FINGER LAKES -- An alga that threatens freshwater ecosystems and is toxic to vertebrates has a sneaky way of ensuring its success: It suppresses the growth of algal competitors by releasing chemicals that deprive them of a vital vitamin. The finding was reported in a new study, published July 2 in the journal mBio.
YATES COUNTY -- We have a winner! After weeks of spirited competition and thousands of votes cast, we're thrilled to announce that the Violet Miner Bee (Andrena violae) has officially been crowned the 2025 Pollinator Tournament Champion, taking home an impressive 70% of the final vote! This gentle springtime specialist captured hearts (and ballots) with its unique lifestyle and ecological importance. Thank you to everyone who voted, shared, and celebrated native pollinators with us.
FINGER LAKES -- Researchers at the USDA-ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station — working in partnership with Virginia Tech, Penn State, Rutgers University, and others — are leading a multi-state initiative, Areawide Management of the Invasive Spotted Lanternfly and Tree of Heaven. This project aims to suppress populations of both invasive species to improve ecosystem health, reduce insecticide use in vineyards, protect pollinators, and minimize crop losses.
YATES COUNTY -- After two stray cats recently tested positive for the rabies virus – one in the Penn Yan area and one in Dundee, the Yates County Public Health wants to remind residents about rabies prevention. Several people who were exposed to these cats have started treatment as a precaution.
MIDDLESEX -- At 7:50 a.m. Friday, July 18, Yates County 911 received a call for help from a 75-year-old woman who said she had fallen into Clarks Gully on Thursday afternoon and had lost her phone.
PENN YAN -- A recent collaboration between the Penn Yan Community Garden, the Arts Center of Yates County, and the fifth graders at St. Michael's School in Penn Yan has added a new mural to the area's public art offerings.
FINGER LAKES -- Forming the Finger Lakes took thousands of years. But the human impact on these lakes over a few hundred years has had an enormous influence on the health of the lakes.
PENN YAN — Cornell Cooperative Extension-Yates County is launching the 4th Annual Yates County Pollinator Tournament on June 4th, 2025, to celebrate National Pollinator Month. We invite the community to choose which pollinator to crown in this March Madness-style bracket challenge, where pollinators are pitted against each other for your vote.
FINGER LAKES -- The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) has received a $100,000 grant through the New York State Conservation Partnership Program to launch the Hemlock to High Tor Initiative. This effort will ensure the future conservation of a 114,000-acre forested landscape extending from Hemlock Lake in the west to the High Tor Wildlife Management Area in Yates County near Naples.
FINGER LAKES - It's finally spring and area duffers are eagerly warming up for golf season. Again, this year, they are invited to put all that time on the greens toward a good cause: Golfers of all ages and abilities are invited to participate in the 108 Holes for Health Challenge, the annual virtual, season-long outing benefiting UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health.