Beth Adams

Rochester

Host at WXXI-FM (Rochester, NY)

Reporter and Radio Host, Morning Edition at WXXI News

Reporter, producer, and host of @WXXI's #MorningEditon, .

Articles

Ontario County hopes reimbursement program eases lifeguard shortage before swimming season starts

2 weeks ago | wxxinews.org | Beth Adams

As summer approaches, there's a growing concern that public swimming pools across the U.S. might be closed or or their hours curtailed due to an ongoing lifeguard shortage. According to the American Lifeguard Association, this happened at about a third of the country's public pools last year. Here in New York, efforts are underway to address the lack of lifeguards. Gov. Kathy Hochul even mentioned it during her state of the state address in 2024.
Sabrina Bhalla reaches a milestone only one in a thousand Eagle Scouts achieve

2 weeks ago | wxxinews.org | Beth Adams

A high school student from Victor has achieved a rare milestone. Sabrina Bhalla, 18, has earned all 139 merit badges offered by Scouting America. Only one in a thousand Eagle Scouts can say the same. Bhalla is also the first female Eagle Scout in the Finger Lakes region to do so. "Which is really cool, because now I can say that I have basic proficiency in 139 different things," she said.
As the REAL ID deadline approaches, confusion and misinformation linger

3 weeks ago | wxxinews.org | Beth Adams

Local DMV offices have been busy as people rush to upgrade their driver's licenses to a REAL ID or Enhanced License before an upcoming deadline. That's the form of identification that will be needed to board a domestic flight in the U.S. starting on May 7. A passport will also be accepted. To get a REAL ID, applicants must show proof of residency and citizenship, and their Social Security number.
Mourning the death of Pope Francis: 'Man of peace, fighter for justice'

3 weeks ago | wxxinews.org | Gino Fanelli |Beth Adams

Worshippers began trickling in just before the noon Mass on Monday at Christ the King in Irondequoit. The day’s service originally was canceled but put back on after the death of Pope Francis earlier in the day. Father Lance Gonyo said Pope Francis’ legacy is marked by compassion and a belief in peace“His great trademark was was his emphasis on mercy — mercy toward the poor, to those afflicted with troubles, to the unborn,” Gonyo said.
Rochester couple gets national attention in their quest to normalize parents with disabilities

3 weeks ago | wamc.org | Beth Adams

Local disability rights attorney and activist Stephanie Woodward and her family are getting national attention. First, a TikTok video of her newborn triplets' homecoming from the hospital went viral. Then, Woodward and her husband Ryan Chalmers' growing family was featured in People Magazine. The headline read: “Parents in Wheelchairs Welcome 2 Foster Sons, Then Baby Triplets.
Officials warn of the dangers of driving while high as cannabis users prepare to celebrate 4/20

3 weeks ago | wxxinews.org | Beth Adams

As cannabis users get ready to celebrate 4/20 — the annual holiday celebrating weed and the culture around it — the head of Monroe County's STOP-DWI program is reminding people to be safe on the roads. Lindsay Tomidy said drug-impaired driving poses a threat to everyone. "Certain products may have a higher level of nanograms of THC than others, and as you're dabbling in new products, until you know how it's going to affect your body, if you feel different, you drive different," she said.
Rochester's only overnight emergency pet hospital moves to new location Friday

1 month ago | wxxinews.org | Beth Adams

A nonprofit working to fulfill an urgent need for local pet owners and their animals is opening a new, permanent location this week in East Rochester. For the past year, Rochester Emergency Veterinary Services (REVS) has been operating out of a temporary space on University Avenue in the city. The new hospital, opening at 7 p.m. Friday at 445. W. Commercial St., will be three times the size of the current location.
Monroe County, New York state, see slight population rebounds in latest census data

1 month ago | wxxinews.org | Beth Adams

The U.S. Census Bureau has released its annual estimates on population trends in New York state. They show a slight rebound from the first two years of the COVID pandemic. That's true both statewide and in Monroe County, which added 1,301 people between July 2023 and July 2024. Statewide, New York's population grew by 129,881 during that time.
Study tracks driving habits and perceptions of cannabis users

2 months ago | wxxinews.org | Beth Adams

Traffic safety experts say drug-impaired driving has become a major safety issue in recent years as cannabis is more widely used. Some form of cannabis consumption is legal is 38 states, including New York. "We're on the road every day with people around us who have consumed cannabis," said Mark Gruba, a spokesperson for AAA of western and central New York. Researchers say unlike alcohol, cannabis affects people in complex ways that can vary from person to person.
Found a wild animal in distress? Now there's a hotline for that

2 months ago | wxxinews.org | Beth Adams

Spring is on the way and the warmer weather often brings people into contact with injured or orphaned wildlife. This year, a local group of experts has launched a new Finger Lakes wildlife hotline people can call for help. The number is (585) 880-0168.