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From NCPR Blogs:

  Ailsa Chang’s NPR profile of New York Senator — and former North Country congresswoman — Kirsten Gillibrand is getting panned on-line and apparently edited by NPR’s on-line crew. Chang’s report cast Sen....
It was a newsy week in the world of agriculture, so here are seven good reads to keep you busy this weekend: The Farm Bill passed both the House and Senate Agriculture committees this week, and are likely to get hearings on the floors of their...
I’ve been as captivated as anyone by the sudden burgeoning of scandal in Washington. Until this month, the Obama administration seemed to skate almost effortlessly above the morass that eventually sucks up most White Houses, from Richard...
The Senate Agriculture committee passed a nearly $100 billion a year Farm Bill this afternoon, 15-5. One of the Senators who voted against it was New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, who’s leading a fight to restore all of the $400 million...
Let me outline what we know so far about the attacks on US embassy staff last September that led to the deaths of four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. First, it’s a big deal. There are strong indications — and the US...



Politics
May 19, 2013 — Controversies dominated this past week's political headlines, leaving the Obama White House on the defensive, trying to contain any lasting damage. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mara Liasson.
May 19, 2013 — The IRS has admitted it flagged tax-exemption requests from groups with "Tea Party" or "Patriot" in their names starting in 2010. But some liberal groups and journalism organizations say their applications also faced long delays during the same period.
May 19, 2013 — The Model S from electric car manufacturer Tesla has been named Motor Trend Car of the Year. But the company's business model is under attack by a formidable foe: the National Automobile Dealers Association, one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington.
May 18, 2013 — NPR's Ari Shapiro joins host Scott Simon to talk about the Obama administration's week. The president was buffeted by revelations that the IRS had targeted Tea Party groups seeking tax-exempt status and that the Justice Department had subpoenaed reporter phone records. On top of that, Republicans continue to allege that the White House engaged in a cover-up of talking points about the attack in Benghazi, Libya.
May 18, 2013 — NPR's Peter Overby reports on the Congressional testimony of IRS officials in response to the scandal over special scrutiny of tea party groups. Underneath all the politics, there's a policy question that hasn't been addressed.

Voter Resources

Project Sunlight: Track lobbying activities, member item spending and other legislation in New York. An initiative of the NYS Office of the Attorney General.

League of Women Voters DemocracyNet: Great one-stop election resource.

NYS Board of Elections Campaign Finance Database: Enter the last name of any candidate in New York to find out where the money comes from and where it's going.

Open Secrets: Campaign finance information broken down by industry, region, etc., for mostly federal politicans. An excellent starting point for following
money in politics.

Special Reports

heather root
Audio Slideshow:
Adirondack teens talk democracy
Face of Democracy is a national program that gives students an inside view of the democratic process by sending out to polling places to interview and photograph voters and officials. Sue Halpern, project organizer, talks with Brian Mann
faso cartoon
Cartoon Special:
Editorial cartoonist Mark Wilson Covers the NYS Party Conventions
Mark Wilson, aka Marquil, is a political cartoonist covering the 2006 New York State party conventions for NCPR. His sketches and caricatures bring the arcana of state politics to life.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Lake Placid.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Lake Placid.

Cuomo details local gov't bailout plan

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is turning his attention to a previously announced plan to help communities in financial distress.

The governor is offering more details of his plan to set up a restructuring panel to help local governments on the brink of insolvency. He's also putting some money behind the plan...according to the Associated Press, $80 million.

Cuomo says his proposed financial restructuring panel will help local governments in distress merge and consolidate services, possibly lay off more workers and to permanently restructure operations.  Go to full article
The Vermont State Capitol. Photo: <a href"http://www.flickr.com/photos/afagen/8395548101/">Adam Fagen</a>, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Vermont lawmakers pass end-of life legislation

Vermont lawmakers passed end-of life legislation last night. The House approved the Senate's new version of the bill, 75-65. The bill would allow doctors to give terminally ill patients who wish to end their lives medicine that hastens the dying process. Oregon, Washington, and Montana have similar laws.

The bill will now go to Governor Peter Shumlin's desk for his signature. He has said he supports the measure.  Go to full article
Photo: <a href-" http://www.flickr.com/photos/ragingwire/5873815259/">ragingwire</a>, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

How NYS casino development could affect New Yorkers' health

Governor Andrew Cuomo has outlined plans to expand organized gaming in the state, arguing the addition of three casinos in upstate New York would bring substantial economic benefits to the region.

"We have gaming. The question really is, should we recognize the reality of our situation, and fully participate in casinos and gaming, and actually regulate it intelligently and tie it into our overall tourism efforts."

But, casino development has other implications including, as researchers have discovered, a significant impact on health.  Go to full article
Thousand Islands border crossing. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/friscocali/5066698146/">Friscocali</a>, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

US won't move forward with Canada border fee, North Country relieved

Leaders on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border are pleased that the U.S. isn't moving forward on a border crossing fee.

The Department of Homeland Security...  Go to full article
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver shares the podium with farmworker rights activist Kerry Kennedy. Photo: Karen DeWitt

Lawmakers carry on despite scandals

Lawmakers in Albany tried to carry on as usual in the wake of one of the worst scandals in recent decades. Recent corruption arrests have overshadowed most other news coming...  Go to full article
OK Slip Falls in summer. Photo: C. Heilman, courtesy Adirondack Nature Conservancy

Adirondack Park Agency will hear from public on how to use new lands

The Adirondack Park Agency has drafted seven options for classifying 47,000 acres of state land in the central Adirondacks, including the first phase of former Finch, Pruyn...  Go to full article
Vito Lopez, speaking on a bill in New York's Assembly. Photo: <a href="http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Vito-J-Lopez/">New York State Assembly</a>

Will the ethics report on the Lopez scandal be released this month?

The state ethics commission report on the Assemblyman Vito Lopez sexual harassment scandal might finally be made public later this month.  Go to full article
Casino gaming sites in New York. Photo: NY Governor's Office

Cuomo details upstate NY casino plans

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, joined by union and business leaders, and representatives from county governments, offered more details of a plan to build three new gambling casinos. ...  Go to full article

Earlier bar closing raises issues of safety, religion

The Essex County Board of Supervisors has approved a measure that changes last call for bars and nightclubs from 4 am to 3 am.

The resolution moved through two...  Go to full article
The New York State Senate chamber. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/-jvl-/5194328403/">JvL</a>, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Nine more NY Senators named for possible corruption

Nine more names of State Senators and others potentially involved in corruption were made public Wednesday, when a judge ordered prosecutors in the case of convicted...  Go to full article

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