To The Editor: Entergy Corporation recently announced that it is planning to shut down Yankee nuclear power plant—the only nuclear power plant in Vermont. This announcement should be of great concern to the Central New York community in light of...

In 2012, New York’s first Youth Firearms Deer Hunt was held on Columbus Day weekend. This has since become an annual event, thanks in part to legislation that passed in 2008 to expand big game hunting for junior hunters—those who are 14-15 years old....

Invasive species have been around since people began to travel. Some species have been around for over a hundred years, and we’ve largely learned to live with them. Others pose a more serious threat and have eradicated crops or species of domestic trees,...

In this year’s enacted state budget, changes were made to the STAR program that requires Basic STAR recipients to re-register. It became clear that the state needed to make changes to the program after a Comptroller’s audit found some property owners...

There is a new water level plan proposed for Lake Ontario that will threaten shoreline property, recreational activity, and damage public infrastructure. Plan 2014 has been proposed by the International Joint Commission (IJC). The IJC is comprised of...

College orientations are underway this time of year. Many of you may have children, grandchildren or relatives who are embarking on higher education in the coming weeks, or even in the coming years. In April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported...

Typically, a lot of bills pass the state legislature at the end of session. Once the legislature adjourns for the year, the Governor reviews the bills and determines which ones he wants to sign into law. In this column, I highlight a few bills of interest...

The latest State Department of Labor newsletter for CNY states the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in four years. Signs do point to economic growth, especially in the area of food processing for our local region. According to the Department...

With summer in full bloom, it is the opportune time for residents and visitors alike to take part in the wealth of activities our communities have to offer. I’m proud to represent a district where tourism represents a growing sector of the local economy....

A few weeks ago, the Governor proposed what he is dubbing the Tax-Free NY Program. Understanding that his success as governor greatly depends on whether he can provide the leadership to help turn around New York's languishing economy, Cuomo is pushing...

These last weeks of session include a push by lawmakers to get several priority bills passed. My end-of-session priorities include getting tax breaks for farmers and active military. We need harsher laws for synthetic drug users and dealers on par with...

A few weeks ago, the Assembly passed legislation that, if enacted into law, would allow illegal aliens residing in New York to qualify for state financial assistance for college. The New York City sponsors of this legislation have billed it as the DREAM...

As the cliche goes, when it rains it pours. This certainly holds true as a description of the numerous scandals that have arisen as of late in both Albany and Washington. This week in Albany, most attention was rightfully focused on the release of a...

Last week, frost hit Upstate New York after buds sprouted on the trees. Some fruit farmers set out smudge pots and wind machines to try and prevent the frost from settling on the plants. Luckily, temperatures didn’t get that low and only remained just...

There have been quite a few newsworthy items coming out of Albany in recent weeks. I want to share a few of them with you in this column pertaining to health services funding, insurance fraud, and tourism. Increased Funding for Developmentally Disabled There...

The Assembly passed an early voting bill last week. I voted against this measure. At a time when localities are stretched to the max, this would create another unfunded mandate and change our current system when it doesn’t need to be changed. Election...

Small-business owners throughout New York State recently made their way to Albany. Chief among their concerns again this year pertained to overreaching regulations and paperwork mandates, which add to the overall cost of doing business. More than 100...

It was recently reported that two Albany lawmakers from Downstate were involved in corruption and bribery. One lawmaker, Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, is accused of accepting more than $22,000 in bribes from four adult daycare centers, with the understanding...

We hear about cases on the news, and we see mug shots of those who are charged or convicted of some heinous child sex abuse act. There is no excuse for these perpetrators, and it sickens the majority of us who have to read these stories. The good thing...