WAMC Northeast Report on WAMC

Meteorologist Garett Argianas delivers the evening forecast for Thursday, May 21, 2013.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo held a cabinet meeting this afternoon at the state capitol.   Issues discussed included jobs, education reform, drunk driving laws, pistol permits, and perhaps inevitably on the same day Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez resigned his seat, ethics. Cuomo says corruption is rampant throughout government and society, and telegraphed the idea people are accustomed to it.

All of the top elected positions in northern New York’s largest city are up for grabs in the November election. The Republican Mayor of Plattsburgh announced in April that he would not run for reelection. And none of the incumbent members of the city’s Common Council will run to return to their seats on that governing body.

A community forum focused on biking in the Northern Berkshires was recently held, where panelists discussed the challenges and future for expanding the potential for biking in the region.

Jonathan Butler, Adams Town Administrator, said that that the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail – an 11.2 mile railroad corridor turned bike path that runs from Lanesborough up through Adams – has had an impact on the town’s economy that he calls “nothing short of significant”.

Faced with the possibility of being expelled from the state legislature as soon as next week, State Assemblyman Vito Lopez, a Democrat from Brooklyn, today said he would resign on June 20th at the end of the legislative session and run for a seat on the New York City Council. 

The owner of a crude oil pipeline that runs between Maine and Montreal, crossing a portion of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, wants Vermont environmental regulators to reconsider a ruling that determined if the company seeks to transport tar sands oil in the pipeline, it must receive approval under Vermont’s environmental review law know as Act 250.

Several elected officials have raised concerns over the past few months about a proposed utility merger in the Hudson Valley. Among them is U.S. Senator Charles Schumer.  And now top executives of the two companies have responded.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman today announced the indictment of 16 members of a criminal ring that flooded New York City, Albany County and Schenectady County with more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes illegally imported from Virginia.