Albany’s downtown is about to get a major boost. After years of buildings going vacant, calls for change and economic investments, New York state is investing $400 million in an effort to help transform New York’s Capital City.

"What you'll be able to see is more people on the street, what you'll be able to see is businesses coming back to the downtown and you'll be able to see that really beautiful, obvious result with economic development," state Assemblymember Gabriella Romero said.

The number of private sector jobs in New York increased by 14,400, or 0.2%, in April, 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 8,471,700 in April. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. increased slightly lower in the same period, at 0.1%, the department said.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Come this fall, keep an eye out for a refund check from the state, as Gov. Kathy Hochul is sending inflation refund checks to New Yorkers.

To offset the high cost of living in New York state, the governor says she is honoring her promise to put more money in people's pockets.

New York state is no stranger to Hollywood magic.

“We make it very easy to film here,” Albany County Film Commissioner Debby Goedeke said.

A decent amount of rain was falling across New York state on Tuesday, and according to Gov. Kathy Hochul, it was also a rainy day to use some of the state’s reserve funds.

The governor said on Monday that the state budget will now pay off all of the $6.2 billion in unemployment insurance debt that ballooned in New York during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding for that will come from the state’s reserves, which Hochul at the beginning of her tenure as governor labeled the state’s rainy day fund.

Gov. Kathy Hochul says the state budget will now pay off all of the more than $6 billion in unemployment insurance debt that ballooned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A week ago, the governor said the state would only pay off the interest on that debt.

MIDDLETOWN N.Y. -- A key component of President Donald Trump's campaign was decreasing inflation prices for the American people. After serving 100 days of his second presidential term on Tuesday, experts argue his decisions have not reflected that.

"By taking on these tariff policies that’s he’s taken on, he’s actually probably made the situation worse," David Woolner, Marist University professor of history, said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state budget that's nearing a final deal will not pay down $6.2 billion in outstanding federal unemployment insurance debt from the COVID pandemic — forcing New York employers to continue to shoulder the burden.

Instead, the governor said the spending plan will include $165 million to cover the interest payments business owners across the state have absorbed for the last few years.

In its first two years of legal sales, New York generated more than $1 billon in retail sales of adult-use cannabis from more than 260 operational dispensaries statewide, with many individuals disproportionally impacted by its former prohibition taking part in the industry, according to a report from the state Office of Cannabis Management released Tuesday.

Those people, through the state’s Social and Economic Equity Plan, hold 55% of licenses, which exceeds the state’s initial targets. Those who qualify for the SEE Plan include a minority-owned business, a women-owned business, distressed farmers and service-disabled veterans.

Upstate city electeds Thursday put the pressure on state leaders to put more unrestricted aid in budget for municipalities as several consider tax increases to overcome double-digit budget deficits.

As Gov. Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders near a final deal, local officials said $3 billion the governor wants to spend on one-time inflation "refund" checks for low- and middle-income families would be better spent making localities whole.

While the state budget has slowly come together, mayoral primary elections have been quickly sneaking up. On June 24, there will be Democratic primary elections in four of the larger upstate cities including Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo.

One of the most closely watched races is in Buffalo where Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon is trying to earn his first full term after the resignation of longtime mayor Byron Brown to head up Western Regional Off-Track Betting.

While the first Earth Day, in 1970, took place during the Republican administration of President Richard Nixon, many in the environmental community will use Tuesday’s 55th anniversary to rail against Republican President Donald Trump and push to unite behind renewable energy.

Earlier this month, via executive order, Trump told environmental and energy agencies to sunset an array of regulations that protect endangered species, prevent oil spills and allow the public to track progress on pollution.

The New York state Comptroller's Office says former U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan pioneered the concept of balance of payments between the federal government and states with his first report in 1977.

For the vast amount of time New York has reviewed those payments, it has been what Moynihan referred to as a “donor state.”

There’s a growing concern for what a trade war could mean for the restaurant industry. President Donald Trump has implemented a baseline 10% tariff on all countries and a 145% for Chinese imports — which could put pressure on costs of ingredients and supplies.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and local restaurant owners met in Syracuse on Monday, calling for a stop to this tedious trade tussle.

Legal aid attorney Elizabeth Lynch says that Congress voting to overturn overdraft fee limits is a major blow for working class people. Those fees can turn a $1 overdraft into a $36 penalty and very quickly add up.

“We see things that are more akin to like payday lending, which is not allowed in New York state," Lynch said. "But your banks and the bank accounts through these overdraft fees can basically give out a loan that has interest rates that are astronomical when you compare it to the purchase that the person is making.”

The number of private sector jobs in New York increased by 5,600, or 0.1%, in March, 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 8,464,400 in March. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. increased slightly higher in the same period, at 0.2%, the department said.

The construction industry is still dealing with inflation and supply chain issues that started during the COVID-19 pandemic. Associated General Contractors of New York State CEO Mike Elmendorf says that under the tariffs proposed by President Trump, the cost for any kind of construction could further skyrocket.

“When tariffs go on a material that is sourced from outside the United States, a funny thing happens," Elmendorf said. "In many cases, domestic producers or suppliers of that material raise their price too because they can. Not as much as the tariff, but it sort of, it pushes everything up.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul and her husband, William Hochul, raked in nearly $1.5 million last year, according to the couple's joint tax returns released Tuesday.

The pair reported a combined income of $1,479,244 — down from about $1.9 million last year.

The New York state inspector general’s office identified $2.7 million in workers’ compensation fraud during 2024, resulting in 14 arrests, a 30% increase from the year prior, according to its annual report released Tuesday.

Inspector General Lucy Lang in the report noted that more than $1.4 million in restitution and fines were awarded to defrauded state agencies, insurers, and employers – also representing an increase in enforcement outcomes across the board compared to 2023.

Standing in his Midtown office, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed he’ll continue urging President Donald Trump to rethink upcoming tariffs on some of America’s biggest trade partners.

Schumer said Americans, especially New Yorkers, will pay the price.

Some New Yorkers say they are bracing for price hikes and rethinking how they shop as a sweeping new round of tariffs announced by President Donald Trump took effect over the weekend.

The baseline 10% tariff applies to nearly all U.S. trading partners and is expected to ripple through the global economy — affecting consumer goods, groceries, electronics, automobiles and services.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Empire State Development (ESD) said it expects to finalize a letter of intent by the summer to extend Tesla's lease of its gigafactory in South Buffalo.

The new deal would increase the rent the company pays for the state-subsidized facility from $1 per year to $2 million through the end of 2029, the original expiration date, and $5 million annually for an additional five years. However, Manhattan state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal said the state Legislature should examine if that's the best path forward.

President Donald Trump is expected to announce a plan that could include the implementation of delayed tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as sweeping retaliatory tariffs on other countries throughout the world.

The administration is touting the plan as a bold step toward American economic independence, as well as a way to push back against the flow of illegal drugs into the country. However, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, sees it differently.

The number of private sector jobs in New York increased by 3,700 or 0.1%, in February, 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 8,463,100 in February. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. also increased by 0.1% in the same period, the department said.

New York has received more than 1,300 applications for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recruitment campaign for federal workers interested in state service who have been terminated from federal jobs as a result of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

Known as the “You’re Hired” initiative, it aims to fill more than 7,000 positions in state government listed in the StateJobsNY portal that were vacant as of the end of February.

Last year was a good year for New York's financial industry as Wall Street bonuses reached a record $47.5 billion in 2024, its first major increase since the COVID-19 pandemic highs, according to a report released Wednesday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

The comptroller said the average bonus of nearly $245,000 represents a more than 30% increase from the previous year and the state is getting about $600 million more in tax revenue as a result. He said robust economic growth led to increased trading, account supervision, underwriting and selling revenues, driving strong profits and helping generate the first significant bump in the average bonus estimate since 2021.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Historically, elected officials representing the largest municipalities in Southern Ontario and Western New York have come together to resolve mutual issues.

With ongoing tariffs between the U.S. and Canada, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz reached out to convene a meeting again.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A report released this week by the New York state Comptroller's Office shows a significant pay discrepancy between men and women in New York.

The report from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found that in 2023, women earned 87 cents on the dollar compared to men and that it would take women 53 days to equal that amount.

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. -- Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center said it received more than $14 million from Seneca Casino gaming revenue between 2002 and 2023.

President Joe Ruffolo said it helped pay for a number of important facilities and jobs and continued funding would go a long way toward the hospital's $58 million in outstanding capital needs.

There was significant outrage among both moderate and left-wing Democrats over U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer’s decision last week to vote to advance the Republican continuing resolution without asking for anything in return.

At the same time, Gov. Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders are currently negotiating a state budget without explicitly addressing the probability of big federal budget cuts coming down the pike.

Upstate New York is working toward becoming home to a bustling technology hub thanks to the planned Micron semiconductor manufacturing facility coming to Onondaga County. But President Donald Trump’s criticism of the CHIPS and Science Act have left some questioning if the projects will come to fruition.

Members of New York’s congressional delegation reassured stakeholders the future of tech in the state is bright.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Josh Riley introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to lower egg prices by adjusting certain regulations for egg farmers, the congressman announced Wednesday.

The Lowering Egg Prices Act would address federal regulations that require farmers to refrigerate eggs immediately after they are laid, but current regulations do not distinguish between table eggs — raw products that need to be refrigerated — and breaker eggs — which are pasteurized for use in products like salad dressing, cake mix and pasta.

Nearly 400 mayors and local officials from across New York sent a letter to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislative leaders asking the state to continue increasing funding for small governments as state budget negotiations take place in Albany, the New York state Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials (NYCOM) announced late last week.

Known as AIM, or aid and incentives for municipalities, cities and towns received a $50 million boost in unrestricted funding in last year’s budget following an aggressive campaign from local leaders, the first increase in 15 years. These state funds are used by small governments to pay for things like supplies and wages for police officers and firefighters.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- National lobby and trade group American Beverage Licensees is holding its quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C. this week.

Member Mark O'Callaghan, the owner of Exit 9 Wine and Liquor Warehouse in Clifton Park, New York, said most of the conversation is about tariffs.

The New York Farm Bureau, the industry’s main advocacy group, says they’re concerned about the impacts tariffs would have on farmers.

“Our policy at Farm Bureau is and has been that we oppose tariffs. I think there’s going to be impacts for sure. A lot of dairy cows are fed with canola (meal) that comes down from Canada, so that’ll be a tariff increase. We heard a few days ago that power is going up and electric costs are going to definitely impact our dairies and all of agriculture,” said David Fisher, president of the New York Farm Bureau.

The number of private sector jobs in New York increased by 14,500 or 0.2%, in January, 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 8,466,400 in January. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 0.1% in the same period, the department said.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Ontario, Canada briefly threatened to charge an extra 25% on power it sends to New York state, Michigan and Minnesota.

However, after the Trump administration responded by saying it would double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, Premier Doug Ford agreed to suspend the surcharge and plans to meet with the U.S. Commerce Secretary Thursday to discuss renegotiating the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement.

New York lawmakers have included a correction to the overtime tax credit in the budget proposals, which previously excluded some farms from receiving the credit, industry advocates said Wednesday.

Prior to the correction, the law, which mandates farmers pay overtime to workers after a decreasing number of hours, didn’t allow farms that operate through a management company or payroll company to receive the tax credit meant to help offset the increased costs.

Buffalo Congressman Tim Kennedy is calling on President Donald Trump to permanently rescind tariffs on Canada.

Rep. Kennedy said that Canada is our greatest ally and trading partner. He said that Trump's pausing of the tariffs is a positive step as Trump needs to avoid an all out trade-war.

Despite what President Donald Trump may have said during his address to Congress on Tuesday night, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says, the future Micron plant outside Syracuse is "full steam ahead."

McMahon, in a statement after Trump's speech Tuesday, said he's worked with the Trump administration, including EPA Administrator and former New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin, to further an environmental review of the CHIPS & Science Law project. He added that he met with Zeldin on Monday regarding keeping the Micron project on schedule.

Gov. Kathy Hochul blasted President Donald Trump's long-threatened tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports as they took effect Tuesday — warning they could prove detrimental to New York farmers.

The governor was also expected to publicly rebuke the Trump's administration's efforts to cut federal aid for low-income public schools later in the day, but Hochul did not attend as hundreds of corrections officers and their families protested nearby.

New York state Senate Democrats are advancing legislation that aims to enhance workplace protections and combat wage theft, they revealed Tuesday.

The package of legislation includes measures that would:

New federal tariffs put in place Tuesday will negatively impact farmers who rely on selling products internationally and consumers could see prices jump, Gov. Kathy Hochul warned.

“From the North Country to the Southern Tier, farmers are the backbone of New York state. Many of our farmers rely on export sales of their products, and I’ll continue to do everything in my power to fight against this misguided tariff policy and ensure the government is doing what it is supposed to do, which is help, not hurt, New York farmers,” Hochul said.

The expected 25% tariff on Canadian goods coming into the U.S. is expected to begin Tuesday.

And while this could have a major impact on trade with the U.S.' neighbors to the north, it could also affect local communities that depend on Canadian tourism.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — President Donald Trump is going ahead with plans to impose new tariffs beginning Tuesday on Canadian and Mexican exports to the United States.

Trump on Monday said there is “no room left” for the leaders of Canada and Mexico to stop his long-pledged 25% tariffs on imports from the two U.S. North American neighbors from taking effect after midnight.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Federal policy changes were a major topic at the New York state Legislaure budget hearing on labor and workforce development.

Lawmakers asked state Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon how New York was dealing with potentially thousands of employees the Trump administration has or is in the process of letting go.

It’s budget time in New York, and local governments may face increased budget challenges this year due to factors like the expiration of federal pandemic-era aid, state aid not keeping up with the pace of inflation and slower growth in local revenue, according to a report released Tuesday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

According to DiNapoli, federal stimulus during the COVID-19 pandemic from the CARES Act of 2020, American Rescue Plan of 2021 provided the fastest growing source of revenue for local governments during that time, and they were required to obligate by the end of 2024 and spend by the end of 2026. The report said outside of New York City, counties received the most federal stimulus funds in terms of overall dollars, while American Rescue Plan funds represented 14.4% of total 2019 (pre-pandemic) revenues for cities, 5.3% for towns, 4.5% for counties and 3.2% for villages.

The ubiquitous food delivery app DoorDash will pay almost $17 million to settle claims that it unfairly used customer tips to subsidize the wages of its delivery workers in New York, rather than letting drivers keep the tips on top of their guaranteed pay, Attorney General Letitia James said Monday.

James said DoorDash used the wage model between May 2017 and September 2019. The company would guarantee workers a base payment for each delivery but was factoring tips into that equation, only paying workers for whatever the tips didn't cover, according to the attorney general.

Following a review by the newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brook Rollins, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released $20 million in funding for farmers.

The funding will be put toward contracts that were already used for the Enviornmental Quality Incentive Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. Originally, the money was part of the Inflation Reduction Act, which the Trump administration froze.

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that would require manufacturers to report their dairy processing costs every two years.

“New York dairy farmers deserve to be paid a fair price for their milk, and they need a milk pricing system that they can count on,” said U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand Thursday in a press release. “Requiring manufacturers to report dairy processing costs on a biennial basis will give dairy producers, processors, and cooperatives the data they need to ensure that their prices accurate reflect the costs of production.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Some dairy farmers in upstate New York say they don't know just how much the Trump administration's focus on illegal immigration could impact the industry — with stories already circulating about Immigration and Customs Enforcement showing up to farms to pick up specific people with known infractions.

"Our employees all come to us with documents. It's a matter of whether they're legitimate or not and I would say, I look at them. If they look good I move forward. I don't ask questions about how they got here or anything like that so at this point you can tell which ones are nervous," said one upstate farmer who asked to remain anonymous in order to protect his staff and business.

The New York Power Authority backed down from a significant rate increase proposed for hydropower after facing bipartisan backlash, but it was an order from Gov. Kathy Hochul herself that ultimately doomed the plan.

The increase, which was in the midst of a lengthy implementation process, would have sent hydropower rates from $12.88/MWh to $33.05 over the next four years before settling back to a rate of $24.26 by 2029.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — There have been a lot of changes in Washington, D.C. since the Trump administration took office. One change in particular has a Rochester small business owner scratching her head and wondering, why? Paper straws are a product that’s been in the president’s crosshairs for a while now.

A 10,000-square-foot factory in Rochester is the definition of a small business.

Canandaigua, Brockport and Phelps will each receive millions of dollars to improve their communities as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday.

Brockport and Phelps will each receive $4.4 million from the NY Forward Program, while Canandaigua will receive $10 million as the Finger Lakes winner as part of the eighth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

New York state Sen. Pat Fahy introduced a new bill that would allow New Yorkers to purchase state-produced alcohol from certain restaurants.

Fahy said the bill would help boost the state's craft food and beverage industry.

Local government sales tax collections in New York state increased by 1.6% in 2024 from the year prior, though that's by a slower amount than years past, according to a report released Friday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

Collections totaled $376 million during the calendar year, DiNapoli said. It was the slowest annual growth seen since the COVID-19 pandemic decline in 2020, and was less than half of the average pre-pandemic growth rate (3.8%) of 2011 to 2019 following the Great Recession.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Trump administration agreed Monday morning to put a pause on tariffs on Mexican goods imported to the United States for another month as part of a deal in which the Southern neighbors will send more troops to the border.

However, at the time Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke to reporters, the U.S. still had plans in place to begin imposing 25% tariffs on product from Canada, 10% on Canadian energy and 10% on Chinese goods.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $252 billion executive budget proposal includes plenty of good news for families, including a middle-class tax cut, an inflation rebate check and a tripling of the child tax credit.

But the proposed spending plan is enormous, fueled in part by an 8% increase in revenue that some budget watchdogs say is not sustainable.

As part of her State of the State agenda, Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to make changes to the state’s workers compensation system to make it easier for those with claims to control who provides care and encourage more providers to participate in the system.

According to Dr. James Tacci, medical director for the New York State Workers Compensation Board, thanks to the conditions of current state statute, only about 10% of medical providers are authorized to treat individuals with workers compensation claims. He said that’s largely due to a system that is so burdensome that many people’s primary care providers or specialists simply decline to participate.

Some farmers across New York are still looking for lawmakers to fix an issue that left them unable to receive a tax credit following the state’s new farmworker overtime law.

The law, which mandates farmers pay overtime rates to workers after a decreasing number of hours, doesn’t allow farms that operate through a management company or payroll company to receive a tax credit to help offset costs.

The Trump administration’s announcement of a federal funding and grants freeze has been described as an ideological review of spending to align with executive orders.

But advocates and municipal leaders argue that the order jeopardizes critical programs that millions of Americans rely on for health care, education and social services — including school lunch programs and home heating and energy assistance.

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. -- Alton's Restaurant has been serving customers in Cheektowaga for more than 40 years.

General Manager Audrea Arricale said the casual dining establishment is known for serving breakfast all day.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced record attendance at state parks in 2024.

With 88.3 million visitors in 2024, the record from 2023 was broken by 5%. Over the last 12 years, attendance at the parks has steadily increased.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The U.S. Department of Commerce officially announced funding for three factories in upstate New York. It's awarding the company Corning in the North Country up to $32 million to expand production of glass products used in advanced semiconductor chips.

Edwards Vacuum at the Genesee County STAMP Facility will get up to $18 million to support the construction of its dry pump facility, also vital to semiconductor manufacturing. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer first announced the investment earlier this week.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Following a Wednesday meeting with Canada's provincial and territorial premiers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said "everything is on the table" as the country prepares to defend against economic threats from the Trump administration which takes office next week.

However, Empire Center for Public Policy Research Director Ken Girardin does not take seriously suggestions Canada would cut off energy resources to the United States.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The federal government has already designated the I-90 corridor between Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse as the country's only federal tech hub for the semiconductor industry.

Invest Buffalo Niagara President & CEO Tom Kucharski, who helped the regions apply for the designation, said it's been an effective point of distinction as his and other economic development organizations pitch to site selectors and companies.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Job growth in the United States outpaced analyst predictions in December by about 100,000.

The Bureau of Labor report released Friday showed the country gained about 256,000 jobs in December.

Farmers in New York state have some concerns as they begin the new year. Changing federal and state policies seem to be the driving forces behind their worries.

“The uncertainty about agricultural labor right now is probably foremost in most of agriculture's mind," said Doug Shelmindine, co-owner of Sheland Farms.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul released a statement Wednesday saying the state’s Republican congressional delegation should demand a full repeal of the cap on the federal deduction for state and local taxes, or SALT, as negotiations on its future continue with Donald Trump about to return to the White House.

“The New York Republican delegation owes middle class New Yorkers a full repeal of the SALT cap. This cap has cost New Yorkers as much as $12 billion every year since it took effect in 2018, robbing middle-class families of their hard-earned money,” Hochul said in the statement. “Republicans have drained billions directly from the pockets of their own constituents, and now it’s time for them to deliver. No excuses. No half measures. It's all or nothing – New Yorkers deserve a full repeal.”

Nonprofit organizations in 2022 provided 1.3 million jobs to New Yorkers, which was a 4.1% decline over a five-year period, according to a report released Wednesday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

There were more than 33,536 nonprofit organizations in the state as of 2022, the report says, which comprised one-tenth of the organizations nationwide.

The new year brings some changes to 401 (k) plans across the country, including an expanded limit on catch-up contributions older workers can make. The larger contributions can lower the amount of taxable income for individuals who are eligible and take advantage.

The contribution cap this year for all employees is $23,500, a $500 increase over last year’s cap.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing a large expansion of New York’s child tax credit as part of her 2025 State of the State executive agenda, the governor announced Monday.

Under her proposal, families would receive an annual credit of up to $1,000 per child under age 4 and up to $500 per child from age 4 to 16. The current rate is set at $330 per child.

The New York state Office of Cannabis Management has generated more than $1 billion in total revenue since the recreational cannabis market opened in 2022, according to its annual report released Thursday.

That money has come from the nearly 300 adult use cannabis dispensaries now open across the state. The office said it has issued over 5,000 licenses, permits and registrations and conducted 1,300 enforcement inspections over that time.

Plates, forks and knives are everyday essentials for all of us, however, most of these items are made abroad. Now, state leaders are pushing for the items to be American made with the FORKS Made in America Act.

It would require the Department of Defense to buy stainless steel flatware and dinnerware from manufacturers in the United States, potentially good news for Sherrill Manufacturing in upstate New York.

The number of private sector jobs in New York increased by 11,900, or 0.1%, in November, 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 8,409,100, in November. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. also increased by 0.1% in the same period, the department said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law that aims to crack down on a sort of “black market” for restaurant reservations, the governor’s office announced Thursday.

The legislation makes it illegal for third-party restaurant reservation services from arranging unauthorized restaurant reservations with food service establishments. Those services must enter into a written agreement with restaurants before being able to list reservations on their website.

New York state’s Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council (CPRAC) voted on Wednesday to advance $9 billion of child poverty reduction recommendations to Gov. Kathy Hochul. The hope is that she includes the recommendations in her State of the State address and her executive budget.

CPRAC was created in 2021 by passage of the Child Poverty Reduction Act, which has a goal of reducing poverty in the state by 50% by 2031.

The minimum wage in New York state is set to increase by 50 cents on Jan. 1, 2025.

The state’s minimum wage will increase from $16 an hour to $16.50 per hour in New York City, Long Island and Westchester County. For the rest of the state, it will increase from $15 to $15.50 an hour.

New York’s recreational cannabis industry has run into yet another legal hurdle, continuing to face fallout for decisions made by prior leadership of the state Office of Cannabis Management.

A state Supreme Court in Albany County on Thursday placed an injunction on the state from issuing new cannabis store licenses to applicants that don’t have a secured retail space as required by state law.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said her proposed “inflation refund” checks of up to $500 to taxpayers won’t impact the state’s finances in terms of emergency funds.

The governor announced the proposal on Monday, which would provide single New York taxpayers earning up to $150,000 annually a one-time payment of $300, while joint filers making up to $300,000 per year would get $500. The refund would be funded by excess sales tax revenue generated by inflation, or as Hochul as been calling it, “unanticipated revenue.”

Micron and the federal government have sealed the deal on the funding agreement on their future plant outside Syracuse.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's office confirmed Tuesday that the up-to-$6.1 billion in CHIPS & Science Law funding for Micron to build a new facility upstate is finalized and secured. This locks in the funding for the massive new chip fabrication facility being built in Clay.

Unemployment among people with disabilities in New York remains frustratingly high at 67%.

In order to address the issue, Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order in September committing New York to be an “Employment First State” and to increase “Competitive Integrated Employment for New Yorkers with Disabilities."

Millions of New York state residents could receive “inflation refund” checks of up to $500 if a proposal from Gov. Kathy Hochul passes in the state budget next year.

Under the proposal, single New York taxpayers earning up to $150,000 annually would receive a one-time payment of $300, while joint filers making up to $300,000 per year would get $500, Hochul said Monday.

A pets advocate group has filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction against New York’s coming state law that will ban the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in retail stores.

The Puppy Mill Pipeline Act, scheduled to go into effect on Dec. 15, is designed to stop dangerous large-scale breeding operations known as "puppy mills," where animals often face mistreatment and serious health issues.

More than 250 state and local organizations are urging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to include a package of food and nutrition priorities in her upcoming executive budget proposal, according to a letter sent to the governor.

The groups are requesting:

The 110-year-old New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) has an ambiguous name, but does critical work.

The fund was born out of one of the deadliest tragedies in New York City history: the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in which 146 mostly young immigrant women and girls perished.

Several New York and Pennsylvania House Republicans, led by Rep. Nick Langworthy, called on Gov. Kathy Hochul to end opposition to a proposed natural gas pipeline that would’ve run through parts of the Southern Tier and Western New York, according to a letter they sent Thursday.

Known as the Northern Access Pipeline, National Fuel Gas Co. proposed a decade ago to build a two-foot wide, 96-mile pipeline that would run through parts of Allegany, Cattaraugus and Erie counties, as well as one county in Pennsylvania, and carry natural gas to a variety of places in North America.

The number of clean energy jobs in New York state has reached a record high with 178,000 employees in the industry at the end of 2023, according to findings from the 2024 New York Clean Energy Industry Report.

That’s an increase of 7,700 from the year prior.

Several hemp retailers in the state who say they've been improperly accused of selling illegal marijuana products have high hopes for a state Supreme Court decision expected by the end of the month.

Hemp store owners this summer sued the state Office of Cannabis Management after police confiscated thousands of dollars of product they argue they're legally licensed to sell through the state agency.

Some New York pet stores are closing their doors for good ahead of big changes for the industry.

Two years ago, legislation was passed banning the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in New York retail pet shops and signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The legislation, according to a press release, was "aiming to end the puppy mill-to-pet store pipeline and stop abusive breeders."

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Thanksgiving is a day for traditions like turkey, football and watching the parade.

Dank dispensary owner Aaron Van Camp said in his family they had a more discreet custom as well.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Threats of tariffs by President-elect Donald Trump are raising flags for people on all sides of the border.

Trump posted Monday on Truth Social that he’d sign an executive order declaring a 25% tariff on all products coming in from Mexico and Canada if they don’t crack down on illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs.

In 1940, New York state sent 45 congressional representatives to Capitol Hill.

By the year 2000, that number had dropped to 29.

The state pension fund is estimated to be valued at $274.6 billion as of the end of the second quarter of the state's fiscal year, New York state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced Wednesday.

The comptroller said fund investments returned an estimated 4.15% during the three-month period ending Sept. 30. At the end of the state’s fiscal year in March, the pension fund was valued at $267.7 billion.

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.