Dave Lucas

Many of the recommendations released Wednesday have been proposed before but blocked by politics or lack of funding. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says those remain major obstacles.

Some of the ideas are already in place to some degree, including teacher competency tests and using schools to address health, mental health and other social needs.

Republican Rep. Peter King says the speaker will schedule a vote Friday for $9 billion in flood insurance and another on Jan. 15 for a remaining $51 billion in the package. The votes will be taken by the new Congress that will be sworn in Thursday.

Patrons ages 18-49 were the most likely to use a mobile device for the library, while those 65 and older were the least likely. According to Pew, a 2009 University of Washington study showed 6 percent of those 16 and older using a mobile device to access a library site.

A draft of The Capital Region Sustainability Plan is now available for review and comment - more from Capital Region Bureau Chief Dave Lucas

A coalition of Capital Region municipalities and organizations has received funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to create a regional sustainability plan as part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Cleaner, Greener Communities Program.

Public workshops held throughout the 8 counties and on-line yielded hundreds of strategies.

An invasive species has forced an annual event to a new location - more from WAMC's Dave Lucas

For years, upwards of 1500 people have flocked to Shepard Park Beach each New Year's Day for the "Polar Plunge" but the Saratogian reports that, this year, an infestation of Asian Clams has necessitated a change-of-venue - swimmers will hit the icy waters of Lake George's Million Dollar Beach at 1pm Tueday.

The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association is calling for a nationwide boycott of the advertisers of the Journal-News. WAMC's Dave Lucas has more...

The association wants the Hudson Valley newspaper to take down maps posted on its website that disclose the names and addresses of all pistol permit holders in Westchester and Rockland counties.

The gun group is urging citizens to avoid doing business with any company that advertises with Journal News parent company Gannett until the maps are removed.

Travelers on New Year's Eve can look forward again to free coffee and tea along the New York State Thruway. WAMC’s Dave Lucas reports.

This is the 42nd year the free beverages will be provided at the highway's 27 travel plazas from 11 p.m. tonight until 7 a.m. tomorrow.

The Thruway Authority says it's a way to remind drivers to stop for breaks to avoid getting drowsy on the road.

It also warns against stopping on the highway shoulder unless there's an emergency.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

The New York Army National Guard will send one of its two new UH-72 Lakota light utility helicopters-and an accompanying three-member aircrew from its Latham operations center to the Texas/Mexico border next week. Capital Region Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
 

One of the state's legislative leaders proposed Thursday to change New York laws to institute early voting and also require disclosure of independent political spending that's now shielded from public view. Capital Region Bureau Chief Dave Lucas.
 

New York has invested nearly $6 million over the past three years subsidizing the upstate factory that makes legal firearms as well as the semiautomatic rifles like those used to kill 20 children in Connecticut and two firefighters outside Rochester. WAMC’s Dave Lucas reports.

Some elected leaders want tighter restrictions on those guns but none say it's time to stop supporting Remington Arms Co. and its nearly 1,000 jobs in the central New York community of Ilion.