NEWS & INFO

Governor Kathy Hochul is encouraging New York families to take advantage of the state’s newly expanded child tax credit as the 2026 tax filing season officially begins. The refundable benefit, known as the Empire State Child Credit (ESCC), can be used to reduce a taxpayer’s bill or be paid out directly as a refund. “The Empire State Child Credit delivers a vital financial boost to New York families,” Hochul said. “Now, after the largest expansion of the credit in New York his

Local businessman, community leader and Niagara Falls Board of Education member Russ Petrozzi today announced he will run for Niagara County Legislator this November in the 5th district. The seat is currently held by Legislator Chris Robins, who announced he will not seek re-election. Petrozzi plans to seek the Republican and Conservative lines. “I have a long career in serving this community and I want to continue doing that as a legislator where I think I can have a signifi

The operating season at Niagara Pumpkin Farm may be over, but tensions between the farm’s owners and the Town of Lewiston continue to escalate following the town board’s decision to impose a six-month moratorium on seasonal attractions. Kyle and Alisha King, who own the Niagara Pumpkin Farm at 5368 Townline Road, say the town has repeatedly changed requirements even after they complied with prior conditions, making it nearly impossible to plan for future seasons. Their frustr

A new Siena College poll released Tuesday claims Governor Kathy Hochul holds a 20-point advantage over Congresswoman Elise Stefanik in a potential 2026 matchup, placing Hochul at 52–32% among roughly 800 likely voters. The numbers show Hochul’s favorability has dropped five points since September. The poll has prompted renewed criticism from Republicans who argue Siena’s surveys consistently lean toward Democrats and fail to capture right-leaning voter enthusiasm. The critiqu

Rep. Elise Stefanik is blasting Governor Kathy Hochul after word got out that she plans to shut down additional state correctional facilities, including Bare Hill Correctional Facility and parts of Collins Correctional Facility. The announcement comes as Hochul works to raise money for her reelection effort, weeks before the holiday season, and shortly after hitching her wagon to democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. Stefanik said she and other lawmakers have already been cont

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is facing renewed political pressure after her former deputy chief of staff, Linda Sun, was charged with secretly operating as an agent of the Chinese government while serving in senior roles under both Hochul and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, are now at the center of a federal case where prosecutors say both operated to aid the Communist Party of China. According to federal filings, Sun is accused of using her acc

A private dinner inside the White House turned into a strategy session this week as some of the most influential figures in American finance met with President Donald Trump to discuss one issue dominating the room: how to blunt incoming New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s economic plans. According to The Telegraph, the Wednesday night gathering brought together a long list of billionaire CEOs - many of whom rarely appear in the same room - because of rising concerns th

New York’s move toward an all-electric future has been abruptly put on hold after Governor Kathy Hochul agreed to delay the rollout of the state’s landmark building-electrification mandate. The reversal undermines her own climate promises on legislation she supported. The law, passed in 2023 and billed as a cornerstone of the state’s emissions-reduction strategy, was supposed to take effect January 1st. It would have required most newly constructed residential buildings under

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is already making waves, and not in ways that reassure those worried about the city’s economy. Instead of focusing on the financial and public-safety crises facing New York, Mamdani has turned his attention to Starbucks, calling on New Yorkers to stop buying from the coffee chain while baristas remain on strike. On Thursday evening, Mamdani announced on X that he would not support the company during the labor dispute, writing, “Starbuc

New York’s already-strained business environment may become even more hostile as Governor Kathy Hochul is now considering raising corporate taxes to deal with a looming budget gap, according to a person familiar with internal discussions. The possibility has alarmed business owners and fiscal analysts who argue that a tax increase would accelerate the ongoing exodus of employers fleeing the state’s high-cost economy. The governor’s office has not announced any formal plan, bu

Governor Kathy Hochul is facing mounting backlash after her administration approved a long-delayed natural gas pipeline through New York Harbor — a project that had been rejected multiple times in previous years over environmental concerns. More than 200 demonstrators gathered outside Hochul’s New York City office on Tuesday to protest the decision, condemning the state’s approval of the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline. The project, spearheaded by energy companie

New York Governor Kathy Hochul could be heading for a bruising re-election battle in 2026 as a new statewide poll shows her Republican challenger, Rep. Elise Stefanik, within striking distance in what has long been considered a safely Democratic state. According to a recent survey conducted by J.L. Partners, Stefanik holds a commanding lead among likely Republican primary voters and is statistically tied with Hochul in a general election matchup. The poll found that 74% of GO

A new analysis has delivered troubling news for New Yorkers hoping to enjoy their retirement years without financial stress. The Empire State ranks among the worst places in the nation to retire. According to a recent report by Retirement Living, New York came in 49th overall, making it the second-worst state in America for retirees. The study evaluated all 50 states using a 100-point scoring system based on three major categories: quality of life (60 points), affordability (

New York Attorney General Letitia James has formally asked a federal judge to throw out the mortgage fraud case brought against her, arguing the prosecution is rooted in political retaliation driven by President Donald Trump. In a filing submitted Friday, James’ legal team portrayed the charges as a personal vendetta. The motion recounts years of hostile public remarks made by Trump following James’ civil lawsuit against him and the Trump Organization. According to the motion

New York Attorney General Letitia James suffered a legal setback on October 31st when a federal judge denied her attempt to force prosecutors to keep a detailed record of their media contacts in her federal mortgage fraud prosecution. James’ legal team filed the motion last week, citing reports that U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan exchanged encrypted Signal messages with a journalist about the case. Defense attorney Abbe Lowell sought a court order requiring prosecutors to log

Governor Kathy Hochul continues to plead financial hardship for New York even as newly released state fiscal reports show another massive surge in tax collections — nearly $3 billion above what her own budget office projected for the first half of the fiscal year. The unexpected boost pushes expected revenue to about $259 billion, which means NYS will take in $2.6 billion more than Hochul initially claimed she had to work with. Despite the influx, Hochul’s administration insi

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is now publicly backing Mayor Eric Adams’ push to add 5,000 officers to the NYPD, and he’s using the proposal to sharpen attacks on democratic socialist mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani whose long record of anti-police rhetoric is proving politically toxic. Cuomo, speaking about the city’s officer shortage, said the hiring spike is needed just to return policing to a functional level. “We're losing police officers at one of the highest rate

Governor Kathy Hochul’s political missteps continue to snowball, this time igniting fury within her own party after she endorsed self-described socialist Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor. It's a move that even fellow Democrats have privately called disastrous. Representative Elise Stefanik, who has long branded Hochul as “the worst governor in America,” said Democrats across the state are now privately expressing regret for backing the embattled governor and are eager t

New York Attorney General Letitia James, recently indicted on federal charges, is making headlines again. While warning New Yorkers to “beware of sham charities” in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the Attorney General is simultaneously urging supporters to donate to her own legal defense fund as she faces mounting criminal and political fallout. Last week, James issued a public statement cautioning residents to vet hurricane relief efforts for potential scams. “As New Yor

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, is facing new scrutiny after a watchdog group filed two criminal referrals alleging his campaign took unlawful donations from foreign nationals. The Coolidge Reagan Foundation submitted complaints to both the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office asserting Mamdani’s campaign may have violated provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act as well as New York elect