State News

Schenectady Man dragged by Amtrak train dies

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - Authorities in upstate New York are investigating the death of an Amtrak passenger apparently dragged by a train after being kicked off for drunkenness. Police tell local media that 44-year-old Troy Patrick Zabawczuk (zuh-BAW'-sick) got off the Chicago-bound train for unknown reasons after it arrived in Rochester late Tuesday. They say that when he tried to
Comptroller: State tax collections on the rise

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - In another sign of slow economic recovery in New York's communities, sales tax revenue last year matched or exceeded pre-recession levels of 2008 in most parts of the state, according to a report released Tuesday. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said sales tax collections grew by 5 percent last year, raising that revenue in many parts of
Comptroller: NY sales tax collections on the rise

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - In another sign of slow economic recovery in New York's communities, sales tax revenue last year matched or exceeded pre-recession levels of 2008 in most parts of the state, according to a report released Tuesday. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said sales tax collections grew by 5 percent last year, raising that revenue in many parts
Lost hiker rescued from NY's highest peak

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) - A 58-year-old Saratoga Springs man is recovering after a frigid night on New York's highest peak. Dave Winchell of the Department of Environmental Conservation says forest rangers found Stephen Mastaitis (ma-STAY'-this) near the top of Mount Marcy at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Mastaitis was hoisted into a hovering helicopter and flown to Adirondack Medical Center
NYPD monitored Muslim students all over Northeast

NEW YORK (AP) - A review of documents obtained by The Associated Press finds that New York City police went far beyond the city limits in their Muslim surveillance programs. Police checked websites run by Muslim student groups at 16 colleges in the Northeast, including Yale. They talked with local authorities about professors in Buffalo and even sent an
Governor: New plan to reduce gun violence

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence across the State. The initiative includes leveraging $2 million to develop community specific anti-gun violence strategies, launching a targeted advertising campaign, supporting effective community based violence intervention programs, and creating a toll-free tip line to encourage citizens to report illegal firearm possession. "For too long, urban communities
First Niagara expects May completion of HSBC deal

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - First Niagara Bank expects its $1 billion purchase of HSBC Bank's upstate New York branches to be completed by mid-May and is making plans to consolidate 35 locations where First Niagara and HSBC have buildings within a mile or two of each other. Buffalo-based First Niagara says 19 of those 35 are HSBC branches that will
Congress ends payroll tax cut fight

WASHINGTON (AP) - The GOP-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate have both passed legislation renewing a payroll tax cut for 160 million workers and jobless benefits for millions more, in a rare showing of Washington bipartisanship. That sends the measure to the White House for Obama to sign into law, providing the president with a political victory in this election
Government panel favors some WTC cancer claims

NEW YORK (AP) - A government panel favors expanding an aid program for people sickened by World Trade Center dust to include people who have at least some types of cancer. Congress has set aside billions of dollars to compensate and treat people suffering from illnesses potentially caused by the clouds of soot and smoke released on Sept. 11,
Teachers Union: Deal reached on teacher evaluations

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York's 700 public school districts will have a blueprint for a new system of teacher evaluations on Thursday, according to the president of the state's largest teachers union and two officials close to the negotiations. New York State United Teachers President Richard Iannuzzi said the deal will be good for teachers as well as students,