Jeffrey Pearlman, the head of the state Authorities Budget Office since 2016, has been nominated to the Court of Claims by Governor Hochul, who he previously worked for.

Jeff, who is a former Senate staffer, is scheduled for a Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Wednesday.

Good luck Joe!

Moving the Triple Crown Belmont Stakes thoroughbred race from Belmont Park to Saratoga Springs this Saturday is expected shower a gusher of cash into this upstate tourist town.
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Some environmentalists say ending the obligation to serve for gas is the top priority and has to be included in any NY HEAT compromise...

Key Assembly Democrats do not seem comfortable with this idea, so it's difficult to see a compromise this session.

At least one municipality in NY and several on the West Coast are saying 'No new gas stations,' as a way to encourage the shift to EVs. But will it work?
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If Gov. Kathy Hochul signs the law, those ubiquitous foam/polystyrene beach coolers that come out every summer will be a thing of the past in 2026 here in New York.
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For the first time in 6 years covering the Great Barrington town meeting for WAMC News , I was told I had to be on an approved list to enter. There was no prior warning. After moderator Michael Wise let me in, he told me the measure due to fear of 'outside agitators' from EMass.

A longtime maker of window shades and blinds in the Albany, NY area is closing in order to consolidate in other locations.
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Another upstate college is closing, with one week's notice via Kathleen Moore timesunion.com/education/arti… via @TimesUnion

The Federal Trade Commission last week said it was banning non-compete clauses, but the issue is already being contested in court. Employers and employees nationwide are trying to gauge how the ruling will impact them.
timesunion.com/business/artic…

Large battery arrays are seen as way to bridge the periods when the sun isn't shining or wind isn't blowing. This is important as more and more solar and wind farms come on line, displacing fossil fuel power plants.
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'It's out,' says Assemblymember Helene Weinstein on the Assembly floor when asked about gas transition/NY HEAT measure in the budget. “It’s a very complex issue so we won’t be dealing with it in this budget.”

This upstate NY truck buyer loved his EV pickup until it stopped running. But the manufacturer took it off his hands at no cost to him. EV truck makers are trying hard to avoid having unhappy customers on their hands.
timesunion.com/business/artic…

EPA mandates that PFAS chemicals, like those found in the water in Hoosick Falls, must be removed.

“The extraordinary move from EPA mandates that water providers reduce (PFAS) to near-zero levels.” via @NYTimes nytimes.com/2024/04/10/cli…

Even long-tenured professors and others at the soon -to-be-closed College of Saint Rose will apparently get no severance pay or health coverage. Administrators say they are out of cash.
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The eclipse will mean a business boom in Northern NY which is normally quiet during this time of year, at the end of ski season and before summer.
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Perhaps the best last line of a column in the history of the Times Union.

Big snowstorm followed by rapid melt will make for messy/dangerous road and trail conditions in the #Adirondacks for #Eclipse2024 . Officials clearly worried. Seeing a ton of social media from people planning to climb/hike Monday. Hope warnings are heeded. governor.ny.gov/news/governor-…

Our cats went berserk

A quick thinking bank teller and some alert police officers in Cohoes, NY helped bring down what had been a national-scale identity theft ring that was emptying the accounts of credit union customers. They exploited a flaw in the system.
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