Albany

Anonymous Online Speech: Soon To Be Banned by Albany?

The Voice's Steven Thrasher just brought this to our attention. Legislation is pending in Albany that would make illegal anonymous online commenting, City & State tweeted this morning. Looks like Wired was among the first to report on the measure. The bill's backers, according to the mag, want ... More >>

With Donations, Cuomo is Like a Mini-Romney

This is the promo video for the Committee to Save New York, the outrageously-named pro-Cuomo PAC that loves Andrew. The Governor urged the creation of the fundraising committee before he stepped into office and the monies gathered have supported the advertising of his first term's achievements thus ... More >>

MTA Funding Fail? Straphanger Advocates Say Andrew Cuomo's Plan Will Up Fares

Looks like Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York legislature might have just brokered a deal that would fund the remainder of the MTA's five-year capital plan. But straphanger advocates say that Albany's agreement will make riders foot the bill for transit improvements. Cuomo and legislators OKd an a ... More >>

Bill Would Ban Use of Condoms as Evidence of Prostitution in Court

​With criticisms of stop-and-frisk practices on the rise, one piece of legislation is targeting a police practice that doesn't involve searches for drugs or weapons. Lawmakers in Albany have sponsored a bill that would stop courts from using the possession of condoms as evidence of prostitution. ... More >>

Churches Prepare for Eviction from School Spaces; Mayor Says He's Not Backing Down

Sam LevinPastor Sal Sabino, left, will not be allowed to lead worship services in school spaces.​Next Sunday, Pastor Sal Sabino, from Heavenly Vision Christian Center, will conduct his worship services on the street. That's because this coming Sunday is the last time he and his congregation ... More >>

The Hudson: Frequently Kinda Poopy

​A while back, we were all a bit concerned about our New York City water exploits. A fire in the engine room at the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant in Harlem caused the plant to shut down, spewing nasty water out into our nearby bodies of H20, and officials deemed the Hudson, and parts ... More >>

U.N. Narrowly Passes Historic Gay-Rights Resolution

While lawmakers debate gay marriage up in Albany, down here in the city the United Nations took a historic step on gay rights, narrowly passing a gay-rights resolution today. CNN reports that the resolution was introduced by South Africa, and passed with "23 votes in favor, 19 opposed and three abs ... More >>

Condoms Can Still Be Evidence of Prostitution in NYC

Carrying a condom in New York City can be proof you're a prostitute. Yes, now, in 2011. Gothamist reports that along with the City Council push to rename the Queensboro Bridge after Ed Koch, a resolution was also on the agenda yesterday meant to pressure the governor and state legislator to pass a d ... More >>

Mochi Kills Japanese Revelers; Food Safety Bill to Be Signed Today

​Mochi, or sticky rice cakes, popular on New Year's Eve in Japan, send hundreds of people -- mostly aged 60 and over -- to the hospital each year, making it the most suffocating food in the country. [Wall Street Journal] Bison ranchers are having a hard time keeping up with the growing demand ... More >>

The Heavyweight Albany Lobbyist They Call 'Feathers'

James FeatherstonhaughMy cover story this week about Albany lobbyists featured "Feathers," otherwise known as James Featherstonhaugh, who is the final toll on the thruway to the state capitol. Everyone, apparently, pays. Over the course of a four-decade career as unofficial state gatekeeper, Feathe ... More >>

Carl Paladino, Angry Man, Beats His Own Party

​No matter what your politics you have to admit Republicans yesterday went for the guy with a lot more pop in his bat -- literally. Just three months ago, all Carl Paladino, the wealthy gun-slinging landlord from Buffalo who will now carry the GOP banner for governor, could muster at the Repub ... More >>

Four Brands of Milk Recalled in NYC Area

​Four brands of milk are being recalled in the New York area, reports news cable channel NY1. The sell date on all the cartons is September 24, and the brands include Midland Farms, Corrado's Market, Jersey Farms, and Trade Fair Premium, and the plant code is 36-1661. The milk was processed i ... More >>

Shelly Silver is 'the Enemy of Reform,' but his Law Firm's Cash is Still Good as Gold for Kathleen Rice

​File this one one away under the "Unsolved Mysteries" of this election season: Try to follow: Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver is the key symbol of Albany hypocrisy. Only yesterday, Ed Koch, the newly re-born reform banner waver, was declaiming him at City Hall. "He is the enemy of reform," ... More >>

Corn Invades the Farmers' Markets Along With Yellow Raspberries, Purple Sugar Snaps, and Reishi Mushrooms

​Sweet bicolor corn is the first variety to hit the greenmarket this summer. It seems that corn arrives earlier and earlier at the farmers' markets each year. While we originally associated the crop with late summer and fall, a few years ago it began to arrive in early August, then late July. ... More >>

Froot Loops Recalled; Kids Say Food in Shrek Packaging Tastes Better

​Kellogg's has voluntarily recalled millions of boxes of Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Froot Loops, and Honey Smacks breakfast cereals following reports of "an uncharacteristic off-flavor and smell" from the box liners. [Reuters] A number of New Yorkers have started ordering their bagels with the i ... More >>

Andrew Cuomo's Biggest Rival Won't Be the G.O.P.

It's Shelly Silver and the old-school Dems in his race to Governor

Pedro Espada Gets Sushi Surprise From Manhattan Young Democrats

Emmy Suzuki Harris, VP of the Manhattan Dems.​A special delivery arrived on state Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada's Mamaroneck doorstep this Saturday, compliments of a pair of activists in bright orange prison jumpers flanked by angry Democrats dressed in "Don't Vote for Pedro" shirts. The ... More >>

Hiram Monserrate, the AP, and Burying the Lede

​I don't know about you, but when the rest of the country discovers one of our colorful local politicians it makes me want to take them off my iPod. Still, they just don't know Hiram Monserrate like we do. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) Expelled from the state Senate, shunned by his party and denounced as ... More >>

MTA Considers Cuts; Parents, Disabled Advocates, Others Complain

There's no B or D service into Manhattan because of a sick passenger, and the MTA board is preparing to vote on service cuts to pull the Authority out of the red ($400 million) -- into which it sank, just months after the last Doomsday "rescue" plan, thanks to spectacular financial mismanagement -- ... More >>

Bruno's Heads Up to Senators: Steer Clear of the Mailman

​There was another of those rare moments of truth at yesterday's session of the Trials of Joe Bruno. From the witness stand, former top state senate legal counsel Kenneth Riddett, was asked about an April 21, 2001 memo he prepared for the senate's then Republican majority members. Assistant ... More >>

Fun Read of the Day: List of New York Reps, Senators Earmarks ($5 Mil for Jazzmobile?)

Some time ago we looked at some of the member items state senators requested in Albany. Impressive, but petty cash compared to what they spend in D.C. A group called Washington Watch -- yeah, they're libertarians (i.e. wingnuts with weed), but we'll take our thrills where we can get them -- has a ... More >>

The Alarming Record of the F.B.I.'s Informant in the Bronx Bomb Plot

Coup in Review: Paterson Calls Special Session, Skelos Spokesman Says "Bullsh*t," Bloomberg Blames Dems, Espada Shows Off Bronx "Home"

Over the weekend Governor Paterson stepped into the Albany Coup spotlight, announcing that he would summon the state senators to a special session on Wednesday (the official session ends today), and he meant all the state senators, not just the Republicans who have been meeting alone, without a quor ... More >>

Coup in Review: Session Starts, Then Monserrate Walks Out

Well that's weird; the new Republican majority in Albany got a session going, and then apostate Dem Hiram Monserrate walked out. Meanwhile Malcolm Smith did make it to court, and was rebuffed in his attempt to stop today's session with a restraining order. But the judge did grant a hearing for la ... More >>

Prisoner Tape Offered as Evidence Against Rockefeller Drug Law Reform

The Staten Island District Attorney's office posts, and the New York Post and Staten Island Advance circulate, a tape of a prison inmate bragging that when he gets out, thanks to the misguided repeal of the Rockefeller Drug Laws, he will return to a life of crime. "Now that I know that I'm never gon ... More >>

Hebrew Academy Charter Panned, Jeered at Marine Park Hearing

The city is eager to put a charter school called Hebrew Language Academy, bankrolled by the Stenhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, in Marine Park. There have been objections from civil libertarians and from Diane Ravitch to the presumed religious nature of the school. But yesterday, GerritsenBeach. ... More >>

Paterson Greets Gay Marriage Demo; SSM Support Up Nationally (UPDATED)

A few thousand marriage equality supporters are in Albany today for an LGBT Equality and Justice Day demo. Governor Paterson, who is sponsoring a gay marriage bill in the state legislature -- which assemblyman Danny O'Donnell says will go live* in the assembly on Monday -- spoke to the group, critic ... More >>

I, Locavore--Awesome Deal on Local Chardonnay

The crisp chardonnay of Millbrook Vineyards and Winery (click to taste) As a wine enthusiast, you're no doubt familar with the reasonably priced and often good wines of the North Fork of Long Island, and the pricier product of New York's pristine Finger Lakes region. But a lesser known wine reg ... More >>

Budget Goes Into Overtime

"State Budget Officially Late," says WKTV this morning. Another broken promise! The Albany Democrats, despite their earlier optimism, could not get the votes in by midnight, so today they'll be back at it. One of the results of the wheeling and dealing is that wine won't be cleared for sale in super ... More >>

Schumer Steps Up for Gay Marriage, His Own Skin

So, what to make of Chuck Schumer's declaration in favor of gay marriage? It probably doesn't change much at the functional level, as Ruben Diaz and others hold marriage equality hostage in Albany. But with the states' Dems bruised by the unresolved state and MTA budgets and other issues, and the Go ... More >>

Paterson: I'm no Liar -- Honest

Here's the news break from a mercilessly brief press conference that just ended in Albany which was supposed to deal with legislative negotiations over the budget deficit: Governor Paterson insists he's no liar.Paterson got to answer all of one question about the budget when a New York Post reporter ... More >>

Online, Paterson Praises Kos Kids, Mets' Pitching Deals

NYC Literally Poisoning Upstate's Wells

Big (Mostly GOP) Money in State Senate Races, Especially Maltese-Addabbo

Oh No They Di'n't: "Barack Osama" on Upstate Absentee Ballots

Veteran Pol Tony Seminerio and Bribe-Taking in Albany

Bribes and blatant nepotism in the senate. What else is new?

Daily Flogger 7/30/08: Farm systems, Madonna, kitties, hacks

Clip Job: Uniformity Can Be Fun

Congestion Pricing Faces Albany Gridlock

Letters

He Shot the Sheriff

Spitzer guns down Albany's real clean-up man

The New Dealer

With Spitzer at the table, Pataki's casino cronies pull an inside straight

Bliss or Miss

Getting over the gay-wedding jitters

Laughter & Jeers at 'Final' Debate

Seven Years on the Sidewalk

With the worst injustices gone from the Rockefeller drug laws, Randy Credico gropes for a new strategy to repeal them

Re-Rethinking SUNY

New York State's Public Higher Ed Deserves More Money—Not Less

Lobbying for Leniency

Scandal-Scarred Adult Homes Buy Pataki Protection

A 10-Point Plan for Bloomy

How the Newly Elected Mayor Can Begin Reviving a Wounded City

Roy's Real Choice

Senator Goodman Exercises His Right to Choose All-Male Clubs

Freedom Fighters

An Unlikely Group of Prisoners' Relatives Battles the Rockefeller Drug Laws