In two months, President Joe Biden will be heading for the exits. And his would-be heir, Vice President Kamala Harris, will be following him out the door.

As Democrats regroup following this month’s elections, which left them out of power in Washington, many are turning to Brooklyn Rep. Hakeem Jeffries to help forge a path forward and lead their comeback.

Manhattan prosecutors Tuesday opposed efforts by President-elect Trump’s legal team to dismiss his 34-count felony conviction and are asking the judge to freeze the case while Trump serves out his four-year term.

Trump’s election victory has complicated the future of the case, and so did a Supreme Court decision back in July that gave presidents sweeping immunity from criminal prosecution.

The council tasked with reducing New York’s elevated child poverty rate plan to tell legislative leaders to expand the state’s child tax credit to lift low-income families across the state out of poverty.

New York has one of the largest economies in the world, but 18% of children in the state experience poverty — more than in 32 other states, according to the state comptroller's office.

Housing affordability will continue to be a major issue this legislative session. But according to one housing advocate, unless legislation is keenly targeted, rural areas of New York state will continue to lose out on state funding to wealthier urban and suburban communities which are better positioned to scoop up state grant money.

Michael Borges, executive director of the Rural Housing Coalition, shared a story with Capital Tonight of a $7 million grant acquired two years ago with the help of state Sen. Michelle Hinchey, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

A cryptocurrency plant in Central New York can continue operating after a court rejected the state’s effort to shut down the facility, but the debate isn’t over and both sides consider the ruling a victory.

Environmental advocates have been railing against the Greenidge Generation facility for years, alleging the operation works against the state's goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Mayor Eric Adams highlighted the need for more mental health resources at his weekly briefing with reporters Tuesday, following a fatal stabbing spree on Monday.

“This is the failure of our unwillingness to face the problem, address the problem and don’t be so idealistic that we’re not realistic. People need care,” Adams said.

NEW YORK -- New York prosecutors oppose any effort to dismiss President-elect Donald Trump's hush money conviction, but they expressed openness Tuesday to delaying sentencing until after his impending second term.

In a court filing, the Manhattan district attorney's office said Trump's forthcoming presidency isn't grounds for dropping a case that was already tried. But "given the need to balance competing constitutional interests," prosecutors said, "consideration must be given" to potentially freezing the case until after he's out of office.

At a gathering billed as “a fireside chat” with the Partnership for New York City’s Kathryn Wylde and sponsored by Crains New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul shook up the narrative that she’s to blame for congestion pricing. Instead, she said she inherited the issue from former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“I have to clean up the mess,” she told Wylde in front of an audience of business leaders Tuesday in New York City. “I never gravitate toward the easy. I gravitate toward the hard.”

WASHINGTON — House Leader Hakeem Jeffries won reelection Tuesday as the Democratic leader, receiving support from his colleagues despite the party's inability to win back majority control of the chamber in the November election.

Jeffries of New York was chosen during an internal party vote of the House Democrats underway at the Capitol. Most of the Democratic leadership team is expected to be reelected for the new Congress.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Bottle and can redemption centers play a unique role in our local economies, communities and environment, but the owners of some of these facilities say the handling fees they earn from distributors is not enough to offset the rising cost of living.

“We see a lot of containers. We see probably a quarter million containers come through each store every week,” said Steve Rohauer, owner of Abbott Bottle Return and R&R Bottle and Can.

State lawmakers plan to reintroduce a bill next session that would require police to temporarily seize firearms visibly present when they respond to a domestic incident.

Victims of domestic abuse are 400% to 500% more likely to be killed at the hands of their abuser when they have access to a firearm, according to the National Institute of Health.

The New York Power Authority is seeking public comment on a draft plan of their role in expanding the state’s renewable energy portfolio. It is part of the state’s work to meet ambitious climate goals and the expansion of NYPA’s authority was approved in last year’s state budget. The expansion gives NYPA, the largest state public power organization in the nation, the authority to plan and execute renewable projects.

Vennela Yadhati, vice president of renewable project development at NYPA, told Spectrum News 1 the draft plan identifies 40 projects that seek to move the needle.

With a new administration in Washington, drug policy experts are watching carefully who President-elect Donald Trump will nominate for a variety of roles within his cabinet.

Trump’s picks to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, DEA and FDA will affect harm reduction policies, policing and addiction treatment.

Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom providing little details about how the city’s plans to respond to potential mass deportations under the Trump administration on Monday.

“We’re talking to our lawyers right now,” Williams-Isom said. “We’re in conjunction with all people in the administration but like I said to you, I think it’s probably wise to keep some of those plans to ourselves in this period of time as opposed to talking about it because we want to make sure we’re keeping people safe.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Late last week, New York state Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo issued a preliminary injunction which will stop the state from moving forward with its plans to overhaul Buffalo's Kensington Expressway until he makes a final ruling on the merits of a challenge by a community group called the East Side Parkways Coalition.

The ruling comes after Colaicovo previously granted and extended a temporary restraining order. Attorney Adam Walters said the judge appeared to agree with the group's argument the state Department of Transportation was required to conduct a more thorough review called an Environmental Impact Statement it previously bypassed.

Incoming New York Rep. Josh Riley is joining a chorus calling on OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, to rethink its proposed new safety standards for firefighters.

He said he was concerned about the possible impact on New York volunteer firefighters.

The MTA board on Monday voted to approve Gov. Kathy Hochul’s revised congestion pricing plan.

Under the new plan — which the board passed with a 12-1 vote — cars with E-ZPass entering Manhattan south of 60th Street will face a $9 toll, down 40% from the original $15 proposal.

The MTA board will vote Monday on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s revised congestion pricing plan, with MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber saying the program is “ready to go.”

“The MTA board is going to vote today. We're going to pursue the bureaucratic process with the feds, which we have to go through now because there's a tweak to the original tolling structure, and then we're going to get it going on the 5th of January,” Lieber said in an interview on “Mornings On 1.”

New state legislation will allow for greater access to fluoride treatments for pediatric dental patients, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Saturday.

This legislation allows registered dental assistants and licensed practical nurses to apply topical fluoride varnish to teeth.

A cryptocurrency plant in central New York can continue operating after a court rejected the state’s effort to shutter the facility over concerns about its climate impact.

The decision was hailed as a victory by Greenidge Generation, a large-scale crypto mine in the Finger Lakes region that has drawn the ire of environmental groups and watchdogs since it began mining bitcoin four years ago.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tyrell Ford, executive director of Voice Buffalo, a racial justice and equity organization, is also a supporter of the Clean Slate Act, which was passed by the state legislature and signed into law last year.

Certain criminal records will soon be sealed in New York, meaning those who've been incarcerated no longer have to ask their records be sealed and can freely seek employment, housing and educational opportunities.

In a banner year for Republicans nationally, New York Democrats managed to flip three Republican-held congressional seats on Election Day — offering solace and perhaps a path forward for the party as they look to regroup.

The wins came in a state that was a rare black eye for the party just two years earlier. During the 2022 midterms, Republicans picked off a handful of congressional seats across New York, helping them win control of the U.S. House.

New calculations from the state Division of the Budget show that New York will have a cumulative budget gap of $14.3 billion by the year 2028. The agency held what it calls s "quick start" budget meeting Friday afternoon.

The meeting gathers representatives from the state Division of Budget, the state Senate and Assembly and state Comptroller’s office to compare projections.

As lawmakers get back to work in Washington, there are a couple of issues that are front and center for elected officials in the Hudson Valley and Long Island.

The first is congestion pricing, which Gov. Kathy Hochul has reembraced, and President-elect Donald Trump has again panned.

New York’s population is declining.

According to a new report by Cornell University, the state’s population could decline by a little more than 2 million people over the next 25 years. That number is a little more than a 13% decrease from the current population.

Mayor Eric Adams made an appearance on The View on Friday, weighing in on the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

“If we love our country, then no one individual should take us away from our mission,” Mayor Eric Adams said. “Let’s love the country, let’s love our cities, let’s get away from the rhetoric of the professionalism that we know. Those are experts in this. They’re going to look at his proposal and do a real analysis and make these decisions. It happens every day.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — What could President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the secretary of Health and Human Services mean for New Yorkers, should he be confirmed? The state’s top health leader shared his thoughts.

Kennedy has promised sweeping changes to the department which oversees the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health.

Following a report from the state comptroller’s office, farmers agree they need more support from the state, however updated statistics are important to get an accurate picture of what is happening in New York agriculture.

DiNapoli cites a need to balance support for farms with other state priorities.

Democrat Chris Ryan declared victory and Republican Salina Town Supervisor Nick Paro conceded the close race for New York's 50th state Senate District, both campaigns said Friday afternoon following more counting of absentee and affidavit ballots a week and a half after Election Day.

"I am deeply honored by the trust the people of the 50th State Senate District have placed in me. With the majority of ballots scanned and the margin greater than than the outstanding ballots remaining, I am proud to declare victory," Ryan said in a statement Friday. "Throughout the campaign, I listened to your concerns and hopes for our future. You’ve called for a senator who will fight for good-paying jobs, quality schools, health care access, safe and affordable communities, and smart economic investments for the future. Now, I am ready to get to work delivering on these issues."

This week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she was reviving New York City's congestion pricing plan with a reduced base fare. Under the new plan, the toll for private vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street will be set at $9 for E-ZPass users. If greenlit by the federal government, the toll would begin in January. NY1 investigative reporter Courtney Gross, political reporter Bobby Cuza and statehouse reporter Bernadette Hogan weigh in on the governor’s decision to revisit the plan and the divided reactions from lawmakers across the state.

After that, the City Council has passed a bill requiring landlords to pay brokers directly, unless their prospective tenant hires a broker independently. The Real Estate Board of New York opposed the measure, claiming landlords footing the fees will result in much higher rents for tenants. The “Off Topic” team looks at this new initiative and how it will affect New Yorkers.

The number of reported assaults on prison staff and incarcerated New Yorkers is at an all-time high, according to data from the state Department of Correction & Community Supervision. Prison violence has increased over the last five years, and the state correction officers' union wants the state Legislature to take action when session resumes in January.

But union leaders and the state are at odds over the next appropriate steps.

DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, was at Albany NanoTech Thursday to introduce industry research leaders to various funding opportunities the agency can provide for tech projects through a popup called DARPAConnect.

DARPA is a research and development arm of the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for developing technology for the U.S. military.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is now politically owning the future of congestion pricing, promising she’s committed to turning the tolling program on by January — arguing the fee will end up benefiting New Yorkers in the long run.

“This is New York. You gotta take the subway,” Hochul told NY1 in an exclusive interview Thursday.

New York’s U.S. House victories were among the few bright spots this election season for Democrats.

Democrats flipped three seats: the 22nd Congressional District in Central New York, the 4th District on Long Island and the 19th District in the Southern Tier and Hudson Valley. But it wasn’t enough to flip control of the House, which is still in Republican hands.

New York City’s congestion pricing plan is back on track, with a plan for it to launch at midnight on Jan. 5 with a reduced base fare, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday.

The initiative, aimed at reducing traffic congestion and bolstering public transportation funding, had been slated for a June rollout, but Hochul abruptly paused it just weeks before its start. At the time, the governor said the originally proposed $15 fee for E-ZPass drivers was too steep for New Yorkers to bear.

The operators of four nursing homes in New York will pay $45 million to settle claims that they neglected and mistreated residents, including some who were forced to sit in their own urine and feces for hours, state Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday.

The Democrat filed a civil lawsuit last year that accused the owners and operators of Centers Health Care of using Medicaid and Medicare funds to enrich themselves, their relatives and associates instead of using funds for resident care. James claimed understaffing at the homes contributed to neglectful care. She said residents lived in squalor and were left unsupervised, leading to injuries.

The number of private sector jobs in New York decreased slightly — .01% — in October, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.

These put the total number of private sector jobs in the state to 8,391,200 in October, a drop of 800 jobs from the month before.

As Gov. Kathy Hochul prepares to lift the pause on congestion pricing with revised fee structures, Kathy Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, said that the "vast majority" of New Yorkers stand to benefit from the plan.

“People think this is just a tax for which they'll get nothing, and they aren't connecting it to what they will get,” Wylde said during an interview Thursday on “Mornings On 1.” “So, 82% of the folks who work in Manhattan commute by public transit. So the vast majority of folks are going to benefit because public transit is going to benefit by additional funds.”

One week after Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris, many across the country are wondering how he won so soundly and what this means for the country moving forward. Trump has wasted little time naming cabinet members to his incoming administration, while Democrats are scratching their heads and pointing fingers about what went wrong. At the same time, while the president-elect won all of the swing states on his road to the White House, Democrats either held onto or won Senate seats in four of those battleground states that Harris lost. So, is it a red wave or just a Trump wave?

To help make sense of all of this, veteran North Carolina Spectrum News political anchor Tim Boyum joined NY1’s Errol Louis to share his perspective as someone who watched the race play out in a swing state where Trump won the presidential race but the Democrats won the race for governor. They also discussed the realities of mass deportation, and the GOP retaining its House majority.

Farmers in New York brought in $8.5 billion in gross income in 2022 — a 47.8% increase since 2017, but there is a continued decline in the number of farms and acres of farmland due to strains on the industry, according to a new report from the state comptroller.

“New York’s diverse farms are an essential part of the state’s economy but there are increasing challenges that are changing the agricultural landscape,” said New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is making her pitch to oversee the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm — and is citing her party’s successes last week in New York to help make her case.

Last Tuesday, on what was otherwise a tough day for the party nationally, Democrats flipped three congressional seats across New York. Several Democrats have credited a coordinated campaign initiative that Gillibrand co-led with helping tip the scales.

A scandal-plagued Florida congressman could lead the Department of Justice.

President-elect Donald Trump announced his plan to nominate Matt Gaetz as the next attorney general of the United States on his social media channel, saying he would root out so-called systemic corruption at the Department of Justice.

Transgender issues played a significant role in messaging this election, particularly from Republicans. It was seen both at the presidential level and in opposition to New York’s Proposition 1, and now has worked its way into post-election conversation among Democrats.

Elisa Crespo, executive director of the New Pride Agenda, told Spectrum News 1 memories of Donald Trump’s first term in office have members of her community bracing for what’s to come as they absorb the election’s aftermath – and a largely unwanted spotlight.

New York agricultural leaders have concerns the state will see waning support for farmers under President-elect Donald Trump's next administration, they said Wednesday.

The head of the state Department of Agriculture and Markets did not mince words Wednesday while answering questions at a hearing held by four lawmakers on the Assembly Agricultural Committee.

While some Democrats are doing soul searching and blame-gaming this week thanks to the results of last week’s elections, there’s one New York state elected official who’s saying “let me show you how it’s done."

State Sen. James Skoufis won his Orange County-area seat by 14%, a district that Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket lost.

Ahead of Friday's legal deadline, Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to reveal on Thursday a new proposal to revive congestion pricing, a Hochul spokesperson confirmed Wednesday afternoon.

"Governor Hochul paused congestion pricing because a daily $15 toll was too much for hard-working New Yorkers in this economic climate. Tomorrow, the Governor will announce the path forward to fund mass transit, unclog our streets and improve public health by reducing air pollution," Hochul spokesperson Avi Small said Wednesday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Cracking down on illegal immigration was one of the key promises President-elect Donald Trump made during his campaign.

Trump has tapped upstate New York native Tom Homan as his "border czar" tasked with carrying out those vows.

As Spectrum News 1 reported last month, New York's higher education system is again seeing an increase in enrollment, as colleges and universities across the nation trend downward.

New data out from the State University of New York system on Wednesday shows an increase of 2.3% in enrollment from last fall. Last year, SUNY saw an increase of 1.1% from the year prior.

Democrat Paula Kay has officially defeated Republican Louis Ingrassia in New York's 100th state Assembly District to capture the Hudson Valley seat held for 20 years by Democrat Aileen Gunther, the Associated Press declared Wednesday.

Kay defeated Ingrassia with 26,117 (52.5%) to 23,656 (47.5%) votes with 99% of the expected vote tallied, according to the AP.

Former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin’s nomination by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Environmental Protection Agency has fueled an already intense debate over how Trump’s second term will impact climate policy both at the state and federal level.

Environmental advocates like Judith Enck, former Region 2 EPA regional aministrator under President Barack Obama, are already concerned at the prospect of a Trump presidency and have expressed further concern with Zeldin’s nomination.

U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro left the door wide open to future public service after conceding his reelection loss Tuesday to Josh Riley in New York's 19th Congressional District, including not ruling out making a play for Rep. Elise Stefanik’s seat, which would be vacant if she were to be confirmed as U.N. ambassador.

"I am not done providing public service to the people of the state of New York, and quite frankly, considering what options might be available to me moving forward,” Molinaro told Spectrum News 1 Tuesday evening on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

A week after winning her re-election bid, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Tuesday she's inviting President-elect Donald Trump to tour the semiconductor manufacturing industry in New York.

"So that he can see for himself that these are jobs that will last for decades and that we want to be competitive with China, something he's said publicly many times, he wants to out compete China. New York is the way to do that," she told Spectrum News 1.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Slavery was not limited to the South.

Tuesday night, the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies began its public hearing series in Buffalo explaining the region and the state's complicated history. Commissioner Tim Hogues said it's an important part of the process as the state considers reparations.

There are multiple narratives about what happened during the 2024 presidential election: Pollsters underestimated Donald Trump again; Democrats spent too much time and energy on niche issues rather than on bread-and-butter issues like the economy; Democrats lost touch with the working class, or the converse, that the working class has left the Democratic Party.

Or perhaps we should listen to the wisdom of Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion who claims it’s “all of the above."

Republican U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro on Tuesday evening conceded the race for New York's 19th Congressional District to Democrat Josh Riley, fully concluding the rematch contest from two years ago that was one of the most closely watched races in the country.

"Our race didn’t go the way we had hoped, but let me tell you, I am so proud of what we’ve built together," Molinaro said in a statement. "This campaign was about more than just winning a seat; it was about standing up for the people who make this state great, who work hard, who love their families, and who believe in the promise of New York and this nation."

Gov. Kathy Hochul gave her clearest indication she plans to unpause congestion pricing.

“I don’t break the law in New York state,” the governor said Tuesday. “That is the law. And I’m doing the best I can to ensure that all the requirements are met — the environmental issues, the congestion mitigation, and most important to me, funding the MTA.”

Mayor Eric Adams reiterated his criticism of the current immigration system at his weekly briefing with reporters on Tuesday.

“We can’t keep kicking the can, not down the road, but to cities. Our immigration system is a failure and in fact it’s an embarrassment and we have to do a better job,” Adams said.

A judge has postponed a decision on whether to undo President-elect Donald Trump’s hush money conviction as prosecutors consider how to proceed in light of last week’s election and his lawyers argue for dismissal so he can run the country.

The postponement announced Tuesday comes at a dramatic and dynamic point in the New York case, which focused on how Trump accounted for payments to a porn actor before the 2016 election and produced a first-ever conviction of a former commander-in-chief.

The New York state Office of Cannabis Management approved a six-month extension for provisional licenses for retailers with former marijuana convictions who want to open a recreational store, the office announced Tuesday.

Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary Licenses, known as the CAURD program, was created by the state to prioritize upcoming business owners with a cannabis conviction under former drug laws or people who have a family member with a previous conviction.

A week after Election Day, as President-elect Donald Trump announces cabinet nominees and the Senate Republicans gear up for a leadership race, control of the U.S. House of Representatives remains unknown.

The trendlines indicate, like two years ago, Republicans will maintain a narrow majority in Capitol Hill’s lower chamber, but the Associated Press has yet to declare the party has won the necessary seats to clinch control. As of Tuesday afternoon, AP has declared Republicans have won 214 seats while Democrats have won 205, with 218 needed to win a majority. There are 16 uncalled races, mostly on the West Coast, where California in particular has a number of purple districts that will be decided by close margins.

A Manhattan-based defense attorney shared analysis of President-elect Donald Trump’s request to overturn his conviction in the hush money case, as a decision from the presiding judge was expected Tuesday.

Judge Juan Merchan previously postponed his ruling to avoid any appearance of election interference. He is now set to decide whether to dismiss the indictment against Trump, order a new trial or uphold the conviction.

Rep. Elise Stefanik's nomination by President-elect Donald Trump for U.N. ambassador brings up the inevitable conversation about who will replace her. While the official process of selecting a replacement has not yet begun, speculation certainly has.

The seat has been a Republican stronghold since 2014, but was represented by former Democratic Rep. Bill Owens for several years. The process will begin once Stefanik resigns and Gov. Kathy Hochul calls a special election. State law gives parties latitude in the methods by which they select their nominee.

On Monday, we commemorate the brave men and women who make up our armed forces and thank them for their service.

In exchange for their bravery and sacrifice, they are entitled to help and care through the Veterans Affairs system and the many organizations dedicated to helping them, yet some veterans aren’t getting the help they may need.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- J.C. Seneca is taking over as president of the Seneca Nation of Indians after garnering more than 87% of the tribal election vote.

The business owner, philanthropist and long-time council member, who lost his previous three presidential campaigns, said the time was right.

Facing a federal corruption indictment, Mayor Eric Adams skipped the annual SOMOS political conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, last week.

However, his challengers were seen hard at work lobbying potential supporters and donors.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is seeking to move up the start of his trial on corruption and bribery charges so he can focus on his campaign for reelection this spring.

In a letter sent to the federal judge on Monday, an attorney for Adams, Alex Spiro, requested the trial begin on April 1 rather than the current planned date of April 23.

Former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, a New York Republican who resigned from Congress following a tax fraud conviction, is paralyzed from the chest down after being thrown from a horse during a polo tournament, according to friends who are raising funds to pay for the ex-lawmaker's medical care.

Grimm, 54, suffered the devastating injury in September and is now being treated at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey, where the late actor Christopher Reeve was treated after a similar equestrian accident in 1995, according to Vincent Ignizio, a friend of Grimm's who is a former New York City Council member.

Former Republican U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Zeldin said in a post on X, confirming reporting first made by The New York Post.

“It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” Zeldin wrote in the post. “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”

Two years after he helped orchestrate the CHIPS and Science Act, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday said he’s confident the legislation will remain intact despite the changes of power coming to the White House and Congress.

“The CHIPS Act has always been bipartisan so I believe it will certainly survive,” Schumer told reporters at an event highlighting toxic algae blooms in Penn Yan, New York.

A federal judge has ruled that a constitutional challenge to New York state’s ban to sell bulletproof vests to most civilians can move forward.

John Sinatra Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, in a decision dated Nov. 8, rejected a motion from state Attorney General Letitia James and other state officials to dismiss a challenge, ruling the plaintiff has standing.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pushing for a boost in federal funding to combat toxic algae blooms in the Finger Lakes region.

Speaking in Penn Yan on Monday, Schumer says the region has seen more harmful algae blooms (HABs) this year than anywhere else in the state. According to the majority leader, Seneca Lake reported a record-breaking 50 blooms from Aug. 24-29. Canandaigua Lake also recorded 42 blooms from Sept. 6-13 that led to the closure of two local beaches. There were also 16 blooms at Cayuga Lake and Keuka Lake saw 21, of which 11 were identified as harmful algae blooms.

New York Democrats are heading back home after traveling to Puerto Rico for the annual SOMOS political conference, where lawmakers convened and recounted what went wrong for the party in the presidential election.

Jessica Ramos, a state senator and New York City mayoral candidate, was among those in attendance and told "Mornings On 1" Monday that conversations around the Nov. 5 election dominated the conference.

President-elect Donald Trump will nominate Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to be ambassador to the United Nations.

Trump said in a statement Monday morning he is “honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter.”

NEW YORK — A gut punch for most defendants, Donald Trump turned his criminal conviction into a rallying cry. His supporters put “I’m Voting for the Felon” on T-shirts, hats and lawn signs.

“The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people,” Trump proclaimed after his conviction in New York last spring on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

The Defense Department will appeal a military judge's ruling that plea agreements struck by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and two of his co-defendants are valid, a defense official said Saturday.

The ruling this past week voided Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's order to throw out the deals and concluded that the plea agreements were valid. The judge granted the three motions to enter guilty pleas and said he would schedule them for a future date to be determined by the military commission.

A perfect storm of issues mobilized youth to vote for change this election.

More young men and women are behind President-elect Donald Trump than four years ago. Nationally, 42% of Americans under the age of 30 shifted to support Trump in this week's election, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University.

Donald Trump’s political comeback has now upended the criminal cases against him.

On Friday, a judge granted Special Counsel Jack Smith’s request to pause Trump’s federal Jan. 6 election interference case.

Democrats are celebrating the passage of New York state’s Equal Rights Amendment and three U.S. House pickups on Long Island, in the Hudson Valley and in Syracuse. The congressional victories were quite a shift from 2022 when Republicans flipped those very same seats.

So what changed to make these seats winnable for Democrats?

In the wake of his big win this week, President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Gov. Kathy Hochul about some major issues confronting New York, promising to improve Penn Station and the city’s subways.

Hochul revealed some of her conversation with the president-elect while speaking to reporters at an annual political gathering in Puerto Rico.

New York education leaders are pushing a new timeline for which Regents exams will be eliminated as a graduation requirement in January 2028. The idea to move away from that form of standardized testing has been on the table for several years.

Some people view this shift as lowering expectations. But people in the education field say there will be a rigorous set of learning standards still in place, there will just be new alternatives for students to show mastery of them.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- At the beginning of the year, the U.S. Justice Department announced it would seek the death penalty for Buffalo Tops supermarket shooter Payton Gendron.

The announcement signaled a departure from President Joe Biden's campaign promise to end capital punishment and a DOJ moratorium.

President-elect Donald Trump named one of his campaign chairs, Susie Wiles, to be his next White House chief of staff.

Wiles has a long history as a Republican operative and aide, working on presidential campaigns dating back to Ronald Reagan in 1980.

A former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams is discussing a possible plea deal with federal prosecutors following his arrest last month on charges of witness tampering and destroying evidence, court papers show.

Mohamed Bahi, who served as City Hall’s chief liaison to the Muslim community, was arrested last month as part of a sweeping investigation into Adams and his campaign fundraising that led to the mayor’s indictment on corruption charges in September.

Donald Trump will become the nation's 47th president after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday in no small part to the increase in support from racial minority communities, according to Associated Press data.

Trump gained almost an 8% increase in support from Black voters compared to 2020, and 5% more from Latino voters, up to 40%. And among Asian American voters, he gained 3% compared to his showing in 2020. The economy was identified as a key issue in this race.

Republican Rep. Mike Lawler joined "Mornings On 1" on Friday, reflecting on his reelection in a New York district long considered a Democratic stronghold.

Lawler, who received 52.4% of the vote, overcame a strong challenge from Mondaire Jones, who gained 45.6% of the vote, to secure a second term in a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 80,000 voters. He attributed his success to high voter turnout in Rockland County.

Congresswoman-elect Laura Gillen promised to be an “independent” representative in Congress who focuses on bipartisanship, one day after she was declared the winner of New York's 4th Congressional District race.

The Democrat, whose district covers parts of Long Island, secured 50.9% of the vote, defeating Republican incumbent Anthony D’Esposito, who garnered 49.1%. Gillen's win marks one of three seats flipped by New York Democrats, though the overall balance of power in the House remains undecided. As of Friday, 25 races are yet to be called, with 218 wins needed for a majority.

Many New Yorkers were perplexed by Donald Trump's decision to appear at Madison Square Garden a week before the election, but it appears the move may have paid some political dividends in New York. The president-elect made serious inroads in the city, improving on both his 2020 and 2016 numbers. NY1 investigative reporter Courtney Gross, political reporter Bobby Cuza and political director Bob Hardt look at Trump’s victory and the reasons behind his improved performance in New York City.

After that, there was some positive news down-ballot for New York Democrats. Following big midterm losses in 2022, Dems flipped three House seats back on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley. The "Off Topic" team discuss the results further down the ticket.

As New York Democrats strategize to counter President-elect Donald Trump's promise to create the largest mass deportation program in history, a top Democrat on Thursday said it is unlikely that lawmakers will return to Albany for a special session before the end of the year to strengthen protections for immigrants.

State leaders and elected officials attending the annual SOMOS conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, have engaged in talks to prepare for Trump's planned widespread immigration crackdown when he returns to office in January.

His name was not on the ballot, but Tuesday’s election is costing Sen. Chuck Schumer a job he long sought: Senate majority leader.

After a handful of their incumbents failed to win reelection to the Senate, Democrats are poised to lose control of the U.S. Senate starting in January, ending a four-year stint in the majority. The loss will also amount to a demotion for Schumer, who has served as majority leader during that period.

While ballots are still being counted, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said there is a “clear pathway” for Democrats in the House of Representatives.

“We still have a clear pathway taking back the majority,” he told NY1 political anchor Errol Louis on “Inside City Hall” Thursday, his first interview since election results came out.

Despite still running the show in Albany, Democrats have lost their veto-proof supermajority in the state Senate while appearing to have maintained their supermajority in the Assembly. Gov. Kathy Hochul seems to have been relatively successful in helping to avoid a repeat of embarrassing 2022 congressional losses in New York, and Proposition 1 passed.

“Good election for the governor, status quo for the Legislature,” Blair Horner, executive director of Good Government Group NYPIRG, said about sums it up.

President-elect Donald Trump has promised what he calls “mass deportations” of immigrants lacking permanent legal status once he returns to office, an expansion of one of his first campaign’s signature policy issues.

But Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, told Capital Tonight that there are online resources for migrants who are concerned about their status, including at nyic.org/resources.

The state Supreme Court in Orange County struck down a New York state law intended to prevent local officials from enacting rules that might suppress people's voting rights because of their race.

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act, named after the late civil rights activist who represented Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives, was passed by the New York state Legislature in 2022 and aims to bring back a version of what was known as “preclearance” that was gutted from the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2013.

New York Democrats are gathering in San Juan, Puerto Rico this week for a political conference. Top of mind is Vice President Kamala Harris’s lost presidential bid as the party looks to regroup.

“New Yorkers are looking for something different. If we have not met their basic needs, and people feel like the city is not livable, that it’s not safe, that it’s not affordable, they’re going to make some different choices,” said state Senator Zellnor Myrie, a Brooklyn Democrat, on Thursday.

The state Assembly candidate who allegedly stole his opponent's mailer from a homeowner's porch ahead of the election was issued an appearance ticket for petty larceny, a misdemeanor, after turning himself in on Thursday, the Scotia Police Department said Thursday.

A complaint was filed last month with police, alleging Republican Joe Mastroianni, a candidate for New York's 111th Assembly District, stole his opponent's election mailer from a porch in Scotia. A video of the alleged incident was taken off a doorbell camera, and provided to police by the law office of Frank Salamone, the Schenectady County Democratic Committee chair.