New York News

The officer who handled sexual assault claims for a New York Air National Guard airlift wing says the unit has promoted abusers instead of punishing them.

Retired Lt. Col. Sharon Dwyer Stepp's claims are made in a letter she sent to Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy. Stepp was the Scotia-based unit's sexual assault prevention and response coordinator from 2006 to 2010. She told The Associated Press she acted because she's "fed up" by the spate of sex scandals roiling the U.S. military.

New York State and Seneca Indian Nation leaders have announced a deal to resolve a long-running dispute over western New York gambling rights and revenue.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Seneca President Barry Snyder said Thursday that $630 million in payments withheld by the tribe after it said the state broke an agreement granting it exclusive gambling rights will be divided up between three cities with Seneca casinos, the state and the tribe.

With barely a week left, Environmental Advocates of New York says the state Senate is ending the session with its worst environmental record in decades.