Ellen Abbott

Reporter, Syracuse, WRVO Public Media

Ellen produces news reports and features related to events that occur in the greater Syracuse area and throughout Onondaga County.  Her reports are heard regularly in regional updates in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. 

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4:17am

Tue January 15, 2013
Regional Coverage

Rosamond Gifford Zoo has banner year

Credit Ellen Abbott / WRVO

Last year was a record year for attendance at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse. Several factors combined to make the zoo the place to go last year.

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6:19am

Sun January 13, 2013
Environment

Madison County recycling agriculture plastics

Credit Ellen Abbott/WRVO

Madison County hopes to become a hub for the recycling of agricultural plastics.  It's a waste that's created on farms that's been a problem for years.

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5:44am

Thu January 10, 2013
Environment

Central New York prepares for the Emerald Ash Borer

Credit Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources / Flickr

It's only a matter of time before the ash tree population in central New York is decimated by the Emerald Ash Borer. A task force is at work getting ready for the invasion of the deadly insects, that are now in massive numbers only two counties away from Onondaga County.

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4:08pm

Wed January 9, 2013
Politics and Government

State of the State brings initiatives for women's equality, building casinos & more

Credit governorandrewcuomo / Flickr

Upstate New York's struggling economy will get a boost if plans proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his State of the State speech in Albany Wednesday move ahead.

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4:22pm

Tue January 8, 2013
Politics and Government

Senator urges middle ground on gun control

Credit Ellen Abbott/WRVO
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) in Syracuse

Gun control legislation is on the lips of many politicians in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting.  But New York's senior senator says that while he supports some gun control, he doesn't want any legislation to go too far.

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5:52am

Tue January 8, 2013
Business

Schumer calls for action against phone scam targeting businesses

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) wants to make it harder for phone hacking rings to rip off New York state businesses. Schumer is hearing from New Yorkers about dozens of businesses that are racking up huge phone bills because of these hackers.

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8:35am

Fri January 4, 2013
Regional Coverage

Groups calls for Onondaga County jail oversight board

The United as One Coalition is taking its case for an Onondaga County jail oversight board to county lawmakers.  Coalition members want the Onondaga County Legislature to create a board that they say could ultimately save lives.

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5:46am

Tue January 1, 2013
Regional Coverage

Cell Phones for Soldiers drive help military overseas

If you have an old cell phone stashed in a drawer that you don't use any more, you can help a soldier overseas keep in touch with home.  Central New York's "Cell Phones for Soldiers" annual collection drive continues, as does the need.

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5:45am

Mon December 31, 2012
Politics and Government

"Redshirt sophomore" Maffei ready to return to Congress

Credit Third Way / Flickr

Members of the 113th Congress will be sworn in January 3 -- and part of the new Congress will be a familiar face returning to Washington to represent the Syracuse area in a redistricted seat.

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4:27pm

Fri December 28, 2012
Regional Coverage

New Native American museum to highlight Great Law of Peace

What used to be the Sainte Marie Among the Iroquois Museum on Onondaga Lake will be transformed into a new kind of museum in the next year. The new Great Law of Peace Educational Center will tell the story of upstate New York's Native Americans, from their point of view.

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9:32am

Fri December 28, 2012
Health

Multi-sensory room gives children respite from hospital treatments

Credit Galisano Children's Hospital

In the midst of treatments, tubes and needles, there's a place for patients at the Golisano Children's Hospital in Syracuse to go and find some peace.  A one-of-a-kind multi-sensory room takes kids away from the stress of a hospital setting.

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3:19pm

Thu December 27, 2012
Health care

Some hospitals worry as Affordable Care Act becomes reality

Some of the larger hospitals in New York state are worried about one aspect of the Affordable Care Act: academic medical centers are slated to lose millions of dollars in a particular kind of Medicaid payment over the next few years.

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11:06am

Thu December 27, 2012
Taxes

Tax season may bring changes and surprises next year

Credit 401(K) 2012 / Flickr

There could be some surprises for taxpayers in 2013. Many of them may find themselves with a bigger tax bill next year.

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10:37am

Wed December 26, 2012
Politics and Government

DeFrancisco and Valesky on the Independent Democratic Conference

The new iteration of the New York state Senate will look different in 2013 with the new power sharing agreement in place between Republicans and breakaway Democrats, and two central New York lawmakers will be in the thick of it.

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9:34am

Sun December 23, 2012
Environment

What can, and can't, be recycled this holiday season

Credit doviende / via Flickr

Central New Yorkers make the most trash over the holiday season, which only makes recycling all the more important this time of year, says one of the region's recycling agencies.

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3:52pm

Fri December 21, 2012
Regional Coverage

Vigils around central New York remember Newtown shooting

The name of each victim followed by a chime. That simple gesture was the cornerstone of a service of prayer, healing and hope at Temple Concord in Syracuse this morning.

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7:13am

Wed December 19, 2012
Regional Coverage

Onondaga County moves to sell Van Duyn nursing home

Credit Ellen Abbott / WRVO
The Onondaga County Legislature met Tuesday to vote on the sale of the Van Duyn nursing home.

Onondaga County lawmakers have taken the first steps to moving the 185 year old Van Duyn nursing home off county tax rolls.

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3:53pm

Tue December 18, 2012
Education

Students take anti-bullying message to the streets

Credit Ellen Abbott / WRVO

Students from the Southside Academy Charter School in Syracuse marched around the neighborhood this morning to make a statement that bullying won't be tolerated in their school.

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7:57am

Tue December 18, 2012
Politics

Maffei ready to deal with fiscal cliff if need be

Credit Ellen Abbott / WRVO

He won't be sworn in until January, but congressman-elect Dan Maffei is carefully watching the fiscal cliff negotiations in Washington.

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8:12am

Mon December 17, 2012
Regional Coverage

Salvation Army sees continued high need for annual giveaway

At the end of this week, the biggest Christmas giveaway in central New York takes place and the high numbers of families who signed up for the annual Christmas Bureau shows an economy that's still hurting.

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4:46pm

Fri December 14, 2012
Politics and Government

Gillibrand says she's optimistic fiscal cliff can be avoided

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is optimistic that the President Barack Obama and leadership of the House of Representatives will cut a deal to prevent the so-called "fiscal cliff."  New York's junior senator predicted there would be progress soon during a visit to Syracuse Friday.

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3:50am

Fri December 14, 2012
Arts

New central New York orchestra debuts

Credit Musical Associates of Central New York

Friday night a new symphony orchestra is unwrapped for central New York, as the orchestra that replaces the bankrupt Syracuse Symphony Orchestra takes the stage for its official debut.

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4:14pm

Wed December 12, 2012
Politics

Will new state Senate coalition be good for upstate NY?

Some supporters of the new state Senate coalition between Republicans and the Independent Democrat Caucus say it will keep upstate New York concerns on the table. Some area politicians believe that wasn't the case when Democrats had control of the New York state Senate in 2009 and 2010.

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6:20am

Mon December 10, 2012
Regional Coverage

More deer & cars colliding in Madison County

Credit NorthPro40 / Flickr

There's been a dramatic increase in the number of car deer collisions in Madison County this year, and authorities there are urging motorists to keep an eye out for the animals.

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4:50am

Fri December 7, 2012
Politics and Government

Can local governments save money by consolidating?

Credit Ellen Abbott/WRVO

New York state has a variety of programs intended to save taxpayer dollars by helping governments share services or eliminate certain government entities altogether. A New York state Assembly hearing in Syracuse this week tried to find out whether these programs work.

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4:14pm

Thu December 6, 2012
Regional Coverage

Group lists dangerous toys to avoid this holiday season

Credit Ellen Abbott/WRVO

With the holiday gift buying season fully underway, advocacy groups say there are toys on store shelves across New York state that are dangerous to young children. The New York Public Interest Research Group has come up with it's yearly list of treacherous toys for the season.

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9:14am

Thu December 6, 2012
Politics and Government

Miner says new Senate coalition could solve problems

The newly-created New York state Senate leadership coalition has further divided Democrats. Governor Andrew Cuomo has offered his conditional support, and at least one other party leader -- Democrat state party co-chairwoman Stephanie Miner -- agrees.

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4:08pm

Wed December 5, 2012
Politics and Government

Rolling rally calls for more spending for public education

Credit Ellen Abbott/WRVO

Albany received an earful from hundreds of students, parents educators and community members Wednesday about recent cuts in funding for education. The "Educate New York Now Express" has been rolling across the state, picking up supporters and support for their plea to lawmakers to reinvest in public education.

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5:07pm

Fri November 30, 2012
Health

World AIDS Day remembered, activists worry disease is often forgotten

Credit Ellen Abbott / WRVO

World AIDS Day was remembered in Syracuse this morning during a service of remembrance. Participants say they are worried that the disease, which has been around for over 30 years now, has become forgotten.

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9:13am

Fri November 30, 2012
Politics and Government

Activists protest Valesky office, asking him to stick with Democrats

Credit Ellen Abbott/WRVO

While the balance of the New York State senate remains unclear, as votes continue to be counted in a pair of close Senate races, activists are calling on a breakaway political coalition to stick with the Democrats. A coalition of union and community groups believe some important issues depend on it.

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