Freeville family featured in free dairy documentary, NY tackling unpaid tolls, outdoors

Good morning ☀️

It’s Tuesday so I’ll be diving into my inbox to answer to touch on some of what you’ve all been sending me later on in this newsletter.

If someone forwarded this to you, click the sign-up link here for more updates , and don’t forget to spread the word to anyone else who might enjoy reading it.

Without further delay, here’s something interesting you could experience right now, from your phone, computer, or television, made right here in the Finger Lakes.

Beck family, local research featured in free dairy documentary

Californian sketch comedian and actress Vanessa Bayer was a "fish-out-of-water" when she visited Freeville’s own Beck Farms during the filming of Dairy Diaries, a five-part documentary series on the state of the United States dairy industry.

The series – sponsored in part by the American Dairy Association – launched April 22 on The Roku channel – a free streaming service featuring over 350 live TV channels and series, featured prominently to users of the popular Roku media streaming devices.

Tyler Beck and his family, who’ve been milking cows for four generations on their Freeville farm, show Bayer and anyone watching the documentary the ins and outs of modern dairy farming and the work being done to shape the industry’s future.

Learn more about dairy and the Becks in this article on the series .

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

New York is taking steps to address drivers racking up unpaid toll bills: NY is cracking down on bills that may never have seen as a part of the recently finalized state budget. Learn about how you could be affected by the new tolling measures here.

State hospital safety ranking on the rise: 12% of NY hospitals got an ‘A’ safety grade from Leapfrog, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, in its recent report. Find out how your local hospitals stack up here .

Word of Life update: A defendant in a case that has drawn national public interest and lead to the sentencing of nine people in 2015 was released on parole Thursday. Get the in’s and outs on the Word of Life Church case in this article by Amy Neff Roth.

Finding the Finger Lakes best blooms and outdoor hangouts

As the claws of winter finally begin to feel like nothing more than a nightmare, I’ve been inundated with requests to help the community find some of its best outdoor recreation spots.

Here’s a list of some of my personal favorites and suggestions from the community.

Though it can get pretty crowded this time of year, my girlfriend Ellie and I love to spend time on the popular Cascadilla Gorge Trail , which leads from downtown Ithaca onto Cornell’s campus.

Access to the trail is available at the Treman Triangle on Linn Street (just off Court Street) in downtown Ithaca, behind the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, according to visitithaca.com, which is a great resource if you’re looking for things to do in this beautiful city.

We also love Buttermilk Falls State Park , with waterfalls that make for some pretty great photos, and plenty of spots to take a seat and soak in some sun.

Carol Eichler recently reached out to show her appreciation for the 24-year-old rock garden on Willow Avenue in Ithaca, calling it a must-see, and she would know , considering she helped to build it .

“Now is the time to check out the Al Wurster Memorial Rock Garden located on the grounds of Cooperative Extension’s offices at 615 Willow Avenue,” she said. “A rock garden may not be to everyone’s interests but at this time of year you can’t beat it for beauty.”

I hope you’ve got some time to check out these beautiful natural areas here in Ithaca before the weather gets cold again.

That’s about all I’ve got for you today.

Thank you for reading, and feel free to reach out to jmack@gannett.com with any comments, questions, or concerns about this newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Freeville family featured in free dairy documentary, NY tackling unpaid tolls, outdoors