Dave Lucas

After his first aerial tour of storm damage, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is comparing parts of New York City to London and Dresden after bombings in World War II. WAMC's Dave Lucas reports.

The Senator says he saw homes burned to the ground and others smashed and thrown across streets by the raging tide.

Schumer toured the area by helicopter with Gov. Andrew Cuomo Wednesday morning.

He says the view close up is likely to be even worse, with extensive water and structural damage to countless homes and other buildings that appear fine on the outside.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says President Barack Obama is sending crews and equipment from the Army and Navy to help pump out New York City's swamped subway tunnels. WAMC's Dave Lucas reports.

The Governor says an elite Army "de-watering" team that had been deployed during Hurricane Katrina is being sent from Illinois. That team should be pumping out large amounts of seawater by Thursday morning. The U.S. Navy is also sending pumps used on ships.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to push protecting New York City from what he fears is a new pattern of violent storms, possibly including construction of levees and sea walls. More from WAMC's Dave Lucas

Cuomo says climate change requires rebuilding the city to help prevent future damage like that from Hurricane Sandy.

Cuomo says Wednesday the massive undertaking must begin now, repeating concerns he first mentioned Tuesday.

Officials in Ulster County say dozens of roads and streets are closed because of trees and power lines knocked down by Sandy. More from WAMC's Dave Lucas.

County Executive Michael Hein said Tuesday that the storm is blamed for one death. State police say 69-year-old Doreen Richardson was killed Monday evening when her vehicle was struck by a large section of roof that blew off a home in a trailer park in Kerhonkson.

New York's top court has upheld continuing civil confinement of a sex offender who completed his prison sentence, with the court majority saying there's an adequate record to support the conclusion he suffers from a qualifying "mental abnormality." WAMC's Dave Lucas has more...
 

Hurricane Sandy's greatest impact in the Empire State affected New York City and much of the watershed area including Westchester, Ulster and Dutchess counties - Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas has an update...

Major flooding along the Hudson River, some areas now receding... New York City the heaviest hit... with severe power and property losses extending up through Westchester and beyond...   

Crystal Payton with FEMA says the agency is in "triage" mode.

Students, parents and teachers in an Orange County School District are embracing mobile-optimized learning technology, as we hear in this report from Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas.