Tagged: Politics

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders have tried to jump start negotiations over siting several new gambling casinos in New York. But they also conceded that the plans might be delayed for another year.

When philosophy professor Mike Gorr and his wife were looking for a place to retire, they took a trip from Illinois to the Finger Lakes region.

The Watertown City Council has received a lot of pushback and even ridicule in the media recently for passing what's being referred to as a “roommate ban.” Last month, in response to a neighbor dispute, the City Council removed language from the zoning code that allowed the renting out of rooms in single-family homes. But city planning officials say the regulatory change is completely unenforceable.

The federal government's across-the-board spending cuts known as the sequester are set to kick in Friday, barring an agreement between Congress and the president. That means a big impact for defense spending, including for Fort Drum, an important regional economic driver.  

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced yesterday that in line with the repeal of the military's “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy, some spousal benefits will be given to same-sex service members and their partners. The federal law known as the Defense of Marriage Act still prohibits many of the major spousal benefits, like housing and health care, from being extended to same-sex couples. But Panetta's announcement still had advocates for gay service members cheering.   

Democratic Assemblywoman Addie Russell, of Theresa, thinks the current state school aid formula is broken, benefiting wealthier districts at the expense of poorer ones. She says legislation she's introduced would make the formula more equitable.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, is hoping to build a better bridge between academic research and the commercial market. On Wednesday, Gillibrand stopped in Buffalo and Syracuse to continue stumping for the America Innovates Act. The bill would put $200 million into "innovation banks" that could be then given to researchers to help further develop their inventions.

This year’s presidential election has brought up a host of perplexing questions about the relationship between religion and politics, and the importance of a candidate’s faith. In this week’s edition of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher probes those questions with Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the eldest child of Robert and Ethel Kennedy.

A new survey suggests more young people are taking to Google internet searches to help them make up their minds before they cast a vote.

Right now, county jails – and ultimately, local property taxpayers – are footing the bill for housing state parole violators while they wait for the state to pick them up. State Senator Patty Ritchie (R-Heuvelton) has proposed a solution to the problem.