Hudson Valley News

President Barack Obama says he'll sign a $50.5 billion emergency measure for Superstorm Sandy victims as soon as it lands on his desk. The U.S. Senate approved the bill Monday after the House earlier this month had stripped the bill of spending unrelated to disasters.

Metro-North customers may have another way to purchase their train tickets next year. They could use an app.

There’s a new system ready to be put in place in New York State to help identify local governments and school districts under financial strain. The idea is to flag financial problems before they spiral into a crisis.

The New York State Comptroller’s office has finalized plans to implement a statewide fiscal monitoring system to identify local governments and school districts under or nearing financial stress, by classifying their fiscal conditions. Brian Butry is a spokesman for State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

A number of cancer organization and anti-smoking groups has penned a letter to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, asking him to bolster what they say are lifesaving programs, and not cut them.  And, the groups contend, for the first time, the programs appear differently in the governor’s proposed budget.