WeatherWhen is spring? We consulted birds, flowers, trees and scienceSpring may be closer than it feels — here are the natural clues you might be missing.By Julie Zhu
NewsRed-flag fire warning in place from Glens Falls to PoughkeepsieThe National Weather Service has announced a fire warning will go into effect Thursday at noon amid a statewide burn ban.By Jesse Taylor
New York GovernmentBlakeman sues state board after being denied public campaign fundsGOP candidate Bruce Blakeman sued New York’s Public Campaign Finance Board after it denied his bid for millions in matching funds.By Timothy Fanning
NewsHouse committees request IRS review nonprofits’ election activitiesLeaders of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party want the tax agency to scrutinize foreign influence and nonprofits.By Emilie Munson
NewsTonko: Trump's threats 'genocidal talk from an unhinged madman'U.S. Rep. Paul D. Tonko is calling for President Donald J. Trump to be impeached for what he described in a Tuesday news release as "genocidal talk from an unhinged madman."By Capitol Bureau
New York GovernmentTrucking industry supports Hochul's proposed insurance reformsNew York truckers say soaring insurance costs strain businesses as Hochul proposes reforms aimed at lowering premiums and increasing competition.By Alexander MacDougall
New YorkDemocrats pass state budget extender as discussions stallThat spending will keep state workers paid and agencies in operation as Democrats hammer out what's expected to be a state budget valued at more than $262 billion in the coming weeks.By Dan Clark
New York GovernmentState Health Department workers face gas scares at aging officeState health workers in Albany say repeated gas scares at 875 Central Ave. have fueled calls for remote work.By Timothy Fanning
New York GovernmentConstantino, Smullen say they have petitions to be in GOP primaryRudy Giuliani endorses Anthony Constantino in NY-21, boosting his GOP primary bid against party-backed Assemblyman Robert Smullen.By Alexander MacDougall
New YorkHochul's plan to curb car insurance costs divides DemocratsHochul’s proposed changes would overhaul how litigation seeking damages after a car crash is handled in state courts.By Dan Clark
New York Government'Like a house of cards': NY seeks to rein in prediction marketsA New York legal fight over Kalshi could reshape prediction markets nationwide, with regulators weighing gambling laws, federal oversight and billions in industry stakes.By Alexander MacDougall
NewsHigh-potency marijuana is sending more youth to the ERAn investigation into how high-potency cannabis products and regulatory loopholes in New York are driving a surge in youth health crisis even as society treats marijuana as harmless.By Grace Jiang
MarijuanaNew York’s cannabis treatment gap grows as youth exposure surgesIn New York, admissions for cannabis have dropped 50% in eight years, pediatricians are poorly trained to identify the problem, emergency departments lack linkage programs for young cannabis users.By Grace Jiang
New York GovernmentReport: Arts growth is strong, but funding gaps threaten NY“Creative Spark” study shows Capital Region arts are expanding but warns that unstable support, low wages and budget cuts could stall progress.By Steve Barnes
NewsLegal advocates decry conditions at maximum-security women’s prisonAdvocates from 30 organizations described “dangerous and deteriorating” conditions at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility.By Nora Mishanec
New York Government'Performative' or influential? When protesters get arrestedArrests at the New York Capitol spotlight how immigration and climate protesters are trying to sway budget talks.By Timothy Fanning
New York GovernmentFormer PEF president dies from injuries sustained in car crashRoger Benson, a former three-term president with the Public Employees Federation, died this week from injuries he sustained in a car crash in Colonie on March 20.By Brendan J. Lyons
NewsICE arrests spiked in New York from November to JanuaryICE arrested more people in New York from November to January than any other time since 2022. Arrests took place across the state from New York City courthouses to the Canadian border.By Emilie Munson and Timothy Fanning
NewsJudge halts parts of Kingston rent control amid landlord challengeThe temporary restraining order paused lease renewals in rent-stabilized units while keeping rent caps and eviction protections during the latest lawsuit.By Phillip Pantuso
NewsThe long list of judges who faced misconduct investigations in New YorkFrom a judge who said Black teens should be shot to another who said all defendants in court are guilty, New York's Commission on Judicial Conduct has no shortage of work.By Mike Goodwin and Daniel Roberts
Chris ChurchillChurchill: Hochul and the Democrats may put wind in Blakeman's sailsBlakeman and five other gubernatorial candidates were denied public funding on a deviously imposed technicality.By Chris Churchill
New YorkPolice arrest Cohoes teacher charged with raping teenage studentDrake Galarneau, who taught ninth-grade English, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Albany County Court, where he faced charges that accuse him of raping a student. By Brendan J. Lyons and Tyler A. McNeil
New YorkWith 400,000 losing health coverage, NY lawmakers pitch fixState Budget Director Blake Washington said such an idea wasn’t off the table as part of state budget talks.By Dan Clark
New York GovernmentTypo prompted reduced refunds for more than 50K NY tax returnsMore than 50,000 resident taxpayers who filed early this year got a bit of scare this tax season when a typo resulted in reduced refunds or even demands for more money before the error was...By Alexander MacDougall
NewsTrump administration agrees to keep flying rainbow Pride flag at New York’s Stonewall monumentThe Trump administration has agreed to keep flying a rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument, reversing course after removing the banner in February. The government revealed the...
NewsAt 100 days rally, Mamdani celebrates and charts a course toward city-run grocery storesNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani rallied to celebrate 100 days in office, boosting his early accomplishments and charting future goals as he pledged to lead with a relentless focus on the city’s...
BusinessTribal gas stations offer a reprieve from high prices during Iran warGas prices are still rising due to the Iran war but drivers are saving by fueling up at tribally owned gas stations. Especially in California, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Washington state,...
NewsFormer US Rep. Eliot Engel, who worked on foreign affairs for decades, dies at 79Former U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel, a New York Democrat who chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, has died at 79. His family said he passed away Friday at a Bronx hospital due to complications...
NewsJury reaches no verdict on first day deliberating at Live Nation ticket monopoly trialA jury has finished its first day of deliberations without reaching a verdict in a civil case pitting 34 states against the concert giant Live Nation Entertainment. The states argue that the...
Here is how New Yorkers spend their day –– and how it differs from other statesExplore how New Yorkers allocate their time across work, commuting, household tasks, sports and exercise, leisure and more, compared with people outside the state.By Julie Zhu
NY loses billions as wealthy, working-age residents head for the exitsIn 2022, New York lost billions of dollars in taxable income from residents leaving the state, trailing only California in most revenue lost, recent IRS data shows.By Emilie Munson
Blakeman campaign denied matching funds by Dems on campaign boardThe Public Campaign Finance Board denied Bruce Blakeman matching funds after a rule change staff failed to clearly communicate to campaigns.By Timothy Fanning
Lobbying firm hired by Albany mayor backed her campaignBrown & Weinraub executives and families donated thousands to Applyrs' campaign. Firm also set up valuable expenditure account to support candidacy. By Brendan J. Lyons and Patrick Tine
Local government groups say Tier 6 changes must be state-fundedThe municipal advocacy organizations say the state must pay for any Tier 6 pension changes or risk higher taxes, cuts and layoffs.By Timothy Fanning
Hochul's lead over Blakeman narrows in race for governorIt was independent voters that helped give Blakeman a boost in recent weeks.By Dan Clark
Albany mayor hires city's first lobbyist for state policy affairsMayor Dorcey Applyrs earlier this month hired Albany lobbying firm Brown & Weinraub Advisors to “provide legislative and regulatory representation in New York state.”By Brendan J. Lyons
NY disputes $700K in legal fees for Cuomo's former secretaryMelissa DeRosa’s legal team continued attending depositions and filing briefs in sex harassment case after she was dismissed as a defendant, running up $700K in costs billed to New York.By Brendan J. Lyons
Unreleased state report calls for more research into chronic LymeA state working group completed recommendations for fighting tick-borne diseases, but they remain unreleased after three years. The Times Union obtained a copy.By Roger Hannigan Gilson
Santa's Workshop owner accused of pressuring woman for sexAn owner of upstate attractions like Santa’s Workshop is accused of attempting to coerce a prospective tenant into sex. Past lawsuits say Douglas Waterbury spent decades sexually harassing women.By H.R. Schneider
Will fixing NY's Tier 6 pension boost hiring? Probably not.Proposed Tier 6 pension changes could raise costs for Albany and other local municipalities, many already facing deficits.By Timothy Fanning
Lawmakers resist but may be open to amending Climate ActChanges to the Climate Act are a sticking point in finalizing the state budget which is likely to be completed late. By Ezra Bitterman
Did New York blow $10 million on reading instruction that doesn’t work?Literacy experts warn the state’s teacher training contains errors and outdated approaches that could sabotage a move to evidence-based instruction.By Steven Yoder
Dylan Hewitt, citing rigged system, ends North Country House bidGrassroots Democrat exits North Country congressional race, saying he lacks funds to compete for U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik’s seat.By Timothy Fanning
Albany diocese offers $148M to settle hundreds of sex abuse casesThe proposed deal must be approved by a victims committee and a bankruptcy judge; litigation against the diocese's insurers could continue.By Brendan J. Lyons
Hunters killed record number of bears last year outside AdirondacksThe black bear hunting record reflects how well the animals are established in the Hudson Valley and Southern Tier.By Nora Mishanec
Congresswoman asks IRS to probe illegal nonprofit electioneeringAfter a Times Union investigation, NY elections officials issued a new warning, a city auditor has launched a probe and candidates and nonprofits have begun refunding donations.By Emilie Munson
Churchill: For Dorcey Applyrs, the honeymoon is overDorcey Applyrs largely spent the first 11 weeks of her term on a positivity kick; last week, the vibe changed as she revealed that the city faces a $15 million budget gap that could grow.By Chris Churchill
New York's top IRS special agent shares tips to avoid tax fraudAs the deadline to submit taxes draws near, the special agent in charge of the New York branch of the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation division shares some advice. By Alexander MacDougall
Saratoga nonprofit leading paradigm shift for people with disabilitiesThe goal of the program is to release people with disabilities from restrictive guardianships by letting them make their own decisions.By Wendy Liberatore
