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One top Republican New York state lawmaker doesn’t think there is any kind of new law that will end the public corruption in Albany.

State Sen. John DeFrancisco (R-Syracuse), who is deputy Senate majority leader, says he hears all the time from New Yorkers who say state laws should be changed to stop public corruption in Albany. But DeFrancisco notes that recent cases of corruption all involved elected officials or aides breaking the current laws.

The Libertarian Party is trying to make a name this political season, which has disaffected some voters from the major political parties. Alex Merced believes a Libertarian option gives him an edge in a race against incumbent Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY).

Merced jumped in the race against Schumer in what he calls a “weird political year.” And he points to the ease of getting signatures to get on the ballot as a sign that this year will work to his advantage.

The city of Syracuse is hoping a civic “hackathon” can make some sense of all the data it’s collected about its streets.

The city is partnering with AT&T and Syracuse University’s iSchool, to look for ways to use all the information to create new apps or analysis which can be used to help city government improve roads. Syracuse Information Technology officer Sam Edlestein says there is a lot of information out there.

The heroin epidemic has rocked New York state. A lot of attention has gone to how to stop drug trafficking and help addicts. But the increased use of opioids has created another issue -- how to care for the children of those hooked on heroin.

Filling the "Void"

It’s hard to take care of a new baby, then add trying to get sober from a heroin addiction in the mix.

The Syracuse Common Council unanimously passed funding for a police-community dialogue project organized by InterFaith Works of Central New York. Police officers and community volunteer facilitators will hold dialogue circles with city residents. The goal of the dialogues is to strengthen understanding between residents and police.

The funding of $30,000 was initially objected by Councilor Khalid Bey and the measure was held. Bey told the police department and InterFaith Works that he was skeptical these dialogues were improving police relations with city residents.

The rejuvenation of Syracuse’s Inner Harbor could be a victim of a federal public corruption case that centers on economic development projects funded by the state across upstate New York. 

The criminal charges against nine of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s associates is the latest incident in a wave of corruption that has enveloped the state Capitol for the past several years.

When Cuomo first became governor in 2011, he promised to do something about it. So far, he has not been particularly successful.

Cuomo, in his inaugural speech as governor on Jan. 1, 2011, promised that corruption at the Capitol would end and public trust would be restored during his tenure in office.

Inside a classroom in Mexico, ninth grade students discuss the benefits of recycling with their teacher. They're thinking about how it can help the environment and a company's bottom line.  

"Do you think recycling is going to be a part of their work there?" teacher Brian Heffron asks.

"Yes, because they want to save a lot of money to keep the place running," a student responds. 

Regardless of which option is chosen as the replacement of the Interstate 81 viaduct through downtown Syracuse, there are some common features in all the plans. The New York State Department of Transportation would expand I-81 north of the viaduct and add a new interchange. 

A cancer diagnosis can be a “catastrophic event,” according to Dr. Greg Knight of the Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The disease itself is terrifying to face; however, Knight says patients are avoiding the reality because they are unsure how they will be able to afford treatments, medications and the impact the disease has on day-to-day life.

This week on “Take Care,” Knight, a clinical oncologist, shares the findings of his group’s study, titled “Financial Toxicity in Adults with Cancer, Adverse Outcomes and Potential,” as well as how the costs have changed and how patients can approach paying those costs.

As a woman, you may leave the house feeling great about how you look. Then you get somewhere and look around at other women in the room and suddenly feel not so great because you think they look better. The social anxiety of body image is something women have experienced for a long time, but may currently be at an all-time high.

This week on “Take Care,” Gina Barreca talks about the evolution of how body image became such a hot topic for women, and why it shouldn’t have to be. Barreca is a feminist theory and English professor at the University of Connecticut, a columnist for the Hartford Courant, and has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, NPR and Oprah to discuss gender, power, politics, and humor. She is also the author of “They Used to Call Me Snow White But I Drifted: Women’s Strategic Use of Humor” and "If You Lean In, Will Men Just Look Down Your Blouse?"

Treating cancer is only half the battle. For many patients, paying for that treatment can be just as difficult. This week on WRVO's health and wellness show "Take Care," hosts Lorraine Rapp and Linda Lowen speak with Dr. Greg Knight of the Levine Cancer Institute/Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Knight’s study "Financial Toxicity in Adults with Cancer: Adverse Outcomes and Potential," was presented at the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.

Utica College is welcoming its largest freshman class ever. The private school's officials say it's just one of the many benefits it's seeing from the "reset" of undergraduate tuition rates. It dropped from $35,000 a year to $20,000. 

Officials in Madison County are urging Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign a law that would allow the state to share gaming revenue from the Yellow Brick Road Casino with the county. State law allows a portion of revenue the state gets from Native American run casino’s to be shared with the host county. Since the Yellow Brick Road Casino opened in Chittenango after the law was passed, it didn’t get in on the revenue sharing deal according to Madison County Board of Supervisors John Becker.

A former Cuomo administration official is among eight individuals named in a criminal complaint by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, and accused of carrying out kickback and bribery schemes over a period of several years. Many of those illegal acts, the complaint alleges, involve the governor’s much touted upstate economic development programs, including the Buffalo Billion.

Opponents of a pipeline expansion that would flow through vast portions of New York state want the Cuomo administration to deny a key permit, an act that could halt the upgrade.

The New Market Dominion pipeline is one of a dizzying array of fuel pipelines that flow through New York, in many cases taking natural gas from hydrofracking sites in other states to markets in New York and other places.

The Syracuse Jazz Fest will celebrate its 35th year next year. And it will do that at Onondaga Community College, it’s home for the last several years, and with the expected full support of Onondaga County government. That didn’t seem like a sure thing after several days of controversy over a budgetary move.

The Oswego Speedway is covered in dirt for the first time since it was paved in 1952. It's just one of the many changes at the racetrack in preparation for the upcoming SuperDIRT Week race.

New federal floodplain maps will go into effect for Syracuse on November 4, and 1,600 affected homeowners will be required to have flood insurance. A New York State Department of Environmental Conservation report released in June shows that if some flood control options were implemented, some properties could be taken off the maps.

A new poll shows that Hillary Clinton is still far ahead of Donald Trump among New York voters — but she has some weak points.

Clinton holds a 21-point lead over Trump among likely New York voters in the Siena College poll, down from a 25-point lead one month ago.

But Clinton has some weaknesses. She is viewed unfavorably by just over half of voters and does not have much support beyond registered Democrats, said Siena spokesman Steve Greenberg.

The Syracuse City School District has launched an attendance initiative, urging the community and families to make sure children to go to school every day.

School officials estimate that, depending on the school, between 25 and 40 percent of students miss at least 18 to 20 days of classes a year in the district. That’s 10 percent of the total number of days in a given school year. Chief Academic Officer Linda Mulvey said it is the definition of chronic absenteeism.

With a little less than two months before election day, Onondaga County’s Republican Party is hoping to move forward with a united front. A potential challenger to Chair Tom Dadey’s leadership was brought into the fold after a weekend of intense discussions.