John McLoughlin - once you met him you most likely would remember him forever. He was witty, smart, an exemplary reporter and a wonderful writer. His columns for the Times Union not only demonstrated his political savvy, but especially his ability - along with his sarcastic charm - to poke fun at the powerful.

These may be the halcyon days for the New York Knicks, who just swept the rival Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. So far they’ve only lost two out of 10 games in the NBA Playoffs by a collective two points and are now one series away from the Finals for the second consecutive year.

Now well over a month late, it appears that Governor Hochul and state lawmakers are on a path to finish off the budget, which was due on April 1st. Since the final budget agreement will be the latest since 2010, the tardiness will squeeze the time available to tackle non-budget topics.

A recruiting poster in Britain during World War I depicted a father in a comfortable chair with his daughter on his lap, as she asked him an uncomfortable question.

The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution prohibits racial discrimination in districting. By parity of logic, it prohibits partisan discrimination in districting. The Court protects both.

My last commentary introduced what I considered a “skunk at the picnic” argument - namely that the interdiction of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz was a good thing for the long term survival of humanity. My argument was that we need to stop consuming fossil fuels as quickly as possible - yesterday would not have been soon enough.

Making compost takes some care - add greens, browns, water and air. This simple rhyme is a great way to remember the key ingredients to any compost pile.

The fight over New York’s quarter-plus-trillion dollar budget continues with little evidence of it ending anytime soon. In what has now become an annual ritual, Governor Hochul has frozen budget negotiations in order to pressure lawmakers to agree to what are essentially non-budget policy initiatives.

This past Saturday, history thundered down the stretch at Churchill Downs, Golden Tempo’s come-from-behind thrill fest stunning pundits and fans alike, holding off favorite Renegade to be yet another longshot winner, and making Saratoga Springs native Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Derby winner.

An hour-long cabaret-style work, Pilobolust, places dancers, as they move freely through the space, in direct relation to the audience.