By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) Americans were more optimistic about their incomes and personal finances this month, particularly among lower and middle-class households, lifting consumers’ outlook. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index, released Wednesday, rose to 91.3 in November from 90 in the previous month. That is close to the […]

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York conservation officials are the deaths of birds found along the shores of Lake Ontario since mid-October. The Department of Environmental Conservation says preliminary examination indicates type E botulism is the likely cause. Further testing is being done. Similar deaths have occurred in fish-eating waterfowl and other birds on Lake Ontario […]

On Monday, Governor Cuomo announced two new efforts to enhance the New York State's ability to fight terrorism. The new "See Something, Send Something" campaign encourages New Yorkers to report suspicious activity through a simple mobile app on their smart phone. Additionally, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will hire 46 more Police Officers to increase counterterrorism […]

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York will give patients with certain serious illnesses faster access to medical marijuana under legislation signed Wednesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo while the state works out the details of its full medical cannabis program. The measure will create an expedited approval process for people facing degenerative […]

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York state will require physicians to complete an educational course before they can authorize medical marijuana for patients an unusual mandate not applied to other new drugs or seen in other states with medical marijuana programs. State officials say the 41/2-hour, $250-online course will inform doctors about a complex drug treatment […]

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) Stronger laws on sexual harassment, domestic violence, sex trafficking, pay equity and pregnancy discrimination are now on the books in New York. The bills, which were signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, are part of a legislative package known in Albany as the women’s equality […]

By MICHAEL VIRTANEN Associated Press ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  U.S. gunfire killings have reached a crisis and voters should demand every candidate for Congress or president answer what they'd do about it, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. Cuomo pushed through new firearm restrictions in New York in January 2013, a month after 20 children […]

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York does a good job of investing in public parks and solid waste but must improve efforts to modernize its sewers, bridges and roads, according to a new analysis of the state's infrastructure. The report card from the New York chapter of the American Society of […]

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has assembled a panel of educators, lawmakers and parents to review the Common Core learning standards and the way schoolchildren are tested on them. Cuomo has been critical of the state's rollout of the standards and earlier this month promised a review and changes. On Monday, he […]

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) The water main burst early on a Monday morning, cutting off water service to a high school and forcing administrators to cancel class. Once his team dug it up, Henry Rosado could tell the age of the cast-iron pipe with one look. “It’s from the ‘40s,’’ said Rosado, whose job leading a […]