NY vaccines dwindling, Ithaca votes on ICSD budget, Lou's Street Food

Good morning ☀️

It’s Wednesday, and today I’m dropping by to talk to a local Ithaca legend.

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Without further ado, here’s an update on a growing public health problem in here in New York.

NY’s dwindling vaccination rates for tetanus and other key diseases: made worse by 2020 pandemic?

New York lagged other states in adult vaccination rates for key illnesses, including tetanus and pneumonia, as the pandemic hit in 2020, ranking 44th worst or lower for select diseases at the time, the most recent federal data shows.

Now, frontline doctors are raising concerns that New York may slip further behind amid post-pandemic upticks in vaccine skepticism and anti-vax sentiments.

“Vaccine hesitancy has always been a background issue, but it seems to be accelerating now,” said Dr. Daren Wu, chief medical officer of the Open Door Family Medical Center in Westchester County.

Why are many New Yorkers skipping doctor-recommended vaccines? Find out in this article.

Here’s some more of what you need to know today

Ithacans voted in the Ithaca City School District’s Budget and School Board elections Tuesday: Expect the district to post results on its website soon , if it hasn’t already. Click here for more information on the polling.

National retailer with Ithaca location cutting prices: Target is lowering prices, it announced in a Monday statement from the company. This comes just over a week after Aldi announced it's dropping prices on more than 250 items through Labor Day. Get the details in this article by Emily Barnes.

If you’re a forgetful shopper, thank your cashier: Wegmans is open on Memorial Day this year, like many other retailers. Find out where to go for last-minute bites if you need something Monday with this article by Victoria Freile.

Although he plans to retire, local legend Lou is still serving up some of Ithaca’s most affordable (and tasty) bites 🌭

After hearing that this would be Lou Cassaniti’s last Hot Dog Day , I couldn’t help but stop by his indoor spot -- introduced to the Ithaca Commons in 2021 -- this past Saturday. He reminded me that Lou’s Street Food would likely no longer be participating in its yearly Hot Dog Day traditions, explaining that this years turnout “wasn’t anything huge,” and that he plans to retire this year.

What struck me about Lou is that although there weren’t many people stopping by for food yet when I dropped in for a bite, he immediately got up and threw what I wanted together in seconds, all while chatting with me, not missing a beat.

“I’m going on 80 and it gets pretty tough to do it on your own,” Cassaniti said Saturday.

But it’s that type of lifelong experience that creates the best food, and let me tell you, his hot dogs and burgers were top-notch with all the condiments you could need. The fries were crispy and plentiful. Best of all everything came out to $10. That's cheaper than most fast food joints, and better too.

Lou’s known for his 35 years selling cheap eats on the Ithaca Commons, usually with his beloved dog Riley, who unfortunately left him last year .

Go support this local legend , now at an indoor location on the Ithaca commons, 171 E. State Street.

Thanks for sticking with me and please reach out to jmack@gannett.com with any comments, questions, or concerns about this newsletter, or news tips in the Tompkins County area.

This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: NY vaccines dwindling, Ithaca votes on ICSD budget, Lou's Street Food