Dave Lucas

Climate change has claimed the Kaaterskill Creek as one of its victims. The deep impact from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee continue to affect the creek and nearby residents.

Election Day has arrived ... the polls are open ...  most of the races today entail state and city offices and issues... Americans are being urged to get out and make every vote count.  The Mayoral race in Albany will be closely-watched . City Treasurer Democrat Kathy Sheehan is expected to take the election. Those who follow politics will be looking to see which -if any- of Sheehan's 5 challengers are able to capture a significant number of votes.

As we approach election day, experts predict low turnout in of local races around the region — as usual. Why are voters staying home?
 
Low  voter turnout was apparent throughout New York during the September primaries. Some attribute it to "upstate dissatisfaction" with politics in general. Whether that's the root cause or not, New York ranks near the bottom of all 50 states when it comes to turnout, as tabulated by the United States Elections Project.  

New York state's web site for people seeking health insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s new exchange appears to be working again. Just after noon today, a message that new applications could not be processed had been taken down. Meantime, Families USA held a teleconference with state exchange officials and navigators to get an update on progress in enrolling citizens.

Proponents hope that Proposition 1 will pass on Tuesday and the result will be lower property and school taxes for New Yorkers. But opponents of Governor Andrew Cuomo's casino expansion plan warn there will be consequences for all New Yorkers.

Albany County's new Waste Heat/Co-generation facility in Menands will not only save money by creating renewable energy, it will also cut CO2 emissions by nearly 1,500 tons per year and will reuse 50,000 gallons of water per day to cool the high-efficiency system.  Albany County Executive Dan McCoy says the co-gen project has long been in the works.

The facility is designed to provide long-term environmental and economic benefits to the Albany County Sewer District's eight member communities, which serve a population of 200,000.

New York has outlawed texting or talking on handheld cell phones by commercial drivers at stoplights or in traffic jams, restrictions that don't apply to other drivers.

The law that took effect Monday brings the state into line with federal regulations for interstate trucking that took effect in 2012. Violations carry fines.

All states that issue commercial driver licenses must do the same by the end of next year.

Commercial drivers can use hands-free phones, as well as two-way or CB radios, even though they require one hand to operate.

One year ago, Hurricane Sandy devastated the Eastern Seaboard with high winds, heavy rain and a storm surge of more than 13 feet, claiming 44 lives and displacing thousands. The Superstorm turned the greatest city in the world into a city of darkness and called new attention to climate change.

At a time when debate over the Common Core is front and center, pro-education groups are out with a new plan offering a roadmap for full-day universal prekindergarten in New York State.

The Center for Children’s Initiatives and the Campaign for Educational Equity have unveiled a statewide plan that offers a financial strategy that recognizes pre-K as an essential educational service, while providing a plan to phase in pre-K to the state's 3- and 4-year-olds over the next eight years.

One year ago, New Yorkers were bracing for Superstorm Sandy - today, state government officials are gathered in Albany to compare notes on the response and brainstorm about plans to respond to future crises and calamities.

Many struggle to recover one year after Superstorm Sandy.  Republican New York State Assemblyman Pete Lopez says many of his constituents are still reeling from the one-two punch of Irene and Lee - along with others in his district impacted by Sandy.