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All over my neighborhood, the icicles hang down from the eaves of the roofs like colonies of  bats clustered along the walls of caves.  Emerging from under the heavy cover of melting and re-freezing snow, each icicle begins as gently dripping water which never quite makes it to its destined place on the earth, even under the spell of gravity. The drops congeal and are frozen in the grip of arctic temperatures which transform them into mute winter sculptures.

Area congressional representatives are reacting to the House of Representatives’ move Friday night to pass a one-week extension to approve a funding plan for the Department of Homeland Security.

Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont issued a statement saying:

“At a time when ISIS is a growing terrorist threat to the United States and countries around the world, it is incomprehensible that the Republican House of Representatives refuses to follow what the Senate did and fund the Department of Homeland Security for the entire fiscal year. Enough is enough. “

I was traveling through Albany the other day and passed over the railroad tracks in downtown Albany, and as I did so, below me was an endless stream of oil tank cars.  I couldn’t tell if they were the famous DT111s, or the “safer 1232s.”  The recent accidents in Mount Carbon West Virginia and a remote area north of Timmons, Ontario, both resulted in substantial derailments and oil spills.  If you are stopped at any railroad crossing in northern New York, you will see endless streams of oil tank cars, as I observed in Albany. 

Some towns in New York's Southern Tier are raising the idea of seceding to Pennsylvania.

Efforts urging Williams College to divest its $2.3 billion endowment from the top 200 fossil fuel companies are continuing. In a letter to college leadership, faculty and staff are joining the campaign which has largely been led by students and alumni.

Thousands are speaking out against a proposed 124-mile natural gas pipeline in New York.

A federal appeals panel says publicity hasn't jeopardized Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's right to an impartial jury.

(Airs 2/27/15) The Legislative Gazette is a weekly program about New York State Government and politics. On this week's Gazette: The Governor and legislative leaders meet for budget talks behind closed doors, our political observer Alan Chartock shares his thoughts on continuing questions about the relationship between Governor Cuomo and New York City Mayor de Blasio, and a new poll finds New Yorkers more concerned about an on time budget than ethics reform.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker marked 50 days in office today.  Baker was the keynote speaker at a luncheon sponsored by the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, where 800 business and community leaders from throughout the Pioneer Valley gathered.

Casino development in New York State has forged ahead during the month of February.

The New York State Gaming Commission released a report Friday detailing the selection process of the Gaming Facility Location Board.  The report contains detailed findings on all 16 applicants in earlier bidding, which resulted in recommendations for new casinos in the Catskills, Schenectady and the Finger Lakes.