Rhea Jha
WKBN 27 First News
Elmira, NY, United States
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Past articles by Rhea:
Frustrated residents refuse to drink brown water in one rural Pa. town
LAWRENCEVILLE, Pa. (WETM) – Every time Diana Lewis turns on the taps in her home, the color and smell of the water worries her and fills her with dread. “My water was brown, my water shouldn’t be brown,” says Lewis. “You can smell chlorine so bad that it burns your nose. That’s not normal…I refuse […] → Read More
New York appeals court rules district lines illegal
A New York appeals court ruled that some new district maps drawn by Democrats were illegal by violating the state’s constitutional ban on partisan redistricting. → Read More
NY court employees fired for not complying with vaccine mandate
BATH, N.Y. (WETM) – After refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, court workers in New York have begun to receive letters notifying them of their termination. The fired workers have sued the New York State Unified Court System (NYS UCS), challenging the vaccine mandate. They want their jobs back, but don’t want to get vaccinated. “I […] → Read More
Is Pennsylvania the answer to the world’s current energy crisis? The Pa. GOP thinks so
nnsylvania is, after all, the second-largest natural gas producer in the U.S. → Read More
NY mask mandate granted full stay during appeals
NEW YORK (WETM) – Gov. Kathy Hochul’s indoor mask mandate was granted a full stay by New York’s Appellate court, as the appeals process continues. The New York State Supreme Court Judge’s decision last week ruled the executive order unconstitutional, saying neither the governor nor state health commissioner had the authority to enact the mandate […] → Read More
NYS Supreme Court strikes down Gov. Hochul’s mask mandate
NEW YORK (WETM) – The New York State Supreme Court has struck down Governor Kathy Hochul’s statewide mask mandate as unconstitutional. Judge Thomas Rademaker of Nassau County wrote that the governor does not have the authority to impose the mandate since emergency powers are no longer in place. The court document states, “While the intentions […] → Read More
Cornell Law Professor files lawsuit calling NY’s COVID-19 treatment guidelines ‘racial discrimination’
The New York State Department of Health announced the distribution of the new COVID-19 anti-viral pill, but because of a limited supply, distribution guidance called for prioritization to high-risk individuals. Included in the prioritization were those that are non-white. → Read More
Landlords want evictions to resume as protestors advocate for the opposite
ALBANY, N.Y. (WETM) — Over 225,000 tenants across New York are facing eviction. With the eviction moratorium ending in just a few days, tenant advocacy groups are protesting for an extension on the moratorium, while landlords plead for its end. “Fight fight fight! Housing is a human right!” Protestors chanted at 5 a.m. Wednesday morning. […] → Read More
Pandemic-era community college enrollment sees dip, not growth
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) — Historically, during economic downfalls, college enrollment rates for community colleges rise. Yet, community colleges in the Southern Tier are seeing the exact opposite. “We were hoping when COVID first hit that we would see that bump in enrollment that typically comes with economic downturns, but it never materialized,” said Bill Mulaney, […] → Read More
Debate over Delta-8 THC in New York
NEW YORK (WETM) — Some lawmakers in New York are trying to ban Delta 8 THC, a hemp cannabis used in CBD products. In recent years, products containing Delta 8 THC have reportedly become very popular, but health officials say the little-regulated product poses a health risk. On the other hand, local distributors say there are […] → Read More
Gov. Hochul announces expanded solar energy goals for New York
Gov. Hochul is looking to more than triple New York's solar energy capacity within the next decade. → Read More
Family searches for 70-year-old heirloom wedding dress that was accidentally sold
HORNELL, NY (WETM) – Emily Solo wanted her grandmother’s wedding dress for her own wedding day. But, the 70-year-old heirloom was accidentally sold at an estate sale in Hornell, this summer. “It was a little miscommunication on our part. so it ended up being sold, so when I went back to Hornell after the sale […] → Read More
Sen. Gillibrand will hold a hearing addressing dairy prices on Wednesday
Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) will hold a hearing to address milk pricing improvements and reforms. → Read More
Public health official: Vaccine mandate for health care workers counterproductive
ALBANY, N.Y. (WETM) — Hospitals in New York could be heading towards a staffing crisis. Healthcare workers have under three weeks to get their first dose of the vaccine or they will lose their jobs. “While this vaccine mandate proposed by the governor I do believe is well-intentioned, however, I think it’s going to be […] → Read More
The push and pull over reinstating mask guidelines
ALBANY, N.Y. (WETM) — The largest union for registered nurses in the U.S. called on the CDC to reinstate a mask mandate, regardless of vaccination status, as a result of an uptick in COVID in cases over the past week. But one New York public health official says this is sending the wrong message to […] → Read More
Top Pennsylvania GOP candidates descend on the Northern Tier
WYSOX TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Top Republican candidates in Pennsylvania came from around the state to woo the local voters in Bradford County. What is usually an open field of land atop a grassy hill in Wysox Township, greeted hundreds of people on Sunday afternoon with a “Welcome to Trump Country” sign, for the Rally at […] → Read More