Espada's Trial Day Delayed

(ALBANY, N.Y.) -- The federal trial for ex-state senator Pedro Espada, indicted on charges that he and his son looted half a million dollars from their nonprofit health clinic, has been delayed. The new trial date has been set for October 17.

Espada's tumultuous time in office came to an end in 2010 when he was defeated in the primary by Gustavo Rivera, a Bronx activist.

Months after his defeat, Espada was indicted on charges of pocketing money from his organization.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Gillibrand Announces Cyber Security Legislation

(WASHINGTON) -- On Wednesday, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) announced the Cyberspace Warriors Act of 2011.

Gillibrand, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the legislation would require the Secretary of Defense to work with an independent research organization to issue a study of the Department's requirements for cyber security personnel recruitment, training, and retention.

"Cyber warfare is an emerging threat that could affect every aspect of our national and economic security," Senator Gillibrand said. "Terrorists could shut down electric grids in the middle of winter, zero-out bank accounts, or take down a stock exchange, causing an unimaginable amount of disruption and harm. Meanwhile, many of the best and brightest in information technology work in the private sector.  We need to ensure that the U.S. military has the resources to recruit and retain these talented individuals to protect our national security."

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Scorching Temperatures Expected Throughout New York State

(ALBANY, N.Y.) – Along the East Coast, from Washington, DC to Boston, triple-digit temperatures are expected on Thursday.

Most of New York State is expected to swelter in the 90s with high humidity for the second day in a row. Some areas may see temperatures break records from 1933.

Cooler weather, with a chance of thunderstorms throughout the northeast, is expected on Friday and Saturday. New York can expect temperatures in the 70s over the weekend.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio



Lawmakers Revise Tuition Plan to Include CUNY

(ALBANY, N.Y.) -- New York lawmakers are tweaking a SUNY tuition plan released last week.

The plan, which calls to raise SUNY tuition annually by five and a half percent over a five year period, has been revised to also include City University of New York schools.

The bill also protects university money from being put into the state's general fund.

An agreement on the bill is expected by the end of the month.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Gillibrand Calls For Meat Safety Regulations

(WASHINGTON) -- As an E. coli outbreak is causing illness and death in some parts of Europe, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is fighting to protect funding for the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, the first major update to America's food safety laws in nearly a century, which was passed last year.

On Monday, Gillibrand introduced new meat safety legislation that would target all high-risk pathogens and all currently unregulated strains of E. coli found in the meat supply that cause foodborne illnesses.

"How many more outbreaks will we allow, and how many more lives will we lose, before we wake up and take real action?" Senator Gillibrand said. "We've known the hazards of E. coli for years. It's time we get serious, and keep contaminated food in check before it ever reaches a grocery store shelf or kitchen."

Gillibrand released the statement saying nearly 3.2 million New Yorkers are affected by foodborne illnesses each year.

Specifically, the legislation addresses E. coli in meat by:
•    Requiring plants that produce the cuts and trimmings that make ground beef to test their products regularly before it is ground and again before all the components are ground together.
•    Requiring foreign facilities to certify their product has been tested for E. coli to be eligible for import into the country.  The domestic facility receiving the product would be required to verify the results with secondary testing.
•    Requiring slaughterhouses, producers, and grinding facilities receiving trimmings to use independent testing facilities operating under annual contracts.
•    Sets a threshold of 25,000 lbs of trim per day for compliance implementation to reduce the burden on small producers.
•    Calls for habitual violators to be listed on a public website. Any slaughterhouse or processing establishment that produces or distributes trim with positive E. coli test results for 3 consecutive days, or more than 10 times per year, will be deemed a habitual violator.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Cesar Perales Confirmed as Secretary of NY Department of State

(ALBANY, N.Y.) -- Cesar A. Perales has been confirmed as the Secretary of the New York State Department of State.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the state Senate's confirmation of Perales on Tuesday, with the governor describing him as "one of New York's most dedicated public servants."

Perales said he was honored to be confirmed as secretary and thanked Governor Cuomo for the opportunity to serve in the role.

"The Department of State provides a variety of important services to the public, and I look forward to working closely with community and business leaders, as well as citizens across this state in my new role," said Perales.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Same-Sex Marriage Debate Heats Up

(ALBANY, N.Y.) -- The contentious debate regarding same-sex marriage in New York State continues as both sides try to gain the support of indeterminate lawmakers and voters.

In Albany Tuesday, members of 1199 SEIU United Hospital Workers lobbied lawmakers on the topic. They encouraged senators who were against the vote in the past to this time vote in favor.

However, supporters may have to push a little harder to rake in some extra votes. Senate Republicans hold the majority 32-30.

On the opposing end, Conservative Chairman Mike Long says his party apparatus will soon pick up their campaigning efforts to ensure the existence of a solid block of people denouncing same-sex marriage.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

New York State Grants $191 Million to Renewable Energy Projects

(ALBANY, N.Y.) -- New York State has given $191 million to renewable energy initiatives across the state.

Gov. Cuomo announced the grants this week as part of New York's renewable portfolio standard, which aims at generating 30 percent of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2015. Included in the selected projects are four wind farms and four hydroelectric plants.

Officials expect the investment to save the state government a half a billion dollars over the next 20 years.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Rep. Weiner Scandal: Why Sext?

(NEW YORK) -- Following the admission by New York Rep. Anthony Weiner admission that he tweeted and sent Facebook messages with inappropriate photos of himself to at least six women, questions are being raised about why did it.

"If you're looking for some kind of deep explanation, I simply don't have one," Weiner said at a press conference Monday.

Weiner didn't have an answer, but therapists do.

"Adults, particularly those in positions of power like politicians, sext because they want even more power," said Bethany Marshall, a marriage and family therapist in Beverly Hills, California.  "They want reassurance, they want the sexual stimulation, they want to think of themselves as sexually desirable."

Marshall said that sexting, once a teen phenomenon, has grown into an adult problem, leaving spouses questioning their husbands and wives.  Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, have been married only a year.

"They [politicians] have an insatiable need to feel wanted and desired and when they sext, sometimes it is to coerce a response from the woman," Marshall said.  "They sext the pictures of themselves with the fantasy that they are particularly desirable and then on top of it, they don't think they are going to be caught."

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

State Legislatures Strike Ethics Deal

(ALBANY, N.Y.) -- On Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the Clean Up Albany Act, a deal he says will bring about ethics reform among state lawmakers.

Under the legislation, a new agency will serve as a watchdog over the executive branch, legislative branch, and lobbyists.

The act calls for more transparency, requiring lawmakers to disclose more personal information. For example, one clause requires elected officials who are also lawyers to make information about their clients public.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio