Dave Lucas

The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct has concluded that a child sex incident that predated his 27 years as an Onondaga County Family Court judge constitutes misconduct that disqualifies Bryan R. Hedges from ever again being a judge. WAMC's Dave Lucas reports.

The commission is recommending permanent removal of Hedges, who resigned in April after learning he was under investigation for the 1972 incident.

A call to Hedges' lawyer wasn't immediately returned. He can appeal the finding.

The former upstate New York school bus monitor whose videotaped bullying by students spurred more than $700,000 in donations to her is using some of the funds to start her own anti-bullying foundation. WAMC's Dave Lucas reports.

The Karen Klein Anti-Bullying Foundation has been established as part of the GiveBack Foundation, which allows individuals to set up foundations online.

According to her page on GiveBack's website, Klein is using $100,000 to start a foundation to support anti-bullying initiatives around the world.

The family of an 11-year-old girl is suing Orange Lakes Resort in Orlando where she was electrocuted by playing mini golf. WAMC's Dave Lucas reports.

The wrongful death lawsuit filed Tuesday in Orlando seeks more than $27 million in damages. Ashton Jojo of Latham, N.Y., was electrocuted June 27 while retrieving a ball from a pond.

The Orlando Sentinel reports the lawsuit also seeks damages for the emotional distress suffered by parents David and Deborah Jojo and their 14-year-old son Donovan.

 A mother and son from Pennsylvania admit they ran an elaborate scam to get $14 million in bogus loans from a New York teacher's credit union.

Richard Hartunian (hahr-TOO'-nee-yihn), the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District in New York, says Scott Lonzinski of Clifford Township and his mother, 46-year-old Laura Conarton of Great Bend, pleaded guilty to felony bank fraud.

Two Pennsylvania-based health systems plan to tap the electronic records of their patients to study possible effects of living near gas wells drilled in the Marcellus Shale region. WAMC’s Dave Lucas reports.

The Elmira Star-Gazette reports Guthrie Health and Geisinger Health Systems are in the early stages of planning the research into how people might be affected by wells, some using hydraulic fracturing. The technology known as "fracking" involves pumping large volumes of water and chemicals into the ground to free gas.

This week, many of the nation's leaders in STEM education are heading for Mt. Kisco-based company "It’s About Time"... Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports

The New York Attorney General's office has sent letters to 10 upstate counties telling them to accommodate Spanish-speaking voters from Puerto Rico as required by federal law. Hudson Valley Bureau Chief  Dave Lucas reports

According to the Associated Press, Rockland, Ulster and Montgomery counties are among 10 Upstate counties that were "warned" by the A-G's office to ensure Spanish-speaking  citizens from Puerto Rico can cast votes.

Albany Medical College has received a five-year, $10.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. WAMC's Dave Lucas has details.

Controversy continues in the wake of the TCI chemical fire early this month in West Ghent. Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas has the latest...

Many residents in the vicinity of the burned out TCI facility believe the system of checks and balances failed - and they're looking to government leaders for reassurance - within a day or two after the fire questions were being raised about the way locals were notified about the inferno and the possible contamination dangers from any residue after it was extinguished.

A transportation board has approved a plan to build a new Tappan Zee Bridge. WAMC's Dave Lucas has more.



The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council approved the project on Monday.

The county executives of Westchester, Rockland and Putnam said previously they would vote in favor of the project.

Their vote was crucial for the project to qualify for federal funds.

Under the current plan, the bridge will have a dedicated bus lane during rush hours.