features multiple amenities, such as a fitness center, a lounge and game area, a copy room and a study conference room.

Additionally, the apartment complex has gated secured surface parking and high-speed internet. Each apartment comes fully furnished with appliances, including laundry machines.

Kamath said it was a positive experience opening the complex, as he received support from different areas of the community.

“We have been open now for about two months, and the response has been incredible,” Kamath wrote. “We have managed to create an amazing blend of tenants, students and young professionals, all enjoying living in a pleasant environment, a real ‘home’ for most of our tenants. Many know each other and often congregate together. The village of Johnson City has been tremendously supportive, as has the BU staff at the [School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science] and [Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences].”

Currently, 19 of the 24 units within the complex are taken. The third floor, which opened about a month ago, has more units available. However, the first and second floors are fully occupied.

According to Kamath, there are a variety of tenants, including both undergraduate and graduate students. Kamath said there are various housing options for students, ranging from one to three bedrooms.

“The unit mix is as follows, six one-bedroom, one-bathroom units for $1,450 [per] bedroom, six two-bedroom, two-bathroom units [for] $1,100 per bedroom and 12 three-bedroom, three-bath units for $900 per bedroom,” Kamath wrote. “Our goal was to provide unit types at different price points to match the budgets of a variety of tenants looking for premium housing.”

Laura Guerrero, a senior majoring in English, expressed some concerns she had in regards to the effects of the complex on the local community.

“While I think that an apartment complex would make Johnson City more lively, I do think that it would gentrify the area,” Guerrero said. “I think the residents of Johnson City would be at a disadvantage here, and I think, when constructing these premium complexes, we should consider the welfare of those residents as well.”

Jenna-Marie Gaston, a junior majoring in systems science and industrial engineering, said she views the prices of the apartment complex as disadvantageous for some students.

“It’s good that there’s another community for students,” Gaston said. “However, I feel like it is only benefiting a certain type of student who can afford these prices.”

LOFTS@JC is leasing its few remaining units and pre-leasing for the fall of 2021. The lease terms begin in Aug. 2021 and go until July 2022.

Testing for students randomly selected in the University’s semester-long surveillance process occurs at Old Union Hall, but those wishing to be tested of their own volition are instructed to contact Decker Student Health Services Center. There, testing is only available for students with active COVID-19 symptoms.

For Madeleine MacLean, a senior majoring in political science who lives off campus, this meant she had to be tested elsewhere when her friend received a positive result after being chosen for on-campus surveillance testing.

“Since I had been in her apartment multiple times that week, I called [Decker Student Health Services Center], and they told me that since I was an off-campus student, that I needed to go through the [New York State (NYS) Department of Health],” MacLean said. “I called the [NYS Department of Health], and the soonest that I could get tested was that Saturday morning, so several days from [the initial phone call], and it was for the site at [BU] that’s through the [NYS Department of Health].”

The COVID-19 testing site at BU that is run through the NYS Department of Health is located at Lot ZZ South.

On the day of her appointment, Maclean was unable to go through with the testing because she had arrived on foot.

“Saturday morning I went there and I walked over to the testing site and I was stopped by a guy in a military uniform and he told me that I could only get tested if I was in a vehicle, but I don’t have a vehicle,” Maclean said. “So I told him that and that this was where the [NYS Department of Health] told me to go, and he told me that I could get an Uber or a taxi, but then I was potentially putting the Uber driver or the passengers after me at risk, so I didn’t want to do that. Then, I was able, through [Decker Student Health Services Center], to get a physician’s order to be tested at [United Health Services (UHS)] walk-in clinic, so I was able to get tested through there.”

This was four days after Maclean’s friend tested positive for COVID-19.

Helena Miller, a senior majoring in economics who lives off campus, also experienced difficulty when attempting to get tested on campus.

“On Tuesday, I tried to make an appointment with [Decker Student Health Services Center],” Miller wrote in an email. “Because [Decker Student Health Services] was packed with both virtual and in-person appointments, the people who were there were unable to see me. So, I walked to the [UHS].”

There, Miller was diagnosed with a sinus infection but was told to get a COVID-19 test in the interest of safety.

“There was a trend of students who had caught [COVID-19] through having a cold; so, they wanted to check to see if I was okay [or] if I needed further assistance,” Miller wrote. “Well, it turned out that I was able to get a COVID-19 test [on campus] right after I ate lunch at Moghul. [Twenty] minutes later, I found out that I tested negative.”

A third off-campus student, who wished to remain anonymous, did not have a vehicle but wanted to avoid public transport to avoid potentially spreading the virus.

“Back in the beginning of September, I wound up being pretty sick — I had a fever and was not feeling well,” the student said. “So, I tried to get tested on campus. I first called Decker Student Health Services [Center] to find out if I was eligible to get tested on campus just because I live in U Club [Binghamton]. So, I didn’t want to take the bus in case I was actually sick, but I don’t have a car, so it would be easier for me to walk to campus than it would’ve been to walk to UHS — which is what I ended up doing. But I was not eligible to get tested on campus because I live off campus, which was kind of frustrating.”

According to Lisa Loar, director of health and counseling at BU, Decker Student Health Services currently offers testing for all students, whether or not they live on campus.

“We have worked to increase our capacity for testing and in a manner that allows us to help support campus safety,” Loar wrote in an email. “We have expanded the number of tests we can do in a single day from 20 [to] 100 and have expanded our ability to provide diagnostic testing to both on-campus and off-campus residing students.”

However, if a student is not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, they are referred to another testing site in the Binghamton area.

“It is important to note, that we only offer diagnostic tests at [Decker Student Health Services Center] and recognize there are a number of local places students can go to receive screening or on-demand COVID-19 tests,” Loar wrote in an email. “That means in order to be tested at [Decker Student Health Services Center], someone has to have active symptoms consistent with COVID-19 as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”

The COVID-19 testing site at BU that is run through the NYS Department of Health is one of these alternative testing sites. Only drive-through testing is offered there, resulting in some students without vehicles walking to an alternative location when referred there for testing.

“The person I spoke to on the phone [at Decker Student Health Services Center] basically said that if I didn’t have a car, I should go to UHS because they would be willing to still test me, whereas I wouldn’t be eligible to get the test done at the state testing center,” the anonymous student said.

Loar said that Decker Student Health Services offers testing for students without cars.

“At [Decker Student Health Services Center] students may arrive on foot and we have designated student parking out front if someone does want to arrive by vehicle,” Loar wrote.

Funded by a $295,951 grant received by the Public Archaeology Facility (PAF) at the University, two local school districts, Windsor and Whitney Point, will participate in the interactive extracurricular program. The program, which will include members of the PAF, department of teaching, learning and educational leadership, BU Community Schools, BU professors and students, aims to encourage more young students to become lifelong STEM learners.

The grant funding for this project comes from the National Science Foundation’s Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program. The grant will be used to cover transportation costs, as well as program evaluators and Indigenous experts, who will critique and recommend improvements for the program. If this initial program succeeds, another grant will be written so more students from other schools can be involved.

Laurie Miroff, principal investigator of the after-school program and director of the PAF, believes this program will serve as a way to solidify young interest in STEM.

“We hope to instill in the middle school students a lifelong interest in the STEM fields using archaeology,” Miroff said. “Research suggests that interest in STEM can be sparked at a young age, and informal learning experiences play a role in generating this interest.”

As a way to keep students engaged and immersed in STEM fields and careers, students will have access to hands-on experiences, such as artifact measurement, typology, experimental archaeology, zooarchaeology and geographic information systems (GIS).

Miroff described archaeology as an exciting field that encapsulates a wide range of STEM concepts.

“The multidisciplinary nature of archaeology makes it a useful vehicle for teaching a wide variety of STEM disciplines,” Miroff wrote in an email. “Its compatibility with hands-on activities, deep thinking skills and scientific reasoning makes it ideal for teaching critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, effective communication and data analysis.”

According to Miroff, this program will include a total of 150 students. 25 students at a time, grades six to eight, will participate in the program at their respective schools, either Windsor Middle School or Whitney Point Middle School. Over the course of two years, there will be three of these groups of 25 students at both schools, all participating in the same activities.

Amber Simpson, a co-public investigator of the project and assistant professor in the department of teaching, learning and educational leadership, said she is anticipating growing her own abilities as a STEM researcher and educator and looks forward to BU student participation.

“We intend to provide an opportunity for BU students to be engaged in the after-school program, working alongside one another and with the middle school students,” Simpson wrote. “Our goal is to support the development of BU students as informal educators. From my own experience, and in working with BU students in similar programs, it is difficult to step outside of our formal ways of thinking about education to support youth in an informal learning environment.”

Will Murdock, a junior majoring in anthropology, specializing in the study of archaeology, expressed excitement over the program and hopes the middle schoolers enjoy this opportunity.

“I would hope that middle schoolers could gain an appreciation for the history of the place in which they live, but also the history of the people that lived there before them,” Murdock said. “I would hope that the middle schoolers would have the same sense of excitement that I did when I visited my first dig site.”

Vincent Gatto, a junior majoring in anthropology, hopes that young students will gain a lifelong interest in the field.

“The field of archaeology is one filled with wonder, awe and excitement,” Gatto said. “I hope they are able to find such a love and respect for those who came before that — maybe some will devote the rest of their academic lives and interests to helping preserve and investigate these cultures and peoples.”

David Mixter, a research assistant professor of environmental studies and anthropology, has high hopes for the program as well, although he is not a direct participant in the project.

“Archaeology provides a window into the past,” Mixter said. “Picking up an artifact that you excavated and holding that piece of the past is a transformative experience. It takes the dry, dusty history of textbooks and makes it relatable. By holding a rusty nail, a broken piece of plate, an old chamber pot, these young students have an opportunity, just for a moment, to inhabit another person from the past. The ability to connect to the lived experience of other people in other times helps young people contextualize how they live their own lives.”