The inevitable has come to pass, CivMixers, because time waits for no woman – or man. It’s Monday. Good morning.
The weather made headlines again over the weekend, with a number of big storms raging through the weekend, leaving some damage, flash flooding and power outages in their wake.
According to poweroutage.us, as of 9:45 p.m. last night around 11,000 National Grid and New York State Electric and Gas customers were out of power in Saratoga County, 3,610 in Albany County, roughly 2,400 in Schenectady County and more than 2,500 in Rensselaer County.
The sign outside News 10’s Albany studios melted down in the storm, which also blew the station’s transformer, kicking it briefly off the air.
Today it’s going to be very hot and extremely humid. There’s actually a heat advisory in effect, with heat indexes up around 99 degrees and actual temperatures hovering around 90. There’s a chance of more thunderstorms with strong gusty winds in the afternoon, according to the Weather Channel.
In other news…
President Donald Trump insists we’re not having a recession, saying: “We’re doing tremendously well. Our consumers are rich. I gave a tremendous tax cut and they’re loaded up with money.”
Trump’s top economic advisor Larry Kudlow said strong retail sales and low unemployment were signs the economy remained strong. “I think we’re in pretty good shape,” he said, even though a gauge of U.S. manufacturing recently fell to its lowest reading since 2009 as demand weakened and managers slowed hiring.
Thirty four percent of economists surveyed by the National Association for Business Economics said in a report being released today that they believe a slowing economy will tip into recession by 2021 – up from 21 percent in a survey taken in February.
Authorities this weekend announced they had foiled three potential mass shootings after arresting three men in different states who expressed interest in or threatened to carry them out. All three cases were brought to authorities’ attention thanks to tips from the public.
The Danish Prime Minister called Trump’s interest in buying Greenland “absurd” the same day the President confirmed he had discussed the possibility of the US purchasing the country – albeit, Trump said, it wasn’t a high priority for America.
A new study shows that invasive insects and diseases kill enough trees in the United States each year to release 6 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere
The account NYPD Daniel Pantaleo gave after Eric Garner died was “implausible and self-serving,” according to the opinion of an administrative judge who has recommended that Pantaleo be fired.
Sexually abused as children, four Albany lawmakers told their stories to raise awareness about the Child Victims Act. They filmed a public service announcement to raise awareness about the new law with Safe Horizon, a nonprofit advocacy group for victims.
Any future judgments in favor of sex abuse victims who have filed lawsuits under the new act could become mired in protracted legal battles – especially if the defendants have taken steps to shield their assets or seek to use bankruptcy proceedings to minimize harm or delay payouts as they reorganize finances.
Mark Halperin has inked a new book deal about political strategy in the Trump era and was blasted by women who accused the disgraced NBC commentator of sexual misconduct.
New York state lawmakers won’t reconvene at the Capitol for another three months, but there is a raging legal debate over outside compensation limits that affects who will show up.
The state Public Finance Commission will hold its first meeting this coming Wednesday in Manhattan.
As pressure grows on Washington to enact new gun control measures in response to continued deadly mass shootings in the nation, New York lawmakers already are discussing what new firearms restrictions could be pushed at the Capitol when they return for the next legislative session in January.
New York City police arrested a homeless man from West Virginia on Saturday for allegedly planting false bombs in Manhattan that caused alarm and delayed morning rush-hour commuters last week.
The NY Times tracked the last days of alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s life behind bars, where, known in the Metropolitan Correctional Center as inmate 76318-054, he continued to try to use his fortune to insulate himself against reality.
Britain’s Prince Andrew on Sunday broke his silence about his ties to Epstein, calling the suggestion that he participated in any of his pedophile pal’s behavior “abhorrent.”
New York City has new bragging rights, thanks to a building that now holds the title of highest roof in the Western Hemisphere.
The NYPD’s largest union called out NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio over a massive melee in Brooklyn that left three officers with minor injuries and involved gunfire.
Representatives for a luxury Central Park West condo in Manhattan went to court to block a new bike lane, opening another front in the increasingly pitched battle between bicyclists and motorists for precious space in the nation’s largest city.
Albany County District Attorney David Soares is concerned that come Jan. 1, 2020 his office will likely be seeing a lot of repeat offenders due to bail reform.
While the horse racing public in Saratoga braces for Travers week, the Aurora Games arrives in downtown Albany, seeking an audience of its own. (To add to the congestion, the Premier Lacrosse League, a touring pro sports circuit, occupies the University at Albany next weekend.)
The Games have so far drawn soft early ticket sales as organizers push to get the word out.
A plane crashed into a home outside of Poughkeepsie Saturday, killing one resident and one person on the aircraft and causing a massive fire, state police said. The National Transportation Safety Board is to determine why the Cessna 303 plunged at about 4:30 p.m. in the rural town of Union Vale.
Police have now tentatively identified the victims of that plane crash, which include the pilot, 61-year-old Francisco Knipping-Diaz of Woodemere, and 61-year-old Gerard Bocker, who was inside the house at the time.
Gloversville-based attorney George Abdella has filed a lawsuit against the town of Caroga seeking $3.1 million in damages, or the return of Sherman’s Amusement Park plus damages from the town from having improperly maintained it.
Gloversville has been forced to drop its proposed pilot plan to acquire distressed foreclosure properties, after Fulton County told the city it can either take all of them or none at all.
To help ensure an accurate, complete count in the 2020 census, SUNY Empire State College will open available computer labs at the college’s more than 30 locations all across New York state.
A New York Fathers’ Rights Movement event was held outside the state Capitol Saturday to highlight issues related to family law and child custody.
Police are teaming up with the state DOT for Operation Hardhat, during which you may see troopers dressed up as construction workers in hopes of cracking down on reckless driving through work zones.
A video posted by Jimmy Howell, a Queens FNDY firefighter, of himself giving his baby girl a pedicure has gone viral.
Reports of sexual harassment against one of opera’s most revered stars – Plácido Domingo, 78 – have brought opposing reactions from singers, and continents.
A computer system used to usher arriving passengers through customs at airports suffered a nationwide failure for a couple of hours on Friday, causing ripples of delays and leaving frustrated travelers waiting hours to be processed.
The two Democratic candidates running to serve residents in the Cohoes’ Fifth Ward have spent their summer going door-to-door in preparation for the unusual revote of their primary race next week, (Tuesday, Aug. 27).
The Manhattan district attorney is seeking a new grand jury indictment against Harvey Weinstein that would allow the actress Annabella Sciorra, who has accused him of rape, to testify at his criminal trial next month.
A Saturday afternoon fire in Wilton destroyed a building that housed a family of four as well as a not-for-profit that collects donations to send to U.S. soldiers overseas.
New York State personnel are “following all testing protocols” in monitoring algae at Moreau Lake State Park, where a bloom was observed on Friday night and has been tracked closely since.
Congratulations to Siena women’s basketball coach Ali Jaques and her fiance, Niagara men’s basketball assistant Marc Rybczyk, who are getting married next Saturday, 10 months after he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
Army Veteran Jimmy Thomas of Ballston Spa rode his bicycle six to eight hours daily beginning June 3 from Newport, Ore., to the Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Albany to pay back the nonprofit Woofs for Warriors for a well-trained service dog named Boots that helps prevent the return of seizures.
New York state is a surprising beneficiary of an uptick in reshoring — jobs coming back to the U.S. from overseas — as well as direct investment by foreign nations.
NBC and Telemundo owned stations teamed up with hundreds of shelters across the country to host Clear the Shelters, a nationwide event. More than 700 animals have been adopted locally since the campaign began last month.
There are nearly 150 million reasons for New Yorkers to check their lotto numbers. The single winner of Saturday night’s $148 million Powerball jackpot was bought at a Long Island gas station.
Workers are gradually returning to Notre Dame Cathedral to clear out hazardous debris and consolidate the fire-damaged medieval monument, after a month-long delay prompted by fears of lead contamination.
The 180th Erie County Fair was a hit in more ways than one. It was the biggest ever at the turnstiles.
Weight Watchers — now rebranded as WW — has introduced an app called Kurbo, for children 8 to 17 years old. A registered dietician says you should never put your kid on a structured diet.
“Good Boys,” an R-rated movie about foul-mouthed 12-year-olds, was No. 1 at the box office this past weekend with about $21 million, the year’s largest opening total for an original comedy.
Yes, you can hike in NYC.
Dick Van Dyke proves he’s still got it.
RIP Phil Blanchard, an editor for several newspapers – including the Times Union and the Schenectady Gazette – and websites for more than five decades, who died on Aug. 16 at his home in Albuquerque, N.M. The cause was cancer.
Photo credit: George Fazio.
