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ConnextCare formally opens new Oswego office
OSWEGO — ConnextCare on June 18 held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new office at 120 East First St. in Oswego, which began operations on March 31. The new ConnextCare location offers services that include primary care; dental care; mental-health services, such as psychiatry and counseling; and substance-use disorder treatment. The […]
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OSWEGO — ConnextCare on June 18 held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new office at 120 East First St. in Oswego, which began operations on March 31.
The new ConnextCare location offers services that include primary care; dental care; mental-health services, such as psychiatry and counseling; and substance-use disorder treatment. The relocation and expansion of the health center has enabled ConnextCare to provide dental services in Oswego for the first time, the health-care organization said.
“Our new Oswego office has been many years in the making, and I am thrilled to be here today celebrating this monumental investment in primary care,” Tricia Peter-Clark, president and CEO of ConnextCare, said in the announcement. “This project represents the largest individual investment in primary care in Oswego County’s history. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us for this celebration and to the countless individuals who supported the development of this comprehensive medical practice.”
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Peter-Clark expressed appreciation for the organizations whose dedication made the project possible, including Rochester–based LeChase Construction, Operation Oswego County, the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency, the Civic Facilities Corporation, Pathfinder Bank, and the Oswego County Legislature.
With the addition of new clinical space, ConnextCare is now offering walk-in services for acute medical concerns. This service is available every Monday through Wednesday from 9-11 a.m. and is “exclusively for established ConnextCare patients.” Acute visits are designed to address minor illnesses and injuries, including symptoms such as rashes, sore throats, sinus congestion, and other new onset concerns.
Emergency dental walk-in visits are also now available at various times throughout the week. Individuals in need of these services do not need to be currently established with ConnextCare to utilize this service.
Established in 1969, ConnextCare is a network of health-care practices providing residents of Oswego County and surrounding counties with health care and related services.
ConnextCare operates health centers in Central Square, Fulton, Mexico, Oswego, Parish, Phoenix, and Pulaski. It also manages nine school-based health centers located in the APW, Mexico, Pulaski, Fulton, Oswego, and Sandy Creek school districts.
ConnextCare was previously known as NOCHSI, or Northern Oswego County Health Services Inc.
Gillibrand discusses bill to reduce prescription-drug costs for seniors
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.) is backing a bill that she contends would significantly reduce the cost of prescription drugs for seniors. Gillibrand, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, discussed the Strengthening Medicare and Reducing Taxpayer (SMART) Prices Act during a June 5 virtual press conference. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D–Minn.) is the
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U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.) is backing a bill that she contends would significantly reduce the cost of prescription drugs for seniors.
Gillibrand, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, discussed the Strengthening Medicare and Reducing Taxpayer (SMART) Prices Act during a June 5 virtual press conference.
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D–Minn.) is the bill’s sponsor and first introduced the measure in April 2023, per the bill’s page on website Congress.gov.
Specifically, the SMART Prices Act would increase the number of drugs and biologics — medications like insulin that come from living sources — that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must negotiate to a minimum of 50 drugs in 2028 and for each subsequent year.
The proposal would also increase the amount of savings that Medicare can negotiate off the list price for each drug by adjusting the maximum fair price (MFP) thresholds to match the MFP thresholds that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Public Health Service use in their price negotiations for prescription drugs.
The bill would also shorten the length of time that drugs and biologics need to be on the market following U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval before becoming eligible for negotiation.
The bill would lower the cost of some of the most expensive and commonly used prescription medications by enhancing HHS’ ability to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies on the price of certain prescription drugs covered under Medicare Part D.
That would lower costs for people with Medicare while simultaneously reducing drug spending by the federal government, Gillibrand’s office said.
“Even with Medicare, the cost of prescription drugs can be astronomical; as a result, many seniors are forced to skip doses, cut pills in half, or otherwise alter their treatment in an attempt to save money. That is unacceptable,” Gillibrand said in a news release about the bill. “In 2022, we made major progress in reducing the cost of life-saving medications by passing legislation that allowed Medicare to negotiate the price of certain prescription drugs, including those that treat diabetes, heart failure, kidney disease, and blood cancer, among other common conditions. This bill expands on that victory and makes dozens more drugs subject to price negotiations. I look forward to getting it passed.”
New York maple-syrup production dipped 2 percent this year
ALBANY — New York maple-syrup production totaled 829,000 gallons this year, down 2 percent from the 846,000 gallons produced in 2024. However, the 2025 production total was 10.5 percent higher than the 750,000 gallons generated in New York in 2023. The data is from a June 12 report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
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ALBANY — New York maple-syrup production totaled 829,000 gallons this year, down 2 percent from the 846,000 gallons produced in 2024.
However, the 2025 production total was 10.5 percent higher than the 750,000 gallons generated in New York in 2023. The data is from a June 12 report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
The number of maple taps in the Empire State was estimated at 2.7 million in 2025, down almost 4 percent from 2.8 million last year. Yield per tap was up slightly to 0.307 gallons per tap this year from 0.302 gallons per tap in 2024, according to the USDA NASS.
National maple-syrup production in 2025 totaled 5.77 million gallons, down 1.5 percent from 5.86 million gallons in the prior season, but up more than 19 percent from 4.84 million gallons in 2023.
Cayuga Medical Center renovates cardiac catheterization lab
ITHACA, N.Y. — Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca has completed what it calls a “major renovation” of its cardiac catheterization lab, replacing previous generation equipment with a new GE Allia IGS 7 system. The six-month renovation “marks a significant investment in patient care and safety, delivering faster, clearer imaging with lower radiation exposure and greater
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ITHACA, N.Y. — Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca has completed what it calls a “major renovation” of its cardiac catheterization lab, replacing previous generation equipment with a new GE Allia IGS 7 system.
The six-month renovation “marks a significant investment in patient care and safety, delivering faster, clearer imaging with lower radiation exposure and greater efficiency for lifesaving cardiac and interventional radiology (IR) procedures,” the hospital contended in its June 19 announcement.
The new GE Allia system offers high-definition imaging that enables providers to clearly see the heart and blood vessels to identify blockages or narrowing, which is “critical” for fast, accurate diagnosis and treatment of heart attacks and other conditions.
The advanced system reduces radiation exposure for both patients and staff and incorporates robotic-assisted positioning and laser guidance to streamline procedures and support workflow efficiency.
“We are incredibly excited about the capabilities this new technology brings to our community,” Carrie Westlake, system director of cardiopulmonary and sleep services at Cayuga Medical Center, said in the announcement. “Time is muscle when it comes to a heart attack. These improvements not only help us deliver faster interventions but also ensure our team can work more efficiently and safely. This is a major step forward in our ability to provide excellent cardiac and interventional care right here in Ithaca.”
The renovation also included changes to the cath lab layout, “improving accessibility, procedural awareness, and patient flow.” With two fully functional procedure rooms now online, the likelihood of service interruptions like temporary STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction) diversions is “significantly reduced.” This ensures “more reliable access to critical care” during emergencies.
Cayuga Medical Center’s catheterization lab also holds accreditation as both a Chest Pain Center and a Catheterization Lab from the American College of Cardiology, “reflecting its commitment to the highest standards in heart care,” per the announcement.
Cayuga Medical Center is part of Centralus Health, an affiliation of Cayuga Health and Arnot Health systems in Ithaca and Elmira, respectively.
Genius NY program selects 11 semifinalists for this year’s competition
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Five companies from the U.S., five from Europe, and one from South America are among the 11 semifinalists chosen for this year’s
SRC to deliver counter-UAS technologies to Qatar in $1B agreement with federal government
CICERO, N.Y. — SRC, Inc. says it will deliver a suite of its advanced counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) technologies to international buyers as a part of a $1 billion foreign-military sales agreement between the U.S. government and the country of Qatar. It marks the first international sale of the U.S. Army’s fixed site–low, slow, small,
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CICERO, N.Y. — SRC, Inc. says it will deliver a suite of its advanced counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) technologies to international buyers as a part of a $1 billion foreign-military sales agreement between the U.S. government and the country of Qatar.
It marks the first international sale of the U.S. Army’s fixed site–low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft system integrated defeat system (LIDS), “underscoring SRC’s role as a global leader in the defense against UAS threats,” per the company’s announcement.
Based in Cicero, SRC, Inc. is a nonprofit defense research and development company.
SRC’s LIDS technologies are engineered to detect, track, identify and defeat unmanned aircraft systems, which are a “growing threat” in modern conflict zones. Under this agreement, SRC will deliver mission-critical technologies that enable detection and “robust electronic-warfare capabilities” to international buyers for the first time.
These technologies allow for layered defense at fixed-site locations and provide real-time situational awareness and threat response, SRC said. The inclusion of LIDS in the agreement “highlights the urgency with which nations are addressing the rising threat” of unmanned systems to critical infrastructure and defense operations.
“We’re proud that our proven systems will be deployed internationally to secure critical airspace, defend warfighters and protect high-value infrastructure,” Kevin Hair, president and CEO of SRC, Inc., said in the announcement. “In today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape, advanced sensing and electronic warfare capabilities are essential. This achievement reflects the strength of the LIDS team, the trust placed in us by our government partners and the operational relevance of American-engineered solutions.”
Ithaca seeks project proposals in advance of DRI application
ITHACA, N.Y. — The City of Ithaca is applying for the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative’s (DRI) ninth round of funding. If selected, Ithaca
ALBANY, N.Y. — Hunters harvested an estimated 223,304 deer during the 2024-25 hunting season, up 6.4 percent from 209,781 deer in the 2023-24 hunting season,
State Parks releases newly redesigned park and historic site system map
ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) on June 16 announced the release of an updated New
VIEWPOINT: Supreme Court Sets Legal Standard for Students Claiming Disability Discrimination
The Supreme Court recently issued a unanimous decision in A. J. T. v. Osseo Area Schools, Independent School Dist. No. 279 that changes the standard for students pursuing disability-discrimination claims against schools under Section 504. The case was initiated by the parents of a teenager with epilepsy that caused her to be unable to attend
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The Supreme Court recently issued a unanimous decision in A. J. T. v. Osseo Area Schools, Independent School Dist. No. 279 that changes the standard for students pursuing disability-discrimination claims against schools under Section 504.
The case was initiated by the parents of a teenager with epilepsy that caused her to be unable to attend school before noon. The student’s parents requested the school district provide the student with evening instruction to compensate for her inability to attend a full school day. The district denied this request. The parents prevailed at special education due process and subsequent federal appeals as the district was unable to demonstrate it offered the student a free appropriate public education (FAPE) when the student was educated for 4.25 hours per day compared to the 6.5-hour day of her general education peers. The district was ordered to provide several hundred hours of compensatory education and at-home instruction on the student’s individualized education program (IEP) from 4:30-6 p.m. each school day.
The parents then initiated another action under Section 504 and requested a permanent injunction, reimbursement for costs and compensatory damages. This action was dismissed based on a previous federal standard that required a plaintiff to prove the conduct by school officials rose to the level of bad faith or gross misjudgment. The lower court held that a “school district’s simple failure to provide a reasonable accommodation is not enough to trigger liability” under Section 504.
The Supreme Court disagreed with the lower courts’ opinions and ruled the standard for a student’s Section 504 claim should be the same as discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Rehabilitation Act. Such claims under the ADA and Rehabilitation Act do not require the plaintiff to prove intentional discrimination through bad faith or gross misjudgment as was previously required by some federal courts for Section 504. Rather, to be entitled to compensatory damages, such claims are subject to the “deliberate indifference” standard — which only requires demonstrating the “defendant disregarded a strong likelihood that the challenged action violated federally protected rights.”
The Supreme Court found it was not equitable to impose a higher standard for students alleging discrimination under Section 504 when compared with general discrimination claims under the ADA and Rehabilitation Act. The court therefore remanded the student’s claim for further consideration under the deliberate indifference standard.
Students with qualifying disabilities who attend schools that receive federal funding are protected against disability discrimination under Section 504. This includes students with IEPs, Section 504 Plans (due to having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities) and those who have a record of a 504 impairment or are regarded as having such an impairment.
Therefore, this ruling from the Supreme Court has made it easier for students with disabilities to obtain compensatory damages from their schools when such schools are found to have disregarded a strong likelihood that their actions violated a student’s federal rights. In practice, such cases are rare. Regardless, this case highlights the importance of federally funded schools addressing the needs of students with disabilities in a manner that is consistent with the law.
Anne M. McGinnis, Ph.D., is a member (partner) in the Rochester office of Syracuse–based Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC. Contact her at amcginnis@bsk.com. Jeffrey J. Weiss is a member (partner) in Bond’s Buffalo office. Contact him at jweiss@bsk.com. This article was drawn and edited from the law firm’s website.
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