New York News

By Allison Dunne

Poughkeepsie, NY – New York's Lieutenant Governor stopped in three counties to drum up support for passage of anti-terrorism legislation. She says the state assembly is to blame for bickering about new penalties for those who launder money and provide financial support to terrorists. One of the Hudson Valley's assemblymen also supports the bill. However, civil liberties advocates see problems on a broader scale. WAMC's Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne reports.

By Pat Bradley

Burlington, VT – More than 400 people were in Burlington, Vermont through the weekend to attend an economic development conference. Its focus was on sustainable development, and it was held in Burlington because of the city's reputation for green policies. More from North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley.

By Kelly Wilkinson

Boston, MA – Next week, the Democratic National Convention in Boston kicks off. Today, a grassroots political group announced they'll conduct recruiting and training sessions for as many as three thousand people during the convention. As WAMC's Berkshire Bureau Chief Kelly Wilkinson reports, both parties are devoting major time and money to building their grassroots campaigns.

By Allison Dunne

Newburgh, NY – There are reports of a recruiting decline in the Air National Guard. This comes at a time when guard members and reservists have been called to duty since the beginning of the month. In the Hudson Valley, the Air National Guard is bucking the national trend, with recruitment and retention numbers on the rise. Meanwhile, an area reservist with the Army National Guard says it is namely the soldiers who can tell the truth about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Allison Dunne has a look.

By Pat Bradley

Albany, NY – New York State's top environmental groups have issued a report card on the Legislature's action on five priority bills. The groups gave the Legislature a failing grade after lawmakers ended the regular session without passing any of the five main issues environmentalists were pushing this year. More from North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley.

By Kelly Wilkinson

Pownal, VT – A horse racing track in the southwest corner of Vermont is on the verge of being sold. Locals have kept an eye on the empty track for years, as different potential uses and ideas were floated in the community. As WAMC's Berkshire Bureau Chief Kelly Wilkinson reports, what happens next could have regional implications.

By Allison Dunne

Margaretville, NY – A coalition of environmental groups that opposes a private developer's Belleayre Resort project, is clarifying its position on New York State's Belleayre Ski Center. The reason for the explanation is to allay the concerns of a group that supports the ski center's expansion, a group that does not want any plans for the ski center to be mixed in with Crossroads Ventures' proposed Belleayre Resort at Catskill Park. WAMC's Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne continues her report on the issue.

By Pat Bradley

Albany, NY – Eleven bodies of water in New York State have been added to the Health Department's sportfishing advisory due to mercury contamination. The New York State Health Department issues advisories not to eat, or to limit consumption of fish, from specific bodies of water when tests show mercury contamination. While health and environmental advocates are glad the state has added the waterways to the advisories, they also say more needs to be done. North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley has more.

By Kelly Wilkinson

Springfield, MA – Officials in Springfield, Massachusetts have been waiting to see what kind of money they would receive from the state in a bailout package. The city has a $20 million gap in its budget. But lawmakers and the governor have had different ideas about how much to give Springfield. WAMC's Berkshire Bureau Chief Kelly Wilkinson reports there's finally a conclusion.

By Allison Dunne

New Paltz, NY – On a day when U.S. Senate members prevented passage of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, two New York ministers celebrated a legal victory. The two Unitarian Universalist ministers that were cleared Tuesday of criminal charges for marrying same-sex couples without a license, say their win will carry over into discrimination battles across the nation. Meanwhile, their attorney had stern words for district attorney in the case. WAMC's Allison Dunne has this report.