Midday Magazine on WAMC

Some commuters were able to board Metro-North trains this morning and more households and businesses have the lights back on - Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas has more on the Hurricane Recovery effort.
 

Late last month, renowned cyclist and cancer activist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from competitive sport. Mr. Armstrong has repeatedly denied the allegations, and has only tested positive once for a banned substance -- cortisone -- for which he provided a prescription. The prohibited steroid was in a doctor-provided cream used by many riders to treat saddle sores.

Hurricane Sandy's greatest impact in the Empire State affected New York City and much of the watershed area including Westchester, Ulster and Dutchess counties - Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas has an update...

Major flooding along the Hudson River, some areas now receding... New York City the heaviest hit... with severe power and property losses extending up through Westchester and beyond...   

Crystal Payton with FEMA says the agency is in "triage" mode.

As the shadow of a doomsday triad looms over the coming first week in November, this WW-II combat-veteran-turned-commentator is compelled to dwell on an over-riding truth, that any military commanders who have seen war’s effects on the bodies, minds and spirits of combatants must – ever after – become reluctant warriors.  This does not make them more timorous or less diligent in carrying out the savage and frightful actions that combat leadership compels; it does, though, constrain them from committing those they command to needless or foolhardy slaughter.

Governor Cuomo says pre- storm preparations are finished, and he and state officials are now actively monitoring the situation as Hurricane Sandy approaches.  

The governor , speaking at a briefing in New York City,  says he spent the day Sunday touring the state, and he says he and his aides have done all they can at this point to prepare for the storm.

“We are very comfortable with the preparation that has been done all across the state,” said Cuomo, who said his office is coordinating with federal and local officials.

WAMC’s Ian Pickus spoke with Kingston City Clerk Carly Williams about storm preparation and services available for residents.  

Today is the final day of the University at Albany-hosted International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance, which has brought experts and academics from around the world together. WAMC’s Alan Chartock recently spoke with several conference presenters, including Theresa Pardo, Director of the University at Albany Center for Technology in Government, and Dr. Nigel Shadbolt, professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Southampton. Pardo began by describing the aims of the conference.