Dave Lucas

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer says New York's booming technology industries are threatened by a shortage of qualified engineers. WAMC's Dave Lucas reports.


The New York Democrat is introducing legislation that would allow foreign students with advanced degrees to stay in the United States.

The "Brains Act" would reform the U.S. visa system to encourage students who graduate American universities with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math to remain in the United States.

Pattern for Progress is out with its annual housing report - Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas has details...


In "Housing the Hudson Valley, Unlocking the Opportunities" Pattern for Progress finds the lower Hudson region not much better off than a year ago. Westchester is the only county where the housing market is poised to be getting back on track.

Unemployment rates, foreclosures, short sales and a tightening of mortgage underwriting criteria for both buyer and builder are all slowing economic recovery in the Hudson Valley.

KentuckyDerby-winning thoroughbred trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. is asking New York's top court to overturn his 10-year ban by the state Racing and Wagering Board, saying it raises substantial civil rights issues. More from WAMC’s Dave Lucas

In asking the Court of Appeals to hear Dutrow's case, attorney Michael Koenig (KAY'-neg) says it should decide whether the appearance of bias by racing board Chairman John Sabini cost the trainer his right to a fair proceeding over drug violations.

Members of the New York and Pennsylvania National Guards are taking part in Africa's largest air show… more from WAMC’s Dave Lucas.

A New York Air National Guard C-17 Globemaster transport plane from the 105th Airlift Wing based at Steward International Airport at Newburgh left for Pretoria, South Africa on Friday. Other New York National Guard members heading for the air show are leaving on commercial airliners Monday.

The only surviving version of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in Abraham Lincoln's handwriting will be making an 8-city tour of New York this fall. WAMC’s Dave Lucas reports.

The New York State Museum plans to unveil the traveling exhibit to mark the sesquicentennial of the document on Friday at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City.

Lincoln released the preliminary document on Sept. 22, 1862. The official Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves was issued Jan. 1, 1863.

5 of 19 seats on the New York State Parole Board are unfilled - but the Governor's office insists the panel is functioning normally.

Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports

Governor Andrew Cuomo could hand-pick appointees to serve on the board if he replaced two commissioners now serving in expired terms — one selected by Former Gov. George Pataki pick, the other from the David Paterson administration — Cuomo could also fill five vacant seats. Instead, Cuomo decided to save the state money by keeping the board at 14.

School districts across New York are striving to meet the requirements of the state’s new teacher evaluation system, that requires all teachers to get a score and rating come next summer. Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.

 

Two veteran New York Republican senators are waiting out a tense absentee ballot count to see if their landmark votes a year ago to legalize gay marriage cost them their political careers. WAMC’s Dave Lucas explains…

According to unofficial results compiled by The Associated Press, Sen. Stephen Saland (suh-LAND') of Poughkeepsie, who cast the deciding vote for gay marriage, is barely leading Neil DiCarlo. Sen. Roy McDonald is slightly ahead of Kathleen Marchione. It is expected that the counting of thousands of absentee ballots will take days.

A Southern Tier high school has cancelled the rest of its varsity football season because the team doesn't have enough players. WAMC’s Dave Lucas has more…

The superintendent of the Elmira Heights Central School District said Thursday that she didn't believe the Thomas Edison High School Spartans can safely compete.

Edison lost its only two games, the second one called in the third quarter at the coach's request because the Spartans had only 12 healthy players, including two who were cramping up.

A judge has rejected a lawsuit by fellow New York jurists seeking back pay for the 13 years they went without a raise. WAMC’s Dave Lucas reports.

State Supreme Court Justice Richard Braun says he cannot contradict the Court of Appeals, which in 2010 declined to order retroactive pay. The court had ruled the Legislature violated the "separation of powers doctrine" for years by tying judicial pay to proposed legislator raises and other issues.

The Legislature's response was to establish a commission that recommended three years of raises for some 1,300 state judges.