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December 12, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles and her team collected donated wrapping paper and supplies from the community. As a community reuse project, all district residents were invited to an open house to wrap their holiday presents for free with the supplies.
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December 9, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles offers remarks at the “Open Books Open Minds” panel at Tompkins County Public Library speaking in opposition to book bans that in schools and libraries across the country.
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November 11, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles celebrates with the Varna Fire Department at their annual banquet, recognizing their growth as a volunteer department and service to the community.
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October 10, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles officially opens her new Ithaca District Office on the Ithaca Commons with Senator Lea Webb and local leaders in attendance.
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October 2, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles celebrates with Dryden Town officials that her sponsored legislation
A1260 was signed into law by Governor Hochul. The new law allows municipalities, like Dryden, to offer and grow municipal broadband and to bond for construction costs, allowing expansion of high speed internet to underserved areas.
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September 29, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles, along with Assemblymember Donna Lupardo and Sen. Lea Webb, visit Hollenbecks Cider Mill in Cortland County as part of an agricultural tour of the district, coordinated by Cornell Cooperative Extension.
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September 29, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles visits EZ Acres Dairy Farm in Cortland County as part of an agricultural tour of the district, coordinated by Cornell Cooperative Extension.
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September 28, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles hosts Sen. Peter Harckham, Chair of the Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation, at Ithaca ReUse during his tour of the state to discuss environmental priorities. Waste reduction and building the circular economy have been key priorities for Ithaca and the district.
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September 27, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles speaks to a representative from Cortland Biomedical at the “How It’s Made” Manufacturing Expo at Tompkins County Community College. The event brings area industries together with high school youth to promote career opportunities in technical trades and manufacturing in the district.
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September 20, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles celebrates United Way Day of Caring in Cortland County with Executive Director Christella Yonta. The day brings together volunteers for a day of community service projects and distributes food donations to area pantries.
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September 15, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles celebrates with Senator Lea Webb, Ithaca Carshare staff, and the community in Ithaca that her sponsored legislation
A5718 was signed into law by Governor Hochul.The new law allows nonprofit transportation organizations, like Ithaca Carshare, to obtain the insurance they need to stay in operation through a risk retention group.
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September 15, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles, along with Sen. Lea Webb and transportation leaders, celebrate the passage of bill A5718, which saved Ithaca Carshare. As auto insurers were leaving the market, the bill allows non-profits, like Ithaca Carshare or Gadabout, to obtain the auto insurance they need through risk retention groups domiciled outside of NY.
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September 13, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles speaks at an event in New York City during Fashion Week to promote her bill A4333, the Fashion Sustainability and Social Responsibility Act, which holds major fashion sellers responsible for addressing the environmental impacts and working conditions along its supply chain to reach targets.
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September 6, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles joins Senator Rachel May and local housing organizations at a housing roundtable in Ithaca to discuss challenges and opportunities to increase housing affordability and availability.
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September 6, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles greets U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack at Cornell University during the Secretary’s visit to the district, part of the tour of New York to discuss agricultural priorities.
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September 5, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles hosts municipal leaders and water experts on the Discover Cayuga Lake boat tour for interactive demonstrations and discussion on PFAS and water health.
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September 5, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles, along with Sen. Lea Webb and Sen. Rachel May, host Tompkins County elected officials and water health experts on a boat tour of Cayuga Lake to discuss the importance of this freshwater resource of the district as well as current threats to the lake and its ecosystem, including Harmful Algal Blooms (HABS).
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August 31, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles speaks at the Overdose Awareness Vigil in Cortland, to honor the lives lost to Substance Use Disorder (SUD) overdoses as well as stand with families who have lost loved ones and support those in recovery.
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July 26, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles celebrates the 33rd anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Access to Independence in Cortland. This important civil rights law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.
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July 25, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles poses at the NYS Assembly booth at the New York State Fair. She and her staff greeted visitors to the fair at the booth throughout the day.
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July 15, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles joins Senator Lea Webb and attendees at the 1st Annual Cortland Pride Festival in Courthouse Park. AM Kelles provided welcoming remarks for the festival and celebrated recent legislation that supports the LGBTQ population, including her bill A1142 that requires gender neutral language be used in state law.
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July 13, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles joins NYS Attorney General Letitia James, Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) Director Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, and NYS Senator Lea Webb at the “Attorney General in Your Community Event,” held at GIAC in Ithaca. The event brought together staff and resources from governmental offices and the greater community to assist constituents with issues and make referrals.
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June 27, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles speaks at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark on her bill A4333, the Fashion Sustainability and Social Responsibility Act.
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June 21, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles celebrates the passage of her bill A4903 in the Assembly, which ensures LGBTQIA+ individuals will receive substance use treatment in accordance with their gender identity or expression.
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June 15, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles hosts a press conference in Ithaca, calling on Gov. Hochul and the Public Service Commission to reject rate hikes proposed by New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) to protect utility ratepayers and to hold the company accountable for billing errors and poor customer service.
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May 23, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles hosts Cortland High School Students Vincenzo Perfetti and Lily Yang at the Assembly as part of the League of Women Voters' Students Inside Albany program. The program is designed to increase students' awareness of their responsibility in representative government and provide the tools necessary for meeting that responsibility.
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May 11, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles visits with students in the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program and leadership at Tompkins Cortland Community College. P-TECH is a collaboration between TST BOCES, Tompkins Cortland Community College and industry partners that provides career-oriented education to high school students.
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May 6, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles joins Senator Lea Webb, Ithaca City officials and community leaders in celebration of the announcement of $103,000 in state funding to support the historic State Theater of Ithaca.
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May 6, 2023: Assemblymember Kelles celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Ithaca Farmers Market, recognizing the milestone with an Assembly Citation.
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May 5, 2023. Assemblymember Kelles participates in a groundbreaking ceremony at the Cortland County Courthouse where much-needed exterior and HVAC renovations are now underway.
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April 28, 2023. Assemblymember Kelles participates in a tree-planting ceremony at Cass Park in Ithaca in honor of Arbor Day.
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April 28, 2023. Assemblymember Kelles meets with Cortland area childcare providers, discussing concerns related to staffing shortages and capacity, as well as affordability of childcare services for working families.
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April 25, 2023. Assemblymember Kelles instructs young constituents from TST BOCES New Visions program, teaching them about the legislative process.
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April 25, 2003. Assemblymember Kelles speaks at a Community Not Cages Rally honoring the memory and legacy of Marvin Mayfield, the Organizing Director of the Center for Community Alternatives.
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April 22, 2023. Assemblymember Kelles Poses with Lime Hollow Nature Center executive director Ilya Shmulenson during a tree-planting Earth Day celebration.